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Olive the Next Reindeer By John K.
Characters: Olive the Reindeer, male,13 years old Choppy the Reindeer, male, 16 years old, Choppy’s older brother Setting: On the mountain cliff of Santa’s Gingerbread house in the chilling North Pole. There are glaciers under the mountain cliff. We Hear Santa’s loud ignition starting, counting down Christmas day till the sled takes off. It’s -32 degrees Fahrenheit. We smell the burning ash of the bonfire for warmth on Christmas Eve.
Time: 12 hours til midnight-The end of Christmas eve.
At rise: Olive and Choppy are arguing on the stocking phone.
Choppy: How you doing? Olive: I’m fine. Choppy: What did you do yesterday? Olive: Just patrolling the card shop as usual. Choppy: That’s not what the outs said. Olive: Who said what? Choppy: I only got two minutes on this stocking phone, tell me the truth. Olive: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Choppy: Have you been hanging out with Santa lately? Olive: No. Probably just drinking eggnog, eating brownies, if that’s what you mean. Choppy: Olive you know the history of me and dad, still you’re taking all I did for granted. STOP hanging out with Santa! Olive: Why? It’s my time to shine with Stamper. It’s my_____ Choppy: Wait a second! Lamb, one more minute. Okay give me half a minute. Olive: Like I was saying, It’s my life. Your goal is to reunite the family and mines is to do me. I’m not your kid bro anymore. I don’t need to rely on mom and dad anymore. Goodbye. Choppy: Wait Olive! (Olive hangs up, Click) I’m coming next week from the Ice Chamber for a home pass. See, I’ve been calling Stamper on the Ice chambers stocking phone. Stamper is my Protege. He’s like my younger bro, Olive’s “play” big bro. He tipped me off about Olive hanging out with Santa. Olive’s been drinking eggnog, eating brownies, popping gumdrops, gambling white elephant, hitting houses and making deliveries with Santa’s sled and reindeer. I’m ashamed of his decisions. He knows my experience with Santa’s reindeer and still he’s ecstatic to the lifestyle. I guess I just influenced him. I’ve been hanging with Santa’s reindeer since I was thirteen and all it’s resulted in was the ice chamber. The ice chamber is damp, cold, stinky, with no freedom at all. I would never want my kid brother in here. Just one day when everything resolves, I’ll get the family back together for Christmas one step at a time. Happy and safe…One day. Olive: Woop! Christmas is around the corner. Finally a fun Christmas. No more watching the other reindeer pop up with presents while sitting home alone and bored. Stamper hit me up and we’re going on a mission to hit some houses, make some deliveries, party. Choppy watched over Stamper, now Stamper’s watching over me. I miss Choppy. He was always there for me, but now it’s finally my turn, just like him and dad. I want to be able to care for myself like Choppy just in case mom and dad ever left again or something happens. Plus kicking it with Santa’s reindeer and Stamper feels more like family to me because they share what I feel. Mom’s never home while I babysit Richard and dad is no where to be found. I wish mom never left dad because he went to the ice chamber. It’s miserable but today is the day I kick it with Stamper. I should probably tell Choppy but it’s too late. I miss him and can never ask him for help. But when he gets out he’ll be so proud of me and Stamper. (11:50pm in the cold winter. It’s Christmas eve. Olive prepares, packing his bag, headed out for the door. Choppy races back home from the Ice Chamber. Olive gets out the door, walks through halfway then…Choppy appears.) Olive(unsure): …Choppy? Is that you? Choppy: Yeah. You hung up too early…What’s in the Backpack? Olive: (checks his watch): Get out of my way, I got to meet up with someone. (tries to walk past choppy) Choppy (pushing Olive Back): Stamper told me all about your plan. Why the change all of the sudden? Olive: “Why the change all of a sudden?” You’ve done it, so can I. Just like you and dad. I’m tired of “oh that’s choppy’s brother, don’t mess with him” It’s all “choppy’s brother”. It’s me and Stamper’s turn. Choppy: Did Stamper influence you? You know how mom and dad feel about the lifestyle. Haven’t you learned already from the incessant arguments. ME GOING TO THE ICE CHAMBER! Olive (impatiently checking his watch): I’ve had enough of this. I’m in a hurry. I’m not a kid anymore. If you can take care of yourself without mom and dad, so can I. Choppy: Do you want to reunite the family? Haven’t you learned from my mistakes. Trust me family comes from people who love you, not from people who use you. Olive: I have no time for this family, (dramatically) What family? Mom and dad constantly fight, it’ll never work out. You sought out love from Santa, so can I. I’m tired of spending Christmas unhappy. Tired of no money to eat, clothes, whatever. I’m tired of______ Choppy: Tired of no anything? Deal with it! Learn from MYYYYY mistakes. The flashy clothes, parties, girls, only last for so long until it’s gone. Once you make hundreds, you’ll try riskier things to make thousands until you’re either dead or locked up. Olive(sarcastic): Okay Dr. Phil, I’ve heard enough. Get out! (Choppy takes Olive’s Backpack) Choppy: What’s in here? ( He takes out a bag of gumdrops) Olive (checks his watch, it’s 11:58): Choppy I can explain… (runs past Choppy and gets tackled) (Choppy and Olive fall down the mountain cliff) Olive: See what you’re doing, you’re going to kill us. Look glaciers below. Why are you always so protective. Why cant you understand for once? (angry) I DON’T CARE ABOUT THE FAMILY ANYMORE. My family is with Santa and Stamper. Choppy: Santa and Stamper can’t replace mom and dad. Think about me, your older brother. Think about you being the older brother for Richard? You only get one chance, one life, one family! Don’t ruin it! No one in the world will ever replace the lov_________ Olive (Checks his watch, It’s 12:00am): Choppy!!! (picks up his backpack) I’m sorry I gotta go meet up with Santa now. I’m in a rush. Tonight is Christmas Eve. It’s my turn, my generation, my chance. If I don’t follow the tradition, who’s going to take my place. NO ONE, because I want it. I want the spotlight and you’re getting in my way. (starts to leave Choppy) Choppy: Wait! I know the tradition. Today’s your only chance to get into Santa’s reindeer but there’s no chance in the world they’ll take a hit for you like your older brother would. Olive (checks his watch): I know you’ll take a hit for me or whatever because I’m the kid bro, but the thing is I’m not a kid anymore. (Olive stares at Choppy and walks away, then he walks back. He looks at his watch and throws it away. He helps Choppy back up) Choppy: You’re not meeting up with Santa anymore I guess? I’m not giving you back your gumdrops. I’m not letting you pop them. Olive: Yeah, I guess. But you owe me presents in return for the gumdrops. Choppy: Okay. Lets go meet up with Richard and mom and we’ll call dad tomorrow for Christmas…finally.
The End.
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