JO:

Well, what do you mean you didn't like it? Pride and Prejudice is a wonderful novel. I thought you'd love it.

NAN:

[Unenthusiastically.] It's boring. It goes on and on.

JO:

[To Nat.] What about you?

NAT:

[Tentatively.] Well, um, Mrs. Jo, it's kind of slow in some parts.

NAN:

Yeah, kinda like from the beginning to the end.

JO:

All right, then, for your next reading assignment, I'll let you choose the book.

NAT:

Really?

DAN:

Any book we want?

JO:

Any book you want.

NAN:

[Quietly.] Something short.

JO:

Not too short.

TOMMY:

Something with not too many words, too.

NAT:

Well, you know, seeing that Hallowe'en's coming up, why don't we read a scary story.

NAN:

Yeah.

JO:

I think that's a great idea, Nat.

NAT:

How 'bout we read Frankenstein?

NAN:

What's Frankenstein?

NAT:

Nan, you'd love it. It's a story about a scientist who makes this monster out of body parts. Then he brings it back to life and goes around killing people.

NAN:

That sounds great. I wanna read Frankenstein.

JO:

Fine, then. We'll start first thing -

DAN:

You expectin' somebody?

JO:

[Curiously.] No.

JENNINGS:

I'm looking for Mrs. Jo Bhaer.

JO:

[Suddenly nervous.] That's me. I'm Jo Bhaer.

JENNINGS:

My name is Abel Jennings. Is there someplace we could talk in private?

JO:

Of course.

JENNINGS:

I've traveled from Baltimore to see you.

JO:

Baltimore? That's quite a trip.

JENNINGS:

In town, they said you had married, that you were no longer Josephine March.

JO:

That's right. I got married several years ago.

JENNINGS:

And your husband?

JO:

My husband died last year. [Beat.] Why have you come here to see me?

JENNINGS:

I read your book. It pierced my heart.

JO:

Thank you. You traveled all this way just to tell me that?

JENNINGS:

Yes.

JO:

That's very nice.

JENNINGS:

I'm dying, Mrs. Bhaer.

JO:

I'm sorry.

JENNINGS:

Cancer. My doctors concur that I am to live another year at most. And that is why I've come to see you.

JO:

Me? Why?

JENNINGS:

I'd like to commission you to write the story of my life.

JO:

He said that he's read several authors looking for the right voice to tell his story.

MEG:

And he chose you? Jo, how flattering!

JO:

Yes, it is.

AMY:

Will you have the time?

JO:

I don't know. Asia's gone to Philadelphia for two weeks to visit her aunt. That won't make things any easier. And I told him about how I'm teaching the children now, but he said he didn't mind. He said he'd work at whatever pace I wanted.

AMY:

Well, you can't work too slowly. Didn't you just say that he was dying.

JO:

Yes. His doctors say that he has about a year to live at most. And he wants to devote whatever time he has left to this book. It's his last goal to achieve.

MEG:

Poor man.

AMY:

Well, what did you say?

JO:

I told him that I wanted a day to think about it. I mean, I don't even know the man. He's very… peculiar. Sombre. And he has this huge scar across the front of his face.

MEG:

Perhaps you should make some inquiries.

JO:

I already did. First thing this morning, I sent a telegram to the postmaster in Baltimore. He wired me back, and apparently there is a prominent businessman named Abel Jennings living in Baltimore.

MEG:

Well, then he's legitimate.

AMY:

What kind of business?

JO:

I don't know. He didn't say.

MEG:

Well, that could be the first question you ask him when you begin writing his story.

JO:

You really do think I should do this.

MEG:

Jo, the man loved your book.

JO:

But I haven't written anything like this.

AMY:

You did say yourself that it's quite an offer.

JO:

It is. It's just that… Well, it's been so long since I wrote my book, and, other than my journals, I haven't written anything since.

MEG:

Jo, you are a wonderful writer, and just because you haven't written anything in a while doesn't mean you've lost your creative touch.

AMY:

Meg's right. From the way that you've already described this man, he sounds like quite an interesting character. I wonder how he got that scar on his face.

MEG:

Yes, I wonder that, too.

TOMMY:

What do you think of this mask?

NAN:

You look scarier without it. [Tommy puts down the mask, disappointed. Nan laughs softly.]

