This scene opens with a Mother and her two children in the back coming toward the front, while talking. In the front, or what they are walking toward is a store -front set.

Mom: Paul, Patty, Come on dears just a little more.

(Paul is coughing and drooped over leaning on Mom and Patty)

Patty: Come on Paul try. (Patty sounds tired and hungry)

Mom: Come on honey, its’ just a little farther; you can make it.

Paul: I’m sorry Mom but I don’t think I can. (Stops up near the front)

Patty: Yes, you can we will get through this together.

Mom: (Sighing a little) Patty, you sound so much like me, it scares me.

Patty: Why should that scare you, Mom?

Mom: Because that attitude is what got us here in the first place! We’ll get through this together! If only I had of added Jesus into that equation. That’s why. If only I had of believed what they said at church and Believed in Jesus to save us instead of believing in myself for your salvation. There is so much I should have taught you kids and I should have had you in church to where you could have had a chance to get saved instead of this.

Paul: Mom, you may have not taken us but we both had a chance to go and we didn’t.

Patty: Yeah, my friends were always talking to me about God and getting ready for Jesus to come back. I thought I had plenty to time for that when I got older.

Mom: But I shouldn’t have kept saying; " I’ve heard that all my life!" If I hadn’t said that so much maybe you would have listened to your friends.

Paul: (coughing) Mom, what is done is done. Stop blaming your self and lets’ get on with it. I can go on a ways now.

Patty: What are we going to do now Mom?

Mom: We are going to find you kids’ something to eat, that’s’ what.

Paul: Please, lets get some food soon.

Patty: Here let me help too.

Mom: Come on, I think there is a store right up here.

[The Mother and children move up to the store stand. The boy slumps down on the ground not far from the stand.]

[Here we find a store -side stand with a clerk standing by]

Clerk: Can I help you with something?

Mom: Yes, please I need some food to feed my children.

Clerk: Go on in. I’m sure you’ll find something to satisfy your needs.

Mom: You don’t understand, I want to pay with cash!

Clerk: Oh, you’re one of those.

Mom: I am a person trying to feed my children! That’s who I am.

Clerk: You know good, and well I can’t except cash. It is a cash less society that we live in now. No one uses cash any more. That money is worthless!

Mom: Please, just something any thing. (Pleading)

Patty: Please mister my brother needs something to eat. Something is wrong with him.

Clerk: I can’t help you, the rules are quite clear. You must have the mark before you can buy or sell anything. That is the law! And you don’t have the mark. So you go without.

Mom: Please, can’t we get the food that is thrown away, out of the trash. I’m not expecting the best you have just anything that will give my children something to eat.

Clerk: Let me get some one.

Mom: Thank you. Patty go stay with Paul, he is so sick.

Patty: I will Mom. Don’t worry. [The girl goes over and sits down by her brother looking very worried.]

Clerk: [Comes out with a well-dressed man] This is Mr. Ringer, he’ll talk to you, sorry. [Exits]

Mom: Please, Mister all I want are the scraps. My kids are really hungry. They haven’t eaten in several days and even then it wasn’t much and my son is sick.

Mr. Ringer: Do you have what it takes?

Mom: If you mean the mark no I don’t.

Mr. Ringer: Then we have nothing to talk about. [Starts to turn away]

Mom: Wait, oh please wait a minute! Why can’t you just let me go through the trash; you are throwing it away anyway.

Mr. Ringer: Why won’t you take the mark?

Mom: Because I know better, that’s why.

Mr. Ringer: And what is that suppose to mean?

Mom: Exactly what I said. I know that if I had done things differently I wouldn’t be here or my kids either for that matter. And I am certainly not going to do the one thing the Bible says not to do now!

Mr. Ringer: AH! Don’t use that word around me! You mean to tell me that your kids are starving to death and you still refuse to get them help?

Mom: I will find food if not from here somewhere else.

Patty: MOM COME QUICKLY, IT’S PAUL! [Both the Mom and Mr. Ringer go to the kids and bring them up in front of store to see better.]

Mr. Ringer: You were saying? I ….

Mom: Paul, my God Paul….(Sobbing and crying) I knew you were sick I didn’t know you where that bad…

Mr. Ringer: Leave God out of this. It’s thanks to him you’re here. And it’s because of him that your son is dead. If you would have taken the mark your son would have had the food and medical treatment that he needed. But No!

Patty: (sobbing) No, it’s not. It’s your fault!

