The Feaster.

[Lynchenberg]

The play opens on a desert island. Gulls scurry over the beach, while the sun beats heavily upon two figures. One is a large man in his early twenties, and the other is a small boy between twelve and fourteen. The boy wears the man’s oversized jacket as they walk together barefoot, the hood protecting him from the sun. The man wears a hiking backpack, in which they have been placing food and supplies. The man clutches the boy’s shoulders, to keep the coat from falling off. The man’s name is HOGARTH while the boy’s name is JOSHUA.

HOGARTH: You smell that ocean air kiddo? Sure is salty.

JOSHUA: Yeah, it smells okay. Shame it’s not okay to drink.

HOGARTH: Don’t worry Joshua. There have to be some barrels of drinking water around here somewhere. We found plenty of food from the wreckage strewn around.

Meanwhile, the water laps gently near the NARRATOR’S feet as he approaches the audience and begins to speak.

NARRATOR: The hardest matters to consider are also the hardest to live through. Eventually, the same question arises. What can even the strongest witness before they bend over and snap? Those brave enough to ask this question each answer differently. Meanwhile, each person misfortunate enough to experience such circumstances reacts differently. Yet today as we follow a young man and an even younger boy stranded on a desert island, we posit an alternative question. What can even the most damaged witness before they bend around full circle?

Joshua and Hogarth pause on a dune to rest.

JOSHUA: It hasn’t rained for a long time. I kind of miss it.

HOGARTH: I’m sweating like a dog in a fur coat, but I sure don’t want for it to rain. Not before we’ve found shelter.

JOSHUA: I wouldn’t go for shelter even if we found it. Some rain to cool me down would be just the ticket.

HOGARTH: That ain’t wise boy, you’d be liable to catch cold.

JOSHUA: I doubt it. Before the plane went down, Mom said she read that it’s the hottest it’s been since she was a girl.

HOGARTH: Well, I doubt she’s very warm now if she went smack-o with our plane.

JOSHUA: I bet that if we started looking for her now, I could prove you wrong before sundown.

Hogarth looked unconvinced.

JOSHUA: I’m just saying! Maybe we should stop looking for supplies and focus on looking for her. She could’ve collected the water herself by now.

HOGARTH: I hate to ask this kiddo, but what makes you so sure she’s out there?

JOSHUA: She has to be.

HOGARTH: You should start considering the possibility that only you and I survived. If it’s just the two of us getting out of here, it’ll make things a lot easier on you.

JOSHUA: That idea sounds about as good to me as a rusty nail drawn across a chalkboard.

Hogarth lets out a long sigh.

HOGARTH: Look, it’s too hot to argue. Let’s just focus on finding water and shelter. Then I can get my coat back before you sweat it up too much. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can figure out a way to get off this island.

JOSHUA: I won’t assume mom’s dead.

HOGARTH: I'm not saying you have to. But we need to be practical and prepare for the worst if it comes to that.

JOSHUA: It won’t end up like that. I’m just a kid. There’s no way God would take mom from me at this age.

HOGARTH: I’m not sure I agree. The Lord allows many things you or I wouldn’t.

Joshua stops trying to explain himself. Instead, he collapses onto the ground and begins weeping. Hogarth quickly falls to his knees and hugs the boy close.

HOGARTH: Hey, hey, don't worry kiddo. It'll be alright. I promise you. We’ll get out of this, one way or another.

JOSHUA: I’m sorry Hogarth. I’ve been on a mean streak since this whole mess began.

HOGARTH: It’s fine kiddo, let’s just stop arguing and focus on the task at hand. We need to find some place to tent it out.

JOSHUA: I'm not sure where to begin. I've never been good at camping and stuff.

HOGARTH: You're going to have to learn. But don’t worry, I’ll have your back. If you can do your part, things will work out.

JOSHUA: Can you just give me a minute to get myself together?

HOGARTH: Sure, take as long as you need. I remember when I was your age. One time, I got separated from my folks at a carnival. Cried my eyes out, I did.

