SUGARBUSH – NIGHT
Under ISAAC’S Big Tree is a white linen table setting, a WAITER with a donkey’s head, a STRING QUARTET, flowers and wine.
The QUARTET plays an instrumental arrangement of “I WANT TO BE LOVED”.
A single candle is lit at the center of the table and a lavender tube of light shimmers upward into the night sky.
ROSE is seated at the table. She is part human, part earth. The roots of trees and plants circle her forearms and waist like living belts and bracelets. Moss covers her body. Dewdrops glimmer like a diamond crown on her head.
BRIAN appears. He has been running hard. He is exhausted and collapses face down on the forest floor. ROSE, non-plussed, takes a sip of wine.
ROSE
Why hello.
BRIAN
Go ahead. Blame me. I did everything I swore I wouldn’t do.
ROSE (compliments to the waiter)
Delicious.
BRIAN
You saw what he was doing. It was out of the Dark Ages.
ROSE
My hero.
BRIAN
That kid hadn’t done anything. He’s just a boy.
ROSE
Judge, jury, prosecutor, executioner.
BRIAN
Why did you stop me? To save him? That sick fuck?
ROSE
Have some dinner, dear. You must be exhausted.
ROSE pats her mouth with a napkin.
ROSE
Isn’t the music lovely?
BRIAN
You promised to walk me through this.
ROSE (hissing rage)
You never listen, do you? You always have to have it your way. What makes you think you have a monopoly on the truth? You jam your juvenile, arrogant, egotistical emotions right down everyone’s throat!
(sarcastically)
Brian the Great. Brian the Saviour. Brian the All-Powerful.
BRIAN
I love her.
ROSE
Oh? Like Sarah? She does look like Sarah.
BRIAN
That’s a coincidence.
ROSE
It’s a pattern.
BRIAN
This is different.
ROSE
Another sacrifice? Another victim? Nothing different about it.
BRIAN
I love her. I know it. It is different this time, I swear. How can she be with that that perverted man?
ROSE, disappearing her ensemble with a simple wave, grabs him by the scruff of the neck.
ROSE
Cut the crap, Brian. You’re as demented as he is and you know it. And he knows it. That’s why he’s flipping out. What you don’t know is that if you ever pull a stunt like that again, without consulting me, you will lose everything – do you understand? And it will take all I’ve got to stop you. I have my good days, but I’m telling you now, flat out, there’s not a whole lot left.
BRIAN
What are you saying?
ROSE (dead serious)
Read my lips, white boy. You can’t use magic to control Rebecca. You can’t use magic to mess with her old man. If you do it will backfire. Now tell me again, for real. Do you want that girl?
BRIAN looks straight into her eyes with his whole heart.
ROSE
Then you’re going to have to sweat this one out. You can’t seduce her. You can’t kiss her. Not even once. Not even so much as a brush of the lips. Not even the thought of it.
He looks away.
ROSE
You will not kiss Rebecca!
BRIAN
And if I do?
ROSE
She will die.
BRIAN
You’re joking.
ROSE (with compassion)
The only way to win her heart is to help her see who that man really is and what he is trying to do. She has to see it for herself.
BRIAN
But it’s so obvious.
ROSE
Not to Rebecca. Not to any of them. They’re as lost and broken hearted as you are. He’s all they’ve got. And I’m all you’ve got.
BRIAN
Then how?
ROSE
We’ll set a trap. One he can’t wriggle out of.
(whispering in his ear)
We’ll use the trees. We’ll get to him through the trees!
ROSE rolls her eyes with delight.
ROSE
I’m a genius!
(whispering)
But you have to give me your word on that other thing.
BRIAN
(whispering)
Okay. I swear. But why are we whispering?
ROSE
(whispering)
We’re not.
(loudly)
Never mind about that.
(whispering again)
Here’s what we’ll do.
She places her hand on his forehead.
ROSE
Far from the Light…
BRIAN places his hand on top of hers, smiling in remembrance.
BRIAN
…far from the Sound.
TOGETHER
…fox in the night chasing the hound.
They transform into FOXES. One has a Mohawk of bright red hair. The other is younger, friskier. They sniff and bark and shoot off into the brush.

