Below we present the complete text of “The Pit”, episode 2 (and Final) of our new Weird Western serial; Where Death Passes Through. This is a brand new (unpublished) series (featuring Jim Wilkes, Annie Deems, Sally Turner, and Speeding Elk). 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 (they’re only $25.99 (AUD), great value for a whole night of entertainment for 6 – 8 people). Every sale directly funds the production of new stories.

WHERE DEATH RIDES THROUGH

EPISODE #2 – The Pit

by Philip Craig Robotham

Cover Illustration by Miyukiko

Unedited Draft

Copyright 2016 Philip Craig Robotham

Creative Commons Attribution 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 are 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 https://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: https://weirdworldstudios.com or through select, online book retailers.

Serial #3: Where Death Rides Through

Attempting to pass through a small desert community, Jim Wilkes, the undead sheriff murdered by Mayor Dan Wilson, a skin-walker that has escaped from the spirit world, along with the equally undead Annie Deemes, Sally Turner, and Speeding Elk, encounter a town under seige from supernatural forces. In order to continue the pursuit of the mayor they will need to contend with the town’s problems. Can they save the town and close the distance on their quarry in time to thwart Wilson’s evil schemes? Tune in and thrill to the excitement of “Where Death Rides Through” and find out for yourself.

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.

THE PIT

CAST LIST

NARRATOR: The Narrator

JIM WILKES: Dead Sheriff of Liberty Gulch

ANNIE DEEMES: Dead Crack-Shot

SPEEDING ELK: Dead Indian

SALLY TURNER: Dead Gambler

WOMAN #1: Terrified townsfolk

WOMAN #2: Terrified townsfolk

MAN #2: Terrified townsfolk

MACHITOGA: Cannibal Shaman

SHAMBLING DEAD: Zombies

SCENE 6: OUTSIDE THE MINE – LATER. (SALLY, ANNIE, JIM, SPEEDING ELK)

208. MUSIC: OPENING THEME – LET IT FINISH.
209. SOUND: (WALLA) BIRDS CAWING – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
210. SALLY: I’m danged if these critters don’t scare the willikens outta them birds.
211. ANNIE: Yup. I reckon them birds’d be on us in a second if it weren’t for these lizards… but I don’t reckon we’ll be able to get ’em to come into the dark o’ that mine with us.
212. JIM: Nope. I reckon not. And that means we’ll have to cover some open ground. Can you see our medicine man.
213. SPEEDING ELK: Yes. He is in a cleft in the rock, slightly to one side of the entrance. I do not think he has seen us though. He is concentrating on maintaining the spell.
214. JIM: Annie, how’s your shooting at this distance?
215. ANNIE: (HESITANT) Not bad… I’d be more confident if we was a bit closer though.
216. JIM: Alright, see that small hillock off to our left. Do you think you could make the shot from there?
217. ANNIE: No problem.
218. JIM: Good, we’ll circle back through town and come up to the hillock using it for cover. You take the shot and we’ll make a run for the mine’s entrance.
219. SALLY: You sure there ain’t any other guards?
220. JIM: Nope. But if there are we’ll have to deal with ’em when the time comes. Let’s move.
221. SOUND: (BRIDGE) NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 7: OUTSIDE THE MINE – BUT CLOSER (ANNIE, SALLY, JIM, SPEEDING ELK)

222. SOUND: GALLOPING DINOSAUR FEET ON DIRT- STOPPING.
223. ANNIE: (SLIGHTLY WINDED) This seems about right. I should be able to make the shot from behind this rock… hey, what’re you doing? This ain’t no time for games.
224. SALLY: I’m evening the odds. It’s what I do.
225. JIM: How in tarnation is a deck of cards supposed to help?
226. SALLY: Look, I cain’t explain it… but I think it’s why I’m here. I shuffle my card deck and tilt the odds in our favour.
227. JIM: Annie?
228. ANNIE: Cain’t hurt. (BEAT) Here goes. (BEAT)
229. SOUND: RIFLE SHOT – LET IT FINISH.
230. SOUND: DISTANT BIRDS TAKING FLIGHT.
231. JIM: Well done. He’s fallen. And it looks like the birds are taking off… leaving the town. Let’s go.
232. SOUND: DINOSAUR GROWLS OF PROTEST – LET IT FINISH.
233. SALLY: Our lizards still ain’t gonna follow us in.
234. JIM: (RESIGNED) Yeah, I guess not. We’ll have to run fer it, I figure.
235. SPEEDING ELK: Stupid white eyes. We stand on dirt.
236. JIM: What? (BEAT) (EMBARRASSED) Oh yeah. I guess we can take to the dirt until we’re inside the entrance.
237. ANNIE: See you at the entrance.
238. SOUND: FOUR MAGICAL CHIMES – LET THEM FINISH.
239. MUSIC: (BRIDGE) NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 8: THE MINE ENTRANCE (SALLY, ANNIE, JIM, SPEEDING ELK)

