by Tony Brent
DAN
I think we should go back home a different way, I suggest we take this, AHH!
(Dan suddenly falls from view)
ROGER
This "ahh", what?
(Turns around and doesn't see Dan, turns back and continues folding tent)
DAN
(From below)
HELP!
BRENDA
Oh, dear!
Brenda runs over where Dan was standing
BRENDA
Help! Dan fell down on that ledge!
Everyone rushes and looks down
ROGER
(Yelling to Dan)
I thought you knew this mountain like the front of your hand?
BRENDA
I think he's really hurt!
DAN
Help! I'm really hurt!
HAROLD
Boys, grab that rope!
Brian hands the rope to Harold who unwinds it and lowers it down to Dan.
HAROLD
Okay, everybody get behind me and we will pull him up slowly!
DAN
I think I broke my leg!
Brenda, Brian, Zach, Chase and Connor grab the
rope behind Harold and get ready to pull. Roger
and Robert just stand there looking down
CHASE
It's going to be okay dad! Now everybody pull!
DAN
I think I broke my leg!
The group struggles, unable to get it together.
ZACH
It's PULL Brian, not push!
BRIAN
I'm not pushing!
ZACH
Then you must be pulling the wrong way!
They try once more and wind up falling together in a heap
ROGER
Here, get back, I'll do it myself.
DAN
Hey, I don't think my leg is broken after all! It's okay!
Roger moves everyone out of the way and grabs the rope to pull. Roger pushes Connor which causes
Connor to trip over the rope as he's trying to get out of the way, Roger then trips over Connor and falls
into ravine carrying the rope over with him.
ROGER
WHOA!
DAN
AHHH!
ROBERT
Dad?
DAN
Now my leg IS broken!
ROBERT
Your little baby feet made my dad fall!
CONNOR
No, I only tripped him because he pushed me!
ROBERT
Dad, are you alright?
ROGER
What do you think?
BRENDA
What are we going to do? If his leg is broken we can't hike back down the mountain tonight!
HAROLD
I'll try to get a cell phone signal and call for help.
Harold walks around to various areas trying to pick up a signal. He stands on rocks, then stands
on the tree trunk but has no luck.
ROBERT
This is your entire fault!
CONNOR
(Hangs his head, says nothing)
BRIAN
No it wasn't! Your dad pushed him and his shoe got tangled! I saw the whole thing!
BRENDA
Boys! Stop fighting!
(Dan groans again)
HAROLD
Nothing, no signal at all! Any of you boys have a cell phone with you?
ZACH
The Trail Blazers said for us not to bring any electronic devices including cell phones, games,
iPads...
CHASE
(Taking phone out of his pocket)
I'd try mine but the battery died.
(Zach gives Chase a hard look)
What?
HAROLD
(To Dan)
Dan! I need that GPS of yours! I'm going to try to go back down the mountain and get help.
DAN
Problem; I fell on it and broke it.
HAROLD
What about the back-up GPS you mentioned?
DAN
Roger broke that one when he fell on me!
BRIAN
What are we going to do mom?
BRENDA
What ARE we going to do Harold? It'll be dark soon and none of us know the way back.
HAROLD
Toss up the rope and we'll pull you up!
ROGER
The rope fell off the ledge and into the ravine; no way we can reach it.
ZACH
How are we going to get them out, dad?
HAROLD
I don't know yet son. It'll be dark soon, looks like we are stuck here for the night.
(In the distance strange howl is heard. Everyone huddles together)
HAROLD
(Continuing)
We need to get those tents up and a fire built now!
Boys, start putting those tents up! Roger and Connor, you work together on that tent!
CONNOR
Can I just go get wood instead?
HAROLD
All right, but don't go far and don't take long, it's going to get dark soon.
(Connor exits)
HAROLD
(Continues)
The rest of you guys get to work on the tents, Brenda, let's see if we can find some way to get them up and out of there!
(Another loud animal-like noise, this one different than the first)
ZACH
What was that?
HAROLD
I do not know son.
BRIAN
It sounded different than before, and closer.
Harold frantically takes out his cell phone and tries again to get a signal, no luck
(Another loud howl, even closer)
BRENDA
Harold, what kind of wild animals live out here?
HAROLD
Oh, possibly some rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, bears, wolves.
