Where Death Comes Uninvited – Episode 1 – A New Sheriff

Below we present the complete text of “A New Sheriff”, episode 1 of our new Weird Western; Where Death Comes Uninvited. This is a brand new (unpublished) series (featuring a brand new roster of heroes including Jim Wilkes – the Sheriff, Annie Deems – the Crack Shot, Speeding Elk – the Tracker, and Sally Turner – the Gambler). If you would like to see these new stories advance from being drafts into polished publications then please consider supporting us by purchasing one or more of our previously published titles. Every sale directly funds the production of new stories.

Where Death Comes Uninvited

EPISODE #1 – A NEW SHERIFF

by Philip Craig Robotham

Cover Illustration by Miyukiko

Unedited Draft

Copyright 2016 Philip Craig Robotham

Creative Commons Attritubution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) Edition .

This play is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) International license. This play may not be commercially reproduced, performed, or sold. Non-commercial production, performance, and reproduction is allowed under this license so long as attribution is maintained. No derivative content or use is allowed. It can be freely shared in its current form (without change) under this license. If you would like to purchase one or more copies of this work (for your own personal non-commercial use, or to help financially support the author) then please return to http://www.weirdworlstudios.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Other works by this author can be found at the author’s website: http://www.weirdworldstudios.com or through select, online book retailers.

Serial #1: Where Death Comes Uninvited

Jim Wilkes, former U.S Marshall, drifts into town to become the new Sheriff, but all is not as it should be.  When he arrives, the town is in mourning, many of its children having been killed in a fire at the schoolhouse/church.  He greets a wall of suspicion against outsiders, the spectre of multiple unsolved murders, strange and unnatural events, and a saloon keeper that seems to rule the town with an iron fist.  In his quest to confront the evil power behind the town he must recruit allies, discover the frightening source of the towns wealth, prevent an indian war, and pass through death itself.  Can he do so before death has a chance to claim the entire town?

Episodes in the Host Your Own “Old Time Radio Drama” series are designed to provide a fun dinner party experience for 6–8 participants. Read along, taking on the role of one or more of the characters in the story, and listen as the exciting drama unfolds. This is the theater of the mind, where the special effects are only limited by your imagination, and your participation will build a memory that you’ll treasure for years to come.

Where Death Comes Uninvited

CAST LIST

NARRATOR: The Narrator

JIM WILKES: Sheriff of Liberty Gulch

ANNIE DEEMES: Crack Shot and Store Keeper

TOWNSFOLK: Chorus of voices

MAN #1: Townsfolk in cemetery

WOMAN #1: Townsfolk in cemetery

ABE FARROW: Drifter

LYNCH MOBSTER #2: Townsfolk in lynch mob

LYNCH MOBSTER #3: Townsfolk in lynch mob

LYNCH MOBSTER #4: Townsfolk in lynch mob

DAN WILSON: Mayor of Liberty Gulch

WALLACE LEACH: Deputy of Liberty and Henchman to Dan

SFX: SFX operator (1 required)

ACT 1

SCENE 1: EXT – LIBERTY GULCH CEMETERY AND ENVIRONS – SUNDOWN (JIM, ANNIE, WOMAN #1, CROWD, MAN #1)

