Mr. Lockedown

CURTAIN

(SCOTT starts USR and slowly walks DS looking at his phone. NIKKI enters USR)

NIKKI: Hey, Scott! (Walks to Scott who is stopped)

SCOTT: Hey, Nikki. (Both continue slowly DS)

NIKKI: Happy Birthday! Well, happy belated birthday. (Laughs)

SCOTT: Oh, thanks. (Smiles)

NIKKI: So, (Pause) what did you get?

SCOTT: For my birthday? (NIKKI nods) Same old stuff: gift cards, new clothes.

NIKKI: Nice. (Pause) I asked my mom for concert tickets for my birthday.

SCOTT: Oh, cool. What band?

NIKKI: Well, you’ve probably never heard of them, but they’re called “Tomorrow’s Past.”

SCOTT: (Stops) No way.

NIKKI: What?

SCOTT: I love “Tomorrow’s Past”! I’m probably going to use my iTunes gift card to buy their new album.

NIKKI: I already bought it, it’s so awesome!

SCOTT: Dang, you’re ahead of the game aren’t you? (Laughs)

NIKKI: Yea, I guess. (Laughs) You should come over and listen to it sometime.

SCOTT: Yea, I’d like that.

ANNOUNCEMENT: (Urgent) Mr. Locke, could you please call the office. Mr. Locke, call the office.

SCOTT: (Monotone) Great.

NIKKI: It’s probably just a drill.

SCOTT: Mr. Poll is going to kill me if I’m not back in his room.

NIKKI: Yea, you’re right. I’ll walk you there.

(Both walk SL. Gunshots are heard. Both stop.)

SCOTT: (Grabs NIKKI) Holy s***! (Runs to door SL, tries to open door, it’s locked. Pounds on door.) Mr. Poll, it’s Scott! C’mon let us in!

NIKKI: (Breaks away from Scott. Goes to door CS and opens it) Scott, in here!

(SCOTT runs to door and closes it behind him. Both hide under a bench a little left of the door; SCOTT to the left, NIKKI to the right, both close to each other covering their mouths. There is a metal pail next to NIKKI’s right arm.)

(ADAM, the shooter, enters from SR wearing a hooded sweatshirt with the hood up and carries a gun. He walks to the door SL and tries to open it; it is still locked. He walks to CS and opens the door. Just as ADAM passes in front of the bench, NIKKI’s arm slips and hits the bucket; making a noise. ADAM turns around, walks behind the bench, and pulls NIKKI out from under the bench by her ankles and brings her to the front as she screams. NIKKI is on the ground using her hands to cover her face and ADAM points the gun at her.)

(SCOTT comes out from under the bench and stands in front of ADAM with his hands up.)

SCOTT: Wait, wait! (Pause) Um, my name is Scott. I am 17 years old and I have 3 brothers (Pause) Uh, I play baseball in the spring and….(Looks at NIKKI) Oh! This is Nikki, well, her real name is Nicole and she is really smart and funny and...I know whatever you’re going through right now is probably really rough and I wish I could understand that, but I’m sure whatever you  planned on doing today didn’t involve her. (Pause) She’s so nice to everybody; she wouldn’t hurt a fly and…(Looks at NIKKI) and I really like her, so just please, go away. Just-just go.

(ADAM lowers the gun and walks back through the door and exits SL.)

NIKKI: (Gets up and hugs SCOTT) Thank you, thank you so much!

(SCOTT pulls away slightly and caresses NIKKI’s face and kisses her)

SCENE