BRENDA
Wolves! Oh my! There can't possibly be wolves here can there? Can there?
ROGER
(Below)
Wolves are scarce up on this mountain, its bears you need to watch out for, they don't fear humans at all.
BRENDA
You mean you led us and our children up on top of a mountain where there could be dangerous BEARS?
DAN
(In pain as he speaks)
Don't worry, I checked an online site called BearFinder.com and it said there have been no sightings
of bears on this mountain since last winter.
BRENDA
Last winter? Well, that was a year ago and its winter again you idiot! They're back!
ZACH
Sa, sa, sa, something is moving in the bushes!
HAROLD
Everybody freeze! Don't move!
Brenda grabs Brian, Harold grabs Zach, Chase hides behind the others and they all huddle together and
look toward the bushes. A rabbit pokes its head up. Nervous laughter and relief from the group.
A large paw appears and pulls the rabbit back down into the bush. The group screams. The bush
violently shakes.
ACT 2 SCENE 1
Connor is walking alone, looking for firewood, talking out loud to himself
CONNOR
I hate this club and I hate my stupid feet!
(As Connor continues to look for firewood, a large figure slowly peers out from behind a tree in the
background. As Connor walks the figure moves from tree to tree, watching him. Finally, Connor sits
on a stump and props up one of his feet to get a better look at it.)
CONNOR
Dad said I would grow into them but I don't think I ever will. Tripping Rogers’s dad was an accident.
(Connor rises and begins t
o pick up pieces of firewood. The figure moves closer but is still
mostly hidden by the foliage.)
HAROLD
(Offstage)
Connor! Connor! Get back here! There are bears and wolves in these woods!
BRENDA
And hunters and bullets!
(Connor drops the firewood and exits quickly, the creature turns and vanishes back into the woods.)
ACT 2 SCENE 2
(Connor runs back to the group)
BRENDA
Oh, thank God, Connor slowly, slowly! There's something in the bushes.
CHASE
There's a wolf or a bear over there, we've got to stay together!
ROBERT
Who made you the boss?
CHASE
Since my dad is no longer here, somebody has got to take charge!
DAN
I'm still alive and I can hear, you know?
ZACH
Maybe we need to get further away from those bushes, if the bear or whatever can't get down to Mr. Dan and Mr. Roger then they are okay.
HAROLD
You may have a point there son.
DAN
You're not going to leave us down here are you?
BRIAN
And it's getting colder!
(Brenda hugs Brian and rubs his arms)
(Harold picks up a tree limb to use as a weapon and walks several feet toward the bush and stops.)
BRENDA
Ah, Harold, wouldn't it be a bad idea to poke a bear?
HAROLD
We don't know for certain it's a bear. There doesn't seem to be anything in there now.
ZACH
Ma...ma...maybe it was just a squirrel.
ROBERT
Sure, a squirrel with one giant pa, pa, paw?
ZACH
You don't know EVERYTHING Roger!
ROBERT
You don't know ANYTHING Za...Za...Zachary!
HAROLD
Stop it boys! Stop it! This is not the time! We are in a predicament here and we all have to work
together! It's getting dark, we need to build a fire and get the tents erected.
ROBERT
Looks like Bigfoot forgot the wood.
CONNOR
I left the wood when I heard you calling for me. I'll go back and get it.
HAROLD
Not alone, we need to stay together.
ROGER
Hey, can somebody send down some water?
(Brenda opens a backpack and removes two bottled waters and a package of aspirin and leans over and
drops them down.)
DAN
Ouch!
BRENDA
Oops, sorry Dan, you know! Harold, I'll go get the wood with Connor and Brian, you stay here with the
other boys and work on getting the tents up, okay?
CHASE
Yes, I think that's a good idea.
(Everyone stares at Chase for a moment as he acts as if it were his idea)
Brenda, Brian and Connor exit
ACT 2 SCENE 3
LEDGE WHERE ROGER AND DAN ARE TRAPPED
(Dan lies with his leg at an odd angle and his back against the side of a large stone. Roger sits on
the ground with his back against the side of the ledge.)
DAN
This was all such a bad idea.
ROGER
No argument from me.
DAN
I just wanted Chase to have a group to belong too, a group that he could fit in with.
