WHISPHERS OF FATE

WHISPERS OF FATE ACT ONE SCENE ONE – AUNT AND UNCLE’S LIVING ROOM CHARACTERS IN THIS SCENE: PATRICIA – A young girl, innocent and hopeful AUNT MARY – Her aunt, troubled and anxious UNCLE JOHN – Her uncle, serious and secretive (LIGHTS RISE SLOWLY.) (A MODEST LIVING ROOM. A SMALL BAG RESTS NEAR THE SOFA. EVENING TIME. PATRICIA SITS QUIETLY, READING A BOOK.) (AUNT MARY AND UNCLE JOHN ENTER SLOWLY, BELIEVING PATRICIA IS ASLEEP.) AUNT MARY: (WHISPERING) John… how long are we going to hide this from her? UNCLE JOHN: (SIGHING DEEPLY) I don’t know, Mary. She is too young to hear such terrible news. AUNT MARY: But she keeps asking about her parents. She believes they will return soon. UNCLE JOHN: (SADLY) How do we tell a child that her parents died in that accident? (PATRICIA’S EYES OPEN SLIGHTLY. SHE REMAINS STILL, LISTENING.) AUNT MARY: Every time I look at her, my heart breaks. She smiles… not knowing she is now an orphan. UNCLE JOHN: (SHAKING HIS HEAD) Fate has been cruel to that child. We must be strong for her. (PATRICIA’S BOOK SLIPS FROM HER HAND AND FALLS TO THE FLOOR.) (SILENCE.) PATRICIA: (SOFTLY, TREMBLING) Orphan…? My parents… dead? (AUNT MARY GASPS.) AUNT MARY: Patricia! You… you were awake? (PATRICIA STANDS SLOWLY. TEARS FORM IN HER EYES.) PATRICIA: Is it true? Tell me! Are my parents really dead? UNCLE JOHN: (TRYING TO CALM HER) Patricia, listen to me— PATRICIA: (CRYING OUT) No! You said they travelled! You lied to me! AUNT MARY: We wanted to protect you, my child. (PATRICIA STEPS BACK, SHAKEN.) PATRICIA: Protect me? By hiding the truth? (SHE BURSTS INTO TEARS AND RUNS TOWARD THE DOOR.) AUNT MARY: Patricia! Wait! Don’t go out! UNCLE JOHN: Patricia, come back! It’s not safe outside! (PATRICIA OPENS THE DOOR AND RUNS OUT CRYING.) (AUNT MARY COLLAPSES INTO A CHAIR.) AUNT MARY: Oh God… she has run away! (UNCLE JOHN STARES TOWARD THE DOOR, FILLED WITH REGRET.) UNCLE JOHN: This tragedy has only just begun. (LIGHTS DIM SLOWLY.) (CURTAIN FALLS.) NARRATOR: And so, in a single moment, Patricia’s world changed forever. The truth she was never meant to hear had shattered the fragile peace she held in her heart. Blinded by grief and betrayal, she ran into the unknown — unaware that the path ahead would test her strength in ways she could never imagine. For sometimes, when fate begins its work, it does not ask for permission. It simply whispers… and life is never the same again. [LIGHTS FADE OUT COMPLETELY.] [CURTAIN FALLS.]