ACT 1, SCENE 1: Anne’s House; Regular

(The curtain opens to a nice, small house. A fireplace sits on the far left with a mirror on top and a set of stairs running up along the back wall. A giant window with a beaming light coming through sits near the top of the house. A brown couch along with a coffee table and 2 chairs set center stage. A quiet sound of people walking outside is heard. The door opens to Anne. A young woman in her thirties wearing a blue top along with white shorts. Her hair is cut short and she wears 2 small but noticeable earrings. She crosses the living area and goes to the fireplace. She picks up a log of wood and sets it in the fire as she picks up a lighter and lights the log. She tries 2 attempts until the third one finally lights. She stands up looking in the mirror. After a while, the local town’s scary weirdo, Keith, enters through the door holding mail. An old man in his near sixties. His face is lightly shaven as you can see the red in his eyes. He wears overalls with large boots and his clothes look like painting clothes. He walks across the living area up to Anne. Anne turns around)

Anne-(Scared)Holy crap Keith! You trying to give me a heart attack?

Keith- No ma’am. I just heard that that little yipper that you got rid of last week is back outside barking on your front porch. Do you need me to shoot ‘em for you?

Anne- No Keith. I think I’m fine. (Anne goes back to fixing up the top of the fireplace and Keith doesn’t move. Anne turns back around)By the way, how did you even get into my home? 

Keith- Oh. Ye left the door unlocked. Wide enough for me to walk right in.

Anne- Haven’t you ever learned manners or common sense where you shouldn’t come into people’s private homes without their permission?

Keith-Well, I…(Keith stops for a second to think until he hands Anne the mail)I got ye mail. It was just sitting on the front step. Recon I would get it for you to save you some time.

Anne-(Snatching the mail from Keith)Keith! You can’t just go around taking people’s mail. Sooner or later, someone’s going to call the cops for that!

Keith- Right ma’am. I’m sorry. I’m gunna leave now.

(Keith walks out the door with his boots creaking out. He shuts the door behind him while Anne stands in the center still staring at the door. The room is an unsettling-quiet sound. Anne moves to the couch and starts going through the mail. She flips to one and stares at it for a while and then stands up making everything fly off her lap)

Anne- NO! NOT MY MOTHER! The Shadow Class couldn’t have gotten to her now. Aww, this is heartbreaking! (She throws the letter across the floor and sits on the couch. She puts one leg on top of the other and holds her head as she stares at the floor and begins to cry. The lights slowly fade to black)

ACT 1, SCENE 2: Anne’s House; Regular

(Lights rise to Anne sitting on the couch staring at the letter. The ambient sound of the fireplace cracks to break the defining silence. A moment later, there is a knock on the door and Anne turns her head back and gets up. When she opens the door, Jane stands there. A young woman in her late 20’s looking greets Anne with a hug and enters the house)

Jane- I heard about the death of your mother. I’m so sorry, how are you doing?

Anne- I’m wishing this was all just a bad dream. 

Jane- I know. I know. Go sit down. You shouldn’t be standing up right now. (She leads her to the couch and they both sit on it, Judy on stage right side and Anne on stage left side)So did they say who did it? Have they gotten that far yet?

Anne-The Shadow Class. I can’t believe this. I knew they were going after people they saw as a threat but not my mom. She didn’t even know them!

Jane- Those people are getting worse. I heard from someone how they murdered almost twenty thousand last week. That’s more than the average record here in Paris. It’s been getting worse, too. If we let this go on for any longer, they're going to come from us next. We had to find out who these people are.

Anne- How in the world are we going to do that? Haven’t the police been looking for this group for over three years?

Jane- Think about it; You know who your mother is personally. Maybe there’s a way that we can use that as an advantage. If we can find where your mother was killed, maybe there’s a way to connect it back to the group. They tend to always go as a group and dwell in dark places.

Anne- Wait, how do you know so much about this?

Jane- My brother studies this group day and night. I might have taken some information because it looked interesting. Now here we are.

