Act 1

A construction site in the town of Văleni, for an apartment building. Unfinished concrete walls covered in graffiti, bare ground littered with trash and growing weeds. In the back to the left is a staircase leading to the next floor. Is it late in the evening, growing dark. A steady stream of cars can be heard driving nearby.

Enter left Adrian and Andrei. They wear baggy clothes and jeans. Adrian is lighting himself a cigarette. Andrei has a backpack and looks around warrily.

Adrian: (burns his finger on the lighter) Shit! (shakes his hand)

Andrei: What?

Adrian: Nothing.

Adrian leans against a wall. Andrei joins him, careful not to press too hard on his backpack. For a moment they stand in silence, glancing around the empty lot.

Andrei: (hesitantly) I'm glad to see you back. I thought you'd gone forever.

Adrian: Me too.

Andrei: So what is it like? The vampire?

Adrian: She's not as pretty as people say she is. She looked like a wax figure. Creepy as hell.

Andrei: I heard that too. (short pause) Did anything even happen?

Adrian: Nope! (irritable) My blood type is apparently AB, and barely any of them can drink it. They can only drink what they used to be in life, or some shit.

Andrei: (smiling a little) In a way I'm glad they turned you down.

Adrian: I'm pissed! What am I supposed to do now?

Andrei: I told you you can stay with us. Over the summer, it will be like a prolonged sleepover.

Adrian: I know, but… (awkward) Your parents kind of freak me out, dude…

Andrei: What? Why?

Adrian: Your mom scares me, lowkey.

Andrei: (long pause, then rubbing the back of his neck)… I mean, yeah.

Adrian: (laughs, then sighs deeply. Speaks more to himself than to Andrei) I really don't want to go home.

Andrei: (unsure what to say, but wishing to comfort him) We could ask Mr Sava for help.

Adrian: (sucks air through his teeth) I haven't done, like, any homework... since, like,... April…

Andrei: Ask him anyway! He's always nice to us! He will understand!

Adrian: (silently fights with himself. Looks up at Andrei, who is looking at him, innocently hopeful. Can't help but smile) Okay, fine. I'll ask him.

Andrei: (smiles brightly) I'll come too!

A car screeches down the road. They turn their heads questioningly in the direction of the sound. Andrei looks at Adrian, who shrugs and goes to check.

Exit right Adrian.

Andrei leans more relaxed against the wall. He looks around, then walks a couple steps and crouches to pick a blade of grass.

As he straightens up, a sound comes from upstairs, like a heavy item being dropped. It echoes around the concrete structure.

Andrei is startled, spins around and looks at the staircase. He waits, but there is complete silence. He slowly steps around, looking left and right over the ceiling.

Andrei: Hello?

Silence. An ambulance screeches by, louder and louder, covering everything else. Andrei looks in its direction frowning. After it passes, he looks around again.

Andrei: Anybody there?

Silence. Andrei is visibly uncomfortable. He wraps the blade around his fingers before letting it fall.

Enter right Adrian.

Adrian: What are you so stiff for?

Andrei: I, uh, I heard something upstairs.

Adrian: Maybe it's a pigeon or something.

Andrei: I don't know… (looks towards the stairs again)

Adrian looks at him for a moment, then walks over and presses his hand against Andrei's head, playfully shoving him around.

Adrian: Don't be scared!

Andrei: Wah! I'm not!

Adrian: (lets him go) We're far from the woods, anyway. No creepy monster bothers coming all the way here. We got just vampires to worry about.

Andrei: (fixing his hair) And ghosts.

Adrian: And ghosts.

Andrei: Maybe what I heard was a ghost.

Adrian: What did you hear?

Andrei: I don't know, like, a big bag thunking on the ground.

Adrian: Ah, maybe it's a squatter.

Andrei: Shit, you're right! Let's leave them be.

Adrian: I don't wanna leave yet.

Andrei sighs and pulls his backpack to the front. He takes out a long sandwich wrapped in white tissue paper.

Adrian: Can I have some?

Andrei holds out the sandwich. Adrian leans his head forward and takes a bite. When the bread won't tear, he shakes his head like a dog.

