SOPHIE ENTERS THE ROOM (A LUXURIOUS SETTING), AND CHRIS RUNS TO HER. A ZOMBIE CLOSES THE DOOR FROM WITHOUT.

Chris: Soph! Are you all right?

Sophie: (distantly) I'm fine . . .

HE LOOKS DOWN AND SEES THE VIOLA, BOW, AND CASE SHE CLUTCHES.

Chris: Whoa! Is he trying to buy you off?

Sophie: Probably. It's a very old instrument, by a very good string instrument maker.

Chris: So what are we going to do about it?

Sophie: I don't really see what we can do. The windows are barred, the door is guarded, and . . . Did you know that Lucard is planning to steal the Mona Lisa and replace it with a forgery? He showed me the fake and the blueprints to the Louvre. Do you think that might be why he wants us?

Chris: (eeps) To break into the Louvre? Steal the most famous painting in the world?

Sophie: (not really paying attention) But that wouldn't make sense. We don't know anything about stealing art. We'd be caught right away, and he'd be no better off.

Chris: See? We don't need to worry about that. We need to worry about escape.

Sophie: (puts her new viola on a table, sits) But what if we can't escape? Shouldn't we know what's going on, so we can try to do something about it?

Chris: Yeah! We could really put a stick through Lucard's spokes.

Sophie: Or help.

Chris: Huh? Sophie, what's gotten into you?

Sophie: Nothing!

Chris: Are you sure that viola hasn't turned your head?

Sophie: (blushes) Maybe a little.

Chris: Soph . . . Soph, he didn't bite you, did he?

Sophie: No.

IS SHE TELLING THE TRUTH OR LYING? CAN I GET A POLL ON THAT?

CHRIS LOOKS WORRIED, BUT DOESN'T PRESS THE POINT. THERE IS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR.

Lucard: (VO) Children, you had best get to your rooms and go to sleep. I have a long day planned for tomorrow, and you'll need your rest.

CHRIS AND SOPHIE EXCHANGE GLANCES. CHRIS SHRUGS AND SITS DOWN.

Chris: I checked all over, and unless there's a secret passage, there's no way out. And I'm not going to sleep in the pink room.

Sophie: (archly) Why, are you afraid it will compromise your manhood?

Chris: (uncomfortably) Besides, the other room has video games and a TV set right next to the bed. You'll prefer that . . . thing that plays music . . .

Sophie: (gets up and looks in the pink room) Chris, it's a record player. Don't you know what that is?

Chris: Sure! It's something that old people used before CD players. And since Lucard is about as old as they get, I suppose that's all right.

Lucard: (VO) I heard that, Christopher. Bed, or I'll have my zombies put you there.

THEY GULP, AND RUN TO THEIR SEPARATE ROOMS. SCENE: THE HALLWAY. ONLY ONE ZOMBIE STANDS WITH AS MUCH ATTENTION AS HE CAN MUSTER. LUCARD IS LISTENING AT THE DOOR. HE CHUCKLES AND STRIDES AWAY.

~

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