All My Mehlville: Episode One

[Nathan]

All My Mehlville
Foundations Trilogy

A Drama Written by Nathan Shepard and
Assisted by Theresa Lochhaas

Episode One: “The Shadow Among Us”

Narrator: The day begins as any day at Mehlville High does: sleepily. This rather normal Midwest high school nestled in suburban South County is unknowingly about to become the stage for one of the most bizarre and dramatic series of events ever known to one single high school student.

Scene- crowded hallway

[Enter Nicole and Tree while loud construction noises die down]

Nicole: How could you do that?! I loved Nathan and finally, after 3 times, we are steady! Then you show up and take him in a sleazy one-night stand! You slut!!

Theresa: Nicole, you are over reacting. I never slept with Nathan, I never would. I know you care deeply for him and I’d never betray a friend such as you. We are friends, aren’t we?

Nicole: I ... have ... no ... friends ...SLUT!!

[Exit Nicole]

Theresa: Why would she think I slept with Natedog? I have to get the bottom of this...

[Exit Theresa]

Shadowy figure: Excellent, Phase One complete.

[Exit Shadow]

Scene- German room

[Enter Sherry, Emily and unnoticed Shadow]

Sherry: Ok, so I found this Internet web business that will actually pay us for racing emus in foreign cars.

Emily: Really?! That’s awesome! When do we start? Where do we get emus? Or the money for the cars?

Sherry: Hold on Emily, there is a catch. [Dramatic pause] We have to dress up as lawn gnomes and video tape ourselves along with the emus.

Emily: [appears lost in thought] Ok, I’ll do it. I’ve always wanted to dress up as a lawn gnome.

Sherry: You’ve always wanted to dress ... as a what?

Emily: A lawn gnome. Hasn’t everyone?

Sherry: Um... no. [Eyes Emily with suspicion]

Emily: Haha! Did... did I say lawn gnomes? I meant... um... yawning globes.

Sherry: Yes... of course you did. [Dramatically raises one eyebrow, Mr. Spock style]

[Exit Sherry and Emily]

Shadow: They acted exactly the way the Boss said they would... Phase Two completed.

[Exit Shadow]

[Enter Nathan]

Nathan: Where is everyone? I was gonna meet Tree, Nicole, Sherry and Emily here. [Looks around hopelessly] My friends don’t like me! [Cries then runs out door]

Scene: Next day, outside Mrs. DeYoung’s class

[Enter Nathan, Sherry, Emily, Tasneem, and unnoticed Shadow]

Nathan: I don’t care what you say; you still forgot about me and left me all alone!

Sherry: Nathan, we’re sorry, but we got carried away with our emus...

[Emily prods Sherry sharply in ribs]

[All others stare at Sherry in puzzled look]

Emily: Sherry meant that we were carried away like emus... because it’s a well-known fact that emus have short attention spans.

[Others accept this explanation]

Tasneem: [Whispers to Nathan] Sherry and Emily have been acting weirder then usual... I think they are up to another of their get-rich-quick schemes. And that’s not good. Remember what happened with the platypuses?

Nathan: [Whispers to Tasneem] Yes, I better ask them what they are doing. [In normal voice] Sherry, Emily, you aren’t happening to be doing anything with emus that would somehow get you money would you? Remember the platypuses?

Emily: Nathan! Of course not! We aren’t doing anything of the sort.

[Mark and Joel enter out of breath]

Joel: gasp... Nathan... gasp.... its.... its.... HORRIBLE!!!! The blood.... the death!!

Nathan: Joel, what are you talking about??

Mark: Nathan... you... have to go to.... the gym!

[Joel and Mark collapse]

[Heroic music begins to play]

Nathan: Sherry, look after these helpful citizens! I must away to find... Theresa!

Sherry: Yes, sir, Nathan, sir!

[Exit Nathan]

Scene- Tree’s class

[Tree is conversing w/ fellow students about the effects of post-modern Industrialization on London]

[Enter Nathan]

Nathan: Tree! Joel and Mark collapsed in the Hallway! They have risked their lives to warn us of a confrontation in the Gym!

Tree: Oh my! Very well. Fare well, fair classmates!

[Classmates mutter approvingly and adoringly]

[Exit Tree and Nate]

[Nathan]

Scene- Gym A

[As Nathan and Tree enter the Gym, live action changes to Japanese anime]

Nathan: My gods! How could this have happened in our quiet suburban school?!