Andrei: (giggling) What the hell, dude?

Adrian laughs too, twisting his mouth to pull the food in.

Andrei: I'm pretty sure Mr Sava won't come to class tomorrow, though. (takes a bite of the sandwich from the same spot Adrian did)

Adrian's eyes dart up and down to follow, face otherwise still.

Andrei: Last week he talked about going to Ferești again.

Adrian: You think it's true he works with the werewolves?

Andrei: Well, he's tutoring their kids.

Adrian: It's still work! (with pathos) For the enemy!

Andrei: (laughs a little) It's just between the vampires, no? Oh, by the way, did you hear anything while you were at the coven? Why do they hate each-other so much?

Adrian: Dude, it's literally so petty. She is mad that other vamp lady got a house in a will and she didn't. The other 20 she has aren't enough, she wants that one. Just so Mirabela doesn't have it.

Andrei: Is that where Mr Răzvan went-

A shuffling can be heard upstairs, interrupting him. It stops as soon as the source of it realises the noise it made. Adrian and Andrei immediately turn to look at the staircase, Andrei moving closer to Adrian.

Silence once again.

Adrian: (stepping closer) Hello?

Andrei gestures to him to stop.

Adrian: (louder) Hello! (pause, aside to Andrei) It's noth-

A voice: (like a girl's) Hello

Adrian and Andrei are startled, they turn to face the empty stairs again.

Andrei: (whispering) Dude, let's get out of here!

Adrian: (stubborn, out loud) Hello?

A voice: (exactly like him) Hello

Adrian takes a step back, disturbed.

Andrei: (under his breath) What the fuck…?!

Adrian: Who's there? Show yourself!

A voice: Hello

Adrian: Show yourself or I'll beat your ass!

Andrei: (whispering) Dude!!

A girl's voice: H-Hello!

Adrian: Is that all you can say?

Andrei: (whispering, pulling him by arm with one hand) Dude, I'm serious, let's leave!

A voice: Hello

A girl's voice: Hello! Hello!

Two voices, the same one, repeat and overlap over and over.

Hello Hello! Hello HeHello!llo Hello! HelHellollo! Hellooo! HellHelloo Hello Hello! HellHo!ellooo

Andrei drops the sandwich and drags Adrian after him. Adrian doesn't need to be asked again, and he drops his cigarette.

Exit left Andrei and Adrian, running as fast as they can.

Silence.

Enter Garofița Gavrilescu through the top of the stairs. She hunches down and cautiously looks around. Before she can notice the sandwich on the ground, Buddy runs between her legs towards it, almost making her lose her balance.

Garofița: Ah! Careful! (quietly to herself) Fuck's sake…

Buddy greedily and gluttonously bites the sandwich bread, tissue paper and all.

Garofița: Wait, wait! (stomps on the cigarette to put it out and picks up the sandwich) …It still looks good! (dusts it with her palm)

Buddy jumps around her, front legs trying to hug and hold onto her, neck stretching towards the sandwich.

Garofița: (walking back up the stairs) Calm down, Buddy! It's not going anywhere!

They disappear together upstairs.

Act 2

The next day, around 10:00 o'clock in Văleni. The sky is full of white clouds. An urban street by a large road, with a couple trees, trash cans, paper rolling around in the wind and dandelions growing on the sidewalk. A fence, covered in old and ripped up tarp, lines one side of the street. Behind it is the construction site, 3 of the 4 floors visible. The top of Garofița's black hair can be seen peeking out through one of the dark windows.

She quickly ducks down when a car enters through the left and parks by the side of the road.

Simona Berindean steps out of the passenger seat. She has her blonde hair in a bun, and is wearing a light blue button-up shirt with short sleeves, open at the top to reveal a white tank top underneath.

Robert Berindean steps out at the same time from the driver's seat. He is a head taller than her, wearing a plain t-shirt and jeans. His shaved head is growing out, and many little scars litter his arms and face.

Simona: (stretching her arms) It's around here, he said?

Robert: By the old train station, he said.

Simona: Are we sure he didn't lie?

Robert: Didn't seem like the type to make shit up while tortured.

Simona:: (sighing) Here comes trouble.

