HOPE STRIKES LAST

(HOPE STRIKES LAST)

I won’t bore you with the details, and neither will I lie to you.
 This story is depressing. Its depressing to read and depressing to put on.
Your name is Riley Moore. You’re the last girl on earth. You’ve just turned 20 and the world
around you, as much as it seems bleak, consistently reminds you of its beauty. Its allure rips
you back into sobriety every time your brain gets a little too high on its own irrational
hormones, or its addictingly painful thoughts and feelings.

You are young, and you’re full of life. Having just passed your teenage years, your hope for
life is increasing. Life has been good for the last 20 years. At least you weren’t alone, right?

You weren’t alone,

right?

Anabelle Moore locked herself in a doomsday bunker in the year 2067 here on earth.
Anabelle and her boyfriend of a decade had just had Riley Moore. The pregnancy was
difficult and felt like way too long for Anabelle. She was diagnosed with post-partum
depression a month after her daughter’s birth. However, things were good now.

Baby Riley was healthy, and cried and wailed all of the time. And sure, she couldn’t sleep
anymore, or even work. She could not assist her partner in what was to be considered the
most important mission in the history of mankind: Establishing contact with extra-
terrestrials.

She was his assistant. They both revelled in the vast intricacies of space and time together.

They loved each other.

Just as much as they loved Riley.

Except, Oliver Davies died on the day of The Fall before he could ever watch his daughter
grow up.

19 years ago.

And Anabelle Moore succumbed to sepsis a week ago.

Her only daughter had to bury her.

Riley kneels in an open clearing. Her mother told her that people are given a eulogy when
they die. It’s a way to honour who they were as a person.

But right now, Riley feels she lacks honour, but she certainly craves hope.

(Almonds and Daisies / It’s Important that you know / As above / So below

/ How fast does the wind blow? / Hope Strikes Last)

SCENE 1) Almonds and Daisies

(The set is bare. A young woman crouches on the floor. Her face is down, she wears a
backpack and fumbles with her hands, her eyes move from side to side. She looks unsure.
She looks petrified. She appears to be in deep thought, or deep panic. It's hard to know what
will happen. The lights are dim, then bright. We’re left to wonder what’s put her in such a
fright.)

Riley. (looks around) Hum… (she finally moves, revealing a cross behind her. She was
standing atop a grave)

Okay, hum… (She looks at the cross, and then back at the floor. She hasn’t looked up once.
Riley trembles, clears her throat)

Fuck! I don’t know what to say (She explodes briefly. Her face is visible now. It looks puffy,
tired and weak. There’s dirt on her face. There's dirt everywhere)

You told me to say something. You said it would help. It would help me feel better.

But I don’t know what to say. Can anybody here please tell me what to say?!

(silence)

Gosh, I’m sorry…

(She breaks down and meets the floor)

I'm sorry, I’m sorry...

(shaking)

What… What do I do?

I have got the map. I can see the light, so now… Tell me what to do?

Am I supposed to leave you? What if you get cold? What if you have something to tell me?

You always have something to say. You’re always feeling cold and- and- There’s no almonds!
Almonds always make you feel better and I couldn’t find any and we haven’t come across
almonds in 2 years but maybe if I- we (She puts emphasis on “we”) had any, they could help.
I could help. I could, I could-…

(This isn’t about almonds)

I could put some right here (She points to a spot on the grave right next to the wonky
wooden cross. There are flowers next to it. They’re daisies.)

I could put some here and… it would look prettier.

You’d be laying in a prettier grave.

You said I didn’t have to make it look nice. You were in the middle of a pretty bad state of
septic delirium so I am not sure how much I would take your word for it, and I really did try
to make it nice.

But there’s no almonds.

And would you like to know the worst of it?

The absolute pinnacle of the situation we find ourselves in?

It is- Well, the fact of the matter is I couldn’t remember anything else you liked.

Nothing but almonds and daisies.

