Come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide!
Halloween
By Nejem
(Lights dim, thunderstorm begins, we can see thunder and hear rain.)
[The scene has an almost ready Halloween table with candles and snacks, Halloween decorations and so on. The Hostess brings a pumpkin on the stage and places it in the center of the table. The candle is lit.]
HELGA (THE HOSTESS)
- Well, the table is ready, but where are the guests? I wonder if they could make it in such a terrible thunderstorm…
(the doorbell rings)
HELGA
- A-ha, that must be them!
(opens the door to see Sam, who is Trick or Treating)
HELGA
- What do we have here? I can’t recognize your costume, you’ve made it yourself?
- (silence)
- Here you are! Happy Halloween!
(Sam takes a candy and leave. The hostess returns to the dining room and continues getting ready)
(the doorbell rings)
HELGA
- Maybe it’s them?
(opens the door. Amanda and Bridget arrive)
HELGA
- Hey, Happy Halloween! How are you? Did you have any trouble getting here?
AMANDA
- Uh, this rain is awful! Thank god we were in a car!
BRIDGET
- Right, and I couldn’t see almost anything through that storm!
HELGA
- Yeah, this weather is just perfect for Halloween… Come on, here you can leave your coats, and this is the dining room.
AMANDA - What a nice house! How did it become yours? HELGA
- I inherited it from my grandmother, but haven’t actually used it for a while… Nevermind, make yourself comfortable.
BRIDGET - Can we eat now? I am so hungry I could eat a cow right now!
HELGA
- Let's wait just a bit, I’m sure someone will arrive soon!
AMANDA (looking through the window)
- Wait, I think I can see someone… oh my, it’s Carol!
HELGA
- Oh my!
(Helga opens the door and comes outside with an umbrella)
- Carol, over here!
CAROL
- I thought I would drown! The rain is terrible, whh…
HELGA
- I’m glad you could make it! Want something to drink?
CAROL
- Yeah, a cup of tea would be great, but I’m all wet!
HELGA
- You could use the guest room upstairs, I’m sure it has some dry clothes. Feel free to use my bathroom, if you need it, there’s a hairdryer.
CAROL
- Thanks a lot, I’ll go get ready… Don’t wait for me, by the way!
AMANDA
- I’ll walk with you.
CAROL
- Okay.
(the doorbell rings)
HELGA
- Right! I guess it's Samantha.
(opens the door)
- Sam, welcome!
SAMANTHA
- Nice to see you, Helga! Brr, it’s cold outside! HELGA
- Yeah, we already have a case of someone being welcomed by the rain (refers to Carol).
BRIDGET
- Maybe we should get started?
(Amanda comes back)
AMANDA
- Yeah, Carol is getting ready and I think she would spend some time putting make-up, so we can start now!
SAMANTHA
- Right!
HELGA
- My sister Hanna will come soon, she asked me not to wait for her. Fine, let’s begin!
[storm is heard, and the music becomes more terrifying]
HELGA
- Toady we’ve gathered here to meet the wonderful day of Halloween, the Eve of all Dead, the day when the border between our world and the spirit world almost disappear!
[thunderstorm]
- And for today’s evening I have a very special program for you. How do you think, what will happen tonight?
EVERYBODY
(mumbling)
- I don’t know, something scary?
- Horrible?
- Yeah?
HELGA
- Ha ha, ANYTHING can happen!
(everybody laugh)
HELGA
- Now let's toast!
EVERYONE
- Yeah, right, okay.
HELGA
- Let's rise our glasses of pumpkin juice for the ones who joined the dead before us!
EVERYONE
- Whoo-hoo!
- Right!
BRIDGET
- By the way, I have just remembered, we could watch this new Halloween TV marathon! It’s like this small videos about Urban Legends, I think? Is it okay?
HELGA
- Totally! Well, It’s also a part of our evening, ladies! And it starts… (looks on the watches) now!
[the light is off, the first video begins: Killer in the Backseat]
SAMANTHA
- Wow, that was something!
AMANDA
- I just won’t look at our car the same way I did!!!
BRIDGET
- Amanda, you are too easy to frighten!
AMANDA
- But that was horrible!
(the doorbell rings)
AMANDA
- Aaaa!
SAMANTHA AND BRIDGET
- Shhhh!
HELGA
- It's Hanna! Finally!
HANNA
- Come here, sis! Hello everyone!
EVERYONE
- Hello/Hi, Hanna!
HELGA
- How was the road?
HANNA
- Great!
(everyone is a little confused – it’s storm outside, how can it be great?)
HANNA
- By the way, I’ve brought what you asked for.
SAMANTHA
- And what was that?
AMANDA
- Yeah, what was that?
HELGA
(takes a bag from Hanna, opens it and shows everyone and the public the Ouija board)
- It’s an Ouija board!
BRIDGET (stands up and comes closer to see the board)
- Ouija… board?
HANNA
- Haven’t you ever heard of it? It’s used for communication with spirits!
AMANDA AND SAMANTHA
- Ohh!
SAMANTHA
- Is this thing safe? ‘Cuz I don’t want to mess up with the Underworld, especially today!
HELGA
- Yeah, It’s totally safe.
HANNA
- If we use it correctly, of course!
AMANDA
- Maybe we shouldn’t do that? I’m scared enough for tonight!
HANNA
- But this night only starts!
BRIDGET
- Let’s maybe watch what's new on the Marathon! I actually liked the first story!
HELGE
- Fine, but after that we summon the spirits!
(to Amanda)
- Mua-ha-ha!
AMANDA
- Aaaa!
[TV turns on, the next video is: Aren’t You Glad You Didn’t Turn On The Light?)
[thunder]
AMANDA
- Now that was scary!
BRIDGET
- I still have goosebumps!
HELGA
- Let's try this now!
(takes the Ouija board)
HANNA
- Are you sure? We should prepare and...
HELGA
- Hey, sis, I know what I’m doing! Don’t worry!
HANNA
- Fine, but you’ll see!
(everyone sits at the table, Helga starts chanting)
HELGA - Hear this words, hear my cry, spirit from the other side
Come to me, I summon thee, cross now the great divide!
(looking very spirit-ish, Carol comes from the curtain, screaming)
EVERYONE
(running to the corner of the stage)
- AAAAAAH!
CAROL
- I’VE COME GET YOU! MUA-HA-HA!
BRIDGET
- AAAAA… wait, is that… flour?! CAROL!
AMANDA AND SAMANTHA
- What?!
CAROL
- La-la-la, fools! It was just a joke! Ha-ha!
(while Carol is dancing and laughing, guests come back to the table, but suddenly Hanna stops them)
HANNA
- Carol… Um…
CAROL
- What? Are you scared? Ha!
HANNA
- Behind you!
(a real ghost appears behind Carol, Carol turns around and faints. The ghost disappears)
AMANDA
(scared)
- What was that?!
HELGA
- I don’t know!
SAMANTHA
- It looked like a ghost!!!
HANNA
- I’ve tried to call the ambulance, but the line is dead! Check your mobile phones, guys!
BRIDGET
- Mine’s dead too.
HELGA
- And mine… that’s all because of the storm! And the ambulance couldn’t come too – just look outside!