Starring:
Terra McHale as Sophia Early
Irving as B. Narr
Willow Gravis as Sage Fortune
Corneilus "Neil" McHale as Elijah Yale
Ms. Betty as Paige Alena
Cletus as Rocheny Princien
Busybodies as Tal Minear and Inez Jacobs-Hinton
Director & Sound Designer: Cole Burkhardt
Writer, Creator, & Producer: Jade Madison Scott
Show Art: Julia Patrick
Special Thanks To Jazzy Davis, Tosin Olufolabi, Maya King, Rachel Grossman, Brittany Jones, Robin Harris, Dominique Douglas-Hendricks, Ricky Ramón, and Otis Ramsey-Zoë
Introduction
HOST
WGC Productions presents-
(Retribution Theme; A haunting western tune)
HOST (CONT'D)
Retribution: A Miniseries. You are now listening to episode one. Transcripts for this episode can be found at wgcproductions.com. Enjoy yourself, now.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE- DAY
The Busybodies and Terra are panting in the heat.
TERRA
It’s burning.
BUSYBODIES
Sweltering.
ALL
God, this heat.
CLETUS
Must’ve gone from 70 to 120 overnight.
MS. BETTY
Too hot to breathe.
CLETUS
Too hot to live.
MS. BETTY
Swear, it’s eating me up.
CLETUS
First the organs.
MS. BETTY
Then the skin.
BUSYBODIES, MS. BETTY, CLETUS
Then the soul.
TERRA
I’d like to keep the soul.
CLETUS
That witch. Don’t she know people could die in this heat?
BUSYBODIES
When will her curse end?
TERRA
Have any y’all seen her?
BUSYBODIES
No.
TERRA
No? What good are you for?
MS. BETTY
What good are you?
TERRA
I didn’t start all this. I didn’t watch a girl get...I can’t even say it.
MS. BETTY
You didn’t stop it either.
TERRA
I didn’t know.
BUSYBODIES
Is that better?
TERRA
It’s not worse.
(Irving enters)
IRVING
Terra! Terra!
TERRA
Did you find her?
IRVING
No.
TERRA
Then why would you come over here screaming my name.
IRVING
I love to scream your-
TERRA
Not the time.
IRVING
Right, sorry. I looked all over the place, been looking for a week now, but I can’t find her at all.
TERRA
Did you check her house?
IRVING
Course. She ain’t there.
TERRA
Thank God.
IRVING
Maybe she’ll come out when she wants to.
TERRA
But I need her.
IRVING
Listen, I know her a little better than you-
TERRA
We can’t all have carnal knowledge of our friends-
IRVING
That felt loaded.
BUSYBODIES
It was a tad aggressive.
TERRA
Quiet.
IRVING
Why do you even need to talk to her?
TERRA
It’s important.
IRVING
But what is it?
TERRA
This farm business. The rain business.
IRVING
Aw, Terra, I’m sorry I got you hung up in all this. I was wrong.
TERRA
I don’t think so.
IRVING
I said it was ‘cause of the father didn’t I? Well, Neil and me both laid claim to that kid and it weren’t us, so I must have been wrong.
TERRA
No, neither of you are the father.
IRVING
Then who else would it be, I mean, they ain’t many men like us wandering round-
TERRA
I know, Irving.
IRVING
Know what?
TERRA
What you knew.
IRVING
I know a lot of things.
(Beat)
TERRA
Y’all need to go.
BUSYBODIES
Can’t keep us out of our own business.
TERRA
Why bother keeping you out of something you ignore? Now, I said you need to go.
CLETUS
I swear, for God, this girl-
IRVING
Cletus, please. Me to you, this is serious.
CLETUS
I don’t even care ‘bout it too much. Just won’t be disrespected on my own land.
IRVING
Terra, apologize.
TERRA
Sorry.
CLETUS
Good girl.
(Busybodies, Cletus, and Ms. Betty leave.)
IRVING
Sorry ‘bout him, but you know how Cletus can be. Just hiding all that heart under his gristle.
TERRA
Do you make excuses like that for everybody?
IRVING
Terra Anne, we need to make it real clear ‘bout what I think you think I know. Cause I won’t be the one spilling secrets cross this soil.
TERRA
What I think you know? What you….she told me.
IRVING
Told you what?
TERRA
Told me….Jesus, I can’t even say it. You’re a disgrace, Irving.
IRVING
Terra, please-
TERRA
How could you let him do that? She told you about her father and you did….tell me you did something. Tell me my best friend ain’t someone who would let somethin’ like that go by like daises. Irving, just tell me you did something.
