Title: The Path of Shadows

Characters:

● Chioma (Mom): A caring mother, protective of her daughters.

● Precious (ishraq) (Sister): older sister, cautious and protective.
● Amani ( Rumaysa (Main Character): A curious and adventurous young girl.
● Blessing (Hera) (Bad Friend): A bold friend who encourages reckless behavior.
● ERROL (Random Scary Man): A mysterious figure who seems threatening.
● Voodoo Man (tevin): A man with dark powers, often feared by the villagers.
● Homeless Man(gabriel): A wise, old man who warns the girls.

Setting: A small village in Africa, with a backdrop of traditional huts and lush greenery.
As the sun begins to set, the atmosphere shifts from warm to ominous. The sounds of
wildlife fill the air, but there is an underlying tension as darkness approaches.

(scene 1: The Argument)

MOM: (noticing Rumaysa)

Where do you think you’re going?

AMANI: (defiant)
I’m going to see the Voodoo Man. I’m not a child anymore!

MOM: (firmly, standing up)

You are a child, and this is not something you can just decide on your own! Why do you
want to go to him? You know the stories. The man is dangerous, Amani!

AMANI: (shaking her head, frustrated)

You just don’t understand, Mom! I’m not afraid of him! I want to see it all for myself. I
need to be brave, like Blessing says!

MOM: (sternly)
Bravery does not mean putting yourself in danger. I’ve told you time and time again,
there are dark forces you don’t understand. The Voodoo Man is not a joke. He is a
powerful man, and he’s not someone you should be around.

AMANI: (angrily)
I don’t need your permission! I’m going—Blessing is waiting, and I won’t back down!

MOM: (reaching for Amani’s arm)

Amani! Please listen to me. I’ve seen what happens to those who dabble in things they
don’t understand. People have disappeared, and they were never the same again. If
you love this family, you’ll stay away from him!

AMANI: (pulling away)

You don’t trust me! You just want to control me! I’m going—Blessing is waiting, and I
won’t back down!

(Amani storms out of the house, leaving SIAMANTA in distress. PRECIOUS watches
from the doorway, visibly concerned.)
(Scene 2 : The Family Home)

(The stage is set to represent a cozy home. Mom is busy cooking. Precious is sitting
nearby, worriedly watching her sister, Amani, who is packing a small bag.)

MOM: (calling out) Amani, where are you planning to go?

AMANI: (excitedly) Just to the village market! I’ll be back soon!

PRECIOUS: (concerned) But Mom said it’s dangerous after dark.

AMANI: (rolling her eyes) I’ll be fine! I’ll just meet up with Blessing.

PRECIOUS: (pleading) Please, Amani. You know the stories about the shadows in the
night.

MOM: (turning to Amani) Your sister is right. The village has been troubled lately. Just
wait until morning.

AMANI: (frustrated) I’m not a child anymore! I can take care of myself!

(AMANI storms out, determined to go. PRECIOUS exchanges a worried glance with her
mother.)

(Scene 2: The Market)

(The stage now represents a busy village market, the sun beginning to set, casting long
shadows across the area. AMANI and BLESSING are walking quickly, trying not to be
noticed. The market is winding down, but there are still a few merchants packing up
their stalls.)

AMANI: (whispering)
We need to find everything he asked for. The herbs, the bones, and that bottle.

BLESSING: (grinning)
Don’t worry. We’ll get it all. Just think about what we’ll gain. Power, knowledge—maybe
even immortality!

AMANI: (nodding)
Right. I’m ready for it. I’m not afraid.

(They pass by a few villagers who give them strange looks. In the distance, an old
HOMELESS MAN—GABRIEL—sits near the edge of the market, quietly watching them.
He leans forward, his eyes sharp as he sees AMANI and BLESSING walking with
determination.)
GABRIEL: (calling out, his voice raspy)
Girls, wait! You don’t know what you’re doing!

AMANI: (startled, but brushing him off)

It’s fine, old man. We know what we’re doing.

BLESSING: (mocking)
What’s he going to do? Tell us more stories? We’re not afraid!

GABRIEL: (slowly standing, his tone growing serious)

You think it’s all just stories? You think the dark forces are only words? No… they’re
real, and they don’t forgive.
(He looks at AMANI, his gaze piercing.)
Be careful, child. There’s a price for everything.

(AMANI hesitates for a moment, her resolve shaken, but she quickly shakes it off.)

AMANI:
I’ve made my decision. We need to go.

(She quickly pulls BLESSING away, ignoring GABRIEL's warning. GABRIEL watches
them leave, muttering under his breath.)

GABRIEL: (to himself)

You’ll see... soon enough.

(Scene 3: Outside the forest)

(AMANI meets BLESSING, who is leaning against a tree, smirking.)

BLESSING: (playfully) There you are! Ready for an adventure?

AMANI: (smiling) You know it! Precious is such a scarey cat, she doesn’t understand.

BLESSING: (mocking) Oh, let her be scared. She’ll never know the thrill! Come on!

AMANI: wait!, I hear something.

Amani: Precious?,Precious is that you?

Blessing: (Mockingly) Thought you were scared of the itty bitty voodoo
man, what changed?
PRECIOUS: Fine then i can just go tell mo-

AMANI:(hesitant) wait!, fine ill give you money

PRECIOUS:How much we talking?.

AMANI :(thinks) 500 bob.

Ishraq:(reluctant) Uhhhmm..?, alr!

(Scene 3: The Path to Danger)

(As they walk deeper into the village, the atmosphere shifts. The sounds of wildlife fade,
and the air grows tense.)

AMANI: (looking around) It’s not that scary! Just a little adventure.

