POMP AND CIRCUMSTANCE AT THE NARZO CAVE BY JEFFREY LO
ZAC and SIAH travel for their third and final day. After some time they freeze. They look up. They made it.
The Narzo cave.
ZAC and SIAH are panting, tired.
They slowly put the body bag down to the ground.
ZAC
Is this it? Is this The Narzo cave?
SIAH
I think so… Wait. Lemme –
ZAC
What are you – ?
SIAH runs over to the opening of the Narzo cave and runs inside.
SIAH runs back out.
SIAH
I wanted to make sure it was actually a cave.
It’s a cave.
ZAC
… Thanks.
SIAH
Yep. It’s important we know it’s a cave cause if it’s not, where are we gonna put him?
ZAC
Right…
SIAH runs back to ZAC and the body bag.
SIAH
Alright. Time to put him in there. You ready?
Without waiting for ZAC to respond, SIAH picks up his side of the body bag. ZAC does not move.
SIAH(cont’d)
Zac?
No response.
SIAH(cont’d)
Did you hear me?
No response.
SIAH(cont’d)
You don’t have to worry, it’s a cave! I checked.
Zac are you – ?
ZAC
Should we do this?
SIAH
What?
ZAC
Are we doing the right thing?
SIAH
Zac, what are you talking about?
ZAC
I didn’t think we’d actually make it out here without getting caught.
SIAH
I know. But we did! Here we are!
ZAC
And now that we’re here… I’m not sure we’re doing the right thing.
SIAH
Zachary, of course we’re doing the right –
ZAC
This is a lie.
…
We are lying.
…
And weren’t we taught not to lie?
Pause.
SIAH
But bringing the fish and water to those people…
The wine into water!
Weren’t those kind of lies too?
ZAC
No.
SIAH
How is that different?
ZAC
Jesus never told them he had magic powers to do things.
He just called what would happen.
I will feed this whole village – he did that.
I will turn water into wine – he did that.
He never claimed magic.
He never hid the tricks.
He just presented the good news and the facts.
(Beat)
How do we justify this?
SIAH
…
Ok…
But what about preserving the good news?
ZAC
I’m not talking about preserving the good news.
SIAH
And the teachings?
ZAC
What about them? In fighting for the teachings, shouldn’t we also uphold those teachings?
SIAH
But sometimes you got to do what you got to do.
ZAC
No. That’s not good enough.
SIAH
Good enough for who?
ZAC
Good enough for Jesus. Good enough for God.
Good enough for us.
We are telling people that Jesus died for us.
SIAH
He did –
ZAC
AND that he rose from the dead after three days.
Three days.
Jesus is right here.
On the ground in front of us.
This is a lie.
Silence.
SIAH
We’re not telling anyone that he rose from the dead.
ZAC
What?
SIAH
Jesus did.
ZAC
Siah…
SIAH
I don’t know about you, but I haven’t said shit about him rising from the dead because I don’t wanna sound like a dumbass.
ZAC
What are you getting at?
SIAH
No one asked us if Jesus rose from the dead.
No one asked us where Jesus was.
Heck, for some weird reason, no one asked us what we were doing with this damn body bag!
But if they did… then we could have spoken the truth.
We are not lying here.
ZAC
No –
SIAH
Think about it.
Right now people are talking about Jesus crucifixion.
People are talking about whether or not he will rise from the dead three days later.
Now. Those people are going back to the cave where Jesus was buried and they are going to see that his body is gone.
That is a fact.
Whether or not those people think he rose from the dead – that’s not our problem.
That’s their truth.
ZAC
It’s a lie.
SIAH
It is not a lie.
ZAC
It’s not a fact.
SIAH
It’s an…
Alternative… Fact.
Pause.
ZAC
That is the stupidest thing you’ve ever said.
SIAH
Hey – I thought I was your friend.
ZAC
Just because you’re my friend, that doesn’t mean you can’t say stupud things.
(Pointing to the body bag:)
Case in point our friend over here.
I will die on that cross!
I will rise from the dead!
SIAH
Well look Zac, I don’t know if it’s a lie or not –
ZAC
It is a lie –
SIAH
Even so –
…
I think it’s the right thing to do.
We worked so hard.
We worked so hard to make this world a better place.
