Bump (Part 1)
November 6th, 2020
Starring: Lloyd (male, 50-65), Marcia (female, 50-65)
The suburbs, 3am. Lloyd and Marcia are asleep in their bedroom. All is quiet.
Then from above the bedroom, a sound is heard. Think *thump* or *bump*. It’s not loud, but loud enough to be heard. Lloyd jolts awake. Marcia stirs, but is still more or less asleep. Lloyd, in only a t-shirt and briefs, slides out of bed, opens the closet, and turns on the light. He fumbles around looking for something, which fully awakens Marcia. He finds what he’s looking for: a metal baseball bat.
MARCIA
What’s wrong?
LLOYD
I heard something.
MARCIA
What?
LLOYD
A bump.
MARCIA
A bump?
LLOYD
Yeah, a bump.
MARCIA
I didn’t really hear anything.
LLOYD
It was right over us.
MARCIA
Probably a squirrel.
LLOYD
A squirrel couldn’t make that impact.
MARCIA
Could be the possums again.
LLOYD
It sounded like feet. Two feet.
MARCIA
Getting paranoid, are we?
LLOYD
If there ever was a time to be, wouldn’t it be now?
MARCIA
We’re not rich or important enough to be messed with.
LLOYD
That’s relative.
MARCIA
Hon—
LLOYD
I know what I heard.
MARCIA
Ok, and now it’s gone. It’s quiet. Nothing but a quiet worknight.
...
So can you please put the bat down and come back to bed?
Lloyd hesitates for a second, then turns off the closet light. He rolls the bat under his side of the bed, then gets back in bed.
MARCIA
I’m not saying you can’t be paranoid. Just save it for when something’s really there.
...
Ok?
…
Lloyd—?
LLOYD
Yeah.
Ok
Marcia soon falls back asleep. Lloyd stays awake, staring at the ceiling.