Shadows on the Wall: Resurgam
[Scene: a graveyard with elaborate Victorian headstones, including angels, obelisks, large decorated tombs and architectural foofraws. A-ko is wearing a long black dress and a wide hat with a black-bordered veil that reaches her knees suspended from it. B-ko is wearing a modern black suit and tie and carrying a backpack. They appear to be looking for something.]
A-ko: I can't remember where it should be.
B-ko: [consults a sheet of paper] It should be somewhere around here. We're in the correct section.
A-ko: Do you remember what it looks li-- oh! Here it is!
[A-ko points to a large monument that consists of four pillars holding up an altar with a large stone sheaf of wheat on it. Behind the altar is a taller pillar with a hand pointing up on its summit. The base of the monument is decorated with a floral motif, and the altar is inscribed with AETERNITAS in fancy capitals.]
B-ko: God, that thing is ugly.
A-ko: Quit editorializing on aesthetics and start checking things out. [She seems nervous, looking over her shoulder.]
B-ko: [Opens backpack and pulls some kind of device that looks like a Geiger counter out of it] It doesn't look disturbed.
A-ko: [Still glancing over her shoulder] The flowers could be hiding something. [She kicks part of a pile of withered flowers off the grave.]
B-ko: The turf's unbroken. I'm going to check the base. [Kneels down and examines the monument minutely.] No, this looks solid.
A-ko: [Hurls a bunch of withered floral emblems, including a horseshoe of withered roses and several large dying bouquets, off the grave] Here. Who sent lilies?!? What bad taste.
B-ko: [Puts on a pair of headphones and waves the flat end of the device over the grave.] These readings are odd.
A-ko: [Looking nervously around] Do you think...? What for? I mean--
B-ko: Hush, A-ko, I can't hear the reading. Hmmmm.
A-ko: B-ko, I have a bad--
[B-ko and A-ko leap back as a hand and arm thrusts out of the grave.]
B-ko: What the hell--
A-ko: AAAAIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
B-ko: Okay, so we were at least partly right.
A-ko: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
B-ko: But if he hasn't gotten out already then why...?
A-ko: EEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
B-ko: Maybe it wasn't him after all.
A-ko: AAAAAAAAAIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
B-ko: A-ko, stop and take a breath before you pass out.
A-ko: [Stoops and seizes a hefty stick that is lying on the ground.] I don't care if it wasn't him, I'm not letting him out again, the bastard!
B-ko: A-ko, what--?
A-ko: [Winds up and gives the hand a sturdy whack, as if she were trying to drive a tent stake into the ground] Take THAT!
[The hand is whacked. It does not move.]
B-ko: Here, maybe this will work! [She draws a sword out of the backpack-- despite the fact that the sword is considerably longer than the backpack-- and smacks the hand with the flat of the blade.]
[The hand does not move.]
B-ko: ARGH! [She beats the hand severely. It remains there.]
A-ko: GRRR! [She reaches into the backpack and removes a very large vase filled with roses. She lifts this into the air and drops it onto the hand.]
[The vase breaks with a mighty cracking noise, and the hand withdraws once again underground.]
A-ko: [Breathing heavily] Stubborn cheeky sneering bastard.
B-ko: You always did have to drive the point home a little overmuch, with him.
A-ko: He wasn't used to people telling him no.
B-ko: I think you've made your point this time.
A-ko: [Glares at grave] If it wasn't him, I think we have to look in another direction.
B-ko: Maybe he's got nothing to do with her disappearance at all.
A-ko: Maybe not, but let's put a nice big heavy rock over this, okay?
B-ko: I'm sure we could find a suitably tasteful marble slab.
A-ko: Goddamn, you just can't move on this campus for all the dead people.
B-ko: [Packing up her backpack] I'm going to invest in some wooden stakes and a hammer.