(She pauses for a moment)

I did think about this (beats) the- the nuts and flowers (She clarifies)

I sat right here (She plops down on the floor and crosses her arms in the manner of a small
child who’s been challenged)

I evaluated every conversation we’ve had. All the ones I could remember.

You said dad had daisies everywhere in your old apartment.

You also said it was the most overstimulating of experiences. But you stuck through it. You
complained everyday but never once allowed him to throw those daisies away.

He took 3 months to source and grow those fucking flowers (Your words, not mine) and it
was all to make you happy, To surprise you for your anniversary. I cant quite remember
which one it was, but you’d been together for a long time by then.

So

I got some fucking daisies

And for what?

For what?! (She explodes, this is her breaking point)

With you… With you!- There’s always something I need to learn, so teach me... Teach me
how to give you a fucking eulogy because I’m nearing my wits end!

(pause)

Mum, there’s just…

There’s just no words….

No words, just a light… Just a big, bright fucking light that made this happen in the first
place!

There’s no words, just the bright, the literal bright sense that there’s something there.

When we saw it we almost couldn’t believe it (she looks at the grave) You know it’s a shot in
the dark and so do I but… It’s something.

(Riley wipes tears off her face and reaches for the backpack that has been resting on her
back. She places it on the floor and opens it)

I took this from that pheasant that I caught. (She pulls out a feather) It doesn’t even look
right. Its dry and creped.

Stupid bird (She feels bad for saying this)

Didn’t even try to get away, the little thing. It just flopped right in front of me as if it was
saying “I’m done. Take me as I am ”

And its hard not to be done in this world. This world where we all died.

All but you and me.

And that pheasant.

I felt a little bad as I was eating it. (pause) The sky is nice today. There’s a few clouds but
nothing too bad. I saw a couple of ships fly by west. I don’t know what they were doing and I
I wish I don’t find out. (She thinks) Right, the eulogy.

(She takes a deep breath)

My mother was the only person I’ve ever known.

She was very brave (scoff)

She was careless.

She knew how to live.

Like, how to really do it. How to enjoy the sweet moments in life. The ones you can almost
taste on the back of your tongue. That’s what she used to say. I think I understand (She
doesn’t understand)

That’s how it happened. She was brave enough to fall off a tree a couple of months ago. She
fractured her ankle and we didn’t know how bad it was until…

Until 3 hours ago when I had to bury her.

(Silence)

God, why did I even bother? (She picks up her bag and the map off the floor)

I think I’m go- gonna go. Im gonna go. I’ve said enough. I’m gonna… go. (She starts to walk
off but stops)

(Riley Moore is feeling something she has never felt before. She’s felt danger. Shes felt the
human reaction to danger, which is panic. But this… This is much worse)

(The girl clutches her chest and breathes heavily)

Breathe… just breathe… its okay (Riley crouches, her hands go on both sides of her head as if
to brace for impact)

Its fine. You’re fine… Just, breathe…

Breathe…

Breathe..

Breath- You know what, no! Fuck you!

Yeah, that’s right. Go fuck yourself. I bet this is really fucking amusing for you (she points at
the grave) and you (she starts pointing at the audience) and you, and you, and you, and all
you fuckers up there that want to kill me!

What did I even do?! I did nothing! I did nothing to be the last one standing. It’s a lot of
fucking responsibility to carry humanity on my fucking back!

You kno- You know, maybe I agree. Maybe I want us all gone. Maybe we’ve all had enough!
(she puts emphasis on “want” and “all” and gestures to the audience) Hell, maybe Ill kill
myself right now! Huh, wouldn’t you like that? Wouldn’t we all like that? (She takes a pocket
knife out and holds it above her throat)

You stupid, stupid woman… How could you do this to me? Why?

Why?! (it’s a guttural scream)

(Pause)

I’m trying really hard not to die.

I am trying hard to stay alive.

