Scene 3

It’s night. The stage is dimly lit. Muffled night sounds from outside the house can be heard, crickets, an owl. There is one star outside the window. The black door opens slowly and Diana steps out, in a long white nightgown holding a lighted candle. She is sleepwalking. She sleepwalks to the armchair, sits down, picks up the remote control and turns on the television. The screen of the TV cannot be seen by the audience, but it lights up the room slightly, showing Diana’s wide eyes. She sits very still. A female reporter’s voice comes from the television.

Reporter: This just in. A passenger plane carrying 31 people has exploded and crashed along the coast of Italy. Rescue work is being brought to the disaster but it has been reported, it is highly unlikely there will be any survivors. The European Airlines have been unavailable for comment on the incident.

The television shuts off suddenly. All lights go out. A ten second pause. The television lights up again with a loud crashing sound. It is the only source of illumination on the stage this time. A male reporter’s voice comes from the television.

Reporter: Latest news from the Italian Coast Plane Crash. Rescue authorities have confirmed, the plane crash has left no survivors. This is the fifth of a series of deadly disasters occurring in and around Europe. The plane’s black box has yet to be recovered, making the cause for the disaster, unknown. Small pause In other news, the highly valued antique that has been stolen from the Tutankhamen museum is still missing, and anyone who has information on this is urged to come forward. The relic, a black glove said to be worn by the king himself…voice trails off

The television switches off by itself again. Diana jerks awake. She realizes what has happened and runs from the room through the black door. The doorbell rings. A five second pause. The doorbell rings again. The lights come on. James and Andy comes out of the black door, wearing pajamas and halfway through putting on their sleeping robes. James steps aside and Andy opens the door. A policeman steps into the house.

Policeman: Is this the residence of one, Jonathan Griffith?

Diana creeps back into the room slowly through the black door, pulling Alvin by the wrist behind her. He is wearing a set of maroon pajamas and walks sleepily. They come in unnoticed and hide behind the armchair. Diana listens to every word but James dozes off, still kneeling down.

James: Hugs robe tighter around him. Yes sir, I’m his brother James. Is anything wrong?

Policeman: Do forgive me for intruding at this hour but I have some, dreadful news. Your brother was one of the passengers in a plane headed for London which, crashed as it was passing the Italian waterfront.

Sylvia comes out of the black door in a nightgown and sleeping robe and stands beside Andy

James: Shocked Is he alright?

Policeman: There were…no survivors. I’m…very sorry.

James, Sylvia and Andy are in shock. The policeman bows his head down, opens the door and leaves slowly. James and Andy stare at the floor, not moving.

Sylvia: And what will the children say? She looks at Andy and they both look into each other’s eyes for a while. James still stares at the floor in shock.

James: We won’t tell them. At least, not yet. We’ll wait a while…

Sylvia: Stay strong, Mr Griffith. Squeezes his shoulder

James nods, slowly steps towards the black door and goes in. Andy and Sylvia follow. The lights dim until the stage is dark but still can be seen. Diana sits down in front of the coffee table and pulls Alvin beside her and strikes a match to light the candle. Alvin goes down on his knees beside her and grabs her wrist. They speak in whispers.

Alvin: What, is going on? What did that policeman come here for?

Diana: Pulls her hand away. The match goes out. Strikes another match and lights the candle.You heard them.

Alvin: I could only barely hear them, and having been just woken up by you I couldn’t register what they said.

Diana: He said….lets her hands fall to her sides…he said dad’s gone.

Alvin: Pause. I thought I heard that…

Diana: He’s never coming back. The plane he was in crashed and now, he’s gone.. I was thinking, we still haven’t given the glove a try… They both turn to look at the display case and stare.

Alvin: Do you really believe in stories?

Diana: Not until now. It’s worth a try…everything is worth a try now.

Alvin: Pause. Not tonight.

They remain kneeling down and stare at the lighted candle until a gust of wind blows it out. The stage goes completely dark and the scene ends.