[A loud, heavy knock at the door. Grace gets up and crosses slowly to upstage room. Blanche remains at the window. The door is opened on a nice-looking young man with a bouquet of flowers and a very large and handsomely wrapped box of candy.]

GRACE [with enormous joy]: Why, George!

[Blanche turns about as if thunder had struck just behind her.]

GEORGE [sheepishly]: Hello.

GRACE: Blanche, Blanche, here’s someone that we were—just now talking about!

GEORGE: She—uh—here?

GRACE: Sit down! I think she’s—bathing! [She crosses into downstage room and closes the portieres carefully behind her.]

[Blanche touches her lips as a signal for silence. She removes her slippers and tiptoes to the bathroom. Grace follows and speaks as if calling through a closed door.]

Blanche, get out of that bathtub and see who’s come bearing roses!

[Blanche softly closes the door.]

BLANCHE [through the door]: Why, who is it, Grace?

GRACE: George!

[Blanche opens bathroom door.]

BLANCHE: Oh, what a nice surprise!

GEORGE [from behind the portieres]: How are you, Blanche?

BLANCHE: Dying to see you! But otherwise I’m fine. Open the icebox and get yourself some—beer . . . [She laughs gaily but there is a look of fear.] Grace! [She lowers her voice to a whisper.] Little sister, come here!

[Grace crosses to her. Blanche seizes her shoulders and looks into her face with desperate pleading.]

BLANCHE [in a choked whisper]: Can I come back? Can I come back, or—have I—gone too far!

[Grace utters a soft cry and buries her face against Blanche’s blue satin kimono. Blanche gathers her slowly in a compassionate embrace but her eyes are still wide and doubtful. Then, on the other side of the portieres, George begins to whistle. Blanche closes her eyes as if something desperately longed for now had come.]

BLANCHE [in a strong whisper]: I will! I will! I will!

THE CURTAIN FALLS.

THE END.

Kingdom of Earth

KINGDOM OF EARTH

A ONE ACT PLAY

. . . to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven.

—Genesis 6:17

CHARACTERS

CHICKEN

MYRTLE

LOT

TWO OFFSTAGE VOICES

The open wall of the set discloses a kitchen, hall and a flight of stairs: it is a Mississippi Delta farmhouse, of dull gray against a sky the same color. There is a low, continual murmur of the river near flood. A few moments after the curtain rises a male voice shouts out.

MALE VOICE: Hey, Chicken! Chicken!

[The one being called appears: Chicken, a young man in rubber hip-boots covered with river slick.]

CHICKEN [tonelessly]: Hey. [He sits down to remove the boots.]

MALE VOICE: We’re clearin’ out.

CHICKEN: I see.

FEMALE VOICE: Goin’ up to Sunset.

CHICKEN: Yeh, I see.

FEMALE VOICE: Sorry we don’t have room for you in our car.