The Complete 2020

31 Plays in 31 Days
__________________________

By Joseph Frost

Originally written for the 2020 "31 Plays in 31 Days" challenge

Contact:
Joseph Frost
710 Newland St
Jackson MS 39211
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
Member, Dramatist's Guild
The Complete 2020 "31 Plays in 31 Days"

1. Crossing of the Stones p1

2. The Final Pardonner p7
3. Obviously Selfish p 18
4. Divided by Zero p 25
5. Aquariids p 32
6. Overlook p 36
7. The Isle of Deems p 39
8. Badfoot Clown p 43
9. Millie's Coffee p 53
10. Box p 64
11. Red Hot Mud p 70
12. Shoe Room p 76
13. Changing of the Guard p 87
14. A New Egg p 96
15. Burden p 101
16. The Arrow p 109
17. My Neighbor the Theff p 115
18. Marketing p 124
19. Lay it Down p 133
20. Sæhrímnir p 138
21. GO NOW STOP p 148
22. can you hear me p 152
23. Gena and Father Anthony p 156
24. (over there, it's raining) p 165
25. rain & leaves & snow & tears & stars p172
26. The Curséd Fig p 179
27. Permanent Parisians p 188
28. Symmes' Theory of Concentric Spheres... p 195
29. Monuments of Ruin p 204
30. Kim's Dress p 212
31. The Lowest Form of Prayer p 215
01 - CROSSING OF THE STONES

Arranged in a square, there are a number of

stone tiles across the stage - with space in
between, so one would need to step across an
expanse to get to the next tile.

To the far upstage right stands LIA, a woman in

a flowing robe.

To the far downstage left is UMA, a woman in a

wrapped combat style outfit.

UMA
The journey of a thousand miles ends with the same steps with which it began.

LIA
I have awaited your return, Uma.

UMA
You were told I would return.
(beat)
The ancient one knew.

LIA
And I... have that which you seek.

UMA
What I seek?

LIA
You have journeyed long. It has been a search.

UMA
I have followed the sun.

LIA
Searching for the sun.

UMA
With the sun always in my sight. I search for nothing. I followed. The sun.
 2.

LIA
Then you journeyed long in vain. For the sun has shone down on these very stones every
day since you left.

UMA
I consider no day in the pursuit of the sun a day spent in vanity.

LIA
The sun shines on all.

UMA
There are clouds. Storms. There are days spent in hiding in the caves of the hills and
under the trees. There are shelters built to protect from the heat and the light, where the
fruits of labor are stored. But whether or not it is felt... as you say, the sun shines on all.

Lia steps a few tiles across upstage.

LIA
I have for you some news.

UMA
News?

LIA
Things have... changed.

UMA
In this place?

LIA
In this place. Since your journey began.

Uma steps some times across downstage.

UMA
These tiles are as they were.

LIA
But where they lead is not.

UMA
They lead but to the center, and there the journey ends.

LIA
Where your journey began.
 3.

UMA
And my return complete.

LIA
Uma.
(beat)
The sorrow is great.
(beat)
The ancient one has passed to the beyond.

Uma kneels.

UMA
The beyond...

Lia crosses around the up right corner and starts

downstage.

LIA
The sun that shines on all one day shone dark. A blanket clouded the sky and shadowed
these stones. The ancient one, who had watched the sun each rise and set, counting down
the darknesses until the return of the pupil. Carefully crossing these stones, knowing that
one day the pupil’s journey would end on the stones where it began would someday end.
The ancient one’s ritual of the crossing of the stones became so engrained that through
the seasons, the body made the crossing even beyond the mind’s remembrance. And it
was this day, this day where the sun shone not, where the ancient one, crouched with age,
could step no more.

Lia stops at the downstage right corner, turns to

Uma, sharply.

UMA
The crossing of the stones.

LIA
There was no more time to wait.

UMA
But the journey was not yet complete.

LIA
There was yet the crossing of the stones.

Uma rises.
 4.

UMA
How must one complete the crossing of the stones?

LIA
One must wait upon the master.

UMA
I was following the sun.

LIA
And the sun shone not on the master.

The lights shifts as if the clouds have rolled in.

LIA
And now.

Lia prepares.

UMA
You cannot stop me.

LIA
I don’t have to stop you. The blanket of clouds has returned. And another will pass to
the beyond this day.

Uma crosses a tile.

Lia crosses a tile.

Some moves like checkers. Some moves like

chess.

Uma makes a direct charge toward Lia.

Lia dodges and moves some tiles away.

More chess moves.

Lia gets close and makes a slash toward Uma’s

head, which Uma ducks and crawls a step or
two away.

A thunder clap.
 5.

UMA
This journey will end.

LIA
This journey has ended.

UMA
This journey has begun.

Uma and Lia clash. Fury of strikes and blocks.

Uma grabs Lia’s arm and drops her. Lia slides

across the tiles.

LIA
This is the place you left behind.

UMA
This is the place to which I have returned.

LIA
This is no longer the place you left behind.

UMA
I am no longer the one who left.

Lia and Uma clash again. Wild and stronger

passes that glance off of one another, too strong
to be blocked.

Thundercrack. Time slows down.

A series of moves that are executed with

precision, yet at a snail’s pace.

Lia climbs up on top of Uma, and tosses her to

the ground.

Thundercrack. Time returns to speed.

LIA
This is the place the ancient one passed into the beyond. Fitting for the pupil to follow
the master.

Lia goes to make another move.

 6.

Thundercrack. Time is slow once more.

Uma shifts her position and reverses control on

Lia.

Thundercrack. Time returns.

UMA
The pupil has learned much from the master.

LIA
The master is dead. The ancient one is dead. There is no more ancient one.

UMA
The observer can see the facts, but it is the pupil, the one who journeys, who can see
beyond. To the truth.

Uma rises. Extends a hand to Lia.

LIA
The truth.
(beat)
The truth is that the crossing of the stones killed the ancient one.

UMA
The truth is that the crossing of the stones is something that must be done. And the sun
will shine, and the sun will not shine. Masters tell pupils to go and to return, and they do.
And the clouds and darkness pass over. And the beyond...
(lowers hand)
will always be here. Crossing the stones.

Uma turns her back on Lia.

Lia rises, and dejectedly, exits. Crossing the

stones.

Lights down on Uma, in the center of the stones.

 7.

02 - THE FINAL PARDONNER

An open space outside a religious site. There

may be a small statue or marker.

It is a dusty space, the end of a road or path

leading to the site.

Seated on the ground is ALTON, who is rough-

looking. From his look, it’s possible he has
been beaten and left in this spot.

Alton shifts and sits up. He looks around and

finds behind him an apple in the dirt. He
brushes it off and takes a bite.

A noise is heard off stage. A clamoring sound.

Alton takes note of it, and lays himself back

down, as to make himself as unnoticeable as
possible.

Onstage trudges BRENNON, a man

encumbered with a large pile of objects strung
about him, over his shoulders, from his waist.
He carries heavy burdens and the burdens have
made the noise.

Brennon comes to a stop, just past Alton. He

collapses to the ground. Noisily.

BRENNON
One. Final. Rest.

Alton sits up.

ALTON
Hey.
(beat)
Hey, friend.

BRENNON
I am only resting for a moment.
 8.

ALTON
I know how you feel. That’s what it feels like when I lay down in the middle of the road.
You and I are the same, friend.

BRENNON
I don’t think so.
(beat)
Friend.

ALTON
I see you carry your belongings with you. I used to do that as well.
(beat)
I have a place I stay now, above the widow’s house across from the pub.
(beat)
It’s nice. Especially once I figured out how to hide the ladder better when I’m not there.
I haven’t had anyone sneak in in ages.

BRENNON
I am at the end of my pilgrimage.

ALTON
Ah. Pilgrimage. What’s that?

BRENNON
Today is the sixth feast since the last Pardon. I have waited these six years to make
Pardon once again.

ALTON
Ah. I still don’t know what that is.

BRENNON
Pardon. The pilgrimage for the release from sin.

ALTON
The release from sin.

BRENNON
There has been no other pilgrims?

ALTON
Pilgrims?
 9.

BRENNON
To this place.

ALTON
This place? I don’t know. I haven’t been awake very long.
(beat)
But when people come by, they usually... bother me.
(beat)
Talk to me. Yell at me. Something.
(beat)
So I don’t think anyone’s been by.

BRENNON
There weren’t many six years ago.

ALTON
Many what.

BRENNON
Pardonners.
(beat)
Pilgrims.
(beat)
Repentant sinners.

ALTON
Most of us are happy to sin.
(beat)
If not happy, willing.

BRENNON
It is all too easy to sin. And we are all of us in need of pardon.

ALTON
Say that again.

BRENNON
We are all of us in need of pardon.

Brennon tries to stand. His stuff is difficult to

arrange to let it happen.

ALTON
What is all of that?
 10.

BRENNON
All of what?

ALTON
The things on you. All of that.

BRENNON
These? Some are relics, some are remembrances, some were meant as gifts... sacrifices.

ALTON
Oh. Well, which are which.

BRENNON
Please. I am at the end of a long pilgrimage. Let me finish the journey and I will answer
your questions.

ALTON
You need help?

BRENNON
I cannot accept help. This is my pilgrimage.

ALTON
Along with a shed-full of stuff.

BRENNON
Artifacts.

ALTON
Sure.

BRENNON
That is how the pardon journey works.

ALTON
Can’t you bring a wheelbarrow or something?

BRENNON
These are the burdens I have born over these last six years.

ALTON
You’ve carried this crap around for six years?

BRENNON
Metaphorically.
 11.

ALTON
So, not for real.

BRENNON
My soul has borne them.

ALTON
But not for real, like in life or nothing. Cause people would hear you coming a mile
away.

BRENNON
No. I’ve carried them on my journey from my home.

ALTON
Where’s that?

BRENNON
Miles away. The foothills.

ALTON
You’ve hauled all that from the foothills down here?

BRENNON
To the shore. Yes. Borne them down to Our Lady of the Star of the Sea. To Our Lord of
the Fire. To the Pool of the Healing of Bones.

ALTON
The garden over there?

BRENNON
Yes.

ALTON
That seems like a long way.

BRENNON
My sins are many. And grace has been abundant.

ALTON
You carry sin and grace together?

BRENNON
My sins are engrained. I carry graces to remind my Lord and Lady of their goodness to
me, that they would extend all the more and release me from the punishment of sin.
 12.

ALTON
Friend, I sin every day, and I carry nothing.

Alton bites into his apple.

BRENNON
As you drunkenly eat the apple, the fruit of the original sin.

ALTON
I don’t drunkenly do anything. Right now. I was drunk last night. This morning, I’m
having breakfast.

BRENNON
If I were not on my pilgrimage and constantly reminded of my own sin, which is no
greater or less than your own, I would say you disgust me.

ALTON
Well, let’s thank our lord and lady that you remember that you’re no better than I.

Brennon stands, lifts a piece from a boat.

ALTON
What is that?
(beat)
What’s your sin, losing the rest of your boat?

BRENNON
This is a remembrance.

ALTON
Of?

BRENNON
I was saved.

ALTON
And you sinned again anyway?

BRENNON
I was saved from the wreck of a great ship. This is flotsam.

ALTON
Flotsam.
 13.

BRENNON
Yes.

ALTON
Funny name for a ship.

BRENNON
It’s not the name of the ship. Flotsam is the name for part of a wreckage.

ALTON
So you named that board?

BRENNON
What?

ALTON
You said it’s the wreckage’s name.

BRENNON
No. This is part of the wreckage from the ship I was on. I washed ashore with pieces of
the ship, and I took this as a remembrance.

ALTON
And called it Flotsam.

BRENNON
Flotsam is the word that means part of a wrecked ship.

ALTON
The term.

BRENNON
Yes.

ALTON
So what’s the term for your burned rope?

BRENNON
It doesn’t have a term.

ALTON
Oh.
 14.

BRENNON
This is the rope that was used to save me from a burning building. I climbed down from
the second floor.

ALTON
And you kept it.

BRENNON
Yes.

ALTON
Didn’t other people need to use it?

BRENNON
I was the last to leave the building before it collapsed.

ALTON
Ah.

BRENNON
This rope was my life line.

ALTON
And that stick?

BRENNON
This was a crutch. I used it for a time after the fire. I had broken my leg.

ALTON
And you still have it?

BRENNON
Yes.

ALTON
No one else needed it.

BRENNON
No one that I’ve known. I’ve lived alone as I have healed.

ALTON
No one to help you.

BRENNON
No.
(beat)
 15.

But I come here, to offer these relics back to the Lord and Lady, to wash in the pool, and
to receive pardon. I’ve been up all night, confessing my sins, and saying a prayer with
each step of pilgrimage.

ALTON
I was up most of the night.

BRENNON
In prayer?

ALTON
In a bottle.

BRENNON
I see.

ALTON
A couple, actually.

BRENNON
And you journeyed here?

ALTON
Down the hill, at least. I might have rolled some of the way.

A moment. Brennon looks around.

BRENNON
So there are no other pardonners?

ALTON
I’ve seen no one.

BRENNON
No clergyman?

ALTON
No.

BRENNON
Not a single ecclesiastic?

ALTON
I wouldn’t know one if I saw one.
 16.

BRENNON
Then I’ve come for nothing. All this way. Praying each step. Carrying my sins and
wounds this whole way. And not a drop of healing water to quench my weary soul.

A moment.

ALTON
I could use some water.

BRENNON
If there is none for me, sir, who has prepared for pardon, then there can be none for the ill-
prepared.

ALTON
Well, friend, I gotta tell you.
(stands)
While you might be prepared to be pardoned, there’s no way you can be in more need of
pardoning than little old me, lying in the dust, sleeping off another foggy night, trying to
forget all that’s swallowed me whole over the MORE than six years. Since I’ve never
been pardoned.
(beat)
So you can keep your keel. Your burnt rope. Your useless crutch. Your praying beads.
Your confessions. The whole deal. Man, at this point, you’re holier than that garden
over there. And if you don’t already have pardon, there ain’t no pardon for no one. For
sure not for me.

Alton tosses the apple to Brennon.

Alton turns to go.

BRENNON
Friend.

Alton looks back.

Brennan looks at Alton. Takes a bite of the

apple.

BRENNON
There is pardon for one. And pardon for all.

Brennon stands, letting all the relics drop.

Anything that doesn’t drop, he takes off.
 17.

BRENNON
Come. Let us find pardon.

Brennon holds his hand out to Alton.

Alton steps toward Brennon and takes his hand.

They exit. Toward the garden.

Lights down.
 18.

03 - OBVIOUSLY SELFISH

Lights up on a place.

CHIP and LESTER.

CHIP
There was only ever one choice to be made.

LESTER
You seem so sure about that.

CHIP
It’s the one thing I was sure of.

LESTER
And she disagreed.

CHIP
Of course she did.

LESTER
You ever stop to consider...

CHIP
No.

LESTER
Maybe she was right?

CHIP
She was not right.

LESTER
No, I get that you think there were no other choices.

CHIP
There was one choice, two options. Stay. Leave.

LESTER
Yeah, I hear that. You said that.

CHIP
But at that point, really? I couldn’t stay.
 19.

LESTER
Yeah.

CHIP
It was time.

LESTER
But she didn’t agree.

CHIP
Well, that’s hardly the point, Les.

LESTER
Is it?

CHIP
God, Les. You can’t just be supportive?

LESTER
That’s quite an accusation. How am I not supportive?

CHIP
You keep bringing up what she wanted.

LESTER
No, I’m just saying, yeah. She was a part of your relationship, and you ended it, and I’m
looking at the whole thing at once and I don’t think she wanted to--

CHIP
Not. Supportive.

LESTER
It would be easier to be supportive if you’d stop being so obviously selfish right now.

CHIP
Obviously. Selfish.

LESTER
Wait.

CHIP
What does that even mean, obviously selfish?

LESTER
Well...
 20.

CHIP
I’m telling you about a really important thing that happened in my life, and you not only
aren’t really paying attention to what I’m saying, you keep bringing up her, like that’s--

LESTER
She’s my friend.

CHIP
Am I not your friend?

LESTER
I was paying attention to what you were saying.

CHIP
Answer the question.

LESTER
No.

CHIP
No you won’t answer the question, or the answer is no?

LESTER
It’s an insulting question, Chip, and if you make me answer it, the answer will be no.
(a long moment)
Not that this matters, but she’s been my friend a lot longer than you have. And I, as
much as anyone, fully understand the long list of reasons why she makes a lousy
girlfriend. I’ve dumped her myself, after she dumped me twice, but I got in the last one.
But, let me tell you something. That doesn’t change the fact that she’s my friend and I
don’t want her to be hurt.
(beat)
If you make me choose between you and her, I will choose her, but mostly because no
one I will call my friend would ever make me make a choice like that.
(beat)
She wouldn’t.

A moment.

CHIP
Can I say something?

LESTER
Yes.
 21.

CHIP
I’m an ass.

LESTER
I know, man. It’s ok.

CHIP
I shouldn’t have dumped her, should I?

LESTER
No, you should. She wasn’t good for you. I don’t know how it lasted as long as it did.

CHIP
You said there were other choices.

LESTER
There were. I’m not saying there weren’t. But this was the best one. For you.
(beat)
Maybe not for her.

CHIP
Why?

LESTER
I’m just an outside observer.

CHIP
Yeah, but...

LESTER
I’ve known her a long time.

CHIP
I know.

LESTER
She was... I mean, a little bit... better... with you.

CHIP
Better.
 22.

LESTER
You made her happy.
(beat)
But she did not do the same for you.

CHIP
This is what I’m saying.

LESTER
This is what you meant, this is not what you said.

CHIP
Fine.

LESTER
That’s all I’m saying.

CHIP
Fine.

A long moment between them.

CHIP
We good?

LESTER
Of course.

CHIP
You’re not gonna get back together with her.

LESTER
That’s crazy.

Beat.

CHIP
You didn’t say no.

LESTER
You’re going to make me say it?

CHIP
You didn’t even say no just then.
 23.

LESTER
You’re crazy.

CHIP
I’m no longer asking the question. Just say the word no.

LESTER
I don’t have to--

CHIP
Say no.

LESTER
What are you doing?

CHIP
Say no.

LESTER
This is stupid.

CHIP
Say no and it stops.

LESTER
Stop.

CHIP
No.

LESTER
Chip.

CHIP
No.

LESTER
Quit.

CHIP
No.

LESTER
Goddammit no, ok? No. You happy?
 24.

CHIP
No. Say you aren’t going to get back with her.

LESTER
No.

CHIP
Is that no you won’t say it or no you won’t get back with her?

Moment.

Lester stands and starts to exit.

He stops and turns back.

LESTER
No.

Lester exits.

CHIP
And I’m the one who’s obviously selfish.

Chip runs after Lester.

Lights down.

End.
 25.

04 - DIVIDED BY ZERO

BRANDON and DJ in a teen’s bedroom.

BRANDON
It’s impossible.

DJ
It’s not impossible.

BRANDON
It is. That’s what Mr. Anderson said.

DJ
Mr. Anderson doesn’t know anything.

BRANDON
He’s the math teacher. He knows math.

DJ
I’m calling it...

BRANDON
He knows what--

DJ
(singsong)
BEEEEE. ESSSSSSS.

BRANDON
No.

Brandon opens his backpack.

DJ
It’s BS, Brandon. That’s what I’m calling it.

BRANDON
I heard you. I think my mom heard you.

DJ
Your mom listens to me. I like that.

BRANDON
It was in the lesson today. I have my notes.
 26.

Brandon opens up his notebook to find the right

page.

DJ grabs the notebook and tosses it.

DJ
What do your notes know?

BRANDON
I wrote down what Mr. Anderson said.

DJ
But Mr. Anderson doesn’t know anything.

BRANDON
He knows math.
(beat)
I’m with you about Mr. Anderson, if we were talking about something else, but the guy
knows math. He doesn’t know about, like, history or whatever. Except if it’s like the
history of math.

DJ
You’ve seen how he dresses.

BRANDON
He doesn’t know fashion.

DJ
(very quickly, rote)
Brown pants with the brown sweater and the light brown shirt with the brown tie with the
gold watch and the brown shoes. Or the Blue slacks, with the blue sweater, with the
white shirt with the blue stripes and the blue tie with the silver watch and the black shoes.

BRANDON
But this isn’t wardrobe. It’s math. The thing he knows.

DJ
Guy has two outfits.

