CATHY. Keep us hidden? For how long?

CORRINE. Not long. I need time to work on him. I was the apple of his eye once. I’ll win him back. [Quickly.] Now, there are mattresses up here, beds we can make. I’ll show you where the bathroom is. There’s a cooler for the milk and juices you’ve brought. You’ll find lots to amuse you. It’s an enormous attic with all sorts of old treasures.

CORY. I gotta pee, Momma.

CORRINE. Come on, honey.

She holds out her hand, smiling. He hurries to her.

CORRINE [to Cathy]. It’s going to be fun. You’ll see. A real adventure.

Corrine leads Cory off left.

CATHY [shakes her head]. A real adventure?

Lights come down, and the spotlight comes up on Older Cathy.

Scene 3

OLDER CATHY. When Momma left, Christopher whispered, “Don’t worry, We’ll spend a few nights here at the most. What father could turn her away? That grandmother of ours can’t be as mean as she pretends to be.” Christopher was always a dreamer, an optimist.

She walks more toward stage left.

OLDER CATHY. But no matter how we bickered, the truth was, I respected my brother more than I respected most of my teachers and certainly any other older boy. He was an A-plus student and really dedicated to his goal of becoming a doctor. It seemed to me there wasn’t anything Christopher didn’t know or couldn’t do. I loved him. I never thought once that I loved him too much. Until we were living in the attic, that is. If the devil lives anywhere, he lives in places like this, I thought. But I didn’t expect to meet him.

The spotlight slowly dims, and the lights come up in the attic.

Scene 4

The four children are sleeping on two mattresses on the floor. The twins are wrapped in each other’s arms. Christopher and Cathy sleep together. Christopher’s arm is over Cathy’s waist.

The attic door opens slowly, and Olivia steps in. She pauses and looks at them and then puts a cardboard box on the table and walks over to them. For a moment, she just stands there looking down at Cathy and Christopher, and then she stamps her foot.

Cathy wakes up first and sits up quickly. Christopher groans and sits up, too. He sees Olivia just standing there, towering over them.

CHRISTOPHER. What’s happening?

OLIVIA. What were you two doing?

CHRISTOPHER [rubbing his eyes]. Doing? Nothing. Sleeping.

OLIVIA. You think because you’re up here in the dark, you can do your filthy business. God sees everything.

CATHY. We didn’t do anything filthy. This place is filthy. That’s what’s filthy.

CHRISTOPHER. Where’s our mother?

OLIVIA. Praying. Asking God to forgive her for giving birth to you.

CHRISTOPHER. That’s a lie. She wouldn’t do that, ever.

OLIVIA [smiling]. She would do anything to get what she wants. She always did. Your breakfast and some staples are in that box on the table. Don’t make a mess that will feed rats.