We open on a half-lighted stage. On the right side (audience’s left) is a room with four beds in it, only three of them occupied. There is a window at the far wall, through which shines the “moon.” The other half of the stage is dark.

All of the sudden, one of the sleeping figures bolts upright with a small shriek. This is BRIONY, a girl of about thirteen or so. She places a hand on her chest to steady herself, obviously having woken from a bad dream. Another figure wakes. This is DANIEL, a small boy of about five. BRIONY doesn’t notice him until he speaks.

DANIEL
(shakily)
Briony?

BRIONY
I’m fine, Daniel. Go back to sleep.

DANIEL
But I’m worried, Briony.

BRIONY
(exasperated)
Daniel?

DANIEL
(near crying)
I’m worried Mum and Da’re gonna send you off!

BRIONY gets out of bed and kneels beside DANIEL’S bed, taking his hand.

BRIONY
Now, what could make you think that, hm? Everything’ll be fine. Trust me.

DANIEL
(blubbering)
Mum and Da’re gonna ship you off, I swears it! You’re gonna go work inna smelly ol’ factory makin’ clothes all day ‘cause we need the m-money!

BRIONY smooths the hair back from his forehead.

BRIONY
Just don’t worry away your pretty little head. Everything’ll be alright, even if I do a bit o’ travellin’.

DANIEL
I’m not gonna eat no more. There’ll be enough food for everybody an’ you can stay in Ordin.

BRIONY
No, Daniel, not at a time like this. Not during a famine.

DANIEL
I'm sorry, I-I just?

DANIEL begins to bawl, waking the third person in the room. This is BEN, a thin boy of about eight.

BEN
(rubbing his eyes)
Danny! I’m tryin’a sleep!

BRIONY crosses to BEN and attempts to tuck him back in.

BRIONY
Here, close your eyes. We won’t be much longer.

BEN
(groaning)
Danny’s such a crybaby!

DANIEL
Am not!

BEN
Are too!

DANIEL lets out a wail, causing BEN to laugh triumphantly.

See? Crybaby, crybaby!

DANIEL
Stop it! Briony’s the one who woke up screaming!

BEN
(suddenly serious)
Another one?

BRIONY walks over the the window and gazes out of it, pretending not to hear.

BRIONY
(nonchalant)
Another one o’ what?

BEN
Another nightmare.

BRIONY
T’weren’t nothin’ but a wee dream.

BEN
A nightmare, then?

BRIONY
(shakily)
Not quite.

DANIEL
(crying)
Don’t you see, Ben? Briony’s scared too! She’s gonna go away! She’s gonna sail right off on a ship’n she’s never gonna see us again! You know it’s gonna happen, Briony, you do!

BRIONY
(fed up)
Stop it, you! Just stop! I’ve had enough of your crying.

DANIEL stares at her in shocked silence, then burrows down under the covers. BEN, shaking his head at BRIONY, does the same.

BRIONY

Look, Danny…I’m sorry. You’ll listen to me, won’t you, Ben?

There’s a long silence. BRIONY sighs.

I’m sorry, you two, honest…I really am scared, I am.

BRIONY sits down on the foot of her bed and sighs. The lights go dark on that side of the stage and then go up on the other to reveal a man and woman standing outside the "house."

CLAIRE

You just don’t see it, do you? We have to send Briony overseas.

ROLAN
(sighing)
Alfred's the oldest; let him go instead.

CLAIRE
You and I both know that Alfred could never work. Not in his state.

ROLAN
Claire, just because Alfred's a wee bit sick...

CLAIRE
You haven't seen him, Rolan. Haven't stayed up tryin' to care fo 'im. It's severe. And to send him off to America like this...he's liable to hurt himself. The people over there don't care about us anymore. It's no home for a sick Irish lad.

ROLAN
Then why're we sending a wee Irish lass, eh? What about 'er?

CLAIRE
Briony can handle it. She knows how to take care of herself.

ROLAN
Claire--

CLAIRE
(ignoring him)
I know it'll be difficult letting her go...believe me, because it's hard for me as well. But there come times when you have to make decisions for the benefit of others.

ROLAN
Let me go, in that case.

CLAIRE
People over there will take more kindly to a young lass. But a foreign man like you?

CLAIRE shakes her head.

There's no other option. We either send Briony off to work or we all starve in this bloody famine!

ROLAN

(doubtful)

I don't know, Claire...

The lights go up on the other side of the stage again, revealing BRIONY in the same position as we left her.

CLAIRE

WAKE UP,
COME JOIN REAL LIFE,
STOP LIVING IN YOUR FANTASY...

ALTHOUGH
IT MAY CAUSE YOU STRIFE
OPEN YOUR EYES AND SEE...

WE CAN'T GO ONE MORE DAY LIKE THIS
NOT ONE MORE DAY AT ALL
EITHER YOUR SEND THAT GIRL AWAY
OR ON US FATE WILL FALL

THERE'S NO TIME TO LOSE, ROLAN
WHICH ONE DO YOU CHOOSE, ROLAN?

BRIONY
I KNOW THE SITUATION HERE,
AND THOUGH MY HEART IS FILLED WITH FEAR...

