comparitive essay 5 pages with bibliography and atleast 4 secondary sources

ACT ONE – PROLOGUE – An eerie twilight. Wind. A sense of limitless space. Projection (text): Listen. Lights reveal TULUGAQ, sculpting a piece of soapstone. The wind morphs into a sort of breathing. TULUGAQ listens, perfectly attuned to his environment. Projection (text): Still your thoughts. Quiet your mind. Listen. The breathing turns into Inuit throat singing. (Possibly “Force” by Tanya Tagaq.) It is intense, contemporary, unnerving. Projection (text): With some luck. Maybe. You will find me. The music screeches to a halt. “– 1 – A conference. LEANNA stands at a podium. LEANNA I come from a place of barren landscapes and infinite skies. I come from a place of rugged mountains, imperial glaciers, and tundra-covered permafrost. I come from a place where North is where you stand and South, everywhere else. Where there are five seasons and no trees. Where the days last twenty-four hours and the nights too. I come from a place where skyscrapers are made of ice and proudly ride winds and currents. I come from a place where the only crowds are air, sea, and land creatures that gather each year by the thousands. I come from a place where you can walk onto the ocean and, if you’re lucky, beyond the horizon itself. I come from a people who have kept accounts of the early days when the world was rich and urgent and new. When unknown forces lay like pebbles to be picked by those who stumbled upon them. When spirits roamed the land like polar bears and muskoxen and caribou. I come from a world where life and death walk hand in hand like giggling teenagers. I come from a land whose wisdom“reminds us of our humanity. This place I come from we call Nunavut. It means. Our Land” in Inuktitut. It’s where we, Inuit, have thrived for more than four thousand years. It’s where we strive to realize our full potential. It’s where we nurture our knowledge of who we are. But Nunavut, our land, is only as rich as it is cold. And today, most of it is melting. – 2 –

The coast. Two silhouettes clad in warm winter gear. One of them is looking through binoculars. JEAN Là-bas out by the – out by the pressure ridge. Tu vois? A mother and a cub. THOMAS Oh yeah . . . JEAN Extraordinary animals. They can weigh up to fifteen hundred pounds and travel on ice so thin it wouldn’t support a man. THOMAS Mean motherfuckers though. One of them attacked a man in Cape Dorset last year. By the time the search party tracked it down two hours later, there was no flesh left on the bones. I’m telling you, one comes within a hundred feet, endangered or not, I’m shooting it down. JEAN They’re listed as threatened not endangered. THOMAS Whatever. Have you given some thought to our conversation? JEAN I can give you the names of other very accomplished – THOMAS Jean, they don’t need any old scientist who’s gonna set up his fancy instruments and three years later hand them a pile of data the size of a phone book. They need YOU. JEAN I’m busy. THOMAS Doing what? JEAN One of the last remaining sheets of multi-year ice is predicted to break away from the coast this summer. THOMAS So? Put a graduate student on it. Isn’t that what they’re for? JEAN Plus the environmental assessment is just a marketing ploy. You know that. They’ll look at it and drill anyway. THOMAS What happened to you? I don’t see you for three years and – JEAN I needed a break. THOMAS Yeah ’cause now that you’re a Time Person of the Year, you no longer have time for – JEAN Okay premièrement fuck you. And deuxièmement I learned my lesson: science and politics don’t mix. And I’m a scientist so let me focus on the science. Others can do the politics. Long beat.

THOMAS How’s Liz? JEAN We’re not in touch anymore. THOMAS She still in New York? JEAN As far as I know. I think she’s getting married again. THOMAS That was fast. JEAN Yeah well . . . THOMAS Ever think about moving back? JEAN To Montreal? THOMAS Be nice to have you in Canada again. JEAN How’s Ottawa? THOMAS Thank God I only have to live there six months out of the year. (looking through the binoculars) You an American yet? JEAN Résident permanent. THOMAS You gonna get the citizenship? JEAN J’sais pas . . . THOMAS Tough decision. THOMAS hands the binoculars to JEAN. You know, biologists used to think polar bears followed the movement of ice around the Pole. They’d have the babies in Canada, raise them in Russia, and breed again in Svalbard or Greenland the following year. But turns out, polar bears are extremely faithful to where they come from. JEAN They can wander pretty far. THOMAS But they always come back. Something to be said about that. JEAN I guess. THOMAS

Makes it clear which territory to fight for. JEAN Parce que tu penses que c’est une affaire de territoire? THOMAS Yes. It’s about national security, control, diplomatic relations, and most of all, money. JEAN That sounds like politics. THOMAS Somebody’s gonna drill, Jean. If it’s not us, it’ll be the Americans, the Chinese, the Arabs, whoever the fuck, but somebody’s gonna drill. There’s too much money at stake. If we wanna maintain sovereignty over our Arctic territory, we need to establish a strong presence. Nunavut is huge. It has a very small population: point zero one person per square kilometre to be exact. There’s practically no one around to say, “Uh-uh, not here, this is ours.” Taking the lead in exploiting our resources is one way to assert sovereignty. Having you, a CANADIAN and one of our most prominent scientists, doing research is another. It shows that we’re interested. It shows that we care. And as a bonus, it’ll benefit the Inuit. You should think about that. – 3 – A frozen bay. MAMA bear and her young cub wait by a seal breathing hole. MAMA is still. The DAUGHTER fidgets, trying to distract herself from the long wait. MAMA Stay low, paniapik. MAMA gently flattens her DAUGHTER on the ice. DAUGHTER Yes, Anaana. MAMA The seal sees you. He sees the shadow of your paws moving across the ice. The seal hears you. He hears the symphony of ice crystals shifting under your weight. You must learn to be attentive and silent. They wait. DAUGHTER (whispering) Anaanaa, how will I know when the seal comes? MAMA The bubbles in the water will tell you that he is here. Stay low, paniapik. Downwind of the aglu and low. The DAUGHTER looks at MAMA and tries to imitate her. They wait. After a while, the DAUGHTER starts to fidget again. DAUGHTER Why is it taking so long? MAMA Shhh . . .

DAUGHTER Can we go back to the land and search for something there? MAMA The sun is getting higher. The ice won’t be here much longer. And when the ice goes, the seal goes. We need seal now while the ice is here so we can wait out the long summer. DAUGHTER But Anaana, what if I’m not a good hunter? MAMA You are a good hunter, paniapik. DAUGHTER But Anaana, what if I’m not a good hunter? MAMA You will be a good hunter. DAUGHTER But Anaanaa, what if I’m not a good hunter? What if I’m not a good hunter? What if I’m not a good hunter? MAMA It is my duty to make you a good hunter. DAUGHTER How good? As good as you? MAMA Yes, as good as me. So you may live a long life and be a great nanuq. DAUGHTER Like the nanuq who climbed into the sky? MAMA Like the nanuq who climbed into the sky. DAUGHTER Tell me the story again! . . . She rubs her head against MAMA’s neck. Please? . . . MAMA In the early days – DAUGHTER No, you have to start with taissumaniguuq! MAMA Taissumaniguuq . . . when strange powers were shared among animals, people, and the land, when all creatures spoke the same tongue and traded skins with ease, it is said that a great nanuq roamed the land. This nanuq, called Nanurjuk – Suddenly, a shift. MAMA sniffs the air at several levels then steadies her attention on a fixed point in the distance. Stay low, paniapik. He’s coming. He’s under the ice.

