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ELARA THORN – 10, The real Blondie patrol leader. (Scouse)
LUCY GAYLE – 10, Self-proclaimed patrol leader of the Blondies.
AISLING McKENNA – 9, Smooth talking second in command. (Irish)
VIOLET MONTOYA – 9, Feared and revered, the brawn of the group.
GRACE GAYLE – 7, Lucy’s younger sister and medic of the group.
KAT BEEL – 8, Shy, self-conscious and soft-spoken daughter of the Blondie section leader.
MISS ‘HEATHER’ BEEL – Early to mid 30’s,Adultsection leader; heavily pregnant and directionally challenged.
SGT. WALTER GORRY – Mid to late 70’s,War veteran with dementia and paranoia in equal measure; PTSD
BEAR – Never seen, yet ever present…
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Sounds of a car pulling up
LFX: Lights up on a campsite
Scene 1 It is late evening around the 8pm mark when the Blondies; consisting of Elara Thorn, Lucy and Grace Gayle, Aisling McKenna, Violet Montoya and Kat Beel arrive in Leader Heather Beel’s 7-seater people carrier.
Despite Heather’s road rage induced driving, the girls and their heavily pregnant leader arrive in one piece, tired, but ultimately no worse for wear.
Whilst Heather attempts to rouse her sleeping daughter with little success, the other girls make busy; Elara begins pitching her tent and helping Aisling errect Lucy’s bell tent whilst the aforementioned Lucy delegates and supervises. Meanwhile the youngest Gayle, Grace is trying and failing to help Violet carry equipment across camp.
VIOLET Uh, Grace? You okay back there?
GRACE stands up and brushes herself off, wordlessly gives a thumbs up to VIOLET who is about to carry on when a frustrated LUCY appears, hands on hips; incredulous.
LUCY Look at the state of you – it’s only been 10 minutes!
VIOLET Oh leave her, she just slipped over that’s all.
LUCY And you didn’t think to help her?
GRACE It’s okay – I can manage—
LUCY Look, just go and change – there’s a couple spares in my bag—
GRACE I’m fine, let me help
LUCY Stop arguing and do it.
GRACE skulks away feeling annoyed.
VIOLET You’re not her Mum you know—
LUCY No offence, but I’m not taking advice from someone who thinks ripped sleeves are cool.
VIOLET What? They look badass
LUCY It’s giving Rambo. Sorry. Also, have you seen Kat?
VIOLET She’s probably hanging out with Grace, why?
LUCY Why is she over there? She should be helping us—
VIOLET Probably to get away from you?
LUCY glares at VIOLET who shrugs mockingly; LUCY exits, and VIOLET does an aside glance to the audience as if to say, ‘Can you believe her?’ before exiting herself.
ELARA Heather’s been a long time, hasn’t she?
AISLING Last time I saw her she was with Kat in the party tent. She seemed upset.
ELARA Who? Heather or Kat?
A conversation can be heard offstage between HEATHER and KAT
HEATHER When we’re on camp you have to call me Heather, okay?
KAT Sorry, I just – I don’t feel well.
HEATHER That’ll be the nerves, I reckon – I remember going on my first camp away.
KAT Can’t I just go back with you tonight?
HEATHER No love. All I’m saying is just give it a go – the other girls are here so you’ll be okay.
KAT I like Grace, but Lucy’s really bossy and I don’t know the others well enough.
HEATHER Let’s get you settled in.
HEATHER and KAT enter – the girls regard them.
Right, girls – I’m not staying with you tonight, so I need you all to look out for Kat, okay?
ELARA Don’t worry she can come with us.
LUCY She can go with you, you mean.
ELARA digs LUCY in the ribs.
Ow what the f- I mean – yeah she’s got us.
HEATHER Great to hear – well I’ll see you all soon.
HEATHER hugs KAT and exits. LUCY rolls her eyes.
LUCY Well sit down, then.
LUCY Good God, cheer up a bit won’t you? You’re at camp, not a funeral.
ELARA Says the person who’s been bitching all day – maybe you should take your own advice there, Lu.
