Uncrack the Egg

By
Jon Richardson
ACT I
Scene 1
Lights up on a split stage.
MOLLY sits in something resembling a dentist chair
SR. Her part of the stage is made up to look like
a shiny, sterile spaceship set. Think the campy
60s Star Trek show. To go with this aesthetic,
she wears a sleek silver spacesuit. Her costume
does not change for the duration of the play.
An incredibly small television sits on a metal
table in front of her, with the screen facing away
from the audience. A harsh door stands to the far
right of the stage, containing this set.
A small rectangular window on the wall behind
Molly offers a glimpse to the outside environment.
It shows a deep red sky on a world that is clearly
not our own. This view does not change throughout
the course of the play.
TAB sits in a computer chair SL, in front of a
littered desk. A similarly small television sits
on her desk. The screen is also facing away from
the audience. She has no window.
They both look into their televisions to
communicate.
TAB
Hi, Molly!
MOLLY
(contently)
Hi, Tab.
BLACKOUT.
Scene 2
Lights up.
TAB is wearing a hoodie.
Theyre both leaning in excitedly, looking at
their televisions.
TAB
You can hear me, right?
2.
MOLLY
Yeah, youre coming through clear!
TAB
So how is it?
MOLLY
Well. You know. Not much different from yesterday. I
still havent been outside or anything...
TAB
Oh, yeah.
MOLLY
But it seems pretty incredible.
TAB
Good. (Beat.) God, I still just cant bel--
MOLLY
--You been to Wheat on Rye lately?
TAB
Huh? Uh... yeah. Yeah, I went yesterday to get a
smoothie. Why?
MOLLY
Oh, just wondering. I wanted to go there the week
before I left, but there were just so many things--
TAB
Theyve got a big photo of you on the counter now.
MOLLY
No.
TAB
They do!
MOLLY
(embarrassed)
Please tell them to take that down. (Beat.) Remember
when Scooter faked his death and they put that stupid
fucking picture of him up on the wall?
TAB
That was so fucked up!
MOLLY
It was hilarious.
(They both laugh.)
3.
MOLLY
Whats he been up to, anyway?
TAB
Im, uh... Im not really sure?
MOLLY
What, is he back to his whole hermit routine?
TAB
Molly. He moved to Colorado a year ago.
MOLLY
Oh.
TAB
(concerned)
You okay?
MOLLY
Yeah. (Nervously.) Yeah...
BLACKOUT.
Scene 3
Lights up.
TAB is wearing a gray sweatshirt.
MOLLY is standing near the door, excited.
MOLLY
...Theres this little stem growing out of the door.
You see it? Its kind of adorable, in a weird way.
TAB
And youre sure its okay?
MOLLY
Yeah! Nothing here is supposed to pose any immediate
health risk.(She sits down.) Thats why it might end up
being our new home.
TAB
But you still havent been outside?
MOLLY
No, but thats because of some issue with the oxygen
levels. It should be safe in just a few days.
4.
TAB
Uh huh. (Beat.) Do you ever get bored there?
MOLLY
A little, yeah.
TAB
Have you been talking to anyone else from home?
MOLLY
No, youre pretty much the only one Ive been in
contact with.
TAB
(touched)
Really?
(MOLLY smiles and nods her head. A pause.)
TAB
Dont you ever talk to Ray?
MOLLY
Ray?
TAB
... Your boyfriend?
(MOLLY stares at her television for a moment,
confused.)
MOLLY
I dont have a boyfriend.
TAB
Molly, are you fucking with me?
(MOLLY jumps up.)
MOLLY
Yeah! Yeah, Im just fucking with you.
TAB
Are you okay?
MOLLY
I have to go now.
TAB
Mol--
(Molly springs forward and presses the screen of
her television. She then walks towards the door
and tenderly strokes the sprouting plant.)
5.
(Tab stares at her television screen.)
BLACKOUT.
Scene 4
Lights up.
