Lights up on on a basement. Center stage is an old fashioned carpet that's littered with books, papers with scribblings, candy wrappers and pillows. Down stage left is a cot with worn out, pale, pink sheets and a sad excuse for a pillow. Above the bed are pictures and finger paintings that look to be illustrated by a child. Up stage right is a door that locks from the outside. This door can never be opened by whomever is in the room. The room is dark apart from the fluorescent light hanging above the rug and the tiny window on stage left. The window is no bigger than a loaf of bread but light still shines, dimly, through it. Stage right, on the wall, is a painting of a rose. The rose is the most elegant thing in the room and catches the eyes immediately.
DANDELION, 17, is asleep in her bed. It's around midnight. Her dressings are sweat pants and an oversized, man's t-shirt. The rum of a car starting echos into her room and wakes her. She shakes off her sleep and gets up to grab a bottle of water from the case next to her bed. She takes a sip and gets back into bed.
DANDELION
Sunday!
(She wipes her eyes and pouts on her bed)
Sunday!
(SUNDAY, 60, opens the locked door and comes to DANDELION'S side, she is concerned)
SUNDAY
Are you alright?
(looking around)
What's the matter?
DANDELION
Nothing. I'm okay.
SUNDAY
(still concerned)
You called for me.
DANDELION
I know
(SUNDAY shoots her a crossed look)
SUNDAY
Are you alright, baby?
DANDELION
(nodding)
Mhm.. I woke up and no one was here.
SUNDAY
(beginning to calm down)
That's because we're all sleeping, baby.
DANDELION
I know. But I didn't think I would wake up alone.
SUNDAY
You're not alone. I came as soon as you called.
DANDELION
(beat)
You were asleep?
SUNDAY
I was.
DANDELION
(beat)
Is everyone in bed?
SUNDAY
Everyone's asleep. Except your daddy. You know how he stays up at night.
DANDELION
Yeah. I hear him stomping on the floor sometimes. He shakes my whole room.
SUNDAY
(sighing)
You know how he goes into his fits.
(beat)
He's not making a ruckus tonight.
(beat)
What woke you?
DANDELION
Nothing, I just got up.
(beat)
I got water.
SUNDAY
Oh alright, baby.
(beat)
DANDELION
Feather and Window aren't here. They're gone.
SUNDAY
Feather and Window aren't gone. They're asleep too.
DANDELION
They used to sleep in here.
SUNDAY
That was when you were a little one. They can't sleep down here anymore.
(teasing)
You're old now.
DANDELION
I'm not old!
(laughter, beat)
Was Yellow with you?
SUNDAY
Yellow was with me. He came to sleep with me earlier in the night. He's sound asleep.
(DANDELION holds her arms out, asking for SUNDAY to get in bed with her, SUNDAY climbs in and combs DANDELION'S hair with her fingers)
DANDELION
It's Sunday isn't it?
YOU ARE READING
Garden Of Weeds
Short StoryDandelion has never left her room. Her father wants to protect her from the monsters outside. Feather tells her the world is beautiful. Window tells her the world is ugly. Dandelion wants to see for herself.
