INT. FLINT’S OFFICE – MORNING
Outside his window the Square is shrouded in fog. The MEMBERS move back and forth methodically, loading their belongings into pickup trucks, vans and cars.
FLINT is on the phone.
FLINT
That’s right, Mr. Carson, I’m ready to proceed. I put those papers through this morning.
(beat)
What’s that?
(beat)
Why yes. I’ve always taken a personal interest in the souls of homeless children. It would be kind of you to take it upon yourself (through discretionary channels of course) to locate any children of need. Perhaps there is something we can offer them here.
(beat)
My pleasure.
(beat)
Goodbye.
He hangs up. Someone knocks. FLINT reaches under his desktop and presses a buzzer. The door opens.
ENTER
TOMMY, MARIE and SHIRRONDA. They stand in front of his desk.
FLINT
I appreciate your gift, my children.
They are silent. He looks them over.
FLINT
No one could more effectively seal the secret of our Divine presence here in the dark woods than you, with your supreme and well-intentioned sacrifice. God be with you all.
He makes an off-hand Sign Of The Cross as they leave.
On a nearby table is an open suitcase filled with documents. FLINT puts one more file inside and closes it.
He lifts a clean overcoat off a clothes tree and puts it on, gazing at himself in a standing mirror and paying scrupulous attention to his appearance. He picks at a ball of lint and flicks it on the floor. He sets his hat on his head carefully, like a crown. He smiles, trying on a benevolent expression.
He sees a photo of REBECCA in a standing frame. He picks it up and kisses it. Then he lays it down flat and smashes it with his fist.