JOSHUA: I just can’t accept that she’s gone. She was always around, you know? Always there to kiss me better when I scraped my knee. Or even just there reading a paperback while I did my homework.

HOGATH: It hurts to think that the person who gave you life could be dead. But remember, it’s a reality we’re all going to have to face at one time or another.

JOSHUA: Fat lot of good that does me now.

HOGARTH: Well, moaning about it isn’t going to do either of us any good.

JOSHUA: You’re a real jerk, you know that?

HOGARTH: Hey, I’m the one who’s been coddling you since this whole ordeal began.

JOSHUA: Is that how you figure it?

HOGARTH: Damn straight. I take pity on you because you’re a kid. This is a sour hand for folks of any age to be dealt. But I have my limits, and we need to start getting some work done.

JOSHUA: How can I focus on that when I don’t know if my mom’s alive or dead?

HOGARTH: That’s entirely up to you. When it comes to feelings like this kid, y’godda knock down your emotional dial some.

Joshua wipes away his tears and forces himself to get up.

JOSHUA: Alright, Hogarth. I think I’ve got the straight of it. Let’s do this.

With that, the Hogarth and Joshua collect the food and supplies they have found into the backpack, and begin searching for a place to spend the night. They find a small cave, with a spring of water in front of it. Joshua rushes forward and places his hands in it.

JOSHUA: Lordy, do you see that? It’s fresh spring water!

HOGARTH: Just out in the open like that? Seems a bit fishy to me.

JOSHUA: What do you mean Hogarth?

HOGARTH: Don't hold me to it, but it's almost like it’s been placed there just for us.

JOSHUA: You’re right! This is a special delivery from God! Let’s fix it to stay here!

Hogarth approaches Joshua with trepidation.

HOGARTH: Let’s not just start right in on making ourselves at home, we should…

As he approaches, Hogarth snaps a wire, and a wooden cage slips over the heads of both him and Joshua. A figure emerges from the darkness, and takes a few minute to puzzle out the scene before him. This is the CANNIBAL.

CANNIBAL: Should’ve listened to your big brother, boy.

JOSHUA: He ain’t my big brother!

CANNIBAL: Who the hell is you, then?

HOGARTH: That’s not the question I’m interested in. Who the hell are you and what’s with the cage?

CANNIBAL: I’ll answer that one with another question. You're one of the goats, aren't you?

HOGARTH: One of who?

CANNIBAL: The goats.

HOGARTH: The goats…?

The cannibal starts scratching himself.

CANNIBAL: Yup, because this here island is my bridge and I’m the troll.

JOSHUA: What the heck is that supposed to mean?

HOGARTH: Yeah, this isn’t the nursery where we sit in the playpen and have Barney the damn dinosaur read us fairy tales.

CANNIBAL: Let’s cut to the chase then. Or perhaps a cut to the throat.

The cannibal takes out a very crudely fashioned blade he probably forged himself. He approaches Hogarth with it, and both he and Joshua back off to the end of the cage.

HOGARTH: This has gone far enough, what’chu planning to stick with that thing?

CANNIBAL: Take a guess, I’m beginning to figure you for a stuck pig.

Hogarth turns to face Joshua.

HOGARTH: Good Lord, I think he’s fixing to eat us!

JOSHUA: What? That’s impossible. People eating people? What’s your game man? My mom must have set this up, this is some kind of joke right? Where is she?

CANNIBAL: You two goons are the only folks I’ve happened upon in a long while.

The cannibal points to his emaciated stomach.

CANNIBAL: I’ve been surviving mostly on clams boy, if I had th’ chance for another body to eat, I would’ve known.

HOGARTH: This is all bull. If you’ve really a starving cannibal, why are you wasting time flapping your jaw at us instead settling down to your meal?

CANNIBAL: Well ain’t that a stitch. I suppose maybe I’m not, on the other hand, maybe I’m more cat than troll. Maybe I just like playing with my food.

HOGARTH: Hey man, why eat us when across the island, there’s a whole plane fulla dead folk for you to munch on?