240. SOUND: (WALLA) OCCASIONAL DRIPS, ECHOING AREA – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
241. SOUND: FOUR MAGICAL CHIMES – LET THEM FINISH.
242. SALLY: (COUGHING AND SPITTING) Damn, I hate that dirt!
243. ANNIE: (FALSELY SWEET) I ain’t saying a word.
244. JIM: Well, we’re in the mine and the town’s free o’ them birds. Shall we move forward.
245. SPEEDING ELK: Wait! Look at the Shaman’s body.
246. ANNIE: Hell, that ain’t natural.
247. SALLY: He’s all dry and brittle like. And, is that necklace around his neck made from that evil rock?
248. SPEEDING ELK: Yes, it is. This body has been dead a long time. It’s good Annie shot for the head.
249. JIM: What do you mean?
250. SPEEDING ELK: The Shaman was a ghost walker… like us. Only a head wound would kill it.
251. SALLY: (SHOCKED AND SUDDENLY CONCERNED) Whoa there! You mean we can be killed… again! I thought we was almost indestructible.
252. SPEEDING ELK: (SIGHS) Almost indestructible! Almost!
253. SALLY: Damn. When was you going to tell the rest of us?
254. SPEEDING ELK: (GRUNTS NONCOMMITALLY)
255. JIM: Speeding Elk has a point. It doesn’t change what we’ve got to do.
256. SALLY: Yeah, but at least I’d know to duck.
257. ANNIE: Well, I guess you know now.
258. SALLY: Oh, that’s funny. Yeah. Like this wasn’t news to you too. (DISGUSTED) Come on…
259. SOUND: LOUD CLICK LIKE A SWITCH BEING THROWN.
260. ANNIE: Oh no. What did you…
261. SOUND: RUMBLING NOISE BUILDING QUICKLY.
262. JIM: Run!
263. SOUND: FOOTSTEPS AND CRASHING SOUND OF CAVE-IN – LET IT FINISH.
264. JIM: (BEAT) (COUGHING) A cave-in? If that don’t beat all. Is everyone alright?
265. ANNIE: Where’s little miss gambler’s evening of the odds now huh?
266. SALLY: (COUGHING) We’re alive aint we?
267. JIM: Speeding Elk? You okay?
268. SPEEDING ELK: Here. (BEAT) We need to go fast. The dead warriors will know someone is here.
269. JIM: I’m betting they’ve set more booby traps on the way down too so we’d best be especially careful. (BEAT) How come it ain’t as dark in here as you’d expect?
270. ANNIE: It looks like they’ve got some lanterns burning way down the tunnel.
271. MUSIC: (BRIDGE) NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 9: THE MINE TUNNELS (SALLY, JIM, ANNIE, SPEEDING ELK, WALKING DEAD #1)

