Free Hollywood Scream Play by Josie Brown

alive.”
    The task at hand is to stay that way, despite what Carl has in store for us.

    My first stop is Hilldale Elementary for my youngest daughter, Trisha. She loves her school, but movies are her passion. She’ll look forward to playing hooky.
    She may have to get used to it, until I research which countries don’t have extradition clauses with the United States.
    I turn my head, pretending to peruse the trophy case, just as two men in black suits and dark glasses march into the lobby. Identifying themselves to the receptionist as NSA agents, they then tersely request to speak to the principal, Miss Darling.
    At first, the receptionist is flustered. But she quickly buzzes her boss.
    Because the back of the trophy case is mirrored, I’m able to witness Miss Darling’s reaction to the news that Jack and I are persons-of-interest, and that should either of us come for Trisha, she should call them immediately. In fact, they’ll be in the parking lot, to see if they can intercept me prior to pick-up.
    Miss Darling’s faint nod assures them that she understands the severity of their mission. But as she catches my eye in the mirror, she mouths,  go .
    I will forever be in her debt.
    In fact, this has convinced me to volunteer as the chairwoman for the school’s live auction. I vow that it will be the most successful fundraiser in the history of the school. Of course, with what she’s just been told by the NSA, I wouldn’t blame her if she makes me swear on a stack of Bibles that none of the auction money raised was stolen from the US Treasury.
    Miss Darling invites them into her office while she fills out a parking lot permit for them. “I’d hate for one of our volunteer parking monitors to have you towed. The parents here can be pretty aggressive. You know how it is when a little power goes to one’s head.”
    With Carl in charge, I guess they’ve already found out. Now, I have, too.
    After she shuts her office door, I move quickly toward Trisha’s classroom. Her teacher, Miss McGonagall, sees me, and motions for Trisha, who runs to me.
    I can’t go out the front entrance because the NSA agents are, once again, in the front lobby. While a couple of fourth graders corner the NSA agents to ask if their guns have real bullets, Trisha and I slip out a side door.
    No need to give them a reason to prove it.
    I pray I don’t have the same reception waiting for me at Hilldale High School. Mary already considers her family just borderline presentable. A perp walk in front of her peers will be just the sort of embarrassment that will have her begging off school for the rest of her life.
    She may just get her wish.

    “I’ve never been so embarrassed in my whole life! Mom, why did you have the principal pull me out of my chemistry class—during the middle of a test, no less?” Mary jumps into the SUV, slamming the door behind her. She stares at Trisha, then turns to me. “What’s Trisha doing here?”
    “We’re playing hooky!” her little sister declares.
    Before I turn around to face her, I lift my lips into an innocent smile. “I thought you wouldn’t mind. Kids your age are under too much pressure.” I hate lying to her, but better that than having her learn that her parents are now on the lam.
    “I’m glad you think so. I’ll give you a list of all my test days. Of course, then they’ll hold me back and I’ll never get into college.”
    “See? You just proved my point. You worry too much! And besides, your father has a new project that will take us on the road—for quite some time, the way it looks now. He wants us to join him, which will give us the chance for some real family adventures—starting today, in fact.”
    Mary’s eyes narrow. “In the middle of a school year?”
    “Sure, why not? I’ll clear it with your principals. You can turn in your homework via email.”
    “I don’t know. I mean…well, I guess it makes sense—since we didn’t have much of a vacation last