Owen and Jen are lying in Jen’s bed.
There’s a thudding over their heads.
Owen
It’s from the ceiling.
Jen
Probably mice in the attic.
Jen
You always blow things way out of proportion.
Owen
If this is about you flirting with Lance…
Owen
I stand by my reaction.
Owen
That really hurt me.
The floorboard creaks and Owen sits up.
Owen
That sounds too heavy to be a mouse.
Jen
A raccoon then. Just chill.
Owen
I wanna check it out.
Jen
Of course you do. You’re way too nosy for your own good.
Jen
Can’t you leave anything alone?
Owen
Can’t you stop sticking your tongue down Lance’s throat?
Jen
Oh my god, it was one time!
Owen tosses off his blanket.
Owen
Whatever. I’m going up there.
Jen
My parents’ bedroom is right across the hall!
Jen
They’ll kill me if they know you’re over.
Owen
Imagine that, getting caught doing something you’re not supposed to do…
Jen
Will you shut up with that?
Jen
If you hate me this much, why don’t you just dump me?
Owen
Because then I’d be letting you off too easy.
He starts walking toward Jen’s bedroom door.
Jen
Yeah, but now it’s over.
Jen
Just come back to bed.
Jen whispers to Owen while they’re lying in the dark.
Jen
Did you really mean that?
Jen
When you said that you’re only still dating me to, like…
Owen
What?! No, Jen of course not.
Owen
Don’t sound so disappointed.
Owen
Look, we obviously have a lot of crap to work through though.
Owen
We’ll do it. I’m not ruining my chance at prom king and queen.
Owen
Especially since YOU were the one who was cheating.
Jen
I’m sorry Owen, but this isn’t a big deal.
Jen
You need to stop blaming me.
Jen
Either get over it or break up with me.
Jen
Or I’ll break up with you.
Owen sits up too, crossing his arms in front of him.
He opens his mouth, about to respond—
When another, heavy thud pounds on the ceiling…
Owen
That’s it. I’m calling the police.
Owen takes out his phone and starts to dial.
Owen
IT COULD BE AN INTRUDER.
Owen
Trust you? That’s rich.
Owen
I’m calling the police.
Jen
It’s my little brother, okay??
Owen stares at Jen, shocked by the news.
Owen
But…aren’t you an only child?
Owen
You TOLD me you were an only child.
Jen
Owen, it’s complicated.
Jen
He’s…different than other brothers.
But Owen doesn’t respond.
Instead, he strides toward the door and opens it.
And peeks out into the hall.
Owen
You keep a lock on the attic?
Jen
You don’t understand, Owen.
Jen
It’s for his own good.
Owen
This is insane. How are you okay with this?
Owen
This is your brother we’re talking about!
Jen
Well, he’s my half-brother.
Jen
My dad isn’t the father.
Jen
My mom had a fever the day she got pregnant.
Jen
She was in bed all day.
Owen
Wow, sounds like you got the cheating gene from your mom.
Jen
Owen, shut up with that.
Jen
Lance and I just kissed.
Jen
And it only happened ONCE.
Owen
Whatever. So your dad actually believed your mom?
Jen
My mom swears she’s never cheated.
Jen
And you know what? I believe her.
Jen
She said she had horrible fever dreams…
Jen
And that she saw the devil.
Owen
You’ve got to be kidding me.
The thudding turns into a BANGING.
Jen
See! He doesn’t want me telling you the truth.
Owen
That your mom had a baby with the devil?
Jen
You don’t know how dangerous he is.
Jen
I’ve seen it with my own eyes.
Jen
No, seriously. As a toddler, he’d have these bad moods…
Jen
And when he did, the weather turned bad too…
Jen
Like the sky would go black and a big storm would happen.
Owen
That was probably just a coincidence.
Jen
It wasn’t! As he got older…
Jen
My mom would find dead birds under his pillow.
Jen
They called a priest in to examine him.
Jen
And the priest instantly knew something was off…
Jen
So he blessed the attic for us.
Jen
He said it’d keep my brother’s powers restrained…
Jen
As long as he never left it.
Owen
I’m telling you, that’s nothing but a bunch of coincidences.
Owen turns back into the room and grabs a bobby-pin from Jen’s dresser.
Owen
I’m meeting this kid.
Jen rolls her eyes. A tiny smile creeps out from the corner of her mouth.
The smile quickly disappears as she clenches her hands into fists.
Jen
I knew you’d be like this.
Jen
That’s why I never told you before.
Jen
You always have to stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.
Owen
Jen, come on. Let’s not go back to that.
Owen
This is about your brother now.
Owen
And I know little kids can be cruel…
Owen
But they’re not evil.
Jen
You don’t understand.
Owen leaves the room. Jen follows him down the hall.
Owen grabs a string from the ceiling and unfolds the ladder to the attic.
He climbs up to the spot where the opening is sealed.
There’s a silver lock with a cross on it, holding the entrance closed.
Owen
He’s just a kid, Jen.
Owen puts the bobby pin and paperclip in the lock. He fiddles with it.
And then he hears a click.
She takes in a deep breath and starts to mutter some words.
Jen
Brother, I summon thee…
Owen
Jen, what are you saying?!
Jen
Just some incantations someone taught me.
But in the dark, Owen can’t see the excitement in Jen’s eyes.
He turns back to the attic door and pushes it open.
Dust falls all around him.
Jen holds the ladder at its base.
Jen
Wouldn’t want you to fall…
Owen sticks his head up into the attic.
Nothing but silence fills the space.
Owen
Have you just been messing with me this whole time?
But then something grabs Owen and yanks him inside.
Jen scrambles up the ladder and shuts the door, replacing the lock.
Jen lies in bed, alone, eating ice cream.
She grabs her phone and dials.
Operator
911, what’s your emergency?
Jen
Yeah, hi, my name is Jennifer Riddick.
Jen
I live at 85 Culver Circle.
Jen
I’m afraid something happened to my friend.
Jen
He said he was going to come over tonight.
Jen
But he hasn’t shown up.
Jen
And his car’s outside my house.
Operator
He’s not in the car?
Operator
When did you notice the car?
Jen
I’m afraid something’s happened to him.
Operator
We’re sending a unit out to you, Jennifer.
Operator
Stay inside and keep the doors locked until they get there.
Above her, Jen hears loud banging.
Owen yells from the attic.
Owen
JEN. GET ME OUT OF HERE.
Jen shakes her head, muttering under her breath.
Jen
Always putting his nose where it doesn’t belong.
She thinks about texting Lance.
But instead, she puts on her headphones…
Drowns out Owen’s final words with a breakup song…
And relishes in another victory.