We hear the sound of bubbles rising to the surface followed by a tinkle of water. MAMA pounces. The DAUGHTER leaps in excitement. DAUGHTER Roar! Beat. Where is he? Where is the seal, Anaana? MAMA Come. This one wasn’t ready for us. – 4 – Leanna’s house. LEANNA and THOMAS. LEANNA No, I’m sorry. THOMAS You can take time to think about it. LEANNA Thomas, I can’t come out and say that publicly. THOMAS It’s all in the way you frame it, I mean, if you position it so that – LEANNA Look, I appreciate what you’re trying to do. And I’m not saying I’m personally against it but taking a public stand on this would be political suicide. THOMAS Leanna . . . LEANNA I can’t in one breath talk about protecting the Arctic and, in the other, lay out a plan for dredging a channel right in the middle of it! THOMAS That’s not what I’m – LEANNA Besides, now that I have the government’s attention, I don’t want to say anything that might inflame the media. THOMAS I don’t think having the government’s attention is working in your favour. The feds are pretty pissed at you. LEANNA Good. Then maybe they’ll do something to help. THOMAS You do realize that filing that petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights was the equivalent of Canada shitting on its own plate, right? LEANNA Don’t be gross.

THOMAS The U.S. is our biggest trade partner. LEANNA And one of the biggest emitters. They have to set an example. THOMAS I don’t disagree. But suing them for a violation of human rights might not be the best way to motivate them. “LEANNA You don’t intend to go public with this project while the Prime Minister is here, do you? THOMAS I was thinking about it. LEANNA It’ll confuse the issue. THOMAS The way I see it, if Nunavut wants to address its problems, it needs to develop its economy. LEANNA Give me a few months. THOMAS I don’t have a few months. This is my last season. LEANNA What? THOMAS My wife granted me ten years. If I don’t quit at the end of this year, she’s walking out on me. LEANNA A few weeks, then. “THOMAS I’ll tell you what. I have a German scientific ship waiting in the bay. It got all the required permits to do seismic testing up in Baffin Bay, but the Hunters and Trappers Association slapped an injunction on it. If you talk to them – LEANNA I’ll set up a meeting for you. THOMAS Great. But as soon as the Prime Minister is back in Ottawa, I’m going public. LEANNA Fine. Beat. Is this really your last season? THOMAS All good things must come to an end. LEANNA Who am I going to fight with when you’re gone? THOMAS You may have to take a break.

LEANNA Fat chance. THOMAS Seriously. At the rate you’re going, you’re gonna burn out. LEANNA Inuit don’t burn out. We don’t even have a word for that in our language. THOMAS Then make sure it stays that way. – 5 – Hotel bar. VERONICA speaks into a microphone. VERONICA Unnukkut . . . Good evening . . . I’m happy to see there are so many people here tonight . . . And so many girls . . . Aingai, Samuel? . . . That’s my son. Samuel, aggait isaaguk . . . There he is. Now all of you ladies can go introduce yourselves afterwards . . . All right . . . My favourite way to say Inuit girl is Eskimo Chick. I know that Eskimo is not everybody’s favourite word but I think it’s a funny word if we use it the right way. She launches into a spoken-word poem. Eskimo Chick you are it whenever I see you my heart goes tick tick tick and then thump thump thump and then ahhma ahhma ahhma you turn heads wherever you go you wear cool like only an Eskimo can, hold the glam other girls have Louis Vuitton baggage and Calvin Klein pasts but you and me “we got sealskin hopes and dreams your momma musta been a hottie and she got down and naughty with some fine Inuk body cause you are all that and a bag of nik-kuk chips when we’re stuck in a whiteout, lights out, night out on the town MAELSTROM you can keep warm with your quick wits and your

BIG, BEAUTIFUL mitts I’ll be your compass in the storm no lie I look you in the eye and see a fine line of generations to come all sprung from your womb – no room for contemplating suicide suicide, is not the way to go remember I see you and it’s tick tick tick and then thump thump thump and then ahhma ahhma ahhma “tick tick tick and then thump thump thump and then ahhma ahhma ahhma and you’re not just surviving you’re thriving I hope I’m alive when you’re ninety so I can turn to you and say Eskimo Chick you are IT – 6 – Leanna’s house. LEANNA and VERONICA. LEANNA waves a letter around. LEANNA Here it is! Here it is! VERONICA The letter? LEANNA I can’t believe I’m finally holding it in my hand! VERONICA That’s the letter from the commission? LEANNA This is our future, Veronica. VERONICA

Open it! LEANNA hesitates. Come on, Mom! LEANNA opens the letter. What does it say? LEANNA (reading) Having completed the study set forth in Article . . . I wish to inform you that it will not be possible – Beat. – that it will not be possible to process your petition at present because it does not satisfy – She crumples the letter and throws it on the ground. VERONICA picks it up and reads it silently. A hundred and seventy-five pages of thoroughly researched scientific facts and first-hand witness testimonies and it doesn’t satisfy their – VERONICA Mom, I’m so sorry . . . LEANNA I can’t believe this. VERONICA Well, you did say from the beginning that it was gonna be political. LEANNA Of course, it was going to be political. When you accuse a country of violating human rights, it’s nothing BUT political. VERONICA At least, you managed to bring the issue out into the open. That in itself is a huge accomplishment. LEANNA Not if it doesn’t translate into concrete steps. VERONICA Maybe we can address the problem here, in the community. Create education programs. Invite people to find solutions together. LEANNA Let’s not have this discussion again. VERONICA Why not? If we pool our resources – LEANNA Our hunters can’t feed their families, Veronica. Our roads and houses are sinking, and our traditional knowledge is becoming obsolete. No number of educational programs is going to fix that. VERONICA Oh, so we’re just supposed to wait for the government to come and save us? Is that it? LEANNA Like I said, let’s not have this discussion again. You and I will never agree. Beat.

VERONICA What are you planning to do? LEANNA I need to talk to our attorney. VERONICA You said you were gonna pull back after the petition. LEANNA I said I might consider slowing down. VERONICA You said after the petition. LEANNA Okay, maybe I said after the petition but this (indicating the letter) is not how I thought it was going to play out. VERONICA sighs. LEANNA You don’t expect me to give up, do you? At the very least, I need to file an appeal. VERONICA I should have enrolled Samuel in a school down South. LEANNA What? VERONICA In Montreal or Toronto . . . LEANNA Samuel needs to be here. He needs to be with his people. VERONICA Samuel’s bored. The school doesn’t challenge him enough. He spends his days in front of the TV, complaining that his teachers and his friends are stupid. LEANNA He’s a teenager. VERONICA And a bright kid who needs something exciting to focus on. LEANNA Well, I can tell you a school down South is not the answer. I KNOW what it’s like to be uprooted from your family and culture and – VERONICA – it’s incredibly isolating and when you came back, you couldn’t even speak your own language.” I know, Mom, I know. But I’m not talking about shipping Samuel to a residential school. I’m talking about moving there with him. Beat. LEANNA “Don’t. VERONICA