IRVING
I took her mind off it.
TERRA
So you had her, that’s it?
IRVING
Don’t make it sound so crass.
TERRA
Crass? Have I died and gone to heaven? Irving is talking to me about crass. Well butter me up and call me a three headed-snake. Next, I know the four horsemen will come pounding out the sky-
IRVING
Now, you’re just being dramatic.
TERRA
Sleeping with her doesn’t make you a hero.
IRVING
I never said that.
TERRA
Well, you just said to me, in a perfectly serious tone, that you sleeping with her was suppose to make up for the fact that you knew what was going on, and you lived your life like nothing happened.
IRVING
I didn’t just sleep with her, I made her laugh.
TERRA
Not something one would usually like to admit.
IRVING
No, after. We sat and we talked. I listened and we joked. I made her laugh. Took her mind off it.
TERRA
Yeah, I’m sure that laughter was all she could think about when her father was on top of her.
(Beat)
IRVING
She doesn’t want to talk to anyone, Terra.
TERRA
How do you know?
IRVING
She told me.
TERRA
I thought you said-
IRVING
I lied. I found her out where I found her, and she said she didn’t want to be bothered by anyone, so I lied so she wouldn’t be bothered.
TERRA
Irving, I need her.
IRVING
I was wrong about the water thing. The father….it won’t save your farm.
TERRA
Not about that.
IRVING
Then what?
TERRA
I can’t tell you.
IRVING
What does that mean?
TERRA
It means what it means.
IRVING
What it…..I tell you everything-
(TERRA laughs)
IRVING (CONT'D)
Willow asked me not tell bout me and her. If she didn’t you’d have been the first person I told. Terra, I’m sorry I slept with her, truly. Please forgive me. I love you.
TERRA
Oh, stop it. I’m not upset over that.
IRVING
Then why-
TERRA
You let her go back.
IRVING
What else was I supposed to do?
TERRA
I don’t know, but you don’t let her go back. You don’t let her go home when you know what happens there. You don’t get to smile and feel good when someone else suffers because of you.
IRVING
Because of-
TERRA
She needed a friend. Someone who could look out for her. Someone who wouldn’t let her get hurt.
IRVING
Terra-
TERRA
Where is she?
IRVING
I can’t tell you that.
TERRA
You have to.
IRVING
She asked me not to.
TERRA
Please.
IRVING
No.
IRVING
Irving, please.
IRVING
No.
TERRA
But-
IRVING
She doesn't want to talk to you.
TERRA
What?
IRVING
She doesn’t want to talk to you. That’s why she’s hiding. She’s hiding from you.
TERRA
Why would she….I thought….no, she….are you lying to me again?
IRVING
What? Terra, no.
TERRA
She doesn’t like you, you know?
IRVING
What are you talking ‘bout?
TERRA
So, keepin her hidden away like some kinda Rapunzel, it may be fun for you now, make you feel like a hero now, but know she doesn’t like you at all.
IRVING
What are you-
TERRA
She told me she doesn’t like you. “Never much cared for you” her words. Thinks you talk too much. Thinks you’re pushy.
IRVING
That’s not true.
TERRA
Oh, did you love her too or something?
(Irving exits. Beat.)
TERRA
Jesus Christ, am I crying?
(NEIL enters)
NEIL
There you are.
TERRA
Hi.
NEIL
I went to your farm in the early morning, but you, conspicuously, weren’t there. What did you have to do at such an early...what’s happening to you? What’s wrong with your face?
TERRA
Could you please not be upset with me?
NEIL
What-
TERRA
I think need a friend right now, and I’d really like it if it could be you.
NEIL
Uh…..I suppose I can be mad at you later.
TERRA
Sit with me?
(NEIL sits)
TERRA
It’s an awful nice day, isn’t it?
NEIL
It’s hotter than Boston in the mid of July.
TERRA
Besides the heat. I mean, just look at that sky. So blue-
NEIL
Well, it certainly isn't it going to be grey. It hasn’t rained in months. Even with all those rain clouds still swirling over your farm-
TERRA
Neil.
NEIL
Yes, I suppose it is rather nice. Cerulean, the English might call it. Yes, rather nice.
TERRA
I think so too. A sky so blue….bluer than water.
NEIL
So, why’d you leave so early?
TERRA
Let’s not talk about all that.
NEIL
Then why were you crying?
TERRA
Let’s not talk about that either.
(Beat)
NEIL
You hear about that horse, Man-O-War. Papers say he’s the fastest thing on four legs.
TERRA
You still follow the horses.
NEIL
Occasionally. I don’t bet much on them anymore. Just enough to remind me that I’m alive.
