Play #5

The Damascus Light

__________________________

A short play written for

the 2018
31 Plays in 31 Days
Challenge

By Joseph Frost

Contact:
Joseph Frost
4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
FrostJosephD@gmail.com
 Mikel stands in the center of the stage.

MIKEL
It is a difficult thing, to stand up for one’s beliefs.
(beat)
When challenges come, and they will come, it is the instinct of peaceful men to find
common ground. To level the field. To make peace. It is not easy to do so, but it is part
of a survival instinct to avoid conflict.
(beat)
But it is the job of men of conviction to maintain those beliefs. To rise up to the
challenge, and defend what is right, what has been right, what will always be right. To
fight. To fight. To win the fight. To destroy the opposer. And to make the way clear.
That what is right may continue.

On the other side of the stage, Aaron.

AARON
You sent for me.

MIKEL
Aaron.

AARON
Yes, Mikel?

MIKEL
Are you ready?

AARON
Ready?

MIKEL
You believe, do you not?

AARON
I believe. I do. I believe I do.

MIKEL
I believe so too. Aaron.

AARON
Yes?
 2.

MIKEL
It is time.

AARON
Time.

MIKEL
For you to defend your beliefs.

AARON
Defend them. Yes, Mikel.

MIKEL
I am sending you with him.

AARON
With Saul?

MIKEL
You will accompany him to Damascus.

AARON
I will accompany... Saul...

MIKEL
Yes. We asked to go, and we have given him letters to take to the synagogue there.

AARON
What do the letters say?

MIKEL
Aaron.

AARON
What do the letters say?

MIKEL
They warn the priests of Damascus that the followers of that man have spread to their
city. That they are to take care of these followers, and quickly, that the Romans
encamped there do not hear of their arrival, and report to Rome that we haven’t taken
care of this cult. They are a danger to all good Jews. They pervert our beliefs and signal
to the Emperor that we cannot control our own region.
(beat)
Aaron, I know you’re feelings about Saul would make it difficult...
 3.

AARON
He is a murderer, Mikel.

MIKEL
He is a passionate defender of our faith.

AARON
I saw him kill. With my own eyes.

MIKEL
I need those eyes, Aaron. I need you to keep an eye on Saul. For me.

AARON
Mikel...

MIKEL
You do believe, don’t you?

AARON
Yes.

MIKEL
So does Saul.

AARON
But...

MIKEL
You and I and Saul want the same thing.

AARON
Not that way.

MIKEL
And that’s why you must go. Go. I and the Lord will be with you.

Mikel turns.

Aaron travels on the road.

AARON
We traveled to Damascus, Saul and I and some others. A shadowy day, full of storm
clouds - and unpleasant journey, and I regretted each step. My stomach filled with
remorse, my back inching with fear of the results of our journey - to betray the faith in
the faith’s name can only be to have no faith at all.
(beat)
 4.

It must have been a part in the clouds - the darkness before giving way to such brilliant
sunlight, that seemed only to penetrate the gloom down onto us, there on the dirt road.
We immediately, to a man, fell to the ground, shielding our faces from the source of the
shimmering beam. I lay, crippled by the warmth of the light, choking on the cloud of
dust as each man kicked the dirt in pain. I heard nothing but our agony, I say this... I say
this to say... that I heard nothing. Saul... Saul began shouting back at the light. I say
back towards the light, as if he were answering it. As if he were being questioned by it.
He... such a fool... he looked directly, defiantly at that light. And asked who was calling
his name, and asked it what he should do.
(beat)
Now, I am no fool. I did not look at the light. I saw no man that Saul would have spoken
to. And... I don’t want to say this... but... I heard a voice. It told Saul to go into the city,
and that there he would be told what to do. It was then that the clouds choked off the
light, and we were plunged back into the gloom as before.

Mikel has made his way around to the other side

of Aaron.

MIKEL
And then?

AARON
Then?

MIKEL
What did my eyes see then?

AARON
Me? I saw... everything.

MIKEL
What did you see?

AARON
I saw Saul. Blinded.

MIKEL
Blinded.

AARON
He could see nothing. Not his hand in front of his face. He stumbled a few steps then
fell. We rushed to him. And we lifted him, and helped him into the city.

MIKEL
To the synagogue.
 5.

AARON
No.

MIKEL
And why not?

AARON
That is not where the voice told Saul to go.

A moment.

MIKEL
Did you take the letters to the synagogue?

AARON
What?

MIKEL
You heard me.

AARON
We took Saul to the house the voice had said. On Straight Street. The other men said
they would stay with Saul.

MIKEL
But you returned.

AARON
I returned.
(holds out the letter)
To give you this.

Mikel studies the letter in Aaron’s hand.

MIKEL
That was for the Damascus synagogue.

AARON
I know.

MIKEL
But you returned it here.

AARON
I have.
 6.

MIKEL
Did you not understand the significance of this letter?

AARON
I did.

MIKEL
And it is here, and not there.

AARON
This is true, Mikel. Very true.
(beat)
Because I am not the man for this letter.

Mikel snatches the letter from Aaron’s hand.

MIKEL
You are weak.

AARON
This is not my faith.

MIKEL
Your faith is weak.

AARON
My faith is strong, Mikel.

MIKEL
You were to be my eyes.

AARON
My eyes are but a man’s eyes. I have only seen so much. And what I have seen, what I
have been shown.... Mikel, it has been proved to me that there is so much more than we
understand. I can only understand so much.

A moment.

MIKEL
I am disappointed, Aaron.

AARON
As much as I am, Mikel.

Aaron turns and goes.

 7.

Mikel tears up the letter.