ROGER
So, instead of letting him join a real group and work his way into fitting in, you invented your own group
and let him be the leader?
DAN
(Ignores the question, holds his leg and groans)
I need medical attention!
ROGER
(Calling up to the others)
Hey, you figured out a way to get us outta here yet? He's hurting pretty bad down here!
DAN
(Rolling back and forth, holding his leg)
I wanna ride the roller coaster mommy!
ROGER
And he's beginning to get a little delirious!
(Harold, Zach and Chase are in the process of putting the tents up; this time they are more
focused and one of the tents has already been put completely together.)
HAROLD
(Calling down to Robert)
We’re getting the tents up because it's going to be dark soon.
ROGER
What about us?
HAROLD
Is there room for you to have a tent on that ledge?
DAN
Ponies!
ROGER
Just throw some sleeping bags down.
(Harold tosses down a sleeping bag)
DAN
OW!
HAROLD
Sorry!
ACT 2 SCENE 4
(Brenda, Brian, and Connor are searching for firewood; they are each holding several pieces of
Wood.)
BRENDA
Let’s get a few more pieces and get back to the group.
(A low growl is heard coming from the deep woods)
(continues)
We’d better hurry boys!
(The growling gets louder, bushes upstage shake, suddenly the outline of a bear appears! Everyone runs screaming; both boys run in the opposite direction of Brenda and become separated)
A large brown bear makes his appearance from between the bushes, unsure at first who to chase,
he finally chooses to run in the direction the boys ran. Brenda runs back to the campsite, out of breath
BRENDA
Tha...tha...tha...
ZACH
Take a breath, it helps me.
BRENDA
Tha...there's a bear back there!
(She turns back and screams)
BRENDA
Brian! Oh, my baby! Brian!
HAROLD
Where are the boys?
BRENDA
The bear came out in between us and split us up! The boy's ran in the other direction!
DAN
Teddy bear?
BRENDA
Shut up Dan!
CHASE
I'll organize a search party!
HAROLD & BRENDA IN UNISON
Shut up Chase!
HAROLD
You all stay together and I'll go look.
ACT 2 SCENE 5
(Connor and Brian are out of breath and lean against opposites sides of a tree.)
BRIAN
Oh MY GOSH! What are we going to do? That was a bear! A REAL bear!
CONNOR
We need to get back to the others.
BRIAN
My mom is going to be worried sick!
(The boys circle the area they are in, unsure which way to go.)
CONNOR
Keep it down, the bear will hear us!
BRIAN
I gotta rest a minute. My body's not used to running from bears!
CONNOR
Shut it Turkey! I mean…I'm sorry, Brian.
(Brian becomes quiet, hangs his head)
CONNOR
(Continues)
Let's climb up on these rocks, maybe it can't get up that high!
(The boys run to a huge rock wall with a small ledge near the top. They try to climb it but
cannot get handholds.)
(Growling is heard)
BRIAN
It's close! We gotta hurry!
CONNOR
Here, I'll give you a boost!
BRIAN
But then how are you going to get up?
CONNOR
Maybe you can pull me u
p.
(Brian puts his foot in Connor's interlaced fingers and gets a boost up, getting a handhold and
manages to pull himself up to the top.)
(Growling grows louder)
BRIAN
Quick, give me your hand!
(Connor gets pulled up by Brian far enough to get a firm foothold, then makes it to the top next to
Brian just as a bear enters. The brush, tree stumps and foliage partially hide the bear so the the entire body is not seen.)
BRIAN
Whoa, it's huge!
CONNOR
And it looks hungry!
(The bear rears up on the rock wall and growls. The boys both scream and push themselves as far
away from the ledge as possible.)
BRIAN
What are we going to do?
CONNOR
We're gonna stay right here, that's what we're going to do!
(The bear circles and eventually sits on its haunches and looks up at the boys, emitting a low
growl.)
ACT 2 SCENE 6
HAROLD SEARCHES FOR THE BOYS
(Harold moves through the trees holding a camping shovel in one hand and a flashlight in the other.)
HAROLD
Brian...Connor...Boys!
(Harold trips on something and falls. Suddenly a man jumps up where Harold fell. We realize that
Harold fell on another man who was lying on the ground. The man is inside of a sleeping bag and
is startled and both he and Harold are holding each other to try to keep their balance.)