A Play by Tiana J.
| CHARACTERS: |
Kaya, a Turquoise Rose, age 8 years old. Separated from her family, very curious and impatient
Unique, a Tornado age 22 turning 39. Kaya’s mother. Sick from partying Faith, a purple and pink tulip (non-speaking) |
| SETTING: |
A tree hole in the jungle, with thunder clouds above. We hear rainstorms, thunder clouds, hurricanes, lightning. The tree is old, big, brown, an covered in moss. Smells of burnt wood and wet tree bark. We hear “vroom vroom” the sounds of man-made destruction, animals screaming for help. Nearby things are catching on fire, smoke going up in the air, but tall trees block the view. A river leading to an unknown place. In the distance construction workers have half the day to be done before the new year, 2000 January 1st.
|
| TIME: |
12:34:56pm, Dec.31 1999 |
| AT RISE: |
Kaya is in her hole, waiting impatiently for her mother to return with her great aunt, Faith
|
KAYA
Where is my mother? Why is she not here yet? I am tired of waiting. I will cut myself out of this old stinky tree (tries) …if I could. If only these roots would stop growing so deep (yawning, she gets very sleepy)
Wake up silly (hits herself with her petal) You can’t fall asleep! I’ve been up all night and day waiting for my mom. What if I fall asleep and she can’t find me? (looks around when she hears the sound of leaves being crushed, like footsteps) Maybe that’s my mother! She really came back to get me. Should I yell her name so she can find me. “Unique,” Mom, I’m over here! Mom! Can you hear me? (excited) I know it’s here! I can feel it (sound: ‘ribbet, ribbet’) Stupid Frog! I’m waiting for my mother …I can’t play with you right now, go away! (looks hurt. Sound again: ‘ribbet, ribbet’ ) Don’t you hear me, dumb frog? Go away! You’re going to scare my mother away.
She doesn’t seem to come around a lot. I wonder if I did something wrong that made her not want to come back for me. Maybe my colors are fading… (sound: ‘crying) Oh no! Is that the trees? They’re crying are they being cut down. It’s too soon, and it sounds really close. O, only if my mother was here!
SCENE TWO
Time: 2:34pm, a couple of hours later
At rise: sound: ‘leaves crunching again’
KAYA
Silly frog, go away please. I can’t with you.
UNIQUE
(approaching in the distance) Kaya, is that you, can you hear me? Oh please let her still be there.
KAYA
Frog, can you hear that? The noise sounds like… sounds like… a storm –no! It sounds like a tornado (‘ribbet, ribbet’) Oh, what do you know? I know it’s my mother. You can’t even talk, why do I bother with you?
UNIQUE
(hearing friends calling to her) No, I won’t! I can’t …have to keep going. (turns around, looks confused) …No, peanut butter can wait. (to self) But I really want some. I haven’t ate almost all day. Maybe the workers haven’t got to her yet (the crunching stops as she sits and thinks)
KAYA
Mother? Mother, is that you? Can you hear me? Please, come and get me, please. I’m your daughter. I should mean more than your friends. (shouting, begins to cry) Mother?!? Can you hear me?
UNIQUE
What should I do? I have to save my daughter. But my friends would leave me, and I would be a loner, with no friends. But I have to save Kaya (she gets up and finally swirls to Kaya)
KAYA
(squints, sees the dust) Mother, I knew you would come back for me. Hurry, the trees’ cries are becoming louder.
UNIQUE
(arrives at tree) Oh daughter, I am so sorry for leaving you.
KAYA
We need to talk right now. Before it’s too late. I can no longer wait.
UNIQUE
No, not now. I need to get back… I mean, I need to get you out of that tree before the workers come.
KAYA
I want you to quit being with your friends more than you’re with me. If you were here all the time. You could explain why… I feel this silky feeling but can’t get a hold on what it is. You could explain to me why I smelled burnt wood, and a wet smell from the trees.
UNIQUE
We can’t talk about this right now. My friends –the workers are getting closer.
KAYA
See? Always your friends this, your friends that. What about me, do you want me to leave?
UNIQUE
And go where in that little hole you’re in.
KAYA
No, if you don’t change I’m moving with Aunt Faith and leaving you forever.
UNIQUE
But you can’t! Who will be with me when I’m sick and need help? I can’t rely on my friends.