SCENE 7

SUGARHOUSE (CUT AWAY) – DAY
BRIAN, REBECCA and TUBBS are strapped onto chairs and boxes. TUBBS is working his jaw like crazy, trying to loosen his gag.
TWO THUGS burst in the door. TUBBS’S gag drops off.
TUBBS
I’ll take on the both of ya ya queeny pussies.
One THUG yanks the gag back in place as the OTHER leads
TOMMY, MARIE and SHIRRONDA into the room – bound and gagged. They are shoved into chairs, up against posts and tied up. The other THUG straps plastic explosives onto their bodies with duct tape.
The light inside the Sugarhouse darkens as FLINT, in the doorway, blocks the sun.
FLINT (rapidly)
Blessed of the Blessed. First of the Last. Bravest of the Brave. Truest of the True. Heroes of Light. Warriors against Darkness. Children of the great Kingdom Of The Church Of Recovered Souls. We honor you. We respect you. We remember you. We understand you. We love you. We know who you are and we appreciate dearly what it is you perform for us, in this, your finest hour.
(pause, more slowly)
Would that it were I travelling with you across the Great Divide. Alas that is not meant to be.
BETSY shows up, her eyes red from crying. She takes her post at his side, as if on automatic pilot. She is not all there. She has seen too much for one day.
FLINT
In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost.
FLINT rests his hands on BETSY’S small shoulders.
FLINT
And for the honor of sending you off on your Great Journey, I have chosen little sister – the one with Permission.
His hands become active, busily massaging her neck and shoulders. BETSY shudders and shrinks away.
FLINT
The one who tells the Truth.
BRIAN stands up, his gag worked off.
BRIAN
Do it yourself, you bastard!
The THUG crams the gag back into BRIAN’S mouth.
BETSY
He’s right, Rev. I won’t do it.
FLINT
Come again?
BETSY finds a spot for herself on one of the crates. She takes a grenade in her hands and holds it in her lap.
BETSY
I’m going with them.
FLINT
Suit yourself.
He waves the THUGS out and looks at REBECCA one last time. Her eyes are terribly sad. FLINT says nothing. He picks up the detonator (with an awkward bunching of duct tape at the bottom) wheeling out a spool of fuse. He backs out the door, across the Sugarhouse yard and off stage.
TUBBS looks at BRIAN, winks.
There is an interminable pause.
FLINT (bellowing, off stage)
In the Name of the Lord Christ in Heaven…
There is a huge EXPLOSION. The windows shatter, but the group is unhurt.
BETSY starts to cry. BRIAN works his way out of the restraints. TUBBS shakes with laughter.
Smoke billows across the yard. In the distance we hear an harmonica playing the theme from “I WANT TO BE LOVED”.
TUBBS hops out of the door of the Sugarhouse. His ankles are still tied together. BRIAN is next, bringing REBECCA. The others follow. BETSY is last.
BRIAN sets REBECCA down and walks to the edge of the yard. FLINT’S cane is on the ground. BRIAN picks it up. He stands there quietly.
ENTER
ISAAC, playing the harp. He’s brought the MEMBERS with him. He stops playing and jumps into TUBBS’S arms. TUBBS lifts him up, swings him around and puts him down.
TUBBS
Ah, my little weasel, in the nick o’ time.
BETSY
I thought you was dead.
ISAAC
I was. Then I got to meet this old wizard lady n’ she told me all this stuff… Hey, Brian!
ISAAC tosses him the harp. A shudder passes through BRIAN’S body when he catches it. ISAAC snaps his fingers just like ROSE.
A HUMMINGBIRD with a red topknot appears, hovering above BRIAN’S head. He winks at the HUMMINGBIRD. It flies off.
BRIAN
I don’t want it. I don’t need it anymore.
He tosses it back to ISAAC.
BRIAN
Never was much good at it anyhow.
ISAAC
Funny. She didn’t say nothin’ about that.
(accelerating)
Okay. We got a ton of work to do. Both of us. All of us. She said so.
BRIAN
I bet she did.
ISAAC
She said you can’t hurt nobody no more. She said…
BRIAN
I’m opting outa witchboy celebrity, kiddo.
ISAAC
Whatever. Can’t waste time. Gotta do this.
(beat)
Beck?
REBECCA
Over here.
ISAAC
We got this important thing to get done. It’s my firstest thing.
(beat)
Put your hands on my face.
He takes her hands and puts them there.
RECECCA
You’re so warm.
ISAAC
I want you to…’see’…
(beat)
…with your eyes closed. See Brian. Tell me what he looks like.
REBECCA
I see…dark hair and…blue eyes…blue green eyes…
SHIRRONDA
Lord have mercy.
ISAAC
More.
REBECCA
White skin and a beautiful…intense face…
BRIAN smiles.
REBECCA
…smiling.
ISAAC
Open your eyes.
REBECCA
It will go away.
ISAAC
Nuh uh. ’S cool.
BRIAN
She said.
BRIAN & ISAAC (laughing)
It’s in the instructions.
REBECCA’S eyes flutter. She is squinting, careful, shading her eyes against the sun.
REBECCA
Oh my God! Everything is so bright.
TUBBS
I need a drink.
ISAAC, very much like ROSE, snaps his fingers absent-mindedly. A crisp new bottle of Wild Turkey materializes instantly in TUBBS’S hands. He winks at ISAAC and takes a swig.
ISAAC
It went perfect!
BETSY
Bad news, all the way around.
TOMMY
Aw suck it up.
BETSY
I’m serious! How about murder? You killed him ya know!
(pointing)
All of you! Ya killed the Judge. After all he done. I don’t have nobody now.
ISAAC
That ain’t so.
BETSY
You hate me!
ISAAC
What was she like?
BETSY
What was who like?
BRIAN
Your Mom.
BETSY
None of your business.
ISAAC
Was she fat?
BETSY
No sir.
BRIAN
Was she pretty?
BETSY
Of course she was. I’m pretty.
REBECCA
What color hair?
BETSY
I don’t remember.
MARIE
You once said she was strawberry blond, honey. I remember you saying that.
BETSY
So what if it was?
ISAAC
Well, was it?
She nods, reluctantly.
MUSIC: “DO YOU STILL LOVE ME?”   (song)
BRIAN
What if we were to show you…would you know her then?
BETSY
I don’t know.
In a shimmering light, ROSE materializes, ‘adjusted’ in the form of BETSY’S mother. BETSY can see her.
ISAAC
Ask her, Betsy. Ask her the question ya wanna ask. Ask us.
BETSY (looking around, shaking with emotion)
DO YOU
STILL LOVE ME?
I REALLY NEED TO KNOW
DO YOU
STILL WANT ME AROUND
OR IS IT BETTER
THAT I GO?

TOMMY
Come off it!
ISAAC
Let her be.
ROSE & BETSY
I THOUGHT OF WRITING YOU A LETTER
I THOUGHT OF GIVING YOU A CALL

ISAAC
DO YOU
STILL LIKE ME?
DO YOU THINK I’M FUNNY
OR STRANGELY SLOW?

