All Nonfiction
- Bullying
- Books
- Academic
- Author Interviews
- Celebrity interviews
- College Articles
- College Essays
- Educator of the Year
- Heroes
- Interviews
- Memoir
- Personal Experience
- Sports
- Travel & Culture
All Opinions
- Bullying
- Current Events / Politics
- Discrimination
- Drugs / Alcohol / Smoking
- Entertainment / Celebrities
- Environment
- Love / Relationships
- Movies / Music / TV
- Pop Culture / Trends
- School / College
- Social Issues / Civics
- Spirituality / Religion
- Sports / Hobbies
All Hot Topics
- Bullying
- Community Service
- Environment
- Health
- Letters to the Editor
- Pride & Prejudice
- What Matters
- Back
Summer Guide
- Program Links
- Program Reviews
- Back
College Guide
- College Links
- College Reviews
- College Essays
- College Articles
- Back
Fountain of Betrayal
Author's note:
This is the longest piece I have written, and it's the second piece I've ever submitted, so it may not be very good or inspiring, but I'm still proud of it.
The Fountain of Betrayal
By Owen Brandt
(A party of four adventurers down a dungeon
“hallway” searching for something, one of the
members suggest that they split up when the
curtain rises with only a spotlight illuminating
the cast)
Cast List:
Gregory(blackjack) the rogue
Calem(chowda’) the knight
Jess the wizard
Val the bard
Gregory
Chowda’, how long ‘ave we been walken’ down this stupid dungeon. It feels like it’s been days.
Calem
(Turns around to look at Gregory and stops)
Stop calling me that, I’m not a clam, and we’ve only been down here a few hours at most. We
haven’t even had lunch yet, and I’m not hungry, so we aren’t eating yet. (Turns back around and
looks at a map he pulls out) The fountain should be just down one of the upcoming hallways.
Jess
(annoyed)
Or that stupid dwarf gave us a faulty map. We’ve been chasing this darn thing for weeks and my
feet still hurt from the mountains. Why didn’t the guide tell us there would be angry goblins that
like to set up stupid traps.
Val
(optimistically, in an attempt to bring the mood up)
We’re almost there, you guys(claps once, with an arm pendulum swing for enthusiasm). I can
feel it, just up ahead. Should I play something to lighten the mood?
Everyone Else
(angrily)
NO!!
Val
(disappointedly)
Ok…(looks down at the ground disheartened, but begins to play her fiddle anyways very quietly)
Everyone Else
(even more angrily)
NO MEANS NO, VAL!!
Val
(stops playing suddenly in response)
(downtrodden)
Soooorryyyy… It’s just that it’s seriously dreary down here, and I wanted to brighten up the
place with some tunes.
2
(The group walks up to a painted wall that looks like the dungeon, but splits the paths and
reaches off stage)
Gregory
(grumpily, then excitedly)
Well we’re not in the mood for it, Val. Now shad’ up and let’s split up, cuz’ we’ve got two paths in
front of us and only one leads to that dang fountain. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE!! We can save
all o’ them with that wata’: Mary, Joel, Calem’s reputation.
Calem
(shocked and insulted)
HEY!! You know I don’t do well with alcohol!
Jess and Val
*Chuckle*
Calem
(angrily)
Alright that’s it! Greg, you and Val are going down that passage(points left) while Jess and I take
this one.(points right) If something happens, just call out for us and we’ll meet back here to fight
whatever you two can’t kill. Which shouldn’t be too much.
Greg
(mischievously)
Val would be the perfect distraction for me stab somethin’ in the back, now wouldn’t it?
Val
(annoyed and insulted)
Greg! I can handle myself! If anything, Calem should be more worried about Jess and her
misfires. My hair is still growing back!
