Thank you. Yes, the point was to start out with a mundane situation [since the abnormal only works when you have a baseline normal to compare it to].

Really terrifying? People seem to be reacting to this much more strongly than I expected.

I'd like to continue it, but I have so much to do and so few ideas where to take it ... ;)

The counting ... heck, I'm not sure. The original experience had by said friend of friend concerned her picking up just such a countdown on a radio station whilst driving in the mountains. It came from nowhere, seemed to connect to nothing, and creeped her out rather. She turned it off before it reached zero.