Dedicated to Mrs Mary Brown, my aunt, who, when I was a child and went to her house for the summer vacation, used to tell me bedtime stories. This tale is one of them.

​

CAST

 

NARRATOR

DOMINIC

RACHEL

FATHER THOMAS

 

The action takes place in a library room ofa villa, now dilapidated and showing signs of being empty for a long, long time. On the right side of the wall is a huge library filled with books. Two comfortable chairs, but torn and in bad condition, a door facing the audience and another door on the left side.

 

​

NARRATOR

The old villa was dilapidated, huge, and wilting, which had been like that for a long time.  Its windows, unevenly boarded shut, gave a menacing look. The paint had worn away, giving the house an unvarying grey look. Gales had ripped many of the slates off, and a heavy snowfall had pierced the roof, giving it a flabby, deformed look.

Edward did not let the appearance of the villa from going in it. He walked up to the overrun path,  climbed the terrace, glanced through the gaps from the wooden panels into the foyer, went to the front door and unlocked it. He went in and stared at the house; it almost hypnotised him.

 

He walked down the hall, and the paint was rotting away,  and the furniture was like junk. As he entered the library room, he felt a sense of history,  a foreboding impression.  He went up the stairs;  when he climbed them,  he counted twenty-two steps.   On the landing, looking down the hall, there was a closed door; he opened it and looked inside and found a bedroom. Edward did not need to look further, so he returned downstairs and left. As he turned away from the villa, he thought it was enough to know it suited his purpose.

He got into his car,  started it and drove away with a smile.

 

Rumours were widespread about the villa. Some said it was sinister. Others stated a man long ago was murdered, and his ghost haunts the mansion. People avoided it and didn’t talk about it much, and since the house owners were all dead except one, who lived somewhere in  Australia, the house was left abandoned. The villagers were frightened because they believed the spirit was a vengeful one.

 

Although Edward heard about the ghost rumours, he did not bother about it since he didn't believe in ghosts. When he told his girlfriend Jennie that he had found the perfect location for their weekend escapade and told her about the spirit that lurks in the villa, they just laughed. Many superstitious people believed in ghosts, but not these two young lovers. All they wanted was to escape the havoc of the weekend nights in town for an inexpensive weekend by themselves, and the house not only provided them with the perfect location, but it was also free.

A  few years ago, while the village pub was full of customers, a well-liked village character named Paddy walked into the bar. They said that women were unsafe in his presence. Paddy knew how to be a ladies' man;  he was also a small-time criminal. After he had consumed far too much alcohol, he said suddenly that evening, passing the villa with his car, probably casing some joints, he’d seen a strange thing on the terrace.  The pub owner stopped in the middle of polishing a glass, and the men around the bar exchanged stealthy looks. No one said a word, but everyone was thinking about the ghost of the vengeful man.

 

(At the beginning, the stage is empty and dimly lit; we hear the engine of a car coming and stopping, the doors open and shut)

 

DOMINIC

(From the outside)

Is this not wonderful for us; don't you think so?

 

RACHEL

It looks in ruins ….....

 

DOMINIC

I know that's what's going to thrill us this weekend.

 

RACHEL

I hope so.

(They enter the room with RACHEL carrying

a small case which drops it down on the floor

and looks around)

This must be the library.

 

DOMINIC

Where the murders took place.

 

RACHEL

(Sits on the case)

You're an enigma, all right. I can't quite figure

you out.

 

DOMINIC

What do you mean?

 

RACHEL

I know you were sexually aroused by the idea

of a weekend in a supposedly haunted house. I

wasn't brought up like this, you know!

 

DOMINIC

You don't have to be scared when you're with

me.

 

RACHEL

But I am. I am also feeling slightly irritated with

his perceptive observations. You don't know me

that well. We met only a month ago.

​

DOMINIC

And what a perfect month it has been.

(He threads his fingers through her hair. He

leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.)

 

RACHEL

Dominic, please stop for a moment.

 

DOMINIC

What. Have I done the wrong thing?

 

RACHEL

(Stands)

No. You did the right thing, and I am

worried. Nobody had ever kissed me the way you did

do. And you are a dangerous seducer.

 

DOMINIC

And nobody said that to me before, either. You

know why we came here …......

 

RACHEL

I know. So why do you persist?