(blackout)

(5 MINUTES)
SCENE 2) It’s important that you know

(Riley is lying on the ground. Her stuff is atop the grave and she’s fiddling with the feather.
We can hear wind gushing in the distance. We can hear the murmurs of a soft lullaby)

(Riley starts singing the poem “Hope does indeed have feathers”)

Hope does indeed have feathers

And now she’s flown away
We try to listen for her tune
We long for her… today

(indistinct murmurs)

… She will perch in our souls again

Such sweetness cannot die

The gale is strong, the sea is strange

She flies on damaged wings
It’s our turn to keep her warm
This little bird who sings

(she starts pounding on the floor to create a beat)

Hope does indeed have feathers

And now she’s flown away
We try to listen for her tune
We long for her… today (2x)

(The song ends and she keeps looking at the sky above. There’s a pause)

I haven’t eaten in a while. I’m wasting a lot of my energy (She gets a flask from her bag and
squeezes out the last few drops. She looks disappointed)

I don’t really think I was chosen for this, you know? Like, I don’t really think you left me here
on purpose, I guess.. is what I’m trying to say. (She wails the flask around like a drunk old
man. She doesn’t realise she’s doing this)

I think you were just trying to live. When you climbed that tree, you were trying to live a
little. You wanted to feel normal. You saw a pretty leaf and you wanted to take it.

I do like to think you were going to show me and smile as you reminisced about how you
used to spend your time in forests like these with dad, or something cheesy like that

(pause) I wonder what he was like. I wonder if he would have climbed it with you.
(pause)

I can almost see it. You two together. I think I would’ve fit in nicely.

(pause)

My mother was the only person I’ve ever known.

She was very kind. And she knew a lot of things the average human woman didn’t know.

I assume. I mean, you guys know she was the only one I’ve ever known, on a deep level. Or
any…

Level.

(Silence)

She had red hair.

(Facing the audience) Its all gone now. She’s all but gone now.

There’s nothing left to learn, and even if there was, I wouldn’t hear about it.

Gosh, hearing! All I’ve been hearing is the sound of my own voice and its eating me alive!

I cant be silent for too long and I cant really speak. I’m being eaten alive by my own
presence.

That was a good thing about her. She made me feel comfortable. My mother liked to speak,
but I think she enjoyed thinking a lot more. I think I should start enjoying my thoughts too.

Sorry, that doesn’t make sense…

(She thinks, assessing her mind) There’s not many of them. Thoughts…There’s memories.

(Riley gets up from the floor, starts murmuring the lullaby again and dances. Its soft)

Memories…

Your cold face on my hands (She enacts the thought and kneels)

I had to dig your grave with my bare hands.

There’s dirt. There’s dirt everywhere.

(Her movement gets more frantic)

And there’s no almonds. And it’s freezing!

I know you’ll get cold.

(Pause)

(Riley depersonalises from her own identity. Her consciousness is pulled back for a moment.
Reality is starting to hit)

No

No, she wont, Riley

She wont get cold

(In between breaths)

She’s dead

My mother is dead.

(She takes a deep breath, the dancing stops)

Anabelle Moore had curly, long red hair. She had brown eyes, but she liked to say they were
hazel. I adopted this trend when I was 10 years old. There was no one to impress, but I did it
anyway. My eyes were hazel. My identity was my mother. I’ve never looked at us as two
separate beings, just an extension of the other. She was good at thinking and I am good at
doing. But she could do and I could think.

I believe we nested ourselves in the idea that we didn’t have to, though. Someone else
could do it for us. Someone that loved us enough to take care of a cognitive function. My
mother.

My mother taught me History, English and Astronomy. In detail. There’s more but I don’t
think those things are worth mentioning. Not right now.

My mother met my father when she was 35 and he was 37. They bonded over their love for
everything that existed above. Above humans, looming over and around them at all times:
Space

.They took a PhD In Theoretical Sciences and a Doctorate in Advanced Cosmology together.

She was his assistant before The Fall.