SCENE 10

TOWN SQUARE – DAY
LIGHTS UP ON
INT. FLINT’S OFFICE (CUT AWAY IN KINGDOM HOUSE)
The room is small and uncluttered. His hat hangs on one wall. His desk is set up in front of his window so that, when working, his back is up against the window. His arm is in a sling.
Outside the window is an alley with the wall of the Kingdom House on one side and the wall of the Candy Store on the other. At the end of the alley is the Town Square. TOMMY is filling up TUBB’S hole with dirt.
FLINT is on the phone.
FLINT
Why yes. I think you’ll find our books in order. We are a non-profit as of course you are well aware. Faith based as they say in Washington.
(grimacing)
Oh really? When might you be coming up?
(beat)
Yes. Naturally. More than welcome. Just give us a ring.
(beat)
And to you as well.
He hangs up, redials.
FLINT
Mr. Carson? Judge Flint here.
(beat)
Un huh. That property you’d mentioned to me? We might be interested in a move.
(beat)
Yes. Sooner than we’d initially thought. You know I’ve always been fond of Pittsfield. My paternal grandfather grew up there, you know.
(beat)
Excuse me?
TUBBS appears in the alley. He is travelling back and forth between the Kingdom House and the Candy Store. Each trip he carries a new object. First a ladder, then a box of tools, a saw, etc.
FLINT swivelling in his chair, sees TUBBS for the first time.
FLINT
I see. Yes. That sounds terrific. Give us a few days to think this all through.
(beat)
Uh huh.
TUBBS is struggling with a sack of cement. Halfway between the two buildings he decides to shift the sack from one shoulder to another.
FLINT
One never knows, does one, when life begins to turn that unexpected corner and blows up…
TUBBS farts.
FLINT
(grossed out)
…in your face, so to speak. Could you hold on a second?
He puts his hand on the receiver.
TUBBS is on top of the ladder, which he has leaned against the side of the Kingdom House. He is banging away at the drainpipe. He hits his thumb with the hammer.
TUBBS
Shostokovitch!
The drainpipe falls, hits him in the head. He drops the hammer. Rubs his head. Looks around. Decides to urinate. The stream splashes the wall of the Kingdom House.
FLINT
Mother of God.
(back on the phone)
Mr. Carson?
(beat)
Never mind. It’s not important. The point is, sir, with perhaps a few more of the…ah…details pencilled in we can make a judgement in a matter of days.
A fly buzzes around FLINT’S head. He grabs it with his sore arm. Winces. He examines it.
FLINT
Yes. Please forward those figures right away.
(pinching it to death)
Thank you.
He flicks the insect like a spit ball. Hangs up the phone.
LIGHTS DOWN ON FLINT’S OFFICE

LIGHTS UP ON
CANDY STORE (CUT AWAY) – DAY
Tall glass jars sit on rough pine shelves and counters. They’re filled with cans of maple syrup, maple sugar candy and baked goods. Fluffy white curtains decorate the windows. An old fashioned cash register is set up on a stool.
The Town Square is empty. A FOX is sneaking around the corner of the building. BETSY appears, walking across the lawn. She sees the FOX.
She picks up a rock and throws it, hitting the fox in the ass.
BETSY
Gotcha!
She skips away.
ENTER REBECCA
A bell jiggles as the door opens. She knows the place well enough to move around unaided.
REBECCA
Isaac? You in here?
No reply.
ENTER
TOMMY.
TOMMY
Sister!? You gotta come quick. It’s Isaac. He’s hid out under the Sugarhouse!
REBECCA
You sure about this?
TOMMY
If the Judge finds out he’ll get beat on all over again.
(beat)
He’ll come out for you.
REBECCA (holding out her hand)
Hurry!
TOMMY leads her out the door.
ENTER
BRIAN, rubbing his rear-end.
He checks out the store, lifting the top of one jar, sniffing a pie, trying a dance step, laughing.
BRIAN (acapella)
I WANT YOU TALKING TO ME
DON’T WANT YOU LOOKIN’ AT HIM…

