Subject matter and language no suitable for all readers.
ACT 4, SCENE 1 EXT: CANIFF PARK – LATE NIGHT
In the background, the HEIGHTS glisten. Caniff Park is a large woodland trail for runners and bikers like Boston Commons or Central Park. AC METRO BUS hisses and roars OS.
SHAUNICE and LEIGH, both dressed to party, walk across the street.
SHAUNICE:
I told you she was cray-cray.
LEIGH:
I couldn’t leave my room until I knew she was gone. I was about to call the police.
SHAUNICE:
Girl, you’re more than welcome to stay with me whenever Sister goes psycho.
LEIGH:
Isn’t your mom just as crazy?
SHAUNICE:
At least my house ain’t haunted.
LEIGH:
It’s not haunted! Where exactly is this party?
SHAUNICE:
Loco found a new topanga in the park where nothing works. No cell phones or radio. None of that shit. Just battery power. He figured cops won’t go anywhere near here, and we don’t have to deal with neighbors.
LEIGH stops in her tracks. The park is dark, especially under an overpass. Despite the street lamps, the tunnel is nearly pitch-black.
SHAUNICE:
Are you scared?
LEIGH:
It’s really dark.
SHAUNICE smiles slyly.
SHAUNICE:
That’s not even the worse part. They say the park is haunted by the Goatman.
LEIGH:
The what?
SHAUNICE:
Goatman, half-man, half-goat. Nobody knows where it came from, but everyone has a story. The Goatman has horns that look like branches, and a long face wrinkled like bark. You may even see his shadow standing in the trees. But before any of that, you will hear him first. He howls…
LEIGH (catches on):
Wolves howl. You should’ve called him Wolfman instead. I’m not scared. It’s just mad dark.
SHAUNICE:
It’s as if there’s wind rushing all around you, but nothing moves in the air. He stands there staring at you, but you can’t move. You’re too scared to.
LEIGH:
Shaunice stop.
SHAUNICE:
Some say he waits under that bridge for something fresh to eat.
LEIGH:
Girl, bye. That was the troll from the three Billy-goats Gruff. You need to quit smoking.
SHAUNICE pulls LEIGH by the arm and drags her towards the dark overpass. SHAUNICE whips out her phone and turns its flashlight.
SHAUNICE:
But it’s just an urban legend they tell to scare kids away, but Nurse knows better. I’ll show you the way.
LEIGH:
I’m not scared.
LEIGH looks terrified regardless of what she says.
Act 4, SCENE 2 TRAP HOUSE DEEP IN THE WOODS OF CANIFF PARK – SAME NIGHT
SHAUNICE and LEIGH finally make it to the party. Cars and mopeds are lined up side by side. Old school beats are blasting from a boombox tape cassette. Several camp fires are burning. DIVERSE GROUP OF KIDS are smoking, drinking, and dancing in front of an old stone monument tagged with frightening graffiti art.
RICKY (inebriated already):
Ah, biscuits!
SHAUNICE giggles and throws her arms around RICKY. JAMAL and LEIGH shake hands, but don’t really let go.
SHAUNICE:
Thirsty? Why wait?
SHAUNICE pulls a pint from her cleavage. She cracks it open, chugs some and pass it around. Both LEIGH and JAMAL pass on it.
SHAUNICE:
More for me.
RICKY:
And, plenty for me.
SHAUNICE laughs as RICKY pulls her away. They share the pint back and forth as they go.
JAMAL:
And then there were two.
LEIGH:
It’s ok. I think I got the better end of the deal.
JAMAL:
You hitting on me?
LEIGH:
If I were hitting on you, you’d know it.
JAMAL:
You definitely got that Uptown swag.
LEIGH just smiles.
The group walks into the TRAP HOUSE. It’s noisy, poorly lit, and littered with trash. Some bizarre art glows in the dark: bulging eyeballs, the portrait of a long shadow lurking through trees.
LEIGH huddles closer to JAMAL who appears just as discomforted by the TRAP HOUSE.
ACT 4, SCENE 3 EXT: HOME – SAME NIGHT
Netta is banging on the front door.
NETTA:
Help! Please!
REV swings the door open and Netta nearly collapses in his arms. Netta is sweating.
REV:
Jesus, Sister!
NETTA:
I need your prayer. I’m being tempted.
REV gets her to her feet and walks her inside his home. He makes sure no one sees them and shuts the door.
