10 MINUTE PLAY

10 MINUTE PLAY

Monet’s Destiny

[CRISS cleans stables while KYLA, CYNTHIA, and VIKTOR walk over]

CYNTHIA

I expect that your work is that of a professional, boy.

CRISS

Yes, ma’am.

KYLA

I think he’s doing just as well as Father did.

[CRISS looks up, a blush appearing on his cheeks before returning to work]

VIKTOR

Ha, this punk?

CYNTHIA

Silence, Kyla, and go finish your lessons. Viktor, make sure she does them well.

KYLA

Yes, Mother.

[KYLA and VIKTOR leave after glancing at CRISS.]

CYNTHIA

And now, boy, I will be in America for one month. I expect the stable to be flawless upon my return. [Walking towards CRISS] And no late nights with Kyla. [Standing in front of CRISS] Look at me.

[CRISS glances up.]

CRISS

That wouldn’t happen, ma’am.

CYNTHIA

[Jerking CRISS’S chin up to be face-to-face with him]

You are not to be near her. You are not to talk to her. You are not even to talk ABOUT her, understood?

CRISS

[Whispering]

Yes, ma’am.

CYNTHIA

Good, now get back to work. [Releasing CRISS’S chin roughly]

[Hours pass before CYNTHIA leaves for America . KYLA quietly sneaks to the barn.]

KYLA

[Knocking softly on the door]

Criss, are you awake?

[CRISS opens one of the two large doors and lightly pulls KYLA forward. He holds her.]

KYLA

Do you think she’ll ever accept this?

CRISS

[Lifting KYLA’S chin]

I don’t know, Ky.

KYLA

I’m sorry about my mother being cruel to y-

[CRISS lowers his head and his lips brush against KYLA’S.]

CRISS

C’mon. [Putting his arm over KYLA’S shoulders and walking to a nearby stall]

KYLA

How’s my horse?

CRISS

Her leg healed much faster than anyone expected. [Opening a stall door]

KYLA

Hey, girl. [Petting MONET’S DESTINY on the head]

[A few moments later, CRISS and KYLA walk out of the stable. CRISS closes the door.]

CRISS

You should probably get going.

KYLA

I suppose…Criss?

CRISS

[Starting to walk forward]

Hm?

[KYLA puts her hands on the back of CRISS’S head and kisses him deeply. CRISS returns the kiss while moving towards a bale of hay. KYLA falls on her back with CRISS on top of her and breaks the kiss by giggling.]

CRISS

Why are you giggling?

KYLA

[Still giggling]

I’m sorry! I just-

[KYLA’S uncontrolled laughter rubs off on CRISS and they unknowingly wake up a worker in the house. The WORKER walks to the stable.]

WORKER

[Opening stable door]

What’s going on out here?

[CRISS doesn’t get up in time and the WORKER catches them.]

WORKER

Well, well…

CRISS

Can you just pretend you didn’t see that?

KYLA

Please?

WORKER

Well you know that Miss Cynthia doesn’t like Criss to have interactions with her daughter. I could lose everything for keeping it from her.

CRISS

She’ll never find out if you don’t say anything.

WORKER

I cannot risk it.

[KYLA moves forward from behind CRISS to confront the WORKER.]

KYLA

Listen, I could make you lose just as much right here, right now.

WORKER

Miss Kyla, you know your mother doesn’t trust you with that responsibility anymore after hearing about you two so many times. I don’t have a choice. If she found out that I kept something as big as this from her, Miss Cynthia wouldn’t let me work here anymore. This is my home, too, you know. If she kicked me out and fired me, where would I go?

CRISS

Listen, man, she doesn’t have to know! We’re not going to tell. You’re not going to tell. It’s as simple as that.

KYLA

Just…please?

WORKER

[Sighing]

How would I know Miss Cynthia would not find out I kept something from her? How can you two reassure me she won’t send Vi-

CRISS

It really is as simple as I said. Cynthia doesn’t have to know. All you have to do is keep your mouth shut. You won’t have to worry about us because…well, I think that’s pretty obvious. She’ll knock us out if she knew!

WORKER

I don’t know…

KYLA

What’s not to know for us three? The only thing people shouldn’t know about is this.

WORKER

I-

CRISS

What if Kyla paid you something? Just to keep your mouth closed about this.

[KYLA gladly grabs a pouch from her jacket’s front pocket and poured the contents in the WORKER’S outstretched hands.]

WORKER

Wow…

CRISS

So do we have a deal?

WORKER

Yes!

KYLA

Thank you!

[KYLA runs up to the WORKER and hugs him.]

WORKER

I-It’s really no big deal for me, but Miss Kyla, it’s late. You really should return to the house.

KYLA

Yes, I suppose. I’ll see you tomorrow, Criss.

[KYLA waves goodbye CRISS and walks with the WORKER back into the house. In the morning, a different worker, MICHELLE, knocks before entering KYLA’S bedroom.]

MICHELLE

Miss Kyla?

KYLA

Huh? Oh, hi, Michelle.

MICHELLE

Miss Kyla, your mother would like to speak with you.

