Act One

A small class room in the upper east wing of Ridgemont High School, Newtown, Connecticut, in the fall of 1999.

There is a small narrow window at the left. Through its barred panes the setting sunlight streams. There are several tattered desks spread throughout the room, and an old chalk board to the front. The ceiling is covered in brown water stains, most likely results of a leaky roof. There is the smell of sour milk, and decaying garbage lurking in the air.

As the curtain rises, Mrs. Jamison is sitting at the desk grading papers and Jerome is standing against the barred window looking out at the street below. There is a gang of kids standing on the corner, a couple call girls across the street and a cop car parked out in front of the school entrance below the window. The sun has begin to set and with each waiting moment the street corner gets darker and darker.

Jerome is fifteen years of age living in the lower west side of Newtown, Connecticut. He lives alone with his mother in a small shuddered apartment in the worst part of town. Jerome is a freshman at Ridgemont High School. He is one of the few descent students Ridgemont has, but gets little recognition for it. Newtown is a ghetto, where drugs, prostitution, and poverty are natural ways of life. It isn’t an easy town to live in as conventional law enforcement has no control over what occurs. The gangs hold all the power in Newtown. They are the heads of the society, and if there are any problems the gangs will either be causing them, or rectifying them. Most people are in one way or another tied to the gangs, be it through loans or by membership. Jerome is one of the few young men that is nonaffiliated with a gang, despite having several gang friends, and trekking a path to school everyday where brothers are shooting dice, dealing, and pimping regularly. Its a struggle for Jerome to get to and from school everyday, and then he has to deal with the hardships of school itself. Its unreal that he continues to remain drug free despite the constant confrontation, yet Jerome is strong willed, and determined to pull himself and his mother from the ghetto in anyway possible.

Drugs are a big problem in Newtown, but the law enforcement agencies are so distant they have no way of stopping the spread of narcotics, but if they had an inside source then they might be able to cut off some of the suppliers. All they need is someone close enough to the gangs and the people to help them.

(many months later)

In the last couple of months there have been a series of arrests involving drug activity and the police have been beating the buyers to the drug shipments. Rumor has it that there is an informant some where in the town, someone that is tipping off the cops to who, where, and when drugs are being sold and done.

Mrs. Jamison, rises from her chair and moves from her desk to the back of the room. She opens the door of a small coat closet and pulls out her pocket book and trench coat. She puts her pocket book down upon one of the desks and begins rummaging through it for something. A sense of frustration tends to set in upon Mrs. Jamison, as she can’t find what she is looking for. In attempts to find her lost possession she dumps her pocketbook out on one of the desks. In response to all the noise, Jerome turns away from the window to see what Mrs. Jamison is up to.

Jerome: What are you looking for Mrs. Jamison? Not answering, Mrs. Jamison continues to comb through the things upon the desk, she begins throwing objects in the air in a frantic attempt to find what she is looking for. All of a sudden, with her forearm, Mrs. Jamison sweeps everything off of the desk onto the floor.

Jerome: Mrs. Jamison can I help you find what ever it is that you are looking for?

Mrs. Jamison: NO! Jerome you can’t, Just go home!

Jerome: But Mrs. Jamison you said I could stick around until you finished grading my paper.

Mrs. Jamison: Well I am not going to be finishing your paper now Jerome so just go on home and I will hand it back to you tomorrow. Feeling defeated Jerome begins to pack up his stuff, as Mrs. Jamison continues to rummage.

Jerome: Are you sure you don’t need me to help you look for whatever your missing Mrs. Jamison?

Mrs. Jamison: No Jerome, Just leave me. Slowly Mrs. Jamison sits at one of the desks and buries herself in her arms. Jerome hesitates in attempts to ask her again if she needs any help, but decides to let things be and finishes packing his things. While Mrs. Jamison begins to sob, Jerome leaves the class room and begins to head down the hall towards the school exit.

Mrs. Jamison: (Talking to herself) Where could I have possibly put it?, I know I had it this morning, god if I don’t get a fix soon I am going to... Feeling something in her pocket, Mrs. Jamison reaches down and pulls out a dime bag of cocaine from her pants. A sigh of relief Oh there it is, I knew I had it somewhere.

Jerome was just about to the end of the hall when he realized he forgot his jacket in the classroom. He thought to himself if I loose that jacket momma will kill me. Quickly he ran down the hall back to the class room. Jerome burst through the door, only to see Mrs. Jamison, snorting cocaine.

Shocked

Jerome: Oh sorry for walking in on you Mrs. Jamison, I forgot my jacket.

Jerome quickly grabbed his jacket and darted for the door, but Mrs. Jamison beat him to it.

Mrs. Jamison: I thought I told you to go home you little bastard!!! Jerome: hysterical I was Mrs. Jamison, but I forgot my jacket and if I went home without my jacket my momma... he was quickly cut off by Mrs. Jamison.

Mrs. Jamison: Listen Jerome you go home now, and don’t speak a word of what you think you just saw, OK?

Jerome: Yes, Mrs. Jamison, but aren’t you not supposed to be doing that in school.

