Scene 1: In Jack’s Car
(Jack)
Music is worried. It quiets down
and becomes a bit sad when Jack begins to speak. Jack is driving in his car.
JACK
(talking to
himself)
I can’t believe
it. We travel all this way just to get turned down. What am I gonna tell Lucy?
She was so excited about this.
(deep sigh)
Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea
for us to come back to Odyssey at all. How in the world are we supposed to pay
all our bills if I don’t have a job? Get a hold of yourself, Jack. I’m sure
there’s some other job you can find around here. Granted, it probably won’t pay
enough to get you through.
(beat)
There’s Whit’s End. I guess I’d
better go and see what this surprise is that Lucy was telling me about. I just
can’t stand to break the news to her.
Scene 2: Front Steps of Whit’s End
(Jack, Lucy, Connie, Wooton, Whit,
Bernard, Eugene)
Jack walks up the front steps of
Whit’s End. There are crickets chirping outside.
JACK
Well, here goes nothing.
Jack opens the front door and the
bell rings as he walks in. Jack’s footsteps are heard on the floor.
JACK
(to himself) Where is everybody?
Suddenly, Lucy, Whit, Bernard,
Connie, Eugene and Wooton pop out of nowhere and shout surprise.
JACK
(confused)
What?
LUCY
(walking up
to Jack)
Are you surprised Jack?
JACK
Sort of. You did tell me there was
going to be some sort of surprise, but I wasn’t expecting anything like this.
W… why?
LUCY
You deserve it, Jack.
JACK
Thank-you… but, no, I really don’t…
LUCY
Sure you do.
BERNARD
She’s right, Jack. You’ve earned
it.
WHIT
Congratulations, Jack. We’re really
proud of you.
CONNIE
I really envy you, Jack. You’ve got
so much going for you right now.
WOOTON
Envy? Uh oh, I think that was one
of the seven deadly dwarves.
EUGENE
Hmm?
CONNIE
Seriously, Jack. You’ve got your
whole life ahead of you. You’ve got a college degree, you’ve got a beautiful
wife…
LUCY
Thank-you very much.
CONNIE
…and on top of that you’ve got a
great new job.
JACK
Yes, well…
CONNIE
You’ve got so much going for you.
More than any of us have.
EUGENE
I wouldn’t take it that far. I
happen to be content with my current position in life.
CONNIE
Oh, yeah, sure, Eugene. It looks
like those fifty years of college served you really well.
EUGENE
What? Fifty years! Please, Miss
Kendall, curb your hyperbole.
CONNIE
Okay, fine. Take me for example. I
haven’t made it through college… I’ve been dumped by who knows how many guys…
BERNARD
Any of those relationships you care
to enlighten us about, Connie?
CONNIE
(beat –
glares at Bernard)
No.
(beat)
But really, I’m not complaining or
anything, but you’ve really got it a lot better off than a lot of other people…
and you’ve earned it. I mean… just look at me…
WOOTON
Uh oh, here comes the dwarf again.
EUGENE
Indeed.
CONNIE
I’ll probably still be working at
Whit’s End at age forty.
BERNARD
Which won’t be too long from now
actually…
WHIT
Oh? I didn’t realize working at
Whit’s End was such a bad thing.
CONNIE
Oh, you know what I mean.
WHIT
(chuckles)
JACK
Thanks, Connie. I’ll… uh… I’ll try
to keep that in mind.
[Happy music begins.]
BERNARD
So, are we gonna keep standing
around talking all night, or are we gonna eat some cake?
CONNIE
Have at it, everyone!
BERNARD
All right then.
WOOTON
I want the big piece!
BERNARD
That one’s mine, Wooton. Hands off.
WOOTON
Aw, man.
EUGENE
Uh… did you make this cake, Miss
Kendall?
CONNIE
No, why?
EUGENE
Oh, merely wondering, merely
wondering.
Happy music takes over, but quickly
becomes less happy and stops at the beginning of the next scene.
Scene 3: Outside Whit’s End
(Lucy, Jack)
Jack and Lucy are saying good-bye
to the others as they get into their car. Crickets are chirping outside.