He sticks his finger in a cherry pie, pulls it out, brings it to his nose and, about to lick it clean, stops.
ENTER
BETSY, pushing the squeaky screen door open with one hand.
BRIAN
Caught me with my pants down.
BETSY
Like I care. What are you doing here anyways?
BRIAN licks his finger clean.
BRIAN
Just down for the day. Checking things out.
BESTY
You gonna be around long?
BRIAN
As long as it takes.
BESTY
As long as what takes?
BRIAN
Sorry. Guess I was just being smart.
BETSY
That won’t do any good with me. I’m not stupid. I got Permission.
BRIAN
To do what?
BETSY
I get to tell if kids are bad.
BRIAN
That must hurt a lot.
BETSY
No sir. It makes me feel big.
BRIAN
I mean it must get lonely, being the one to rat on people.
BETSY
I like it very much, thank you. It’s God’s work.
BRAIN
Maybe you can help me.
BETSY
I won’t help you with anything.
BRIAN
What is this Kingdom of yours up to anyhow? I mean for real. What good does it do?
BETSY (self-righteously)
We follow the Path. We follow Sweet Jesus. We…
BRIAN
Beat up on kids?
BESTY
It’s not what you think. A lot of folks up here’d be in big trouble somewheres else. The Reverend keeps ‘em in line.
TOMMY (off-stage)
Hey, who left the door open?
ENTER
TOMMY, REBECCA and ISAAC. ISAAC looks weak. He walks painstakingly. He brightens when he sees BRIAN.
BETSY
He’s criticizing us and he’s eating your candy.
ISAAC
I bet.
BRIAN
She’s right.
REBECCA
Do you always take what’s not yours?
BRIAN
Never…always.
ISAAC
Don’t worry about it.
BETSY
You better start worrying about your ass.
TOMMY
Leave him alone. Back home a kid like you’d get it the neck.
ISAAC (whispering simultaneously when TOMMY speaks)
She said ‘ass’.
BESTY
We’ll we’re not back home, are we? We’re here and I got Permission.
ISAAC
You think you’re so big.
REBECCA
Will you all please cut the crap!
BESTY gasps, covering her ears. Instant silence. REBECCA can’t believe her own ears.
ISAAC (whispering to TOMMY)
She said ‘s…h…i…t’.
TOMMY rolls his eyes.
BETSY
I thought you were the nice girl around here.
BRIAN
Hey, how about me buying you some candy?
ISAAC
Dude!
MUSIC: “THERE’S A REASON FOR IT”  (song)
REBECCA (still upset)
After a beating nobody gets sweets. We must suffer Punishment together.
BRIAN
Including me?
TOMMY
Nah. You get whatever you want.
BETSY
You’re not one of us.
BRIAN
I might want to be.
BETSY
Like that’s gonna happen.
BRIAN
And if I get you some candy?
REBECCA
That wouldn’t be right. Whose side do you think I’m on anyway?
BRIAN
I wasn’t asking you to choose. Just to have some fun.
BETSY
We ain’t supposed to have fun.
He rubs his hands together. He hops on one foot, claps once and digs into his pockets. He produces a huge piece of maple sugar candy.
TOMMY
No way.
BETSY (crossing herself)
I smell a rat.
ISAAC
Sweet.
BRIAN
See what you got.
REBECCA
What are you guys up to?
BETSY
That’s what I’d like to know.
TOMMY and ISAAC check their pockets.
TOMMY & ISAAC
Nuthin’.
BRIAN
You just gotta learn how.
(to REBECCA)
I’m just gonna teach ‘em some old-fashioned parlour tricks.
BRIAN spins on his heels, snaps his fingers, hops on one foot and claps. He reaches into his pocket and produces a giant piece of candy.
ISAAC
Lemme at it!
He and BRIAN spin together on their heels, snap their fingers, hop on one foot and clap.
He pulls a fat piece of candy out of his pockets. TOMMY does the same. Same result.
ISAAC
You the bomb!
BRIAN
THERE’S A REASON FOR IT
OH OH OH
THERE’S AN ANSWER

ALL
WOAH OH OH YEAH AH AH
THERE’S A REASON FOR IT
OH OH OH
THERE’S AN ANSWER
WOAH OH OH YEAH AH AH

They dance the Magic Candy Dance. BETSY does not participate. She is furious.
ALL (taking turns)
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A RIGHT
TAKE A RIGHT TURN
DO THE BACKSTROKE
DO DO DO DO
WHAT DID YA LEARN?

