Chapter 0 - ADRASTOS

Adrastos

Characters:
Owner Young Orphan
Cook ten year old Orphan
Storyteller/Caretaker Edward Orphan
Dad Billy
Jake Mom
Ashley
Story Children

Scene One

Story Time
{Lights Up}

(An old man in a high-backed chair is surrounded by children in raggedy clothing. The man is wearing a suit coat, shirt and tie, and black slacks.)
Storyteller

I want to read you a story. This story happened not long ago, maybe ten years before this very time. (Old kind voice) (Stands up and goes over to a bookshelf, looks through the books, and picks one out.) This is one of my favorites. It is called Adrastos.

Orphan Boy

What does, um & Adruhstows mean? (Rocking back and forth on his hind quarters)

Storyteller
Adrastos is a Greek word, children. (Comes back to the chair and sits down) It means not inclined to run away. Now, do any of you have any more questions?


Orphan Girl

(Raises her hand slowly) Sir, is this a happy story, or a scary story?

Storyteller

Oh, my dear sweet child, this is a very happy story, with a good ending. Now, Chapter One&
{Fade Out}

1






Scene Two
Prologue
[Action happening during the story]
Storyteller

A long time ago, there was an orphanage. It was a nice place, where the children were treated so well, that none of them ever wanted to leave. (Children playing around w/ toys) As the years went by, times got hard for the people who owned the orphanage. (Lights fade) So, one day, they sent the children away to other orphanages. The building was left to sit in disrepair for many years, until it was bought by a young entrepreneur named Michael Linwood. (Shows a man with a suitcase and a hat) He turned the old building into a bed and breakfast. He hired a nice sweet lady to cook, and hired the gentle old caretaker (walk onto the stage as called) to help him clean the place up&

(Two years later)
(At the Adrastos, the caretaker and the owner are in the front room. The caretaker is sweeping while the owner is at the front desk. A random child runs past him laughing. He smiles and goes back to work. A family enters. A man, his wife, and their three children. They walk over to the counter.)


Owner

Ah, you must be the Andersons. Welcome to the ADRASTOS, the best Bed & Breakfast in Massachusetts. In fact& so good that many of the patrons never want to leave. (Small sly smile) Well, if you will follow me, well get ya settled in.

(Follows the owner out of the lobby)
{Lights Fade}

{Fade in}

Storyteller

(In silhouette form)
That night, the father was awakened by the noise of childrens feet and laughter in the hallway. He got up and went to investigate. He opened the door& and there was no one there. Not a single little soul could be seen nor heard. He could have sworn that he had heard them. He stuck his head out and called& (DAD: hello? Is anybody there?)
After a minute, he closed the door and went back to bed, unnerved by the experience&

{Fade Out} 2




Scene 3

The Next Morning

(Lights come up on a dining room where the family is sitting at a table, eating. The cook is bringing out food and removing plates. The caretaker is sweeping, as usual, off to the right side.)


Storyteller

That very next morning, the family had sat down to eat breakfast. It seemed a little strange to them that they were the only ones at the Inn at the time, when they had clearly all seen other families children running around.

Mom

Dear, will you please pass me the syrup?

Dad

Yeah, here you go.

(The two boys are laughing and annoying their older sister, who is trying to read Twilight.)

Ashley
Jake! Stop pulling my hair! Im trying to read here. Gosh! (Flips her hair away from him and goes back to reading)

Dad

Billy, what did I tell you about your mitt? Dont put it on the table anymore. Okay?
(Billy slides his mitt off the table and folds his arms, pouting)

Jake

(Gets up and starts doing the Potty Dance) Mommy, Ive got to go to the potty! Really, really bad!

Mom

(Sighs) Billy, would you take your brother to the bathroom?


3

Billy
(Still pouting; looks at his mom. She looks back, and he caves) Fine. (He stands up, grabs his brothers hand and his mitt; then he stomps off.)

{Lights fade}


Scene Four
A Playmate

Storyteller

So Billy led his brother to the bathroom; Jake rushed right in while his brother stood outside the door, banging his fist into his mitt. Im bored, he said. I wish I could go and play baseball. Just then, two children in raggedy clothing appeared down the hall. Their faces were gaunt, and they were very skinny. One had a baseball, the other one a bat. They beckoned him to come, come and play with them. Billy knew he was supposed to be doing something, but strangely walked to the children instead. He followed them down the hall, leaving his brother alone."

(Jake comes back out from the bathroom. He sees that his brother is gone, and starts to feel very alone)

Jake

Bilwy? Where are you, Bilwy? (Sounds of children laughing) Mommy! (Jake sits down and cries)

(Jake freezes)

Orphan Girl

{Light on girl} Wait! I thought you said this was a happy story! Whats this baby crying stuff?

Storyteller

Be patient, my dear. Now, where were we? Oh yes&

(Jake starts crying again)
[As Jake is there crying on the floor, a small train rolls past him from Stage Left on a tether. He stops crying and just stares at it. It moves again, and he gets on his hands and knees, leaves his teddy bear, and follows the train as it is pulled along. The train exits Stage Right, and Jake follows right after it. The caretaker comes in from Stage Left, picks up the teddy, and leaves.] 4

{Lights fade} 5





Scene Four

Lost and Found

Storyteller
"...soon, the parents had become worried. They had seen neither hide nor hair of their boys. Not wanting to blame themselves for losing the children, they turned their anger to their daughter, Ashley..."