1. MUSIC: OPENING THEME – LET IT FINISH.
2. SOUND: (WALLA) CRICKETS, DISTANT VOICES SINGING THE LAST FEW WORDS OF A HYMN. CLIP CLOP OF HORSE ENTERING TOWN.
3. JIM WILKES: Well, it’s been a long trail, Shiloh, but we’re almost there.
4. SOUND: HORSE (SHILOH) WINNIES NON-COMMITALLY – LET IT FINISH.
5. SOUND: PATS THE HORSE TWICE – LET IT FINISH.
6. JIM: Yup, I know. But at least there’ll be water and hay fer ya. I ain’t quite sure whut my own reception’s gonna be like, though.
7. (BEAT) Hear that, girl? Sounds like the whole dang town’s at the cemetery. I guess we’d better head on up an’ introduce ourselves.
8. ANNIE DEEMES: (OFFICIATING THE FUNERAL) “I am the resurrection and the life”, says the Lord. “Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die”. (BEAT)
9. In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we commend to almighty God, these, our children taken too soon – Jessie Wayland, Sarah Conroy, Michael Wayne, Billy Friday, Caroline McCormack, Daniel Best, Andie Rivers, and Jenny Fellows – and also the Reverend Josiah Smith, tragically claimed by the same Church fire, and we commit their bodies to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
10. SOUND: STOIC WEEPING OF VARIOUS BEREAVED MOTHERS – ESTABLISH AND FADE.
11. SOUND: HORSE HOOVES STOP.
12. JIM: I’m sorry to intrude on your grief folks, but I’m…
13. WOMAN #1: (SHRIEKS) Kill him. Kill the interloper.
14. CROWD: (ENRAGED NOISES) Get him! Kill him! Bring him down! – ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER
15. ANNIE: (SHOUTING) No! wait!
16. MAN #1: Heave that rock at him, Jeb!
17. SOUND: HORSE WHINNYING IN DISTRESS. ROCK IN FLIGHT AND HEAVY HIT (STRIKES JIM) – LET IT FINISH.
18. JIM: (GROANS) Ugh!
19. SOUND: BODY DROP (JIM FALLS OFF HORSE).
20. ANNIE: Oh, you fools! What have you done? (BEAT AND SLOW FADE OUT) Mister? Hey Mister? Are you all right? Mister?
21. MUSIC: BRIDGE – OMINOUS SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 2: INT – JAIL CELL AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE – EVENING (JIM, ANNIE, ABE, LYNCH MOBSTER #2, LYNCH MOBSTER #3, LYNCH MOBSTER #4, DAN)

