Marcus
Uncle Leon? You there?
Leon
Marcus! Thank God! We thought you were lost.
Marcus
I’m alive. I wasn’t in the city—
Marcus
I’m on a field trip with my class.
Leon
Where are you now? Are you safe?
Marcus
Have you heard from my mom?
Marcus
I can’t get through and she’s not answering my texts.
Leon
I haven’t heard from her. I’m so sorry.
Marcus
Is it true what they’re saying on the news? About a bomb?
Leon
Yes, Marcus, I’m afraid so.
Leon
The bomb took out most of midtown Manhattan.
Marcus
I’m surprised text is working.
Leon
I am too. Most of the cell towers aren’t functional.
Leon
Is the electricity on where you are?
Leon
Are you watching TV?
Marcus
The lights are on and there’s a TV in the room.
Marcus
But they shut it off because kids started to freak out.
Marcus
Can you tell me what’s going on? I have to reach my mom.
Leon
Listen, we need to focus on you right now. Where are you?
Marcus
Maybe she had a meeting or something and was uptown…
Leon
You can’t think about her right now. Where are you?
Marcus
I can’t think about my mom? Are you crazy?
Leon
Marcus, tell me where you are. NOW.
Marcus exhales with frustration.
He brushes a hand over his low-top fade.
Marcus
I’m in Edison, N.J.
Marcus
At the Thomas Edison museum.
Marcus
My whole class from Bronx Science is here.
Marcus
They locked us in and we’re just sitting in this big room.
Marcus
Waiting and going crazy not knowing what the hell is going on.
Marcus
We’ve been in here for hours.
Leon
A bomb went off in Times Square this morning.
Leon
Took out a two-mile radius.
Marcus
A nuke, right? That means fallout and all that.
Leon
It’s not a nuclear weapon. It’s something different.
Leon
There’s not a lot of information.
Leon
Still, we need to get you out of the area right away.
Marcus
That’s not gonna happen.
Marcus
My teacher says we’re going to some kind of emergency staging place.
Leon
No. You’re going to make your way to me and your Aunt Jeannie here.
Marcus
What? To Scranton?!
Leon
Yes, I’ll help you. I’ll head toward you from this end.
Marcus
I’m sorry uncle Leon, but that’s crazy.
Leon
I can get you here safely.
Marcus
I know you were in the army, but that doesn’t mean I can get to Pennsylvania.
Leon
Not army — Marine Corps.
Leon
And I’ll tell you exactly what to do.
Leon
One step at a time, all the way.
Marcus
Hold on, they’re turning on the TV. Finally.
Leon
Steady, son. Steady.
Marcus
They’re saying over a million dead.
Leon
I’m here, Marcus. Be strong.
Marcus
There’s melted steel and dust.
Marcus
I can’t even look.
Leon
We are going to get you here to us in Scranton. You hear me?
Marcus
If my mom is gone, I don’t wanna go on.
Marcus
I’m here. I’m just…Everyone’s screaming, crying.
Marcus
I don’t know what to do.
Leon
This is the perfect time to get away.
Marcus
I can’t believe this is happening.
Leon
It’s happening. And it’s going to get worse.
Marcus
How’s it gonna get WORSE?!
Leon
I got a text from a buddy of mine in the State Department.
Leon
They think it’s a chemical weapon — its effects are unknown.
Leon
You need to get as far away as you can.
Marcus
Look, I appreciate you wanting to help, but I’m gonna stay here.
Marcus
At least I’m with my friends.
Marcus
Tell Auntie J I love her.
Leon
Marcus! Don’t put your phone down!
Marcus
I can’t just leave my friends. I’ll keep you posted.
Marcus rests his head against the wall.
His friend Gabi sits down next to him.
She’s a willowy girl with chestnut brown skin and a scattering of dark freckles across her nose and cheeks.
Marcus
No. My uncle. But your folks are okay, right?
Gabi
Yeah, they’re headed across the bridge to Jersey.
Marcus
My uncle wants me to leave here now. Try to make it to Scranton.
Marcus
He’s a Marine. He says he can guide me every step of the way.
Gabi
There’s no way Mr. Hoskins would let you go.
The footage on TV shows thousands of people swarming over the George Washington bridge.
The cars are utterly gridlocked.
Frantic pedestrians are climbing over them.
Some are carrying kids, some are dragging suitcases.
Gabi
My parents are on that bridge. Oh my God!
At the on-ramp, a reporter stands near an overturned car.
People keep knocking into her as they rush past.
Reporter
As you can see, there is a feeling of panic and terror in the streets.
Reporter
The exits to the city are absolutely flooded with people trying to get out.
A man carrying a crate of belongings swipes her and the reporter stumbles.
She puts her hand out to the cameraman.
Reporter
Jim, we have to stop. This is crazy.
Three people crash into her and she falls out of camera range.
Gabi
I’m freaking out! My parents are on that bridge!
Marcus
It’s okay. It’s gonna be okay.
Marcus’s phone beeps with a text from his uncle.
Leon
Marcus, the reports coming out of the city are bad and getting worse.
Leon
I am telling you, son, you must leave NOW.
Marcus
I’m thinking about it.
Leon
Is there a cafeteria there? In the museum?
Marcus
Just a snack bar. That’s where we had lunch.
Leon
Do you have a backpack?
Leon
Go to the snack bar now.
Leon
Take some bottled water and any food you can find.
Leon
But most importantly — get a knife.
Leon
Scissors will do if you can’t find a knife.
Marcus
All right. Give me a minute.
Marcus
I gotta figure out how to get out of this room.
Marcus
Look, I’m leaving. I’m going to try to get to my uncle.
Gabi
I don’t know what to do.
Marcus
You should come with me.
Marcus
My uncle is a Marine. He’s gonna tell me what do to.
Marcus
He’s got buddies in the government tipping him off. I think—
Gabi
My mom always says to take your moment when it comes.
Gabi
This is the moment. Let’s go.
Marcus
Uncle Leon, I got out.
Marcus
Mr. Hoskins tried to stop us, but this kid named Taylor kicked the door down. It was crazy.
Marcus
I went to the snack bar. Most of the food had already been cleared out.
Leon
That’s okay. Let’s just get you out of there.
Leon
Do you at least have some water?
Marcus
Yeah. Four bottles. I got some old-looking fruit no one wanted.
Marcus
Got a couple ham and cheese sandwiches, and a box of protein bars in a back cabinet.
Leon
Good. Stow it all in your bag and look for the back door.
Marcus
BTW this girl Gabi is coming with me.
Leon
No. It’s better to travel alone.
Marcus
She’s cool. She’s tough. You’ll like her.
Leon
I don’t like anyone who slows you down or ruins your chance to get out of there alive.
Marcus
Chill out please. Gabi’s coming with me. End of discussion.
Leon
Is she your girlfriend?
Marcus
No, okay? She’s out of my reach.
Marcus
Captain of the basketball team. Very pretty.
Marcus
You get the picture.
Marcus
But we’re friends and I’m looking out for her.
Leon
Again: NOT IDEAL. You’re safer alone. But let’s move on. Did you get a knife?
Marcus
I couldn’t find a knife but I got a pair of scissors.
Marcus
Rusted out, but real sharp.
Leon
Good. You’ll need them.
