The Last Dance

(A Psycho-Thriller)
By Jawad Jafar

Synopsis
The Last Dance is the story of an eccentric young restaurant owner, Azikiel Blackwell, who
sells human meat to his customers. He dates young women, bring them to his restaurant,
dances with them, kills them in front of all his customers and they eventually end up on the
serving plate. The whole class of people who come to the restaurant are cannibals (man-
eaters). It progresses with the disclosure of Azikiel’s Point of view about society and the
struggle of his arrest and murder investigation by a police investigator Issac Grant. It’s
basically a metaphorical play, describing how people now-a-days prey on each other for their
own temptations, and works on a rugged solution to the problem.
 `ACT 1 (First Draft)
Setting: Indoor – Restaurant, 1/3rd of the set is a kitchen by the Left side. 2/3rd of the set is
tables and chairs.
: Curtains Open:
People are sitting casually in the restaurant, eating food, having a deep conversation. A
butler and a female chef is in the kitchen. The owner of the restaurant, Mr. Azikiel, is
walking to and fro in the center. A mild dining music is playing, while suddenly the
main door at the right wing opens and a girl in a beautiful dress enters.
Lady: They say it’s hard for a woman to not fall to the temptation of notorious Azikiel
Blackwell.
Azikiel turns and walks towards the lady…
Azikiel: Well excuse the rumors and let me introduce myself! (Holds and kisses her hand)
I’m Azikiel, the owner of this glorious restaurant! (Directing her to sit on the chair)
Lady: It really is… (The butler comes and cuts in)
Butler: Sir… (Azikiel signals him to stop talking with his fist)
Azikiel: You were saying?
Lady: A pleasure to meet you!
Khan: Well thank you so much ma’am! (Without breaking says to the butler) Bring some
of our special vine for our special guest here, will you sir! By the way you’re looking
gorgeous in this dress my love!
Lady: (Smiles) Thank u! (The music starts to play)
Azikiel: Ahh! This is my favorite song. Would you care for a dance ma’am?
Lady: (Gets a bit confused) Umm… sure, why not!
(Meanwhile the butler is serving the vine. Azikiel picks up a glass of wine and takes a
long sip)
The dance sequence starts in the spot light, and when a specific beat comes, he rushes
upon her and slits her throat. The lady drops on the floor and starts struggling like a
slaughtered animal. Putting his one foot on the chair and the other on the table he says)
Azikiel: (In a crazy tone) FRESH MEAT’S BACK ON THE MENU!
:Curtains Close:
 ACT 2
Setting: Yorkshire Police Department Conference Room, A table at center stage, a
projector/screen at up-stage left.
:Curtains Open:
4 top investigators of the department are present in the room waiting for the chief to come.
The chief enters.
Chief: So guys, I’ve summoned all of you here for a missing person’s case. The victim is 23
years old Irish woman, red hair, normal height, Kate Williams, who also happens to be the
daughter of a former Irish Mayor John Williams.
Tedd: But sir! I’m already dealing with the child abuse case.
Chief: I’d like you to drop anything you’re working on right now and focus on this one. This
case is really important for me and I want this case to be solved A.S.A.P. In front of you are
the initial investigation reports. Tazz can you read them out loud for us?
Tazz: (Opens the reports with a sigh, reads a bit for 3-4 seconds) It’s blank!
Chief: Exactly!!
Nadia: So you’re saying that we’re looking at a blind case?
Chief: Yes! And that’s why you need to double up your efforts. I need an initial reports in 2
days.
Nadia: But how are we supposed to do that in 2 days? We don’t have any information about
this one.
Chief: I’ve called a famous Tech Expert Mr. Brian Platten from New York to help us out on
this case. I’m sure he’ll have a plan for us.
Brian gets up nervously.
Brian: Hey!
Nobody responds, hoping for him to give a plan.
Brian: Umm… We can start with tracking out Kate’s cellphone for its last known location.
Maybe check her emails to see if she planned on going to somewhere or where she went.
Tazz: (Looking at his phone and showing no attention) COOL!!
Suddenly the chief’s secretary starts struggling with a person outside the door on the left
wing.
Sec: Sir you can’t go in there. There’s an important meeting going on in there.
Issac: That’s exactly what I came here for. (Pushing the sec aside) Sir! I’d like to take the
lead on this case sir!
Chief: And why would I do that? Take this drunkard out of here.
Issac: Sir plz sir, Sir I know where she went for the last time.
Tedd: What?
Issac: She went to a restaurant named LaBete 4 nights ago and never came out.
(Silence for a 2 seconds)
Nadia: Sir I think we should give him a chance. (Everybody starts staring at her) It’s not like
we have any other lead on this case.
Chief: OK miss! But take caution. If this drunkard fails then he won’t be the only one getting
fired!
Nadia: I take full responsibility of him sir.
Chief: Very well then. Your time starts… (Looking at his wrist watch) Right now! (Leaves)
:Curtains Close:
 ACT 3
Setting: Overall dark stage, with a single candle burning at center stage on a table.
Azikiel comes forward into the candle light and lights his cigarette, while the butler enters
with another candle to light a few more candles around Azikiel. Now Azikiel is sitting in the
candle light while the butler pours him some alcohol and blood to drink.
