Red Riding Hood

Scene 9

Leo: Rachel! You get back here, or—

Granny Lucy: (grabs Leo's arm) Leonard! That is ENOUGH!

Leo: (looks at his mother in shock) Mom?

Granny Lucy: (sighs) Rachel said what she needed to say.

Leo: What? But-but-but...

Aunt Bree: You know something, Leo? Rachel is right. You ARE a hypocrite.

Leo: Wait, what?

Aunt Bree: Yes. You seriously don't realize that?

Andrew: I can't believe I'm saying this, but she's right. For all her life, you've done nothing but keep Rachel locked away and isolated. She wants to meet people and make friends, but you've never let her do that. I understand that you're worried about her and you want her to be safe, but you have to realize you're going too far. If you don't try to fix this soon, then she's going to start resenting you for it. Please, don't make a huge mistake that you'll end up regretting for the rest of your life.

Leo: But-but... I'm only doing what's best for her.

Granny Lucy: Don't start. Scolding her is one thing, but grounding her until you decide to let her go is a new low... even for you. Because of you not giving her ANY freedom, Rachel has no friends. Heck, you wouldn't even get her a dog. At least then she would have one friend.

Leo: Well, dogs are dirty and they have fleas.

Granny Lucy: That's NOT the point. The point is that I'm very disappointed in you, son. You treat your own daughter like a prisoner and you act more like a jail warden than her father.

Andrew: I'm disappointed in you too, Leo.

Aunt Bree: Me too.

Leo: (pauses, then looks at the stairs) Should... I go talk to her?

Granny Lucy: No. Net yet. Give her some time to cool down first. She's obviously too upset to talk right now. But I say it's high time you start learning to be like a good father.

(Granny Lucy walks to another room and Andrew and Bree reluctantly follow after her. Leo makes his way to the sofa, sits down, and buries his face in his hands in frustration)

Leo: (whispers) I wish I knew what to do.

(Scene cuts to Rachel's room. She's seen laying on her bed and crying into her pillow, still wearing her red cape and silver bracelet)

Rachel (through her tears): (turns over and looks up at the ceiling above her) I can't believe it. I thought I was finally going to get my wish. But no; Papa just had to go and ruin everything. (sits up and throws her pillow to the floor) This is so unfair. I don't ask for much, and all I really want is a true friend... Is that really too much to ask?

(Rachel looks at her new cape and wraps it around her shoulders to comfort herself)

Rachel (singing): I still stay behind and I want to cry

I'm afraid the world is passing me by

And I just can't help but wonder

Am I doomed to never fly

And is it a spell I'm under

To stay here till I die

(Rachel stands up from her bed and looks at the bracelet on her left wrist)

Rachel (singing): 'Cause I'm craving an adventure

And I'm fed up with this grind

All I want is a chance to venture

Or I'm gonna lose my mind

I want a life that's filled with thrills

That's free of strife

Just me with no limits and no spills

Living my own life

(Rachel goes to her bookshelf, takes out a few books, opens them all and lays them on the bed. She starts to imagine herself travelling across the sea on a pirate ship)

Rachel (singing): If it's weird and wild let's go and find it

The crazier the better is what I'd say

(Rachel then imagines herself climbing a huge mountain and reaching the highest peak)

Rachel (singing): And to tell the truth I really wouldn't mind it

If I find new friends who won't lead me astray

Let danger call my name

If it does I'll never hide

I'll put my courage to the test

And I'll be filled with pride

(Rachel then imagines herself flying through the bright blue sky with birds. Then she imagines herself in a grand castle ballroom dancing with Jake)

Rachel (singing): There's gotta be something better than this

I know that there's so much out there to see

And I know this life I'm living can't be my destiny

There's gotta be something better

Something better

There's gotta be something better than this for me

(Rachel appears in her room again, spinning around with her cape fluttering behind her)

Rachel (singing): No limits holding me back

No restrictions or strife

Just me with the wind on my back

Living my own life

Living my own life!

(Rachel then flops down onto her bed, looking up at the ceiling. She then looks out her window and notices a star shining. She goes over to her window and looks up at the star)

Rachel: (clasps her hands together and closes her eyes) I wish I could have just one friend. (sighs and opens her eyes. She closes her curtains before getting ready for bed)

(Scene cuts to the forest. The moon is shining and Jake is seen walking through the forest with a defeated look on his face and his hands in his pockets)

Jake: I can't believe this. Fired from my first job? What are my folks gonna say? And what about Rachel? I feel so bad for her. I wish there was some way I could help. (hears a twig snap and he stops) What was that? (looks around cautiously) Hello? I-Is someone there? (squints his eyes, trying to see in the darkness) Geez, I really should've brought a lantern with me or something. I can barely see. (hears a huge branch snap. He turns to see a large dark figure with glowing golden eyes emerging from the trees and making its way to the middle of the path. Jake gasps at the sight of a large wolf on two legs with gray fur) What the...? (slowly picks up a stray branch from the ground and holds it like a bat) Hello? Who are you? What do you want?

Creature (in a deep voice): (snarls) Dinner. (pounces at Jake who screams in terror)

(Jake quickly dodges the creature, but it gets back up and tries to attack him again. Thinking fast, Jake uses the branch he picked up to hit the creature right in the face, causing it to fall to the ground in pain. Taking the opportunity, Jake runs away from the creature as fast as he can. The moment he's gone, the creature growls and snarls as it transforms into Mason. He falls to his hands and knees and puts a hand to his face as he looks at the path. He sees Jake is nowhere in sight)

Mason: (snarls) Clumsy boy. (looks up at the moon and howls)