(Jess is about to retort when Calem interrupts and ends the arguments)
Calem
(Angrily)
ENOUGH! Everyone just get going, report back here in about two hours, and we’ll tell each
other what we found. Come on Jess. (Jess and Calem walk behind the separating wall, and
Greg and Val walk in front of it off stage) *in the background* if I had a copper for every time he
*grumble grumble grumble*…
(Scene changes, with the wall being pulled off the stage, stage right, and the fountain is put in its
place, with a spotlight on it, to emphasize its importance, with the sound of running water being
the only diatomic sound before the characters enter, and a slow, legato score the sounds like
ballroom music playing being the non-diatomic sound and Greg and Val enter from stage left)
Greg
(grumpily)
… and if Calem weren’t so dang humorless I would be able to…(turns around to face the
fountain) Hold it Val!(reaches out and stops Val, nearly closelining her in the process)
Val
(suprised)
OW! (looks up at Greg)What was that… (turns and looks at the fountain) for? Well…
Greg
(finishing her sentence)
3
...Wouldja’ look at that. Do ya’ think it’s real, or are we just too delirious from this heck that Calem
made us trudge through ta’ tell otherwise?
Val
(nervously)
Only one way to find out. (begins to tiptoe towards the fountain)
Greg
(grabs her arm and pulls her back)
Wait!
Val
(surprised)
OW! Again, ow, Greg. What was that one for?
Greg
We forgot to check for traps. (begins tiptoeing forward and the instruments play violin plucks in
time with the tiptoes and Val starts tiptoeing behind him out of time.)
Val
(nervously)
Careful… Careful (Tuba Blares to represent her stepping on a pressure plate directly in the
middle of the stage). Um, Greg? (Whispers) A little help please?
(Greg turns over his left shoulder and flinches to show his fear)
Greg
Okay Val, don’t move, I don’t want you bringing the roof down on the both of us. I’ll come over to
you, and don’t start panic singing, we don’t need you drawing any attention to us either.
(Greg begins tiptoeing over to Val a lot more carefully and the violins start playing Jaws in a
higher key and slower to match Greg’s feet landing as he inches toward Val)
Val:
(starts to sing opera to mess with Greg)
*chuckles* Not like I CaaaAAAnnnnn do anythiiiIIIIng. You expect me to go anywhere when I
might get us both squished more than fresh foot grape juice? Eyuck!
Greg:
(fed up)
Shut up, Val.
(Greg pulls out a bag and shakes it, with the bag making the sound of marbles and metal balls,
and does an Indiana Jones bit and gingerly places the bag at Val’s feet, with the tuba playing
another low blast, to signify the threat is over and Val removes her feet from the area)
Val:
(gleefully)
Haha! (spreads out arms in a taunting way and says to the trap) Nice try ancient dungeon, but
I’m rockin’ with the rogue! (tries to hug Greg)
(Greg holds her back)
Greg
*Sighs Aggressively* Can we focus on my prize first? We almost died, and I’m NOT IN THE
MOOD!
Val
(Recoils in shock) (dejected)
4
Oh… sorry. Well at least we’re alive. (hangs her head) I just wanted a hug.
Greg
(angrily)
And I wanted treasure, and it’s RIGHT THERE: the one thing I came on this stupid quest for,
and I am not about to die right at the finish line. So stay quiet, stay directly behind me and let’s
make sure this fountain is the actual one this time and not like one that turned that zealot of a
knight into a talking beaver.
Val
*Giggles* That was pretty funny though, you have to admit. He was so mad that he literally
began stress gnawing on his own sword.
Greg
*Chuckles* We should’a just left im’ like that. The journey would’a been SO much more
enjoyable for me. And would have been absolute AGONY for poor missy magic back there.
Val
It’s not her fault! But yeah, those two can be really annoying after a while. I mean, at least you
LISTEN to my music when you’re in a good mood.
Greg
You’re a surprisingly good singer and artist, but you don’t know when to stop. This journey has
really dragged on and on,(counts off on his left hand as he talks) and I’ve heard all your styles,
seen every spell, heard every story, but I haven’t gotten every treasure yet, (points aggressively
and whirls around to face Val) which is the only thing keeping me going on this dang journey
for that(points to the fountain) stupid fountain.
