Barbara's Scripts
Scene from Silent Crossing

The group focuses their attention on Ezekiel.

Death stands in the shadows behind the recliner.

Ezekiel takes his time to look at each of them, individually. 

EZEKIEL

Isn't it something?  All of us coming
together again, so to speak? You
know we're all from the Bible's  Old
Testament?

He takes a drink of bourbon to ease a pain.

EZEKIEL

Jonah, Naomi, Daniel, Leah, Rebecca,
and me, Ezekiel. Then came God's
messenger, Angela. It hasn't been just
a coincidence either.  We've become a
family, a family that means everything
to me.              

Everyone gazes at him with love. Jonah starts to speak, but Ezekiel continues.

EZEKIEL

I'm not quite finished yet.  What I really
want to tell you is that I've decided to
die tonight.

RUMBLE of distant thunder as the group sits frozen, dumbfounded.

EZEKIEL

Some time after midnight.  Early Easter
Sunday morning.  A good time.

Intense SILENCE, then SHUFFLES, GASPS, MOANS.

Naomi stares ahead as if in a trance.     

JONAH

Oh my God, my God, no. You can't be
serious.

REBECCA

You trying to scare us?

LEAH  

We won't let you.  We can't.    

EZEKIEL

Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything
like use a gun or take pills.  I respect
Death too much to do that.

LEAH

Respect?

JONAH

How you gonna do it then?

The coals POP. Death moves towards the trailer.

EZEKIEL

I'm going to stop holding on.  I'm
accepting and even willing my
mortality.

DANIEL

Whoa, that's pretty cool.         

Looks of reproach bombard Daniel.  Rebecca BURSTS into tears.

REBECCA

Cool?

JONAH

Cool?  What're you tryin' to say?

DANIEL

If he can pick his time and face it, head-on, not afraid, then more power to him.

Death watches from the porch as Rebecca stands up and leans over towards Ezekiel.

REBECCA

I thought I could count on you.  Just
the idea that you even want to ...
abandon us is like stabbing my heart. 
I trusted you.

Distraught, Rebecca goes over and picks Angela up.

REBECCA

Oh my baby, my baby. You won't ever
let me down; you won't ever.

She drags her chair from the table to the stroller.

EZEKIEL

Sweetheart, when Angela was born, I
begged to be granted enough time to
see her grow up; knowing full well I was
already pushing my limits.

He drinks some bourbon and reflects.

EZEKIEL

Three and a half years before she was
born, the doctors told me I had  a year
left, and only "if" I had their operations
and treatments.  But, I chose to fight it
my way, and, here it is, almost five years
later. I got to see Angela take her first
steps, and I'm satisfied.  I'm also tired
and ready.  

Jonah circles around like a cornered animal.

JONAH

Still, you can't just "decide" to die. You
can't just say, "I'm gonna die" and do it.
It's not like taking a piss.

LEAH

People don't have control over such things.

Naomi starts clearing the table. Jonah looks at her in disbelief.

JONAH

Will you stop with that!

Sensing something, she looks over towards Death, but sees nothing.      

DANIEL

There's this old movie with Dustin
Hoffman, where an old Indian man was
always going off to the mountain to die.
He'd say, "This is a good day to die," and
off he'd go. But the Great Spirit wouldn't
come get him.  So he'd go back down to
his village and try again the next day. 
That went on for a hell of a long time. 
Then he died. (pause)  LITTLE BIG MAN.
I got it...at my trailer.

Irritated, Leah looks at Daniel as if she wants to hit him.  Her voice takes on a condescending tone.

LEAH

So, what's your point? That the Spirit
comes and gets you when it's damn good
and ready?

DANIEL

No, it's that some people believe they
have power over their death.