(Scene opens to a different forest clearing in front of a wall with a tunnel attached. The tunnel has a door that is closed. Auggie enters clearing, looking around.)
Auggie: well, this must be Hullsum. Pretty solid looking walls.
(Hiss sound. Lights by tunnel flash. Auggie hides behind a bush just as the door opens and two girls exit from the tunnel. One is wearing sunglasses, a short skirt, sandals and holding a cell phone, the other in a long dress. Auggie stares at one in dress.)
Paris: (visibly scared) OK CC, we went outside, now let’s go back in. You know we aren’t supposed to be out here alone; your grandfather will kill us.
Stiletto: Paris, I told you to stop calling me CC. I’m going by Stiletto, and I don’t care what my abuelo thinks.
Paris: Hrmph! What-ev-er, Stiletto, let’s go back inside. This place creeps me out.
Stiletto: Just relax and put that stupid thing away, you know it hasn’t worked for years.
Paris: What, this? (holds up phone) I have a hard time putting it down, it just feels right to stare at it all the time.
Stiletto: Shouldn’t you be reading your book for OWL’s class instead. Your report is due in a few weeks.
Paris: Uh! Don’t remind me. (pulls out book from her bag). I’m never going to get through all of this. It is sooo hard to read, that Shakespeare guy just goes on and on. Can’t you tell me what happens, I know you’ve read it, you’ve read every book in the library.
Stiletto: Paris, that wouldn’t be right. You need to experience the joys of the Bard unfiltered. Summarizing so you can finish your assignment would be a crime.
Paris: Please! I just want to know how it ends.
Stiletto: Fine! Romeo and Juliet get married and live happily ever after with their three kids, Huey, Duey, and Louie.
Paris: (starts writing in the back of the book)…and Louie. You’re a lifesaver. (Auggie moves in closer and steps on branch and makes a loud noise) Ah! What was that?
Stiletto: As much as I wish it was a muerto, I’m sure it was just a chipmunk.
Paris: WHAT? Is that why we are out here? You want to see one of those creatures!?! Are you insane?
Stiletto: I don’t want to just see one, I want to kill one. (stabs at the air with a knife she pulled from her belt) My quinceanera is coming up in a month and I don’t have a single kill. My brother had 16 kills by the time he was 15. I’ve taken Carl’s Advanced Short-Range Knife Fighting class, I can handle myself.
Paris: I seem to remember you got a C- in that class. (Auggie moves again, another loud noise) Ahh! What was that?
(Paris throws book at bushes and runs back inside the tunnel.)
Stiletto: Coward.
( Lights go dim, Stiletto sings dancing with zombies ballet style and then music speeds up to flamenco style type dance as she kills each one)
Stiletto: “Dancing in the Shadows”
Dance with me
My silent partner
Follows so gracefully
Toe to toe he
Matches my steps
So faithfully
Since I was three
The dance was my only
Sense of security
We would glide as one across the floor
His touch a whisper, nothing more
He’s been a mirror held to my soul
But I’m now ready for a bigger role
The tale of my rebirth’s written in prose
No longer the fragile petals of a rose
I’ll show my thorns so the world knows
That I am done, Dancing in the Shadows
Music speeds up, changes to Flamenco style
I need a new partner to test my skills
Setting the stage to present my kills
My sword will land the deadly blows
I am done, Dancing in the Shadows
Come feel my knife’s fickle embrace
As I slash my name across your face
The strength of my will daily grows
I am done, Dancing in the Shadows.
Mata, mata mata,
Some’ll call my stance a role reversal
But this dance’s been my long rehearsal
For my premier at Death’s lonely show
I am done, Dancing with my Shadow
Don’t dismiss me as sentimental
Confuse my passion as temperamental
I’m trading in these dancing clothes
I am done, Dancing in the Shadows
Mata, mata mata,
(Song ends, lights go up. All of the zombies are gone but one at the other end of the stage from Stiletto. She sees it, shrieks and then pulls out her knife in a fighting stance. The zombie charges, but Auggie jumps out of the bush and kills it with his bat.)
Stiletto: What the? Who are you?
Auggie: Hello my lady, Sir Auggie at your service (takes off his hat, bows formally)
Stiletto: What are you doing here and why did you kill that muerto? That was my kill!
Auggie: ah…sorry? I was afraid that knitting needle you were brandishing about wasn’t going to do too much.
Stiletto: Knitting needle?!? This is Repressa forged steel.
Auggie: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult your blade, but I just knew Bertha here would dispatch your friend a lot quicker. Let’s start over…
(a group of voices come from the distance calling for Stiletto)
Stiletto: I have to go; do not tell anyone you saw me. Promise!
Auggie: Of course, I promise, but I don’t even know your name.
(Stiletto runs through door, slams shut and locks. Leaves Auggie standing there.)
Auggie: Now what was that all about? The first living girl I see in a year and I blow it.