Butler: Master Blackwell?
Azikiel: Hmm?
Butler: If you allow me, may I ask you something?
Azikiel: Shoot…
Butler: Why do you always sit in such a dark environment in the closed times.
Azikiel: (Takes a puff) I like it, the darkness. Helps me get closer to God!
Butler: God? I’m afraid sir but the things we do here seem far away from God.
Azikiel: Hahaha! Well everybody has their own believes, don’t they?
Butler: I’d like to understand what your belief is…
Azikiel: (Remains silent and thinking for a bit) Well, you see sometimes, God sends a really
pious man to save the humanity from a villain. They call him, a Prophet.
Butler: So you think you’re a Prophet?
Azikiel: No! No, no, no, no! I’m saying that the world is in chaos! People use other people to
fulfil their own temptations, destroy each other, EAT each other! In such times God sends a
Hero. But for the hero to stand out God first sends a villain. Someone so tyrant that even the
tyranny of this world starts to fear him!
Butler: What do want to say?
Azikiel: In short, to call out a Hero, the world first needs a villain!
Butler: So you think one day a hero will come to end you and make the world better again?
Azikiel: I believe in it.
Butler: (Taking back a plate from the table) Sorry to say Master Blackwell, but I don’t think
this world can be made better again. I have to go prepare for tomorrows festivities.
Azikiel: You don’t understand, the world would’ve been the same back-stabbing son of a
bitch if it wasn’t for Hitler. His tyranny made people change. His tyranny made heroes! I’m
waiting for a hero and he will come soon.
Butler: I hope you’re right master Blackwell. I hope you’re right! (Leaves into the darkness)
Azikiel blows away the candles. The stage is dark again. In about a minute, “Warduna’s
Dagr” starts to play. A man with a big horn appears in a spotlight at each wing. The light at
the center stage starts to fade in, revealing 3 tubs and 3 women bent on them. 2 butchers
appear from the left with swords and ritual makeup. Azikiel appears on the other end (right).
The butchers kneel down and offer a sword to him. He drinks some blood from a bottle and
pours the rest on his face and the sword. He then picks up the sword and goes to the girl in
the middle. Both butchers take their position and then Azikiel cut her neck off, following
him, the butchers do the same one by one. The blood spurting out of the bodies without head
is collected in the tub. Azikiel picks up a head from the tub, raises it high and bites on its
cheek to eat a piece of it and then throws it away saying,
Azikiel: Enjoy the festivities!
General lights are on and everybody starts clapping and hooting. Some fill their glasses with
blood from the tub. A man enters from the left with a gun in his hand pointing towards
Azikiel.
Man: STOP!!
Azikiel turn to look towards him.
Man: Stop where you at!
Azikiel: (looks here and there) If you say so. (Pointing towards a chair) Sh…Should I sit
down for you?
Man: (Gets confused) what?
Azikiel: So that you could kill me easily. I mean, that’s what you want right?
Man: (Grins) you killed my wife!
Azikiel: (Happily) Oh did I?? Well, no need to say thanks, my pleasure!
Man: All she wanted was revenge for me cheating on her! But you!!!
Azikiel: Ohhh! Now I remember… The blonde one. Well, let me tell you one thing, she
really really loved you. You wanna know how I killed her? (In his own thoughts) Well I first
danced with her (turns towards the man) that’s kinda tradition around here. (Back to his
thoughts) Then I carved a nice clean cut around her neck, saw her blood racing out (Turning
again) we make stupendous vine out of it.
Man: Shut up!
Azikiel: You should really try that!
Man: SHUT UP!!! (Just about to shoot Azikiel)
Azikiel: Wait wait wait… She’s alive.
Man: What?
Azikiel: Your wife’s alive.
The chef walks out of the kitchen.
Chef: I’m here my love.
Man: Oh why didn’t you come home honey! (Worried) Are you being held captive here?
Chef: HONEY NO!! I’m here on my own will.
Man: Why would you do that?
Chef: Come, sit here. (After he sits down) I’m a part of them now!
Azikiel: TADA!!!! (Happily)
Chef: I’ll ask them to make you one of us as well. (Taking away the gun)
Man: What?
Azikiel: (Raises his hand) Permission granted.
Man: Go to hell!
Azikiel: Hell? (Starts laughing) HELL? (Gets behind the chair putting his hands on the man’s
shoulders leaning forward) Well you see, the hell’s empty! All the devils are here! (Pointing
towards the audience and then starts walking to the left) Besides (stops walking and turns)
where do you think I’ve come from? (Pulls a knife out and throbs it into his neck from a side)
The man starts gasping and gulping on his own blood. Azikiel leaves singing.
Azikiel: My mother told me someday I would buy, Galley with good oars, sail to different
shores, La lala la la, lalalalala…
The chef comes near the man and puts one hand on his bent side of the face.
Chef: I tried to save you my love. I tried to save you.
:Curtains Close:
 ACT 4
Setting: Yorkshire Police Department Conference Room, A table at center stage.
: Curtains Open:
All four of the team members and Issac are sitting in the room in an irregular arrangement.
