TEASER
ACT 1, SCENE 1, EXT: ASTRO CITY STREETS – LATE NIGHT
LEIGH SUAREZ is on the ground, stunned, and looking up at NEBTHET ENNEAD who slowly stands up to reveal wings as shiny as any metal constructed from her shopping cart material. It’s like an armor corset. NEB jumps.
PULL OUT/NEB’S POV as LEIGH cranes her neck and JOSE ‘COOL’ COLUMNA runs out of his store to console LEIGH, but LEIGH is focused at NEB flying up and away into the night sky.
HARD CUT TO:
Police sirens and flashing lights are all over the street. Neighbors come out of their homes to check all the commotion.
SISTER NETTA BIRDSONG pulls up to a curb and jumps out her car frantically. She runs up to a police officer.
SISTER:
My god, not again! What happened? What happened!
OFFICER:
Ma’am calm down.
SISTER:
Calm down? Something bad always happens when you people are here! That’s outside my house!
OFFICER:
You don’t need to yell.
SISTER:
Just tell me what happened? Where’s Leigh?
OFFICER:
I don’t know who you’re talking about.
SISTER:
Then get the hell out my way and let me get to my house!
SISTER brushes pass the OFFICER. She is running down the street, flustered, alarmed, and hearing voices in her head, until she sees LEIGH at the front of J-COOL’S VARIETY with other OFFICERS and J-COOL. The voices come to a stop.
SISTER runs and hugs LEIGH.
SISTER:
Are you alright? What are you doing outside? I told you I’d be right back.
J-COOL:
I saw everything. A madman almost ran her over. The fucking boracho was gunning for her.
SISTER:
Jesus!
OFFICER 1:
Are you her mother?
SISTER:
Yes.
LEIGH:
She’s my foster mother.
OFFICER 2:
The ambulance is on the way.
LEIGH:
I’m fine. I told you I don’t need an ambulance.
OFFICER 2:
You could be in shock. I suggest you get checked out.
J-COOL:
When are you Officers going to stop these gangs? Y’all do nothing, while everyone in the AC dies. I do your job betta than you! Only people like me keep this place safe.
SISTER:
Leigh, talk to me. Are you okay?
LEIGH:
I don’t want the ambulance. They can’t make me go.
SISTER:
Are you sure you’re not hurt?
LEIGH:
I’m fine. I’m better than fine. (beat) I saw an angel.
SISTER stares blankly.
CUT TO BLACK
END OF TEASER
END OF ACT 1
CUT TO: ACT 2 SCENE 1, INT: NETTA’S HOME – KITCHEN – CONTINUED
LEIGH is at the table holding a cup of hot tea to her face but not drinking.
SISTER:
This is the third time now you’ve been involved with the police. I’m going to have a lot to explain to your social worker.
LEIGH:
I don’t care. I’m not leaving. They can’t make me leave, not until there’s justice for Shaunice, and I find Jamal.
SISTER:
You gotta get some sleep, sweetie. The tea will help.
LEIGH:
It’s too hot.
SISTER:
The heat activates the ingredients. Before you know it, you’ll sleep like a baby.
LEIGH:
I don’t feel like sleeping. How can I? An angel pushed me out the way of a car. If angels exist, then anything could exist. Heaven. Hell. Ghosts.
SISTER:
You’ve been through a lot tonight. Drink the tea.
LEIGH:
You don’t believe me either. The officer and Jose talked to me the same way you’re doing now. I know what I saw. Jose didn’t see her, but I did. I gave the police her name. Nebthet Ennead.
SISTER:
Neb for short.
LEIGH:
You know her?
SISTER:
You really should’ve drunk the damn tea.
LEIGH:
Of course you know her. You should’ve told the police so they don’t think I was crazy. Did she have wings when you saw her?
SISTER:
Some people can’t see her, but she can see them. In our darkest hours, we call to her. She answers. She weeps for some and provides service. The rest she carries around with her through the river or some shit like that. She’s very fucking cryptic. And what the hell did you want the officers to do with her? Arrest her?