[Camera pans from Nathan and Tree’s shocked face to panoramic view of the Gym left in ruins with bloody bodies strewn randomly amongst the rubble]

[Nearest body stirs and beckons Tree and Nate]

Fallen Student: Nathan! Theresa! Thank gods you are.... cough.... here! It was... horrible.... just out of nowhere they attacked... why God why?!

Theresa: God has his reasons, have the faith!

Fallen Student: Thank you! [Faints]

Nathan: He’ll be fine... there are more serious problems afoot!

Theresa: Yes. Where shall we start?

[Nathan looks around the Gym and spots a small group of the dreaded Prep clique and points]

Nathan: I think they may have a hand in this deed!

[Nathan and Tree advance on the Preps, who in turn reveal such weapons that are characteristic of the group]

Lead Prep: Ah, well I am glad the Goody-goody twosome showed up!

[Preps laugh]

[Lead prep raises hand and Preps obediently hush]

Nathan: [addressing other Preps] Why do you conform to this evil man?

Nameless Prep: Because. You must join us!

Lead Prep: Yes, you are popular among the Lowers. You will add much popularity to us.

All Preps: Join us, and you will be popular and loved.

Theresa: I will not compromise my individuality for “coolness.”

Nathan: Yeah! Now explain this! [Gestures to ruins]

Lead Prep: Ah yea... well the Lowers were getting.... rowdy... yes. We had to remind them who were superior! US!!

Nathan: You sicken me.

Lead prep: Then prepare to die!

[Dramatic battle music plays as Nathan and Tree charge toward the Preps, anime style]

Nathan: Thunder ball charge shot!!!!!!!

[Ball of energy forms in Nathan’s cupped hands and is thrown at Preps]

Preps: Aiee!!! Help us! We are weak and foolish!

Theresa: This will finish them!! Tornado beam!!!!

[Swirl of energy leaves Tree’s palms and renders Preps unconscious]

Nathan: That will teach them!

Tree: Uh... Nate? [Taps Nate on shoulder]

Nate: Yes Tree?

Tree: Look! [Gestures to Gym]

[The entire gym is gone and the café can be seen below]

Random Breakfaster: What the hell has the Dork Duo done now?? DESTROYED THE GYM I SEE!!!

[Camera zooms in to Random Breakfaster to reveal Nicole]

Tree and Nate: Nicole!

Nicole: [sweetly] Yes?

Nate: the gym has been destroyed...

Nicole: DUH!

Nate: ...because the Preps have decimated members of the Freak clique. I’ll remind you all that this was a direct violation of the Freak/Prep Treaty of October. Since the Treaty has been broken Tree and I have taken it upon ourselves to hunt and suspend all Preps involved in the Massacre of Gym A.

Second Random Breakfaster: Um... don’t we have a school officer? Officer Rodriguez should handle this. And whatever happened to going to school to learn and be with our friends? And what about...

All Breakfasters: Shut up!!

Nate: Thanks

Tree: Now Nicole... if we find out you had something, anything, to do with the Incident... we will suspend you!

[Tree and Nate exit]

Nicole: Oh you’ll suspend me all right! Hahaha!

[Shadow appears next to Nicole and the two whisper suspiciously]

[Fade out]

Scene- Office, same day, lunchtime... pizza day... have you tried the garlic noodles?

[Mr. Viviano is at desk talking with the other principals]

Viviano: We are broke ladies and gentlemen. We have two choices. One, ask for a tax increase.

Driscoll: We just did, the voters would never approve it!

Viviano: Quite right. As I cannot do simple math I have asked for the assistance of a math teacher, whom I’m quite sure knows math. Ms. Duffey? Would you come in?

[Duffey enters with suspenseful music]

Viviano: Do you have the figures ready?

Duffey: Yes, yes I do.

[All wait]

Driscoll: Well?

Duffey: Well, what?

Driscoll: What are the figures you came up with? [Mutters] Idiot.

Duffey: Ah yes. I have come to the conclusion that the only way to maintain state standards with the current income is to reduce the school population by 25%.

Viviano: Enough of the mathematical mumbo jumbo! How many students are we talking about?

