Drama: "Please Help Me"

Please Help

By: Hana Elleonora

Park Hyatt Apartment, Hickson Rd, Sydney, March, 14th 2000 – 08:28 am

Sunny day in the beginning of spring at Edward’s apartment

[funny music played – sound of bird’s tweet]

[music fading to silent after message received ringtone played, Edward immediately opens and replies the message]

[From:MOM, SENT= 14-03-2000 08:28am

Edward, do not forget this evening we’ll have a fine dining at our favourite Italian restaurant]

[message sent ringtone played]

[From:EDWARD, SENT= 14-03-2000 08:28am

Of course mom, how can I forget my lovely parent’s momentous occasion for their 20th wedding anniversary?]

[message received ringtone played, Edward immediately opens and replies the message]

[From:MOM, SENT= 14-03-2000 08:29am

Good then. I want to see your best look in this formal occasion, so you have to had your best suit on]

[message sent ringtone played]

[From:EDWARD, SENT= 14-03-2000 08:29am

Will do, mom]

***

05:33 pm

[Edward is straightening his tie, preparing for his best suit]

[frightening music played – fading from silent]

[message received ringtone played, Edward immediately opens the message]

[From:MOM, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:33pm

[a jumble of numbers and letters, but through the vocabulary stew it could make out one legible phrase]

[“Please help me”]

[lighting darken]

[Edward shocked and worried– staring at his phone for a second then reply]

[From:EDWARD, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:34pm

[Are you okay?]

[message received ringtone played, Edward immediately opens the message]

[From:MOM, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:34pm

Oops. Pocket text!]

[music end]

[lighting brighten]

EDWARD: [sighed with all the relief he had and continued to prepare himself]

05:36 pm

[frightening music played – fading from silent]

[message received ringtone played, Edward immediately opens the message]

[From:DAD, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:34pm

[a massive mixture of letters and numbers, with the phrase]

[“Please help me”]

[From:EDWARD, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:34pm

[Edward’s dad was always a joker, so Edward presumed his dad was just joking around – continue reply text message]

[Oops. Pocket text!]

[music end]

[frightening music played – fading from silent]

[Exactly half a minute passed when Edward received the exact same two messages from his sister]

[From:EMILY, SENT= 14-03-2000 05:34pm

[a massive mixture of letters and numbers, with the phrase]

[“Please help me”]

[music louder]

EDWARD: [sparked panic] This could not be coincidental. It just couldn’t

[frightening music still on]

[In a state of sheer anxiety, Edward started to run to the restaurant. He made it about a quarter of the way before he was stopped by a police officer]

Cunningham St, Haymarket, Sydney 05:50pm

[music fading— end]

POLICE OFFICER: Main road’s closed – Huge car crash

06:15 pm

EDWARD: [horrified to see the lifeless corpses of his mother, father and sister] Please tell me the estimated time of their deaths

POLICE OFFICER: All three of them were killed instantly by the collision, at 5:32.

EDWARD: [Shocked, instantly check his inbox and just realized it was a minute before the very first text]