104: The Beginning
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, Ms. Betty, and Cleuts are standing in the town square.
BUSYBODIES
I’m sick of life like this. Sick of strife. Sick of sweat. Sick of cricks in my neck kept down so long under sun’s senseless toil.
CLETUS
Sick of witches weaving webs ‘round the good folks I love.
MS. BETTY
Sick of self. So sick my belly aches.
CLETUS
So sick my eyes strain.
BUSYBODIES
So sick my back’s broken till it’s bent like the scythe of the reaper sent to haunt me.
CLETUS
Is he there in the corner?
MS. BETTY
Or there, up above?
BUSYBODIES
Death, he lurks like those little dots that float in front of your eyes.
MS. BETTY
Appearing outta nowhere.
BUSYBODIES
Only to disappear, making you question your own good mind.
CLETUS
I see him on the faces I love. I see him in myself.
BUSYBODIES
I see him everywhere.
MS. BETTY
Just everywhere.
ALL
He waits for me.
CLETUS
God and all the angels, y'all just okay with this?
MS. BETTY
What else are we to do?
BUSYBODIES
Not enough money to move and even if we did, not enough family to go back to.
CLETUS
Not talkin’ bout moving. I’m talking bout are you okay with havin’ those two girls treat us like this.
MS. BETTY
Girls?
CLETUS
Miserable girls.
BUSYBODIES
Terra and Willow?
CLETUS
Course, or ain’t you been payin’ attention? You think it’s just coincidence all this started happening when Willow got pregnant? With the rain and all? Terra knew it, that vicious girl, she knew it and she went to talk to Willow. I bet that girl, that little girl, that little, irreverent, ungodly girl wrapped Terra round her finger, that’s the sort of thing that would draw a girl like Terra in, you know? The two of them, that twisted pair, the wind, the rain, the earth laid bare, who else but them has brought death into this, our paradise?
BUSYBODIES
The girls.
CLETUS
Miserable girls.
BUSYBODIES
Miserable girls. Miserable, wretched, damnable girls.
CLETUS
We must right the scales. They’ve unbalanced the order. They’ve gone out of order and now we suffer for their crimes? For their infidelity. Why must we bear their sin?
BUSYBODIES
Why must we be punished for their iniquity? Is it always the duty of the righteous to bear the weight of the forsaken?
MS. BETTY
Wait.
BUSYBODIES
What, woman?
MS. BETTY
You can’t-
CLETUS
Can’t what?
MS. BETTY
Cletus, you can’t be serious. You have to understand what’s really going on here. Cletus, you have to know what we did.
CLETUS
We? We did nothing wrong. Did we?
BUSYBODIES
No.
MS. BETTY
But we-
CLETUS
But what? Listen, Betty, you’re either for us or against us, and if you’re against us, then you’re with them, and if you’re with them, you better not be.
MS. BETTY
You don’t even have a plan. If they are the cause, and they’re not, but if they were then what’s the plan to fix the scales, as you called it. You’re not God.
CLETUS
Of course not, but it wouldn’t be the first time He, in his high holiness, gave his people a certain license against those who despised him.
BUSYBODIES
Wouldn’t be the first time at all.
(Beat)
MS. BETTY
You can’t kill them.
BUSYBODIES
Sometimes death is justice.
MS. BETTY
No. They’re kids. Kids, Cletus.
CLETUS
Haven’t been kids in a while, Betty.
MS. BETTY
No.
CLETUS
I’d rather a hundred of them than any one of us.
MS. BETTY
No.
BUSYBODIES
Then tell us another way.
MS. BETTY
I…..we can wait.
BUSYBODIES
Wait? Wait. You think us so foolish as to twiddle our thumbs until they kill us all. Kill our loves. Kill our children.
CLETUS
You of all people should know how that feels.
BUSYBODIES
Wait? Wait for what? Wait for Death ‘round the corner to come carry us home? The time of waiting is done, the time of action is here.
CLETUS
Go home, Betty. Get some rest. I promise it’ll all be different in the morning.
MS. BETTY
I’m too old for this, Cletus. We’re too old for this.
(Ms. Betty exits.)
BUSYBODIES
Wait? Of all the indignities. Nevermind all that, so, tonight, under the cover of darkness we’ll ascend on the house of McHale.
CLETUS
With gun, rope, and torch.
BUSYBODIES
Scorch them from this Earth. Scrub them from our paradise.