(Group of 5 kids appear. Auggie starts to run. Two kids block his escape and tall boy with sword approaches him.)
Matador: Hey you, stop! What are you doing here?
Auggie: Who me? I’m the new postman, where do you keep the mailbox? I got your fruit of the month delivery.
Matador: Postman? What the hell are you talking about? Are you mocking me? (Matador lunges at him, Stix holds him back)
Slix: Matt calm down, we are here to find your sister.
Auggie: Hey Zorro, lighten up, just making a joke.
Matador: don’t mess with me kid, what are you doing here anyway? We don’t need any more ferals around.
Slix: Matt! You know I don’t like that term.
Matador: And you know I don’t like to be called Matt. Call me Matador!
Slix: I’ll call your given name if I want to, Mathew Perry Rodriquez.
(Everyone snickers. Matador glares at them, everyone stops.)
Auggie: (holds out hand) Yo bro, listen, we got off on the wrong foot. Let’s be Friends. (starts to sing Friends theme song)
Come on, that’s funny. Weren’t you named after Chandler? You must know that show, every compound has at least a few episodes on DVD.
Matador: You will shut your mouth now or I will shut it for you!
(A zombie comes on stage shambling towards the group. Everybody pulls out a weapon.)
Matador: Stop! This one is mine!
(Kids scatter to sides but Auggie stands next to Matador watching, unimpressed as zombie chases after Matador. He continues to elude the zombie as if it were a bull and he were a bullfighter. Matador sings at Auggie)
Matador: “Dance with Death”
Who do you think you are
Living life, getting this far
No hay razón para que preguntar
Me?, I am the Matador
The one who’ll knock you to the floor
No queremos los gustos de repartidor
Only the brave can dance with Death
One false step, she’ll steal your breath
Cheek to cheek, do you dare her embrace?
I’ll laugh as she puts you in your place.
I’m in a relationship
Holding onto my grip
Be careful or else you’ll trip
He perdido mi libertad
Cuando abro la puerta
Y aqui esta Señora Muerta
Only the brave can dance with Death
One false step, she’ll steal your breath
Are you man enough to keep her pace
An early grave will end your race
She’s luring, attractive
Moves your feet, so active
Her poison makes you come back for more
Now if you were like me
Then I know you can see
She’ll come back for the Matador
You have the stink of one in peril
We don’t need another feral
Get lost or I’ll take your head
Or I’ll stab you in your pride
You’re too weak to join this ride
To join the dance…with, the, dead!
Only the brave can dance with Death
One false step, she’ll steal your breath
A wanton lover is what you’ll face
One that’ll bring your family disgrace
(After a few Ole’s, Matador kills the zombie with his sword, all but Auggie applaud. Matador takes a knife and puts a notch on his belt. He turns to Auggie.)
Matador: Well feral, what do you think of that?
Auggie: Oh yeah, nice technique. A little showy, I’m not sure why you let him lunge at you so many times, kind of a waste of energy.
Matador: You know nothing of the art of the kill. That was my 18th kill.
Auggie: really? 18 in a day, OK, now I’m impressed. My record is only 16 in a day. I still don’t know how you have time to kill that many in a day with all those fancy moves.
DUDE: you killed 16 zombies in one day?
Auggie: yeah, I would’ve had 17, but this guy Carl blew the head off the last one.
Matador: Liar! There is no way you’ve killed that many in one day, let alone in your whole pathetic life.
Auggie: Phst! You don’t know me, but I know you. You soft compound kids don’t know anything about survival.
(Matador lunges, Auggie dodges, slides around him and slits Matador’s belt off, holding it up mockingly. Others laugh.)
DUDE: Oh snap, those are some wild ass moves
(Matador wants to fight Auggie, other kids hold both of them back. ELF, older woman with collecting basket, glasses, and sun hat comes out of the woods and stands between them.)
ELF: What is going on here, stop this nonsense this minute! Matt, you should know better! I’m assuming this is a NOOB…
Matador: feral!
ELF: (glares at Matador)…who should be made welcome. Hello son, I am ELF, Edible Leaf Forager, my job here in Hullsum is to supply nutrients to the compound, of both the physical and emotional kind. What do you have here?
(ELF sees the pendant, grabs it, Pushes play.)
Electronic voice: Message Playback, Security Level 1, Message Playback, Security Level 7.
(ELF types in Level 1 code)
Carl’s voice: This is Carl. I ran across this kid north of Hangtown and he shows promise. Take him straight to OWL for processing. There is another message for Chip, give him the pendant immediately or I’ll have your skin.
ELF: Well that settles it, let us all go inside and see OWL. I believe classes begin soon.
(All go into the tunnel except Matador, sings reframe)
Matador: Dance with Death Reprise
Only the stupid dare mess with me
Better learn fast to bend the knee
Otherwise you will meet your end,
I’ll bide my time to get my revenge