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    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