The Girl Who Stole A Star Read online

HALLEY

  Stop!

  JAMIE

  I’m not stopping. You saw me miss it.

  HALLEY

  We’re there. Stop!

  SFX: Breaks stopping. Humming dies down.

  JAMIE looks around as the many colors of Saturn’s rings dazzle HER eyes.

  JAMIE

  Woah.

  HALLEY

  Yeah. It’s really bright here. I like to play here all the time. Wanna skate?

  JAMIE

  I…

  HALLEY

  Come on, it’ll be fun.

  JAMIE

  Sure. But…

  HALLEY

  What?

  JAMIE

  I don’t know how.

  HALLEY

  It’s easy.

  HALLEY opens the chest and gets out two invisible pairs of skates.

  HALLEY

  I don’t have small ones for Doctor Carrot.

  JAMIE

  He’s cool. Doctor Carrot, you keep the boat safe. Got it? Good.

  JAMIE gets down off the bed. HALLEY puts on HER skates and then hands over JAMIE’s.

  HALLEY

  Put them on. Trust me.

  JAMIE

  Okay.

  JAMIE puts on the skates. SHE wobbles at first, and HALLEY holds HER.

  JAMIE

  I almost fell.

  HALLEY

  I’ll catch you.

  JAMIE

  Everytime?

  HALLEY

  Yeah. I’m your friend. That’s what friends do.

  THEY get into position and start to skate. JAMIE’s knees wobble.

  JAMIE

  I can’t do it.

  HALLEY

  Yes, you can.

  JAMIE

  No, I can’t.

  HALLEY

  Yes, you can too.

  JAMIE

  Can’t!

  HALLEY

  Can!

  JAMIE still has trouble and wobbles, but after awhile, SHE gets the trick.

  JAMIE

  I’m skating! I’m skating!

  HALLEY

  You’re skating! You’re skating!

  NEREUS (OS)

  Stop skating! Stop skating! You thieves!

  NEREUS enters by skating in, as well as HIS dead leg allows.

  HALLEY

  Oh, no!

  JAMIE

  He’s coming!

  HALLEY

  Skate faster!

  JAMIE and HALLEY skate faster, but NEREUS tries HIS best to catch up…and does. HE grabs a hold of JAMIE.

  JAMIE

  He’s got me!

  HALLEY grabs a hold of NEREUS and JAMIE, trying to get THEM apart.

  NEREUS

  I do have you, you menacing malefactor. Ha, ha, ha!

  JAMIE

  Doctor Carrot!

  SFX: Engine humming very loudly and suddenly.

  NEREUS looks back at the bed with the bunny on it.

  NEREUS

  Oh, no! That hare is driving your ship. He’ll roll over my poor body for sure!

  NEREUS skates faster and faster, but it just isn’t fast enough. The bed gets closer and closer and closer until…

  NEREUS

  Abandon ship!

  NEREUS jumps and rolls offstage.

  NEREUS

  Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! My back.

  HALLEY

  Jump on the boat!

  JAMIE

  Jump? I’m skating!

  HALLEY

  Do it anyway! One…two…three!

  HALLEY and JAMIE jump on the bed.

  JAMIE

  Move over, Doctor Carrot! I’m the captain.

  HALLEY

  That was close. We need to hide better.

  JAMIE

  Where?

  HALLEY

  Do you like snow?

  JAMIE

  Uh, yeah! Who doesn’t?

  HALLEY

  We’re off to Pluto! [Beat] Let’s go!

  JAMIE

  Oh, right.

  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, HALLEY

  Wheeeeee!

  JAMIE pushes harder on the invisible pedal, and the GIRLS feel the g-force. Up, down, side-to-side, around and around.

  JAMIE

  We’re going too fast!

  HALLEY

  Go faster. Faster, faster, faster!

  JAMIE pushes the pedal down harder and they go even faster than ever. They go faster, faster, faster aaaaaaaaaaaaaand then they’re there.