LUCY I haven’t been bitching – I’ve been delegating—
VIOLET If that’s what you want to call it.
GRACE Hey, this isn’t making Kat feel any better.
AISLING Grace is right, we’re all tired – maybe we should just sleep now? Although we haven’t actually decided where everyone’s sleeping yet—
ELARA That’s easy enough – 6 of us, 2 tents of 3.
VIOLET Elara and I were gonna share, so…
GRACE Where do you wanna go, Kat? I’m easy—
LUCY Right this is taking too long, Grace come with me and Aisling.
GRACE But what about Kat?
LUCY Elara and Violet can have her – then it works.
ELARA I mean, we can always swap in the morning if you prefer?
KAT Really, I don’t mind—
LUCY She’ll be fine – let’s just sleep, I’m tired.
The girls mumble their goodnights and get into their tents – torches go out one by one.
Midnight. KAT BEEL emerges from the tent – cautiously looks around and walks round the camp. Stumbles slightly. GRACE exits the tent.
KAT Wh-? Oh sorry, did I wake you up? I’m just going to the loo, so…
GRACE Want me to come with you?
KAT No, I’m alright, thanks – see you in the morning.
KAT exits. Beat. GRACE re-enters her tent.
SCENE 2 ‘If You go down to the Woods today’.
GRACE SHE’S GONE MISSING!
Everyone emerges from their tent and regards GRACE.
AISLING Shhh are you trying to wake everyone up?!
LUCY Hey, don’t you shh my sister, that’s my job!
AISLING We don’t need the whole troop to know!
LUCY She didn’t say it that loudly-
VIOLET Shut up both of you. Did she say where she was going?
GRACE She was going to the toilet, but she didn’t come back…
LUCY Pretty obvious isn’t it—?
ELARA/LUCY We need to find Kat/go back to sleep.
Beat. ELARA and LUCY stand up and glare at each other.
ELARA Sleep can wait, we need to prioritise—
LUCY And sleep isn’t a priority? If you think I’m gonna stumble around in a forest at 2am like some kind of drunk yeti, you’re mistaken.
GRACE Can yeti’s even get drunk?
VIOLET Not really the issue, Grace.
AISLING —How useful are we really gonna be if we’re dropping off?
ELARA The only thing you need to drop off is your attitude – it’s not helping.
AISLING I’m just saying we haven’t made a plan of action or anything yet and you’re ready to leave just like that?
ELARA We don’t have time to plan – it’ll take too long—
LUCY Spoken like a true leader.
ELARA Look, I don’t have time for this. Just as well you’re not coming, you might chip a shellac—
ELARA Oh, really? I mean I’ll be fine on my own—
VIOLET You’re not leaving me with this lot.
LUCY No – Absolutely not!
VIOLET But if Grace was the last one to see her then it makes sense—
GRACE And she’s my friend.
LUCY Friend or not, you’re staying here where I can keep an eye on you.
GRACE Oh my God I’m a couple years younger than you, what’s the big deal?
LUCY Because you’ll get lost.
GRACE What, more than we already are?
LUCY You don’t have any equipment for a start – and no, the paintball guns don’t count.
VIOLET She can borrow some of my stuff, I have spares-
VIOLET I’ll show her how to do it, don’t worry
LUCY She doesn’t need tetanus from any of your rusty tools-
LUCY Grace, you won’t last five minutes out there – just stay here with me.
ELARA Let her tag along if she wants, I don’t mind—
LUCY I don’t care if you mind or not, she’s my sister and I say she’s not going – so there!
ELARA I really don’t care about that right now, Kat could be in danger and all we’ve done is talk in circles – if you’re coming then come, if you’re staying, mind the camp – oh, and Lucy?
ELARA Try not to wake everyone up with your constant bitching.
GRACE laughs. LUCY glares, about to instigate; AISLING grabs her arm.
AISLING Good luck you two.
ELARA and VIOLET pick up their backpacks and exit.
