A Life for a Life

Scene 6

Morning. Ellie's room.

JESSICA:

Rise and shine sleepy heads!

ELLIE:

No rise and shine...I'm sleepin'.

Jessica goes over to the window and opens the blinds so that a ray of sunshine floods the room.

Noooo!!!

Ellie pulls the covers all the way over her head.

JESSICA:

You guys hungry? I made bolita eggs and potatoes.

Ellie sits up half asleep.

ELLIE:

Potatoes?!

JESSICA:

Never fails. Riley? You still sleeping?

Riley turns over bags under her eyes.

RILEY:

No.

JESSICA:

Didn't sleep huh?

Riley nods.

If you want you can sleep in longer. But Miss Ellie needs to get up and clean.

ELLIE:

Aww!! Mother!! I'm having a crisis too!

JESSICA:

Oh yeah? What kind of crisis?

ELLIE:

Um...well when i think of a good one I'll tell you, k? Until then I'll be right here!

JESSICA:

Up! Oh and Ian called. He said to call him back that it's important.

ELLIE:

Ok.

Ellie gets up and goes out of the room with her mom. Riley lays there in silence. Ellie comes back into the room with the phone.

Let's see what this guy wants. (pause) Hello? Hey Ian! What's going on?

Riley sits up and tries to hear what Ian is saying.

Yeah I'm good. And you? (pause) Ian? Is something wrong? (pause) ummm wait!

She puts the phone down as she stares down at the floor, hurt.

I knew that was coming.

RILEY:

He...broke up?

Ellie nods her head.

ELLIE:

You knew didn't you.

RILEY:

I-

ELLIE:

It's ok! I'd rather hear it from him than anyone else.

She smiles and begins to fold the blanket that was on the floor. She wipes a stray tear from her eye.

RILEY:

I'm such a traitor...

ELLIE:

No Riley. We all make mistakes and i know that you didn't want to hurt me. I don't mind that we broke up. It's just funny that of all the times we were together this past week he couldn't tell me to my face. But no worries!

She gives her a thumbs up and puts the blanket on top of the pillow next to her bed. Riley shakes her head with a confused look on her face.

RILEY:

How can you do it?

ELLIE:

What?

She sits on the bed looking at Riley.

RILEY:

Your just soo happy and when something happens to you you just shrug it off like it was nothing.

Ellie smiles then covers her face as she begins to cry. Riley goes over to her and hugs her.

oh Ellie...

ELLIE:

Riley...do you believe in God?

Riley looks at her in confusion.

RILEY:

What? No. Even if i did I've been through so much i don't think He even cares about me.

ELLIE:

But Riley don't you see. There has to be something more than just this evolution theory. We can't have all been an accident. We're just too perfect. Its like if you spill a cup of milk. It doesn't always fall into the same shape. Its always different. How can so many people be accidents and look so much the same, yet so different? There has to have been a creator.

RILEY:

I don't get you.

ELLIE:

I believe in God and He's given me a joy I've never had before. Yes, I make mistakes but I'm changing now. I'm not perfect but with God i can at least try to be. I started going to church with my mom and i gave my life to God. I was skeptical at first but i gave it a try and now-

RILEY:

I...what?! How can you believe all that religion crap?

ELLIE:

It's not complicated. I had something missing in my life and now i found it. I tried everything to fill my emptiness. Drugs, sex, relationships, parties, all of that and nothing filled me like having a relationship with Jesus.

RILEY:

Ellie, are you sure your feeling ok?

ELLIE:

Yes. Riley having this relationship with God has changed my perspective on life. You should try it. When your ready.

RILEY:

I...I don't know. That was really random and...I-

Ellie smiles.

ELLIE:

When your ready i said. There's no rush. I just want you to know that He loves you. He loves you more than you know.

RILEY:

Ummm...thanks?

ELLIE:

I love you so much Riley Marie.

Jessica comes to the door.

JESSICA:

Hey Elle. Come on now. The faster you get this done the faster you can go back to being lazy.

ELLIE:

Yes ma'am. (To Riley) I'll be back in a sec.

Ellie leaves with Jessica. Riley sits in silence as she thinks out loud.

RILEY:

God? I don't believe in Him. I can't it's just too weird. Anyways how can He love me? I'm just a defect. I'm a nobody. A mess up. I don't even love myself. God, how can you love me? If you loved me then you'd help me. You wouldn't have had me go through all of this drama. You've never done anything for me but cause me pain!

Riley sits there for a second then Jessica appears. She walks into the room and sits next to Riley.

JESSICA:

I used to be like you.

She sits on the bed and looks up at the ceiling.

I hated God because i had such a hard life. I went to church as a kid and loved it but when my parents died...i got angry. I gave up on believing. God does things for a reason. We may not like what He does nor do we always understand but it's always for a reason.

RILEY:

But why does He pick on me? Why is it my life that He messes up?

JESSICA:

You have to understand that He does certain things to get our attention. He loves us like crazy and He wants us to love Him back. Thats all He really wants.

She looks at Riley.

But look at it like this. Say you and God are walking in life under His umbrella and its raining. You tell God that you don't need Him to walk with you and you leave Him. It rains on you because God has the umbrella and you wonder why its only raining on you. We have to see that its our own decisions most of the time that make our lives so difficult and not God. He gives us choices and lets us make them on our own. He waits for you to come back to Him so that your not in the rain.

Riley sits there in silence then comes to a conclusion.

RILEY:

Well I'm still a bit unsure about this God thing but maybe one day I'll give it a try.

Jessica gets up and walks towards the door.

JESSICA:

Like i said He waits for you to come to Him. Just think about it.

She exits as Riley sits again in silence. She grabs her backpack from next to the bed and rummages through it. She pulls out her wallet and opens it, pulling out a picture.

RILEY:

Man Silas...Why are you acting like this? You've changed.

She stares at the picture for a few moments then lays down on the bed. Ellie walks in with a broom.

ELLIE:

Man this house is dusty! What'cha doing?

RILEY:

Nothing just...you know what I know that i shouldn't but i think i want to go talk to Silas. I need to straighten this out with him.

ELLIE:

Riley, i don't think you should go. I have a bad feeling about this.

Riley gets up and grabs her clothes.

RILEY:

Don't worry i won't be there long.

Exit.