Val
(Disheartened)
I… I didn’t realize that…
Greg
(furious)
That what? I didn’t genuinely care about everyone? That self-righteous asshat and little miss foot
kisser are the worst people to stay with for extended periods of time, and I have no idea how
many times I have to reiterate how much I hate those two? Do you have any idea how much I
just want to get this over with? Just a drink from that fountain and this will all be over, provided
it’s the right one.
(Greg turns around to reach the fountain and Val reaches out and grabs his shoulder)
Val
Wait a bit, I’ll do it.
Greg
(menacingly)
And what makes you think I’ll let you do that?
Val
(defiant)
I’m the one with the anti-curse charm. I’m a bard after all. What if it turns you into a monkey or
something?
(Greg puts a hand on his chin and strokes it ponderously then looks up at Val)
Greg
5
Fine, go on. I don’t want to be cursed and have ol’ mister (jazz hands of sarcasm)“for the
crusade” being on the delivering end of a running joke.
(Val claps her hands gleefully, and begins to move slowly towards the fountain and then stops
as the spotlight above Greg turns red and he pulls a prop knife out of his right pocket and looks
at it, and examines it, contemplating what to do with it and then looks up at Val’s back)
Val
(takes a drink)
Honestly, I can’t really tell. It might just be a normal... wait(Val’s spotlight turns blue, stays like
that for three seconds, then returns to white), so that felt good. I think this is the right one! We
found it, Greg! Let’s go tell the oth…(Greg stabs her) GAAAAaaaahhh!!
Greg
( pulls out and wipes the fake knife off on his shirt)
Sorry, Val, but this fountain has to be mine. I can’t let everyone know where this thing is now that
we’ve, sorry, I’ve found it. I’ll just have to tell them you died and the fountain was cursed.
Val
Bastard*HACK*
Greg
(solemnly)
You have no idea how right you are. (exits stage left being careful to tiptoe past the trapped area)
(Val stumbles towards the fountain and falls face first into it, and then end scene, the curtain
falls, and the props for the first scene are then placed back where they were as Greg enters
from front stage right spotlight still red and Calem and Jess enter from behind the wall running
and winded a few seconds after Greg, winded. The knight and Jess place their hands on their
knees to look as exhausted as possible)
Jess
What *pant* happened *pant*? We heard a rumble and ran back as quickly as we could. And
where’s *pant* Val? Wasn’t she with you?(points to Greg’s left side rising up from her hunched over state)
Calem
Greg I swear if you did something to her…
Greg
(sounding panicked)
She stepped on a trap and I ran, and now she’s dead. Arrow trap straight to the gut. Nothin’ I
coulda’ done to save her, Jess is the one with the healing magic. (few second pause) What
happened to you two.?
Jess
Oh you know, some skeletons, a collapsing ceiling(a look of realization comes over her) WAIT
SHE’S DEAD!? Did you even try to stabilize her condition at all?
Greg
(now visibly frustrated, spreads his arms out to show that he’s frustrated)
No! There was nothing I could do! The arrow went straight through and I tried to staunch the
bleeding(shows bloody part of shirt to them), but she had already lost too much and I didn’t want
to die there, so I left.
Calem
6
(very angrily)
And you didn’t even think to bring the body for a proper burial!?
Greg
DID I FORGET TO MENTION THE PART WHERE SHE TRIGGERED AN ARROW ROOM
TRAP!? WAS I SUPPOSED TO RISK MY OWN SKIN FOR THE SAKE OF THIS
GOD-FORSAKEN QUEST AND A PERSON THAT I NEVER EVEN CARED TO KNOW!? We
should just leave. For all we know the place is cursed and she got brought back as a zombie or
something.
Jess
(panicking and pacing)
Crapcrapcrapcrapcrap!! Do you realize what this means, Greg?
Greg
(shrugs and says in a jokingly sarcastic tone)
That we have one less mouth to feed?