My dad was shy, a man of few words. They enjoyed silence together. Or so Im told.
She was kind and cut his hair even though he didn’t care how it looked. She wanted him to
look good, and have confidence to face the world. He brushed hers and read to her after
they got home from work. He wanted to make sure she felt comfortable in his presence. He
wanted to make sure she felt safe.

I always felt safe when I was with my mother. Not just because she birthed me but because I
knew she would always fight for me. She fought to keep me fed and she gave me her extra
clothes when it got too cold. She carried me on her back for days when we searched for
food. I could walk. I was perfectly able to and she was aware of that.

But she wanted to give me a break. She didn’t know what my last memory would be, and
she certainly didn’t want me feeling uncomfortable to be it. Even the slightest bit of
discomfort. She fought to eliminate. She fought to spoil me.

In all honesty, I have no idea how we survived the fall. How she raised a one year old in
complete isolation from another living soul. Birds and worms could count, but I’m not going
to.

Growing up my only friend was a rock that I called Bob. I thought its name was fun to say.
Still do.

Bob.

My dad warned my mum about the message, the message he got, you ask?

Well something like “Humanity is at it’s fall”.

That’s it.

They were the only two people to know about it before it all disappeared.

Before everyone simply vanished. Everyone except for us two, because we knew.

I’m not entirely sure why I’m telling you this but I think its important that you know.

It might be important for later.

The context… (pause)

Right! Later. I need to go. I need to go there, do you see that bright light? (She points to the
sky, there’s a faint light in the distance) The light is coming from a skyscraper. I learned its
called the Willies Tower.

It wasn’t there before, that light. With before I mean 2 weeks ago, when this started.

I was foraging and I noticed it go up. That’s the city of Chicago. That’s where I need to go.
We think someone turned it on.

Like, an actual, living, breathing person.

(She pauses and holds her stomach)

Maybe ill just stay here instead. I know I said I’m hopeful for this light but I think we all know
it’s a trap. I think we all know I’m walking just to die.

(She slides to the ground, grasping dirt in the process)

I cant leave you.

(Her eyes are shut, Riley feels the ground beneath with her fingertips and starts murmuring
the lullaby once again)

(Birds chirping are heard in the distance. Our protagonist is too lost in the moment to notice.
They get progressively louder.)

Cubensis Lenses by the Psychedelic Porn Crumpets starts playing in the background

(As Riley gets up, different coloured flashing lights illuminate the stage and the audience. It’s
a party.)

(She hurriedly gets a bow and arrow set out of her bag)

(Riley looks at the grave, then at the audience)

(She exits off stage right)

(10 MINUTES)
SCENE 3) As above…

(Music plays in the background. Riley stumbles on stage, bow and arrow in hand. She moves
around poetically, and looks at the sky. She’s careful with each step)

(She lines up a shot attentively, fires the arrow and runs off stage again)

(Arrow in hand but with no bird, Riley returns. She repeats the process and fires again)

(She misses)

Hmph…

( Riley dances)

(She lines up her shots while moving. She doesn’t care if she’s heard anymore)

(The birds stop at a nearby tree)

(Riley dances. She’s releasing a lot of emotion)

(She’s exhausted herself)

(She shoots one last time)

Yes! (Riley runs off stage, and returns with a limp bird on her hands)

(She turns around and sits. Feathers fly everywhere.)

(Gnawing noises are heard)

(This takes a while)

(It’s disgusting)

I’m sorry you had to see that. (Riley turns around)

My lovely audience…

The fellow attendees of my mother’s funeral.

You came for the funeral yet you’re still here.

Well, I appreciate the company.

(Pause)
Anyways, the light.

I have to walk there. (pause) Oh my god I can’t believe I left her.

She would’ve wanted me to leave. I cannot believe I did it anyways.

(Pause)

So, here’s the map. She lined up where I need to go… and that is, that way (she points to the
audience) I have to cross a massive river at some point… Im not entirely sure how Ill do that.