LUCY
Bye, everyone. Thanks for the
party.
Inside the car: the doors close,
the crickets stop chirping, Jack and Lucy put their seatbelts on, Jack puts the
keys in the ignition, starts the car, and pulls away from the curb.
JACK
Well, that was an enjoyable
evening.
LUCY
Okay, Jack. Now that we’re alone,
tell me what’s wrong.
JACK
What’s wrong? What do you mean?
LUCY
You weren’t yourself at the party.
Maybe the others didn’t notice, but I did.
JACK
Oh, well… you know… it’s just…
LUCY
What is it, Jack?
Calm music starts. It is sad.
JACK
(long sigh)
I didn’t get the job.
LUCY
I thought that was what it was.
What happened?
JACK
Well… Mr. Sanderson told me that I
was qualified for the position, but that they wouldn’t be hiring me.
LUCY
Why?
JACK
I don’t know. He said he couldn’t
get into details.
LUCY
Well, you should go back and demand
an explanation.
JACK
Maybe, but I don’t think it will do
any good. He’s not going to hire me.
LUCY
I see.
JACK
(sighs
again)
Well… I guess that about covers
everything.
LUCY
(Short
pause)
I’m sorry about tonight.
JACK
Why?
LUCY
Because you had to listen to
everyone congratulate you. You should have told us.
JACK
I didn’t see any point in that. No
sense ruining everyone’s good time.
LUCY
The party was for you though, not
everybody else.
Music becomes sadder.
JACK
It was for everyone.
LUCY
No, it was for you.
JACK
It wasn’t just for me.
LUCY
It was mostly for you.
JACK
Look, it doesn’t really matter
anymore.
LUCY
But it does.
JACK
No, it doesn’t.
LUCY
Stop arguing with me.
JACK
I’m not.
LUCY
Yes, you…
(long sigh)
I’m sorry.
JACK
I’m sorry, too.
LUCY
You should tell them what happened.
JACK
Who? Mr. Whittaker and the others?
LUCY
Yes.
Music is still sad, but a “glimmer
of hope” can be heard.
JACK
I can’t do that.
LUCY
Why not?
JACK
Not after tonight – not after they said
all those nice things about me.
LUCY
You need to talk to them. They’re
your friends.
JACK
I know… but not yet. Let me look
for another job first.
LUCY
(sighs)
Okay.
Sad music takes over and stops,
ending the scene.
Scene 4: At Whit’s End
(Whit, Eugene, Lucy)
Music is not happy, but not sad
either. Lucy walks into Whit’s End. It is not busy. Music stops when Whit
speaks.
WHIT
Hi, Lucy.
EUGENE
Greetings and salutations, Miss
Davis.
LUCY
Hello, Mr. Whittaker. Hi, Eugene.
EUGENE
What brings you to Whit’s End on
this fine morning?
LUCY
I was wondering if I could get
started on using that printing equipment for the newspaper I’m starting.
WHIT
You’re getting started on it
already? Wow, you’re not wasting any time, are you?
LUCY
I’d kind of like to at least start
on this as soon as possible.
WHIT
Oh, that’s fine. Here, I’ll show
you where the press is at. Like I said before, it’s nothing elaborate, but
it’ll do the trick for now.
(to Eugene)
Uh, Eugene?
EUGENE
Yes, sir?
WHIT
Could you watch the counter for a
minute or two?
EUGENE
I will indeed.
WHIT
Thanks. Come on, Lucy. I’ll show
you where it’s at.
LUCY
Okay.
Whit and Lucy begin walking through
Whit’s End.
WHIT
By the way, have you decided on a
name for your paper yet?
LUCY
Mmm… not yet. I’ve tossed around a
few ideas though.
WHIT
Oh, really? What did you have in
mind?
LUCY
Well, I had a few that I thought
might work, but there was one that sort of stuck out at me from all the others.
WHIT
What was that?
LUCY
The Truth Chronicles.
WHIT
Hmm.
