The Fight for Freedom (2013)
Finding Freedom
Written By: Antonia S.
Mentored By: Javier R.
Program: Each One Reach One
Dates: July 22nd-August 5th, 2013
Description: The fight for Freedom.
CHARACTERS:
Fearless the Lioness, Female 17 years old.
Untouchable the Cheetah, Female 18 years old. (Fearless Best friend.)
SETTING: The African Zoo in the Safari. Hot wind-blowing, birds in the sky. There are barbed wired fences all around the zoo. You see monkeys, giraffes, elephants, zebras and other animals walking around the zoo. It smells like poo and dirt.
TIME: 6:00 pm on a Friday evening during the summertime.
AT RISE: Fearless and untouchable are in the yard. Fearless is talking about leaving the zoo.
Fearless
Untouchable?
Untouchable
Wassup?
Fearless
It’s not fair. Look at all of these people happy with their families. I bet the zookeepers don’t even care about how the animals feel. They just throw us in here and expect us to be happy. We got feelings too. I hate this place. It always smells like poop. I hate hearing the monkeys fight every morning killing my sleep. And every time I look at the other side of the gates I see the zebras. It’s tempting. I feel like jumping over there to eat all of them. I’m tired of this raw meat. I want some fresh zebra. This place is nothing like the jungle.
Untouchable
Calm down. It’s not that bad. At least you have people after you. Unlike the jungle, NOBODY CARES!
Fearless
It is when you don’t wanna be here.
Untouchable
What’s wrong?
Fearless
I need to leave ASAP! My sister’s birthday is tomorrow and I promised her I’d be there. I don’t break my promises and on top off all that, these zookeepers wanna transfer me to the Oakland zoo over in the USA in California TOMORROW!
Untouchable
I understand what you are going through, but you really think your freedom is going to last once you escape?
Fearless
I hope so. I pray that it does. So are you going to help me? Remember you said you were? I will feel more confident about it with your help.
Untouchable
LOOK, FOOD!
Fearless
HEY! I’m talking to you!
Untouchable
That looks good. It looks like a…
Fearless
UNTOUCHABLE!!! I’M ASKING YOU A QUESTION. ARE YOU GOING TO HELP ME OR NOT???
Untouchable
Ummm… do you really need my help?
Fearless
You know, if you didn’t wanna do this you could have just told me instead of lying to my face.
Untouchable
I’m sorry. It’s just that these people took care of me when I thought I was going to die. They gave me love, a shelter, a place where I feel safe and comfortable in. And I don’t want to hurt these people at all. I got too much love for them to even think about leaving them. But you are my best friend too. I love and care about you. If you try to escape, they might catch you and put you to sleep. I don’t want to see that happen to you. Just please stay and do the right thing.
Fearless
You know, my plans sounded perfect because I thought you were going to come with me. But now that you say you wanna stay, I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t wanna leave you behind, but I don’t want to let my sister down. And I don’t have much time. This day is about to end and tomorrow is the day that they ship me to the U.S.A. It would be a different story if it was my choice to be here, but I was pretty much kidnapped. I didn’t have a choice. I was forced to be here. So that’s why I don’t care if these people get hurt.
Untouchable
Well you know that they say “family first.” And you’re like family to me. Back in the jungle, I had no family. I was on my own. I didn’t know what it felt like to have a family until now. And now I don’t wanna lose that family. When I was little it was only me and my mom. My dad had been put to sleep because he had escaped the zoo and started killing all the people around him. I was only 5 when my mom was killed. I guess that day some people were hunting for animals. My mom was going out too look for some food. As I watched her leave, I seen about four humans shoot her with arrows right on her chest where her heart was. And then she dropped dead. Ever since then I’ve been on my own, doing everything my mom taught me to survive. I’ve been on my own too long Fearless. Please don’t leave me now.
Fearless
Now, that’s tough. I didn’t know that Untouchable. I’m sorry that happened to you. If you come with me, you can have more family. My family will be your family. I really miss my sister and I don’t want to miss out on her growing up. She’s my little angel and it will kill me if she ever thought that I don’t care about her.
Untouchable
It’s your decision. I told you how I felt. I can’t force you to stay, but Imma miss you so much best friend.
Fearless
Imma hate myself for leaving you, but I need to keep my promise. Imma really miss you. You’re a real friend. You always cheer me up when I am down. You’ve always been there for me when I needed someone to talk to. You are my best friend and it hurts me that you’re not coming home with me.
Untouchable
Don’t you see Fearless; I am home. I’m happy here and if you leave me I’mma be sad. You are the only family I have. Why can’t you just stay for your own good?
Fearless
What’s the real reason you don’t want to leave Untouchable?
Untouchable
What do you mean?
Fearless
I have never met a cheetah that did not like the jungle. It’s rare. What happened?
Untouchable
Well, remember when I said the zookeepers saved me? Well, they saved me from an attack by eight hyenas for my food. And now I don’t want that to happen again. So I would rather stay here.
Fearless
Don’t you miss the jungle though?
Untouchable
I do. I miss everything about it, but it’s not safe.
(Fearless and Untouchable hear the doors open. They look and see that all of the animal’s gates are open and the animals are running around crazy)
Untouchable
What the …
Fearless
This is our chance. C’mon lets go!! You won’t get in trouble.
Untouchable
No, I can’t!!!
Fearless
Don’t you miss the fresh air, the hunting, the beautiful flowers, big tall green trees and the fresh water? I’ll protect you all the way if it means for you to feel safe. I promise!
Untouchable
Ummm…
Fearless
Hurry before they close the gates.
Untouchable
You promise?
Fearless
I never break a promise!
Untouchable
Alright…let’s go!
TO BE CONTINUED
