Watermirror

A short play in four scenes

1. Scene

Birds are singing, monkeys are screaming, a man is sleeping somewhere in the jungle. He wokes up, moans. He looks into the jug, lifts it up.

The Man: “I have to find water, for my family and me. It’s the second night and I am still on my way to the river. Water is life. It is necessary for us. We have to clean ourselves and my family needs to drink water to survive. He sits on a rock. I am thirsty. I haven’t drink anything for two days and my family is also waiting for the water. I hope that I will arrive at the river soon. River is soughing. Ah, I can hear the river. Finally I have arrived. Okay, let’s get some water. He is going to the river, stops, looks at the water, confused. What’s this? 

He’sfreezing.

 2. Scene

A woman is standing underneath the shower, sinning waterloo. Using a lot of water like drinking under the shower, then her phone rings, she answers

 The woman: Yes, with Katarina of K&K fashion … How do you mean there’s a problem? …Like I care, there wasn’t a problem with the water with my other factories. She is starting to brush her teeth…It’s in a jungle, it’s probably so abandoned that nobody is using that water, oke… Tell me more about that

… She is getting a bottle of water and starts to water the plants.

Why she is turning of the tap I will tell you why I’m not going to throw away all my hard work because two people are going to be sad about it. I don’t have time to think about these little things. She is ready to end the phone call but she puts the phone back to her ear.

They should be happy I’m doing this, I’m helping them to develop. I don’t care about that stupid river, just stop nagging and stick to plan. She is freezing.

 3. Scene

Quiet river and jungle sounds are playing. The man is kneeing on the ground, plays with the water.

The Man: It is so…white. Why is the water white? Tastes some water with hands, spit it out.

It’s disgusting! He stands up We can’t drink that. But why? We always got our water from this river and it was always healthy for us. My family…they’re waiting for the water, but I can’t give them that water. What should I do? It is the only place where we can get water. Maybe the water is not that dangerous. Maybe it’s just disgusting but we can drink it. Goes back to the river and looks with open mouth at a dead fish. Is that…a fish? Dead? And oh…there are other fishes. They are all dead. No, we can’t drink it, but we are so thirsty. What should I do…He despairs After 2 days of wandering…my children are thirsty. they are dying! He sits down on the ground, with the face covered in hands. He’s freezing.

4. Scene

She is continuing the conversation

 The woman: I don’t care. No you listen to me, my factory is staying next to the river, end of discussion.  She stops the phone call. ( she ironically says)  You can’t put your factory next to that river bla bla…

She goes back in to the shower. What… why is my shower not working tapping on top of the shower. Where is my water? She is freezing.

Epilogue

BBC opening is played, a newsreporter speaks:

Good morning. On today’s show: Water problems in London. London is going to be without water for two weeks. The reason is still unclear. The government is still looking for a solution. Sound is fading away.

Water drops are falling.