CLETUS
Justice will be done tonight.
IRVING
(off-stage)
Hey, everybody, hey!
BUSYBODIES
Irving, our boy. Our gentle sweet boy.
CLETUS
Speak nothing of this to him.
(IRVING enters)
IRVING
Hey, Cletus. Ms. Caper. Ms. Donaahue. Everyone.
CLETUS and BUSYBODIES
Hey, Irving.
IRVING
Any of y’all know what’s going on with Ms. Betty? Saw her when I was walking over here. She wouldn’t speak to me, which….I mean, I don’t even know why she wouldn’t be speaking, y’all know it’s her favorite hobby. But I think something might be wrong. She was just walkin’ home empty ‘hind the eyes. Any of all y’all know what’s going on? You think I should go and read with her or somethin’?
BUSYBODIES
Oh, you know how the old woman can be. Flighty. Foolish. Fretful.
CLETUS
Don’t waste your time waiting on her. I’m sure you have better things to do, don’t you, Irving?
IRVING
Not really….so, what are all y’all whispering about over here?
CLETUS
Ain’t whispering ‘bout nothing.
(Cletus pats Irving on the chest.)
Just passing time with our neighbors.
IRVING
Just passing time?
BUSYBODIES
You remember what that’s like, don’t you Irving? You used to pass time too before you forgot us.
IRVING
I ain’t forgot you.
CLETUS
Course not. O’course not. Listen, why don’t you come over round my place tomorrow and we can all sit and talk like we used to?
IRVING
That sounds mighty nice.
CLETUS
Hear that? Mighty nice. It’s mighty nice. Now come on everyone. Sorry, to leave like this boy, but we all made plans to talk ‘bout the old times. Not something much fun for you I’m afraid. But we can all talk tomorrow, you hear?
(CLETUS and BUSYBODIES exit.)
IRVING
Yeah….tomorrow.
(Transition Music)
EXT. TERRA'S KITCHEN- LATER
Terra is sitting at her kitchen table. She’s writing a letter. The sound of pencil over paper is heard.
TERRA
-one of the great joys of the territory is the hard work. The dark blueberry skies are made twice as sweet by the labor needed to enjoy them. However, these past months have been...it’s been, difficult. No. Hard. No, it’s been…..it’s been, complicated. Impossible. Devastating.
(She rips the letter.)
TERRA (CONT'D)
“Dear Father, I need money. Be generous.”
(She rips that paper as well)
TERRA (CONT'D)
“Dearest and Sweetest Father, I hope your pockets are still as deep as the dark, unforgiving, cavern you call a heart, you murderer.”
(A little too provocative. Rip!)
TERRA (CONT'D)
“Dear Father, if I said some days I forget to hate you, would you believe me?”
(She rips the paper with vigor.)
TERRA (CONT'D)
“Dear Father, if I came home would you even recognize me? Would I recognize you? Would I want to recognize you, or is life better like this? As a living ghost?”
(She can’t stand to finish this one. She tears it up. She takes a deep breath and starts a new letter)
TERRA (CONT'D)
“Dear Father, I know that somewhere deep inside, you still feel you love me, and maybe you do. I am your daughter after all, and you’re my Father. My Father. The same man who would carefully walk me through the neighborhood after Easter service making sure everyone could see my fine new navy blue dress I was so proud of. The same man that would encourage me to read about all the far off places in Europe and Asia, even though his friends felt it improper. The same man whose shoes I used to wobble on as we haphazardly two-stepped to the exciting crackle of phonographs. The person who loved me. A person I was glad to be loved by. My Father. It is the least you could do to give me enough money to show the bank that I am not a hopeless case. And in case you’ve forgotten, that money is as much my birthright as Neil’s. More even. I’ve earned that money through blood. Both mine and hers. So, is it not right, is it not just that I get to benefit from that which has wounded me and killed her? Isn’t that fair? No. No, it isn’t. To be fair, I’d have to lock you away, make Mother die a slow death, and let her body be defiled by birds and vermin, but I’m being forgiving today, the way she’d want, so money will do. Your daughter, Terra Anne McHale.”
(She tears it to shreds. There’s a knock at the door.)
TERRA (CONT'D)
Go away!
WILLOW
(at the door)
Terra?
(TERRA goes to open the door. WILLOW enters, disheveled and dirty.)
TERRA
Hello.
WILLOW
Hi. What’s happening with the all paper?