LUCY Well, since they’re both dead – I'm in charge--
AISLING Violet tagging along gives her a better chance of survival—
LUCY They don’t even need a weapon; Vi just has to be themself and the threat will be scared off—
GRACE And why do you keep saying ‘they’? Elara’s not weird?
LUCY You’ll understand when you’re older.
AISLING Weirdness aside, we could do something to help?
LUCY Like what? I’m not chasing after them – Oh Captain My Captain made herself quite clear.
AISLING exits briefly and re-enters with a bin bag; attempts to tidy up; picks up litter and stuffs it into said binbag.
Are you seriously thinking about cleaning at a time like this?
AISLING Can’t do much else.
LUCY Yes, because deep cleaning and forest really go hand in hand, why don’t you sleep, like a sane person?
AISLING Who are you to talk about sanity? You lost all yours when you tried reclaiming that fort—
LUCY Don’t you dare bring up Fort Unicorn in my presence!
GRACE It’s a touchy subject—
AISLING I can see that. I can also see that I’m surrounded by arseclowns in some forest at 3am in the damn morning.
LUCY Well too bad, it’s either sleep or (mocking Elara) ‘guard the camp.’
GRACE I think she said ‘mind’ not guard
AISLING Do I look like a German Shepherd to you?
GRACE Why would you be a German Shepherd? I thought you were Irish?
GRACE But I’m not tired--
LUCY Don’t argue, it’s way past your bedtime--
LUCY Right now you’re acting five.
AISLING Also need to go back to school – Lucy’s 10.
GRACE What does that have to do with anything?
AISLING Before, you said you were a couple years younger than her.
AISLING I shouldn’t need to spell this out for you.
LUCY Then don’t - stop being pedantic.
AISLING I’m not being pedantic, I’m just stating a fact.
LUCY We didn’t ask for a lecture – thought you were supposed to be tired, anyway.
AISLING I’m not ready to sleep yet, Maths keeps me awake.
AISLING I find it exciting.
AISLING Right, now I’m going to bed.
LUCY Which means you’re going to recite the maths textbook to yourself? Seriously why do you talk to yourself anyway, it’s weird--
AISLING Only way I can have an intelligent conversation. Night.
AISLING and GRACE enter their tent.
LUCY Guard the camp – who does she think she is? Her foof isn’t big enough to talk to me like that – I'll show her!
SCENE 3 ‘Bullets and Beartraps’
Lights up on a forest clearing. ELARA and VIOLET enter and exit twice before re-entering from the opposite side of the stage. Beat. They stop to consult the map which ELARA pulls out of her pocket and unfolds.
ELARA How’s your map reading skills?
VIOLET (gesturing to the tree onstage) Let’s just say I’m sure we’ve already passed that tree before.
ELARA So you’ve never read a map before?
VIOLET Oh no, I’ve done that. Still got lost though.
Beat. ELARA sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration.
Ooh did I ever tell you you can suffocate someone with a map?
VIOLET (nonchalantly) Same way as anything else.
VIOLET Anything can be a weapon if you apply enough force. But my favourite weapon has to be the shovel.
ELARA What’s so deadly about a shov— (realises) Oh...
VIOLET Whack someone over the head hard enough to kill them and then you can bury them with it – 1 bird, 2 stones.
ELARA (Under her breath) I think you mean 2 birds, 1 stone — Anyway, can you pass me the torch?
VIOLET So we can blind them first and then beat them with it, right? Great idea!
ELARA Aren’t you getting a bit carried away? We’re here to find Kat, not start a body count.
VIOLET This is life-saving information – if you don’t have an actual weapon to hand, it’s crucial to know how to improvise.
ELARA How do you know all this – I thought your family worked in healthcare?
VIOLET My grandma did, but Dad was a soldier, and my Mum was a mechanical engineer.
ELARA Sounds like a badass family.
VIOLET Badass is what brands you ‘Violent Violet’ just because I punched Lucy once for making Kat cry.
ELARA I think I was off, what happened?
VIOLET Being called Fat Kat and Kit Kat Chunky every day must be pretty draining.
