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By Alexia
Characters: Phoenix the Fire, female, age 16 Glow the Spirit of Fire, Phoenix’s mother, age 33
Setting: Deep in the planet’s core, far away from home. Searing hot air in such a cramped ball creates the best atmosphere for a flame.Continuous buzzing travels through the body and out the ears.The smells of sweet hot earth create a zen place for a troubled teen.
Time: Early afternoon
At Rise: Glow hesitantly walks into the core and finds Phoenix calmly floating as liquid fire. Phoenix is startled to find her mom there. Even so Phoenix is elated and hopeful for the possible conversation with her mom. But, Glow is having a hard time relaxing and joining her daughter in floating.
GLOW (quietly and slowly enters)…Phoenix?
PHOENIX Mom?
GLOW I wanted to see how you’re doing. Even if I know you’re getting help on yourself it doesn’t keep me from worrying.
PHOENIX (silent remark to self, sarcastic) Ha, yeah lots of help…(suspicious) You sure that’s it? You haven’t even gotten comfortable yet. C’mon mom go with the flow.
GLOW (denying) Oh no no, it’s not like that! Promise. Enough about me, tell me how you’re doing.
PHOENIX I mean it sucks! Not much you can do down here but be bored and impatient. Seriously, I’m doing alright now. When can I come home?
GLOW What? Phoenix listen you know you can’t.
PHOENIX (irritated) No mom! You listen, I need my home! I been here too long. You sending me away all the time isn’t doing me any good. What the flame? You think it was okay when you’re mom sent you away when you were my age?!
GLOW It’s not the same. You’re danger–
PHOENIX I’m not flaming dangerous! You out of everyone should understand what it’s like to grow up being fire. I need you!
GLOW I’m trying to help you Phoenix! I’m not doing this to get rid of you.
PHOENIX You know what I want? I want to be something else. All I do is destroy everything in front of me when sometimes I just want some love. Every since my brother was born you’ve done above and beyond to make sure he’s okay and happy. And because of that he actually is. I want to feel like I’m a part of this family. I can’t help my nature but you can help me change.
GLOW (hurt) I’m sorry I couldn’t be there for you as much as I should have, but I can’t go back and change that. I can only help you with now and moving forward. I want all that for you too! You’re my daughter, of course I want the absolute best for you, but how can I do it right when you don’t let me know these things. I’m trying to help you Phoenix, but I need you’re assistance with that too.
PHOENIX How do you expect me to be comfortable telling you everything when I don’t even trust you sometimes? This, this stupid core isn’t going to do anything for me. I don’t even want to be fire! You all think I’m so dangerous and violent because I burn down everything, but I get mad cause I don’t know how to be fire! I want to be like Uncle Will, or strong like the metal grandma is…Maybe I want to be like your precious baby! Maybe I should be water!
GLOW Stop being ridiculous. This isn’t pleasant for me either, okay?! You’re not earth, or metal, or water and you never will be. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to raise you the way I should have. I was a young fire out of control like you are when I had you. I was in the core too.
PHOENIX Really?
GLOW Yes, Phoenix. I did this too. It sucked just as much as it did for you, but I had to do it, and you have to do it too. There’s too much going on with the planet right now. I only have two days to fix it.
PHOENIX What the hell is going on?
GLOW I thought you already knew? Don’t you feel all this buzzing? Honey, the planet is dying. Our family hasn’t been getting along.
PHOENIX Why aren’t they getting along? They know the planet won’t survive if they don’t work together.
GLOW You know what, it’s because of you. Everyone has different ideas on what is best for you and now it’s a mess. I tried to give it time to work itself out, but it didn’t happen. I’m not here to fight with you. I need your help. What I’m going to need you to do is come with me back up to the family. Please at least try to make it look like the core is working out for you for now. Once the planet is good and everyone is back to normal, I’ll come down here everyday and adjust your flame and once a week we can go visit everyone, okay?
PHOENIX Sure sure. I’ll do that for you, but you’re going to have to do something for me. I’m not coming back down here.