TERRA
I’m not good with words. Why are you here?
WILLOW
A pregnant woman shows up at your door and that’s the first thing you ask?
TERRA
What else would I ask?
WILLOW
You could have asked if I was okay.
TERRA
You look fine.
WILLOW
I look like I bathed in dirt and lotioned with mud.
TERRA
Why are you here?
WILLOW
Where else would I be?
TERRA
I don’t know. Where ever you’ve been avoiding me.
WILLOW
I haven’t been avoiding you.
TERRA
Truly?
(Pause)
TERRA (CONT'D)
Is it me? Cause I know that you may not have met someone like me before but fleeing typically isn’t the proper response to our vulnerability. It is, in fact, quite hurtful.
WILLOW
No, I don’t care. You think I have time to care? No, it’s...I don’t hate you, I suppose.
TERRA
Thank you?
WILLOW
No, that’s not what I mean.
TERRA
You do hate me then?
WILLOW
I mean, you didn’t know so how….so I don’t hate you. Every day of my life I’ve been surrounded by people who knew what was happening to me, and they mocked me for it. They ignored it, and I don’t think there’s a whole person in this town who I don’t hate. Even Irving with his, well-meaning bullheadedness, but you didn’t know. You never knew. How am I supposed to hate you if you never knew?
TERRA
You sound like you’re asking.
WILLOW
I think I am.
TERRA
I could’ve known. I could’ve asked.
WILLOW
I think you already said that that day all way back when.
TERRA
Feels like forever ago.
WILLOW
Might as well be.
TERRA
Doesn’t matter though. It’s true. I could’ve paid attention.
WILLOW
Yes, I suppose you could’ve.
(Beat)
WILLOW (CONT'D)
I’m sorry I avoided you. I needed time to figure out what not hating a person looked like. What it felt like.
TERRA
Did you figure it out?
WILLOW
It all feels the same. Just awful.
(Willow sighs)
WILLOW (CONT'D)
Just awful.
(Pause)
TERRA
I was lyin’ earlier. You look terrible. You okay? Where you been sleeping?
WILLOW
I’m fine mostly, and out in the ravine.
TERRA
The ravine?
WILLOW
Wasn’t as bad as you think. Not the most comfortable but I’m here, and food was never too hard to find. A piece of fruit here, a clumsy bird drops a scrap of meat there. Even had water leak out the rock walls. No, wasn’t too bad at all.
TERRA
There’s water in the ravine?
WILLOW
Not a lot, and definitely not enough to collect. Just enough to keep a person alive. No more no less.
TERRA
That’s…..that’s strange, Willow. Mighty strange.
WILLOW
Maybe so, but normal’s no good most of the time no way. I’m sorry, no I’m not sorry, I mean, I just need to know, are we friends now?
TERRA
Friends?
WILLOW
I’ve never really had one, and since I don’t really hate you, I assumed ...I’d just like to know if I have one now.
TERRA
Uh, course? Course we’re friends.
WILLOW
Oh, good. I meant it, I did. I’ve never really had one before, well not one I haven’t slept with. And never a girl. I can’t believe it. I’m friends with another girl, one my age even, well, not quite my age, more or less my age. What is it that friends do? Am I to braid your hair? In all the old books I’ve read that’s what friends seem to do all the time, isn’t it? Braiding hair and singing songs and-
TERRA
I-
WILLOW
Or maybe we can just talk or are we to cook food and share recipes? Crochet?
TERRA
I don’t crochet.
WILLOW
I can teach you.
TERRA
Listen, Willow-
WILLOW
Yes?
TERRA
I think you should-
(A frantic knocking on the door.)
WILLOW
Were you expectin’ someone?
TERRA
No. Probably Irving, but he has a... stay here.
(Terra exits. She opens the door.)
IRVING
(Distant)
Good, you’re safe.
(Irving and Teraa enter the kitchen)
TERRA
Irving, what’s this all about. You lose your...what’da mean “you’re safe?”
WILLOW
Why are you here?
IRVING
Are all your doors locked?
WILLOW
Why? Were you hoping for a more dramatic entrance?
IRVING
Are they?
TERRA
Yes.
IRVING
Good.
TERRA
Did you run here?
WILLOW
Can you stop pacing? You’re making me dizzy.
TERRA
Irving, what’s going on?
IRVING
Something’s wrong.
WILLOW
What’d do you….stop pacing.
