YHS Halloween Special

CAST:

ANNOUNCER - CHRIS BASS

MR GRAVES - RYAN JOSEPH MURPHY

NARRATOR - JOSH RUBEN

DAVE - ROBBIE

PETE - JONATHAN INBODY

NARRATOR - SABINA GRAVES

ANNOUNCER: And now, live from the grave, it’s the Your Horror Show Halloween Special!

ANNOUNCER: Starring Josh Ruben, Robbie from Ghost Wax, Jonathan Inbody from Grey Matter and Sabina Graves. Welcome, your host with the most, that cadaver with chatter, the one, the only, Mr Graves!

MR GRAVES: Welcome, welcome everyone to the first annual Your Horror Show Halloween Special.

MR GRAVES: Yes, it’s a pleasure to be doing this for the first time and we’ve got an assortment of amazing guests tonight to ring in the greatest holiday of the year. As you know I’m dead but that doesn’t stop me from attending a good halloween party. Your pal Graves is actually a party animal. I love when the kids think I’m wearing a mask and when they touch my face they see that I’m actually decaying.

MR GRAVES: Gets them everytime, cute kids. Halloween really is about a feeling. That sensation when the leaves turn red and the pumpkins are all around town. When homes are hanging decorations all over their yard showcasing our biggest fears. Speaking of how about the fear of guilt huh? The Catholics know all about that one.

MR GRAVES: Our first story deals with the guilt subject expertly and some may say, is one of the best to ever do it. I’m pleased to welcome the man behind the new graphic novel Darla, director of Werewolves Within and creator of Just Scare Me: Josh Ruben performing “The Tell Tale Heart” written by Edgar Allan Poe.

NARRATOR: True! -- nervous – dreadfully nervous, I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad? Hearken! And observe how calmly I can tell you the whole story.

NARRATOR: It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object, there was none. I loved the old man. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye!

NARRATOR: One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture…

NARRATOR: – a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so, I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever.

NARRATOR: You should have seen how wisely I proceeded. I was never kinder to the old man than during the whole week before I killed him. And every night, about midnight,

NARRATOR: I turned the latch of his door and opened it –

NARRATOR: oh, so gently! I put in a dark lantern,

NARRATOR: so that no light shone out, and then I thrust in my head.

NARRATOR: I moved it slowly – very slowly, so that I might not disturb the old man’s sleep. And then, when my head was well in the room, I undid the lantern cautiously so that a single thin ray fell upon the vulture eye.

NARRATOR: This I did for seven long nights.

NARRATOR: Upon the eighth night I was more than usually cautious in opening the door.

NARRATOR: A watch’s minute hand moves no more slowly than did mine.

NARRATOR: When I had waited a long time, very patiently, I resolved to open a very little crevice in the lantern,

]

NARRATOR: until, at length, a single dim ray, like the thread of the spider, shot out and fell upon the vulture eye.

NARRATOR: It was open – wide open – and I grew furious as I gazed upon it! A dull blue, with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones.

NARRATOR: Now, there came to my ears a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton. It was the beating of the old man’s heart.

NARRATOR: It increased my fury, as the beating of a drum stimulates the soldier into courage. A new anxiety seized me – the sound would be heard by a neighbor! The old man’s hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room.

NARRATOR: He shrieked once – once only.

NARRATOR: In an instant I dragged him to the floor,

NARRATOR: and pulled the heavy bed over him.

NARRATOR: But, for many minutes, the heartbeat on with a muffled sound.

NARRATOR: At length it ceased. I removed the bed and examined the corpse. The old man was dead! His eye would trouble me no more. If still you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body. First, I dismembered the corpse.

<BLOOD>

NARRATOR: I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.

NARRATOR: Next, I took up three planks from the flooring of the chamber, and deposited all between the scantlings. I then replaced the boards so cleverly that no human eye – not even his – could have detected anything wrong.

NARRATOR: It was four o’clock – still dark a midnight. As the bell sounded the hour, there came a knocking at the street door.

NARRATOR: I went down to open it with a light heart, for what had I to fear?