25 miles of open field before, though.

That should be easy (She looks up) Its almost dark.

It’s almost dark and I’m alone and cold and covered in bird guts but… I will be able to stock
on some water by the river.

And ill survive.

Ill be fine

Lets do this.

I should stay silent for awhile now.

I think ill do that. (Riley gathers her stuff and heads towards the audience. The spotlight
follows her)

Odyssee by L’Imperatrice starts playing in the background

Excuse me, sorry.

(She walks through the audience)

Sorry, sorry…

(She walks to the far end of the seating area and then disappears.)

(The spotlight shines on a higher level of the theatre. Riley enters and looks down at all the
people curiously. She walks through another door.)

(She walks through the entire theatre before finally disappearing)

(Riley re-emerges at the highest level and lines up a shot at the stage. She fires and a thud
can be heard)
(She enters through stage left and takes the bird in her hand excitedly. She stuffs it in her
backpack, and starts walking once more. Beginning upstage left, treating it like a maze and
stumbling around the place)

(Riley is tired. She’s eaten yet she’s tired. She’s spoken and there are no words left. There
weren’t any words to begin with and now there’s even less.)

(She trips on a rock on the ground)

(She keeps walking)

(She looks at the sky)

(She keeps walking)

(Riley walks to the very end of downstage and sits down. She pulls out her flask and tries to
squeeze the last bit of water. Nothing comes out. She licks the tip of the bottle)

(And the inside of the cap)

(And stays there for a moment)

(Crickets chirp in the background)

(The moment is savoured)

That’s Aquilla, right there (Riley points at the sky)

The constellation. It sort of looks like a T. And it means eagle in Latin. (She gulps)

And that’s the Northern Cross.

Yep, the one that led the three wise men to Christ. Or so its theorised… Was. Was theorised.

My mother didn’t believe in God but she found meaning in telling me the stories. The ones
in the Bible. I guess someone needs to keep them alive.

Oh! And that’s Ursa Minor, or as they used to call it “The Little Dipper” (She smiles)

Not so little from down here. I mean… It is, but its not.

I’m nothing compared to the stars. Can you imagine what they’ve seen?

No really, can you?

I really wish I would’ve been there. For everything, you know? From when we were nothing
to where we were everything. (pause) I think we still are everything, in a way.
A couple of years ago we stayed in Cleveland for a bit. Nature has taken cities. It was really
pretty.

I think I found us all in the overgrown moss.

I think I left a piece of us everywhere we went. No, literally, we marked it. “Anabelle and
Riley Moore were here!”

She was here.

(Silence)

Naturalia.

That’s what’s its called when nature takes over something we made. It literally means
reclaimed by nature.

That’s what’s happening to her right now.

God that’s what’s happening to her right now.

Her body has already filled up with gas. She’s lost all colour except for a dark tint of purple.

Her skin is tough. There’s no blood or oxygen to keep it warm and malleable.

Soon it will be home to vermin.

Her insides are like soup. Which I’ve never had but I hear its great.

Hearing… I’m talking too much.

(She looks down)

I really don’t know what I’m doing.

I think I’ve disappointed you, mum.

Maybe it was my fault. I asked you for space. I said I needed one night alone.

And we did it all the time. A cool off trip. A day or two where we existed in our terms.

Why did this one have to go so wrong?

(Silence)

You could be here with me, but instead you’re not.

You could be the one speaking but instead I’m here talking to myself.

I always end up talking to myself.

It’s a lot.

(She gets up and walks to the centre of the stage, puts the backpack down and rests her
head on it.)

(She turns away from the audience)

(Riley whimpers)

(Riley sobs)

(blackout)

(15 MINUTES)
SCENE 4) …so below

(A storm is a brew. Wind gushes, tree wobbles and rain are heard in the background. Green
and blue lighting fills the theatre. Our protagonist jolts awake)

What-

What is going- (A wind gush, she stumbles back)

(A bright, white light shines on Riley. She’s managed to get up on her feet and is getting
drenched with rain)

?) Darling!

