Stage opens as an obvious war zone. Lights come up on several beleaguered soldiers standing around what appears to be a female body (MOLLY), naked but covered. Throughout the story, the sounds of battle can be heard in the background.
AMELIA
Is it really her?
JACK
I don't know.
MILES
What do you mean you don't know?
JACK
I mean, I don't know.
MILES
Three minutes ago you said it had to be her.
JACK
And?
MILES
So, is it?
AMELIA
Leave him alone.
MILES
What now?
AMELIA
We've been dying here for weeks. We're all a little out of it, so give Jack some space.
MILES
Look, the guy stumbles across this body--
JACK
She's alive.
MILES
Whatever. He stumbles across this, this girl, and what? Sees the tattoo on her neck and goes all prophetic on us.
AMELIA
Come on Miles.
MILES
I'm just laying it out like it is, OK?
AMELIA
You're being an ass.
JACK
It's fine.
AMELIA
What?
JACK
It's fine. He has a right.
AMELIA
To be asinine?
MILES
Screw you, Amelia.
JACK
To be skeptical.
AMELIA
And to let us all know exactly how wrong we all are to hope.
MILES
Hey! I'm not saying hope is a bad thing, yea? But hope that this git is her? That's just bullshit.
JACK
And all I'm saying is we don't have much left here.
Loud explosion and the party pauses, listening.
And we don't have much time.
AMELIA
(beat) He's right.
MILES
Kind of a hail Mary, don't you think?
JACK
What else have we got?
MILES
If it's her...
AMELIA
Then all of this is over.
JACK
We can go home--
MILES
To what's left.
JACK
Collect the pieces and rebuild.
MILES
So we can tear each other apart again in ten years.
AMELIA
Home... (beat) Isn't that worth it?
JACK
It is for me.
AMELIA
But...what if she--
MILES
What if she isn't the one?
AMELIA
That isn't what--
MILES
Of course it is. With the exception of Jackie the Apostle, no one believes this crap.
AMELIA
That isn't true.
MILES
We're better off leaving her behind.
JACK and AMELIA
Not an option.
TERRY comes running in from offstage.
TERRY
Incoming!
They dive to the floor (JACK dives over MOLLY to protect her) as another loud explosion is heard followed by the sound of falling dirt.
They're still a ways off, but they're coming.
AMELIA
How long?
TERRY
An hour? If we're lucky.
JACK
They've got to cross the zone to get here. That's slow going.
TERRY
They've got sniffers.
MILES
Damn it, Jack! We need to move.
JACK
I'm not leaving her.
TERRY
Is this...
JACK
(with MILES) Yes.
MILES
Who knows?
TERRY
Is she alive?
AMELIA
So far.
TERRY
And she...
JACK
Just showed up.
MILES
Bull.
JACK
I was coming back from the north post--what's left of it--when I saw her here.
MILES
Tripped on her is more like it.
JACK
She wasn't there when I went out.
MILES
Maybe you weren't looking.
JACK
I don't have a deathwish.
MILES
Could have fooled me.
AMELIA
Miles!
JACK
She wasn't there when I went out, and she was there, naked, when I came back.
TERRY
So she just appeared...
AMELIA
Just like it says.
JACK
And she came from nothing, without even armor to save the damned.
MILES
It's crap.
JACK
I saw her once.
MILES
Bull.
JACK
I did. When I was a kid.
MILES
That was thirty years ago.
TERRY
She hasn't been seen in almost that long.
JACK
It was the just before the first war.
TERRY
Damn.
JACK
The New Year's day parade.
AMELIA
The day she left.
JACK
Yea.
AMELIA
It must have been hard.
JACK
I was young. I didn't understand what was going on. I mean my parents were in shock--my mom started drinking, and the police held everyone who was saw her.
MILES
She was what, twenty-five when she disappeared?
AMELIA
Twenty-three.
JACK
And?
MILES
Thirty years gone by...(goes to lift the cloth covering MOLLY) looks damn good for a fifty--
JACK tackles MILES to keep him from exposing MOLLY.
JACK
Don't you dare!
MILES
What the fuck?!
AMELIA
Jack!
JACK
Don't touch her.
MILES
What the fuck, man. (gets up and walks towards MOLLY)
JACK
Don't do this.
AMELIA
Miles.
MILES
This prick goes after me because I go for a glimpse of sleeping beauty's better parts?
JACK
Stay back Miles.
MILES
Or what?
TERRY
We don't have enough to worry about without this?
MILES
Or what Jack?
JACK
(pulls a gun) Just stay back, OK.
MILES
Are you kidding me?
AMELIA
Jack, come on.
MILES
You're pulling this shit, now?
JACK
Just stay back, Miles.
MILES
Now, when they're going to be here in a god damn hour.
JACK
Keep back. It's all I ask.
MILES
Whatever. But we get through this? We're done.
JACK
Fine by me.
AMELIA
Jack?
JACK
Yeah?
AMELIA
Put it away?
JACK
What?
AMELIA
The gun? Please, put it away. Miles isn't going to go anywhere near her.
MILES
Nope. I'm done.
AMELIA
See? You don't need it. She's OK.
JACK
I don't trust him.
TERRY
Come on man, just put it away. You're gonna need it later.
JACK
I know.
AMELIA
Come on Jackie, just put it away now. (he does, and they all relax)
TERRY
So, you saw her?
JACK
What?
TERRY
And that's how you know?
JACK
Oh. Yeah, I guess. She looks the same, and has the same tattoo.
TERRY
Yeah.
JACK
So, I figure it's got to be her.
AMELIA
I do too.
TERRY
So, what's the plan?
JACK
The plan?
AMELIA
Well, I mean, when she wakes up...
MILES
If she wakes up.
JACK
When.
MILES
What?
JACK
When, not if she wakes up.
MILES
Whatever.
JACK
When she wakes up, we'll ask for her help.
TERRY
Think she'll do it?
AMELIA
Isn't that the point?
JACK
I mean, I hope so. If she doesn't, we're done for anyway.
MILES
Now you see this?
JACK
It's the truth.
MILES
First time tonight.
JACK
If she agrees, it's all over.
AMELIA
Peace.
TERRY
Peace.
MILES
(scoffing) Peace.
AMELIA
Do you even remember it?
JACK
Peace? Not much.
AMELIA
I wasn't even born when the first war started.
TERRY
Me either.
MILES
I remember ice cream.
TERRY
What?
MILES
Ice cream. Frozen sweet cream and chocolate.
TERRY
Oh.
JACK
It can be like that again.
MILES
Or we can all die by firing squad for heresy and presenting a false savior.
JACK
She's not a fake.
AMELIA
And we've got what, two weeks left anyway?
TERRY
I think that's generous.
AMELIA
You see anyone else out there Terry?
TERRY
Not in a while.
JACK
Are we it?
MILES
Then it's over anyway.
AMELIA
There have to be others.
MILES
Fuck it. Take the chance.
JACK
Too little, too late.
TERRY
Guys?
MILES
Hey, if it buys me a new life...
TERRY
Guys?
JACK
You're on board?
MILES
I've done crazier--
TERRY
Guys!
AMELIA
What, Terry?
TERRY
She just opened her eyes.
Lights down as we hear sounds of explosions coming closer again.
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