Cast of Characters:

Easton:  A little girl around the age of four with a head full of little blonde ringlets and clinging to a plushy toy rabbit that is pink and matted from too much use.

Lia: A mother in her middle 30s with a bright smile but sad, blue eyes and skin kissed by the sun.

Cal: A father in his late 30s with sharp features but soft kind eyes and a mop of hair darker than night. He has burns on his feet from an accident that happened years ago.

Zeus:  A loyal husky pup who they had gotten a year after Easton was born and Zeus was very fond of the young girl.

Firefighter:  He’s been in the field for years he’s seen this before and it hurts him every time. He did all he could to help her but it wasn’t enough.

SCENE ONE: NIGHT ONE

Setting: A basically empty stage except for a king sized bed, a night stand with a glass of water half full, a pill bottle (which is prescribed to Lia to help her sleep) and her cellphone. On the floor is a tie rug that Lia’s grandmother had made and on top of the rug lay Zeus sound asleep. All to stage left. With one single spotlight on the small “room”  Stage right is similar to stage left but is of a little girl’s room with a small twin bed with a pink comforter, a pink rug on the ground, a rocking chair set off to the side with a giant teddy bear sitting on it and a white wardrobe across from the bed further right.

Setting the scene: Lia had finally fallen somewhat asleep still tossing and turning after taking two of her pills and downing half of the water. Cal is sound asleep next to her deep into his dreams. Zeus was asleep until he heard the door down the hall creek.

Zeus: (jumps up from his bed on the floor and runs out of the room barking over and over again)

Lia:
Really Zeus! I just fell asleep, you stupid dog what could you possibly be barking at. (Picks up phone and checks time) It’s two in the morning dog go to bed!

(Zeus continues to bark and Lia puts her pillow over her head)

Cal: (in a voice laced heavily with sleep)
What is Zeus barking at?

Lia:
I don’t know maybe it’s the wind? Could you please go shut him up I haven’t slept all night and I would like to get at least two hours in tonight.

(cal gets up to go see what the deal was with Zeus.)
Fade to black

Fade back in on Cal in the Little girl’s room
Cal:
Zeus what are you barking at you pesky mut?

(zeus still stands and barks at the bed from the middle of the room)

Cal: (walks over to Zeus, kneels down and pats his head)

Cal:
Zeus, bud I don’t see anything over there boy stop barking and go back to sleep there’s nothing to worry about.
Fade to black

Fade back into the other bedroom
(Lias phone rings the id saying an unknown number but she answers it annoyance present in her voice)

Lia:
Do you have any idea what time it is what on earth could you need?
(Voice chimes in over the phone)

Easton:
Mummy where are you, I’m scared why is Zeus barking?

Lia: (screams)
Is this some kind of sick joke who is this!?

Easton:
Mummy why are you yelling at me (sniffs like she is crying) I’m really scared. Zeus keeps barking at me and I’m not doing anything make him stop

Lias: (sits up in bed her face looking confused and shocked at the same time)
Easton, hunny? Is that you baby girl.

Easton: (crying hysterically)
Mummy help me I’m scared. Mum? Are you there? (screams) Mummy!

(line goes dead, Lia drops her cell phone to the ground tears pour out of her eyes.

Lia: (screaming into phone)
Easton! Baby come back Easton! (to other room) Cal! Cal! Come hear please!

(Cal enters room running and sees his wife on the floor curled into a ball crying, runs over to her.)

Cal: (at Lia’s side)
Lia darling what is the matter are you okay?

Lias: (talking through choked sobs)
No Cal it was Easton. She called me. (cries even louder)

Cal: (confused)
What do you mean Easton called you hunny she can’t call you.

Lia: (looks up at Cal)
But she did Cal! (screams) I heard her voice over the damn telephone. It was her I swear.

Cal: (helps Lia up)
Lia it was probably some stupid kids playing a prank on us.

Lia: (furious now that her husband won’t listen to her)
Damn it Cal you never listen to me it was her! She was scared because Zeus was barking!

Cal:
Hunny how many of those pills did you take?

Lia:
(screams) Really Cal! That’s what you’re gonna ask right now really? Whatever I’m going to go sleep downstairs. 

(Lia grabs her cell phone, pillow and blanket and storms out of the room. Cal falls onto the bed exhausted soon falling asleep again.)
Fade to black

Scene: Same set as before except it is two nights later. Zeus is not present in the room. Easton appears in the room in an all white dress her hair is falling around her face she looks tired, her hands and feet are covered in white bandages and she is carrying her pink rabbit which is dirtied by soot and ash. 

Easton (standing next to Cal as he lie asleep in bed)
(in a hushed voice) Daddy wake up.

Cal (turns over to the other side facing away from Easton and groans)
Easton go to bed it’s late.

Easton:
I can’t daddy I had a bad dream and now I can’t sleep.

Cal:
Well you need to try baby. I’ll walk you to your room.

(cal sits up grabs Easton’s hand and walks out of the room Cal tucks Emerson into bed kisses her forehead then walks back out of the room)
Fade black
Fade back into parents room
(after a few minutes cal walks back into the room and tries to fall back asleep but then realizes what has happened. He bolts straight up and runs out of the room Cal runs to bed and flings off blankets looking for Emerson who he has just tucked into that same bed)

Cal:
(screams) Lia!!!! (runs out of room as it fades to black then runs into parents room as that one fades in) Lia wake up you won’t believe what just happened.

Lia: (shaken awake and rubbing her eyes)
I was sleeping Cal what do you possibly need?