LAURIE:

That's trunk's been sitting in our garret for years now. I thought you might find something interesting.

NAT:

Well, this is great, Mr. Laurie. This is all we need for Hallowe'en.

LAURIE:

Well, choose carefully, Nat. You're going to need a very gruesome costume this year. We all are.

NAT:

Why?

LAURIE:

Well, because this year is going to be a blue moon.

NAN:

What's a blue moon?

NICK:

Second full moon of the month. It doesn't happen very often.

LAURIE:

No, it doesn't. And when it occurs in Concord on a Hallowe'en night, we all know what that means…

TOMMY:

We do?

LAURIE:

It means the return of the Lantern Man.

NAT:

Who's the Lantern Man.

LAURIE:

He lived here over a hundred years ago - before the Revolutionary War - on these very streets in Concord. He was hideous… and wicked. He frightened all the children and parents alike.

NAN:

Sounds like that man who came here last night.

LAURIE:

No one knew anything about him. Not even his name. His sole possession was this old lantern he carried everywhere with him. That's how he became known as the Lantern Man. Then, one night, Hallowe'en night… the night of the blue moon… the Lantern Man was found dead in the middle of the street, the glowing lantern still clutched in his bony hand.

LAURIE:

Well, the townfolks took his body to the graveyard and buried him in a hard to find grave simply marked "Unknown", but unfortunately for the good people of Concord, this wasn't the end of the story. It was just the beginning, because ever since then, when Hallowe'en falls on the night of the blue moon, the Lantern Man rises up from his grave to seek revenge of the town that shunned him.

LAURIE:

[Conclusively.] And that, my friends, is why you're going to need a very scary costume this year…. To frighten away the Lantern Man.

JO:

[To Laurie.] What are you doing here?

LAURIE:

Oh, I was just dropping off the trunk full of costumes I was telling you about.

NAN:

Mrs. Jo, have you ever heard of the Lantern Man?

JO:

The Lantern Man. Now, who told you about that?

TOMMY:

Mr. Laurie.

NAN:

Well, is it true? Did he really exist?

JO:

It's doubtful. It's one of the legends that people like to tell.

LAURIE:

Well, they asked.

JO:

We heard about it when we were children. In fact, I went to the cemetery to look for his grave.

NAN:

Really? Did you ever find it?

JO:

No.

LAURIE:

Just because you didn't find it doesn't mean he didn't exist. [Laurie leaves, and the children leave Nick and Jo alone.]

NICK:

He's got a point there. [Exits. Jo sighs.]

NAT:

Hey, look, Henry David Thoreau's grave.

NAN:

Hawthorne.

NAT:

That's Nathaniel Hawthorne. He was a famous writer, too.

NAN:

Was.

NAT:

Well, that's it. We've checked every grave in the whole cemetery.

NAN:

I guess if Mrs. Jo couldn't find it, we can't either.

NAN:

We checked every inch of that cemetery.

LAURIE:

Inside the cemetery? Is that where you looked? [Laughing.] No, no, no! They did not bury him inside the cemetery grounds. No, he was too wicked for that. No, they buried him in the woods, beyond the cemetery. That's another reason why the ghost is mad. Listen, I'll let you in on a little secret. I haven't told anyone, not even Jo, because I didn't want to frighten her, but I've seen the grave with my own eyes.

TOMMY:

You have?

LAURIE:

Yes, it's out in the woods - hard to spot, but I'll show it to you, if you like.

NAN:

Sure, let's go.

LAURIE:

[Abruptly.] No. Uh, I mean I can't right now. I have an urgent meeting to attend to and, well, after work I'll take you up and show you. All right?

NAN:

All right.

TOMMY:

Great.

NAT:

Sure!

JENNINGS:

Mrs. Bhaer.

JO:

Mr. Jennings.

JENNINGS:

[Showing her the knife.] Beautiful, isn't it? My latest design.

JO:

[Partially relieved.] You made it. You make knives?

JENNINGS:

Not just knives. All manner of fine cutlery. Swords and daggers.

JO:

Daggers? That's very interesting.

JENNINGS:

Have you come to tell me your decision?

JO:

[Nervously. Still looking at the knife.] Of course. I… I've decided to accept your offer. I would be honoured to write your life story.