Give me a good reason not to. ’Cause between a father who drinks himself stupid every night and a grandmother who spends more time on jets than in her home, Samuel doesn’t have much of a family. LEANNA Look, I’ll cancel a few trips. I’ll take some weekends off. I’ll ask Tulugaq to take us fishing. VERONICA You’ve been saying that for years. LEANNA Veronica, meet me halfway here. I’ve worked too hard on this. I can’t quit now. VERONICA You’re never gonna quit, Mom. That’s what you don’t seem to realize. You’re never gonna quit. – 7 – Canadian Coast Guard Marine Communications and Traffic Services centre. A VHF radio mumbles at periodic intervals. JEAN with THOMAS, who sits by an array of screens and computers. JEAN What do you mean cancelled? THOMAS Sorry. JEAN Ben oui mais ça marche pas de même. I can’t – how am I supposed to transfer to the ice camp if – THOMAS The helicopter is grounded for emergency repair. JEAN How long? THOMAS Couple of weeks. Maybe longer. They have to wait for the parts. JEAN Ça pas de crisse de bon sens. J’peux pas – Thomas I’m talking about a phenomenon of GEOLOGICAL proportions. Comprends-tu ce que ça veut dire? Someone needs to be there. Someone needs to witness this multi-year ice collapse and collect the data. People keep complaining that the models are not accurate well do you know how you make the models accurate? You make the models accurate by getting on a helicopter and going where the shit happens. RAPHAËL enters. RAPHAËL Dude, can you believe this weather? Hottest year on record. And it’s not even summer yet. (to JEAN) Oh, hi. THOMAS Raphaël, Jean. Raphaël’s our new officer. Jean’s an old buddy from university.

RAPHAËL Ah oui! T’es venu dans un de mes cours quand j’étais à McGill. Projection (text): Oh yeah! You came to one of my classes when I was at McGill. JEAN Hi. RAPHAËL T’es à New York maintenant, non? Projection (text): You’re in New York now, right? JEAN Oui. Columbia University. RAPHAËL J’adore New York! Ma blonde pis moi on a passé une fin de semaine là-bas l’année dernière. C’est là que mon fils a été conçu. Right, Thomas? Projection (text): I love New York! My girlfriend and I spent a weekend there last year. That’s where my son was conceived. THOMAS Whatever you say, Raphaë RAPHAËL (to JEAN) Ma blonde est enceinte de huit mois. Projection (text): My girlfriend is eight months pregnant. JEAN Félicitations. Projection (text): Congratulations. RAPHAËL (to THOMAS) Hey, you wanna see my son’s penis? Marie just posted the ultrasound on her Facebook page. THOMAS (to JEAN) What is it about the younger generation they feel they have to share every last detail of their private lives? RAPHAËL All right, let me grab a coffee across the street and I’m ready to take over. (to JEAN) Nice to meet you. Make sure you vote for the right guy in November. JEAN I’m not a citizen. RAPHAËL Why not? THOMAS Don’t encourage him, I’m trying to convince him to come back.

RAPHAËL You gotta commit, man. It’s the only way to be in the world. You gotta commit. He exits. THOMAS They get more colourful every year. JEAN Come on Thomas. There’s gotta be a way to get a helicopter. THOMAS Sorry, man. They’re all spoken for. JEAN Fais que j’fais quoi, là? I sit around and twiddle my thumbs? THOMAS Do some research around Iqaluit. We have sea ice too, you know. JEAN sighs. Or take the contract. You’ll have a helicopter dedicated to you for an entire three years. JEAN Sure. In exchange for endorsing the construction of a deep-sea port. THOMAS Where did you hear that? JEAN What? You thought I wouldn’t find out? THOMAS Look, what difference does it make? Research is research is research. You still get to collect data and feed it to your model to make better predictions. JEAN What happened to science for its own sake? Science to understand the world? Everything has to be APPLIED nowadays. Ça fait chier. THOMAS The very first freighter crossed the Northwest Passage last summer. You know what that means? That means there will be more. So it’d be nice to have some infrastructure. JEAN I told you I don’t do politics. THOMAS Why? Will you tell me what happened? JEAN Nothing. I got divorced. THOMAS So? Everybody gets divorced. JEAN Thanks for the support. THOMAS Jean, come on. Take a stand. JEAN

I took a stand. I’ve been taking a stand for FIFTEEN YEARS. Ç’a donné quoi? A bunch of death threats that’s all. THOMAS You got death threats? JEAN Bon faut que j’y aille. I’ve got work to do. He starts to leave. THOMAS By the way, I hope you know there’s a community requirement. JEAN A what? THOMAS Every research project has to involve the community somehow. New rule from the Nunavut Research Institute. JEAN I’m a SCIENTIST. Not a SOCIAL WORKER. THOMAS Well, you know what they say. When in Rome . . . JEAN We’re in the Arctic. THOMAS Exactly. Adapt. – 8 – A grey day. Fog. MAMA with DAUGHTER, who fidgets. DAUGHTER I’m so hungry . . . so hungry . . . She scratches the snow, licks her paws, shifts her weight around, lies down, stands, sits without being able to get comfortable. Anaanaa? She starts shaking convulsively. (shouting) ANAANAA! MAMA enters dragging a piece of fresh meat. She runs to her DAUGHTER. MAMA I’m here, paniapik. DAUGHTER Why is it so cold? MAMA drags the meat to her DAUGHTER’s feet. MAMA Here. Eat. The DAUGHTER sniffs the meat. DAUGHTER

It’s not seal. MAMA nudges the meat toward her. MAMA Eat. It will give you strength. DAUGHTER What is it? MAMA It’s meat. Meat I got for you. The DAUGHTER tries a bite. She gags and spits it out. Paniapik, please . . . DAUGHTER I can’t, Anaana. It’s too disgusting. The DAUGHTER slumps down and hides her face under her paw. MAMA wraps herself around her, protectively. – 9 – The high school in Iqaluit. A hand-painted banner reads “Environmental Awareness Day.” VERONICA stares at JEAN, confused. VERONICA A presentation? JEAN To the students. VERONICA What’s your name again? JEAN Jean. Lefèvre. VERONICA And you’re – JEAN A climate researcher. Well trying to be. VERONICA Were you asked by one of the other teachers? JEAN Non non it was uh . . . I’m a friend of Leanna and she – VERONICA You know my mother? JEAN I helped her with her petition a few years ago . . . She said uh elle m’a dit que vous aviez besoin de quelqu’un pour – (gesturing toward the banner) to talk to the students. VERONICA My mother asked you to – JEAN

I’m stuck in Iqaluit for a couple of days and I mentioned that – VERONICA What did she say exactly? JEAN She uh . . . She said you were trying to raise awareness about – VERONICA Did she tell you she was the one who was supposed to be here? Beat. She didn’t. JEAN She was in a hurry. I caught her just as she was leaving for the airport. VERONICA Oh. Where’s she going this time? JEAN J’me souviens pas trop . . . I think it was Vancouver. Or maybe Seattle. VERONICA That’s just like her. I organized this event around her. I planned this whole day so students would get to know her and her work. And she doesn’t even show up. JEAN I’m sure she . . . Maybe she forgot or – VERONICA Don’t make excuses for her. Uncomfortable beat. VERONICA examines JEAN from head to toes. Jean, you said, right? JEAN Uh oui. (extending his hand) Nice to meet you. They shake hands. I heard nice things about – VERONICA Is this your first time on Baffin? JEAN Non pas du tout. I’ve been coming here for fifteen years. VERONICA Impressive. JEAN It’s my job. VERONICA In fifteen years, you must have learned some Inuktitut. JEAN Not – I mean I’d love to but la façon dont les choses fonctionnent most of the time we’re in the field and you know . . . we have a lot to accomplish in a very short period so there’s really no time to –