(Jess punches Greg in the jaw)
Jess
No, blackjack, it means that we lost the only person keeping us both sane and insane on this
seemingly infinite road courtesy of Mr. I-wanna-be-immortal back in Lockamir Town, and we
have no one to motivate us when Mr. Righteous Fury here forces us to do hard labor just to
build(voices rises and turns slowly for dramatic effect to face Calem) ANOTHER
ORPHANAGE!! Do you realize the conditions in those places are squalid beyond pigsty levels,
do you? AND YOU WANT TO BUILD MORE OF THEM!?
Calem
(defensive)
Why are you turning this on me!? This conversation is about Greg and how much of a friend
leaving coward HE is, not me! (turns around and begins pouting) And also how would you
know?
Jess
Because I LIVED IN ONE OF THOSE DANG THINGS FOR TEN YEARS!! (begins chanting to
cast a spell and leans back as if she’s about to dramatically blow something away with super
breath) Amadus, infernum…
(Greg tackles Jess and the knight jumps back in surprise)
Greg
We are NOT about to descend to infighting right now! (looks up as if contemplating
something)Although it would be pretty funny to see Iron Undies here get cooked like a chicken in
an oven. (Faces Calem and begins mocking him) Buck, buck, BUCAW!! Heheheh.
Calem
Look who’s talking, corpse ditcher.
Greg
I did not ditch her, I weighed my life against her dead body, and decided that chasing down a
corpse in a dangerous room was not worth potentially becoming one! How many times do I
have to reiterate that, Chowda’?(Gets off of Jess)
Calem
Ok, ok. I get it, I get it. She’s dead, and there was nothing you could…
7
(Val charges in stage right and punches Greg)
Val
BASTARD!!
Greg
(confused and surprised)
VAL!?
Val
(furious)
DON’T YOU START WITH ME, BLACKJACK!! (Jess and Calem are looking back and forth
between Greg and Val, very confused)
Jess
(confused)
I must be seeing things. Val!?
Calem
(looks at Jess)
Oh, ok, you see her too? I thought I was the only one.
Val
You’re not seeing things. This girl is genuinely about to slice Greg into a bunch of tiny pieces!
Greg
(pulls out his knife)
*sighs* Looks like I’ll have to dirty my hands again. No use trying to fool these idiots twice and in
person. Not even they are stupid enough to fall for it twice. (twirls knife) Y’know, I was going to
do this whole bit accusing you of being a ghost or something, but this is more fun. (Val draws
her short sword) But before we begin, tell me? How’d ya’ do it? Live a knife stab to the gut?
Calem
(draws his long sword)
WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO GREG!?
Greg
(sarcastically)
Well what do ya’ think, she literally said she got stabbed in the gut, so of course I decapitated
her.
Calem
(tries to charge Greg)
Son of A… (Val holds her arm out and stops him and Jess bolts up)
Val
(very angrily)
He’s mine. (swings down at Greg)
(Sword fight begins with Greg backstepping Val’s sword as the music crescendos into an
intense piece as Greg lunges forward to stab and Val sidesteps it as they move stage left,
swinging and dodging as they go to give themselves some more space and the audience a
better view, as more spotlights flash onto them)
Greg
(dodges another swing)
You still haven’t answered my question. Heeya! (stabs and Val dodges) How did you make it?
8
Val
(pulls out her fiddle and begins playing as her spotlights turn blue and dodges another swing)
You forgot to read the room and threw me down directly next to a fountain that I said felt really
invigorating to drink from, so what do you think happened!?
(Greg lands a hit but it glances off, resulting in him falling forward and towards the front of the
stage, and Val’s spotlight returns to normal)
Greg
(frustrated)
Oh, that’s right, I’m fighting the BARD!!
Jess
(to Calem)
Should we be helping her?
Val
(angrily)
He’s mine! Stay out of this, Jess!
(Greg bolts up and swings around and Val stumbles back as if she got hit)
Jess
No, I may as well help. Greg’s tried to screw me over too.
Greg
(angry)
SINCE WHEN!?
Jess
(begins tracing a cross in the air, and her spotlight turns green)
Remember the mansion infiltration, the dragon hoard, THE MOTHERFUCKING THIEVES’
GUILD!?