ELARA Heard she had to go to hospital, didn’t she?
VIOLET Mm, I don’t think she eats much, if at all, most days. Feel sorry for Grace, at least we don’t have to live with Delulu— Why have we stopped?
ELARA Sorry, thought I heard voices…
Beat. They both listen. Silence ensues.
VIOLET Sign of madness that is.
ELARA Isn’t that reserved for talking to yourself?
VIOLET A sign’s a sign – if you ask me, I reckon you’re succumbing to the deep dark forest.
ELARA (scoffs) Only thing I succumb to is a Vicky sponge.
VIOLET We all have our vices. You like cake, I like instruments—
ELARA Of course. So was this before or after ‘Violent Violet?’
VIOLET Just living up to the hype.
ELARA There is such a thing as bad publicity, you know.
VIOLET Yeah, but at least nobody will mess with me.
ELARA I don’t think anyone dare, that’s why we’re friends.
VIOLET You hang out with me you won’t have any
ELARA As if I’m ‘little miss popular’ anyway – that's Lucy’s job.
ELARA continues to walk and trips over something.
ELARA The hell did I trip over?
ELARA And what’s with all these bullets? You’re seeing this too, right?
VIOLET Never mind that, can you stand?
ELARA I’m fine. You got a plaster? – scratched myself.
VIOLET It has a unicorn on it, do you still want it?
ELARA …Did you nick these from Lucy or something?
VIOLET Depends – you gonna grass?
ELARA Hardly – she saw me in this she’d rip the bloody thing off. Hope the others are okay...
ELARA exits, followed shortly after by VIOLET who stops to pocket the bullets.
VIOLET Can’t let good ammunition go to waste, can I?
SCENE 4 HEATHER comes to in a hut. She is being watched over by a man in military uniform.
HEATHER Damn… This place needs Febreze like I need a drink- preferably the alcoholic kind…
SGT. GORRY (Under his breath)
You took your time waking up, thought the sedative would’ve worn off by now.
HEATHER So you’re admitting you drug women now?
SGT. GORRY I had to restrain you somehow.
HEATHER Threatened by me, were you?
SGT. GORRY I’ve seen little girls more intimidating than you.
HEATHER Wait, when did you meet my lot?
SGT. GORRY Wait there’s more of you?
HEATHER Whatever, just, why am I here, who the hell even are you, and do you have any paracetamol lying around this dump, or at the very least a glass of water, ‘cause for a host, you’re not awfully hospitable.
SGT. GORRY Are you being serious? Listen lady, you’re my hostage, in my domain – I don’t think you’re any position to make demands or act difficult—
HEATHER Act difficult? ACT DIFFICULT?! Do you know how difficult it is to be pregnant? I don’t give a damn if you’ve got a whole team back there, find me some goddamn drugs or I’ll show you what kicking ass for two looks like.
SGT. GORRY If it’ll get you to calm down.
HEATHER That’s more like it.
SGT. GORRY exits. HEATHER takes in her surroundings. Footsteps. She “hides” under the bed.
SGT. GORRY (O.S.) Is aspirin okay?
SGT. GORRY Oi – where’d you go?
Beat. He picks up his gun.
God this woman is ridiculous
AISLING That’s no way to talk about your boss.
In all the confusion, HEATHER exits.
SGT. GORRY FUDGE NUGGETS!
AISLING Watch your fucking language!
SGT. GORRY WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?!
AISLING Eejit, I’ve been here the whole time, turn on your torch.
AISLING enters. Blinded by the torch.
Ack-! Not in my face, damnit!
SGT. GORRY Stop trying to set me off.
AISLING Thought you of all people could handle a jump-scare.
SGT. GORRY My poor heart can’t take it.
AISLING Oh I’m sorry, should I wear bells on my shoes? Should I have sent a flare to announce my presence so your poor heart can take it?
SGT. GORRY I’m just saying some kind of warning would be appreciated, I can’t carry out any business if I’m dead.
AISLING Spare me the dramatics, you’re not on stage.
Pause. Aside glance to audience briefly.