Enter right officer Flavius Bundar. He wears his uniform and sunglasses. He realises it's Simona and Robert in front of him, and groans in annoyance.

Robert: Hello, Flavius!

Flavius: (walking towards them) The hell are you two doing here?

Robert: (pointedly) Hello, Flavius!

Flavius: Hello.

Robert snickers.

Flavius: Answer the damn question.

Simona:: We're just having a little sibling outing.

Flavius: Yeah, sure.

Simona: Are we not allowed to visit?

Flavius: Every time any of you do, some bullshit happens and I have to clean it up.

Simona: You're like our little street cleaner!

Robert laughs again and goes to pick something from his car.

Simona: How's it going with searching for the cultists?

Flavius: We searched the whole town (nods towards the unfinished building next to them) the day they ran off, but found none. They aren't here, at least not yet..

Simona: (looks at the construction site) Did you search anymore since then? Overnight too?

Flavius: Don't tell me how to do my job.

Simona: Oh, my, I wouldn't dare!

Flavius: (sighs) Listen, just get out of here before Bălașa's goons take notice. I really don't feel like dealing with her today.

Simona: Well, that won't do! We are here for them!

Flavius: Say what now?

Simona: (mockingly) Oh, you didn't know? Not one, not two, but three of Bălașa's goons, as you called them, were caught lurking around Ferești. They're allowed to visit, of course, but going by our hospital and our blood bank is too far. Who knows what they wanted to do?

Flavius: (stares at her) What did you do?

Simona: Me? Nothing. And they were let go, weren't they?

Robert closes the car trunk behind them with a heavy thud.

Flavius: Then why are you here for them again? Didn't you do enough?

Simona: I'm not doing anything here either. I just wanted to drive around with Robi! Get some fresh air, change the scenery. Ferești can be so dull compared to Văleni. I'd love to come around here more often.

Flavius: (scoffs) I know well why you'd want to come around here.

Simona: (staring at him) Yeah?

Flavius: The whole town knows you well.

Robert: (marching towards him) Oi, watch how you talk with my sister!

Simona: (holding him back with a hand on his chest) Chill, chill… ( glances at Flavius, then speaks to Robert) I'll wait here.

Robert: (looks at her surprised, then looks at Flavius with contempt) …As you wish. Take care.

Simona: (hugging him quickly) You too.

Exit left Robert. Simona watches him go, then turns to Flavius, chin tilted up, smacking her lips.

Simona: (stepping closer) You're still mad at me, huh?

Flavius: (smiling sarcastically) Why would I be?

Simona: No, no, you're right! You shouldn't be! It's all your fault, after all. You can't fuck up and then also be mad about it.

Flavius: (smile dropping) "My" fault? How?

Simona: You said you'd leave your wife and then you didn't.

Garofița's head pops into the window, shocked. She quickly ducks again before being noticed.

Flavius: (beet red) Don't start.

Simona: (laughs) Baby, you're the one who started it! Once again! "Ooh, the whole town knows you!" Yeah? And? I'm young and hot! I sure do hope they know me!

Flavius: Do you even hear yourself?

Simona: Yes, I do! I tell it how it is! I'm honest! I don't shake in boots, like (falsetto, gesturing dramatically) "ooh sorry Simo, actually I'm married, but I'll totally leave my wife for you, I want a life with you, but ooooh we shouldn't do this…!"

Flavius: (through his teeth) Stop being so loud! And stop acting like I'm the only one at fault! I didn't cheat by myself!

Simona: If I knew you were married I would have never even looked at you.

Flavius: Yet you did, even after you found out!

Simona: Youuu told me you were divorcing your wife, that everything was signed and "basically done". You forgot to let her know about this divorce, though. How odd.

Flavius: I couldn't just-…

Simona: (mocking) Just-… Just-… Just what?

Flavius: (groaning exasperated) You wouldn't understand! Why do I even bother? (pause, looks down)

Simona quickly checks behind herself.

Flavius: (looking back at her) I told you to stop coming around here, a dozen times!

Simona: What do you think will happen? I bump into your wife and tell her everything? I don't give a shit about her - or you! I hope you continue being miserable together.