LUCY
Since the whole point of this
newspaper is to spread the truth without twisting facts or misusing words, I
thought The Truth Chronicles would be a fitting name.
WHIT
That makes sense. That name sounds
awfully familiar though. Are you sure it isn’t taken already?
LUCY
Not that I know of.
WHIT
Hmm. For some reason that seems
very familiar. I’m not sure why.
LUCY
I don’t know.
Whit and Lucy stop walking.
WHIT
Well, here we are. I wasn’t exactly
sure where to put the press, so I have it set up in the Treasure Room for now.
Whit opens the door to the Treasure
Room. Calm music begins.
WHIT
Well, there it is.
They walk in.
WHIT
What do you think?
LUCY
I like it. This will work really
well. Thank you, Mr. Whittaker.
WHIT
Oh, you’re welcome, Lucy. And feel
free to use it whenever you need to. It’s yours now.
LUCY
Mr. Whittaker?
WHIT
Yes?
LUCY
What’s this picture up here on the
wall?
WHIT
Which one?
LUCY
This one. Why… it looks like a
photo of me and Jack when we were kids.
(looks
closer)
It is.
WHIT
(chuckles)
Well, it’s just something that I’ve
kept over the years. You should see the one on the wall over here.
LUCY
That’s a picture from our wedding.
WHIT
Yes, it is. I had it framed and
hung it up in here with the rest of my treasures.
Music becomes “touching.”
LUCY
Treasures?
WHIT
That’s what this room is all about.
You see all of these pictures on the walls in here? All of them are of people.
People with whom I’ve come into contact since I opened up Whit’s End. As you
can see, a lot of kids have come through the front doors of this place over the
years. It’s been such a blessing to have had the opportunity of reaching out to
so many kids over the years. These kids, including you and Jack, have been some
of my greatest treasures in life. That’s why this is called the Treasure Room.
And to think, when I first laid eyes on this building I wanted nothing to do
with it.
LUCY
Wow.
WHIT
I’m so proud of all these kids,
including you and Jack.
(chuckles)
Though, I guess I can’t really call
you two kids anymore, can I?
LUCY
Well… you might be able to still
get away with calling Jack a kid sometimes.
WHIT
(Chuckles)
Where is Jack today? Has he already
started work over at Sanderson Enterprises?
Music begins to have some sad
tones.
LUCY
Uh… no. Why do you ask?
WHIT
Oh, I was just wondering. Are they
going to have him start up pretty soon then?
LUCY
Uh… well… you… you’d have to ask
Jack about that kind of thing. I… I really can’t say.
WHIT
Okay. Well, I’d better get back to
the counter and let Eugene get back to his duties. Let me know if you need
anything else.
Whit turns to leave.
LUCY
Mr. Whittaker?
Whit stops.
WHIT
Yes?
LUCY
Uh… nothing. Thank you.
WHIT
You’re welcome.
Whit leaves.
LUCY
(to herself)
Oh boy. Please, God, Please be with
Jack right now.
Music begins and takes us to Scene
Two.
Scene 5: In the Park
(Jack)
Music slowly fades. – Jack is walking by himself in the park. He
is talking to himself and holding a newspaper.
JACK
Okay, let’s see. Are there any
other good job opportunities in here?
(beat)
I can’t believe I’m looking through
the classifieds. I have a college degree for crying out loud. I shouldn’t be
out of a job. Didn’t they say it would be so much easier to get a good job once
I had a diploma to back me up? It sure doesn’t feel any easier. Oh, sure, you’d
think just about anyone would want to hire someone with an education… but just
about no one is willing to pay his employee enough money to pay for that
education. Why am I talking to myself again? Okay, Jack, focus. Let’s see here.
What else is in this paper? Greenblatt’s Department Store. No, not enough.
Fenniman’s Market. Nope, not enough. Let’s see. Janitor needed at Odyssey
Elementary School. Whoa, that’s not anywhere near what I need. Hmm… The
Electric Palace? I don’t think so. Wait, what’s this? This looks like a good
deal. Oh… wait… it’s for Sanderson Enterprises. Tried that. They ought to take
their add out of the paper before they get any more people mad at them.
