GLORY
By Brandon M.
CHARACTERS:
Lightning—Lightning the Black Camaro, male, 2017, tuned
up, energetic.
Rusty—Rusty the Midnight Blue BMW, male, 2016, broken
down.
They are cousins.
Setting: Sidelines of a car race. We see cars old and new
storming by one by one, leaving nothing but the smell of
exhaust behind and tire tracks, smoke flying into our eyes,
engines roaring, wheels screeching.
Time: 3:00 PM on a summer day.
At Rise: We see Lighting the Camaro. Lightning is on the
track doing some laps, getting ready for the Grand Prix.
Rusty is in his pit garage trying to wash himself up. The
young racing prodigy Lightning and his older and former
racing prodigy cousin Rusty the BMW are at the sidelines.
The announcer’s shouting the names of the cars every
time they pass one another, like a long lasting echo filling
the track. Lightning is racing around and smoke is flying
around (SFX: Lightning farts in Rusty’s face)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rusty
(Rusty turns on windshield wipers to clean his eyes.)
Could you stop? I’m trying to get clean!
Lightning
(exhausted) I…..have….to….get…ready for the race. I
need to get my engine warmed up
Announcer: “5 minutes till the race!”
Lightning
It’s almost time! Are you ready Rusty!? This is what we’ve
been training for.
Rusty
Ready? I’m always ready!! I’m always ready to win, the
only thing you’re ready for is to see my tail lights little
cousin.
Lightning
Oh is that right?! Well then, we will see about that, have
you forgotten who I am, well let me remind you. Besides
being your younger cousin, am Lightning the Camaro,
young racing prodigy, undefeated racer, and 4 Time Gold
Medal Champion.
Rusty
Yeahhh, yeahhh, yeah! Whatever after today, all that will
change.
Announcer voices ‘1 minute till race: finish all your tuneups
and get ready.’
Rusty
See you on the track.
(Lighting roars engine, sending smoke flying out his
exhaust pipe, farting in Rusty’s face once more.)
Lightning
See you on the track.
Announcer voices ‘All cars to the starting point!’
(Rusty wipes eyes with windshield wipers and screeches
his tires going to the starting point. As we all wait at the
starting point, the smells of screw popcorn with goopy oil
butter and exhaust fill the air, the shouting of cars and
engines roaring echoes through our ears, as the burning
sun rays upon our hoods with the racing anthem music
dying out in the crowd, the vibrant lights hitting our
windshields….Red…Yellow…Green!!! Announcer voices
“Gooooooooooo!!!!!!!”
As the cars start dashing from the starting line, the reason
for being there flashes through Lightning’s mind.)
Lightning
Every time I stare into the poster of my grandfather at the
2002 Grand Prix waiting for the race to begin. I want to
bring the glory back to my family. I desire to become the
greatest race car to be. I want to redeem my family name,
that was lost when my grandfather (he’s a 1964 Chevy
Impala) had an atrocious accident in the Grand Prix.
Others are always yapping about it, I get enrage dby it, my
engine starts roaring and my oil boils. Makes me furious
every time they bring up the accident—the flip—that
ended my grandfather’s career. Some say he was the
greatest racer to ever be, every time he raced the crowd
would get fired up, the stands would be glowing with the
lights, roaring him on. The day of the accident everyone
was devastated. I want to bring the glory back to my
family. My mother and father seem to support me, but
have a glimpse of worry every time I bring it up. Rusty, my
older cousin, occasionally helps me out, but tells me I
should forget about it and follow in my fathers tracks and
become a show car. I disagree with them. I believe I can
do it, it won’t stop me, I will be the greatest, I know the
tracks. I know my limits, I know every turn, and curve. I
will prove them wrong and regain my family’s legacy.
(Lightning and Rusty are tire to tire in the race.)
Lightning
How you feeling cousin? Haven’t given up yet?
Rusty
Quit your talking and race!
Lightning
(Mocking) ‘Quit your talking and race’ (Laughing) Can’t
keep up in the big leagues or what Slow Poke?
Rusty
Slow?! I’m not slow. I’ll show you who’s slow!
(Rusty storms by Lightning as fast as he could go.)
4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st—I was racing as fast as I could, dashing
by all the competition, my engine roaring, my tires
screeching, hitting every turn as sharp as possible, then,
all of a sudden, smoke filled the air, then my eyes, I
couldn’t see. It was coming from my engine. BAMMMM!!
That was the last time I ever raced, a young racing prodigy
turned useless. I was miserable after that day. My vision
turned blank and I crashed straight into the guard rail, I
should have stopped, but my desire to win, drove me to
keep on going. I spend everyday of my life now hanging
out with my younger cousin Lightning. He once looked up
to me, I look up to him now. He has what I had, could be
everything I desired to be. I’m happy for him, but at the
same time, betrayed. How could he take my dream away
from me? That’s why I need to get back on the track. I
need to be better than him so I could be the greatest. I’m
scared to be back on the track. I fear that I’ll break down
and crash again. But my fear goes deeper than that, I’m
afraid of anything that could possibly harm me. But I have
to compete and I am competing!!
(Announcer voices “All racers are on their last lap. What a
tremendous race it’s been.”)
Rusty
(Worried.) Oh no!
(Rusty’s engine starts smoking.)
Not again, not my engine!
Lightning
(Worried.) Pull over Rusty! You can’t race anymore,
you’re going to get hurt, pullover!
Rusty
No, I’m going to finish the race. I can do it.
Lightning
At the cost of what? Even if you finish, you’d never be
able to race again.
(Rusty’s engine freezes and he goes swerving off the track
into the grass. Announcer voices “Oh no! Rusty, # 42, just
spun out! He’s done for today…” Rusty shouts into the
distance:)
Rusty
Finish the race! Win Lightning!
(As Lightning storms by the race, reaching the finish line,
guilt rushes through his mind.)
Lightning
I can’t. Not like this, I need to go back for Rusty.
(Lightning stops and turns back going towards Rusty.
Announcer voices: “Lighting has stopped, and is turning
around! He’s going the wrong way! What is going
on???!!!”)
Rusty
What are you doing? You’re going to lose, what’s wrong
with you?
Lightning
I don’t care. Not anymore: we either finish together or not
at all.
Rusty
Together? But it’s your dream! How will you be the
greatest now?
Lightning
There’s always next year. Family means more to me than
a stupid trophy or title. Now stop yapping and let me push
you to the finish.
Rusty
Ayyyy! Be careful!
Lightning
Shut up, you’re heavy enough. Your whining doesn’t help.
(Lightning starts pushing Rusty from his rear bumper
towards the finish line.)]
Rusty
Aye listen! I know I’ve been stuck up or whatever. I’ve just
been really looking forward to this moment. Thank you for
risking your chance to win and coming back for me.
Lightning
Like I said, family’s first. There’s always next year.
(Lightning and Rusty cross the finish line and a crowd of
reporters storms around them. Announcer voices: “What
an incredible race! Lightning and Rusty, two young
prodigy racers have just finished the race! They might
have not won the race, but they’ve won the hearts of the
million spectators watching today.”)
Lightning
You don’t always have to win to be the greatest.
Rusty
You’re right. We’re getting more attention than the winner.
The End
