"Road X" Podcast (PAID project)
Heidi Fischer for Lorena Clark
Anyone with an adult female presenting voice can apply. LGBT actors highly encouraged.
Lorena Clark (she/her)
Lorena grew up to be the perfect housewife. Sweet, friendly and caring. Since she was a kid, the idea of being at home on her own all day, cooking tasty treats and cleaning the house seemed like a dream come true. Specially being at home on her own, because no one could tell what she did behind closed doors. Neighbors whisper about a lit light a candle on the edge of the window, or a string of smoke drifting away to the outside. Besides that, it's anyone's guess.
[ Lorena is enjoying a nice beach day with her daughter]
We hear their voices through a cassette tape, moment frozen in time.YOUNG ASHLEY
Mama, mama, look.
A little girl runs to her mom, showing her a bunch of small shells collected from the beach.
LORENA
(Delighted)
Ashley, good job, look at the colors-- oh, this one is beautiful. You know, seashells are a gift from the sea.YOUNG ASHLEY
A gift from the sea? You're so silly, mama.
Lorena laughs.LORENA
Oh, but it's true! My sweet Ashley, there are still so many things about this world you need to learn. Just wait and see.CLICK. The recording ends.
[Her daughter's friend interviews her about a suspects on Ashley's disappearance]
Riya turns on the tape recorder again, ready to continue Lorena's interview.
RIYA
Um, back to Jayden, do you happen to know where he works?LORENA
Not specifically. I think it was at one of the malls, at a shoe store? Unless it’s changed in the past year, which wouldn’t surprise me.RIYA
You haven’t kept in contact with him at all?LORENA
No. I mean, I only ever saw him when Ashley was getting into that awful bright yellow truck. I don’t know if he ever said more than three words to me.
(distraught)
In a strange way, I hope you’re right, that he did something. Then you can bring my daughter home to me. But I can’t imagine what I’ll do if she’s already--RIYA
Hey. Don’t think like that. I’m going to bring her home. I promise, justice is my top priority.LORENA
Right, right. Sorry, that was such an awful thing to say, I just...
(beat)
I really miss her.[Emotionless, Lorena tells a story where mysterious things are at play ]
Lorena stands in front of the trio, Ashley's locket in her grasp. No one else can speak, frozen in place. Finally, Lorena breaks the silence, her voice devoid of any emotion:
LORENA
Do you see this?No one dares say a word.
LORENA (CONT'D)
Ashley picked up it up for me as a mother's day gift when she was seven years old. I still keep the little gift box it came with, and the mother's day card she got: from Ashley, to the most wonderful mama of all.RIYA
... Lorena.LORENA
The locket had a picture of her inside. Beautiful child, young as she was, captured in time. It's powerful, what someone's image can represent. A person's soul printed onto paper. Forever.Daniel tenses up. Lorena looks right at him, and her tone is chilling when she says:
LORENA
(CONT'D)
You know a thing or two about photographs, right Daniel?
