SCOTT
You sure are different than other girls. I don’t know what it is but something is different about you.
GINGER TRIES TO HIDE HER FEAR OF WHERE THE CONVERSATION IS GOING AND CHANGES THE SUBJECT.
GINGER
What was your favorite part of the house?
SCOTT
Oh gosh, I don’t know. It was all so perfect. The servant was really creepy. His first speech was the best.
GINGER
I wrote that!
SCOTT
You’re kidding? Wow…you have a knack for knowing what’s spooky.
GINGER
You think?
SCOTT
I know. How did you come up with that story? The whole Gaultier family and everything?
AGAIN GINGER BECOMES A LITTLE LEERY OF THE SUBJECT MATTER.
GINGER
Where do you go to school?
SCOTT
Eastwood Middle.
GINGER
You have a lot of friends?
SCOTT
Not really. Just Sally.
GINGER
She your girlfriend?
SCOTT
Sally? Ew…no! She’s just my best friend. Gross.
GINGER
I didn’t mean to…
SCOTT
That’s okay. Where do you go to school?
GINGER
Monstervi -
GINGER QUICKLY REALIZES HER SLIP
I mean…uh…Castleview Middle.
SCOTT
Neat. Do you go to school in a castle?
THEY SHARE A LAUGH.
GINGER
I like you Scott. You’re different and I like that.
SCOTT
Yeah…I like you too Ginger.
THERE IS A SHORT SILENCE AS THEY LOOK AT ONE ANOTHER.
So how did you pull off some of the effects in the house? Some of the make up was so realistic. And the ghosts and sounds. I want to know how you did it all.
GINGER
Um…well…it all comes pretty naturally for us. We’ve been doing this sort of thing for a long, long time. I guess you could say it runs in the family.
ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE’S A THUNDEROUS BELLOWING SOUND. AT FIRST IT JUST SOUNDS LIKE A ROARING AND STOMPING. EVENTUALLY IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT SOMEONE IS YELLING GINGER’S NAME. IT IS GAULTIER FROM OFF STAGE.
GINGER
Oh no.
SCOTT
What is it? What is that?
GINGER
That’s my dad. He’ll be so angry if he sees I have an uninvited guest. Oh my dear. You have to go before he sees you.
SCOTT
Why? What…
GINGER
Just sneak out the way you came. Please.
SCOTT
Okay. I don’t understand…
MORE BELLOWING ONLY LOUDER
And I guess I don’t need to.
GINGER
Will you come back and visit again? Please?
SCOTT
Of course I will. Soon. I promise.
GINGER
Thank you Scott. Goodbye.
SCOTT
Bye.
GAULTIER
SEEING GINGER IN HER HUMAN MASK.
Ginger, why are you wearing that inside this house? You know that is not allowed.
GINGER QUICKLY REALIZES SHE IS STILL WEARING HER MASK AND DUCKS TO TRY TO HIDE FROM HER FATHER. WHEN SHE APPEARS SHE IS IN FULL MONSTER MODE.
GINGER
Sorry father. I was just playing.
GAULTIER
There are better things to play at my dear.
GINGER
Yes father. May I be excused?
GAULTIER NODS AND GINGER QUICKLY EXITS THE ROOM. GAULTIER IS LEFT ALONE. HE SENSES SOMETHING HAS BEEN AFOOT IN THE ROOM. HE STARTS LOOKING AROUND AND SNIFFING.
GAULTIER
Something isn’t right in here. I can smell it. It’s floating in the air like mist on the Moors. Oh how I do miss the Moors. It smells…it smells…familiar.
GAULTIER EXITS SILL SNIFFING THE AIR. THE SOUND OF WIND BLOWS ACROSS THE STAGE HOPEFULLY BILLOWING CURTAINS AS THE LIGHT FLASHES, FADES, AND COMES UP ON THE PLAYGROUND WHERE SCOTT IS SITTING DOWN, READING HIS BOOK AGAIN.
SCENE 9: THE BOOK AND THE THREAT
SCOTT IS SITTING ALONE READING HIS BOOK AGAIN. AFTER A MOMENT SALLY ENTERS AND SITS BESIDE HIM.
