More from our community theatre players. Hope you enjoy this. Thanks again to my great BR.
Once again (just a reminder) -- the slash separates the play's character name and the Smallville Character's name. And the ##### border the radio announcements.
From part 9.
As the shot rang out, Mrs. G. screamed, and Richard jumped, pushing himself and Lois down. The gunman ran out the door and down the street.
Richard righted himself and pulled Lois to her feet. He ran out the front door with Lois following, to see Superman landing in front of the store. “You’re bleeding,” Lois told Richard as she followed him through the door, looking wide-eyed at the man who had just saved her life.
“I’m fine,” he told Lois, trying to appear gallant. “Superman!” Luthor yelled. “The thief ran off that way. I’ll see to Miss Lane.”
Clark paused to regard Richard, a fleeting thought nagging at the back of his mind.
“She’ll be safe in my hands,” Lex Luthor told the man of steel.
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Now for Part 10
Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
February 6, 1994
2:00 p.m. CST
“I guess I’m putting the decision in your hands,” Martha said surveying the cast members. We’ve only been rehearsing about ten days and have a little over a month of rehearsals left, so there hasn’t been that great an investment placed into the play. We can reschedule.”
“I think we should keep going,” Keith told the rest of the group. “I know finding a body on the set is somewhat weird, but we shouldn’t let that stop us. You know the old saying--the show must go on.”
“It wasn’t like it was someone we really knew,” Donald Botts interjected.
Clark stared over at Donald. “He was still someone’s son or husband, someone’s father or friend. And it isn’t like that’s the first death or near death. Something strange seems to be happening in Smallville.”
<Maybe we *should* stop the play,> Lois thought. There were all those strange deaths and then there was also that incident last night--the shooting and what happened afterward....
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Smallville, Kansas
Saturday,
February 5, 1994
9:15 p.m. CST
Richard walked slowly toward Lois and took a lock of her hair, toying intimately with the dark strands and then placed it behind her ear. As Lois watched him with some apprehension in her eyes, he moved his fingers purposefully and turned his palm to stroke the side of her face with the back of his hand, the hand that Lois had recently bandaged for him.
JB/Richard: I see you’ve heard of me.
Elaine/Lois: Yes--just this afternoon for the first time.
JB/Richard: [Stepping toward her.] And what did they say about me?
Elaine/Lois: Only that there was another brother named Jonathan--that’s all that was said. [Calming.] Well, that explains everything. Now that I know who you are -- [Hurrying to door.] I’ll be running along back home. [The door is locked. She turns to JB.] If you’ll kindly unlock the door.
Richard crossed toward her.
Lois backed up a few steps as he walked toward her menacingly.
Then, just before reaching her, Richard stopped and then turned to the door and unlocked it. As he opened the door partway, Lois started toward it. Richard turned his head abruptly and then stopped her with a gesture.
JB/Richard: “That explains everything”? Just what did you mean by that? Why did you come here at this time of night?
Elaine/Lois: I thought I saw someone prowling around the house. I suppose it was you.
[JB closes the door and locks it, leaving the key in the lock.]
JB/Richard: You thought you saw someone prowling around the house?
Elaine/Lois: Yes--weren’t you outside? Isn’t that your car?
JB/Richard: You saw someone at the car?
Elaine/Lois: Yes
JB/Richard: [Coming toward her as she backs up to the left of the chair.] What else did you see?
Elaine/Lois: Just someone walking around the house to the car.
JB/Richard: [Moving even closer with a sinister look on his face.] What else did you see?
Elaine/Lois: Just that--that’s all. That’s why I came over here. I wanted to tell Miss Abby to call the police. But if it was you, and that’s your car, I don’t need to bother Miss Abby. I’ll be running along. [She takes a step toward the door. JB/Richard steps in her path to block her exit.]
JB/Richard: What was the man doing at the car?
Elaine/Lois: [Excitedly nervous.] I don’t know. You see I was on my way over here.
JB/Richard: [Forcing her to back away again.] I think you’re lying.
Richard looked over to the spot where Dr. Einstein would be standing.
JB/Richard: I think she’s lying. Breaking into a house this time of night. I think she’s dangerous. She shouldn’t be allowed around loose. [He seizes Elaine/Lois’ arm.]
As the script demanded, Lois screamed.
Elaine/Lois: Take your hands off me--
Clark burst into Lois’ living room and grabbed Richard’s arm. “Let go of her!”
