LETTERS

Madeline Knapp

8th Grade • Rogers Park Montessori School

DYLAN: Dylan is a 12-year-old boy who lost his father a year ago. He is living with his single mother, Anne. Dylan writes letters to his dead dad. Dylan is mysterious and creative.

ARCHIE: Archie is Dylan’s friend who is also 12. He acts as a sort of comedic relief to Dylan. A slightly chubby, loving, and funny friend to Dylan.

ANNE: Anne is Dylan’s mother who is 38. She is trying to support Dylan while being a single working mother. Anne is a vibrant, and caring mother but is often overwhelmed and stressed.

PAUL: Dylan’s dad who died in a grocery store shooting. He was carefree, kind, and assertive.

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL: Ivan is a 45-yearold man who died in a fake wizard duel. Ivan is living his afterlife as a wizard in the Soul World. Ivan is quirky and odd.

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Scene 1 —————————————————————

(The scene opens in DYLAN’S bedroom where he is writing a letter to his deceased father.)

DYLAN

Dear Dad, I miss you. And not in like that way where you miss your dog on vacation because you dropped food on the ground and you want him to come in and eat it. Does that make sense? I like, really, miss you. It’s almost like I had all this time to get to know you and I never could. After the funeral, everyone told me that you were in a better place. But how can that place be better if mom and I aren’t in it?

(ANNE knocks on the door.)

ANNE

Honey? Can I come in?

DYLAN

What do you want mom?

ANNE

I was just coming in to tuck you in.

(ANNE comes over to DYLAN’S bed to tuck him in.)

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ANNE

Whatcha, you writing there?

DYLAN

Just a letter to dad.

(ANNE sighs and sits down next to DYLAN on his bed.)

ANNE

Oh, sweetheart. You know — (Stops herself, then waits a beat.) What are you writing about?

DYLAN

I’m just letting him know how much we miss him.

ANNE

That’s very sweet but you need to go to bed.

(ANNE tucks him in and kisses him on the forehead. She then gets up and leaves the room. Once she leaves DYLAN gets back up again and starts writing.)

DYLAN

Mom misses you too. Even though she doesn’t talk about it, I know she does. I used to think that mom worked a lot before you died. Now I. know how good I had it. Sometimes I go all day without seeing her. She said that that’s good for me, her

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being gone. That it makes me more independent. I guess she’s right. I love you dad. Love, Dylan.

(DYLAN turns the light off in his room and goes to sleep. Once he’s asleep there’s an iridescent and creepy green smoke that covers his floor. The lights come up and DYLAN wakes up to find a letter addressed to him from his dad on his nightstand.)

DYLAN

(To himself) What the — what is this? From — from dad?

(DYLAN is about to open the envelope when he is interrupted by ANNE.)

ANNE

Dylan! You’re gonna be late! Hurry up, let’s go!

(DYLAN shoves the letter into his backpack, quickly throws clothes on and is out the door.)

Scene 2 ————————————————————

(The scene opens in a school hallway where DYLAN is talking to his friend ARCHIE.)

ARCHIE

...And that’s how the dino nugget ended up in my nose!

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(DYLAN turns around nervously to ARCHIE and grabs ARCHIE by the shoulders.)

DYLAN

If I tell you something will you promise not to tell anyone else? Or laugh at me?

ARCHIE

Did you get a letter from Hogwarts too? Trust me do not fall for it. They will scam you. Phew, never again.

DYLAN

What? No. I got a letter from my dad this morning.

ARCHIE

The one who died a year ago? That dad?

DYLAN

Don’t judge me but I wrote him a letter last night, and he responded.

ARCHIE

Like he wrote back to you? As if he was alive?

DYLAN

(Aggravated) Yes, but keep quiet.

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ARCHIE

Well, what does it say?

DYLAN

That’s the thing. I haven’t opened it yet...

ARCHIE

How have you not opened a letter from your DEAD dad yet?!

DYLAN

(Motioning) Come to the bathroom with me we’ll open it there.

(DYLAN and ARCHIE walk to the bathroom and open DYLAN’S backpack to read the note. Once they open the letter they are surrounded by fog and light and it appears that they’re being transported somewhere otherworldly.)

Scene 3 ——————————————————————

(DYLAN and ARCHIE are transported to the Soul World. DYLAN and ARCHIE look around in awe. The Soul World is neither Heaven nor Hell.)

DYLAN

What the — (in a tone of amazement) Where are we?

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ARCHIE

We’re not in the school bathroom anymore. I can tell you that much.

DYLAN

No dip, Sherlock!

PAUL

(From a distance) Hello? Who’s there?

ARCHIE

(Screaming and running around in a circle.) Oh my god! We’re dead! Are you God?! Are you the devil?! And if you are God I’m really sorry I just used your name in vain!

DYLAN

Archie! Calm down. But actually, for real, are you Jesus?

(PAUL comes into view of DYLAN and ARCHIE)

DYLAN

Dad? Dad! (Runs over to hug him.) Where are we? How did we get here?

ARCHIE

I second that question.

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PAUL

You’re in the Soul World, where all people go once they’ve died.

ARCHIE

So we are dead! I knew it!

PAUL

No, no, no you aren’t dead. You were just transported here, and you have to leave.