GLOW All I care is that you do this, but what are you planning to do?
(a huge rumble and then all the volcanoes explode) GLOW (panic) Hold that thought. We got to get out of here now.
PHOENIX I can’t hold it! I’m going to be water! Instead of faking it that I’m okay, it’ll be better if I turn into water. It’ll be quick and permanent and this way I can be who I want to be.
GLOW That won’t work. If you go into the water you’ll burn out and die.
PHOENIX I don’t believe you. I’m meant to be water. If I can burn everything up without trying, I can out the flame out for good if I put my mind to it.
GLOW Holy smoke, Phoenix. You know what, go ahead and try that and tell me how it goes, but right now it isn’t about you, it’s about the planet. There’s less than 48 hours left.
PHOENIX Well, I can’t live another 24 hours as fire. I’m doing this today. Help me, help you, help me, so I can help you!
(Rumble)
PHOENIX C’mon please!
GLOW You got 2 seconds or else I’m done with the foolishness. I’ll drag you buy the flame. You have to remember the bigger picture.
PHOENIX I got it! This family is everything to me too, but I’m going along with this for the hope of my dream of being water will come true.
SCENE 2 Setting: On the edge of the ocean on the way to the family gathering. To Phoenix it’s the most beautiful thing. It’s like love at first sight.
PHOENIX (deep, profound, thoughtful, yet very relieved) I’ve always felt so alone. I never wanted to do anything but love, but I was born as this fire, lonely, destroying. This isn’t me. GLOW Phoenix?
PHOENIX I want to be loved. I want to be able to show my family that I can love and be loved. I hate being alone, but I hate myself. This has to end.
GLOW Phoenix?! Honey? What’s going to end? We can save the plan—
PHOENIX (calmly, still ignoring Glow) My brother. I love him so much and who wouldn’t? There is so much life in water. I want to be like him. I don’t want to burn inside. I want to float. (takes step toward water)
GLOW No! Phoenix don’t do it!
(Phoenix crying and slowly walking farther) (Rumble) (both look towards rumble in shock)
PHOENIX Maybe I’ll be warm water.
(Phoenix gasps and runs into water. Wave comes over Phoenix and she disappears.)
GLOW (crying hysterically) Phoenix! Oh lord! My baby! My baby! (Glow drops to her knees at edge of water) God why? My baby girl. I’m so sorry. I should have been the…Oh Phoenix! I love you Phoenix. I always loved you. Ako ay palanging mong pag-ibig*. It was just so hard baby. You’re so much like them. So stubborn like the metal grandma is, but always so grounded like the earth your Uncle Will is. I could have saved you. (continues crying)
PHOENIX I’m water! I know this was my destiny. Oh it feels so much better. That burn is finally gone. I’m finally floating. It’s like my shell has been cracked. I’m finally free.
(Phoenix opens her eyes and her expression turns to horror as she sees the ocean beneath her)
PHOENIX What’s going on? Why is the ocean under me? (hears Glow crying) Mom?! Mom where are you? What’s going on? (looks around, sees tops of trees) Mom! Mom!
(Glow hears Phoenix)
GLOW Baby? Phoenix? (crying starts to settle)
PHOENIX Yes, mom! Mom, it’s me! (Phoenix spots Glow and goes forward thinking to self) Whoa, that feels weird. How am I doing that? What am I even doing? (reaching Glow) Mom, please don’t cry. I’m here.
(Glow is speechless. Looking at Phoenix’s face)
Mom? Can you see me?
GLOW Phoenix, you’re beautiful. How…how did you do that? You’re so beautiful.
PHOENIX What are you talking about?
GLOW You’re something never seen before. You’re changed. You’re in the sky but right in front of me at the same time. You’re…you’re…
PHOENIX Wind.
GLOW What?
PHOENIX I don’t know, that’s just what I feel like. It doesn’t matter, I’ve changed. (starts to cry) Mommy, I did it!
THE END
* I will always love you. |
