Starring:
Mo McKynzie as Marisol Montgomery
Yodeet Nymberg as Nina Greene
Chinna Palmer as The Stranger
Lolita Marie as Summer
B. Narr as Jack
Cody Smith as Aaron
Akanimo Effang as The Host
Director & Sound Designer: Nathan Gabriel
Writer, Creator, & Producer: Jade Madison Scott
Supervising Producer: Virginia Wilson
Producer: Will Stokes
Beyond Underscore & Dialogue Editor: Michael Ronstadt
Assistant Sound Designer: Nicholas Feldman
Theme Composer: Sterlyn Termine
Show Art: Julia Patrick
Introduction
HOST
Before we begin I want you to know that you can listen to the entire series along with bloopers and bonus content on Apollo+. Apollo+ is a new platform where your subscription gets you early access to ad-free episodes, bonus content, behind the scenes content, supercuts and more. 70% of the revenue goes directly to creators. Join Apollo+ through the Apollo Podcasts app OR by going to apollopods.com/plus. Now, on to the show.
FLASHBACK
The same underscoring used in the final scene of the Season 1 finale
AARON
Hey Marisol. I’ve been missing you.
(His voice becomes distorted)
AARON (CONT'D)
You been missing me?
(Pause)
AARON (CONT'D)
I loved you-
MARISOL
Put that knife away, okay?
(Marisol is stabbed and cries out.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Holy fuck! You stabbed me!
AARON
(distorted)
I loved you.
MARISOL
(distorted and repeating)
Stabbed me, stabbed me, stabbed me, stabbed, stabbed, stabbed-
EXT. BEYOND
Marisol jolts awake with a huge intake of breath that sputters into a cough. The birds are chirping with some light underscoring
MARISOL
What-
STRANGER
Marisol! I am announcing my presence so as to not sneak up on you, as previously requested!
(Horns blow and the Stranger appears in a pillar of fire.)
MARISOL
You!
STRANGER
Yes, me. Oh, dear-
(Marisol sprints and tackles the Stranger.)
MARISOL
What am I doing back here? Why’d you bring me back here?
STRANGER
Would you get off of me, please?
MARISOL
No! Why am I back?
STRANGER
You need to go home.
MARISOL
I woke up from my coma. I did go home.
STRANGER
You woke up, yes, but you are very smart. You know what I meant.
MARISOL
I’m not doing that.
STRANGER
The farther you run, the closer you’ll be to what you’re running from.
MARISOL
I’m not running from anything. I’m not running from-
(Marisol winces and lets go of the Stranger.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
You? What did you-
STRANGER
You’re bleeding, Marisol.
MARISOL
I’m….he did it? He killed me? I’m dead. It’s over. I can finally see them.
STRANGER
No, it’s not over. This is the beginning of the beginning.
MARISOL
Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Let me see them-
STRANGER
Go home, Marisol.
MARISOL
Please, I just want to see them.
STRANGER
Go home.
INTRODUCTION & CONTENT WARNING
MARISOL
I don’t wanna go home!
HOST
Um, what?
MARISOL
You? Where’d, I was just….nothing.
HOST
Are you okay?
MARISOL
I’m perfectly fine! I’m better than fine. I’m great. You’re here cause of the content warning, yeah?
HOST
Yes.
MARISOL
Great. So, do your bit.
HOST
WGC Productions presents Small Victories.
MARISOL
Heads up for, what is it this time? Uh……
HOST
Strong language-
MARISOL
Right! Strong language, discussions of death, mentions of drug abuse…yeah, I think that’s it.
HOST
You maybe wanna sit down?
MARISOL
No. Play the music.
(Small Victories Theme.)
INT. NINA'S BEDROOM- NIGHT
Marisol jolts awake. She is breathing heavily. Nina’s sleep is disturbed
NINA
(half-asleep)
Marisol? What happened?
MARISOL
Nothing. Sorry. Just need some water.
NINA
(half-asleep)
Oh. Okay.
(Marisol gets out of bed and walks to the kitchen. The design underscores her monologue.)
