The Return

Inspired by The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allen Poe

Written by Jeramie Moore

Setting..

It had been fifty years since MONTRESOR visited the town carnival. Fifty years passed without placing that black silk mask upon his gullible face, and deceitful lips. Fifty years since he laid eyes on a man that opposed the thought ever crumbling the bridge that stood between the two. We look now fifty years later as Elder MONTRESOR receives a letter to attend the town carnival.

(Center Stage, MONTRESOR is seen Lying in bed as his personal assistant (HUMILID) {Latin for humble} enters the room with: breakfast, a stack of mail neatly positioned inside a folded newspaper, lying against a steaming sweet smelling cup of hot coffee.

HUMILIS: Good Morning Good Sir…(rolls the cart sitting behind the night stand over to MONTRESOR bed side)

MONTRESOR: (groaning) Morning, morning, What puts you in a good mood today ay? (Snatches a piece of toast and begins to eat cautiously)

HUMILIS: Well, sir.. Today is the Annual Carnival..(kneels toward Montresor). Everyone’s going. And. Sir you ought to go. I presume we’d have the dearest of times sir…. Will you go?

MONTRESOR: Carnival ay? Perhaps, but I don’t think it’d be the most promising of times for me.

HUMILIS: Ah, sir just store it in your mind. And I’ll rebuttal after your morning walk. (Exit Scene, leaving Elder MONTRESOR to his breakfast and coffee.)
(MONTRESOR eats through the toast and eggs. He munches on the burnt pieces of turkey bacon, and takes a few sips of the sweet smelling coffee as be opens the newspaper)
Scene 2:
MONTRESOR: (opening the newspaper: the Headlines read: Come one, Come ALL, COME CELEBRATE AT THE CARNI’YAL) : Ugh, (flips through the other sections) Hmm.. I wonder if I’d still be attending that ol carny if.. (Lightly chuckles) hmm.. Oh well.(talks to his self and shuffles through the mail) what’s in here beside bills, bills, and uhh.. What is this… ( he shuffles upon a black envelope with red writing encrypted on the front labeled The Great Montresor). Ah, well finally someone realizes the position a man deserves.

[He opens the envelope as it unfolds and become a letter in its own. The letter reads;

Dear Montresor,

I’ve longed for you for more than the days that you’ve been apart. I know you, but I doubt you know me. One thing is for sure I would Love For Us To Meet…

Ps.. I am attending the Annual Carnival. I’ll be wearing a purple mask, I have sent you a package that contains a silk black mask and a ticket for the carnival. Don’t be late.

[he takes a sniff inside the letter as he smelled sweet sherry]

MONTRESOR: HUMILIS! Come here please. (H. Enters stage right)

HUMILIS:( trips over foot stool) uhh yess Sir? You called?

MONTRESOR: yes, did you say you wanted to go to the Carnival today?

HUMILIS: well, yes sir, but I know you need someone here at all times and I wouldn’t dare depart your side Sir.

MONTRESOR: oh, well.. Uhhm

HUMILIS: well What sir, do you want to go sir? Do want to attend sir? Oh, Id be honored sir. Let me drive you there sir. Whatta ya say sir?

MONTRESOR: now just moment, haven’t said anything about me going anywhere. Now I know how you young folks wanna enjoy your years and that’s fine. But I just don’t think it’s fitting if I go.

HUMILIS: I see, but sir I couldn’t,

MONTRESOR: ah, I’m not done; some half minded woman requested that I go. Said the ticket with a mask is on the way.

HUMILIS: i see..

MONTRESOR: Well you can have it. No good in my possession.

HUMILIS: But Sir I already has my ticket and costume sir. Oh sir, you haven’t courted in years. You must go sir, please Do?

MONTRESOR: hmm.. I suppose.

HUMILIS: will you sir? I’ll drive us there sir, if you don’t mind? Do you sir?

MONTRESOR: I suppose

HUMILIS: Ha! Splendid Sir [he Exits Stage Left]
(MONTRESOR begins to put on his over coat for the morning walk as the doorbell rings) {chimes}

HUMILIS: Don’t Worry Sir, I’ll get it.. Don’t forget your Cane sir. We’re taking a bit of longer walk this morning. Get those joints in carnyShape.

MONTRESOR: Ah, n worries, that’s what I paid you for it’d n boy? (Calls down the hall)
[H. Peaks out the hall as if he can see Montresor]

HUMILIS: YES SIR! Good Money Too Sir! WHY THANK YOU! { he quickly leans back into the door way in Stage left where the mail man is seen standing with a package)

HUMILIS: Well Thank You My good man. [Drops a few coins in his top pocket, the mailman nods and walks away]

Scene 3( MONTRESOR and HUMILIS is seen in the front living room having a cup of tea. as HUMILIS tries to perk up MONTRESOR before the mysterious meeting at the Annual Carnival)

MONTRESOR: I just don’t understand why someone want to meet me? I’m old and I haven’t touched the hair of women in decades.