SALLY
Are you still reading that book?
SCOTT
Oh my gosh Sally! I went back to the Gaultier house last night. I met a girl that lives there.
SALLY
Oh really?
SCOTT
Yeah. She’s going to show me how they did all the effects and stuff. It was so cool.
SALLY
Did your mom and dad take you?
SCOTT
No.
SALLY
Well how did you get there?
SCOTT
I sort of snuck out.
SALLY
You what?
SCOTT
You heard me.
SALLY
Scott, what’s wrong with you? You can’t do things like that. What if you get hurt? Or worse?
SCOTT
I’m not going to get hurt.
SALLY
You don’t know that.
SCOTT
I promise I’ll be careful.
SALLY
You mean you’re going back?
SCOTT
I have to Sally. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen. I have to know how they did it.
SALLY
Did what?
SCOTT
The haunted house.
SALLY
You’re impossible!
JUST THEN THE BULLIES ARRIVE ON THE SCENE.
BULLY 1
Look who it is! It’s ol’ Spooky.
SCOTT DOESN’T REACT.
What’s the matter? Spooky doesn’t bother you anymore?
SCOTT
No, it doesn’t. In fact I kind of like it now.
BULLY 2
Then we’ll just have to come up with a new nickname for ya Creep-o.
BULLY 3
Oh that’s a good one. Creep-o. Like Creep-o-saurus Rex.
BULLY 1
Creepy-crawly.
THE BULLIES LAUGH
BULLY 2
THE BULLIES LAUGH AGAIN
BULLY 3
Creeping underpants.
BULLY 3 LAUGHS AT HIS JOKE. THE OTHER TWO BULLIES LOOK AT BULLY 3.
What? I thought it was funny.
BULLY 1
Look Creep-o, you got us in a lot of trouble. You better watch your back. Someday we’ll find you and there won’t be a tattle tell or a teacher to save you.
SCOTT
You don’t scare me anymore.
BULLY 1
We’ll see.
THE BULLIES START TO LEAVE.
BULLY 2
Watch your back Creep-o.
BULLY 3
We’re gonna get ya.
THE BULLIES ARE GONE. SCOTT AND SALLY WATCH TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE NO WHERE IN SITE.
SALLY
Scott, what’s gotten into you?
SCOTT
What do you mean?
SALLY
First you’re sneaking out to go to a haunted house you know nothing about and now you’re standing up to the school bullies. Do you have a death wish?
SCOTT
No. I’m just…different.
SALLY
Well, different won’t do you any good if you’re dead.
SCOTT
Sally, you worry too much.
SALLY
And you worry too little.
SALLY IS STARING AT SCOTT AS HE RETURNS TO HIS BOOK. THIS GOES ON FOR A MINUTES UNTIL SCOTT REALIZES SHE’S LOOKING AT HIM.
SCOTT
&nb
sp; What?
SALLY
Scott, I…um…I think…I really like…nothing. Never mind.
SCOTT
What Sally? Tell me.
SALLY
I just wanted to tell you that I…
THE BELL RINGS SAVING SALLY FROM EMBARRASSMENT.
…have to get back to class.
SALLY GETS UP AND RUNS OFF.
SCOTT
Women. I don’t understand them one single bit.
THE BELL RINGS AGAIN. SCOTT REALIZES HE’S LATE, PACKS UP, AND RUNS OFF.
SCENE 9: SCOTT MEETS TIMELY
LIGHTENING IS HEARD CRASHING. THE WIND IN THE BACKGROUND PICKS UP AND LIGHTS EERILY SHIFT OVER TO THE GAULTIER HOUSE WHERE WE SEE GINGER AND TIMELY PLAYING IN A ROOM. GINGER IS SEATED. TIMELY IS A WHIRLWIND AROUND THE ROOM AS THE JOKES AND MAKES FUN OF GINGER. BOTH ARE IN MONSTER MODE.
TIMELY
Ginger and Scott sittin’ in a coffin. K-i-s-s-i…n… Wait, that doesn’t work.What rhymes with coffin? Often? Soften? Boffin’, doffin’, foffin’, goffin’, hoffin’, joffin’, loffin’?