TERRA
You’re gonna burn through your money.
NEIL
I’d have to set a pretty big fire.
TERRA
No one ever thinks they’ll lose.
NEIL
Oh, I don’t lose often. I have a very functional mathematical system that accounts for the length of the horse's legs and their age and when I do lose it just goes to show the fun unpredictability of the game-
TERRA
Cornelius, have much money have you lost?
NEIL
120.
TERRA
One hundred and twenty dollars!
NEIL
Shh.
TERRA
That could’ve bought you a home as big as anything!
NEIL
Shh!
TERRA
Where’d you even get that kinda money?
NEIL
Father.
TERRA
Oh. Of course. Father.
NEIL
He thought I was going to use it to….I don’t know….start a family or invest or something in that vein. I’m sure if you wrote and asked-
TERRA
I assure you I won’t.
NEIL
You know, he loves you Terra. I know you might be a little embarrassed and think you can’t go back, but he has written me dozens of letters asking about you and if you’re okay. He would take you back without hesitation….Terra?
TERRA
Have you ever been in love?
NEIL
Excuse me?
TERRA
Have you?
NEIL
Why?
TERRA
I’ve never asked.
NEIL
You’ve never asked me about me favorite fabric either-
TERRA
Fabric, Cornelius?
NEIL
It was an example, ex tempore. I’m sorry my wit is beneath you.
TERRA
I always was the smart one.
NEIL
Is that what you think? Then why was it that you were the one that managed to get caught throwing an illicit soiree in the pool house?
TERRA
I am almost positive that Oletita Sloan is the one who told just because I wouldn’t invite her. The brat.
NEIL
And you were the one who soiled Mother’s satin curtains when you tried to wear it as a dress to impress your Bohemian friends.
TERRA
I think I gave it a fun new pattern.
NEIL
Ruined them.
TERRA
But what a story we all got.
NEIL
Yes, surely you’re the smart one.
TERRA
I was smart because I always kept you around to fix it.
NEIL
Is that why you “kept me” around so to speak?
TERRA
You know, I love you, Neil.
NEIL
I had my suspicions.
TERRA
I wish you could fix this.
NEIL
The farm? I can’t control the weather, Terra.
TERRA
No, you can’t.
NEIL
You still think this is all wrapped up in Willow’s….condition?
TERRA
I know it is, maybe not because of the father….hell, maybe exactly because of the father….what about Willow?
NEIL
What about Willow?
TERRA
Do you love her?
NEIL
She’s a sweet girl and a true delight to speak to-
TERRA
That’s a no.
NEIL
It’s not a no.
TERRA
You do love her?
NEIL
No.
TERRA
Well-
NEIL
It’s not that I’m incapable or she’s unworthy, I mean, if things were right I think we’d be just fine, but she is….a little too free and a little too poor so-
TERRA
Who cares about that?
NEIL
I don’t know why you’re pretending like you don't know who our parents are.
TERRA
Mother and Father don’t control you. What you want is what you want, who cares about them?
NEIL
I do.
TERRA
Why?
NEIL
Because I love them, of course.
TERRA
Their love won’t last forever, Neil, might as well go out and find your own.
NEIL
Why won’t you tell me what happened between you all?
TERRA
Because I don’t want you to hate me too.
NEIL
Terra, I could never hate you. Ever.
TERRA
Promise?
NEIL
Of course.
TERRA
Stop smiling like that, it’s terrifying. And, also, I mean, marrying a poor woman isn’t nearly as bad as stealing a thousand dollars and fleeing cross country, so you’ll have to think of a better excuse than that.
NEIL
I’ll try to draft a list tonight.
(Pause)
NEIL (CONT'D)
How about you? Have you been in love?
TERRA
No.
NEIL
Really, I would think with your-
TERRA
My what?
NEIL
Temperament. Your volatile-
TERRA
Volatile?
NEIL
Passionate
TERRA
Thank you.
NEIL
Temperament. I’d have thought cupid had swooped you up a dozen times over by now.
TERRA
No.
NEIL
What of all those boys that used to linger around the house? Surely they weren’t all Mother’s doing.
TERRA
No, some were Father’s.
NEIL
And not one caught your eye?
TERRA
No.
NEIL
Not even that Mckinley fellow with the red hair?
TERRA
Who?
NEIL
The slender man with the brown eyes and gelled hair that would always sing to you. Looked like a fox in human form? Classically handsome, strong jaw-
TERRA
Did you fancy him, Neil?
NEIL
What, I, I would never do something so, so-
TERRA
I know. I know. I’m just teasing. Clearly.
