The ship rocks on violent waves. Fritz emerges onto the deck with a sailor.
Sailor: A storm's a-coming! All hands on deck!
Fritz: Is there anything we can do to help?
Sailor: Son, the best thing you can do is get below!
Fritz: But, sir-
Sailor: Move quickly!
The storm increases in intensity.
Captain: It's every man for himself!
Sailor: Look out below!
There is a splash of a lifeboat.
Another Sailor: Wait for me!!
Continued sounds of splashing, rain, waves, and wind blowing. A wail or two when the lightning strikes, and several cries of "Help!"
Abigail: (Freaking out) We're not going to make it! I'll never see Johann again!
Jacqueline: We are on the brink of disaster and the first person you think of is that boy? We weren't going to see him ever again anyway! (Leaves the room flippantly.)
Abigail: (Continues freaking out and begins to sob.)
Laurence: We'll be alright. Just be calm until the storm stops.
Franz: (Clinging to the wall as he makes his way into the room) Mama!!
Elisabeth: I'm right here, Franz. (She pulls her smallest son towards her and they sit down on a crate.)
Fritz: I don't know why all of you are so frightened. This is the most exciting thing that's happened in weeks!
Laurence: (With a warning look.) Fritz.
Fritz: (Slightly agitated but humbled.) I'm...sorry.
Elisabeth: Fritz, would you go and find your sister? We don't know how safe this ship is with this storm.
Fritz: Yes, Mother. (Exits after Jacqueline.)
Franz: Mama, is the ship going to sink?
Elisabeth: Well...
Franz: Can I have a dog?
Laurence: Wherever would you get a dog?
Franz: The captain has two!
Abigail: (Still worried and frustrated.) We can't have the captain's dogs! They don't belong to us!
Franz: But the captain's gone!
Laurence: The captain's in his cabin, of course. Where else would he be?
Franz: But, Father-
Jacqueline and Fritz reenter, Fritz half-pushing Jacqueline into the room. The two clearly have a rough relationship.
Jacqueline: Stop pushing me! Father, everyone's gone! The whole crew has disappeared.
Fritz: She's right. We are the only people on this boat.
Abigail: Now we are really going to die!
Laurence: (Putting an arm around her.) We're going to be fine, Abi.
Elisabeth: The storm's already stopped. Why don't we go up and see if there's anything we can salvage.
Jacqueline: (Up on the deck) An island!
Elisabeth: Perfect! Gentlemen, ladies, we need a boat.
Abigail: (Looking down where the lifeboats should have been.) I think the crew took the boats with them.
Fritz: Well, any ideas on how we can build a boat?
Elisabeth: Well, we can start by taking these boards and building a raft.
Abigail: Oh, I read about that once. You start by tying two boards together on each side...
YOU ARE READING
Swiss Family Robinson: A Place For All Of Us
FanfictionWhen the Robinson family is shipwrecked on a seemingly deserted island, it seems there is no way for them to escape this jail in the jungle. Fritz and Abigail, the oldest two children, miss their home back in Switzerland, and Fritz especially is an...
