Leaving (2007)

 

A Play by Edwin B.

 

CHARACTERS:

VEGA, the Jaguar, age 18, SWISHER, the Jaguar, age 18, Vega’s brother

 

SETTING:

The jungle.  A lot of trees, waterfalls, a beach, caves

 

TIME: 1:00pm, the afternoon

AT RISE:

We see VEGA and SWISHER, chillin’

 

 

 

VEGA

Let’s go look for Mom and Pops.

 

SWISHER

O.K.   Let’s go look around the jungle.

 

VEGA

No.  ‘Cause I already looked around the jungle.

 

SWISHER

Well where are you planning on going?

 

VEGA

I’m planning on going out of the jungle and go to the City.

 

SWISHER

Hell naw.  I’m not leaving the jungle; and if you’re thinking I’m going with you, you’re crazy.

 

VEGA

Lions out there killin’ all Jaguars.  I say we go look for our parents before it’s too late.

 

SWISHER

Naw!  I’m good.  I’m about to stay here.  I suggest you stay too ‘cause you’re the only family I got.

 

VEGA

But we got family out there, and they need us more than anything.

 

SWISHER

Things would be all bad if you decide to leave me here myself, because lions might appear out of nowhere and start to attack you when you’re out the jungle.

 

VEGA

You’re strong.  You been fightin’ battles since you were four months old.  I think you can handle the lions when they show up.

 

SWISHER

That’s not the point.  You my blood, and we never been separated, and I think we should do things together.

 

VEGA

Ever since that day I seen those lions playin’ with their children, it made me feel lost.  When I find my parents it would bring me joy and make me feel happier than ever.

 

SWISHER

Watching the lions play with they children made me feel lost also.  But it’s going to make me feel more lost if we separate.

 

 VEGA

Eventually, we’re going to have to learn how to do things on our own.  And this is our opportunity to do so.

 

SWISHER

Man, forget this opportunity.  I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to just leave me on my own.  We should stick together.

 

VEGA

But to make things easy, we should go on our separate ways, because we are out-numbered.

 

SWISHER

What if things just went all bad?  Like you ended up being killed or hostage somewhere and I get stuck with the lions?

 

VEGA

Then that’s on me.

 

SWISHER

But can’t you see that I have strong feeling for you?

 

VEGA

I do too.  But I also have feeling for how our parents are doing, and if they even think about looking for us.

 

SWISHER

Can’t we just make things easy and do what I say, Vega?

 

VEGA

No.  ‘Cause they can be gettin’ attacked as we speak.

 

SWISHER

Just think about it.  You’ve been here all your life and all of a sudden you want to leave the jungle.  I don’t think it’s worth it, ‘cause I barely have any feelings for our parents.  ‘Cause I got you, and that’s what really matters to me.

 

VEGA

So you’re saying that you wouldn’t care if our parents end up dead ‘cause of the lions.

 

SWISHER

No it’s nothing like that.

 

VEGA

From the sounds of it, it does sound like you wouldn’t care if you found them lying dead on the floor.

 

SWISHER

Vega, like I said, it’s nothing like that.  As we speak, they might be dead and buried somewhere where we wouldn’t expect them to be, like way deep into the waterfall or something.

 

(VEGA slaps Swisher)

 

VEGA

Don’t talk like that.

 

SWISHER

Ay, Vega, I’m just keeping things real.  I wouldn’t want to lie to my brother.

 

VEGA

Keep things real, but don’t talk about our parents like that.

 

SWISHER

Wouldn’t you think that things would be a lot awkward if you left me here on my own?  I mean, I would love to go find my parents; but I would also like it if we just stick together.  (beat)  Man, forget this.  If you want to go your own way, do what you do.  If I lose you, then it’s all bad.  I wouldn’t have no one to look forward to.  To have faith in.

 

VEGA

This is goin’ too far.  Do you want to find your parents?  Yes or no?

 

SWISHER

Yeah. 

 

VEGA

Don’t worry about me, I got things under control.  And if I got things under control, I know for a fact that you also could keep things under control.

 

SWISHER

Alright.  If that’s the case, then I got things under control.

 

VEGA

Alright then.  I’m about to got look for them.

 

SWISHER

Naw!  Hell naw!  You stayin’!  ‘Cause if you don’t stay there’s going to be major consequences!

(SWISHER starts to go crazy, roaring)

 

VEGA

Naw, alright.  Chill.  Chill!  Everything’s going to be alright.  Just take a deep breath.  Go get a drink of water or something.  I didn’t mean for you to get excited all up tight.  Swisher, I finally agree with you, a’ight !!!  (beat)  You know what?

 

SWISHER

What?

 

VEGA

I think you’re right.  This is my jungle and we’ve never splitted or anything like that.

 

SWISHER

See, now you talkin’.

 

VEGA

Screw it.  I’m stayin’ here with you and find them here, inside this big ass jungle.

 

SWISHER

THE END