“Clark,” Lois began and started to laugh. “We’re just rehearsing.”
“Clark, old man,” Richard began. “You don’t think I...”
“I don’t know what to think,” Clark said looking at both of them.
Lois’ smile faded quickly. “You thought what?” she asked indignantly. “You believed I encouraged Richard and was now in some sort of danger? And you burst into my house to save me like some su...?”
“Lois, I...” Clark began.
“Mr. Kent,” Lois went on, not allowing him to interrupt. “We need to talk. Richard,” she said, turning back toward him. “I’m incredibly sorry, but I need to be alone with Clark right now. Thank you so much for saving me when I really needed saving,” she said eyeing Clark.
“Thank you, Lois for the comfort and the care,” he said indicating the bandage. “If you need anything, just call.”
“There’s something wrong about that man,” Clark said as Richard closed the door behind him. “All these strange deaths began happening when he came to town.”
“I guess someone who fights for truth and justice, has to see lies and evil in everything and everyone so he knows whom to attack,” Lois spat out angrily.
“No, Lois,” Clark said deliberately. “It’s...I just worry about you--now more than ever. I love you.”
“Do you?” Lois asked indignantly as she turned away from him.
“You know I do,” Clark replied, coming up behind her. He put his arms around her and kissed the nape of her neck.
“Don’t”, Lois said half-heartedly.
“You want me to stop?” Clark asked softly, starting to nibble on her ear.
“Never,” Lois sighed, turning and kissing him.
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
February 6, 1994
2:10 p.m. CST
Lois looked back up at Clark. Strange things were happening. So many people had died. Maybe the play should be cancelled before something else happened.
“Well,” Martha asked. “What do the rest of you think?”
“I agree with young Mr. Haley,” Richard interjected. “Besides, there’s the money.”
“Money?” several of the cast members echoed.
“The $100,000 bequeath is contingent upon maintaining the Smallville Players performances as scheduled. A cancelled show means reneging on the will’s requirements and relinquishing the endowment.”
Martha looked at Richard with puzzlement. She knew that Clark was unsure about the newest member of the group and now she began to wonder about where his loyalties were and who he really was. For the first time her joy at having another male member of the troupe was no longer coloring her ability to assess the men beneath the façade he presented. There *was* something devious about the man. She could see it now. What was his game? Who was Richard Thurston?
“We shouldn’t let the money make our decision for us,” Martha said softly.
Miss Libby looked around at everyone. “I’m sure all the deaths were just coincidental; and although people die all the time, we’ve probably seen the last of the rash of unexpected deaths.”
“I’m not sure, Miss Libby,” Clark began and then cocked his head. “But...uh...uh... but if we’re going to keep going, I...I...forgot my script in my classroom. I’ll be right back.”
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
July 4, 1948
1:15 p.m. CDT
“I’ll be right back,” Theresa Clark said, as she went through the back door into the kitchen. She emerged a moment later carrying a platter with sliced watermelon on it.
She placed the fruit on the picnic table.
Young Martha looked up at her mother, eyes shining.
Libby Barton smiled at the family. She had been staying with them only a few days, but in that short of a time she had come to realize what a family is supposed to be like. It was obvious that Theresa and Joe loved each other and that they doted on Martha and would always want what was best for her.
Joe smiled back at Libby. The young woman especially liked Mr. Clark. He seemed to care about what happened to her. Mrs. Clark was great even when she spoke her mind out, which she did often. And little Martha had begun to look on Libby as an older sister, following her everywhere, always wanting to be with her.
“Can I take Martha for a walk?” Libby asked the Clarks.
Theresa looked over at Joe with trepidation.
“Of course,” Joe said unconcerned. “You go on. I’ll help Theresa with the dishes. Just meet us over at the town square by 2:00. That’s when the band starts playing and then the speeches begin.”
Martha eagerly took Libby’s hand and smiled back at her parents as the two walked around to the front of the house. Martha started skipping and tugged impatiently at Libby’s hand to encourage her to walk more rapidly.
Libby Barton’s feet moved quickly taking her and the enthusiastic young Martha toward Maple Street.