JOSHUA: Wait, what? What are you saying? My mom’s probably in there! You sending this guy off for my mom? He’ll have her on a blue plate special at the plane wreck buffet!

CANNIBAL: It’s been nigh-on ten years since I had me some momma meat. I could have me some mom soup, some mom ribs, some mom cutlet, some ma breast…

JOSHUA: You stay away from my mom!

HOGARTH: Yeah, you sicko! I mean, eating folks is one thing, but that kind of dirty talk is something else entirely.

CANNIBAL: Wait, what? I didn’t mean nothing dirty! Damn boy, you got me mighty insulted. I’m a cannibal, not a pervert. Even I have my morals.

JOSHUA: Drop dead!

CANNIBAL: Are you really in the position to be making threats, boy?

JOSHUA: My name isn’t ‘boy.’ It’s Joshua!

HOGARTH: Good idea son, if he knows our names, it’ll humanize us. Make us harder to eat.

JOSHUA: Shut up Hogarth, I’m still sore you wanted him to eat my mom.

HOGARTH: Who said anything about your mom? You think she’s alive, I sent him for dead folk.

JOSHUA: Weren’t you just berating me for holding out hope she’s still alive a few hours ago?

CANNIBAL: All this talk about people is making me hungry.

HOGARTH: Look, people are good for plenty of things other than eating. For instance, there’s polite conversation. Don’t you ever get lonesome?

CANNIBAL: That is rather slippery feller, appealing to my perceived sense of isolation eh?

HOGARTH: Well yeah, if you eat us you’ll have no one else to talk to. How long have you been out here?

CANNIBAL: I’ve been trapped on this island for fifteen years. I was stranded during the war, and hadda eat my comrades. And let me tell you, the rocks make better conversationalists than they ever did. They don’t talk back, and they’re good listeners.

HOGARTH: People are good for lots of other things too. For instance, they’re good for…for…um…say Joshua, what are people good for?

JOSHUA: For playing tag, for trading cards, building forts, laughing, playing…

CANNIBAL: Yeah, and stews, folk chops, chilli, flambés…

JOSHUA: … running through the meadows, having someone to play soccer against…

CANNIBAL: Freshly baked dumplings, sausages on a bun…

Joshua begins rubbing his belly:

JOSHUA: Gosh, I’m getting hungry now myself.

HOGARTH: Oh God no, you’re not turning on me are you? I’m sorry for what I said about your mom!

Hogarth gets scared and runs to the opposite end of the cage, while Joshua begins rummaging through the backpack. He takes out some sandwiches and begins eating one. Without thinking, he tosses one to Hogarth. Then he holds one out for the cannibal.

JOSHUA: You want one too?

HOGARTH: What in tarnation…?

CANNIBAL: Why are you offering me a sandwich boy?

JOSHUA: ‘Cause you’re hungry.

The cannibal turns the sandwich over in his hands, studying it. Slowly, he takes a bite. Tears water in his eyes.

CANNIBAL: I haven’t had a sandwich…for fifteen years!

JOSHUA: Pretty good aren’t they?

The cannibal gobbles it up.

CANNIBAL: This is the kindest thing anyone’s ever done for me.

The cannibal turns around, and drops a key in the cage.

CANNIBAL: Well boys, if I’ve eaten this sandwich, I just won’t have much appetite for you. And I do like playing with my food. Maybe I’ll catch you next time I’m hungry, and we can make a game of it?

JOSHUA: Sure thing man.

CANNIBAL: And maybe if you have more food next time, I could focus on helping you build a raft or something instead of dining on you, hey?

JOSHUA: That could be a plan!

HOGARTH: Hey, you’re not going to trust him huh, hey? HEY?

But Joshua is silent as he unlocks the cage, and the cannibal walks off to leave them be.

NARRATOR: Portrait of a boy recently orphaned, and a man most would figure for a monster. Yet in times of struggle, sometimes those among us who have lost the most have the most to give and it can touch even the most hardened of hearts, deep in the corners of the earth we would least think to look.