Pauline’s Panic
©2016 Eric Sahlstrom
INT – PAULINE’S APARTMENT – NIGHT
Pauline [30’s- 40’s, (could be older) pretty, slender, caucasian, blonde with maybe with a touch of gray in her hair and wrinkles under her eyes] has just arrived home to her dark apartment in the city. She turns a few lights and her tv on as she pulls off her heavy coat, sighing with pleasure to be rid of it’s heavy weight. She puts her pretty pink umbrella in the corner to dry, and the large pink purse she flops down on the counter next to her. The flowered white and pink hat she carefully places on the coatrack next to the door before flopping down into the red one person sofa (sp?)… just as soon as she has let the days wind out of her, the old fashioned 80’s phone in the shape of a red heart rings, startling her. She grabs it and answers it.
PAULINE
Hello?
[Daisy [30’s – 40’s, redhead, slender but buff for a lady, doesn’t take any guff from anyone] is in her fortress of solitude, a locked down bunker with security cameras and monitors everywhere. Daisy is holding her phone while talking to Pauline, and staring at news reports on her computer that show a concrete and iron jail cell broken out of.]
DAISY
Pauline. It’s Daisy. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but … I just wanted to let you know .. He’s escaped.
[Pauline freezes. Sweat forms on her brow and her hands and arms start trembling.]
PAULINE
Do you… do you think he’ll come after me… again?
DAISY
I dunno. His keepers “SAID” they had him under control, but Pauline, I just don’t know.
PAULINE
I wish Mario were here… I wish he hadn’t fallen down that elevator shaft.
DAISY
Well he’s not! And you can’t rely on him OR his good for nothing brother! I swear I’ve never seen two bigger nincompoops.
PAULINE
They’re my FRIENDS, Pauline!
DAISY
… I know… But.. You need to stay somewhere SAFE. Pauline, listen to me: You need to stop getting your heart broken fantasizing over those Mario brothers!
[Pauline is openly crying now. It feels good for her to let the tears flow after holding so tightly to them. Daisy hears her sobbing and relents a little]
DAISY (CONT’D)
I’m sorry… you know how I feel about those two. I know what you’ve been through.. I want you to be safe. ..
PAULINE
..(through tears) .. Do you have *ANY* idea what is what like, being on the verge of rescue SOO many times, only to be snatched by that animal again and again?!?!
DAISY
.. I know.. I’ m sorry. (she chokes back her own tears) .. [beat]
DO you have a plan of action?
PAULINE
The only thing I have is a sledge hammer Mario left me. It’s really heavy, I don’t know if I can even lift it?
[Suddenly thumping can be heard. Pauline hears it and gets out of her chair to hide behind the couch.]
PAULINE (CONT’D)
I .. I think I hear something.
DAISY
Can you get to a safe place?
PAULINE
I don’t know where to go?! I thought all of this was so far behind me!
The thumping is louder.
DAISY
Come to my place.
PAULINE
(hesitatingly) .. Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude!
DAISY
Trust me.. It will be two princesses holed up in a castle. Nobody’s getting in here!
[Daisy cocks a shotgun and readies some ammunition]
PAULINE
(sniffs more) ok. I’ll pack a bag…
[Pauline begins to walk across the room, still holding onto the phone, reaching for her large pink bag that she had set down when she entered.]
[The thumping is loud enough that Daisy can hear it over the telephone.]
DAISY
Pauline!! No time to pack! Get out of there!
[Pauline drops the phone and stares at the window.
An enormous ape eye can be seen fleetingly, and then it’s hand can be seen bursting through the window and grabbing Pauline. We hear a bloodcurdling scream and breaking windowpane and glass, and then a vicious apelike roar]
DONKEY KONG
ARROOO! ARROOO! ARROOO!
The phone call with Daisy is cut and we hear a click that fades to silence, then to an old fashioned sound of a phone being left off the hook,..then being slowed down to match the sound of Donkey Kong’s laugh. “haaa…..haaa….haaa…..haaa….”
FADE TO BLACK.
END
Copyright 2016 Eric Sahlstrom