Team Phonic Phantom
Actor: G.T. Blackwell, YamiKakyuu, Nath Barber, Jamie Petronis, Lars McColl, Shaun Pellington
Sound Design: Shaun Pellington
Director: Shaun Pellington
Writer: G.T. Blackwell, Claire Dinnebier
Producer: Shaun Pellington
SCENE 1
Characters:
CASEY
Friend
Setting:
Friend’s basement – game room
CASEY and FRIEND are playing a platformer of some kind. The conversation is intermittently broken by the cartoony sounds of INSECT LEGS CRAWLING, a SWORD SWIPING, INSECT/BONE SCATTERING , and the CLATTER of controllers as the two play a video game.
<FRIEND>
I can’t believe you’ve never played Legends of Aegina. It’s amazing!
CASEY
But myrmidons are so gross. They’re just ants but worse. Every morning this summer I’ve been shaking them out of my shoes. Why would I want to play a game about one?
<FRIEND>
Because it’s awesome.
CASEY
(appeasing Friend)
Okay, sure.
<CASEY> taps on the screen of a phone, accompanied by HAPTIC FEEDBACK.
<CASEY>
And it’s okay with your parents if I have this?
<FRIEND>
Pfft. I didn’t ask them. They got me a new phone so that one’s just going in the trash. Better for you to have it. You won’t have data or anything but you can connect to wifi. And actually get DMs. Finally. Just don’t let your parents know.
<CASEY>
Obviously. What’s your streamer name again?
<FRIEND>
LucifersTempest69.
<CASEY> bursts into laughter.
<FRIEND>
What? That’s badass.
<CASEY>
(appeasing again)
Okay, sure.
<CASEY> continues tapping on the screen.
<CASEY>
What other stuff do people stream?
<FRIEND>
I don’t know. Everything? Just scroll around.
<CASEY>
This guy’s playing guitar.
A guitar STRUMS atonally.
<FRIEND>
Blegh. Not well.
<CASEY>
Next.
A low fire CRACKLES.
<FRIEND>
What is that?
<CASEY>
Phoenix eggs.
(pause)
Why would you bother streaming just phoenix eggs?
<FRIEND>
Whatever… Whoa, whoa! Stop there!
Slow, monotonous, Latin CHANTING by a CHORUS of voices–accompanied by synthesised beats can be heard low in the background
<FRIEND>
What are they saying?
<CASEY>
I can’t tell.
(gasps)
Is that a strix hanging over the altar?
<FRIEND>
(slightly awed)
No way.
More HAPTIC FEEDBACK.
<FRIEND>
Don’t message them!
<CASEY>
What? Who cares?
<FRIEND>
Don’t send that. You never met a strix.
A SWOOSH accompanies CASEY sending the comment on the stream.
CASEY
Yes I did.
(pause)
Wait, they wrote back!
(reading)
“Strixes don’t usually like people. You must be very special. What’s your name?”
More HAPTIC FEEDBACK.
<FRIEND>
Don’t send them your name!
CASEY
What?
<FRIEND>
You really don’t…
(sighs)
Whatever.
(laughs)
One of them just tripped!
(pause)
Hang on…
<FRIEND> SHUFFLES on the couch.
<FRIEND>
(cont.)
Holy shit! Is that your dad?!
CASEY
No, it isn’t.
<FRIEND>
It is! What?! I knew your parents were weird but–
CASEY
They’re not weird!
<FRIEND>
That is your dad. Chanting. And… swaying. In front of a big stuffed strix. On an altar.
CASEY
No, it isn’t!
<FRIEND>
They sent another message…
SCENE 2
The cult sends members to soft-recruit CASEY, having realized that they are the subject of the cult’s guiding prophecy. CASEY and PARENTS refuse.
Characters:
CASEY
Parent 1
Parent 2
Cult Member 1 (Livewitch_X – Geoff) – muscle
Cult Member 2 (_secretstreamer_ – Shaun) – the one who can manipulate the best
Cult Member 3 (Peakworship8 – Yami) – leader
Setting:
CASEY’s home – front room
The PARENTS are on a phone call. PARENT 1 whispers:
<PARENT 1>
There was nothing I could do. I tried to talk them into coming back on another day but Livewitch_X put her foot in the door and they all just shoved past me! They’re all in the living room now…I’m not sure how much longer I can keep them busy. You have to hurry!
<PARENT 2>
(over the phone)
Already on my way. Stay safe, love.
