Our Town of the Dead

"Our Town of the Dead"
By: Ted H

The sequel nobody asked for to the Pulitzer prize winning Thornton Wilder play "Our Town"
It would be best to familiarize yourself with the original before you read my bastardized sequel.

The dead are returning to life in Grover's Corners and attacking the living. At the same time, George Gibbs is ominously beckoned to return to his childhood home. Coincidence? Only a small handful of survivors remain to get to the bottom of the undead threat and escape Grover's Corners before it's too late.


Act I

Act II

Act III

A few pre-play words (unimportant monologue on my part explaining why I did this play)

Our Town of the Dead [Act III]

[...Posted by Ted H]

Holy fucking shit, it's done!

All in all, if you knew what comprised the original version of this travesty, then you would agree that this version is way better. I'm a bit on the fence over it to be honest. The original had a constant theme of chaotic stupid to it that made it a cute diversion to the seriousness of the original. This remake retained some of that original humor but I forced more drama into it to make a better overall product. At times the theme is bipolar and it suffers. Then theres my attempt at romance towards the end....

A few more things I wanna say about the play Ill hold off on since it requires a bit of spoiling. Next week maybe? Until then, please enjoy the fruits of an almost year long labor...

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[Our Town of the Dead]

Act III

At the far left of the stage are a row of chairs. No one enters to accompany them. The STAGE MANAGER takes his usual place in the middle of the stage.

STAGE MANAGER:
Oddly enough, this is the safest place in all of Grover’s Corners, the cemetery. Of the dead that stayed behind, few if any are left now. While some of the living deemed it necessary to abandon Grover’s Corners, others felt the need to fight. Valiantly they fought, in vain, but it showed the resiliency of some who refused to resign to the fate of an undead takeover. The pushback was over almost as quickly as it began, but the survivors weren’t ready to surrender their home. So while George and company try to escape, others have different plans.

Enter DOC GIBBS.

Take Doc Gibbs for instance. Sure he could escape, but he felt it more important to understand what exactly happened. Not an advisable idea, but given how we last left George, it seems father Gibbs chose right, at least for now.

DOC GIBBS:
Now I know that lab was around here somewhere.

Enter a CRAWLING ZOMBIE as it moves across the floor and grabs DOC GIBBS’ leg.

CRAWLING ZOMBIE:
I just knew a fresh meal would find its way up here eventually!

DOC GIBBS:
What the fuck is this shit? I don’t get a named zombie? Just a faceless throwaway?

CRAWLING ZOMBIE:
Hey buddy, we’re fresh out of named people to toss into this play.

DOC GIBBS:
Well what about Joe Stoddard? His corpse hasn’t shown up yet.

The STAGE MANAGER tosses his script into the air and storms off stage.

STAGE MANAGER: *off stage*
Does anyone fucking read the script?

Enter JOE STODDARD running up to DOC GIBBS with a shovel and slams it onto the CRAWLING ZOMBIEs head.

JOE STODDARD:
Doc Gibbs? What the hell are you doing here of all places?

DOC GIBBS:
I’m looking for that laboratory that Willard and his friend had been using. I just know that whatever’s inside is the cause of all this.

JOE STODDARD:
You mean Birkin? I know the lab. Follow me. I’ve managed to kill off most of the stragglers up here but the occasional one pops up from time to time.

DOC GIBBS:
Lead the way, Joe.

Exit JOE STODDARD and DOC GIBBS. Enter the STAGE MANAGER.

STAGE MANAGER:
I believe we’ve let you folks dangle long enough over the fate of George Gibbs and the rest of his party.

Enter GEORGE GIBBS and JOE CROWELL sprinting over and closing an imaginary door behind them.

GEORGE:
Help me block the door!

JOE:
What good will that do? Soda shop has mostly windows. If anything, you want to block out only exit! Just lock it for now!

GEORGE:
Alright, done. We can’t rest here long, those things will break through any minute now.

JOE:
At least I can catch my breath. How you doing on ammo?

GEORGE:
Not much left. You?

JOE:
Empty like your sisters head. Where is she, anyway?

GEORGE:
We all got separated. I don’t know when we lost her or Mr Webb but I wouldn’t hold out hope.

JOE:
You’re a real optimist, you know that George?

GEORGE:
Yeah well you’re not exactly the person I’d like to die with.

JOE:
I still blame you for all this.

GEORGE:
If I was somehow behind this, why would the undead want me dead too?

JOE:
They wanted you alive, same with Webb.

GEORGE:
Still, why would I try and keep you alive then?

JOE:
So why are you back, then?

GEORGE:
I…got a letter. Someone urged me to return, just for one day. I told them when I’d have a chance to come up and here we are.

JOE:
I still call shenanigans.

Both men pause to hear REBECCA GIBBS screaming off stage.

GEORGE:
Rebecca? She’s still alive!

JOE:
A lot of good that does us. Unless you got a plan, then we’re still stuck with no gas and no clue.

GEORGE GIBBS stays silent a moment before slowly standing up and handing JOE CROWELL the shotgun.

GEORGE:
I’ll distract them. Get to Rebecca, get the gas, and get the hell out of here.

JOE:
What’s your angle, farm boy?

GEORGE:
You said it yourself, they want me alive. I won’t be able to distract all of them, but hopefully enough will be preoccupied so you can sneak out the side.

JOE:
You plan on surviving, or am I leaving without you?

GEORGE:
I think you’re right. Me being here right now probably isn’t a coincidence, but I need to make sure. And if I’m right, then I doubt I’ll be leaving. Don’t wait for me, but make sure you leave with my father.

JOE:
Let’s get this done then.

JOE CROWELL exits while GEORGE GIBBS opens the imaginary door.

GEORGE:
I surrender. I’ll go, quietly.

GEORGE GIBBS exits.

STAGE MANAGER:
Well, things are certainly grim for Gibbs, and it would defiantly be a dick move to change the scene on you folks, but that’s just what I’m doing. Time to check in with the doctor, who is just now arriving at the laboratory we alluded to earlier.

Enter DOC GIBBS and JOE STODDARD.

DOC GIBBS:
This can’t be it, Joe.

JOE STODDARD:
Afraid so, Doc. You’re standing in ground zero, after a fire destroyed the place of coarse.

DOC GIBBS:
They started a fire before they invaded?

BIRKIN: (Off stage)
No. Not exactly.

BIRKIN enters.

BIRKIN:
Doctor Gibbs I presume? We never did have the pleasure of meeting in person before did we? I’m afraid to say that this entire mess has been of my own doing. I assure you I am making amends but I doubt you will agree with the methods I will take.

DOC GIBBS:
What happened here, Birkin? What do you mean this is your doing?

JOE STODDARD:
I think it best if you start from the beginning.

BIRKIN:
Right, well, picture in your mind if you will, Doctor Gibbs, a world where death was nothing more than an inconvenience. The brain is such an interesting specimen, and reanimation of the brain seemed like the ultimate goal. You see our brains are capable of functioning without the rest of the body even being alive, it just takes a little ingenuity to make it work.

DOC GIBBS:
To even attempt such a task…It’s…it’s horrific.

BIRKIN:
Yes, well, let it never be said I wasn’t a trailblazer. There was, however, one small roadblock in my theories; If the brain could self reanimate, then there wouldn’t be an issue. I needed a way to artificially reanimate the brain, then find a way to synthesize that reanimation method.

DOC GIBBS:
You needed a subject zero, didn’t you?

BIRKIN:
More or less. The subject was chosen by Willard, claimed that the entire town adored her in life. I didn’t mind. We brought the girl back after months of strenuous attempts, taking great care to never damage the brain more than we needed to. From there we found that her entire body excreted something that was not present before. That was the base of the synthesized reanimation chemical.

DOC GIBBS:
So you…You actually managed to cure death?

BIRKIN:
It wasn’t perfect. Nine out of ten test subjects failed to even show the slightest reanimation in the brain after injection. The others showed limited brain activity and almost no external awareness. Our zero however, she was fully aware and active. Bodily functions beyond the brain were nonexistent so no, I do not believe we cured death, merely gave it pause.