Flavius: (sternly) I love my wife!

Simona: Didn't seem like it when you were bending me over in-

Flavius: (motions to cover her mouth with his hands) Jesus fucking Christ!

Simona: (steps back, smiling wryly) You're so pathetic. (she checks behind herself, then looks back at him, perfectly calm)

Flavius: (pause. glares) Why are you really here?

Simona: Mirabela wants to send a message to Bălașa. All four of us are kind of the same.

Flavius: Huh?

Simona: "Leave me alone and I'll leave you alone. If not, then I'll get worse." Should be easy to follow, considering the distance between our towns too, huh?

Flavius: You came here-

Simona: (interrupting) You think I came here for you? I don't care about you. You should do the same. Patrol down the street and ignore us, like you ignore the vampire coven, yet you walked straight to us and got all sassy. Don't be shocked when I talk back. (pause, then stepping closer) Or… is it…? That you miss me?

Flavius: What?!

Simona: (closer still) You miss me, don't you? All this arguing is like a little boy pulling on his crush's hair.

Flavius: Don't be ridiculous! You're… You're the worst thing that ever happened to me!

Simona: Look at me while you say that.

He looks at her in the eyes. She smiles. He falters.

Simona: (quieter, softer) I really did think you'd leave her for me. I believed you.

Flavius: Simo…

Simona: It was nice while it lasted, wasn't it?

Flavius: I…

A loud crash is heard somewhere in the distance. Flavius flinches. Simona wordlessly runs to the car and gets in the driver's seat.

Enter Robert, running and jumping into the passenger's seat.

Robert: Go! Go! Go! Go!

Exit right, the car speeding away with screeching tires. Everything happens so very fast. Flavius is too stunned to react, and when he does, his face turns red.

Flavius: That bitch…!!

Act 3

18:00 in Văleni, inside the unfinished building. One of the apartments, cold grey everywhere. A living room with one large window. The sky outside is covered in dark grey clouds. On the floor by the right wall sits Garofița. Buddy lays with his head on her lap. Under them are Garofița's blankets and makeshift pillow. On the floor by the left wall sits Walker, legs folded and quietly watching. Garofița's backpack is tucked in a corner. Cars can be heard passing by outside.

Garofița: (hunched over Buddy, picking at his skin) You get blackheads too. (wipes her nail against her jeans) I'll gather water and buy soap. On God we're all getting baths.

Buddy puffs out through his nose. Garofița stretches over to the backpack, almost falling over. Buddy raises his head excited, then lays back down when he sees it's just the iodine bottle. Garofița drips a drop on her finger and dabs it where she picked Buddy's pores. She pauses for a moment, then draws lines around one of the blotches, making a sun. She giggles.

Garofița: Do you want some too, Walker?

Walker visibly tenses up.

Garofița: Not on your leg, don't worry! Hmm, could disinfectant replace soap?

Neither answers.

Garofița continues drawing on Buddy with orange tincture. She makes small flowers, spirals, hatchings. She tries to draw along the shapes of the spine. Buddy's skin wrinkles up around the base of the tail like a sphinx cat.

She gently moves Buddy away. He lays down with like limbs tucked under himself, also like a cat. While crouching she shuffles closer to Walker. He watches her like a hawk.

Garofița: (dripping tincture on her finger again) I'm not touching your leg, be at ease.

She dabs the base of his claws, at the edges of the makeshift fingerless sleeves. Walker raises his paw and sniffs it with curiosity. Garofița leans closer and looks around Walker's head, turning left and right. After some hesitation, she reaches forward and pulls at his cheek. The skin lifts like a flimsy cloth mask.

Walker: Rrrrrrrr

Garofița: I just want to look.

She tugs down, pulling the eyehole down too. She reaches for the other side of the face to fix it, but pulls down too much and one eyehole lands on Walker's cheek, and the other on his forehead.

Garofița: Oops! Sorry!

They both fix it in place. Walker blinks a couple times. After a pause, Garofița takes a little bit of tincture and dabs a dot on each cheek, like blush. She giggles.

Through the window pigeons and other birds fly around the sky. Cars below and the wind can be heard.

