When the Wind Blows
By: Annalynn Roe

CHARACTERS:

NARRATOR: Unseen person used to describe the setting and acknowledge the passage of time.

CHRISTINE: A second year college student, easy going but easily spooked; she has a habit of procrastinating.

MELANIE: A second year college student, majoring in drama; she is a close friend to Christine.

PLACE:

The central room of a college library; additionally furnished with a study lounge and computers.

TIME:

Set during a cold February night with an impending snowstorm.

NARRATOR: A frigid wind blows on a cold February evening, keeping most of Philadelphia's residents tucked away inside the warm confines of their homes. Those still out move briskly through the cold toward their final destinations.

[Doors open and CHRISTINE appears, rushing to close the doors behind her.]

CHRISTINE: Gosh, it's freezing!

MELANIE: Christine? Finally, you're here! We need to get started on our term paper or we'll never get finished.

CHRISTINE: Yeah, sorry. I got caught up talking to Prof. Galen.

MELANIE: [Laughs] Oooh, Prof. Galen? No wonder you're so late.

CHRISTINE: [Blushing] Shut up! You know I suck at Physics. Are we going to get started or not?

MELANIE: Alright, alright. What did you decide the topic was going to be?

CHRISTINE: [Sighs] Well, I'd been thinking about racial profiling. Or maybe forest conservation – totally different, but it would be easy; don't you think?

MELANIE: This is for Hathaway's class, right?

CHRISTINE: Yeah.

MELANIE: I wouldn't suggest anything to do with the environment, then. I swear half my class decided to do theirs on pollution or wildlife endangerment or conservation. One look at the topic sentence and your grade would plummet.

CHRISTINE: Profiling it is then. Want to help me get started?

[MELANIE scoffs and shakes her head.]

MELANIE: Don't think I'm going to be doing this thing for you. I'll help with the formatting and proofing; otherwise I'm here for moral support. This is your term paper.

CHRISTINE: I know, I know. We had this conversation the other day. Let's find a computer.

[CHRISTINE and MELANIE walk to the back of the library, where two rows of five computers face one another.]

Here.

[They set there things beside two computers and seat themselves next to one another. CHRISTINE pulls a notebook from her bag, and flips it to a specific page.]

I've got a few points written down – I thought of a few subtopics while I was brainstorming.

MELANIE: Alright. I'll show you a basic outline and you can follow the formatting.

[MELANIE's phone goes off and she checks the screen.]

Let's try and make this quick, there's a snowstorm heading our way.

CHRISTINE: No problem, I can have this done in an hour and a half. We'll be out of here in no time.

MELANIE: That should be fine. The warning says it won't hit until about seven.

NARRATOR: The two get to work. Christine begins the assignment and works to finish quickly. Occasionally Melanie points out an error or key point. The hour and a half passed swiftly and it is not long before Christine finishes.

CHRITINE: [proudly] Done! All that's left is to print everything.

[MELANIE glances out a high window and notices the darkening sky.]

MELANIE: Well, let's hurry.

[The wind begins to howl.]

I think we're working on borrowed time, now.

CHRISTINE: It won't take but a second and we can go.

[CHRISTINE stands and starts for the printer when the lights flicker and the room goes dark.]

What the heck?

MELANIE: [Sighs.] Looks like the storm cut the power. We'll have to wait for it to come back on.

CHRISTINE: [Sits heavily in her seat.] Talk about bad timing. Sorry, Mel.

[MELANIE stands and begins to walk away.]

MELANIE: It's fine. Stay here, I'm going to see if I can't find a flashlight.

[Exit MELANIE. Silence.]

CHRISTINE: [Apprehensive.] It's eerie being in here like this.

[A sudden crash catches CHRISTINE off guard and she shrieks, leaping from her seat.]

Oh my God, what was that? Is someone there? I thought everyone had left.

[Silence continues and CHRISTINE becomes unnerved.]

Hello?

[Another crash sounds and CHRISTINE screams. A ray of light cuts through the dark. Enter MELANIE.]

MELANIE: Good grief, Christi. Calm down. I could hear you two rooms over.

CHRISTINE: [Points toward the noise.] There's something in there!

MELANIE: [Rolls eyes.] Are you sure it's not just the wind?

CHRISTINE: Yes, I'm sure! There's something there!

[Sighing MELANIE walks into the other room. CHRISTINE stands fearfully, fiddling with a strand of hair as she waits for MELANIE's return. There is an exclamation followed by the sound of falling books. Silence ensues.]

I should see what's up. But, I don't want to go in there!

[As CHRISTINE takes a tentative step toward the room MELANIE returns. CHRISTINE is clearly relieved. A cat struggles in MELANIE's arms.]

MELANIE: Here's your little spook.

CHRISTINE: [Startled.] What's a cat doing in the library?

MELANIE: Who knows? Maybe he snuck in after someone earlier today.

[The power returns.]

Oh, good. Hurry and print out your paper so we can get out of here. Hopefully we can make it to the dorms before we turn into popsicles.

CHRISTINE: [Takes the cat.] We're bringing him with us, right?

MELANIE: I can't see leaving him here.

CHRISTINE: Awesome! Hold him for a second, so I can get everything.

NARRATOR: Five minutes pass until Christine has her things and the two are ready to leave.

CHRISTINE: [Thoughtfully.] I think we should name him Snowy. You know, since we found him during a snowstorm?

MELANIE: [Deadpans.] Christine. There isn't a speck of white on that cat.

CHRISTINE: I suppose you're right… But what should we name him?

MELANIE: I don't know. Spook.

CHRISTINE: Hmm, you know what? I like it! [To the cat.] Do you like the name Spook, Spook?

[The cat meows. CHRISTINE laughs.]

MELANIE: Okay, the cat has a name. Can we go now?

CHRISTINE: Alright, let's go!

[Exit MELANIE. Exit CHRISTINE.]

CURTAIN