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
February 6, 1994
2:15 p.m. CST
Two ambulances pulled up to Pompeii’s, a small Italian Restaurant on the East side of Smallville. Vincent Martinelli, the owner was outside, pacing up and down. The short squat man with salt and pepper hair wrung his hands as he gazed at the ailing people. How had this happened? How will his restaurant survive this? In the twenty-two years he had been in business, he had never faced something like this. Four of his patrons were stretched out on gurneys and several others were lying on the ground.
Superman landed and Dr. Kelly and Dr. Klein hurried toward the man of steel. "What can I do?" Clark asked them.
“Superman,” Dr. Klein said. “One man is dead, but the others can be saved if we can just get them to the hospital on time. We need your help because there are too many for the ambulances to carry.”
Superman nodded and lifted two people into his arms and flew toward the hospital.
Dr. Klein moved over to the gurneys and began supervising the remaining victim’s care as they were loaded into the ambulances.
Dr. Gretchen Kelly crossed over to where the isolated man lay dead on the ground, a sheet covering him. She lifted the mantle and looked once again at the familiar face of Nigel St. John.
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
July 4, 1948
1:45 p.m. CDT
Libby Barton crossed over to the East side of Maple street and walked silently for several minutes. Martha continued to skip along side of her. Several people carrying blankets, and small American Flags were heading in the opposite direction toward the town square. A few paused to look at Libby and her little charge. Being a small town, they recognized Martha Kent; but were unsure about who had hold of her hand and was determinedly striding in a direction away from the Fourth of July activities. But as Martha continued to look at Libby with affection, the townspeople, smiled and continued on.
As Libby and Martha arrived in front of 417, the one remaining Barton paused on the sidewalk in front of the house and looked up at the eerie edifice.
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
February 6, 1994
2:10 p.m. CST
JB/Richard: Come in, Doctor. This is the home of my youth. As a boy I couldn’t wait to escape from this place--now I’m glad to escape back into it.
Dr. Einstein/Wayne Irig: [Shutting the door.] Yah, Chonny, it’s a fine hideout.
JB/Richard: The family must still live here. There’s something so unmistakably Brewster about the Brewsters. I hope there’s a fatted calf awaiting the return of the prodigal.
Dr. Einstein/Wayne Irig: Yah, I’m hungry. [He suddenly sees the fatted calf in the form of the two glasses of wine on the table.] Look, Chonny, drinks!
JB/Richard: As though we were expected. A good omen.
Richard and Wayne Irig raise the two glasses to their lips as Aunt Abby/Beatrice steps down a couple of stairs and speaks.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Who are you? What are you doing here?
Richard and Wayne Irig put their glasses down. JB/Richard turns to Aunt Abby/Beatrice.
JB/Richard: Why, Aunt Abby! Aunt Martha! It’s Jonathan.
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: [Frightened.] You get out of here!
JB/Richard: [Crossing to the Aunts.] I’m Jonathan--your nephew, Jonathan.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Oh, no, you’re not. You’re nothing like Jonathan, so don’t pretend you are! You just get out of here!
JB/Richard: [Crossing even closer.] But I am Jonathan. And this [Indicating Dr. Einstein/Wayne Irig.] is Dr. Einstein.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: And he’s not Dr. Einstein either.
JB/Richard: Not Dr. Albert Einstein--Dr. Herman Einstein.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: [Moving down a step on and grabbing onto the bannister.] Who are you? You’re not our nephew, Jonathan.
JB/Richard: [Peering at Aunt Abby/Beatrice’s outstretched hand on the staircase banister.] I see you’re still wearing the lovely garnet ring that Grandma Brewster bought in England. [Aunt Abby/Beatrice gasps, looks at ring.] And you, Aunt Martha, still the high collar--to hide the scar where Grandfather’s acid burned you.
As the script directed, Aunt Martha/Miss Libby’s hand went to her throat. As she did the gesture, Libby’s mind went back as she remembered her own Aunt Leticia’s oft time similar gesture--her aunt Leticia who also wore a high collar and a cameo broach to hide a parallel experiment by Libby’s grandfather. Libby bit her lower lip as she remembered that house and the lines that Richard had uttered earlier about escaping that place.
Yes, Libby had also escaped as had the Jonathan of the play, but only after each one of her family had been killed.
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Cassville, New Jersey
Sunday,
October 30, 1938
8:53 p.m. EST
David Trask stared at his dead wife, the blood still ebbing out of her. He stooped down as if to touch his wife but stopped his hand before it caressed her face. Instead, he walked over and lifted a shocked and immobilized young Jason into his arms. He sat down on a rocking chair and slowly began to rock his son.