Right –find her and continue question time.
SGT. GORRY Did you mean tactical questioning?
AISLING What are you, some kind of search engine? Get on with it!
SGT. GORRY But she threatened me with grievous bodily harm—
AISLING Are you dense? All you’ve done so far is have a mothers meeting!
AISLING I don’t care if you’re a monkey’s uncle, I’m paying you to intimidate, do as you’re told!
SGT. GORRY Do you mean interrogate?
AISLING DO AS YOU’RE TOLD! And damn it find a light switch, it’s darker than the set of Wednesday...
Lights back up. SGT. GORRY looks around, confused.
AISLING And you call yourself a Sergeant, unbelievable,can’t even keep a damn hostage.
SGT. GORRY She must’ve escaped when the lights went out.
AISLING Why are you still here? Find her!
SGT. GORRY Now you listen to me, little madame, you’re getting far too big for your boots.
AISLING Is that a challenge? Because if you’re having trouble I can always call Daddy to remind you what happens when you make his little girl cry…
AISLING begins to fake cry. SGT. GORRY salutes and exits, muttering under his breath.
Never expected HQ to be left like this – honestly it reeks of old McDonalds in here and believe me I don’t mean the farm.
SCENE 5 The campsite. AISLING sneaks back to the camp as LUCY enters on the phone.
LUCY What do you mean they’ve taken over?!
No and you can jolly well do as I say before I get Mummy involved, don’t think I don’t know about your latest slip-up with my aunt, your job’s on the line here, pal, I suggest you cooperate.
Well you can tell those snot-nosed idiots to sling their hook! So help me god if they reposes the tree-house—
God am I talking Greek or something?
Let me clarify: If I come back and see so much as a plushie out of line, I’ll have your heart on a platter!
She hangs up; notices AISLING who walks past her and enters the tent.
You took your time getting f - where’s the firewood?
AISLING I thought you were doing that
LUCY Then what were you doing cause you’ve been gone ages – do you know I nearly went mad talking to myself, and it would’ve been all your fault-
AISLING You could try not offending everyone you meet.
LUCY Well since you’re here now you can fetch me a bottle-
AISLING I’m not your maid.
Grace appears with a water bottle.
Ugh why is it warm? I thought I told you to put them in the cooler!
LUCY exits the stage briefly
LUCY There’s no ice packs in here! Who was in charge of putting them in?
LUCY I bet it was Kat, wasn’t it? Bloody typical.
AISLING Isn’t it time you retired from throwing your weight around? You don’t see Elara acting like a—
LUCY Like a what? Come out the tent if you wanna talk to me.
AISLING emerges; considers her words.
AISLING Elara doesn’t treat us like slaves.
LUCY Yeah well she’s not here is she?
Beat. LUCY begins to pace up and down.
LUCY To this day, I’ll never understand why that damn Elara gets to be the leader, she’s never here, and her decision-making skills are seriously flawed.
AISLING (Aside) Speak for yourself.
GRACE Isn’tshe the founder—?
LUCY No don’t give me the founder argument – How can she be the founder anyway? I’m a better leader, but nobody listens to me.
AISLING Well maybe if you didn’t keep interrupting—
LUCY -What the hell are they doing anyway? Have they even found her yet?
GRACE You know, I think they’d be here if they’d found her—
AISLING Beats me, maybe they needed some air—
LUCY Air, Aisling? What, because the great outdoors is clearly lacking in that department. I swear, I’m the only one who does anything around here.
AISLING First of all, it’s a figure of speech—
LUCY You’re a figure of speech!
AISLING Don’t we all? Well, some of us, anyway.
LUCY Oh please I bet she’s not even in danger – it’s just glorified hide and seek at this point. Speaking of which, where do you keep disappearing to?
AISLING What do you mean?
LUCY Don’t think I didn’t notice you leaving, you’re up to something, and as the de facto leader I want to know.
AISLING It’s not important.
LUCY You can’t hide anything from me – we’re tentmates.
AISLING Okay, you got me – I’ll spill.
