I had to write a ten-paged script as my exam for Drama Workshop. I pulled this together at the last minute cuz I suck and that's what I do.
Anywho, I thought I'd share.
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Carpe Noctum
Daniel—age 17
Nicholás—age 14
August
Dan: C’mon, bro. It’s almost 11. If you’re gonna catch the shower, you better come quickly.
Nicholás: I’m comin’, I’m comin’. Jeez…
(They climb out the window stealthily and start climbing a tree that leads to their roof)
Dan: (reaching his arm out) Need help there, man?
Nicholás: I can do it myself.
Dan: Alright, alright, just tryna help.
(Dan pulls the hoodie over his head and sprawls out on the roof. Nicholás remains quiet.)
Dan: So how’s that robot comin’ along?
Nicholás: There’s not gonna be no robot.
Dan: (baffled) What do you mean no robot? Nicky, you been plannin’ this for months! Didn’t you ask Papá to register you?
Nicholás: Yeah. And when I did, he said “You got twenty bucks? You got a job? You bring food to the table? Yeah, didn’t think so.”
Dan: (under his breath) Bastard.
Nicholás: (picking up tiny pebbles and throwing them off the roof) It’s whatever. I sold the parts to Charlie for a Hamilton.
Dan: (outraged) Bullshit you did! Nicholás, those took you forever to get! So what? Now you’re gonna have some pendejo like Charlie Johnson take all the credit? For ten fuckin’ bucks? Jesus!
Nicholás: (equally mad) Well what else was I gonna do? Steal twenty bucks and go anyway?
Dan: Bro, you coulda asked me. I woulda found a way.
Nicholás: (dejectedly) There’s no point, anyway. I’m not goin’.
(Both brothers sit in uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Then, a flash of stars zoom past the sky.)
Dan: Hey, Nicky, look! The shower’s startin’!
Nicholás: (as if forgetting all his troubles, smiles) Yeah…
Dan: Shit, man, this one’s insane.
Nicholás: D’ya think one might land here?
Dan: What’re you, five? ‘Course not. It’s just God’s way of shakin’ things up when he gets bored.
Nicholás: You think so?
Dan: ‘Course.
(Both smile at each other. A sweet moment before indistinct yelling is heard from downstairs. They wince.)
Dan: Goddammit, what are they killin’ each other for now?
Nicholás: (quiet, like a small child) I dunno…
(The following is heard from within the house. Only silhouettes are seen through the windows.)
Mamá: What you mean you told him no? Andrés, he’s a fourteen-year-old boy! This could be his only chance to go!
Papá: I’m not givin’ no fuckin’ kid twenty bucks to go compete in some bullshit competition, Laura.
Mamá: Oh yeah? Well that “fuckin’ kid” happens to be your son, Andrés. And if you don’t give him the kind of love and attention he needs, you’re gonna lose him.
Papá: Shut up, woman, you don’t make no sense.
Mamá: Mi amor, this kind of opportunity could send him to college.
Papá: Stop talkin’ shit. That ain’t never gonna happen.
Mamá: But if you just gave him a chance, he could—
Papá: (losing his temper, slaps her across the face) Goddammit, I said shut up!
(Back on the roof, Daniel and Nicholás look visibly concerned, angry, and upset. All the while, yelling continues from inside the house.)
Dan: (balling his hands into fists and making as if to leave) That’s it…
Nicholás: (grabbing his arm) Are you crazy?! He’ll kill you!
Dan: (yanking his arm free) If I don’t go down there, he’ll kill Mamá first.
(Dan jumps onto the tree as Nicholás stands up quickly to retrieve him.)
Nicholás: Danny, stop! This is about me, not you.
Dan: It don’t matter who it’s about, Nicky—
(All of a sudden, we hear from within.)
Papá: (completely enraged) You know what, puta de mierda? You care about him so much? Why don’t you try and stop me from beatin’ his ass, eh?
(Mamá screams in protest and footsteps are heard going towards what we assume is the boys’ bedroom.)
Dan: (realization dawning on him) Shit, Nicky, if we’re not in bed, we’re both dead. Let’s go.
(Nicholás jumps onto the tree and both boys climb down, back through the window into the house.)
