|
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 10
|
Red Star on the Horizon Scene 1 and 2
This is something I whipped up on this week. Hope you like it! Word Count: 2675. These are Scenes 1 and 2. Refer to my next post for the final 2 scenes.
A Red Star on the Horizon
SCENE 1
Complete Darkness. As VOICE speaks star lights come up.
VOICE: Since the beginning of time there have been stories and superstitions which provide explanations for all of the unanswered mysteries that shroud the human mind. However, occasionally there are the stories with no explanations. Most of said stories are buried away from the general public, for no one wants to accept what even the superstitious can’t explain. Though all the instances in these unexplained mysteries appear to be the same, there are no apparent reasoning’s or pieces of evidences that link them together, at least not on the surface that is. If one cares to dig deeper however, one might discover that the key to this enigma, and in fact the answer itself is nothing more or less than a single red star on the horizon.
A RED STAR appears among other stars.
(VOICE): Some people believe it is the star which causes the miracles that follow, that by some divine intervention this miraculous dot among space has the power to pause death and grant loves wishes. Whether this spec adorning the heavens be a sign from beyond or an astonishing phenomenon, most non-believers think it at best a farfetched superstition.
STARS fade. Blue CYC fades in. Dim onstage light. Hospital Maternity Room. JESPRESS is lying in bed unconscious. Much action in room as baby is being delivered. Monitors are beeping and IVs are close by. LAMP by bedside.
DOCTOR: Nurse, I need an update on those readings now!
NURSE 1: Sir, I understand. They’re printing and her file is on its way from the clinic as fast as possible.
DOCTOR: I can’t wait that long! She’s losing blood fast and the child’s not going to live if I don’t start operating now!
NURSE 2: We’re doing as much as we can, but without the information of the source of the donor, the blood type, and not to mention the father-
DOCTOR: The father’s halfway to Mranburn by now, can’t you see he’s the bas-
The pulsing of monitors ceases and there is a continuous beep – as if the
heartbeat has stopped.
(DOCTOR): Alright, I can’t wait any longer. Hand me the defibrillator and replace the I.V..
NURSE 1: Sir, the readings are here and according to the blood status form her type is not available within five hours of the town. Sir we can’t save her unless we airlift-
DOCTOR: With the time it will take to get the approval from R.I.N.A. that risks both lives. I won’t have two unneeded fatalities tonight. Close the door and prepare for the delivery.
NURSE 1: Yes Sir.
NURSE 1 motions to NURSE 2 to close door. THEY go on to deliver baby. After all the commotion everything is silent. NURSE 2 holds NATOMI in her arms. BABY is crying.
DOCTOR: (Looking at his watch) Time of child’s birth 2:56 a.m.. Time of mother’s death, 2:57 a.m..
NURSE 1 records times on clipboard. NURSE 2 places baby in CRIB. NURSE 1 turns off LAMP. NURSES turn off all machines. ALL exit. After a BEAT a RED STAR appears on the horizon. MACHINES turn back on and HEART MONITOR starts beeping again. Optional SPOTLIGHT on HOSPITAL BED. MUSIC (“Amor De Mi Alma”) starts playing JESPRESS stirs. JESPRESS wakes up, turns on light, gets out of bed and crosses to CRIB. SHE takes NATOMI and BABY stops crying. MUSIC fadest.
JESPRESS: Hush my dear Natomi, no need to cry. It was all just a terrible dream. You’re so beautiful. Green eyes, cute dimples, just like me when I was little.
DOCTOR and NURSES re-enter.
DOCTOR: Now if only they could get the ambul-
Cuts off when HE sees JESPRESS.
JESPRESS: Hello doctor. Shame on you for not waking me up sooner so that I could get a glimpse of my own daughter, it’s already four o’clock! Isn’t she beautiful? Do you want to hold her?
As she moves forward and motions for the doctor to hold the BABY the DOCTOR and NURSES back away.
JESPRESS: Is there something wrong doctor? Is my Natomi sick?
NURSE 1: Jespress- (she starts but can not finish)
DOCTOR: Jespress, do remember anything from tonight?