AISLING This is hard for me to say…
LUCY Aha! It catches up with you— Wait what? Ew.
LUCY Sigh… Any sign of the deliveries yet?
LUCY People can live in the forest you know.
AISLING Amazon said it’d be late—
LUCY Another thing to worry about, you know what? Ten-year-olds are too young to get grey hairs.
AISLING rolls her eyes. Catches a glimpse of something in the air
LUCY struggles to open it. She throws it down.
Wait, where the hell did you get a knife from? Give it to me. Honestly Grace, you shouldn’t be carrying that around—
GRACE I was just trying to help—
LUCY Yeah well I’m confiscating it. Who gave this to you?
AISLING (Aside) Sister of the year, this one.
GRACE I found it under a bush.
AISLING It’s probably Violet’s.
LUCY No shit, but leaving it under a bush as opposed to taking it with her? I know she’s called Violent Violet, but that’s not really her style—
AISLING Not by choice. You were the one who started that.
LUCY How was I to know everyone’d start chanting it at school?
AISLING Oh no, you knew. You knew those mindless sheep would throw it about, didn’t stop you though, did it?
AISLING See, this is your problem – you talk shit and then expect everyone to magically forgive you just because you have money.
LUCY At least I’m not a thief. You think I don’t see you stealing people’s lunch money and then spending it? You can try justifying it by buying them presents, but it’s not your money to spend.
AISLING Yeah, and I regret that, I hate the way I went about making friends, but at least I never drove Kat to anorexia.
Kat’s my friend and you talk about her like she’s not even here. I mean, she’s not, but you’re the reason she left.
AISLING/LUCY Shite/I’m sorry Grace.
GRACE All you do is sit around and judge everyone – this is why I didn’t want to stay, cause it’s miserable. I’m gonna find the others.
GRACE stands up, as she does so, a low rumble begins.
LUCY I don’t know, but I don’t want you to go—
GRACE Save it - don’t pretend like you care.
AISLING Come back - this isn't the time to go wandering off!
LUCY Oh god this is such a mess…
LUCY pulls two paintball guns out of a nearby crate.
LUCY So you’re suggesting we just give up and do nothing? Eff that – I’m tired of sitting around waiting for something to happen, at least Elara got off her stupid ass and did something about it!
AISLING I expected you of all people to plan ahead before rushing in blindly. Have you really learned nothing about strategy?
LUCY Playing hide and seek isn’t a strategy.
AISLING Moreover, you’re carrying around a weapon you don’t even know how to use.
LUCY Jason took me paintballing.
LUCY Are you gonna come or what?
LUCY I think you should come with me. Sickens me to say this, but we need a buddy system.
AISLING Bit late for that, isn’t it?
LUCY Don’t remind me. I’ll be back soon.
LUCY exits. A loud rumble, like a cracking sound is heard, AISLING looks around. More cracking.
AISLING I wouldn’t be so sure.
SCENE 6 - ELARA and VIOLET are propped up against their backpacks, asleep.
ELARA wakes up with a start.
VIOLET What? I was having a really nice dream about cutting Lucy’s hair off with my hunting knife—
ELARA Now’s not the time, there’s an effin’ bear nearby, we need to go!
VIOLET (Calmly, almost casual) Still got the paintball guns?
ELARA Wait, how are you so calm? Never mind - help me set it up?
Both girls heave the trap and open it.
But Vi there’s nothing to bait it with, it won’t work…
VIOLET pushes ELARA forward.
VIOLET Mm – but you need to trust me on this one.
ELARA What’s a paintball gun gonna do?
VIOLET When I say run, get behind me, okay?
Growling gets louder. A large bear shaped shadow lurks across the stage.
ELARA runs behind VIOLET and closes her eyes. Sudden blackout.
SFX: hissing and popping sounds from the paintball gun.
SFX: Loud bush rustle, growling, followed by silence.
Lights up as ELARA opens her eyes slowly.
ELARA But the trap didn’t go off?
VIOLET The point is it’s scared off – for now anyway.
ELARA Can we talk about what just happened?