October
Nicholás: Hurry up, Danny! I don’t wanna miss the beginin’.
Dan: (laughs) Jesus, I know, I know. Calm down.
Mamá: (heard from within) Daniel, where do you two think you’re goin’?
(Both boys stop in their tracks.)
Dan: (knows he’s caught) I… uh… we were just… I was gonna teach Nicholás how to get to the top of the tree?
(Mamá looks unconvinced.)
Mamá: Uh huh. At 11:30 at night? I don’t think so.
Nicholás: (pleadingly) Mamá, we just wanted to go watch the meteor shower. I promise, we won’t be out long…
(The boys wait for an answer. Mamá smiles.)
Mamá: Okay, pero cúbranse bien! I don’t need neither of you catchin’ a cold out there.
(The boys breathe a sigh of relief.)
Dan: (kissing his mother on the cheek) Yes, Mamá.
Mamá: And make sure Papá don’t catch you outside when he gets home, oyeron?
Nicholás: Si, Mamá.
(The boys scramble up the tree and onto the roof.)
Nicholás: (wrapping his arms tighter around himself) Damn, it is cold out.
Dan: (unzipping his hoodie and tossing it to his brother) Here.
(Both lie down and look up.)
Nicholás: There’s a party next weekend.
Dan: You goin’?
Nicholás: I dunno.
Dan: (teasingly) Well, you should. Maybe that chick Lia Martínez will be there…
Nicholás: (slightly embarrassed) Shut up, Danny.
Dan: (more teasingly) Maybe she’ll wear one of those lil’ kitty costumes, or fuck, better yet—one of those dirty police officer ones—
Nicholás: (annoyed) Shut up, man. She ain’t like that. She’ll probably be Harry Potter or some shit...
Dan: All I’m sayin’ is you’re gonna wanna take advantage of these parties ‘cuz once you get to be an ol’ man like me, you don’t got time to go to parties no more.
Nicholás: What? ‘Course you do. That’s what college is for, dumbass.
Dan: (solemnly) Nicky, I don’t think I’m goin’... There’s no money…
Nicholás: But… yeah there is! If Papá can afford to go out every night, you can pay for college, can’t you?
Dan: Nicky, I—
(A burst of stars shoot across the sky)
Dan: (changing the subject) Hey, look!
Nicholás: But Daniel—
Dan: Just drop it, Nicky. I don’t care much, anyway…
(They sigh and look silently up at the meteor shower.)
Nicholás: D’you think Mamá’s ever seen one of these?
Dan: Huh?
Nicholás: A meteor shower. You think Mamá’s ever seen one?
Dan: I dunno. Probably not.
Nicholás: We should show her sometime.
Dan: (smiles) Yeah. We should.
(A rickety old car slowly pulls up to the driveway. Papá gets out. He’s clearly intoxicated.)
Dan: (whispers) Shit, he’s back. (he notices something) Wait, is that…?
(A woman leans out the driver’s window and kisses Papá full on the mouth.)
Nicholás: (disgusted) What the…?
(Mamá is heard shouting from the front door of the house. The woman in the car drives away. Papá and Mamá confront each other in the front yard. Yells turn into screams.)
Mamá: (hysterical) How long, Andrés?! How long, ah?
Papá: None of your fuckin’ business, woman.
Mamá: How long have you been screwin’ her in our bed, ah? Tell me,carajo! Tell me!
(Papá strikes her across the face and pulls her close to his face, trying to seem intimidating. Mamá only sobs.)
Papá: Don’t you fuckin’ talk to me like that or I’ll kill you, you hear me?
Nicholás: (sliding off the roof onto the ground) Don’t touch her!
Papá: Where the hell… you supposed to be in bed.
Nicholás: I said don’t touch her.
(Nicholás makes as if to move closer.)
Papá: (grabbing Mamá by the throat) You come any closer, I’ll kill her.
(Dan, still on the roof, calls 911.)
Nicholás: (desperate) Stop, just stop! Let her go! Daniel!
November
Mamá: (giggly) I can’t believe I’m doin’ this.
Nicholás: (whisper-yells) Shh, or you’ll wake Papá!