KAYA
Then choose, me or them. They’re the reason you’re getting sicker! How could you call them your friends when they’re hurting you?
UNIQUE
Uh… uh… They bring me peanut butter. Which makes me happy! Friends make you happy…
KAYA
But are they suppose to kill you?
UNIQUE
We have no time for this nonsense! Let’s go, the workers are getting closer.
KAYA
No! Tell me the truth, I will not go with you until you agree to change. If not, leave. I will find my own way.
UNIQUE
Sweetie, please! You’re too young to understand. You don’t mean what you’re saying. You’re just afraid. I’m not going anywhere without you. We can talk later. Let’s go.
KAYA
No. Tell me you’re going to leave your friends, and come home. What about our family? Don’t you miss the holidays? Your friends are just using you…
UNIQUE
Don’t say things like that! You don’t know what you’re talking about (silence, she starts to cry. Sound: ‘vrooom vroom’, getting closer and closer. Great Aunt Faith arrives behind Unique)
KAYA
Choose now mother, or I will die!
UNIQUE
I can’t please give me a second to think.
KAYA
There is no time mom. You can hear then coming closer. (looks to aunt) If you can’t choose, I will. Hi, Aunt Faith.
UNIQUE
(gasps when she see Faith) No, I won’t let you take my baby from me.
KAYA
It’s not your choice anymore, it’s now mines. You wasted your chances. How could you not want to change for your kid? (silence) What was wrong with me that made you leave? What did I do to you? Do you like the fact that I have to leave you here? How do you think that makes me feel? Don’t you think I want my mother to be with me? I need a mother. I was about to die and you still had a hard time choosing. So I’m sorry mother but I have to leave you.
UNIQUE
Wait! Please, give me a opportunity to start over. I… promise. I’ve changed really. I’ve been getting better. I’m healthier now. Please don’t leave me in this jungle.
KAYA
(looks away confused) I’ve given you too many opportunities. Look how much I’ve grown without you. I want someone to be with me every day & night and chooses no one over me…
UNIQUE
We would be able to stay in the house on the shore together. See? We can have a better life in that house just the two of us.
UNIQUE
Look how the two of us has worked so far. I want to be with my whole family and have the flowerhood I never had. So mother now that I know you are not ready to leave your friends and be with OUR family. I’ve decided to…
UNIQUE
NO! Please! Give me another chance. We can go home with Aunt Faith. I …promise I will change for good.
KAYA
(sighs) Mother, you have one thing right: I’m going to live with Aunt Faith. Until you have your weather right and you are healthier than ever.
UNIQUE
But… but… I’ve changed now we can go together
KAYA
No! mother, not until you get well. I love you mom, but Aunt Faith is waiting for me. (Faith grabs Kaya)
UNIQUE
I will be back, and come for you and your brothers and sisters. I promise I’ll be better and well. I love you sweetie. (turns, walks down path crying with her head down) I feel so devastated. Why would my daughter want to leave me? I’m her mother. But I will show then all I can get well. Watch. As soon as I get to the shore, those storms are gone. And I’m going to fight for my daughter.
O, what should I do? Who’s going to help me get better? Well… (she looks off to friends) No, my friends are just getting worse. They can’t help me when they can’t help themselves. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a mother.
ONE YEAR LATER
Well, I’ve been healthier…uhm kind of. I decided to try and not party so much, and worry about my family. I keep in contact with them sometimes but… The peanut butter won’t let me go to them. Don’t get me wrong. I love my daughter, but … (licks her lips) Sorry, I was eating peanut butter.
I’m not ready to face them. I know they will always be there. (hopeful) So maybe I’ll get better next year. (looks off) Got to go …my spoon is empty and they’re dancing without me. (she exits)
EVEN LATER
KAYA
I went off and lived with my Aunt Faith, where my brother and sister was so happy to see my beautiful bud bloom. My mother ended up staying with her friends, getting sicker and sicker. We speak to here sometimes, but we lose contact a lot. I haven’t heard from her since.
Now I am a beautiful fully bloomed rose at the age of 17. I have a lot of friends just like me who had the same problem with our parents. Kind of. But now I’m happier than ever. I’m going to graduate from Olive Garden next year. Hope to see you there.
THE END