VERONICA Typical qallunaaq. JEAN It’s just how science works. VERONICA Fifteen years and not a single word? JEAN Ben j’sais pas là . . . VERONICA What about nanuq? JEAN Sure. Nanuq of the North. VERONICA Qajaq. JEAN (trying to repeat) Rrrra . . . Oh! Kayak right? I didn’t realize that was – VERONICA Iglu . . . JEAN Okay I guess I know more than I thought. VERONICA Colonialism has a sneaky way of leaving its traces. Qallunaat got the land but Inuit managed to infiltrate the language. She hands him a flyer. I write spoken-word poetry. Come and see me sometime. You might learn something. JEAN Sure. I uh I’ll try. She waits for him to leave. He doesn’t. VERONICA Anything else? JEAN Well . . . I thought I’d . . . (gesturing toward the banner) VERONICA No, thank you. JEAN It’s really not – I’m happy to. I have to do it anyway. VERONICA Have to? JEAN Ça fait partie de – The Nunavut Research Institute requires that – VERONICA Oh. You’re here to fulfill your requirement with the Natives so you can get your research licence. JEAN

Non. I mean yes in a way but – VERONICA You know, Jean, things have changed over the last fifteen years. If you want to work in Nunavut, it’s not enough to talk AT us anymore. You have to talk WITH us. That’s just pitsiaqattautiniq. JEAN I have no idea what that means. VERONICA You’re a smart man. Figure it out. She exits. – 1O – Out on the ice. A brilliant and benevolent moon dominates the landscape. Friendly growling and laughter. MAMA and her DAUGHTER play-fight. DAUGHTER I was good, right Anaana? MAMA You were very good. DAUGHTER I stayed low like you said. And I didn’t make a sound. MAMA You were as silent as a rock. DAUGHTER And I waited and waited and waited . . . How long did I wait? MAMA For as long as it takes the goose to travel to its summer ground. DAUGHTER Longer! MAMA For as long as it takes the river to grow into an ocean. DAUGHTER Longer! MAMA For as long as it takes the glacier to crawl down the rocky cliff. DAUGHTER Yes! And when I saw the bubbles, I pounced! MAMA You’re a very good hunter, paniapik. DAUGHTER I’m a good hunter. MAMA I’m proud of you.

They look up at the stars as the DAUGHTER revels in that thought. DAUGHTER Look! There’s Nanurjuk, the nanuq who climbed into the sky! MAMA Uh-huh. And do you see the hunters chasing after her? DAUGHTER Yes. One, two, three. MAMA And . . . ? DAUGHTER And in the back is Kingulliq, the fourth hunter who dropped his mitt and went back to retrieve it. MAMA That’s right. DAUGHTER I’m sad for Nanurjuk . . . It must be lonely running across the sky like that every night. MAMA The only creatures who are lonely are the ones who forget about sila. DAUGHTER How do you mean, Anaana? MAMA All life is breath. From the original breath that gave us the miracle of Creation to the world itself, sila wraps all around us. The DAUGHTER looks around. DAUGHTER The sky is sila? MAMA nods. The wind is sila? MAMA nods. The land, the ice, the ocean? MAMA nods. MAMA And sila also moves in and out of our lungs. MAMA breathes. See? That’s sila. And with each breath, sila reminds us that we are never alone. Each and every one of us is connected to every other living creature. The DAUGHTER breathes. But sila’s gift is not ours to keep. We may use our breath while we roam the land but we must surrender it once we pass from the land. Creatures who are lonely are the ones who hold on to their breath as if it were theirs and theirs alone. Beat. One day, you will leave me, paniapik. DAUGHTER That’s not true.

MAMA One day, it will be time for you to go into the world and meet your own destiny. DAUGHTER I won’t leave you, Anaanaa. MAMA And I won’t be sad and you won’t be sad because sila will reach across the land and bring us the sweet scent of each other’s happiness. The sound of a snowmobile fades in, growing louder as it gets closer. DAUGHTER What’s that? Suddenly, silence. They scan the horizon. Gunshot. MAMA Run! The DAUGHTER hesitates. Another gunshot. Quick, run! They run away. – 11 – Coast Guard centre. RAPHAËL is on the phone. RAPHAËL Qu’est-ce que la sage-femme a dit? . . . Super. J’peux lui dire bonjour? . . . Oui, met le téléphone sur ton ventre . . . Allo, bébé. C’est papa . . . Pour vrai? Il donne des coups de pied? . . . C’est mon garçon ça – prêt pour la randonnée! . . . Oui, j’ai commencé à le lire. J’pratique à tous les soirs, écoute . . . Projection (text): What did the midwife say? . . . Great. Can I say hi to him? . . . Yeah, put the phone on your belly . . . Hi, baby . . . It’s your dad . . . Really? He’s kicking? . . . That’s my boy – eager to hit the trail! . . . Yeah, I’ve started reading it. I practise every night, listen . . . Breathes rhythmically like a woman giving birth. Pas mal, han? . . . Moi aussi j’t’aime . . . Projection (text): Not bad, huh? . . . I love you too . . . THOMAS enters. THOMAS Moi aussi, je t’aime. Projection (text): I love you too. RAPHAËL Marie, je t’appelle plus tard. Projection (text): Marie, I’ll call you later. He hangs up.

THOMAS You gotta tone it down, man. You’re making the rest of us look bad. RAPHAËL Shut up. THOMAS What did I miss? Two Brits still alive? RAPHAËL Alive and rowing. According to the blog, they’re halfway down the Mackenzie. THOMAS Crazy. RAPHAËL Nah, come on. Crossing the Northwest Passage in a rowboat? THOMAS That’s what I said. Crazy. RAPHAËL Be freaking awesome . . . THOMAS I see the Polaria left the bay? RAPHAËL Left this morning without making radio contact. I have a call out to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They said to sit tight until they talk to Germany. THOMAS Who told you to do that? RAPHAËL Well . . . They don’t have permission to enter farther into Canadian waters. I thought – THOMAS Raphaël, you’re not paid to think, you’re paid to execute. So the next time you have the impulse to do something stupid, do me a favour: don’t. RAPHAËL But – THOMAS Besides, the injunction is about to be lifted. RAPHAËL The Hunters and Trappers Association gave up? THOMAS The effects of seismic surveys on marine life have been studied for decades. There’s no proof that they do any harm. RAPHAËL Sure. Firing air guns into the water every ten to fifteen seconds is a totally benign activity. And getting money from Natural Resources Canada doesn’t at all mean that this vessel is looking for oil. THOMAS

