Tricked On A Train (Non *B related)

[Lizzie]

So for my final in drama class I had to write a play and I thought I would post it here for feedback and such even though it's not *B related. It's in play format so if you don't like that then don't read it.


Four people are on a train ride on a dark and stormy night when all of a sudden the stewardess is found dead in the middle of the car!

Plot: Five people are on a late night train ride on a dark and stormy night when all of a sudden the storm causes the lights to go out for a minute. We hear a scream and when the lights are restored the stewardess is lying dead in the aisle of the train car! Fingers are pointed and blame is placed but what really happened?


Characters:

Isabella Crow – A wealthy widow dressed in black on her way to collect her inheritance from her husband’s death.

Oliver Jones – A very anxious young man. Often startled by the slightest of things.

Delilah Osman – A very angry teenager. Has a definite type A personality.

Rafael Gonzalo Dominguez – Middle aged man who thinks he’s a ninja.

Detective Miles Porter – An English detective with a high IQ but very little common sense.

Stewardess – Her main job is to make the passengers happy, but sometimes she’s not very good at her job and does quite the opposite. Often rather rude towards the passengers.

Scene One
(The scene starts out on a dark and stormy night in a train car with five strangers sitting in staggered seats. Thunder booms and lightning crashes and the storm knocks out the power. We hear a struggle, a scream and when the lights are restored, the Stewardess in lying in the aisle with a knife in her chest.)

ISABELLA: (looking around franticly) What happened? Who screamed?

DETECTIVE PORTER: (Walking towards the body) It seems to me that the stewardess here has been stabbed with this kitchen knife.

OLIVER: (In a shaky voice) Stabbed? You mean, like, dead?

DETECTIVE PORTER: It appears to be so. Right through the heart, death was probably instantaneous.

ISABELLA: Who would have done such a heinous act?

RAFAEL: Whoever it was, I’ll use martial arts to teach them a lesson!

DELILAH: (Talking to RAFAEL) How do we know it wasn’t you?

RAFAEL: Because I’m a ninja! Ninjas don’t use kitchen knifes. (Motioning towards OLIVER) Besides, that man over there has guilty written all over
him!

OLIVER: Me? What about her? (Pointing at ISABELLA) She looks much more guilty than I.

ISABELLA: I declare! Talking to a woman of my status as that of a common criminal! If anyone here looks guilty it’s that angry young girl in the back! She’s been glaring at the stewardess all night!

DELILAH: Don’t go placing the blame on me! I’ve been sitting here all night!

(Everyone starts yelling and pointing fingers at each other)

DETECTIVE PORTER: QUIET! Everyone just settle down! All we know for sure is that the killer is somewhere in this car. My name is Detective Miles Porter. I am a private investigator from London, England. I was peacefully sleeping in my seat until I heard the scream. Now would someone please tell me the events leading up to the murder?

ISABELLA: From the moment I got on this train and saw all these…these…these crazies-(Everyone starts yelling again)

DETECTIVE PORTER: Could everyone just calm down! It’s obvious that in
order to get to the bottom of this we need to conduct ourselves in a calm and orderly manner. (To ISABELLA CROW)Now, if one of you could kindly accompany me to the front of the car, I’d like to ask you some questions.

ISABELLA: I’ll go. After all, I have nothing to hide. (Walks to an empty set of seats with a table between them with Detective Porter.)
Scene Two

DETECTIVE PORTER: (Pulls out a notepad and pen from his jacket to write Isabella’s answers on) Please state your name and reason why you are taking this journey.

ISABELLA: My name is Isabella Antoinette Crow and I’m on my way to my late husband’s funeral.

DETECTIVE PORTER: I see. And exactly how did you’re late husband die?

ISABELLA: Why he was poisoned. By and assassin. It was really quite tragic.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What did you’re husband do that made him such a target for assassins?

ISABELLA: He owned a kitchen supply franchise.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Interesting. What kinds of things did his franchise sell? Knifes perhaps?

ISABELLA: I protest!

DETECTIVE PORTER: Well you have to admit, this all looks rather fishy from my view. I mean, you’re husband conveniently owns a franchise that sells kitchen supplies, which does include knifes, right?

