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One Act Play
EXT. A SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD -- DAY - 1963
Rural Texas. The houses are mostly either white or a lime green. Each have white picket fences and a matching mailbox. A woman is outside watering her plants. A man is mowing his lawn. A black Aston Martin DB5 is driving towards a house with 2459 engraved on the side. Everyone outside stops and stares.
Inside of the car is a black family, GRACE MORGAN (32), HENRY MORGAN (37), and NOVIA MORGAN (9)
INT. CAR -- DAY
Henry turns the radio down and looks towards his wife, Grace.
GRACE
I didn't want to have to do this so
early into the move.
They both turn towards Novia who is playing with her doll in the backseat. She hums to a odd tune.
HENRY
(with a slight southern accent)
Honey, I need you to know that it's
not going to be easy living here.
NOVIA
I know, Papa.
GRACE
Let's just go Henry. It's goin' to go
into her left ear and right out.
Grace opens her car door and walks out. The sun is not shining as much as it was when they first drove into the subdivision. She takes her sunglasses and place them on top of her head forehead. Henry then gets out and opens the door for Novia who holds his hand.
EXT. HOUSE -- DAY
GRACE
This don't feel right.
(She looks at the neighbor
directly across them.)
Across from them is a middle-aged white woman, WENDY (48) dressed in a pantsuit. She watches the family from her porch.
2.
HENRY
Just come look at the house baby,
these people don't mean anything. You
know I keep it civil.
(He smiles and hugs her.)
Novia rushes to the front door of the house with Grace trailing behind her. Henry is grabbing suitcases out of the trunk. One accidentally rolls out of the trunk and into the middle of the street, directly in front of Wendy's house, where she pulls her sunglasses to the end of her nose.
Henry smacks his teeth, mutters under his breath, and walks over, grabbing the dented, now creased suitcase. Now appears Wendy, in front of him.
WENDY
So glad to see a new family here.
(She began to smile, looking into
his eyes.)
HENRY
Well.. yeah. We came from Oklahoma.
WENDY
Didn't expect you guys though. It's
so.... different! You know my cousin
has been sendin' me those news
articles about neighborhoods
clutterin' up.
(She laughs.)
Henry begins to walk away, his eyes wider than they were before. His feet stumble on one another due to his speed. He hurries into his new home, relieved to see his wife in the doorway putting small glassware away.
INT. EMPTY HOME - DAY
GRACE
You look like you just saw a ghost,
what's wrong?
HENRY
I see what you mean now.
GRACE
Why, what happened?
Henry takes her over to a window and points to Wendy, who was now surrounded by other white women, also middle-aged.
GRACE
Now you wanna listen to me?
3.
(She walks away, going to unpack)
HENRY
You should have seen the way she
laughed about absolutely nothin'! It
was a suitcase, Grace.
GRACE
What can I say other than I told ya.
HENRY
(He rolls his eyes.)
Where's Novia?
GRACE
I think she's in her room organizing
her toys, you know her.
Henry kisses Grace on her forehead and walks down a dimly lit hallway. He hears faint singing coming from the only room with the door open.
HENRY
Hey baby, what ya doin'
(He looks around, his smile
dimming.)
The room is empty. The only thing seen is an open window blowing cold air into the room. A slight whistle is heard.
HENRY
We aren't playing hide and seek, right
now baby, just come on out.
Silence. Henry rushes back into the living room, startling Grace.
HENRY
She's not in there.
GRACE
Why wouldn't she be in there? I just
saw her. She probably hiding.
She walks towards the room, Henry behind. The sound of rumbling of empty drawers and closing of doors is heard down the hallway.
GRACE
I don't see her. Maybe she went
outside. Maybe-
(practically bursting into tears)
Henry runs outside to look for Novia. He sees Wendy, now
4.
sitting in a picnic chair drinking from a floral teacup. He walks over to her.
EXT. WENDY'S LAWN - DAY
HENRY
Have you seen my baby? She's around
4'8. She's not in our home.
WENDY
Aw. Such a shame for a young child to
go missing in this neighborhood.
Henry looks at her arms, where she is holding Novia's doll. He walks away, hoping he mistaken it for something else but quickly makes a pivot step to approach her again.
HENRY
Hey, Where did you get that?
Wendy analyzes the doll and looks at him with an pout stretched across her face. He stands there, one eyebrow raised.
WENDY
This little thing?
(she giggles)
HENRY
Yes, that little thing.
WENDY
Oh! Silly me! Yes. This cute little
girl was given to me as a present.
HENRY
As. A. Present?
WENDY
Yes, why? It isn't for sale and even
if it was, I don't offer discounts.
Henry holds back his fist with increasing anger and looks both left and right. He gets ready to say something but is interrupted by Grace who is accompanied by Novia. She is waving and jumping excitedly at him.
GRACE
I found her!
Henry runs back over there and grabs Novia who seems unharmed and unbothered.
5.
NOVIA
You look upset daddy.
HENRY
(He picks her up in his arm,
walking towards their home)
Why would I be upset baby?
INT. HOME - A LITTLE DARKER OUTSIDE
Grace is at the kitchen counter, fixing plates for dinner. A pink one is smaller than the other blue ones. Henry is seated at the dining table reading a newspaper. There's humming of a familiar tune coming from the living room.
GRACE
Novi baby, come eat!
NOVIA
Yes mama.
Novia is handed her food and she sits across from Henry who puts the newspaper down and lets his face fall into his palms, almost as if he were about to cry. Grace comes with the other identical plates and sits down. Novia, however, is already eating.
GRACE
Novia, we haven't even said grace yet.
NOVIA
(with a mouthful)
It was only a taste!
NOVIA
Okay, grab daddy's hand so we can say
it.
Henry finally pulls his head up.
