#29: THE BODY FOR SHORE

Written by
Joseph Frost
Draft
8/29/16
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

A small vessel, like a dinghy.

OJO is at the bow.
CALE and BON sit behind him.
In the stern is ROWE.
Laying across the vessel, from side to side, lay the body of
a man, covered. He is dead.
The vessel makes its way across the waters.
BON
Do you see the shore?
(beat)
Ojo. Do you see the shore?
OJO
No.
BON
Are you sure?
OJO
If Id seen it, I wouldnt have kept it secret.
CALE
(to Bon)
You can look for yourself, you know.
BON
Shut up.
CALE
I wont.
BON
I know I can look for myself.
CALE
Then why dont you?

2.
BON
Thats why hes up there, Cale. Hes on the lookout for shore.
CALE
So let him do it.
A moment.
BON
Youll tell us when you see it.
CALE
Thats almost exactly the agreement of being the lookout, Bon. Exactly the arrangement.
BON
Ive had it with being treated this way...
Bon starts to rise. The boat rocks.
ALL
Whoa- wait a minute - hold on there - etc.
OJO
Make him sit down.
CALE
Sit down, Bon.
BON
Im sitting, Im sitting.
OJO
Itll be here before you know.
BON
It had better.
CALE
Or what?
BON
What?
CALE
What happens if we dont? Youll do what?

3.
BON
Dont push me, Cale.
CALE
Just sit there with your mouth closed.
BON
Fine.
CALE
Closed.
BON
I am.
CALE
Bon...
A long moment.
BON
Sad, isnt it.
CALE
What?
BON
I said its sad. What happened to him.
CALE
I dont think you understand what I meant when I asked you to shut your mouth.
BON
All of a sudden like that. Chills the bones just thinking about it.
CALE
Well put him off at the shore and then we wont have to think about it any more.
(to ROWE, in the back)
Isnt that right?
A moment.
ROWE
Hm?

4.
CALE
We leave the body at the shore. Then hes gone from us.
ROWE
Hes gone from us. Sure.
CALE
Right.
(aside to Bon)
Hes not right, is he?
BON
(aside to Cale)
Never was. Nothing new.
CALE
Ojo. You strap down the sails before we left.
OJO
You saw em.
CALE
I did. Youre right.
BON
Could you please be quiet?
CALE
Shut up.
BON
Thats what Im asking of you.
CALE
Ill shut you up.
BON
Will you now?
CALE
Thats right.
BON
Well see about that.
Bon and Cale grapple.

5.
Ojo turns back to them, back hands the both of them.
OJO
Knock it off. I think I see it.
BON
Hm?
CALE
Shore?
BON
Of course he means the shore, what else would he mean?
CALE
The ship.
BON
Its not likely its the ship unless were sailing in circles.
CALE
Could be.
BON
Could not. Look at the sun. Perfectly high. Were right where we need to be this hour.
Shores right over there.
Bon points.
Ojo points the opposite direction.
OJO
Land ho.
BON
I was confused.
CALE
Was.
BON
Shut it.
OJO
Prep the body. Well be there soon.

6.
Bon and Cale shift around and start to prep the body.
BON
Soon he says. Prep the body he says.
CALE
You dont want to do it?
BON
Why are we the only ones? Theyre just as capable of doing this as we are.
CALE
Ask them.
BON
You think?
CALE
Its on you. Im not curious at all.
Bon stands.
BON
Say. Why are we the ones doing this? Why arent the two of you helping at all? We could
use your help here.
OJO
Im navigating.
CALE
See?
BON
(to Rowe)
And you? Whats wrong with you, you cant help?
ROWE
I didnt come to help with the body.
BON
Oh you didnt, did you?
ROWE
No.

7.
BON
Then why exactly are you here?
ROWE
For this.
Rowe pulls out a pistol.
He shoots Bon, who falls out of the vessel.
Cale stands.
Rowe shoots Cale, who falls out of the vessel.
Rowe aims at Ojo.
OJO
We have to leave the body at the shore.
ROWE
Hell be there. For sure.
Rowe pulls out a match.
He lights the body on fire.
OJO
What are you doing?
ROWE
What Id ask him to have done for me.
OJO
Youll sink our boat.
ROWE
Our boat must sink.
OJO
You gonna shoot me?
ROWE
What else do you want to do?
OJO
Swim for shore.

8.
ROWE
Swim.
Ojo jumps overboard.
Rowe lowers his pistol.
The fire burns stronger.
Rowe drops the pistol on the floor of the boat.
Rowe removes his coat and hat.
He kneels next to the body.
ROWE (CONTD)
Forgive me. Burn me. Cleanse me.
(whispers)
Forgive me. Burn me. Cleanse me.
The fire burns.
The lights go down.
End.