Garofița: (looking out the window) A rain is coming. Or somewhere nearby. I hope it stops quickly. I really really don't want to cross the field while it's raining… Knowing my luck, I just know I'd get shot by lightning... (looks at Buddy) You would stay in the house, right? (looks at Walker) You'd hide under trees and stuff, right? Are there caves in the forest? (scooting back on the blankets) I read online, on wikipedia, about a book by Cormac McCarthy called "Child of God". It's about a crazy homeless guy who's falsely accused of rape, who then goes on to actually rape while hiding in a cave. It sounded really bleak. (lies down, Buddy next to her head) I couldn't find a pdf to read it online… I know "Blood Meridian" was on internet archive, I read the beginning of it, but then it kept saying it's not available for borrowing anymore…

Walker yawns, baring his teeth for a couple seconds.

Garofița: I like how McCarthy writes. (yawns too) I like that it's weird and fucked up.

Buddy yawns as well.

Garofița: (long pause while looking at Walker) When your skin goes bad… It'll fall off eventually, right? Could you stay without it? Like the skin-walker of that weird guy we saw in the woods? (pause) It's not like you can get a new one.

He doesn't reply.

Garofița: I'll look after you. I'll bring you food and water and clothes. I was thinking of buying long socks from the thrift store. They could hold the bandage in place. (pause) If this skin is gone they won't know it was you who killed that guy. Did you eat him?

He doesn't reply.

Garofița: (looking at the ceiling) I read on tumblr a quote by Mark Twain, I think. It was something along the lines that a tiger can't be immoral, because he doesn't have the morality to know stuff like murder is bad. He's just doing what he must to survive, including killing other beings. Killing to eat and defend himself shouldn't make him evil. (looks at Walker) I don't think you're evil, Walker. I don't think any animal is evil. Only people are evil. (quickly) And demons. Demons are evil. (normal) I don't think Judge Holden was a demon or a creature. That would be lame. The book didn't even mention other creatures, like, at all. Are there any? I wish I finished it…

A bird's wings flap close to the window. Buddy and Walker both look in its direction.

Garofița: (looks back at the ceiling) I wish I were a cryptid or some kind of monster too. "There's a lot of scary things in the woods", that guy said. I was the scary thing today. (giggles, then sighs) People suck so much. I wish I were a hermit in the woods. Like a desert mother, or a stylite. Imagine being a traveller in the year 400 and there's just a guy, alone, atop a huge pillar in the middle of the desert. That's so cool!

A couple motorcycles roar as they pass by outside. Garofița glares towards the noise.

Garofița: They're so loud… (looks back at the ceiling) Christianity used to be so cool. People were doing crazy shit. Now it sucks. I wish I were a nun. In the past you could just pull up to a nunnery and join. Make up a story. Dude, in the past you could do anything! Disappear, get a new identity, get a job, disappear again. Nobody could prove anything. It suuucks! (rolls around, almost bumping into the wall)

Buddy sneezes, shaking his head.

Garofița: Bless you! (turns on her back) There was this other book by Mark Twain called "The Mysterious Stranger". It's about a bunch of kids who meet a boy named Satan. It's not THE Satan, it's like his nephew or something. They build living dolls out of clay together and he gives them whatever fruit they want, by reading their thoughts. He was so eerie.

A car honks outside.

Garofița: (glances at the window, then back at the ceiling) A guy like that would be useful. Or a rich vampire to adopt me. I could become the bride of a vampire. (obnoxious giggles) But that only happens in books, though. Vampires are gross in real life. That Mirabella lady probably looks ugly as hell. They are corpses, vampires, aren't they? Corpses fueled by blood. That's kinda metal.

A small and squeaky sound can be heard somewhere close. Garofița, Buddy and Walker pause to listen. It's meowing. Garofița gets up to peek out of the window. Walker looks in the direction of the staircase.

Garofița: I can't see it. Is it in the building?

Exit left Garofița, out of the room and out of the apartment.

Walker looks at her as she leaves, then turns his head to look at the backpack, where the rest of the sandwich is. He reaches a hand towards it, without getting up.

