[This was written for the Intro to Drama course offered at FHS.]
--- *DING* You have a message... By J.Z.S. Scene 1: [Scene opens up on a split stage. On one end there is a teen, Hazel Burns; on the other end, dimmer room, there is a visibly older man, Ted Brundy. Hazel is on cell phone, Ted is hunched over a laptop; when a notification dings on Hazels phone.] [Hazel] to herself OMG! That hot guy added me back, on Insta. Maybe I should text him… No! Hazel! He’ll think your desperate! Let me just put a picture on my story that says hit me up… Yeah! Good job Hazel… [Notification dings on Teds laptop] [Ted] Good, fresh meat. Calls someone on phone. Hey, yeah is Ben there? Put him on the phone...now dumbass! Yeah, Ben I found another one. Light skinned, curly hair, tall. Perfect for the buyer in Tokyo. Or wait was it the one in Japan who wanted a stripper? Well whatever she seems easy. I’ll have her to you by the end of the week. No I cannot get her by tomorrow, do I look like UPS? Forget it, you’ll have her whenever I get her. Bye. Reads out loud Hit me up? Don't mind if I do Hazel. Licks lips seductively [Hazel] He texted back! Looks at phone reading messages out loud: Hey, I think you're really pretty. Shrieks, He think I’m pretty! Wow! [Ted] mimicking Hazel I think your hot. Wanna be my boyfriend? Heart emoji. In his normal voice Cute kid, even though she’s kinda stupid. But this just makes my job that much easier... Scene 2: [Someone holds up a sign that reads:SEVERAL MESSAGES LATER] [The Burns family is sitting down for dinner. Hazel is busy texting “Cameron”(ted) under the table.] [Elijah]Who are you talking to? [Hazel] I'm texting, Dad. [Elijah] Who? [Hazel] My friend Cameron from Piscataway. He's a junior and plays volleyball for his high school. [Elijah] Ooh, a junior. Well, he's obviously a very smart kid. Pause LOL. Laugh out loud. Right? [Hazel] thumbs up.Nice one, Dad. [Elijah] confused PWOMS? [Hazel] "Parent watching over my shoulder." [Elijah] pointing And what is that? [Hazel] "Laughing my ass off. Me too." yanks phone out of his hand [Elijah] No, wait. [Hazel] Dad, can you go talk to Mom about mortgage payments or something. [Elijah] All right… [Emilia] Hey, honey? No phones at the table, please. [Hazel] Sorry. Tyrone, will you take a picture of me? [Tyrone] Hey, what did Mom just say? [Hazel] I was just gonna send a photo to Cameron, but okay, forget it. [Tyrone] So, seriously, what's this guy's deal? [Hazel] Well, he's smart. And funny. His brother's being recruited by UC Berkeley for football and that's where he wants to go, but for volleyball. [Tyrone] Oh, right. The girl's sport. What do his parents do? [Hazel] His mom teaches kids with autism and his dad works for ESPN. [Tyrone] I don't know, sis. Sounds like he's got too much going for him. You sure he isn’t a robot? [Hazel] Shut up! Mom can I be excused? [Emilia] Sure hon, go ahead. Scene 3: [Someone holds up another sign:SEVERAL MORE TEXTS LATER] [Hazel is sitting in her room, as her brother stands at the door eavesdropping.] [Hazel] anxiously clutching her cell phone Come on. Cameron. Where are you? [Notification dings on her phone] [Hazel] About time. Hi, Cameron. Ding (reads) I have something I have to tell you. [Hazel]What? Ding (reads) I'm really 20. Sophomore at UC Berkeley. [Hazel] shook What? Twenty? Ding (reads) I didn’t want you to think I was too old or whatever. Do you hate me? [Hazel] hesitates No, it’s cool. I still like you. I guess it was nice of you to try and make me feel comfortable. Ding (reads) Got to go. Ur awesome Hazel. Love you. Smiles. [Door slams] [Hazel] jumpy Wh-What are you doing? [Tyrone] yells I knew it! I knew there was something wrong about that guy! What do you even see in him? [Hazel] It's none of your business… leave me alone. [Tyrone] worried Hazel… you’re only 16. That’s illegal. [Hazel] whispering That’s only if we have sex, and it isn’t like he’s forcing me to do anything. [Tyrone] whispering fiercely You’ve never even met him in person. [Hazel] angrelily Whatever.. [Tyrone] What'd you think about him being older? [Hazel] At first I thought he was 16, okay? And then, all of a sudden he's 20 and I'm like, what? And then we kept talking and I was, like, what's the big deal? But...He gets me, you know? He's not judgmental. He's encouraging. And despite my age difference he still loves me. And he thinks I'm beautiful. [Tyrone] What do you think about him lying about his age? [Hazel] You know, Cameron said that when you connect like we did when you find that soul mate that's the only thing to think about. Don't you believe that when two people are in love nothing else matters? [Tyrone] I can understand how you think you feel, Hazel. But, there are reasons why girls your age and men his aren't supposed to be together. [Hazel] Whatever. He loves me. I know he does. [Tyrone] I’m telling mom and dad. [Hazel] No! Then they won’t let me meet him on Friday! [Tyrone] So your meeting up with him in two days? [Hazel] Yeah… [Tyrone] Where? [Hazel] He said he’d be at that club on Hamilton Street. [Tyrone] But you’re a minor. [Hazel] He said he knew a guy who could get him and me in. Don’t worry I wasn’t planning on drinking anything. Giggles [Tyrone] Fine I won’t tell anyone...walks away from Hazel, mumbling Except for Mom and Dad. Scene 4: [Elijah] So your sister is planning to meet this stranger at a club? [Emilia] And you let her go? [Tyrone] NO! Your not getting it, you need to find out what's going on. You need to call the police or the CSI or even the FBI. [Emilia] Alright, I’ll call