JENNINGS:

I'm very pleased.

JO:

When would you like to begin?

JENNINGS:

Late evenings would be preferable for me.

JO:

Late evenings.

JENNINGS:

I find I'm most at ease when the rest of the world sleeps.

JO:

I see.

JENNINGS:

Tonight then.

JO:

Tonight. Very well, I look forward to it.

LAURIE:

Right this way. It's not much further. [They stop and he points.] There it is.

NAT:

I don't believe.

TOMMY:

Is this his real grave?

LAURIE:

That's right.

NAN:

[Examines the stone.] This is no grave.

TOMMY:

What?

NAN:

The stone's brand new.

LAURIE:

What are you talking about?

NAN:

Well, just look. There's still pieces of dust in the stone from where the guy carved the letters. There's hardly any dirt on it. [Looking unamusedly at Laurie.] He was probably in a hurry.

LAURIE:

Well, I mean, this was… this was a… Well, it wasn't worth the price I paid for it, that's for sure. I'm sorry. You caught me. I was just trying to have a little fun.

NAT:

Hey, what's that? [Approaches a second grave stone.]

NAN:

[Brushes off the stone.] Now that's a grave marker.

JO:

You found it?

LAURIE:

Yes! There it was, right there on the ground.

NAN:

Yeah, but you had to look closely because there was a lot of dirt and stuff covering it.

LAURIE:

I couldn't believe it.

NAT:

It's true, Mrs. Jo. There really was a Lantern Man.

LAURIE:

All this time, we thought it was make believe, but, I mean… I mean, now it's just… Well, it's amazing!

JO:

Excuse me. May I speak with you a moment? [Takes Laurie aside.] What are you doing?

LAURIE:

What?

JO:

Is this some kind of joke?

LAURIE:

No! Well, I mean at first it was. I mean, I had a tombstone made. A bad one. I took the kids to see it, but then Nat found the real marker. I'm telling you, Jo, the grave was there. It's real! I'm just as surprised as anyone. Jo, this means the man actually lived.

JO:

He actually lived. Not that he actually rises from the dead every Hallowe'en.

LAURIE:

Oh, not every Hallowe'en, just on the blue moon.

JO:

All right, I have to get going. Can I trust you not to scare the children with all this talk of ghosts?

LAURIE:

All right.

JO:

Thank you.

JO:

Mr. Jennings?

JENNINGS:

[Angrily.] What do you want?

JO:

I… I… came here to work.

JENNINGS:

I can't. Not tonight.

JO:

Are you all right?

JENNINGS:

Leave me alone!

JO:

The postmaster sent me more information on Mr. Jennings. His cutlery business is one of the most successful in the country. Apparently, his knives have the reputation of being some of the sharpest.

MEG:

Well, good for him.

JO:

And he was married. Tragically, his wife died eleven years ago. Officially, the cause of death was listed as suicide.

AMY:

Suicide?

JO:

[Opens a letter.] Listen to this: She took her own life with one of her husband's knives, stabbing herself through the heart. Her husband found her lying on the bedroom floor.

MEG:

How awful!

JO:

First the police suspected Mr. Jennings, but they couldn't find any evidence. Apparently, rumours of his involvement still exist to this day.

AMY:

I can understand that.

MEG:

What!?

AMY:

Well, think about it. If you're going to commit suicide, do you stab yourself through the heart? No, of course not. You jump off a cliff, or swallow some poison.

JO:

And how convenient that he happened to be the one to find her.

AMY:

Exactly!

MEG:

I can't believe you two would actually think that this man might murder his wife.

JO:

Well, all I can tell you is that from the moment I first met this man, he has made me uneasy. The way he talks and the way he dresses. And last night, I went to start the book with him, he wouldn't even speak to me! He was rude and angry, and he had blood on his shirtsleeve.

AMY:

Blood?

JO:

He's the strangest man. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he were harbouring some sort of deep, dark secret.

MEG:

Jo -

JO:

I know, I know. I'm probably overreacting. I just don't trust the man.

AMY:

Jo -

JO:

The way he stares at me. And he's so moody, and that scar on his -

AMY:

Jo!!

JO:

Mr. Jennings!

