breakinglight11 | 31 Plays in 31 Days, #21

Building on yesterday’s #20 - “Aunt Rachel” as I work on the final scene needed for Mrs. Hawking part 7.

Day #21 - “Are You a Witch?”

GWEN, a tween who lives with her aunt
RACHEL, her eccentric aunt

Early 2000’s, Cape Cod
~~~

GWEN: Are you a witch?

(The dish clatters into the sink.)

AUNT RACHEL: What’s that, baby?

GWEN: Are you a witch?

AUNT RACHEL: Where did you hear that?

GWEN: What?

AUNT RACHEL: Somebody must have said that to you. Didn’t they?

GWEN: Because a lot of people think it.

AUNT RACHEL: Hm. Is that what you think?

GWEN: I don’t know.

AUNT RACHEL: Don’t you?

(RACHEL puts a dish into the drying rack.)

GWEN: Well. You’re always doing things. With the books and the herbs and the rocks and things.

AUNT RACHEL: Mmhm.

GWEN: And the cooking.

AUNT RACHEL: The cooking? Everybody cooks, babe.

GWEN: But your cooking is different. When you cook, people… feel things.

AUNT RACHEL: Things again, huh?

GWEN: Yes! Like Darryl, just now. Didn’t you? Make him… braver, or something. With your pies.

AUNT RACHEL: Well. I would hope so. They’re good pies.

GWEN: Isn’t that what you did?

AUNT RACHEL: I guess you could say that. Is that what you think I am?”

GWEN: I think Mom was.

AUNT RACHEL: Why do you ask that, baby? Did somebody ask you that?

GWEN: Was she?

AUNT RACHEL: It’s hard to explain.

GWEN: Why?

AUNT RACHEL: I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.

GWEN: What do you mean, wrong idea? Because that’s how she died?

(Pause.)

GWEN: It is, isn’t it? In the attic. When she blew up the house.

AUNT RACHEL: Gwendolyn…

GWEN: When she killed herself.

AUNT RACHEL: Oh, honey. Don’t say things like that. Why would you say that?

GWEN: She did! She was a witch, and everybody knows it! She did some witch thing up there, and wrecked everything!

AUNT RACHEL: That isn’t— it’s not that simple, Gwen.

GWEN: I don’t know what that means. You’re not saying she’s not.

AUNT RACHEL: (Sighing) I’m sorry. I just don’t know how to explain it. I… I have to find the right words. So you don’t misunderstand, and… get angry with her.

GWEN: Why? Because she was a witch?

AUNT RACHEL: No, baby. Because she was human.

31 Plays in 31 Days, #21 - “Are You a Witch?”