Anne-Do you think he can help us?

Jane- I don’t think so. I only see him once or twice and that’s at like two A.M. I’m going to run home real quickly and make some calls. I’ll meet you downtown? 

Anne- I guess. I’m sure my mom is still down there. They couldn’t have already moved her. (Jane gets up off the couch and walks out the door. Anne picks the letter off the floor and starts looking at it again. The lights slowly fade to black as the curtain closes)

ACT 1, SCENE 3: Downtown streets

(The curtain stays closed as the scene takes place in front of it. Many people flood out as well as a cop leading everyone. The cop keeps people from moving past him. Anne, now dressed in more casual clothes enters from stage right going toward the cop. Jane enters through the crowd and meets up with Anne on stage left)

Anne- Good. You made it. I thought the streets were going to be hard to get through with this many people here.

Jane- I’ve been trained so many times to deal with this amount of people. You don’t need to worry about me.

Anne-Alrighty then. (She starts walking over to the police officer but stops and turns around slowly to Jane) Wait. I just realized that I never told you that my mom was down here. You already knew that. How did you know that?

Jane- There’s something called the news. I’m not stupid.

Anne- I can’t be too trusting anymore! Anyone could be a part of the Shadow Class. I can’t lose my life trying to find out how my mom lost her life.

Jane- Anne, Anne, It’s just the emotion of your mom dead. Take a deep breath. Even if I was the ruler of the universe or something, I’m not going to turn on you. I’m here to help you. Not kill you.

Anne-(Pause)Ok. Thank you. Sorry I freaked out. I just can’t lose another person in my life. I want this group dead, Jane. DEAD!

Jane- Calm down. Calm down. Let’s go talk to the officer and we can see your mom. 

(The two walk over to the Police Officer)

Police officer- Hold on there ladies. No one’s getting past here until further notice.

Anne- Sir, that’s my dead mom back there. I need to see her.

Police officer- Oh really? Well, I love family. Maybe then I’ll let you two be the only ones to go through. Then I’ll lose my job and my friends and then I won’t be able to provide for my family. For sure. Come on in!

Anne- You know. You could have just said no and I wouldn’t have the thought of wanting to punch you.

Police Officer- 5 feet away from the scene! Let’s go! Move back! (He pushes both of them away from him as he goes back to his spot. Anne and Jane stand on stage left)

Anne- Well that was interesting.

Jane- You’re telling me. I need to give that man a piece of my mind.

(Jane stares at the police officer while Anne looks at a necklace around Jane’s neck)

Anne-(Starting to reach for it) I’ve never seen that necklace before. Where’d you get it?

Jane-(Slapping Anne’s hand away) One of my friends from Turkey got it for me. It’s not important right now(She still looks at the officer).

(Keith enters in from stage left and stands next to the girls)

Keith- Af-ta-noon ladies. (The two jump back scared from Keith. Keith just stands there emotionless)

Anne- Keith! You trying to give me two heart attacks in one day? Are you trying to go to jail?

Keith- No ma’am. I heard ye mother were dead. I reckon I take a look before they take away the body.

Jane- Well, if it isn’t Keith. Why do you care so much about a dead body? Follow-up question, do you have something for Anne’s mom that you just “had” to see?

Keith- (Shaking and sweating)Umm…Well…No…but…

Anne- Keith, you stay right here. We’ll be right back. (She takes Jane to stage right as Keith stands on stage left) What the heck is wrong with you? First the officer, now Keith? Calm yourself. It’s not the end of the world.

Jane- Not yet it is, but if we don’t kill the officer and Keith, then it will be.

Anne- You really think the officer and Keith have something against you? 

Jane- Not something against me. They are the thing against me. Those two murders are part of the Shadow Class. Look at them. Just standing there until they get ready to pounce. 

Anne- Maybe it was a mistake to bring you here. We’re going home.

(Anne starts taking Jane off. Jane tries pushing through but can’t)

Jane- But we’re so close! You can’t just give up.