The noise of the frightened people had subsided as the fleeing crowds dissipated and returned from whence they came.
The small living room in Cassville, New Jersey took on a macabre feeling as father and son listened to the somber music fade from the radio with the body of Mary Trask sprawled out beside them on the floor, while the final solemn words of the commentator became the only sounds piercing the night.
##### PIERSON: As I set down these notes on paper, I'm obsessed by the thought that I may be the last living man on earth. I have been hiding in this empty house near Grover’s Mill -- a small island of daylight cut off by the black smoke from the rest of the world. All that happened before the arrival of these monstrous creatures in the world now seems part of another life. . . a life that has no continuity with the present, furtive existence of the lonely derelict who pencils these words on the back of some astronomical notes bearing the signature of Richard Pierson.
I look down at my blackened hands, my torn shoes, my tattered clothes, and I try to connect them with a professor who lives at Princeton, and who on the night of October 30, glimpsed through his telescope an orange splash of light on a distant planet. My wife, my colleagues, my students, my books, my observatory, my. . . my world. . . where are they? Did they ever exist? Am I Richard Pierson? What day is it? Do days exist without calendars? Does time pass when there are no human hands left to wind the clocks? . . .In writing down my daily life I tell myself shall preserve human history between the dark covers of this little book that was meant to record the movements of the stars. . . But to write I must live... #####
David Trask looked down at his son. “We *will* live--live to fight them another day.”
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Smallville, Kansas
Sunday,
February 6, 1994
2:50 p.m. CST
Clark walked quickly back into the rehearsal room adjusting his tie. “Sorry, couldn’t find my script,” he explained. “I gather, we are going to continue with the play.”
The other actors nodded.
“I guess I’m in the minority,” Clark told them all. “It’s just so bizarre. I mean another person...”
“Another person what?” Richard asked.
“Nothing,” Clark replied staring at Richard.
Martha walked over to her son. “Is everything all right?” she asked.
“Yes, Mom. It’s just...never mind. What scene are we doing?”
“We’re starting on page twenty-nine,” Martha explained.
“Got it,” Clark responded although not enthusiastically.
“Donald, can you go get Jonathan. Since we decided to keep going with the play, he went to work on the set. Tell him that we’re up to his scene.”
Donald Botts went to the door but just as he was opening it, Jonathan Kent walked in.
“Just in time, dear,” Martha Kent said to her husband.
Beatrice, Miss Libby and Clark took their places.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: That’s the doorbell. [Crosses to the door and opens it.]
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: I understand you have a room to rent.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Yes. Won’t you step in?
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: [Stepping into the room.] Are you the lady of the house?
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Yes. I’m Miss Brewster. And this is my sister, another Miss Brewster.
[Mortimer crosses to the phone and dials.]
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: My name is Gibbs.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: [Leading him to the table.]Oh, won’t you sit down? I’m sorry we were just setting the table for dinner.
Mortimer/Clark: [Into the phone.] Hello--let me talk to Al. City desk. What? I’m sorry, wrong number. [He hangs up and dials again.]
[Gibbs/Jonathan Kent looks at Mortimer/Clark.]
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: May I see the room?
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby. Why don’t you sit down a minute and let’s get acquainted.
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: That won’t do much good if I don’t like the room.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Are you from around here? I mean is this your home?
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: Haven’t got a home. Live in a hotel. Don’t like it.
Morter/Clark: [Into the phone again.] Hello. City desk.
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: Are your family from here?
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: Haven’t got any family.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: [Sensing another victim.] All alone in the world?
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: Yep.
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Well, Martha--
[Aunt Martha/Miss Libby pantomimes going to the sideboard and getting a bottle of wine, a wine glass and sets them on the table. Aunt Abby/Beatrice eases Gibbs into a chair.]
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Well, you’ve come to just the right house. Do sit down.
Mortimer/Clark: [Into the phone.] Hello, Al? Mort. I can’t cover the play tonight--that’s all there is to it, I can’t!
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: What church do you go to? There’s an Episcopal Church practically next door. [The script tells her to walk toward the window, and then sit on window seat.]