JENNINGS:

Mrs. Bhaer. Ladies. I've come to apologize for my behaviour last night. My cancer is becoming difficult to live with and I must often take morphine to ease the pain. Last night, I accidentally broke the bottle and I couldn't find a doctor to obtain more. A shard of the glass cut my arm during the accident. I am sorry if the sight of blood distressed you.

JO:

I see.

JENNINGS:

But now my supply of morphine has been replenished, so if you'd like to begin work on the book tonight, I'd be most appreciative.

JO:

Well, then, I'll see you later tonight.

AMY:

First question for the book: Did you murder your wife?

NICK:

Max! Hey! [Puts down the axe.] It's a scarecrow! I'm tired of findin' body parts all over Plumfield!

NAT:

Hey, Nick!

NICK:

Hey, did you just get back from town?

NAT:

Yeah.

NAN:

People are coming from all over to see the Lantern Man's grave.

NICK:

Is that so?

NAN:

Yeah, the whole town's talkin' about it.

TOMMY:

Yeah, people are getting scared about Hallowe'en night.

NAT:

In face, I heard this once couple say they're locking their kids in the house tonight to keep them from the ghost.

NAN:

Somebody's even selling this ugly thing that's supposed to keep the ghost away.

NAT:

Yeah, it's called a talisman.

NICK:

Oh, sure. People all over the world use them to keep the evil spirits away.

NAT:

How 'bout you, Nick? Do you believe in ghosts?

NICK:

Well… I guess I'd have to say yeah. I seen plenty of things in my life that I can't explain. There's this one time, we're stuck in a dead calm. Middle of the South Atlantic. Round midnight, I was on watch. The fog's so thick you couldn't see nothin'. Suddenly, I see one of our crew members scalin' up the side of the ship.

NAT:

Did he fall overboard?

NICK:

No, he was dumped overboard earlier in the day when we buried him at sea. See, now, he'd died the night before. I couldn't believe my eyes. I hurried over to help him, but when I got there, he was gone. Not a trace of him anywhere. ….Just the fog.

JO:

May I speak to you a moment?

NICK:

Sure. What is it?

JO:

I don’t think it's wise to fill the children's heads with ghost stories. It's bad enough when Laurie does it. Now you?

NICK:

What's wrong with it? It is Hallowe'en.

JO:

You don't really believe in ghosts… Please, tell me that that story you just told didn't really happen.

NICK:

Actually, it did. Although it was a long night and the boys had been passing around the rum earlier.

JO:

Nick!

NICK:

Look, Jo, it's all in good fun.

JO:

All in good fun.

NICK:

Everybody likes a good ghost story, especially at Hallowe'en. [Exits.]

JENNINGS:

I envy your talent, and your courage. In your book you wrote of moments both joyous and painful. You bared your soul to the world.

JO:

It was difficult, but, in the end, very rewarding, as your story will be.

JENNINGS:

Unfortunately, the moments of joy have been far too infrequent. And the moments of pain, too deep to speak of.

JO:

Well, we can go very slowly, and you can tell me whatever you want. I'll listen and write. [Beat.] Well, my first question… Were you born in Baltimore?

JENNINGS:

No.

JO:

Where were you born?

JENNINGS:

A small town in Connecticut: Willoughby.

JO:

I see.

JENNINGS:

In many ways, like this town. Were you born here?

JO:

Yes, I was.

JENNINGS:

Why did you choose to remain?

JO:

Well, I went to New York for a while, but when I inherited Plumfield, my husband and I decided to open a school. We should probably begin with your childhood. Tell me about your parents. Any brothers or sisters?

JENNINGS:

How did your husband die?

JO:

[Quietly.] It was his heart.

JENNINGS:

It must have been…. Devastating.

JO:

Yes, I was… as you must have been when your wife died.

JENNINGS:

[Suspiciously.] How did you know about my wife?

JO:

I made some inquiries.

JENNINGS:

Of whom? [Stands.]

JO:

Mr. Jennings, I was bound to find out. After all, I am writing your life story.

JENNINGS:

Yes, my life story, from me and not from the lies of others.

JO:

Sorry, I just wanted to know more about you.

JENNINGS:

And you will, but you will not talk to others. Only me. Understood?

JO:

Yes.