JESPRESS: Why, no, not at all sir. Well, actually now that you mention it I remember having a terrible dream about pain and dea- why are you asking me this? Is there a problem? You look mortified.
DOCTOR: Jespress, just an hour ago you gave birth and you started losing blood severely. There was nothing we could do, and it was either the baby…(HE trails off)
JESPRESS: Are you telling me that I’m supposed to be dead?
DOCTOR: You passed on at 2:57a.m. You’ve been gone for over an hour. In the history of medicine-
JESPRESS: Then the dream was true. I really did die. But if that part was true than so is the other. Nurse, do you watch the stars often? I guess it doesn’t take an astrologer to notice that a red star is highly uncommon, in fact, non-existent. Would you do me a favor? Would you look out the window and tell me if there is a red star on the horizon?
NURSE 2 crosses to window and looks out. SHE nods.
(JESPRESS): In my dream there were robed figures who told me that until the star fades I will get one last chance to say goodbye to my daughter. I must only have until sunrise to-
DOCTOR: Jespress, don’t you see. You’re a medical miracle. If we take you to the city right now we can get some tests done and-
JESPRESS: With all due respect sir, I would like to spend the rest of the night with my daughter. No medicine can cure me, but perhaps love can ease my mind and calm my soul.
DOCTOR: Tomorrow morning I’ll have the transportation to the city available. After the tests are done you’ll be able to go right home-
JESPRESS: Doctor, please.
JESPRESS motions to the exit and DOCTOR and NURSES leave.
JESPRESS: My dear Natomi, an entire lifetime would not be long enough to spend together. If only I could hold you in my arms and never lose grip. For once I fear the sunrise and wish that this night could last forever. Oh, the things I wish we could do together. Go for ice-cream, play games, open presents, sing songs, talk about boys. But you’re going to do all of that with someone else. Don’t worry, I’m always going to be with you. It was for you that I gave my last breath, and for you that I died, and for us that I know that we will always be together.
Sings the following.
My dear, My sweet, My angel of light
Never grow weak, always soar to new heights
I’ll always be with you when times you’re alone
For you are my sweet, my love, and my own.
As she sings the song THE MOURNED enter from SL and SR. As she finishes song she places the BABY in cradle. She repeats last line of song, and as she finishes the cloaked figures surround her. MACHINES turn off. Lights fade.
SCENE 2
Lights up. JACE and KATIE are walking in the park on their way to school.
KATIE: Hurry up Jace, the bell is gonna ring any minute! I don’t want to be late again.
JACE: Cool down sis, who cares if we’re late? It’s just one more detention for me and one more chance for you to suck up to your teacher, use your grades as an excuse, and skip spending time in the school’s slammer.
KATIE: That’s not the point. Maybe if you worked a little harder you wouldn’t have a permanent seat in the detention hall. Or maybe it’s not you, maybe if you didn’t spend so much time with those “friends” of yours you would-
JACE: Shut up right now! My buddies have got me through thick and thin and I’m not about to turn around and backstab them. They stick up for me and I do the same for them.
KATIE: Well then maybe it’s not who you hang out with, but what you do instead.
JACE: That’s my business and no one else’s!
KATIE: All I’m saying is that internal conflict usually leads to external conflict
As KATIE finishes her line she becomes flustered. GRIFF and HT enter. SHE turns around and collides into GRIFF.
(KATIE): Point Proven! (Bitterly) Hello Griff.
JACE notices GRIFF and HT for the first time and gets between KATIE and GRIFF.
GRIFF: Nice to see your sister’s friendly as ever.
JACE: Leave her out of this. What do you two want?
HT: Word is that you and your gang were responsible for the little muck up at Rossy’s last weekend.
JACE: Prove it.
HT: We don’t have to prove nothing. We’ve had it with your cheap tricks and games, and it’s about time you’ve got something to prove. Rally your boys for tonight. Meet here and remember this: anything goes.
JACE: (pauses, then toughly) You’ve got yourself a deal.
GRIFF and HT exit.
KATIE: What in this Earth is wrong with you. You can’t go up against Griff and HT.
JACE: It’s not just us.
KATIE: Didn’t you hear the numbskulls? ANYTHING GOES! You can die. It’s not worth it Jace, don’t do this.