(sighs)
Well… I guess I’ve got to try something. Maybe I’ll be able to work
up a better pay from one of these guys. Why am I still talking to myself? I
should have brought Lucy along. Okay, Heineke’s Candy Shop. Let’s try that one.
(sighs)
Here goes nothing.
At this point, the composer should
know what music belongs in what scene, and which characters call for certain
themes.
Scene 6: Outskirts of Ancient
Jezreel
(Benjamin, Elijah, Messenger)
Dramatic music.
BENJAMIN
(running up to Elijah)
Master! Master!
ELIJAH
(concerned)
What is it, Benjamin?
BENJAMIN
(out of breath)
You’ve got to get out of here. – Right away, sir.
ELIJAH
Why? What has happened?
BENJAMIN
The word is all over the market.
ELIJAH
What word? Benjamin, have you been listening to the women
gossiping again?
BENJAMIN
It’s not that. There’s a man who’s been asking all over town for
you.
ELIJAH
What does he want with me?
BENJAMIN
He is a messenger from the queen, sir.
ELIJAH
(concerned)
From Jezebel? What does the message say?
BENJAMIN
I don’t know, sir. – But it can’t be anything good. King Ahab
told her about how you did away with all of her prophets, and she’s been
breathing out murderous threats ever since. She was mighty angry when she found
out that Ahab didn’t lift a finger to stop you. – At least, that’s what the
word is at the market.
ELIJAH
You’re right. This cannot be good. What did…
(fear)
Wait… who’s that over there, coming this way?
Benjamin turns to see a man on a horse coming their way.
BENJAMIN
(quick gasp)
That’s the man who was looking for you at the market! Someone
must have told him where you were staying! Quick! Go back inside! I’ll stall
him while you go and hide yourself.
ELIJAH
Right.
Elijah runs inside.
MESSENGER
(calling to Benjamin)
You there! Boy!
BENJAMIN
Uhh… was there something you wanted, sir?
The horse stops in front of Benjamin.
MESSENGER
I have a message for Elijah from Queen Jezebel. Have you seen
him?
BENJAMIN
Elijah? – Oh, well… I’m sure there are many people with that
name around these parts.
MESSENGER
Not likely. I’m looking for Elijah the Tishbite.
BENJAMIN
The Tishbite, sir?
MESSENGER
Yes, the Tishbite. You know very well who I’m talking about. I
saw him duck back into the inn when I came up just now.
BENJAMIN
(nervous)
The…the…the inn?
MESSENGER
Yes, the inn. Now listen to me, boy. Go and tell your master
that this is what the Queen says: May the gods deal with me, be it ever so
severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one my
prophets. - See that he gets the message.
The messenger gallops away.
BENJAMIN
(walking back into the inn) Master, did you
hear that?
ELIJAH
(coming out of his hiding place)
I heard, Benjamin. Jezebel has it in for me. If I do not get out
of Jezreel soon I will be a dead man.
BENJAMIN
What are you going to do?
ELIJAH
(concerned)
We must flee this place at once. – Both of us. It would not go
well for you if they discovered you here and me gone.
BENJAMIN
But where will we go?
ELIJAH
(nervous)
I don’t know. - Anywhere. – any place but here, that is. I will
take you to Beersheba in Judah. You should be safe there. After that, I don’t
know what I’m going to do. – Hurry now and gather up the rest of the food we
have. We don’t have much time before the Queen finds out where we’re at.
Quickly now – we’ve got to get out of here.
BENJAMIN
Yes, sir.
More dramatic music.
Scene 7: In the Treasure Room
(Lucy, Connie)
Calm music begins - Lucy is in The
Treasure Room.
LUCY
(talking to
herself)
Let’s see. If I put this here, then
I could put this section up over there…
Connie walks into The Treasure
Room.
CONNIE
Oh, Lucy. I’m sorry. I didn’t
realize you were still here.
LUCY
That’s fine.
CONNIE
Still working on your newspaper
stuff?