JENNINGS:

This knife was made by my father. He was a master craftsman. He taught me everything about blade profiles, the finest grinds, points, and the proper angles for the sharpest edges.

JENNINGS:

He made me what I am today.

NAT:

No!

DAN:

Nat? What's wrong? Are you all right?

NAT:

[Realizing he has just had a bad dream.] Yeah.

JO:

[Enters with Nick.] What happened?

EMIL:

Nat had a bad dream.

JO:

Are you all right?

NAT:

Yeah, I'm gonna be fine, Mrs. Jo.

JO:

What was it about?

NAT:

I saw him. He was comin' out of the woods.

TOMMY:

The Lantern Man?

NAT:

Yeah. Oh, Mrs. Jo, it was so real.

JO:

You're all right. [To Nick.] All in good fun.

EMIL:

So, what did he look like?

NAT:

I don't know. I didn't see his face.

EMIL:

I bet he was really ugly.

JO:

All right, now that's enough talk about the Lantern Man. You'll never be able to get back to sleep. [Hands Nat a cup.] Here's your milk, sweetheart.

TOMMY:

What are we gonna do about Hallowe'en?

JO:

What do you mean?

TOMMY:

What if he comes here to Plumfield?

JO:

Tommy, there is no such thing as the Lantern Man.

TOMMY:

But we found his grave, Mrs. Jo.

NICK:

No, you didn't. I put that stone there. I was around the corner when you were talkin' to Laurie about goin' out to see the grave. I knew Laurie had put a fake tombstone out there, so I thought I'd one-up him.

NAT:

So there wasn't any Lantern Man's grave?

NICK:

'Fraid not.

TOMMY:

Then whose grave was it?

EMIL:

It was a fake grave, Tommy. Haven't you been listening?

JO:

Well, there you are. There is no Lantern Man. It's just a story, just like the books we read in class. Now, let's all stop worrying and just enjoy this Hallowe'en, all right?

DAN:

"It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet."

JO:

Very good. Very good, Dan. I believe you're next.

EMIL:

"It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open…"

NAN:

I'm going back to the graveyard.

NAT:

What?

NAN:

It's almost Hallowe'en. We have to find that grave stone.

NAT:

What are you talking about, Nan. Nick said he -

NAN:

I know Nick and Laurie put a fake tombstone out there, but that doesn't mean there's not a real one.

TOMMY:

I wanna come, too.

NAN:

Look, a hundred year old gravestone is gonna be hard to find, especially when it's not tended to, but if you ask me, the Lantern Man is real. No one can make up a story like that.

EMIL:

"I beheld the wretch-- the miserable monster whom I had created. He held up the curtain of the bed; and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me."

NAN:

I say, let her sleep.

JENNINGS:

We had been friends since childhood, but as business partners, we were a hopeless match. [Notices that Jo has started to doze off.] Mrs. Bhaer?

JO:

[Waking.] What? Oh, sorry.

JENNINGS:

It must be difficult for you, teaching all day and then working with me at night.

JO:

I'm fine. I'm just a little tired. Hallowe'en is tomorrow and the children have been immersing themselves in ghost stories. Now they're having nightmares.

JENNINGS:

There's no greater power than an imagination unleashed.

JO:

Isn't that the truth? Anyway, everything's fine. I'm all right, really. [Beat.] So, your partnership didn't work out.

JENNINGS:

Unfortunately, no. He insisted on challenging my authority. He even tried to steal the business out from under me.

JO:

What did you do?

JENNINGS:

Nothing. The situation resolved itself when, sadly, he died a month later.

JO:

He died? How?

JENNINGS:

The details are too gruesome to relate. Suffice it to say, he died by his own hand.

JO:

A suicide?

JENNINGS:

Yes. Very tragic.

TOMMY:

[Picks up a piece of glass.] Hey, look. Glass from a lantern.

NAT:

Yeah, this could have come from anything, Tommy.

TOMMY:

Yeah, like from a lantern!

NAT:

This is ridiculous. We looked all day yesterday and again today, and we're not gonna find it. Besides it's getting late out.

NAN:

Yeah, and it's close to that blue moon rising.

NAT:

Let's just say that there really is a Lantern Man and he's gonna come out of his grave in a couple of hours to terrorize the town.

NAN:

All right.