DOC GIBBS:
But how did things go from resurrecting one person to the destruction of Grovers Corners?

BIRKIN:
I…I shouldn’t have let Willard choose her…Of the subjects we were able to revive, they all showed a strong allegiance to Zero. As for Zero herself, as time wore on, the potency of the reanimation base she gave us increased, allowing more and more revivals giving her an ever increasing army right under my nose. I was too caught up in my work to notice her longing to truly live again. She wanted to stop the world where it was, keep everyone living in the current moment to “appreciate it more” as she put it. Then one day I wake up to find a group of the reanimated attacking Willard. I escaped, but Willard was done in. Then I find he reanimated as well and helped to raise damn near the entire cemetery.

DOC GIBBS:
There has to be a way to stop this. Grover’s Corners can’t contain them forever.

BIRKIN:
It can and it will. I set fire to the lab hoping it would end this invasion before it began but now I feel more drastic measures are required.

JOE STODDARD:
There’s a damn up north. Birkin and I have it rigged to blow.

DOC GIBBS:
You’re going to flood the town?

BIRKIN:
I know for a fact that none of them can swim. The flood won’t get them all but Mr. Stoddard here is more than willing to stay behind and hunt down the remaining.

JOE STODDARD:
I ain’t got much else to fight for except the town.

DOC GIBBS:
But you can’t just do that! There are still survivors in the town. My children are down there! Maybe we can get word out and bring in the army or something. We can fight back and retake Grover’s Corners! It doesn’t have to end!

JOE STODDARD:
I thought the same thing Doc, but this is the only way to assure they don’t escape and spread out through the world. Grover’s Corners was a lost cause. At the very least we can assure it ends here.

BIRKIN:
Really though, I get the whole small town pride and all but what worth is Grover’s Corners in the grand scheme of things?

DOC GIBBS:
I know it isn’t much to someone like you. But for people like Joe and I and our families, it’s all we know.

BIRKIN:
And all you know is burning. And there is nothing to strive for. Look, I found it quaint when I first got here that you people had set up a time capsule in the bank, so I decided to crack it open to see what you felt was important enough about your town to preserve.

JOE STODDARD:
You…Wait, what?

BIRKIN:
And you know what I found? A couple papers, a bible, the constitution and a few plays. Nothing of the soul of this town. Your paper acknowledged its existence but the capsule contained no evidence you actually lived.

DOC GIBBS:
You obviously didn’t read the one play we put in there.

BIRKIN:
This town was dead long before I decided to resurrect anyone. Should anyone ever bother to return, and drain the lake I’m about to make of it, they can dig out your little capsule and judge for themselves. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to make the final preparations to ensure my mistake doesn’t kill anyone else.

BIRKIN exits. DOC GIBBS takes a step to follow, but decides against it.

DOC GIBBS:
I can’t believe he’s so casual about erasing Grover’s Corners.

JOE STODDARD:
I know it smells something sour, Doc, but there really isn’t any other choice at this point.

DOC GIBBS:
I refuse to believe there are no other options. There’s always another way.

JOE STODDARD:
You thinking we should follow him and do something?

DOC GIBBS:
I will. Joe, I need you to go back to the town and help my family escape. Down the road from my house should be a car. From there head strait to the center of town. At some point you should find them if they’re still alive. Please, I need you to help them escape, especially if Birkin destroys the damn.

JOE STODDARD:
No problem.

DOC GIBBS:
And tell them not to wait for me. Get out as soon as possible.

JOE STODDARD:
Ok, Doc, and good luck.

DOC GIBBS and JOE STODDARD exit to opposite ends of the stage.

STAGE MANAGER:
It appears that time may be running short for Grover’s Corner’s. Now would be as good a time as any to see what fate awaits George.

Enter GEORGE GIBBS being led in by SIMON STIMPSON and PROFESSOR WILLARD.

SIMON:
Well that turned out to be painless, right George?

GEORGE:
I told you I’d go quietly.

SIMON:
Right well, you would excuse us for not taking you at your word.

WILLARD:
That Crowell boy must still have the weapons.

SIMON:
It is, as always, no issue. If you feel the need to though Willard, join up with Warren and hunt down the remaining. All the people we needed alive are accounted for.

WILLARD:
Delightful.

Exit PROFESSOR WILLARD.

GEORGE:
What is all this for? Why take anyone alive?

SIMON:
It’s nothing I would do, but you and Webb were requested to still be breathing. If not for the fact that you came with company, that request would’ve been ignored entirely.

GEORGE:
Who would request anyone be captured alive? One of your kind?

MR WEBB: (off stage)
Closer than you may think, George.

Enter MR WEBB. He has a distinguishing bite mark on his neck and has clearly just been turned into a zombie.

GEORGE:
Mr Webb, no…I…

MR WEBB:
Oh George, it’s wonderful. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending to all of this.

GEORGE:
What is this Simon? I though you wanted us alive?

SIMON STIMPSON says nothing as he turns and exits.

MR WEBB:
I’ve been told that Willard may be able to bring my Myrtle back. I’m going to go collect the rest of her. Oh, I can’t wait, we’re going to be a family again!

Exit MR WEBB.

GEORGE:
Mr Webb, wait!

GEORGE GIBBS begins to follow until he hears a noise behind him. He turns and stares silently as EMILY enters.

GEORGE:
No…

EMILY:
Hello George.

GEORGE:
You’re the one who wanted me alive, weren’t you?

EMILY:
I didn’t want any harm to come to you. Not until I had a chance to see you.

GEORGE:
You sent that letter. You brought me back here just in time for this outbreak. Why?

EMILY:
It was the only way. They said you’d left. Changed. When I returned, I couldn’t bare the idea of starting over like you did.

GEORGE:
I…I didn’t start over. I just walked away and never really moved on.

EMILY:
It doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that we’re together again, and not even death can come between us. Oh George, the others said it would get easier being dead, but they were wrong. I couldn’t let go, I refused to let go.

GEORGE:
It just isn’t the same, Emily.

EMILY:
You living never could appreciate the little things. You don’t really notice them until you’re dead, but when you do, you’d do anything to get it all back.

GEORGE:
Emily, this isn’t right. The dead shouldn’t come back.

EMILY:
Grover’s Corners is ours again, George. We can have it the way it was all that time ago. It’s all I’ve ever wanted since I was taken from you.

GEORGE:
You’ve let this get out of hand, Emily. The others don’t just want to live like it’s 1899 again. They want to go beyond Grover’s Corners.

EMILY:
I didn’t…Yes, well, some of the newer dead didn’t share in my dream. I’ve managed to keep them contained to this point. Hopefully long enough for Birkin to think of something.

GEORGE:
What do you mean?

EMILY:
He always said he’d think of something if it got out of hand…

GEORGE:
A way of containing this?

EMILY:
It can’t be contained. Only destroyed.

GEORGE:
So now what?

EMILY:
I’m not sure, but I just wanted to see you just once before I was taken away again. Maybe convince you to join me.

GEORGE:
I don’t want to be one of those things.

EMILY:
I wont force you. My father chose to turn, but I’d never force anyone.

GEORGE:
How is this Birkin destroying the zombies?

EMILY:
I don’t know, but all I can do is give him time.

GEORGE:
Then what can we do right now?

EMILY:
Honestly? After all this time? I really would like to…just talk.

GEORGE:
(pauses) …I’d like that too.

STAGE MANAGER:
Time is running out for all our friends. Time to reveal the fate of Rebecca and Crowell.

GEORGE GIBBS and EMILY retreat to the back of the stage where the lights over them dim. Enter JOE CROWELL and REBECCA GIBBS.

JOE:
C’Mon! I cleared them out but more are coming and George didn’t leave me much ammo.

REBECCA:
I’m filling as fast as I can!

JOE:
How’d you even last this long?

REBECCA:
Mr. Webb distracted them long enough for me to hide at the station. I found an empty gas can but was found before I could fill it.

JOE:
Then you screamed and I came over and saved you. [to audience] Everyone caught up now?

REBECCA:
Almost full.