GINGER
Cut it out Timely.
TIMELY
But it’s so much fun! You have a crrrrrrrrush on an other! Is he cute? Does he like you? Will he mind that your skin is lumpy and your eyes are yellow?
GINGER
Timely….stop!
TIMELY
Come on! At least tell me something about him.
GINGER
Okay.
TIMELY FINALLY MANAGES TO SIT HERSELF DOWN, BUT NOT WITHOUT MUCH ANTICS. GINGER IS OBVIOUSLY EAGER TO TELL ALL SHE CAN ABOUT SCOTT.
Yes he’s cute. He’s got dark hair and dark eyes and a smile that lingers in your mind well after he’s gone. And he’s funny. AND he likes horror movies and all things creepy!
TIMELY
Then he’ll like you just fine won’t he?
GINGER
Har har Timely. But yes – I do think he’ll like me. In fact, I think he likes me already.
TIMELY
How do you know?
GINGER
I can just tell.
TIMELY
Oh I forgot – Madam Tellsafuture that you are.
GINGER
Oh shush.
TIMELY
So when do I get to meet him?
GINGER
I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t know. He said he’d be coming back soon.
A NOISE IS HEARD FROM OUTSIDE THE ROOM. A THUMP. IT IS SCOTT. HE HAS SNUCK BACK IN AND TRIPPED OVER SOMETHING. THE GIRLS SIT QUIET WAITING TO HEAR THE NOISE AGAIN.
SCOTT
WHISPERING
Ginger?
GINGER
IN A SMALL PANIC
It’s him! You have to hide!
TIMELY
Why me? Why don’t you hide.
GINGER
He’s coming to see me, not you!
TIMELY
Oh yeah. Where do I hide then?
SCOTT IS OPENING THE DOOR SLOWLY. GINGER PANICS AND PUSHES TIMELY INTO A CLOSET (OR BEHIND A CURTAIN OR TAPESTRY). AT THE VERY LAST MOMENT SHE REALIZES SHE IS STILL IN MONSTER MODE AND DIVES BEHIND SOMETHING TO SWITCH. SCOTT COMES IN JUST AFTER SHE HIDES. HE THINKS HE’S ALONE IN THE ROOM.
SCOTT
Ginger? Where are you? Darn it. I was really hoping to see her again.
GINGER JUMPS OUT FROM WHERE SHE WAS HIDING SCARING SCOTT. THEY BOTH HAVE A LAUGH.
SCOTT
You’re really good at that.
GINGER
At what?
SCOTT
Scaring me.
GINGER
But I thought you….
SCOTT
I do. I like it.
GINGER
So how have you been? How is school going? I missed you. I mean…um….
SCOTT
I’ve been okay. Still getting picked on. Oh and now they have a new nickname for me.
GINGER
What is it?
SCOTT
Creep-o.
GINGER
Oh. That one’s not so good.
SCOTT
You’re telling me.
TIMELY GETS THE IDEA TO SCARE THE PANTS OFF SCOTT. SHE BEINGS WORKING A CONTROL THAT BRINGS DOWN WHAT SEEMS LIKE A GHOST. THE GHOST SWOOPS DOWN OVER SCOTTS HEAD, JUST MISSING HIM. HE JUMPS AND LANDS ON THE FLOOR. TIMELY’S MUFFLED LAUGHTER IS HEARD AS SHE POPS OUT FROM HIDING, STILL IN MONSTER MODE.
TIMELY
Got ya!
GINGER SEEMS TIMELY IN MONSTER MODE AND LEAPS ACROSS THE ROOM TO SHOVE HER BACK INTO HIDING.
GINGER
WHISPERING TO TIMELY
Your face! Cover it.
TIMELY
WHISPERING
Oops. Sorry
SCOTT
What was that?
GINGER
Oh that? That was my best friend Timely.
TIMELY POPS OUT FROM HIDING AGAIN.
TIMELY
Tada!
GINGER
She’s a bit of a jokester.