Mr. Ringer: My fault how can that be when I was willing to give you food if only…

Mom: {Sobbing} enough, enough can’t you see I have just lost my child!

Mr. Ringer: Yes, I can see that and if I’m not mistaken you have another child to think about.

Mom: Yes, I have. But what’s that to the likes of you?

Mr. Ringer: Life that’s what. Take the mark so that she will live.

Mom: I can’t. God said not to.

Mr. Ringer: Not him again. Tell me where is he now? Did he give you food to save your son? Is he going to save your daughter? Just what has this God done for you?

Mom: I had my chance for all those things and more if only I had of given him my heart along time ago. Now I can give him my life without any more mistakes.

Mr. Ringer: And are you willing to let your daughter die as well?

Mom: No….Yes… I don’t know what I mean. I will not take the mark!

Mr. Ringer: And you girl are you willing to die for these lost promises?

Patty: (sobbing) They aren’t lost; are they Mom?

Mom: {crying} No, honey they’re not!

Mr. Ringer: Patty, you need to listen to me. Your mom is suffering from hysteria if you take the mark you can get both of you some food. Didn’t you just hear her say she would let you die too!

Patty: (sniffing) I suppose so, but she didn’t mean it. I couldn’t save Paul maybe I can save my Mom.

Mr. Ringer: Yes that’s right let’s go in and talk it over. {Puts’ arm around Patty and starts toward the door}

Mom: {Looks up} Hay, where do you think your taking her?

Patty: He said, if I went with him we could get food and everything we need.

Mom: No Patty, come back here we must take Paul and bury him.

Mr. Ringer: Patty my offer is only good if you come with me right now. Your stomach is growling awfully loud. I would say a nice hot tasty dish of stew would do the trick.

Patty: Stew with meat and veggies. Oh…. I haven’t had stew in so long.

Mom: Let’s go Patty.

Patty: But Mom we could eat. We could have saved Paul.

Mr. Ringer: Clerk, come here!

Mom: No! Patty don’t do this! Please (crying harder, reaching for Patty.)

Clerk: Yes, Mr. Ringer.

Mr. Ringer: Please take this girl to the back. Prepare her for the mark.

Mom: No, No, Patty don’t do this.

Patty: But my Mom says I shouldn’t. I don’t know what to do. (Looks at Mr. Ringer with a lost look.)

Mr. Ringer: Patty dear your Mother is in shock from the loss of your brother, go inside with my clerk and I will see to it that your Mother gets help. I promise you that.

Mom: Don’t listen to him Patty!

Patty: (tears in eyes) Ok Mr. Ringer if you promise she will get help.

Mr. Ringer: Of course dear. Clerk get her some stew.

Clerk: Yes, sir. If you will follow me I’ll get you ready.

{Exit Patty and clerk}

Mom: What have you done? Now I have lost them both.

Mr. Ringer: (laughs devilishly) Yes, and now you have lost your life too.

Mom: What do you mean?

Mr. Ringer: I signaled for the police to come get you at the first, just in case you didn’t take the mark. Never can be to certain with the likes of you people.

Mom: Don’t you understand it doesn’t matter about me. It was always my children I was concerned about.

(Enter policeman)

Policeman: This the one?

Mr. Ringer: Yes, take her away.

Policeman: Let’s go!

(Policeman leads woman off)

End scene one

Scene opens with Teacher, and Preacher in jail.

Preacher: Dan, they are bringing in someone else. I told you there would be more and more every day. They just took Tim out of here a few hours ago.

Dan: Yes, I know. No one ever stays long.

Preacher: When will it stop?

Dan: Not until they have every one with a mark or dead.

Preacher: They haven’t even begun to see the worst of times yet.

Dan: Some have had troubles. But I know what you mean.

Preacher: It’s a woman. Here they come.

(Enters Guard with Mom)

Mom: What are you going to do with me?

Guard: Just get in here and shut up! (Shoves Mom into the room)

Dan: Who are you?

Mom: I am Rose Thorn. Where am I? Who are you?

Dan: My name is Dan and this is Rev. Brown.

Rev. Brown: You are in what use to be the jail but has now been turned into a make shift holding area.

Mom: A Reverend, what are you doing here?

Rev. Brown: Don’t sound so surprised after all I am a man.

Mom: But a man that preached Gods word! And you’re here, I know it wouldn’t have mattered now.