Detective Turner. Maybe he can help us understand what Hazel has gotten herself into. [One hour later] [Emilia] Thank you so much Detective Turner, for coming to help us. [Det. Turner] No problems. So from what you explained to me over the phone, I figured that Hazel is talking to an older man on social media? Waits for them to nod. O.k then let's get to work on finding this online predator. They all look confused… [Det. Turner] Oh, sorry the term online predator means a sexual predator who uses chat rooms, instant messaging, or social networking sites for the purpose of flirting with and meeting others for illicit sexual experiences. This seems to be the situation your daughters in. [Emilia] So now what? [Elijah] But what does this man want with my baby girl? [Det. Turner] Probably better to not mention it… [Emilia] gasps Oh, my poor baby. [Det. Turner] It’s alright, I’ll figure it out. So she was using instagram to contact this man? Ok then there are two ways to find him. We could either track him through his I.P. address, or we could just follow Hazel to their meeting place, and catch him red handed in the act. [Elijah] Alright we’ll be ready. [The next day] Scene 5: [Hazel] typing on the phone Cameron? Where have you been? Ding (reads) Around… Ding (reads) are we still on for today? Smiles, texting Of course babe. I can’t wait to meet you! Ding (reads) so… does anyone know about us? Texting No why? Ding (reads) No reason can’t wait to hold you in my arms. [One hour later] [In this closing scene, the lights dim and everything is done wordlessly. Dramatic music plays in the background. Ted attempts to kidnap Hazel, but Tyrone intercepts him, giving Detective Turner time to handcuff Ted to a pole.] [Hazel sits on a bench, anxiously waiting for Cameron (Ted) to show up to the meeting place. The family is hiding in different places on the stage, Det. Turner is holding a walkie talkie, waiting for backup. Ted walks up behind Hazel, sitting down in the creepiest way possible.] [Ted] Hazel? Is that you? [Hazel] distant Yeah. Who are you? [Ted] It’s me Cameron. [Hazel] shook No---No! [Ted] holding onto either shoulder, preventing Hazel from pulling away. Hey, you. God, I can't believe it's really you. Look at you. You're gorgeous. [Hazel] Is this a joke? [Ted] What? No it’s me Cameron. What wrong? [Hazel] You’re not 20… [Ted] Oh. Well, hey. Don't get upset. Hazel, please. Just give me a chance to explain. It's me, Cameron. I'm sorry, I, but-- Okay, all right. You're right. I just couldn't think of a way to tell you. You have to believe me. Hazel, please. Please? Don't get upset. You're killing me here. Hazel? It's still me. Okay? Forget the age thing. All that stuff that we talked about? All the things that we shared? It's me. Cameron. I'm sitting right here next to you. [Hazel] Why do you keep lying to me? [Ted] Because of this. I was, I was afraid that you wouldn't be mature enough to understand. Hazel, when you connect with someone the way that we connected when you find a soulmate the way that we found each other then nothing else matters. I thought you were old enough to understand that. I mean, you made me think you could handle this, Hazel. I mean, this is ridiculous. I mean, it's me, Cameron. The same guy that you've been talking to every day and every night for the last two months. I love you. Hazel. And I don't get why age has to change that. Can we just walk a bit? Huh? Talk a little bit more. Just for a couple of minutes before I have my long drive back to the airport? Come on. Just-- I was just looking forward to seeing you so much. I thought we were friends at least, Hazel. This remind you of anything? I was just thinking that. Your year abroad in London. All these American students come in. I saw this girl. Love at first sight. And I ended up here with you. [Hazel] O.k., let’s go. Holds out hand, unsure of whether or not what was happening was ok. [Family and Det. come out. Ted tries to run, but Tyron trips him up, giving Det. Turner enough time to capture him. Movie dramatic music plays in the background. Everyone exits the stage, except for Hazel.] [Hazel’s Monologue]I got lucky. I had people who loved her enough to get help. Some girls aren’t so lucky; take Kayleigh Haywood, 15, was raped and killed by landscape gardener Stephen Beadman in November 2015 after being bombarded with messages on Facebook and other social media sites for around two weeks by 28-year-old Luke Harlow. That could have been me. I could have been found dead in an apartment, or behind a bar too drugged and too drunk to defend myself. But it didn’t happen like that. The man who tried to kidnap me, the person I thought was Cameron, was arrested, and I got the phycological help I needed. Because not only did Ted invade my heart, but he became my breath, my life, my everything. He convinced me, made me think that without him I was nothing. That I was ugly. That I wasn’t worth anything. But now I understand. So learn from what I did wrong and don’t make the same mistakes I did. Watch out, the internet can hurt you just as much as it can help. [END] J.Z.S., or Johany, is a 9th grader at FHS. She is an aspiring author currently working on short stories, poems, and a novel. Her love for works expands towards all types of literature, but especially classic novels.
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About Epiphany
Epiphany Literary Magazine is a safe space for students at Franklin High School to share their creativity. Archives '16-'20
June 2020
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