OryxTheCrake Posted May 9, 2013 Posted May 9, 2013 OryxTheCrake Two Down CHARACTERS Mayumi Isamu Hiroshi Susumu SCENE: February 1945, 179 American B-29’sarmed with napalm and incendiary weapons punish the Japanese. One quarter ofTokyo is burning. The smoke is thick; burnt rubber and wood fills the air.Bodies fill the streets. Day in and out, the sounds of screams and moans – painand anguish – pride and perseverance; the remaining people of Tokyo flood thestreets, putting out fires, helping women and children, and the elderly. [Clack! Clack clack clack clack! Clak clak] Hiroshi: Mom, stop,I’ve got it. Mayumi: [takes the hammer from Hiroshi] you’rejust like your Father. Never listen! Hiroshi: Don’t talkabout him that way! I miss him! Mayumi: [looking straight into his intelligent, darklittle eyes] I’m afraid I’ll lose you too, like Isamu! Mayumi: [pointing at a jagged board on the ground]Pick that up Hiroshi, and nail it to the window. Hiroshi: [looking about for his friend] Have youseen…. Mayumi: [grabbing for his shirt, but he’s too fast]Don’t even think about it! [Mayumi thinking aloud… I cannotlose him; he’s all I have… Tears welling up as images of Isamu flood her mind] Mayumi: [whispering for herself] There are othersthat need help. It could have been worse. Hiroshi will return. He just lost hisFather. He’s coping. Hiroshi: Susumuuuu!Susumuu! Su! … SUSUMU! Want to do it again, like yesterday? Remember, I had thehelmet first, so that means I get the sword today! Right? Susumu: Eh, I don’tfeel like playing that today. Besides, I didn’t bring the sword or the helmet –we’ll have to play samurai some other day. Hiroshi: [disappointed, shoulders slump, head tilteddown. Shooting his eyes through his long black hair] Fine… Susumu: I’ve got it;let’s go to the top of Mount Jinba! If we set out now, we’ll be there bynightfall. Hiroshi:No way! My mother will kill me! Susumu: Nah, I’m 16years old. I’m practically your older brother. I… Hiroshi: [cutting him off] First of all, you’re only14 and you have a bad leg. Do you really think you can make it? Susumu: After theorphanage burnt down, all my records went with it – I can be any age I want! [Sticks his tongue out at Hirsohi] [Hiroshi kicksSusumu’s bad leg and tackles him to the ground] Hiroshi: You could be GenghisKahn for all I care, I’ll take you down. [Alittle smirk forms at the corner of his mouth] Susumu: [getting up, dusting himself off] Nicenew boots! They’re shiny like your Fathers. Good tread, and strong shoe laces.Come on! Are you ready to go? Let’s test out your new combat boots! [Hiroshi and Susumucollect some things, and head out for Mt. Jinba] Mayumi: [whispering for herself] It’s a miracle…a miracle… [Sweat droppingfrom her smooth nose, and hitting the dusty floor. Walking onto the deck of herhouse, and heading inside; insulated, and comforted by her belongings in thehouse, she smiles at a picture ofIsamu on the wall] Mayumi: It’s… It’s asif nothing has happened. I must keep the household together; you’re a disgraceto the family. [Muttering to herself]Tisk! [Cracks of lightshown through the boarded up windows, rays catching dust on its way in,illuminating it against the dark room; the sun is setting on japan] Susumu: [waving to Hiroshi] Come on, I’ve got abum leg, and I’m still beating you. Hiroshi: You may have abum leg, but they’re longer than mine; you take big steps. Susumu: Come on, thesun is setting, don’t you want to see Tokyo from on high? Hiroshi: Almost… [Preparing riceballs, and potatoes; Mayumi tends to kitchen duties] Mayumi: Just a littlemore. Hum, hmm, hmm… [Humming as shecooks] Hiroshi should return at any time. He’ll be so excited to see hisfather. [Dumping carefullymeasured cups of dirt and rocks into her wok] Mayumi: Just a tadmore… Hmm, hmm. [Adding grassclippings from outside] Hiroshi: Wow… lookwhat’s happened. All I see is fog and little fire flies. Susumu: That would besmoke from fires. Not fog and fire flies. [A faint hummingsound in the distance. Rising gradually, like a bow is being dragged against adeep bass string; from an imperceptible note, to an obvious hum] Hiroshi: You hear thatSusumu? Susumu: Yeah, it soundslike many planes. It’s too dark now; I can’t see a thing… [In the distanceover Tokyo, planes drop flares into the pattern of an X] Hiroshi: Oh no,something is going on. Susumu: It’s spotterplanes. They’re marking targets. They did this last time! [The humming soundstops Mayumi in her tracks. She drops the bowl she was holding. It tumbles, andsmashes on the floor] Mayumi: [Suddenly, like a shock from a defibrillator;Mayumi is back in reality] Where’s Hiroshi? He never returned! Mayumi: [Running out of the house, and into darkness]HIROSHI!!! HIROSHI!! COME BACK!! [Kneelingin the middle of the dusty street, sobbing] Hiroshi… I cannot lose Hiroshi… [Charging down themountain like a billy goat. One foot in front of the other, making leaps andskids, Hiroshi makes his way down the mountain] Hiroshi: [Yelling aloud] I’ve got to warn myMother, they’re coming! [The deep hummingtransforms into a thundering roar. Rising and falling with every passingbomber. Lights up ahead, and all around, illuminating the smoke; the scene islike fire and lightening] Mayumi: [In the middle of the street, alone, kneelingand holding herself, sobbing. Lights from the bombs touching her face, exposingthe dust and grit on her skin. Once a young woman, now haggard by war] Hiroshi! Hiroshi: Mom! Is thatyou? [Approaching withspeed, nearly tackling the dark mass in the middle of the road] Mayumi: Oh, my love! [Holding each other, crying] Hiroshi: We must getout of here! [The temperature isrising. Sweat dripping from both of them, they hold each other tightly. Bombsigniting objects left and right of the road, Hiroshi attempts to pick up hismother] Mayumi: [Rising to her feet, legs shaking] Comeon, hold my hand, we mustn’t wait! [Heading straight down the road, desperatelyseeking escape, Mayumi grabs her only son and runs as fast as she can] [BOOM, Clack, clack… screech!!!] END SCENE: Susumu makes his way offthe mountain, in search of his friend. Hours go by. Without standing landmarks,places are hard to find. Charred remains, smoke, and smoldering bodies litteredabout; no sign of Hiroshi. Just as he was about to give up, something shinycatches his eye. Pushing over an adult body, Susumu discovers a small humanframe. Charred, blackened, unrecognizable – wearing shiny black boots… Susumu: HIROSHI!!! On the nights ofMarch 9-10, 1945, 339 B-29 bombers dropped over 1,500 tons of bombs on Tokyo,Japan. Roughly 100,000 people lost their lives, and millions homeless; makingthis event more deadly than Desden, Hiroshima or Nagasaki as single events.
Recommended Posts