BOOK EXCERPT

ACT THREE, SCENE TWO

MAPLE STREET - EVENING

NEIL stops walking a little ways away from the house, causing LUDVIG (wearing a backpack printed with pictures from comic strips) to almost run into him.

The sun has fallen beneath the clouds; darkness begins to settle around their shoulders, turning the air crisp and cold.

NEIL: So here’s the plan. You keep an eye out front, while I sneak around back to the cellar.

He glances at his watch.

Swim club is at six-thirty. It’s six-nineteen. Hopefully they will have already left and we’ll have a clear shot.

LUDVIG (hoisting his backpack further up his shoulders): What if they’re still here?

NEIL: I don’t know.

He frowns at LUDVIG.

What do you have in there, anyway?

LUDVIG slides the backpack off of his shoulders and unzips it, showing NEIL a jumble of random objects.

LUDVIG: Crucifix. (He pulls out a large silver cross on a long chain.) Salt. (He waves a tubular cardboard container, then takes

out a beaded bracelet with a big colorful eye in the middle.) Evil eye.

NEIL: What use is any of that?

LUDVIG sprinkles some salt into his palm and tosses it over his shoulder.

NEIL is losing patience.

What’s this?

He points to a handle sticking up out of the jumble. LUDVIG pulls it out.

LUDVIG: Can opener.

NEIL: I’m sorry I asked. Put that stuff away, and let’s go.