ROLAN
Claire...

CLAIRE
THESE DAYS WE ARE PEASANTS
AND THE MATTER OF HER PRESENCE
MAY BE THE ONE TO CHANGE OUR VERY LIVES

ROLAN
BUT SHE IS JUST A CHILD...

BRIONY
I AM JUST A CHILD...

ROLAN
DO YOU EVEN SEE?

BRIONY
DO THEY EVEN SEE?

ROLAN
DO YOU UNDERSTAND
THE WEIGHT OF OUR WHOLE PLAN?

BRIONY
AND WHAT YOU ASK OF ME!

CLAIRE
Just be sensible for once in your life, Rolan. These children will starve to death unless we send Briony overseas. When they feel the pangs of hunger and look to you for help, will you even be able to look them in the eye? To tell them all this could have been avoided if you had just--

ROLAN
Enough!

CLAIRE is stunned and stares at him, wide-eyed.

ROLAN
I'll go find her a place on the soonest ship. Is there a problem?

CLAIRE shakes her head solemnly, still in shock from her husband's sudden outburst.

ROLAN
(angrily)
Perfect! Now, if you'll excuse me...

ROLAN exits in a huff, grabbing his cap. CLAIRE slumps and puts her head in her hands.

CLAIRE
Oh, my child...when did we ever come to this? How I wish we had enough...enough money...enough food...enough space. These children deserve better. I wish...I wish things hadn't changed.

WHEN DID WE COME TO THIS?
WHEN DID EVERYTHING RUN OUT?
WHEN WAS THIS FAMILY TORN APART
LIKE PAPER DOLLS
AND STREWN ACROSS THE FLOOR...

WHEN WERE WE SUDDENLY NEEDING MORE?

WHAT DRIVE US TO THIS STATE
AND WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT
IF SUDDENLY OUR WORRIES FLEW AWAY
OUR WORRIES, NOT OUR DAUGHTER...
OUR DAUGHTER, CROSSING WATERS

I SIMPLY DESPISE
THAT, TO SAVE OUR LIVES
WE ALL MUST SAY GOODBYE...
OH, WHY...?

CLAIRE stops and covers her mouth, holding back sobs. BRIONY gets up and walks over to the "door" that separates the two halves of the stage and walks through.

BRIONY
Mum!

CLAIRE
(surprised)
Briony! You shouldn't be awake at this hour. Or outside, for that matter!

BRIONY
I'm sorry, Mum...I can't sleep.

CLAIRE hugs BRIONY tightly.

CLAIRE
Oh, my young lass...I'm so sorry.

BRIONY
(nervous)
W-what's wrong? Has somethin' happened?

CLAIRE
(shakily)
I'm afraid something has. You'll be leaving Ireland shortly, Briony.

BRIONY
Mum...

CLAIRE
You're going to America.

There is a stunned silence. BRIONY, wide-eyed, looks down at the ground, unsure of what to say.

BRIONY
What'll it be like? America, I mean.

CLAIRE
(trying to comfort her)
I'm not entirely sure. You'll have to work, but I know you're tough enough for just a bit o' labor.

BRIONY
I'll be workin' in a factory, won't I? I'll probably work in a dark ol' basement stitchin' up somebody's socks.

CLAIRE
Come now, it won't be as bad as you're makin' it.

BRIONY
(angrily)
Will I even have a home? Or anythin' to eat?

CLAIRE bites her lip. Note: during this time, America was not pleasant to Irish immigrants. They often got crude, low-paying jobs and had to live in close quarters with other Irishmen, which spread disease. CLAIRE has a vague idea of this and is trying to sugarcoat it for her scared daughter.

CLAIRE

Now, it won't be Ireland...not quite as special. You'll get through it, though.

BRIONY
The people there...will they be nice?

CLAIRE
(comforting)
Some will, some won't. Just remember to keep your head up and shine bright, my daughter. I believe that you'll have courage. The important thing is, do you believe it?

BRIONY
(unsure)
Yes.

CLAIRE leans over and kisses BRIONY on the forehead.

CLAIRE
My darling girl. Remember, it'll just be a quick trip, there and back. During times like these, we just need a bit extra.

CLAIRE walks through the "door." She leans over to kiss BEN and then DANIEL, then exits stage right.

BRIONY
WHEN DID WE COME TO THIS?
WHEN DID EVERYTHING RUN OUT?
WHEN DID THIS FAMILY LOSE THEIR HEART
AND SEND ME OFF
TO UNFAMILIAR SHORES...

JUST BECAUSE WE NEED MORE?

WHAT DROVE US TO THIS STATE
AND WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT
IF SUDDENLY OUR WORRIES FLEW AWAY

OUR WORRIES, NOT ME...
ME, CROSSING THE SEA

I SIMPLY DESPISE
THAT, TO SAVE THEIR LIVES
THEY'VE MADE ME SAY GOODBYE...
OH, WHY...?

I AM JUST A CHILD!
DO THEY EVEN SEE!
DO THEY UNDERSTAND
THE WEIGHT OF THIS WHOLE PLAN
AND WHAT THEY ASK OF ME!