Mrs. Jamison: grabbing Jerome by the shoulders and pushing him up against the door Correct Jerome but were not going to tell anyone about that, now are we? she squeezes his shoulders tighter.

Jerome: shaking his head, No, I won’t tell anyone Mrs. Jamison. Mrs. Jamison loosens her hold on him but her eyes remain fixed on him. Jerome sensing a lull in her anger opens the door, and slips out into the hallway, the whole time feeling Mrs. Jamison’s eyes peering down on him.

Upon entering the hallway Jerome quickly ran down the hall and out of the school, and all the way home not once looking back, not once stopping to talk to anyone, not once thinking of anyone, but his momma.

The curtain falls.

Act Two

The curtain raises

Jerome is lying on a cot within the apartment, it appears that he is sleeping despite all the noise that seeps through the paper thin walls. The sounds of sirens in the distance and dogs barking frantically echo through out the alley way bellow. A small candle lay lit upon a card table in the center of the room. One is able to see the faded green wall paper, and dirty floor. Suddenly there is a knock at the door.

Officer Engelwood: Jerome are you there?, Jerome? Awakened by the knocking at the door, Jerome rises from the cot and checks the peep hole.

Jerome: Is that you Officer Engelwood?

Officer Engelwood: Yes its me Jerome, hurry up let me in. Jerome quickly unlatches the door, and opens it to see Officer Peter Engelwood standing in the door way in jeans and black leather jacket.

Jerome: (while ushering Officer Engelwood into the apartment he asks) How are you?

Officer Engelwood: cordially I am fine thank you, so why did you ask me to come over so soon?

Jerome: Well I have another for you.

Officer Engelwood: Who is it this time?

Jerome: Mrs. Jamison, my English teacher, I caught her with cocaine this afternoon.

Officer Engelwood: OK, we’ll haul her in, was she the only one?

Jerome: No, I walked in on the principal and the barber dealing last week too.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door, Officer Engelwood quickly looked towards the door and put his hand on his piece. Jerome walked to the door, and looked out the peep hole, to his surprise no one was there.

Jerome: Officer Engelwood no ones there

Officer Engelwood: puzzled That is odd. Officer Engelwood walked over to the peep hole and peeked through only to see the barrel of a shotgun pointed back at him.

Officer Engelwood: shouting Jerome get down!!! The two jumped to the floor, and shots began to fly. The two crawled to the far corner of the room, and tried to stay low. Then all of a sudden the gun fire ceased, and it was silent. The sounds of the sirens, and the dogs barking in the background had been silenced. There were no more voices coming through the walls, it was soundless. After several minutes of nothingness, Officer Engelwood rose to his feet and with gun in hand checked the hallway. There was no one.

Jerome: rising to his feet Officer Engelwood who was that and why did they shoot at us?

Officer Engelwood: Jerome they are on to you.

Jerome: Who? Who is on to me?

Officer Engelwood: One of the gangs are on to you, and they won’t stop now until you are dead.

Jerome: But won’t they think I am dead already?

Officer Engelwood: Nah, that was just a warning.

Jerome: Then what are we to do?

Knock, Knock suddenly there was a sound at the splintered door, again Officer Engelwood reached for his piece, and the two men froze as the door swung open and standing in the doorway was Jerome’s mother.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: sobbing Jerome what happened?

Jerome: Momma somebody found out?

Mrs. HomeSkillet: Oh baby!, are you all right?

Jerome: Yeah momma I’m fine.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: well what are we going to do now Officer Engelwood? You promised me that Jerome would never get in trouble, that they would never suspect him.

Officer Engelwood: I didn’t think they would catch on so fast, I really didn’t, but now the only thing to do is to get you two out of here fast.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: Why won’t they just leave him be, he’s only a boy.

Officer Engelwood: Martha they won’t stop until they kill him and anyone associated with him, the gangs are not forgiving you know that.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: I know, I know, but what are we going to do then?

Officer Engelwood: Well I have to go talk to the chief to see if I can get you to a safe house, away from this town, until then you are just going to have to hide out here. I will send over a couple officers to guard the front of the apartment while I am gone.

Jerome: But what if they come back while your gone?

Officer Engelwood: They shouldn’t come back quite yet, the gang will let you shudder for a while.

Officer Engelwood leaves the apartment. There are bullet holes everywhere, and Jerome and his mother just move in silence picking up the pieces of wood and glass from the floor.

The Curtain falls.

Act Three

The curtain raises.

The police station is in the center of Newtown, this area of town seems to be a bit more cleaned up. Police officers are stationed all up and down the street. Inside the police station is Officer Engelwood talking with another man in an office. Officer Engelwood appears to be very upset.

Officer Engelwood: I need to get these people out of there, if I don’t they will be killed.

Chief Nate Dawg: I understand your concern Engelwood but I can’t just move these people, I just don’t have the resources.

Officer Engelwood: Do you want these people to die chief? Do you?

Chief Nate Dawg: Of course not Engelwood, but it will take me at least a month to free up a safe house.