 

DOMINIC

I would like to hear it from your lips.

 

RACHEL

Ok. Yes, we are going to sleep together. Is that

what you wanted to hear?

 

DOMINIC

Yes. It has been a month, and I can't wait for us to

make love. You are a great girl, Rachel.

 

RACHEL

Why? Because I agreed to sleep with you?

 

DOMINIC

No, of course not. You are charming, intelligent

and you have such a lovely sense of humour.

 

RACHEL

Right, so here are. Are we going to stand still all

night?

 

DOMINIC

Let's go to the bedroom; it's through there, and

upstairs.

(Dominic picks the case, and they walk

through the right-side door.)

 

NARRATOR

A wealthy family then occupied the villa, but only two brothers were left. Their older sister died a year before, and their parents died a few years back. Thomas, the younger brother, immigrated to Australia and never came back, leaving  Peter the sole resident of the house.

Except for his cook, gardener, handyman and manservant, the latter was much needed as Peter was deaf and dumb.

One evening week after supper, all the servants left the house, leaving Peter with Reverend Mark, who visited him once a week. They were sitting close to each other on the couch. The priest was reading something from a small piece of paper in his hand while Peter had his head down. Suddenly,  the door burst open, and two masked men appeared in the room, both carrying guns. There was no reason for the priest to stand up immediately and run to the bookshelves, clutching at the books. It was a grave mistake because one of the men opened fire, and the priest fell dead.

 

Peter did not know what to do, and when they asked him where the gold, jewellery, and money were, he could not answer them because of his handicap, but the robbers didn’t know that and took his silence as defiance, and he was killed too.

The villagers were shocked. The police investigation took a long time, but eventually, they had to give up as they could not find any clues about the intruders, who never got caught.

 

Only a few months had passed since the shooting, and gossip of disturbances in the villa had started. At first, the rumours were ignored, but when they became frequent and more detailed, the villagers began to believe that the villa was haunted by the two victims. As time passed, the mystery of

The Haunted Villa became the village chronicle.

 

(There is an instant Blackout, and after a few seconds, Father Thomas stands in a corner. When the lights are back on, we can hear the priest sobbing quietly.)

(From outside, we hear the couple speaking)

 

RACHEL

What is that?

 

DOMINIC

I don't know.

​

RACHEL

It sounds like someone is crying.

 

DOMINIC

It must be a cat or a dog whining.

 

RACHEL

No, Dominic, listen carefully……

 

DOMINIC

(After a pause)

You are right. That is crying. And it's coming

from downstairs. Let's go and see what it is.

 

RACHEL

No way. I am not going downstairs, and that is for

sure.

 

DOMINIC

Come on, don't be a child. There is nothing to be

afraid of.

 

RACHEL

You go then, and if there's nothing, call me.

 

DOMINIC

OK, if you are happy with that. Did this have to

happen as I was enjoying myself?

​

RACHEL

Shut up and go.

 

DOMINIC

I'm going, I'm going…….

 

(After a while, Dominic enters the library. He is wearing only boxer shorts. At first, he doesn't see Father Thomas, but when he hears the cries, he turns and faces the father.)

 

DOMINIC

(A bit apprehensive)

Are you all right? Can I help you?

 

FATHER

Yes, you can, my son!

 

DOMINIC

Who are you?

 

FATHER

I am Father Thomas, a Catholic priest from a long

time ago, when this villa was a happy place. It

Was I the one who had been killed in here, along with

Poor Peter.

 

DOMINIC

So, you have decided to scare the villagers

shitless, is that it? And me too?

​

FATHER

No. Not at all, my son. I have been roaming this

house for one reason, and I cannot rest in

peace until I fulfil my obligation.

 

DOMINIC

Why did it take you so long? According to the

villagers, you've been haunting this place for

over fifty years.

 

FATHER

True, very true; I did not want to scare anyone on

the contrary, I wanted to attract someone to come

in, face me and help me get rid of one item which

is hidden in here.

 

DOMINIC

A treasure?

 

FATHER

No, nothing that grand, it's only a piece of paper,

I need somebody to get rid of it for me.

 

DOMINIC

Why? What's in it?

 

FATHER

I'm afraid I cannot tell you！

​

DOMINIC

And you expect a stranger to come in here,

scared to his teeth, trying to help you, and you

won't even give him the reason why?