ACT 4, SCENE 4 EXT: DEEP WOODS OF CANIFF PARK – SAME NIGHT
LOCO throws a butt into a camp fire and he watches it burn. The camp fire burns relatively calm. He looks behind him and into the woods – not much but trees and limbs – and also howling winds, but the leaves don’t shiver.
LOCO stares back into the calm fire and then back into the woods. The howling continues, and he spots one of the TREE LIMBS move.
LOCO:
No one else hears that?
LOCO looks up to see RICKY’s head deep in between SHAUNICE’S breasts. SHAUNICE is moaning as RICKY holds her tight.
LOCO turns back to the HOWLING, and the WIND seems to whisper indiscernibly to him. LOCO responds to it by laughing.
Over the flame, LOCO watches RICKY and SHAUNICE fondle each other. He eventually walks over to them and stands over them.
LOCO:
You can’t have all the fun.
RICKY barely pays LOCO any mind. SHAUNICE is surprised when LOCO starts rubbing her arms and kissing her shoulders.
LOCO:
Does it feel good?
SHAUNICE can barely speak. She’s in ecstasy.
RICKY:
She’s so sexy.
LOCO:
I know. (Beat) Why don’t you take care of both of us Nurse?
SHAUNICE:
I’m not like that.
RICKY:
C’mon. Just a little bit more.
SHAUNICE:
Ric, Loco, no.
LOCO:
You sure?
SHAUNICE pulls away, but LOCO wraps her arms up tightly.
SHAUNICE:
Let me…
LOCO covers her mouth.
LOCO:
Shut up and close your eyes.
RICKY looks a bit stunned.
LOCO:
Hurry up. Let’s do this.
RICKY just nods and complies.
SOUNDTRACK OF HOWLING PLAYS while SHAUNICE struggles in both LOCO and RICKY’S grasp. In the struggle, her top gets ripped. She tries to bite and kick, but LOCO punches her in the head. They are forcing her to her knees. RICKY is unbuckling his pants, and LOCO is staring, breathing heavily, and smiling lustfully into the woods.
THE WOODS where it looks like something large is lurking.
ACT 4, SCENE 5 EXT: ELSEWHERE IN THE WOODS – SAMNE NIGHT
With the party going on around them, LEIGH and JAMAL are laughing around with each other.
LEIGH:
Oh my god, is that a gun?
JAMAL pulls out his notepad. LEIGH is embarrassed.
JAMAL:
The only lead I carry these days is in my number 2.
LEIGH:
That’s cute.
JAMAL:
There’s more where that came from.
LEIGH places her hand on his forearm, and JAMAL licks his lips.
JAMAL:
I heard girls from Uptown aren’t shy. They go after what they want. Is that true?
LEIGH:
Maybe.
JAMAL:
Let’s find out.
He leans in for a kiss. She turns her head away and smiles.
LEIGH:
I’m not like that.
JAMAL:
I know. You’re different. Right now, I kinda want different in my life.
LEIGH:
You’re preaching to the choir. Where the hell is Shaunice?
JAMAL:
I thought you and me were talking? Do you really need her right this second?
LEIGH:
You never leave a homegirl behind.
ACT 4, SCENE 6 EXT: ELSEWHERE IN THE WOOD – CONTINUED
RICKY has dropped his pants and boxers, buttocks exposed, and SHAUNICE breaks an arm free of LOCO’S hold and uppercuts RICKY in the nuts. RICKY hollers several octaves above his voice and falls to the ground. SHAUNICE elbows LOCO in the face, but LOCO laughs hysterically. SHAUNICE stumbles to her feet, drunk, distraught, and disoriented. She runs, but deeper into the woods.
RICKY screams and ad libs curses of pain.
LOCO (laughing, bleeding & mesmerized):
You alright?
RICKY (gasping and in pain):
Get her!
LOCO goes after her and stops at the sight of THE GOATMAN – legs and head of a goat and torso a man and horns that twist out and upward like branches. It’s HOWLING as it peers over at him.
LOCO relaxes as the GOATMAN walks away – deeper in the woods.
RICKY:
Where’s she?
LOCO
Change of plans. Come on.
ACT 4, SCENE 7 EXT: ELSEWHERE IN THE WOODS – CONTINUED.
LOCO pulls along a limping RICKY and LEIGH catches up with them with JAMAL behind her.
LEIGH:
Where’s Shaunice?
RICKY mumbles under his breath. LOCO wipes blood off his lips.
LOCO:
She’s gone.
LOCO and RICKY keep walking away, in no mood to talk. LEIGH and JAMAL are left in their dust, looking at each other in concern.
END OF ACT 4