ROSE & ISAAC
T’ PICK UP THE PIECES

ISAAC
OF A BROKEN HEART
THE WAY I USED TO
NOT SO LONG AGO

ISAAC & BETSY
MAYBE I’VE BECOME A COWARD
CUZ I DON’T WANT YOU TO SAY NO

ROSE & BETSY
SITTING IN THE KITCHEN

ISAAC, ROSE & BETSY
WITH OUR LIVES INSIDE MY HEAD

BETSY
MY HEART IS SO DAMN FULL
IT’S GONNA BREAK

ISAAC
I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND
HOW SOMETHING

ISAAC, ROSE & BETSY
BEAUTIFUL AS THE SUN

ISAAC
GETS STUCK BEHIND A CLOUD
AND LEAVE YA STANDING

BETSY
IN THE RAIN

ISAAC & BETSY
IN THE RAIN

BETSY takes her notebook out of her pocket and tears the pages out, one by one.
BETSY
DO YOU
STILL LOVE ME?
I REALLY NEED TO KNOW
DO YOU
STILL WANT ME AROUND
OR IS IT BETTER
THAT I GO?

ISAAC
You ain’t goin’ no place.
BETSY
How do you know?
ISAAC
Stop feelin’ sorry for yourself.
MUSIC: “ALL IN THIS TOGETHER”   (song)
ISAAC
How come ya think we wound up here in the first place?
BETSY
Cuz we’re stupid?
ISAAC
No. Just outa luck. Buncha losers got sidetracked is all. Ask Brian.
TUBBS
Little Petey Panny gotta pointy wointy.
ISAAC
You bet I do. We all do.
ISAAC and BRIAN work it, dance and sing the song together, bringing in, teaching each character until ALL take part and get the point.
ISAAC & BRIAN
DON’T HATE ME CUZ I’M DIFFERENT

ISAAC, BRIAN & TUBBS
DON’T DIS ME CUZ I’M OLD

ISAAC, BRIAN & TOMMY
DON’T FIGHT WITH ME OVER NUTHIN’

ISAAC, BRIAN & SHIRRONDA
IF I’M HOT OR IF I’M COLD

ISAAC & BRIAN
DON’T HATE ME I GOT NO MONEY
DON’T GIVE UP ON ME I’M STUCK

ISAAC, BRIAN & REBECCA
MY COLOR IS MY BLINDNESS
IT IS STRONGER THAN A CRUTCH

ISAAC & BRIAN
THERE’S SOMETHING GOIN’ ON
I FEEL IT IN MY BONES
WUS UP FOR YOU IS UP FOR ME

ALL
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER

ISAAC
EVERY DAY

ISAAC sets up the All In This Together dance. Each singer ‘learns’ the dance as they join in.
ISAAC & BRIAN
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABY

ISAAC, BRIAN & BETSY
WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT

ISAAC & BRIAN
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABE

ISAAC, BRIAN & TUBBS
OR WE’RE GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE

ISAAC & BRIAN
DON’T BLAME IT ON YOUR DADDY

ISAAC, BRIAN & BETSY
OR THE MOM YOU NEVER HAD

ISAAC, BRIAN & REBECCA
THE TRIALS OR THE SILENCE

ISAAC & BRIAN
OR THE DARKNESS IN THIS LAND
CUZ I BELIEVE IN SILVER LININGS
I BELIEVE IN HAVING DREAMS
I BELIEVE IN YOU AND ME MY FRIENDS
WE’LL BALANCE ON THIS BEAM

ISAAC, BRIAN & BETSY
THERE’S SOMETHING GOIN’ ON
I FEEL IT IN MY BONES
WUS UP FOR YOU IS UP FOR ME

ALL
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER

ISAAC
EVERY DAY

More MEMBERS join in.
ALL
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABY
WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABE
OR WE’RE GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE

ISAAC
A ROCK INTO A POND THEY SAY
A TINY RIPPLE GROWS

ISAAC & BRIAN
AND RISES LIKE A TIDAL WAVE
REVOLUTION ONLY KNOWS

ISAAC, BRIAN, REBECCA & TUBBS
NO MATTER HOW YOU CUT IT
OR AGREE TO DISAGREE

ISAAC, BRIAN, REBECCA, TUBBS & BETSY
THE PLACE BELONGS TO ALL OF US
LIKE THE ROOTS THAT GROUND THE TREES

During the break there’s a jubilant dance. Everyone takes part.
ALL
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABY
WE’RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER, BABE
OR WE’RE GOIN’ UP IN SMOKE
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER
THE PLANET’S GETTING’ SMALLER

