The narrator says that the group will learn a lesson. But one of the teens can hear them. |
EXT. EDGE OF FOREST - MIDDAY Jackson, Forsythia, Lee, and Leo are approaching the edge of a forest. LEO: “Is it morally wrong to not be with your family on christmas day?” JACKSON: “It isn’t with mine, have you met my family? It’s a nightmare!” FORSYTHIA: “My family already opened presents so, I don’t care.” LEE: “So has mine, although I did sneak out the window to be here.” NARRATOR: (from the side of the stage away from the others) “Today, these ungrateful teens will learn a very important lesson. LEE: Huh? Did Y’all hear that?” FORSYTHIA: “What’re you talking about?” LEE: “C’mon you guys had to have heard it!” FORSYTHIA: “What’re you talking about?” LEE: “The voice! It was like (doing air quotations) ‘these teens will learn an important lesson.’” LEO: “We didn’t hear anything Lee, are you dehydrated or something?” LEE: “C’mon! This has to be like the time Thia got you guys to gaslight me into thinking that the “K” in “knight” wasn’t silent!” FORSYTHIA: “In my defense you are very gullible.” JACKSON: “Lee, we honestly didn’t hear anything.” LEE: “Whatever, Just forget about it.” LEO: “Uh, okay.” They continue to walk and then there's a shack. EXT. FRONT OF ABANDONED SHACK - EVENING Jackson, Forsythia, Lee, and Leo are standing in front of the shack NARRATOR: “As the teens stood in front of the shack, they said some very cruel jokes.” LEE: (Lee looks around but sees nothing) “Hey Leo, remember what happened to the last house we broke into on halloween?” LEO: “For the last time Lee, I do not remember it.” FORSYTHIA: “Fun fact, Coby and his friends actually found out about it. JACKSON: “Even Antony?” FORSYTHIA: “Yes, even your brother, Coby only has like, 3 friends. But, luckily for us, they aren’t snitches.” NARRATOR: “After exchanging some pitiless remarks, our group of teens enter the shack-” (the Narrator continues speaking but is difficult to hear over Lee) “and see some truly life changing things.” LEE: “What is that voice?! I’ve heard it three times now! It’s like it’s narrating and I don't think it likes us very much.” JACKSON: “Three times? Why didn’t you say anything the second time?” (Lee shrugs) LEO: “And what d’you mean ‘it doesn’t like us’? I’m a VERY likable person!” JACKSON: “I would beg to differ.” LEO: (yelling and holding Lee by her shoulders, shaking her) "WHAT DID IT SAY?" LEE: "They called us ungrateful. And clearly didn't like the fact that I thought what happened to the last house was funny." FORSYTHIA: "The only thing funnier than that is-" JACKSON: "Shut up Thia! What is wrong with you?" FORSYTHIA: "Oh, c'mon y'know what." JACKSON: "No I don't." FORSYTHIA: "Y'know." JACKSON: "I don't." LEO: "Does he not know?" LEE: "Guess not. Now, LET'S GO IN." They go in. INT. INSIDE OF SHACK - EVENING NARRATOR: “After continuing to show a disdain for polite behavior, the group breaks into the shack.” LEE: (looking up) “we literally walked in, we didn’t even break anything!” JACKSON: “Lee, this is getting concerning.” FORSYTHIA: “Yeah. Like, I'm insane but, even I don’t hear voices.” LEE: “Maybe this place is haunted.”