Buddy quickly stretches out a front leg, putting his paw over the backpack.

Walker growls. Buddy does not react, remaining in loaf position.

Garofița: (from downstairs) Hiiiiii babyyyyy!

Walker glares at Buddy, teeth bared and one eye squinting. Buddy simply side-eyes him, not even tensing up.

Suddenly Walker lunges at Buddy. Buddy narrowly dodges, running towards the other wall. They have switched places, Walker crashed against the backpack.

Enter Garofița. She is cupping to her chest a small kitten, 5 or 6 weeks old, with black fur and a white patch on its chin, white whiskers and blueish eyes.

Garofița: Walker, what are you doing?

Walker scrambles away from the backpack.

Garofița: We're saving that for later! Bad, Walker, bad!

Walker crawls back to his spot by the wall. Buddy calmly remuses his place by Garofița's blankets. She sits down next to him and gently pets the kitty.

Garofița: (smiling) I found a tiny bebi! (brings the kitten to her cheek) You're so cuuute! Pretty little baby! I love you! (to Buddy and Walker) This is your new baby sister! Be nice to her, alright?

The kitten looks absolutely terrified.

Garofița: Nobody is allowed to eat her, okay?! Who could do that to this cute liddol bébé? Itty bitty bibi! (kisses the top of its head)

Buddy leans closer and sniffs the kitten. Garofița kisses his nose too.

Garofița: Walker, I'd kiss you too, but you're stinky.

He doesn't reply.

Garofița: I'll kiss you when your skin is gone! (while petting the kitty) What should I do with the skin after it rots off? Give it back…? Somehow…? I could find the guy's grave and bury the skin there. That'd be creepy, though… I remember seeing a youtube video about a lady who was born with a sixth toe, and she had it surgically removed but she wanted to keep it because she wanted to be buried with all her body parts. That's a cool idea, kinda. The lady sent the toe over to another witch lady to have it taxidermied. (kisses the kitty again)

Kitty: Mew!

Walker: Mew

The kitty turns to look at Walker, eyes huge.

Garofița: (giggles) It's freaky, isn't it? What should I name you? (holds the kitten up to look at its butt) What should I name you, Miss? (continues petting)

The kitten, eyes still big and concerned, purrs quietly despite herself.

Garofița: I'll name you… Bezea! Because you got a marshmallow on your chinny chin chin! You'll be my Bezeluță!

Act 4

The ground floor from Act 1, shrouded in darkness as it is late at night. A police siren blares in the distance. Thunder in the sky above, announcing the upcoming storm. The atmosphere is tense.

Enter left Adrian and Andrei. They are sneaking around, Adrian very cautious, carrying a bat, and Andrei very nervous.

Andrei: (whispering) Dude, let's just leave already!

Adrian: Shhh! (whispering) It'll be fine! No skin-walkers pass around here, not even foxes or raccoons. If it's a skin-walker, it said in Balint-Rățoi's manual that they don't fight back if they can help it. It's either a skin-walker, something else, or somebody fucking with us.

Andrei: Then let's leave! It's not worth it!

Adrian tries to go towards the staircase but Andrei holds him back.

Adrian: (whispering) Let go!

Another thunder.

Andrei: (whispering) In the manual it talks about skin-walkers the animal! What if it's the Native American kind? The witch kind!

Adrian: (whispering, narrowing his eyes) Dude, what would a native witch be doing in Buttfuck Nowhere, Romania?

Andrei: (whispering) Maybe they got on a boat or something?! Don't just go guns ablazing towards a thing that can copy your voice!

Adrian: (whispering) Okay, even if it's the native witch kind, why would they pretend to be a person? They steal animal skins, not humans'. No?

Andrei: (whispering aggressively) I don't know?! If they can pretend to be animals, what stops them from pretending to be people?

Adrian: (whispering aggressively) I'll be fine!

Andrei: (not letting him go, raising his voice) I'm not letting die here like an idiot!

Adrian: I won't die. You don't die that easily.

Andrei: (exasperated) You're worse than a donkey!

Adrian: (laughs) If I stop a whole skin-walker from threatening our streets, they'll surely reconsider.

