Year: The present.
Time: July 3
JOHNNY is a young kid, about ten years old, and he is alone on stage staring up at a magnificent tree house that his father has just built. He is shaking with excitement and nearly jumps out if his skin when his older sister MAGGIE comes into the backyard. She is a teenager.
MAGGIE
WOW!
JOHNNY
Can you believe it? It’s done! It’s done!
MAGGIE
Just in time, too!
JOHNNY
For what?
MAGGIE
Why do you think Dad’s been buying all those fireworks?
JOHNNY
Ohhh, of course! I’m gonna have the best view in the neighborhood from there! (He realizes all the kids are gonna want to come to his tree house) oh no, that means everyone’s gonna want to come up… and there sisters!
Maggie starts to chase Johnny around the base of the tree.
MAGGIE
Hey, you brat!
They’re still running.
JOHNNY
Dad forgot to build a ladder!
Still running until Johnny trips and falls over a root- it has visibly hurt him.
JOHNNY
Gahh!
MAGGIE
Johnny, are you okay?
JOHNNY
Go away!
MAGGIE
Let me look. Oh, it’s just a bruise, thank God.
JOHNNY
It still hurts like a bitch.
Johnny realizes that he has just said a very bad word and that Maggie is going to go tell on him. Maggie realizes the same thing and can’t wait to tell on him.
MAGGIE
Johnny!
She exits.
Dad!!
Johnny turns to the tree and starts to climb it.
JOHNNY
I can’t believe he forgot the ladder!
END SCENE ONE.