Parent 2 disconnects the call
<PARENT 1>
(desperately trying to calm themself down and failing)
Okay. Okay. Deep breaths…
(pause)
LIVEWITCH_X speaks from behind them. PARENT 1 didn’t hear them approach
LIVEWITCH_X
Will your spouse be joining us?
<PARENT 1>
(startled)
Gah! Yes…they said uh they’ll be home in a couple minutes.
LIVEWITCH_X
Excellent! Then we can begin. Would you please go and fetch your child?
<PARENT 1>
Shouldn’t we wait for…
LIVEWITCH_X
Please get your child. Now.
<PARENT 1>
(hesitant, slightly raised voice)
Sweetie? Would you come down here for a second?
Sound of CASEY coming down the stairs
<CASEY>
Yes? What’s up? I’m busy you know…
(pause. They see the three CULT MEMBERS)
….Oh.
(Another, shorter pause)
Who are they?
LIVEWITCH_X
(hurrying to answer the question before PARENT 1)
We’re your parents’ coworkers! My name is Livewitch_X. We talked during the stream, remember?
<CASEY>
Oh, right. You’re the people with the Strix.
_SECRETSTREAMER_
That’s right! Is it really true that you have actually seen a living one before?
<PARENT 1>
(interrupting and stalling)
No, it’s not. I don’t know why they would even say that. That’s ridiculous
Keys JINGLE outside and the front door OPENS, then CLOSES. PARENT 2 enters the room, clearly out of breath.
ALL CULT MEMBERS
Greetings 3quentWatcher
<PARENT 2>
Apologies,…great administrators. I came as…fast…as I could.
CASEY
Do you all have names like that?
PEAKWORSHIP8
We do indeed, Casey! My name is Peakworship8 and now that both your legal guardians are present, I would like to make you an offer. How would you like to get some…work experience with our company? We work on the internet’s infrastructure
<PARENT 2>
Not interested
<PARENT 1>
Casey is too young
CASEY
(makes that sound teenies make when they think their parents are extremely embarrassing)
Ugh. You always say that when it’s about the internet.
LIVEWITCH_X
Do they now?
That’s not very fair of them…
CASEY
No! It’s not.
PEAKWORSHIP8
The Internet is a great blessing! To withhold that blessing from you seems…strange. Perhaps almost…cruel even.
_SECRETSTREAMER_
You’re a teenager after all. Every fifteen-year old should know how the internet works.
CASEY
I’m 16 actually.
_SECRETSTREAMER_
(feigning surprise)
Ooooh. That makes it even worse if you ask me! You’re almost an adult, aren’t you? And an adult can make their own decisions… like spending more time online with…
(small pause)
…friends.
<PARENT 2>: They’re not even close to making those decisions alone
<PARENT 1>: We won’t allow it!
CASEY
(increasingly frustrated)
Why not?!
Silence.
<PARENT 2>
Casey. Go back upstairs.
CASEY
But…
<PARENT 2>
GO.
Shocked, confused and hurt, CASEY begrudgingly leaves. The PARENTS now round on the CULT MEMBERS.
<PARENT 2>
How dare you. How DARE you! Just come in here, in our home…
LIVEWITCH_X
How dare WE? After you’ve hidden Casey’s connection with the strix from us for years?!
_SECRETSTREAMER_
We’ve been searching all this time and you knew–
PEAKWORSHIP8
Enough! What’s done is done. They cannot change the past. What matters now is the child. You must let Casey come with us.
<PARENT 1>
You can’t expect us to just give over our–
PEAKWORSHIP8
You must! You knew the possibilities when you committed to serve the Entity. You cannot back out now, when the prophecy is so close to fruition. When true control of the Entity and its powers is nearly in our grasp!
<PARENT 2>
Get out. The Entity has no power in this house. I made sure of that.
PEAKWORSHIP8
Have you? It goes everywhere the network goes.
<PARENT 2>
This house is disconnected.
PEAKWORSHIP8
Of course it is.
phone <FRIEND> gave CASEY BUZZES.
SCENE 3
After the cult is thwarted in their effort to recruit CASEY voluntarily, several cult members enter the home in the dead of night and, despite PARENTS’ best efforts, they succeed in kidnapping CASEY. The tension and action have escalated from the creepy inferences and power games of the prior scene. Cult members seem to lurk in every shadow, hoping to steal CASEY away.
