JOSHUA
You wanna see him too?
ZAC
Who?
JOSHUA
(Pointing to the cave:)
Him.
Jesus.
ZAC
(Feigning ignorance:)
Oh… Jesus…
I forgot all about Jesus…
Have other people wanted to see Jesus?
JOSHUA
Everyone wants to see Jesus.
ZAC
When you say everyone, how many people do you mean?
Pause.
JOSHUA
There was one other guy.
ZAC
Oh.
JOSHUA
That came here at least.
ZAC
Josiah?
JOSHUA
How did you know his –
ZAC
What? What are you talking about? I don’t know his –
I wasn’t saying –
I was saying
Jo…soo… ah.
JOSHUA
Josooah?
ZAC
Mispronunced your name.
Sorry about that. Tongue got all weird.
JOSHUA
Ah.
ZAC
You said the other guy’s name was –
JOSHUA
Eh, not important.
ZAC
Of course.
JOSHUA
But I did agree to let him go see Jesus.
ZAC
(Feigning ignorance:)
You did?
JOSHUA
Yeah. I mean, I agreed to it as long as he was able to do this crazy thing for me.
ZAC
What’s the crazy thing?
JOSHUA
He said he’d get me THIRTY figs!
ZAC
THIRTY?
JOSHUA
I know right? THIRTY! Hah!
ZAC
That sure is a lot of figs.
JOSHUA
Even if he weresomehow able to get me thirty figs I’d say it’s worth it.
ZAC pulls out a fig.
ZAC
I only have this one.
JOSHUA freezes upon sight of the fig.
JOSHUA
You…
ZAC
What?
JOSHUA
That’s a fig.
ZAC
Yes.
JOSHUA
I love figs…
ZAC
I’m seeing that.
A brief silence.
Beat.
ZAC(cont’d)
But you’re getting a ton of figs from that other guy.
JOSHUA
(Deflated:)
Of course…
Of course of course. Can’t be getting greedy.
ZAC
But I do have this water to help with your thirst.
JOSHUA
Water…
I’ll tell you what.
I’ll let you in to see Jesus to thank you for the water.
ZAC
You will?
JOSHUA
But –
ZAC
What?
JOSHUA
You have to wait for the other guy.
ZAC
I have to wait for Siah?
JOSHUA
What?
ZAC
I said – I have to wait? Siiiigggggh.
JOSHUA
Yes. You have to wait.
That way, you two can go and pay your respects together and I’m only risking my job once!
Pause.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
Is that ok?
ZAC fakes thinking hard about it.
Silence.
Suddenly, ZAC shrugs and throws
the water to JOSHUA.
ZAC
Alright.
JOSHUA
(Opening the canteen:)
Really?
ZAC
Sure, that makes sense.
JOSHUA
Oh thank God!
JOSHUA chugs the water down.
ZAC watches him.
JOSHUA becomes suddenly aware that he is drinking all the water while ZAC does nothing.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
Sorry.
Do you want some?
ZAC
No, that’s for you. I’m fine.
There’s more where that came from.
JOSHUA
Really?
ZAC
Yeah, just let me know.
JOSHUA
Thanks!
JOSHUA chugs more.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
(Wiping his mouth:)
Thank you.
ZAC
You’re welcome.
JOSHUA closes the canteen.
Beat.
Silence.
JOSHUA
Hey Zachary.
ZAC
Yeah?
JOSHUA
Were you there?
ZAC
At the crucifixion?
JOSHUA
Yeah.
A long pause.
ZAC nods his head.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
I’m sorry.
ZAC
Why?
JOSHUA
It looks like you were friends.
ZAC
We were.
JOSHUA
It must be hard to see something like that happen to a friend.
ZAC
Yeah…
Pause.
JOSHUA takes a swig from the
canteen.
JOSHUA
Can you tell me about it?
…
If you don’t mind me asking.
…
If it’s not too…
I didn’t go.
I didn’t have it in me to watch.
And plus, I knew I had to be here once it was over.
It’s just… I don’t understand.
I don’t understand why this needed to happen.
And I think maybe, if you tell me what it was like, maybe I can understand better.
Silence.
JOSHUA (cont’d)
Sorry. You don’t need to...