XENOS: THE BOY FROM SPACE

A Play in Two Acts by

Dakota Balmore

ACT I

SCENE I

Outdoors near a woods. Dusk: The stage is dark. XENOS, the boy from space, appears in a red spotlight C.S.R. He is dressed in blue jeans, plaid long-sleeved shirt, and a hunter’s jacket and cap. He speaks an alien language into a handheld electronic device. TRUDA enters stage L. dressed in shorts, T-Shirt, and hiking shoes with a small knapsack on her back. She walks briskly up to XENOS looking at her feet. Nearly bumping into him, she stops and stares at him. Then she lets out a scream. He screams back and then starts speaking his alien language to her.

TRUDA

Jumps back and throws her hands up to her chest.

Eeeee!

XENOS

Repeats her moves perfectly.

Eeeee!

TRUDA

Throws her arms down by her side and leans forward.

Aaaaa!

XENOS

Repeats her moves perfectly.

Aaaaa!

TRUDA

Backs up two steps and throws her arms out behind her.

Ooooo!

XENOS

He takes two steps forward and throws his arms out behind him.

Ooooo!

TRUDA

Throws one hand over her heart.

Oh, my no!

Xenos lunges for her, grabs her head between his hands and wrenches her first to the right, and then to the left, and finally pulls her forward until she loses her balance and falls downstage of him face up. He kneels down and continues to hold her head between his hands. TRUDA screams on and off during the whole sequence. Suddenly XENOS lets go and jumps back holding his hands out beside him. His whole body is rigid and begins shaking. After several seconds it stops and he puts his arms down by his sides and stands calmly looking down at her as she begins to cry.

Oh, someone help me! It’s a monster from space, and he’s come to eat my face!

XENOS

Bends down toward TRUDA.

Hey, that’s a rhyme isn’t it?

TRUDA

Tries to stop her tears as she sits up and scoots back a little.

What are you doing? You scared the daylights out of me. Who are you? Why did you do that?

XENOS

Points a finger down at her and over-dramatizes.

Now wait one cotton-pickin’, dad-burned, lousy stinkin’ minute. I am the one who is supposed to ask questions here.

XENOS withdraws his finger and resumes a normal stance.

Did I get that right?

TRUDA

Unsure.

What?

XENOS

All that cotton-pickin, stinky stuff I got from your brain. What is cotton, anyway?

TRUDA

Who are you? And why did you grab me like that? I thought you were trying to kill me.

XENOS

Your race is very strange. You mix statements and questions in the same breath. Should I take heed of the statements, or answer the questions? It is very confusing.

TRUDA

Stands up.

Why don't you do both?

XENOS

Another question. Tell me, does your species ask more questions, or give more statements?

TRUDA

Why did you try to hurt me?

XENOS

Hurt? That does not computer…uh…mean anything to my race. What is hurt?

TRUDA

Aren’t you going to answer my questions? How would you like it if I got my father to sue yours?

XENOS

Counts on his fingers as he quotes TRUDA.

“What are you doing? Who are you? Why did you do that? What? Who are you?”…again! “Why did you grab me like that? Why don't you do both? Why did you try to hurt me? Aren’t you going to answer my questions? How would you like it if I got my father to sue yours?” That makes ten questions. Now, I will answer all ten questions with the efficiency of one: how can I learn anything about your race if you keep asking me questions?

TRUDA

Holds out a hand.

What’s you’re name?

XENOS

Throws up his hands.

Another question!

TRUDA

My name is Truda.

XENOS

Stares at TRUDA’S outstretched hand.

Truda…Tru…da. I am Xenos. Is there something the matter with your hand.?

TRUDA

No. I just wanted a shake.

XENOS

Well, you do it like this:

Xenos waves his hand back and forth vigorously.

TRUDA

You’re funny. Do you do this sort of thing at parties: to entertain other kids?

XENOS

Crosses to her and puts his hands to either side of her head. TRUDA backs away, but XENOS forces her to submit. He holds her head for a long time.

