31 Plays in 31 Days, #20 - “Aunt Rachel”

[breakinglight11]

I am reaching the point of Mrs. Hawking 7 where I won’t have to do any more drafting, and should instead move on to editing. At the moment, I only have one scene left to draft, and it’s tricky because it involves structural details of the mystery. I always find that stuff the most labor-intensive part of the craft process, so scenes that require it almost always get left to the end.

So while I chip away at that, I’m posting scenes from something I’ve already been working in— an experiment in a prose project, with important conversations worked out as drama. I do this to deal with the problem with a generation-only challenge, where real writing work in the form of editing is happening, but doesn’t result in something I can post.



Day #20 - “Aunt Rachel”

GWEN, a tween who lives with her aunt
RACHEL, her eccentric aunt
DARRYL, a boy from her neighborhood around her age

Early 2000’s, Cape Cod
~~~

(GWEN enters a cluttered but cozy kitchen. Her AUNT RACHEL is there, talking to a boy about her age, DARRYL. GWEN busies herself with her backpack so as not to engage with them.)

DARRYL: I’m not hungry, Ms. Gray.

(AUNT RACHEL pushes the plate of hand pies across the table to him anyway.)

AUNT RACHEL: Rachel’s okay. And I know. But you’ll feel better if you eat something.

(He takes a hand pie and stares at it.)

DARRYL: But what do I do about my sister?

AUNT RACHEL: She’s got Mrs. Levi for home room, doesn’t she? Tell her about it. She’ll know the right people to help Zoe.

DARRYL: But she asked me not to tell anyone.

AUNT RACHEL: I know, buddy. But sometimes people keep things secret not because they’re private, but because they’re ashamed. She doesn’t need to be ashamed that she’s hurting.

DARRYL: I think she’s going to get mad at me.

AUNT RACHEL: Maybe for a little while. But it won’t last for ever. Not after she gets the help she needs. Eat up, okay?

DARRYL: Okay, Ms. Gray.

(He takes a bite. Chewing it up, he almost immediately seems to grow stronger.)

DARRYL: Can I take the rest of these home with me?

(AUNT RACHEL is already wrapping up the remaining pies in tinfoil for him.)

AUNT RACHEL: Sure thing. Oh, hey. Darryl, you remember Gwen? Gwen, this is Darryl.

(He gives a little wave. GWEN doesn’t really look.)

DARRYL: Hey.

GWEN: …hey.

AUNT RACHEL: Darryl’s heading out now, but you might see him around later. Maybe next time you could take him to the cove. Show him the tide pools with the shells.

GWEN: Maybe.

AUNT RACHEL: Come on, buddy. I’ll show you out.

(DARRYL takes his little foil packet and exits with her. Soon AUNT RACHEL comes back. She takes DARRYL’s plate to the sink and starts to wash it.)

AUNT RACHEL: Darryl’s a good kid, you know.

GWEN: I don’t really know him.

AUNT RACHEL: You could get to know him. You might have some fun hanging out.

GWEN: I guess.

AUNT RACHEL: Can’t hurt to try, right?

GWEN: Right.

(After a moment, AUNT RACHEL sighs and returns her attention to the sink.)

GWEN: Aunt Rachel?

AUNT RACHEL: Hm?

GWEN: Are you a witch?

(The dish clatters into the sink.)