Andrei: (surprised, quickly turning into angry) You're doing this for Bălașa?!

Adrian: Yeah.

Andrei: (gesturing with his hands by his own head) They already turned you down, dumbass!!

Adrian: They think I'm a liability! A kid that can't fend for himself! This will show ‘em.

Andrei: YOU ARE A KID!

The sound of police sirens is coming closer. The boys quiet down to look to the right.

Adrian: What the hell?

Andrei: Adi, I swear to God, if my uncle catches us here, I am never talking to you again!

Adrian: Okay, okay, fine!

They make their way to exit through the left, but Adrian suddenly stops and holds out a hand to stop Andrei too. Andrei gasps and looks at him. Adrian looks at him, then left and right. The red and blue lights from police cars are coming closer. Adrian grabs Andrei by the arm and pulls him after him. After some scurrying, they hide behind the staircase. White light from a lighting bolt floods the sky for one second, followed by thunder.

Enter left Dorel Pitaru, one of the escaped cultists through the left. He is wearing his re-baptism robes, crinkly and dirty. He is out of breath.

After him enter two more cultists in similar fashion.

Through the right come red and blue lights.

Dorel: (turning to the other two, eyes darting between them) Where are Nicu and Sandra?

Cultist 1: (catching his breath, hands on his knees) They were caught, brother.

Dorel: And Mariana?

An angry woman's shouting can be heard from the street, along with the sounds of quarrelling and other people telling her to knock it off. The three cultists huddle in the darkness.

Cultist 2: That's her…

Dorel: (voice shaky, eyes watering) What do we do… what do we do… We failed… It's over…

Cultist 1: (energetic) It's not over!

Dorel: Do you see what's happening?! Are you blind? Are you stupid?

Cultist 1: This isn't the time to fight!

Cultist 2: Let's hide upstairs.

Cultist 1: It would be a dead end, though.

Dorel: (crying) It's over, don't you get it?! It has always been over!

Cultist 1: Nonsense!

Dorel: Whether I'm with the cult or I'm not, it's all a disaster! Nothing ever goes right! When I think I can be happy again, I get smacked in the face! Like "how dare you hope"! "You idiot"!

Cultist 1: (softer) Brother, you're not an idiot.

Dorel: (crying harder) I am! Look at me!

Cultist 2: (nervous) Not so loud!

Dorel: I shouldn't have jumped at Gabriel! He was always so nice to me and look what I did! Now we'll all be thrown in jail! I ruin everything! Always! Always!

Cultist 1: (cupping Dorel's face) Brother, none of what you are saying is true! You have done nothing but made all our lives brighter! We need people like you! You understand our plight far better than anybody else.

Dorel: (sniffling) Really?

Cultist 1: Yes! You are truly special! You would not let yourself be swayed by those sheep! Even though you left us all those years ago, your heart was still with us. They think they know better and stomp out anybody who disagrees, anybody who says the truth. And you fought back, first without realising it, and then purposefully, leading our freedom! You are a role model to follow! In fact, we should make you our next leader!

Dorel: (eyes glittering with hope) No way…!

Cultist 1: (smiling satisfied) We survived everything so far, we can do it again, can't we?

Dorel nods, full of determination.

Cultist 2: They're coming!

The three scatter and hide behind walls, chance having it that none chose behind the staircase.

Enter right a third cultist, running in, stumbling and almost falling down. He is followed by officer Flavius and two more policemen, who spread out in a half-moon around him.

Cultist 3: (irate) I won't be taken that easily!

Flavius: Don't make us use force on you too, son.

Cultist 3: You fools! You idiots! If you take us down, you'll only prove us right! We speak the truth and you can't handle it! The wrath of Hali shall befall you all narrow-minded, weak-hearted, lily-livered, foul breath SHEEP!

Policeman 1:: Hali is the name of a lake, stupid!

The third cultist screams and runs towards that policeman. He throws a punch at the cultist, but the cultist eats it and tries to grab his neck. Flavius pulls out a baton and smacks the cultist behind the head. He falters and falls to his knees.

Policeman 2:: Watch out!