Dad
"We are very disappointed with you, Ashley Ann Anderson! How could you lose your brothers?"


Ashley
"What are you getting angry at me for? (Points at her mother) You're the one who let them go off by themselves. You guys always get mad at me when you make a mistake!"

Mom
"Ashley, I don't want to hear your complaining anymore. Just, please go and find your brothers, okay!?

(Ashley groans and stomps off the stage)
{Lights Fade}

{Lights up}

(Ashley is frantically searching for her little brothers)

Ashley
"Billy! Jake! Where are you guys? Please come out! Mom and Dad said that we're leaving! We need to go, you guys! Please! (A teenager who is handsome walks onto the stage) I'm going to get in major trouble if you don't get ba-"

Storyteller
"Just then, Ashley looked up and saw, not her brothers, but a young man, who- aside from being gaunt-faced, and wearing old raggedy clothing- was very handsome. She was reminded of the character in the book she had been reading. This boy was just like what she had imagined her dream man to look like.
She was dumbfounded, like a deer in the headlights of a car. He smiled and walked toward her..."

Edward Orphan
"Hello there, Ashley. I hear that your brothers are missing."

(Ashley mumbles something to the effect of "Yeah, I was looking for them", and slowly walks toward him.)

Edward Orphan
(Gets very close to her) "I know where they are. I could take you to them, if you wanted me to." (Holds out his hand)

Ashley
(Takes his proffered hand in hers) "I- I'd like th- that." (She follows him offstage like a love sick puppy) {Lights fade}


Scene Five

Happy Endings

{Lights up}

Storyteller
"It had been almost two hours since the parents had sent their daughter to look for Billy and Jake, and they were now on the verge of panic. The father called the front desk, and told the owner to come up to their room at once..."

(The owner enters from Stage Left to find the parents in a state of disarray.)

Owner
"Is there a problem?"

Dad
"You could say that!" (Yells) "Where are our children!?"

Mom 6
(Crying) "Please, give them back to us! We'll give you whatever you want!"


Owner
(A look of dismay on his face) "I'm not... quite sure what you are saying. You've lost your children? (Soothing, persuasive voice) I do not remember you arriving with any children, Mrs. Anderson."

Mom
(Completely confused, as if not knowing whether to believe him or not) "Bu- but I remember them! We had breakfast this morning, and Jake- Jake said...tha- that he needed to use the bathroom... I think."


Dad
"We have another son, too. (Desperate) His name is Billy. He's ten... a-and he likes... he likes b-baseball. Then there's, um... uh Ashley. (Puts his fingers to his temples) "How old is she?"

Owner

Im sorry to interrupt you while you are speaking, Mr. Anderson. But I found these (Pulls a pill bottle from his pocket) at the breakfast table this morning. I believe them to be yours, since you were the only ones who were having breakfast. (Hands the bottle over)

Mr. Anderson

(Takes the bottle and reads it over with a look of depressed acceptance) Oh yeah, thats right. These are our anxiety pills. We dont have any children, at least, not anymore. (Gives the bottle to his wife) Not since the accident, anyway.

Mrs. Anderson

But they were so real! I could have sworn I had seen them! That I had heard their voices! (grief-stricken)

Owner

(Sighs) Often times, when people cant seem to let go of something& (Kind look on his face) they try to act as if nothing had ever happened. Tell me, do you actually ever remember touching your children while you were here?

Storyteller

Mr. Anderson and his wife looked at their hands, as if doing so would produce their children before them. Mrs. Anderson put her face in her hands and began to cry while her husband held her. The owner led them down to the lobby, helped them with their bags- the only ones they had brought with them- and sent them on their way. The parents seemed at peace as they left the Inn. Almost as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders. The End.

{Lights fade}



Scene Six



The End of the Story

{Lights up on Storyteller and Orphans}

Storyteller

(Closes the book. We can clearly see that he is also the caretaker, and that the children around him are the orphans from the story, as well as the Anderson children.) Well, now that we have finished the story, tell me what you thought of it.


Ashley
Sir, what had happened to the children? The children that Mr. Anderson was talking about?

Storyteller

Well, you see Ashley, there had been an accident not a month before. The parents got out of the car just fine, but their children had all died. However, the Andersons were so bent out over the death of their children, that the spirits of those kids stayed with them; to comfort them. When they came to this place, the parents were able to let go of their children, who joined us here. (He checks his watch, and whistles) Well, it would appear that it is time for bed, children. (Groans and awwws)

Jake

Do we really haff to go to bed? Cant you tell us anuhda stohie?

(The children all say please?)

Storyteller

(Stands up and puts the book away, then turns back to the orphans) No, no. Its time for bed now. I will read you all a story tomorrow night, okay? Now& off to bed with ya.

(The children all get up, yawning and rubbing their eyes, and walk off Stage Left. Billy stands up and helps Jake to his feet.)

Billy

Come on, Jakey. Lets go to bed.

Jake

(Rubbing his eyes, Jake yawns) Okay, Bilwy. Im comin.

(The caretaker walks toward the owner and the cook, who are standing at the front desk. He bids them goodnight, and walks off the stage.)

{Lights fade}

The End

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