[KYLA and MICHELLE leave KYLA’S bedroom, walking downstairs. KYLA walks to the telephone in the living room while MICHELLE leaves to the kitchen and resumes making breakfast.]

KYLA

[to phone] Hello? …What do you mean? …Who? …Well I want to know who lied to you, Mother. I didn’t see Criss last night. …No, you can’t do that! …No, wait!

[KYLA slams the phone down and runs outside to the barn, opening the door.]

KYLA

Criss, where are you?

[CRISS comes out of MONET’S DESTINY’S stall.]

CRISS

Kyla-

KYLA

He told her.

CRISS

What? Who?

KYLA

[speaking fast] The worker from last night that caught us! He told my mother! She just called and said “I told him to stay away from you!” And that a worker called her early this morning and told her that you were on top of me and said that she was going to have Viktor “take care of you.” If she meant you or me, I don’t know, Criss, but she’s going to blow this way out of proportion.

CRISS

Kyla, slow down. It’ll be okay.

KYLA

No, it won’t! Didn’t you hear what I just said? You need to get out of here!

CRISS

But what if she meant “take care of YOU,” Kyla? What will happen if I’m gone and I can’t stop Viktor from hurting you?

KYLA

I…

CRISS

You’ll be coming with me, then?

KYLA

[crossing her arms and hugging herself]

I don’t know, Criss.

CRISS

Well, then I’m staying.

KYLA

You can’t!

CRISS

And you think you can?

KYLA

What’s that supposed to mean?

CRISS

Ky, you know how Viktor gets. Didn’t you see what he did to Michelle a few months back? He left those bruises on her for a week just because she spilled his afternoon coffee! He’s never liked me so this will be something he’ll look forward to, and I know about that time he beat you and that your mother didn’t do a damn thing about it, Kyla, because even SHE fears him so there’s no reason he won’t do anything serious now that it’s the both of us. All I’m trying to say is that it’s not safe…so are we leaving or staying?

KYLA

We’ll…[sighs] Criss, we’re leaving. I guess there really isn’t a reason to stay.

CRISS

Great. So let’s get going.

KYLA

What? Already?

CRISS

Well, do you really want to stay here longer? I mean, do you really want to wait until he gets here?

KYLA

Yeah, I guess not. So let’s-

[VIKTOR slams the barn door open and walks to KYLA and CRISS. CRISS stands in front of KYLA protectively.]

CRISS

[glaring]

What the hell do you want?

VIKTOR

[cracking his knuckles]

I’m here to take care of you two brats. [chuckling]

CRISS

[whispering to KYLA]

Get out of here. Use the back door in Monet’s Destiny’s stall.

KYLA

Criss, you have to leave, too!

CRISS

Just go! [pushing KYLA roughly to MONET’S DESTINY’S stall door.]

[KYLA looks at CRISS with a worried look before walking into MONET’S DESTINY’S stall and bringing the horse with her out the back door and to the end of the pasture. VIKTOR tries to stop them, but CRISS blocks his way.]

VIKTOR

Oh, so you’re thinking about letting that little b**** escape, are you? I don’t think so.

CRISS

Just leave her be. She didn’t do a damn thing. Don’t you think you’ve hurt her enough anyway? Her father’s dead because of you, you bastard!

VIKTOR

Yeah, but no one ‘cept you and Cynthia know that, boy. I think I might have to change that. [chuckling louder than before] You’ve kept it a secret long enough just so you would have a place to stay, but I’m sure you’re just dyin’ to scream it out, ain’t you? The only reason Cynthia kept you ‘round was ‘cause she didn’t want you tellin’ the whole world ‘bout what I did. She should’ve just let me do what I’m about to do all those years ago. [chuckling again and now whispering] That’s why I’m good for Cynthia. I make people do what Cynthia wants through fear.

[VIKTOR advances quickly to CRISS, tackling him to the floor. VIKTOR manages to get his hands around CRISS’S neck, but CRISS kicks VIKTOR’S stomach, causing him to momentarily release CRISS’S neck. It was enough time for CRISS to get out from underneath VIKTOR.]

VIKTOR

Son of a-

[VIKTOR grasps CRISS’S right leg, pulls him back, and reaches to grab CRISS’S neck again. CRISS shifts his body and kicks VIKTOR straight in the face, breaking VIKTOR’S nose. VIKTOR releases CRISS and grabs his nose. CRISS looks around hurriedly before dashing to a side wall of the barn and grabbing a shovel.]

VIKTOR

You wouldn’t-

CRISS

Oh, just shut up already!

[CRISS hits VIKTOR on the side of the head with the shovel and knocks him out. He rushes to the back door in MONET’S DESTINY’S stall, finding KYLA walking around in a circle at the far end of the pasture. CRISS runs to her.]

CRISS

Hey, Kyla! We’ve gotta get outta here! Viktor’s unconscious right now…Where’s Monet’s Destiny?

KYLA

[looking surprised]

How did you manage to do that? She’s in the back pasture.

CRISS

Oh, just a shovel.

KYLA

A shovel?

CRISS

Yeah, well…C’mon, let’s go.

[CRISS put his arm around KYLA’S shoulders, and they walk to the back pasture, soon leaving the barn behind and heading out to the empty street. BLACKOUT.]