Blue Hair


The curtains open up to reveal the interior of a dimly lit house. The light is gold and taints the two rooms that occupy the stage. One third of the stage is a room painted in blue with silver stars on the roof. A floor-to-ceiling window forms the back wall. The window is actually a screen, everything ‘outside’ can be seen on the screen. A queen-sized bed occupies the left wall, and a desk and chest take up the space on the right wall. On the desk there is a small desk-lamp, which illuminates only a spot of the desk. The left wall is adorned with two lamps and in front of the bed there is another lamp, all of which are yellow. They provide little light but make for a cozy ambience. During the day, sunshine enters the room from the large window. Through the window one can see the higher branches of a tree. The branches are pressed against the window. In the middle of the room there is a low table with cushions around it and snow globe on top. Inside the snow globe there is a sailing ship and when the globe is shaken, the ship tumbles around as if in a storm. This is Lucy’s room.

The right wall of the room divides the stage and one can pass from Lucy’s room to the living/ dining room by the door. In the living and dining room there are a couch and an armchair on the left wall in front of which are a low table and a second couch. This area forms the living room. On the right, a hanging light lights up a long, wooden table parallel to the spectators. Behind this table a hallway leads into the house and some doors are noticeable. These doors will provide entrances and exits for actors. The hallway lights darken as they go deeper in the house. The living room is well lit, with an array of lamps near the couches and armchair. There are many of them but they do not crowd and fit in together. On the right wall of this room is a second door through which entrances are made.

At the beginning of the play, only the light in front of Lucy’s bed, two lamps near the couches and the hanging light are on. One can tell it is nearly night because the light through the window is dusk-blue. There is soft music, a barely noticeable thrum of violins play.

A woman, Lucy, walks in from the side of the stage, not through any door, and stops in front of the wall separating her room and the living and dining room. She has bright blue hair, dark eyes and is slim. She is dressed in casual elegance and speaks smoothly with little emotion.

Lucy: It’s been a longtimee since I’ve come back to this house, where so much happened. Back then, the United States were living in atimee of peace and joy, where life was simple and problems were easy to solve. It seems to me all those days were sunlit be they spring, summer, autumn or winter. The neighborhood where we lived was a picturesque, typically American neighborhood: straight lanes with identical houses lined up. Each house would have a touch of originality to distinguish it from the rest, each family was slightly different, but on the whole everyone was similar and for that reason, everyone got on well.

Our lives were contained in that neighborhood, with school, family and friends. The problems of the country or the world were far away and the only way we became aware of them was the occasional bake sale or T.V newscast. The greatest problems we ever knew were the sporadic sprained wrist or broken leg. Until my sister that is.

Today, I have the power to thrust you all back into the past, my past, and my memories. They are influenced by my emotions, my regrets and my thoughts and therefore not as realistic or objective as they should be.

My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Evans are both from the neighborhood, born and bred. My sister, Kaitlin, or Kate for short, is one of the popular girls at school but that doesn’t make her condescending with non-popular people. She was fifteen and on her way to ‘real life’ as she called it. And then there’s me, little Lucy, thirteen years old, not particularly special, nor boring, nor nice, nor mean, just regular Lucy. There is one more character, who will not appear but who will play a great role. As you will discover, he is honest, kind, caring, and objective. He is the representation of truth and hope in a world of lies and half-lies.

Our family lived peacefully, not particularly close but I don’t think any of us could have lived if a member of the family left. Everything changed when my sister was diagnosed with kidney cancer. At this point, my sister has already had every type or therapy there is in an attempt to get rid of her cancer. After the second year of therapy, we thought it was over but it wasn’t and from then it just got worse. Until this night that offered my parents a sparkle of hope.


Lucy disappears behind the curtain, the lights are turned off so the stage is plunged into obscurity and slowly, the lights in the hallway are lit up until eventually, the lights in the living and dining room are alit. There is no light in Lucy’s room except the moonlight flooding in from her window. As the lights come on, the audience sees Lucy, kneeling with her back to the audience, in front of the window. This younger version of Lucy has flowing, black hair and is thin, nearly bony. Suddenly, the doorbell rings and she rises, as if in a dream, to answer the door. Mr. and Mrs. Evans enter, preoccupied, with a bald girl, Kaitlin, following them, head bowed. Kate too is thin but there is an adult elegance to the way she walks in resignedly. Despite her baldness, her brow does not seem endless, limited by thin arching eyebrows over blue eyes. Kate goes down the hallway with no word to her sister, and their parents sit on the couches. Mr. Evans is a tall, sturdy man. He has stubble, thick eyebrows and dark hair. His face is square like the rest of his body. Mrs. Evans is slim, her dark hair in a bun at the nape of her neck. Her face is pinched and anxious, worry lines creasing her brow and the sides of her mouth. Lucy closes the door and stares at them. They gesture at her to sit down in front of them. The only light is the lamp sitting on the low table in the living room.