Issac: Kate went to the restaurant 4 nights ago. The owner of the restaurant is Azikiel
Blackwell and he most likely killed her.
Tedd: Why would he kill her?
Issac: This Azikiel is actually a cannibal. In fact, everyone who goes to that restaurant is a
cannibal. Businessmen, politicians, ordinary people, all of them prefer human meat in their
plates for dinner. Believe me, they’ve killed more people than we can think.
Tazz: What’s a cannibal?
Brian: He just told us, man eaters. Someone who eats human meat.
Issac: They usually eat men. But women are kept for special occasions.
Tedd: But if they’re killing so many people then how come nobody ever noticed so many
people going missing?
Issac: They mostly pick people who come from different cities.
Nadia: Like the Irish woman.
Issac: Exactly!
Brian: Well he’s right. The last location of Kate’s cellphone is the same restaurant he’s
talking about.
Nadia: How come you know all this?
Issac: My partner went there. She went there to meet the owner. Never came out.
Nadia: Why didn’t you say anything before?
Issac: I did. I opened up the case but they said that she’s just gone missing and it has nothing
to do with that restaurant. I investigated on my own and found out all this. Many politicians
are a part of this, their influence made the case go away.
Tedd: We shouldn’t let this one go off as all those other cases.
Brian: So what’s the plan?
Issac: We should send one of our own as an undercover, catch him red-handed.
Tazz: I’m not going?
Brian: Who asked you anyways?
Nadia: You say they keep women for special occasions.
Issac: Yeah…
Nadia: So they prefer women…
Issac: I guess so…
Nadia: I’ll go.
Tedd: No you won’t.
Nadia: And who are you to stop me?
Issac: Don’t worry, I won’t let him hurt her. I’ll shoot him before he even lays a hand on her.
Tedd: Yeah? What are you? Robin Hood?
Brian: Whoa! Trust me he is. (Looking at something on his laptop)
Tedd: And how do you know that?
Brian: He’s a gold medalist in shooting.
Everybody starts to stare at him with confusion.
Brian: Uhh… I just hacked into his career profile. (gets scared on everyone staring) uhh Is it
out of my line?
Nadia: Way out of your line! And tedd it’s not your problem. I’ll do whatever I please.
Issac: Ok then. We’ll prepare you with every detail. For now, you guys are good to go.
Tazz: (While getting up) Hey can you hack a Facebook ID?
Brian: Shut up…
Everybody leave but Nadia stops in the way.
Nadia: You loved her, didn’t you?
Issac: Who?
Nadia: Isabelle. Your partner.
Issac: You knew her?
Nadia: Come on, I’ve been working here for 3 years. I came 3 months before she was killed.
Issac: (Smile) Yeah, I loved her.
Nadia: Then why was she seeing that restaurant owner?
Issac: I never told her. I thought I’d tell her when she’d come back from the restaurant. Guess
I got late! (Takes out his bottle to take a sip, Nadia takes away his bottle saying)
Nadia: I don’t want to be late.
Issac: What do you mean?
Nadia: I love you! (Getting closer putting her hand on his face)
: Curtains Close:
 ACT 5
Setting: The Restaurant
: Curtains Open with a dramatic music of waltz dance:
Azikiel is standing on the center left stage with his back towards the audience. Nadia is
standing behind him in the same position. When the music stops abruptly, Azikiel pulls out
his knife and moves forward to kill Nadia and a bullet is fired from the left which results in
him dropping his knife. Holding his hand, trying to stop the blood, Azikiel looks towards the
left, Issac enter and another gunshot turns Azikiel’s face to a 45 degree angle to the audience.
Third and last gunshot makes him roll over to the ground.
Tedd: (Enters with his badge up and gun pointing forward) Yorkshire Pol ice Department.
You are under arrest. Get down on your knees. You have the right to remain silent. Anything
you say can or will be used against you in court. You have the right for a lawyer, if you
cannot, the state will provide you a lawyer.
Issac: (Shocked-Checks the pulse on Azikiel) He’s alive, call an ambulance.
Nadia: Issac! (Turn her face towards the audience with her throat already slit and falls down
to the ground)
Issac stand still shocked, watching her withering on the stage, Tedd runs to hold Nadia.
Azikiel stands up and comes down to the center stage struggling with blood and pain.
Azikiel: Hahaaa Butler! I told ya! He’s coming soon. (Issac is still shocked and scared) Well
it’s soon enough. (Trying to hold Issac’s hand with his gun and pointing towards himself he
says) Whenever this world needs a hero, God sends a tyrant. Tyrants like Hitler, tyrants like
Genghis Khan, tyrants…like…Azikiel Blackwell. I was waiting for you. Someone who’d put
an end to my tyranny. Someone who’d not fall into the temptation of Azikiel Blackwell.
(Gets on his knees in front of him, holding issac’s hand with issac’s gun pointing on azikiel’s
head) But this always comes with a higher price. (spreads his arms while saying this.
Issac: But I’ve payed the higher price! (YELLING)
Azikiel: Shut up and put me out of my misery!
Issac screams with anger!
(GUNSHOT to the head)
: Curtains Close:
THE END