“Oh, What a Night” Part 1
The deathly silence that fills the auditorium of Blackport’s Center for the Performing Arts is broken by a blood-curdling scream. On a stage at the back of the room, Marina Popov succumbs to the poison in the air and collapses. Also lying on the stage is Dame Beatrice Mellon. On the floor of the auditorium, partygoers lie motionless. Across town, Corrine Canary walks slowly back to her car that is parked just outside the west gate of the Black Estate. Corrine gets into the car and takes a seat behind the wheel. She looks at the clock on the dashboard. “Ten thirty-seven.” Corrine says solemnly. She starts the engine and drives off down Rainbow Road, passing a car that is parked outside the driveway of Meadow-Brook Commons, the home of the Meadow-Brook Family. Inside in her bedroom, the Meadow-Brook’s housekeeper, Rosa is lying in her bed, dozing. There is a small television set across the room and a news report about the Founder’s Day Celebration is on.
“The party is expected to end at Eleven O’clock.” A news reporter says from outside of the Performing Arts Center. “Our Russell Glass is inside and will have a full report on our Eleven O’clock broadcast. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.” The news report ends and the scheduled program resumes, rousing Rosa, who sits up in her bed. She looks over at a clock on her nightstand. “Ay dios mio!” She exclaims in her native tongue. “They will be home soon.” Rosa springs from the bed and slips on her bedroom slippers. She rushes across the room and out the door. Downstairs, in the dark living room, an unwelcome stranger has entered the house and is rummaging through a desk drawer. Rosa quickly makes her way down the stairs, unaware that the man is in the house. She rushes by the living room and flips a light switch. The lights come on in the living room, shocking the man and temporarily blinding him. Rosa is in the hallway, about to go into the kitchen, when she realizes she needs to light the fireplace in the living room. She turns and rushes back to the doorway of the living room. “Who are you?” Rosa asks when she sees the man standing near the desk. “What are you doing in here?” The man panics and looks for a way out. He sees a fireplace poker near the fireplace and grabs it. “Please, don’t...” Rosa begins to say, as the man swings the poker and breaks a glass door that is behind him. Dropping the poker, he runs out of the house, cutting his arm on some broken glass. “Ay dios mio!” Rosa shouts. She runs over to the desk, picks up the phone and dials 9-1-1. “Jello?” she says, “Si, I would like to report an intruder.”
Meanwhile, in the conference room of the Black Towers Hotel, Lady Su Sian Lavender turns her back to the monitor showing the carnage at the Performing Arts Center and hushes the excited applause of the potential investors. “Ladies and Gentlemen, what you have just witnessed is only a small demonstration of the power that PlantCorp could have. With your interest, we could organize events like this on much grander scales all across the world.” She smiles. Rusty Nayler looks over at Veronica Sable, who is visibly upset.
“Did you know about this?” Rusty asks her. Sable lowers her eyes and remains silent. “I can’t believe it. They are all dead.” He says. As Lady Lavender begins to collect checks from the investors, a man stands up from his table.
“I thought you said they were dead. All of them.” The man says. Lavender turns to the man.
“Of course they are all dead.” She says.
“Then how do you explain that?” The man says, pointing to the television monitor. On the monitor is the image of the citizens lying on the floor of the auditorium, but some of them are beginning to stir. Rusty Nayler jumps to his feet. He looks at Veronica Sable who sits up straight in her chair.
“That man is clearly alive!” The annoyed investor says. The other investors begin to shout and some of them get closer to the monitor to get a better look.
“Mai Le, turn off the television!” Lady Lavender shouts to Mai Le. Mai Le quickly grabs a remote control and the screen goes dark.
“What kind of scam are you running here Lavender?” One of the investors yells.
“I want my money back!” A woman shouts.
“Me too!” Another man shouts.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, please!” Lavender says, trying to calm them down. “There is a reasonable explanation for this. I promise you!” Mai Le comes over to her. “Find Bronze.” Lady Lavender says to Mai Le. “Now!” The investors continue to shout and begin tearing up their checks.
