Scene 1
(It is quite dark. Eric is wandering, lost in the forest. He starts talking to himself. )
Eric- I wish I hadn’t come exploring by myself. Now I’m hopelessly lost, and nobody even knows where I am. Worse still, it’s getting dark. I’ll have to spend the night in the forest.
(Walks around for some time. He comes to a clearing with a small tree behind some bushes.)
Eric- Now, to climb the tree and get some rest. (Starts observing the tree carefully) Hmm… I think I can hold on here and pull myself up… then put my leg over here… then…Hey! What a funny tree! These cuts and projections form a perfect face! Anyway, I’ll start climbing now.
(Starts trying to climb. The tree starts waving back and forth.)
Eric- Whew! It’s almost like this tree doesn’t want me to climb it!
Tree- Of course I don’t want you to climb me!
(Eric jumps.)
Tree- How would you like it if someone climbed onto your shoulder and went to sleep there, and you couldn’t do anything to get them off?
Eric- You talk!
Tree- Yes, I talk. (Pauses for a few seconds) Now don’t start all that nonsense and start saying “I must be dreaming” and pinching yourself and rubbing your eyes. I’m real.
Eric- But I must be dreaming!
Tree- (groans)
Eric- Okay, okay, you’re real. But tell me, if you can talk, can all the trees in this jungle talk? (Looks around at the other trees.)
(A man comes on the path which Eric took and hides behind the bushes which hide the clearing. He starts listening to the conversation.)
Tree- No, no. I’m the only tree who can talk. Once, a witch was flying over this jungle. A bit of magic dust fell from her pocket and landed on me and a human girl who was sleeping under me. Since then, I have been able to talk.
Eric- (thinks for a few seconds) What happened to the girl?
Tree- Why don’t you ask her? There she is now!
(There is a girl walking towards them)
Dilia- Hello tree!
Tree- Hello Dilia! How are you? This is Eric. I met him trying to climb me.
Eric- Hello. What’s your name?
Dilia- My name is Dilia. Yours is Eric, right?
Eric- Yes. Tree here has been telling me about how he got the power to talk. I wanted to ask, what effect did the dust have on you?
Dilia- Well, I could talk already, but if I couldn’t I am sure it would give me the power to do so. Instead, I got a very strange power. I can turn invisible, but I can only do so from eight a.m. to nine thirty a.m.
Eric- Oh, I wish it was eight. Then you could show me!
Tree- Ahem! May I remind you that it’s about nine in the night? I am going to sleep. You can sleep under me.
(Eric and Dilia fall asleep under Tree. The tree droops and bends down a little and goes to sleep. The man comes out from behind the bushes.)
Man- Wow! It’s my lucky day! A tree that talks and a girl who can turn invisible! I know what I’ll do! I’ll kidnap the girl, and take her to France
(Takes some rope and a gag out of his pocket. Quickly ties Dilia up and runs off the stage with her. The stage is dark.)
Scene 2
(Lights turn on. It is morning. The Tree and Eric wake up, with a lot of yawning and stretching)
Eric- (rubbing his eyes) I slept like a log.
Tree- That you did. Hey, where’s Dilia? (Looks at Eric quizzically)
Eric- Don’t look at me like that! I don’t know.
Tree- I have a bad feeling about this…
(Both start calling her, but no one comes.)
Tree- I think I’ll try to stand up a little straighter and try to see her.
(Stands a little straighter and looks around.)
Tree- (pointing) there she is! She’s been tied up and gagged! There’s a man near her. He must have taken her. He’s definitely a crook. I think he’s threatening Dilia with a pistol.
Eric- Oh No! So Dilia’s been kidnapped! We have to save her! Come on, let’s go!
(Starts walking away)
Tree- (clears his throat loudly) In case you haven’t noticed, I can’t walk. Anyway, how will you get past that kidnapper?
Eric- Oh, well then, I guess we’ll just have to wait until the kidnapper goes away. As for you, you can be a lookout. If the man is coming, and I am still there, you can say ‘oooooooooo’.
Tree- Okay. Good plan. I’ll keep watching to see if the man leaves.
(a few seconds pass)
Tree- We’re in luck! The man is walking away! Quick, go fast! There’s no time to lose!
Eric- Remember to start saying ‘ooooooooooooo’ if you see him coming back!
(Eric runs off stage. )
Scene 3
(It’s the clearing where Dilia is kept. She is all tied up and gagged. Eric runs in.)
Eric- Dilia! What happened?
Dilia- (Tries to speak through the gag, but the words cannot be understood.)
Eric- Here, I’ll untie you.
(Unties Dilia.)
Dilia- Thank you, Eric. That man was horrible.
( The place is filled with a loud ‘oooooooooooo’ sound.)
Eric- Oh no! Hide!
Dilia- Why?
Eric- That’s the tree. I told him to make that noise if the kidnapper is coming!
Dilia- Okay. You hide. I’ll wrap the rope around myself and put the gag on. Then he won’t know I’m free.
( Dilia wraps the rope around herself and puts the gag back on, but in such a way that she can be heard if she talks. Eric hides behind some bushes. The man walks onto stage. He is carrying a pistol)
Man- (in a teasing voice) Oh, are you hoping I’ll untie those little wrists of yours? Why don’t I bring you your little teddy bear? (starts laughing.) Suddenly, he looks carefully at Dilia) Hey, are those ropes loose?
( Pulls at one of the ropes. All the ropes come off easily.)
Man- How dare you! Did you really think you could escape? I’ll teach you a lesson!
(Pulls Dilia by the hair and starts whacking her back with a stick. Dilia starts screaming. Eric picks up a sharp stick and sneaks up behind the man. Using all his force, he drives it into the hand which is holding the pistol. It does not hurt the man much, But he drops the pistol in surprise. Quickly, Dilia picks up the pistol.)
Dilia- (pointing the pistol at the man) Surrender or die!
( The man lifts his hands up. They use the rope which Dilia was tied up with to tie him up.)
Dilia- I’ll phone the police with my mobile. ( Takes out a phone, dials a number and holds it to her ear) Hello? Is this the Citytown Police Station? Okay. We have a criminal here. He’s a kidnapper. We’re near the forest. Try to get here as soon as possible. Thank you. ( Puts the phone in her pocket.) They’ll be here soon.
Eric- Good. Where did you tell them to meet us?
Dilia- Near the beginning of the path, outside the forest.
Eric- ( Raising his eyebrows) Are you sure you know the way?
Dilia- Of course I know! I come here every day to see Tree!
Eric- Come on then, let’s go!
( Walk offstage with the man. Lights off.)
Scene 4
( Lights turn on. Eric, Dalia, and the bound kidnapper walk on stage. There is a police officer already on stage.)
Officer- ( Looking at the bound kidnapper) Is he the kidnapper?
Dilia- Yes officer. He kidnapped me, and then Eric sneaked up on him and got the pistol. We tied him up, and then called you.
Officer- Okay then. I’ll take the prisoner, and Eric can come with me to give all the details.
Eric- Okay.
Officer- Then let’s get going.
(The officer walks offstage with the prisoner. Eric starts to follow, but Dilia pulls him back. )
Dilia- Remember, don’t tell them about Tree. If they find out about him, they’ll never leave him in peace. Okay?
Eric- Great. I’ll have to do some quick thinking. Anyway, it was nice meeting you. I think this will be an adventure to remember!
(Eric runs off after the officer.)
Dilia- I guess I’ll go home then. Oh, god. I’ll have a lick of explaining to do! I was supposed to be home by nine- thirty! But, as Eric said, this will certainly be an adventure to remember!
(Exits)
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