LUCY
Yep.
CONNIE
Hey, Wooton was looking for you
earlier. He said he had he had some sort of Bible comic feature for you to use
in your paper – I think he said it had something to do with Elijah, or King
Ahab or something. I’m sorry. I would have sent him back here if I’d known you
were still around.
LUCY
Don’t worry about it.
CONNIE
Have you made any progress?
LUCY
Yes, but not as much as I would
have liked. I keep getting distracted.
CONNIE
Oh, I’m sorry. Is this not a good
room for you to work in? I know I often get distracted by all the pictures on
the walls whenever I come in here. That group photo over there always gets to
me. I had such bad hair that day.
LUCY
No, there’s nothing wrong with it.
CONNIE
With my hair?
LUCY
No, with the room.
CONNIE
What about my hair?
LUCY
(awkward)
Uhh… heh, I’m just having trouble
focusing today.
CONNIE
Hey, Lucy, is there something
that’s bothering you?
LUCY
Kind of, yeah.
CONNIE
It’s me, isn’t it? I’m sorry. I’ll
leave.
LUCY
No, no. It’s not you, really.
CONNIE
Well, is it something you want to
talk about?
LUCY
I don’t know.
CONNIE
Well… I guess it really isn’t any
of my business. I was just… worried. You haven’t seemed yourself today.
LUCY
(sighs)
I don’t think I can talk about it
yet.
CONNIE
Okay. Sorry for bothering you.
LUCY
Oh, you’re not bothering me. I
just… I’m not sure what to say right now.
CONNIE
I understand. Well… I’ll let you
get back to work.
Connie turns to go. Music begins.
LUCY
Connie?
CONNIE
Yes?
LUCY
Have you ever felt like you had no
control over your life, and that everything you did to make the situation you
were in better didn’t do anything?
CONNIE
Mm-hmm. Probably more times than
I’d like to remember. Is that what’s been on your mind?
LUCY
Kind of.
CONNIE
Well, I know whenever I’ve felt
that way, it’s always helped me to know that God was there with me, guiding me
– even if I couldn’t see it at the time. He was always there – even when it
seemed like my life was coming to an end. Even after I had given my best and my
best wasn’t good enough. Even when I felt as though I had failed. And I
remember during those times what brought me the most comfort was God’s promise
that His grace was enough for me. He was all I really needed. I think sometimes
we forget that God is ultimately all we need in this life. Sure, we need food
and clothing and shelter, but all of these things ultimately come from God.
I’ve found in my own life that it was only after I had seemed to lose
everything that I thought I needed when I was finally able to rely on God and
to trust Him with everything.
LUCY
It sounds so easy, but it doesn’t
feel all that easy when it comes to real life.
CONNIE
Well, admitting you’re weaker than
you’d like to be is never an easy thing. I know. But when I find myself in a
place where I’m weak and there’s nothing I can do, I take comfort in the words
that God spoke to the apostle Paul when he was going through a time of
hardship. After pleading with God to take away this hardship, God spoke to Paul
and said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Later, Paul writes, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Music takes over and brings us to
the next scene.
Scene 8: In the Park Again
(Jack, Bernard)
Music slowly fades out. Jack is
taking a walk through the park, feeling discouraged.
JACK
(talking to
himself)
Well… here I am. Two weeks into
this new job. It doesn’t pay anything close to what I need, but I’ve got to
start somewhere. I just… I just don’t understand. I had everything worked out.
The job at Sanderson would have given us more than enough to pay back our debt.
But no, it had to fall through, didn’t it?
(sighs)
Why would God lead us back to
Odyssey if he wasn’t going to make a way for us to survive?
(beat)
Why am I still talking to myself?
Bernard happens to be standing
nearby and speaks.
BERNARD
Maybe you’d be a little more
hesitant to if you knew you had an audience.
JACK
(surprised)
What? Oh, hi, Mr. Walton. How much
of that did you hear?
BERNARD
Well, not very much, but enough to
get the picture that you’re not having a very good day.
JACK
You could say that again.