ISAAC
EVERY DAY

BETSY
That was intense.
ISAAC
You bet.
REBECCA
Feelin’ better, Bets?
BETSY
I miss the religion part.
BRIAN
But the spirit part, your spirit, is alive. It’s free. It belongs to you. It ain’t bent outa shape like it was with the Judge. Or with me.
MUSIC: “HEAVEN & HELL (REPRISE)”  
BETSY (thinking it through)
OH LORD
SHOW ME THE WAY
KEEP EVIL FROM ME
DON’T LEAD ME ASTRAY

ALL
HEAVEN N HELL
THEY GONNA FIGHT OVER YOU
TEAR YOU APART
SO YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO

ISAAC
GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
TELL YOUR STORY
LET YOURSELF GO
GET THE GLORY
ALL
HEAVEN N HELL
COME ON WHAT DO YOU WANT?
TO DIE IN THE GUTTER
OR TO RAISE YOURSELF UP

BRIAN
GET DOWN ON YOUR KNEES
SING YOUR HEART OUT
TRUTH WILL MAKE YA FREE
LET ME HEAR YA SHOUT IT

BRIAN (to ISAAC)
Okay kid. Take it.
ISAAC
I ain’t no preacher boy.
REBECCA
Go ahead, Iz. Bring us home.
ISAAC tries FLINT’S familiar preamble, faking his big deep voice.
ISAAC
So today let us all praise the brothers and sisters…
He covers his mouth with his hand. Laughs.
ISAAC (regular voice)
I ain’t no Reverend, am I? God rest his crazy soul. I’m me. Isaac! And what I got to tell you is that our Mama’s back! An’ tho’ she ain’t no Virgin Mary, she love you, she always love you and it’s her plan t’ bring us together, from all over the whole wide world, n’ to tell us A) Number One:
(ROSE’S voice)
That what you’ve got is a second chance, on the house, on me and on the mothers and fathers everywhere who watch their kids get away from ‘em, fall down, scrape their knees and hands and faces, hurting their hearts and minds and souls and hating life, hating themselves. Losing their homes or just plain losing out.
(himself again, big breath)
But th’ good news is you guys get t’ be kids all over again! Every day’s gonna be like Christmas morning! Ain’t that the balls!
BETSY
Balls!?
ALL
HEAVEN N HELL
THEY GONNA FIGHT OVER YOU
TEAR YOU APART
SO YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
HEAVEN N HELL
COME ON WHAT DO YOU WANT?
TO DIE IN THE GUTTER
OR TO RAISE YOURSELF UP?

As BRIAN and ISAAC rush about, performing the miracle, the entire Kingdom become free – childLIKE – singing and dancing outside the Sugarhouse on a crystal clear morning.
TUBBS, hammered, improvises a Virginia Reel with BETSY, MARIE and SHIRRONDA.
ALL
HEAVEN N HELL
THEY GONNA FIGHT OVER YOU
TEAR YOU APART
SO YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO
HEAVEN N HELL
COME ON WHAT DO YOU WANT?
TO DIE IN THE GUTTER
OR TO RAISE YOURSELF UP?
OH OH OH HEAVEN…ETC.

BRIAN and REBECCA join hands and separate from the group. ISAAC plays the magical harmonica THEME.
MUSIC: “I WANT TO BE LOVED” (REPRISE)  
BRIAN
CAN YOU BELIEVE
I WANT TO CHANGE
I’M GONNA LEAVE
THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE
I GOT YOU INSIDE

BRIAN & REBECCA
YOUR FACE IS ALL BRIGHT
CUZ ALL I REALLY WANNA DO
IS SPEND ONE HUMAN
NIGHT WITH YOU

REBECCA
WITH MY DARKNESS BEHIND
I WILL TRY TO BE KIND

BRIAN
I WANT

REBECCA
I WANT

BRIAN & REBECCA
I WANT

They kiss.
ALL (except BRIAN & REBECCA)
TO BE LOVED

The light becomes white hot.
BLACKOUT
CURTAIN

THE END