At the Performing Arts Center, a bald man dressed in a tuxedo, lying on the floor sits up. He grabs his head. He then realizes what has happened. “Oh my God.” The man says. He looks around at all of the people around him. “Diane!” He shouts. He struggles to his knees and leans over a woman dressed in a white gown. “Diane, can you hear me?” He says to her, but she doesn’t respond. Nearby, at the Black Family’s table, John Boddy begins to wake up. He sits up slowly, and begins to cough.
“Hey!” The bald man shouts at him. “Are you alright?”
“I think so.” John says.
“Do you have a cell phone on you?” The man yells.
“I do.” John reaches into his pocket and takes out his cell phone.
“Call 9-1-1!” The man shouts.
Outside the Performing Arts Center, Corrine Canary pulls up in her car, just as the news reporter is about to go on the air. “I don’t know what is going on.” The reporter tells her cameraman. “Something is definitely wrong in there.” Corrine gets out of the car and runs past the reporter.
“Ma’am!” The reporter shouts. “Don’t go in there!” Corrine has just reached the steps of the building.
“I have to, my daughters are in there!” Corrine says. She turns to go inside, just as the doors open. The bald man, along with John Boddy and Hunter Meadow-Brook rush out, each one of them are carrying a woman.
“Move!” The bald man shouts to Corrine, who steps out of the way. The three men take the women to a grassy area.
“Are you getting this?” The reporter asks the cameraman. He gives her the thumbs up. “I am reporting to you live outside of the Blackport Performing Arts Center where a catastrophic event has taken place.” Two ambulances and several police cars pull up to the building as Hunter, John and the bald man go back inside to help more victims. Hunter and the bald man step over Pierre Lettuce and Peter Plum who are lying just inside the door way to the auditorium. John Boddy bends down to Peter.
“Peter, can you hear me?” Boddy shouts to Plum. “Peter, it’s John Boddy.” He says. Professor Plum’s eyes slowly open. “Peter? Can you hear me?” Plum slowly sits up.
“What the hell?” Plum asks. “What happened?”
“I’m not sure.” John says. “Can you stand up?” He offers his arm to Peter.
“I’m ok.” Peter says. “Thanks.” He recovers his balance. “Heather!” Peter shouts. “Where is she?” He turns to see his fiancée, Heather Grey and his brother, Patrick Plum lying on a couch near the main door. “Heather!” Peter shouts. He runs over to the couch. “Heather. Oh god, please be alive.” He gently takes Heather into his arms. “John, over here!” He shouts back to Boddy. John runs over to them. “I’ve got to get Heather out of here.”
“Medics are outside, Peter.” John says, motioning to the front door.
“I am going to take her out, I can’t wait for them to come in here. Will you help him?” Peter says, motioning to Patrick. “He’s my brother.”
“Of course.” John says. Going over to Patrick, he pulls him up off of the couch. “Get Heather out of here. We will be right behind you.” John says. Plum takes Heather and rushes out of the building. Outside, medics are starting to administer oxygen to the women on the grass.
“Please, ma’am.” A medic says to one of the women, “You have to keep the oxygen mask on.” He places it up to her nose and mouth.
“My children are in there!” Jane Meadow-Brook shouts, pulling the oxygen mask off of her face.
“Please calm down.” The medic says. “We have our people in there.”
“Please Jane.” A soft voice says. Jane feels a hand touch hers. “Put the mask back on.” Jane looks over and sees Coral Black next to her, breathing into an oxygen mask. Jane slowly puts the mask up to her nose and mouth. Peter joins them on the grass, carrying Heather.
“Please, help her. She’s pregnant!” Peter shouts. Two medics rush over to Peter with a gurney. “She’s barely breathing.” Peter tells them. They help him place Heather on the gurney, as John and another medic carry Patrick over. Plum looks over at John, “Thank you.” He says. John puts his hand on Plum’s shoulder. “I am going to go with Heather to the hospital.”
“Of course.” John says. Plum follows the gurney and climbs into the back of an ambulance. Three more ambulances pull up as Detective Shauna Garnet gets out of a police car.
“Holy hell.” She says as she surveys the chaos.
