Ghost Town

Ghost Town

Lanna-The main character 14 -15 year old young women. She is intellectual and likes to write and is in love with Luis.
Big Billy-(Lanna's father) a farmer, tall husky and sturdy. He is 50.He has an overpowering wife and gets in trouble with her a lot.
Chuck- (Lanna's bother)He works on the farm and is slow He is 17
Maryanne- (Lanna's mother) a pretty  but strong willed woman except for the scar across her face from a wild dog mauling. She is 36
Luis-He is a tax collectors son in the village. Luis kind of has a thing for Lanna but he rarely shows it.
Scene 1
Lanna sits (up stage left) in her small second story bedroom. She sits at her dresser-desk. She doesn't have much besides a couple of old shriveled books that lay on her dusty dresser. Her bed is decorated with a checkered tatered comforter. (She writes as it is raining out and she has a contemplating look on her face. Video projector projects rain in the windows in her house also it shows the scenery). She looks out onto the muddy vast road and looks at the wheat fields and writes some more. She wipes sweat off her brow than rustles her wheat colored blond hair; her petite fragile figure is garnished in a blue checkered dress the color of her eyes. (Noise in the distance)

Lanna: (Spot light on her, speaking out loud) Sometimes when the rain falls down it seems like the earth                                   is crying for the loss of  some  creature whether it be man or beast (she stops writing). No that's not right..ahh.   (Chuck opens the door with a slam and runs in with a dangling object an a doofy smile on his face).
Chuck: I just caught me a big toad Lanna! ( As he put the scared amphibian in Lanna's face).
Lanna: Ahhhh! (Shrieking she runs away stage right and is followed by her brother . Big Billy stomps  can be heard  coming from stage right as he enters. He stomps through the living room center stage and up the stairs stage right).
Big Billy: Chuck, Lanna stop holerin' this instant' you'er dame ner drivin' me bonkers.
Maryanne: (spotlight to kitchen stage left Maryanne yell to Billy with a stern expression on her face.) Billy stop holerin' at the kids and go milk the cows. I handle this myself. (Billy exits out the kitchen door stage left with a grumpy look. To the kid.) Chuck, Lanna stop running in my house. (to Chuck) Chuck take that nasty toad out of here this instant and go help yer father with the animals.(Chuck exits stage left out the kitchen door . To Lanna) Lanna, come help me with the house chores instead of sitting around all day doin' nothin'.
Lanna: But mamma I just… (Cut off by her mother's glare as she goes down the rest of the stairs and helps her mom bake.)
( A couple seconds later screaming could be heard in the background; Chuck enters in stage left through the kitchen while Lanna and her mom are chopping up veggies)
Chuck: Ma, Pa's faint an sweaty. (Maryanne runs out side while Lanna goes upstairs to her bedroom and looks out her window, voice can be heard from outside.)
Chuck: What do you think it could be Ma?
Maryanne: Could be the fever.(with a grave expression on her face.)
Chuck: Oh mama, no! (chuck looks pale with fear.)
(lights Dim)

Scene 2
Center stage there is a bed in front of the house that is blacked out by the lights, Billy is in his bed eyes closed with a grimace on his face. Chuck, Maryanne and Lanna are there by his bed side in black crying over the loss of their father. Lanna remains blank with emotion; Maryanne sobs can be herd as the lights go on.
Chuck: Pa, oh Pa, you were so stronger than anyone's that I know. But now…..
Maryanne: My dear, I….ahhh (sobbing) I miss you already…
Chuck: You could just her Pa's now, "Stop cryin over my lump of a body and do your chores Chuck."
Lanna: Yeah, Paw would be angary and say,"Stop Grievin, I'm worms meat now part of the compost we use for manure." (In a gruff voice trying to mimic Bill's) He was always stern but funny.
Maryanne: (Beside herself and through sobs) Do you rember when He kicked that mangy lookin cat. (She laugh's a little) It had got into the pigs slop. Billy took up his boot and that cat went a flyin into the air and landed in the mud. (Everyone starts to chuckle.)
Lanna:  (Getting serous) Pa was a good to all of us so we should cherish that memory and keep it close to our hearts. (Comforting her mother, as her eyes held some deep pain) We should probably put pa to rest soon ma he can't stay in here forever. It will make it a little easier to deal with his passin.
Maryanne: (sobbing still) okay…
(Light dim, curtain close)

Scene 3
As the light go down the scene changes to two beds center stage is the only thing that is lit, Maryanne is in one bed, Chuck in the other. Lanna is dipping rags into cold water to put onto their foreheads to heads. They are both heavily coughing as the lights come on. (There is a fire place on center stage left and a rocking chair some books and an end table center stage right).
Lanna: The fever isn't going down no matter how hard I try to help. I might as well get a fire going. At least they are resting, for right now. Probably better that they don't feel any pain until the fever subsides…hopefully.
Chuck: (still asleep dream talking) Ah you darn cowbos…Indiains…. Lanna…. Help… fuzzy… Bears…uhm.. (snor)
Maryanne: (still asleep dream talking) Billy…. I'm …so… sorry…my … love..(laugh).. Kiss Me..
Lanna: At least they are dreamin of happy things. (Lanna starts the fire and feeds it and goes to the rocking chair sit down and starts to read. She falls asleep as the back drop changes to night and wakes up a little while after to find chuck and Maryanne didn't make it. She looks out onto the audience with lifeless eyes you could see something in her soul tear as the lights go down.)
End scene3