INT. NINA'S LIVING ROOM/KITCHEN
MARISOL
(internal)
When we were kids, me and Sam went to two Sunday schools. Our Lady Of Perpetual Help where Dad like to go, and First Baptist where Mom liked to go. Of course, when Mom died, Dad didn’t see the point of going anywhere anymore, and, really, neither did I. Anyway, they tell the story of Jacob at both places though, right? And the way I remember it, Jacob was born this grade-A-piece-of-shit-asshole. And he, like, does some fucked up shit to his family, to his brother, and then he’s on the run for like years still being pretty shitty, and then one day an angel or God, might have been God, I don’t remember, anyway some kind of non-human thing shows up and Jacob wrestles it and Jacob wins and all the sudden everything is better. He gets to be with his brother, he gets a new name, he’s fucking great. But the thing that gets me is when he won, the angel or God or whoever pops out his hip and he limps for the rest of his life. The way I see it, he changed so his body was changed as a reminder. And if he didn’t have a reminder he would’ve kept being the pre-good Jacob. Some people need a reminder. Least that’s what I got from it.
(Marisol grabs a cup from the cabinet.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
I’ve been having the most fucked up dreams lately. I kinda hope it’s the oxy.
(SFX: The Coke Heartbeat Used In Season 1)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
I’ve never had stuff as good as the stuff the doctors gave me. And they sure did give me a shit ton of it, too. And it works so fast and everything gets so….so warm and soft and I think about it all the, I try not to think about it all the time.
(Pause)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Fuck it.
(Marisol places the cup down and begins opening cabinets and fiendishly searching the living room.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Okay, she hid them. I told her to. “I can’t know where they are, Nina.” “If I know where they are I’ll relapse, Nina.” I told her to. So stupid. I told her to and she did a very good job, but I’m not stupid. I’m not fucking, there are only so many places to hide them. But they’re around here somewhere. I know they’re around here somewhere. I’ve been sober for 142 days, don’t I deserve a little treat? Just a couple extra oxy. Just 10 milligrams more. Just 10, 15, 20 milligrams-
(In her haste Marisol stubs her toe against the couch. SFX: Heartbeat Stops)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Fuck! My toe!
(Marisol grabs her foot and tumbles to the floor. As she falls she reaches to the coffee table to steady herself, but accidentally knocks some tchotchkes on the floor.)
NINA
(in her room)
Marisol!?
MARISOL
I’m fine! Just stubbed my toe.
NINA
(in her room)
Getting water?
MARISOL
I was goofing off. Go back to bed.
(Internal)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Hurts like a motherfucker. And I knocked all this shit off the table. Why do we even have this much shit on the table?
(Marisol takes a deep breath and lets out a stunted laugh)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
About before. The whole, um, freak-out. I just want you to know I don’t do that. I mean, I don’t do that all the time. I’m doing good. Really good considering I almost died. Again. I almost died, again.
(Pause)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
First, it was almost choking to death on my vomit in a club bathroom. Then Aaron gutted me like a….Jacob only almost dies once and I almost die twice? How’s that fair? You’d think it’d get easier, but it doesn’t. I was going to die. You know I can’t even look at my body and the scar without being reminded of Aaron. Reminded of everything.
(Marisol picks up her glass, gets water from the tap, and starts walking back to the bedroom.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
(internal)
I don’t think I’m the person I used to be. I keep coming back to that night with the kid in the park-
JACK
(watery; or somehow indicate this is a flashback)
I got your money do you have the….the snow?
MARISOL
(internal)
I should have sold him the coke. I should have and I didn’t and I’m not even mad about it. I’m kind of…proud actually. I helped him. I did a good thing. I didn’t know I could do those anymore. I’m not the person I thought I was. I don’t know if I ever was.
(Nina enters the kitchen and sits across from Marisol.)
NINA
Hi.
MARISOL
Couldn’t get back to sleep?
NINA
No.
MARISOL
I’m sorry.
NINA
Don’t be. You saved me from having to dream about my father. Honestly, I should thank you.
(Marisol puts a kettle on the stove.)
MARISOL
Want some tea?
NINA
Not really.
