Photo by Ben White/Unsplash.com
This play by junior Maddie Christmann, written in Creative Writing last year, was published in Fall 2016, Vol. 50 of The Claremont Review, a Canadian-based publication of poetry, short stories, short plays, art and interviews for and by writers and artists aged 13-19 from anywhere in the English-speaking world.
SUDDEN DEATH
CHARACTERS
DANIEL: frustrated, explosive
MIKEY: DANIEL’s best friend, captain of team, determined, optimistic
COACH: strict, intense, believing
TIME: 7:00 PM, start of overtime after regulation time, October
PLACE: sideline of high school football field
(As the lights come up, COACH stands, one hands propped on his hip, a clipboard clutched in the other, staring intently in front of him. There is a metal bench behind him, with a water jug propped on one of its ends with paper cups stacked next to it. The whistle blows and DANIEL stomps to coach from stage left.)
DANIEL
(Yells)
What the hell is happening out there? I can’t believe we let them come back like this.
COACH
(Annoyed)
Out there? What’s happening to you? You’re the wide receiver; you’re supposed to be fast! I haven’t seen you actually pick up your feet and run like you mean it once this game.
DANIEL
(Speaks at normal volume, but with an edge to his voice)
I’m not going to run if no one can pass it to me in the first place.
COACH
Mikey’s kicking ass out there. He’s picking up the team’s slack. Respect your captain. No one else is willing to work except for him.
(DANIEL scoffs. MIKEY enters from stage right, stops, fills a paper cup with water, and sloshes it down his throat. MIKEY strides to DANIEL and COACH and stops, breathing heavily and smiling.)
MIKEY
What’s up guys?
DANIEL
(Incredulously)
Are you kidding me? “What’s up?”
MIKEY
(Sarcastically)
Is that not a common expression here?
DANIEL
Oh my god. Can you take one thing seriously for two seconds?
MIKEY
Hey, come on man. I’m just trying to lift spirits. We need a positive attitude if we’re gonna come back from this.
DANIEL
No, we need to get angry. We need to destroy them.
MIKEY
(Laughs)
Destroy them? Do you want me to get you a hammer or something?
DANIEL
Shut up.
MIKEY
Hey man, I’m sorry. You of all people know me the most. I’m just joking around.
DANIEL
Yeah, you’re always “just joking around”.
MIKEY
What’s that supposed to mean?
COACH
Hey guys, come on. Save it for another time. Get mad, get happy, I don’t care. Just bring us back.
(MIKEY and DANIEL walk to the water jug.)
MIKEY
What’s going on with you? You never snap at me like that.
DANIEL
(Scoffs)
Like you don’t know.
MIKEY
If I knew would I be asking?
DANIEL
The Illinois State scout is here.
MIKEY
Yeah? So?
DANIEL
I saw your dad talking to him.
MIKEY
Shit, man. I’m sorry. I swear I-
DANIEL
We promised we wouldn’t let anyone interfere. Equal shot. Remember?
MIKEY
I know. I know. God, I’m sorry. I’ve had so much to do, I guess I just forgot-
DANIEL
(Incredulously)
Yeah. “Forgot”.
MIKEY
(Angrily)
Hey stop that! You know I would never do something like that on purpose. We’re best friends, man. I want us both to go to the same college our parents went to. I would never mess with your chances like that.
(Beat)
Besides, I can’t control everything my dad does.
DANIEL
You’re making excuses.
MIKEY
Jesus Christ. Why are you so on my case all of a sudden? I’m sorry, okay? Just leave me alone.
(Mutters)
It’s not like you’re perfect either.
DANIEL
(Voice rising)
What did you just say?
(Whistle blows)
MIKEY
Don’t worry about it.
(MIKEY slides on helmet)
Come on man. Let’s just play the game. We got this.
(MIKEY trots off stage right. DANIEL follows, but COACH stops him.)
COACH
Hey listen. He’s just trying to help you. Play your game. Don’t worry about anyone else but you.
(DANIEL reluctantly nods and runs off stage right. COACH claps. Cheering sounds in the background)
COACH
Come on boys!
(Beat)
Yes! Yes! Go Daniel! Keep running!
(Jumping up and down. The cheers become louder)
That’s it! That’s it!
(Pauses for a couple second, then throws clipboard on the ground)
Touchdown!
(DANIEL enters from stage left, carried by the team. The team is whooping and DANIEL is pumping his fist up and down in celebration. After a few seconds, they put DANIEL down.)
DANIEL
(Smiling)
Where’s Mikey?
(He looks behind him and combs through the mass of football players.)
Mikey?
(His smile fades. He looks in the direction of the field.)
Oh my god.
(COACH turns to where DANIEL is looking and runs off, stage right. The team follows. DANIEL retreats to the bench and sits down. He places his head in his hands. In the distance, ambulance sirens sound. Lights fade to black.)