JOE:
It don’t have to be full.

REBECCA:
I’m not taking chances. It’s not a very big can anyway. Who knows how much George’s car needs.

JOE:
Fords, amirite?

REBECCA:
Ok. Full.

Enter WARREN and more ZOMBIES. JOE CROWELL fires into the approaching horde.

JOE:
Crap. All out.

WARREN:
Such a pity.

JOE:
You realized I hit cleanup on the baseball team right?

WARREN:
What?

JOE CROWELL swings the shotgun like a bat and hits WARREN in the head, breaking his neck. More ZOMBIES approach.

REBECCA:
Gonna try that a hundred more times?

JOE:
Fuck that shit. Let’s go!

REBECCA:
What about George?

JOE:
If he can’t catch up in time, then that’s his problem. Now MOVE!

Exit JOE CROWELL and REBECCA GIBBS tailed by ZOMBIES. Enter BIRKIN and DOC GIBBS. Lights return over GEORGE GIBBS and EMILY. STAGE MANAGER takes position in the center, checks his watch, nods and looks out at the audience.

STAGE MANAGER:
Well, it’s about that time. The final moments of Grover’s Corners. Birkin is up at the dam, ready to blow it and stop the undead from spreading beyond the town, while the catalyst to the outbreak spends what time she can with the man she loves before she has to send him away. Not many people understand the notion that there can never be enough time to spend with the ones we care about most. Whether death is a surprise or an appointment made in advance, no one is ever truly ready to let go. Some handle it differently than others. Some like George never recover from the sudden blow. And Doc Gibbs, even though he knows what must be done, still can’t bring himself to let go.

DOC GIBBS:
Birkin, stop! There has to be another way!

BIRKIN:
And people like you are precisely why things got so out of hand to begin with. You don’t have the guts to do what is necessary.

DOC GIBBS:
We can reach out for help! The government, the guard, other police forces!

BIRKIN:
By time a proper defense is mobilized, it might be too late. This is the only way to prevent a global outbreak.

DOC GIBBS:
People will wonder what happened here. They’ll come and investigate.

BIRKIN:
And they’ll find nothing of the horrors that transpired here.

DOC GIBBS:
What about you? What’s stopping you from trying again somewhere else?

BIRKIN:
There are lessons to learn here. I plan on erasing this mistake, but not forgetting it.

BIRKIN proceeds to arrange a fuse, ignoring DOC GIBBS.

EMILY:
It’s time to go, George.

GEORGE:
I…I don’t want to leave you again.

EMILY:
I’m sorry I was selfish and dragged you into this.

GEORGE:
There’s nothing to feel sorry about.

EMILY:
You’ll die if you stay.

GEORGE:
I died when you died, Emily. I’ll die again if I leave here. It makes no difference what happens. After you died, I couldn’t bring myself to care about anything else. Then you bring me back here, and any sane person would turn and run at the sight of the zombies, but I fought on. I fought on and helped who I could because of you. For the first time since you died I actually gave a shit about the people here. I can’t leave you again. I don’t even know how I would be able to leave anyway.

EMILY:
Then all there is to do now is wait.

GEORGE GIBBS walks over and holds EMILY.

GEORGE:
I love you. That’s why I came back.

EMILY:
I know you do. And it’s why I asked you to.

Lights go out over GEORGE GIBBS and EMILY.

BIRKIN:
So what will you be doing now that you’re free of this town.

DOC GIBBS:
I…I don’t know actually.

BIRKIN:
I could use a doctor like you. Help prevent things like this from every happening again.

DOC GIBBS:
I’m not that kind of doctor.

BIRKIN:
Neither was Willard, but he found his use. You would be infinitely more useful.

DOC GIBBSS:
You need an assistant or a moral compass?

BIRKIN:
A bit of both I guess. I won’t stop trying to solve the dilemmas of life and death, but perhaps you can help keep things…more containable.

DOC GIBBS:
Perhaps.

BIRKIN:
Then before we move on, let us do what needs to be done.

Lights go out on stage. An explosion sounds. The dam is destroyed and Grover’s Corners is wiped out under a tidal wave of water. Exit EMILY, GEORGE GIBBS, DOC GIBBS and Birkin. A single light illuminates the STAGE MANAGER.

STAGE MANAGER:
And thus passes away Grover’s Corners into memory. In a way, the town isn’t truly dead, not while it lives on with its surviving citizens. And there’s always the time capsule, should anyone ever find it, which chronicles the existence of a town in New Hampshire. A small town. A quiet town. Our town.

Enter JOE CROWELL, JOE STODDARD and REBECCA GIBBS.

STAGE MANAGER:
This is the end of Grover’s Corners, but not of the play. We’re now at a gas station, just beyond the Massachusetts border.

JOE STODDARD:
Excuse me, do you work here?

STAGE MANAGER: (as a gas station attendant)
Yes sir. Awfully late for folks to be out, don’t ’cha think? Need me to fill up your car?

JOE:
Yeah and do you have a phone I can use.

STAGE MANAGER:
Broken I’m afraid. You’re gonna have to hit up the next town.

JOE:
That’s alright.

STAGE MANAGER:
You folks alright? You all look a bit worse for wear.

REBECCA:
We’re fine, thank you.

STAGE MANAGER:
Where you folks from, anyway?

REBECCA:
Grover’s Corners.

STAGE MANAGER:
Never heard of it.

JOE:
Yeah, well, it existed.

The STAGE MANAGER proceeds to fill the gas tank and sends everyone on their way. Exit JOE CROWELL, JOE STODDARD and REBECCA.

STAGE MANAGER:
I believe this would be a good enough time to close our play. But what of our surviving heroes you ask? Well suffice to say no zombie managed to escape to infect others. Most were caught by the impromptu flood Birkin set, swept away before they could advance. The remaining were hunted down by Joe Stoddard. Spent his remaining days in the area surrounding the lost town, hunting and making damn sure nothing got infected. A lonely way to go, but a guy like that was married to his hometown, and not everyone can simply let go.

Joe Crowell ended up going his own way in life. Never did find himself a new home he could live with so he joined the army. Ended up fighting in the war. Did a good job, too. Hard to be scared of anything else when you survive the zombie apocalypse. Men around him rallied behind his bravery. He eventually died in the war though; tried cooking a grenade in the heat of a battle and bam, all that bravery for nothing.

Rebecca Gibbs hung around with Crowell for a while. Popped out a kid for him but it didn’t make it passed two years. After Joe left her, she tried telling others about Grover’s Corners, even tried bringing people to where the town used to be. No one believed her and she ended up in one of those mental facilities for her troubles. She died there. Didn’t matter how much medication and therapy she was given, she knew what she saw, and all it did was drive her mad.

Birkin and Doc Gibbs both managed to get to New York after the fall of Grover’s Corners. From there though, no one ever saw or heard of them again. Word was that Birkin was trying to play God again, but with the Doc with him it was never as serious a threat.

The STAGE MANAGER pulls out his watch to check the time and nods.

At this point most everything is dead at Grover’s Corners. Sure there were survivors from both sides, but nothing to write home about. The remains of Shorty Hawkins crawled into dry land, but he didn’t last long before Joe Stoddard tracked him down and took care of things. You know it’s funny. People, religions and the like strain and strain at the question of whether or not there is life after death. Some seem to think there is with no evidence, others refuse to believe for the very same reasons. It’s all personal I guess, and I doubt you kind folks came here for a philosophical discussion…

The STAGE MANAGER winds his watch.

Hmm…Eleven o’clock in Grover’s Corners, or what would have been Grover’s Corners. You get a good rest now, good night.

Lights dim.

THE END.

Our Town of the Dead [Act II]

[...Posted by Ted H]

Act 2, bitches! Act 3 might take a while though since November is about to go down...and with November, NaNoWriMo happens. National Novel Writing Month is as described, an entire month dedicated to the writing of a novel. This year I'm gonna focus on pounding out as much of Safe Haven as I can. Feel free to follow my exploits: http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/participants/reted

Updates for all of November will be me posting what Ive managed to pound out for Safe Haven. Next weeks update for halloween will be something small while I prepare for the novel-a-thon. I'll pick up on "Our Town of the Dead" in December for the final act, at least I managed Act 2 before November happened. I know how I want to end the play, act 2 was harder to write, believe me.

