SUN RISE

Four actors are crouched, two at the front and two behind. They appear to be on all fours. They look determined and scared. Quite close together. The flats are brought in tight to narrow the stage to perhaps 1.5m. It’s very cramped.

FIRST. Will you stop pushing me!

SECOND. It’s not me it’s that lot behind me.

FIRST. Right! I’ve told you all once and I’ve told you a million times; stop pushing, stay calm, you will all get your chance.

SECOND. They never listen. They didn’t listen before we got here, and they won’t listen now. They only listen to Jack.  

FIRST. Don’t tell me how to do my job! I know how to look after them. They are just a bit anxious. One minute we’re all enjoying the open air and sunshine, next minute we’re all crammed in this…errr… place.

SECOND. Not my fault.

FIRST. Not saying anything of the sort. It’s no one’s fault. We are all just as surprised to be here as each other.

THIRD. I’m not.

FIRST. What? You’re not? You’re not surprised?

THIRD. After shoving us on that noisy thing. Jack was barking all sorts of strange things. Just a feeling I got.

FIRST. Feeling?

THIRD. Call it intuition.

FIRST. Call it what you like, doesn’t mean jack shit!

THIRD. Does to me. Jack knows the voices.

SECOND. To be fair she’s always been…

FIRST. …What?

SECOND. Alert.

FIRST. Alert?

SECOND. Alert.

FIRST. Okay. I accept the basic premise. Alert to what?

FORTH. Be alert!

They all turn and look at forth.

FORTH. This country needs lerts!

They all laugh. A slightly weird laugh like sheep. Just slightly.

FIRST. Hey hey hey. Calm down you lot. We have no idea what we are about to face and all you lot want to do is make jokes. 

THIRD. Jack was definitely anxious this morning. I know that collie.

FIRST/SECOND/THIRD/FORTH (muddled)  He did, he did, very on his toes, bit aggressive, not like himself. Bit upsetting. Not normal. Worried me. Strange. Didn’t look me in the eye. Just ran away.

FIRST. Now now now calm down. Jack was probably trying to tell us something. Big day ahead maybe. He just wanted us to be on out best behaviour. That’s what he wanted.

SECOND. He’s a good egg.

THIRD. I like Jack. Not like the last one. Viscous bastard. Put one foot out of place and he was on you. Nipping and biting and making life hell.

FIRST. Just needed to do as requested. Fall into line. Follow orders.

SECOND. And we always do. Jack knows that. He knows how to handle us.

They all shuffle around and THREE and FOUR come to the front.

THREE. Can’t see where we are going.

FOURS. Looks a bit dark down there.

FIRST. Nothing to worry about.

THREE. How do you know?

FIRST. Well…I…don’t. I’ve not done this before either. All new to me.

SECOND. But you’re the oldest. The most senior. You must have done this before.

FIRST. Similar. (looking anxiously ahead)

THIRD. Similar?

FIRST. Yes, similar. (Stoical, brave)

SECOND. How similar?

FIRST. Like the training. The assault course. The ramp and the dive and the swim and the jump afterwards. Soaking bloody wet I was, but I got through it.

SECOND/THIRD/FORTH. Yeah, me too, it was fun. Enjoyed that, loved it, such a laugh, you were so funny. (General chatter and add as slight baaaa).

SECOND. Jack showed us the way.

THIRD. And he was there to show us back to the others.

FORTH. I was a bit scared.

FIRST. Why?

FORTH. I can’t swim.

SECOND. Come to think of it, neither can I.

THIRD. Me neither.

FIRST. Now you mention is, neither can I. That’s odd.

General muttering and agitation. FIRST and SECOND come back to the front. Looking anxiously out from the stage.

SECOND. Did you see that amazing sunrise? So shimmery and bright and fresh and new.

THIRD. Oh, I did.

SECOND. Wasn’t it beautiful.

FORTH. I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.