NAT:

So there's nothing we can do about it, right? So why bother keep lookin'?

TOMMY:

He's right. Better to get home and start boardin' up the windows and doors.

NAN:

A lotta good that's gonna do against a ghost.

TOMMY:

Maybe we can get one of those talis-things.

NAN:

The guy sold 'em all this morning.

TOMMY:

There's gotta be some way to protect us against the ghost.

NAN:

An angry ghost, at that.

NAT:

Simple. We tell him we're sorry.

NAN:

What?

NAT:

Look, it's just like in Frankenstein. The creature wasn't really a monster. He just wanted the townspeople to like him, but because he was so ugly, they turned their backs on him and that's what made him mad. It's the exact same thing our town did to the lantern man. So, all we have to do is show him that we're sorry and that we want to be his friend.

NAN:

How?

TOMMY:

Give him a present.

NAN:

Yeah.

NAT:

Sure. Hey, race you guys. [They start running towards home.]

TOMMY:

Hey, get back here!

NAN:

I always win!

NICK:

Max… [Picks up the arm.] Max… Git!

LAURIE:

The cemetery? Tonight?

NAN:

Yeah, the boys are already upstairs getting everything together.

BESS:

Well, you can leave me out of it. Anyway, I'm going to my parents' party tonight.

NAN:

Fine.

NAN:

Hey, Nick, can you take us to the cemetery tonight?

NICK:

Sure. Uh… Why?

LAURIE:

Oh, well, the kids want to take the Lantern Man some presents.

NAN:

Yeah, kinda like an offering. Show him the town's sorry for treatin' him so bad.

NICK:

Well, I think that's a great idea.

JO:

What is?

NAN:

Nick's gonna take us to the cemetery tonight. Well, I better get going. Gotta lot of work to do before nightfall.

BESS:

[To Laurie.] I'll gather my things so we can get going.

LAURIE:

All right, sweetheart. [Bess leaves, following Nan.]

JO:

[To Nick.] You're taking them to the cemetery?

NICK:

The kids wanna give the Lantern Man some presents to show him the town's sorry for what happened.

JO:

Nick, that story isn't true.

NICK:

Well, whether it is or it isn't, it's still a nice thing to do. Don't ya think?

JO:

Taking them to the cemetery at night…

JO:

What are you smiling about?

LAURIE:

What?

JO:

That look.

LAURIE:

What look?

JO:

That "I'm up to something" look. You're thinking about going to the cemetery tonight, aren't you? Your going to dress up like the Lantern Man and scare the children, aren't you?

LAURIE:

Now, I was not thinking that.

JO:

You know, I can't believe you two. [Jo turns to Nick and he quickly wipes a grin off his face.] First the tombstones, and now this. Well, these little games are going to stop. The Lantern Man is not real. He doesn't exist. I would appreciate your help in getting that through to the children.

LAURIE:

All right. I'll go help Bess with her things.

JO:

Mr. Jennings! What are you doing out here?

JENNINGS:

Your trips to town have overtired you. I thought perhaps we could work here tonight, if that's agreeable to you.

JO:

That would be wonderful. Thank you. [Indicates Nick.] Mr. Jennings, I'd like for you to meet Mr. Riley, our caretaker.

NICK:

[Shakes Mr. Jennings hand.] Howdy.

JENNINGS:

A pleasure. [To Jo.] I realize it was unkind of me to expect you to travel into town every night to work.

JO:

All right.

JENNINGS:

Perhaps if you had a room to rent, I could stay here. Then we could work together at your convenience.

NICK:

The guest room's empty.

JENNINGS:

I would be happy to pay.

JO:

I wouldn't hear of it.

JENNINGS:

I'll send for the rest of my things.

JO:

Looks like a storm's coming. Don't be long.

NAT:

We won't.

NAN:

[Sarcastically.] Yeah, not unless the Lantern Man gets us.

NICK:

[To Jo.] You might wanna check the windows. Make sure they're shut tight.

JO:

Just leave the presents for the Lantern Man and come right back home. [To Nick.] No tricks out there.

NICK:

You got it. You gonna be all right, alone with that man?

JO:

Of course. We should be able to get a lot of work done.

NICK:

All right. Well, happy Hallowe'en.

JO:

Happy Hallowe'en.