  HALLEY

  Stop!

  JAMIE pushes the invisible break pad, and the GIRLS stop.

  JAMIE

  It’s cold here.

  HALLEY

  It has to be. The snow never melts.

  JAMIE

  Never?

  HALLEY jumps off.

  HALLEY

  Nope.

  JAMIE

  [to bunny] You’re gonna keep me warm, Doctor Carrot, okay? Okay.

  JAMIE gets off the bed with HER bunny. HALLEY makes an invisible snow ball from the ground.

  JAMIE

  Snowmen never go away? Snow angels stay forever?

  HALLEY

  Yep. Heads up!

  HALLEY throws the snowball at JAMIE. It hits JAMIE in the face.

  JAMIE

  Eww! I’m all wet.

  HALLEY

  One point for me. I’m winning.

  JAMIE

  [to bunny] Come on. We’re gonna win. Not her.

  JAMIE and HALLEY throw snowballs back and forth. Some hit, most miss, but both GIRLS have fun.

  JAMIE

  I got you.

  HALLEY

  No, you didn’t. I got you.

  JAMIE

  Nu-uh. Take that.

  HALLEY

  Missed.

  JAMIE

  Then what’s that snow on your head, stupid.

  HALLEY

  You’re the stupid one.

  THEY run at EACHOTHER and fall on the ground laughing. JAMIE moves to make a snow angle.

  JAMIE

  Come on. Mine’ll be better, I bet.

  HALLEY

  I’m a superstar snowangel-maker. You’re toast.

  THEY make the snow angels and then stand up.

  JAMIE

  I think yours is better.

  HALLEY

  I think yours is.

  JAMIE

  Doctor Carrot likes them both.

  KHIONE (OS)

  And I like them both, too.

  JAMIE hides behind HALLEY, who is smiling. KHIONE enters, almost dancing the waltz as SHE enters. KHIONE is eternally young and with a child’s heart. SHE loves all, except those who bully unfairly, and to those SHE punishes lightly and justly.

  KHIONE

  Hello, Halley.

  KHIONE

  Hi, Miss Khione. [to JAMIE] She’s Miss Khione. She’s my friend.

  KHIONE holds out HER hand for a light shake.

  KHIONE

  Hello, little one.

  JAMIE stays.

  HALLEY

  It’s okay. I know her.

  JAMIE shakes KHIONE’s hand.

  JAMIE

  Hello, Miss Khione.

  KHIONE points to the bunny.

  KHIONE

  And who is this?

  JAMIE

  This is Doctor Carrot. He’s a very smart bunny.

  KHIONE shakes the bunny’s hand.

  KHIONE

  Hello, Doctor Carrot.

  JAMIE

  He says hello.

  KHIONE

  And why have you three come to my home, today?

  HALLEY

  We want to play in the snow.

  KHIONE

  Well, you can play in my snow as much as you want. But Halley, you know you have to put her back home in
the morning don’t you?

  HALLEY

  No. Please? I want to keep her. I don’t want to give her back.

  JAMIE

  What? I don’t want to go back home. Ever. They make me clean my room and put my toys away and brush my teeth every night. It’s horrible.

  KHIONE

  I’m sure. Jamie, we can’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. When you want to go home, then you will. Okay? [Half-beat.] Okay?

  JAMIE

  Okay. But I want to play now.

  HALLEY

  Let’s make a snowman!

  KHIONE

  Let’s do that. Everyone make a part. I’ll make the bottom.

  HALLEY

  I’ll make the middle.

  JAMIE

  Doctor Carrot and me will make the head.

  HALLEY

  Last one finished is a rotten pulsar!

  THEY all quickly roll invisible balls of snow. KHIONE puts HER part down.

  HALLEY

  Finished. Oh, you finished before me.

  KHIONE

  But you made such a beautiful middle piece. Put it on top.

  HALLEY puts the middle part on.

  KHIONE

  Jamie?

  JAMIE

  In a minute.