BRANDON
I actually think this proves that he knows more about math. The fact that he knows so
little about other things.

DJ
Dividing something by zero makes it zero.
 27.

BRANDON
No. It’s indeterminate. You can’t divide by zero. It’s impossible.

DJ
Dividing by zero is zero.

BRANDON
Multiplying by zero is zero.

DJ
What?

BRANDON
You’re thinking of multiplication.

DJ
I am never thinking of multiplication.

BRANDON
Which is why you got a D in math.

DJ
So?

BRANDON
Mr. Anderson didn’t get a D in math.

DJ
He gave me a D in math.

BRANDON
Because he knows more than you.

DJ
Is that what your notes say?

BRANDON
Did you even take notes in Anderson’s class?

DJ
Why would I take notes? I know math.

BRANDON
You think you can divide by zero.
 28.

DJ
I can. It’s zero.

BRANDON
No.

DJ
Stand back. I’ll do it again. Zero.

DJ raises his arms and celebrates like he won a

major event.

BRANDON
Adding and subtracting with zero doesn’t change the original number. Multiplying by
zero makes something zero. You can’t divide by zero.

DJ
I did it twice, just now.

BRANDON
Divide that twice by zero.
(beat)
You can’t.

DJ
You’re talking gibberish.

BRANDON
Dude. If you multiply by zero, you’re saying that you’re counting the number of times
that number were there if there were no numbers of that number.

DJ
Thanks for clearing that up, bud.

BRANDON
X times zero. Zero number of x’s. There are zero x’s if there aren’t any x’s.

DJ
School is out, man.

BRANDON
And that can be expressed as a fraction, as a division problem - zero over x. There are
zero x’s. And that’s zero.
 29.

DJ
You just said it could be a division problem. Bam. Case closed.

BRANDON
Zero can be a numerator. It expresses that there are none of whatever the denominator is.

DJ
(like it’s the name of an action hero)
The Denominator!

BRANDON
Focus!

DJ
(action hero voice)
The Denominator will save you. Fear not!

DJ pretends to be an action hero for a moment.

BRANDON
(continuing)
If zero is the absence of things, there can’t be a number of absences. You can’t have six
nothings, or twelve nothings.

DJ
(as the hero)
Sweet nothings, villains!

He throws an imaginary bomb that blows up and

he lands on the bed.

BRANDON
(hardly noticing)
Dividing by zero is gibberish. It makes no sense. It is impossible.

DJ rises.

DJ
Dude. You can Mr. Anderson can stay up here and marvel at the glorious impossibility
of dividing by zero, but I’m heading out.

BRANDON
Where are you going?
 30.

DJ
Mall.

BRANDON
Why?

DJ
The ladies, bro.

BRANDON
Oh.

DJ
Paulette will be there.

BRANDON
Oh?

DJ
You want to go with me.

BRANDON
I don’t know.

DJ
You don’t have to know. You may think dividing by zero is impossible - no matter how
many times I show you that it is - one thing that is impossible is you getting Paulette to
go out with you by staying here. You’ll be dividing by the zero girlfriends you have.
One Brandon divided by zero girlfriends. And that is totally possible.

DJ goes to the door and holds it open for

Brandon.

Brandon starts to go to the door.

DJ
Leave the notebook, bro.

BRANDON
(leaving the notebook)
Oh. right.

DJ
Paulette isn’t gonna as you about Mr. Anderson’s math class.
 31.

Brandon walks to the door.

BRANDON
She might. She’s doing terrible in that class.

DJ lightly slaps the back of Brandon’s head.

DJ
I’m going to divide you by zero.

Brandon is out the door.

BRANDON
I dare you to try it. It’s impossible.

DJ turns the light off and shuts the door.

End.
 32.

05 - AQUARIIDS

Star images rotate in projection on the stage and

backdrop. Ceiling if possible. Everywhere.

A collection of stars (physical) are revealed on

stage.

There is spinning and rotation.

MULTIPLE ACTORS
Expanse
covering
dotted with lights
seeming white
but looking closer
seeing farther
shades
bursting from shade
collective
and individual
observation
leads to combination
leads to
leads to

Rotation stops.

Some Observing.

With some turning.

 33.

MULTIPLE ACTORS
(quickly)
Staring higher
glaring sigher
extracting mire
extinguishing fire
stretching wire
strumming lyre
praying dire
turning gyre
burning pyre
never tire

Turning slows.

Action is marginally illustrative, but not in a

linear way.
 34.

MULTIPLE ACTORS
Carrying water
tomb to tomb
the ancient cup
spilling Aquariids
yellow as they pour
falling on her birthday
like sparkling candles
on a dark chocolate sheet cake
wagging tails telling
tall tales of Hally
and visions of mother
come at the memory
placing us in places we hardly were
but now live eternally
until it fades away
and comes again
in a new age

as

it

will

always

Everything grinds to a halt.

A long moment of tension.

A silent explosion.

Frantic action and chaos.

Until. Again.

There is spinning and rotation.

 35.

MULTIPLE ACTORS
Expanse
covering
dotted with lights
seeming white
but looking closer
seeing farther
shades
bursting from shade
collective
and individual
observation
leads to combination
leads to
leads to
leads to
leads to

The last line echoing until.

Total darkness.

Selah.

End.
 36.

06 - OVERLOOK

A raised rectangle on the stage, empty in the center. A walkway with railing on the
outside and inside. Angled, so the upstage is higher than the down.

Two, a man and a woman, lean against the inside railing, looking out over a corner.

They look out.

He eventually looks at her.

She looks back.

She leans forward.

He leans forward.

She turns and starts to walk.

He catches up to her and they walk the path, together.

They complete a circle together.

She begins to walk slower than he. It does not appear that he notices.

Once she is on the opposite side of the path from him, he notices, and stops.

She continues walking her slower pace.

Once she arrives where he is, he walks with her, at her pace.

After half a rotation, she begins to walk faster than him.

Once she is on the opposite side from him, he notices, and stops.

She continues.

Once she arrives where he is, he walks with her, at her pace.

After half a rotation, she stops.

He continues walking.

Once he is on the opposite side from her, he stops.

No one continues walking.

 37.

A long moment.

He takes a step, going counter the previous direction.

She matches his step, as to maintain opposition.

He takes another, which she matches.

One more.

He darts in the previous direction, a handful of steps.

She matches.

He climbs over the railing to the inside.

She matches, to the outside.

They scoot one direction, then the other.

He gets back onto the path.

She stays.

He climbs to the outside, not facing her.

She stays.

Then she slowly begins to come around the outside of the circle, toward him. On
purpose. Tentatively.

He stays still, not looking at her.

She gets close.

He begins to scoot away from her, at about her pace.

She continues to follow him.

He reaches a corner, and gets to just the other side of the corner, and stops.

She catches up to him, just before rounding that corner.

He holds out his hand, palm up.

 38.

She, not looking at him, places her hand in his.

He extends his foot.

She extends her foot.

They lean out, together, keeping ther other hand on the railing.

A point-of-no-return lean.

They hold this for a few moments.

The lights dim.

Blackout.

End.
 39.

07 - THE ISLE OF DEEMS

Prince stands on the deck of a vessel.

PRINCE
And has it been at last so long a day
that night ‘tis night alone beside itself
Engaging light that light itself must cease
to train its essence far beyond this sea.

ARTHUR, Prince’s valet, steps up to him.

ARTHUR
My lord.

PRINCE
Your voice rings, like a cold sea wind.

ARTHUR
With chilly news t’will dry the bones with ice.
My Prince, this vessel cans’t no more advance.
The ground we seek lies past a passage block’d
By warlock’s stones, in place and position,
Which e’en a ship this size must needs avoid.
Unseen, like jagged teeth, they silent slide
Past watchful eyes, and chew the hulls of all
the fools and ferrymen, who follow far
The winds and whims of fortune’s magnitude,
and ask the stars to lead his soul to grail.

PRINCE
‘Tis not the soul inside, whose heart beats red
that pilgrims past the bounds of proper pave,
but ‘tis the sole below the boot, fair friend,
who treads the trail made mapp’d by father’s word.
Were not you there? Are not your ears still rung
with funeral bells? They ring still fresh in mine.
And eyes still dull from mourning tears can see
This blacken’d cloak that shields from sky and sun
A son too soon, by darkest night, foreborne,
bereft, who now is left to find the way,
 40.

With leathern book and weathern map in hand,

to Deams, the isle of fire and ice, to find
a kingly speech to fit my princely frame
then back again escape its lonely grasp
Without a father’s voice to call me home.

ARTHUR
My ears recall the bells the same as yours.
Think not my eyes ignore the pain you bear.
Howe’er, my Prince, there is at hand this truth:
This ship must turn, or else it will be lost.

PRINCE
Is not the land ahead the Isle of Deams?

ARTHUR
It is, my Prince.

PRINCE
Then that is where we go.

ARTHUR
Hear me. Not captain, sailor, crew nor man
will cross the waves now left ‘tween Deams and thee.

PRINCE
Do they not know who ‘tis for whom they sail?

ARTHUR
His name they know, and’s nation love, but Prince,
they know as well the saddest truth of all:
their greatest love is sadly nothing worth
when swallow’d by a rav’nous hungry sea.

PRINCE
What! Sav’d their souls to live without a king?

The Captain comes to the deck.

CAPTAIN
Without a king to live they would prefer
Than die with king then stranded on the spur.
 41.

PRINCE
Captain...

CAPTAIN
My Prince, I have o’erheard your man in earn’st
with his best skill convince you of the truth.
‘Tis sad his passion fell on ears so deaf
that now I fear your mind is more the bold.

PRINCE
He has, indeed, made plain the state of fact,
But not, I fear, weighed fact with greater good.
This voyage is beyond a simple jaunt
an expedition for a whim of man,
but much more like a godly pilgrimage
whose purpose doth both serve the breath’d and breath.

CAPTAIN
I know our purpose is to crown you king.
The Isle of Deams serves for this function sole.
But Prince, I tell you know as plain as point,
this island is by warlock spell’d secure.
He’s cast the sharp sea-stones that shred our ship,
He calls the fog-roll round the mount’nous isle
The flashing thunder far beyond the sky
draws closer at his evil wicked will.
‘Tis nothing nature seeks to stop us short
It is the darkness in the warlock’s heart

PRINCE
What name is his who dares dam up the sea,
and tries prevent th’ascension of a king?

Captain is silent. He looks to Arthur.

ARTHUR
A name, my Prince, that cannot bear be spoke.

PRINCE
Am I so small a prince, that my little name
is not so sacred as belong’s a witch?
Let not the trespass lie in liar’s mouths.
If there be price, then let it come to me.
 42.

Now say the word, and what is greater still,

Let fury fall upon this crownless crown
and not the mantle fit to shoulder kings
until the day this warlock’s head decapp’d
will on the golden gates of Gant be hang’d.

A crack of thunder.

The Prince falls to the ground.

The Captain and Arthur stand firm.

Lights change as storm clouds roll.

ARTHUR
It is, my prince, no less than he that slew
The queen, thy dam, through letter’s poison’d ink,
Thy brother hidden safe within her womb,
And late, the king, thy father, in the field,
That fought to save his kingdom from the mage
And magic hurl’d by him, the sorc’rer Wyld.

Through the clouds above, appears the shape of

WYLD, a wizard.

The storm rages.

The waves crash over the vessel.

Shouting of sailors as the ship wrecks and the

storm fades into blackout.
 43.

08 - BADFOOT CLOWN

MANNY sits on a set of stairs. He is wearing

dude pj’s - athletic shorts and a tank top - and
some flip flops. And a worn baseball cap.

GIN walks up, unseen by Manny. She is

wearing a jacket and carries her purse.

He tosses a few small rocks off the steps.

GIN
Jesus.

He only looks at her out of the corner of his eye.

GIN
It can’t possibly be this bad.

MANNY
I thought girls were supposed to be supportive.

GIN
What does supportive mean?

MANNY
If I needed a smartass, I woulda called Kip.

GIN
And Lex and Slither.

MANNY
I would never call Slither.

GIN
He’d show up with Lex.

MANNY
Probably.

Manny tosses another rock.

GIN
So I’m supposed to be supportive, huh? Hug you and hold you like your mama?
(pats chest)
Right up here like you’re a little baby.
 44.

MANNY
I was hoping at least you wouldn’t be an ass.

GIN
Hope’s what got you sitting on the stoop at two o’clock in the morning.

A rock.

GIN
Where is she?

MANNY
You know where she is.

GIN
Do you know where she is?
(Yes)
For sure?
(Yes)
You saw her there?
(I did)
I don’t wanna ask what you were doing there.

MANNY
Looking for her.
(Yeah Right)
I was.

GIN
You weren’t there looking for that redhead.

MANNY
I followed him.

GIN
Who?

MANNY
Her... guy.

GIN
You know him?

MANNY
Daniel.
 45.

GIN
Hopper?

MANNY
No. Pernham.

GIN
I don’t know any Daniel Pernham.

MANNY
That’s how she was getting away with it.

GIN
Smart.

MANNY
Yeah.

GIN
But she took him to--

MANNY
Met him there.

GIN
You followed him.

MANNY
Right.

GIN
How’d you know him?

MANNY
I followed her last night.

GIN
Last night.

MANNY
Yep.

GIN
And tonight.
 46.

MANNY
Yep.

GIN
Maybe she’s not so smart.

MANNY
Maybe not.

GIN
That right there is how you get seen.

A rock.

GIN
Sorry, Manny.

A rock.

MANNY
You know?

GIN
What?

MANNY
Did you know?

GIN
I never met him.

MANNY
Not him. Did you know. About her.

GIN
Manny...

MANNY
Just tell me.

GIN
Not... specifically.

MANNY
Gin.
 47.

GIN
You knew her when you started things up with her.

MANNY
God.

GIN
I know.

MANNY
She’s pregnant, Gin.

Gin spins away a few steps.

GIN
Ah, damn.
(beat)
And it’s possible...
(yeah it is)
Oh my god.

MANNY
(looks back up at the building)
Keep it down.

GIN
Elvin’s asleep.

MANNY
He was when I came down.
(beat)
I’ve been shouting. A bit.

Gin steps back in.

GIN
She’s a badfoot clown.

MANNY
Ain’t that the truth.

GIN
You gotta send her gone, Manny. For real.

MANNY
I can’t do that, Gin.
 48.

GIN
She’s out there with Daniel Pendergrass..

MANNY
Pernham.

GIN
Who gives a shit. And I’d put a hundred dollars on red that ain’t all.
(what)
I didn’t want to say.

MANNY
It ain’t that simple.

GIN
It can be.

MANNY
Not if it’s mine.

Gin sits next to Manny.

A rock.

GIN
So, what, then.

MANNY
I called you, Gin.

GIN
Manny...

MANNY
I called you. That’s what I did. That’s what.

A rock

GIN
It can’t be like this.
(rock)
It can’t be
(rock)
Manny...

Manny goes to throw a rock.

 49.

Gin grabs his handful of rocks and tosses them.

MANNY
You said you owe me.

GIN
I do.

MANNY
Then...

GIN
Don’t be like that.

MANNY
It’s gonna be like this?
(beat)
Fine, then.

Manny pulls a wad of cash out of his shorts

pocket.

Gin immediately tries to get him to put it back.

GIN
God, Manny.

MANNY
If it’s like this--

GIN
It’s not. Put that back.

MANNY
No, this is how it is, then that’s how it is.

GIN
It ain’t ever that way between you and me so stop it.
(he relents)
You’re in pain so I ain’t gonna hold this shit against you, but you pull that one more time,
and I will beat your ass into the ground.
(yeah right)
I ain’t playing around.

A moment.
 50.

MANNY
I need it to happen, Gin.

GIN
Why’s it gotta be me?

MANNY
Because you’re you and I’m me and here we are.

A moment.

GIN
You’re sure she’s pregnant?
(yes)
Those drug store brand ain’t never right. I’ve had like five fake positives.

MANNY
Then why do you keep buying them?

GIN
When business gets good, I’ll step up to the real deal.

Manny gently puts his hand on Gin’s arm.

MANNY
I need this.

GIN
I’m not your girl.

MANNY
It’s gotta happen.

GIN
It can’t be this way.

MANNY
It is what it is.

GIN
Sometimes it ain’t.

Gin takes her purse off from over her head.

 51.

MANNY
What.

Gin puts the purse in Manny’s hands.

GIN
I ain’t doing this. You know how I feel about her. There’s not a bad thing that can
happen that I don’t wish on that woman. I’ve had it out for her since school days and pig
tails and the playground at Van Buren. She’s bad news on the day of the funeral.
Always has been.
(beat)
And you know how I feel about you, Manny. You and me. Deeper than the yellow river.
(beat)
There is nothing in this world that will change that.

Gin stands up and steps down.

GIN
But this is my stop, darling.

Gin takes a few steps away.

MANNY
Gin.
(Gin stops but doesn’t turn)
I’ll bring it back.

GIN
Don’t you dare.

Gin exits.

Manny sits a moment looking at the purse.

He opens the purse.

He pulls out a small pistol.

He puts it back in the purse.

 52.

MANNY
(remembering a song lyric)
You made me love you
And made me cry
You should remember
You were born to die

He rises and goes inside.

Lights down.

End.
 53.

09 - MILLIE’S COFFEE

MILLIE sits at a slightly crooked table, at a

booth in the back of a diner that’s probably not
supposed to be a diner. She smokes.

OLIVE, a server, brings a plate and a drink.

OLIVE
Millie.

MILLIE
Bacon better be crisp.

OLIVE
Isn’t it always?

Olive sets down the food.

MILLIE
One time it wasn’t.

OLIVE
Six years ago.

MILLIE
I don’t make mistakes twice.

OLIVE
Then put out the cigarette.

MILLIE
I make my mistakes as many times as I want.

OLIVE
You get us shut down, ain’t no one gonna burn your bacon like that any more.

MILLIE
It burns or y’all do.

OLIVE
You want coffee?

MILLIE
Have I ever wanted coffee?
 54.

OLIVE
I’m supposed to ask.

MILLIE
Not me you’re not.

OLIVE
You got something against coffee?

MILLIE
Coffee ain’t good for nothing but keeping you warm and giving you the shakes.
(beat)
Do I look hot to you?

OLIVE
Maybe you could use some shakes?

MILLIE
Out.

Olive starts out.

OLIVE
You got a visitor.

MILLIE
I don’t take visitors.

OLIVE
Brought you something special, I think.

MILLIE
Not while I’m eating.

OLIVE
I don’t think this can wait, Mill.

Olive points to the cigarette.

Millie puts it out.

MILLIE
This’ll spoil my breakfast.

OLIVE
Can’t help that.
 55.

Olive exits.

Millie takes out a cell phone and sends a text.

She puts the phone on the table.

In walks WALKER, a woman in a dark suit.

MILLIE
This ain’t the time.

WALKER
It’s never the time.

MILLIE
I’m having breakfast.

WALKER
No one says you can’t eat.
(beat)
Hard to believe the health department hasn’t shut this place down.

MILLIE
Sometimes you squash a roach and he just decide not to be dead yet.

WALKER
Is that the blue plate today?

MILLIE
I got important business today, Walker. You got something on your mind, or is this a
social call?

WALKER
Should I have brought a sponge cake?

MILLIE
You can’t bake.

WALKER
I know where the store is.

MILLIE
Prove it.

Walker steps to the table.

 56.

WALKER
Maybe I should. Since you got important business today.

Walker slides a chair over from a nearby table

and sits.

MILLIE
You know my boy, Jasper, don’t you?
(beat)
Jasper once promised me, “mama, when I get home I’m gonna clean up the whole house.
Take out the trash, mop the kitchen floor, pick up my toys, even scrub the tub.” I used to
like when he’d promise me that. He ain’t never did it one damn time, but when he’d
promise me, I tell you, I knew how much he loved me. Cause I knew he meant it. He
wanted to clean that house spotless for me. Stupid kid.

WALKER
That was before juvie?

MILLIE
He was a good boy.

WALKER
There were things he wasn’t good at.

MILLIE
You can do everything you can, but if the bad crowd wants you, and when you good the
bad crowd wants you, then ain’t nothing you can do.

WALKER
Can say no.

MILLIE
K, Nancy.

WALKER
Wasn’t right, what happened to him.

MILLIE
Sometimes a promise is a promise.
(beat)
Stupid kid.

WALKER
Stupid kid.
 57.

Millie indicates her breakfast.

