Lab Journal Entry #16

[matril]

"Home"

Int., Tori’s bedroom, TORI at her desk

TORI
I just got back from the doctor. (Rubs forehead) My condition has definitely improved. My diet’s nearly back to normal; my strength is increasing every day.

(Cut) My dad was hoping I could come back home for a few weeks. He thinks it would be good for my health – my mental health, really. I’m sure Hannah’s been keeping him and Eli informed about my failure to bounce back to my usual chipper self.

(Covers face) The trouble is, I can’t escape my problems by running home. That (Swallows) that thing is still out there, somewhere. Who knows what it’s done in the last six weeks?

(Cut. TORI tries to force herself to be more composed) I’ve been scouring all the local news online...looking for evidence of an unidentified creature roaming the countryside...but so far, I’ve found nothing.

(Cut) I wish I could go home. I miss my family. Eli will be home from Europe next week, and I’d love it if we could all go back and hang around the neighborhood, just like old times. (Wistful) We’re a little too big now to play in the tree-house, but we could watch William play in it. (Laughs) Dad says his current aspiration is to become a pirate. Lots of talk of swabbing decks and swashing buckles.

(Cut) Eric’s ambitions aren’t too far from that, according to Dad. He’s decided he wants to join the Marines as soon as he graduates. Dad is hoping he’ll change his mind before then. He approves of the armed forces in a general sense, but his own son? (Shakes head) It’s not easy for him. He’s already in his mid-sixties. By the time William’s in high school –

(Cut. TORI swipes at her eyes.) Mom would have been fifty-six this year.

(Cut) Maybe I will go home. Just for a week or two.

(Cut) It’s not like I’ll have any less success in my search there than I’m having here.

(Cut) I haven’t been able to find evidence of any...repercussions from my experiment. Maybe the problem took care of itself. Maybe it didn’t survive the night. I could be worrying myself sick for nothing.

(Deep breath) I really want to go home.