22. JIM: [CUE] (GROANING) Ugh! Oh!
23. ANNIE: You’re awake. I thought we might’ve lost you there fer a while.
24. JIM: Whut? Oh, my head!
25. ANNIE: Lie still. You took a pretty bad knock. You’ve been asleep for more’n twenty four hours.
26. JIM: Hey, ain’t you that pale lookin’ preacher woman? I heard you tryin’ to hold back the mob.
27. ANNIE: Yeah, that was me. But I’m no preacher. Ours died in the fire, along with a bunch of kids from the town. We were burying them when you… arrived.
28. JIM: Ahuh. Guess people are a mite het up over it then?
29. ANNIE: You could say that. Do you remember your name?
30. JIM: Sorry, yeah. I’m Jim Wilkes, formerly a U.S Marshall, and soon to be your new sheriff.
31. ANNIE: Aw hell! (BEAT) Well, I guess we’re off to a flying start, first impressions wise. Welcome to Liberty, Mr Wilkes.
32. JIM: Heh! Thanks. And you are…
33. ANNIE: My name’s Annie Deemes. I run the general store in town. Most people just call me Annie.
34. JIM: Mrs or Miss?
35. ANNIE: Just Annie.
36. JIM: Ahuh. And how’d you end up officiatin’ at the funeral.
37. ANNIE: I can read… which is more’n can be said for most of the folks in this town, so I got to officiate.
38. JIM: Don’t you folks got a mayor or someone to manage that?
39. ANNIE: Oh, we got a mayor alright. But… ah, let’s just say, he ain’t the religious type, an’ he had no love for our dead preacher.
40. JIM: And what about you, Annie? Is that cross around your neck just fer show?
41. ANNIE: Heh! Ain’t you the talkative one? That’s a lot of questions for a first meeting.
42. JIM: Well, I am gonna be the sheriff, assuming, o’ course, that I live. It’s part of the job to get to know people… and don’t think I ain’t noticed you haven’t actually answered my question.
43. ANNIE: (AMUSED) You’ll live… and (DARKLY) religion comes with the territory around here. Let’s just say we’ve got some experience with resurrections in these parts and leave it at that.
44. ABE FARROW: (CALLING AT A DISTANCE) Hey, Annie, if that there feller looks like he’s gonna live, I’d sure appreciate some water over here.
45. JIM: Who’s that?
46. ANNIE: We’re in the Sheriff’s office. There’s a prisoner in the next cell. A drifter. Happened to be passing through town when the Church burned down.
47. JIM: Deliberately lit?
48. ANNIE: Uhuh.
49. JIM: You think he did it?
50. ANNIE: Most of the town does… but you’ve already seen how people jump to conclusions around here. Waiting for the funeral was the only thing that’s kept him from a lynch mob’s rope this long.
51. ABE: (CALLING AGAIN) Annie? You hear me, darling?
52. ANNIE: (CALLING BACK) Hold yer horses. And I ain’t yer darling.
53. ABE: (CALLING AGAIN) Yeah, well, you’re a little pale for my taste anyway. You should probably think about getting out in the sun more.
54. ANNIE: (CALLING BACK) An you should think about keeping your opinions to yourself more, if’n you like your nose the shape it currently is.
55. JIM: (INTERRUPTING) Any reason I need to be kept in this cell?
56. ANNIE: Not if you’re who you say you are. Can you actually prove you’re the sheriff we been expecting?
57. JIM: If no one’s run off with my horse. There’s some papers in my saddlebag that should be enough.
58. ANNIE: Your horse is fine. I’ve got her stabled across the way. I brought your bags in too. They’re behind the desk.
59. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS WALKING AWAY. RUMMAGING SOUND – LET IT FINISH.
60. ANNIE: (AT A DISTANCE) Is this them?
61. JIM: Ahuh.
62. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACH – LET IT FINISH.
63. ANNIE: It all appears to be in order.
64. SOUND: CELL DOOR OPENING – LET IT FINISH.
65. ANNIE: Here’s your star and your weapon.
66. ABE: (CALLING) Come on Annie, please? Just a little water?
67. ANNIE: Yeah, alright. Quit your hollering. I’m coming. (TO JIM) You better come along and meet your only other resident.
68. JIM: It was unlocked all along?
69. ANNIE: I’m not sure where the keys are. Probably with the mayor.
70. JIM: I guess it makes no mind. I keep a skeleton key in my boot.
71. ANNIE: (LAUGHS) You sure you’re one o’ the good guys?
72. JIM: So far.
73. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS TO NEXT CELL – LET IT FINISH.
74. ANNIE: Well, here y’are.
75. ABE: Thanks Annie.
76. SOUND: ABE TAKES A BIG GULP OF WATER – LET IT FINISH.
77. JIM: Howdy, mister. I hear you like to light fires.
78. ABE: Is that so? Well, you can’t believe everything you hear, now can you, sheriff?
79. JIM: That remains to be seen. You got a name?
80. ABE: I do, but I ain’t been feelin’ inclined to go sharin’ it, seeing how the good folks o’ this here town have it in mind to make me the main attraction at a neck-tie party.
81. JIM: Well, that was then. From now on there’ll be no hangings in this town, except under law.
82. ABE: You been a lawman long, sheriff?
83. JIM: Uhuh.
84. ABE: Hmmm! Where’d you say you was from?