BERNARD
What’s wrong?
JACK
Oh, it’s really not that big of a
deal.
BERNARD
(skeptical)
Really… well, if the look on your
face indicates anything, then whatever it is really is a big deal…at least to
you.
JACK
I guess it is.
BERNARD
So, as I already asked, what’s
wrong?
JACK
(beat)
Okay… it’s just… well, things
didn’t work out exactly the way I had hoped at Sanderson’s.
BERNARD
“Not exactly.” You mean you forgot
to shower before you went over there, or you spilled hot coffee all over the
big guy?
JACK
“Not exactly” meaning… I didn’t get
the job.
BERNARD
Oh, I see. So you might say that
you’ve got yourself in this situation now because you put all your eggs into
one basket.
(Grunts and
begins muttering) Just start calling me Bernard Cliché Walton.
JACK
Huh?
BERNARD
Uh, nothing.
JACK
Pigs in a blanket, eh? Yeah, I
guess that could be one way of looking at it.
BERNARD
Uh, actually, that would be eggs in
a basket, but that wasn’t really the point…
JACK
I’ve got a new job now at Heineke’s
Candy Shop, but it doesn’t pay nearly as much as I had hoped.
BERNARD
It’s a good job, isn’t it?
JACK
It is. It’s just…
BERNARD
You need the extra money.
JACK
Yeah. And this job has it so that
I’m working different hours than Lucy is. I work earlier, and she works later… now
that her newspaper job is starting to do well. I feel like I haven’t talked to
her in two weeks.
BERNARD
Is she working right now?
JACK
No. I just decided I needed to go
take a walk. I was getting frustrated about all of this.
BERNARD
Well… have you asked God what he
thinks about the whole thing?
JACK
Kind of. Well… mostly I guess I’ve
just complained to Him about the job falling through at Sanderson’s.
BERNARD
Well, maybe you should stop
complaining and ask Him what He thinks.
JACK
(thinking)
Hmm…
BERNARD
You know, Jack. It sounds to me
like God’s been trying to get your attention.
JACK
What do you mean?
BERNARD
It seems like you’ve been trusting
in this job at Sanderson’s more than you’ve been trusting in God.
JACK
(slightly
irritated)
What – so what are you saying? –
God caused me to not get the job just because he wanted to get my attention?
BERNARD
(slightly
irritated)
I’m not saying that, but I am
saying that now that you’ve apparently lost everything you thought you needed,
it might be a good time to start trusting God.
JACK
Oh.
BERNARD
Now, I’m not trying to make any
accusations here...
JACK
…but you’re going to anyway.
BERNARD
Well, of course. You can tell me if
I’m wrong, but it seems to me like you’ve been so caught up with this job and
how getting this job would take care of your needs, that you’ve forgotten that
God’s actually the one who takes care of what you need.
JACK
I know that God takes care of our
needs… I just… I just don’t understand why God couldn’t have made this job
work.
BERNARD
Well, maybe God knows something
that you don’t know right now.
JACK
Like what?
BERNARD
Maybe you should ask Him.
JACK
(thinking)
Hmm…
BERNARD
Yeah, well, I wish you would have
told all of us about this sooner, Jack. That way we could, you know, bear each
other’s burdens.
JACK
Bear each other’s burdens?
BERNARD
Yeah. There’s no sense in keeping
all of our problems locked up inside of us, you know. How will we know how to
pray for each other if we never tell anyone what our needs are?
JACK
(thinking)
Hmm… you know… what you said just
now actually made a lot of sense.
BERNARD
Well, I guess I’ll take that as a
compliment. I’m glad you were able to make some sense of it, because to be
honest I’m not really sure of half of what I just said.
JACK
It made sense. Thanks.
Jack turns to go.
BERNARD
You’re welcome… I think.
(to
himself)
This is probably the first time
anyone’s ever thanked me for a scolding.
(calling to
Jack)
Hey, where are you headed now?
JACK
(calling
back)
I’m gonna go find Lucy so we can
pray about this together.