ISABELLA: Well yes, but-

DETECTIVE PORTER: But you’re too classy of a woman to commit such a barbaric crime?

ISABELLA: You hush your mouth boy! You haven’t even let me tell my side of the story yet!

DETECTIVE PORTER: Alright then, let’s hear it.

ISABELLA: Like I said before, from the moment I got on this train and saw all those crazies, I knew there was going to be trouble. Particularly the young girl in the corner. I don’t know what it is about her, but she just made me feel well uncomfortable. The way she glared at everyone as they boarded the train. She had that angry look in her eyes, angry like a caged animal. Anyway, the ride started out fine and dandy until the storm hit. That man behind me, the real jumpy one, when he heard that thunder he acted like it was a shotgun! And he acted like that every time. Every clap of thunder, every flash of lightning, I could hear his teeth chattering and his knees shaking. It was as if he was on a run from the law. And if that wasn’t bad enough, the other man, the one who thinks he’s a ninja, he was just karate chopping the air like a mad man! I’ll tell ya, this train is just full of crazies. They should all be locked up somewhere! The stewardess noticed the anxious young man behind me and decides to offer him a drink. I do say, that boy must have thought she was trying to poison him the way he acted. He just went berserk! He was screaming like his life depended on it! Now, I’m a women that knows her place, but I just couldn’t sit back and let that poor stewardess take that, so I turned around and politely asked him to settle down and be quiet. You know what he did next? He started screaming even louder! The nerve of that boy! I have never been treated with such disrespect! Then that other guy, the ninja one, comes over and starts karate chopping the air around the stewardess. Says he’s trying to kill a fly. That’s when the lights went out. And when they came back on the stewardess was lying there in the middle of the aisle with a knife in her chest. All this time the girl in the corner was just sitting and watching.

DETECTIVE PORTER: I see. Well, thank you for your cooperation. (Gets up and walks Isabella back to her seat) Who’s next?

RAFAEL: I’ll do it.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Alright. Follow me this way. (Walks back to the seats with Rafael)

Scene Three
DETECTIVE PORTER: State your name and business on this train, please.

RAFAEL: I am Rafael Gonzalo Dominguez and I am on my way to visit my brother.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Is there any particular reason you’re visiting your brother?

RAFAEL: Si.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Well…?

RAFAEL: Well what?

DETECTIVE PORTER: What is you’re reason?

RAFAEL: Reason for what?

DETECTIVE PORTER: What is your reason for visiting your brother?!

RAFAEL: Well, he doesn’t know it yet, but I’m going to bring him back home for ninja training.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Ninja training?

RAFAEL: Si.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Interesting… Don’t ninjas carry weapons?

RAFAEL: Well of course.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What kinds of weapons?

RAFAEL: Death stars, Samaria swords, small knifes.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Do you carry any of these weapons?

RAFAEL: I’ve been known to. What are you getting at?

DETECTIVE PORTER: Are you carrying any of these weapons right now?

RAFAEL: Si, Senor.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Can I see them?

RAFAEL: Si.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Now?

RAFAEL: Oh. Sure. (Pulls out a knife from his sock that looks identical to the one in the victim.)

DETECTIVE PORTER: Mmhmm. Where did you get this knife?

RAFAEL: Well I umm I brought it from home!

DETECTIVE PORTER: Really? Because it looks exactly like the one the victim
has in her chest.

RAFAEL: I am sorry, Senor. I didn’t bring it from home. Someone gave me this knife before I boarded the train.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Who gave you this knife?

RAFAEL: I cannot tell. I have been sworn to secrecy.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Did you not find it strange that someone would give
you a gift and then make you swear not to tell anyone?

RAFAEL: Si, Senor, but I was taught never to refuse a gift.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Interesting…Could you please tell me what happened from the time you got on this train to the time the stewardess was found dead?

RAFAEL: Si.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Now maybe?

RAFAEL: Oh sure. I was the second one on the train tonight; the first was that odd young girl in the corner. Since I was so early I thought I’d practice a few of my moves.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What kind of moves?

RAFAEL: Why martial art moves of course. (Karate chops the air to demonstrate.)

DETECTIVE PORTER: I see. Please, continue.