Greg
Huh?
Jess
You really are self-absorbed, aren’t you?
(Jess points to Val and Val’s light turns green and Jess’s returns to normal)
Val
(pleasant, but angry at the same time)
That felt nice, but I thought I told you to STAY OUT OF THIS!!
Greg
(annoyed)
Okay, now that’s just not fair, I get a free hit for that. (dodges another of Val’s swings and then
her spotlight returns to normal)
Calem
No, you don’t. Val, kick him in the jaw for me.
Greg
WHAT DO YOU HAVE AGAINST ME!?
Calem
Two words: (holds up two fingers) Beaver. Fountain.
(Greg dodges another swing, and then facepalms)
9
Greg
YOU WERE THE ONE WHO INSISTED YOU TAKE THE FIRST DRINK!! And I only made fun
of you WHILE you were stuck as one of those toothy little buggers. EVERYONE did. You are
the only one who shouldn’t have any reciprocating hatred. So stay out of this, tin man.
Calem
HEY!! (starts pouting again) This is why I don’t like you.
Val
Can we get back to me slicing Greg’s head off, now? (takes another swing and actually hits
Greg in the arm)
Greg
OW!! (whirls around and swings at Val and lands another hit on her shoulder)
Val
GAH!! Alright then, glad to see we’re back on track. And you got that free swing in.
Greg
It was a counterattack!!(takes another swing and follows up Val’s dodge with a right hook which
hits her)
(Val drops her sword and begins fisticuffs with Greg, she right hooks, he blocks, he uppercuts,
she takes a step backwards and Greg leg sweeps her and prepares to stab her)
Calem
Not on my watch, hackjack. (charges Greg and knocks him aside and pulls Val to her feet)
Screw the one on one brawls, we’re helping you one way or another.
Val
*SIGH* Fine, let’s get him. And if you need any more proof as to what happened, just look at my
shirt. (points to her shirt, which has a knife sized gash in it)
Greg
So be it. (throws a smoke bomb at the ground)
(Smoke fills the stage and the lights turn off and when they turn back on[only the spotlights],
Greg is in the background behind the others in the dark, without a spotlight on him)
Jess
Damn, I forgot he could do that. Just spread out and he can’t get all of us at once.
Val:
And just let him slink around who knows where? For all we know he’s going back to activate the
trap in the fountain room.
Calem
Simple solution: blind him. Jess, fire blast.
Jess
Where?
(Greg in the background silently facepalms and starts sneaking towards Val, who is still
standing where she is as the knight begins moving towards the center of the stage)
Val
DON’T! (picks up her sword) You may hit one of us in the blast zone, do you have any sort of
flashing lights or torches?
10
(Greg in the reaches out his arms in a matter of fact way and mouths, “thank you”, and starts
moving closer and is revolving around Val to reach her backside, but doesn’t move in for the kill
yet)
Jess
Actually, I do have the flare spell. Here we go… (traces a star into the air) and... BLAM!
(All the stage lights turn on for ten seconds as Greg goes for a stab while covering his eyes, but
Val dodges out of the way and slashes Greg across the chest, and Greg’s spotlight flashes
white, and then returns to red)
Greg
(still covering eyes)
Damn it, Jess! (throws his knife at Jess and misses) Just let me have this.
Jess
Why the hell would I let you do that?
Greg
You know what, that’s it! (charges at Jess and knocks her down) Now, back to work. (turns
back around to face Val)
Calem
Not on my watch! (charges at Greg to stab him and Greg sidesteps it towards the back of the
stage) GWAH!!
