SCENE 7- THE ORPHANAGE
MOLLY- Alright, alright, your turn.
MILDRED- Fine. The craziest thing that ever happened to me had to me that time when I caught a baseball with my eyes closed.
MOLLY- Didn't you say your mom got eaten by a shark in the middle of a residential neighborhood?
MILDRED- Yes. And your point is?
MOLLY- Never mind.
MILDRED- Molly, you never told me how you came here. Why are you at the orphanage?
MOLLY- Erm... I don't like to talk about it-
MILDRED- Oh, come one Molly! I'm your best friend! You can tell me anything! You know that, don't you?
MOLLY- Oh, alright, alright. For all I can remember, it was just me and my mom. Just us against the world. Sometimes it felt like it was just us against the world. (Music from You and Me Against the World starts to play in background) When others turned their backs and walked away, I could count on her to stay. And I would always tell myself, when one of us is gone, and one of us is left to carry on, then remembering will have to do, our memories alone will get us through. Think about the days of me and you, of you and me against the world.
(Mildred is crying)
MILDRED- That was beautiful!
MOLLY- Yeah. Until one night, when I was asleep, a masked bandit came in and killed her!
MILDRED- No!
MOLLY- Yes. And the masked bandit got away! He was wearing a bandanna with skulls on it. And that's all I remember.
MILDRED- Oh, Molly, that's horrible!
MOLLY- I know. Henrietta knew, and that's why she was uncomfortable talking about it the day you met. She knew how much it bothered me to hear about it.
MILDRED- Oh, Molly. I'm sorry.
(Hugs Molly, who falls down midway)
MILDRED- Molly!
MOLLY- Help... need... food... dying...
MILDRED- Oh, no! Molly, I knew you were slowly starving to death, but I didn't know it was so serious!
MOLLY- Food...
MILDRED- Molly, we're supposed to be asleep! If Mrs. Flannels sees I'm up, she'll kill us both! I want to help you not die of starvation, but I just can't!
MOLLY- Please...
MILDRED- Oh, fine, fine, fine! My god! What a complainer!
(Cuts to main floor, where MILDRED is sneaking around. MRS. FLANNELS is sitting on couch, watching TV. MILDRED is slowly slipping around her when MRS. FLANNELS stops, sits up, and sniffs the air)
MRS. FLANNELS- He's here. Count Hemlock.
(Thunder booms outside as Mildred ducks behind dining room table. Song plays as COUNT HEMLOCK enters)
MRS. FLANNELS- Hello, Count Hemlock! How are you? How has your day been? How's the family? We've missed you here so-
COUNT HEMLOCK- Please, Flannels, spare me the drama. I have better things to do than listen to you babble like an ignoramus.
MRS. FLANNELS- Of course, sir. I'm sorry, sir. Would you like to have a look around?
COUNT HEMLOCK- No, actually, I'd rather light my throat of fire, but it is my job, so I must. Correct me if I'm wrong, Flannels, but it seems as if your orphanage is actually getting smaller.
YOU ARE READING
Once Upon a Mildred
HumorMildred has had a hard life. Death, war, and sharks have torn apart her family, leaving her alone in an orphanage. But when she finds out that her father might still be alive, she sets out on an adventure that will change her life forever.