To make people more compassionate to one another.
To understand one another.
To help the poor.
To lift up those in need…
We helped a lot of people.
…
And I think those people need Jesus to rise from the dead.
Because if he doesn’t rise.
Then they just lost a friend.
Maybe the only friend they ever had.
The only person to ever reach out and ask them if they were ok.
…
…
If we’re not just doing this for Jesus.
If you’re not just doing this for me.
Let’s do this for them.
For those people who need the good news.
Who need the good guy to win for once…
Silence.
SIAH (cont’d)
Well it you’re going to stop here. I’m gonna keep on going. With or without you.
SIAH picks up the body bag with great difficulty, by himself.
ZAC’s body begins to shake in place as SIAH struggles to drag Jesus’ body into the cave.
Eventually, SIAH gets the body bag inside the cave leaving ZAC alone – still shaking. Grief, indecision, confusion and fear wash over his face.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence.
The silence is broken by the sound of footsteps running and panting.
The sound breaks ZAC’s trance and he turns to see JOSHUA who has just run in.
ZAC
Oh…
JOSHUA
FUCK YOU!!!
ZAC
Josh…
JOSHUA
FUCK YOU!
JOSHUA pushes ZAC.
JOSHUA
FUCK YOU!
JOSHUA pushes ZAC again.
JOSHUA
FUCK YOU!
ZAC
SIAH!!!!!
JOSHUA
How could you do this to me?
JOSHUA pushes ZAC again, this time ZAC falls to the ground.
ZAC
I… I’m sorry.
JOSHUA
Fuck you. I’m sorry.
I stopped drinking!
ZAC
I’M SORRY!
JOSHUA
And now – you’re trying to fuck up my job too!?
ZAC
No!
JOSHUA
What is wrong with you!?
ZAC
I don’t know. SIAH!!!!!
JOSHUA
I was minding my own business.
All I had to do was guard Jesus body and…
And… YOU!
ZAC
SIAH!!!!
JOSHUA jumps on ZAC and starts punching him.
JOSHUA
WHERE IS THE BODY!?!?!?
SIAH emerges.
SIAH
Joshua!
JOSHUA looks up and sees SIAH.
JOSHUA
AND YOU!
SIAH
OH NO….
JOSHUA
TELL ME WHERE THE BODY IS!!!!
JOSHUA runs up to SIAH and tackles him down.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
I NEED JESUS’ BODY!
I NEED JESUS’ BODY!
JOSHUA pins SIAH to the ground and begins to punch him.
JOSHUA(cont’d)
I CAN’T LOSE ANOTHER JOB!!!!
Lights shift.
What proceeds is a prolonged melee.
We watch JOSHUA proceed top fight ZAC and SIAH but not fully succeeding as there are two of them and one of him.
We watch JOSHUA try to run to the cave but ZAC and SIAH do everything they can to stop him.
The fight is long.
The fight is violent.
The fight is bloody.
The fight is disturbing.
No sound underscoring this, just the sound of three tired men fighting out of desperation.
After JOSHUA has fallen but stood back up enough times…
SIAH
Joshua, please stop…
JOSHUA
Why did you do this to me?
ZAC
I’m sorry.
JOSHUA
FUCK YOU!
SIAH
We can’t keep doing this.
JOSHUA
I can’t fuck this up.
SIAH
I don’t want to hurt you anymore.
JOSHUA
YOU’VE HURT ME MORE THAN YOU REALIZE!
SIAH
I know…
I know…
JOSHUA charges at ZAC and SIAH again and right as he brings one of them to the ground there is a sudden flash of light and a cacophony of sound that engulfs the stage.
The light and sounds freeze all three men to the floor. Breathing. Panting. Feeling the pain of their wounds.
JOSHUA
What was that?
ZAC
I don’t know.
JOSHUA
WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?
ZAC
I don’t know…
JOSHUA
Did you see that?
SIAH nods his head.
SIAH
Did you hear that?
ZAC
Yeah.
JOSHUA
So did I.
Silence.
Slowly, each of them stand up.
Beat.
The three men look at each other. They nod.
ZAC, SIAH and JOSHUA, beaten, battered and bruised, walk into the cave to see if Jesus’ body is still there.
Blackout.