Miss Libby pretended to do it, sitting on the couple of chairs being used for the window seat in the practice room. From her vantage point, Libby looked at the rest of the actors. She was the one who had convinced them to continue on with the play. Most of them seemed a bit hesitant, but Libby knew that she had to do this. She looked at Clark who was continuing to pretend to be talking into a phone. He appeared to be the most worried about all the strange deaths that had been happening in Smallville. She trusted Clark’s instincts. Maybe he had something.
Libby thought about Vivian Cox, Barb Friskin, Antoinette Baines, and Sheldon Bender. And now Clark had earlier run off to...to...probably a job for Superman and when he returned he had hinted at--maybe another death. If you added Bill Saxon’s death at the prison and Judge LeVine’s death in Topeka, it could bring the total to seven. Seven deaths but what had they in common?
Libby Barton was what you might call a devotee of murders. She had read about so many of them that she had become a sort of expert on it. But were these murders? A prison riot, a plane explosion, a suicide, a fire, and a mis-aimed gun. The only murder was the body in the window-seat--Sheldon Bender.
Was there someone out there killing people? Miss Libby’s mind flickered briefly back to the murders of long ago. So many people killed. Her aunts, her uncles and then there were all the bodies in the cellar.
Had she been right to make the theatre group continue? Was this a way to deal with those hidden demons of long ago? Would she now be able to tell the truth? But should her needs take priority? What if the killings going on now in 1994 were linked to her past or to the play or to what--to what?
Her next line was coming up. Libby redirected her attention.
Jonathan Kent was continuing.
Gibbs/Jonathan Kent: Do you serve meals?
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: We might, but first just see whether you like our wine.
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: We make it ourselves. It’s elderberry wine.
Mortimer/Clark: [Hangs up the phone and crosses to the table. He sees the wine, gets a glass and pours a drink. Gibbs/Jonathan Kent has his glass in hand and is getting ready to drink.]
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: [Sees Mortimer/Clark pouring wine.] Mortimer! Eh eh eh eh!
[Gibbs/Jonathan Kent stops and looks at Aunt Martha/Miss Libby. Mortimer/Clark pays no attention.]
Aunt Martha/Miss Libby: Eh eh eh eh!
[As Mortimer/Clark raises the glass to his lips, Aunt Abby/Beatrice reaches up and forcefully pulls his arm down.]
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Mortimer. Not that!
[As the script dictates, Clark/Mortimer pretends to not comprehend. Acting dumb, he puts his glass down on the table. Then he suddenly sees his father acting as Mr. Gibbs put a glass to his lips and is about to drink. Clark points across the table at “Mr. Gibbs” and gives a wild cry. Mr. Gibbs/Jonathan Kent looks at him, putting his class down. Clark, still pointing at “Mr. Gibbs, goes around above the table toward him, his eyes wild.]
The actors sitting in the rehearsal room began to laugh, especially at Jonathan Kent’s reactions. Martha smiled at her husband, realizing that he had remembered what she had told him to do and that he was following her directions explicitly.
[Gibbs/Jonathan Kent, seeing a madman, rises slowly and backs toward center stage then turns and runs for the exit. Mortimer/Clark follows him. Gibbs/Jonathan Kent opens the door.]
Mortimer/Clark: [Pushes him out.] Get out of here! Do you want to be poisoned? Do you want to be killed? Do you want to be murdered?
[Mortimer/Clark closes the door after him. Then he turns and leans on the door in exhausted relief.]
Aunt Abby/Beatrice: Now you’ve spoiled everything. [She sits.]
Following the blocking of their director, Miss Libby moves over to sit next to Beatrice. Both the ladies look at Clark expectantly.
[Mortimer/Clark crosses to the center of the stage and looks from one to the other.]
The two actresses look at each other and then back at Clark.
Mortimer/Clark: [to Aunt Abby/Beatrice.] You can’t do things like that. I don’t know how to explain this to you, but it’s not only against the law. It’s wrong! [To Aunt Martha/Miss Libby] It’s not a nice thing to do.
[Aunt Martha/Miss Libby stands and takes a few steps away from him.]
Mortimer/Clark: [Crosses closer to her.] People wouldn’t understand.
Miss Libby knew her next line, knew what she was supposed to do. But suddently she wasn't in Smallville High School's rehearsal room. She was back--back in 1938. The old Philco was warning the world about the invading Martians, and Libby's family lay dead on the floor. The sixty-eight year old woman's eyes filled with tears and she ran from the rehearsal room.
“Let’s take five,” Martha Kent told her actors, and followed Libby out of the door.
tbc
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