MILLIE
You don’t mind if I--

WALKER
Not at all. Keeping your mouth full for a second might be a good idea. Give you a
chance to listen to what I got to say.

A moment.

Millie takes a big bite of food.

WALKER
You like stories. Let me spin a yarn.
(beat)
Old woman, lives on the corner of the neighborhood, got a picture window looking out
over her world. Makes a pitcher of tea and sits in the rocker, safe behind the window,
pitcher and a glass on the table next to her, big old telephone in her lap. Handle and the
curly cord, and the whole deal. Ain’t even a push button, it’s the rotary with the big clear
plastic wheel. Even dialing nine-one-one’d take time. All the way round to nine, then
one and one. Widow. Husband was a mechanic before he was shot in a robbery for forty-
five bucks and a couple of car parts. Like them kids’d know how to install them. Stupid
kids.
(beat)
Old woman likes to make phone calls. She don’t have a lot of visitors, and don’t mind
keeping it that way, but she likes to talk. Hooo, she talk talk talk. All day if you let her.
Sometimes it’s old biscuit recipes and gossip about church ladies’ hats being suggestive
to the men in the seniors’ Sunday school group, but sometimes. Some times let me tell
you Millie...
(beat)
She don’t like watching the soaps cause even though they’re called soaps they ain’t
nothing like being clean. But she does like to watch. And got that biiiig picture window.

A moment.

Millie swallows her food.

Millie maintains eye contact with Walker.

MILLIE
(loudly)
Olive!
 58.

OLIVE
(offstage)
Yeah, Mill?

MILLIE
(loudly)
Coffee.

OLIVE
(off)
You sure, Mill?

MILLIE
Yeah. I am.

OLIVE
(off)
But--

MILLIE
Please, Olive.

OLIVE
(off)
You got it.

Millie continues to stare down Walker.

MILLIE
You need a doughnut?

WALKER
I already got my teeth into something.

MILLIE
You’re looking thin.

WALKER
Diet and exercise. And counting them points.

MILLIE
I never got the points.
 59.

WALKER
I like them.

MILLIE
Where do the points come from?

WALKER
They tell you.

MILLIE
How do they know?

WALKER
What am I? A detective?
(beat)
Makes it easier to keep track.

MILLIE
Yeah, but then you’re keeping track, you know what I’m saying?

WALKER
I do.

MILLIE
Takes all the fun out eating.

WALKER
Is it supposed to be fun?

MILLIE
It ain’t a job, is it?
(moment)
Is it?
(long moment)
Shame what happened to Miss Fran’s husband. Guess a couple parts and fifty bucks
might not have been worth fighting for.

A long, tense moment.

Olive enters with two plain ceramic cups and a

glass pot of coffee. She sets down the cups, and
fills them both.

Olive exits.
 60.

MILLIE
Tell you what.

WALKER
I wish you would.

Millie smiles, just a bit.

MILLIE
If I knew that something were going to happen, say, at the corner of the neighborhood...

WALKER
I’m listening.

MILLIE
I mean, sometimes older people wake up in the middle of the night.

WALKER
That they do.

MILLIE
They say that three am is a witching hour.

WALKER
They do?

MILLIE
They do.

WALKER
Three am is?

MILLIE
That’s right.

WALKER
I thought it was midnight.

MILLIE
What is?

WALKER
The witching hour.

MILLIE
Midnight’s bad luck. But three is worse.
 61.

WALKER
Worse.

MILLIE
Nothing but creatures of the night at three am.

WALKER
Creatures of the night.

MILLIE
Uh huh. Demons. Bad shit.

WALKER
Bad shit.

MILLIE
Bad.
(beat)
Only reason I’m saying anything.

WALKER
Stupid kids?

MILLIE
The stupidest.

Walker moves her coffee cup.

WALKER
I guess I should prepare myself for a wake up call.

MILLIE
You might want to rest up.

WALKER
Go to bed early.

MILLIE
Take a melatonin. Probably got less points than a regular sleeping pill.

WALKER
You think?

MILLIE
How would I know?
 62.

Walker knocks on the table and stands up.

MILLIE
You don’t want your coffee?

WALKER
You didn’t drink yours.

MILLIE
I hate coffee.

WALKER
I figured you had it poisoned or something.

MILLIE
It already is poison.

Walker steps to the door.

MILLIE
I was told you had something for me.

WALKER
You were?

MILLIE
You saying Olive is a liar?

WALKER
That’s not what I said.

Walker exits.

Millie sits a moment.

Olive enters. She picks up the empty plate.

OLIVE
Was the bacon burnt enough for you?

MILLIE
Did the trick.

OLIVE
You want your coffee?
 63.

MILLIE
Never did.

Olive stacks the cups on the plate.

She starts for the door.

Millie notices a slip of paper on the table.

MILLIE
What’s this?

OLIVE
(turns back)
I dunno. What is it?

Millie unfolds it and reads.

MILLIE
It’s a number.

OLIVE
A number to what?

MILLIE
Jasper’s parole officer.

OLIVE
What do you make of that?

MILLIE
I gotta call to make, Olive.

Olive exits.

Millie picks up her phone and dials.

Lights down.
 64.

10 - BOX

Otto sits in a room.

Wan knocks and enters. He carries a box.

OTTO
I’ve been waiting.

WAN
I have brought it. As you asked.

OTTO
Please.

Otto indicates that Wan should set the box on a

table.

Wan does.

WAN
And you have something for me.

OTTO
I do.

WAN
Well?

OTTO
Open the box, first.

WAN
Me?

OTTO
Yes.

WAN
That’s not... I don’t...
(beat)
It’s not my place.

OTTO
It’s your place if I say it is.
 65.

WAN
No, sir.

OTTO
Oh, my friend.

WAN
I’m not your friend.

OTTO
You are my friend. We are friends. We are friendly.
(beat)
Do me this favor.
(beat)
Friend.

Wan says nothing.

OTTO
It’s not empty, is it?

WAN
Of course not.

OTTO
That would be foolish.

WAN
It would take a fool.

OTTO
And I’m not a fool.

WAN
Nor am I.

A moment.

OTTO
Then friend, no fool, do this favor I ask of you.

A moment.
 66.

WAN
I brought what you asked.

OTTO
I know you did.

WAN
Then my task is complete.

OTTO
I have asked one more simple thing.

WAN
And I must say no.

OTTO
It’s not a hoax.
(beat)
You wouldn’t do that to me.
(beat)
Friend.

WAN
No.

OTTO
Then why won’t you do this favor for me?

WAN
I don’t want you to be disappointed.

OTTO
Disappointed.

WAN
In what it is.

OTTO
In what it is.

WAN
In what it is really.

OTTO
And what is that.
 67.

WAN
I don’t know if it’s what you thought it would be.

OTTO
No?

WAN
I don’t know if it was ever going to be what you thought it would be.

OTTO
Really?

WAN
It was never going to be what you thought it was.

OTTO
That’s hardly fair. You don’t know what I thought.

WAN
Man like you?

OTTO
You’ve never met a man like me.

WAN
Can I be honest with you?

OTTO
If you can be honest at all.

WAN
The only men I’ve ever met are exactly like you.
(beat)
You come in here with an empty hand and a fat wallet and think the world owes you
something. Owes you a chance to speak. To have your voice be heard. And that smug
look on your face right now saying you can write a check bigger than Jesus so we’ll all
just shut our mouths and live in your world. And if we cash your check that makes us
weaker than you.

OTTO
Doesn’t it?
(beat)
Well, if we’re being honest...

WAN
I’m not listening anymore.
 68.

OTTO
You say you don’t like the look on my face. It’s smug.

WAN
It is.

OTTO
I won’t deny it.
(beat)
But you want to know why it’s there? Three reasons. One you already named. You will
take my check, and you will listen, and I will get what I want.
(beat)
Two is almost as simple. If you won’t take the first check, you’ll take the second.

WAN
And the third.

OTTO
The third is the heart breaker, my friend. To write you a check - a check for more money
than you’ve ever seen, ever imagined, could never earn in a lifetime of... whatever it is
you dreamed of doing... this costs me nothing.
(beat)
I give to you this money, in exchange for what I want, so that I get what I want.

WAN
And I keep the money.

OTTO
If only it worked that way.
(pulls out checkbook)
Of course it doesn’t.
(fills out check)
What will you do with this money. Buy things. Goods. Services. It’ll go back into the
circulation of society. And it won’t take long, but that money. Every dime. Will come
back to me. It used to take longer. But with each passing year, it comes back quicker
and quicker. I’m not a fool. But I get what I want, and in a few months I’ll have the
money I gave right back in my pocket.
(tears check from book, holds it out)
Enjoy it while it lasts.

Wan doesn’t take the check.

WAN
Some things are bigger than money.
 69.

OTTO
Maybe. But not many.

Otto continues to hold out the check.

Wan takes it. He folds it and puts it in his shirt

pocket.

WAN
I suppose this is where I thank you.

OTTO
I want no part of your thanks. You may go.

Wan exits.

Otto goes to the box.

Otto opens it.

It was not what he thought.

Otto closes the box.

Lights down.

End
 70.

11 - RED HOT MUD

A cold cement street corner. PIKE, a homeless

man, sit leaning up against the stone of a
building. He has a guitar with no strings.

He sings a song only he knows.

PIKE
And the witness
fixed in the shitness
cannot afford a bottle
to drink a little or a lott’le

can you spare a dime

and lettem make a rhyme
to speak the god’s honest truth
about a pretty girl named ruth
dancing in a phone booth
and makem eat a... mooth
(laughs, gets mad)
That a word? Mooth? No. Mooth ain’t no word I ever heard. I’ll have to fix that.

Around the corner comes DAVID, a priest in a

long cloak.

DAVID
Evening, Pike.

PIKE
Pops! Hey Pops, it’s good to see you daddy. Hey. Hey. You hear my new song?

DAVID
You singing a new song?

PIKE
Sure thing Pops. I got a new song. I sing a new song. It’s a new day, I got a new song.
Just listen to it. Listen now.

He tries to strum his no string guitar.

DAVID
You need a couple strings, there, Pike.
 71.

PIKE
Oh, I know that I know that I know that. Just a couple though. Just a couple.

DAVID
You know what I need from you.

PIKE
Oh now now now. You know I’m good for anything you need. Anything just name it.

DAVID
We’ve got a service starting in an hour.

PIKE
You do? A service? I was in the service.

DAVID
I know you were.

PIKE
You’re in the service?

DAVID
I’m in the Lord’s service.

PIKE
The Lord?

DAVID
Yes. But I was in the service like you were. Before I became a priest.

PIKE
Holy shit. You’re a priest?

DAVID
Yeah.

PIKE
Ho-ly--

DAVID
Don’t you remember me, Pike?

PIKE
I sure do, Pops. You and me we go way back. Way back.
 72.

DAVID
I don’t know about way--

PIKE
Ever... ever since that guy kicked me in the teeth.

DAVID
That’s not what-- you bit Father Andrew on the leg. That’s what happened.

PIKE
Ah, man. I don’t remember-- that’s not what... is it?

DAVID
Yes. He still has a scar.

PIKE
For real? where?

DAVID
On his leg. Where you bit him?

PIKE
I don’t remember that. What’d he taste like?

DAVID
This is why I come out to ask you to move down the block, and not Father Andrew.

PIKE
Yeah man. Papa Andy. That guy. Boy. He don’t like my songs, boy. I’ll tell you what.

DAVID
No.

PIKE
And I wrote him a good one. About a dog and a long long leash. Throw him in a
backyard, never outta reach.

DAVID
So, do you think you can move down the block for me, Pike?

PIKE
For you? Anything, Pops. I’ll do you a solid. Whatever you desire.

DAVID
I just want you to move down the block. For about an hour.
 73.

PIKE
Down the block? That’s what I got to do?

DAVID
I didn’t say you had to.

PIKE
Shoving me down the block.

DAVID
I’m asking you if you will. Please.

PIKE
Kicking me down the block.

DAVID
You don’t need to get upset.

PIKE
I don’t need to? I don’t need? I’ll get upset if I wanna get upset. You kicking me down
the block like a soda can, man. Am I a soda can? Rattling down the sidewalk until a
construction worker stomps his steel-toe down on you. Scraping along. No. No.

DAVID
Pike. Listen to me. Listen.

PIKE
I’m hearing what you’re saying. That I’m a trash, can, like a can of trash. shove me out
of the way, man, like a...

DAVID
No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m asking if you’d please move down from the doorway
so people can get into the building...

PIKE
Oh the doorway. The doorway. Yeah, man. I read you. The doorway.
(sings)
Climbing the doorway... to Heaven.

DAVID
We’d like to have the doorway clear so people can get inside.

PIKE
That ain’t a new song, but it’s a good song. Yeah, man.
 74.

DAVID
So you’ll move down for me?

PIKE
For you? Anything, Pops. Anything.
(rises up)
Anything for Pops
when the wonder wheel stops
the ride is done
ain’t we had fun
ain’t we had fun
(beat)
Ain’t a good song, but it’s a new song.

DAVID
Thanks, Pike.

PIKE
Hey Pops. They gonna have communion?

DAVID
Communion?

PIKE
Yeah, the bread and the wine. Fine and dine. The bread and the wine.

DAVID
Yeah. We’ll have communion.

PIKE
That’s good Pops.
(beat)
Yeah. I like that.

DAVID
So do I.

PIKE
Yeah. That’s like... it’s the body and the blood.

DAVID
Right.
 75.

PIKE
The red hot mud. Body and blood.
(sings)
It’s a cup and a plate
full a’ red hot mud
and it opens the gate
does the body and blood

DAVID
That’s a good song.

PIKE
It’s a new song.

DAVID
You come inside and warm up after service?

PIKE
Have some red hot mud? To warm up. After the service.

DAVID
You bet, pike. I’ll keep it red hot for you.

PIKE
All right then. Yeah, man. Yeah.

Pike walks off down the street.

David watches him go.

DAVID
(sings quietly)
It’s a cup and a plate
full a’ red hot mud
and it opens the gate
does the body and blood

David goes inside.

End
 76.

12 - SHOE ROOM

Three at a table.

LILA is early 20s, plain.

ELINOR is early 20s, bold.

KATIA is early 20s, straight-laced.

They are in three different conversations, kind

of all at once.

LILA
I miss how it used to be.

ELINOR
You don’t have to tell me about that. I wasn’t the one who changed it.

LILA
But you were. You don’t see that?

ELINOR
I don’t know what you’re talking about.

LILA
You quit the coffee shop and took the job at the office.

ELINOR
Which I hated.

LILA
It was your choice.

ELINOR
Not really.

LILA
Well, anyway. That’s when it changed.

Elinor turns to Katia.

ELINOR
That wasn’t my fault.
 77.

KATIA
I don’t blame you.

ELINOR
I shouldn’t be expected to stay there with a manager who talks to me that way.

KATIA
You want to report him?

ELINOR
Report him to who?

KATIA
He has a boss.

ELINOR
Some other dude. What’s the point?

KATIA
The point is not letting someone talk to you like that and let him stay and you have to
start over somewhere else.
(beat)
You should have been made manager.

ELINOR
Well, that’s another story.

Lila touches Katia’s arm to get her attention.

LILA
She made out with him.

KATIA
Who?

LILA
Elinor did.

KATIA
Who did she make out with?

LILA
The owner.
 78.

KATIA
When was this?

LILA
She told me last night, but it was last week sometime, I think. After she closed. So,
Wednesday or Thursday.

KATIA
And? She’s allowed to make out with whoever she wants.

LILA
Not her boss.

KATIA
Yeah, even her boss.

LILA
Her boss who’s making the decision on who the new manager is gonna be after Alex goes
back to Kentucky.

KATIA
Kentucky?

LILA
School.

KATIA
Ah. Right.
(beat)
Well that’s a terrible idea.

LILA
Right?

Elinor gets Lila’s attention.

ELINOR
So... it’s not cool that you’ve been telling people.

LILA
Telling people what.

ELINOR
About what happened. Last week.
 79.

LILA
Elinor...

ELINOR
He found out.

LILA
Found out what.

ELINOR
That other people know.

LILA
So?

ELINOR
He wasn’t happy.

LILA
What difference does that make?

ELINOR
He’s not making me manager.

LILA
Elinor.

ELINOR
He says if people know, they’ll think we’re sleeping together and that’s why I got the job.

LILA
But you’re the best person for the job. Everyone knows that. Alex even says it, all the
time.

ELINOR
Yeah well. That would be why it’s not cool that you’ve been telling people.

LILA
So this is gonna be my fault?

ELINOR
Lila...
 80.

LILA
You know you shouldn’t have made out with him.

ELINOR
You didn’t have to say anything.

LILA
So now what?

ELINOR
I’m going to talk to him tonight. Maybe I can convince him--

LILA
You’re not going on a date with him.
(beat)
You aren’t.

Elinor turns to Katia.

KATIA
That’s why you didn’t talk to her for a week.

ELINOR
And she didn’t go on the trip.

KATIA
She said she had to work.

ELINOR
She picked up my shifts after I quit.
(beat)
I quit before I got the new job.

KATIA
El.

ELINOR
It worked out.

KATIA
It’s not my business.

ELINOR
That’s exactly right. I appreciate you saying that.
 81.

KATIA
Your bad decisions are your own issue. I just wish you’d make them so they didn’t affect
me and Lila so much.

ELINOR
Excuse me?

KATIA
She cares about you so much, it, like, physically hurts her to see you do this to yourself.

ELINOR
But she doesn’t get to tell me--

KATIA
And if you quit your job and can’t pay rent, then that affects me. It’s my name on the
lease.

ELINOR
Thanks for letting me know. I wasn’t sure. You never mention it, and it never comes up
in conversation.

KATIA
I’m responsible, El. I’m on the hook. You think it’s a power trip, but it’s fear. I don’t
know what you’re going to do next. I’m gonna wake up one day with a postcard from
Costa Rica, you’ve married a professional bungee jumper, and can I mail you your shoes?

ELINOR
Like I’d send a postcard.

Elinor walks past Lila.

LILA
No, I haven’t seen her.

KATIA
I joked that she’d up and disappear one day.

LILA
It wasn’t a joke.

KATIA
No, it wasn’t.
 82.

LILA
I wasn’t really that concerned until the shop owner came through yesterday asking if I
knew where she was.

KATIA
They’ve still been together.

LILA
Apparently. But she must have took off.
(beat)
I know you’re worried about the rent.

KATIA
No. She actually left her share for this month and next. I just thought she was getting
ahead.
(beat)
After that...

LILA
We could sell her shoes.

They laugh.

KATIA
I don’t want to buy the place.

LILA
Right? I’ve never seen so many shoes.

KATIA
I don’t think there’s a bed in there.

Their laughter subsides.

LILA
You wear her size?

KATIA
No. You?

LILA
No.

Elinor walks between them, brushing them.

Lila follows.
 83.

ELINOR
I can’t talk to you now.

LILA
I just wanted to say hi.

ELINOR
Hi.

LILA
I’d like to know what to do with your things.

Elinor stops.

ELINOR
I have no things.

LILA
All your crap at the apartment.

ELINOR
Don’t you dare call that shoe collection crap.

LILA
Then I’d like to know what to do with them, or come get them, or I’m taking them to
Salvation Army.

ELINOR
Like the Salvation Army knows what to do with a leopard print suede pump.

LILA
It doesn’t matter to me, Ellie.
(beat)
Are you not coming back?

ELINOR
You would ask me that.

LILA
You can’t just ghost us, Elinor. Especially if you’re gonna stay in town. This place ain’t
big enough to hide.

ELINOR
So I’m supposed to leave? This town not big enough for the two of us.
 84.

LILA
Three. Katia.
(beat)
And I guess four, your ex-boyfriend.
(beat)
He asked where you were. I didn’t have to lie when I said I had no idea.

ELINOR
I’m leaving at the end of the month.
(beat)
I’m going back home.
(beat)
My mom... is sick.

LILA
Ellie. I don’t-- I’m so sorry.

ELINOR
Yeah, well.
(beat)
I’m picking up my stuff end of next week.

LILA
Where have you been staying?

Elinor waves her off.

LILA
You wanna sit down and get some coffee or something?

ELINOR
I have to get back to the office.

LILA
You told them about all this?

ELINOR
Yeah. They’re not happy. Which is why I can’t be late getting back.
(beat)
So...

LILA
Yeah.

Elinor turns.
 85.

LILA
Will I get to see you before you go?

A silence.

ELINOR
Goodbye, Lila.