Scene 4
Three months later on a nice warm summer day (lights bright and warm colors). Maryanne is in the kitchen baking pies and cleaning the kitchen. Lanna is helping her mom. (You can hear the sound of birds chirping in the background and crickets in the grass.)Billy enters stage right into the kitchen.
Billy: Why, Maryanne those pies smell mighty good. I could eat them all up (reaching for a pie).
Maryanne: (Swatting his hand and giving him along and angry stare) No touching, not until dinner (as she puts the pie by the window sill. Lanna laughs and goes back to what she was doing.)
Billy: (He contemplates stealing a piece but decides to not take the chance) Well darling I think I go take a look ah that pregnant sheep and go milk the cows. Chuck! (Yelling off stage right.)
Chuck: Yeah paw (yelling coming from stage right)
Billy: Come help me with the chores.
Chuck: Kay, Pa. (Enters stage right goes through the kitchen. Stop stands next to father looks at the baked goods then the father)
Billy: (whispers to chuck) Come on now before we get your Ma more anxious then she already is. (Chuck and Billy exit stage left).
Lanna: Mama, can I go and write some more after were done baking Pa's birthday cake?
Maryanne: Not yet sweetie, we still need to put the roast in the oven then you can go write or read whatever you do.(There is a knock on the door center stage , Lunna goes to answer it to find Luis  the tax collectors son. He is garnished in a grey suit with a black vest.)
Luis: Good morning, Lady Lanna, is Mr. Billy in today.
Lanna: Why, yes of course, what matters of business are you here for? (As she looks into his eyes, she was mesmerized by his gaze. He stares intently at here and winks.)
Luis: I am here concerning (put his hand to his mouth to whisper in Lanna's ear) your fathers loans and taxes. (Lanna looks at her mother in the kitchen hoping she didn't hear.)
Lanna: It will be awhile. Pa is not back in from taking the herd to the pastures. If you want some refreshment and some company I'll be glad to help. We're a little busy though because it is Pa's Birthday and were making him a fantastic dinner and cake.
Luis: Sure, that would be great .Do you think we could go outside, though? I have been coped up in my office looking tax reports all day. I need some fresh air.
Lanna: Sure I'll go ask Ma and I'll bring a basket. (She runs into the kitchen in excitement) Ma, Ma!
Maryanne: What honey?
Lanna: Luis is here. He come to see Pa, but Pa is busy so he wants some refreshment and I was going to bring them outside is that ok.
Marayann: Slow down, Lanna. Luis, the tax collector's son is here?
Lanna: Yes!
Marayann: I swear to what make the earth float! Billy is going to get it! He didn't pay his taxes again! (Lanna looks at her mother and waits for a reply. Maryanne looks at Lanna and notices.) Oh, I didn't answer your question did I? Sure (Maryann said in A careless attitude, as the stress of the new, has upset her).
Lanna: (scurries to get some food out of the cupboards. She runs out into the living room, stage right, where Luis is admiring an old painting). Luis, Mama said I could keep you company. Let's go!
Luis: Okaa….y.. (Lanna grabs Luis by the arm and with a happy smile on her face pulls Luis out the front door)
(Lights dim)

Scene 5
Lights come on Lanna and Luis are eating sandwiches and are sitting on a grassy hill and a blanket center stage (the grass is made out of fake grass).Luis is talking to Lanna about something as the lights come on. There is a projected field as the background and a barn in the background stage right and a tree stage left.
Luis: I didn't know you like to write.
Lanna: Yes, mostly poems, romance and mysteries.
Luis: Really?
Lanna: Yes, I enjoy too much. My mom gets angry with me. She thinks it is a waste of time.
Luis: You are well read?
Lanna: Yes, I enjoy any book I can get my hands on. It hard because we really can afford many new thinks so it is normally very old literature.
Luis: Lanna.( Looks at Lanna with affection feeling bad about the position her father is in with his taxes and loans)
Lanna: Yes.
Luis:  It is getting late when will your father be in?
Lanna: Soon, shouldn't take much longer. The Sheep might have had its baby that's what I think might have happened. Normaly he is here by now.
Luis: Really, I thought your father was sick? (Mood changes, light start to change to dark colors)
Lanna: (Aggravated) No, he is fine he'll be turning 53 today and he is healthy as a like a young man!
Luis: No, I defiantly saw his grave on the way here to the house next the barn.
Lanna: No, NO he's not dead! (As she says it almost as a question. Lanna's father can be seen in the background stage left all pale and white with black circles around his eyes. Lanna turns and screams.)
Luis: I saw more than one grave too Lanna. (The rest of her family appears as living dead lights flash on them as they appear to be getting closer and then further away.)
Lannas family: Ahhh, Lanna come join us…. (More waling sounds)
Lanna: Ahh! (She falls back and tries to get away but Luis grabs her arm. Her family gets closer)
Luis: (Looking into Lanna's eyes) Lanna your family isn't alive anymore. You have suffered a great tragedy and I understand this but Lanna this is all an illusion. This morning and all the other memories you have had theses months you thought were real are a lie. Your Family died three months ago.
Lanna: No this can be possible I just was…. They were just… (Starting to cry)
Lanna: So, than this isn't real? My mom's smile the smell of her cooking all a lie?
Luis: (Comforting Lanna in an embrace) There, there now don't cry (he say in a sympathic voice)
Luis: Yes. Now you can choose to stay here or come back with me to reality. Or you'll be stuck in this world for forever. (Lanna was hesitates questioning whether to trust him or not.  Luis walks with hand outstretch to Lanna as he dissapers off stage left into darkness)
Light out curtain close
THE END