The Girl Who Stole A Star Read online



  The Girl Who Stole A Star

  By

  Justin Blasdel

  Justin Blasdel

  Version 1

  September 26th, 2012

  [email protected]

  Characters

  Jamie Chism: adventurous, excitable 8yr old Girl

  Halley: curious, thrill-seeking young star

  Nereus: Old, bumbling sailor

  Khione: Kind, joyful princess

  Mom: kind, yet authoritative mother

  Time

  Late at night right at bedtime.

  Scene

  A little girl’s room and the cosmos within it.

  The room of a young, little girl. It’s filled with the unbarred imagination that only a hopeful, rebellious child could have. Simply pretending something is real is enough reason to believe it exists. There is a bed in the middle of the room and a window sill upstage. Against the foot of the bed is a toy chest sturdy enough to stand and jump on.

  It’s about time for bed, but not everyone wants to agree to that.

  MOM (OS)

  Jamie? Jamie? Did you brush your teeth? Jamie!

  Enter JAMIE. JAMIE has the spirit of a traveler, the heart of a lion, and the perfect attitude for the little girl that SHE is. Telling HER “no” is inviting HER to dispute anything till the end of time.

  SHE holds a stuffed bunny as SHE stomp-walks.

  JAMIE

  Yes! But I don’t need to. I washed my mouth out with milk.

  MOM (OS)

  That’s not enough.

  JAMIE

  Milk’s good for your bones and teeth. Why can’t I brush with it?

  MOM (OS)

  Did you really brush your teeth with milk? [Beat] Jamie Chism, you answer me!

  JAMIE

  No! I didn’t. I promise.

  MOM (OS)

  Okay then. Go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.

  JAMIE

  But I don’t want to go to bed.

  MOM (OS)

  Go to bed.

  JAMIE

  No.

  MOM (OS)

  Go to bed!

  JAMIE

  Don’t wanna.

  MOM (OS)

  I said go to bed, Jamie Chism, and you go to bed now!

  JAMIE

  Ohhh. Okay. [Half-beat] Love you, mommy.

  MOM (OS)

  Love you, too. Goodnight.

  JAMIE

  Goodnight.

  JAMIE flips the light switch off, jumps on the bed, and gets under the covers.

  JAMIE

  Goodnight, Doctor Carrot.

  JAMIE kisses the rabbit, hugs it, and tries to go to sleep. SHE rolls over. SHE rolls over again. SHE tries to lie straight. SHE tries to sleep on HER face. SHE puts the cover over HER head. SHE moves around under the cover, eventually lifting the cover over her head at the foot of the bed. SHE pulls the rabbit out.

  JAMIE

  This just isn’t working out, Doctor Carrot.

  JAMIE throws the cover on the floor.

  JAMIE

  I’m not tired. I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want to sleep.

  JAMIE jumps on the bed.

  JAMIE

  I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want to sleep. I don’t want to…

  JAMIE lands sitting down on the bed.

  JAMIE

  Sleep. Nope, nope. Not me.

  JAMIE walks over to the window.

  JAMIE

  No moon. New moon. Lots of stars. You see, Doctor Carrot? Those are suns. Like our sun. We call them stars. That’s their tech-a-nickel name. Stars. And some fall down. Out of the sky and on the dirt. You think I’ll see one tonight? [Beat] You need to be more positive. Good things happen when you think good things. Yep.

  JAMIE sees a falling star.

  SFX: Wind from a fast moving object which grows in volume.

  JAMIE

  There’s one! Right there! See it? It’s falling out of the sky. Coool. Mommy won’t believe this. [Beat] It’s close. Very, very close. Is it supposed to get that close? Uh-oh. Mommy! Mommy!

  JAMIE drops HER bunny and jumps under the covers to hide. SHE realizes this and jumps out on the ground and grabs HER bunny, then jumps back under the covers.

  SFX: Star landing.

  HALLEY enters. SHE is curious by nature and as rebellious as JAMIE. Earth people are full of fun in HER eyes, and SHE definitely wants to have fun.

  HALLEY comes through the window, carefully. SHE is dressed in gold and carries nothing. SHE walks around the room looking for anyone. JAMIE is under the covers, shaking in fear. HALLEY walks around the bed and then notices the shaking covers. HALLEY smiles and carefully pokes the covers.

  JAMIE

  I’m not here! No one’s here! Oh, darn! [whispers] Quiet, Doctor Carrot.

  HALLEY

  Hello?

  JAMIE

  Not here.

  HALLEY sits down beside JAMIE. HALLEY then pulls the cover over JAMIE. JAMIE has HER eyes closed as SHE holds HER bunny closely. HALLEY gives JAMIE a wet willie. JAMIE opens HER eyes.

  JAMIE

  Eww!

  HALLEY

  Hello. I’m Halley. What’s your name?

