Prose, Scene....................................................Cheryl Mendoza ’21 Art, Horse.........................................................Dylan Barry-Schoen ’21 .....Inside Back Cover Art, Untitled ......................................................Trixie Stork ’21 .............................Back Cover

Scene

Cheryl Mendoza ’21

Setting: The interior of a cottage in a Danish village. The walls form a semihexagon to give the audience a clear view.

A straw bed, stage left, a chest at the foot of the bed which a woman, Mary, is seated on, sobbing.

The lighting is cool and the walls of the cottage are grey, made from stone.

The cottage door, upstage center, is flung open by a backlit female figure. Ophelia, steps out the halo of light and into the light of the cottage as the door shuts with a force behind her.

Ophelia quickly glides to Mary and kneels by her, she tries to take her hands but Mary pulls away.

Mary’s sobbing continues.

Ophelia stands back up and walks over to the hearth, upstage right, which has a kettle hanging above where the flame would be.

Ophelia picks up a pitcher of water from a nearby table and pours it into the kettle.

She gently places the pitcher back on the table and crouches down to start a fire. She strikes up a fire and a warm glow begins to illuminate the cold, grey space.

Ophelia walks upstage left where there is a window overlooking a field she looks out over the fields with rue and fenugreek plants hung on the window to dry .

Ophelia runs her finger gently along the thin, drying plants .

She grabs two jars; one of dried rue and one of dried fenugreek from a shelf and tucks them into her dress.

Ophelia glides back over to the chest Mary is sitting on and sits beside her.

Ophelia cradles her face in her right hand, using her other hand to wipe her tears.

Ophelia tries to shush Mary but Mary just cries harder.

In her agony, Mary crumples into Ophelia’s arms.

Ophelia holds Mary, Mary lays her head on Ophelia’s chest.

Ophelia rocks Mary and caresses her hair, she pushes a few stray pieces behind Mary’s ear.

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She adjusts Mary up to look into her eyes and they stare at each other for a moment.

When they lock eyes, Ophelia begins to tear up and Mary, still tearful, begins to quiet down

Ophelia takes a violet that was tucked behind her ear and tucks it lovingly behind Mary’s downstage ear.

Ophelia places both hands on the sides of Ophelia’s face and uses her thumbs to wipe away Mary’s remaining tears.

Ophelia takes her hands down the sides of Mary’s arms with ease until they are holding hands

Mary takes a deep breath in and Ophelia and she exhale in tandem.

Mary: I don’t want–

Ophelia: Shh… we must not speak directly. People are always listening. There is no freedom–

Mary: or peace.

Ophelia: That either. We must be extremely cautious with what we say, how we say it, and where we say it.

Mary: You are a blessing beyond belief, I cannot fathom how I could go on without your wisdom and friendship.

Ophelia: Nor I you, but let’s not think of such a world and focus our attention on the issue at hand.

Mary: But, Ophelia, we have to be practical about–

Ophelia: No, not yet. Please. I have to be strong for you and I cannot remain brave if –

Mary: I understand. Oh God, this is all so horrible… (she begins to cry again)

Ophelia: Shh shh shh (situating Mary again) you will be just fine.

Mary: But our futures… my future… how is it our futures are worse off now than they were before all this.

Ophelia: Our futures are not ruined. This is not a curse, this is a blessing.

Mary: How can something that splits us apart be a blessing! How could I say yes…

Ophelia: Stop. You did the right thing. This is bigger than us.

Mary: But what if it isn’t… what if this is all some cruel joke and all this pain is for nothing.

Ophelia: It isn’t

Mary: But how…

Ophelia: I know. Have faith.

Mary: This isn’t what I planned for my life to be like.

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Ophelia: Who could plan for something of this magnitude.

Mary: I am not ready but I don’t know if anyone ever actually is. I suppose this is as ready as I will ever be.

Ophelia: Are you sure?

Mary: Yes.

Ophelia rises and walks over to the kettle. She reaches up to grab a thick, ceramic cup from the shelf and ladles hot water into the cup.

Ophelia: I wish I could give you better advice but…(She takes one of the jars out of her dress, removes the top, and pours the dried plant into the water and swirls in a bit of sweetner.)

Mary: I know… I don’t want to leave you…(Ophelia turns and hands the cup to Mary who cradles the cup in her lap, using both hands to gently secure it.)

Ophelia: I will miss you terribly. You are my sister.

Mary: And you’re mine. I’m sorry to leave you alone with only men…

Ophelia: I will be fine. Don’t you worry about me. (Mary drinks from the cup.)

Mary: This doubt and fear…

Ophelia: To our graves?

Mary: To our graves.

A knock at the door. Mary drops the cup and it shatters.

The girls embrace tightly.

Blackout.

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Horse , Dylan Barry-Schoen ’21, acrylic painting, 9” x 13”