Cal:
I saw her.

Lia:
Saw who Cal? The Gingerbread Man? (turns around and faces away from him)

Cal:
No Lia! Emerson she came and woke me up I tucked her into bed!

Lia:
Did you steal some of my sleep pills Cal! You’re talking gibberish just go back to bed you’re seeing things again.

Cal: (in a defensive voice)
Oh yeah I’m the one seeing things when just the other night you were apparently talking to Easton on the phone! And all of the sudden I’m the crazy one!

Lia: (finally turns back around to look at Cal)
I did talk to her you ignorant fool. You don’t think I wouldn’t recognize my own daughter’s voice over the phone!

Cal:
Lia she was Four years old I highly doubt she knows how to use a phone and even remember your cell phone number for christs sake!

Lia:
Whatever Cal I’m going back to sleep don’t wake me for anything not even if the house is burning down. (turns over in a huff and falls back asleep)

(Cal walks over to his side of the bed and sits on the edge putting his head in his hand.)
Fade black

Scene: Set stays the same only changes is Zeus is again lying on the floor Easton is next to him rubbing him and playing with him.

TIme: A week after both Cal and LIa have had contact with Easton

(Lia is awoken by the sound of a little girl laughing and sits up to see Easton playing with zeus laughing as the dog rolls around on the ground nosing at her toes)

Lia:
Oh my god Cal wake up. (smaks cal)

Cal:
Hmm, what do you need Lia?

Lia:
Look (points over at Zeus and Easton) It’s Easton playing with Zeus.

Easton: (finally notices her parents are awake)
Mummy, Daddy, I’m sorry if I woke you up I couldn’t sleep and Zeus wanted me to play with him.

Lia: (Stands up from bed and goes to sit next to Easton and Cal follows standing next to her)
That’s okay hunny we don’t mind. We missed you.

Easton:
(looks confused) But I’ve been here the whole time

Cal:
We know but we just love seeing you and hearing you laugh that’s all

(Easton smiles and crawls into her mother’s lap. Lia engulfs her in a hug and cal joins in)

Lia:
Okay hunny I think we should take you to bed (tears form in her eyes)

(Easton yawns and shakes her head in agreement, Cal picks her up and they all walk out of the room as it fades to dark and the light fades back in on the little girls room)

Easton: (now in bed)
Daddy will you read me a bedtime story.

Cal:
Of course which one do you want to hear?

Easton:
One about a princess!

Cal:
Okay, Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess named Easton. She was a strong, independent princess who was very brave. One night the evil fairy came and took her away from her loving parents and they thought they would never see her again but one day the Princess came back and protected her family and the mom and dad were so happy that she came back because they had missed their little princess so much and she was finally home safe and they lived happily ever after.

(Easton has fallen asleep. Cal and Lia both kiss her goodnight and walk out the door both have tears draining from their eyes Cal walks off the stage)
Lia: (Before she leaves she looks back)
(In whispered voice) I’m so sorry Easton. I should’ve saved you
(walks off stage)
Curtain drops end of Scene one

SCENE TWO: THE FIRE

Setting: TO stage right there is smoke coming from off stage and a orange light glowing as well. There is a small path of stones and there are trees and bushes scattered around and a small flower bed stage left.

Time: A fire is raging inside of the house and Cal has just ran out of the house coughing and Lia is already out. The firetrucks blare in the distance getting closer and closer. Smoke bellows out of the house in huge puffs as an orange glow is protruding from the house engulfed in flames.

Lia: (panting)
Where’s Easton?

Cal: (taking deep breaths)
I thought you were with her and grabbed her.

Lia: (panicking)
No Cal I put her down for a nap and started making dinner I thought you went to grab her.

(Both look at the house in complete shock.)

Lia: (screams and starts running towards the house)
Easton! Easton baby I’m coming!

Firefighter: (grabs Lia by the waist pulling her back away from the house)
Ma’am you can’t go in there it’s too dangerous please stay right here.

Lia: (tears falling from her eyes)
You don’t understand! My baby is in there in her bedroom all alone please save her please. (grabs at the firefighter and falls to the ground)

(cal comes and grabs Lia into his arms looking pleadingly at the firefighter)

Firefighter:
We will try our best to get her out okay just please stay calm. (turns around and starts barking orders to a troop of men as they push off stage) She’s upstairs in her room.

(Can he screams coming from off stage “inside the house”)

Lia: (screams)
Easton! (starts running for the house as firefighters walk out)

Firefighter:
Ma’am you can’t go in there they are trying to get her out the stairs just collapsed.

Lia:
This is your job to get them out faster what is taking so long!

(more firefighters come out of the house coughing one is holding a little girl who is unconscious)

Lia:
Easton!

Cal: (pulls Lias back and lets firefighters through to get her to the hospital)
Lia hunny come on they are taking her to the hospital we will follow. 

(Walks off stage and curtains close)

Setting: A single hospital bed with the medical equipment around it a dark stage with one spotlight. There is a girl laying in the bed and Lia and cal are next to her.

  Lia:
Cal what are we gonna do she’s our only child.

Cal:
Don’t worry she will be okay just give her time.

Lia:
It’s all my fault Cal (starts weeping)

Cal: (comes to give her a hug)
Oh Lia it’s not your fault it could’ve happened to anyone.

(Beeping becomes rapid)

Cal:
Help! We need a nurse in here help!

Lia: (grabs Easton’s hand)
Help someone please! Stay with me Easton you’re going to be okay.

(Beeping stalls and Lia screams falling to the ground)

End