NICK:

[Climbs into the wagon.] Y'all ready?

NAN:

Ready.

JO:

Mr. Jennings?

JO:

Mr. Jennings.

NICK:

So, where you wanna do this?

NAT:

In the woods.

JO:

Mr. Jennings?

JO:

Morphine?

NAT:

We're here on behalf of the town to apologize for being so rude to you. So, we brought you some gifts. Here's some food because when you were hungry, no one ever fed you.

DAN:

Cider, 'cause when you were thirsty, no one ever gave you somethin' to drink.

NAN:

And a blanket, 'cause when you were cold, no one ever gave you any warmth.

NAT:

Now, we know that a hundred years is a long time to wait, so we hope that, wherever you are, you'll accept these gifts and you'll be our friend.

NICK:

Looks to me like he heard ya.

JO:

"And if you insist on challenging me in such a manner, I shall do to you what I have done to others. That it murdered, without remorse."

JENNINGS:

What are you doing here? Why are you reading my papers.

JO:

[Scared and nervous.] Your valise was open.

JENNINGS:

Those are private.

JO:

I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry.

JENNINGS:

Mrs. Bhaer!

JENNINGS:

Mrs. Bhaer -

JO:

Get out!

JENNINGS:

What?

JO:

Get out of my house.

JENNINGS:

Mrs. Bhaer -

JO:

I said, get out! Now!

NICK (V.O.):

Oh, Max, you did it again!

NICK:

Hey, Jo. [Beat.] You all right? Where's Mr. Jennings?

JO:

Oh, he had to… [Puts down the poker.] He had to leave.

DAN:

[Picks up the knife.] How'd this get here?

NICK:

[To the children.] Why don't y'all go on upstairs and get ready for bed. Go on. Let's go.

JO:

Nat… How'd it go out there?

NAT:

Oh, great. I think he liked the gifts.

JO:

I'm glad.

NAT:

You know, the more I think about it, the more I believe there really was a Lantern Man. Except I don't believe he was wicked or cruel. He was probably just a lonely old man looking for a friend. [Beat.] Well, good night, Mrs. Jo.

JO:

Good night.

JO:

[Sighs.] It's a story. He wrote a story, a murder-mystery. That's why he envied my writing. He probably had dreams of being a writer himself.

NICK:

Is he any good?

JO:

Yes, actually, he's very good. "You're Next." Good title, don't you think? There are other papers here, too. Letters he wrote to his wife telling her how much he loved her. He kept them all these years, and I drove him away, horrified by him.

NICK:

[Holding the knife.] Is this what you used to scare him off?

JO:

No, he was the one who had that. He took it from the kitchen, although I don't know why.

NICK:

Probably knew it was worth something.

NICK:

Well, he's a knife maker, right? This is a Calder knife. An antique. I always wondered why you used it to chop potatoes when it should've been under glass in a display case somewhere. Listen, it's not too late to make things right.

JO:

How?

NICK:

Well, you could bring him a gift.

JO:

Mr. Jennings! You're leaving?

JENNINGS:

Clearly, I've overstayed my welcome.

JO:

You left this at my house.

JENNINGS:

I was going to send for it. [Sees the knife in his valise.] This is yours.

JO:

I'd like you to have it. It's a Calder knife, is that right?

JENNINGS:

Yes, I was admiring it. I thought perhaps I could persuade you to sell it to me.

JO:

Consider it a gift. I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I suppose I let my imagination run away with me with all the knives and late nights.

JENNINGS:

And the scar. You have quite an imagination, Mrs. Bhaer.

JO:

As do you. I read your story. It's very good.

JENNINGS:

I'm not the writer you are.

JO:

I don't know about that. Your story gave me quite a scare. I don't want you to leave. I'd like to continue working on your book, if that's all right with you. Perhaps we could write it together. In fact, we could start right now. I know how you like working at night.

JENNINGS:

Thank you.

JO:

"I am thy creature, and I will be even mild and docile to my natural lord and king if thou wilt also perform thy part […]. Oh, Frankenstein, be not equitable to every other and trample upon me alone, to whom thy justice, and even thy clemency and affection, is most due. […] Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone am irrevocably excluded. I was benevolent and good; misery made me a fiend. Make me happy, and I shall again be virtuous."