  JAMIE

  You’re a star.

  HALLEY

  Yep. I’m a star.

  JAMIE

  You fell.

  HALLEY

  No. I came down.

  JAMIE

  Why?

  HALLEY

  I want to play. Will you play with me?

  JAMIE moves away and looks out the window.

  JAMIE

  You came down from the sky to play with me?

  HALLEY

  Mm-hmm.

  Beat.

  JAMIE

  Wow. Don’t the other stars want to play.

  HALLEY

  Nope. They’re all old and grown up.

  JAMIE

  I hate grown ups.

  HALLEY

  Me too.

  JAMIE

  You’re cool. Wanna play tea time orrrrrr go outside and swing orrrrr dress up orrrrr play Jersey Shore orrrr—

  HALLEY

  Wanna sail on the Milky Way in our own boat?

  JAMIE

  That sounds more fun. Sure. How do we play that?

  HALLEY

  Get on the bed.

  JAMIE

  This is the boat?

  HALLEY

  Mm-hmm.

  JAMIE

  Okay. You raise the sails and I’ll drive.

  HALLEY

  Okay.

  HALLEY raises the Sails and JAMIE gets behind the wheel on the boat.

  HALLEY

  Ready?

  JAMIE

  Doctor Carrot and me are good. Let’s sail!

  HALLEY

  Okay. Here we go.

  The bed suddenly becomes a real ship of sorts and flies through the wind. JAMIE is surprised, because SHE thought they’d only be playing pretend. HALLEY keeps smiling.

  SFX: A hum gets louder and louder, followed by wind moving past an object.

  JAMIE

  What’s happening? The bed’s moving! We’re flying!

  HALLEY

  We have to fly. The Milky Way is up in the sky.

  JAMIE

  Out in space?!

  HALLEY

  All the way in space.

  JAMIE

  Hold your breath, Doctor Carrot!

  JAMIE holds HER breath. The g-force moves JAMIE and HALLEY side to side until it drops.

 

  SFX: The splash of water. Wind noise stops.

  HALL
EY watches JAMIE with merriment until JAMIE can no longer hold HER breath.

  JAMIE

  I can breathe.

  HALLEY

  Of course you can. I made it so you can. You’re welcome.

  JAMIE looks over the bed and reaches down as if putting HER hand in water.

  JAMIE

  We’re in a river. A white river.

  HALLEY

  It’s milk. Taste it.

  JAMIE tastes it.

  JAMIE

  Mmmm! It’s good.

  HALLEY

  It’s great with cereal.

  JAMIE

  I like this place.

  JAMIE moves to hold an invisible wheel.

  JAMIE

  So where to, captain? Wait, no. I want to be captain. I’m driving the ship, after all.

  HALLEY

  Okay. Where to, captain?

  JAMIE

  Uhm…where are we going now?

  HALLEY

  To the moon. It’s made of cheese.

  JAMIE

  Cheese? Mmmm. I like cheese. Let’s go there.

  HALLEY

  Aye, aye, Captain Jamie.

  JAMIE

  Captain Chism. My last name’s Chism.

  HALLEY

  Captain Chism, we’re going down the Milky Way fast. Hold on!

  JAMIE and HALLEY move around as if THEY are hastily moving down a slip-and-slide. To the right. To the left. Up. Down.

  JAMIE

  Woooooah! This is awesome!

  HALLEY

  I like it, too!

  JAMIE

  Don’t fall off, Doctor Carrot. I don’t want you to be wet and smelly.

  HALLEY

  Almost there.

  JAMIE

  No, no! I like this ride. More!

  HALLEY

  Maybe after the cheese.

  The ship comes to a sudden stop.

  JAMIE

  Are we there?

  HALLEY

  Yep. On the moon, in the land of white cheese. Let’s get a wheel. Quick.

  JAMIE

  But we’re on a boat. Boats don’t have wheels.

  HALLEY

  A wheel of cheese, silly. Let’s go.

  HALLEY holds out HER hand.

  JAMIE

  You stay here, Doctor Carrot. It’s too dangerous.

  JAMIE puts the bunny down and grabs a hold of HALLEY’s hand. THEY get off the bed. Now, they are in a land of cheese. It’s a jungle filled with the energy and danger of an untamed land.

  JAMIE

  Wow.

  HALLEY

  Yes. Very wow.

  JAMIE

  What’s that?

  HALLEY

  That? That’s a Swiss butterfly.

  JAMIE

  It’s got holes in its wings. How can it fly?

  HALLEY

  Watch out!

  THEY duck down to avoid being hit by the flying Swiss butterfly.

  JAMIE

  [to Swiss butterfly] Hey, watch out where you’re going, buddy!

  HALLEY

  Down this way. This is where he keeps the wheels.

  JAMIE

  Who?