Mamá: Trust me, he won’t be wakin’ up for a real long time.
Dan: Tequila?
Mamá: Tequila.
(The boys try helping Mamá climb up the tree.)
Mamá: Ay, Madre Santa! I don’t know how you boys do this all the time.
Nicholás: (laughs) It’s called practice, Mamá.
Dan: Mamá, you want my jacket?
Mamá: Ay, thank you, mijo, but you need it more. (notices how far they are from the ground) Dios mio, what if we fall off?!
Dan: Relax, Mamá, you’re not gonna fall.
Mamá: Y si me resbalo?
Nicholás: You’re not gonna slip, I promise.
Dan: Shh, it’s startin’!
Mamá: (in awe) Santa Maria…
Dan: It’s crazy, isn’t it?
Nicholás: It’s beautiful. (slightly teasingly) Just like you, Mamá.
Mamá: (jokingly) Ay, mijo, all God’s creations are beautiful. Just some more than others.
(They laugh.)
Mamá: Do you boys know any constellations?
Dan: I mean… I dunno if you can see it now ‘cuz of the shower but… see that string of stars over there?
Mamá: Aha?
Dan: That one’s Hercules.
Mamá: Oh, like the sexy Greek god?
Nicholás: (embarrassed) Mamá!
Mamá: (chuckles to herself) I need me a man like that.
(Both boys cringe but laugh nonetheless. They watch the shower in silence.)
Dan: Mamá?
Mamá: Tell me, mi amor.
Dan: Why don’t you leave him?
Mamá: (sitting up, sighing) Daniel, you know I can’t do that.
Nicholás: (aggravated) Why not?
Mamá: Because, amor, I can’t make it out on my own. Papá’s been with me since we were fifteen… I can’t just leave him after all he’s done for me.
Dan: (also aggravated) After all he’s done for you?! Mamá, he ain’t done shit for you! And he could care less about me and Nicky. He don’t care about any of us!
Mamá: (trying to convince herself) Daniel, you know that’s not true…
Nicholás: It is! I don’t get how you can stay with a descarado like that.
Mamá: Both of you, stop it! Your Papá loves me, and he loves you, too. He just has a hard way of showin’ it.
Dan: Mamá, stop lyin’ to yourself! He’s dangerous—I’m serious!
Nicholás: Please, Mamá. Promise you’ll leave him?
Dan: Please?
(Mamá, clearly uncomfortable and upset by the conversation, gathers herself and climbs back down the tree.)
Nicholás: Mamá!
Mamá: Good night, mis hijos. Don’t forget to shut the window when you’re done.
Dan: Mamá!—
(Mamá exits)
Dan: Goddammit! Why is she like that? Why can’t she just… fuck.
Nicholás: I dunno, man.
December
Dan: Nicky, you up here?
Nicholás: (sniffles) Go away.
Dan: C’mon, man. Please?
(Dan climbs up the tree and joins Nicholás on the roof.)
Nicholás: (start sobbing almost uncontrollably) I coulda done somethin’, Danny, it’s all my fault! I coulda pushed her outta the way or—
Dan: Shh, listen, Nicholás, there’s nothin’ you coulda done, alright? She was twenty feet away. It wouldn’ta mattered.
(Dan slings his arm over his brother, trying to contain himself.)
Nicholás: But—But we t-told her an’ everythin’ an’ she just, she didn’t listen! Why didn’t she listen?
Dan: I dunno, Nicky.
(They sit in silence. A meteor shower begins. Neither of them look up.)
Nicholás: You think she’s up there?
Dan: ‘Course. Right next to Hercules.
(Nicholás wipes his nose on his sweater and glances up. Dan looks over at him before fishing something out of his pocket.)
Dan: Here.
Nicholás: What?
Dan: (handing a five dollar bill over) So you can start savin’ for next year. You’re goin’ to that competition whether you like it or not.
Nicholás: What?
Dan: You heard Mamá. That could be your only shot at college so you might as well take it.
Nicholás: But what about you?
Dan: Don’t worry about me. I’ll be all right.
(They both look up. Blackout.)
The End
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Sorry about the slightly very depressing themes. Take care of yourselves.
Much love xoxo
Maya