Their mandate is to map the sea floor. They’re not responsible for what people do with that information. Get me Foreign Affairs. RAPHAËL dials the number and hands the phone to Thomas. (to phone) Hi, this is Thomas in Iqaluit. Is John around? . . . Yeah, I’ll wait. (to RAPHAËL) This is important. The data the Polaria will provide can help us get more resources. RAPHAËL New icebreakers? THOMAS Nevermind icebreakers. What I’m going after is a port. RAPHAËL “A port? THOMAS A state-of-the-art, environmentally responsible, military and civilian loading and refuelling station. RAPHAËL And where are you gonna put that port? In Hyperborea? THOMAS Where? RAPHAËL Hyperborea . . . The place in Greek mythology where – THOMAS I swear, some days I feel like the head office sent us some sissy English Lit major instead of – RAPHAËL Actually, I majored in environmental – THOMAS ANYWAY. (to phone) Yeah, I’m still holding. (to RAPHAËL) Have you ironed your uniform? RAPHAËL Why? THOMAS Prime Minister’s visit. RAPHAËL I don’t have an ironing board. THOMAS You can borrow mine. RAPHAËL I’m not wearing the uniform. I hate the uniform. THOMAS Raphaël, this is not prom. I’m not your date asking you to wear something NICE. This is the Coast Guard and I, your superior, am ORDERING you to WEAR YOUR UNIFORM. You got it? (to phone) John. How are you? . . . Yeah, same here . . . No, I’m actually calling to do a bit of damage control . . . – 12 –

Hotel restaurant. We hear the faint noise of diners in the background. JEAN sits at a table, sipping coffee and working through some files. TULUGAQ enters. He approaches JEAN and shows him a polar bear sculpture. JEAN Non merci. TULUGAQ silently insists. I’m sorry I’m not – TULUGAQ puts the sculpture on the table. TULUGAQ Just look. JEAN looks at the sculpture. JEAN It’s uh . . . it’s very nice. TULUGAQ Yes. JEAN You’re the artist? TULUGAQ Sanannguaqtiujunga. JEAN Ah. And this (indicating the sculpture) is – TULUGAQ Soapstone becoming polar bear. And polar bear can protect you. JEAN examines the sculpture more closely. JEAN You think I need protection? TULUGAQ Everybody needs protection. JEAN Then maybe you should keep it. So it protects you. TULUGAQ I am a hunter. I know how to protect. You, no. Two hundred dollars. JEAN You’re a hunter. TULUGAQ Tulugaq, yes. JEAN Oh you’re je m’excuse je vous avais pas – I’m Jean. Thank you for coming. JEAN motions to the chair. TULUGAQ doesn’t sit. So uh . . . the Institute said you’ve worked with scientists before. (pause) Basically I need a skidoo with a trailer to carry the equipment and I’ll need you to watch for polar bears while we’re out on the ice. I’m also gonna count on you to show me the safest route of course because I’m

not used to – c’est pas mon secteur je travaille plutôt dans le Grand Nord but we had equipment failure and I’m stuck here waiting for the – Anyway I want to deploy some CTD sensors to take measurements of ice thickness you know stuff like that that’s useful to plug into a model and can justify the funds I was granted for this trip. Silence. Does that uh . . . Does that sound good? TULUGAQ turns around to leave. Wait! TULUGAQ doesn’t stop. I fully intend to pay you if that’s the issue and I can also – TULUGAQ steps outside. JEAN follows him. – I can also hire an interpreter I mean not that your English – but you know if that would make you feel more – TULUGAQ points at the sky. TULUGAQ How do you call this? JEAN Northern lights. Aurores boréales. TULUGAQ We call aqsarniit. JEAN (mispronouncing) Aqsarniit. TULUGAQ Aqsarniit. JEAN (a little better) Aqsarniit. TULUGAQ Very dangerous. JEAN They are? TULUGAQ If you don’t wear a hat, aqsarniit cut off your head. TULUGAQ is dead serious. JEAN puts on his hat and TULUGAQ laughs. We tell Inuit children: aqsarniit cut off their heads and play soccer with it. And if you do like this – He whistles. They come closer. See? They take turns whistling. That is Inuit qaujimajatuqangit. Inuit traditional knowledge. Old learning about living in peace with people, animals, nature. Arctic is not just numbers. Arctic is stories. Like aqsarniit story. Qallunaat learning: lots of numbers. But it comes here – (pointing to his head). Only here. Not good for us. Inuit qaujimajatuqangit comes here – (pointing to his head), here – (pointing to his heart), and here – (moving hands and feet). Inuit qaujimajatuqangit is alive. Observation, experience. Always changing. Numbers are not enough. We need stories. You understand?

JEAN I think so. Silence as they become bathed in green light. TULUGAQ hands the sculpted bear to JEAN. Merci. TULUGAQ Two hundred dollars. JEAN Oh right. JEAN pays TULUGAQ, who pockets the money and starts to leave. So uh does that mean are you taking the job? TULUGAQ I collaborate. JEAN Yes of course that’s what I mean. When can we start? TULUGAQ When the time is right. He exits. – 13 – Eerie sounds of cracking sea ice followed by the howling of a rising wind. MAMA sleeps, huddled against a snowdrift. The DAUGHTER plays nearby, standing on her hind legs and acting menacing. MAMA wakes up. DAUGHTER Anaanaa, Anaanaa, look! The DAUGHTER does her best “mean bear” act. Are you scared? MAMA We’re drifting. MAMA gets up and discovers the edge of what is now a drifting ice floe. The ice broke. The wind is pushing us out. DAUGHTER Who broke the ice, Anaana? Who broke it? Who broke it? Was it the human who tried to kill us? He didn’t look very dangerous. I bet I could kill him with one swipe of the paw. MAMA scans the horizon and tries to assess the situation. DAUGHTER Anaanaa? MAMA WHAT!! The DAUGHTER cowers back.

MAMA takes a moment to regain her calm. What is it, paniapik? The DAUGHTER shakes her head no. Tell me. DAUGHTER Did the human break the ice? MAMA The ice broke because Nuliajuk is angry. And Nuliajuk is angry because humans have angered her. DAUGHTER Nuliajuk in the ocean? MAMA Yes, Nuliajuk in the ocean. DAUGHTER Oh. The DAUGHTER peers into the water, frightened. MAMA We need to swim back to shore before the wind pushes us farther out. Can you do that? DAUGHTER It’s a long way. MAMA But you’re a good swimmer. And nothing can happen to you because I’m the strongest nanuq in the world, remember? The DAUGHTER nods. You stay close. DAUGHTER Yes, Anaana. They lower themselves into the water and swim away. – 14 – Leanna’s house. LEANNA and VERONICA. VERONICA Mom, you promised! LEANNA I’m trying, honey. Honest to God, I fully intend to be more present but you know how it is, sometimes I don’t find out until the very last minute. LEANNA picks up the phone and listens for a dial tone. Don’t tell me the line is dead again. VERONICA I just can’t get over the fact that you stood me up. LEANNA Was it like that this morning? She tries unplugging and replugging the phone, turning it on and off, and so on.

