Santa Fe ~ Family
Scene: A dark room with dog crates and cages. A spotlight shines over a crate containing Angel. A cage to her left, half in shadows, contains a boy covered in scales. A similar cage to her right contains the "mistake" boy, with extra fingers and toes, huge eyes, and sparse hair on his head.
Angel looks at the boy to her left. "Hey. It's me, Angel. Do you want to talk to me now?"
He flinches and edges away. She turns to the boy on her right, but he crawls into the opposite corner of his cage.
Angel sighs. "I feel sorry for you two. You've never had anyone to trust here. No friends. No family. No flock. I did. But I don't know if I'll have it ever again."
The two boys look across the room at each other. She can read their thoughts and confusion.
Angel: "You don't know what a family is, do you? Well, a family is just … people who you trust. People who care about you, who hug you, pick you up when you fall, and try not to let you get hurt. Ever." Angel sighs."I have a brother, but I never knew my parents. I guess you never did either."
The two boys lean a little closer toward her.
Angel sighs sadly: "I never had a real family,
Only a brother, and a few friends,
Guess that you never had a family too."
Angel sniffs, and puts on a determined face.
"So what if we don't have a family?
Who says that we need to blend?
We don't have to be normal to be true."
Angel stands in her cage, and looks toward the spotlight.
"When I dream, in my cage,
I'm trapped, but my mind won't stay,
Night's the only day for my dreams and me.
When the whitecoats are sleeping,
All my thoughts begin to stray,
And I'm on the winds bound for my family.
"And I'll fly, like a bird,
Feeling like I'll never die,
It's a feeling that only comes if you're free.
I just have to wait a while longer,
Then I'll be so happy, I'll cry,
'Cause they'll come to me, my flock and family."
A scientist in a white coat turns on the other lights in the room, and the two experiment boys hide in the corners of their cages in fear. Angel backs away in fear at first. But then she scowls.
Angel:"Where does it say we have to live and die here?
Where does it say we are just things to use?
Why should we obey them like gods,
Who says that we can't beat the odds,
Against all of the abuse,
Even at a young age,
Treated like an animal to amuse."
Angel faces the scientist, who approaches her cage to open it.
Angel:"I'm not scared at all now,
No, I am full of rage.
I'm not gonna take anymore here,
I'm out of this cage!"
Angel rushes at the scientist as he opens the door to her cage, and shoves him away. He topples backward, and Angel rushes out of the cage, and runs out of the room. She hurries down the hallway, while scientists and staff hurry after her, screaming orders to catch her. She is grabbed by the shoulders from behind, but she unfurls her wings, and they smack the hands off her. She then flaps furiously and flies to a push door.
She kicks it open in mid-flight, and finds herself in a large laboratory room, and whooshes to the high ceiling. An alarm blares as she searches for an escape. She finds an open window near the ceiling, and rushes for it, but it slams shut. Other windows slam automatically at the same time. She watches a sharp dart rush past her ear and lodge itself in a ceiling tile, and looks down. Erasers are loading their guns with tranquilizer darts, and aim for her.
She evades the incoming darts, and tries to look between the ceiling and the Erasers, but flies too fast and hits the ceiling. She falls disoriented into a scientist's open arms. She's tossed into a cage before she even has time to react.
The cage she is in is loaded unto a dolly and she is taken back to her holding room while the scientists try to sort out the mess she created.
As she is lead back, Angel looks out of her cage and into a passing window, where she can see the setting sun.
Angel:"Gazzy, are you there?
Do you swear you won't forget me?
I'm waiting for you and Max to set me free."
Her cage is placed inside the room, and the scientist walks out and closes the door behind her.
Angel:"I'm right outside the door,
Please don't you hear me knock?
I'll be where,
You can find me,
Let them mock
And blow air,
Soon they'll see!
Bring me back,
Into our flock."
The two experiment boys look at her with wide eyes. Angel hugs her knees as a tear traces a line down her dirty cheek.
Angel: "You've never had a family,
You should think yourself lucky.
You don't have a baseless hope,
Of a flock,
Or family."
Angel buries her face and sobs, while the two boys just watch her.