NEIL
Surely. You know, I think love might be good for you. It would balance you out.
TERRA
I’m balanced.
NEIL
Of course, you are. Do you feel better?
(Terra nods. Neil kisses her forehead.)
NEIL (CONT'D)
Good. I can only babble for so long. Now, why weren’t you at home this morning?
TERRA
I was looking for Willow.
NEIL
Now, why didn’t you just say that?
(Neil stands)
NEIL (CONT'D)
There was no need to be cryptic.
TERRA
Wait, can I ask you a question?
NEIL
Go ahead.
TERRA
If someone didn’t want to speak to you, what would you do?
NEIL
I wouldn’t speak to them. Why waste both of our time?
TERRA
But what if you want to speak to them? Need to speak to them.
NEIL
Well, they clearly neither need nor want to speak to you.
TERRA
But what if-
NEIL
Do you have an answer you’d like to hear? Is that why you’re asking?
TERRA
No, but if you do have another answer-
NEIL
Do what you’d like. That’s what you do best. It’s what you’ve always done best.
TERRA
Wait, Neil, I….I’m sorry about what I said last week. What I said about you going back to Boston, About you getting comfortable.
NEIL
Yes, well, we all say terrible things sometimes, don’t we?
TERRA
Neil-
NEIL
I should go home. It’s too hot out here anyway.
(Neil exits. Terra ponders her options. Transition Music.)
EXT. TOWN SQUARE- NIGHT
As she sits, the day races by until the sky is covered with the violets and soft simples blues that paint a New Mexico sky. A faint wind blows. Willow enters, not seeing the unconscious Terra. Willow is not quite sure how she should feel. She breathes. She decides she’s angry. She screams
TERRA
Mary, Jesus, and Joseph!!
WILLOW
Who’s there?
TERRA
You first! Wait, Willow?
WILLOW
McHale.
TERRA
Was that you?
(Willow runs away)
TERRA (CONT'D)
Willow, Willow, wait.
WILLOW
No. I don’t, I don’t want to talk to you.
TERRA
I’m sorry. Willow, please. Please, just-
WILLOW
No. No, stop following me-
TERRA
Is it me? Willow, is it me?
WILLOW
What do you mean?
TERRA
(with emphasis on "me")
Willow, is it me?
WILLOW
No, it….stay away from me. No, no, no. Stay away. Stay away.
TERRA
Willow. Please. Please tell me.
(Willow exits.)
TERRA (CONT'D)
Willow! Willow!
(Terra tries to run after her but the wind becomes aggressive and she can’t move, she exits in the opposite direction. The night becomes day. Transition Music)
EXT. TOWN SQUARE- DAY
Busybodies, Ms. Betty, and Cletus are exhausted and tense. The wind continues to blow.
BUSYBODIES
So help us God-
MS. BETTY
If He still listens to us-
BUSYBODIES
Not a wink for a week.
CLETUS
Lying in bed-
BUSYBODIES
Waiting for sleep.
MS. BETTY
Only to hear the wind.
BUSYBODIES
This devil’s wind.
MS. BETTY
It’s all I can hear.
BUSYBODIES
It sucks the soft right out the skin. Leaving marrow and shell and rot. The hard. The loss. The-
(The Busybodies unleash a primal guttural scream.)
MS. BETTY
Hey! Find your heads and keep them on.
BUSYBODIES
It’s this heat. This wind. I feel it whip up the worst feelings inside of me. It stirs my hate.
MS. BETTY
I understand.
CLETUS
Me too. I used to hate nothing.
MS. BETTY
Now, I look at the sky and I feel rage.
CLETUS
Wrath becomes me.
BUSYBODIES
This wind, this punishment, untempered. God help what we might do.
MS. BETTY
God help us all.
(Transition Music)
EXT. TOWN SQUARE- DAY
Terra is sitting still as the winds rage outside her house. She takes a deep breath. She takes another deep breath. IRVING enters
IRVING
Terra! Terra! Terra Anne, I can’t take it anymore I can’t take it. I’m trying to be good. I look in the mirror every day and say Irving, Irving, Irving, be good. Be good, Irving. Be good, but when I haven't slept in a week. Haven’t slept and now I feel like my skin is falling off and my body’s rotting from inside out. No water. No sleep. I feel curses dancing on my lips. Where is my peace? Who must I take it from-
TERRA
Shhhhh.
IRVING
But-
TERRA
Shhhhhhh.
IRVING
Why? What’s wrong?
TERRA
Two things. One, if you keep shouting you’re gonna make Neil come down, and I’ont wanna deal with him right now. And two, I am trying very hard to concentrate so I can get calm.