272. SOUND: (WALLA) OCCASIONAL DRIPS, ECHOING AREA – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
273. SOUND: CRUNCHING FOOTSTEPS (FOUR PEOPLE) – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
274. SALLY: (STAGE WHISPER) They’s gonna have heard the cave in right?
275. JIM: (STAGE WHISPER) Yeah?
276. SALLY: (STAGE WHISPER) So, why ain’t they sent anyone to investigate?
277. ANNIE: (STAGE WHISPER) They have.
278. SALLY: (STAGE WHISPER) Whut?
279. ANNIE: (STAGE WHISPER) You need to keep yer eyes open. Didn’t you see them two decapitated corpses we passed?
280. SALLY: (STAGE WHISPER) Sure. But wasn’t they…
281. ANNIE: (GETTING LOUDER) They was dried up corpses wearing bad-guy necklaces.
282. SALLY: Bad-guy necklaces? But…
283. ANNIE: (NORMAL VOLUME) (DERISIVELY) What? You thought the townsfolk keep decapitated corpses in their mines as a matter of course.
284. SALLY: (ANGRY AND EQUALLY LOUD) I thought they might’ve been townsfolk and I wasn’t lookin too close, alright! So who’s been…?
285. JIM: Shh! Quiet, both of you! Speeding Elk’s coming back.
286. SALLY: (WITH SUDDEN UNDERSTANDING) Oh! Them bodies were Speeding Elk’s doing.
287. SPEEDING ELK: Yes. And you make more noise than a herd of buffalo.
288. JIM: So what’s up ahead?
289. SPEEDING ELK: Large cavern. Many townsfolk in wooden cages. Nine or ten walking dead.
290. SALLY: That doesn’t seem like many.
291. SPEEDING ELK: (DEADPAN) There were sixteen before.
292. SALLY: Ah.
293. JIM: What about traps?
294. SPEEDING ELK: There are many traps. But we should be alright so long as we stay away from the walls.
295. SALLY: So leaning against the wall would be…
296. SPEEDING ELK: Bad, yes!
297. SOUND: GRINDING OF ROCK ON ROCK AND CLICK – LET IT FINISH.
298. SALLY: Then I probably shouldn’t have done that.
299. JIM: Dammit, Sally!
300. SOUND: ROAR OF A SLIGHTLY SMALLER CAVEIN – LET IT FINISH.
301. WALKING DEAD #1: We have them. Dig them out and bring them to Machitoga!
302. MUSIC: (BRIDGE) OMINOUS SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

ACT 3

SCENE 10: INT – THE MINE – INSIDE THE NETS – LATER (ANNIE, SALLY, MACHITOGA, TOWNSMAN, JIM, SPEEDING ELK, SHAMBLING DEAD (ALL CAST), WOMAN #2, MAN #2)