(Irving stops pacing)
TERRA
What’d ya mean something’s wrong? What’s wrong?
IRVING
I mean, Cletus and them, I think they’re tryna do something. Like malicious sorts of something. Saw em whispering together.
WILLOW
They always whisperin’.
IRVING
Naw, they looked different.
TERRA
What’cha mean, different?
IRVING
Mean different. Can’t describe it. They looked….they looked like somethin’ else. Somethin….something else. I think you two need to go.
WILLOW
Go? Go where?
IRVING
To my house. To Neil’s place. Anywhere other than here. They know Terra’s probably here, and if they know she’s here they’ll be here, and I don’t want any of us to find out what’s gonna happen when they arrive.
TERRA
Why would they wanna hurt me? I mean, I know I ain’t made no friends, but I sure didn’t make no enemies.
WILLOW
They’re miserable people, Terra. Who knows why they wallow in miserable states?
IRVING
Alright, we can stand here wax on about human nature and the heart of man, or we can get out this house while we still got all our working bits and pieces.
TERRA
Fine. We’ll take my truck-
IRVING
Naw, too noticeable. They’d track us easy. Walking’s best bet.
TERRA
But she’s pregnant. How we gonna sneak a pregnant woman all the hour-ways back to town on foot? She can hardly walk all that way.
WILLOW
S’true. Only managed to get here cause the ravine’s so close.
IRVING
Ravine?
WILLOW
S’where I been hiding.
IRVING
You’ve been living in a ravine?
TERRA
Irving.
IRVING
I know the shed’s not a hotel, but a ravine?
TERRA
Irving!
IRVING
What?
TERRA
The ravine’s a good place to hide.
IRVING
It is a good place to hide.
TERRA
Willow, you think you can lead us back there in the dark?
WILLOW
Might take a few wrong turns, but I think so.
TERRA
We can take the back door. We should take food just in-
(Cletus tries to ram down the front door.)
IRVING
Aww, naw.
(Terra pulls out her gun.)
WILLOW
You’re gonna shoot ‘em?!
TERRA
Take the back door. I’ll find you.
WILLOW/IRVING
Okay. /No way, Jose.
TERRA
I’m serious, Irving. I got a gun. I-
IRVING
No, we’re not leaving.
WILLOW
I need to leave.
IRVING
Willow-
WILLOW
I got a kid. I got responsibilities.
TERRA
Can you two get out before they get in? That door ain’t thick.
IRVING
Y’aint got to be a hero.
TERRA
Don’t wanna be a hero. But if they don’t know you’re here, you can get far away while me and my widow maker keep ‘em busy.
IRVING
No. I already left one of you, and I’m not leaving you too. I don’t know what I’d do if you died.
TERRA
Willow, take him and leave.
WILLOW
Will do. Irving.
(Cletus busts through the door and enters brandishing a gun of his own.)
CLETUS
Evening, Ms. McHale. Ms. Willow. Irving.
TERRA
Cletus, you best get out my house.
CLETUS
Won’t be doing that. No.
IRVING
Cletus-
CLETUS
Don’t move, boy.
IRVING
Cletus, come on, I know you. You’re no killer, Cletus. Not you.
CLETUS
It’s a man’s responsibility to defend what he loves. I love this town Irving, and them two girls behind you there are putting it in danger. I told you we weren’t doing nothing. You should’ve listened.
TERRA
Put the gun down, Cletus, or I’ll shoot you dead.
CLETUS
Bet I’ll shoot you first.
TERRA
Run.
(Willow pulls Irving off through the backdoor.)
TERRA
Cletus, you even twitch and I’ll shoot you through the heart.
CLETUS
Big talk.
TERRA
Look, I’ont know what sort of delusions you got wrapped up in your head, but whatever’s going on up there don’t make it so you gotta kill us.
CLETUS
You really gonna stand here and tell me that Willow ain’t controlling the weather somehow and you ain’t helping her?
(Terra pauses)
CLETUS (CONT'D)
Good, so you understand why I have to do what I have to do.
TERRA
It’ll make it worse. Killin us’ll make it worse.
CLETUS
How could it be worse than us. No rain for seven months. Ceaseless wind. Countless woe. Not a wink of sleep for days on end. Madness is our only friend with Death soon to follow? What could be worse than this?
TERRA
I don’t know. Just know hurtin her’s never made anything better.