BETSY
This is disgusting.
ALL
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A RIGHT
TAKE A RIGHT TURN
DO THE BACKSTROKE
DO DO DO DO

ISAAC
WHAT DID YOU LEARN? YA YA YA…

BETSY
This is witch stuff.
REBECCA
Don’t be so harsh, Betsy. It’s just sleight-of-hand, is it not?
BETSY
You’re a swell judge of that.
She leaves, banging the door behind her.
BRIAN
Let her go. I mean no harm. No harm will come.
TOMMY & ISAAC
Do it again!
They repeat the whole business.
ALL
THERE’S A REASON FOR IT
OH OH OH
THERE’S AN ANSWER
WOAH OH OH YEAH AH AH
THERE’S A REASON FOR IT
OH OH OH
THERE’S AN ANSWER
WOAH OH OH YEAH AH AH
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A RIGHT
TAKE A RIGHT TURN
DO THE BACKSTROKE
DO DO DO DO

BRIAN
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

ALL
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A LEFT
TAKE A RIGHT
TAKE A RIGHT TURN
DO THE BACKSTROKE
DO DO DO DO

REBECCA
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?

Their dance and voices show a new side to them, as if for the first time their ‘power’ derives not from the Kingdom, or from JUDGE FLINT, but from themselves.
ALL
COMES FROM YOU
COMES FROM ME
COMES FROM YOU
COMES FROM ME…ETC.

ISAAC
AND IT COMES FROM ME

All clap and stomp as BRIAN and ISAAC take out their harmonicas and jam. ISAAC’S instrument is a beat-up old thing, but he’s a pro. BRIAN, still the novice, plays awkwardly and then, inspired by ISAAC, quite well. REBECCA and TOMMY dance.
At the window, ROSE peeks in. BRIAN sees her. She makes a ‘dude, you rock’ fist, nods, disappears.
All comes to a crashing halt:
ENTER
FLINT, banging through the door. BETSY is right behind him. FLINT has his arm in a sling.
FLINT
What’s going on around here?
BRIAN
Hey Judge, hurt yourself?
FLINT
Morning to you.
(sweetly)
Isaac? Rebecca? What are these pernicious rumors I hear about the Sugarhouse? No one is allowed down there except for me. That’s the Rule, is it not? Have we forgotten?
REBECCA
I found Isaac asleep here…in the store this morning.
FLINT
You don’t say.
BETSY
Who cares about that? Nobody in their right mind goes down there. What about the candy!
FLINT (to REBECCA)
Were we being generous again, my dear?
REBECCA
The store is exactly as I left it.
She ‘looks’ at BRIAN.
BRIAN
God’s truth.
BETSY
That’s a flat out lie!
BRIAN
Just check it out, Mr. Flint. I for one, don’t eat sugar. Bad for the arteries.
TOMMY hangs his head. BETSY singles him out. He’s petrified.
BETSY
Look in his pockets! It’s in there, I swear.
TOMMY backs up.
TOMMY
Nuh uh.
FLINT smacks his cane on the floor.
FLINT
Don’t you dick around with me.
TOMMY puts his hands over his head. FLINT, raising his cane with his good arm, moves in for the kill.
REBECCA
Honestly, father, there’s nothing…
FLINT (turning on her)
You will not contradict me!
REBECCA (bows her head)
I’m sorry.
BRIAN snaps his fingers twice. Clicks his heels.
FLINT (to tommy, holding out an open palm)
Let’s have it.
TOMMY
I ah…
(perplexed)
…don’t have nothin', sir.
ISAAC searches himself.
ISAAC
Me neither.
REBECCA is stupefied.
BRIAN
Perhaps little sister is making the whole thing up.
BETSY
You think so, huh? I’d like to get you in court.
FLINT
Little sister does not lie. She has Permission.
MEDMBERS (outside, distant chanting)
AY OH, AY OH, AY OH, AY OH…etc.
BETSY’S eyes pop open. She looks down at her hands and opens them to discover two big chunks of candy. She quickly hides them behind her back.
BETSY
I don’t get it.
BETSY stares at BRIAN, horrified.
BETSY
Oh my God!
ISAAC
She got it! She got th’ goods!
BETSY hurls the evidence on the floor, turns and runs out of the store. FLINT follows.
FLINT
We’ll get to the bottom of this.
He stops, turns, takes them in, sensing a wrongdoing.
FLINT
I promise.
EXITS.
TOMMY (sing song)
She’s gonna get it.
The triangle is rung.
BRIAN
Not again?
REBECCA
He’s over-reacting. Everyone is over-reacting.
TOMMY
We better get a move on.
BRIAN
I don’t understand you people. You punish kids for being kids?
REBECCA
It’s not how it looks. It’s hard to explain.
BRIAN
Try me.
They look at each other.
ALL (sadly)
We follow the Path. We follow Sweet Jesus. We follow the Lord. We live in a…
BRIAN
…sick place.
REBECCA
There are people here who were dying, literally dying, on the street. My father took them in. He gave them something to believe in. He set limits. He forgave. He comforted.
BRIAN
Trying to give you guys a clean shot. OK. But now Betsy’s in the doghouse.
REBECCA
He’s not perfect.
BRIAN
I’ll make this up to you. All of you. Can ya come up the mountain later?
ISAAC
For sure…
REBECCA
Of course not.
(simultaneously with ISAAC)
We are in Punishment.
She holds out her hand. TOMMY takes it and leads her out the door.
BRIAN
You remember, Iz? Where the rock is?
ISAAC winks. BRIAN calls after REBECCA.
BRIAN
At the first star.
REBECCA (outside)
Don’t be late, little brother.
ISAAC
I’ll run her up there to ya somehow.
BRIAN touches ISAAC’S shoulder.
ISAAC
Ow!
BRIAN
Pretty sore, huh.
ISAAC
Duh.
BRIAN
He’s got something on you, doesn’t he?
ISAAC
Who?
BRIAN
Flint. He’s put some kinda scare into all of you.
ISAAC shakes his head sadly.
BRIAN
Tell me about it.
ISAAC
I gotta go.
OFFSTAGE we hear the drum roll, AY OH AY OH…etc - the set up for the whipping post.
ISAAC
I ain’t supposed to say nothin’. I ain’t no traitor.
BRIAN
Let me paint you a picture.
BRIAN places his hand on ISAAC’S forehead. ISAAC backs away.
ISAAC
Cut it out!
BRIAN
Trick I learned a long time ago. When I was your age.
BRIAN takes out his harp and plays. The simple melody brings a reluctant smile to ISAAC’S face.
BRIAN moves his free hand above ISAAC’S head, as if he is the puppeteer and ISAAC the marionette. He pockets the harmonica.
OFFSTAGE the whipping ritual is muted. BETSY’S first scream is all the more frightening for being distant as BRIAN’S magic takes hold.
BRIAN
This is between us.
ISAAC
This is gay.
BRIAN places his forehead on ISAAC’S.
BRIAN
Like water into a glass.
ISAAC
Like lies into a lie detector.
(getting into it)
Okay, boss, I give up. Make it so.