IRVING
Calm? How can you be calm? The wind is making us all crazy. Just yesterday I saw Ms. Donahue try to claw Ms. Betty’s eyes out because her mac and cheese was dry. No one has slept for days. Calm is a luxury and poverty’s our state.
TERRA
I know, which is why I have to stay calm. If I don’t stay calm, I might not be able to find her.
IRVING
Who?
TERRA
Willow.
IRVING
Who cares about her?
TERRA
Irving!
(Beat)
TERRA (CONT'D)
I’m sorry, I…..this wind started after I saw her last week.
IRVING
You found her?
TERRA
She found me. I was lying on the ground and she found me and I….she’s in a bad state. You need to bring her to me.
IRVING
She don’t want to talk to you, unless you forgot.
TERRA
Ask her, Irving, Jesus! Sorry. Sorry. I didn’t mean...I don’t mean to shout. I just, I need to talk to her now. Not just for the rain, but to stop all this madness.
IRVING
What if she don’t wanna talk to me either?
TERRA
I’m sorry about that too.
IRVING
Are you or do you just need somethin’ from me?
TERRA
If it hurt your feelings then, of course, I’m sorry, but you’re so sensitive I coulda said anything and set you off.
IRVING
You think this is funny?
TERRA
I think you’d better take a step back.
IRVING
What? You scared?
TERRA
No.
IRVING
Whatcha fingering your gun like that for, Terra? You think you can shoot me.
TERRA
Step back, Irving.
(Beat. Irving steps back.)
IRVING
Fine. I don’t know where she is anyway.
TERRA
You lying now?
IRVING
I’m not lying. I guess you were just right. She don’t wanna talk to me.
TERRA
Sorry. When’d you see her last?
IRVING
Last week. Fore the wind. She was back in….hell, she ain’t there no more, she was stayin in our shed.
TERRA
You made a pregnant woman sleep in a shed?
IRVING
Not made. Well, yes, made, but it was the only option. If Pop found her then it’d be up to him where she goes and, you really never know with the old man.
TERRA
But she’s gone now?
IRVING
Yep. Up and gone the night the wind started. Last thing she said to me was “see you tomorrow”.
(Beat)
IRVING (CONT'D)
What if you were right, Terra?
TERRA
About what?
IRVING
What if I could’ve helped stop it?
NEIL
(off-stage)
Terra Anne McHale!
IRVING
What!
(Neil enters holding a letter)
NEIL
Have you read this, Terra? Have you read this?
TERRA
How could I have read it if it’s in your possession, Neil?
(Irving snickers)
NEIL
Why is he always here?
IRVING
Maybe I just like seeing your neurotic face, Corneilus.
NEIL
Perhaps, flower boy, if you were not so concerned with my sister and Willow you’d have a nice well-furnished home of your own to lounge around in all day.
IRVING
Well, maybe if you stopped wearing three-piece suits in three-figure heat, you’d finally find that good bit of common sense you’re lacking.
TERRA
Shut up! The letter, Neil.
NEIL
What letter?
TERRA
The one in your hand!
NEIL
Oh, yes. Have you read it?
TERRA
Cornelius, who is it from?!
NEIL
It’s from the bank.
TERRA
Good news?
NEIL
They’re taking away the farm.
(Long Beat.)
IRVING
Terra, I’m so sor-
TERRA
No. No, they can’t do that.
NEIL
They can.
TERRA
No. No, they...no. No. I just need some time. A little time. A little rain, I still got clouds over the farm. I just need Willow, just need some time. I can still make payments-
NEIL
Terra-
TERRA
No, this is my gift, Neil. This is what I got left. This is it. This is it. They can’t take this. They can’t.
IRVING
Terra-
TERRA
No. No! Everyone, everybody out. Everybody get out.
IRVING
Terra-
TERRA
Get out! Get out!! Get out!!!
(Terra throws a plate at the men and it shatters. Retribution Theme)
CLOSING
Thank you for listening to the second episode of Retribution: A Miniseries. Retribution was written and composed by Jade Madison Scott. Edited and directed by Cole Burkhardt. Terra McHale was played by Sophia Early. Willow Gravis was played by Sage Fortune. Irving was played by B. Narr. Cornelius McHale was played by Elijah Yale. Ms. Betty was played by Paige Alena. Cletus was played by Rocheny Princien. And the Busybodies were played by Tal Minear and Inez Jacobs-Hinton. The Retribution logo was designed by Julia Partick. If you wish to support the show and have access to behind the scenes exclusive subscribe to the WGC Productions Patreon which can be accessed through the website.