(Anne and Jane exit. Keith watches them leave and then walks up to the officer)

Police officer- You think they’re part of it?

Keith- I can’t be too certain. Anne wouldn’t kill her own mother just to throw everyone off her tracks. As for Jane, I’ve seen how she acts. She’s paranoid about everything.

Police officer- So answer me this: Why were they trying to see the body?

Keith- Carl, give the girls a break. One of them just lost her mother and the other needs something to do. I think it would be too obvious if they were part of the Shadow Class.

Police officer- This just needs to be figured out soon. It’s already killed half of my family and my wife is expecting another one. 

Keith- I’m going over to Anne’s house tomorrow for her mom’s funeral. I can see if she has any information that she’s willing to share that maybe would bring us closer to ending this group.

Police officer- Report back to me immediately after you have something. I need to know if we can trust these girls or not.

(Keith exits the same way the girls exited. The police officer stands in the same place. The lights fade to black)

ACT 1, SCENE 4: Anne’s House; Work Place

(The curtain opens to Anne’s house once again, this time a little messier. The fireplace is no longer running, the chairs don’t sit symmetrically to each other, and the table is destroyed with papers all over it. Some have fallen to the ground and some have fallen in between the couch cushions. Anne comes down the stairs wearing a button-up white shirt and a jacket over top of it. She wears black pants along with heels. A knock on the door is heard as Anne walks over to open up. Standing behind the door is Jane, wearing casual and comfy clothes)

Anne- Jane, what are you doing here?

Jane- I wanted to apologize for my behavior today. I had no right to act like that. I just thought that since someone murdered your mother you wanted me to find the killer with no means possible.

Anne- Jane, we’re going to find them. It’s just going to stay calm. (Pause) Wow. I’m turning into you. Telling me to keep calm. Now I’m telling you!

Jane- Funny. Isn’t it! Anyway, I actually came by to tell you something. (She pulls out a piece of paper) Look. This was in my brother’s bedroom. (Anne takes it from her)

Anne-(Reading)Today is the day my members. Read this letter and without errors. We have just murdered the mother of Anne. Now I’ve met Anne and she’s tougher than she looks. (Back in regular voice) Well isn’t that nice? (Reading) She’s going to come downtown and try and see her mother. Only problem is if she gets anywhere near her mom before we have done the cleansing of the killing, she’s going to find out who all of us are. I want two of you down there guarding the outside. I don’t care who but make it happen.

Jane- This is crazy. A huge lead I would say. This confirms that the officer and Keith are part of the Shadow Class.

Anne- The letter said it can be any two people. So out of the fifty people there, it could be about 2,450 different combinations.

Jane- But think about it. It said that they don’t want you getting to your mother’s body before the cleansing. That’s what the police officer was for. As for Keith, they needed someone to complete a cleansing before the rest of the group could get there.

Anne- So you found this in your brother’s bedroom? (Jane nods) Wow. I didn’t realize that you were actually right. I’m so sorry for not believing you. I’ll share everything with you and trust anything you say now because you kind of saved my life.

Jane- Well for starters, what in the world are you dressed up for?

Anne- Work. It’s a huge meeting I have to go to. If I don’t, I'll probably get fired.

Jane- So where do you work?

(Anne’s phone starts ringing and she picks it up)

Anne- Speak of the devil. I need to take this. I’ll be right back. (She exits the room as everything is quiet. Jane walks to the mirror on the fireplace. About 10 seconds later, Anne enters back in)

Jane- Well welcome back. I thought you were never going to come out of there. 

Anne- I need to run. The meeting starts in about thirty minutes. I can’t stay here for long. (She starts to leave)

Jane- Anne wait! Where do you work?

Anne- Why do you care so much about where I work.

Jane- Because you’ve always been so secretive of it. I can never get an answer out of you. I’m getting the feeling that you’re part of the Shadow Class.

Anne- Jane. Why would I murder my own mother to throw you off my tracks? That’s something I would do but not to my mom.

Jane- We’re partners now. I just thought you would share information like that.

