Synopsis: After several long meetings with a wealthy business entrepenuer named Elizabeth Glenwood, Elizabeth Springer and her good friend Laura Lynn decide to take a day off and go for a hike in the mountain highlands above Jasonville to clear their heads. They leave early in the morning after a hearty breakfast at the Heavenly Rest diner in town. While high up on the trail, Laura starts to feel weak and dizzy and eventually passes out. Elizabeth becomes concerned but when a darkly clad figure steps out of the woods she becomes afraid. Elizabeth too begins to feel ill and realizes her and Laura have been drugged. The figure approaches her with a rope, apparently to tie her up. Despite a valiant struggle, Elizabeth succumbs to the effects of the drugs and passes out, becoming the captive of a thus far unknown assailant.
Setting: Saturday November 30th, 2002: around 8am. The upper hiking trails in the mountain highlands above Jasonville near the Ridgetop Lodge.
Characters: Elizabeth Springer (Hopeless Grace), Laura Lynn (Nivyan) and ??????
Open in the early morning hours with Elizabeth and Laura reaching the summit, standing at a site called Buena Vista (good view) along the highland trail looking out over the city of Jasonville below.
Elizabeth: (Taking a deep, relaxing breath) �Oh Laura, look! Isn�t the view breathtaking?
Laura: (Just catching up to see her first view of the valley below, breathing heavily) �Oh yes, ����it is lovely!����Definitely worth the effort to get up here! ���Though I must say I am exhausted,����and oddly a little bit dizzy!�
Elizabeth: �Well you did eat a HUGE breakfast! Maybe we should have waited a while to let our meal digest before we started our hike?�
Laura: (Moving to a large rock to sit down) �Perhaps���� but I think I will be all right����I just need to rest a bit.�
Elizabeth: (Pauses, once again looking at the view) �You know, I must admit, I am very excited about the possible merger coming up with Elizabeth Glenwood. Just think of all the children we could help with the added resources. It�s like a dream come true Laura!� (no response from Laura) �Laura? (Elizabeth turns to look at her friend who she sees has apparently feinted) �LAURA!!!!� (rushes to Laura�s side)
Elizabeth: (Beginning to feel a little dizzy now herself) �LAURA! WAKE UP!!!� (Hears a noise in the woods and turns to face it, nearly stumbling from the increasing dizziness) �WHO�S THERE!!! WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US?!?�
A dark clad, masked figure emerges from the woods to face Elizabeth
??????: (In a purposely deepened feminine voice) �You should have eaten a bigger breakfast my dear Elizabeth, you would have slept better!� (Pulls out a rope from a daypack) "[Ominously]Struggle if you like, it will only make the drugs work faster!�
Elizabeth: (Now barely able to stand, stumbles down the trail) �KEEP AWAY FROM ME!!!� (Falls to the ground and begins crawling, breathing heavily and panicked)
The darkly clad woman comes up behind Elizabeth, trying to tie her up with the ropes. Elizabeth struggles desperately but it only causes the drugs to pump through her veins faster. In a matter of minutes she succumbs to the effects and passes out.
??????: (In a normal voice tone, looking at the now unconscious Elizabeth) �Finally! But I�ll give it to you Elizabeth, you sure are a fighter!� (Finishes tying Elizabeth up) �Now sit right there for a moment, I have a job to do. We have to make it look like I was never here!� (Starts to brush away her footprints and plants some evidence)
Fade out through the treetops, looking at the scene below.
End of scene 1
