Out of This World
William Vrachopoulos, “Snow Bank”
by Michael Strano
Characters:
Olivia, a young girl, 13 or so, yet has the incredibly vivid imagination of a child.
Danielle, in her late 20’s, intelligent, and likes to help others.
Two silent astronauts
Setting:
A room with a couch and a chair that face each other, with a coffee table in between. There is plenty of space behind the couch.
Danielle sits in her chair with a clipboard and a pen in hand. There is a control panel in front of her with a bunch of lit-up buttons.
DANIELLE
Mission control to commander Olivia, do you copy?
Three astronauts sit in a rocket, about to blast off.
OLIVIA
Copy.
DANIELLE
Alright. We’ll be launching in t-minus 15 seconds.
OLIVIA
Roger that.
DANIELLE
...13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1--BLAST-OFF!
The rocket and the astronauts launch toward space.
DANIELLE
And we have lift-off.
Pause
DANIELLE
What do you see up there, commander?
OLIVIA
Lots of pretty stars, and we’re about to pass the moon.
Danielle starts taking notes.
DANIELLE
Alright. We’re on course for Mars. Should have a smooth landing,
OLIVIA
Copy.
The rocket slowly lands on the surface of Mars.
OLIVIA
And we have touched down.
DANIELLE
Copy.
The astronauts exit their rocket out the back. Olivia points to one of the other astronauts.
OLIVIA
You, take a soil sample here.
The astronaut squats down and begins putting soil in a test tube. The other astronaut pulls a scanner out of his pocket and hands it to Olivia. She scans the soil.
OLIVIA
(in awe)
Unbelievable!
DANIELLE
What is it, commander?
OLIVIA
This soil has traces of fibrinogen in it.
DANIELLE
Does that mean--
OLIVIA
That’s right. We’re not alone.
Danielle writes hurriedly. Olivia looks up from her scanner, turns around, and gasps.
DANIELLE
What do you see?
OLIVIA
I found out where the fibrinogen came from.
As Olivia explains what she sees, we see what she describes happening on the stage. Danielle is rapidly writing throughout Olivia’s explanation.
OLIVIA
I see an insect being chased by what looks like a lizard, but the lizard is missing its front legs… The beetle got away from the lizard… It—it can’t be!
DANIELLE
What is it?
Olivia takes her helmet off, and we see the face of a teenage girl.
OLIVIA
Something truly out of this world! Another lizard appeared. This one has its front legs and two insects… He’s giving one insect to the other lizard.
Danielle writes for a little bit and then stops.
DANIELLE
What's so out of this world about that?
As she says this, the buttons on the control panel vanish and reveal an ordinary coffee table.
OLIVIA
What do you mean?
The rocket turns to a couch before Olivia’s eyes. The surface of Mars becomes a hardwood floor. The other astronauts disappear, and her spacesuit reverts to a costume.
Olivia sits on the couch.
DANIELLE
Well, that’s pretty normal to me.
OLIVIA
Maybe for someone like you, but not for people like me.
Danielle takes interest in this, and scribbles on her pad.
DANIELLE
What makes you say that?
OLIVIA
That reptilian creature had a disability, and the other reptilian creature came in to help it. People don’t help each other like that.
DANIELLE
Sure they do.
OLIVIA
Nobody helps me.
DANIELLE
You have resources in school, no?
OLIVIA
I mean in the real world. What am I supposed to do fifteen years from now, when I’m living on my own and have to work and stuff? I can’t get extra time then.
Danielle takes notes.
OLIVIA
No one really understands my daily struggle. Even you don’t get it. The only people who do are the people living with it. Most people don’t even try to understand, and even if they do, they still don’t get it.
Pause
Olivia breaks into tears and slams her fist on the coffee table.
OLIVIA
At this point, I’m better off kill--
DANIELLE
DON’T say that!
OLIVIA
(in tears)
Then tell me what the hell I’m supposed to do.
End of play