Pause. VIOLET lets out an audible sigh.
I may be called ‘Violent Violet’ and put on this intimidating front, but harming an animal is a no-no.
ELARA But surely the paintball gun would trigger the trap, right?
Let’s get going – I don’t like the look of these cracks.
ELARA So you noticed them too?
VIOLET And do you hear that?
VIOLET Worse – we need to get back to the others and fast.
ELARA Wait, is that Grace over there?
VIOLET Isn’t she with- oh shit you’re right—
Aside: Well that was contrived...
GRACE Oh it’s just you guys
VIOLET What happened, are you okay?
GRACE Was just trying to get away from my sister.
ELARA Can’t say I blame you there, though how did you get past Lucy?
GRACE She can’t exactly stop me from going for a walk, can she? But even then I told her I was going to the loo.
ELARA Let’s get back to camp though, cause it’s gonna pour by the looks of it.
VIOLET Good job you just came from there—
GRACE Hey, since Kat’s gone and all, can I sleep in your tent tonight?
ELARA Sure – that’s okay with you, right Vi?
GRACE Can’t be any worse than my sister!
The girls all laugh together and make their way back to camp. GRACE leads the way, followed by ELARA and finally VIOLET exiting. They make it back to find Aisling on the phone.
AISLING Have you found them yet? It’s getting dark—
AISLING turns around and sees ELARA, VIOLET and GRACE who wave awkwardly.
Never mind, they’re here now – just get back up here so we can discuss our next movements, okay?
ELARA Starting to thinkthese pairs aren’t working; we’ll probably stand a better chance if we all stick together - no more splitting up.
AISLING What happened to you?
LUCY What do you think, Aisling? Obviously I slipped, didn’t I? Looking for you lot no less.
GRACE begins to laugh followed by the others
Don’t know what you’re so happy about.
GRACE Look at the state of you – it’s only been 10 minutes!
LUCY Can’t wait to get back home and have a nice bath—
VIOLET Ah don’t worry, we’ve only got 3 more days
LUCY (Aside) Why must I suffer?
ELARA Anyway, I was just saying that I don’t think we should split up anymore – Heather would have kittens if she knew about this—
HEATHER (O/S) Knew about what?
ELARA Oh Heather, I didn’t know you were back – how was the thing?
HEATHER Never mind that – you’re hiding something – what is it I’m supposed to know about exactly?
AISLING (Calmly) So basically, there’s a competition across the camp, and at the moment we’ve slipped down from first place to third, so we need to maintain our lead so we can get the best prize, right girls?
Murmurs of agreement between the girls
We were all going to get an early night so we could be at our best tomorrow and claw back the win.
HEATHER That’s my girls – well it sounds to me like you have everything under control, but – where’s Kat?
AISLING Oh, she mentioned something about being tired, so I think she’s gone to bed already.
HEATHER Before tea? that’s not like her - It’s only 6pm, maybe I should wake her up?
ELARA Oh that won’t be necessary – she said she wasn’t hungry before – must’ve been Violet’s brownies.
HEATHER I didn’t know you baked, Violet – could I try one?
VIOLET I only made a few—
HEATHER Heh, Kat must’ve enjoyed them then – at any rate it’s nice to know you girls are looking out for each other. I’m going to get something from the car, just a min.
HEATHER exits momentarily.
GRACE It’s a good job she doesn’t know Kat’s actually missing—
HEATHER I hope I misheard you there, Grace.
GRACE Missing out, I mean. Y’know, cause of being full from brownies and not getting hot dogs and all—
HEATHER No, I don’t think so – I had a feeling something was wrong – I find it disappointing that you felt the need to bare-faced lie to me like that— What’s that noise…?
SFX Low rumble crescendo to loud rumble.
HEATHER What’s back? Can somebody please tell me what's going on?
LUCY grabs hold of GRACE, whilst ELARA, VIOLET and AISLING huddle around HEATHER.
SFX Loud cracking and popping sounds.
Everyone falls over as the ground shakes violently, screams.
HEATHER Everybody hold on!