MARISOL
You should call him again today. I’m sure he was just tired yesterday from the chemo.
NINA
Can we talk about something else? What are you doing today?
MARISOL
Well, after my lessons with Summer, I was going to work on wedding stuff.
NINA
Jesus, the wedding. I didn’t mean it like that, just….I don’t know if my dad’s gonna make it.
MARISOL
You want to move it up again.
NINA
I know you don’t-
MARISOL
Look, my private cooking lessons bring in a decent amount, like, a good amount, but if you keep moving it up I’m not gonna have enough time to save for your ring or-
NINA
I told you I didn’t need a ring yet-
(The kettle begins to whistle.)
MARISOL
You’re telling me when you imagined what it’d be like as a kid you pictured not having a ring on your wedding day? Nina, you deserve everything. I want to give you everything-
NINA
I just want him to be there.
MARISOL
I know. I know that. I know that.
NINA
My mother has a 7-carat ring and she and my dad still hated each other for years.
MARISOL
Yeah, but we don’t hate each other so a big ring wouldn’t hurt.
(Marisol takes the kettle off.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
What are you-
NINA
You have bags under your eyes.
MARISOL
We can’t all have your skin routine, Ms. Perfect.
NINA
Okay, yes, but….you haven’t been sleeping. Are you, does the wound hurt, or are you-
MARISOL
I’m good. I’m great.
NINA
Yeah?
MARISOL
Yeah.
NINA
Good. Hey, what are you doing this Saturday?
MARISOL
Nothing. Why?
NINA
I wanna take you on a date.
MARISOL
Oh!
NINA
Yeah, we haven’t been on one of those good, classic, thirteen-hour dates in a while.
MARISOL
Christ, I loved those things. Bar to museum to movie to park to restaurant to coffee shop to apartment to bar. And then there was that one we had that was two days.
(Nina and Marisol kiss.)
NINA
So, Saturday’s good?
MARISOL
Saturday's great.
(Transition Music)
AD BREAK
The Host is listening to one of the other Apollo+ show’s in his headphones as he sits in the void.
HOST
(to himself)
Oh, Rion, you can’t bring Princess Clara to the castle if she doesn’t want-
(He sees the audience)
HOST (CONT'D)
Ohhhhh, heeeeeeeeey! Hi, I’m just, um, you just caught me off guard. Let me turn this-
(He pauses his show.)
HOST (CONT'D)
Sorry, I was just listening to Sidequesting on this new podcasting platform, Apollo+, which you….may not know anything about. Okay, so Apollo+ is a creator-owned platform where people like you and me subscribe and then 70% of the revenue goes directly to the audio drama creators. And they can use that revenue to pay their cast or help make another season of their show or make more episodes or anything! It’s a sweet set-up, especially since Small Victories is one of the shows you can listen to over there. And on Apollo+ the episodes don’t have ads and you can listen to Small Victories bonus content and you can listen to the entire season at once instead of waiting each week. And it’s super easy to join. All you have to do is join Apollo+ through the Apollo Podcasts app OR go to apollopods.com/plus. It’s so easy even a fictional character in an incorporeal space can do it. But I really do want to know what’s going to happen to Rion so I’m gonna go back to Apollo+ and you can go listen to whatever Marisol is getting up to right now.
INT. SUMMER'S KITCHEN- LATER
Summer and Marisol are steadily chopping vegetables
MARISOL
Look at you go.
SUMMER
I’ve been practicing.
MARISOL
We love a dedicated student, hey, watch out!
(They both stop chopping.)
SUMMER
Oh, that would have been devastating.
MARISOL
I don’t know. I knew a guy who sliced his thumb off and got it sewn back on once. You can hardly tell.
(They both laugh. Summer slows her chopping down. Beat.)
SUMMER
I want to thank you.
MARISOL
I don’t want you to lose a finger-
SUMMER
No. Not that. Thank you for the lessons and….after Martin passed it’s been nice having someone to talk to. A friend.
MARISOL
We’re friends?
SUMMER
If we’re not then I’ve just made a total fool of myself.
(Marisol laughs.)