TABLEAU or FILM PROJECTION:
The sound of a million crickets.
A flickering, stroboscopic, grainy, black and white ‘docmentary’ of what ISAAC remembers is acted out against the whitewashed wall of the candy store.
INT. ROOM – NIGHT
Through boarded-up windows we hear the hive of activity outside: A police captain shouting orders on an electric megaphone, the hubbub of a gathering crowd, etc. Searchlights penetrate the cracks in the windows and stab light into the room.
REBECCA is climbing down a homemade ladder through a trap door and into a dark tunnel. ISAAC stands above her.
In the room, faintly illuminated by the filtered light, is a small group of men, women and children tied to chairs. They are fervently praying.
BETSY, prompted by FLINT, is wrapping duct tape around their arms and legs. Plastic explosives are strapped to their bodies.
FLINT (in a hurry)
You are the Chosen. You are the Ones Who Came Before us. You are the Saviours and the Sacrifice. It is you who enter the Kingdom of Heaven. You are blessed and our blessings go with you tonight and always – the Best, the Bravest and the Sure.
A little GIRL is holding a doll. She is crying.
BETSY throws her arms around AN OLDER WOMAN strapped to a chair. FLINT pulls her off. They follows REBECCA down the ladder into the tunnel, dragging ISAAC along behind her.
FLINT makes the Sign of the Cross on the OLDER WOMAN’S forehead with his thumb and dives down the ladder, pulling the trap door shut after him.
A teargas grenade lands on the floor. MEMBERS of a SWAT TEAM crash through the door. The little GIRL cries hysterically.
The TABLEAU ‘explodes’. The ACTORS vanish.

BRIAN
He made you do that?
ISAAC (near tears)
It’s okay. I’m okay.
BRIAN
But why?!
ISAAC
We had t’ get outa town in a hurry. The pigs was catchin’ up to us and those guys was bait. They wanted t’ be found dead. No fingerprints. They had do it and they wanted to do it. Plus, they get t’ go t’ Heaven.
BRIAN
Says who?
ISAAC points outside.