BERNARD
(to
himself)
Well, that’s the most sense I’ve
heard all day… more sense than standing around in the park talking to yourself.
Scene 9: In the Apartment
(Jack, Lucy)
Jack walks into the apartment. He
opens the door and closes it behind him.
JACK
Lucy?
Music starts. It is “worried.”
LUCY
Jack, you’re back.
JACK
Oh, there you are.
LUCY
I’ve been trying to call you. I
couldn’t get a hold of you on your cell phone.
JACK
Sorry. I think the battery must be
dead. What’s wrong?
LUCY
You need to call your mother right
away.
JACK
What? Why?
LUCY
It’s about your grandma. She was
having a procedure done and the doctors noticed what looks like a brain tumor.
They don’t think she has much longer to live.
JACK
(in shock)
No.
(beat)
I need to go back to Texas and be
with them. I need to call my boss and let him know I’ll be gone for a while.
LUCY
Will he let you leave like that? So
soon after hiring you?
JACK
I don’t know if he will or not. I
have to go either way. I’ll call him.
LUCY
After you call your mother.
JACK
(sighs
deeply)
Yes.
Dramatic music takes over and ends
this scene.
Scene 10: In Jezebel’s Palace
(Guard, Jezebel)
(Guard, Jezebel)
GUARD
My Queen.
JEZEBEL
Speak.
GUARD
It is as your messenger said. Elijah was in fact staying at that
particular inn.
JEZEBEL
Well? Did you capture him and bring him back here so that I can
do away with him?
GUARD
Well, we would have if he had been there. It appears that he and
his servant decided to run for their lives before we arrived. We do not know
where they went.
JEZEBEL
(angry)
Then go and find out! Send out search parties to retrieve them.
Ask the people in the market place if any of them saw Elijah leave and what
direction he was going in when he did. We must find him as soon as possible! We
will not rest until Elijah is dead!
Score becomes dramatic and carries into next scene.
Scene 11: On a Dirt Path outside Ancient Beersheba
(Narrator, Elijah, Benjamin)
NARRATOR
So Elijah ran for his life. Both he and his servant fled the
city of Jezreel in order to escape the wrath of Queen Jezebel. They headed
south until they came to a place in Judah named Beersheba.
ELIJAH
This is where you must stay, Benjamin. You should be safe here.
Just make sure you don’t tell anyone whose servant you are.
BENJAMIN
But Master, where are you going?
ELIJAH
I must leave this place. It’s not safe for me here anymore.
BENJAMIN
But I need to go with you.
ELIJAH
No, Benjamin. This is too dangerous for a boy like you. You must
stay here. It will be safe here for you as long as you don’t tell anyone that
you know me.
BENJAMIN
But Master… I… I can’t leave you.
ELIJAH
You must leave me Benjamin. If I am to be killed, I cannot allow
you to be killed with me.
BENJAMIN
I would rather die than leave you.
ELIJAH
(pause)
I know you would Benjamin. You have stayed at my side in good
times and bad… but these times are very bad, and I do not believe it is your
time yet, even if I am to be killed, you must stay here. God will use you here
if you have a willing heart. But now I must leave you.
BENJAMIN
(pause)
Yes, Master.
ELIJAH
You are a good servant. Keep alert and on the watch. Farewell.
Elijah walks away down the dirt path alone.
BENJAMIN
(to himself)
Good-bye, Elijah.
The score here sounds like Arabian Desert music. – This leads
into the next scene.
Scene 12: In the Apartment Again
(Jack)
JACK
(on the phone)
Mm-hmm.
(beat)
Yeah, mom.
(beat)
I’ll be there.
(beat)
I don’t know if Lucy can come too or not. Her newspaper is just
getting started and…
(beat)
Yeah.
(beat)
Yeah, I know.
(beat)
I understand.
(beat)
Okay.
(beat)
Okay.
(beat)
I’ll talk you more later.
(beat)
I love you, too.
(beat)
Bye.
Phone beeps.
JACK (CONT’D)
(sighs deeply)
Well… it looks like I’ll be going back to Texas after all.
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