Characters:
CASEY
Parent 1
Parent 2
Cult Member 1 (Livewitch_X)
Cult Member 2 (_secretstreamer_)
Cult Member 3 (PeakWorship8)
Setting:
CASEY’s home
CASEY is sleeping, SNORING softly. Elsewhere in the house something CLATTERS to the floor. A flurry of HUSHED, INDECIPHERABLE VOICES can briefly be heard through the floor.
<PARENT 1>
(suddenly awake in the next room)
Hon? Wake up. I think I heard something.
Somewhere, floorboards CREAK.
<PARENT 2>
(still shaking off sleep)
I’ll go check.
<PARENT 2>’s CAREFUL FOOTSTEPS recede down a hall.
Silence.
Silence that lasts too long.
Suddenly, HURRIED FOOTSTEPS approach CASEY’s bedroom and the door CREAKS open.
(Throughout the rest of the scene, Casey, <Parent 1>, and <Parent 2> speak in whispers unless otherwise indicated.)
<PARENT 2>
(hushed-but-urgent whisper)
Casey, wake up.
CASEY
(muffled half-words)
Mm… issn… tired.
<PARENT 2>
(more forcefully)
Get up.
CASEY
Wha– What’s going on?
<PARENT 2>
Shh! Put this on. Hurry!
There’s a RUMPLE of fabric being tossed on Casey’s bed.
<PARENT 2>
Don’t forget your shoes. We’ll need to run.
More FOOTSTEPS come down the hall.
<PARENT 1>
Hon? What–
<PARENT 2>
They’re here for Casey. We have to go. Now.
CASEY
Who’s here? What’s going on?
<PARENT 1>
There’s no time. Just do as we say.
CASEY
But–
<PARENT 2>
Not now!
Elsewhere in the house, NUMEROUS FOOTSTEPS climb the stairs.
<PARENT 2>
We can go through our room and onto the deck.
<PARENT 1>
Come on, Casey. Let’s go.
The three SHUFFLE hurriedly out of the room.
<PARENT 2>
Shut the doors. It’ll slow them down a bit.
The door to CASEY’s bedroom CLICKS shut. They hurry down the hall, trying to STEP as softly as they can.
One of Casey’s parents OPENS the door to their bedroom.
Elsewhere, the FOOTSTEPS and INDECIPHERABLE VOICES grow louder.
A deadbolt clicks and the door leading onto the deck OPENS out from the back of the house. NIGHTTIME SOUNDS can be heard; wind WHISTLES through trees, insects CHIRP, maybe the HOOT of an owl(?).
<PARENT 2>
Quickly. Come on.
The wooden boards of the deck CREAK under their feet.
<PARENT 1>
Almost there. Once we’re through the gate, you run, okay, Casey?
CASEY
Okay.
Their footsteps continue to CREAK on the deck.
Suddenly the tense calm of the night is broken by a RINGTONE, the phone Casey’s friend gave as a gift has betrayed them.
<PARENT 1>
(panic)
Casey, no!
<PARENT 2>
(dismayed)
Where did you get–
Quick FOOTSTEPS approach on the grass.
LIVEWITCH_X
(shouting)
I’ve got them! Around back!
THUD.
<PARENT 1>
(screaming)
No!
<PARENT 1>’s scream echoes into silence.
SCENE 4
The cult members have taken CASEY to their compound, a facility filled with “smart” technology in acknowledgement of the Entity’s presence in the Internet. CASEY attempts to escape, eventually with PARENT 1’s help. PARENT 2 either a) sacrifices themselves so CASEY and PARENT 1 can escape or b) is won over by the cult members and betrays CASEY and PARENT 1. Either way, PARENT 2 will not survive the scene. (The audience POV stays with CASEY at all times, though at least PARENT 1 is working to rescue them. The audience is only made aware of that obliquely, if at all.) The tension and action have escalated yet again. Within the compound, the power of the Entity can be manifested through the building’s networked technology. Between the Entity’s control of the building and the cult members that seem to be everywhere, there is nowhere to hide.
Characters:
CASEY
Parent 1
Parent 2
Cult Member 1 (Livewitch_X)
Cult Member 2 (_secretstreamer_)
Cult Member 3 (Peakworship8)
Setting:
Compound
The cult’s compound is brimming with technology. Something electronic, “smart,” or mechanical is always happening behind the scenes. With that in mind, it should sound something like a spaceship or submarine.
CASEY is panicked, BREATHING HEAVILY, bare feet PACE back and forth on a hard floor <stone, tile, linoleum, wood?>.
A door opens with a MECHANICAL SHUNK and FOOTSTEPS approach.
PEAKWORSHIP8
It’s time, Casey.