Officer Engelwood: shouting angrily We don’t have a month, we don’t even have a week!!!

Chief Nate Dawg: Engelwood I can’t get them out of there within a week, I will continue to post armed guards until I can move them, but I can’t move them yet.

Officer Engelwood: Posting armed guards is like posting scare crows, your not helping them your only adding people to the massacre.

Chief Nate Dawg: sarcastically Would you rather me not post guards?

Officer Engelwood: Don’t get smart with me chief, its just I don’t want to see these people dead.

Chief Nate Dawg: If you didn’t want to see them dead why did you ask them to be informants.

Officer Engelwood: shouting I can’t take this anymore, if you won’t help me save these peoples lives, then I will do it myself.

Chief Nate Dawg: Engelwood, now don’t do anything brash.

Officer Engelwood: Don’t do anything brash, your allowing people to get killed and your telling me not to do anything brash, I’ll show you brash chief!!! Officer Engelwood gives Chief Nate Dawg the middle finger, and storms out of the office and out of the station.

The curtain falls.

Act Four:

The curtain rises.

Jerome and his mother are finishing fixing up things in the apartment. There are two armed police officers outside the HomeSkillet’s apartment door, and a police car out in front of the building. Mrs. HomeSkillet has just put on a pot of coffee, and proceeds to go out and chat with the police officers.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: (to the officers) Would you gentlemen like a cup of coffee?

Officer Bob: Why, yes we would mam.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: Jerome, Fetch these gentlemen each a cup of coffee.

Jerome: Yes, mamma.

(Officer Engelwood rolls up to the apartment building in his squad car. He notices two suspicious black cars parked out front. He proceeds to pull up along the other squad car parked in front. Officer Engelwood roles down his window, and notices there is no one in the squad car.)

Officer Engelwood: (talking to himself) That is odd, where are those damn officers. Suddenly a sense of panic comes over him. Officer Engelwood parks his car and quickly gets and walks to the other squad car. Looking inside the window of the car officer Engelwood sees the two officers laying dead in the front seat of the squad car. Both were shot in the side of the head and there is blood every where inside the car.

Hastily Officer Engelwood goes to his car and radios for back up. He then proceeds into the apartment building up to the HomeSkillet’s apartment.

Jerome quickly brought two cups of coffee into the hall for the officers. Mrs. HomeSkillet was talking to them about what was going on in town. As Jerome handed the cups of coffee to the two officers, he saw someone out of the corner of his eye coming up the stairs. Jerome: Officers Look!!! The officers quickly turned to see several heavily armed gang members at the end of the hall way. Suddenly the gang members began to open fire and the police officers returned fire. Jerome rushed his mother into the apartment as the gunfire continued.

Officer Engelwood hearing the gunfire began to move faster up the stair well. When he reached the top of the stairs there was nothing but a bloody desolate hallway to greet him. The officers were both dead, and several gang members had perished as well. He rushed into the apartment only to see Jerome and his mother on their knees, with guns held to their heads.

Officer Engelwood: (drawing his weapon) Freeze!!! The gang members turn around, and see Engelwood pointing a pistol at them. Then one of the gang members begins to laugh. Officer Englewood: What’s so funny?

Gang Member: playfully Oh this, he shoots Engelwood in the chest. Officer Engelwood falls to the ground, and Mrs. HomeSkillet cries out in terror.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: Oh God how could you do that? You animal!!! She gets up and runs over to the Officer who lays motionless on the ground. She is halted in her tracks by a bullet though.

Mrs. HomeSkillet: screaming out in pain For the Love of God!!!

Mrs. HomeSkillet dropped to the ground with a thud in front of

Jerome. Officer Engelwood still barely alive grabs his gun, and kills two of the gang members. Only one remains, and he is holding a gun to Jerome’s head. Enters Chief Nate Dawg.

Officer Engelwood: relieved Oh Chief thank god your hear, help the boy.

Chief Nate Dawg: calmly Yes, I will help the boy Engelwood Raising his gun he points and shoots Jerome in the head. Officer Engelwood: in agony Chief why did you do that? Why?

Chief Nate Dawg: That young man was ruining my business.

Officer Engelwood: confused Your Business?

Chief Nate Dawg: Yeah I have been supplying drugs to this town for years.

Officer Engelwood: You mean I have been working beside the menace I have been trying to stop, I have killed this poor boy, I have killed his mother, and I have brought problems to this town, I have been working beside the devil himself.

Chief Nate Dawg: The devil, I am far from the devil, just a man trying to help people deal with their pain.

Officer Engelwood: Your not helping them deal with their pain, your causing more pain.

Chief Nate Dawg: That is your opinion, but it really doesn’t matter what you think where your going. Chief speaking to the remaining gang member, Shoot Him.

Engelwood hearing that reached for his gun and quickly shot the gang member, and then the chief. Half dead Engelwood lays talking to himself.

Engelwood: I killed this boy, I killed his mother, I have forsaken this town, and worked beside a murderer, now I shall kill my self. Officer Engelwood raised his pistol to his temple and pulled the trigger.

The curtain falls.