  KHIONE

  Take all the time you need.

  JAMIE

  Gotta get everything perfect and cool-looking…got it.

  JAMIE needs KHIONE’s help putting the head on top.

  KHIONE

  There we go. It’s the perfect snowman.

  HALLEY

  Perfect.

  JAMIE

  Perfect, perfect.

  NEREUS (OS)

  I smell you, you thieves!

  HALLEY

  Oh, no! He followed us.

  KHIONE

  Halley, what did you do?

  JAMIE

  We stole a cheese wheel.

  HALLEY

  Jamie!

  KHIONE

  That’s not nice. But, Captain Nereus is supposed to share his cheese. So I guess it’s not your fault.

  NEREUS (OS)

  No more running, you cowards! Face your punishments!

  JAMIE

  What’ll we do?

  KHIONE

  Stand beside me. I’ll take care of this.

  JAMIE and HALLEY stand beside KHIONE, and THEY all stand in front of the snowman THEY just made. NEREUS enters, pointing HIS cane at THEM.

  NEREUS

  There they be! Malefactors! Criminals! Thieves!

  KHIONE

  Captain Nereus, I think—

  NEREUS

  Larceners! Plunderers! Pil—

  KHIONE

  Captain Nereus! You interrupted me.

  NEREUS

  I’m sorry.

  HALLEY

  You should be.

  KHIONE

  Halley, let me take care of this. Captain Nereus, I think you should apologize to these two girls.

  NEREUS

  Preposterous. You know what they did? Do you? They took what was mine. They’re thieves.

  KHIONE

  The moon isn’t yours. It’s everyone’s. You’re supposed to share.

  JAMIE

  Yeah, sharing is good.

  NEREUS

  I don’t want to share. I shall keep it all to myself. And I shall take that wheel of cheese you two stole from me. And you can’t stop me.

  NEREUS growls and scares the OTHERS.

  KHIONE

  We can’t, but I know who can.

  NEREUS

  Who? Who can stop me?

  KHIONE

  The monster snowman of Pluto.

  NEREUS laughs.

  NEREUS

  There’s no monster snowman of Pluto. You’re all liars.

  KHIONE

  If I’m a liar, then who is this?

  KHIONE, HALLEY, and JAMIE move out of the way to reveal the snowman. NEREUS is frightened and falls to HIS knees.

  NEREUS

  The monster snowman of Pluto! He does exist!

  KHIONE

  Yes, and if you don’t apologize to these girls, who knows what he’ll do?

  JAMIE

  He’ll kick your butt!

  HALLEY

  Yeah!

  KHIONE

  Girls, language.

  HALLEY, JAMIE

  Sorry, Miss Khione.

  NEREUS

  Please. Please don’t kick my butt, Mr. Monster Showman of Pluto! I beg you.

  NEREUS cries and bows down at the snowman’s feet.

  KHIONE

  I think he’ll leave you alone for now, Captain Nereus.

  NEREUS

  Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank the stars.

  HALLEY

  You’re welcome.

  JAMIE

  Now get otta here!

  NEREUS

  Oh, yes. Oh, yes. I shall leave you four to your dalliances. Farewell, my friends. Farewell.

  NEREUS exits.

  JAMIE

  That was so raven!

  HALLEY

  Did you see him on the ground?

  JAMIE

  “Please don’t kick my butt”. Funny.

  HALLEY

  Best moment ever.

  JAMIE

  The best.

  KHIONE

  I’m glad you had fun, Jamie. But you need to go home now.

  JAMIE

  I don’t want to.

  HALLEY

  She doesn’t want to.

  KHIONE

  It’s not a matter of what you want. It’s what is right. Halley, you know better than this.

  HALLEY

  Oh…phooey.

  KHIONE

  I can’t make you go home, Jamie. You need to do the right thing all by yourself.

  HALLEY

  She can stay with me in space and play forever. I know all the fun places to go.

  JAMIE

  I want to go with Halley to fun places.

