Catch A Falling Star Rebecca Chen

Catch A Falling Star Rebecca Chen Linoleum Cut

seashells that might be hiding. She finds a few, but they’re all cracked mussel shells. None of them are special. Not special enough for MIKEY.

A wave crashes, and CORREY flinches back from the water, startled by the noise. She calms herself and steps back up to where she was, letting the water lap at her ankles. Something shiny catches her eye. She bends down to pick up a shimmering abalone shell, sitting in a divot in the sand under the water. CORREY strokes the shell with her hand, admiring it. This shell is close to perfect; it has no cracks or chips, so unlike any other abalone shell she has ever seen before. She dries the shell off with her dress before placing it in her bag, setting it gently atop the other shells to make sure its near-perfect condition is preserved.

CORREY

This one is for Mikey.

SCENE II

CORREY sits at her kitchen table. Her shells of the day are laid out in front of her. She looks them over one last time, deciding which ones to keep and which to get rid of. She doesn’t want to curse MIKEY’S ghost accidentally.

CAROLINA knocks at the front door, startling CORREY. CORREY freezes before standing up to let CAROLINA into the house.

CAROLINA

I brought you something.

CAROLINA is holding a bucket of flowers. Orange hibiscus — CORREY’S favorite. MIKEY gave some of those to her on their first date, and she has loved them ever since. CORREY stands in the kitchen doorway, deliberately blocking the room from CAROLINA’S view.

CORREY

Oh. Thank you.

CAROLINA

I thought you could put them in your bedroom or something.

CORREY

They would look nice on my vanity, yes.

CAROLINA studies CORREY, picking up on CORREY’S jumpy behavior. She nods her chin in the direction of the kitchen.

CAROLINA

Do you have a vase or anything? I don’t think this bucket would go so well with your room decor.

CORREY

I… might have a vase. I don’t know. Honestly, I think they look nice in that bucket. The flowers, I mean. The flowers look nice in that bucket.

CAROLINA I knew you meant the flowers.

The room goes silent, and CAROLINA’S smile fades. She hadn’t really come to give CORREY flowers. She wants to see the seashells. She knows CORREY has been collecting them.

CAROLINA

Do you think I could come in for a glass of water?

CORREY

All of my cups are dirty.

(BEAT)

CAROLINA

Please just let me in, Correy. I know this is hardest on you out of everyone