LIZ: (bows head) Dear lord,
HOPE: (clasps hands, bows head, kneels between three candles) You who rule the heavens
PATRICK: (closes eyes, fists at sides, shoulders hunched) Our Father
JADE: I guess this is it God… (SEBAS looks up to the sky, nervous smile. JADE begins pacing, with hatred) I don’t even know where to begin,
PATRICK: Who art in heaven
SEBAS: I’ve never done This before (gestures up) |
LIZ: I’ve never had to do This before (gestures to belly) |
PATRICK: Hallowed be Thy name
HOPE: And made the earth
JADE: We haven’t really talked in a while…
LIZ: I’m just nervous I guess
SEBAS: I don’t understand
PATRICK: Thy kingdom come
JADE: Hell
(stops) |
LIZ: I mean (looks away) |
SEBAS: No (looks up) |
HOPE: Listen to me now
PATRICK: Thy will be done,
LIZ: (place one hand on belly) I’ve never been a mommy before. I don’t think I can do it… Can I?
JADE: We’ve stopped listening to each other.
SEBAS: I just don’t understand.
PATRICK: On earth
SEBAS: I just don’t get you.
PATRICK: As it is
HOPE: Bless me thy humble servant
PATRICK: In heaven
SEBAS: YOU’RE not supposed to make mistakes
JADE: (breath) It’s not my fault, you failed me.
LIZ: It’s no mistake. I am gonna be a mother…
PATRICK: Give us this day
HOPE: For, I know, your love abounds
LIZ: (looks up) But will I be a mommy?
(Beat)
SEBAS: Has it all been a lie?
JADE: I wanted to feel something real.
SEBAS: How do you expect me to know what’s the truth?
PATRICK: Our daily bread,
JADE: Cocaine is real |
SEBAS: What’s real? |
LIZ: And who will be my baby’s father?
SEBAS: Why did you make me like this?
HOPE: I know I am crafted
PATRICK: Forgive us our trespasses
JADE: Not some fantasy.
SEBAS: I didn’t choose this,
JADE: Not some man in the clouds
SEBAS: I didn’t ask for it at all!
LIZ: At first I didn’t want it, I never asked for a child.
HOPE: Crafted in your likeness
SEBAS: It’s not my fault!
PATRICK: As we forgive those
JADE: Let him among us Without sin Right? |
SEBAS: Yeah I know it’s a sin! Screw it though! Screw sin! |
LIZ: It wasn’t a sin, was it? I made a mistake
HOPE: Let Me purify this world
SEBAS: These feelings…
PATRICK: Who trespass against us
SEBAS: They can’t be sin! How can love be a sin?
LIZ: He didn’t love me.
JADE: Damn, it's not like I killed someone.
PATRICK: And lead us not into temptation.
HOPE: Let Me rid the land of the devil’s Pride
LIZ: I couldn’t live knowing she would have a harder life because of me.
JADE: (begins to fiddle with a white powder bag, stored in sleeve) shit
SEBAS: I can’t choose the easy life.
HOPE: May thy hand smite those against your grace
PATRICK: But deliver us from evil.
HOPE: The homosexuals
(JADE
stares intently into the bag, it calls for her)
SEBAS: I’m gay
PATRICK: For thine
HOPE: The drug addicts
JADE: I can’t resist! (Said smiling. She deliberately
kneels and turns her back to the audience. She sniffs the cocaine.)
PATRICK: Is the kingdom
HOPE: The prostitutes
LIZ: I couldn’t resist. (She collapses to her
knees. A silent cry weeps from her, as
she heaves on the floor.)
PATRICK: And the power
HOPE: Help us resist,
PATRICK: And the glory forever
SEBAS: (Beat.) I’m done lying God.
HOPE: Help us resist all sins of the world.
PATRICK: So, when does it stop?
SEBAS: (looks up to God, throws the candle
down) I’m gay and I am done lying.
(PATRICK’s lines
continue under TALYER and SEBAS)
HOPE: Help us resist the seven SEBAS: My friends left me HOPE: The sin of greed SEBAS: It’s all about sex HOPE: The sin of lust SEBAS: People hate me HOPE: The sin of wrath SEBAS: Girls scoff me HOPE: Envy SEBAS: Guys spit on me HOPE: Pride SEBAS: Mom can’t look me in the eye! HOPE: Vanity |
PATRICK: When does it
start to feel good? (look down shaking head) I want him back! (hand to
head) He was my best friend! (Throw arms down, stare
into heaven) HE WAS ONLY SEVENTEEN! Take me, (Slowly
collapses to knees) Take me instead; Please, make the pain stop |
SEBAS: No one wants to help me,
HOPE: Valor
SEBAS: (a beat) Just (beat) change me.
(A moment of silence.
Deafening silence. JADE faces audience, she is high. LIZ looks up.)
LIZ: How can I afford this?
PATRICK and SEBAS: It hurts
SEBAS: You know
JADE: (begins to laugh softly)
PATRICK: He was always there for me
LIZ: What’s dad gonna say?
SEBAS: That silence, after you tell someone
JADE: (laughs harder)
PATRICK: And now he’s gone
SEBAS: The look of shock on there faces
PATRICK: And it’s all my fault
JADE: (throws her head back with glee)
HOPE: And lord,
LIZ: What will mom and dad do?
PATRICK: My brother
HOPE: Bless me. (begins to smile)
SEBAS: That single tear that runs down their cheek
(quick
beat)
JADE: How could anything this good could be so wrong?
LIZ: I’m not ready
PATRICK: I want the pain to stop
SEBAS: I’m different now
PATRICK: I want to be numb
HOPE: Let others take example of my life (gets on knees)
JADE: (Turns around and faces PATRICK. There is a moment of recognition between them) You want to be numb?
HOPE: Let others follow in my footsteps. (sits completely up
on knees)
SEBAS: I’m done lying
HOPE: Let others learn from me (raises arms out)
LIZ: I have to be ready
HOPE: As I walk my path to glory (stands completely, arms
thrust out in crucifix position)
JADE: Come here (PATRICK slowly begins to move toward JADE)
LIZ: Help me to be a mother
SEBAS: Help me live the truth
JADE: (PATRICK reaches JADE and
she hands him the bag.) I can help
HOPE: For it is in your almighty name that I pray
SEBAS: In Christ’s name (LIZ crosses herself)
HOPE: (Opens her eyes, smiles, brimming with self confidence) Amen.
(Black out.)
©2007 Austin Turner