Act 1 Scene 3
A wood.
Scene opens with Lou, John Tate and Danny, but all cast members (bar one) join the scene.
John Tate is stressed and clearly the leader of the small group. John Tate tries to ban the word 'dead' after Lou's repeated use. The audience is beginning to sense a conspiracy.
Richard and John Tate lock horns. Richard backs down. Cathy is excited by the situation. The unpopular Brian is crying.
John wants Mark and Jan to tell the story. The story of Adam.
From what they say, Adam is a boy who tries who hang around their group and is, possibly, not too bright.
The group regularly perform 'hazing' rituals, with Adam as the initiate. He is made to eat leaves, burn his socks, steal vodka, become a human ashtray, play with traffic and finally, to walk over a dangerous pit while the others throw rocks. Adam Falls. As Mark explains - 'I mean we were just having a laugh, weren't we, we were all, you know ..'
Phil speaks. He has a sinister plan to cover their tracks involving burglary, theft, the invention of a paedophile postman, Brian as a fake witness, the collection of decoy DNA evidence and the complete and utter cover-up of the gang's involvement.
He is like a toffee-chewing Moriarty. The group is left speechless by the Machiavellian brilliance of his plan. No-one objects.
