Dreams and Reality

by Cece Kucan
Characters:
Xander Quarry - 19 years old, smart, curious, a little stubborn, gets lost in
thought easily.
Jax Cooper - 18 years old, honest, loud, charismatic, dreamer, Xanders best
friend
Nathan Evans - 19 years old, funny, quiet, smart, sceptical, Xanders friend and
college roommate, wears glasses.
Doctor Azariah Waters - 32 years old, kind, empathetic, smart, professional,
respectful, and patient.
Scene 1
Setting: Two chairs side by side in an all white futuristic-looking room.
AT RISE, XANDER and JAX are sitting down waiting to be called up.
JAX
Cant believe you actually talked me into doing this.
XANDER
It wasnt that hard to get you on board.
JAX
Yeah. Well thats because I was sort of already thinking about joining the military. But
you know I just wasnt thinking about joining one of the first ships out of here.
XANDER
They need a lot of people willing to be in the first flight. Figured why not me. There isnt
much of anything else Id rather do. We lost the war in 4163 because not enough people
volunteered. But a lot has changed in 10 years. Everyones more desperate now. I mean,
whats more important than fighting for our world well theirs really. But still.
JAX
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I agree, we need a place to stay. I heard that the next generation wont even be able to
live on Earth because the oxygen levels will be so low.
XANDER
And its perfect! We finally found a place thats habitable. Though the Neiladiputs aren't
too happy with us sharing it with them. The planet is huge, why can't we just get like
half. Thats still more space than we have now.
JAX
But Im mainly here cause you wanted to be. Been friends since, god knows how long.
Im not about to leave you now. Gotta stick together, right Xander?

A name is called from off stage. JAX looks in the direction and XANDER
following his gaze.
JAX (cont.)
Not me, though I think Im next.
Theres a pause between them.
XANDER
Hey Jax, what do you think itll be like up in space?
JAX
A little disorientating 'cause theres no way of telling which ways up or down. And a bit
trippy what with the zero gravity and all.
XANDER
Well they did just create that artificial gravity.
JAX
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Though its really expensive. Doubt theyll even consider
installing it in our ships.
XANDER
Anyway, thats not what I meant to ask. How do you think youll
feel
once were actually
there?
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JAX
Not sure. Though Id think itd be a pretty exciting experience. Id feel like I could go
anywhere and do anything that I wanted. You know?
XANDER
Yeah, I get it. Though Id feel trapped being inside of such a small ship. Id also feel very
insignificant once I saw just how little I am compared to everything else out there.
Jax Cooper is called from off stage. JAX looks over again and stands up.
JAX
Well, I guess Ill talk to you later then.
XANDER
Sure. See ya.
JAX walks off stage leaving XANDER to himself, deep in thought.
Scene 2
Setting: Nathan and Xanders modern-looking apartment living room, afternoon.
AT RISE, Nathan is sitting down on the couch studying.
XANDER walks on stage while yawning and plops down next to Nathan.
NATHAN
So youre finally up! Bought time.
XANDER
in a sleepy voice
Hey Jax.
NATHAN
Dude, Ive told you a thousand times. Thats not my name. Its Nathan. Man, youd think
your friend would at least be able to remember your name after a year. I think youve
been spending too much time in that dream land of yours.
XANDER
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Im not entirely sure that it is a dream. Cause like, it all feels real and I have memories
there from when I was a kid. So whos to say that this isnt all just in my head. You
know?
NATHAN
Or maybe it is real, just in another parallel universe and for some odd reason you have
this special superpower that allows you to travel between them in your sleep!
XANDER
Yeah, sure. Whatever you say.
NATHAN
Huh, sad to think that I might not even exist. Sooo... does that mean I should still study
for this test?
XANDER laughs and shakes his head.
XANDER
I gotta get ready for class.
XANDER stands up and starts to walk off stage.
NATHAN
Yeah, okay.
Scene 3
Setting: A battle on ground with war sounds in the background.
AT RISE, JAX is lying on the floor with severe injuries and XANDER in right
next to him.
XANDER
You're okay, you're gonna be okay. You'll see. Everything's fine.
JAX
Xander?
XANDER
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Everything's fine. We'll make it through this. You

