Transcript created: 3rd September 2026

Last updated: 3rd September 2026

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[High pitched creak of a metal door opening. Sound of Noor and Finn entering together, walking across the concrete floor of the massive aircraft hangar.]

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NOOR: So Isaiah definitely knows

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FINN: What do you think gave it away?

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NOOR: Could be the office christmas party?

 

FINN: I thought we were appropriately sneaky. My bet was on the away day

 

NOOR: Oh! The bridal carry trust fall?

 

FINN: It sticks in the brain

 

NOOR: It’s not my fault you can lift me up like a sack of flour

 

FINN: But you do love to re-assert its veracity

 

NOOR: You just wait. I’m going to be able to lift you up and you’ll know what I mean. It’s addictive

 

FINN: You keep telling yourself that

 

NOOR: Is that a challenge?

 

FINN: More of a comment on our respective physiques

 

[Noor climbs up onto the wing of the plane, lifting the cockpit hood and clambering in]

 

NOOR: (Efforts as she speaks) I’m going to prove you wrong, Finn O’Shaugnessy, or my name isn’t Noor Latif

 

[Finn follows, getting up onto the wing and strapping Noor in.]

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FINN: (CLOSE) I have a feeling I will not be hearing the end of this

 

NOOR: (CLOSE) Just don’t cry when I break your deadlift record

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FINN: (CLOSE) I will have several reactions to that, but I doubt any of them will be disappointment

 

NOOR: (CLOSE) See, that’s why I like you

 

[They kiss]

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FINN: (Gathering themself) One day I’m going to learn how to focus whilst looking into those brown eyes of yours

 

NOOR: Don’t learn too fast

 

FINN: I fear it’s an impossible task

 

NOOR: (Gentle teasing) You’re getting distracted again

 

FINN: (Clearing their throat, pulling back and getting down, picking up some papers) Ok, right. So this little wren has been giving us all kinds of troubles. Something about the engines - she doesn’t love going anywhere near vertical.

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NOOR: Which is obviously a problem. So you want me to play chicken with stall turns until we spot the issue?

 

FINN: I want you to be careful. It’s not just stalling we’re talking about. The engines cut, completely. They might not come back on. Be prepared to glide into an emergency landing.

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[The morse code of the opening theme tune comes in.]

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NOOR: Child’s play

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FINN: Noor-

 

NOOR: (Teasing) Finn-

 

FINN: Seriously, Blackbird. For me. Be safe.

 

NOOR: When am I not?

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[Noor shuts the cockpit. The opening theme swells up, and we hear Noor’s plane take off before the music takes over completely for the credits. ]

 

FERAH AHMET: The Bird Roads. Act Two. Part Two.

 

[The music ends. We’re outside on an airfield. We can hear distant traffic, birdsong, planes overhead.]

 

[Finn presses a button on his radio. Throughout this scene Noor is distorted by the radio, coming through to us with Finn on the ground.]

 

FINN: Testing testing, Blackbird, can you hear me? Over

 

NOOR: Coming through loud and clear Sailor, over

 

FINN: How’s she flying? Over

 

NOOR: Smooth as butter. Can’t you see? Over

 

FINN: Sure, but you could style out an empty beer can and a parachute, over

 

NOOR: Don’t try me, over

 

[We hear Noor’s plane, engines whining and droning as she soars overhead]

 

NOOR: Alright, climbing now, over

 

FINN: Don’t overdo it, over

 

NOOR: You don’t think I can take it? Over

 

FINN: I don’t think the plane can take it, Noor. Over.

 

NOOR: Isn’t that what we’re here to do? Over

 

[Towards the end of Noor’s transmission, a chorus of alarming beeps.]

 

FINN: Noor? What was that, over?

 

[When Noor returns, the beeps are still going in the background of her audio. An ominous, quiet melody begins like a ticking clock.]

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NOOR: Looks like your engine problem is a fuel leak. Have you got visuals on this? Over

 

FINN: (To themself) Shit

 

[Finn fumbling as they find their binoculars.]

 

FINN: (To themself) Sweet Jesus. Yeah, that’ll do it

 

[Finn pressing the radio button.]

 

FINN: Okay Blackbird, we found the point of failure. Bring her in, over

 

NOOR: Hang on, there’s something else. A weird tension when she yaws. Let me just...

 

[The radio beeps as it shuts off.

 

FINN: We can investigate that later, Blackbird, abort this manoeuvre. You’re gaining too much altitude, over

 

[Long beat. The music builds.]

 

[The plane’s engines whirring, beginning to wail in an alarming fashion from far above us.]

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FINN: Blackbird, respond, over.

 

[The plane’s engines wail, crescendo-ing into a pitch. It’s getting much too close to us, much too fast, screaming towards the ground.]

 

FINN: Noor? NOOR!

 

[The terrible crescendo of a plane crashing. A huge explosion. Distant sirens. Finn starts running across the airfield.]

 

EMERGENCY LOUDSPEAKER: All personnel evacuate the airfield. All personnel, evacuate the airfield.

 

[The crackle of flaming debris hisses across the soundscape. More sirens - vehicles now, join the chorus.]

 

[A door slams as a fireman gets out of one of the vehicles.]

 

FIREMAN: O’Shaugnessy! What the hell are you doing? Get away from that wreckage!

 

FINN: She’s in there! She’s in there she could be -

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FIREMAN: (INTERRUPTING) She ejected! 

 

FINN: Where?

 

FIREMAN: North-West. Now get out of the way and let us do our damn jobs

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FINN: [Gulping for air, sprinting away] The quiet music begins again, keeping pace and following Finn as they run away from the wreckage and towards Noor’s parachute. As we get closer we hear Noor’s breathing, panicked and loud and shaky.

 

FINN: (Distant, yelling)

 

NOOR! (Getting closer) NOOR!

 

NOOR: (Very close, staving off a panic attack) Finn comes barrelling towards us

 

NOOR: (Gulping air) I can’t - the seatbelt - I can’t

 

[Click as Finn wrenches the seatbelt away and free Noor from the seat, then heaves her into their arms, covering her in kisses.]

 

FINN: I’ve got you. You are the stupidest, smartest, bravest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and you’re alive.

 

[Noor slowly starts to regulate her breathing. The sirens fade away completely, and instead we hear the birds.]

 

NOOR: (Catching her breath) I’m alive

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CREDITS

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[The theme music plays as Ferah speaks.]

 

FERAH AHMET: The Bird Roads Act Two, Part Two, was written and directed by Ella Watts, with music and sound design by Amber Devereux.

Noor was played by Ferah Ahmet and Finn was played by Spencer Mason. The firefighter was played by Shogo Miyakita, and the emergency loudspeaker was voiced by Beth Eyre.

Our dialogue editor, script editor and production manager is Ross McFarlane. This podcast is a Tin Can Audio production. 

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[The theme music swells for a final crescendo before fading out on the looping morse code melody.]