(She looks at the wings)

?) Darling, it’s almost time!

(This voice is sweet and delicate)

(Riley slowly walks to the source, fighting wind on her way)

?) Riley, you know how you can get…

So down... You’re always looking down, my love

But you never give up.

And you know that. So why this rush?

(A bright light emerges in front of her. She’s tempted to touch it)

(And immediately does)

(Riley’s arm gets pulled with inexplicable force. She grunts while attempting to pull herself
back. She fails to do so. Half of the girl’s figure gets sucked in, leaving only her back and legs
visible)

?) Look for Elliot, baby. (In a deep and all-consuming tone)

?) Look for Elliot.

?) I love you.

(Riley’s released)

(Riley’s confused)
(Riley’s alone)

(She breathes deeply and looks around, searching for some sense)

(The storm is violent, it knocks her off her feet)

(As quickly as it started, everything vanishes. A calm atmosphere is restored and our
protagonist gets up from having her face planted to the ground)

(She grabs her backpack and turns to flee the scene)

Elliot Turner was my dad’s research partner in college.

They wrote a thesis on the amalgamation of meteors in close proximity to our galaxy.

And what that might mean for us.

(Pause)

The answer was aliens, if you were wondering.

Fucking aliens.

(Anger bubbles inside. She walks up to the audience and points her finger as if she is about
to go off, but decides against it)

Lets go find this fucking river. (Riley holds up two fingers, kisses them and holds them up to
the sky)

(She knew who made that happen)

(She’s not convinced it was a dream)

(5 MINUTES)
SCENE 5) How fast does the wind blow?

(Riley walks in slow motion through the stage. The light changes show the passage of time.
Sometimes she lays down. Sometimes takes food off her backpack and snacks.)

(She walks to the wings and gets a blanket off stage. Its ragged and torn apart, and looks like
a sheep’s coat. She wraps herself in it and slow dances. There is no music on)

(She slowly gets down on the floor and looks ahead. A bright light is projected behind her, it
gets warmer. The skies are pink and soft shades of orange. The sun is setting)

How nice is this moment?

(beat)

How long is it going to last?

(silence)

I miss moments like these with her.

Anabelle is such a sweet name.

A sweet name for a sweet mum.

A sweet name for a sweet moment.

A moment so sweet it lights up the back of your tongue… You can almost taste it.

(She smiles)

An emotional wave travels your body.

(pause)

And then… Well, then the present moment is lost.

(Deep breath)

Even if its just for a second.

(She stretches her body and gets comfortable on the floor)

A mere second. That’s how long it takes for sepsis to install itself in your immune system.

A single second.

A single day is how long it took to kill her.

(pause) The river is right ahead. I’m sorry I’ve kept you waiting.
I felt we all needed a moment (deep breath)

(2 MINUTES)
SCENE 6) Pretty fast it seems… As…

(Riley picks up her things and walks off stage left. It’s a peaceful moment. There’s tension in
the air, but an ejoyable kind of tension)

(Something is about to happen)

(Riley returns from the wings…) Sorry, wrong way

(And walks off stage again)

2 MINUTES PASS. THE STAGE IS BARE AND DIMLY LIT.

THE SOUND OF WAVES CRASHING ABOUT GRADUALLY FILLS THE THEATRE.

(Riley returns, walking through the audience for the last time)

(She’s completely drenched. The stench of uncleaned water contaminates the air)

(She steps onto the stage, not carrying a single thing anymore)

(An extremely powerful light becomes visible)

(Its blinding)

Willies Tower

We meet finally

It’s a pleasure

(sigh, silence)

A lot can happen in a day. In 24 hours, even. I lived with my mother for 20 years, the only 20
years of my life were spent with her. That’s two decades. Two sets of 10 years. And that’s…
(Riley looks up, thinking. She holds up her fingers and counts) 87 thousand hours…
multiplied by two… A hundred and seventy-five thousand hours….