85. JIM: I didn’t… but I was a U.S Marshall for some years. The name’s Jim Wilkes.
86. ABE: Yeah, I heard o’ you. You tracked down the Hatchet gang. Nasty business.
87. JIM: I seen worse.
88. ABE: Then you’ve seen a lot. I was a deputy once you know? Over in Lawson City.
89. JIM: Lawson, huh? You must o’ been one o’ McDaniel’s men.
90. ABE: Before he was shot, yeah.
91. JIM: Why’d you leave it?
92. ABE: Why’d you? The US Marshall’s I mean.
93. JIM: It got too political. Fact is, it got so a feller couldn’t tell the white hats from the black anymore.
94. ABE: My reasons weren’t so high falutin’. I just got tired ‘o the place and wanted to move on. I’ve never been much good at stayin’ put.
95. JIM: I’m still gonna need your name.
96. ABE: Abe Farrow.
97. JIM: Abe Farrow? You’re a gunman.
98. ABE: I guess. That’s better’n some things I been called.
99. ANNIE: What? He’s a murderer?
100. ABE: No ma’am. I’ve done my fair share o’ killing, sure. Sometimes I even got paid for it. But I never shot any man who didn’t draw on me first.
101. JIM: That’s true enough. Abe Farrow’s never killed a man except in self-defence.
102. ABE: Sounds like you’re not convinced I’m who I say?
103. JIM: I thought you’d be a little younger is all.
104. ABE: Heh! Is that right? Well, truth is I’m younger’n I look. A life of killing can age you premature somewhat.
105. JIM: Ain’t that the truth. Still, I doubt very much you’re a firebug, whatever else you’ve done in your life. (BEAT) Annie, tell me a little more about this church fire.
106. ANNIE: There’s not a lot to tell. It was only a couple a days ago. Josiah, the preacher, was teaching an evening Sunday School class. The church was locked and barred from the outside and set ablaze. No-one stood a chance. The building was burned to the ground with everyone in it before most people were even aware the fire had started. Mr Farrow, here, was a stranger and sleeping in the stable. People just figured that no-one from around here would do such a thing and threw him in jail. Strangers ain’t real popular around here at present… as you’ve seen for yourself.
107. JIM: Well, Abe, you can rest easy for a bit. I cain’t let you out just yet, but that’s just for your own protection. Once things settle down you’ll be set free while I investigate. (TO ANNIE) Hey, Annie, did the preacher have any enemies that you know of?
108. ANNIE: Well…
109. SOUND: MURMUR OF AN APPROACHNG MOB – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
110. JIM: Aw hell. Here comes trouble.
111. ABE: You’ve still got a chance to cut and run if you want, sheriff. All you have to do is hand me over.
112. JIM: I told you the only hangin’s there’ll be around here are under the law. Annie, can you unlock that rifle cabinet for me?
113. ANNIE: Yeah, the keys are in the drawer.
114. JIM: Do it. Then get in back and get down low. You too, Abe.
115. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: (CALLING FROM OUTSIDE) Annie? You in there? We want you to bring that boy out what burned our chill’n.
116. JIM: (CALLING BACK) That ain’t gonna happen, partner.
117. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: Who’s that? I don’t know you do I?
118. JIM: My name’s Jim Wilkes, and I’m your new sheriff. A few of you met me at the cemetery about sundown yesterday.
119. CROWD: (MURMURS OF SURPRISE)
120. JIM: But that’s neither here nor there if’n y’all are willing to maintain the peace.
121. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: What are you saying?
122. JIM: I’m saying, you folks need to turn around and go home, all peaceable like. I represent the law and there’ll be no hanging here afore there’s been due process.
123. CROWD: (ANGRY MURMURING)
124. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: Well, I don’t know nothing about that. All we want is the feller who killed our kids.
125. JIM: I’ll only say this once more. After that I’ll let my Winchester do the talking. This man is under the protection of the law until there’s been an investigation and trial. There will be no hanging here tonight.
126. CROWD: (MORE ANGRY MURMURING)
127. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: But what about our kids?
128. LYNCH MOBSTER #3: Yeah, what about our kids?
129. LYNCH MOBSTER #4: You gonna protect that scum? Who was protecting my Jenny?
130. SOUND: RIFLE SHOT, CRIES OF SURPRISE FROM CROWD – LET IT FINISH.
131. JIM: That was a warning shot. The next one is gonna draw blood. You folks need to go home. Now.
132. LYNCH MOBSTER #2: You ain’t heard the last o’ this sheriff. We want justice and we’re gonna get it.
133. JIM: Not tonight you’re not. And not without benefit of the law. The first man who sets foot on my porch is gonna fall with a bullet through the brain. Now, what’s it gonna be?
134. SOUND: ANGRY MURMURS RECEDING – LET IT FINISH.
135. JIM: (SIGH OF RELIEF) Phew. I think the crisis is passed for the moment.