RAFAEL: As I was saying, I was practicing some of my moves when that nervous looking senor came it. He was looking around all over. He went over to a seat, but before he sat down he patted all over the seat and wall like he was looking for something. Normally I would have been too focused on my moves to notice things like that, but tonight I was just a little nervous about the coming storm. The older women dressed all in black was the last one on the train. She watched me practice for a real long time. Every time I looked up that woman was looking at me like I was crazy. I can assure you, Senor, I am not crazy. However, I do think that nervous man back there is. Once the storm came that man was acting really jumpy. Ever time we heard thunder or saw lightning we also heard a whimper. It sounded as though he were crying. I guess the stewardess noticed this too. She brought her cart over to him and asked him if he’d like a drink. That’s when he really started acting weird. He started yelling and saying she was trying to kill him. And that older woman sure wasn’t helping. She was yelling at him to keep quiet and that just got him yelling even more. Meanwhile that young girl in the back was just watching and laughing, muttering something about how she deserved it. That girl gives me an uneasy feeling. When she looks at you it’s as if she’s staring into your soul!

DETECTIVE PORTER: What happened next?

RAFAEL: That’s when the lights went out. I remember hearing someone moving around, then there was a scream, and when the lights came on, there she was, just lying there with the knife in her chest.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Alright. If you think of anything else, please be sure to
tell me.

RAFAEL: Si, Senor, I will. (Detective Porter and Rafael walk back towards the rest of the passengers)

Scene Four
DETECTIVE PORTER: (Motioning towards OLIVER) How about you next, sir? (OLIVER nods and follows DETECTIVE PORTER to the seats in the front.) Please state your name and business on the train.

OLIVER: (Still acting nervous and shaky) My name is Oliver Q. Jones and I’m on my way back home to my mother.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Where are you returning from?

OLIVER: I’ve been visiting my dad.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What did you and your dad do?

OLIVER: (Starts to calm down and stop shaking) I helped him out on the farm. Milking the cows, feeding the chickens, moving hay for the horses, stuff like that. It was lots of fun.

DETECTIVE PORTER: So you’re dad’s a farmer? What does your mother do?

OLIVER: She’s a cook. She makes lots of yummy food for people.

DETECTIVE PORTER: I see. And do you ever help her out?

OLIVER: Yes, sir. I like helping with the cakes the best. Sometimes she even lets me lick the bowl!

DETECTIVE PORTER: Does your mom ever let you cut the cake?

OLIVER: No, sir. I’m not allowed to touch the knives. Mother says I could hurt myself. You think I hurt the lady, don’t you?

DETECTIVE PORTER: I never said that.

OLIVER: But you’re thinking it. And you’re wrong. I didn’t do it, but I know who did.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Who?

OLIVER: It was them.

DETECTIVE PORTER: The other passengers?

OLIVER: No. It was (In a hushed tone) the monsters.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Where did these monsters come from?

OLIVER: They come from everywhere.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Where are they now?

OLIVER: I don’t know. But they were here.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Interesting. Could you tell me what happened from the time you got on the train to the time the stewardess was found dead?

OLIVER: I got on the train at 7:39, I remember ‘cuz I looked at my pocket watch Father gave me. Anyway, I found a seat and got settled in for the ride. I like trains. Father used to be a conductor before he owned the farm.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Can you please stick to the story, Mr. Jones?

OLIVER: Sorry. The ride was nice and quiet until the thunder came. I don’t like thunder. After a while the lady that’s dead now came over and tried to kill me!

DETECTIVE PORTER: How did she do that?

OLIVER: She was trying to give me milk! I can’t have milk. It makes me real sick.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What happened next?

OLIVER: I got upset.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What happened when you got upset?

OLIVER: I started yelling.

DETECTIVE PORTER: What did you yell about?

OLIVER: Nothing. I just yelled.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Then what?

OLIVER: Then the mean old lady in the black started yelling at me and
saying I was being rude. She made me feel bad, so I yelled some more.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Why did you yell?

OLIVER: I don’t know. It makes people go away. I don’t like people.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Hmm. Is that all that happened?

OLIVER: That’s when the lights went out and the monsters hurt the lady.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Thank you. You’ve been very helpful. (Walks OLIVER back to his seat then motions towards DELILAH) I guess it’s your turn now ma’am. (Walks DELILAH to the seats in the front.)