CLETUS
But not doing anything has made things worse. Listen, I’m sorry you went and got yourself wrapped up in this but you made your choice-
TERRA
I’m not even the one doin it, you know, and the one who is, already gone. You can try to go get her, but I’ll shoot you for you-.
(Cletus laughs)
TERRA (CONT'D)
What?
CLETUS
McHale, you think I came alone? Come on in, everybody.
(Busybodies enter with Irving and Willow, trying to break free. Irving has a black eye and he’s bleeding from the head.)
TERRA/IRVING/WILLOW
Irving! You better let him go right now. Look what you did. If he’s not okay, you don’t want to know what I’ll do if he’s not okay./Ms. Donahue, please. Please. Let us go. Please. I just wanna go home, please. Please. Please just let me go home. Just let us go./Let go of me. When I get out, misery unlike anything you’ve ever known will follow. You have not yet begun to know the depths of your consequences.
BUSYBODIES
Quiet! We’ve gone too long without correcting this indecency. This immoral girl, and you Irving. We were too kind on you. Too forgiving, but tonight you will see what happens to those who mock us, and hopefully you’ll return to us.
WILLOW
Terra, shoot them.
CLETUS
Bring that other one over here. Tie ‘em to the chairs. We’re gonna make it quick and clean.
IRVING/WILLOW
Terra!
(Terra shoots the wall.)
TERRA
Everyone be still. Don’t move a lick. I don’t wanna kill you, Cletus.
CLETUS
Too bad.
(IRVING tackles CLETUS from behind.)
IRVING
You should have stopped, Cletus!
BUSYBODIES
Get off Irving! Stop it! Stop it you two!
CLETUS
Get off me boy.
IRVING
You should have let it go, Cletus. Let dead dogs lie.
TERRA
Stop. Stop moving the both of you. Irving, get off.
(Cletus fires a shot. Terra screams.)
IRVING
Terra!
TERRA/CLETUS
No, I’m fine. I’m-/Wait, I didn’t mean-
IRVING
Give me the gun.
(Cletus and Irving struggle)
CLETUS
Get off.
IRVING
Give me the gun!
(Cletus shoots Irving)
IRVING (CONT'D)
Ahhhhh!
TERRA/WILLOW
Irving!
(Terra and Willow rush to Irving’s side.)
IRVING
Terra? Terra?
TERRA
I’m here, Irving. Okay? I’m here. Willow, come on. Push on it. Don’t stop. God there’s so much blood. Come on push harder. Harder.
IRVING
Ms. Donahue? Ms…...Terra?
CLETUS
I didn’t mean to….you have to know I didn’t mean to-
TERRA
Look, just go and get a doctor or something. Get a….Irving, come on, stay awake, alright? You have to stay awake.
IRVING
I wanna go home. I want my Pop.
TERRA
Okay, we’ll get you home. You’ll see you Father and….can someone get a doctor, please?
BUSYBODIES
Town’s an hour away.
TERRA
Take my truck.
BUSYBODIES
Don’t know how to drive-
TERRA
Then run. Run do something. Do...Willow press harder. Press harder, damnit.
IRVING
Willow?
WILLOW
Yes, Irving.
IRVING
Willow, you’re gonna be a good Momma.
WILLOW
Thank you.
IRVING
Name it after me, okay? Irving’s a good girl name too, you know?
WILLOW
No, it’s not.
IRVING
No, it’s not.
WILLOW
You….you were better than most, Irving.
IRVING
I was?
TERRA
Hey, stop talking like that. You’ll be fine. You’ll be up and walkin’ tomorrow. Look, it’s barely even a scratch. You’re so dramatic. You’ll be fine. Come on, tell him. Tell him. Barely even a….come on, tell him.
(No one says anything.)
TERRA (CONT'D)
Forget them. You’ll be fine. You got too much living to do to die. Irving, come on, look, get up. Take you on a walk right now. We’ll show ‘em. Look, we can go outside and see the sky. The stars are so pretty at night and-
IRVING
Terra, stop.
TERRA
But you’re...no.
IRVING
Hey. Hey.
TERRA
Yes.
IRVING
(jokingly)
Think it’ll stain?
(IRVING dies. Much like in life, he was the only one laughing at his joke. Transition Music.)