136. ABE: Well, sheriff, I think I stand in your debt.
137. JIM: Don’t count your chickens yet. I’ve still got to investigate. (BEAT) Annie? It’s safe to come out.
138. ANNIE: I know. I was watching out back to make sure no one was trying to play any tricks.
139. JIM: Is that a rifle in your hands, Annie? You know how to use it?
140. ANNIE: I’ve been handling guns since I was six years old.
141. SOUND: LOUD BANGING ON DOOR – LET IT FINISH.
142. JIM: Hang on.
143. SOUND: JIM COCKS HIS GUN.
144. JIM: (CALLING OUT) Who’s there?
145. DAN WILSON: It’s Dan Wilson, the mayor.
146. JIM: Hold on.
147. SOUND: DOOR BEING UNBOLTED AND OPENED – LET IT FINISH.
148. DAN: Are you planning to shoot me with that, Mr…
149. JIM: Wilkes. Jim Wilkes. And I’m planning to be cautious until I have reason to be otherwise.
150. DAN: (IGNORING WILKES) Did you let him out of the cell, Annie?
151. ANNIE: (STIFFLY) I did. And now, if you’ll excuse me…
152. DAN: You know you didn’t have the authority to do that. I think you need to start learning your place missy.
153. ANNIE: People been telling me that my whole life, Mr Wilson. I’d never have done nothing if I’d believed it. Besides his papers are all in order. He’s the sheriff we been waiting for.
154. DAN: Is that so? Well, you’d best be scooting on home then, and leave the serious talk to us men-folk.
155. ANNIE: (SNIFFS DERISIVELY) Hmpf! (TO JIM) Well, I’m glad you’re on your feet sheriff. Goodnight.
156. JIM: Goodnight Ma’am. I’m grateful for the turn you done me.
157. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES – LET IT FINISH.
158. JIM: She doesn’t seem to like you very much, now, does she, Mr Mayor?
159. DAN: Oh, she’s just unruly. All she really needs is to find herself a husband. Someone to take her in hand. (BEAT) Would you mind if I take a look at these papers of yours.
160. JIM: No, sir. Here you are.
161. SOUND: SHUFFLING OF PAPERWORK – LET IT FINISH.
162. DAN: Well, everything appears to be in order. Welcome to Liberty, sheriff. I’m sorry about the bang on the head.
163. JIM: Your town greet everyone this way, or am I just special?
164. DAN: (LAUGHING) Just special, I guess. You know what’s been happening lately I presume?
165. JIM: Yeah, I heard about the church, if that’s what you mean?
166. DAN It is. People are bound to be a little roused after a thing like that. I hear you had a little altercation here tonight.
167. JIM: Some of the townsfolk felt like dispensing a bit of frontier justice.
168. DAN: And you stopped em?
169. JIM: Ahuh.
170. DAN: With a rifle?
171. JIM: I did.
172. DAN: Ahuh. Well, that may not have been the smartest of moves, sheriff?
173. JIM: Oh? And what should I have done?
174. DAN: Well for a start, you should have waited till you were officially recognised as sheriff.
175. JIM: They would have killed the man in my cell.
176. DAN: And that may not have been a bad thing. The townsfolk want him dead so they can get on with putting this whole sorry business behind them. It would have spared them a long drawn out trial and investigation.
177. JIM: You’re the politician sir, and the will of the people is your responsibility. But I’m a law man and I’m responsible to the law and to justice.
178. DAN: Fine words, sheriff. But in the end you may wish the will of the people had prevailed here tonight. I take it you’re going to begin an investigation.
179. JIM: That’s right.
180. DAN: I wish you wouldn’t. It’s gonna upset a whole lot of people. But I can see you’ve made up your mind. I’ll have your deputy here to help you get started first thing in the morning.
181. JIM: My deputy?
182. DAN: That’s right. His name’s Wallace Leach. He works at my saloon, but he knows the town real well and he’ll be a big help to you as you get to know us.
183. JIM: I see. Well, Mr Mayor, it’s been good meeting you. Annie said you’d have the key to the cells.
184. DAN: Yes sir, It was good to meet you too. I think you and I’ll be able to work together quite well, providing everyone can be reasonable. I’ll send the keys over with Leach in the morning. You won’t be needing them tonight.
185. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS TO THE DOOR. DOOR OPENS.
186. DAN: Well, good night sheriff.
187. JIM: G’night. (BEAT) Oh, and Mr Mayor, one last thing?
188. DAN: Yeah?
189. JIM: What happened to your last sheriff?
190. DAN: Hmpf. He got hisself killed in the injun territories north o’ here. Those lands are protected and no-one’s supposed to go there. Savages the lot o’ them. The sooner we wipe em out the better.
191. JIM: Ahuh. G’night.
192. SOUND: DOOR CLOSES – LET IT FINISH.
193. ABE: You believe any o’ that?
194. JIM: Not much.
195. ABE: Sounds like you got your work cut out for you, sheriff, don’t it?
196. JIM: I guess it does.
197. ABE: And the color of them hats? Can you still tell the difference?
198. JIM: Hmmm!
199. MUSIC: BRIDGE – NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