Ill try to see if I can get any of the other authors to come back for NaNoWriMo but at least I'm on board for it.

-------------------------------------------

[Our Town of the Dead]

Act II

The STAGE MANAGER watches the audience return to their seats, smoking from a pipe, but that sure isn’t tobacco.

STAGE MANAGER:
Death sure is a common occurrence wherever you go. Several thousand days came and went since we last met and you wouldn’t believe the amount of people that die. Some who weren’t even born yet had come and gone, others you never even met lived full lives and passed without nary a second thought. All the same, they all went to the same cemetery. It’s almost mind boggling to think of the amount of souls one single cemetery can contain, which only brings to mind that all those souls have been rising.

He pauses to finish his pipe and put it away.

STAGE MANAGER:
Now not every soul rose this night; just wouldn’t be feasible. Some have just been dead too long to allow it. Others are detached so much that the notion of returning carries no enticement. Many others rose but made no effort to do anything. Body or no body, they prefer to remain just as they are, just where they are. Sure, they feel the hunger, but it’s a pain they can live with.

He pauses to laugh.

STAGE MANAGER:
Now, our first act may have misled you to thinking that the Gibbs family are the only survivors thus far. Close, but there are others. Not many, but every life remaining counts at this point. As for the undead, our old friend Simon seemed to be the only undead to survive the first act, but he is far from alone…

SIMON STIMSON and MRS SOAMES enter from opposite sides.

MRS SOAMES:
There you are, Simon. We were beginning to think you may have left us early.

SIMON:
Leave without you? I would never imagine doing such a thing. Where would I even go?

MRS SOAMES:
Those fresh corpses you had with you earlier were talking about invading the university.

SIMON:
Fair to say those two won’t be invading anything else anytime soon.

MRS SOAMES:
Is that a fact?

SIMON:
Dead, I’m afraid.

MRS SOAMES:
Well no shit, Simon.

SIMON:
Dead-dead!

MRS SOAMES:
Oh. Well I never fancied either of them anyway. What of Mrs Gibbs?

SIMON:
A similar fate. We have a slight issue. Sure enough, the Gibbs boy is back, but he’s armed.

MRS SOAMES:
Like the Constable was? He failed to stop anyone when we attacked.

SIMON:
Gibbs is different. He has a shotgun. Less aiming, wider spread. He’s already killed a few, including his own mother.

MRS SOAMES:
Oh, well that would present a problem.

SIMON:
Hardly. Even if he were to make it into town, he should run out of ammo long before our numbers take a serious hit.

MRS SOAMES:
So what problem DO you have with Gibbs?

SIMON:
I just want to make sure he doesn’t kill anyone important. Throw some of the fresh meat or unknowns at him until he runs empty. You and I should make ourselves scarce until then.

MRS SOAMES:
If you insist.

SIMON:
What of Warren?

MRS SOAMES:
He’s with the towns Constable.

SIMON:
Bringing another one up to speed?

MRS SOAMES:
No, that one‘s dead-dead too. He made sure he wouldn’t turn. Didn’t want any other Constables running around. Many of us had a good meal out of that before it spoiled.

SIMON:
Why is he still with it then?

MRS SOAMES:
Shouting at the body. Beating it mostly. Claiming how he wouldn’t have died so quickly if he were the Constable.

SIMON:
And of the gun?

MRS SOAMES:
Oh don’t be so paranoid. It’s right here.

MRS SOAMES produces a gun with a severed hand attached.

MRS SOAMES:
Made a nice meal out of the whole arm! Such a pretty gun as well.

SIMON:
Get rid of it.

MRS SOAMES:
Oh hush. It is less likely to hurt anyone if I hold onto it.

SIMON:
Fine, just stay away from Gibbs.

MRS SOAMES:
Oh you make it seem like he came with an army.

SIMON:
I don’t have time for this.

SIMON STIMSON and MRS SOAMES exit.

STAGE MANAGER:
Well it looks like we have ourselves a second act…Oh stop being a little bitch Joe! All the bad people are gone now.

JOE CROWELL peeks out from the back of the stage but then goes back into hiding.

STAGE MANAGER:
Fine, be that way. Lets move time forward a bit and switch our scene back to George and company.

GEORGE GIBBS, REBECCA GIBBS and DOC GIBBS all walk on stage.

GEORGE:
Any questions on the plan?

REBECCA:
Did we not just get done talking about it?

GEORGE:
Yeah, but that was during the intermission.

REBECCA:
So?

GEORGE:
*Sigh* Bitchsayswhat?

REBECCA:
What?

GEORGE:
Nice.

DOC GIBBS:
We’re not going anywhere with out the Webb family.

GEORGE:
Just don’t mention the part where I re-killed their son.

REBECCA:
With all the dead family members we’ve been running into, I’m surprised we haven’t seen Emily yet.

STAGE MANAGER:
*Throws the script at REBECCA* Did she even READ the fucking script?

DOC GIBBS:
*Knocks on the door to the Webb house* Charles? Myrtle? Anyone home?

MR WEBB:
Oh my, what a day this is turning into.

MR WEBB opens his door and lets everyone in.

MR WEBB:
What the hell is HE doing back here?

GEORGE:
Uh…so…do I still get to call you dad?

DOC GIBBS:
Never mind that. Charles, we need to get out of here. You notice that the dead have been rising?

MR WEBB:
Yes, actually. Ol’ Howie Newsome said something like that when we let him and the paperboy in earlier. Both looked like a mess. I asked if I should fetch you, Doc, but they both said something about how useless they should be.

DOC GIBBS:
Where are they now?

MR WEBB:
In the back, laying down. Haven’t caused me or the missus much trouble. Complained about being hungry is all, just sent Myrtle in back with some soup to take care of that.

GEORGE GIBBS cocks his shotgun.

DOC GIBBS:
Charles, this is important, I need to see the both of them.

MR WEBB:
That shouldn’t be any trouble. Here they come now. Hey boys, guess who just walked…oh my. What happened?

HOWIE NEWSOME and SI CROWELL enter. Both are covered in blood, HOWIE NEWSOME is carrying an entire leg while SI CROWELL has a long strand of intestine.

MR WEBB:
Whatcha boys got there?

SI:
Your wife.

MR WEBB:
…Wut?

GEORGE:
Step aside.

HOWIE:
We’re still so hungry!

GEORGE:
I got ya covered.

GEORGE GIBBS shoots HOWIE NEWSOME in the chest, causing him to fall backwards to the ground while SI CROWELL lunges forward. MR WEBB hides behind GEORGE GIBBS while DOC GIBBS pulls a scalpel from his pocket and stabs SI CROWELL in the chest then kicks him to the ground.

MR WEBB:
What’s going on here?

REBECCA:
They aren’t dead?

SI CROWELL and HOWIE NEWSOME both rise to their feet and go back on the attack.

GEORGE:
Let’s see ‘em get up after this.

GEORGE GIBBS shoots SI CROWELL in the head, cocks and aims for HOWIE NEWSOME.

DOC GIBBS:
George, wait! Leave Howie alive.

GEORGE:
Are you kidding me?

DOC GIBBS:
I didn’t say he needed to walk though.

GEORGE GIBBS shoots HOWIE NEWSOME in the knees, bringing him to the ground again. DOC GIBBS runs over and pins his arms down.

DOC GIBBS:
Anybody, hold his arms for me.

MR WEBB and REBECCA GIBBS each hold down one of HOWIE NEWSOMEs arms while GEORGE GIBBS stood over him aiming his shotgun.

DOC GIBBS:
Howie? Are you still with us?

HOWIE:
I never left Doc. Let me go everyone, I feel much better now.

DOC GIBBS:
Forgive us if we don’t believe you.

DOC GIBBS bends over and places his fingers on HOWIE NEWSOMEs neck.

GEORGE:
Uh, dad? What are you doing?

