#12: ANGEL SAVES RUBY

Written by
Joseph Frost
Draft
8/15/16
written for the 2016 31 Plays in 31 Days project

Joseph Frost, 2016

4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
* member, Dramatists Guild of America

Darkness. Dinge. Perhaps some neon.

A front desk.
A child, ANGEL, maybe 7 or 8, enters. She is roughly
dressed. She goes to the desk and rings the bell.
A long moment.
An ominous gentleman, RUBY, comes behind the desk.
RUBY
Yeah?
Angel just stares at him for a moment.
Ruby does not see her - he is looking over top of her.
RUBY (CONTD)
Dont ring the bell if you arent gonna wait around.
Ruby goes back.
Angel rings the bell again.
Ruby returns.
RUBY (CONTD)
What?!?!
ANGEL
Excuse me sir.
Ruby notices her.
RUBY
Jesus, kid. Where the fu... I didnt see you. Did you ring the bell?
ANGEL
Yes sir.
RUBY
I didnt see you. What are you doing here? You shouldnt be in a place like this, Ill tell
you that.

2.
ANGEL
I had to come.
RUBY
You had to? Did you? I dont think thats true. This isnt a good place for a girl like you,
believe me. What if your father found out you were here?
ANGEL
He knows.
RUBY
He what? Oh no.
ANGEL
Hes the one who told me to come.
RUBY
Jesus.
ANGEL
I wanted to stay home, but he asked me to come.
RUBY
Why would he do that?
ANGEL
To get him.
RUBY
To get him? Hes here?
ANGEL
Yes, sir.
RUBY
Uch. Not sir. Dont call me sir, please.
ANGEL
Ive come to get my father. Hes here. In room seven.
RUBY
Room seven? Thats... Silvers room.

3.
ANGEL
Silvers room. Yes. Thats what he said.
RUBY
No. No, you shouldnt go in there.
Ruby comes around the counter.
ANGEL
But I have to. My father asked me to come to get him in Silvers room.
Ruby kneels in front of Angel.
RUBY
Sweetie, listen to me. This is no place for a girl like you. Girls like you come here, and a
lot of them dont leave... they dont leave the same way that they came in. You should go
now.
ANGEL
But my father...
RUBY
Im telling you to forget what he said.
ANGEL
I cant do that.
RUBY
Hes wrong.
ANGEL
What?
RUBY
Silvers room is no place for you. You have to go. Now.
ANGEL
I cant do that.
RUBY
Now. Please. Im asking you.
ANGEL
I have to do what my father asked me.

4.
A door opens, so that we see the light from the room cast a
shadow of a female figure across Ruby and Angel.
RUBY
Silver.
SILVER
Is this my little Angel?
RUBY
No this is... Um... this is my cousins... girl.
ANGEL
My name is Angel.
SILVER
Youre my little Angel?
RUBY
Her names Angel, yeah. But this girl is, shes my cousins girl. My second cousin. She
just came to... um... she has to go.
(to Angel)
Dont you have to go right now?
ANGEL
I came here because my father told me to.
SILVER
Your father?
ANGEL
Yes, maam.
SILVER
Ruby?
RUBY
I was just telling her that she should... um...
SILVER
Shes coming with me. Arent you, Angel?
ANGEL
To see my father?

5.
SILVER
Hes here, all right. Come with me.
Angel starts toward Silver.
Ruby grabs her by the shoulders and spins her around.
RUBY
You dont have to do this, Angel.
SILVER
Ruby.
RUBY
You have to go. Now.
ANGEL
Go where?
RUBY
I... Ill go. Ill go with you. Ill show you.
ANGEL
But my father.
SILVER
Ruby?
RUBY
Hes no father to you. Ask you to come here. No father at all.
(beat)
Come on.
Ruby picks Angel up and heads for the door.
SILVER
Where are you going?
RUBY
Away. I cant let you do this.
SILVER
She belongs to me.
RUBY
Then come find us.

6.
Ruby kicks open the door. He and Angel leave.
Silver shuts the door. The shadow is gone.
Lights dim.
End.