Chapter 1

Characters
Mary Niels / Marcus Dawson = M
Aaron Niels (Marcus’ Dad) = A
Bobby Hutton = B
Dolly Hutton (Bobby’s Mom)= D
John Hutton (Bobby’s Dad) = J


[Marcus is 13. He is cutting off his hair. He walks into the living room where his dad is. Marcus is dressed in boy's clothes that he borrowed from Bobby.]

A: What the Hell do you think you’re doing, girl? Get back in there and put on some proper clothes.
M: I’m not a girl anymore, and you can’t tell me what to do.
A: Mary, Now! (angrily)
M: It’s Marcus! (his dad gets up and starts toward him)
[he hits Marcus for a while before he stops and goes to his own room, leaving Marcus propped against the wall all bloody]

[at Bobby’s house, Bobby and his family are waiting to hear from Marcus to make sure he’s ok]
D: Shouldn’t he have called by now?
J: Something just doesn’t feel right.
(Bobby is pacing the floor)(There is pounding at the door)
D: Is it him?
(Bobby opens the door. It’s Marcus. He falls forward. He’s really bloody and swollen.)
B: Oh my God! (he catches him)(the rest of his family comes to help)(Bobby’s dad picks him up and carries him over to the table)
J: Come on, Red, let’s sit up. (Marcus moans in pain)(everybody’s gathered around the table)(Dolly comes in)
D: All of you, out! (she pushes them out of the kitchen)(After they all leave, she cleans him up) What’d you do to your hair?
M: Cut it off, tired of being her. (glaring and crying)
D: Looks like you hacked it off. (she smiles a little, trying to make him feel better) Later, I’ll give you a proper boy’s cut. (he nods and smiles a little himself)(silence for a while) He know yer gone?
M: Nah, he went to his room to sleep and left me in the floor. (Bobby comes in)
B: You okay?
M: Yeah.
B: You don’t gotta pretend you know?
M: Really, I’m fine. It’s not as bad as it looks.
B: ...Yer black and blue.
M: And hurt like hell. But really, I’m fine.
B: (sighs) If you say so. (he pokes him a little)
M: AAHHMmmmm... (grimaces)
B: Figured.