Patton Oswalt performs “The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold

The chilling tale "The Night Wire" by H.F. Arnold, read by Patton Oswalt, unfolds in a night shift setting at a wire service where two operators receive and transcribe news reports. The story, set in a western seaport town, follows the eerie experiences of a night manager and his colleague, John Morgan, who is known for his exceptional skills in handling multiple typewriters simultaneously. As the night progresses, Morgan begins to feel unwell, leading to a series of unsettling news reports from a mysterious town named Zebico, which is enveloped in an ominous fog.

As the fog thickens, reports from Zebico detail strange occurrences, including the disappearance of rescue parties sent to investigate the phenomenon. The atmosphere grows increasingly tense as the night manager observes Morgan's unresponsive state while he continues to type out the bizarre dispatches. The narrative culminates in a horrifying revelation as the night manager discovers that Morgan has been dead for hours, yet his fingers continued to record the terrifying events unfolding in Zebico, a town that does not exist on any map. The story leaves a haunting question about the nature of reality and the unknown forces at play.

Patton Oswalt performs “The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold

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