(Pause)

Anne- Ok fine. But you have to promise me you won’t tell anyone. This job is so too secret that just telling someone would get me killed. Not fired. But killed!

Jane- I promise. Don’t worry.

(Anne sits on the couch followed by Jane)

Anne- I work as a head scientist at a secret laboratory. It’s not on any map and the only way to find it is to have access by a person who works there. We aren’t you’re normal laboratory. We’ve studied aliens, multi-universes, anything that is out of the ordinary. Now our biggest project, the one I’m heading to work for right now, is we’re trying to find out how to be connected with the universe and be able to control it.

Jane- Wow. And I always thought that you just worked on a poop plant or something and was embarrassed to say it.

Anne- Nope. I’ve been head of this operation for almost seven years. It’s been challenging getting through the ups and downs of this project. But after all those years of work, we’ve finally found the solution we’ve been looking for.

Jane- It sounds interesting. What do you plan on doing when you learn to control the universe.

Anne- Jane, I can’t tell you anything else. I wasn’t even supposed to tell you where I worked. Promise me you won’t tell anyone?

Jane- I promise. (Anne starts to get up)Wait. I have something for you. (Anne sits back down as Jane takes off her necklace)I wanted to give you this.

Anne- But this is your necklace. What makes you want to give it away?

Jane- I don’t know. It just feels like now should be the right time. Consider it a friendship gift.

Anne- Well thank you. Well, now I feel bad for not getting you anything.

Jane- I think what you can do is get to that meeting. I can’t have you be late. (Anne puts on the necklace as Jane pushes her out the door)

Anne- (Offstage)I’ll see you later then!

(Jane shuts the door behind her as she goes over to the mirror on the fireplace and looks into it. The lights fade as it goes to black)  

ACT 1, SCENE 5: Anne’s House; Funeral

(The lights to the house formed in a funeral way; The casket sits on stage right, with mail sitting on the bottom row, and chairs lined up to it. The weather is dark with fog passing through the windows. Anne is sitting in the front row waiting for Jane. She gets up a little while after and goes to the casket)

Anne- I love you, Mom. I wish you were still here. (A moment of silence. Anne moves away from the casket and helps get the chair straight. After a while, Keith comes through the door, blood all over him walks right up to Anne, and stands still as he normally does. Anne turns around)

Anne-(Scared)KEITH! Why do you keep doing that? And what’s all over your clothes? Is that blood? 

Keith- Well yu see ma’am, this is what happened….

Anne-(Interrupting)Did you kill someone?

Keith- No no. I’m tryen to tell yu that…

Anne-(Interrupting)Keith! I don’t want to hear it. You’re creeping me out.

Keith- Well I wanted to inform you that I know how to defeat the Shadow Class.

Anne-(To herself)Well that’s unfortunate knowing that you’re killing yourself.

Keith- What was that?

Anne- Nothing nothing! What about you just go home and get your stuff. Then we can talk about this more.

Keith- Yes ma’am. I will do that. (He runs out the door and Anne watches him go. After he is out, Anne goes up and closes the door, locking it directly after. She stands by the door catching her breath. A brief silence hits the house. She walks back up to the casket and looks at her mom. Soon after, the wind comes through and knocks the mail off the casket. Anne picks it up and begins going through it. She stops on one as she did for her mom and stares at it as her eyes get huge)

Anne- No. No! NO! JANE WAS KILLED?! BY THE SHADOW CLASS!!! This has to be a nightmare. (She throws down the papers and stands there crying until she stops and turns furious. Keith enters carrying papers. Anne grows a nice face and walks up to Keith)You’re back. Hopefully, it wasn’t too hard to see with the fog out there.

Keith- No ma’am. It was alright. Should we talk right over ‘er?

(Anne grabs a grenade from the dresser as Keith is walking to the chair)

Anne- We should do it outside, just to make sure no one will hear us. We don’t know if there is anyone here listening in on us and will try and kill us.