Rev. Brown: Now wait a minute. That is not true! I am here because I loved the wrong things. I preached for a lot of years and I never really believed in what I was preaching. I thought I could get by. I thought if I looked the part and talked the part that was all there was to it. I looked at the numbers and the money it brought in. Not at the right thing which now I know was Jesus.

Dan: Ok Rev. Brown don’t be so hard on yourself. I have told you before that a lot of people were fooled. Look at me. I was a schoolteacher and taught all the children in my class that God was a myth. That evolution is the way things happened. How many children are being punished today for my mistake?

Rev. Brown: Exactly, I have thought about those kinds of things. How many people are here because of me? Or worse yet how many aren’t here or in Heaven because of me?

Mom: I had two kids. And they both told me what they had been taught at school. I thought it was easier than going to church. I thought my kids were to young for them to worry about it.

Dan: A lot of us did. This theory let a lot of people do what they wanted and have a good time with out having any consequences.

Mom: I was just a mother trying to raise two kids. I had to work so hard to keep them fed and clothed, I didn’t have time for Church and Sunday- School. Are so I thought. All I thought about that was that it’s for later, when the kids are older and then I would have more time and money.

Dan: There were a lot of false prophecies out there. Scientology taught us that we were Gods, so we could do no wrong. And Then you have the others that taught there was no hell so how could you do wrong.

Mom: I should have listened more, read more, searched more.

Preacher: We should have all done more. Look at me I preached it every Sunday and Wednesday. I didn’t get my sermons from God I got them from a wholesaler. I never even studied I just read what made the people feel good. That way they would give a good offering and I could afford that new car I was driving.

Dan: What good is that new car doing you now?

Mom: Nothing just like the money I had saved. (Mom drops down and begins pleading with God.) Oh God in Heaven please hear me. I am so sorry for being stubborn and headstrong. Please, God forgive me for all I have done wrong. Oh please dear God!

Rev. Brown: Do you feel better now?

Mom: (Still crying.) I don’t feel anything!

Dan: Keep praying it can’t hurt to try.

(In the background you start to hear voices pleading.)

Rev. Brown: They have started again! I don’t think I can take it any more.

Dan: That is why they said you had to stay and listen to all the screams before they took you.

Mom: What are you talking about?

Rev. Brown: They will take you to either take the mark or die. They want me to hear the people; some of which went to my Church. They want to punish me further. So I will weaken and take the mark.

Dan: Keep remembering your wife and children. They are in Heaven, they went by the Rapture.

Mom: My son is dead and my daughter took the mark. I have nothing to live for. I have lost everything that was of value to me.

Dan: You are standing for something, you haven’t taken the mark.

Mom: I feel so bad. What have I done?

Guard: Rose Thorn!

Mom: Yes that’s me.

Guard: Come with me! (Roughly pulls Mom out of the cell.) Get out here! It’s time to go!

Mom: Where are you taking me?

Guard: Come on!

Mom: I’m coming. Let go of me!

Guard: It’s time!

(Scene ends with guard leading Mom into darkness.)

Scene Three

(Scene opens with Mom, Guard Mr. Ringer)

(Props: table, two chairs, a lamp)

Mom: What are you doing here? (Talking to Mr. Ringer)

Mr. Ringer: Bring her here, Guard! (Points to the chair.)

Mom: (Struggles from Guard) Leave me alone. I can sit down by myself.

Mr. Ringer: Sit!

Guard: Do as you are told!

Mom: (Sitting down) Alright, now what do you want? Where is my Daughter?

(Guard backs up a little stands with hands behind back)

Mr. Ringer: My, my you have a lot of questions. You answer my questions and I will answer yours.

Mom: Where is she?

Mr. Ringer: That is the least of your worries. You need not worry though. Patty is fine. She is well take care of.

Mom: I hope she is better taken care of than I am.

Mr. Ringer: What do you mean. (Smirks)

Mom: The last time I saw my daughter you were promising her that you would take care of me, so that she would go with you!

Mr. Ringer: Oh that was a trick of the tongue. What I meant to say was that if you would cooperate I would see to it that you were feed and clothed and reunited with Patty.

Mom: And if I didn’t cooperate?

Mr. Ringer: Well, then I will take care of you too.

Mom: Oh, really.

Mr. Ringer: Yes, I will see to your execution myself.

Mom: (Gasp of breath) Who are you?

Mr. Ringer: I am what you might say is an over seer. I take care of a certain region for the Master.

Mom: The devil you mean!