Scene 1

Mrs. Evans (softly): Come here, Lucy. (Lucy sits down) Your sister’s condition is getting worse.
Mr. Evans: But the doctor believes there may be hope. It demands, however, a huge sacrifice.
Lucy: I’m sure Kate will be able to get through it, to get better.
Mr. Evans: We wouldn’t ask you to do this if we weren’t sure there was no other way.
Mrs. Evans: Kate is so hopeful.
Mr. Evans: The risks are minimal.
Lucy (frustrated, resigned and brusquely): What do you want from me?
(Pause, the parents look at each other nervously)
Mr. Evans: More therapy won’t help Kate; she is too weak. The cancer has grown too much, too fast. The only way to save her is an organ transplant.
Mrs. Evans: The donated kidney has to fit with her body, therefore the donor and the person receiving the organ have to have identical blood type. The donor has to be healthy. She can only wait a month before receiving the organ.
Lucy: And you’re hoping I’ll…
Mr. Evans: We have no choice. The risks, as I said, are minimal. You would miss three months of school. There are nearly no chances you would suffer pains or illnesses afterwards.
Lucy: What if I decide not to?
Mrs. Evans (forcefully): There is no reason why you shouldn’t donate. Why would you even consider not donating?
Lucy (angry): Well, maybe because ¬–
Mr. Evans: There is no other way. It’s late. Go to bed.

Lucy stands up, kisses her parents good night, and walks stiffly to her room where she closes her door. She kneels in front of her window again and stares outside. Her parents sit quietly then smile as if to say, ‘everything will be all right’. They turn off the lights and walk down the hallway. As they disappear through a door, Kate appears from another. She is dressed casually, in jeans and a shirt. She walks to Lucy’s room, and enters without knocking. As she enters, the lights in the hallway are extinguished. Lucy doesn’t move and Kate sits on one of the cushions. She takes the snow globe and shakes it, so the little ship tumbles around the globe.

Kate: I’m sorry. (Pause) They didn’t ask me what I thought about it but the doctors told me all about it. It doesn’t seem too bad. (Pauses again) I can tell you about it, if you want.
A couple seconds go by, and Lucy nods her head.
Lucy: Okay.
Kate: You have two kidneys and your body can work with only one. Kidney transplants are some of the most common because you can donate a kidney both alive and dead within a limited period –
Lucy: I know; we did this in science already.
Kate: Anyways, you don’t die of it. You skip three months of school. In the best cases, you won’t suffer any nuisance. Otherwise you might have pains in the kidney area and puke fromtimee totimee with no obvious reason. The pains and illnesses would last all your life. It could be a limit–
Lucy: – And in the worst of cases?
Kate: Well, you could need another surgery. Or you might need a transplant yourself. (A long pause, as both girls digest this information) I’ve been through so much. I don’t know if my life afterwards would be the same. I’ve been sick so long… I want my life back.
Lucy: I don’t want you to die. I wouldn’t ever let you die if I could stop it –
Kate: –You can, though –
Lucy: But I don’t want to have problems my whole life. I don’t know. I’m sorry.
Kate: Yeah, I am too. (Furious) I just don’t get why you wouldn’t!

Lucy sits by the window, oblivious to her sister’s presence, until Kate leaves with no word. A flute solo rises melancholically as Kate disappears down the still-dark hallway. Lucy opens her window and peers over the edge into the branches of the tree. As she turns around towards her bed, she smiles faintly and the curtains close.


























Scene 2


Lucy room is dark and slowly, white light proceeding from her window-screen lights up the room. The window-screen is a replica of a telephone screen, with the menu, contact list and options at the bottom of the screen, the wifi connection, unread messages at the top of the screen and bright image of Lucy and a boy in the middle.

Lucy’s silhouette can be seen sitting in front of the screen, hunched over something on her lap: her telephone. On the window screen, words pop up: “New Message from Sam. Open now?” The message opens up and the words scroll down the screen: “Hey Luce, how come u aren’t answering? I’m worried.”