303. SOUND: (WALLA) SQUEAKING OF PULLIES – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
304. ANNIE: (STAGE WHISPER) You wanna explain to us how you stack the odds in our favour again, Sally?
305. SALLY: (IGNORING ANNIE) You won’t get away with locking us in this here hastily erected stockade.
306. MACHITOGA: Hmmm. Mwahahahaha. Idiot female. You are not in a stockade but a cage of iron and one that will be hanging in the air momentarily.
307. HEROES: (TOGETHER) Whoa! Hang on. etc.
308. SOUND: CRANKING OF A WINCH – LET IT FINISH.
309. SOUND: (WALLA) SLOW SWINGING OF CAGE. ESTABLISH AND FADE UNDER.
310. MACHITOGA: Do not dream of escape. You do not have the time… for soon (BEAT) we feast!
311. TOWNSMAN: (AT A DISTANCE) No. Let go of me. No! (SCREAMS IN AGONY) Aargh!
312. SOUND: MAN BEING EATEN – DISTANT TEARING AND RIPPING, SPLASHES, AND CHEWING SOUNDS – LET IT FINISH.
313. SALLY: They ripped his throat out and ate him alive.
314. JIM: Don’t watch. (BEAT) So that’s part of their plan. They’re cannibals.
315. ANNIE: But that don’t make any sense. They’re dead like us. They don’t need food.
316. SPEEDING ELK: They are not like us. They consume life force to remain animated. They are monsters. We are granted life-force by my tribe.
317. ANNIE: So what happens when we finish our mission? (BEAT)
318. Did you just shrug at me? What’s that supposed to mean?
319. JIM: Button it. Something’s happening.
320. MACHITOGA: You see deadlings, you are powerless to stop us! The wendigo called us and we came. He promised us plenty of food and a new home if we would destroy you.
321. SALLY: So it was a trap! (BEAT) What?
322. MACHITOGA: And now we will fulfil our part in the treaty.
323. SOUND: (WALLA) SQUEAKING OF PULLIES – ESTABLISH AND UNDER.
324. MACHITOGA: This cavern is filled with iron. We have been heating it as we have waited for your arrival. You will be dumped in the pit below you…
325. HEROES: (TOGETHER) Look out! Aargh! Hang on! Etc.
326. SOUND: SQUEAK CLANK OF THE BOTTOM OF THE CAGE OPENING – LET IT FINISH.
327. SOUND: MULTIPLE THUMPS OF FOUR BODIES DROPPED INTO THE PIT – LET IT FINISH.
328. MACHITOGA: … And the iron will be poured upon you. You may not be able to be killed, but, when encased in iron, you will be unable to interfere further with the Wendigo’s plans.
329. SALLY: (STAGE WHISPER FROM INSIDE A HOLE) Hey! This is dirt. Do you think they know that we can…
330. MACHITOGA: Now to release the iron upon you…
331. SOUND: A LARGE EXPLOSION – LET IT FINISH.
332. MACHITOGA: What was that?!! My brothers! Someone is attempting to open the entrance to the mine. Go. Destroy them!
333. SHAMBLING UNDEAD: GRUNTS AND GROANS OF ASSENT – FADE INTO DISTANCE
334. MACHITOGA: Now to…
335. SOUND: FOUR MAGICAL CHIMES – LET IT FINISH.
336. MACHITOGA: Wait, where have you…
337. SOUND: FOUR MAGICAL CHIMES – LET IT FINISH.
338. JIM: You should never have let us out of that cage you know. (STAGE WHISPER) Grab some of those shovels.
339. MACHITOGA: (SOUNDING SCARED) No, you can’t have.
340. JIM: Your “Wendigo” didn’t tell you about our ability to move through dirt did he? And now you’re all on your own.
341. MACHITOGA: No, it’s impossible. Guards! Guards!
342. JIM: Oh, now, don’t cry out. You can’t be killed after all. It’s impossible to kill something that’s already dead, isn’t that right..? (THOUGHTFUL) Still, I’m pretty sure that if we chopped you up with these shovels, it wouldn’t matter too much that you can’t be killed.
343. MACHITOGA: (TERRIFIED) No!
344. SOUND: MACHITOGA STARTS TO RUN – ALLOW A COUPLE OF STEPS.
345. SOUND: SOUND OF BLOWS FALLING ON A BODY, SCREAMS, AND DISMEMBERMENT.
346. SALLY: You know, dismemberment ain’t nearly so disgusting when they’s dried out husks?
347. ANNIE: (DISGUSTED) Says you!
348. SOUND: GUNSHOTS IN THE DISTANCE – SCREAMS OF VILLAINS AND CRIES OF VICTORY FROM TOWNSFOLK (UNDER)
349. SALLY: Sounds like the folks from the Church have made it inside.
350. ANNIE: Uhuh. Let’s see to setting the rest of these townsfolk free.
351. SOUND: SOUND OF RUSTLING – UNDER.
352. ANNIE: There must be a key here somewhere.
353. SALLY: Oh, we don’t need no key. Not while I got me a bobby pin anyhow.
354. ANNIE: (SUSPICIOUSLY) A gambler, huh?
355. SALLY: (INNCOENTLY) A girl’s gotta have her hobbies.
356. SOUND: LOCKS BEING UNDONE AND CHAINS FALLING – LET IT FINISH.
357. SALLY: (PROUDLY) OK folks. You’re free. (LONG BEAT THEN PERPLEXED) Don’t all thank us at once.
358. WOMAN #2: (ANGRY AND AFRAID) Get away from us, Witch!
359. SALLY: (SHOCKED) What?
360. WOMAN #2: You ain’t natural and we want nothing to do with you!
361. ANNIE: Now hang on just a darn second…
362. WOMAN #2: And you, Demon spawn. We all saw what you done. Coming up outta the ground like it was water. You’s as bad as them what trapped us.
363. ANNIE: (PROTESTING) We just saved you.
364. WOMAN #2: For what? To drag our souls down into hell?
365. CROWD: (ANGRY RUMBLES OF AGREEMENT)
366. WOMAN #2: I ain’t gonna say I’m not glad to be free and that I ain’t happy my chillin ain’t gonna line the insides o’ one of them cannibools… but I don’t want no part o’ the likes o’ you.
367. SALLY: Why, I oughta…
368. JIM: Easy Sally. The moods turnin’ ugly. Step back and let these folks pass.
369. SALLY: But…
370. JIM: (STAGE WHISPER) Uh-uh. These folks are angry and scared and lookin’ for someone to blame. We don’t want it to be us.
371. MAN #2: (APPROACHING WITH A GROUP) Hey, Sherrif, good to see you made it. Once those darned birds started to leave we knew you’d got the medicine man. There were a bunch o’ people as managed to hole up in basements and whatnot who must’ve been outside the medicine man’s range. We managed to get a good group of about 10 armed men together to take that entrance, even with the cave in… And you set these folks free too. We owe you a debt.
372. WOMAN #2: (ANGRILY) We don’t owe this filth nothin’. He’s a monster, Tom. You need to kill ‘im.
373. CROWD: (ANGRILY) Yeah. Kill em. etc.
374. MAN #2: What? You folks wouldn’t be alive if’n it weren’t for these strangers.
375. WOMAN #2: You ain’t seen ‘em. They’s in league with the devil. They’ve got unnatural powers.
376. CROWD: (RUMBLES OF AGREEMENT)
377. MAN #2: (STERNLY) Now, that’s enough. There’ll be no more killing today. These folks saved our town. We’re in their debt.
378. WOMAN #2: My Johnnie’s dead, Tom. Eaten by them Savages. ‘n sure as eggs it’s got somethin’ to do with these strangers ‘n devil worshippers. Are you gonna look me in the eye and say I oughta be thankin’ em?
379. MAN #2: Eunice May, that’s exactly what I’m sayin’. And if you’ll take my advice you’ll do well to mourn your dead without spreadin’ rumours about those who helped us.
380. WOMAN #2: (ANGRY) Is that so? (DEPARTING) I wouldn’t be surprised if alla this had somethin’ to do with that other crazy heathen Lizzie… this ain’t over yet. You mark my words!
381. MAN #2: Sorry, bout that. I expect she’ll calm down.
382. JIM: (NON-COMMITAL) Mmmm. What’ll you do now?
383. MAN #2: Not sure. The mine’s got plenty of ore left in it (if those molten pools are anything to go by). It belonged to Eunice’s husband. He was a good man, but Eunice has a mean heart and a desire to run people. Without Johnny to hold her in check I expect she’s gonna prove somethin’ of a force to be reckoned with. It might just be time to move on.
384. JIM: Speakin’ o’ which. We should maybe do the same. I think by the time she’s done, we won’t have much of a welcome here anyway.
385. MAN #2: Yeah, I expect so. For what it’s worth I’m sorry that’s likely the way it’s gonna be.
386. SALLY: You know I could always…
387. ANNIE: That’s enough outta you. Hey, where’s Speeding Elk?
388. JIM: He slipped away earlier. Probably thought the townsfolk wouldn’t be too welcoming to one of his race after all this.
389. ANNIE: Yeah, I guess so.
390. SALLY: (ANGRY) You ain’t gonna defend these… people are you?
391. ANNIE: No, I ain’t.
392. MAN #2: Yeah, like I said. Small minds and hearts always look for somethin’ to hurt. It wouldn’t be safe here for your friend.
393. SALLY: (DEPRESSED AND DEFEATED) Aw, lets just get outta here.
394. SOUND: NEUTRAL SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 11: LEAVING TOWN ON THE DINOSAURS. (JIM, SPEEDING ELK, WOMAN #1, SALLY, ANNIE)