DOC GIBBS:
Checking for a pulse, but I’m not getting anything.

GEORGE:
He’s dead, dad. I could’ve told you that.

DOC GIBBS:
Alright, smartass, how would you know?

GEORGE:
I shot him in the chest, remember?

HOWIE:
I ain’t dead. I don’t feel dead at least.

DOC GIBBS:
Right…so Howie, why did you and Si kill Mrs Webb?

HOWIE:
I was just so hungry.

DOC GIBBS:
She brought you soup.

HOWIE:
I can’t really explain it Doc, I just can’t stand the idea of normal food anymore. I need something…live.

DOC GIBBS:
Why did you attack us if you havent even finished Mrs Webb?

HOIWE:
She spoiled. She don’t taste all that good anymore.

REBECCA:
Who killed you, Howie?

HOWIE:
I ain’t dead.

REBECCA:
Well…who hurt you before?

HOWIE:
Simon did. He said he’d have killed me if I didn’t spoil so quickly. Never bothered to ask him what he meant, but I think it meant he didn’t kill me. He never did explain much too me before he and Mrs Gibbs let us go here.

DOC GIBBS:
Simon did kill you, Howie. Do you know where he came from?

HOWIE:
I guess the cemetery.

DOC GIBBS:
…George, I’m afraid there isn’t much else we can gather from our old friend Howie.

GEORGE:
Right. *Shoots HOWIE NEWSOME*

MR WEBB:
What happens now?

GEORGE:
We get the hell out of here.

DOC GIBBS:
Yes, Charles, I want you to go with my children. Help them get to the gas station.

GEORGE:
Dad, you’re talking as if you aren’t going with us.

DOC GIBBS:
I’m going to the cemetery, see if there is anything I can find out about all this.

GEORGE:
Then we’ll go with you.

DOC GIBBS:
No. Getting the gas is more important. I’ll meet you at your car and we’ll all escape together. But if there is any way of getting to the bottom of all this living dead nonsense, it would be at the source.

GEORGE:
That’s a pretty stupid idea. We should just leave and never look back.

DOC GIBBS:
Son, you’re talking as if you’re going to convince me otherwise.

GEORGE:
Fine, but when we get the car gassed up, I won’t wait for you if there’s trouble.

DOC GIBBS:
Yes, well, this wouldn’t be the first time you hightail it at the first sign of trouble.

Exit DOC GIBBS.

GEORGE:
…

REBECCA:
Well?

GEORGE:
What? Are you ready or what?

REBECCA:
Yeah, George, just waiting on you. Ready Mr Webb?

MR WEBB:
Oh we’re ready.

REBECCA:
Why are you carrying that leg?

MR WEBB:
Why would I ever leave my wife behind?

REBECCA:
Because she’s dead.

MR WEBB:
And where is your husband in all this?

REBECCA:
Dead...and then dead again when he got back up. The difference is I didn’t feel the need to take a souvenir.

MR WEBB:
Like you would even care enough. How many different husbands does that make for you?

REBECCA:
Whatever. This one would’ve been the one had he lived long enough…heh…I just realized we’re all widowed in here.

GEORGE:
Enough. Lets go.

REBECCA:
Well aren’t we all serious all of a sudden.

Exit GEORGE GIBBS, REBECCA GIBBS and MR WEBB.

STAGE MANAGER:
Scene shift time! Time to meet another beloved undead favorite!

Enter SIMON STIMSON and WARREN from opposite sides.

SIMON:
Warren? Are you wearing the Constables clothing?

WARREN:
I’m the new-old Constable! It feels right this way.

SIMON:
Whatever helps you cope. How goes the numbers swelling?

WARREN:
As well as Mrs Gibbs had hoped.

SIMON:
Her wishes are no longer a priority.

WARREN:
Is that so?

SIMON:
Warren? Why do you want to leave Grover’s Corners?

WARREN:
I…Well…It seems like the thing to do. Spread ourselves and conquer. We’ll eat like kings!

SIMON:
No. I never saw it that way. We don’t NEED food, we’re dead. We can go long stretches without eating other people.

WARREN:
So what do you suggest.

SIMON:
I’m more interested in reclaiming our home. Grover’s Corners once belonged to us. Then our time came and we left. But we’re back now, so why not take back what is ours.

WARREN:
I don’t think many others would like that idea.

SIMON:
Yes well, most of the naysayers are the more recent dead. They aren't as disconnected to the human need as we are.

WARREN:
Wouldn’t wanting to stay and reclaim your home qualify as a human need?

SIMON:
This coming from a man who felt the need to retake his mantle as Constable.

WARREN:
Ok, I can see your point.

SIMON:
I just see no need to go out and conquer when we could just stay here and let people come to us.

WARREN:
It does sound easier.

SIMON:
Yes, and less likely we run into people with shotguns.

WARREN:
But how can we last with intermittent victims?

SIMON:
We’ve wasted plenty of spoiled meat. I’m sure there are better preservation methods. We can just kill someone and prevent their turning, then preserve the body so it doesn’t spoil.

WARREN:
That sounds like a lot of work.

SIMON:
It’s easier, trust me. Plus, we wont have to share as much.

WARREN:
Well if you put it that way…

SIMON:
We can figure something for preservation. Remember when that Craig boy stumbled into the cemetery a week ago? We killed him and took him to the river. Idea was we could submerge him in the water and he wouldn’t spoil. Didn’t work but now we control the town. We can figure out a way to get it done.

WARREN:
I would like to go back to the old days. We could live life, and live it like we all said we would when we were just talking in the graveyard.

SIMON:
Sure, Warren, sure.

WARREN:
I’m sure Mrs Gibbs would like the idea.

SIMON:
How many time do I have to tell you, you goit, Julia Gibbs is dead for good now.

WARREN:
Not THAT Mrs Gibbs.

SIMON:
Oh…Well, best not to bother her right now.

Exit SIMON STIMSON and WARREN.

STAGE MANAGER:
(Nonchalantly) New scene, whatever.

Exit STAGE MANAGER.

STAGE MANAGER: (offstage)
Ya know I played a bigger role in the original…fuckers…

Enter GEORGE GIBBS, REBECA GIBBS and MR WEBB.

REBECCA:
Look at all these dead people.

MR WEBB:
They don’t look devoured though. They’ve been run over. What else could kill them?

Enter BASEBALL PLAYER.

BASEBALL PLAYER:
Run for your lives!

GEORGE:
We know, we know. Zombies.

BASEBALL PLAYER:
Fuck the zombies. I’m talking about the horse!

Enter BESSIE as a zombie horse. BESSIE runs through, trampling BASEBALL PLAYER and killing him.

REBECCA:
Wait, wasn’t the horse just imaginary an act ago?

GEORGE:
Get down!

GEORGE GIBBS shoots the horse as it runs back, but does little damage. As it makes another pass, GEORGE GIBBS shoots out one of its legs, causing it to topple over.

GEORGE:
This is getting ridiculous.

JOE CROWELL: (offstage)
I’ll say, Gibbs.

Enter JOE CROWELL.

JOE:
Just a second. Can never be too sure.

JOE CROWELL pulls out a gun and puts a round through BESSIEs eye. He then points the gun at GEORGE GIBBS.

GEORGE:
Just hold on a moment, Joe. I’m not one of them.

JOE:
I don’t believe in coincidences, George. You’re gonna tell me why the dead are attacking and you so conveniently arrive at the same time?

REBECCA:
That’s the Constable’s gun! How’d you get it?

JOE:
He’s dead. Mrs Soames had it. I snuck up and beat a rock over her head and took the gun. I’d hate to waste the bullet, Gibbs, so what do you have to do with all this?

GEORGE:
I have no idea why any of this is happening. I’m just trying to get out of here with my family.

JOE:
Now that’s a change of pace for you. Makes me wonder why you even left.

GEORGE:
Look, we can either stand here and talk, or we can get to the gas station and get the hell out of here.

JOE:
You ain’t getting within five feet of that station with just a shotgun.

REBECCA:
We can get a hell of a lot closer with your help.

JOE:
Like this pea shooter will do anything.