Scene Five
DELILAH: Don’t call me ma’am.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Ok. What should I call you then?

DELILAH: Just call me Delilah.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Alright, Delilah, and what is your last name?

DELILAH: Osman. Delilah Osman.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Where are you headed on this fine night?

DELILAH: My parents are shipping me off to my uncle’s house for the
summer. Says it’ll build character.

DETECTIVE PORTER: You don’t sound too happy about that.

DELILAH: Nope.

DETECTIVE PORTER: I see. Well will you be kind enough to tell be the events that happened on this train between the time you got on and the time the stewardess was found dead?

DELILAH: I was the first one on this train because my parents were so anxious to get rid of me. Then that weirdo that thinks he’s a ninja got on and started going crazy. He looked like he was fighting the air and losing. What an idiot. The jumpy guy got on next. He was acting real weird, kind of like he was guilty of something. Between the two of them I didn’t think the trip could get any weirder. Boy was I wrong! See that lady back there? The one dressed in black? She looked at me like she was staring into my soul. I think she did it. I heard her tell you that she was on her way to her husband’s funeral. I bet she killed him too. Anyway, after the old lady sat down and the train started going, everything was ok for a while. Then the storm hit and that jumpy guy started crying, but that wasn’t the weirdest part. The other guy started hitting the air again. I guess he was trying to fight off the storm or something. Then the stewardess came over to the first guy and was offering him a drink (Laughs) boy that guy must be crazy! He just started yelling at the top of his lungs like a mad man! I guess the old lady thought she could make him stop by yelling back at him but that just made him yell louder. Then the crazy ninja guy goes over and starts fighting the air again. That’s when the lights went out and when they came back on, well, you know the rest.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Where were you during all this commotion?

DELILAH: Well, I was sitting in my seat watching the freak show.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Interesting. Well I think I’ve heard all I need to know for now. I’ll let you know if I have any more questions. (Walks DELILAH back towards her seat)

Scene Six
ISABELLA: Well, was I right? Did she do it?

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nope.

RAFAEL: It was that guilty looking guy wasn’t it?

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nope. Not him.

DELILAH: Then it must have been him. (Points to RAFAEL)

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nope.

DELILAH: Well it wasn’t me.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nope. It wasn’t.

OLIVER: It was the monsters.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nope. Not them either.

ISABELLA: Then who was it?

DETECTIVE PORTER: Nobody. (Walks over to Rafael) May I please see that knife, Rafael?

RAFAEL: Si, senor.

DETECTIVE PORTER: Now maybe?

RAFAEL: Oh, si, si. (Pulls the knife out of his sock and hands it to Detective Porter)

DETECTIVE PORTER: Thank you. (Walks around the car with the knife then stops and turns around when he passed the stewardess. Detective Porter handles then knife a little more then stabs himself in the chest)

ALL: No!

DETECTIVE PORTER: (Laughs) You see this knife? It’s a trick knife. When pressure is applied to the blade, the blade retracts into the handle, like so. (Presses on the tip of the knife blade causing it to retract)

RAFAEL: But, Senor, I’m afraid I don’t understand.

DETECTIVE PORTER: It’s quite simple really, but perhaps this kind, young lady would like to explain. (Kneels down next to the STEWARDESS, grabs a hold of her hand, and helps her up)

STEWARDESS: Congratulations. You all have had the pleasure of being the first contestants on a new reality show called Tricked on a Train. For being such great participants, you all will receive and all expense paid vacation for you and your family to beautiful Hawaii!

(EVERYONE starts murmuring with excitement)

DETECTIVE PORTER: Thank you, ma’am. I must say, your act was really quite convincing.

STEWARDESS: Thank you, Detective. And thank all of you. You all did a great job. I thank you for your participation and if there’s anything I can do to make the rest of your trip enjoyable, please, just ask.

(The lights fade and the curtain closes. The curtains reopen and the actors come out on stage and bow)

[diaperedteenager]

Hmm...I like it. It is an interesting script. It somewhat sounds like a spin on the movie "Clue" but overall say it is good. I like the diversity of charecters the most.