Several long vines are spilling out of Mollys
door. She inspects them.
Tab is wearing a black coat. She sits by her
television, tapping her foot impatiently.
After a few seconds, Molly walks towards her
television. She hesitantly presses the screen.
TAB
(nervously)
Molly!
MOLLY
Hello!
TAB
How are you? Are you okay?
MOLLY
Yeah. Yeah, Im fine. These plants are growing really
fast. Can you see it?
TAB
Are you sure youre alright?
MOLLY
Yeah.
TAB
You dont feel... confused?
MOLLY
No.
(A long pause. Tab is clearly terrified to ask the
next question.)
TAB
You know who I am, right?
MOLLY
(amused)
What? Of course!
6.
TAB
Who am I?
MOLLY
Tabitha Holter!
(TAB breathes a sigh of relief.)
TAB
Do you... do you know where you are?
(MOLLY turns her head away from the television,
embarrassed.)
TAB
Hey! Hey. Thats okay. Molly, thats fine. I talked to
one of the guys in charge of your mission, and they
said this was something they expected. Its probably
just going to be temporary... something to do with the,
uh, the physical trauma from the travel...
MOLLY
I dont...
TAB
Youre on another planet, Molly. They sent you there
because its where we all might live someday! Youre a,
uh... a pioneer!
MOLLY
I dont really know what youre talking about.
TAB
Do you get other calls? Does anyone other than me
ever call you?
MOLLY
Yes.
TAB
Do you pick up?
MOLLY
Not really, no.
TAB
You have to pick up, okay?
MOLLY
But I dont know who they are.
7.
TAB
You have to pick up. You have to pick up because
theyll tell you what to do...
MOLLY
I have to get some sleep. I have to go to work
tomorrow.
TAB
Where do you work?
MOLLY
The pool. You work there, too. Were lifeguards.
(TAB stares at MOLLY, speechless.)
MOLLY
Hey. Um. Uhh...
TAB
Yeah?
(MOLLYs face contorts. It looks as though a word
is resting on the tip of her tongue. TAB stares at
her television screen, devastated.)
MOLLY
(almost a whisper)
Is... uh... is Tab, Tabitha there?
TAB
Im right here, Molly.
MOLLY
Oh. Right. Um. I have a question.
TAB
Yes?
MOLLY
Is this a dream?
(TAB stands up. She takes a deep breath for a
moment before nodding her head.)
TAB
Yeah. Its just a dream.
MOLLY
Okay.
8.
TAB
Why dont you get some sleep, alright? Ill see you
when you wake up.
MOLLY
That sounds nice.
(MOLLY closes her eyes and leans back in her
chair.)
BLACKOUT.
Scene 5
Lights up.
TAB is wearing an all-white tennis uniform and
holding a racket. She looks extremely nervous.
MOLLY is stroking the foliage that now surrounds
her. Dozens of vines are bursting through the door
and circling around her chair. She glances over
towards the television.
MOLLY
I just think these plants are so nice!
TAB
Molly?
MOLLY
Yeah?
TAB
Look at me.
MOLLY
Uh...
TAB
You recognize what Im wearing?
MOLLY
Its a tennis uniform.
(TAB leans in towards her television, full of
hope.)
MOLLY
Youre Tabitha. We play tennis together.
(TAB lifts her arm in victory.)
9.
TAB
You remember tennis?
MOLLY
Youre not very good at it.
(TAB enjoys a genuine laugh for a moment.)
TAB
No, Im not. But my mother wanted... uh, my mom wants
me to be on the team at school.
MOLLY
I dont think youll make it.
TAB
I wont. (Pause.) But hey, at least I got to meet you,
right?
MOLLY
Yeah. We should hang out some time.
TAB
I would like that.
MOLLY
I dont know when Ill be able to, though. Im away.
TAB
I know.
(A long pause.)
MOLLY
(gravely)
I dont know where I am. Do you know where I am?