There’s a long pause and the light from the window-screen starts fading. Suddenly, Lucy closes the message, opens her contacts, and finds Sam’s number and calls. The telephone screen image on the window-screen is replaced by the night sky and a small golden lamp on Lucy’s desk starts glowing gold. Ringing tones can be heard.

Sam (a soft, husky voice): Lucy?
Lucy (low and sad): Yeah… Look, I’m sorry–
Sam: I thought you were angry at me, I–
Lucy: It’s not us; it’s Kate.
Sam: Oh. I’m sorry, what’s wrong? I thought chemo was working fine.
Lucy: Apparently, it’s not. (There is a long silence). Mom and Dad came back from the hospital and told me… The doctors say there’s only one way to save Kate. They said I had to donate a kidney.
Sam: Oh.
Lucy (jokingly): Yeah, that pretty much sums it up.
Sam: So what are you going to do?
Lucy: My parents think it’s all arranged.
Sam: That’s not an answer.
Lucy (angrily): They didn’t even tell me what it would to me! They said there was a ‘low probability of later nuisances’! What’s that supposed to mean?
Sam (flatly): You don’t want to do it, do you?
Lucy (resignedly): No, I don’t. Because for the past year it’s always been Kate this, Kate that, Kate’s the center of attention and when thetimee comes that I’m actually needed, they take me for granted. Because they’re not being honest with me. Because I’m afraid that if I become her donor everyone’s going to remember me as the first donor here. I’m afraid I’ll lose who I am.
Sam (after a long pause during which the only thing hear is their breathing): Lucy, you are who are and no one, nothing, can change that.
Lucy: But what if I do change, what if¬¬–
Sam: Look, I’ll do some research, find out what the risks really are and then I’ll get back to you. You’re not going to be able to come to school for a while, right?
Lucy: I’d forgotten about that.
Sam: I’ll send the work over. I have to go.
Lucy: Thanks. See you.


There’s a small ‘bip’ as the call is ended and with it comes impenetrable darkness. Through the darkness, Lucy’s small, desperate voice can be heard one lasttimee.

Lucy: But what if I do change?





Scene 3


None of the lights in the hallway or living and dining room are on. The only source of light is the morning light filtering through Lucy’s window. Lucy is standing to the side of the window so the audience has a clear view of it. Chirping sounds are heard. The adult-Lucy appears on the side of the stage and waves her hand at the screen. The screen zooms into a tree branch. The edges of the screen are blurry and only the nest on the tree branch is perfectly clear. In the nest there is one baby bird. It is small, fat and covered in duvet. When it chirps for food, the intense red of his throat can be seen. The adult-Lucy disappears behind the curtain as young-Lucy turns towards the audience and smiles.

On the screen, the mother bird arrives with food in her beak and the baby bird swallows it down before screeching for more.

Lucy turns back towards the audience and sighs.

Lucy (resignedly): What am I supposed to do?


The light in her room darkens as she kneels down and lights in the hallway and living room light up. Mrs. and Mr. Evans are walking groggily towards the dining room where two bowls and a box of cereal are sitting. They pour the cereal in their bowls, add milk, and start eating. After the second spoonful, Mr. Evans drops his spoon and pushes the bowl away. Mrs. Evans looks at him strangely.

Mrs. Evans: What’s wrong?
Mr. Evans: Lucy. We are doing the right thing, right? In making her donate a kidney, I mean.
Mrs. Evans (In a reproaching tone): Of course! Would you let Kate die? After all she’s been through, she deserves to live a good life.
Mr. Evans (In a hesitating voice): Even if it means Lucy would live a half-life? We haven’t told her all the consequences. How can she decide?
Mrs. Evans (In a teacher’s explanatory voice): She doesn’t need to decide. We’ve decided. Imagine: if she decided not to donate, she would be murdering her own sister. We’re saving Kate from death and we’re saving Lucy from being a murderer.
Mr. Evans (As if trying to convince himself): Yes. They’ll both live. I’ll tell Lucy she’ll have to take some tests at the hospital to make sure everything will be all right.
Mrs. Evans: I know it’s hard, but everything will be all right.


Mr. Evans stands up and goes to Lucy’s room, knocks and waits for the door to open. Meanwhile, Mrs. Evans makes a show of eating her cereal, and looks at Lucy’s stone face when she opens the door. The lights in the dining and living room turn off. Mrs. Evans gets up and walks down the dimly lit hallway. When she disappears, the lights in the hallway also turn off. In Lucy’s room, the curtains have been pulled close but all the lights are on.

