The Guardian of Grayson [Play Adaptation]

Scene One

SCENE ONE: High School

[Gideon is walking through the halls of his high school. Students are scattered, holding typical conversation and goofing off. As he travels down, Gideon is stopped by many students (mostly male) and pulled into half handshake-half hug embraces after being gone for a week due to illness. He finally manages to get to his locker and is dialing in the combination when gunshots ring out. The student body responds by ducking down and silencing their conversations in exchange for exclamations. Gideon falls to the ground covering his head. Shots ring out again and students start evacuating the building, leaving Gideon alone in the hall.]

Gideon: [Standing up slowly and taking his hands off his head] Hello?

[He takes a few unsteady steps toward the end of the hall. A girl comes running out and runs into him. She is obviously shaken, tears running down her face.]

Girl: [Almost incomprehensibly] You need to get out! He's insane! [She pushes past Gideon and continues to leave the hallway.]

[Gideon pays no attention to her warning and keeps walking toward the gunshots. Just as he's about to reach the end of the hallway Carson falls into view, unconscious. Gideon hides behind a janitor's trashcan. Travis and Naomi walk into view, stepping over Carson. Travis grips Naomi's arm roughly and holds his gun in the other hand.]

Naomi: [Pleading] You don't have to do this. Travis, it doesn't matter what anyone said to you or where you are in life. I am absolutely positive there is someone out there who cares deeply for you and would feel so sad if you--

Travis: [Shaking her lightly] Just shut up! [He pushes her and takes a few steps away, bringing his hands to cradle his head.] You don't get it, okay? [He brings his hands back down and whips around to face her, stepping toward her angrily but slowly. She starts to back away, her path evidently toward the trashcan.] You have no idea what they would do to me.

[Travis raises the gun and points it towards her.]

Travis: I'm so sorry for this.

[Gideon kicks the trashcan so it rolls (with speed) towards Travis, distracting him. At the same instant, Gideon jumps up and pushes Naomi behind himself.]

Gideon: [with hands raised] You don't want to do this, Travis. I know you. You love it here. So how about you just set the gun down, and you can walk out with me, okay? No one has to get hurt, and no one has to know it was you. We can say you were with us, okay?

Travis: [now shaking] I'm dead either way. You don't understand what they can do.

Gideon: The police can't hurt you. They get it, okay? You're a scared kid. You're obviously in over your head and I'm sure they would strike a deal with you.

Travis: Gideon, I don't want to hurt you. Jeeze, I didn't want to do this. They would get my family, man. They just.... They want people to know that they aren't safe anymore.

Gideon: Who is 'they' Travis? I'm sure that whoever you're talking about, the police can protect you. Just stop right now.

Travis: It's too late, Gideon. [He slowly lowers the gun.] This isn't me being an angry teenager. I'm scared, because for once this town is going to be hit with something it has never seen before, and it's not ready. [He lifts the gun to his head.] This town needs a hero, Gideon. They can't survive without one.

[The lights drop.]

Gideon: No!

[Gunshot. Naomi screams.]