Mr. Ringer: (Getting upset) The Savior you mean. Without him we would all have starved. Or blown each other up.

Mom: That is what he wants you to believe. When really he is the devil in disguise!

Mr. Ringer: (Really upset now) Shut up! Listen to me! You will take the mark or you will die!

Mom: I will not take the mark!

Mr. Ringer: Tell me why not. What have you got to lose? Like you said your self all the true believers were taken away. So, why put your self through this?

Mom: I don’t know much about the Bible. I admit that. I don’t even know if I still have a chance to make it to Heaven. But I do know, that I have heard a million times that the Bible said; "Do not take the mark". So, if there is the smallest chance that I will go to Heaven that is what I am going to do.

Mr. Ringer: (discussed) So you would rather take the pain of death rather than have a nice place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, and medical treatment when you need it?

Mom: Yes.

Mr. Ringer: But why?

Mom: I realize now that there is more than this life. That God is real and there is another world waiting. A better place than this.

Mr. Ringer: And you think you are going there?

Mom: I don’t know if it is too late for me but I wouldn’t take that chance again.

Mr. Ringer: (Looks at Guard) Bring in the others!

Guard: Yes, Mr. Ringer right away. (Exits and returns with Dan and Rev. Brown)

Mr. Ringer: The time has come for all of you to decide your fate. Mr. Brown take a seat.

Mom: He is a Reverend. You should call him Reverend not Mr.

Mr. Ringer: Mr. Brown is not a preacher any more. He is just a man like me.

Rev. Brown: Stop, Rose it doesn’t matter. I don’t mind.

Mom: It should. What has happened to respect?

Mr. Ringer: That word is so old fashion, we now say regard. You are so poetically incorrect. But it doesn’t matter any more. Dan, you are the one I wanted to speak with first.

(Guard pushes Dan forward and Rev. Brown in the chair.)

Dan: Yes, sir.

Mr. Ringer: Tell me Dan what have you decided. What is it to be? The mark and along with your freedom or death?

Dan: I can not choose the mark.

Mr. Ringer: Why won’t you choose life?

Dan: Life is suppose to be free to choose what ever you want and I choose not to take the mark.

Mr. Ringer: Guard take him away then.

Guard: (Comes forward and takes Dan off stage.)

Mr. Ringer: Mr. Brown what say you. Will it be death or the mark.

Rev. Brown: I just don’t know…..

Mr. Ringer: I would think you would want to see a lot of your church members. They have gone to a good community, needing a good leader. Which would include a nice house and a sizeable sum of credits to go with it.

Rev. Brown: A nice house and money.

Mr. Ringer: Yes, just say the word and it can all be yours.

Mom: Rev. Brown don’t do it. Don’t you see it is the same blinding trick. If you take the mark you know that there is no chance.

Mr. Ringer: Shut up you are getting on my nerves, Rose!

Rev. Brown: And I would be looked up to again?

Mr. Ringer: Of course. A leader of men. Why give all this up for death?

Rev. Brown: Yes, I will take it. I can’t stand this any more.

Mom: No, don’t do it.

Mr. Ringer: I said shut up! Guard! Come get Mr. Brown and take him to the marking desk. (Guard enters and leaves with Rev. Brown.) As for you Rose Thorn I will ask you one more time. What will it be the mark or death?

Mom: Death. It will be a small sacrifice for Jesus.

Mr. Ringer: I told you not to mention him again! I will enjoy this execution. You have been nothing but trouble from the start. I will take you myself. Come with me.

Rose: (Stands and looks at Mr. Ringer, with shoulders back.) I am ready. Lead the way Mr. Ringer.

Mr. Ringer: Come this way Rose. (They leave the room. Enter dim lit room. Lights come up on the Executioner standing by the Guillotine.) She is all yours. (Talking to the Executioner.)

(The Executioner walks over and takes Rose by the arm and lets her up to the guillotine.)

Mom: (starting to cry softly) My God a guillotine.

Mr. Ringer: You can still change mind.

Mom: No never.

Mr. Ringer: That’s what I thought. Step up to the Bascule and kneel down with your head on the block.

Mom: (Executioner walks up and helps Mom on the Bascule. Steps up and places the block over her neck.) Oh my God! Please be out there for me.

Mr. Ringer: Ready when you are. Any last words?

Mom: God, please be there!

(Executioner drops the blade. Head rolls out onto the floor. Lights dim, spot light on head. Give an alter call.)