BLESSING: (smirking) What’s life without a little risk?

(Suddenly, ERROL appears from the shadows, blocking their path. He has a wild look in
his eyes.)

ERROL: (menacingly) Where are you girls headed at this hour?

PRECIOUS: (nervously) Just to the market.

AMANI: (defiantly) We can take care of ourselves!

ERROL: (grinning) The market? The path you walk is not as it seems,

Filled with shadows and broken dreams.

Your fate is woven in strands of night,

Beware of the whispers, beware of the light.

(The girls exchange anxious glances.)

BLESSING: Ugh whatever leave us alone.

(Scene 4: The Homeless Man’s Warning)

(They continue walking when they encounter GABRIEL, a homeless man sitting on the
ground, looking weary but wise.)

GABRIEL: (sternly) Young ladies, heed my warning. The shadows hold dangers you
cannot see.

BLESSING: (dismissively) ugh not you again don’t listen to him! He’s just an old man.

PRECIOUS: (concerned) Maybe we should turn back.

AMANI: (determined) No! I want to see the Voodoo Man!

GABRIEL: (urgent) Do not follow him. The Voodoo Man is not a friend to those who
seek him without reason.

(The girls ignore him and continue walking, the tension growing.)

(Scene 5: Encounter with the Voodoo Man)

(They arrive at a dimly lit clearing where TEVIN, the Voodoo Man, sits, surrounded by
strange symbols and artifacts.)

TEVIN: (hissing) Welcome, young ones My name is . You seek

power, don’t you?

AMANI: (curious) We just wanted to see what you can do.

BLESSING: (intrigued) so tell us what can you do?

TEVIN: (leaning closer) I can show you secrets of the night, but at a cost.(whispering)

PRECIOUS: (worried) We should go! This feels wrong!

AMANI: (ignoring ISHAQ) What kind of secrets?

(TEVIN smiles, revealing a set of sharp teeth.)

TEVIN: Power comes with sacrifice. Are you willing to pay the price?
(Scene 6: Consequences Unfold)

(Suddenly, the air turns cold. The ground shakes slightly, and eerie whispers fill the
space.)

PRECIOUS: (frantically) We need to leave! Now!

BLESSING: (laughing) What are you afraid of?

(Suddenly, dark shadows emerge from the trees, surrounding them.)

AMANI: (panicking) What is happening?!

TEVIN: (darkly) You chose to come here. Now you must face the consequences.

(GABRIEL appears again, stepping forward.)

GABRIEL: (shouting) Leave this place! The shadows will consume you!

(AMANI looks at her sister, realizing the danger.)

AMANI: (terrified) I want to go home!

(They all turn to run, but the shadows grab at them, pulling them back.)

(Scene 7: Resolution)

(They manage to break free, stumbling back towards the village, but the shadows chase
them. They find refuge in the light of the village.)

PRECIOUS: (breathless) We made it!

AMANI: (shaken) I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I just wanted to be brave.

BLESSING: (frantically) I didn’t mean to put us in danger!

(They gather together, watching the shadows retreat.)

GABRIEL: (calmly) True bravery lies not in recklessness, but in knowing when to turn
back. You must be wise, young ones.

AMANI: (teary-eyed) I’m sorry,precious. I should have listened to you.

PRECIOUS: (hugging her) We learn from our mistakes. Let’s promise to be more
careful.
BLESSING: (apologetically) And to always listen to the wise voices around us.

AMANI AND PRECIOUS:YOUR THE ONE WHO GOT US IN THIS MESS!

(Scene 8: The Path Home)

(As they walk back towards their home, the lights of the village shining brightly, they
hold hands, stronger together.)

AMANI: (determined) Next time, we’ll find our adventures together, but wisely.

(They exit the stage, leaving behind the darkness of the woods, stepping into the
warmth of their home.)

(Scene 9: The Reveal)

(Amani and Precious rush into the house, visibly scared and out of breath.)

AMANI: (frantic) Mom!

PRECIOUS: (shaky) Mom…. The Voodoo Man, the shadows…

AMANI: They were real we are sorry we never listened to you.

(Siamanta looks up, calm yet concerned.)

SIAMANTA: (serene) What’s going on? What happened?

AMANI: (frantic) We went to the forest, Mom... the shadows... we thought they were
going to... to hurt us!

PRECIOUS: (nervously) There was a man in the dark, and the Voodoo Man... he said
we would pay the price...

(Siamanta sighs and walks over, sitting them down.)

SIAMANTA: (calmly) Girls, it was a test. Those men... were your uncles.

AMANI: (shocked) What?!

PRECIOUS: (confused) Uncles?

SIAMANTA: (smiling) Yes. The Voodoo Man, the mysterious man in the shadows...
even the homeless man. They were all part of the lesson.

AMANI: (stunned) A lesson?

SIAMANTA: Yes. A lesson in wisdom and knowing when to stop. Sometimes, the
darkness we fear isn’t as scary as we think. The real danger is in chasing things without
understanding the cost.

PRECIOUS: (still processing) So... we weren’t in real danger?

SIAMANTA: No. But you learned something important today.

(Just then, Gabriel, Errol, and Tevin enter, smiling knowingly.)

ERROL: (grinning) Looks like the shadows did their work.

GABRIEL: A little fear goes a long way.

TEVIN: But now they know the price of curiosity.

SIAMANTA: (laughing) All part of the lesson, girls.

AMANI: (realizing) So this was all a prank?

PRECIOUS: (relieved) You scared us half to death!

(The men chuckle as they start to leave.)

TEVIN: (smirking) A prank, or so you thought...

ERROL: (with a glint in his eye) That family better watch out.