Keith- Good idea. I’ll meet you out there. (He starts walking as Anne pulls the pin on the grenade and stops Keith)

Anne- Wait Keith. (He stops as Anne walks up to him)Thank you for all you do. I really appreciate it. (She pats him on the back and slips the grenade into his pocket)

Keith- You’re most welcome ma’am! (He walks out. Anne steps back far away from the door. Everything is quiet. All of a sudden, there is a loud “boom” and a bright light outside the door. Anne walks up to the door and looks out as she smiles and then closes the door behind her. She walks up to the casket)

Anne- I’m sorry you had to go through with this, Mom, but I’ve completed the fight. I won’t let anyone hurt this family. I love you so much. (She pats her mom on the jacket she’s wearing. Anne freezes as she reaches inside and pulls out a paper. She opens it up and begins reading)

“I don’t have much time. I know the Shadow Class is going to kill me but I have information about their secrets and I have to keep them known after I die. The Shadow Class’s secrets are more unbelievable than you would think. They have the power to take information from any brain after that person dies as well as shapeshift into any person they want to. I have found out that even the closest people you can trust are part of the group. Their main goal is to learn how to control the universe and take over the world we know and love today. Whatever you do, don’t trust anyone anymore. My closest friends were part of the Shadow Class and I know yours will too. Keep this letter safe and don’t lose it. This is the first time ever that their secrets have been found, and we can’t let it go absent.”(Anne looks up as fog starts flowing into the house and lightning starts striking)I have to call the police. (She begins running upstairs but a spotlight turns on and standing there is Jane with a sinister look on her face. Anne backs up)Jane? I thought you were dead?

Jane- Surprise. Does it look like I am?

Anne- But I just saw it in the paper and on…

Jane-(Interrupting)Keith’s clothes? Like the dude you just killed?

Anne-(Creeped out) Yeah… How did you….

Jane-(Interrupting) Know you were going to say that? It’s interesting what you know after you’re the one who sets all this up.

Anne- Set all up? So Keith didn’t kill anyone? Did you put the blood on him?

Jane- And poor little Keith was trying to tell you all about it. If it wasn’t for your constant talking, I think you would have been able to defeat me. But that’s too bad because I think I beat you first.

Anne- Jane…Are you a part of the Shadow Class?

Jane- Of course, I am, Anne! Wow, it took you so long to figure that out. I mean, you almost had me there downtown yesterday. But dang! I can really trick someone into thinking something.

Anne- But the letter said that there were two people needed yesterday.

Jane- Yeah. I and my brother were both down there. Do you really think the police officer and Keith were a part of it?

Anne- Well I mean, I trusted you so yeah. But why my mother is all I ask?

Jane- Anne, there comes a time when you have to eliminate someone for the greater good of your kind. Unfortunately, it was your mother. When we were talking about our plan, your mom decided to eavesdrop on us. When we saw her, we knew that if she got away that everything we’ve been working for would’ve gotten lost. So we killed her. Unfortunately, we failed to realize that with every kill we make, we leave remnants of our oils that if observed from the right angle, everyone would know who is a part of the Shadow Class. You wanted to go down and see your mom so I decided that if I go with you, I can trick you into getting out of thereby making a big deal about who is and who isn’t a part of the Class. And finally, I knew that the only way to kill you was to make sure Keith was dead because he loved your mom. Yes. He had a deep love for your mom and that means he wanted to help you with anything. I know that now he can’t snoop around and find us when you’re dead so we had you kill him. So even if you killed me, you would still go to jail for killing someone. And the end of my plan ends right here.

Anne- I will call the police before you can do anything else, Jane!

Jane- Anne, I was going to kill you before you could do any of that.

Anne- NO! (She runs past Jane who just stands there staring at her as she climbs up the stairs and stands at the top)You are not going to get me no matter what you do.

Jane- Oh Anne...I’ve already got you. (She snaps her fingers as the necklace around Anne’s neck starts smoking. Anne breathes it in as she takes her last breath and falls off the edge of the platform. The lights shoot off as the curtain falls)