MARISOL
No, no, I mean I think of you as a friend, but I didn’t know that you thought of me as a friend. Hey, that kind of makes you the coolest friend I know. The super-cool, super-hot, mature philosophy professor.
SUMMER
Super-hot?
MARISOL
Super-cool. Super cool. You’re super cool. The coolest.
SUMMER
Yes. Nothing cooler than being underpaid while navigating the politics of an elite university.
MARISOL
(clearly not getting it)
Yeah. Totally.
SUMMER
Oh, you’re so cute.
MARISOL
I, um-
(SFX: A Single Heartbeat.)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
Thanks. You’re, uh, let’s get the dutch oven.
SUMMER
And the dutch oven is the-
(Summer opens a cabinet and pulls out a ceramic dish.)
SUMMER (CONT'D)
This one?
MARISOL
And the student has become the master.
SUMMER
I’m honored.
MARISOL
Hey, um, Summer. Now that we’re friends and all and you’re like super smart and everything-
SUMMER
If you’re trying to butter me up it’s working.
MARISOL
Butter up. Ha, cooking joke.
SUMMER
Cooking joke.
MARISOL
Ahhhh, um, uh, hypothetically if a good person did a bunch of bad things, but they didn’t know they were a good person how would that….like karma-wise would they still be a good person?
SUMMER
I suppose it depends on what kind of karma we’re talking about. Karma in Buddhism and Hinduism function in similar but subtly different ways. Karma in Taoism and Jainism are totally-
MARISOL
Uhhhh…..
SUMMER
Sorry. Sorry. Professor brain is a hard thing to crack. Well, I’m going to assume you’re talking about the colloquial cause-and-effect-sans-moksha kind of karma, yes?
MARISOL
What’s moksha?
SUMMER
Enlightenment. But to your question, I’d say it depends on the previous actions. Why?
MARISOL
I think maybe I might be changing or maybe I’m already changed or maybe I never changed at all. That make sense?
SUMMER
Oh, to be 23 again.
(They share a laugh)
SUMMER (CONT'D)
But it’s good you’re introspective. That’s a good quality to have.
MARISOL
Says the moral philosophy professor.
SUMMER
Touche.
(Pause)
SUMMER (CONT'D)
There are lots of ways to be quote-unquote good, Marisol. You befriended a grieving widow. That could earn you paradise in some places.
MARISOL
Yeah, but I didn’t mean to. No offense.
SUMMER
None taken.
MARISOL
A lot of stuff has happened to me, lately. Like big stuff. Earth-shatteringly bad stuff and, I don’t know. Maybe I did something, like, when I was a kid or something and I earned-
SUMMER
No.
MARISOL
You didn’t let me finish.
SUMMER
I didn’t need to. You didn’t do anything as a kid to earn misfortune. I’ve been alive long enough to know that some misfortunes find us without any help.
MARISOL
But you don’t know that. I wasn’t always the best kid. I could have done something.
SUMMER
But what kid deserves to suffer?
MARISOL
I-
(SFX: Two Heartbeats)
MARISOL (CONT'D)
You’re good at this.
SUMMER
Why thank you. It only took a decade of schooling and several personal tragedies, but I seemed to have learned a little something.
(The two laugh.)
SUMMER (CONT'D)
You know, Marisol, if you’re really interested in shaking off your bad karmic dirt, I volunteer every Saturday at a foodbank over on I and 12th. You should come with me.
MARISOL
Really?
SUMMER
Sure. Charity is a virtue in essentially every major religion and school of thought. Well, except Objectivism. I really wouldn’t strive towards that though-
MARISOL
No, you really want me to come with you? Like, you’d want to spend time with me and everything without having to, like….you’d want me around even if I’m not doing anything for you?
SUMMER
Marisol, do you like spending time with me?
MARISOL
Uh, duh.
SUMMER
Then why would you think I wouldn’t feel the same about you?
(SFX: Coke Heartbeat Starts In Earnest.)
SUMMER (CONT'D)
I’ll send you the address. Unless, you’re doing something else this Saturday or-
MARISOL
No, uh…Saturday’s good. Saturday’s great. I’ll be there.