“Detective.” A police officer says to her. “Inspector Brown was at the party tonight.”
“I know.” Garnet says grimly.
Inside, more people have started to wake up. Medics are rushing around administering oxygen to some, while some are sitting in stunned silence. Others are still lying unconscious. Hunter Meadow-Brook rushes over to his sister, Kelley Meadow-Brook, who is sitting up on the floor. “Kel, are you alright?” Hunter asks.
“I think so.” Kelley says. “Where’s mom?” She asks, looking around her.
“It’s ok, she’s outside. Can you stand up?” Hunter asks. He leans down and offers her his arm. Kelley grabs her brother’s arm and pulls herself up. Once she is on her feet, Kelley sees that many people are still lying unconscious.
“Oh my god. Who would do this?” Kelley asks.
“I don’t know.” Hunter says. “Come on, let’s get out of here.” He takes his sister’s hand and they turn to head outside, when Kelley stops.
“Matt.” Kelley says to Hunter. “Where’s Matthew?” She begins to look around. Hunter sees that Matthew Steele is still lying on the floor.
“Let’s get you outside and I will come back and get Matthew.” Hunter says. Nearby, Mindy Mint begins to wake up.
“Oh god.” Mindy says. She stands up and sees Jessie Sumac sitting on the floor cradling Chad Moss’ body. “Jessie, are you alright?” Mindy asks.
“He’s not breathing, Mindy.” Jessie tearfully tells Mindy.
“We need some help over here!” Mindy shouts. A medic rushes over to the girls.
“Please help him.” Jessie says to the medic as he begins to perform CPR on Chad. Mindy stoops down to Jessie and hugs her.
Outside, medics and firemen are busy tending to victims, as more people rush out of the building. Detective Garnet stands nearby watching the chaotic scene. Several more ambulances arrive. Detective Garnet stops an officer as he is rushing by her. “Sergeant.” She says to the police officer. “Has anyone located Inspector Brown or the Mayor?”
“No ma’am. It’s a nightmare in there.” The sergeant says.
“It’s not much better out here.” Detective Garnet says.
Across town at Blackport Memorial Hospital, Emily Peach is sleeping in her hospital bed when a nurse enters her room to give her some medication. “How are we feeling?” The nurse says to a groggy Emily.
“Fine.” Emily says. “I guess.” She sits up in the bed.
“Here you go.” The nurse says, handing her a small paper cup with some pills in it.
“Dr. Mandarin still thinks I need these, huh?” Emily says, taking the cup from the nurse. “I’m not crazy.”
“No one thinks you are.” The nurse smiles. “They are just nerve pills, to help take the edge off.”
“Yeah.” Emily swallows the pills and takes a drink of water.
“Is there anything I can get you?” The nurse asks her.
“No thank you.” Miss Peach says as she lies back in the bed.
“Alright, I will be back in a few hours.” The nurse leaves the room.
“I am not crazy.” Emily says to herself. Her mind flashes back to several days ago when she was paid a surprise visit by a very familiar face.
FLASHBACK
The door to Emily’s hospital room slowly opens. “Hello?” Emily calls out. A blonde woman slowly enters the room.
“Hello, Emily. It’s been a long time.” The woman says. Emily can’t believe her eyes when she sees the woman’s face.
“Amber.” Emily says, stunned. The woman smiles at her just as the door opens.
“Excuse, ma’am, but you can’t be in here. Visiting hours are over.” A nurse says.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” The woman says to the nurse. “I guess I will just have to come back some other time.” She turns to Emily and smiles. The nurse opens the door and shows the woman out.
“Wait!” Emily shouts after them. “Amber.” She struggles to get out of the hospital bed and rushes across the room. “Amber!” Emily shouts as she opens the door. Emily looks out into the corridor, but it is empty. The nurse and the woman are gone. Confused, Emily goes back into her room.
END FLASHBACK
Emily puts her head on the pillow. “They all think I am crazy.”
Downstairs, in the Emergency Room, victims from the Performing Arts Center are beginning to come in. A gurney with Heather Grey is wheeled into the ER, followed closely by Peter Plum. “What do we have?” A doctor asks the medics.