MR WEBB:
Well you won’t last long on your own in any case.

JOE:
Guess I have no choice, but this conversation isn’t over Gibbs.

GEORGE:
Fine, whatever.

JOE:
One more question though. Why is Webb carrying a leg?

REBECCA:
Please don’t ask.

Exit GEORGE GIBBS, JOW CROWELL, REBECCA GIBBS and MR WEBB. A moment passes but the STAGE MANAGER doesn’t return. Another moment passes and DOC GIBBS walks on stage.

DOC GIBBS:
Well folks, it seems our host seems to have taken the lack of lines a bit personally. Lucky for you I can fill in for at least a scene transition, while the Stage Manager rewrites himself into the next act. It isn’t much; We’re just moving forward in time just a little and changing locations. Now we move to the heart of Grover’s Corners, home of many landmarks such as the church and the only gas station for miles. Our party of survivors are just arriving.

Exit DOC GIBBS. GEORGE GIBBS enters slowly, aiming his shotgun. He surveys the area, nods, then waves in JOE CROWELL, MR WEBB and REBECCA GIBBS.

JOE:
We’re almost there. Just a bit further.

REBECCA:
How are we getting the gas back to the car?

JOE:
There should be containers around to carry the gas in. We need much, George?

GEORGE:
Not much. Just enough to cross back into Massachusetts. From there we can get help and more gas.

MR WEBB:
Where are we going, exactly?

GEORGE:
I’m going home. Home-home I mean. I didn’t come here to move back.

JOE:
Then why the hell are you here? I still think it’s suspicious.

REBECCA:
Then why are you even with us now?

JOE:
Suspicious or not, my best shot at surviving lies with the guy with the biggest gun.

GEORGE:
You’re all welcome to stay with me, except you Joe.

JOE:
Fuck you.

MR WEBB:
I can’t imagine living anywhere buy Grover’s Corners.

JOE:
You’re welcome to stay here, old man. As for the rest of us, the gas station is right there.

Everyone walks forward, GEORGE GIBBS stops short.

REBECCA:
What’s wrong, George?

GEORGE:
I couldn’t go ten feet before without running into a dead person. Now we’re in the heart of town and not a damn thing.

JOE:
Think they’re smart enough to set a trap?

GEORGE:
They’ve been doing nothing but setting traps. My own mother tried to play me.

REBECCA:
Should we run then? This does seem too easy.

PROFESSOR WILLARD: (off stage)
I believe that would be a futile effort now, I’m afraid.

Enter PROFESSOR WILLARD, WARREN, SIMON STIMSON and several other ZOMBIES, all surrounding the area.

JOE:
That’s a lot of fucking dead people.

GEORGE:
How did you even know we we’re coming?

SIMON:
Well when word passes around that the one and only George Gibbs is waltzing his way into town even when the dead are attacking, there can be only one reason, especially since we all knew you got a shiny new Ford all those years ago. So we decided to pull back and let you walk unsuspected right into our little homecoming party.

GEORGE:
How do you think this is gonna end, Stimson? We’re armed and you’re halfway decayed.

WILLARD:
You’ve two guns and a leg between the four of you. How long can you possibly last against the dozens of us?

WILLARD:
Contrary to what you may think, George, we don’t want to kill you. Not right away at least. Someone wants to talk to you, alive. You and Webb. You should get going now, before an accident happens.

JOE:
What about-

SIMON:
I’m afraid you’re little more than an appetizer now, you and the woman.

GEORGE:
Well I guess that does it. Only one option left, right Joe?

JOE:
Damn right, Gibbs.

GEORGE GIBBS and JOE CROWELL open fire at the ZOMBIES as they close in on the living. The lights dim. A single light illuminates the center of the stage as the Stage Manager walks out and under it.

STAGE MANAGER:
That concludes out second act. Few minutes intermission then make sure you get your asses back for the final act. You don’t want to miss it.

Our Town of the Dead [Act I]

[...Posted by Ted H]

Heres Act I...said what I needed to yeaterday. Now if you excuse me, theres playoff baseball to be watching...

--------------------------------------

[Our Town of the Dead]

Act I

No curtain
No scenery
The STAGE MANAGER walks on stage and begins placing …stuff off to the side

STAGE MANAGER:
This play is called “Our Town of the Dead”, originally titled “Our Town on Fire” but was changed because we needed a less misleading title. This is a sequel nobody asked for, meant to follow a play written by Thornton Wilder. It was written, produced, directed and whatever by Ted H. In it you will see a bunch of actors who couldn’t get hired anywhere else and are only here because they’re desperate for a paycheck. The name of the town is Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire-just across the blah blah blah, no one really cares about where this place is, do they? I assume you can just google map it or something if you’re really interested. It’s dawn by the way, start of a very special day.

A rooster begins to crow, just before getting cut off in slaughter.

STAGE MANAGER:
It’s defiantly been quite a few years since that summer in 1913. I could give you another time consuming tour, but what use is it? Nothing’s the same, and pretty soon everything will change again. For instance, more cars now. Only horse left in regular use is Old Bessy. We call her Old Bessy now, by the way, on account of her not being too far from the one way trip to the glue factory. And if you remember that old dog that used to go to sleep on Main Street, well you’d be happy to hear that it’s still asleep…cause it got hit by a car. One day Cartwright comes rolling by in his fancy new car and BAM, no more dog. Didn’t seem too beat up about it either, that Cartwright, just pumped his fist up and screamed “First road kill, mother fuckers!”

HOWIE NEWSOME screams something inaudible to his horse off stage

Well I should get along to wrapping this monologue up. You might be wondering what the purpose of the story is this time around. “Didn’t they say what they needed to say the first time?” you might be asking. Well the truth is that tonight will be a very special night in Grover’s Corners. Its most infamous citizen is set to return and the town itself is set to go out under the most peculiar of circumstances.

JOE CROWELL and HOWIE NEWSOME (dragging an imaginary horse) enter from opposite sides

HOWIE:
Mornin’

JOE:
Hello, Howie. Bit cold this morning, don’t ya think?

HOWIE:
I’ll say. A bit out of season too. Bessys all mixed up over it. What are you doing up this early anyway?

JOE:
Well ya know, nothing to do around here since I graduated. Usually kill time in the mornings and sometimes help my brother out with the papers. You haven’t seen him though, have you?

HOWIE:
Can’t say that I have.

JOE:
Just isn’t like him to take this long.

HOWIE:
What could you possible do to kill time this early?

JOE:
Well there’s lots to do so long as there arent any people to distract you. I wander all over the place…well, except for the cemetery. I ain’t going anywhere near the cemetery on account of how Willard and his new friend have been creeping me out lately all up in that lab they have just outside the cemetery.

HOWIE:
Well if you aren’t doing anything productive, I passed the new constable earlier and he was looking for a drunk that’s been producing noise complaints.

JOE:
Like Mr Stimson?

HOWIE:
Ah yes. That takes me back. Haven’t had an entertaining drunk around here since Stimson hung himself. That man knew how to put ‘em back.

JOE:
Yup. Shame that his wife nagged him once too often though.

HOWIE:
I remember New Years 1907, damn fool drank every drop of alcohol. Danced on top of the counter at the soda shop afterwards. Then stumbled out the door without a word in search of a fuck, Rebecca Gibbs or his wife, or whoever he found first.

JOE:
I remember talking Baseball with the man, the few times he sobered up. Man loved Boston and couldn’t see how I cheered for the Cubs.

HOWIE:
A Cubs fan, eh?

JOE:
You bet. Won back-to-back titles, too. Simon said that wouldn’t happen again. “A cold day in hell when the Cubs win another championship” he said to be exact. He actually believed those Highlanders in New York have a better chance to win before the Cubs. I told him he was crazy, but he didn’t seem to care.

HOWIE:
Man, call me crazy, but all this talk about Simon, and I think that’s him right now walking down the street.

JOE:
You are crazy, Howie, but that man does bare a resemblance.

SIMON STIMSON shuffles his way slowly on stage, head down and approaching JOE CROWELL and HOWIE NEWSOME

HOWIE:
A…a little uncanny don’t you think? I swear that could be Simon. Even looks like the same clothes he was buried in.