Mr. Evans: You’re going to have to go the hospital to take some tests. You’ll accompany Kate so you can meet her doctor. He’ll be the one to do the surgery.
Lucy (On the defensive): Why take the tests? I haven’t even agreed to this.
Mr. Evans: The tests will confirm that you are in good health and that your body will successfully recover. And meeting the doctors will help you.
Lucy (loud): I haven’t agreed. It’s my body and I’ll do what I want with it!
Mr. Evans (brusquely): Why would you even consider not donating? Do you realize that if you don’t agree she’ll die? You’ll go to the hospital tomorrow.


He stands up and leaves. As he rushes out, the small table is knocked over and the snow globe falls. The ship tumbles around and only quiets down when Lucy sets it back on the table. All the lights except the light in the desk are turned off.

As Mr. Evans goes out Kate appears and they both sit down in the living room. The lamps surrounding the couches are lit. The adult-Lucy appears, gestures, and soft, hopeful music sounds.

Kate (quietly): I don’t want to force Lucy to do it. I know she’s hesitating.
Mr. Evans (soothingly): No, she isn’t. She loves you. She wouldn’t ever hurt you. However indirectly.
Kate: All this is going to end. I’m going to live a normal life.
Mr. Evans: Yes, Katie. Once upon atimee…
Kate: There was a princess who had cancer…
Mr. Evans: But after a kidney transplant¬ –
Kate (giggling): That never happens in princess stories!
Mr. Evans: After a huge sacrifice from her brave sister¬ –
Lucy (at her half-opened door): She lived happily ever after. (Silence, as both Mr. Evans and Kate stare at Lucy. All lights are turned off except a desk lamp in the living room. The light is tinged with red so that the ambience has gone from cozy to ominous). There’s something you’re not telling me. Why is it a huge sacrifice? You just said (pointing at her father) that I’d miss school and wouldn’t be bothered afterwards. But you’re not saying everything. Kate said (pointing at her sister but staring at her father) that I would probably suffer afterwards and that in the worst of cases –
Kate: Only in the worst of cases, Lucy–
Lucy: I could need a transplant myself. Or surgery. I don’t want that.
Kate (forcefully): I want my life back. I deserve it.
Mr. Evans: If you donate one organ, you’ll both live.
Lucy (almost shrieking in frustration): What aren’t you telling me?
Kate (slowly and quietly, desperately): I just want my life back.


All lights are extinguished and there is a loud boom from a drum followed by the sound of a door slamming. After a minute, in Lucy’s room, there is a small light coming from the snow globe. Lucy’s silhouette is distinguishable, sitting next to the small table, rocking the snow globe. The snow globe light is the only source of light and the rest of the stage are plunged in darkness. A little tinkle can be heard from the orchestra and the curtain closes.























Scene 4


As the curtains open, the window-screen is once more lit up. Thistimee, the scene shown is that of the mother bird pushing the baby out of the nest in order to teach it to fly. The baby bird flaps its wings open but hesitates until its mother nudges it and it falls. It falls and is unable to deploy its wings, Lucy gasps, and the bird manages to slow its fall just as it hits the floor. The mother swoops down, pushes the baby upright but its wings are broken. The mother tries in vain to help it fly back up to the nest but is unsuccessful. Lucy turns to the audience, hands covering her mouth, and runs to her bedroom door, opens it, runs across the house, opens the house door and disappears. Seconds later, on the window-screen, we see Lucy gently picking the bird up, folding the good wing and spreading out the broken wing on her palm. She coos to the bird and disappears from the screen, slowly. The house door opens; Lucy appears, crosses the house and returns to her bedroom. She lays the baby bird on one of the cushions. She goes to the dining room and returns with some soft fruit, which she feeds to the bird.

Suddenly, a phone rings and Lucy leaps to her desk to pick it up. At this point, her bed light, desk light and windows are all lighting the room. She looks at the screen, smiles, and answers while she sits down on one of the cushions, leaning against the low table and looking at the audience.