NARRATOR: There entered three men, officers of the police.

NARRATOR: A shriek had been heard by a neighbor during the night, suspicion of foul play had been aroused, and the officers had been deputed to search the premises. I bade the gentlemen welcome. The shriek, I said, was my own in a dream. The old man, I mentioned, was absent in the country.

NARRATOR: I took my visitors all over the house and bade them search – search well. I led them, at length, to his chamber. I showed them his treasures, secure, undisturbed. In the enthusiasm of my confidence,

NARRATOR: I brought chairs into the room, and desired them to rest from their fatigue, while I myself, placed my own seat upon the very spot beneath which reposed the corpse of the victim.

NARRATOR The officers were satisfied. They sat, and while I answered cheerily, they chatted of familiar things.

NARRATOR: But, ere long, I felt myself getting pale and wished them gone.

NARRATOR: I fancied a ringing in my ears. I talked more freely to get rid of the feeling, but it continued – until, at length, I found that the noise was not within my ears.

NARRATOR: I talked more fluently, and with a heightened voice. Yet the sound increased. It was a low, dull, quick sound – such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton.

NARRATOR: I paced the floor, but the noise steadily increased. Oh, God! What could I do? I foamed – I raved – I swore! But the noise arose over all.

NARRATOR: It grew louder – louder – louder! Was it possible they heard not? Almighty God! No, no! They heard! They suspected! They knew! They were making a mockery of my horror! I felt that I must scream or die! And now, again! Hark!

NARRATOR: Louder! Louder! Louder! “Villains!” I shrieked, “dissemble no more! I admit the deed! Tear up the planks!

NARRATOR: Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous heart!

MR GRAVES: Oh boy, he’s a charmer huh?

MR GRAVES: Think I’ll just stroll over here and grab a halloween cocktail from our bartender. Frank.

MR GRAVES: Frank, say hello to the audience.

FRANK: (MONSTER GROAN)

MR GRAVES: Say that’s no way to greet our fantastic audience, give them a proper hello.

FRANK: (LOUDER MONSTER GROAN)

MR GRAVES: Sorry folks, he slept on the wrong side of the laboratory bed last night. Say Frank, why don’t you pour me something strong and neat.

FRANK: (MONSTER GROAN)

MR GRAVES: Here’s looking at you sweetheart. (GULPS) MMM.

MR GRAVES: No wonder I can’t get drunk this stuff goes right through me!

MR GRAVES: Our second performance involves creatives who know a thing or two about horror stories. Featuring Jonathan Inbody from Grey Matter and Robbie from Ghost Wax. This is what happens when two guys get together on Halloween night to watch some scary films. I call this midnight mayhem, “Monster Buffs' ' written by Kaenan and Dominic Oliver.

DAVE: I don’t know how you can watch this shit.

PETE: Are you kidding? This is classic. It’s how we got here.

Black and white, atmospheric. The Wolfman, Dracula..it’s what halloween is all about.

DAVE: They're old, slow and boring. Give me some hack and slash, some gore or even better some naked chicks.

PETE: Hey!

PETE: Don’t ever do that again. Drives me crazy. I always finish a film I start on Halloween. It’s a tradition.

DAVE: Come on, let’s watch something made after nineteen eighty. This is going to put me to bed.

PETE: Look I like watching this stuff on halloween. Gives me nostalgia. It’s usually what you can’t see that’s the scariest.

DAVE: How about the one where the girl spins her head around and pukes on the priest?

PETE: The Exorcist, released in 1973. I can’t believe you don’t remember a single damn movie you watch. Why do we hang out again?

DAVE: You got anymore beer?

PETE: Right. Yeah, let me grab you one.

DAVE: Going to the bathroom.

DAVE: (NARRATION) I started to walk down the hall when I saw something in black speed across the bedroom.

DAVE: What the fuck was that? Hey, you got anyone else coming through tonight?

PETE: No, why?

DAVE: I…I swore I just saw something run across your hallway. It was all in black. Looked like a shadow or something.

