God is with me
Emma is sitting on a low wall pressing buttons on her mobile phone. There is an air of frustration about her actions. She is in her mid teens. claire enters. She is about the same age as emma and SIMILARly dressed.
Claire
Hiya.
Emma
Oh. Alright?
CLAIRE
Am I late?
EMMA
Dunno.
CLAIRE
So, what are we gonna do?
EMMA
Don't mind.
CLAIRE
Up town?
EMMA
If you like.
CLAIRE
Right, well I'm in for a fun afternoon. Today's challenge is to get Emma to say a sentence consisting of three words or more.
EMMA
Sorry. Damned thing!
CLAIRE
Have you forgotten how to work it?
EMMA
I've lost a message.
CLAIRE
What do you mean?
EMMA
I mean my phone beeped but I can't find the thing.
CLAIRE
Well, did it say there was a message?
EMMA
What?
CLAIRE
Maybe it wasn't a message. Did you set a reminder? Meeting the lovely Claire at 2 o'clock?
EMMA
No that couldn’t be right. Lovely Claire? I only know one Claire and that's you.
CLAIRE
Ha ha. Did it just beep or did the display say there was a message?
EMMA
The display said.
CLAIRE
You must have deleted it then.
EMMA
I didn't.
CLAIRE
Bet you did. Give it here.
Emma passes the phone to claire.
EMMA
It's so annoying.
CLAIRE
(Pressing buttons on the phone) There's no message.
EMMA
Oh Thanks. I'm so glad you came.
CLAIRE
Nothing there at all.
EMMA
So where has it gone?
CLAIRE
I told you. You must have deleted it.
EMMA
But I didn't.
CLAIRE
Well OK. (sarcastically)  It was a message but not one from this world. It was a sign. That's it. It was a message from God.
EMMA
Sorry?
CLAIRE
What have you been up to Emma? God wants a word.
EMMA
What are you on about?
CLAIRE
It was a sign. Telling you to repent your sins.
EMMA
Oh I see. Yeah you're probably right. No reason why God shouldn't embrace modern technology. Thunderbolts and lightening? Old fashioned. Why bother with all that when you can just send someone a text. Yeah. That'll be it. 'Repent your sins'. Actually, thinking about it, it was probably a message for you.
CLAIRE
Ha ha. Very funny. You used to be into all that didn't you?
EMMA
What?
CLAIRE
All that. Saying your prayers before bed time, Bible under you pillow.
EMMA
Yes, well.
CLAIRE
Come on Emma. Don't forget I've known you a long time. You can't hide you guilty secrets from me.
EMMA
I haven't got any guilty secrets. What's wrong with believing in God?
CLAIRE
Oh, woah. You mean you still do. I thought you grew out of all that.
EMMA
I grew out of Santa. I grew out of the tooth fairy. You don't grow out of God. He is for real. He is with me.
CLAIRE
He’s with you.
EMMA
Yeah.
CLAIRE
My God Emma!
EMMA
Exactly! Mine too.
CLAIRE
No, no. Not mine. I don't believe all that. I'm 100 percent atheist.
EMMA
Fine.
There is a beat
CLAIRE
Are you not going to argue with me?
EMMA
Why should I?
CLAIRE
Aren't you supposed to save me or something?
EMMA
Do you want saving?
CLAIRE
No
EMMA
Well, that's fine then.
CLAIRE
It doesn't bother you that I don't believe?
EMMA
Not at all. God doesn't believe in atheists.
CLAIRE
I can't believe you've kept this quiet. You still get down and pray every night?
EMMA
Yeah, why not?
CLAIRE
It's just. Well, it's a bit 19th century isn't it. Long white nightdresses. Going to bed with a candle.
EMMA
Why would I go to bed with a candle?
CLAIRE
Listen, what you do beneath the sheets is your affair.
EMMA
Funny!
CLAIRE
I mean, how many people do you know your age who still believe in God for God's sake.
EMMA
I hope everyone believes in God for His sake.
CLAIRE
Stop being funny and answer the question.
EMMA
I don't know Claire. People don't talk about it. I wouldn't if you hadn't brought Him up.
CLAIRE
This is incredible. I thought I knew you.
EMMA
I'm still Emma. What difference does it make?
CLAIRE
I just don't know if I can have a serious conversation with someone who believes that we are all descended from Adam and Eve.
EMMA
I never said that.
CLAIRE
You don't believe that.
EMMA
Of course not. It's an allusion.
CLAIRE
Oh so you can pick and choose what you believe?
EMMA
You really don't know much about this do you?
CLAIRE
Shouldn't you be campaigning to have Einstein banned from schools or something?
EMMA
Firstly, I don't think there are many people, regardless of how fervently religious they may be, who would argue with the theory of relatively...
CLAIRE
What?
EMMA
I think you meant Darwin, and secondly believing in God doesn't make me a nutter.
CLAIRE
Alright then. If God exists, why do we have AIDS then? How come babies die in Africa?
EMMA
I don't know. Perhaps sometimes He doesn't want to interfere. No one knows.
CLAIRE
That's the big cop out isn't. He works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.
EMMA
We're getting a bit heavy here Claire. You brought up the subject. I was just being honest with you that's all. There's no need to start having a go at me.
CLAIRE
It’s just all a bit far fetched isn’t it? I can understand people believing all that centuries ago but not now.
EMMA
It’s my choice alright. At the end of the day it’s none of your business.
CLAIRE
Let’s not fall out.
EMMA
Well, lay off then.
CLAIRE
OK. Not another word on the subject. I promise.
EMMA
OK. Good.
     
CLAIRE
Right.  Look, are we going into town?
EMMA
Yeah.
CLAIRE
It's OK is it. Shopping on a Sunday?
EMMA
Claire!
CLAIRE
Sorry.
EMMA
We go every Sunday. Why are you asking me now?
CLAIRE
Point taken. Come on then. So long as you've got the bus fare for two.
EMMA
Why? Are you skint?
CLAIRE
I'm alright. But if you've got God with you, you are gonna have to pay his fare. (Emma makes a move towards Claire) Oh sorry, I forgot. He’s over 2000 years old. He’s gotta have a bus pass. (Emma can’t stay angry, her face breaks into a grin as they exit).
Curtain