Locket

Part 1

Setting

Endless mountains of trash on stage right but trash slowly decreases as it reaches stage left where a gate is located downstage.

Time

Early morning (around 5 or 6)

Characters

JUN JUN- 8 year old boy who scavenges leftover food in the garbage of mountain to sell as ingredients for "pagpag"

MAXINE- overly dramatic 30 year old who forgot her identity, wearing a semi-formal dress with no shoes on and has a gash on her forehead.

DANIEL "KUYA" - 15 year old brother of Jun Jun who goes with him to scavenge

REPORTER- 28 year-old rookie reporter

CHIEF POLICE- charismatic 45 year old female

POLICE 1- (can be male or female)

The Locket

(Jun Jun and Daniel are roaming around while holding trash bags as they rummage through the freshly disposed garbage from fast food chains and restaurants. Trash litters the entire stage.)

DANIEL: Jun Jun, did you find anything?

JUN JUN: I still haven't found anything, kuya. You?

DANIEL: Same. No luck here. There should be some here. (looks around) I think they just arrived this morning. You know what, let's split. You stay here and I'll check somewhere else. (Daniel exits downstage right while Jun Jun continues to lazily move trash away but stops when he finds a silver locket. He picks it up and bites on it. He holds it up high.)

JUN JUN: Jackpot! Yes, I'm rich. We don't need to work today! I found a necklace! We can eat today. (Dances) Kuya! Kuya! Kuya! I have something to show you. (No response so, he starts going in the direction of his kuya (downstage right) while holding up the necklace. But as he approaches, Maxine suddenly emerges from the trash bags, screeching as she immediately stands up and shakes off the bits of trash that stick to her.)

MAXINE: OMG, OMG, OMG. OOOHHHHHHH MYYYYYY FREEAKKKIINNGGG GOOOSHHHHH. (Jun Jun falls to the ground, holding the necklace to his sides while Maxine looks around confusingly and finally notices Jun Jun and approaches him aggressively.)

MAXINE: Hey, hey, hey kid. (Jun Jun just looks at her as she snaps her fingers while approaching him) Kiddd! KID-DO! Helloooo. I don't know if you're just mesmerized by my beauty or you're just a dimwit but either way, answer my questions. First off, where am I? What am I doing here? How did I get here? Who---

JUN JUN: Lady! Could you calm down for a second? Your forehead is bleeding.

(Jun Jun stands up as Maxine touches her forehead, smudging the blood to her fingers and when she sees it, she staggers.)

MAXINE: Blood! BLOOD! I'm bleeding. I'm dying. What are you doing? Call the ambulance! Ohh my gosh, this is the end for me. I have so--

JUN JUN: Calm down lady! First, it's not even that bad. I've had worse. Second, if you want to go to the hospital you gotta walk all the way to the gate's entrance. Do you see where you are? (Maxine looks around again) Do you think we have a signal? Besides, do you really think I have a phone? Are you dense?

MAXINE: How dare you talk to me? You should be serving me! Do you know who I am, I am... rich?

JUN JUN: No, I don't know who you are. Who are you?