ACT 2

SCENE 3: INT – THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE – EARLY MORNING
(JIM, WALLACE)

200. SOUND: POUNDING ON DOOR. – LET IT FINISH.
201. WALLACE LEACH: You in there Sherrif? I checked at the boarding house and no-one had seen you. Figured you must be stayin’ in your office.
202. JIM: Keep yer hair on!
203. SOUND: DOOR CREAKING OPEN – LET IT FINISH.
204. JIM: Whattaya want?
205. WALLACE: (AMUSED) Well, if you don’t look like a buzzard’s leavings, Sheriff.
206. JIM: It’s been a long night and my temper’s short so I’ll ask again, but only this once. What do you want?
207. WALLACE: Sorry to bother you sheriff, but our Mayor – Dan Wilson – sent word you were in town. I’m Wallace Leach, your deputy. Most people just call me Leach.
208. JIM: Uhuh.
209. SOUND: DOOR BEING SLAMMED (BEAT) RENEWED POUNDING ON DOOR – LET IT FINISH.
210. SOUND: (BEAT) DOOR OPENS – LET IT FINISH.
211. WALLACE: (GRIMLY) That was a mite unsociable, Sheriff.
212. JIM: Is that right… Mr Leach was it?
213. WALLACE: Just Leach is fine, and yes, sir, it was!
214. JIM: Well, Leach, let me tell you how things are gonna work. Unless there’s an emergency, or someone’s been shot dead, I’m gonna go back inside, pull on my drawers, and have me a REALLY strong coffee. You can wait here if you want – or not. But I’m not showing my face outside this door again until I’m good and ready.
215. WALLACE: So that’s how it’s gonna be, huh?
216. JIM: Yep. Until I get that first coffee, and barring the end of the world, I ain’t fit for human company.
217. WALLACE: In that case I’ll just set a spell, here on your stoop.
218. JIM: You do that!
219. SOUND: DOOR SLAMS – LET IT FINISH.
220. MUSIC: (BRIDGE) TIME PASSING SCENE ENDER.
221. MUSIC: CLOSING THEME AND CREDITS

CASTING SHEETS — MAJOR CHARACTERS

NARRATOR: Hello, I am your narrator. I introduce the cold stormy nights on which our stories take place, the dark alleys, and darker personalities who inhabit the lonely city. It is my job to set the scene and establish the serious tone of suspense and intrigue that will carry the story forwards. It is also my job to remind listeners of what came before in a calm, trustworthy voice and ensure that everyone is oriented to where we are and where we are going.

JIM WILKES: I’m the new Sheriff of Liberty Gulch. I’ve been a lawman fer a long time. Liberty was meant to be a change – a chance to relax after my time as a U.S. Marshall. It don’t look like I’ll be doing much relaxing though. This town badly needs some law so’s I expect I’ll have my work cut out fer me.

ANNIE DEEMES: I run the local store. I’m a woman alone in a tough town and I hold my own. I don’t face too much trouble. Most folks who want to cause any are dissuaded, quick-like, by a well aimed Winchester.

ABE FARROW: I was passing through when someone burned the Church down with a bunch a young-uns in it. As the only stranger in town, I ended up in the jail-house. They’ll be comin’ to lynch me real soon, I expect. Ironic that this is how it’ll end. I’m an ex-lawman who’s gonna swing at the end of a rope.

DAN WILSON: I’m the Mayor of this town and its richest man. I’m charming and friendly and I rule this burgh without being gainsaid. This town is mine and I don’t care who knows it. No-one crosses me and gets away with it.

WALLACE LEACH: I’m the duputy in this town (part time). I work fer Mister Wilson over at the Saloon when I’m not deputying. Fact is, I work for Mister Wilson all the time, really. I ain’t been blessed with a deal o’ book learning, but I can add up well enough to stay on the good side o’ the man who pays me. An’ if he pays me to keep an eye on the new Sheriff, then that’s what I’ll do.

CASTING SHEETS — MINOR CHARACTERS

TOWNSFOLK (AT THE CEMETERY AND AS LYNCH MOB): We’re a community full o’ anger and grief. Our children are gone. Murdered by some drifter. We want them back, but that ain’t gonna happen. So we’ll settle for revenge… and no-one better get in the way o’ that.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Philip Craig Robotham grew up in a house full of books and has held numerous jobs as a teacher, computer programmer, graphic and web designer, e-learning consultant and, most recently, writer. He currently lives in Sydney, Australia with his wife and two sons. When he was younger and fitter he enjoyed martial arts, but in recent years his hobbies have tended towards more sedate fare (board games, movies, books, and role-playing games).

He is extremely grateful for the encouragement he receives from his biggest fans — his wife and two boys — all of whom read and enjoy his scripts and in general make his life worth living.

You can contact the author regarding performance rights (or simply to say hello) through his website: http://www.weirdworldstudios.com.

Don’t forget to check out the free sample portions of our titles at http://weirdworldstudios.com/product-category/our-products/ .

This post and all its content is copyright © 2013 Philip Craig Robotham and has been released under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) license. This play cannot be reproduced, shared, or performed commercially without the written permission of the author. The production of derivative content, merchandise, or creative works and materials is expressly forbidden under this agreement. However you may share, reproduce, and perform this play freely so long as authorship is acknowledged, no money changes hands, and the play is not modified in any way.

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