VERONICA I promised the students an exciting day with one of the most important leaders in their community and you didn’t even show up! “There’s no excuse for that. LEANNA slams the phone. LEANNA Why can’t we get a reliable phone line in this town? You’d think that for what we pay, we could expect the service to WORK. VERONICA Mom . . . LEANNA Look, I know you’re angry with me but – LEANNA checks her watch. VERONICA I need your help . . . LEANNA I’m about to be interviewed live for a CBC news program. By the way, do you know that since we filed the appeal, my speaking engagements have quadrupled? One of our neighbours must have a satellite phone. VERONICA Samuel got caught stealing gas yesterday. LEANNA Oh. VERONICA He and two of his friends. They were heading toward the pit at the end of the Road to Nowhere. I think they were gonna sniff it. Beat. LEANNA Look, I – Let me just make this call, okay? VERONICA And then what? LEANNA And then we’ll talk about it. LEANNA listens for the dial tone again. Ah! It’s working! She starts to dial. VERONICA snatches up the phone. Veronica, don’t. VERONICA Mom, MY SON, YOUR GRANDSON, may be inhaling gasoline. Can you take that in? Can you let that information reach the part of you that, “There’s no excuse for that. LEANNA slams the phone. LEANNA

Why can’t we get a reliable phone line in this town? You’d think that for what we pay, we could expect the service to WORK. VERONICA Mom . . . LEANNA Look, I know you’re angry with me but – LEANNA checks her watch. VERONICA I need your help . . . LEANNA I’m about to be interviewed live for a CBC news program. By the way, do you know that since we filed the appeal, my speaking engagements have quadrupled? One of our neighbours must have a satellite phone. VERONICA Samuel got caught stealing gas yesterday. LEANNA Oh. VERONICA He and two of his friends. They were heading toward the pit at the end of the Road to Nowhere. I think they were gonna sniff it. Beat. LEANNA Look, I – Let me just make this call, okay? VERONICA And then what? LEANNA And then we’ll talk about it. LEANNA listens for the dial tone again. Ah! It’s working! She starts to dial. VERONICA snatches up the phone. Veronica, don’t. VERONICA Mom, MY SON, YOUR GRANDSON, may be inhaling gasoline. Can you take that in? Can you let that information reach the part of you that is still capable of a normal emotional response? LEANNA Veronica, DO NOT PATRONIZE ME! VERONICA You’re going on and on about a stupid call with some stupid radio station while I’m here, doing everything I can to hold this family together. Your GRANDSON, Mom! Isn’t that more important than – LEANNA Yes, it’s important! Why do you think I’m so frantic all the time? I spend my days trying to figure out how to influence policies so Samuel doesn’t become another statistic. He’s the reason I get

up in the morning. He’s what keeps me awake at night. He’s why I believe the issues we’re facing need to be addressed NOW. Now give me the phone. VERONICA I’ve applied for a teaching position in Montreal. LEANNA Oh, would you stop it with that ridiculous idea – VERONICA RIDICULOUS? LEANNA – and give me the goddamn phone! LEANNA tries to grab the phone. VERONICA If the South was good enough for you – LEANNA Give it to me! VERONICA – why wouldn’t it be good enough for us? I mean it’s not like you rushed back here after – The phone rings. The two women look at it, surprised. Hello? . . . Yes, this is Samuel’s mother . . . Why? Where is he? . . . Where is he? . . . She freezes. The blood drains from her face. She looks at LEANNA. LEANNA What? What happened? LEANNA grabs the phone. Hello? VERONICA remains glued in her spot, expressionless. – 15 – Heavy panting. The open sea. MAMA tries to prop up her exhausted DAUGHTER on a small iceberg. MAMA There . . . That’s good . . . Rest for a little bit . . . The DAUGHTER is too heavy. The iceberg rolls over, throwing her back into the water. DAUGHTER Anaanaa! MAMA Don’t worry, I have you . . . Climb on my back. As best she can, the DAUGHTER climbs on MAMA’s back. MAMA Now, hold tight. We’re not very far. I’ll get you there. MAMA swims. The DAUGHTER’s panting gradually slows as the Earth’s breathing rises. MAMA swims.

Soon, the DAUGHTER and the Earth breathe in unison, their breathing rising up and down with the swell of the ocean. MAMA swims. It’s beautiful. Calm. A moment of perfect harmony. Then as the DAUGHTER’s breath starts to fade, long strands of something – plants perhaps – emerge from the water. MAMA Hold on . . . We’re very close . . . The strands wrap themselves around the DAUGHTER. MAMA desperately swims toward the approaching shore. The DAUGHTER, all entangled now, slides off MAMA’s back. She sinks into the water as the sea swallows her breath in one swooping motion. MAMA Paniapik! MAMA dives. She grabs her sinking DAUGHTER by the scruff of the neck and tries to pull her up. More strands appear and fight back. There is a violent tug-of-war until MAMA loses her grip. The strands quickly envelop the DAUGHTER and drag her to the bottom of the ocean. MAMA climbs onto firm ground and runs up and down the shore, peering into the water. MAMA Paniapik! . . . Paniapik! . . . The DAUGHTER is nowhere to be found. MAMA lets out a series of long desperate wails. MAMA (softly) Paniapik . . . – END OF ACT ONE – ACT TWO – 1 – Commission hearing. LEANNA stands at a podium. LEANNA Mr. Chairman, members of the Appeal Board . . . Thank you for this opportunity to speak before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in defence of our petition against the United States. As we all know, average temperatures in the Arctic are rising twice as fast as in the rest of the world. Industrialized countries that do not recognize this and take action to reduce their emissions violate our basic human rights to life, health, culture, and – Beat. She looks at the audience. Actually . . .

She tosses her notes aside. The real issue is not climate change . . . How warm, how cold . . . how much water, how much ice . . . what animal species will make it, and what islands won’t . . . No. The real issue has to do with something much more fundamental: our own humanity . . . So you may tell me that the world’s economic survival is more important than the well-being of a small Arctic nation. You may tell me that anxiety and fear and depression are a matter of personal choice, not of environmental stewardship. You may tell me that drug abuse and . . . teenage suicide . . . Beat as she fights back tears. . . . are by no means a sign of degradation of the Arctic. But I am here to tell you otherwise. The real issue is not and will never be climate change. The real issue is that we have lost part of our humanity. We have lost our capacity to care . . . The U.S. may or may not recognize a violation of human rights. But unless we open our hearts and embrace not just people we love, but people we don’t know, people we will never meet, and people who are not yet even born, we will never value our species enough to make sure it survives. – 2 – Hotel bar. RAPHAËL is behind the bar. JEAN enters. RAPHAËL Salut! . . . Raphaël. At the – JEAN Ah oui the new . . . T’es devenu barman? RAPHAËL I like to sub once in a while. Keeps things interesting. You’re still in town? I thought you were transferring to an ice camp. JEAN L’hélicoptère fonctionne pas. RAPHAËL Oh. JEAN We got new parts delivered yesterday but now the mechanic is sick. J’peux avoir une bière? RAPHAËL hands him a bottle. RAPHAËL I can hook you up with some people if you want. I mean, if you’re looking for something to do while you’re waiting. JEAN Non non c’est correct. I’ve got things to do. RAPHAËL Oh yeah? What are you working on? JEAN Just . . . measurements. Around here. RAPHAËL