PETE: Well shit, looks like my old scary films are getting into your head huh?

DAVE: Dude, I’m serious, I saw something down the hallway.

PETE: Okay, okay chill out. Let’s walk together.

PETE: (WHISPERING) Alright, I’ll walk in and turn on the light. You jump anybody if they are in there.

DAVE: (Whispering) Okay.

PETE: One…Two…Three!

DAVE: Ah!

DAVE: No one here.

PETE: Boo!

DAVE: Ah! (BEAT) Shit man.

PETE: Dude, you totally jumped.

DAVE: I…I swear it was over here though.

PETE: How many beers have you had?

DAVE: I’m not drunk. I just…whatever. I’m going to the bathroom.

DAVE: (NARRATION) Geez…must be losing my mind or something. Get a grip on yourself Dave. Just your eyes playing tricks on you…

DAVE: Pete! Pete, you okay? Shit.

DAVE: Pete, pete. Oh god, wake up. Pete. Shit , I need to call nine one one.

DAVE: What? No service?! Oh jesus. Pete, if you can hear me, I’ll be right back okay.

DAVE: Gotta get to someone who can call nine one one for Pete.

DAVE: Hey, why isn’t the door opening?!

DAVE: Help! Someone help us! Please, anyone!

DAVE: (NARRATION) I heard the music swell and looked behind me when I saw a shadow near the couch. It had an aura that pulled me in as I walked towards it.

DAVE: (NARRATION) The shadow got closer to me and stared directly in my face. Then I felt its presence merge into mine.

DAVE: (Deeper/Demonic Voice) (BEAT) Pete wake up, you're going to miss the best part.

PETE: Mmm. That’s better. I knew he wasn’t going to come around without a little help. Now we’re alone and we can let the festivities begin.

PETE: I love halloween.

MR GRAVES: Woah scary wasn’t it? Looks like they have a friendship that will last in this life AND the next.

MR GRAVES: Now we move to our final act of the evening, where we are going to celebrate this wonderfully spooky holiday with a poem called “On Halloween” by A.J. Austerberry performed by horror fanatic and creative Sabina Graves

NARRATOR: The nights draw in. The veil is thin

NARRATOR: The Dead walk in. On this Hallowed Eve

NARRATOR: The mists roll in. Death creeps in

NARRATOR: Devils may sin. On All Hallows Eve

NARRATOR: Black cats cross paths

NARRATOR: Witches cackle, their laughs, Echo around Pendle Hill

NARRATOR: All Souls will creep

NARRATOR: And Angels may weep. Over vales,

NARRATOR: So silent, and still

NARRATOR: Bumps in the night

NARRATOR:Hounds howling with fright

NARRATOR: Twilight hours filled with dread

NARRATOR: Tricks or Treats. Effegies line streets
The Dawning of the Day Of the Dead

NARRATOR: Stone circles at Dusk Moonlight, ashes and dust

NARRATOR: This Gateway to the Fires of Hell

NARRATOR: Pumpkins and bats And pointy black hats

NARRATOR: Mystical, magic And spells

NARRATOR: Men hang from the Gallows On the Eve of All Hallows

NARRATOR: Witches will drown, Or they burn

NARRATOR: A way through the woods Ends in no good

NARRATOR: If by chance you should take The Wrong turn

NARRATOR: Twisted tales of the Dead. Tortured souls in the head

NARRATOR: They walk amongst us. Those, the Unseen

NARRATOR: Let us honour their day For All Saints, let us pray
For their peace On each Halloween

MR GRAVES: Well that just put me in the mood to carve a pumpkin, maybe take a stroll out to a cemetery and talk to some friends of mine. It pains me to say that this is the end of our show. I want to again thank my wonderful guests, Josh Ruben, Jonathan Inbody from Grey Matter, Robbie from Ghost Wax Sabina Graves and our producers Jonathan Graves, Gavin Michael Booth and Sade Sellers. And lastly, our amazing sound designer Brad Colbroock. Be sure to tell your friends about the show if you’ve enjoyed what you heard and remember to live everyday like it’s halloween. Goodnight!