And that’s….

10 million minutes…

Give or take.
A lot can happen in a minute. That’s how long it took for sepsis to install itself-… Oh. I’ve
already said that. Never mind.

(The sun finally sets and Riley gets up)

When we saw the light… The really bright light, we almost couldn’t believe it. It was truly…

Beautiful, in a way. And I’ve seen a lot of beautiful things in my life.

I kno- I know that I am alone.

And that me and my mum were alone… But I beg of you to not feel bad for us. Not even for
a single second, you hear me?

We had a beautiful life. So, dont you dare give usyour pity. I don’t need it and neither does
she.

She taught me better than that. My mother raised me well! (She’s defensive)

(Silence)

We used to go on… road trips all the time…? (She looks unsure) Is that what you guys used
to call them? I am almost sure that’s the correct term.

We used to walk places. I’ve been to almost every state… Well, every state, except for
Illinois. She died before we crossed the border to Illinois.

You guys like it here… right? This place hasn’t given me much trouble so far.. Apart from that
little storm earlier…

(She looks at the audience with a deadpan expression) I wonder what that was about…

Narrator) You’re not funny, Miss Moore

(Green and Blue lights surround the stage. Fog starts blowing in from both wings. Riley looks
around confused and a little bit frightened)

(She turns her gaze back to the audience)

What?!

Narrator) What? (Everything goes back to normal)

Anyways…

I am rambling too much.

We went to the Grand Canyon when I was 8. I was only 8 when I watched a sun set just like
this one.

I felt so big when we were looking down at the view. I was only about 4 feet tall but, I felt
completely equal to everything around me. I was the cliffs, and the ravines, the birds
cackling everywhere and the sound of the breeze… I was big, as big as the planet itself.

My mother used to tell me stories about how it was before.

It was so different… How mean people were...

Atop the Grand Canyon, malice didn’t exist. Ive never known evil. I thought the aliens were
evil until I realised they were just like me… alive.

Humanity was at its fall. It had fallen a long time ago.

I think they just wanted to help. They had to take us all away (she fights back tears)

Throughout my entire life… I have never experienced the feeling you get when someone
tells you your hair looks shit today, or that you talk too much...

My mum’s sister used to tell her stuff like that. With how little my mom opened up about life
before, her mean sister Greta was a very prominent topic of conversation. I could never
imagine being treated like that. I could never imagine saying that to my mother…

My sweet, sweet mother…

We left the Canyon and walked across the river. sSe filled her bag to the brim with tiny
pebbles so I could skip them on the water… She carried me on her back for two whole hours.

It was dark and cold… You know how deserts get… (pause)

(A tear falls down her left cheek)

(Riley doesn’t wipe it off. She doesn’t even move)

That’s the kind of person that she was… a redheaded beauty… inside and out

(The projected sky gets progressively more dim)

(She thinks)

(Riley Moore paces around the stage. It gets more frantic.)

And then, as if a lightbulb has materialised above her head, Riley says:
Holy shit!

I know how to cross that damned river

(rapid blackout)

(10 MINUTES)
SCENE 6) HOPE STRIKES LAST

(The theatre is completely dark until it is not. Riley Moore stands in the middle of the stage.
She is completely drenched)

So, that was easy

(She walks around)

Don’t ask me how I did it

(She walks, and walks, and walks. She’s walked enough)

This is it. Willies Tower

I guess I am just walking in (She opens the doors to the building and walks in. Its completely
empty and dusty. There are overgrown weeds everywhere and the dewy tones of the grey
walls engulf the girl in a swift bite)

Goodbye, mum.

Goodbye world.

(Riley Moore walks up the stairs. It’s the longest stairwell she has ever seen in her life. She
starts running up the stairs as if she feels her life depends on it)

Hello?! (She doesn’t care anymore)

Hello!?!?! (Not if there’s aliens out here that want to kill her and not if her mother has been
left behind forever)

(Riley has stopped caring completely)

Elliot? Elliot? Elliot?!