Cultist 2 charges from the shadows, jumping on Flavius' back and almost making him fall down, but Flavius turns around and runs backwards towards a wall, crashing into it, making the cultist cry out and cough.

Cultist 1: (running towards Flavius with a knife) For the King!

Flavius dodges in the last second, getting a slice on his cheek. The knife is planted into the concrete wall, the blade snapping. Flavius wastes punches the cultist in the back. Before he can recover the second cop tases him, making him fall down.

Policeman 1:: (handcuffing the third cultist) Who else is there?

Cultist 2: (coughing) We'll never tell you, pig!

Flavius: (handcuffing him and dragging him to his feet) Make up your mind, are we sheep or pigs? (hands him to the second policeman like a ragdoll) Take them to the station. I'll call if I find anything else.

Flavius picks up the first cultist by the back of his robe and carries him out like a bag of potatoes. Exit left with the other policemen and cultists.

Eerie silence as the red and blue lights flash from the right, slowly moving to the left and then disappearing altogether.

Adrian: (whispering) Is it over?

Andrei: (whispering) Where's the other guy?

Andrei glances up the stairs, through the hole in the ceiling leading to the next floor, and, to his horror, he sees half a face in the darkness. The face, pale skin and black eyes, hides away. Andrei hyperventilates, clinging to Adrian.

Adrian: (whispering) What? What is it?

Andrei: Witch! It's witch! It's witch!

A devious idea takes sprout in someone, and a head of black hair very slowly reappears in the hole above them. Too dark to tell features apart, but clearly a face. White fingers hold onto the edges of the concrete, gripping it almost playfully. A white forehead, then dark voids for eyes, open very wide. The black hair spills down and hangs above the boys' heads, almost touching them.

Andrei is nearly crying. Adrian clamps a hand over Andrei's mouth, he himself too scared to move.

Enter right Flavius. The "witch" disappears.

Flavius: (mumbling to himself) Couldn't have gotten too far, the last one.

Dorel slowly, carefully emerges from the darkness behind Flavius, a rock in his hand and great intensity in his eyes. As he gets closer, the wilder his eyes grow, breathing fast, readying himself for what he is about to do, for what he is meant to be.

Andrei: (shouting) Uncle, behind you!

Flavius spins around and sees Dorel charging towards him, rock high above both of their heads, seconds away from making contact. Dorel screams in pain and drops the rock as Adrian runs and hits him with the bat over his spine. Before he can recover, Flavius punches him in the jaw, knocking him out.

Flavius: Jesus H. Christ! That was close!

Adrian: Are you alright, Sir?

Flavius: Yeah… (pause) What the fuck are you two doing here?!

Adrian: Uh, uhh…

Andrei: (running to Adrian's side) We were smoking!

Adrian: Y-Yeah! Cigarettes!

Andrei: Yeah! We, uh, we saw the cultists coming, so we hid nearby!

Flavius: (groans) Just get out of here. I'll deal with you later.

Andrei: Yes, sir!

Adrian: Good night, Sir!

Flavius: Won't be, but thanks.

Dorel lies limply on the ground. Flavius pats his own belt and realises he's out of handcuffs. Exist right, groaning again as he heads outside for his car.

Dorel springs to his feet, is very dizzy, but steadies himself and checks his surroundings.

Flavius: (from outside) Where the hell do you think you're going?!

Dorel dashes away, exit left. Flavius gives chase, but drops the handcuffs and bends over to pick them up, cursing through his teeth.

At the same time, Garofița runs downstairs with Buddy and Walker, Bezea held at her chest and the backpack on her back.

She realises in the last second the coast was not clear.

Flavius looks up and sees a child in the darkness.

Garofița: (teeth bared) HISSSSSS!

Flavius: (stumbling backwards) JESUS FUCK!

Exit right Garofița, Buddy and Walker, they run out the building and across the street towards the train station. Flavius looks in their direction, then Dorel's, then theirs, then screams another curse word and runs after Dorel.

Another thunder explodes in the sky and Garofița's scared wail can be faintly heard in the distance as she runs into the field.

"You Are Not Alone"

The persons of the play

Act 1

Act 2

Act 3

Act 4

Act 5

End.

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