IPP: A Sample from my Rough Draft

Scene 1

The scene begins in darkness. Only voices and shuffling can be heard. Throughout the scene, the lights slowly begin to come on, lighting up the stage on which there’s a single bed in the middle of the set. There is an end table to one side with a pen and brimming notebook on it.

MINA: June!

The sound of rapid footsteps can be heard.

MINA: June, you came so late, you little b—oh, Uncle?

MOM: Mina, keep quiet. It was a long drive.

UNCLE: [good natured] Well, it was for him. He fell asleep in the car. Should I carry him in, or…?

MOM: Oh no, no, I’ll take him – or, Mina, could you carry him to his room?

MINA: A’ight. [sound of heavier footsteps]

MOM: [surprised] Oh, didn’t my sister come with you?

UNCLE: No, no… Well, our daughter’s been hospitalized again and… it’s… well…

MOM: Oh, oh dear, I’m so sorry…

Lights on the scene. June is sleeping soundly on the bed, sheets pulled up to his nose, and his elder sister, Mina, is playing a handheld video game beside him. The boy stirs.

MINA: Looks like sleepyhead’s finally up. [June blinks his eyes awake] Wow, you practically slept two days straight. Was the trip really that bad?

June is unresponsive, blinking slowly as if he can’t place something. Slowly, pushes himself upright, a hand over his mouth, slumping forward.

MINA: So, how was the ‘writing for youths’ camp? Got anything done?

He continues to sit still, hands now sliding to his head. Mina continues to play her game, though glancing at him.

MINA: [slightly impatient] Playing that game, are we? Silent treatment first thing back? What, I’m not allowed to ask if you had a good time at your summer camp?

       Silence. With one hand still covering his face, June gropes blindly for his pen. Overlapping with Mina’s next line, he grabs it and still hunched over, pens a message onto the back of the hand closest to his sister.

MINA: [ticked off] Alright, that’s it. Stop being such a little brat first thing back! I don’t care if you think you’re all grown up because ‘ohhh, overnight summer camp, ohhhh’ but you are still ten years old, and I—

       Mina sets down her game to yell properly at June, but is stopped by the hand he thrusts into her face. It has writing on it, and the boy is still clutching his head as if he’s in pain.

MINA: [slowly] ‘I can’t talk.’

       Beat.

MINA: ‘My mouth is stitched shut’.

       As Mina gives her brother a look of confusion, June slowly looks up blankly, showing the audience his face. Indeed, his mouth is stitched firmly shut with thick black thread.

MINA: [sarcastic] Uhuh. Yeah, sure. You’re back in the real world, not in writer-land anymore, get a grip.