395. SOUND: (WALLA) DINOSAURS WALKING – ESTABLISH AND UNDER
396. JIM: Hey, Speeding Elk, you see that woman over there? Isn’t she the one who predicted the attack and tried to help the townsfolk?
397. SPEEDING ELK: That’s her.
398. JIM: That little shack must be where she lives. (BEAT) Whoah.
399. SOUND: SOUND OF DINOSAURS COMING TO A HALT – LET IT FINISH.
400. JIM: Howdy Ma’am. We didn’t get a chance to say goodbye.
401. WOMAN #1: (ARCHLY) Lookin’ at the way you’re hurrying to be outta town, I’m guessing goodbyes weren’t high on your to-do list.
402. JIM: Fair enough. This your place?
403. WOMAN #1: Ahuh.
404. JIM: I guess this is about as far out of town as you can get while still bein’ a part of it.
405. WOMAN #1: (RESIGNED) It’s as good a place to die as any.
406. JIM: What?
407. WOMAN #1: (MATTER OF FACT) I see the future and mine’s been sealed. (BEAT) Sure, I don’t expect you to believe me. It’s like seeing a bunch of roads branching out ahead of me. And my road comes to an end in three days.
408. That woman, Eunice May is gonna rile the townsfolk up and they’re gonna come out here and lynch me.
409. JIM: What?
410. WOMAN #1: Oh, don’t look so shocked. I had a chance to avoid this, you know? I coulda left town two weeks ago, left these folk to die. I didn’t, and now the choices all lead to one ending.
411. SALLY: You could come with us. We’ll take you someplace else.
412. WOMAN #1: (LAUGHS BITTERLY) Heh. You can’t even protect yourselves from what’s coming. No. I helped save this town – protected those folks in the church so that we could dig you outta the mine after the cave in… all so that hideous cow could kill me in three days. What’s one life against so many, huh?
413. ANNIE: You can’t be serious. Come with us.
414. WOMAN #1: You’re dead. Where you’re goin’ there ain’t no happy endings and I cain’t come with you. I’ll meet my destiny no matter which road I take to avoid it.
415. MUSIC: TIME PASSING SCENE ENDER – LET IT FINISH.