CASEY SCRAMBLES away from them.
PEAKWORSHIP8
Livewitch, why don’t you help Casey out.
LIVEWITCH_X
(voice dripping)
Happily.
LIVEWITCH_X’s heavy FOOTSTEPS approach.
CASEY THROWS something and makes a BREAK FOR IT.
LIVEWITCH_X is STRUCK in the face.
LIVEWITCH_X
Argh!
PEAKWORSHIP8
What?! Casey!
LIVEWITCH_X
Myrmidons! They’re all over me.
There’s a STRUGGLE but CASEY breaks free and RUNS.
BREATHING HEAVILY, CASEY sprints down a corridor.
<CULT MEMBER 4>
Stop!
<CULT MEMBER 5>
They’re escaping!
Somewhere in the distance PARENT 2 can be heard.
<PARENT 2>
Casey, run! This way!
<PARENT 1>
Don’t look back!
A loud CHUNK reverberates through the walls, followed by a quickly deepening ELECTRONIC HUM as numerous devices power down.
<PARENT 1>
Oh no.
CASEY
Where are you? It’s too dark!
<PARENT 1>
I’m here, Casey. Follow my voice.
But PARENT 1s voice suddenly seems, to be coming from everywhere as the Entity replays the same sound through the speakers. The location of the sound shifts wildly and disoriented CASEY
RECORDING OF <PARENT 1>
I’m here, Casey.
(from elsewhere)
–here, Casey.
(and again)
Oh no.
Follow my voice.
Casey.
–my voice.
Follow–
–Casey.
Casey, BREATHING HARD as the panic increases, STEPS uncertainly in fits and starts toward the voices that call from different directions.
<PARENT 2>
This way, Casey!
RECORDING OF <PARENT 1>
Follow my voice.
–here–
–Casey.
RECORDING OF <PARENT 2>
This way–
PARENT 1
Don’t listen, Casey!
PARENT 2
It’s trying to trick you. We’re this way!
RECORDING OF <PARENT 1>
–Casey!
RECORDING OF <PARENT 2>
We’re–
–trying to–
–to trick you.
RECORDING OF <PARENT 1>
–Casey!
RECORDING OF <PARENT 2>
–this way!
A door OPENS somewhere to admit a cult member.
There is a rush of FOOTSTEPS and a THUD before a body FALLS to the floor.
<PARENT 2>
(straining)
This way! I’ve got the door.
The FOOTSTEPS of CASEY and PARENT 1 reverberate around the room as they head for the exit.
<PARENT 2>
Hurry! It’s trying to close!
RECORDING OF <PARENT 2>
–close! This way!
CASEY and PARENT 1 break into a RUN.
<PARENT 2>
It’s slipping. I can’t hold it–
CASEY and PARENT 1 GRUNT as they pass through the door.
PARENT 2 SCREAMS and there is a MECHANICAL SHUNK punctuated by bones BREAKING.
<CASEY>
NO!
<PARENT 1>
Oh, god.
<PARENT 1> STRUGGLES with CASEY.
<CASEY>
We can’t just leave him!
<PARENT 1>
We have to go. There’s no time!
The pair STUMBLES into a stairwell. Their footfalls echo up the shaft.
<PARENT 1>
Help me with this door! It’s fighting me!
<CASEY>
C’mon, c’mon!
The two GRUNT against the DOOR as it CREAKS and GROANS. The Entity is trying to lock them in. The GROAN of the motor driving the door rises to almost a ROAR.
CASEY and <PARENT 1> SCRAMBLE against the concrete.
They burst outside, their feet CRUNCH on gravel.
<PARENT 1>
Help me with this cable! We can trap them in!
There’s a STRAIN of metal before a cable snaps, spewing SPARKS.
SCENE 5 – Coda
Having escaped the cult and fended off the Entity (for now?), CASEY and PARENT 1 resolve to begin the hard work of building a new life from the ruins.
Characters:
CASEY
Parent 1
Setting:
Vacant lot outside utility shed
CASEY and PARENT 1 CATCH THEIR BREATH.
<PARENT 1> bursts into TEARS.
CASEY
Why didn’t you tell me?!
<PARENT 1>
We wanted to keep you safe.
CASEY
You could have at least lied to me.
<PARENT 1>
It’ll be okay. We made it. We’re safe now. We’re safe.
CASEY
Why didn’t you just lie to me?
SNIFFLES and GASPING BREATHS slowly fade.
RECORDING OF <PARENT 2>
(softly)
–trick you–
–Casey.
–this way–