TAB
I... uh... no, Molly, Im not exactly sure where you
are. But I know your parents are going to come and get
you soon, alright?
MOLLY
Okay. Its not too bad here or anything.
TAB
Good.
MOLLY
But I think Im a little lonely.
(TAB coughs and looks down at her floor,
struggling to hold back her emotion.)
10.
TAB
Could you do something for me?
MOLLY
Yeah, sure.
TAB
Do you have anything to write with?
(MOLLY looks around the room for a moment. She
stares vacantly at the vines.)
(After a few seconds, she crawls under her chair
and produces a marker.)
MOLLY
Yeah.
TAB
Okay. Now I want you to write something somewhere.
Write it really big, so you can always see it. Okay?
(MOLLY nods her head. She steps towards the wall.)
TAB
Can you write "Dont be afraid"?
(MOLLY turns towards the television with some
skepticism. Then her mouth hangs open and her
entire expression becomes distant and glazed
over.)
TAB
(under her breath)
Come on...
(MOLLY snaps out of it slightly and starts writing
on the wall. In big, crude, childlike letters, the
message stands: "DONT BE AFRAID")
(MOLLY steps forward and looks at the television.
TAB shudders and nods her head.)
BLACKOUT.
Scene 6
Lights up.
A fucking outrageous amount of vines clutter SR. A
couple flowers can be seen scattered throughout
the mess as well. MOLLY wears a happy, far-off
expression as she looks at the television.
11.
TAB sits in her chair, clutching her knees to her
chest. Her hair is disheveled. Its clear shes
been crying. She stares at the television with
desperation.
TAB
Molly?
MOLLY
Yeah?
TAB
Just be honest with me, okay? Just tell me the truth.
(MOLLY nods her head.)
TAB
Do you remember when we saw that Homo Sapiens show
together?
MOLLY
No.
TAB
Do you remember meeting Ray, and making me go with you
on the first date because you were so nervous?
MOLLY
I... no. No.
TAB
Do you remember when you threw up in my car? Any of the
times that happened?
(MOLLY shakes her head.)
TAB
Do you remember when we got snowed in for an entire
weekend together?
(MOLLY shakes her head. TAB delivers her next set
of lines rapid-fire.)
TAB
When you took me to the lake after I accidentally
killed all my fish? When you told me you were leaving
and I didnt believe it until I saw the story in the
paper and you just laughed and laughed? When we found
Scooters high school yearbook picture? When I thought
I had frostbite? The one time that we actually saved a
guy from drowning? How fucking weird was that? When
that rug caught on fire? When we saw that old lady
freaking out in the organic food store and couldnt
(MORE)
12.
TAB (contd)
stop laughing even though it made us feel really
guilty? When you bought shoes in the wrong size on
purpose so you could give them to me? When you met my
grandpa and he said all that weird, racist shit?
Throbbing Tuesdays? The mildew? Hay stacks?
Accidentally getting high on cough syrup? The alley?
The kitten who kept having triplets? When we skipped
tennis to go to the beach?
(After this barrage, MOLLY just stares at the
television with a calm, glassy-eyed expression.)
TAB
Do you remember my name?
(MOLLY shakes her head.)
TAB
Do you remember anything?
(A pause.)
MOLLY
You were my friend.
BLACKOUT.
Scene 7
Lights up.
Dozens and dozens of white flowers cover SL. MOLLY
lies in the chair, eyes closed, completely covered
in vines and flowers. She looks happy.
TAB wears a black t-shirt and gray sweat pants.
She paces her room anxiously. After a few seconds
she sits down in her chair, defeated.
At this point, MOLLYs eyes slowly open. She
yawns, leans in towards her television, and
presses a button.
TABs jaw drops. She jumps down on her knees and
stares directly at her television.
TAB
(frantic)
Hello? Molly?
(MOLLY looks at the television like a well-rested
child.)
13.
MOLLY
Hi.
BLACKOUT.
END OF PLAY.