JOE:
Nonsense. Simon Stimson has been dead for years.

JOE CROWELL approaches SIMON STIMSON

JOE:
Hey you! The constables been getting some complaints about you. You better stumble on home before you get into trouble.

HOWIE:
Man, he sure smells funny.

SIMON STIMSON raises his head, revealing his identity, also indicating the years of decomposition.

HOWIE:
Holy fucking shit! It IS Simon!

JOE:
I-I-I-I-I-I

SIMON:
Help…me…

JOE:
Did he..did he just talk?

HOWIE:
I think he needs help.

JOE:
Howie, the dead don’t need help.

HOWIE NEWSOME walks up to SIMON STIMSON

HOWIE:
Simon? It’s me, Howie Newsome. How can he help?

HOWIE NEWSOME turns to face JOE CROWELL

HOWIE:
Go fetch Doc Gibbs, Joe!

JOE:
Howie, I don’t think that’s-

SIMON:
I’m so hungry.

SIMON STIMSON lunges at HOWIE NEWSOME and bites into his neck

HOWIE:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Get it off!

HOWIE NEWSOME falls to the ground as SIMON STIMSON kneels down and take another bite

JOE:
I-I-I can’t. Howie, I…

JOE CROWELL runs off stage and into the crowd, arms up and screaming. SIMON STIMSON continues eating

HOWIE:
Run away, Bessy! Git out of here! Save yourself.

SIMON:
Now why would I even bother eating a horse? Maybe some of my friends would like your horse, but I have a perfectly fine meal right here.

HOWIE:
Friends?

SIMON:
Nothing you need to worry about anymore.

The STAGE MANAGER takes position in the middle of the stage, ignoring SIMON STIMSON as he drags HOWIE NEWSOME away.

STAGE MANAGER:
I believe it would be best if I filled you folks in better on a few things. Big changes happened in Grover’s Corners since we last met. After the death of his wife, George slowly lost his grip and walked away from his life. Left all his kids and ran off to Kentucky with the Goruslawski twins. A few years passed and a new faced entered Grover’s Corners, a man by the name of Birkin. He was a scientist of sorts, never elaborated to anyone beyond that. Birkin and Professor Willard hit it off easily and became friends. Set up a laboratory outside of Grover’s Corners, not too far from the cemetery. The two would come and go from the town every so often, but for the passed few months those visits became less and less until they stopped entering town all together. You notice something like that, especially when everyone else in town manages to hit up the grocery or drug store every day. Word slowly spread that Birkin was conducting experiments up in that lab and Willard was assisting him, though no one could venture a guess as to why they were set up so far from town and so close to the cemetery. Word also spread that something apparently went wrong but no one could bring themselves to approach the lab to investigate.

A trusting bunch we have here in Grover’s Corners. No one ever has a secret they wouldn’t share, and everyone’s too polite to go prying in where they don’t belong. Perhaps if they thought different, things wouldn’t be the way they are now. Oh well, no use trying to change what’s already in motion.

STAGE MANAGER glances off stage and smiles

STAGE MANAGER:
And if it isn’t the son of the devil himself, George Gibbs!

GEORGE GIBBS enters

GEORGE:
Not a drop of gas left in the tank and this town has the one gas station. What a fucking deal, doesn’t anyone else in town have a car? I might as well hitchhike back to Massachusetts.

SI CROWELL crawls into view, trailing blood as he moves

GEORGE:
Holy fucknuts! Si? What happened?

SI:
I was….delivering…but…it attacked…ripped out my…took my…

GEORGE:
Damn, stay with me. Who did this? What did they take?

SI:
My…my appendix.

GEORGE:
W-what? Si? Si! Si, say something! Don’t die on me!

WALLY WEBB walks into view, eating an appendix like an apple

WALLY:
Well if it isn’t the prodigal son, George Gibbs.

GEORGE:
Wally? No. Wally’s dead! What’s going on here? Who are you?

WALLY:
I’m your brother-in-law, and I’m very hungry.

GEORGE:
You killed Si, didn’t you?

WALLY:
I didn’t want to, I just wanted an appendix.

GEORGE:
Wally…why would you-

WALLY:
It wasn’t fair! I took it so I could replace mine! It’s only fair…

WALLY WEBB looks away as he finishes eating SI CROWELL’S appendix. He then turns back to see GEORGE GIBBS

WALLY:
I’m still hungry.

GEORGE:
What? Wally, wait…

WALLY:
I’ll kill you quick, George! Don’t worry.

GEORGE GIBBS takes off running in the direction he came from, WALLY WEBB gives chase.

MRS GIBBS: (off stage)
Oh that Wally Webb. He chased a perfectly good meal away before we could get in position.

MRS GIBBS enters accompanied by two ZOMBIES

ZOMBIE 1:
I believe that was your boy right there.

MRS GIBBS:
It makes no difference in the end. He tastes just the same as the rest of them.

ZOMBIE 2:
We’ve most likely overrun the town by now. Does one more meal really matter?

MRS GIBBS:
No, I suppose it wouldn’t. But it would be one meal we wouldn’t need to share with the others. There will be so many more others soon.

ZOMBIE 1:
And I’m already starving. What about that Crowell boy?

ZOMBIE 2:
He already spoiled. He’ll turn soon enough anyway. Another fuck up from that Webb boy. We should’ve let him run wild with the rest.

ZOMBIE 1:
What we should have done is leave him with his sister.

MRS GIBBS:
It wouldn’t have worked. Wally was too excited and too emotional to just leave behind. Let him have George.

ZOMBIE 1:
And if your son gets away?

MRS GIBBS:
I know where he will run to. Come, I am positively famished.

ZOMBIE 1:
And of the Crowell boy?

MRS GIBBS:
Drag him along, nibble if you so choose. He will need a little assistance when he turns anyway.

MRS GIBBS leaves and both ZOMBIES drag SI CROWELL as they follow. The STAGE MANAGER drags a chair and a chest on stage and arranges them to look like a car and its trunk.

STAGE MANAGER:
Lets check on George real quick, shall we?

GEORGE GIBBS runs back onto stage and runs up to the chair. He attempts to start his “car”

GEORGE:
C’mon you piece of shit! Start! C’MON!

George fails to start the car and gets out. He then runs to the back and opens the chest and roots through its contents. WALLY WEBB enters

WALLY:
End of the line, farmer boy.

GEORGE GIBBS pulls a shotgun out from the chest and points it at WALLY WEBB

WALLY:
Uh…wait. How do you…

GEORGE:
All us “farmer boys” get one. Not look precious for me.

WALLY:
Wait, George! Let’s talk about-

GEORGE GIBBS fires at WALLY WEBB, blowing away his head. WALLY WEBBS corpse falls over.

GEORGE:
Alright. Out of gas and I just killed my already dead brother-in-law. I need to get to town and find some gas, but there might be more of these things. Fuck, I sure picked a choice day to return home.

GEORGE GIBBS goes back to the chest and pockets all the extra shells and reloads his shotgun before taking off back to Grover’s Corners. The STAGE MANAGER drags away the chest, chair and WALLY WEBB, then takes his place in the center of the stage

STAGE MANAGER:
Lets change the scene. This place should be familiar. The Webb’s and Gibbs’ respective homes. In one house, Doc Gibbs is holding up with his daughter and current son-in-law, while Mr Webb and his wife are holding out in their own home. Outside we have a nice congregation of the dead, and newly dead.

From one side, SIMON STIMSON and HOWIE NEWSOME enter. MRS GIBBS enters from the other side, followed by both other ZOMBIES who are dragging SI CROWELL

SIMON:
He about to turn?

ZOMBIE 2:
Yup.

SIMON:
Stick him over by Newsome then.

The ZOMBIES dump SI CROWELL over by HOWIE NEWSOME

HOWIE:
I still don’t understand what’s happening.

ZOMBIE 1:
Patience. I only want to explain this once.

SI CROWELL wakes up and looks around in a daze.

SI:
What’s happening? What’s going on?