Duffey: Mr. Viviano, percentages are basic math skills learned in at least 7th grade.

Viviano: Your point is?

Duffey: [sighs] Let’s work this together... There are about 2,000 students enrolled.... what is half of that? Or... what is 50%?

Viviano: Um.... [Thinks hard for 2 minutes] 1000?

Duffey: Yes, very good. Now... since 25 is one half of 50... what is one half of 1000?

Viviano: What does 25 being half of 50 have to do with 1000 being half of 2000?

Duffey: Just answer the question!!!!!

Viviano: Oh, yes... [Thinks for 4 minutes].... 500?

Duffey: [With mock satisfaction] Yes! 500 students must be removed from the enrollment scrolls.

Viviano: Very well... hahaha!!

All in room: Hahaha!!

Scene- German room, same day, after lunch.... you tried the garlic noodles? Good aren’t they?

Nathan: Now, to tell you all the secret of life!!

Sherry: Finally! Why haven’t you told us before?

Nathan: I have my reasons... anyway... the secret of life is....

Narrator: Apologies, the previous scene was not finished, please excuse us while we switch back.

Scene- Office

Viviano: And I know exactly how to remove these students! We cannot ask them to leave, oh no, that would be rude. We must kill them!! That is the honorable way.

[All stare at Viviano]

Driscoll: Well, as I can’t think of a better solution, I’m game.

[All mutter agreement]

Viviano: Excellent! I know a very covert way of killing off the students! We find out which teachers are sympathetic with our cause... then those teachers will give the target student so much homework that they will suffer from a fatal stress-induced stroke!

Driscoll: Brilliant! The death will be blamed on the inefficiency of the student, or at least the heartlessness of the teacher. But not us!

[All mutter agreement and satisfaction]

Viviano: It is settled. The first student I think we should target is...

[All conspire]

Scene- German room, same day

Nathan: And that’s the meaning of life!

Emily: Now I know why we drive on parkways.

Sherry: And I know why we park on driveways.

Theresa: Nathan, was it wise to divulge the Secret of the Cosmos to them?

Nathan: Sure, why wouldn’t it be?

[Theresa rolls eyes]

[Shadow appears in the middle of the class]

Shadow: I have urgent news for you Tree and Nathan!

Nathan: OK, but who are you?

Shadow: I cannot say.

[Shadow tells them of the Admin. Plot]

Theresa: Gasp!

Nathan: I don’t believe it!

Shadow: Believe what you will.... [Vanishes]

Sherry: Whom were you two talking to?

Nathan: What? Didn’t you see him? The shadowy figure? He just vanished!

Emily: There was no shadowy figure here... you and Tree stood up... went to the middle of the class.... leaned towards something... whispered... then Tree gasped and you said “I don’t believe it” then Sherry asked who you were talking to and you said “what? Didn’t you see him? The shadowy figure? He just vanished!” Then I said “There was no shadowy figure here... you and Tree stood up... went to the middle of the class.... leaned towards something...”

Nathan: OK! I get it.... you didn’t see him.

Theresa: Now you all think we are crazy.

Random classmate: Now we do?

Nathan: Shut your face, PREP! We’re watching your kind!

Theresa: Something has to be done about the Admin Plot!

Nathan: Yes... but we must wait until someone reports excessive homework. Its not like someone can die from a stroke after just a few days of stress.

Scene- Nathan’s home, later that evening

[Nathan is watching TV]

Newscaster: And in other news today a local Mehlville High School student was brought into to Mercy Neural Surgery Hospital around 3 PM today with symptoms of a stress-induced stroke. The student, whose name will not be released, has since died as a result of severe brain hemorrhaging.

[Nathan stares at TV]

Nathan: NO!! I could’ve saved them!!!

Nathan’s mom: What on earth are you talking about? If you keep the world’s problems on your back you’ll get stressed out. I wouldn’t want you ending up like that poor student.

Scene- The Hallway, next day, morning

[Theresa enters]

Nathan: Did you see the news?

Theresa: Yes, I felt so bad! Nathan, WE are supposed to protect these innocent ignorant fools!

Emily: Yea, good morning to you too!

Theresa: Oh, I’m sorry! I only meant the stupid ones! Like.... Sherry!

Sherry: Yes? You said my name?

[All laugh as scene fades out]

End of Episode One: The Shadow Among Us