The Long Night
(my 5-minute play)
Music, lyrics, and story by Molly Nolden
*Nighttime. 3 friends (Alaina, Jack, and Logan) are walking down a dark street. Occasionally a streetlight flickers, and the three are nervous and jumpy.*
Logan *glancing around*: Don’t you guys think it’s weird how nighttime is completely different from the day---
Alaina *sarcastically*: You mean how day is light and night isn’t?
Logan *shooting a withering glance at Alaina*: Ha ha. No, I mean the way someone thinks. Not two hours ago we couldn’t have cared less that we were on this street, but as soon *snaps fingers* as the sun goes down we get jumpy.
Alaina *obviously bluffing*: Who’s jumpy? I’m not jumpy. *a trash can tips over offstage, and Alaina screams. Jack and Logan crack up*
Jack: Would you mind repeating that? I believe you were saying something hilarious.
Alaina: Shut up.
Logan: Say, guys, what’s that? *points offstage*
Alaina *glances in that direction*: What? Where?
Logan *cuffing her shoulder*: Gotcha!
*Alaina pretends to punch Logan, who mock-falls. Alaina helps him up.*
Alaina: C’mon, Jack, we’d better get going.
*Jack doesn’t reply as he is staring at a dark corner. Alaina is oblivious*
Alaina: Hello? Jack? *waves hand in his face*
Jack: Cut it out. Look at that over there. *points at corner, where something is standing*
Alaina: Oh no, I’m not falling for that again.
Jack: I’m serious!
Alaina: Fine, fine--*catches sight of the something and gasps* What is that?!
Logan: What’s what--yikes. *All three freeze, staring at the corner. Two black and white shapes looking vaguely like wild animals stare back*
Jack *stage whisper*: They look like those stray dogs I see sometimes. They’re mean. They’re probably waiting for us to move before attacking. *Alaina whimpers a bit*
*music starts*
Logan *half-singing*: Look over there, see those beasts
Hidin’ in the corner, playin’ hide-and-seek
Alaina *picking up tune*: Look to the light, see they’re black-and-white
You’d better get ready for fight or flight
Jack: Shush! *Logan, Alaina, and music stop* They still haven’t moved. What do you think is up?
*Logan doesn’t answer. Alaina and music start again*
Alaina: My heart’s a-poundin’, my nerves are shot
Watching these things not move from their spot
Logan: The time is slow, but my mind is fast
Thinkin’ how to make this a thing of the past
*All pause, staring at the shapes. During and song nothing has happened*
Jack: I don’t think they’re going away. We’d better stay still until they go.
*Curtains close, with a sign saying Just before dawn…*
*Curtains open. All three are struggling to stay awake, leaning against each other with heads nodding.*
Jack *yawns*: The sun’ll come up soon.
Logan *yawns*: My mom’s gonna flip when I get home.
Alaina: That’ll be a sight. *music starts, Alaina picks up song* Hours go by, still they don’t shift
I turn and watch the sun slowly uplift
*Lights turn on, and the shapes vanish. All three jump, rubbing their eyes in disbelief.*
Logan: They disappear, and I realize
It’s only a shadow on the mind of my eyes…
*Curtains close, with a sign saying The End.*
______________
Take me home!
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