A Play by Keith

CHARACTERS:

Zap – a big, powerful, 17 yr old vulture.                        Digo – A smaller, aggressive vulture, 17.

SETTING: A high grass field.  The air is hot, heavy.  The sky is sundown.  Between the jungle and the desert.   
TIME:

Early evening.

AT RISE:

Zap is sneaking out the jungle and Digo is right behind him. 


ZAP (to himself):
I need to stop taking all this food.  This is gonna be the last time.  I promise.  I promise.  I need to hurry up and get out of here before Digo sees me.  I feel so confused because I’m taking from my family to give to my family, and ashamed lying to my best friend.  But I have to survive to be the dominant male.  But I’m stronger than Digo, and I knew it was going to come down to this.  If he finds out I’ll have to kill him. 

DIGO (to himself):
Why isn’t there food around?  I’ve been out all day in the hot sun.  I should go by the river and go get some fish, or maybe I should go to the desert to look for my best friend.  He’s probably not there, he’s been in the jungle lately.  I really hope he’s not the reason why all the food is gone.  If it is he’s getting in the way of my power.  I will feel annoyed and disobeyed and offended and pissed off if my best friend is taking all the food. 

(Digo sees Zap sneaking food out of the jungle)

DIGO:
Hey!  I finally caught you.  I can’t believe the thief is you – stealing all my food.  My best friend.  How could you sneak around and steal from me?

ZAP;
How could you blame me for stealing from you.  This isn’t stealing.

DIGO:
Yes you have – you’ve been sneaking behind my back.  No wonder why every time I see you you’re in the jungle and every time I see you I have to stay out all night to feed me and my family.

ZAP:
Well I have to do the same and I was not sneaking around was feeding my pack too ok Digo?

DIGO:
No it’s not okay you slap rock.   You know we both are trying to be the vulture of our pack’s and you take from me.  You’re my best friend.  I though we were family brother.   I scratch your back you scratch mine, but no you’re a back stabber.

ZAP:
That’s enough of the name calling you little bird.  It’s not my fault you’re not a good enough vulture.  You should stop worrying about me and find some food like I do every day.  It’s more food in the jungle for the both of us.  I really did not mean to make you feel how you feel.

DIGO:
You don’t know how I feel.  To find out this was you all along.  My best friend!  All you had to do is ask.  You shouldn’t of snuck around.  You betrayed me.  This probably was your plan all along.  Just to be my friend and take food from my territory.  Take everything away from me.  My pack, my food, the jungle.  This is all you want – the jungle.  Cuz you know I eat better than in the desert.  You embarrass me so much I feel like killing you.

ZAP:
Calm down, calm down.  It’s not that serious.  You started off in the desert.  I helped you get to the jungle.  When you was hopeless and helpless who was there for you?  Me.

DIGO:
I know.  I’m fortunate to have you.  That’s why we’ve been friends all these years.

ZAP:
My power was on the line too, so what was I supposed to do.

DIGO:
Well you’re strong and powerful and could have stayed in the desert or you should have moved your pack.

ZAP:
Move my pack!  Are you crazy?  Is there something wrong with you?  Are you out of your mind?  That is outrageous.  How could you say something to me like that.  You must really want to die out here playing with my emotions.

DIGO:
Emotions.  You don’t know how it feels standing here all night waiting for some animals to die or to kill some, and then not going home with nothing.  I get laughed at.  I get disrespected by my pack.

ZAP:
Well you don’t know how it feels not getting enough food living in the desert with a bunch of hungry vultures that will steal from you and eat you if you sleep too long.

DIGO:
I can’t get enough sleep.  I gotta stay out all day and night trying to eat and there’s never no help if you’re trying to be the most powerful male in the pack and everybody else doing the same.  You got to fight.

ZAP:
Listen you little slap rock bird.  I’m getting tired of you talking about power this power that.  Stop complaining man.  You acting like a sucka right now.  This is how you should go about it.  If you know everybody out here trying to eat why would you complain about one person stealing food when everybody is stealing from your territory.

DIGO:
But it’s you my best friend stealing from my territory.  Why couldn’t you eat in your own territory?

ZAP:
I’m shocked on how you coming at me.  All this anger towards me.  I kinda see how you feel and I understand but what you need to understand is we both have an image to protect, and you worrying about everyone else.  I’m your friend, I’m here to help you.  You should of come to me if you was having problems eating.

DIGO:
How could you say something like that?  What were you gonna do, give me the food you stole?  You just trying to play me for some kinda chump or something.  I should have never let you get that close to me.

TO BE CONTINUED



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