  KHIONE

  Okay. Halley, can you please tell her who your parents are?

  HALLEY

  No one. I’m a star. Stars don’t have moms and dads.

  KHIONE

  [To JAMIE] Do you?

  JAMIE

  Yes. A mommy and a daddy. They’re so mean.

  KHIONE

  Do they love you?

  JAMIE

  How should I know?

  KHIONE

  Do they hug you every day? Do they make sure you’re full and healthy? Do they tell you they love you every day? [Beat.] Jamie?

  JAMIE

  Yeah. I guess they do.

  KHIONE

  And would they miss you if you never went back home?

  JAMIE

  Yes.

  KHIONE

  Like you’d miss them?

  JAMIE

  It’s not like I wouldn’t visit them. I can go back later.

  KHIONE

  Halley, please tell her what happens to people who live with the stars.

  HALLEY

  They…they don’t pay attention to time anymore, and before you know it, everyone you know grows old and forgets you.

  JAMIE

  They forget me?

  HALLEY

  I’m sorry.

  JAMIE

  My mommy’d never forget me.

  KHIONE

  If you stay here, they will. It’s space magic. If you don’t want to go back, then the cosmos makes them forget so they don’t stay sad all the time.

  JAMIE

  They’d forget me? I’ll forget them? Forever?

  KHIONE nods.

  JAMIE

  I…I…I want to go home to my mommy.

  HALLEY

  What about the moon? Saturn skating? Snow forever? I know more fun places. I swear I do.

  JAMIE starts to cry.

  JAMIE

  I wa
nt to go home.

  KHIONE slowly exits.

  HALLEY

  You’ll never brush your teeth. You can leave all your toys on the floor. We can play together forever.

  JAMIE

  I want to go home.

  HALLEY slowly exits. JAMIE doesn’t notice as SHE rubs HER eyes. JAMIE goes back to HER bed and gets under the covers.

  JAMIE

  I want to go home to mommy.

  MOM (OS)

  Jamie?

  MOM enters.

  MOM

  Jamie, what’s wrong?

  JAMIE

  Mommy.

  MOM sits on the bed and JAMIE hugs HER.

  MOM

  I’m here, sweetie. You have a nightmare?

  JAMIE

  No. It was a dream. A really, really, really weird dream.

  MOM

  What did you do?

  JAMIE

  I ate moon cheese. I skated on Saturn. I made a monster snowman. Doctor Carrot drove the ship, even though he wasn’t the captain. I was the captain.

  MOM

  Sounds like fun. Why are you crying?

  JAMIE

  They said if I stayed, you’d forget me, and I couldn’t come back.

  MOM

  Oh, sweetie.

  MOM hugs JAMIE.

  MOM

  I’d never forget you.

  JAMIE

  Promise.

  MOM

  Not in a million years.

  JAMIE

  Not in a trillion, billion, jillion years?

  MOM

  Not in a trillion, billion, jillion years.

  MOM kisses JAMIE on the forehead.

  JAMIE

  I love you, mommy.

  MOM

  I love you, too.

  MOM gets up and walks to the door.

  MOM

  Now, go to sleep. You have school tomorrow.

  MOM exits and JAMIE gets under the cover and falls asleep. HALLEY walks back on stage, and JAMIE wakes back up.

  HALLEY

  That’s a mom?

  JAMIE

  She’s my mom.

  HALLEY

  She’s nice.

  JAMIE

  I know.

  HALLEY

  You sure you don’t want to play with me forever?

  JAMIE

  I’m staying right here with my mommy.

  HALLEY

  Okay. I guess. Bye, Jamie.

  JAMIE

  Bye.

  HALLEY

  Bye-bye, Doctor Carrot.

  JAMIE

  He says, “Bye.”

  HALLEY starts to walk off, and JAMIE falls back asleep.

  HALLEY

  Bye-bye, my friend.

  JAMIE

  [sleepily] Bye-bye.

  HALLEY exits.

  THE END