NOVIA (CONT'D)
Henry.
HENRY
Yeah. Um. Bless our food and our drink
that my beautiful wife has made for
us. You redeemed us so dearly and
delivered us from evil. Some evil, at
least. They are still lurking across
the street.
6.
GRACE
Henry!
Novia's eyes pop open.
HENRY
You gave us a share in this food so
may you give us a share in eternal
life. Amen.
NOVIA
Amen daddy! Let's eat.
The family eats their food in silence. Novia is the first to finish.
NOVIA
I finished, mama. Can I go play?
GRACE
Yes baby, but not for too long. It's
getting late.
Novia nods her head and you hear her laughter until a door closes from down the hallway. Grace looks at Henry who has barely touched his food and is looking down at his full plate.
GRACE
Whats going on with you? You have
barely spoke. I guarantee you nothing
new is on that newspaper than what you
already read.
HENRY
We need to leave.
GRACE
What do you mean leave? We bought this
house to become comfortable as a
family.
HENRY
I'm the one who signed the papers,
Grace. I'm aware.
He moves his corn around with a fork on his plate, creating a screeching sound.
HENRY (CONT'D)
I just didn't know how big of a danger
7.
this would be to you guys. We
should've stayed with your Mother just
a bit longer.
GRACE
Like you said, we would've overstayed
our welcome baby.
HENRY
And I understand but I rather be
judged by people of our own color than
these ignorant people across the
street.
Grace puts her hand out to grab his. Henry moves his hands to his lap and sighs of exhaust.
HENRY
I'm sorry Grace.
GRACE
Why baby? Talk to me. Please.
HENRY
I pushed you to move out here. I
promised it would be better. I'm
worried about Novia and how
A loud laughter interrupts their conversation from down the hallway, it's Novia. Henry finally looks up and goes rushing down the hallway. Grace watches in a slight shock.
HENRY
Novia..
NOVIA
Yes daddy?
He opens the door to see Novia playing with her dolls and lets out a sigh of relief. When he opens it even wider, seated in the rocking chair is Wendy, crocheting what could be a tie.
WENDY
Oh hey again.
Wendy flashes her pearly whites and continues with what she was doing. Novia laughs at Henry due to the shock look on his face.
8.
NOVIA
Why are you standing like that daddy?
HENRY
Go in there with mommy, baby.
He tries to usher her away but she begins to throw a fit.
NOVIA
I dont wanna go! Wendy is my friend!
HENRY
I said go, Novia.
She runs off and Wendy gets up, brushing off her pantsuit. The two start to speak in a quieter tone so Grace wouldn't be able to hear.
WENDY
Well, she's right Henry. We ARE the
biggest of friends.
HENRY
I'm calling the police.
WENDY
There's no need for that. Everyone is
safe. Why would you criminalize
yourself like that?
Henry gets closer and puts his index finger in front of Wendy's face who is clearly unfazed.
HENRY
I don't know what you did with her but
I'm going to find out.
WENDY
And how would that turn out? Young,
pretty, white woman threatened by a
tough BLACK man when all she was doing
was playing dolls with his little
daughter.
HENRY
You came here without anyone's
permission and you know that!
WENDY
I could say the exact same to you,
can't I? Now move along, I have dinner
9.
to put in the oven.
She grabs her things and began to walk out of the room. Henry stands there, defeated. His eyes are a little more dilated than they were earlier. She purposefully bumps into his shoulder and he stands in the exact spot, staring at the empty room. The rocking chair was still rocking. The toys were still in the same spot Novia had left them, staring up into the ceiling.
He follows her into the dining room where Grace and Novia are in the kitchen washing dishes. Wendy stops and makes herself known. Grace stands in shock with a wet bowl in her hand, it's dripping onto her clothes
WENDY
Bye Novia. I will see you soon, I
promise.
NOVIA
Hugs?
Wendy looks at Grace and Henry who are staring directly at her in an eerie silence.
WENDY
Yes, hugs.
Wendy bends down while Novia runs towards her and they hug. She starts to whisper into Novia's ear and they both laugh when she pulls away.
HENRY
Okay that's enough. Leave.
NOVIA
Why are you so mean daddy? She's my
friends.
WENDY
It's fine. He will face the
consequences sooner or later.
NOVIA
I hate you!
HENRY
Novia that's enough. Go to your room,
now.
10.
WENDY
That's my cue! Ha!
HENRY
Your cue passed.
She waves at Grace and walks out the door, followed by an abrupt slam by Henry
GRACE
Where did she come from?
HENRY
I don't know, Grace. But you need to
start packing all these things back.
We're leaving first thing in the
morning before another white woman is
murdered on the news.
GRACE
Calm down.
HENRY
I can't Grace. I'm going to face the
consequences? What kind of sh*t is
that? Call your mom.
GRACE
Okay. Okay!
Grace immediately gets on the phone and starts speaking to someone on the other end in an panic. Henry is pacing around the room, muttering to himself in an frustration.
In the far window, unable to see at first due to the frustration in the home, is red and blue lights. Then there's a knock at the door. Henry rushes to the door, hoping to take his anger out on Wendy, but instead it's an POLICEMAN.
POLICEMAN
Are you Henry Morgan?
HENRY
Why?
POLICEMAN
Please don't resist sir. Are you him
or not?
HENRY
I am.
11.
Grace comes into the frame and lays her hand on Henry's shoulder.
POLICEMAN
Go ahead and step outside for me
please.
GRACE
What's going on?! Henry!
Henry walks outside onto their porch where it's completely dark outside. Not a star in sight. However, across the street is Wendy, sitting in a picnic chair drinking from a floral teacup.
Henry begins to angrily scream while tears come out of his eyes slowly.
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This piece is about a black family who are beginning their new journey in a southern town in the 1960's.