The One About The Bogeyman

SIMON MILLS (early 40s, plump) and his daughters RUBY (seven) and CHLOE (eleven) are at a table in BBs, which opens onto the central concourse of the shopping centre.  Above them a sign, 'Drinks, Muffins and Ice Cream.'  It's the morning and is fairly busy.  SIMON is drinking a cappuccino, RUBY has an apple juice and a muffin, CHLOE has a Coke and is listening to music on her iPod.  She holds a monkey, CHICO, in her arms.

RUBY

Daddy .. When you saw the witch,

were you scared?

SIMON

What witch?

RUBY

The one that you saw.  The witch 

in the night.

SIMON

It was nothing.

RUBY

Mummy said you woke up in

the night.  Was it the Bogeyman?

SIMON

It was nothing.

A moment.  A woman MIRIAM approaches the CUSTOMERS and starts to preach to them all, clutching a well-thumbed copy of the Bible. The CUSTOMERS try as hard as possible not to look at or acknowledge her.  She is heard just at the beginning of SIMON and RUBY's conversation, and then dips out.

MIRIAM

Everybody has got a time in this life.

For each of you, your time will come ..

to be significant.  To shine like jewels ..

You can become like Kings and Queens ..

RUBY

He came into my bedroom last night.

SIMON

Who did?

RUBY

The wicked witch.  And he cast a spell

on Chico.  I was sleeping, and then I 

woke up.  And Chico was gone.

SIMON

Where was he?

RUBY

He was sitting on the floor.  Wide 

awake.

SIMON

Was he alright?

RUBY

No, he was crying.

SIMON

So what did you do?

RUBY

I got out of bed, I picked him up,

and then I took him back to bed 

with me.

SIMON

Was he okay?

RUBY

He was very frightened.  But he

went back to sleep in the end.

SIMON

That's good.  (He strokes her

cheek, deeply affected)

RUBY

He doesn't talk to me anymore.

He doesn't say anything.  (She

holds Chico tight).