39: Not to save the missionary

The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
Not to save the missionary (Deut. 13:9)

CW: children in peril

midnight

a YOUNG BOY sits in the corner of his bedroom

a VOICE calls out from under his bed

VOICE
help me

YOUNG BOY
i don’t know how

VOICE
i’ve got chocolate and bunnies if you help me

YOUNG BOY
why do you need help?

VOICE
i’m stuck
help me please
i’ll grant all your wishes

YOUNG BOY
are you magic?

VOICE
yes i am

YOUNG BOY
then why can’t you save yourself?

VOICE
if you save me i’ll take you to my world

YOUNG BOY
why’s it so special?

VOICE
all the candy you can eat
the moon hangs so low you can ride it at night
the animals talk and the flowers sing

YOUNG BOY
are there sunflowers?

VOICE
eight-feet tall

YOUNG BOY
my mom won’t let me buy flowers
she says they die

VOICE
in my world everyone gets flowers and they live forever

YOUNG BOY
do the sunflowers sing?

VOICE
mourning all night

YOUNG BOY
morning and night?

VOICE
please
help me

a frighteningly long withered hand emerges from under the bed

slowly every so slowly

the hand extends out

until it reaches the YOUNG BOY

YOUNG BOY
what kind of chocolate?

the hand unfurls its fingers

the YOUNG BOY looks at it

grabs it with his hand

he pulls

and pulls

the arm seems infinitely long

the more he pulls the more arm comes out

he stops for a second

YOUNG BOY
you promise i’ll like it there?

in a fluid motion the endless arm wraps itself around the boy like a snake

VOICE
absolutely
pull on three
one
two
…
three
            the YOUNG BOY doesn’t move
three
            the YOUNG BOY doesn’t move
three
            the YOUNG BOY doesn’t move
three
            the YOUNG BOY doesn’t move
help me

the YOUNG BOY pulls his body

and is immediately pulled under the bed by the arm

END OF PLAY