SECOND. Me neither. I can’t even describe the colours. They were all new to me.

FORTH. Colours?

SECOND. Something Jack taught me.

THIRD. I was just eating breakfast and I raised my head slightly to look at the rising sun and the glow of it shimmered across the dew covered grass and I had to stop chewing. I was captivated.

SECOND. Me too. I can’t imagine ever seeing anything like it again.

THIRD. It was wonderful.

FIRST. (Very sad) Remined me of Feban.

SECOND. Oh, I will always remember her. I called here Fisban.

FORTH. I thought the voice called her Firsborn.

THIRD. Me too. She was lovely. What happened to her?

FIRST. I’m not sure. She was there one day and then gone the next. She was so sweet.

SECOND. So young. A baby.

THIRD. Well, yeah, born when everything was white.

FORTH. That’s true. So cold. So very cold.

FIRST. Tough kid though. Grew strong.

SECOND. No friends sadly. A lonely one she was. Poor Firsborn.

THIRD. The others came later. When the ground was green.

SECOND. They were such fun. Running and jumping.

THIRD. Springing and leaping.

FIRST. It was so funny watching them all. I chuckled.

FORTH. Until that horrible long light day came. That wasn’t nice.

FIRST. Jack said it had to be done.

SECOND. They were in so much agony.

FIRST. We’ve all been through it.

SECOND. Don’t remind me.

THIRD. Easy for you. Just your back end thing!

FORTH. Easy! It hurt like hell.

THIRD. You try having that around you dangly bits. It was so horrible. So painful. I cried. I admit if I cried.

FORTH. Yes, I can’t imagine. Sorry. Awful. I forget sometimes.

THIRD. I bloody don’t.

FIRST. Hey hey hey! Keep the noise down. There seems to something happening up ahead.

SECOND. I can’t see.

THIRD. Me neither.

FORTH. Me neither either.

FIRST. Shut up! And listen.

They pause and listen.

SECOND. Sounds like they are having problems. Sounds serious.

THIRD. Where’s Jack?

FORTH. Yes, where’s Jack? He’d tell us what to do.

FIRST. It’s going to be okay. I’m sure Jack would let us know if things were not right.

SECOND. I’m frightened.

THIRD. Me too.

FORTH. Me three.

FIRST. Where’s Jack?

SECOND. I can’t hear him.

THIRD. Me neither.

FORTH. That’s not usual. We always know where Jack is. If he’s not barking at us, he’s lying there like our guardian angel.

FIRST. He’s not here now though.

SECOND. No, he’s not. (looking around) 

FORTH. Where’s our guardian angel?

FIRST. (Deep breath, pause) We’re on out own chaps. Whatever is down there we have to face this together. Be brave.

SECOND. I’m with you. I’ll stay by your side.

THIRD. Me too. You’ve always looked after me. I’m here for you now.

FORTH. Me too. I think. Can’t seem to turn round so not much bloody choice. What the hell is happening down there?

THIRD. Can’t be worse than having your dangly bits cut off.

FIRST. No, it can’t!  (They all laugh, and the sound is more like sheep).

FIRST. I think we need to move forward. Follow me.

SECOND. That’s’ what we have been taught all our lives. Follow him

THIRD. Jack would be proud of us.

FORTH. I’m not sure about this. I may like to take this opportunity to express a different opinion and not just follow the crowd like we always do. This feels wrong. I’d like to rebel. Protest. Say no.

FIRST. No time for those shenanigans. Follow me chaps.

SECOND. I’m not so sure.

THIRD. This looks bad.

FORTH. I don’t think this is going to end well. I can hear voices.

FIRST. To be honest chaps, I’m a little rattled too. I can smell something unpleasant too.

SECOND. Death?

FIRST. But onward we must go.

SECOND. I want to get out of here. It’s getting louder.

THIRD. We have no choice.

FORTH. But the voices do. They could stop it.

SECOND. I would have liked to have seen another sunrise.

END.