Elinor walks.

Lila is alone for a second.

Elinor arrives.

Katia comes in without her seeing.

KATIA
Lila told me.

Elinor freezes.

KATIA
I guess that was the plan, right?

ELINOR
Not everyone has a plan.

KATIA
There was this story I read one time about a guy who led a whole life just drifting from
one place to the other, and it was exciting for a while, but when the storms came, and the
disasters, and it was awful for him.

ELINOR
Katia--

KATIA
But worst of all, when he was an old man, he looked back on his life, the life he’d spent
trying so damn hard not to have a plan, and could see that there was a plan all along.
Despite his best efforts.

A silence.

ELINOR
I’m gonna leave some of these shoes here. They’re just not practical back at home.
 86.

KATIA
Anything you leave gets donated. Or put up for sale on the internet.

ELINOR
I’ll keep an eye out for them on eBay.

KATIA
I’ll waive the shipping.

Elinor walks off.

Lila walks up to Katia.

KATIA
You miss her, I know.

LILA
Sometimes.

KATIA
We could get a new roommate.

LILA
I know.

KATIA
Or we could keep the shoe room.

LILA
We could do that.
(beat)
For a while.

Lights down.

End.
 87.

13 - CHANGING OF THE GUARD

Lester sits behind a small desk. He wears a

security uniform.

He looks at a monitor.

He opens a ledger book and makes a single

mark, then closes the book.

Lester looks at the clock.

He pulls out his wad of jingly keys, and

removes a single key from the ring.

Lester holds up the key, then places it on the

desk.

A second security guard walks up. Her name is

Andie.

ANDIE
Morning, Lester.

LESTER
Morning.

ANDIE
Anything good happen?

LESTER
Good?

ANDIE
Interesting. Unusual.

LESTER
No.

ANDIE
Then that’s good.
 88.

LESTER
Ah.
(beat)
Then it was good that nothing good happened.

ANDIE
Right. That’s how we like it.

LESTER
(chuckles)
Yeah.
(beat)
Yeah.

Andie stands close to Lester.

He just sits there.

ANDIE
Lester.

LESTER
Yeah?

ANDIE
I’m gonna need to sit down if I’m taking over.

LESTER
Oh, right. Yeah.

Lester stands up and has to closely slide past

Andie.

He awkwardly does not know what to do with

his hands, and makes a point not to put them on
Andie at all.

ANDIE
Thanks Lester.

Andie sits down.

Lester stands close, still.

 89.

ANDIE
I don’t know how you do it.

LESTER
What’s that?

ANDIE
The overnight. That’s a long shift.

LESTER
Well...

ANDIE
Longer than the day shifts.

LESTER
It’s not much, though.

ANDIE
Not much.

LESTER
To do. Like the day.

ANDIE
I suppose.
(beat)
I wouldn’t be able to stay awake.

LESTER
Yeah.
(beat)
Well, I sometimes...

ANDIE
Take a nap?

LESTER
No.
(beat)
No.
 90.

ANDIE
I didn’t mean-- I mean, I wouldn’t blame you. I wouldn’t rat you out or nothing.
(beat)
It’s what I’d do.

LESTER
I was gonna say that... I don’t sleep much.

ANDIE
Oh yeah?

LESTER
Sometimes... I go home after... and I can’t... you know... sleep.

ANDIE
You don’t drink coffee all night, do you?

LESTER
I don’t drink coffee.

ANDIE
(chuckles)
You don’t drink coffee. Of course you don’t, Lester.

LESTER
What’s that--

ANDIE
You’ve been here what, ten years? Eleven?

LESTER
Thirteen.

ANDIE
You’ve been doing overnights that whole time?

LESTER
Just about.

ANDIE
And you haven’t drunk a single drop of coffee that whole time.

LESTER
Don’t think so.
 91.

ANDIE
Jesus.
(beat)
You got the key?

LESTER
The what?

ANDIE
The key. The third floor.

LESTER
No. I don’t... it’s...

Lester points to the key on the table.

ANDIE
Ah. Thanks.

Andie picks it up.

LESTER
I... uh...

ANDIE
It’s on it’s own key ring.

She clips it onto a carabiner clip on her belt.

LESTER
I, uh, noticed you... use a clip.

ANDIE
That’s right.

LESTER
I saw you did that, and so I got a, uh, a separate... ring...

ANDIE
Yeah, that makes it a lot easier. Thanks.

LESTER
Yeah. I noticed that, and so I did... that.
 92.

ANDIE
I hate having to dig my finger nails into the ring and open that up every day. It’s hell on
my nails.

LESTER
Oh. Yeah.

ANDIE
Not that my nails are anything great. I don’t have to worry about scratching them up or
anything. It just hurts is all.

LESTER
Yeah. Yeah. Hurts. Uh huh.

An awkward silence.

ANDIE
So, no news, then.

LESTER
Nope. Nope. No news. It was a silent night.

ANDIE
Silent night. Like the Christmas carol.

LESTER
The... huh?

ANDIE
(sings, softly)
Silent night. Holy night. All is calm. All is bright. Round yon virgin, mother and child.

LESTER
Oh. No. No virgins or childs or anything. It was... I only mean it was silent.

Andie opens up the ledger and takes a look,

makes a mark.

ANDIE
(smiles)
I figured, Lester.
(beat)
Well, have a good day.

LESTER
Yeah.
 93.

He doesn’t go anywhere.

ANDIE
Something wrong?

LESTER
You don’t... um... you don’t have a coffee.

ANDIE
Oh. Yeah. I didn’t leave early enough to pick one up.

LESTER
Oh? Well, if you want... I could...

ANDIE
Lester. you don’t need to do that--

LESTER
It’s not a trouble at all. I can just run down to... um... Mr. Chang’s across the...

ANDIE
Please. It’s fine. I’ll yawn a little more today. It’s fine.

LESTER
I... um... I was gonna probably maybe stop there anyway. Before heading home. I can
just pop in and run it back over...

ANDIE
Really? You sure.

LESTER
Really. Yes. I’m sure. I stop there... most all the days... and get, um... something.

ANDIE
I can give you a couple bucks--

LESTER
No. No. No. This is on--

Andie has gotten up to get out some money

from her pocket.

She has put her hand on Lester’s arm to steady

herself.
 94.

ANDIE
If you’re sure, ok. That’s very sweet, Lester.

Lester stops cold and looks at her hand.

LESTER
Yeah?

Andie sits back down, and removes her hand.

ANDIE
Very sweet. Like six sugars. No cream.

LESTER
Very sweet. Six sugars. No cream.

Andie looks back at the ledger.

Lester holds for a split second before turning to

go.

ANDIE
Lester?

LESTER
Yeah?

ANDIE
I’ll wait for you.
(beat)
Before heading out on the first round.

LESTER
Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be right back.
(beat)
Right back.

Lester gets to the doorway and stops for a

second.

He barely looks back over his shoulder.

He exits.

Andie looks at the monitor, then makes a mark

in the ledger, and closes the book.
 95.

Lights down.

End.
 96.

14 - A NEW EGG

The bottom of the stairs.

Belinda sits on the bottom stair. Steve appears

at the top.

BELINDA
It’s empty.

STEVE
That was the idea, wasn’t it?

BELINDA
Yeah, but I didn’t realize what it would mean.

STEVE
We’re moving, Belinda. It means we have to take all of our stuff to the new place.

BELINDA
I got that.

STEVE
And we have a full truck to show for it.

BELINDA
But no one mentioned... this.

STEVE
What?

BELINDA
Steve. Look.

Steve comes to the bottom of the stairs.

STEVE
Yeah, we’re done.

BELINDA
It’s empty.

STEVE
Well, we know you don’t need to clean your glasses.
 97.

BELINDA
It’s not here anymore.

STEVE
I’m well aware. I am a cog in the machine that moved it all out of here. Every little bit
that you were sure couldn’t be thrown out.

BELINDA
It’s over.

STEVE
What is?

BELINDA
Our life here. It’s over.

STEVE
And thank god for that.

BELINDA
No.

STEVE
Yeah. This place is falling down around us. I’m a little concerned to be down here in
case the stairs fall down and we can’t get out.

BELINDA
I’m worried.

STEVE
No. Don’t say that.

BELINDA
It’s true. I don’t know if we should have done this.

STEVE
I don’t want to say it’s too late, but it kind of is.

BELINDA
Steve...
 98.

STEVE
I’m not bringing any of that back into this house.
(beat)
Besides. The Johnsons would be really weird roommates for us.

BELINDA
I’m serious.

STEVE
So am I. I do not like their kid one bit.

BELINDA
I’m not ready for this.

STEVE
You didn’t really think we’d grow old and die here.
(beat)
No you did not.

BELINDA
I had planned to string your bones together like a biology class skeleton and stand you up
right over there.

STEVE
Where?

She points.

Steve goes to there and stands “like a skeleton.”

BELINDA
I didn’t say you’d look good over there. But it would have been weird to put you in the
bay window upstairs.

STEVE
But you know that’s the best place to have put my skeleton.
(beat)
Or even better...

BELINDA
The new apartment.

STEVE
The new apartment. Overlooking the park.
 99.

BELINDA
I’m sure no one will call the cops if I do that.

STEVE
There’s no way my skeleton will be the weirdest thing overlooking that park. For real.

BELINDA
We’re on the tenth floor. I’m not even sure if the kids in the park will see you.

STEVE
But maybe people with binoculars.

BELINDA
Birdwatchers.

STEVE
And perverts.

A moment.

BELINDA
That creeped me out.

STEVE
Yeah, it gave me snake skin.

BELINDA
We’re getting new blinds now.

STEVE
First thing.
(beat)
It’s gonna be ok. I know you loved this place.

BELINDA
I do love this place.

STEVE
Yes. And keep loving it. But...

BELINDA
But we have to move to the city.

STEVE
The new job is going to be perfect for you.
 100.

BELINDA
Are you sure?

STEVE
Oh, babe. Of course I’m not sure. But we don’t have to be. Our new life is like a new
egg. We’re starting again. Hatching like a new baby chick. We’ll struggle a bit, and
have to re-learn to fly. But I’m so excited to learn this new life with you again.

BELINDA
Yeah?

STEVE
Yeah.

They embrace.

BELINDA
A new egg.

STEVE
It’s a metaphor.
(beat)
Not a good one.

BELINDA
No.

They start to climb the stairs.

STEVE
We’ll stop on the way to get the new blinds.

BELINDA
Bet your ass we will.

They turn out the lights.

End.
 101.

15 - BURDEN

A wheat field. On stage. A breeze blows.

THOMAS stands in the field, facing upstage.

He wears all black.

Across the stage comes SARAH, carrying a

basket of laundry. A light sun dress.

SARAH
(sings, a folk hymn)
Carrying the burden
Carrying the burden
Carrying the burden
Is our Savior Lord

Wearying with burden

Wearying with burden
Wearying with burden
but sustained with love

Ferrying the burden

Ferrying the burden
Ferrying the burden
‘Cross the crossing sea

Burying the burden

Burying the burden
Burying the burden
Is our Lord above

Sarah sees Thomas.

SARAH
Thomas.
(beat)
You’ve returned.

THOMAS
I have.

SARAH
You stayed until the end.
 102.

THOMAS
What’s the end?

SARAH
They buried him?

THOMAS
Yes.

SARAH
You saw them cover him with dirt.
(beat)
Did you see it done?
(beat)
Tell me you saw it done.

THOMAS
I saw him in the ground.

A moment.

SARAH
You promised.

THOMAS
I told you I would go to the funeral.
(beat)
I went to the church.

SARAH
The funeral was at the graveyard over the hill.
(beat)
Said they’d only have it at the church if it rained.

THOMAS
I know that now.

SARAH
Long walk.

THOMAS
I know that now, as well.

Sarah sets down the basket.

 103.

SARAH
I told you to visit when you heard he was ill.

THOMAS
I wanted to.
(beat)
I was going to.

SARAH
When?

THOMAS
The next day. The next morning.

SARAH
You hadn’t anything ready.

THOMAS
I did. I didn’t tell you.

SARAH
Thomas.

THOMAS
Ask me why I didn’t stay.

SARAH
Tell me.

THOMAS
Ask.

SARAH
Why didn’t you stay?

Thomas finally turns back to Sarah.

He has bled heavily from his left shoulder.

SARAH
My god, Thomas.

He holds out his right hand to stop her from

approaching him.
 104.

THOMAS
Just... stay back.

SARAH
You’re bleeding.

THOMAS
Happens when you’ve been stabbed.

SARAH
At a funeral?

THOMAS
You know who he was, Sarah.

SARAH
But surely--

THOMAS
You expected decency? Respect? Honor among thieves only counts if you’re still alive.
Once you’re dead...

SARAH
All bets are off.

THOMAS
You do understand.

Thomas chuckles, then coughs.

SARAH
Please let me help you.

He holds up his hand again.

He looks around.

THOMAS
I made it back closer than I thought I would.
(looks at her)
I didn’t expect to see you again.

He coughs hard.
 105.

Sarah holds her hand to her mouth.

SARAH
Thomas, let me get you to the house.

THOMAS
I might have made it further. I stopped for a while back there. I was... digging.

SARAH
No, Thomas.

THOMAS
I want to be here. On our land. About a half mile back at the bend in the stream. I
couldn’t dig as deep as I should, but it’s a good start.

SARAH
Let me try to stitch you up. I can help. I’ve stitched you up before...

THOMAS
I know you want to jump in and help. Trust me, flower. It’s too deep. My arms gone
limp. I just...

SARAH
If you pass out, I’m carrying you back to the house.

THOMAS
No.

SARAH
This is not a question. I’m telling you what I will do.

THOMAS
You can’t lift me.

SARAH
I will drag you through this field, and past the gate. I’ll have Samson to help me drag
you the rest of the way.

THOMAS
You didn’t notice I took Samson this morning.
(beat)
And that he’s not here now.

A light shift.
 106.

Thomas looks up.

THOMAS
I came back...
(cough)
I came back because the storm’s coming.

SARAH
The storm.

THOMAS
They know I live here now.
(beat)
The storm is coming.

SARAH
What are you saying?

THOMAS
You know where the shotgun is. And the shells.

SARAH
Of course.

THOMAS
I showed you blocking the door up with the table.

SARAH
You did.
(beat)
Why are they coming here?
(beat)
Thomas, tell me why they’re coming here.

THOMAS
The rug. Flip up the corner near the fireplace. Put your ear on the floor and knock on the
floor until you hear that it doesn’t ring hollow anymore. Use the iron to pry up that
board.

SARAH
Thomas.
 107.

THOMAS
There’s a journal in there.

SARAH
What’s in the journal?

THOMAS
Directions.

SARAH
Directions to what.

THOMAS
That’s why they’re coming.
(he looks at her longingly)
I’m sorry.

SARAH
Why?

THOMAS
They were never going to find us.
(beat)
They were never going to find it.
(beat)
I didn’t want this.
(beat)
If I’d have been the better man you been making me into, I would’ve been able to walk
away from the funeral without... this... happening.
(beat)
You did all you could.

SARAH
If I hadn’t, you would have killed anyone who put his hands on you.

THOMAS
See? I’m better than I was.
(beat)
And for that, I’m grateful.

A moment.

Thomas turns to leave.

 108.

SARAH
Thomas.
(he stops)
The man who did this... the day he steps on this land... he’ll be in the ground.

THOMAS
Let me tell you, flower. It don’t take much for vengeance to give way to worse things.

SARAH
You changed for me, Thomas. I’ll take the risk, and change for you.

THOMAS
You do... and there’s a chance we’ll be together again. After.

Thomas walks away. As he does...

THOMAS
(singing)
Wearying with burden
Wearying with burden
Wearying with burden
but sustained with love

Sarah drops to her knees.

Distant thunder.

Darkness.

End.
 109.

16 - THE ARROW

Tall trees. Sunlight cutting through.

Two people chasing one another through the

trees. Sometimes hiding, sometimes finding.

INDIGO stops and holds up a hand to ONYX.

INDIGO
Hold there.

ONYX
(still playing)
I am a bumblebee, and I will sting you.

INDIGO
Hold, I said.

ONYX
Is the game over? I don’t want the game to be over.

INDIGO
It is a new game.

ONYX
I liked the old one. I was winning.

INDIGO
I was winning. That’s why I can change to a new game.

ONYX
What is the new game?

INDIGO
It’s called The Arrow.

ONYX
I’ve played The Arrow.

INDIGO
Not the way I play.

ONYX
How long does it take to play?
 110.

INDIGO
Not long at all.

ONYX
I don’t want to be out here when it gets dark.

INDIGO
If we play it correctly, we’ll be home long before dark.

ONYX
I don’t have a flashlight.

INDIGO
You don’t need a flashlight to play The Arrow.

ONYX
No, that’s why I don’t want it to get dark. We won’t be able to find our way home.

INDIGO
I know the direction we came.

ONYX
Where?

INDIGO
It’s one of them.

ONYX
You don’t remember.

INDIGO
(chooses quickly and poorly)
That way.

ONYX
(correct)
It’s that way.

INDIGO
Right.

ONYX
Tell me the game so we can play and go home.

INDIGO
Let me see.
 111.

ONYX
You don’t know the rules of your own game.

INDIGO
It’s a new game.
(goes to the trees)
First, you must climb a tree.

ONYX
I do?

INDIGO
Both of us.

ONYX
We climb. Then what?

INDIGO
When I give the signal, then we both--

ONYX
What’s the signal?

INDIGO
I’ll cough.

ONYX
Ok.

INDIGO
Then we each have to find a far away destination.

ONYX
While up in the tree.

INDIGO
Yes.

ONYX
Ok.

INDIGO
Point to it and call it out. So we can’t cheat.

ONYX
We’ve each chosen our own far away destination.
 112.

INDIGO
Yes.
(beat)
Then on the count of three, we drop from the tree.

ONYX
How high have we climbed?

INDIGO
Up to you.

ONYX
I’m not climbing very high.

INDIGO
Then you won’t find a far away destination.

ONYX
I don’t want to fall out of the tree.

INDIGO
You’re not falling, you’re jumping.

ONYX
What’s the difference?

INDIGO
Control.

ONYX
I don’t want to get hurt. If this is a game where we get hurt, I don’t want to play.

INDIGO
You can climb down if you want, but once you’re down you run as fast as you can to
your far away destination.

ONYX
Run?

INDIGO
As fast as you can.

ONYX
And we’ll have no idea where the other one ran to?
 113.

INDIGO
I guess not.

ONYX
And then what.

INDIGO
That’s the game.

ONYX
I really don’t want to play.

INDIGO
Come on.

ONYX
I was happy playing bumblebee.

INDIGO
Why?

ONYX
Less risky.

INDIGO
Maybe I didn’t describe The Arrow very well.

ONYX
No.

INDIGO
What if we don’t do the tree part?

ONYX
I’m ok with that.

INDIGO
And i’ll look in a direction, and call it out to you, and then I’ll pull back like I’m shooting
an arrow, and when I let go, you run in the direction.

ONYX
Ok. What do you do then?
 114.

INDIGO
What if you pull back like you’re shooting an arrow, and we both run?

ONYX
I like this.

Indigo looks.

INDIGO
How about that direction?

ONYX
I like it.

They draw back.

INDIGO
Remember, I’m your arrow and you’re my arrow.

ONYX
I remember.

INDIGO
Ok. Ready?

ONYX
Yes.

Drawn and tense, the lights go down.

The end.
 115.

17 - MY NEIGHBOR THE THEFF

A patchwork wall made of wood, metal siding

and other random pieces.

ABNER, a man in his 50’s wearing overalls and

a ratty flannel, comes around from the right side
of the wall. He crosses to the left with purpose.
He carries a small plastic bag from a discount
store.

He shouts off stage left.

ABNER
SAMMY! I TOLD YOU YOU HAD UNTIL 3:30. IT’S 4:45.
(BEAT)
I TOLD YOU WHAT’D HAPPEN AT 3:30. AND IT’S 4:45.

Nothing from stage left.

Abner sets down the bag and mutters to himself

as he pulls out a can of spray paint and shakes it.

ABNER
I told you what I’d do, and I ain’t a liar, that’s for damn sure.

Abner paints an arrow pointing towards stage

left.

ABNER
It’s the last straw. And it’s been a lot a straws, son. More straws than’ll stack a hay stack.
Whole field of hay stacks.

Abner goes to the far right of the wall to start

writing.

MY

ABNER
Whole field of hay stacks’d break a camel’s back...