INT. TERRA'S KITCHEN- NEXT MORNING
Terra is standing in her kitchen as thunder rumbles outside. She takes a deep breath. She takes another deep breath. She slams her fist on the table. She destroys the kitchen. She tears things off walls, and pushes things off table. It should be a rage so intense that it scares the audience, it definitely scares Terra. Once she finishes she can only breathe and see what she’s done. WILLOW enters
WILLOW
Morning. Your chickens still lay eggs?
TERRA
You’re hungry?
WILLOW
Eating for two and all that.
TERRA
Right. No, they don’t.
WILLOW
Huh. Got butter?
TERRA
A little.
WILLOW
Then I’ll make us some pancakes.
TERRA
Ain’t you gonna ask why the kitchen looks like a tornado came through?
WILLOW
No, I’ve been there before. You like pancakes?
TERRA
Depends.
WILLOW
On what?
TERRA
If they’re good.
WILLOW
Oh, mine are good. It’s my mother's recipe.
TERRA
Ain’t got syrup.
WILLOW
That’s fine. Thank you for letting me stay here tonight.
TERRA
Where else were you gonna go? JR’s coming by to pick up Irving later.
WILLOW
Did you clean him up?
TERRA
Yeah. Changed the clothes too. It did stain.
WILLOW
You could have asked me to help.
TERRA
No.
WILLOW
Did it take long?
TERRA
No.
WILLOW
You got chocolate chips? Momma used to put in chocolate chips.
TERRA
How’d you do it?
WILLOW
Do what?
TERRA
The rain? The wind? How’d you do it?
WILLOW
I didn’t do anything.
TERRA
I won’t be angry if you tell me, but I mean, if you hadn’t done any of this, I’d still have a farm. I’d still have my friend.
WILLOW
I didn’t kill Irving.
TERRA
I know you didn’t directly, but-
WILLOW
No. No buts. I didn’t. Cletus did.
TERRA
But it’s all around you-
WILLOW
I’m just trying to live, I’m not….you’d still have the farm?
TERRA
I would.
WILLOW
Terra, I didn’t know.
TERRA
That’s fine, I didn’t tell you.
WILLOW
What are you going to do?
TERRA
I don’t know.
WILLOW
Does Neil know? He has money-
TERRA
I don’t want that money. I can’t take it.
WILLOW
There’s no shame in getting help if someone’s willing to give it to ya.
TERRA
No, you don’t understand.
WILLOW
Yes, I do. You told me.
TERRA
I….I don’t want to talk about this anymore.
WILLOW
Ain’t this the sort of thing you talk about with your friend?
TERRA
I don’t know.
WILLOW
Well, it just seemed like if you have someone to talk to it makes no sense why you oughtn't not talk to ‘em….McHale?
TERRA
But how’d you do it?
WILLOW
I really didn’t do anything.
(Beat)
TERRA
I don’t want pancakes. I’m not hungry.
(The front door swings open.)
NEIL
(distant)
Terra? Terra!
TERRA
Here. We’re in here.
(NEIL enters)
NEIL
Terra, I heard what happened. Is it true?
WILLOW
It’s true.
NEIL
Oh.
TERRA
It’s true.
NEIL
They did all this to the kitchen too? Were they trying to bring the place down-
TERRA
No. That was….no.
NEIL
Are you….are you both well?
TERRA
No.
WILLOW
Physically, yes.
TERRA
He died in my arms, Neil.
NEIL
Willow, could you please give us-
WILLOW
I’ll be in the parlor.
(Willow exits.)
NEIL
Terra Anne-
TERRA
Why does this keep happening, Neil? Why do I know so many dead people?
NEIL
Perhaps you should sit.
TERRA
Did I do something?
NEIL
Really, you should sit-
TERRA
Cause if I did something I’m sorry. You hear, me? I’m sorry. I couldn’t be more sorry. I can’t be more-
NEIL
Terra. Please just...I did something that concerns you and I feel you should sit before you-
TERRA
Jesus, just say it. I can take it. I always take it.
NEIL
I telegraphed Father.
TERRA
Why would you-
NEIL
A rather expensive one at that. I told him everything.
TERRA
Everything?
NEIL
Everything. It’s time you go home, Terra.
TERRA
I am home.
NEIL
It’s time you really go home.
TERRA
You….you can’t do that.
NEIL
But I did.
TERRA
No, Neil, you can’t. I’m supposed to stay here.
NEIL
Stay here? Here? A place where the closet doctor is an hour away. A place where everyone smiles in your face and talks behind your back. A place where nothing grows. A place where you only have one friend and now you don't even have that-
TERRA
It’s my gift, Neil.