DYLAN

What do you mean? We just got here. I don’t want to leave you!

PAUL

If I don’t get you guys out of here within 24 hours you could die and I can’t let that happen.

ARCHIE

So then how do we get out? Because we have things to live for! Who else is going to build the Lego Death Star with me? Because it’s not going to be Garrett! (Quieter) That worthless kid I call my brother.

PAUL

Well, that’s the thing. I don’t really know how to get you guys out....

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ARCHIE

What?! Do you mean to tell me that we’re stuck here forever?!

PAUL

Let me finish. I don’t know how to get you guys out of here, but I might know someone who does.

(PAUL motions ARCHIE and DYLAN towards a large tunnel. They talk while walking.)

ARCHIE

(Sarcastically) Oh great! Now we’re marching to our impending doom! This is exactly how I imagined my day going. (Addressing DYLAN) Did you know we had a bio test today? A bio test! You know I’m failing that class...

PAUL

Well, then it’s good that time spent in the Soul World by humans who aren’t dead doesn’t count. So for you guys, it’s exactly the same time it was when you left.

ARCHIE

Oh and that! What is this place anyway? First, you tell us that we’re going to die here and now you’re telling me that time doesn’t exist?! Next, you’re going to tell us that we’re going to grow tails!

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PAUL

(Stops and turns around to face ARCHIE and DYLAN.) Listen, there are two principles held in the Soul World. The first is, those who reside in the Soul World can never leave unless they have unfinished business on Earth. Even then, they can not return to Earth in their human form.

The second and last principle of Soul World, any human who is not dead that enters the Soul Realm must leave within 24 hours or else they will never be able to return to Earth. Got it?

ARCHIE

(Addressing DYLAN sarcastically) Wow, chatty much, am I right?

DYLAN

Shut up, Archie.

(ARCHIE looks hurt but then shrugs and proceeds to follow PAUL and DYLAN.)

DYLAN

So how did we get here anyway?

PAUL

Well, like I was saying before if you have unfinished business on Earth you can return, but not in human form.

DYLAN

So you took the form of a letter.

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PAUL

Exactly. But I never intended for you to be transported here, especially not you and Archie.

ARCHIE

Hey! I heard that!

(PAUL, DYLAN, and ARCHIE come to a stop in front of a huge tree with a door.)

PAUL

We’re here!

(PAUL opens the door to a strange old man with a cloak, and a long white beard.)

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

Greetings and salutations! Welcome to my tree of secrets... Where everything is not what it appears to be.

(IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL picks up a frog figurine then waves his hand in front of it. The frog figurine stays the same then IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL looks at the figurine confused and waves his hand over it until it turns to a real frog.)

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

See?

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PAUL

Yes, yes Ivan you’re a wizard we can all see that by the plethora of useless stuff you hoard.

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

First of all, Paul please address me by my full name, and secondly, introduce me to my new guests.

PAUL

(Sarcastically) Sorry, Ivan the Incomparably Magical, this is my son Dylan and his friend Archie. Now that we have the pleasantries out of the way, let’s get down to business. I need to get these two out of the Soul World, stat!

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

Ah, yes! The classic switcheroo! I have seen plenty of these in my time. What happened that caused them to be transported here?

ARCHIE

We opened a letter from Dylan’s dad and then suddenly we realized that we weren’t in Kansas anymore, Toto!

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

Hmmm, and Paul why did you want them to be transported to the Soul World?

PAUL

I didn’t. I just wanted to resolve my unfinished Earthly business.

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Once I died, Dylan started writing me letters and I just wanted to respond. That’s all, I never meant for any of this to happen.

IVAN THE INCOMPARABLY MAGICAL

It appears to me that you and Dylan have some unresolved issues. That caused him to be transported here. You two need to work it out and then once that is accomplished you can go home. Go on! Shoo! Go into my potion room and talk it out you two!

(PAUL and DYLAN walk over to the potion room to talk.)

DYLAN

So, Ivan the Incomparably Magical, huh?

PAUL

Look, I know he’s a little silly but I also know that he can help me get you guys out of here.

DYLAN

What if I don’t want to leave? What if I just want to stay here with you? (Softer) I feel like I don’t even know you.

PAUL

Oh Dyl pickle, you have a life that you need to live. You can’t throw that away for me. I want you to be — I just — I want you to live. And you do know me, I’m your dad I’ve known you longer than you’ve known yourself, and you have known me before you could know anyone else.

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DYLAN

It’s my fault that you died. If you hadn’t needed to go to the grocery store then — (Gets cut off by PAUL.)

PAUL

No. Don’t ever say that. I died because some guy decided to shoot up a grocery store, not because you needed lunch. It’s not your fault and it will never be your fault.

DYLAN

Mom misses you... I miss you...

PAUL

I know you guys do. I love and miss you both. (DYLAN starts to fade away as though he is being transported.)

DYLAN

(Through tears) Dad, I don’t want to go. I don’t want to lose you again.

PAUL

Oh Dyl, you’ll never lose me as long as you remember me. And Dylan, if you know anything in this life, know this: you do know me. Because if you didn’t, that would mean that I never knew you. And what would my life have been if you were never in it? Bye Dyl pickle. Bye.

(DYLAN wakes up in his bed sobbing.)

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