NEIGHBOR

ABNER
Patience of Job’d be run out by now...
 116.

THE

ABNER
And this is it.

THEFF

Abner looks at his handy work, then adds...

Abner puts the lid back on the can, and slaps it

with a final pop to the lid.

He puts the can in the bag, picks it up and heads

back to the right.

SAMUEL enters from the left.

He reads the wall.

SAMUEL
What in tarnation is this?
(beat)
ABNER!

Abner stops just before exiting.

ABNER
What time is it?

SAMUEL
Time for you to lose your mind? You come back here and take this off this here wall.

ABNER
It’s my wall, Samuel. I can write what I want on my wall.

SAMUEL
What is a Theff?

ABNER
What theff? What are you talking about?

SAMUEL
T. H. E. F. F. Theff.
 117.

ABNER
That’s thief, you idiot.

SAMUEL
T. H. I. E. F.
(beat)
That’s how you spell thief.

ABNER
Don’t you tell me how to spell on my own wall. I’ll spell thief how ever I want to. It’s
my wall, and I’ll write what I want on it.

SAMUEL
Not if you’re slandering me, you’re not.

ABNER
You think it’s slander?

SAMUEL
It ain’t true.

ABNER
First off, it is true. And second off, I wrote it on the wall, not said it, so it ain’t slander,
it’d be libel, you dumbass, but third off, you’re a thief so it’s the god honest.

SAMUEL
Well, I ain’t a theff and I am not a thief, so no matter what it is, I ain’t it.

ABNER
You stole from me. I know you are a thief.

SAMUEL
I borrow stuff from you from time to time.

ABNER
Without asking me.

SAMUEL
You ain’t here except when you’re sleeping.

ABNER
You gotta ask before taking things, son.

SAMUEL
I ain’t your son, I’m your cousin.
 118.

ABNER
Well, cousin, you’re younger than me, so I call you son, cause I’m your superior.

SAMUEL
You ain’t superior to me, Abner. You think cause you work at the plant you’re superior,
but you ain’t.

ABNER
I gave you till 3:30.

SAMUEL
I’m bringing it back.

ABNER
It’s almost 5.

SAMUEL
It ain’t 5.

ABNER
Well, it ain’t 3:30, neither.
(beat)
I told you what’d happen if you didn’t have it back by 3:30.
(points to the ‘mural’)
Congratulations, son. You wanted it, you got it.

Abner turns to go.

SAMUEL
You gotta do something about this.

ABNER
Ain’t gotta do shit, Sammy.

SAMUEL
Cover it up. Paint over it. Take it down. Something.

ABNER
Have a good dinner.

SAMUEL
Gramma’s coming over for dinner.

Abner stops.
 119.

ABNER
Sounds like you got a problem.

SAMUEL
Gramma sees this, Abner, you know she’ll come right over and make you take it off.

Abner drops the bag and storms over to Samuel.

ABNER
You know what, Sam, I don’t think she will. I think what she’ll do is give your ass a
beating, then haul you over here by the ear and make you return everything you’ve stolen
from me. I think what the problem is is that you been stealing from people your whole
life, and the whooping you needed as a little child is the whooping you’re finally gonna
get as a grown ass man, by an elderly lady with a walker. Then maybe you’ll grow up
and understand that your word is your bond, your reputation is everything, and yours...
yours is garbage. If it were only you stealing from your cousin... taking my tools without
asking, taking my sheets and towels right from the line--

SAMUEL
It was raining--

ABNER
I don’t wanna hear about “it was raining”--

SAMUEL
It was! They were getting wet!

ABNER
YOU NEVER BROUGHT THEM BACK!

SAMUEL
YOU WEREN’T HOME TO RETURN THEM!

ABNER
STAY OUT OF MY YARD! STAY OUT OF MY PROPERTY! MY SHED! AND
LEAVE MY STUFF AND ME ALONE!
(storms away)
Before I BEAT your ass myself...

SAMUEL
That ain’t gonna happen, Abner. And you know it.

ABNER
What’d you say to me?
 120.

SAMUEL
You ain’t gonna beat my ass. Gramma ain’t gonna beat my ass. And you’re gonna take
this bullshit down off of the goddam wall. And you’re gonna do it now.

ABNER
I ain’t doing no such thing.

SAMUEL
I’ll take it down myself.

ABNER
What’d I just say about you being on my property?

SAMUEL
All this is the family’s property, Abner, and you know it. It’s Grampa’s farm, Gramma
owns it all, now. And the second you die, all this from the tree line to the road is mine,
and there ain’t none of that changing just cause you throw a fit and think you live here all
on your own with no one around you, no one supporting you, no one you gotta answer to.
This AIN’T all yours.
(beat)
Working at the plant ain’t made you nothing special.

Abner charges at Samuel.

[this fight should be the sloppiest fight between

two non-fighters than you can safely stage]

Abner swings the bag of spray cans at Samuel.

Samuel ducks it and spears Abner in the mid

section.

Abner falls on his back.

Abner gets three punches onto Samuels back

before rolling him to the side.

Samuel kicks up and rolls Abner off of him.

Abner rises first and kicks at Samuel, who grabs

his leg and takes him down.

ABner pulls Samuels shirt up over his head and

gets in a couple more body shots.
 121.

Samuel collapses onto Abner, who has flipped

over onto his stomach.

Samuel grabs Abner’s leg, and has gotten him

into a hold. Not really a submission, but Abner
can’t escape.

SAMUEL
Stop it! Stop it Abner!

ABNER
Lemme go, you snake!

SAMUEL
Stop your fussing or I won’t let you up.

ABNER
You let me up and I’ll beat you dead.

SAMUEL
Then I ain’t letting you up.

Samuel tightens the grip and Abner yelps.

SAMUEL
You gonna stop fussing?

ABNER
You gonna stop thieving from me?

SAMUEL
I ain’t thieved nothing, Abner! Stop saying that!

ABNER
Ah! All right all right.

SAMUEL
You done fussing?

ABNER
I’m done. All right. I’m done fussing.

Samuel has not seen that Abner has gotten a

hold of the bag, and has taken out a spray can.
 122.

SAMUEL
All right. If you’re done--

Samuel releases Abner.

Abner flips over and sprays Samuel in the face

with the spray paint. Samuel howls.

ABNER
That’s what you get for being at thief!

Samuel and Abner have both risen.

Abner holds up the can as if ready to spray

again.

Samuel’s face is covered.

SAMUEL
I don’t deserve this.

ABNER
And I don’t deserve to come home and find a wheelbarrow with no wheel.

SAMUEL
I told you I borrowed it!

ABNER
It ain’t a wheel barrow no more. I ain’t got no use for just a barrow!

SAMUEL
I’m bringing it back.

ABNER
I said you had until 3:30.
(beat)
And now it is FOUR FORTY-FIVE!

SAMUEL
We’ll see what Gramma has to say.

Samuel turns to go.

 123.

ABNER
Samuel.

SAMUEL
What?!

ABNER
There’s something you don’t know.

SAMUEL
What’s that?

ABNER
It was Gramma’s wheelbarrow.
(beat)
Have a nice dinner, Paintface.

Abner walks off stage.

Samuel stands next to the sign that reads...

MY NEIGHBOR THE THIEF

With an arrow

Pointing right at Samuel.

Lights down.

End.
 124.

18 - MARKETING

A prison room on a ship.

A young man, TIRION, is chained to a wall.

His clothes are nice, but he has been roughed
up. He has barely grown a beard.

Enter WHITEBEARD, a pirate - not fully the

stereotype, but rough and ragged. He carries a
knife - we might not yet be able to tell that it has
blood on it.

WHITEBEARD
What? You don’t stand when a captain enters a room?

Tirion does not respond.

WHITEBEARD
I suppose you are chained up so you can’t stand. Is that it?

Tirion shifts. We hear the sound of chains.

WHITEBEARD
That is it. Otherwise, you’re a man who knows how to respect a captain aboard his very
own ship.

WHITEBEARD
Do you know my name?

TIRION
I’m afraid...
(gulps)
I’m afraid I’ve not had the pleasure of an introduction.

WHITEBEARD
You didn’t know the ship that was chasing you?

TIRION
The name of it?
(beat)
No. We did see the flag. The black flag. With the skull and the two bones.

WHITEBEARD
You saw the Roger.
 125.

TIRION
Is that what it’s called? Roger?

WHITEBEARD
The Jolly Roger is the flag of a pirate ship.

TIRION
Ah. I see. Yes, we saw the... Jolly Roger... but no, no one seemed to know the name of
your vessel.

WHITEBEARD
You’re aboard The Howl.

TIRION
The Hall?

WHITEBEARD
The Howl.

Whitebeard howls.

TIRION
I see.

WHITEBEARD
You’ve not heard of The Howl?

TIRION
I can’t say that I have.

WHITEBEARD
The Howl is the fastest ship in these seas. With the most ruthless crew of the damned to
troll the waters off these shores.

TIRION
Ah. I see.

WHITEBEARD
You see, do you?
(nothing)
You know, don’t you, what’s happened to all the others on your ship.

Whitebeard wipes his knife with a cloth,

cleaning off blood.
 126.

TIRION
I assume you mean to tell me they’re all dead.

WHITEBEARD
That is what happens to people who are overtaken by The Howl. No man survives my
wrath.

TIRION
And you are?

WHITEBEARD
Whitebeard.
(no response)
Stephen Whitebeard?
(nope)
Captain Stephen Whitebeard of The Howl.

TIRION
I’m sorry, but I can’t say I have heard of any Captain Stephen Whitebeard of The Howl.
I know a Stephen Whiteside of South Cambridgeshire. His family has an estate there,
but I can’t recall the name, but I doubt it sounds anything like The Howl. Are you, by
chance, any relation?

Whitebeard stabs his knife into a wooden table.

WHITEBEARD
No man survives the wrath of Captain Whitebeard. All who were aboard your ship are
dead and heaved over the side. They’re food for fish now. And you will be soon.

TIRION
I see.
(beat)
Might I ask you something, Mr. Whitebeard?

WHITEBEARD
Captain.

TIRION
I assume you’ve been doing this for a while. Years, perhaps.

WHITEBEARD
Close to two decades now.
 127.

TIRION
Oh. Yes. Well, despite what you might think, having been at this, and I assume
reasonably successfully to have been at it so long, I have to be honest with you, Captain.
I understand that this might upset you, but I am a practical man, and if I am to die at your
hand, I trust that it will happen whether I tell you the truth or not, so I choose to let you
know. I can honestly say I have never heard your name, the name of this ship, or any of
your exploits.

WHITEBEARD
What?

TIRION
Honestly. And it has nothing to do with my attention or inattention to stories of pirates. I
have travelled rather extensively over the years, often by sea, and I have heard of a
number of pirates, by name and reputation, the names of their ships and their exploits,
their gruesome behaviors and even some obscure adventures shared around campfires
and on cold nights on deck. Two names I know I have never heard in the entirety of my
life, on land or on sea, are Howl and Whitebeard.

Whitebeard stands. He paces.

WHITEBEARD
This is most distressing.

TIRION
As I said, Captain, I am a practical man. And my success in business affairs has come
from this practicality. And though I am sure that you mean to make good on your threat
to put me to death, I would like, if you don’t mind, to put to you a question.

WHITEBEARD
Go ahead.

TIRION
Do you imagine, perhaps, that the reason that your name, the name of your ship, and your
exploits have not reached, well, anywhere, to my knowledge, might be due to the fact that
if you scuttle every ship you take, and murder every man on board, that if there are no
survivors to tell the tale, as it were, then no one would ever hear the tale? That, in fact,
your effective piracy has prohibited anyone from hearing about your brutal expertise.

WHITEBEARD
I hadn’t thought of that.
 128.

TIRION
Many of us in business never do, Captain. It is the flaw in the truly capable artisan, to
expect that the work will shout itself from the rooftops. It rarely does, and when it does,
it is even more rare that it makes it more than a block down the road. Marketing, my
good Whitebeard, is the answer.

WHITEBEARD
Marketing?

TIRION
Marketing.
(beat)
What you need, and this is going to sound counter-intuitive, is a survivor.

WHITEBEARD
A survivor.

TIRION
I know, I know--

WHITEBEARD
No man survives The Howl.

TIRION
Truly. Nor the wrath of Captain Stephen Whitebeard, for certain.

WHITEBEARD
No.

TIRION
But hear me out.
(beat)
If there is a survivor, one lone, ragged man, clinging to the last thread of life, who washes
ashore, say, even at a small seaside village. Let’s say this man claims to be the sole
survivor of the Howl. The one man who slipped through the bony clutches of the vicious
Captain Stephen Whitebeard--

WHITEBEARD
I don’t like the sound of this...

TIRION
But, listen, one man could tell the tale. Even an incomplete one. But to describe this
vessel, lightening-fast, with it’s black flag and menacing blue painted sides...
 129.

WHITEBEARD
We just re-painted those.

TIRION
Very handsome.
(beat)
But to describe the ship and its speed and the feeling of being hunted down by it--

WHITEBEARD
It is impressive, isn’t it?

TIRION
I would admit, that yes, it was...
(beat)
But that story would very quickly pass from even a small village to larger towns and
eventually reach the big ports where the story of The Howl would grow and cast shadows
in the hearts of all men seeking to sail safely through these waters. It could be known by
all who abandon the safety of port to make their lonely way across the sea, that they
could be, suddenly, overtaken by the pirate, White-beard! and these waters, they could
be known as...
(beat)
The Howls...
(beat)
A fearful tribute, to the name, of this very vessel, whose presence would send chills down
the spine of every sailor, and make the hairs on the backs of every neck, stand. On. End.

A moment.

WHITEBEARD
And this is called marketing?

TIRION
Yes. That there be someone, who can stand in the marketplace, who shares the story of
your capabilities.

WHITEBEARD
And, you think this could be you.

TIRION
I haven’t meant to imply that up to this point, but yes, I could be that man... your man...
in the market place.

WHITEBEARD
But if I don’t kill you...
 130.

TIRION
I think I know where you’re going, and let me say this. I see that you are a man of
integrity, and that your history of success and of thoroughness, I can assume, is of credit
to you. But in counter-point, I would say that you could consider this, an investment.

WHITEBEARD
An investment.

TIRION
Piracy, like any business, is in need of periodic investment. One needs to spend a little to
make much more.

WHITEBEARD
How do I get more?

TIRION
Well, for starters, and I hope this isn’t too forward, but I couldn’t help but notice that you
were... a bit put out when, at first, I didn’t know who you were.
(beat)
Be honest.

WHITEBEARD
A bit.

TIRION
That wouldn’t happen again. Whomever you choose to pillage would be perfectly
terrified of you. Because they would know that they should be. They would know your
name and your history, presuming we plant that story as well.
(beat)
For example, why, may I ask, is this vessel called The Howl?

WHITEBEARD
Honestly?

TIRION
Certainly.

WHITEBEARD
When I bought it, it was called The Owl, so we just painted an H in there.
 131.

TIRION
I see.
(beat)
Not a terrifying story, is it.

WHITEBEARD
No.

TIRION
What if we said that it was because of the Howls of all those who met their deaths upon
its arrival.

WHITEBEARD
Ooh. That’s good.

TIRION
It is, isn’t it. I can elaborate a little on that, and as the story spreads beyond me, that’s a
good place for people to elaborate on their own.

WHITEBEARD
On their own?

TIRION
Certainly. If one is to live in infamy, one must live in the imaginations of many.
(beat)
But, as I said, it will have to... it must start, with at least... one.

Whitebeard stands.

He crosses to Tirion.

He pulls out a key, and unlocks Tirion.

TIRION
You will not regret this.

Tirion stands.

WHITEBEARD
But you said, it must be a man, washed ashore, clinging to life.

TIRION
Absolutely.

Tirion goes to the knife in the table.

 132.

He picks it up.

He holds the blade toward Whitebeard.

Tirion stabs himself in the side.

WHITEBEARD
Leave it in.
(beat)
The knife will be a good part of the story.
(beat)
And you’ll keep from bleeding out in the water.

TIRION
Thank you.

WHITEBEARD
We’re as close to shore as we’re getting, so we’d better toss you overboard.

Whitebeard gestures to the door.

WHITEBEARD
After you.

TIRION
Ah, yes, indeed.
(beat)
I shall never forget, the exploits of the grandest pirate on the seas, Captain Stephen
Whitebeard, and the horrors of The Howl!

Tirion hobbles out the door.

WHITEBEARD
Marketing.

Whitebeard exits, shutting the door behind him.

Lights down.

End.
 133.

19 - LAY IT DOWN

JR stands to the right, arms folded, facing off.

He wears a red t-shirt and plaid shorts. His long
hair blends right into his full beard.

AUKS is squatted down, gently looking to the

ground. She wears a blue pants, gray t-shirt
with a dark scarf pulled over her head like a
hood.

AUKS
It is... beautiful.

She looks for another moment before reaching

to the ground.

AUKS
Do not you find it beautiful?

JR
(without looking)
Is that not in the beholder’s eye?
(beat)
Beauty.

AUKS
We’ve come so far.
(holds her hand toward JR)
Come.

JR doesn’t look back.

JR
It was a long journey. But it is a journey I made for you. Not for me.

Auks rises and goes to him.

AUKS
I want to help.
(puts hand on his shoulder)
I want for you to avoid regret.

JR
How can it be avoided, when it already lives inside me?
 134.

AUKS
You can lay it down, here and now. Come.

Auks returns to her squatting position.

JR turns to look at her, but does not change

position.

JR
Lay it down.

AUKS
Yes.

JR
It can not be laid down.

AUKS
It can.
(beat)
You think it can not, but you are wrong. I promise you.
(beat)
Come here.

JR
I will give you all the time you desire.

JR turns his head back to look off.

AUKS
I tell you. The feeling inside is not regret. Not yet. But it is building the home where
regret will live. The only way is to fill it before regret takes root.
(beat)
Look here.

Auks gets on her knees, placing both palms on

the ground.

JR
I don’t need to look.

AUKS
This is the place. This ground. This land.

JR
I know.
 135.

AUKS
The dust from which. And the dust returned.

JR
I know.

AUKS
If you knew, then there would be nothing to gain by courting regret.

JR goes to where Auks’ hands are on the

ground. He towers over her.

JR
I know. And I regret.
(beat)
This is not the first time I have made the long journey from our home to this place. I was
here. That day.
(beat)
You were too young to remember. But I was with those from the town, marching
through the snow and mud, carrying a pack and a rifle, without a scarf or a helmet.
Trudging toward impending doom. Across the bridge and over the ridge. All the miles
we just traced, to this place. Without leaves, and without this sun. It was different that
day.

JR closes his eyes.

Lights darken.

The sounds of war.

Explosions.

Gunfire.

Shouting.

Chaos.

Then, suddenly, it all stops.

JR collapses to his knees.

Auks grabs ahold of JR and cradles him.

 136.

AUKS
But that is not today.

JR
But it was today.

AUKS
It was that day, but it is not this day.

JR looks around.

JR
I still see them.

AUKS
I know.
(beat)
They were brave.

JR
Was I brave?

AUKS
Of course you were.

JR
I... I hid. Under three... the bodies of three... boys from town. Three boys who were just
like I was. But they were gone. Already. Gone.

AUKS
They were already gone.

JR
As I hid. They were gone, and I was able to leave. Once it was over.

AUKS
It was over. And you left. And that is when you left.

JR
But they never left.
(beat)
Why could I leave and they never left?
 137.

AUKS
Because you were to return. Because you were to return and lay down all of this... regret.

JR looks at Auks. He curls into an embrace

with her.

Auks holds him for a moment.

AUKS
Do you lay it down?

JR
I do.
(beat)
I lay it down.

Auks continues to cradle him.

She looks around and up to the sky.

AUKS
So... beautiful...

Lights down.

End.
 138.

20 - SÆHRÍMNIR

It is night.

A picnic bench illuminated underneath a tall

lamp post.

JOSH, late teens, in an overcoat, shivers in the

cold. He stands by the bench for a few
moments.

He places his hand on the bench, it is cold.

Josh rubs the bench to try to warm it up, and

tentatively sits down.

A few moments later, ALLIE, late teens, also in

an overcoat, walks up to the bench.

Josh doesn’t see her.

ALLIE
Hey.

Josh turns and stands.

JOSH
Hey.

ALLIE
I know it’s late.

JOSH
It’s not that late.

ALLIE
Anything after 1am is late, even if you’re still up.