(Small Victories Theme.)
CLOSING
HOST
(over the theme)
Woah! Woah! Woah! Let’s take a step back for one second here-
(Record scratch.)
MARISOL
Um, dude, what are you doing? Pretty sure I’m not supposed to be in this part.
HOST
What am I doing? What are you doing?
MARISOL
Talking?
HOST
Oh, Marisol, let’s look at the facts, shall we? Fact. You, Marisol, are a recovering addict.
MARISOL
Wow.
HOST
Fact. You have no choice but to take very powerful narcotics.
MARISOL
Oh. Okay. Okay.
HOST
Fact. Stressful situations increase your drug-seeking behavior.
(Marisol laughs.)
HOST (CONT'D)
Fact. Ignoring your fiancee, your perpetually insecure fiancee, in favor of spending time with another woman will create a stressful situation which will lead to drug-seeking behavior which you already do. We haven’t even discussed your little oxy-themed hide-and-seek this morning-
MARISOL
Okay, but I stopped myself and I think I deserve some credit for that don’t you?
HOST
Okay, yes, but-
MARISOL
And I’ll talk to Nina and we’ll reschedule. She’ll understand. It doesn’t have to be stressful-
HOST
But it will be stressful. I mean, listen to yourself. You like her-
MARISOL
Like who?
HOST
Summer.
MARISOL
I don’t like Summer.
HOST
Excuse me? You don’t like Summer?
MARISOL
I don’t like Summer. We’re friends.
HOST
You were just flirting with her-
MARISOL
No, I wasn’t.
HOST
Butter up. Hahaha. Dutch oven. And the student has become the master-
MARISOL
First off, I don’t sound like that, you know that. Second, my best friend is in South Africa and my other best friend is called cocaine, so finding a non-white powdery thing to be around kinda seems good for me, if you ask me. Third, we’re volunteering. I’m helping people. Joining new situations. Building new habits. Getting new friends. I’m kind of acing recovery one-oh-one right now.
HOST
I mean, are you-
MARISOL
Look, I know you love me and you’re trying to look out for me, and maybe, in the past, okay, in the past I’ve gotten into some, like, self-destructive shit, but this isn’t that. I’m good. I’m great. You just gotta trust me. Don’t you trust me?
HOST
I trust….you. Yeah.
MARISOL
Great! Glad we could talk it out. Real bonding moment. Roll the, roll the tape. Cue the outro music, my guy.
(The Host sighs)
MARISOL
Do, do, doo, do. Am I gonna have to do the song? Please cue the song!
HOST
Um, you have just listened to Small Victories. Starring B. Narr as jack
B
I got your money.
HOST
Cody Smith as Aaron.
CODY
I loved you.
HOST
Chinna Palmer as the Angel-
CHINNA
This is the beginning of the beginning.
HOST
Yodeet Nymberg as Nina.
YODEET
Cause I wanna take you on a date.
HOST
Lolita Marie as Summer-
LOLITA
Oh, to be 23 again.
HOST
Morgen McKynzie Marisol
MORGEN
A grade-A piece of shit asshole.
HOST
And Akanimo Effang as the Host. Theme Composer, Sterlyn Termine. Original Cello Music Composed by Micahel Rondstadt. Assistant Sound Designer Nicholas Feldman. Script Supervisor, Virginia Wilson. Director and Sound Designer, Nathan Gabriel. Created and Written by Jade Madison Scott. This episode of Small Victories may be over but the fun doesn’t have to end. Listen to the entire season on Apollo+. Not only can you listen to our show but you can also listen to and support other shows like, Primordial Deep, Omen, Afflicted, Sidequesting and more. Not to mention that when you subscribe to Apollo+, 70% of that revenue goes to the creators you love! And they can use that revenue to make new episodes, new seasons, bonus content, and make sure the cast and crews of their shows get paid. It’s a win-win. Or a win-win-win-win? Or a win-win-win? Look, I don’t know what it is, but I do know that Apollo+ is good for me, you, and the crew. What more could you ask for?