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By Dominick
Characters: SNEAKY the APE, male, 17 BRAVE the GORILLA, male, 18
Setting: In the deepest part of the jungle in Africa. He sees a gang of monkeys who calls themselves the Low Branch Monkeys. He sees hunters speeding up and down the jungle in their jeep trucks and animals of all types scattering to not be caught. He sees really tall trees and some really short. He hears loud banging noises from monkeys throwing things at each other. He hears all the animals yelling their loudest when they see the hunters. He hears cheetahs growling, birds screeching, apes beating on their chests and yelling towards the moon. He smells burning leaves, urine and poop from where the animals use the bathroom. He smells a fire nearby from an animal being caught and about be cooked by the hunters.
Time: 10:30 pm on a summer night.
At Rise: Sneaky and Brave up high in the trees. Sneaky slouching looking up at the sky as if he has something on his mind that’s bothering him. Brave is sitting across from Sneaky playing and joking a lot with Sneaky but not getting much of a response.
BRAVE Yo Sneaky! What’s on your mind?
SNEAKY Nothing much man.
BRAVE Don’t give me that nothing much crap, I’ve been knowing you my whole life.
SNEAKY Ha ha. I’m just thinking about some stuff.
BRAVE Well just know if you ever need anything from me I got you.
SNEAKY Yeah, I hear you. (Silence)
BRAVE Aye Sneaky…member that time we were running from the hunters and that hunter just fell flat on his face?
SNEAKY Yeah, or member that time you tried to jump from this tree to the other tree but didn’t make it and went home crying to your mama? (LOL)
BRAVE Yea, those are some good memories.
SNEAKY Have you ever thought about how life would be if we never lived in the jungle or if we just up and left right now?
BRAVE What are you talking about Sneaky?
SNEAKY I’m talking about how would our lives play out if we stayed in the jungle?
BRAVE Yo man you talking nonsense.
SNEAKY No I’m serious I think about this almost every night I’m afraid if we stay here something bad would happen to one of us or our family…
BRAVE Nobody is going to bother us dude!
SNEAKY Yea maybe you’re right but how do we know for sure?
BRAVE We’ve lived here all our lives and nothing’s happened yet. Have it?
SNEAKY No, but what if I told you I did something to another monkey and it’s only a matter of time before his crew comes back for revenge?
BRAVE Then I’ll tell you I’m Brave the Gorilla and I’m ready for whatever, whoever, whenever. This is our jungle and I’m not leaving because of nobody.
SNEAKY It’s bigger than this jungle! You claim it but it doesn’t claim you. This jungle don’t care about us, it don’t even know us, all it knows is we’re another monkey running wild. If we move and come back here in 10, 15, 20 years everything will be the same.
BRAVE Sneaky, where is all this coming from? I thought we were jungle monkeys for life!
SNEAKY What does that have to do with anything?
BRAVE That has to do with everything! You said you were all in with whatever comes with this jungle lifestyle. Now it sounds to me like your backing out.
SNEAKY I’m just playing it smart. Tomorrow is never promised in this life we live. This is an opportunity that’s good for the both of us.
BRAVE Man, nothing is going to happen. We’re safe.
SNEAKY Brave, I know you like the back of my hand and I know you think about leaving this place too. You know we’re not safe, I can tell by the way you look over your shoulder every five minutes.
BRAVE Alright! Truthfully, I never feel safe in the jungle. But this is all I know and where I’m well respected. What if we go somewhere else and have to deal with everything we dealt with when we first got here? Getting picked on, talked about, fighting, and making new friends. I’m not ready for all that.
SNEAKY Man, stop with the what if this happens, what if that happens, that’s not going to get us no where!!! This is one crazy son of a chimp and he’s getting out of the hospital tomorrow!
BRAVE Man, who cares dude?
SNEAKY Man, I don’t know what’s wrong with you but you’re stupid. Did you hear anything I said? He’s getting out tomorrow!!!! Tomorrow is so close I can smell it!!! I never been scared but I’ve never been stupid either and I can feel something bad is going to happen to me, you or our family.
BRAVE Man. (sighs)
SNEAKY Man what? You scared of leaving or something? What about our friendship? Are you going to throw it all away to stay in this jungle? I know what people mean when they say you’re going to get locked up for life or end up dead. I can feel it in my bones something is going to happen and I’m not staying here to witness it! I’m leaving at Midnight, with or without you!
BRAVE I hear what you’re saying but I’m where I want to be already, I’m not going anywhere. Born in the jungle, I’m a die in the jungle.
SNEAKY Alright man I wish you the best but I’m out of here and I’m bringing my family with me. I wish you would be smart enough to see this Jungle is not going anywhere and you can always come back. If you don’t remember anything I ever said just remember that I love you and be safe. |
