A young man suddenly bursts through the doors and runs down the aisles. He is quickly followed by a group of three men. The men are wearing jackets and carrying knives, while the young man (our hero) is wearing a dark grey hoodie, with the hood pulled all the way up.
LEAD PROXY
Stop running and we'll make it quick and painless. Well, maybe just quick.
The young man keeps running down the aisle, in obvious refusal of such a tempting offer, and finally arrives at the stage, where the curtains are still drawn.
Suddenly, the curtains sweep open and a man steps forward. He is an older gentleman, around fifty, with a graying beard and a small potbelly.
I do not have a potbelly, Ophelia. - H
Shut up, I'm telling the story.
The older gentlemen is wearing a costume straight out of Shakespeare and at his side is a sword. He sweeps the sword upward and makes broad strokes with it. In his other hand is a skull.
HIERONIMO
Halt, ye charlatans! Thou hast wandered into dangerous territory.
LEAD PROXY
What the fuck?
HIERONIMO
Dost thou know what place this is?
LEAD PROXY
...again, I repeat, what the fuck?
The chasers are at a standstill and the young man himself has stopped running, though now he looks for an exit. But there is, as Sartre put it so laconically, no exit.
You just had to put that in, didn't you? - H
Shut up.
The older gentleman waves his sword again at the chasers.
HIERONIMO
Aren't thou Lord Slender's Men? So this young man must be a runner from thou terrible lordship. He shall be welcome here and safe from all enemies.
LEAD PROXY
No, he won't.
The lead chaser approaches the young man with his knife, when he suddenly halts.
LEAD PROXY
W-what's...
HIERONIMO
I, too, have a patron, you ruffians. Notice then that you have stepped into a crossroads.
The lead chaser looks down and finally notices that he is standing in the center of the theatre, where the aisles cross vertically and horizontally.
HIERONIMO
Did you think perhaps that the Crossroads always manifested itself on a dusty road or street? That it could not perhaps appear inside?
LEAD PROXY
What the fuck are you talking about?
HIERONIMO
You have stepped into the Crossroad of Trials, of tests and temptations and ultimate rewards. And you, along with the rest of Lord Slender's Men, are not welcome.
He waves his hand, the one holding the skull, and the lead chaser turns heel, obviously against his will, and leaves, with the rest of the chasers following.
The older gentleman turns to the young man (our hero) and sheathes his sword.
HIERONIMO
Good lad, I am Hieronimo, the leader of a traveling troupe.
VINDICE
A...troupe? Of actors?
HIERONIMO
Of course! We are all actors and we play our parts to perfection.
VINDICE
And this...Crossroad of Trials? The Slender Man can't touch me there?
HIERONIMO
Here. And no, while his men have no power here, he himself does, unfortunately. We have taken prey away from him and he will be unhappy, I am afraid. He will seek you here and then I know not what will happen.
VINDICE
So why are you here?
HIERONIMO
We are here to help you prepare.
VINDICE
For what?
HIERONIMO
For your battle. For your vengeance. The Slender Man will find you and he will try to kill you. But, like all great plays, you must fight back. You must be cunning. You must kill him.
VINDICE
But...you can't kill the Slender Man.
At that, Hieronimo gives a big, toothy grin.
HIERONIMO
Says who?
End Act I, scene i.