LEIGH:
I don’t know. Find her. Ask questions. She could fix everything wrong with the AC. She can stop Loco, help me find Jamal, and whatever else angels do.
SISTER:
No one will find her unless she wants to be found. That’s the way she used to work anyway.
LEIGH:
Well she was just chilling at the soup kitchen that one time talking to me. And now all of a sudden she has wings.
SISTER:
She’s come to you twice already? That means you’re doubly blessed. For those Neb doesn’t carry away, she blesses. Do you feel different in any way?
LEIGH:
I feel the same. I mean I *saw* an angel. How else am I supposed to feel? If Loco comes after me again, will she save me? Is she like my guardian angel?
SISTER:
I don’t know Neb thinks, but I know I won’t let anything bad happen to you, Leigh. I promise. I’d die before harm comes to you. We’ll keep you on a tight schedule. You’ll always have someone around you.
LEIGH:
You can’t protect me forever. That’s impossible. And you just said you don’t know how Neb thinks. She’ll show up when she wants to.
SISTER:
Neb came to me twice. The first time was when I was nine. Did I ever tell you about the time I was baptized in blood?
LEIGH puts down the mug to listen. Behind LEIGH, the GHOST of a GIRL RIDDLED with bloody stab wounds is staring back at SISTER.
BLACK TITLE CARD APPEARS: ASTRO CITY, MA – 1962
ACT 2, SCENE 2, INT: NETTA’S HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT
Older girl, in her late teens, is washing dishes in the kitchen. This is GRACE BIRDSONG.
SISTER (V.O.):
Mama always told Grace and me that we were blessed to have each other. You would never know it, because our lives were filled with loss. Our daddy was a Panther Disciple and was killed in a bloody bar brawl. And soon after, mama passed away right before our eyes from a disease that came out of nowhere. Their death paid for this house. We had a roof over our heads that was paid in full, and most importantly, it was ours. So maybe we were blessed but I never felt that way.
YOUNG NETTA (O.S.):
SISTER!
A SCREAM causes GRACE to jump and drop everything. GRACE runs out the kitchen.
ACT 2, SCENE 3, INT: HOME – BEDROOM – CONT’D
GRACE storms into NETTA’S bedroom. NETTA, nine years old, has covers pulled up to her chin and she is pointing at a slightly opened window.
NETTA:
Sister, there’s someone here! There! Look!
GRACE checks the window and then shuts it.
GRACE:
Netta, stop it. There’s no one here.
NETTA:
There was someone there looking at me! I swear to God.
GRACE rolls her eyes.
SISTER (V.O):
Grace was the serious one, because she had to work, balance school, and care for me. And me, I was the superstitious one, her little heathen. We didn’t really have anyone else but each other.
GRACE:
There’s no one out there. I checked. And don’t take the Lord’s Name in vain, you little heathen. Stop playing around and go back to bed.
NETTA:
I saw him. His face was pressed against the glass. He had circles around his eyes. He was smiling at me.
GRACE:
What did he do, Netta? Jump off the second floor window as soon as I got here? I would’ve seen someone out there.
NETTA:
He had the teardrop tattoos under his eyes.
GRACE:
Stop it! No gang-talk in this house. I won’t tolerate it. If this is some game so you have an excuse to cut up in school tomorrow…
NETTA:
It’s not!
GRACE:
I let you watch way too many damn horror movies. From now on, there’s no T.V. afterschool.
NETTA:
No!
GRACE:
Yes! Now go to bed.
DOOR BELL RINGS.
GRACE:
See what you did? You woke the neighbors.
As GRACE leaves, NETTA jumps off her bed to follow.
HOLD ON WINDOW and the night outside.
ACT 2, SCENE 4 INT: HOME – FOYER
NETTA steps on the back of GRACE’S heel. Doorbell keeps ringing.