SCENE 12: BACK ON THE TRAIL. (SALLY, ANNIE)

416. SOUND: (WALLA) DINOSAURS WALKING – ESTABLISH AND UNDER
417. ANNIE: Hey Sally, you’re awful quiet. We left that town a good way behind us and I’ve kinda been missin’ your prattle.
418. SALLY: Heh. I guess I was just lost in thought.
419. ANNIE: Unfamiliar territory, huh?
420. SALLY: You hush now. I’m serious.
421. ANNIE: Sorry. Was it that stuff the woman said as we left? It sure got under my skin.
422. SALLY: Naw. I was thinkin’ that I understand a little more about what Speeding Elk is going through… You know, rejected by his own people ‘n all that? It hurts, you know? ‘specially after all we’ve done, all we’ve lost.
423. ANNIE: You kinda like him, don’t you?
424. SALLY: What? Pshaw! (BEAT) Well, maybe a little. (BEAT) But that ain’t my point. What I’m wonderin’ is this? Are we always gonna be outcasts? Is this what it’s gonna be like? Our future?
425. ANNIE: We’re dead. I’ve never heard of the dead fittin’ in with the living, have you?
426. SALLY: I guess not. (BEAT) But we’re gaining on the mayor. He delayed us (again) and nearly killed us (again) but we’ve almost caught up with him… and that’s gotta be worth something.
427. ANNIE: I hate to be a wet blanket but I don’t think any of us has even the slightest idea what catching up with the Mayor is gonna bring. Or what will follow it.
428. SOUND: CLOSING THEME AND CREDITS – LET IT FINISH.

CASTING SHEETS — MAJOR CHARACTERS

JIM WILKES: I was the 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. The town has been destroyed. Its people are dead, and now, I’m undead and hell-bent on being revenged upon the thing that wears the face of Dan Wilson, the mayor of Liberty Gulch.

ANNIE DEEMES: I used to run the local store. I’m a woman alone in a tough town and I hold my own. A few months back I was shot and killed, but I’m still here, raised to a pseudo-life by the powerful magic of a local Indian tribe. I was murdered by the Mayor and I was then brought back by Crow’s Shadow to seek revenge upon the man that did it.

SPEEDING ELK: I am a tracker and hunter for my people. Murdered by white men, I have been brought back by Crow’s Shadow to serve my people in seeking their revenge upon the mayor of Liberty Gulch.

SALLY TURNER: I am a drifter and gambler. I’ve had to make a quick exit from many a town over the years, but, until recently, my luck kept me one step ahead of the game. I say “until recently” because my luck ran out in Liberty Gulch. I was murdered by the mayor and brought back by Crow’s Shadow to seek revenge upon the man that killed me.

CASTING SHEETS — MINOR 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 forward. 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.

MACHITOGA:  I am a Shaman for my people.  I have strong medicine, granted by the consumption of human flesh.  I will fulfill my treaty with the Nagloshi and destroy the unnaturals that have been raised to hunt him down.

TOWNSFOLK: We’re deadly afeared.  We was just a normal town before that crazy man arrived dragging his wagon behind him.  Then the birds come and started killing everyone, and the injuns took over the mine.  We’s all been hiding out where we can, in basements and crawl-spaces.  But we can’t go on like this forever and the birds ain’t showing any sign o’ wantin’ to leave.

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, an 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: https://weirdworldstudios.com.

Don’t forget to check out the free sample portions of our titles at https://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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