So you’ve been out? Did you see the pressure ridge down toward Edgell Island? That thing must be at least twenty feet tall! JEAN Non. My uh – My guide doesn’t seem inclined to go out. RAPHAËL Comment ça? JEAN I don’t know. Yesterday it was the wind. The day before it was the current. And today the time isn’t right. I asked when he expects the time to be right and he couldn’t answer. All he could say was “the time isn’t right.” RAPHAËL Maybe he senses that Nuliajuk is angry. JEAN Who? RAPHAËL The Inuit goddess. You know . . . With the big hair and the fingerless hands? Apparently when she gets angry – JEAN looks around. JEAN Veronica is not here? I thought she performed every Thursday. RAPHAËL You haven’t heard? JEAN What? RAPHAËL Oh man . . . JEAN What? RAPHAËL Attends, t’as besoin de quelque chose de plus fort que ça. He pours a shot for JEAN. JEAN What is it? RAPHAËL Her son committed suicide. JEAN reacts. RAPHAËL Y a environ une semaine. JEAN Chez lui? RAPHAËL At a friend’s house. JEAN

Oh God . . . RAPHAËL Nice kid. He used to bum cigarettes from me all the time. I don’t smoke but I would buy them anyway just so I could give them to him. (pause) T’as des enfants? JEAN No. Well I almost had a son but he uh – he was stillborn. RAPHAËL Oh. JEAN At seven months his heart stopped beating. But we did get to hold him for a few minutes. JEAN downs his shot. “RAPHAËL Then he knows that you were there. My girlfriend is giving birth at home. We got a midwife to coach me through the process so I can do the delivery myself. If my son is born into my arms, then he’ll always know that his father was there. Beat. JEAN How is she doing? RAPHAËL Veronica? I think she’s pretty devastated. JEAN I bet. RAPHAËL I was planning on stopping by after my shift. If you want – JEAN Non thanks. RAPHAËL I’m sure she – JEAN Non. It’s . . . I don’t think it’s not a good idea. – 3 – Leanna’s house. TULUGAQ has fallen asleep on a chair. VERONICA is huddled in a corner, expressionless. A spotlight comes on over a microphone. VERONICA goes to it. Beat. She opens her mouth to speak . . . No sound comes out. She taps the microphone and tries again. Nothing. She goes to a wall or a set piece (this can be any surface suitable for projection) and mouths a few words. A jumble of letters from the Roman alphabet appear, dance around for a while, but refuse to settle into anything resembling language. She moves to a different spot and tries again. This time, Inuktitut characters appear but the result is the same.

TULUGAQ wakes up. He watches as VERONICA moves around the stage, desperately trying to form language. But all she does is leave a trail of unintelligible blobs. LEANNA enters, carrying a suitcase. LEANNA Qanuippitik? Projection (text): How are you? VERONICA darts back to her original position and the light over the microphone disappears. LEANNA looks at her. Beat. (to TULUGAQ) Sulii sujuqangilaq? Projection (text): Still nothing? He wrinkles his nose. Nillilaunngilaq? Projection (text): Not a word? TULUGAQ wrinkles his nose. Niritsianiqsauliqqaa? Projection (text): Is she eating more regularly? TULUGAQ Tuttuminirmik uujuqtulauqtuq. Projection (text): She had caribou stew last night. LEANNA turns to VERONICA. LEANNA Hi, honey . . . VERONICA doesn’t react. I’m back . . . You don’t want to talk to me? . . . I’d love to hear your voice . . . VERONICA doesn’t react. I’m sorry I was gone for so long. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I tried to change my flight but . . . you know how it is. There’s always one more meeting, one more person to talk to, one more – She notices no one is listening. Well, anyway. She sits. It’s uncomfortable. She gets up again. How about some tea? I’m dying to have a good cup of tea. (to TULUGAQ) Tiiturumaviit? TULUGAQ gets up. He goes around and examines VERONICA’s failed attempts at communicating. LEANNA doesn’t see what he sees. TULUGAQ Uqausiit . . . Titiraqtimut pimmariit. Projection (text):

Words . . . Very important for a writer. LEANNA Yes, I know – TULUGAQ Uvatsiarutigut, inuuqativut sulijuqsaqtuviniit uqausiit pimmariugianginnit, silamut aaqqitaunirmut – anirnikkut, sanngijualukkut. Uqausivut taimaak aaqqisimammat . . . Inuunitta, uqausitta aaqqisimammagu inuusivut.. Projection (text): In ancient tradition, our people believed words were very powerful. Because they were formed with sila – the breath, the great life force. When we speak something, that something is given substance. It comes into being . . . Words are how our individual will takes shape. LEANNA Isumagiatsiakannirialik. Projection (text): She needs more time to think . . . TULUGAQ Paniit titirasuuq uqausiqarani, mitsirarunniiqtuq. Paniit silaittukuluujaalirmat. Projection (text): Your daughter is a writer with no words. A will with no shape. Your daughter seems to have lost some sila. LEANNA looks at VERONICA. – 4 – Somewhere on the land. MAMA walks, searching for something. She is weak and breathes laboriously. MAMA It’s somewhere around here, paniapik . . . I know it is. There’s the bluff. And the river. Somewhere around here . . . There was a boulder on the shore. A boulder shaped like a – She looks around. Maybe around this point. She resumes walking, with great difficulty. It was up from the river. A cozy cave in a snowdrift. Just big enough for you and me. That’s where it all started, paniapik. That’s where you drew your first breath . . . She stifles a sob. Somewhere around here . . . A boulder . . . She trips. A boulder shaped like a – She collapses. – 5 –

On the ice. A few snowdrifts here and there. JEAN is having a temper tantrum. TULUGAQ stands stoically, his rifle slung over his shoulder. JEAN Storm? What storm? Où ça la tempête? I don’t see any storm look look not a single cloud the sky is perfectly blue! TULUGAQ We go back. JEAN No we’re not going back. The one thing we are not doing is going back. You understand? On s’en retourne pas! Every day every single day for the past three weeks there’s been a reason not to go out. Là j’suis tanné. We’re here we have a few more hours of daylight so let’s drill some holes and deploy some moorings. TULUGAQ I made a mistake. I thought today was right. Today is not right. I can feel. JEAN (exasperated) You can feel what? TULUGAQ Storm. JEAN Ben oui c’est ça. TULUGAQ And ice is no good. JEAN This ice is perfectly fine. (jumping up and down) See? I can’t believe how hard it is to get anything done around here. I’m going to get the drill. He turns to leave. A loud exhale stops him dead in his tracks. What was that? TULUGAQ motions for him to be silent. He raises his rifle. One of the snowdrifts shivers, revealing an unconscious MAMA underneath. Holy – What’s wrong with this bear? TULUGAQ You go to the skidoo. JEAN It’s so emaciated . . . TULUGAQ You pay me to protect you. I say go. You go. JEAN moves in a little closer. TULUGAQ rolls his eyes. JEAN It doesn’t seem injured . . . He takes off his mitts and pulls out a water bottle. In the process, one of the mitts falls on the ice. TULUGAQ I bring flowers and a bottle of wine. You sit and have a nice conversation with nanuq.