Lucy: Sam? Hey! I’m sorry I didn’t answer; I was… busy. Well, worried.
Sam (through the speakers around the room; his voice is clear): I know you are.
Lucy (sighing): I don’t even know what to do. You know I don’t want Kaitlin – I don’t want anything to happen to her. But – it’s my body – they won’t even tell me –you know – what’ll happen after I – …
Sam (soothing): Hey, don’t worry; I looked it up. It’s not that bad.
Lucy (demanding): Tell me.
Sam: Three months without school. (jokingly) You’d be so lucky; you’d miss exams and still be able to go into high school.
Lucy: What else?
Sam (slowly and calmly): Pains and illnesses likely during those three months. And maybe afterwards. (He suddenly speaks louder and faster) Look, people don’t really know what happens. There’s a lot of chance involved. For some people, those pains and illnesses last for the rest of their lives, for others it gets better and better and for others it gets worse and worse. Some don’t have them all. There are no statistics that show exactly how many and why.
Lucy: Yeah, okay. Just a day at the casino, huh?
Sam: Yeah, if you don’t gamble much you don’t lose much but you can’t win a lot.
Lucy: So what do I lose and what do I win?
Sam: Well, one thing for sure is that you won’t be able to play certain sports again. Soccer, hockey… (Lucy takes a sharp breath) Obviously you’ll have to be extra-careful with the other one. If it fails you you’ll need surgery or a transplant yourself. But that’s rare.
Lucy: No more soccer? And they didn’t tell me? But it’s my life! And I’m actually good at soccer. (Silence stretches out and the only thing heard is their breathing).
Sam (after a long pause, he suddenly asks): I’m sorry but I have to ask you. Why not?
Lucy: I… because… it’s my body, I want to do what I want with it. They just decided I should do it without asking me. Because for the past year Kate’s been in the spotlight and they’ve completely forgotten I exist. I get it but now they suddenly need and they’re taking me for granted. And I’d be giving up so many things I love, part of my future, part of who I am… What are they saying about me at school? What are they whispering?
Sam (defensively): I don’t listen to whispers.
Lucy: You know the coach just offered me a position as captain of next year’s team? But I don’t want my sister to die. And she would, if I don’t do it. There is no other donor available.
Sam: The doctors. They’ll run tests to make sure you’re willing. If you tell them you’re not then they’ll tell your parents you’re not a suitable match.
Lucy: I can’t kill my own sister.

Lucy looks at the baby bird and caresses it in a motherly way. She sets the bird on her lap and listens to Sam while stroking the bird.
Sam (consolingly): Lucy. I’ll be there. I’ll be with you the wholetimee and I’ll come and see you every day and tell you everything. You’ll make yourself a new life. Remember the other day you told me if you could start again you would’ve gone to school with blue hair? That you’d take gym and acrobatics and be just like the Russian gymnasts at the Olympics? Except that instead of just doing acrobatics you’d sing Katy Perry at the sametimee? You could do that.
Lucy (smiling sadly): You know what? You’re right. I can do that. Thanks Sam.
Sam: I’ll see you later?
Lucy: Yeah, see you. (She hangs up, looks at the audience and says in a melancholic voice.) But what if I don’t want to do that, Sam? What if I don’t want to change? What if I’m happy the way I am?


The bird is still on her lap as Mrs. Evans comes in and Lucy attempts to shield the baby bird from her mother’s sight.

Mrs. Evans (standing at the door, in a severe voice): What if what, Lucy?
Lucy (surprised): Nothing, mom. I’m just fine.
Mrs. Evans: Liar. You still don’t want to donate, do you? Why not, Lucy?
Lucy: Because it’s my body and my health.
Mrs. Evans: You’re afraid of occasional pains and illness? Your sister’s been through that for the past two years!
Lucy (furiously): I’m risking facing that my whole life! On top of missing school and giving up soccer! (desperately) How could you not tell me about that?
Mrs. Evans (In a frustrated tone): You’re afraid of missing three months of school? Katie hasn’t gone to school in a year, has barely seen her friends in a year, she barely knows the outside world anymore. She deserves a new life.
Lucy: A new life? So I’ll be living a half-life and she’ll be living a full life. Kate is who she is and she has the life that she has. If I do this I won’t even be Lucy anymore. I’ll be the-girl-who-saved-Kate.
Mrs. Evans (In an exasperated tone): Why wouldn’t you want to grant her that, Lucy?
Lucy (yelling): She’s been having kidney cancer for two years now and ¬–
Mrs. Evans: Stop shouting! She’ll hear!
Lucy: (through her teeth, seething): This is just going to go on and on. She’s had chemo, not organ transplant but if later she needs something else? Will I have to donate again? What if I need something? Where will I be supposed to get it? Not from Kate, obviously.
Mrs. Evans (threatening): You’ll kill her if you don’t do it.