  HALLEY

  Nereus, the wax guard.

  JAMIE and HALLEY walk around the bed, looking around with amazement.

  JAMIE

  Everything is…it’s…

  HALLEY

  Strange? Big? Exciting?

  JAMIE

  Smelly. Eww.

  HALLEY

  But it’s a good smelly.

  JAMIE

  No. It’s just smelly.

  HALLEY

  There it is!

  JAMIE

  A treasure chest.

  HALLEY and JAMIE walk up to the toy chest in front of the bed. HALLEY opens it, and JAMIE takes out a wheel of cheese with a one foot radius.

  JAMIE

  It’s heavy. And smells good. It’s a good smelling cheese.

  HALLEY

  It is.

  JAMIE goes to take a bite.

  HALLEY

  No!

  JAMIE

  Yes!

  HALLEY

  No, we need it.

  JAMIE

  Why?

  HALLEY

  For the ship. It’s like gas. We put it in the ship, and we can go anywhere.

  JAMIE

  But…it smells good.

  HALLEY takes the wheel away.

  JAMIE

  Hey!

  NEREUS (OS)

  Who goes there? Who visits the moon with no permission?

  HALLEY

  Oh, no! Hide!

  JAMIE

  What? Why?

  HALLEY

  Just do it!

  JAMIE and HALLEY run under the covers and hide. Enter NEREUS. NEREUS is an old sailor, a worldly character, and older than dirt. HE’s a proud of warrior, but one who suffers from Peter Pan syndrome.

  NEREUS wobbles in on HIS dead leg and cane, while HE keeps HIS hat on with a free hand. HE looks around with HIS one good eye for the trespassers and thieves. HE looks long and hard under every crevice, but does not see the obvious people hiding under the bed. HE’s about to give up until JAMIE sneezes.

  NEREUS

  A-ha!

  NEREUS uncovers the GIRLS with HIS cane.

  NEREUS

  Thieves!

  JAMIE

  No, we didn’t.

  NEREUS

  I have you now, malefactors.

  HALLEY

  We’re not male…mal…ma—we’re not thieves.

  NEREUS

  Oh, no? Then what is that bit of cheese doing in your slimy digits?

  JAMIE

  We need it.

  NEREUS

  So, does the need make the thievery not exist?

  HALLEY

  Nu-uh.

  NEREUS raises HIS cane up to HALLEY.

  NEREUS

  I shall be having that which is not rightfully yours, little girl.

  JAMIE jumps off the bed and runs behind NEREUS.

  JAMIE

  Let us go, you bully!

  JAMIE kicks NEREUS in the butt. NEREUS stands up too quickly, and HIS back goes out.

  NEREUS

  Oh, oh, oh, oh! My bow is broken. Lower the masts…and set anchor.

  NEREUS falls on the bed. HALLEY slaps NEREUS.

  HALLEY

  Serves you, right.

  JAMIE

  You got punked, sucka!

  NEREUS

  Please, have mercy on an old man.

  JAMIE and HALLEY look at EACHOTHER, nod, and grab NEREUS by the legs. THEY drag HIM off the bed.

  NEREUS

  Oh, oh, oh, oh! I see stars before me.

  HALLEY

  I’m just one star.

  JAMIE

  Not you, silly.

  HALLEY

  Oh. Let’s put him over there.

  JAMIE

  Okay.

  JAMIE and HALLEY drag NEREUS offstage and return.

  JAMIE

  High five!

  HALLEY

  Yeah!

  THEY high five.

  NEREUS

  You’ll never get away with this, you miscreants!

  JAMIE

  Uh, yeah we will, stupid.

  HALLEY

  Yeah, stupid. [to JAMIE] Okay. We have the cheese wheel. Our ship can go now. We have to hide, and I have a good hiding place. Wanna go?

  JAMIE

  Uh, yeah!

  HALLEY

  Okay. Get on the ship.

  THEY jump on the bed. HALLEY puts the cheese in the pillow sheet. JAMIE holds the wheel.

  JAMIE

  Uhm…where we going?

  HALLEY

  To Saturn!

  JAMIE

  To Saturn!

  SFX: Engine hums louder and louder.

  JAMIE grabs a hold of the invisible wheel and stomps HER foot down on the
invisible foot pedal. The two GIRLS shake around with the ship’s movement.

  JAMIE

  Wheeeeee!

  HALLEY

  Don’t go on the Milky Way. We have the gas. Go straight for Saturn.

  JAMIE

  Hey, I’m the captain. And I say…let’s go!

  JAMIE pushes harder on the invisible pedal, and the GIRLS feel the g-force times three. Up, down, side-to-side, aaaaaaaaaaaaaand there.

  HALLEY

  Astroid! Watch out!

  THEY scream. JAMIE swerves to miss the asteroid.

  JAMIE

  I missed it!