Bull Run

March 4th, 2021

Starring: Reyna (female, 40’s), Alison (female, 40’s)

Reyna’s house, a few days after the incident.  Quinn’s room.  It’s a messy early high schooler’s room, but on a long table near the window, there’s a very large, exquisitely detailed diorama of the Battle of Bull Run.  Above it there’s a window, overlooking the side yard, and Alison’s backyard.  There’s also a big lacrosse-ball sized hole in the window, which has temporarily been covered with duct tape.  Reyna and Alison stand over the diorama, looking down:

ALISON 

So where did the ball—? 

REYNA 

There.  It smashed through this quadrant and rolled across the river and down...see the trees? 

ALISON 

Oh.  I see they’re a little— 

REYNA 

Flattened. 

There are supposed to be two Confederate regiments here and a Union one there, but they got totally mushed.   

Most of it’s clay so— 

ALISON 

Gosh.   

Well we are so sorry.  Brennan wanted to be here himself, but he’s at a travel tournament. 

REYNA 

That’s ok.  Quinn’s got school anyway. 

ALISON 

Is he ok?  About the...? 

REYNA 

Um...no, not really.  It’s been hard to get him to understand how it all happened.  Just the way the— 

ALISON 

The randomness— 

REYNA 

He understands it was an accident, but...knowing him, it doesn’t register the same...he still can’t fully wrap his brain around it.  Like he keeps asking why it happened to him. 

ALISON 

Sure, that...it’s a similar thing with my niece, she’s...she’s also on the spectrum. 

REYNA 

It’s sort of been his way of expressing himself this year.  Getting through it. 

It’s been really tough. 

ALISON 

I imagine.  We do feel awful. 

... 

I just wish there was more we could do. 

… 

… 

REYNA 

I um 

I noticed you haven’t moved the lacrosse net.  It’s still facing our side. 

ALISON 

Oh.  Yes, we thought about moving it.  We were going to after... 

It’s just...the backyard’s so small...and on your side the sun’s not in Brennan’s eyes so...we figured that’s the best spot for him to— 

REYNA 

You can’t switch it...? 

ALISON 

Then the goal would be pointing at our house. 

REYNA 

Right. 

ALISON 

It would be right near the kitchen windows, so then we’re worried he might— 

REYNA 

So it’s...it’s better to keep it pointed at Quinn's window? 

ALISON 

No.  I mean it’s just...the whole thing was so unlikely to begin with.  I think you and I can agree, it was kind of a fluke.  The angle and the velocity...I really doubt it'll happen again.   

REYNA 

I want to make sure. 

ALISON 

It won’t.   

REYNA 

So move it. 

ALISON 

We can’t.  Not right now.  We’re in the heart of his season.  He’s practicing every day, he’s getting scouted.  He’s on a rhythm— 

REYNA 

So was Quinn. 

ALISON 

And I understand how important that is.  It's why I don't want to knock Brennan off his.  He’s playing so well, and we need him to get offers.  A scholarship would do a lot for us. 

... 

I’m sorry. 

REYNA 

No you’re not. 

If you were sorry, you’d move it.  You’d make the gesture.  But you’re not.  You want Brennan to be in the best position to succeed.   

ALISON 

But not at Quinn’s expense. 

REYNA 

But it was.  He didn’t mean to, but this shattered him. 

ALISON 

And we’re sorry.  I don’t know how else to say it, but we are. 

REYNA 

I don’t want you to be.  You shouldn’t have to apologize for doing the best for your kid.  If it was me, I’d do the same.   

ALISON 

Then...what do you want? 

REYNA 

Look.  Just to look at it.   

Understand the impact. 

Alison bends down and looks closer.  There are thousands of mini clay figures: infantry, cavalry, cannons, tents, trees, topography.  She sees the specks of red blood on the ground, the tiny eyes on the horses, the ripples in the river.  The blank spaces where the ball hit stick out.  

Alison stands back up looks out the window, past the hole, where she can see the lacrosse goal in her backyard.  

ALISON 

It’s...it’s quite a battle. 

REYNA 

Yes.  It is, isn’t it? 

END OF PLAY

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