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The Student News Site of North East School of the Arts

The Bunker Review

The Bunker Review

Mother, Juni’s Not Here

By: Ricardo Rodriguez

 

Ext. An empty beach at dusk with nothing but marshes in the background and a faint line of purple mountains sticking out like little teeth out of the horizon. Juni sits by the water. A crab walks by and stops at Juni’s bare feet.

 

CRAB

Why, hello, child! What’s your name?

 

JUNI

I don’t know. I left it at home.

 

CRAB

Oh. And where would that be?

 

JUNI

In the city?

 

CRAB

Then what brings you here?

 

JUNI

No one wanted me around back home.

 

CRAB

Do you feel better here?

 

JUNI

No.

 

CRAB

But you’re alone?

 

JUNI

I don’t want myself around either.

(Pause)

And who are you, exactly?

 

CRAB

Mictlantecuhtli.

 

JUNI

Oh, good, so you’re here to take me?

 

CRAB

If you want. I was just going home.

 

JUNI

Where is your home?

 

CRAB

Beneath the ocean.

 

JUNI

Is it peaceful down there?

 

CRAB

Yeah. More than it is up here.

 

JUNI

Will I be at peace?

 

CRAB

No. You’ll still be lonely.

 

JUNI

Oh.

 

Silence

CRAB

So do you want me to take you with me?

 

JUNI

Please.

 

CRAB

You won’t regret it?

 

JUNI

Will I still exist?

 

CRAB

Yeah.

 

JUNI

Oh.

 

Beat.

 

CRAB

The tide is rising.

 

JUNI

Why?

 

CRAB

Uhm, I think the moon pulls it up. Like a bedsheet over the coast.

 

JUNI

Why doesn’t the sun do the same?

 

CRAB

Maybe it’s too far away?

 

JUNI

Oh.

 

CRAB

Well, if you want to come with me just wait for the tide to take you. If not, just leave.

 

JUNI

Well, I have nowhere else to go… can’t I just stay here forever?

 

CRAB

No. You always have to keep moving.

 

JUNI

Oh. It wouldn’t have been pleasant anyways.

 

CRAB

Okay then. Ciao.

 

JUNI

Wait! Don’t you wanna know why?

 

CRAB

Why what?

 

JUNI

Why it wouldn’t be pleasant?

 

CRAB

Oh. I guess.

 

JUNI

Well…I — I don’t know.

 

CRAB

Yes, you do.

 

JUNI

I hate myself.

 

CRAB

Yes, you do.

 

JUNI

I don’t know who I am!

 

CRAB

Yes, you do. And you’re smelly too.

 

JUNI

And my voice is thick.

 

CRAB

And you have more hair than a polar bear.

 

JUNI

And my thighs scream when I walk.

 

CRAB

And your clothes are disgusting.

 

JUNI

And the world sees me as a —

 

CRAB

Man.

 

JUNI

And my friends —

 

CRAB

Go on without you.

 

JUNI

And I —

 

CRAB

(Nodding wisely)

Want to stop existing.

 

JUNI

And I don’t know where–

 

CRAB

The older me is.

 

JUNI

And —

 

CRAB

The tide is here.

 

JUNI

(Looks at the water surrounding their heels)

I don’t know what to do.

 

CRAB

Stay a little while. We’ll talk later.

 

(Crab walks into the ocean and disappears. Juni stands up. Stares. They begin to slowly go back home)

 

Blackout.

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