(Nothing matters but Elliot)

Hello!!!!!!!!!!!

(Finding Elliot. Who is Elliot? Is Elliot an object, a human, something else entirely?)

Elliot!

(Is he even alive?)

(Does he even exist)

(Why did her mother tell her to find Elliot?)

Elliot?
(She reaches the top)

?) Who the fuck are you?! (A voice appears. A shotgun clicking is heard. Riley stops dead in
her tracks)

My- my name is Riley Moore…

My mother told me to find you… Elliot?!

?) Riley…?

(A tall woman emerges at the top of the stairs. She’s wearing an old lab coat and her
expression is of amazement)

Elliot?

You’re a woman?(Elliot laughs and lets her guard down)

Elliot) Seems so (Elliot drops the shotgun and gestures Riley inside. The top of Willies Tower
is a research facility)

Elliot? How you alive, kid?!

(Kid? Who is this woman) Who are you?

Elliot) My name is Elliot Turner. I know- used to know your parents

How?

Elliot) We worked together. Building this:

(She shows Riley the room. Its an observatory with a huge telescope, a table of weird
switches Riley cannot make out and outside, low and behold, a 5 foot tall light emitter)

Nice to meet you, Elliot.

I thought I was going to die.

On the way up here I thought I was going to get to the top and immediately get thrown off…
or something

Elliot) Well, I’m glad you didn’t Riley.

What is all of this?

Elliot) Its so I can look up at the sky and watch the extra-terrestrials fly about

Youre not scared of them?

Elliot) Why would I be? They know Im down here and they wont do anything.
(pause)

Elliot) I think maybe you and I were chosen.

Chosen?

Elliot) Chosen not to die

Me and my mum spent all of our lives hiding from them…

They really know we’re down here?

Elliot) Yep (Elliot lights a cigarette) You want one?

I’ve never smoked

Elliot) Its easy, here (Elliot places a Marlboro Red cigarette between Riley’s lips)

It tastes sweet (Elliot lights it and Riley takes a puff, and coughs)

Wow

(In between coughs)

They know we’re here

Elliot) Yeah kid, they know

You keep calling me kid…

Why?

Elliot) I met you as a baby

Elliot) You was sweet

Elliot) I saw your eyes and I knew it was you

How did you know my parents?

Elliot) We met on my first year at the company and developed the situation we’re in right
now… Or the situation we’ve found ourselves in

I’m sorry, but why wont they kill us?! I mean we’re right here for the taking! Hello! (Riley
takes herself and her newly found appreciation for smoking out on the balcony. Elliot follows
her worriedly, scared she might do something they will both regret)
Hello?! (She shouts out into the air of Chicago, which they can oversee completely)

(Riley takes a puff of her cigarette and screams. Loudly and sincerely, like she has never
screamed before)

(Elliot closes the balcony door and stands next to Riley. She doesn’t quite know what to do,
shes never had a daughter after all. But Riley is sweet. Riley is alone.)

Elliot) What happened to Anabelle, Riley?

She died in my arms 2 weeks ago

Elliot) Fuck, man (Elliot lights another cigarette)

Elliot) That’s fucked, I’m very sorry

Why wont they kill us? Why are we alive?!

Elliot) Fuck if I know, kid

Elliot) They just watch

What do you see when you use the telescope

Elliot) The ships going across the sky. Its almost as if they’re scouting the area to make
something new

What

What do you mean by that

Elliot) Well, I don’t know… But right now it seems like they’re finding a place to make
something with

Like what?!

Elliot) A new home for themselves, perhaps?

Elliot) Again, fuck me if I know

(pause)

Whats happening, Elliot? Im scared

Elliot) Something big, kid… something big.

(Elliot wraps her hands around the traumatised girl. They embrace. The sun is setting)
(The sun is setting)

The end

( 5 MINUTES)