SIMON:
I don’t see how adding to our group is going to help us.

ZOMIBE 1:
It will once we spread out beyond the town.

ZOMBIE 2:
Yeah. Doesn’t take many of us to knock over a small town, but imagine how many it would take to take out a whole city.

SIMON:
I prefer quality over quantity any day.

SI:
Wait, what? I don’t understand.

HOWIE:
I’m with you on that, Si. But I do feel terrible. I think Doc Gibbs should give me a look when I get that chance.

MRS GIBBS:
You’re both dead, make no mistake. My husband, or any doctor for that matter, is of no use to you.

SI:
Then what’s this about?

MRS GIBBS:
This is no different than our own deaths, except you never had to leave your body. Eventually you will feel yourself detach from the trivial worries of life. What will linger however will be the hunger.

HOWIE:
Now that you mention it, I am feeling hungry. I think I’ll fix me a sandwich when I get home.

MRS GIBBS:
No, you wont. Sandwiches wont satisfy you anymore.

HOWIE:
Then what will?

MRS GIBBS attempts to speak, but stops herself. She smiles and looks to her fellow zombies behind her.

MRS GIBBS:
I have quite the idea.

SIMON:
What would that be?

MRS GIBBS:
Let them go.

ZOMBIE 1:
I thought we were gonna bring them up to speed?

MRS GIBBS:
Why not let them find out for themselves? Howie? Si? Pick a house. Let the people inside try to help you. When you finish, come out and we can continue our trip through town.

SI:
Finish what? What are you talking about?

MRS GIBBS:
You’ll know when it happens. Now pick.

SI:
Well…You said a doctor wouldn’t be able to help us, so I guess the Gibb home wont be of any more use than the Webb. And no offense Mrs Gibbs, but I just plain don’t like you right now, or your intentions, dead or not, so I think I’ll take my chances with the Webbs.

MRS GIBBS:
So be it.

HOWIE:
I think we should stick together, Si. Even warn the Webbs about what’s happening out here.

MRS GIBBS:
Fine, sure. Warn them about us. But I promise you we won’t harm the Webbs. We won’t need to.

HOWIE:
Lets go, Si. *Knocks on the Webb’s front door* Mr Webb? Anyone? Please open up! It’s Howie Newsome and I need help, please!

MR WEBB:
Howie? *Opens door* You look terrible. Oh my, and Si as well! Were you both attacked? We’ve been hearing the craziest things about the dead walking about. Myrtle, prepare a couple beds!

HOWIE NEWSOME and SI CROWELL enter the Webb home and walk off stage with MR WEBB

SIMON:
What, may I ask, will that accomplish?

MRS GIBBS:
They’ll kill the Webbs for us. Besides, my son is coming and this might be our last chance to get a solitary meal without having to share.

ZOMBIE 1:
What about the Gibbs’ in the house right now?

MRS GIBBS:
We can eat them after.

SIMON:
Nonsense. You two can eat the boy when he arrives. Mrs Gibbs, we can get inside now and eat the rest of your family.

MRS GIBBS:
Oh, and you have a plan to do so?

SIMON:
Yes, simple but effective. Not every plan needs to be overly complicated. The simpler the better sometimes. Just follow me around back.

ZOMBIE 2:
Why do we need to share one guy while you two eat everyone inside?

SIMON:
Because you two are useless to the plan. No one will let any of us into their home as easily as Newsome and Crowell because people think those two are still alive. No one will just open their door to us because we’ve been dead too long to fool anyone. Now stop arguing with me and maybe we can all eat. You can either both share one meal with each other, or share with all four of us. Which will it be?

ZOMBIE 1:
Uh…you two go on ahead. We got the Gibbs boy.

SIMON STIMSON and MRS GIBBS disappear around back while the ZOMBIES remain in front.

ZOMBIE 2:
What was that about?

ZOMBIE 1:
Odds are, they might fail. At least we’re guaranteed to get a meal, and we wont have to share now.

ZOMBIE 2:
Oh. Good thinking.

ZOMBIE 1:
Shit, here comes that boy now. Hide.

GEORGE GIBBS enters right after the two ZOMBIE crouch down and hide

ZOMBIE 1:
Way to fall into a trap, Gibbs!

ZOMBIE 2:
Get him!

GEORGE GIBBS immediately headshots one zombie with his shotgun before pushing the other to the ground.

ZOMBIE 1:
No one told me he was armed!

GEORGE GIBBS kills the remaining ZOMBIE

GEORGE:
Fuck. There are more or them. Hopefully dad and Rebecca are alright.

GEORGE GIBBS runs up to his old houses front door and starts pounding

GEORGE:
Let me in! Please!

DOC GIBBS:
Find somewhere else to stay!

GEORGE:
It’s me, dad. George!

DOC GIBBS:
I’m not falling for that one!

GEORGE:
Just open the door and look at me!

DOC GIBBS:
You must think I’m some kind of idiot.

GEORGE:
Well…Kinda, but not for the reasons you think.

Glass breaks off stage followed by REBECCA GIBBS screaming

DOC GIBBS:
Oh no!

GEORGE:
I’m coming in!

GEORGE GIBBS kicks in the door and rushes in. REBECCA GIBBS runs to DOC GIBBS

DOC GIBBS:
Rebecca, where’s your husband?

REBECCA:
They got him. We were in back looking out the window when suddenly Simon Stimson reached through the window…and…and…

GEORGE:
They’re in the house now?

DOC GIBBS:
George? It’s really you? Wait, Simon Stimson? Are you sure?

REBECCA:
He wasn’t alone.

GEORGE:
Who else?

MRS GIBBS: (off stage)
Ah, if it isn’t my loving family.

Enter MRS GIBBS

GEORGE:
HuZuh?

DOC GIBBS:
Julia…

REBECCA:
…mom?

MRS GIBBS:
Oh how I missed you all. Come to me. All of you.

REBECCA GIBBS begins to run to MRS GIBBS, DOC GIBBS is motionless and GEORGE GIBBS cocks his shotgun and pulls REBECCA GIBBS back.

REBECCA:
What do you think you’re doing?

DOC GIBBS:
George, put the gun down. That’s your mother.

GEORGE:
We buried her, remember?

MRS GIBBS:
I’m alright now, honey. I just want my family back.

DOC GIBBS:
George, put the damn gun down.

GEORGE:
I met Wally Webb earlier. He killed Si Crowell and came after me. Something’s wrong here. These aren’t the people we knew and loved!

MRS GIBBS: (To off stage where Simon is)
I don’t think this plan is gonna work. If you don’t mind, I’m just going to kill them anyway.

REBECCA:
…What?

MRS GIBBS:
Come to momma!

MRS GIBBS lunges at REBECCA GIBBS and grabs her arm. DOC GIBBS attempts to intervene but stops when he sees SIMON STIMSON enter.

SIMON:
(Sigh) No one ever wants to commit to a good plan.

MRS GIBBS attempts to bite REBECCA GIBBS but GEORGE GIBBS grabs her by the hair and yanks her away.

MRS GIBBS:
Is that any way to treat your mother?

GEORGE:
No. And neither is this.

GEORGE GIBBS shoots MRS GIBBS point blank in the face, killing her.

SIMON:
No one told me her was armed!

SIMON STIMSON runs off stage. GEORGE GIBBS gives chase but shortly returns.

GEORGE:
He got away out the window.

DOC GIBBS:
Seriously. I need to know exactly what’s going on. The dead are walking around, killing people? And why the hell are you back all of a sudden?

GEORGE:
I have nothing to do with this, I swear. We need to get out of here though. I’ve got a car, it just needs gas. We can get to town, get some and get the hell out of here.

DOC GIBBS:
And how are we doing that with these…things running around?

GEORGE:
I…Don’t know. At least not yet.

REBECCA:
Is Simon coming back? Is he gonna bring more of those things?

No one answers. The lights dim until only the Stage Manager is lit up in the middle of the stage.

STAGE MANAGER:
As you can all see. Things are only just beginning to take shape. I think now would be a good time to end the first act. Smoke em if you got em!