GRACE:
Little girl…
NETTA:
Sorry.
GRACE:
Go to bed.
NETTA:
Not unless you’re coming upstairs with me.
GRACE:
I’m gonna tear that lil heathen behind up.
NETTA:
I hope you don’t mind me crying in your ears all night then.
DOOR BELL rings.
GRACE opens the door.
GRACE:
Is there a reason why you keep testing the durability of my doorbell?
DELIVERY MAN holding pizza box.
MAN:
Chill, Miss. You ordered a take-out pizza, right?
GRACE:
No.
MAN:
You sure? This is the address. Someone ordered pizza here.
GRACE:
I’m positive. Sorry.
GRACE attempts to close the door. MAN puts his foot in the door.
MAN:
Someone needs to pay for this delivery, Miss.
GRACE:
But I didn’t order anything.
MAN:
Then that’s a problem.
GRACE:
Again, that’s rats Mister, but I can’t help you.
GRACE attempts to close the door again, but MAN sticks his hand in this time and holds it open.
GRACE:
Can you let go of my door, Sir?
MAN:
You got any money?
GRACE:
Sir, I already told you. No one ordered pizza here.
MAN looks at GRACE and then he smiles are NETTA. NETTA whimpers.
MAN:
You own this big ol’ house, and you don’t have money?
GRACE:
Netta, upstairs.
NETTA hesitates.
GRACE:
Now.
NETTA walks away slowly.
GRACE:
This house is none of your damn business.
MAN:
You got a mouth on you. I’m just asking a question.
GRACE:
And I answered it.
MAN:
So you don’t have money?
GRACE:
I don’t know how else to say it. (Beat) Netta, upstairs now!
NETTA is on the stairwell and gingerly sulks back upstairs.
GRACE:
I have no money for something I didn’t order. Please leave my doorstep, before I call the police.
MAN smiles.
MAN:
I hope that little girl didn’t make a prank call. Is she your daughter?
GRACE:
You must want to be arrested tonight.
MAN:
You got a man in this house to take care of you?
MAN attempts to touch her, but she slaps his hand away.
MAN:
Bitch! I’m trying to be nice.
GRACE:
Back up!
MAN:
Fine. Have a nice night.
MAN walks away. GRACE closes the door and locks it. As she walks away, hold on the door.
CUT TO ACT 1, SCENE 5, INT: HOME – BEDROOM – CONT’D
GRACE:
Alright, Netta, you can sleep with…
SISTER (V.O.):
He threatened to kill me if I screamed. He licked my ears, touched me all wrong-like. I remember his smell; overpowering; horrible cologne.
NETTA is held up by knife point by a large MAN with raccoon eyes and tattoos on his face. The window is wide open. Curtains flap in the wind.
SISTER (V.O.):
Before Grace could scream, the man attacked us.
MAN throws NETTA to the ground and charges at GRACE and pulls her to the ground. They struggle and fight. He attempts to rape her, cuts up her shirt.
SISTER (V.O.):
Grace fought him off as much she could, but she was more focused on protecting me. She shielded me under her as he attacked her.
GRACE throws herself on top of NETTA, who is squished under her, crying and screaming.
SISTER (V.O.):
To stop Grace from screaming, he kept stabbing her. Officially she was stabbed 21 times. I was baptized in her blood that night.
GRACE sputters blood onto NETTA’S face and forehead.
SISTER (V.O):
That creepy delivery man heard all the commotion from outside. It took him a couple minutes to kick down the front door. It felt like forever.
DELIVERY MAN comes running into the room. He runs to the window, but the attacker isn’t there. He quickly collects a stunned and stained NETTA from under a dead GRACE. NETTA is focused on the window.
NETTA (V.O.):
The man that attacked us was gone, but Neb was there. She heard my cries.
A bespectacled NEB with hawkish eyes and wings expanded peering through the window back at NETTA.
CUT TO BLACK
END OF ACT 2