HUMILIS: Sir, if I may, I would not think about how long it has been but how Fortunate you are to have an admirer.

MONTRESOR: Perhaps, well if I look at it that way. I am pretty fortunate aren’t I.

HUMILIS: I just know if I’m old and grey I wish to be that Fortunate.

MONTRESOR: Old and Grey huh?

HUMILIS: no harm intended sir, but you have aged a bit….
MONTRESOR: hmm.. Well, I guess it’s a fitting time to get dress. I wouldn’t want to keep my admirer waiting her precious prize.
HUMILIS: I’ll fetch your cane and hat, Lord knows you could use a trim.
(MONTRESOR exits the room as HUMILIS gathers his hat and tidy’s up the den. He then exits stage right toward his room, where the curtains close and break for intermission.)
Scene 4:
(This scene opens as HUMILIS and MONTRESOR arrives to the Annual Carnival.)
MONTRESOR: HUMILIS please just drop me off up front and park around on the side, I don’t want the pollution from the other cars to be among my Monte (Monte Carlo). (Humilis pulls up front and quickly hops out to open Montresor’s door.)
HUMILIS: (opens the door) what time should we meet sir? (Looks at watch) It’s a quarter til ten now.
MONTRESOR: How about half after noon? Give me a chance to charm and arm my dear.
(HUMILIS gently laughs, hops back into the monte-carlo and pulls away. As he pulls away a thin cloud of smoke arises from the smoke pipes MONTRESOR had installed underneath his Monte Carlo. The smoke blurs MONTRESOR vision for a moment and forces MONTRESOR to lose his balance a tad. Just as he stumbles back failing to hold himself in position because of the rocky road his cane is not stable enough to balance him. He loses his balance just as figure catches his elbow and gently re-aligns his legs so that Montresor is now facing the figure.) The figure has a dark grey robe on, but the robe is much bigger than Montresor. The robe looks to be the robe of royalty. MONTRESOR has on his silk back that was sent to him. This mysterious figure whom just saved MONTRESOR from a terrible fall is wearing the purple mask from the letter.
Purple Mask Figure(PMF): {in a very low and feminine voice}- hmph!!!! (Turn and walk away)
MONTRESOR- Excuse Me, it’s Me, MONTRESOR. You wrote me a letter ay?
PMF: (looks back)(nods yes)
MONTRESOR: Is this what you longed for? Were your words not true? Show me who you are? I’ve longed for someone, anyone to love.
PMF: (the figure motions MONTRESOR to follow in a very seductive manner. Montresor scurries behind the figure intrigued by the sweet aroma like a kid in a candy store.)
MONTRESOR: What is your name my dear? Where do you know me from?
(The figure just grabs MONTRESOR by the hand and nods) {They walk up on a line leading to the big Ferris wheel that most couples ride on toward the end of the night to see the stars and carnival fireworks.)
MONTRESOR: Ferris Wheel ay? I’m not one to favor heights my dear, but if you could just assure me your sweet lips I’d put pride aside.
(PMF places the silk glove on the lips of the mask as if the figure was attempting to blow a kiss at MONTRESOR, but the figure just taps the glove on the lips of the purple mask and did the same to the Black mask.) (Motion MONTRESOR to follow onto the Ferris wheel bucket seats.)
{They are now seen rising to the top of the ferris wheel, where they can see the entire town. The Ferris Wheel begins to slow down just a bit to give each couple a moment of intimacy amongst the stars at night. PMF pulls out a bull horn from underneath the robe. The robe that seemed much bigger and royal than MONTRESOR now has no glow and is similar to the same size as MONTRESOR}
PMF: (Grabs Elder MONTRESOR by the collar, unstraps their seatbelts and begins to shout with anger and aggression) PEOPLE OF THE CARNIVAL!!! LOOK AT YOUR ELDER MONTRESOR!!! LOOK HOW HE’S AGED. JUST AS THE SWEET SHERRY THAT ONCE TRIED TO BURY MY SOUL ALIVE, JUST LOOK HOW HE HAS AGED.
MONTRESOR: (Coughs, coughs) That voice…
FORTUNATO: (throws off the purple mask) YES IT IS I, YOU COWARD, YOU CON, YOU SELFISH BEAST. I AM FORTUNATO AND I SHALL SEEK REVENGE!!!
(At this moment the entire population in the carnival has collected together at the bottom of the Ferris Wheel trying to seek what is about this foolishness.) ( A townsman yell out: Stay off the Wine you Wino!!!)
FORTUNATO: Ha,(on the bull horn) Wino huh? Tell it to your vault-man! (He chokes Montresor to the point that MONTRESOR turns blue in the face and then drop kicks him off the Ferris wheel. MONTRESOR tries to grab onto other bucket seats as his attempt is failed by a final rip and tare of the shoulder from a Ferris wheel pole.)

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