JOSH
I guess so.

A moment.

ALLIE
I didn’t know who else to call.
 139.

JOSH
You texted me.

ALLIE
I know.

JOSH
You could have called.

ALLIE
I didn’t want to talk on the phone.

JOSH
I pretty much never want to talk on the phone. But I would have.

ALLIE
I wanted to see your face.

Another moment.

Josh steps aside and gestures to the place he was

sitting.

JOSH
You can sit here if you like. It’s not cold or wet anymore.

ALLIE
Thanks.

Allie goes and sits in Josh’s spot.

Josh rubs off a spot up on the table, and sits up

there, slightly higher than Allie on the bench.

JOSH
So...

ALLIE
Can I just sit here for a moment?

JOSH
Of course.

A moment.
 140.

ALLIE
How was band today?

JOSH
It was ok. Where were you?

ALLIE
Tell me what happened today.

JOSH
Wenger had us play through the Star Spangled Banner a bunch of times.

ALLIE
Again?

JOSH
Flutes.

ALLIE
Ugh.

JOSH
They can’t get those harmonies right. I promise you, it’s because he switched to a new
arrangement from the one we’d used for like twenty years. The old one’s just in our
heads.

ALLIE
None of us have been in the band for more than three. Years.

JOSH
So?

ALLIE
So what does it matter about twenty years.

JOSH
I don’t know. Maybe it’s, like, ingrained in the room.

ALLIE
The room is the one that plays it.

JOSH
Maybe.

ALLIE
Ok.
 141.

JOSH
So the flutes can’t get the weird new harmonies in there. Especially since it’s the second
and third flute parts, and they’re not, like, really any good at playing the flute. Like, why
give them the hard part? They can’t play it. That’s why they’re third flute.

ALLIE
Really.

JOSH
Give third flute the melody, and let the firsts play the weird part.

ALLIE
But you’re a trombone.

JOSH
So?

ALLIE
Even the first trombone plays a weird part.

JOSH
Truth.

ALLIE
So, that makes sense to you.

Moment.

JOSH
Anyway, that’s what we did.

ALLIE
The whole time.

JOSH
Basically.
(beat)
The parade is coming up.

ALLIE
Right. God. Like we’re ready for a parade.

JOSH
Who cares what we’re ready for? It’s a parade. We’re a band. What else are we here
for?
 142.

ALLIE
Halftime.

JOSH
When everyone heads to the bathroom.

ALLIE
Or heads under the bleachers to smoke or make out.

JOSH
Or both.

ALLIE
Ew.

JOSH
Don’t look at me, I’m not doing either.
(beat)
Maybe I should start smoking.

ALLIE
Don’t.
(beat)
Not if you ever do want to make out with someone.

Another moment.

Allie hangs her head.

Josh doesn’t know what to do.

Allie takes in a big breath - she is holding back

tears.

JOSH
I, uh, I didn’t want to ask what was wrong...

ALLIE
No, it’s fine.

JOSH
It isn’t fine, Allie, we’re out here in the middle of the night. You called me...

ALLIE
Texted.
 143.

JOSH
And now you’re, like, crying.

ALLIE
Yeah. I’m sorry. So stupid. I didn’t mean to drag you out here.

JOSH
No, no. It’s fine.

ALLIE
I don’t really have a right to drag you out here.

JOSH
That’s not-- it doesn’t matter. I’m here.

ALLIE
I know you are, Josh. I know.

A moment.

JOSH
I don’t want to push you to tell me what’s wrong.

ALLIE
That’s almost exactly why I texted you. I knew you wouldn’t expect me to tell you, or
anything.

JOSH
Yeah.
(beat)
But if you, like, wanted to tell me, that’s cool too.

ALLIE
I know.

A quiet.

JOSH
I brought something.

Josh pulls a small bag of gummy bears out of

his pocket.
 144.

JOSH
They’re cold, so they might be a little hard. I had a couple on the way here.

He opens the bag and holds it out for her.

She reaches in and takes a few. Eats them.

ALLIE
Thank you. For remembering.

JOSH
It was the only thing that would cheer you up that time.

ALLIE
I know. I was kind of a mess.
(rolls her eyes)
Heh. Was...

JOSH
Not that you are now. I didn’t mean to--

ALLIE
You didn’t say anything. I did.

JOSH
Well don’t.

ALLIE
How am I not a mess right now? Gummy bears at 2 am. Out at the park. Here with you.

JOSH
Yeah.
(beat)
I don’t have an answer for that.

ALLIE
I shouldn’t have bothered you.

JOSH
Allie, stop saying that. I’m fine with you bothering me.
(beat)
I want you to bother me.
(beat)
You know what I mean.
 145.

ALLIE
Yeah.
(beat)
But I shouldn’t, should I?

JOSH
It’s fine with me.

ALLIE
It shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t be your job. It should be Jeff’s.

JOSH
Yeah. Jeff.
(beat)
That’s... if you’re still...

ALLIE
Yeah. We are.

JOSH
Oh.
(beat)
I thought that was why...

ALLIE
Why I texted you?
(beat)
Probably should have been. But I don’t know why I texted you.

JOSH
Don’t you.
(beat)
I can admit that I still want to be with you.

ALLIE
Josh...

JOSH
You called me. You wanted to meet me. At 1am. In the park. At our spot.

ALLIE
I texted you.

JOSH
If there’s a difference, then texting me would be worse.
 146.

Josh moves down and sits with Allie.

ALLIE
I can’t let any of this get more complicated. Jeff and I have not broken up.

JOSH
Allie, this is not about Jeff. At all. It’s about you. And what you want. And it’s about
me. And I still want us to be together. Because I still love you.

Josh uses his finger to brush a piece of hair out

of Allie’s eyes.

Allie puts her hand on Josh’s arm.

She leans in toward him.

They kiss.

A moment.

JOSH
I’m glad I ate the gummy bears before.
(beat)
2am breath might have been horrible.

Allie laughs.

ALLIE
It’s ok, Josh.

Allie stands up and takes a few steps to leave.

Josh rises.

JOSH
Allie.

ALLIE
I have to go. I still have to study for my math test tomorrow.

JOSH
But what... what does all this--
 147.

ALLIE
Oh, Josh.
(she takes some steps into him)
Thanks for responding to my text.

She gives him a quick kiss.

Allie backs up, she has the bag of gummy bears.

Allie pops a gummy into her mouth as she turns

and exits.

Josh, standing alone, in the light, next to the

picnic bench in the park.

Lights out.

End.
 148.

21 - GO NOW STOP

Two guys, CARL and BILL, in a standard office

in maybe the 1940’s.

CARL
Hey, Bill!

BILL
Whatcha got, Carl.

CARL
I got a telegram.

BILL
Just come in?

CARL
Anna handed it to me just as I came in from lunch.

BILL
Who’s it from?

CARL
I’m not sure.

BILL
Doesn’t it say?

CARL
Sort of?
(reads)
Nyburoinves.

BILL
Lemme see...
(takes telegram)
Nyburoinves

CARL
You thought I can’t read?

BILL
I thought I couldn’t understand.
 149.

CARL
I can read.

BILL
It’s code. N-Y Bureau Inves... Investigation. New York Bureau of Investigations.
(beat)
It’s from Jack.

CARL
Jack?

BILL
He left here to work for the Bureau of Investigations in New York City.

CARL
When?

BILL
Three months ago.

CARL
His office is empty?

BILL
You’re next door to him. You didn’t notice no one’s in that office?

CARL
I should move over to that office. It has a better view.

BILL
Like you need more reasons to get less work done.

CARL
Well, what’s Jack say?

BILL
(reads)
Ongoing Investigat discovery stop.

CARL
What’s an investigat?

BILL
He means investigation.
 150.

CARL
Then why not say that?

BILL
That’s 10 letters. More letters than that and they charge extra.
(reads)
Ongoing investigat discovery stop.
Examine records family assets stop.

CARL
Of the family assets, I bet.

BILL
Right.
(beat)
Largest losses for Buss stop.

CARL
Bus stop?

BILL
Stop is a period to a sentence.

CARL
Oh.

BILL
So he’s saying the one who took the biggest losses in the family is Mr. Buss. B-u-s-s.
Not a city bus.

CARL
That makes sense.

BILL
Must stop stop.

CARL
What?

BILL
Go now stop.

CARL
This doesn’t make any sense. Do we go or stop?
 151.

BILL
Must stop.

CARL
Stop.

BILL
Go now stop.

CARL
Go or stop?

BILL
Go. The stop is a period.
(beat)
We gotta go now and stop Buss from leaving.

CARL
Stop the bus stop? From stopping. Go now and stop so he stops from going.

BILL
Exactly.

CARL
Then let’s go!

Bill grabs is jacket as the head for the door.

CARL
I’ll stop by my office first.

BILL
To move into Jack’s old office?

CARL
No, you’re right, we should go first and then stop later.

Carl and Bill exit.

End
 152.

22 - CAN YOU HEAR ME

A man, LUCA, on his knees. He wears dark

clothing, with a long overcoat and no shoes. He
faces upstage left.

There are several birds on the floor behind him.

A woman in a long black dress and a black hood

enters - this is DINI.

DINI
Can you hear me?
(beat)
Can you hear me?
(beat)
Can you hear me?

Dini stays far from Luca.

DINI
There was a man with a hole in his heart.
(beat)
It had been there since he was a boy, playing in the school yard, doing chores and
growing and growing, not knowing he was not whole.
(beat)
It was not until he was a man, carving out his place in the world, hoping to be a proper
man, a man of employment, a man of faith, a man of family, a man of community, that he
realized that there was a problem. With his heart. That it had a hole. And these things,
these things he was told he needed to be a proper man, could solve the problem.
(beat)
But being an upright man, he found employment. And worked and worked at it,
becoming a solid man of business. And it was a good business.
(beat)
Being an upright man, he found the woman who loved him that he would also love, and
they began a family, and grew their family, and raised this family. And it was a good
family.
(beat)
And being an upright man, he connected, by business, by family, by choice, to a
community. And he contributed and took responsibility, and it was a good community.
(beat)
And being an upright man, part of his community was to be connected to a faith, a
congregation, a church, a religion. And he committed to his belief, following all of its
roots and traditions. And it was a good faith.
 153.

Two walls come in. They form a corner near

Luca.

A crucifix descends from the sky, it lowers until

it is just above Luca, against the wall.

Dini steps around the birds on the floor, and

steps next to Luca, on his left.

Dini raises her right hand.

Dini lowers her hand to Luca’s left shoulder.

This moment lingers.

Music.

Luca’s right hand raises up toward the crucifix.

Luca’s right hand lowers to his left shoulder,

lands on top of Dini’s hand.

Luca turns to Dini.

Dini places her left hand on Luca’s cheek.

Luca turns and stands, facing Dini.

LUCA
It was a windless day of cold rain. When the man, looked at his business, his family, his
community, his faith, and wondered why, with all these things filling his life, that he
would still, so sharply, feel the hole in his heart.
(beat)
And it was the icy water falling from the clouds above that whispered in his bad ear.

Dini puts both hands on Luca’s cheeks.

DINI
The hole in your heart was not meant to be filled.
(beat)
It was meant as a reminder.
(beat)
These things are not all.
 154.

Dini lowers her hands.

Luca bends and picks up Dini in his arms.

He cradles her for a short moment, then begins

to walk.

Luca, with Dini in his arms, circles around the

birds on the floor.

And again.

And again.

Luca stops walking.

Dini shifts, and slides over Luca’s shoulder,

sliding down behind him to the floor.

DINI
(whispering to Luca)
Can you hear me?

LUCA
I can hear you.

DINI
Can you hear me?

LUCA
I can hear you.

DINI
Can you hear me?

Luca walks forward - and Dini maintains

contact with him.

Luca, with Dini behind him, circles the stage.

As he turns back, he walks toward the birds.

The birds disappear as he walks through.

 155.

He walks toward the crucifix.

The crucifix rises.

He walks toward the walls.

The walls open.

Luca, with Dini behind, exits.

Lights down.

End.
 156.

23 - GENA AND FATHER ANTHONY

ANTHONY, a priest in his early 30s, sits on an

otherwise empty pew. He is in a short sleeve
black shirt with collar, and black pants.

Anthony leans forward, elbows on knees.

He reaches up to the white collar and pulls it

from the shirt.

Anthony examines the white collar, turning it

over and over. Slowly.

The echo of heels on stone announce the

entrance of GENA, a woman in her late 20s,
neatly dressed.

Gena stops behind the end of the pew.

A moment.

GENA
Father Anthony?

Anthony stops examining the collar, but doesn’t

look at her.

ANTHONY
I actually don’t know how to answer that.

GENA
What does that mean?

ANTHONY
It’s Wednesday.

GENA
Yes?

ANTHONY
What are you doing here?
 157.

GENA
I came early this week.

ANTHONY
You’re usually not here until Friday.

GENA
I have an appointment on Friday, so I wouldn’t be able to make it then.

ANTHONY
Oh? Everything ok?

GENA
Um... yes. It’s...
(beat)
Is everything ok with you?

ANTHONY
I guess you hadn’t heard.

GENA
About... sort of, but I don’t really understand. Something about a baptism?

ANTHONY
Something about one, yeah.

GENA
It can’t be that big a deal.

ANTHONY
It kind of is. For them, for me. For our entire congregation. For you.

GENA
For me?

ANTHONY
All of us.

GENA
Did you do something wrong?

ANTHONY
Um... that’s hard to say.

GENA
It is?
 158.

ANTHONY
The basic facts of the situation? No. It was nothing I did wrong.
(beat)
Not that I haven’t done anything wrong...

GENA
I don’t understand. Father Anthony--

ANTHONY
I’m sorry, but for right now, I can’t let you call me that.

GENA
What?

ANTHONY
“Father.”

GENA
Oh.

ANTHONY
Anthony is ok right now.

GENA
Why can’t I call you Father?

ANTHONY
Because it’s confusing to call someone Father if they... aren’t a priest.
(beat)
I need there not to be any confusion.

GENA
What?

ANTHONY
To be a priest, you have to be baptized.

GENA
Baptized.

ANTHONY
Right.

GENA
You aren’t baptized.
 159.

ANTHONY
Apparently, I am not.

Gena sits at the end of the pew.

ANTHONY
My mother came to visit on the weekend - she hasn’t seen me in my duties in a couple
years, so she wanted to see me in action. She brought with her... a tape she’d found while
cleaning out a closet. It was a video of my baptism, when I was a baby. So we popped it
in to watch through with Father Thomas and Father Michael. And the priest who
performed my baptism, a Father Bartholomew... well, he... he said it wrong.

GENA
Said it wrong?

ANTHONY
The wording is very specific.

GENA
And if you say it wrong then it’s not a real thing?

ANTHONY
You’ve noticed by now that the Catholic church tends to be a stickler about things.

GENA
Well, yeah.

ANTHONY
If you didn’t say it, you didn’t do it.
(beat)
He didn’t say it, so I wasn’t. And therefore, I am not.

GENA
What did he say?

ANTHONY
It seems so small a detail. We re-round the tape about a dozen times to be sure.

GENA
I bet.

ANTHONY
He said, “We baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
 160.

GENA
That sounds right.

ANTHONY
Most of it is. But the wording is “I” baptize you. Not we.

GENA
You have got to be kidding me.

ANTHONY
I wish.
(beat)
The Vatican has been very clear on the specific wording. It’s been argued for a while,
but they’ve been crystal clear that the wording is “I.” The person performing the ritual, is
a specific person-for-person stand-in for the Son. Jesus is the one who is baptizing, and
the person is representing the person of Christ. “We” do nothing. “He” does everything.

GENA
Some dude misspoke 30 years ago and now you’re not a priest.

ANTHONY
Yes. I am not.

A moment.

GENA
Then you’re not a priest.

ANTHONY
I’m not.
(beat)
Father Michael is setting up to baptize me in a half an hour.

Another moment.

GENA
Wait. If you’re not a priest, then... what about all the, like, things you’ve done. Like, as
a priest.

ANTHONY
They were not performed. Not properly, anyway.

GENA
So, all the confessions I’ve given to you...
 161.

ANTHONY
Nope. You have not been absolved.
(beat)
Nothing I’ve done as a priest has been... valid.
(beat)
If it’s something a lay person could have done, then it’s fine.
(beat)
Baptisms, ironically, are fine. You don’t have to be a priest to do them.

GENA
But you have to say the right words. And in the right order.

ANTHONY
Exactly.

A moment.

GENA
I’m sorry.

ANTHONY
For what?

GENA
Just looking at you now... I can’t say I completely understand, but I can see how it’s
weighing you down.
(beat)
There’s usually, kind of, a light... inside you.

ANTHONY
It just seems that way compared to Father Michael and Father Thomas.

GENA
Well, they’re actually priests, so...
(beat)
Sorry. Too soon.

There’s a long moment.

GENA
Father-- Anthony.
 162.

ANTHONY
Yes?

GENA
I have a confession to make.

ANTHONY
Gena, I’m serious, I really can’t hear your confession right now---

GENA
No, no. Not like that. This isn’t something that... I don’t think I need absolution about
this. I just want to be honest.
(beat)
I don’t have an appointment on Friday.
(beat)
I mean, I do. But it wouldn’t have kept me from being here as usual.

ANTHONY
Ok.

GENA
Father Thomas called me.
(beat)
He told me I should come down.
(beat)
I had told him about something, and he said that if I ever... that I should come and talk
with you now.

ANTHONY
Father Thomas called you.

GENA
I doubt you remember there was a couple weeks a while back where I went to him and...
not you.

ANTHONY
You said he reminded you of your dad, and were dealing with something related to your
parents.

GENA
That was not true.

ANTHONY
I didn’t think it was.
 163.

GENA
I had to confess that... I was developing feelings for you.
(beat)
I told him I loved you.
(beat)
He explained how I didn’t, and that I needed to understand that those feelings weren’t
love in the kind of way we mean nowadays, and I should accept that it was something
familial and not at all romantic.
(beat)
So I tried. I did.
(beat)
But he was wrong.
(beat)
I do... love you.
(beat)
I told him that. And I said that I accepted that those feelings weren’t going to go away,
and even more that I accepted that I could never tell you, and even if I did that you could
never... reciprocate.
(beat)
Then he called me this morning.
(beat)
So, I’m here to tell you the truth. I confess it. I love you.
(beat)
And there’s nothing to respond with, and I don’t expect anything from you, or to do
anything about this, but I just had to say it. Now. Because I not only told these things to
Father Thomas, but I’ve been confessing my heart to the Lord day in and day out for a
long time now and this is just such an absolutely ridiculous way of providing an
opportunity for me to... well... say what has been in my heart for a long time.
(beat)
Because today... for the next half hour, anyway... you are not a priest.
(beat)
So I want to say it one more time and then I’ll go.

Gena stands up, steps into the aisle as if to

leave.

GENA
I love you. Anthony.

Gena walks away, we hear her heels echo into

the distance.

Anthony sits for a moment.

 164.

He holds up his collar and looks at it.

Lights go down.

End.
 165.

24 - (OVER THERE, IT’S RAINING)

Several posts on stage, with fabric, like flags,

hanging.

A wind strong enough to blow the fabric, but

not torrential.

Two figures on stage, women, FINCH and

PRYNNE. They face out.

FINCH
Over there.

PRYNNE
You see?

FINCH
It’s raining.

PRYNNE
Not here.

FINCH
Over there.

PRYNNE
I see.
(beat)
Can we help them?

FINCH
Can we?

PRYNNE
Yes.

FINCH
No.

PRYNNE
I thought not.
 166.

FINCH
Probably not.
(beat)
What help can we give?

PRYNNE
We can’t do much.

FINCH
Not much.

PRYNNE
We can’t protect them.

FINCH
We can’t make it stop.

PRYNNE
We can’t make it not start.

FINCH
Not much.

PRYNNE
Not much at all.

FINCH
But we can...

PRYNNE
We can...

FINCH
We can watch.

PRYNNE
We can be ready.

FINCH
We can be there. After.

PRYNNE
After.

FINCH
Afterwards.
 167.

PRYNNE
Lend a hand.

FINCH
Help.

PRYNNE
Help.

FINCH
Listen.

PRYNNE
Be. There.

FINCH
Be there.

PRYNNE
Be there.

A moment.

FINCH
What else could we do.

PRYNNE
Not much.

FINCH
I wish...

PRYNNE
I wish we could make it stop.

FINCH
I wish we could protect them.

