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Scene 6

 

(The lights come up on Rose lying in bed, coughing, with the other children gathered).

 

Aida- Look, Rose, I went out and picked you some flowers!

 

Rose- Aida -- Aida, come here.

 

Aida- Oh, Rose. Rose! Please hang on. I can’t -- you can’t d -- you’re okay, you’re gonna live. I know you’re gonna get well. Please, I still need you.

 

Rose- Aida, I’m not -- asking you -- to be brave -- I just -- I want you to know the rose -- like I do --

 

Aida- I do, Rose, you know that!

 

Rose- Good – but…but Aida, please -- you can’t go on like this ..with all this bitterness…in your heart -- it will…destroy you…you have to look…you have to see the beauty…of the rose-

 

Aida- Rose-

 

Rose- Don’t…don’t worry about me -- I’m going to see…the most beautiful Rose…there ever-

 

Aida- No, no Rose -- don’t say that -- don’t leave me!

 

Rose- Aida, besides my family, you’ve been the best friend…I’ve ever had-

 

(Aida offers Rose a pillow and Rose refuses).

 

Rose- I want more than being comfortable -- I want…I want to know that…one day, you will be able to see…that Jesus…is your one and only Rose…and that He would…want you to forgive-

 

Aida- I know He is, Rose, but…those people…they hurt my family, they hurt Julia…and by doing that -- they’re hurting you!

 

Rose- It doesn’t matter -- they don’t matter -- when I see you again…one day…I want to know…you looked…through the thorns-

 

(Rose lays her head down and dies. Aida bursts into tears).

 

Aida- Rose, no! No! Why? Please, God, help me! Bring her back! Listen to me! Why don’t you listen? Can you even hear me? Are you even there? Why did you do this to me! Why? Why! Rose! Please, Rose, come back! Come back! Rose!

 

 

(Lights fade and on Aida. Lights come up on the children gathered around a small cross in the ground, Rose’s grave.)

 

 

Simeon- “The LORD [is] my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me besides the still waters. He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; they rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou aniontest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

 

Aida, would you like to say a word?

 

Pater- You know, Aida, I was thinking. Maybe God just wants us to love, and not be afraid of the world ending, like I always am. Maybe the world just needs more love.

 

Aida- Love? There is no love in the world! I was her best friend. And I couldn’t even do that- I couldn’t even love her like she loved me. And she was the easiest person in the world to love!

 

You know, the world is not a happy place like she thought. There is no hope and no joy. And I will never, ever love again. If I do, God will just take them away from, like he always does.

 

Simeon- Aida, you know that’s not true. (He reaches out and puts his hand on Aida’s shoulder. Aida pulls away angrily).

 

Aida- Yes it is, Simeon! We have to face reality!

 

Simeon- Aida, like Rose would always say, the Lord has a reason for everything.

 

Aida- The Lord didn’t cause her to die, I did!

 

Simeon- Nonsense, she was sick, remember? We just couldn’t help her anymore!

 

Aida- But whose fault was that? Julia didn’t come and help because she couldn’t, because she couldn’t, because the Germans captured her, because she was hiding me and my family! I could have done something to prevent it!

 

Simeon- You know you don’t believe that!

 

Aida- (Coldly) There is no love in the world. Rose was the only one left who could teach me to forgive or love. But now…there is no love left in the world. I do not believe in forgiveness. And I do not believe in the Rose.

 

(Aida turns her back to Simeon and walks away, dropping the rose at her side as she leaves. Lights go out and scene ends).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scene 7

 

(Lights come up on Aida and Judith walking up to Aida’s house. Aida is carrying a small pack of her belongs in her arms.)

 

Judith- So here we are, Aida, your home at last! Now all you children are safe at home. How long exactly were you children living in that – that cave? Did – did my sister know about it, or did you all just leave her house after she was…captured and hide there?

 

Aida- She already had it ready with a few supplies, I think. She told me to go there if anything happened.

 

Judith- Oh. Well, at least she had a plan for you. Unfortunately, she was too worried about others to think about herself. That’s what always got me about her – she was always putting other people first, but nobody cared about her as much as she cared about them-

 

Aida- (Coldly) What?

 

Judith- It’s just – well, nobody else cared about Julia, or tried to help her-

 

Aida- (loudly) Are you talking about me?

 

Judith- I’m sorry, what-

 

Aida- Because if you’re talking about me, you have no idea, all right? No idea! Do you think there was anything I could do for your sister when those soldiers came in?

 

Judith- No, I-

 

Aida- Did you want me to fight them? (She throws her pack of belongs down and sounds nearly hysterical now). Is that what you wanted? Because it’s my fault she’s dead now?

 

Judith- Aida!

 

Aida- Well, isn’t that what you’re saying? Yes, that’s right, it’s my fault everyone’s dead! I killed Julia, I killed Rose-

 

Judith- Rose?

 

(She realizes what she has said and suddenly is silent.)

 

Judith- Who is-

 

Aida- (coldly) Nobody, so please don’t ask.

 

Judith- (shocked) I – come on, let’s just get you inside.

 

(Judith and Aida walk up to the door and knock loudly on it. Nobody answers. Judith knocks one more time.)

 

Anne - (Strolling by the house). Are you looking for the people who used to live there? Well, good luck, because Rachel, their next door neighbor, said she tried to find them, and found out they’d gone and died in one of those German camps.

 

Judith- Are – are you sure?

 

Anne- Oh, it’s true all right. Ask Rachel if you want, but it’s true.

 

Well, I have to go give this cake to a Mrs. Wood. She just moved in this neighborhood – people are saying she’s crazy but I want to see for myself. (She exits SR)

 

Judith- Aida, I- I’m sorry…

 

Aida- No! How can you believe her, Judith? She’s a liar – just some twisted old hag! (She turns back to the door and begins to hit it with her fists). Momma! Momma, please answer! It’s Aida! Poppa! Anyone! Please, it’s Aida – it’s your daughter! (She begins to sob uncontrollably and collapses on the doorstep).

 

Judith- Please, Aida-

 

Aida- Don’t – don’t talk to me. Just leave! Why? Why are you doing all this to me, God? What have I done – what have I ever done to deserve this? No! Momma! Poppa!

 

(Lights go out and scene ends).

 

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