Mrs. Evans spins around and storms out of the room, the lights in the hallway flash as Mrs. Evans walks out and the lights in Lucy’s room dim to a glow. Lucy is whispering to the bird. She tells him that she will make sure he survives.

Lucy (whispering): I won’t hurt you, little one. I’ll protect you. I’ll save you and you’ll be able to fly again.

The curtains do not close but the lights are extinguished.








Scene 5


The bobbing of a flashlight breaks the darkness of the stage. Kate is walking to Lucy’s room and, without knocking, slips into the room. Both sisters are in their pajamas and this makes them look younger and more vulnerable. However, Kate’s face is a storm of fury, her dark eyes cloudy. Lucy sees this and immediately her face is set, as if made of rock. Her voice is cold and unemotional whereas Kate’s is filled with anger, fear, and desperation.

Lucy: What do you want, now?
Kate: I want you to give me your kidney.
Lucy: I said, no.
Kate: Why not? It’s not like you’ll die if you do it! I will if you don’t!
Lucy: Yeah, you will, but if I do it we’ll both suffer afterwards. I’d be giving up my dreams and hopes, Kate! Just when the future is starting to look at me, I’m supposed to turn around and say no!
Kate: I’ve had to do that! How come you can’t?
Lucy: Because I don’t want to! When you did it you did it because you wanted to survive and have the chance of meeting the future. When I do it, I’ll be doing it for you!
Kate: Seriously? You’re not donating because it would mean donating to me? And, Lucy, just because you donate doesn’t mean you’re saying good-bye to the future, it just means you’re postponing it.
Lucy: I’d be losing my dreams and hopes and half of who I am.
Kate: You’d be able to start again.
Lucy: I’m happy the way I am, the way my life is, Kate! How can you expect me to give that up?
Kate: I’m not expecting anything! Like you, I’m dreaming and I’m hoping!
Lucy (in an acid voice): Look, for the past two years, Mom and Dad have forgotten I exist. Now comes thetimee you guys need me and you’re taking me for granted. It’s like during the past two years nothing has happened to me. But you see, that’s the problem, things have happened. Good things have happened. Things that I don’t want to give up. I have friends. I’m not popular like you are, but I have real friends. I have a boyfriend. You didn’t know that did you? I have good grades and good prospects. I even have a future in soccer! I’m sorry but the way I see it, I love you Kate. But I have a future, and I’m afraid, Kate. I’m sorry.
Kate (sourly): Two years ago I would have said the same thing. (In a curious tone) I wonder how it’ll be.
Lucy (In a broken voice): Kate, please¬– I’m sorry…
Kate (smiling sadly): So am I, Lucy, so am I.



















































Scene 6


The adult-Lucy appears in front of the wall separating Lucy’s room from the rest of the house, turns one of the couch lights on and signals for music. The music is a soft, mournful hum and the higher notes falter.

Lucy: That was how the arguments in the house started. My mother was convinced I didn’t want to donate out of vengefulness. She was worried and stressed for Katie, whom she had always adored. She didn’t understand that we all suffered for Kate. My father, in his quiet way, consoled Kate but also had a limited understanding of my perspective. Kate just wanted to have a normal life, wanted to be able to go back to school without wondering if she’d have to be rushed to the hospital. She didn’t understand why I hesitated. In a way, I didn’t understand why I didn’t want to. (lets reader make assumption for himself, instinct would probably be defeated by reason in this case)



Adult-Lucy turns the couch light off then turns Lucy’s desk light on, gestures for the music to stop and, holding a finger over her lips and saying ‘shh’ to the audience, she silently walks out.

In Lucy’s room, we see her kneeling next to the cushion where she keeps the bird. She is feeding him some fruit. No light comes through the window. Lucy’s kneeling silhouette and the bird’s silhouette –pecking at the food offered, wing twisted behind him– are projected on the window-screen. Every once in a while, Lucy stops feeding it and checks its wing, twisted at a bizarre angle. She then takes the snow globe and shakes it so the bird looks at it. The snow globe appears on the screen. Suddenly, the lights in the dining and living room flash on and Lucy’s parents can be heard arguing.