PRYNNE
I wish we could be protected.

FINCH
It could be us.

PRYNNE
It has been us.
 168.

FINCH
It’s felt like it has been us.

PRYNNE
I think it has been.

The lights change. It is more grim.

Distant flashes and rolls of thunder.

FINCH
I’m afraid.

PRYNNE
You are?

FINCH
Yes.

PRYNNE
Yes.

FINCH
Are you afraid?

PRYNNE
Yes.

FINCH
We are afraid.

PRYNNE
We are. And we should be.

FINCH
We should.

PRYNNE
There is much to fear.

FINCH
There is. Much.

PRYNNE
And so we fear.
 169.

FINCH
We do.

PRYNNE
We fear together.

FINCH
Do we?

PRYNNE
We do.

The winds rise.

FINCH
Over there, it’s raining.

PRYNNE
Oh... protect them.

FINCH
Protect them. Is that a prayer?

PRYNNE
Maybe it is.

FINCH
Maybe it is.

PRYNNE
Maybe it is all that can be.

FINCH
Until.

PRYNNE
Until we can go.

FINCH
Will we go.

PRYNNE
I think we must go.

FINCH
I want to go.
 170.

PRYNNE
Then lets go.

FINCH
We must wait.

PRYNNE
Until we can go.

FINCH
Until its done.

PRYNNE
Until its done.

FINCH
It will be done.

PRYNNE
Soon it will be.

FINCH
Soon. I hope.

PRYNNE
I hope it will.

FINCH
It will be soon.

PRYNNE
I hope. It will be.

FINCH
It will be done.

PRYNNE
Be done.

FINCH
Over there.

PRYNNE
But now.
 171.

FINCH
But now.

PRYNNE
Now.

FINCH
It’s raining.

PRYNNE
Over there.

They look out.

 172.

25 - RAIN & LEAVES & SNOW & TEARS & STARS

WINDY, a young woman, sits in a high place,

atop a ladder.

BOO, a young man, stands beneath her.

BOO
There’s no one for miles.

WINDY
That doesn’t matter to me.

BOO
It would to me.

WINDY
I don’t care what anyone thinks.

BOO
Then being alone shouldn’t make a difference.

WINDY
It doesn’t.

BOO
Then go ahead. It’s ok. I promise.

WINDY
You promise.

BOO
I do.

Windy reaches into a backpack. It is full of

shredded paper.

Windy pulls out two handfuls of paper and lets

it fall.

Some of it falls on Boo.

WINDY
There.
 173.

BOO
Is that all of it?

WINDY
No.

BOO
We didn’t come here for nothing.

Windy turns the bag upside down and it empties

of the slivers of paper.

Much more of it ends up on Boo.

WINDY
There. That’s the last of it.

BOO
The last.

WINDY
That I have with me.

BOO
There’s more?

WINDY
Not much more. It’s all I could fit in here.

BOO
Then it’s what you can do for now.

WINDY
It is.
(beat)
For now.

A moment.

BOO
How do you feel?

WINDY
It still hurts.
 174.

BOO
I know.

WINDY
That didn’t do it all.

BOO
No.
(beat)
Even when you go back, and do the rest of it, it still won’t be all.

WINDY
But it’s better.

BOO
And that’s why.
(beat)
Because it’s better.

WINDY
How about you?

BOO
Me?

WINDY
How do you feel?

BOO
I don’t know if I feel. It’s not about me feeling.
(beat)
But I’d say it feels good to know that you feel better.

WINDY
Thank you.

BOO
Of course.

WINDY
Now you.

Windy drops the bag.

BOO
Me?
 175.

WINDY
Fill the bag and then come up and let it fall.

Windy descends the ladder.

Boo is scooping the scraps into the bag.

BOO
I don’t think I have it all.

WINDY
I don’t think that’s important.

BOO
No?

WINDY
No. Just try it.

BOO
Ok.

Boo climbs the ladder.

WINDY
There’s no one around for miles.
(beat)
It didn’t matter to me either.

BOO
I care too much what people think.

WINDY
Do you care what I think?

BOO
Of course I do.

WINDY
You want to know what I think?

BOO
(slight hesitation)
Of course I do.
 176.

WINDY
I think agreeing to do this makes you a great friend to me.

BOO
Is that right?

WINDY
I think so.

Boo reaches into the bag, and pulls out a

handful of paper.

BOO
Here goes.

Boo lets go of the paper.

Some falls on Windy.

WINDY
Ooh. Yes. I see. That’s something.

BOO
Again?

WINDY
Absolutely.

Boo does another handful, same result.

BOO
That is nice.

WINDY
Then let it fall.

Boo overturns the bag.

It empties, and some falls on Windy.

BOO
There.
 177.

WINDY
There.

Boo throws the bag down.

BOO
There.

They laugh.

Boo climbs down.

WINDY
It’s... not exactly what I thought it was.

BOO
It’s better?

WINDY
Yes. It’s better.

BOO
Good.

A moment.

WINDY
I kinda...

BOO
What?

WINDY
I kinda wish there were others... to see.

BOO
I know.

WINDY
I don’t know why that would be better.

BOO
It might not be. But I understand that feeling.

WINDY
Good.
 178.

Windy looks at Boo.

She reaches down into the pile.

Boo, slightly behind her, does the same.

They raise their hands.

They let go of the handfuls of paper.

The paper falls again.

They hold their hands closer together, so their

individual piles of paper mix.

They finish dropping paper.

They stand with their four hands high in the air.

They face each other.

They lock hands.

They bring their hands down to their sides.

They look into each others eyes.

BOO
There’s no one for miles.

WINDY
There’s you.

BOO
And you.

WINDY
There’s us.

BOO
For miles.

The lights slowly dim, until black.

End.
 179.

26 - THE CURSÉD FIG

Interior of a public house, called The Curséd

Fig. It is day, but you’d only know it when the
door opens.

ROISIN (ro-sheen) is the woman behind the bar,

no spring chicken.

TADHG (tige), an elderly man, sits at the far

end, facing the door.

BARRY, a young man, wears an apron and

wipes down tables.

A quiet scene for a few moments. Distant

church bells ring.

Roisin cleans some glasses.

Tadhg occasionally sips a pint.

Barry goes to several tables to clean, snapping

his towel in the air between tables.

A bright shining light pours into the room as

DARRAGH (darra) enters. He is a gruff man,
middle aged, but world worn.

The quiet scene is over.

It is now dead still. Until...

TADHG
Who’s that then?

ROISIN
Can’t you see who it is?

TADHG
I’m looking directly into the sun.

ROISIN
You’ll recognize him when he remembers how to close a door.
 180.

Barry slaps the towel over his shoulder and goes

to the door.

BARRY
Take your coat Mr. Darragh.

Darragh lets Barry take his coat.

DARRAGH
Aren’t you a bit old for that “mister” stuff, Barry? That was for when you were a lad.

BARRY
Old habits, Mr. Darragh.

Darragh walks in further.

Barry gently closes the door behind, and hangs

up the coat on a peg on the wall.

TADHG
That you, you bastard?

Tadhg slides off his stool with some effort.

Roisin steps toward him.

ROISIN
Whoa there, Tadhg...

DARRAGH
No better place for a bastard than at the Curséd Fig. That’s why I come here looking for
a bastard like you.

Tadhg carefully steps across the uneven stone

floor, holding onto the bar.

TADHG
Well, congrats to you. You found it. Where all the bastards land. Barry there’s never
heard of his father, and even Roisin’s a bastard son.

ROISIN
And Tadhg’s never met a word a truth he can’t bend beyond recognition.
 181.

DARRAGH
Missed this place.
(to Roisin)
Missed you.

ROISIN
Ta.

Roisin grabs a glass and pours a pint.

Tadhg reaches Darragh.

TADHG
Let me see that ugly mug.
(touches Darragh’s face)
Good Jesus, what the world’s done to you.

DARRAGH
Then you should see the look of the world.

TADHG
Seen it. You’ve roughed her up, good, boy.

Tadhg heads back to his spot.

DARRAGH
She might have had it coming.

Roisin puts the pint on the bar.

ROISIN
And she might not.

Darragh picks up the pint.

DARRAGH
Sláinte mhaith.

Darragh drinks.

Barry walks from the door around the bar,

crossing all the way across the stage.

DARRAGH
You’re old enough, she lets you back there?
 182.

BARRY
If I remember right, being ‘too young’ lasted most of my first night at the Fig.

DARRAGH
You done with school now?

ROISIN
School of the world, now.

BARRY
Done about two years back.

ROISIN
Looking to take over the Fig someday.

BARRY
Looking to take over the Fig yesterday.

ROISIN
Might be a couple weeks more.

TADHG
(sings)
It was upon a rainy day
the boy did take to walk
and tho he walked most every way
at leaving he did balk

Tadhg drinks.

DARRAGH
(sings)
The next it was a day of sun
and cross the road he trod
the pub it held an eve of fun
‘til he woke upon the sod

Darragh drinks.

BARRY
(sings)
And when the rains they came again
the boy’d become a man
He packed his bags and ventured when
his life had been a span
 183.

ROISIN
(sings)
But when the sun at last was gone
and nightly stars had shone
he laid his soul below the lawn
where leaf and limb are blown

A moment.

DARRAGH
Does that tune have a refrain.

TADHG
No one ever sings the refrain.

ROISIN
Not for a long time.

BARRY
When Tadhg was a lad.

DARRAGH
Not sure that ever happened.

TADHG
It happened.

DARRAGH
What was it like, Tadhg, before the earth cooled?

TADHG
It was as hot as your backside’ll be as soon as I get this belt off.

DARRAGH
Save your strength for the stumble home.
(to Barry)
Another at the end.

Barry pours another pint.

TADHG
That’ll be the last, though, Bar. I’m not as young as I once was.

DARRAGH
Same is true for us all.
 184.

ROISIN
Speak for yourselves. I’m younger by the day. I’ll be ready for my blessing any day
now.

Roisin comes out from behind the bar.

TADHG
Not that we’re not grateful that you’ve darkened the Fig, but what dropped you in our lap,
Darragh.

BARRY
He’s back in town for the wedding.
(to Darragh)
Is that right, Darragh? Your daughter and Patrick.

DARRAGH
That’s right, Barry. Her mother tried to keep me away, but no luck for her, I made it,
with an hour to spare, so I come by the Fig for a curse or two.

TADHG
On your way to the chapel.

DARRAGH
Suppose so.
(sips)
And a pint and a song, and we’ve dispensed with those already.

TADHG
All that’s left is the cursing.

DARRAGH
Damned right.

They laugh.

BARRY
Damned is right.

Barry takes the pint down to Tadhg.

Roisin is at the coat pegs.

 185.

ROISIN
Well, in your travels, you might have forgot how to read a watch, but you should have
heard the bells. Or is there trouble in your ears?

Darragh crosses toward Roisin.

DARRAGH
Trouble, sure. But not in my ears.

ROISIN
Trouble, in the chapel.
(beat)
Fiona.

DARRAGH
She’s trouble everywhere.

ROISIN
This is why you’re here and not there.

DARRAGH
Suppose it is.

ROISIN
You know you have to go back up the hill.

DARRAGH
That’s a tall hill, Roisin. I’ve climbed it time after time. So much I hear the bells ringing
in my sleep.

ROISIN
I don’t doubt it. If only someone’d mentioned that before you climbed that hill to meet
her there.

DARRAGH
You didn’t climb that hill, did you?

ROISIN
Like you said. It’s a tall hill, Darragh. Watching other people climb’s enough to wear
me out.
(beat)
You’re gonna go. There’s still time.

Roisin grabs his coat from the peg, holds it out

for him.
 186.

DARRAGH
Maybe this is why I came to The Curséd Fig. Needed a little cursing.

ROISIN
Consider yourself cursed.
(to the others)
Time for you boys to take a walk.

TADHG
A walk?

BARRY
Where we walking?

ROISIN
Up the hill. With Darragh.
(looks at him)
He needs a hand, to get where he needs to go.

Darragh flips his coat up over his head and puts

it on.

DARRAGH
That I do, boys. Need a hand.

Barry helps Tadhg off the stool.

TADHG
Lord help us as we stumble in your way.

BARRY
He understands, I think. Glad we’re stumbling in the right direction. Better than saying
we’re headed in the right, and not actually going anywhere. Right?

Roisin opens the door, and bright sunlight

shines in again.

TADHG
And that is why Christ himself cursed the fig. For having the blooming leaves, looking
beautiful and bountiful, but having not one of the good fruit.

Barry and Tadhg exit the doorway.

DARRAGH
(directed at Roisin)
Having not one. Of the good fruit.
 187.

Darragh exits.

Roisin lets the door close.

It is quiet and dark again.

Roisin is alone. She begins to sing as she walks

back behind the bar.

ROISIN
(sings)
Hey- oh, those days were all
the days I remember in Cathaig
under the spires of Teampall
the days I remember in Cathaig

Roisin grabs a rag and wipes down the top of

the bar.

Lights even dimmer.

Lights out.

End.
 188.

27 - PERMANENT PARISIANS

TIM and MEGAN, two Americans in Paris.

Unfashionable outfits of tourists, comfortable
walking shoes, camera, maybe fanny packs.

Tim stops and takes out a map.

TIM
I think it’s a couple more blocks...
(points)
That way.

MEGAN
Let’s sit for a minute.

TIM
It’s really not that far.

MEGAN
My feet are killing me.

TIM
I’m tired too. That’s why I want to get to--

MEGAN
Tim.

Megan sits on a bench.

Tim folds his map. He does not sit.

MEGAN
Just think. Some of the great artists of the world probably walked this same bridge,
headed to the same cathedral, and breathed in this same view, and were inspired to make
great art.

TIM
I think most of the artists you’re thinking lived in Montmartre. Up the hill over there.

MEGAN
They still could have walked here.
 189.

TIM
Possibly.
(beat)
But I don’t think many of them went to church.

MEGAN
What?

TIM
You said they would have gone to the cathedral.

MEGAN
So?

TIM
They didn’t go to church. They weren’t Christians.

MEGAN
Some of them were.

TIM
I don’t think so.

MEGAN
They were buried in that cemetery back there.

TIM
It was either in the cemetery or in a beggar’s pit. Families probably said what they had to
say to get them in the cemetery.

MEGAN
Geez, Tim.

TIM
What?

MEGAN
Why do you have to wreck Paris for me?

TIM
What?

MEGAN
Just let me enjoy this.
 190.

TIM
I’m not wrecking Paris. I’m just not letting you make up something that isn’t actually
Paris. This is Paris.
(points to map)
This is Paris. Enjoy this.

MEGAN
Can’t you see the beauty around you? Of course not, with your face buried in a map.

Tim puts the map in his pocket.

MEGAN
Look at the river.
(they both look)
That is the river that artists and poets looked out over as they wrote metaphors and
painted canvases.
(points to the bank)
And over there are the cafes and the boulangeries that fed Napoleon.

TIM
I don’t think Napoleon ate at Kiki’s Curry Shop.

MEGAN
Tim.

TIM
Megan, I get the point. And I’m taking in so much, I really am. I’m just tired, and we
said we wanted to make it to this cathedral and then eat dinner near there. I’m hungry,
I’m hot, and I just want to get there so I can relax.

MEGAN
Relax now.

TIM
I’m fine.

MEGAN
Sit.

TIM
If I sit, it’ll just be harder to get up and get going.
 191.

MEGAN
Tim, this is it. Do you understand? This is what we saved up for. This is why we’re
here. This. This view. This Paris. The charming, beautiful, tranquil Paris. The stroll
through the cemetery, the street food as we walk through the market. The flowing river.

TIM
And there it is.

MEGAN
Ugh.

TIM
Why don’t you think I see it? I’m looking right at it.

MEGAN
You practically ran through the cemetery.

TIM
I don’t want to hang out in a cemetery.

MEGAN
It’s the middle of the day and you’re a grown man.

TIM
Being uncomfortable in a cemetery isn’t childish.

MEGAN
I could have stayed there forever.

TIM
That was my concern.

MEGAN
You wouldn’t let me hardly even grab a picture of the statues.

TIM
How long does it take to get a photo? You aren’t making a daguerrotype!

MEGAN
That is where I wanted to be. Amongst the Permanent Parisians! I want to be a
Permanent Parisian!

TIM
You want to be the statue of a dead person.
 192.

MEGAN
I want this trip to be romantic. And I don’t just mean doing it in that tiny room back at
the Air BnB. I mean, the romance of this city. That’s what I want. I don’t want maps. I
don’t want schedules. I want the Paris I feel in my heart.

Tim looks at her a moment. He reaches into his

pocket and pulls out the map.

Looking at Megan, Tim tosses the map over the

edge of the bridge.

MEGAN
Oh Tim. That’s... littering.

TIM
Not in our Paris, my darling.

MEGAN
(chuckles)
You don't have to--

Tim sits on the bench with her.

TIM
You know about this bridge, don’t you?

MEGAN
What about it?

TIM
This is the bridge du artístes. It was... the primary route used by the artists on their way
to the cathedral.

MEGAN
Oh really.

TIM
Which they crossed every morning. Daily Mass. Catholics, you know.

MEGAN
I did not know that.

TIM
This bench was a favorite of one of the most grand and influential artists of his day.
 193.

MEGAN
Who was that?

TIM
Um... Sherwin De la Williams.

MEGAN
De la Williams?

TIM
Lesser known in the fine art circles, but there isn’t a household in America that hasn’t
been touched by Sherwin’s work.

MEGAN
I hadn’t thought of it that way.
(a moment)
I could stay here forever.

TIM
If we die of starvation we might have to.

MEGAN
I hear Napoleon had a favorite curry stand just over there.

Tim stands.

TIM
It’s true. Along the way, we can pass by the actual molecules of river water that King
Louis the 75th used to bathe in.

Tim extends his hand and helps Megan.

MEGAN
How will we be sure they’re the same molecules?

TIM
Why, you sniff them, of course?

MEGAN
And how do they smell?

TIM
Regal. Obviously.
 194.

Tim offers his arm. Megan takes it.

MEGAN
Obviously.

They walk off.

Lights down.

End.
 195.

28 - SYMMES'S THEORY OF CONCENTRIC SPHERES: DEMONSTRATING THAT

THE EARTH IS HOLLOW, HABITABLE WITHIN, AND WIDELY OPEN ABOUT
THE POLES, COMPILED BY AMERICUS SYMMES, FROM THE WRITINGS OF
HIS FATHER, CAPT. JOHN CLEVES SYMMES

The presidential office of JOHN QUINCY

ADAMS. 1828.

Adams is at his desk.

A knock.

ADAMS
Yes.

Enter MR. PRICE, his assistant.

PRICE
Mr. President.

ADAMS
Mr. Price.

PRICE
A Mr. Symmes for you, sir.

ADAMS
Symmes.

PRICE
Yes, John Cleves Symmes, sir. Captain in the 1st Infantry.

ADAMS
Discharged?

PRICE
Honorably, sir.

ADAMS
What’s he doing now?

PRICE
Scholar and lecturer, mostly.
 196.

ADAMS
On?

PRICE
Certain... geographical theories.

ADAMS
What’s he want from me?

PRICE
Support, I believe, for an expedition.

ADAMS
Expedition? I love that. So much left to explore of this great land.

PRICE
Yes, sir.

ADAMS
Has he been through the channels.

PRICE
To my knowledge, sir, no he has not.

ADAMS
Then...

PRICE
Sir?

ADAMS
How did he get in here?

PRICE
Captain Symmes is... persuasive, Mr. President.

ADAMS
Sounds like a crackpot, Price.

PRICE
With extra cracks, yes, sir, Mr. President.

ADAMS
Well, get him in here, so we can get him out.
 197.

PRICE
Sir?

ADAMS
Call in Wilson and Tucker to stand by the door in case we need to toss this guy on the
street.

Price heads for the door.

PRICE
Yes, sir.

ADAMS
And Price.

PRICE
Yes?

ADAMS
I want you to get me the reports about how my re-election is looking.

PRICE
Sir?

ADAMS
Jackson’s been making some new speeches, and I keep hearing that he’s gaining ground.

PRICE
I can’t believe that’s true.

ADAMS
Horrible man. But voters don’t seem to care about that any more.

PRICE
Indeed, sir.

ADAMS
Send in Symmes.

PRICE
Yes, Mr. President.

Price exits.
 198.

Almost instantly, JOHN CLEVES SYMMES

enters.

SYMMES
Symmes is my name, Mr. Adams. Captain John Cleves Symmes.