“Twenty-five year old, pregnant woman. BP 50 over 35. Pulse 29.” The medic says.
“Take her to eight. Get someone from Obstetrics down here now.” The doctor says.
“Where are you taking her?” Peter shouts. He runs behind the gurney. A nurse comes over to him.
“I’m sorry, sir. You can’t go back there.” The nurse says.
“She’s carrying my child!” He shouts.
“We will do whatever we can to save them both.” The nurse says. “Now please, we need to get you looked at.”
“I am alright.” Peter says. “I just need to sit down.”
“The waiting area is just over there.” The nurse points to some chairs. “I will have someone come over and check on you in a minute.” Peter walks over to the waiting area just as his brother Patrick and Darcy Puce enter the Emergency Room.
“I am going to see what I can find out about Kelsey and mom.” Darcy says to Patrick. She hurries over to an information desk. Patrick and Peter stare at each other from across the ER.
Back outside the Blackport Performing Arts Center, Jessie Sumac and Mindy Mint watch as Chad Moss is loaded into an ambulance. “I need to go with him.” Jessie says. Mindy looks around and spots her father, Jonathan Green and Blanche White sitting on the ground receiving oxygen.
“Come on.” Mindy says, grabbing Jessie’s hand. “Dad!” Mindy shouts out to Jonathan Green.
“Mindy!” Green shouts. “Thank god!” They embrace.
“Dad we need to get to the hospital, Jessie’s boyfriend is on his way there by ambulance.” Mindy says.
“Of course.” Green says. “My car is over there. Blanche will you be alright if I take the girls to Blackport Memorial?”
“Yes, of course.” Mrs. White says. “Go.” Mindy, Jessie and Mr. Green hurry across the lawn, headed toward the parking lot, when Mindy sees Pearl and C.J. Ivory.
“Dad, make sure Jessie gets to the hospital.” Mindy says. She runs over to Pearl and C.J. “Pearl!” Mindy shouts. Pearl turns from C.J. and Mindy can see that she is crying. “Are you alright?” Mindy asks. They hug.
“Our mom didn’t make it.” Pearl cries.
“Oh no.” Mindy says, hugging Pearl tighter. “I am so sorry.” She says to C.J., who wipes a tear from his cheek. Nearby, Dr. Paul Mandarin is arguing with a medic.
“I am fine!” Dr. Mandarin says. “I need to be in there helping people.” He pulls the oxygen mask from his face and goes inside the Performing Arts Center. Inside, John Boddy is helping Argent Silver to the door as Mandarin enters. A medic takes Mrs. Silver from him. John sees Dr. Mandarin.
“Dr. Mandarin.” Boddy says. “A lot of people didn’t make it.” Near them, François Sarcelle is cradling the body of his partner, Pierre Lettuce.
“You weren’t supposed to come here.” Sarcelle says to Pierre’s body. “I told you not to come.” Tears run down Sarcelle’s face. “Lavender will pay for this.” Yvette Brunette walks by just as Sarcelle vows revenge on Lady Lavender. She goes outside and sees her mother Corrine Canary and her half-sister, Kirby.
“There she is.” Corrine says upon seeing Yvette. Corrine rushes over to Yvette. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” Yvette says, rather coldly.
“Thank goodness.” Corrine says as she tries to hug her daughter. Yvette doesn’t return her mother’s embrace. Kirby comes over to them.
“Mother.” Kirby says. “We need to get to the hospital. They took Copper and Chad in ambulances.
“Go and wait for me in the car, dear. I need to talk to Yvette for a moment.” Corrine says. Kirby leaves them alone.
“This is a nightmare.” Yvette says.
“I am so glad you are alright.” Corrine says.
“Are you?” Yvette asks.
“Of course I am. How can you even ask me something like that?” Corrine asks.
“Well. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have even been here tonight.” Yvette says.
“Yvette, please.” Corrine says.
“I did everything you asked me to, mother. Now, don’t you think it is time you gave me an explanation as to what the hell is going on?” Yvette asks.
TO BE CONTINUED…