 

FATHER

I can give you the reason, of course, I can, but I

cannot divulge what was written on the paper.

 

DOMINIC

I don't understand!

(From outside, we hear Rachel)

 

RACHEL

Are you OK, Dominic?

 

DOMINIC

I'm all right, just don't come down yet.

 

RACHEL

Why is that?

 

FATHER

Please don't tell her.

 

DOMINIC

It's all right; I will be coming up in a minute. I

was right. I am getting rid of some cats who are

roaming about. Go back to bed, Rachel.

 

RACHEL

OK, if you say so.

 

DOMINIC

(To the priest)

You were saying?

 

FATHER

Did you know that Peter, the owner of this house

was deaf and dumb?

 

DOMINIC

No, I did not know that!

 

FATHER

Well, he was, and he was also a devout Roman

catholic. Every week, I was invited here first to

dine with him, and afterwards, we sit here, and I

hear his confession! But because he could not

confess his sins to me, he used to write them down

on a piece of paper, and after I read them and

absolved him, I used to get rid of the paper in the

fireplace. That night, when the robbers came in, I

panic and ran towards the books and put the

paper in one of them to hide it and keep it safe.

One of the men thought I was going to defend

myself and fired at me.

​

DOMINIC

And you want me to believe all this?

​

FATHER

Yes, I would! You see, my son, the secret of the

confession is sacred and cannot be broken. It

would have been a great sacrilege if somebody

had found and read it. I cannot get eternal

peace until I get rid of the secret.

 

DOMINIC

So, it is hidden.

 

FATHER

Yes. You see that thick book on the third shelf.

 

DOMINIC

Which one are you pointing at? Is it red with a

gold print on it?

 

FATHER

Yes, please bring it down and when you do open it

and you should find a piece of paper.

 

(DOMINIC does as the man tells him, and he

brings down the book and opens it. A piece of

trim, folded paper, fell on the floor and

Dominic picks it up.)

 

DOMINIC

Is this it?"

 

FATHER

Yes, that's it.

 

DOMINIC

(He looks at the paper carefully and then, without

hesitation tries to give it to the priest.)

If this is what you want, you can have it.

 

FATHER

I cannot have it. I cannot touch anything.

 

DOMINIC

What do you want me to do then?

 

FATHER

Burn it with. Burn it at once!

 

DOMINIC

Are you sure?

 

FATHER

Yes, my son, I am sure.

 

DOMINIC

(He takes a lighter out of his pocket, lights it

and burns the paper)

Are you happy now? Did I not burn it for you?

 

LIGHTS FADE OUT, and LIGHTS FADE IN

 

(Father Thomas has vanished and

Dominic sits on one of the chairs, astounded.

At the same instant, Rachel comes down and

enters the room wearing only a long shirt.)

​

RACHEL

What is wrong with you?

(Moves towards him and sees that he is not

himself)

Dominic, tell me what happened. You look

as if you've seen a ghost.

 

DOMINIC

I did!

 

RACHEL

What? Don't joke about that, please.

 

DOMINIC

Joke? I am not joking? Have you not heard me

talking to the man?"

 

RACHEL

What are you talking about? You just came in

here a few seconds ago.

 

DOMINIC

Few seconds? You must be mistaken. I have been

here much longer than that. I had a bloody

conversation with a priest who asked me to burn

a piece of paper.

 

RACHEL

I don't believe you. You're making this up to

scare me!"

​

DOMINIC

No, I'm not. Look, I show you, look at the ashes

on the floor.

 

RACHEL

What ashes? There's nothing here.

 

DOMINIC

(He takes a look himself)

I cannot understand this. The paper was in this

book.

(He shows her the book.)

 

RACHEL

I told you. You are crazy. Let's go up and finish

what we started.

(They leave)

(As the Narrator tells the ending of this tale

the lights fade out until darkness)

 

NARRATOR

The old villa was sold to a big consortium of hoteliers, and they renovated it into a beautiful modern hotel, leaving the old structure intact. Nobody ever heard any crying anymore, and the mystery of the haunting that the villagers were so frightened of was forgotten. Dominic and Rachel got married a few years later and had two children. On occasion, the children sat on the couch listening to their father telling the story of a ghostly priest!

 

END