JACE: Katie, you don’t understand. Maybe when you’re older you’ll get the concepts of loyalty, trust, and friendship.
KATIE: Maybe if you’d just listen you’ll get that loyalty to you’re family is more important than a gang, it’s better to trust your gut instinct (which in this case is probably not telling you to commit suicide), and that friendship technically only works when you have friends who are not all dead!
JACE: Shouldn’t we be getting to school?
KATIE: Who cares about school when their brothers life is on the line? Don’t do this to mom and dad, no parent wants to bury their own child!
JACE: Katie-
KATIE: No, I’m not listening. You can talk all you want, but I’m staying right here. All day. (starts crying)
JACE: Katie, you’re the most important thing in my whole life. I’ll protect you and be with you for the rest of your life, and if it means that much to you I guess I won’t go.
KATIE: (wiping tears) Promise?
JACE: Promise.
KATIE: Thanks. (Hugs HIM)
JACE: You get along to school, I’ll be right there. I’ve just gotta call my friends and tell them the whole thing’s off.
KATIE: Okay.
KATIE kisses JACE on the cheek and exits. JACE takes out a CELL PHONE.
JACE: Hey, you there?...Ya, tonight… Be there…Ya, course I am… Sure…ya, it’ll be a brawl to remember.
Lights fade to just CYC. SHADOWS enter. HT and JACE shake hands. Two gangs fight. JACE fights HT who has knife. BOTH fight for knife. HT gets KNIFE and stabs JACE. JACE dies.
GRIFF: Hey, someone’s coming. Run!
All living gang members run. KATIE enters and runs to JACE’S body. SHE lies with him and cries and falls asleep. MUSIC (“Amor De Mi Alma”) starts playing. RED STAR appears on the horizon. JACE stirs and gets up. HE picks up and carries KATIE to a bench. KATIE wakes up.
KATIE: Jace, is that you? I must be dreaming. Let me go back to sleep.
JACE: No Katie, it really is me. I’m back.
KATIE: Jace? (she gets up and feels his face) It really is you. But I was over there, and you were there too, but you were-
JACE: Katie, there’s no changing what has happened, but do you see that small red dot in the sky?
KATIE: You mean the star?
JACE: Well, something tells me that is not just any star, but a very special star. It’s letting me stay one more night, just so that I could be with you.
KATIE: But I don’t get it. We have to go show mom and dad, and Griff. Wait till he sees that you’re still here. Boy, that’d teach the cretin.
JACE: No, Katie. I don’t have that long, only until sunrise. We could never make it to the house in time and I don’t think I was sent back to visit someone who tried to kill me. I came back to say one final goodbye, to you.
KATIE: Please don’t leave again.
JACE: Hush now. Just let me hug my sister like I’ve always wanted to.
KATIE: I thought you promised.
JACE: What?
KATIE: You promised me that you wouldn’t go. You promised!
JACE: I know Katie, and I’m sorry. But you must understand that if I didn’t go it was bound to happen again, and I wasn’t so sure that I could protect you next time. I promised you that you were the most important thing to me, and the only way I could keep that promise and keep you safe was to fight for it.
KATIE: Oh Jace, when I went into your room and you weren’t there, I didn’t know what was going on. For once in my life, I didn’t know what to do.
JACE: And that’s exactly what I gave my life for. I gave it for you, so that when you were faced with the same things that I was you would know what to do. It may sound cloudy now, but it was for you that I gave my last breath. My life had nosedived to a practically nothing, but you have everything going for you, and I won’t let you make the same mistakes I did.
THE MOURNED enter from SL and SR.
KATIE: Who are they?
JACE: Don’t worry, they won’t harm you.
KATIE: I don’t want you to leave.
JACE: I’m afraid that fate has caught up with me. It’s my time, and for once I can’t be late.
KATIE: I-I understand.
JACE: I knew you would.
KATIE: We will see each other again won’t we?
JACE: Everywhere you go I will be with you, and as long as you remember me I will always be there.
KATIE: I’ll never forget, Jace.
JACE: Promise?
KATIE: Promise.
THE MOURNED surround JACE. Lights fade.
CONTINUED on NEXT POST
|