(wiggling fingers)“OooooOOOOoooo.” FORSYTHIA: (looks around) “Wow, this place actually looks structurally sound.” JACKSON: “We break into abandoned houses too much.” LEO: “We haven’t done this since October.” JACKSON: “And it didn’t end very well.” FORSYTHIA: “Yeah but it was fun.” JACKSON: "It was not fun. It didn't end very well!" FORSYTHIA: "Yeah, that was fun. Also we talked to ghosts, so like, worth it." JACKSON: "Why do I hang out with you guys?" LEO: "Cause we let you." Jackson looks at Leo LEE: (whispering) "Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight. Fight." NARRATOR: “After exchanging insensitive remarks about arson, our group nearly gets into a fight.” LEE: “We did NOT ‘nearly get into a fight’! I merely encouraged a fight.” FORSYTHIA: (sighs) "C'mon guys, let's go find somewhere to sit, I guess." The group walks a bit and then stops. FORSYTHIA: “uh, this spot looks good.” The group sits down in a circle. JACKSON: “What’re we supposed to do?” LEO: “Anything but sing Christmas music.” Lee takes off her backpack. LEE: “Open presents?” LEO: “Sure.” Lee takes out a present. NARRATOR: "Next our group of teens begin to exchange gifts but they hear a strange noise and go to investigate." LEE: "What? There's no-" They hear a strange noise. FORSYTHIA: "What was that?" LEO: "We should go check it out." LEE: "No. That's what the narrator wants us to do." LEO: "What d'you mean?" LEE: "The narrator literally just said that we were gonna investigate it. Why listen to it?" JACKSON: "Why should we investigate?" LEO: "Why shouldn't we?" NARRATOR: (angry) “When our group goes to check out the noise, what they see will teach them a very valuable lesson.” LEE: “Sorry but we’re not doing that. Merry Christmas and all but we ain’t learning anything.” NARRATOR: (angrier) “WHEN OUR GROUP GOES TO CHECK OUT THE NOISE, WHAT THEY SEE WILL TEACH THEM A VERY VALUABLE LESSON.” LEE: “Listen, none of us need to learn a lesson, some of us may have questionable morals but not bad morals.” FORSYTHIA: “Lee, are you arguing with the voice you keep hearing?” LEE: “Thia, it’s not just a voice in my head. It’s a narrator.” LEO: “How d’you know that?” LEE: “Leo, we’ve seen ghosts, how is the fact that I can hear a narrator strange?” Leo shrugs. LEE: “I think it’s mad that we aren’t doing as it says, which we aren’t doing because I am actively keeping us from investigating.” FORSYTHIA: "What d'you think it wants us to check out?" JACKSON: "Ghost of Christmas past or somethin'?" LEO: "Another ghost?" LEE: "dude, ghosts are cool." LEO: "Yeah but, last time we saw ghosts, something burned down and I don't even remember it." JACKSON: "I'm actually surprised that it didn't cause a forest fire." LEE: "The narrator is being weirdly quiet." A crash is heard. FORSYTHIA: "Ya jinxed it." The narrator goes to the middle of the stage where the group is and goes up to Lee. JACKSON: "Uh, who are you?" The Narrator goes up to Lee NARRATOR: “WHEN OUR GROUP GOES TO CHECK OUT THE NOISE, WHAT THEY SEE WILL TEACH THEM A VERY VALUABLE LESSON.” LEE: “I'm guessing you're the narrator?” NARRATOR: “You're supposed to go investigate the noise.” LEE: “You can't tell me what to do!” LEO: “Yeah!” FORSYTHIA: “This is the voice you've been hearing?” LEE: “YES.” LEO: “Am I the only one who was expecting more?” JACKSON: “I don't think so.” NARRATOR: “Listen. You HAVE to go check out the noise.” FORSYTHIA: “Why?” NARRATOR: “Because that's the plot.” JACKSON: “Uh, what? What plot? Do any of y'all know about this?” LEO: “Nope.” NARRATOR: “You can't just NOT do what the narrator says. I'M the NARRATOR, YOU are supposed to do what I say. Not the other way around.” Lee begins walking up to the narrator who starts backing away. LEE: “Listen here. You can't tell me what to do. No one can. You may be the narrator but I don't care. I will do what I want, not what you want. So bug off.” Lee eventually backs the narrator off the stage and the narrator turns and runs away. LEE: “That was too easy…eh, whatever.” LEO: (waving to the audience) “That's all folks!” JACKSON: “What was that?” The group leaves the stage. THE END. |