I read your language very fast. Perhaps I missed some things. Hurt…pain…kill…cry…fight.

XENOS removes his hands and steps back.

Those are concepts that I do not understand. Rape…what is rape?

TRUDA

Uh…I suppose you want me to believe that you are from outer space. I mean…come on…anyone can see you’re a boy…dressed for the wrong season…in a hunter’s outfit where there isn’t hunting allowed for four hundred miles…and the time is all wrong for it anyway. You are strange.

XENOS

Swimming suit. Perhaps that would be better.

TRUDA

If you are going swimming. The time of year is right. This is late spring, but no one walks around all the time with a swimming suit on. Where do you live?

XENOS

Points up.

Your star is being eclipsed by your planet as we speak. Soon it will be dark enough to see the stars in…that direction. That is where I am from.

XENOS lets out a strange laugh.

It is so stupid to have but one star. Is that the right word…stupid? Maybe I should use silly.

TRUDA

Starts backing away to the R.

Well, whatever you want to call it, is fine by me. I have to be off now so I can finish my hike. Good-bye.

XENOS

Steps toward her and stops.

No! You cannot go. I have captured you and you are mine. Now, take me to your place of habitat.

TRUDA

If I did that, it would probably help you since my father is a psychologist, but not today…no thank you…good-bye.

XENOS

Puts one hand to his forehead.

Truda Callisto. You are twelve years old. You have a sister Sherine who is eleven, a sister Enid who is ten…Ooooo, loud and obnoxious that one. Your Father’s name is Jermaine…you mother’s is…ugh, Gertrude. Really? You go to Riverdale Elementary School in the sixth grade, your teacher’s name is Miss Cassini, and your favorite color is…orange. Really? Orange? Yuck.

TRUDA

Turns to XENOS.

Big deal. Anyone can find out that information.

XENOS

Crosses to TRUDA.

You remember that time in Duck Park when you had to pee so bad and you went behind a big oak tree and pulled down your…

TRUDA

Waves her hands in front of XENOS and looks around.

All right. All right. There wasn't anyone around. How did you know about that?

XENOS

From your mind. I know all the things you never told anyone.

TRUDA

You mean like the time I peeked through a hole in the boys changing room at the beach?

XENOS

Oh, yes. Although I really don't understand why you think that was so bad.

TRUDA

Well…they were boys…and I am a girl. I was just…curious.

XENOS

You will have to explain that to me. I do not understand the difference.

TRUDA

Well, you’re a boy. You should at least know you have a…a…like I said, you’re a boy.

XENOS

This is not my true form. I borrowed it from the images we received from your Earth-based visual communications. You seem to fear hurt. What is hurt?

TRUDA

It is when someone does something bad to you…like break your skin…or say bad things about you. It makes a person feel sad. What am I doing? I’m talking to you like you really are from space.

XENOS

That is because I am not of this planet. Who else knows your peeping-tom and park peeing secrets?

TRUDA

No one, and I don't know how you know. I was only ten when I did it in the park, and it was just last summer at the beach…oh, this is crazy. Go ahead and melt my brain if you want. I’m leaving.

TRUDA turns and walks R.

XENOS

Stop! Though I have never felt hurt, I think I understand a little. I will break your skin or say bad things about you if you leave. You must help me. Does your species not believe in help?

TRUDA

Stops and turns to XENOS.

We do, Xenos. A lot more than hurt.

TRUDA crosses to him.

If you want to come home with me…I guess there can be no harm in talking about it. Besides, I want to make sure you don't tell anyone about the park and the beach. Let’s go.

TRUDA starts crossing L.

XENOS

Now that is what I call ever-lovin’, cotton-pickin’, coagulatin’, caliginous cooperation between species.

They exit L. together.

Lights Out.

Curtain.

THIS IS THE END OF THE SAMPLE.

HIT THE BACK BUTTON TO RETURN TO THE STAGEPLAYS PAGE.

EMAIL THE AUTHOR FOR A COMPLETE SCRIPT: webmaster@DakotaBalmore.com