Mr. Evans: I just want what’s best for our daughter. (loudly) Both of them! How can we ask this of Lucy without even explaining it? Without her permission and willingness (invert words)?
Mrs. Evans (defensively): This is what’s best for them! How could we let Kate die? Would Kate dead and Lucy alive be the best? Kate alive and Lucy alive is the best we can have!
Mr. Evans: Of course it is! I’m saying that we should be transparent, and let her think over the consequences and let her decide. She’s confused and angry. She’s not a child anymore. How do you think she’ll react if we force her to do this?
Mrs. Evans (provoked into yelling): She can’t make a mature decision! They’ve always argued! In any case, once she realizes that by forcing her we saved her from guilt, she’ll be more than grateful!

Both parents are now yelling at each other. They are standing up, bent forward into each other’s faces and gesticulate as they defend their point of view.

Mr. Evans: They’ve never argued more than any normal siblings! They love and respect each other; even a blind man could see that! And you know it. I think we’re the ones who should act mature and explain the process to her. She’ll understand and accept it. I can’t believe even now she’s willing to kill her sister. I believe she agrees.
Mrs. Evans: Then there’s no problem! After all Katie’s suffered…
Mr. Evans (no longer yelling, hesitatingly): Yes… But we should still explain.
Mrs. Evans: The doctors should do it. They’re more than capable and will do a better job at it. And by then she won’t be able to refuse anymore.



The lights abruptly turn off.

Meanwhile, Lucy eavesdropped on her parents, scowling at their unjust comments. When they quiet down she stomps to the cushions, drops down next to the bird and all the lights in her room turn on. The light is diffused throughout the entire room as powder is sprinkled in the air. Rather than circles of lights the enter room is suffused/bathed/immersed in soft golden light.

Lucy (angrily): I already know everything there is to know. (Suddenly sad and disturbed, in a choking voice) I just don’t know what to do. What should I do, little bird? I’m going to save you. I’m going to feed you, and help you, and save you and you’ll fly again! (The bird chirps mournfully. On the window-screen, their silhouettes are once more visible. Lucy has taken the bird in her hands) What’s wrong, little one? More food? Water? (At each suggestion, she offers food and water but the bird remains immobile) Don’t squeeze my finger so hard. Your claws hurt, little one. (The bird’s broken wing spreads out on her palm) No! No, no, no, fly, little bird! (Hysterically, sobbing) I said I’d save you! No! You’ll fly again! (Moaning) No, no, no, no, no….


In the living room, a small lamp near Lucy’s bedroom door is turned on. Kate appears and knocks on Lucy’s door.

Kate: Lucy? Lucy? Are you all right? Lucy?
Lucy (murmuring): I couldn’t save you, but I might still be able to save Kate. (Louder) I’ll do it, Kate. I’ll save you. You’ll fly again.



Kate doesn’t speak but as her face becomes a mask of joy and wonder, the lights dim and are turned off.

White light floods Lucy’s room and suddenly on the window-screen of Lucy’s room, we see a happy family having a picnic on a summer day. There is an old couple, smiling proudly as they survey the scene. There are two younger couples, Lucy with her blue hair and Sam, a handsome, tall man with brown hair and dark eyes, and Kate, pale-skinned, dark-haired and blue eyed and her own husband, a slim blond man with a soft smile. There are three small children, two boys and a young girl. The two boys are twins and have Kate’s pale skin, blue eyes ad their father’s blond hair. They look like models. On the other hand, the girl is a slim, with brown hair and dark rebellious eye. All three children are around eight years old. The extended family is laughing and playing as if nothing bad had ever happened. Lucy smiles at her parents and hugs her sister. Mr. and Mrs. Evans gaze at their daughters and Kate is hugging everyone. The only proof that anything bad has ever happened is the pain that can be seen crossing Lucy’s face fromtimee totimee, and Kate’s quick glances at her sister during these occasions. The scene mutes but keeps on going and adult-Lucy walks in front of the screen.

Lucy: As my little bird died, Kate survived. But as my father had predicted, it took me a longtimee to forgive my parents, especially my mother. Sometimes, Kate looks at me with a mixed look of pain, gratefulness and joy. She thinks she understands my sacrifice. As Sam promised, he stayed by my side and everytimee he came, he brought a little piece of the world and hope with him. As for my snow globe, it disappeared. I thought I had left it on my little table, but it wasn’t there when I came back from the hospital. I don’t regret what I did.



The white light coming in through the window flashes bright before being turned off. In the pitch darkness, Lucy disappears and the curtains close.