| CJ: |
|
Man, I’m
blooming! I’m blooming!
|
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
(putting
him down)
What’s all the commotion that you’re blooming?
I don’t see nothing! What you talking
about?
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
I’m
finally opening! So now you can see what I’m made
of. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
What do
you mean? You’re just grass and leaves!
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
Ha. Ha.
Very funny. I’m for real. I’m opening up I
need your help. I need you to shine on me even more.
|
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
But
my cousin Eclipse is coming. Can’t it wait? Wait
til tomorrow. I’ll help you. I promise. |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
No!
No! No! You don’t understand. I’m about to die
if I don’t bloom (moving her leaves back and forth.)
Tell Eclipse not to come. You need to help me. This is
my one and only chance. If Eclipse comes, she’ll
stop your light from shining. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
But I’m
having a girls’ get-together. My cousin, Eclipse,
is helping me to be admired and noticed by everyone
in the world. She’s gonna block me off for a couple
seconds. Once that happens, people are gonna turn around
and look at me and I’ll show them how bright I
am.
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
In
those couple of seconds, I will die. You don’t understand.
This is very important. I want to show my creation. I
want to stand out. I want it to be the longest bloom in
history. I want to be a rare wildflower; to bloom longer
than my family with this kind of heritage. I’ve seen
family members just bloom and die. They don’t even
survive a full night after they bloom. Not all of them
have bloomed. Some of them were chopped off before they
could bloom because people just thought they were weeds. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Well,
what can I do? My cousin’s on her way. If I would’ve
known, I would’ve postponed it. You know you’re
my friend but I just want to be admired. I want people
to see my bright light. I feel neglected by people, like
I have no use for anything. I’m trying to make myself
useful. |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
Can’t
you do that tomorrow? This is my only chance! I don’t
wanna die in vain. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
No.
Eclipse only comes once a year. How would you have died
in vain if you’ve spent most of your time with me?
We kick it together 24-7! How come all of a sudden you
just need me more than you needed me before? |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
Because
I want to bloom! If I don’t bloom, I feel like I
wouldn’t have accomplished my dream. It’s my
biggest goal. If the sun hits the crack on my head, it
would kill me. I can only bloom once a lifetime at night.
Do you have a wish that you’d like to accomplish
as well? Much more than anything? Well, I do! Wanna go
down in history. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Well,
yeah. I’m trying to be admired by the whole world
because I feel like I’m just an ordinary light to
everybody. I want them to notice my bright light. |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
Well, I
notice you. I admire you. What’s wrong with that?
You’re special to me. Your light helps me to bloom.
You make me feel energetic; like I could go on for another
day or two.
|
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Thanks.
I understand that, but I’m trying to be admired by
everybody. Anyway, I could try to move but Eclipse is
basically gonna follow me. |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
I
feel like you’re betraying me because you’ve
been my friend for so many years. I basically grew up
with you. Remember Red Light, Green Light? Pat-a-cake?
Hide and Go Seek? Don’t you treasure those moments?
I do. Can you just help me for once? |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Are you
playing with me? Are you really gonna die, or are you
just jealous of Eclipse being my best friend?
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
How can
you say that? I’m trying to go out with a bloom.
If you were in my place, I would help you. Just shine
on me! You could be as bright as you can be. I know
you can do it. All I need is that bright shine. That’s
the energy that keeps me going. You have been the companion
that gives me the compassion that I’ve been looking
for…by always shining down on me.
(Eclipse is starting to get close to the side of
Zoe but seconds later, Zoe gets away; Eclipse is following
her.)
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
(Opening
his leaves) Zoe, what are you doing?
|
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
I’m
trying to help you! I do care about you. I care about
your wish. I don’t want you to die knowing that
I could have prevented it. (CJ is starting to crack
open more.) Wow! You are beautiful! How long does
it take?
|
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
I
don’t know. Just keep shining on me. We’ll find
out. (Zoe is pushing away Eclipse, who doesn’t
understand and keeps moving forward. She is starting to
get brighter and brighter every time she shines on CJ.)
What’s happening to you? You’re shining brighter!
Do you normally get this bright? You are bright, bright
yellowish white.
(Zoe notices that the purplish petals are attractive
coming out of CJ’s head, but the blooming is still
taking time.) |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
No,
I’ve never felt like this before. Like I’m being
lifted up. I feel all the energy coming from me. (Shouting
to Eclipse.) Hold up, Eclipse! Just a little bit longer!
(By this time, CJ is in full bloom.) |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
I
feel like I’m in my prime year. Like I’m also
being lifted!
(They’ve been arguing and shining for so long,
they forgot about the time. The sun is coming out and
Eclipse disappears.) |
| |
|
|
| CJ: |
|
What
happened to Eclipse? I made it through the whole night.
It’s amazing! I am the first of my generation. Aren’t
you happy for me? |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Yes.
But look! I’m as bright as I’ve ever been. I
don’t know if people are admiring me, but you sure
are. (She looks and sees that CJ’s petals are
brown and dried up. Her light starts to lighten down.)
CJ! CJ! Please don’t die. We’ve made it.
I’m proud of you. I have sacrificed being admired
by everyone for you. I’ve seen the happiness inside
of you. What happened? How can you die off of happiness?
I feel like the whole time I was helping nobody because
you died anyway. Now I don’t feel like I want to
be admired by everybody because of the fact that you were
the only one to admire me in the first place. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
SCENE
II
TIME: 11 p.m. – One year later.
PLACE: Stulstaff Park
AT RISE: Zoe is pouting, trying to shine where CJ died.
His leaves have dried up and the wind has blown him away.
Zoe notices two buds growing there. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
Wow!
Is that you, CJ? Are you resurrecting? (She gets no
response and feels shot down.) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
SCENE
III
TIME: 17 years later
PLACE: The sky
AT RISE: Zoe is praying, looking up at the universe. |
| |
|
|
| Zoe: |
|
CJ,
was that really you? Were you trying to give me a hint,
with the two buds left behind in your spot, that you are
still here with me? I’ve never forgotten you, my
one and only admirer. (Part of her is fading away.)
I wish I knew then what I know now, that my wish to be
admired by the whole world was a selfish wish. I would
have been stuck with you from the start when you said
you wanted to bloom. CJ, I want to apologize for all the
arguing I have given you. I’m debating your death
after seeing them two buds in your spot. You helped me
gain my brightness, without even knowing it. You helped
me at the same time I helped you. I think I could’ve
prevented all this from happening in the first place if
I would’ve listened to you about you dying. But I
guess I couldn’t stop you from dying because even
though I lent you a light, you’ve still left and
gone to a better place, to the Garden of Eden. I’m
glad that you died happy and not in vain. You gave me
something in return, by showing me your inner side, your
petals, your unique image. I hope that you are doing better
in the afterlife. So, ahora me despido querido amigo.
(She fades away.) |
| |
|
|
| |
|
The
End. |
| |
|
|
| |
|
POEM
The night is young.
To bloom is my destiny.
Without my friend,
I’ll lose my identity.
My life is open and
show my creation to the world around me,
the world of revelations. |
|
| |
|
|