(Greg pins down Calem and then punches him, but Val strikes him again, this time in his back)
Greg
Gah! (swings around and slams Val in the face, but begins to bend over and begins stumbling
towards Jess and passes her to grab his knife) Now that ALL the interruptions are out of the
way, (walks over to Jess) time to collect what I am owed. (Brings down the knife “into'' Jess's
neck[which is actually directly behind it to make it look like it, or use a knife that has the blade
slides into its hilt] and Calem bolts up and sprints towards Greg)
Calem
(mortified and furious)
NOOOOooooooo!!! (slices at Greg’s chest, misses and falls over face first)
Greg
(stares down at Calem)
I’ve wanted to do this for a VERY long time now, beaver face. (stabs the knight between his
armor, also, “in” the neck)
Calem
(dying)
No, not now, not so close…(dies)
Greg
*sigh* Well, now there’s just one more loose end to tie up (begins approaching Val)
(Val wobbles to her feet, sword in hand and points her sword at Greg, hands visibly shaking)
Val
(enraged)
You are scum. You killed EVERYONE I was trying to make friends with in this group. You left
Gerard to die to a demon, you tried to kill ME and you just killed the only other people who were
on my side right in front of my eyes!
11
(Greg starts laughing and he points his knife at Val)
Greg
It was a neutral interaction between all of us. No one was on anyone’s side. We all just kept
each other around to get paid and not die. Now that I have what I’m after, who needs you guys?
You were all gonna blab about the location of the treasure to a man who probably isn’t even
gonna pay in full and was eyeing Jess in the worst way possible. If anything, I’m doing the rest
of the world a favor by hiding this thing from it again.
Val
(furious)
HELPING THE WORLD!? How is making sure you’re the only one who knows this thing
actually exists helping the world?
Greg
*sigh* Promise you won’t kill me while I’m monologuing?
Val
Entertain me, Blackjack. (puts hands on hips)
Greg
So, what would happen is we’d all go back to the old man, and he’d likely reward us while he
runs off to gain immortality. Once he gets that immortality, he lives for a while before someone
learns his secret or just finds it on his own, and begins blackmailing the man, or just tells
everyone. The secret spreads exponentially from there, and when leaders learn about it, well,
we know what happens from there.
Val
(even angrier)
So that’s why you’re keeping it to yourself, to prevent the potentially point zero, zero one
percent chance a war will break out over this thing? Nice try Greg, but that messed up
reasoning isn’t going to convince me to let you leave alive.
Greg
So be it. EN GARDE!!
(the two swing at each other precisely 23 times while epic and strong music plays in the
background and they rotate around the stage, and every swing strikes the other weapon except
for swing 15, with which Greg strikes Val across the face and swing twenty-three, where Val hits
Greg right in the gut, he screams, and Greg charges along the sword in his, “gut” and stabs Val
in her gut again and she screams. They both stumble back, but Greg pulls out his knife and
fake[washable] blood spills out of her gut)
Val
Damn it. Not like this can’t let you take it.
Greg
Heh, don’t worry about it, I’m gonna die too. The fact that I kept your sword in is the only reason
I’m gonna die second. So, how about one more song for the road eh?
Val
Heh, I guess it won’t hurt to give you one final respite before you go to hell. Why not?
(Val hobbles over to and begins to play a somber song on her fiddle for about a minute before
she finally collapses and dies)
Greg
12
Well, I guess this is it. Val and the others are probably waiting to see which layer of hell I end up
in from heaven. PLACE YOUR BETS PLACE YOUR BETS!! WILL IT BE GREDD OR WILL IT
BE PRIDE!? *HACK* (walks over to the wall and sits down against it) What to do while I wait for
death? Well I have a sword in my gut, so I guess I could pull it out. Or maybe… (looks down the
hall towards the fountain) nah. I’m dying here, fair and square. See you in the afterlife everyone,
come down for a laugh after a while. Wait, why am I trying to repent? I killed all of us. CHOWDA’
I SWEAR IF YOU’RE INFLUENCING ME FROM HEAVEN IT’S NOT WORTH IT!! Heh, what
am I doing with myself here? *sigh* Here we go, this is gonna hurt(pulls out the sword)
AAAAaaaagh!! Well, I should die sooner now. (wobbles a bit) There we go. (Falls over and dies,
and the curtain falls)
Similar books
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
This book has 0 comments.
This is the only chapter, it is a one act play