have
to make it through this.
JAX
Xander. It's okay.
XANDER
NO! IT'S NOT OKAY!
XANDER takes a deep Breath to calm down.
XANDER (cont.)
This isn't okay. You are not going to die on me. Not today. You understand? You're my
best friend and I can't lose you, not like this. Not here.
JAX
We both knew this was going to happen. The minute we signed up we knew that we
weren't going to make it out of this.
JAX starts coughing and the gun shots get louder. XANDER is looking around
worried.
JAX (cont.)
Don't go, okay? I don't want to be alone.
XANDER
Im not going anywhere. Ill be by your side the whole time. Promise.
JAX smiles and pauses for a bit.
JAX
Remember how we would sometimes sneak into the pool after it closed.
XANDER
Yeah. I remember.
JAX starts coughing again and closes his eyes.
JAX
To be honest, I'm scared.
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XANDER
Hey, It'll be fine. Ill see you on the other side. Gotta stick together, right Jax?
XANDER waits for a response with a sad smile that slowly turns into worry.
XANDER
Jax?
XANDER starts shaking Jax frantically looking for any sign of life.
XANDER
JAX?!
Scene 4
Setting: Nathan and Xanders living room.
AT RISE, Nathan is lounging on the couch studying again.
XANDER
from off stage
Nathan! Nathan!
NATHAN looks up at where Xander is calling him.
XANDER
Nathan!
XANDER runs on stage pausing when he sees Nathan who stands up and has a
worried expression.
NATHAN
Hey, you okay?
XANDER looks upset and gives NATHAN a hug whos a little stunned.
NATHAN (cont.)
Xander, what's wrong?
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XANDER
He's dead. Jax is dead.
NATHAN is quiet for a while unsure of what to do.
XANDER (cont.)
I'm dead too you know. Or I was. I don't know. After Jax...
XANDER stops mid sentence getting choked up.
XANDER (cont.)
I continued to fight in the war, but about an hour later, I got shot. I kept going for as
long as I could, but eventually I collapsed. I was losing too much blood. Then, next
thing I know, Im waking up here.
NATHAN
You okay?
XANDER shakes his head just a little from side to side.
XANDER
Not really. I can still feel where the bullet hit.
NATHAN
But you're here now. Which means that it all wasn't real; the war, Jax. Just a story you
made up in your mind.
XANDER
Yeah, I guess.
Scene 5
Setting: NATHAN and XANDERs living room, night.
AT RISE, XANDER is laying on the couch with a blanket, clicking buttons on a
remote looking exhausted.
NATHAN walks in the room sets down a backpack and takes off his coat, then
sits on the arm rest.
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NATHAN
You look like hell.
XANDER
Well, thats what happens when you dont sleep.
NATHAN
How long has it been? Two, three days? Have you even tried to go to sleep?
XANDER slowly shrugs his shoulders looking guilty
NATHAN
Look, I want to be here for you and let you do what you feel is best, but this is unhealthy.
Jax didnt even exist!
XANDER shoots
Nathan
a look.
XANDER
It might have been all a dream or whatever, but in my mind it felt real. And thats
enough. I lost my friend, my
best
friend and Im dealing with it as best I can!
NATHAN starts speaking in a softer tone feeling bad about what he said.
NATHAN
But why like this? Whats the point? Why wont you just sleep?
XANDER shakes his head a little confused.
XANDER
I dont know. I guess Im a little scared of what Ill find. Ive never really had a dream
before. Or at least not a normal one.
NATHAN
Itll be fine. Youll just wake back up here in the morning, like you always have and you
probably wont even remember what it was you were dreaming about.
XANDERs quiet for a while, staring at nothing.
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NATHAN
Im telling you, you need to stop watching tv and close your eyes. Just for ten minutes,
thats all.
XANDER giving up clicks the power button and too lazy to get up, rolls over on
the couch and closes his eyes.

Scene 6
Setting: Futuristic-looking hospital
AT RISE, Xander wakes up in a hospital bed hooked up to all these tubey
thingies. He looks around the room being really confused.
XANDER tries to sit up but is in pain and DOCTOR WATERS enters the room
and helps him sit up.
DOCTOR WATERS
I see youve woken up.
XANDER is speechless and DOCTOR WATERS picks up a glass.
DOCTOR WATERS (cont.)
Water?
XANDER
in a hoarse voice
Where am I?
DOCTOR WATERS
Im Dr. Azariah Waters, and youre in St. Judes Medical Center.
XANDER still looks confused.
DOCTOR WATERS (cont.)
Its a mobile space hospital, currently located on the outer ring of Niras galaxy.
XANDER
How did I get here?
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DOCTOR WATERS
Ill tell you if you drink.
XANDER takes the glass from her hand and gulps it down.
DOCTOR WATERS (cont.)
We won the battle and doctors were sent in to attend to the wounded soldiers.
DOCTOR WATERS takes the empty glass and fills it up again, handing it back
to him.
DOCTOR WATERS (cont.)
Someone found and stabilized you but you had a bullet lodged in your lower abdomen
and were bleeding out. You were in critical condition and brought here so we could put
you in surgery.
XANDER
How did it go?
DOCTOR WATERS
Once the bullet was removed, you started coating on the table. You were down for three
minutes. We revived you then found the cause. It was a tear in your big intestines. We
sewed it up, then closed. The whole procedure took four hours and seventeen minutes.
XANDER
How long has it been? Since the surgery?
DOCTOR WATERS
You were out for three days.
Its quiet as XANDER takes in all this information
.
XANDER
Can you leave? Id just like to be alone.
DOCTOR WATERS
Of course. If you need anything, just press this button.
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DOCTOR WATERS exits

THE END

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