NEIL
You keep saying that, but I don’t know what that means. All I know is that this place, this place is going to kill you, and I refuse to be the brother of a dead sister.
TERRA
I hate you.
NEIL
That’s okay, as long as you get help-
TERRA
I don’t need your help.
NEIL
Yes, you do.
TERRA
I don’t want your help.
NEIL
This isn’t about what either of us wants.
TERRA
You can't do this.
NEIL
You need more than I can give. More than this place can give.
TERRA
I hate you.
NEIL
One day you won’t.
TERRA
You sound just like him.
(Pause)
TERRA (CONT'D)
I thought you loved me.
(Beat)
NEIL
I….this….fantasies aren’t forever, Terra.
TERRA
Where are you going?
NEIL
To help you pack.
(As Neil Exits)
You can go in now, Willow.
(Willow enters.)
WILLOW
Cornelius has the strangest look in his eyes. Something close to heartbreak. Is everything okay? Terra?
(Terra loses the accent)
TERRA
I'm a bad farmer.
WILLOW
O….kay.
TERRA
Even before the drought. Neil’s been lying to our parents since I got here. Lying saying I was good, I’m not good.
WILLOW
Farming’s not easy.
(Beat)
TERRA
How did you survive in this Godforsaken town?
(Willow really thinks about it.)
WILLOW
I don’t know, but I did.
TERRA
You know, in Boston, when things felt a little too oppressive, I used to pretend that I was someone else. That I was some grand adventurer trapezing around Europe and the thick jungles of the Amazon. You know, like some sort of Charles Marlow.
WILLOW
Really?
TERRA
Really. Sometimes, all I ever wanted to be away from there.
WILLOW
But don’t you miss it?
TERRA
All the time. How ‘bout you?
WILLOW
How ‘bout I what?
TERRA
What did you use to imagine you’d do? What was your big fantasy?
WILLOW
Promise you won’t laugh?
TERRA
I’ll try my best.
WILLOW
I used to imagine that I was a princess.
TERRA
A princess.
WILLOW
You said you wouldn’t laugh.
TERRA
I said I’d try my best, and I am. I am trying my best.
WILLOW
I suppose it is kinda silly.
TERRA
No, it’s nice. A princess.
WILLOW
A princess, and ‘course, I had my own little castle on the top of the tallest hill in the kingdom. And a prince-
TERRA
A prince?
WILLOW
The kindest prince, who would always be there to play and do all the things that princes and princesses do.
TERRA
And servants?
WILLOW
Oh, we didn’t have servants, Food would appear. Magic of course was a staple.
TERRA
That sounds nice.
WILLOW
It was. It really was.
TERRA
How about now?
WILLOW
Huh?
TERRA
What do you want now?
(A gentle roll of thunder.)
WILLOW
What do I want? What I want….I think I…I just want to be a girl. I just want the things girls want. I just want to be loved and to love and be needed. Not the way that people need entertainment, or distraction, not the way gossips need a target, but the way people need people. I don’t think that’s a lot to ask do you?
TERRA
I don’t think that’s a lot at all.
WILLOW
See, that’s what I think.
TERRA
Willow, if you could go anywhere in the whole world, where would it be?
WILLOW
Anywhere?
TERRA
Anywhere.
WILLOW
Mmmmmm….anywhere in the….I’d like to see the sea. I always read in my books that it was….I don’t know, it just sounded like it would be so….so different than here. I just want to go meet it where it stands.
TERRA
My family used to go to the coast in the summers.
WILLOW
Is it wonderful?
TERRA
It’s…..you should come and see.
WILLOW
Whada’ mean?
TERRA
Today I decided I’m gonna run away again, and you're right the sea’s a good place to go.
WILLOW
Run away?
TERRA
It’s the only thing I’ve ever been good at.
WILLOW
But-
TERRA
No buts. I lost the farm. I lost my friend, but my freedom’s still here, and yours is too, so if you want to use it-
WILLOW
You want me to go with you?
TERRA
It’s no fun being alone.
WILLOW
You want me to go with you.
TERRA
But only if you want to. So what do you say? Willow, are you coming or what?
WILLOW
I….I’d love to.
(Willow laughs and Terra laughs too, then, for the first time in seven months, they can hear it. The gentle patter of rain. The curse is broken, retribution has been had, and those who have been denied their voice the longest have finally been recentered in the narrative.)
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.