He vigorously shakes the hand of Adams.

ADAMS
Mr. President.

SYMMES
Who me? Oh no. Not yet, anyway. No. President is your job Mr. Adams, the leader of
this great bunch of States, united in the common goal of leading this great world in the
understanding of this great globe, understanding every inch of her, inside and out. And
that makes you the man I need to see.

ADAMS
Well, have a seat, Captain Sy--

SYMMES
No, I don’t think I will, Mr. Adams. I think better on my feet and that means that’s
where I speak the best too. Can’t speak if you can’t think? Ain’t that the god’s honest!
Every lecture I do, seems like someone sets out a chair, and first thing I do is toss that
four legged son of a so and so right off that dais. Gets the attention of every man, lady,
and child in the room, and then they get it. Both barrels right between the eyes...
(slaps his hands together)
The Symmes. Theory. Of Concentric. Spheres.

ADAMS
Concentric Spheres.

SYMMES
Some smug monkeys out there call it the “Hollow Earth” theory, but that’s what someone
else come up with, and my theory is ten times what his was. Literally. He says there are
two spheres, and I’m telling you there’s twenty. Ten times.

ADAMS
I don’t understand.

SYMMES
You’ve not heard of Symmes Theory of Concentric Spheres.
 199.

ADAMS
I’ve not heard of hollow earth either.

SYMMES
What happened? Someone lock you up in this place and never tell you nothing?

ADAMS
Plenty of affairs of state, Captain. Less time for fanciful theories.

SYMMES
Fanciful.

ADAMS
I don’t mean to be insulting.

SYMMES
Well for not meaning to, you hit the nail on the head, Johnny.

ADAMS
Excuse me.

Symmes pulls a large book out of his bag and

drops it on the desk.

SYMMES
It’s true as true can be, and I even wrote the book on it.

ADAMS
(reads the title)
Symmes's Theory of Concentric Spheres: Demonstrating That the Earth is Hollow,
Habitable Within, and Widely Open About the Poles, Compiled by Capt. John Cleves
Symmes.

SYMMES
Ever read it?

ADAMS
I feel like I just did.

Symmes puts his finger on the book.

SYMMES
This is nothing fanciful. At all. This is hard fact. Stamped with the seal of god above.
 200.

ADAMS
Is that so?

SYMMES
And I aim to prove it to the world.

ADAMS
And the best to you.
(toward the door)
Price? Are Wilson and Tucker there?

Symmes gets between Adams and the door.

SYMMES
No. Sir. Don’t do that.

ADAMS
Do what?

SYMMES
You want that Mr. Price to haul me out by the tails, and make this all go away. But I
promise you. You do not want to be on the wrong side of the history that will be made...
by the expedition.

ADAMS
What expedition is this?

SYMMES
Mr. Adams, there are worlds that are previously unknown to mankind. And they are
here. Right below our very feet.

ADAMS
You plan to dig underneath this building?

SYMMES
No, sir. You can’t get there from here.

ADAMS
Where can you get there from?

SYMMES
What if I told you, Mr. President, that there are access holes to the layers of worlds below
us... at the ends of our earth.
 201.

ADAMS
You know that the world is round, don’t you?

SYMMES
Around the middle, it certainly is. But at the top and at the bottom, that’s where there are
holes, where only the brave can access the worlds below.

ADAMS
Holes.

SYMMES
Yes.

ADAMS
At the poles.

SYMMES
Just cause it rhymes don’t make it lies.

A moment.

ADAMS
Just for a moment...

SYMMES
There you go. Say it, Adams.

ADAMS
Let’s pretend this is true.

SYMMES
I live my life pretending it’s true.

ADAMS
What would it take to get to the north... hole?

SYMMES
I need a hundred men.

ADAMS
That’s all?
 202.

SYMMES
And some reindeer.
(beat)
We cross Siberia, and access below above latitude 82.

ADAMS
Siberia? Not Canada.

SYMMES
Canada’s ice breaks up before you get that far. Can’t get up there without going to
Siberia.

ADAMS
Ok. And once you get there?

SYMMES
I’ll tell you, Addie, we don’t know for 100% what we’ll find there. That’s why it’s called
an expedition. But me? I’m convinced. Once we get past Siberia, warm and rich land.
Stocked with thrifty vegetables and animals. Maybe even a civilization of men, with
whom we can make contact and form mutually beneficial partnership.

ADAMS
I’m not sure you understand, Captain, you absolutely insane you sound.

SYMMES
So did Galileo, before anyone else could look through that telescope of his. Columbus,
before he crossed that ocean blue. The caveman who had the brightest of ideas to rub
sticks together until he made a fire.
(beat)
And you can be the President that made it happen, JQ.

The door opens. Price enters.

PRICE
Mr. President? Your next meeting, with Mister Tucker and Mister Wilson, starts
momentarily.

ADAMS
Oh, Price.
(beat)
Did you get that information I asked for?

PRICE
About Jackson, sir?
 203.

ADAMS
Yes.

PRICE
Your suspicions are right.

ADAMS
Gained ground?

PRICE
He’s well ahead now, sir.
(beat)
I’m sorry.

Symmes nods to Adams.

ADAMS
Price?

PRICE
Yes, Mr. President.

ADAMS
Ask Wilson and Tucker to wait outside. Captain Symmes and I have some details to go
over.

SYMMES
That’s right, John.

PRICE
Yes, sir.

Price exits.

SYMMES
I think I’ll have a seat, now... Mr. President.

Adams sits.

Adams starts to open Symmes’ book.

Lights down.

End.
 204.

29 - MONUMENTS OF RUIN

A probably dystopian future.

Large spikes extend from the ground to high up

in the sky.

A section of wall about 8 feet high and only 6

feet wide.

An otherwise desolate wasteland.

JETHRO, in his 20s, wears military-style

camouflage gear, with an assault rifle at the
ready, strapped over his shoulder. Full helmet,
goggles.

Jethro paces the wall, like he is guarding a

fortress.

Entering from far away and behind Jethro is

RUNE, in his early 20s, wearing dark clothing,
scarf wrapped around his face. He moves
stealthily, avoiding detection.

Jethro paces, keeping his eyes peeled, but

missing Rune.

Rune gets behind the wall.

Rune appears at the top of the wall, and mounts

it.

On the next pass across the wall, Rune drops

down, leveling Jethro.

JETHRO
Ah! Dammit.
(speaks into a radio unit in his helmet)
Red. Red. Red. Monument 15 under atta--

Jethro sees Rune, standing over him.

 205.

Jethro goes to raise his weapon, but Rune grabs

the end and disarms him.

Rune tosses the weapon.

Jethro tries to knock out Rune’s legs, but Rune

avoids. Jethro’s gear is too bulky for him to
move as freely as Rune.

Rune spins around behind Jethro, pulls a knife

from Jethro’s gear, and holds the knife to
Jethro’s neck.

RUNE
Quiet.

JETHRO
I’ve already called red. You have less than 3 minutes.

RUNE
I only need a few seconds and you’ll bleed until they get here.

Jethro calms.

JETHRO
What do you want.

RUNE
I didn’t come here for you.

JETHRO
Then what are you--

RUNE
I’m meeting someone here.

JETHRO
No one comes out here. No one. I’ve been guarding this wall for six months. Literally
no one.

RUNE
That’s why.

JETHRO
Do you have to hold a knife to my neck to wait?
 206.

Rune moves the knife around to the back of

jethro’s helmet.

Rune cuts a wire that ran from the back of the

helmet to the radio.

JETHRO
Why do that? I already called red.

Rune stands. He tosses the knife away.

RUNE
You don’t need to talk to anyone else.

JETHRO
It’ll be a raider of troops that show up. You’re not getting away with any of this.

RUNE
With what?

JETHRO
Trespassing. Assaulting a troop. You’re out during curfew.

RUNE
I told you I am meeting someone.

JETHRO
Who will also be trespassing, and breaking the curfew.

RUNE
We’ll be gone by the time the raider arrives. Jethro.

JETHRO
You read my badge.

RUNE
I also read your badge.
(beat)
You’re from the island.

JETHRO
How did you--

RUNE
Your mother taught piano and your father ran a hardware store.
 207.

JETHRO
What is this?

RUNE
We don’t have time. When she arrives, you will have a decision to make.

JETHRO
What are you--

RUNE
Your favorite ice cream is chocolate. Listen to me. I’m telling you these things to prove
to you that I know a lot more than you do right now.

JETHRO
Yeah, but why.

RUNE
You have to believe me.

JETHRO
Believe what?

RUNE
Your choice is to go, and live. Or to stay. And to die.

JETHRO
Oh, that’s it?

RUNE
Yes.

JETHRO
Who are you?

RUNE
You were held behind in sixth grade.
(beat)
I am insignificant. And irrelevant to your choice.

JETHRO
I’m supposed to choose, right now, based on you spouting... facts... that anyone could
know from reading my file.
 208.

RUNE
You were held behind because your teacher didn’t assign you grades for the last term.
Mrs. Calloway. She was killed in an automobile accident by a drunk driver, who
survived and received only three months probation. He didn’t even have his license
revoked.
(beat)
Are you ready to choose?

JETHRO
What are the options again?

RUNE
Think, Jethro. Why aren’t you dead? If I had wanted you dead, you would be.

JETHRO
This is stupid.

RUNE
Your favorite childhood toy was a stuffed wallaby.
(beat)
Stupid or not, it is.

A sound.

JETHRO
Sounds like the cavalry.

RUNE
Does it?

JETHRO
The gentle hum of a Karson 8-21 escort class Raider. With...
(pretends to sense it)
13 troops on board.

RUNE
They hold fifteen.

JETHRO
A seat for me, and a bodybag for you.

The sound of a vehicle landing just off stage.

Some dust and wind.

JETHRO
Nice knowing you, whoever you are.
 209.

RUNE
My name is Rune.

JETHRO
Well, Rune... meet--

RUNE
Drea.

Enter DREA, in a distinctly female version of

what we’ve seen Rune wearing.

Drea removes her scarf to revealed a large scar

on her cheek.

Rune removes his scarf to reveal a similar scar.

DREA
Is he prepared to choose?

RUNE
He is prepared, but he has not chosen.

DREA
(to Jethro)
Well?

JETHRO
Why should I go?

DREA
Because if you go, you will live.

JETHRO
Why would I die if I stay?

DREA
They will hunt you down and kill you.

JETHRO
Isn’t that what you and Rune over here have done?

DREA
Are you dead?
 210.

JETHRO
No.

DREA
Then no. It is not the same.

JETHRO
Did you hijack that raider?

DREA
Yes.

JETHRO
How?

DREA
With ease.

RUNE
Drea. We must go. He will not choose to go.

Rune and Drea take some steps toward the exit.

JETHRO
Wait.
(beat)
I will go.

RUNE
Leave that gear.

Jethro removes his goggles and helmet.

He takes off his jacket.

Drea steps to him. She removes a knife.

DREA
Hold.

Jethro holds still.

Drea puts the knife to Jethro’s face, and cuts

him in a way that will leave the same mark on
him that is on Rune’s and her own face.
 211.

RUNE
Let’s go.

DREA
Let’s go.

They look at Jethro.

JETHRO
Let’s go.

They exit.

Lights down.

End.
 212.

30 - KIM’S DRESS

A teenager’s bedroom. Decorated mostly for a

girl in her early teens - a bed, a desk, a closet, a
window.

In the door comes KIM, who seems in a hurry,

but closes the door as quietly as possible.

She looks at the clock on the desk as she walks

across the bed.

Kim steps down on the far side of the bed and

gets on her knees.

She looks at the door.

She listens.

Kim sticks her arms underneath the bed as far as

her head will allow.

From under the bed she pulls a large box.

She places the box on the bed.

She opens the box lid, as if she is opening the

Ark of the Covenant, without the glow from
within.

She beholds the loveliest item she can

remember laying eyes on.

Kim raises up from out of the box, a dress.

To us, it is probably a simple sun dress, of a soft

color. To Kim, it is the grandest of all gowns.

Kim holds it up to herself. She brushes it to

make it smooth, but cannot keep it on herself.

Kim takes the dress to the closet. She pulls a

hangar from the closet and puts it into the dress.
 213.

Kim hangs the dress on the doorknob. She takes

note of how low that is.

Kim takes the dress and hangs the hangar over

the top of the closet door. It is now much higher
than her.

Kim angles the door so the dress faces the bed.

Kim backs up to the bed, and just barely sits on

the edge - marveling.

Kim slides down the edge of the bed, to sit on

the floor. The dress towers above her.

Kim stares for a moment, moved.

Kim puts her hands together.

A prayer. “please please please”

Kim shifts to be on her knees.

She reaches up and brushes something (lint?)

off of the dress.

She notices a loose thread.

Kim winds the thread around her finger. It

looks like she might pull it.

She stops.

Kim crawls over to the desk and retrieves a pair

of safety scissors from her drawer. She crawls
back.

Kim carefully snips the loose thread. Examines

for others, one, maybe two more snips.

Kim rises and puts the scissors back. She is

near the window.
 214.

Kim looks out the window a moment. Then she

reaches the handle, and, with effort, opens the
window. She is concerned it was loud.

Kim tiptoes to the door, listens. Hears nothing.

Kim goes back to the dress on the door. She

fusses with it some more.

Kim lifts the hangar from off the door, and

carries the dress to the window. She hangs it on
the window frame, on the inside.

Kim grabs the chair from the desk, and carries it

to the door, setting it as a barrier, under the door
handle. She also puts some books from the desk
on the chair seat.

Kim goes back to the window, and slides her

feet out.

She carefully pulls the dress out the window,

and hangs it on the outside.

Kim takes a last look inside the room.

She grabs the dress, and climbs down the

outside of the house.

A moment of the empty room.

Lights down.

End.
 215.

31 - THE LOWEST FORM OF PRAYER

A raised platform.

In the center of the platform is the outline of a

house, made of wood, like a frame with no
walls.

Inside is a small table with two small one-seat

benches, and a longer bench that someone could
lay on. There is a ladder that leans agains the
top of the wall-frame.

Inside the room, stands ISABELL, a woman in a

peasant outfit. She stirs a large ceramic bowl
with a wooden spoon.

Isabell takes the bowl to the table and sets it

down. She climbs the ladder, as if to reach
ingredients.

Outside the room, stands ERYK, a man in a

worn coat and hat, with muddy boots. He stares
out, away from the room.

ERYK
(smiling)
It was a fine day. Just fine.
(he coughs, more solemn)
It was a fine day. Just fine.
(he shakes his head, tries to understate)
It was a fine day. Just fine.

Exasperated, he sits on the edge of the house. It

doesn’t matter that he, logically, would have
gone through the wall.

ERYK
Dammit.

Eryk takes off his boots. He knocks them

together to remove the mud.

He sets the pair of boots next to each other right

up against the house.
 216.

Isabell climbs down the ladder and puts

ingredients into the bowl. She grabs two cups
and sets them on the table.

Isabell goes to the wall where Eryk sits. She

looks out a window, just above his head. She
cannot see him.

ISABELL
All’s been well. A fine day.
(another try)
All’s been well. A fine day.
(way too much)
All’s been well. A fine day.

Isabell leans against the corner frame, holding in

her emotion.

Isabell turns back just as Eryk stands.

Eryk goes around the back to the door.

Isabell straightens up the table.

Eryk pauses at the door.

Isabell picks up the ceramic bowl and freezes

for a moment.

Eryk takes off his hat and puts his fingers

through his hair.

Isabell holds the bowl against her stomach with

one hand, while biting her other hand, knotted
into a fist.

They drop these actions simultaneously.

Eryk enters the room. Isabell smiles at him.

ISABELL
How was it?
 217.

ERYK
It was a fine day. Just fine.
(beat)
You?

A moment.

ISABELL
All’s been well. A fine day.

Isabell sets down the bowl.

She helps Eryk take off his coat.

ERYK
Thank you darling.

ISABELL
Where are your boots?

ERYK
Outside.
(beat)
Muddy.

ISABELL
I’ll brush them after supper.

ERYK
Thank you, but I will.

ISABELL
Are you certain?

ERYK
I am.

Eryk sits at the table. Isabell hangs his coat and

hat on the rungs of the ladder.

ISABELL
The days are so much shorter.

ERYK
Blessing and curse, all at once.
 218.

ISABELL
Less work, but less work.

Isabell removes her apron, and hangs it on the

ladder as well.

ERYK
More night, and more night.

ISABELL
Well, it’s the same amount of both together, so we can be glad of that.

ERYK
The Lord is good to us.

Isabell sits opposite Eryk.

ISABELL
He is, is he not?

ERYK
That’s what they say on Sunday.

ISABELL
That’s what we live every day.
(beat)
The prayer?

ERYK
Of course.

They fold hands and bow heads.

TOGETHER
(almost muttered, rote)
Ye of the heavenly realm, we thank you for your creation and our place in it, for joys and
sorrows, for peace and trouble, for much and little, for our air and food, and for your son
who’s blood was spilt for us to lift this prayer, in his name.

Eryk dishes out some of the bowl to Isabell’s

plate, then his own.

ERYK
Rain this afternoon.
 219.

ISABELL
I heard it.

ERYK
Wasn’t sure it was up the hill.

ISABELL
Was.

ERYK
No trouble with mud up the path.

ISABELL
Wasn’t long. A dash of wet.
(beat)
Light tears.

ERYK
(considers)
Light tears.

ISABELL
Metaphor.

ERYK
Yes, a nice one. From a book?

ISABELL
Not that I remember.

ERYK
Then, a very nice one. You should write that.

ISABELL
(embarrassed)
Certainly not.

ERYK
You’ve ink and paper.

ISABELL
And then what? Kindling for tomorrow’s fire?
 220.

ERYK
Light tears kindling tomorrow’s fire.
(beat)
I like that.

A moment of eating.

ISABELL
Wish it were true.

Chewing.

ERYK
What’s that?

ISABELL
That light tears could kindle tomorrow’s fire.

ERYK
Isabell.

ISABELL
I don’t blame you for lying when you came in just now. A fine day.

ERYK
All’s been well?

ISABELL
Of course it hasn’t. What good would--

ERYK
We said we weren’t going to--

ISABELL
Eryk, don’t be a fool. And don’t make me a fool as well. Of course we lied. We lied
because we want to spare each other. We lied because we love each other, and we want
nothing more than for our lies to be truth. That it was a fine day. And that all’s well.

A moment.

ERYK
This is the last of it, then.

ISABELL
The very last. It’s more flour than anything else.
 221.

ERYK
Of course it is.

ISABELL
I’m sorry for that.

ERYK
If I’d brought anything more home--

ISABELL
Don’t.

Eryk puts down his utensil.

ERYK
I can’t tell you how many prayers I prayed today.

ISABELL
About half of mine, probably.

ERYK
Wandering through fields. Empty fields. Bone dry. Praying for rain.

ISABELL
I about shouted the walls down.

ERYK
Thank him the only thing in the fields were the scarecrows, or I’d have been a right fool.

ISABELL
Right fool.
(beat)
My fool.

ERYK
I’ve no more words to pray, Isabell. I’m as dry as the clouds these past months.

ISABELL
Then the rains you spoke of.

ERYK
Only enough to get my boots muddy.
(beat)
Yours?
 222.

ISABELL
Light as a feather of a baby chick. Almost a humid breeze.

A moment.

ERYK
I don’t know what I did.

ISABELL
You’ve not done a thing. I must have--

ERYK
Not at all.
(beat)
We’ve searched out souls. And I know the only lie you’ve told me is how all’s well.

ISABELL
(smirks)
A fine day.

ERYK
But we are no less deserving of this than when we were young heathens.

ISABELL
Those were the days.

ERYK
Glorious and awful days.

ISABELL
It was good to give them up.

ERYK
It is good to have given them up.

Isabell holds her hand out onto the table.

ISABELL
No matter the struggle.

Eryk takes her hand.

ERYK
No matter the struggle.

They look into each other’s eyes.

 223.

Isabell tears up.

ISABELL
Damn.
(catches herself)
I’m sorry.

ERYK
No. Don’t be sorry.
(beat)
We’re out of prayers.

ISABELL
Maybe cursing is the lowest form of prayer.

ERYK
Maybe it is.
(beat)
Dammit.
(they smile)
Dammit all.

ISABELL
To hell.

ERYK
To hell.

They laugh together.

A moment.

Lights down.

A thunder strike, and flash of lightning.

Rain sounds.

End.