JEAN dribbles water over the bear’s mouth. The bear doesn’t react. JEAN Let me try one more time. Again, he dribbles water over MAMA’s mouth. MAMA twitches. TULUGAQ grabs JEAN’s arm and pulls him away. TULUGAQ We go now. If the bear kills you, I have too much paperwork. JEAN (searching his pockets) Wait. I dropped one of my mitts. He walks back. Just as he bends to pick it up, MAMA opens her eyes. JEAN freezes. TULUGAQ aims. TULUGAQ Walk back. Slow. JEAN doesn’t move. MAMA starts to prop herself up. TULUGAQ Walk back! MAMA growls. JEAN Aaaaaaah! He takes off. TULUGAQ and the bear stare at each other. We hear the ice crack followed by a scream and a splash in the water. TULUGAQ swings around. TULUGAQ Fuck. He goes after JEAN. Beat. Something catches MAMA’s attention. MAMA A boulder shaped like a – (pause) There it is, paniapik. There it is. She goes toward it. “– 6 – Coast Guard centre. RAPHAËL is talking on two different phones. RAPHAËL (to phone 1) Yeah, they’re in Barrow Strait . . . The call came in an hour ago . . . I don’t – wait – (to phone 2) POLARIA, YOU STILL THERE? . . . What’s your position? . . . (to phone 1) Seventy-four degrees north, ninety-five west . . . Fifteen-foot waves and snow falling sideways . . . THOMAS rushes in. THOMAS What the hell is going on? Why didn’t you call earlier? I leave you in charge for two and a half minutes and –

RAPHAËL It’s really bad. THOMAS Bad? You call this bad? RAPHAËL The hull is punctured in two places. The captain and a few crew members are trying to launch the life rafts. THOMAS It’s a fucking disaster is what it is. Do we have a helicopter? RAPHAËL indicates to THOMAS to hold on. RAPHAËL (to phone 1) I’m here . . . How long is that gonna take? . . . Yeah, okay. (to THOMAS) They have a helicopter. Now they’re trying to find a pilot who’s willing to fly in this weather. (to phone 2) Polaria? . . . HELLO? . . . THOMAS Give me that. THOMAS grabs one of the phones. (to phone) Hi, this is Thomas. Who’s this? . . . Hi, Doug. What’s going on? . . . No, I’ll hold . . . (to RAPHAËL) Is the Terry Fox nearby? RAPHAËL I don’t know. (to phone) POLARIA? . . . Oh, I thought I had lost you for a second. What? . . . Shit . . . THOMAS What happened? RAPHAËL (to THOMAS) The wind is blowing the rafts away. A few of them tried to jump and they all missed. THOMAS Tell them to wait. RAPHAËL Tell them to wait? What do you mean tell them to – THOMAS (to phone) Hey Doug? . . . I need the line. I’ll call you back. He hangs up and dials again. (to RAPHAËL, barking) KEEP TALKING TO HIM! RAPHAËL (to phone) Hey man, what’s going on out there? . . . Yeah, we’re doing everything we can to – WE’RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET YOU SOME HELP . . . THOMAS (to phone) Hi, this is Thomas at the Coast Guard in Iqaluit . . . THOMAS makes a gesture indicating to RAPHAËL to keep talking. RAPHAËL

(to phone) WHAT’S YOUR NAME? . . . THOMAS (to phone) They called already? Yeah, they just lost several men. RAPHAËL (to phone) JONAS. I’M RAPHAËL . . . FROM MONTREAL . . . That’s right, the French province . . . How about you? Where are you from? THOMAS (to phone) Thanks, man. Keep me posted. He hangs up. RAPHAËL (to phone) No, I’ve never been to Munich but I’d love to go some day. There’s good hiking around there, right? THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) The aircraft in Resolute is gonna fly over and drop more rafts. RAPHAËL (to phone) Yeah, I’m a big hiker . . . Hey Jonas, my colleague tells me that we have an aircraft on the way . . . YEAH. THEY’RE GONNA BRING MORE LIFE RAFTS . . . The phone rings. THOMAS (to phone) Coast Guard . . . Great! Tell him to be careful. I’m looking at the satellite image and it’s nasty out there. He hangs up. RAPHAËL They have a pilot? THOMAS Yeah. RAPHAËL (to phone) Hey Jonas? . . . We’ve got a rescue helicopter heading – A RESCUE HELICOPTER. YEAH. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN USE TO KEEP WARM? THOMAS This is just what we fucking need: a bunch of German scientists dying under our watch. RAPHAËL (to phone) WHAT? . . . (to THOMAS) The boat’s half-submerged. They’re getting hit by waves every thirty seconds. THOMAS Tell them to stay together. RAPHAËL (to phone) YOU GUYS ALL STAY TOGETHER, OKAY? . . . (to THOMAS) Why is this taking so long? The phone rings. THOMAS (to phone) Coast Guard . . . RAPHAËL

(to phone) HEY JONAS, ARE YOU MARRIED? . . . THOMAS (to phone) Sorry, Marie, this is a really bad time. RAPHAËL gestures he wants to take the call. RAPHAËL (to phone) DO YOU HAVE ANY KIDS? THOMAS hands him the phone. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) Make it quick. RAPHAËL (to Marie on phone) Allo? . . . Non, j’ai oublié. Ça bouge pas mal ici . . . Tu pouvais pas dormir? . . . Comment ça? Projection (text): Hello? . . . No, I forgot. There’s a lot going on here . . . You couldn’t sleep? . . . How come? THOMAS All right, wrap it up. RAPHAËL indicates he needs one more minute. RAPHAËL (to phone) WHAT DID YOU SAY, JONAS? (to phone) Marie, attends une seconde. Projection (text): Wait a second, Marie. (to phone with Jonas) YOU CAN HEAR THE PLANE? (to THOMAS) The aircraft’s there. (to phone) OKAY, JONAS, THEY’RE GONNA TRY TO DROP THE RAFTS AS CLOSE TO THE SHIP AS POSSIBLE. (to phone) Marie, y faut que j’te laisse . . . Quoi? . . . T’es certaine? . . . Projection (text): Marie, I have to go . . . What? . . . Are you sure? . . . THOMAS RAPHAËL, GET OFF THE PHONE! RAPHAËL (to phone with Marie) Laisse-moi voir ce que j’peux – Projection (text): Let me see what I can – THOMAS grabs the phone and hangs up. THOMAS What’s happening? RAPHAËL (to phone) JONAS, WHAT’S HAPPENING? WHERE ARE THE RAFTS? . . . THE RAFTS? . . . NONE OF THEM? . . . (to THOMAS) It’s too windy. The rafts all blew away and they lost another five men. Listen, Marie is having – THOMAS Then their only chance is the helicopter. RAPHAËL

(to Jonas on phone) I’M SORRY, MAN. YOU’RE GONNA HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE HELICOPTER . . . YEAH. (to THOMAS) Can you take over? THOMAS Can I WHAT? RAPHAËL Marie is having contractions. I have to – THOMAS For fuck’s sake, Raphaël. Now’s not the time to play daddy. RAPHAËL But she might be – THOMAS YOU took this call. YOU are the Polaria’s lifeline. And when you’re someone’s lifeline, you don’t get to quit. RAPHAËL (to Jonas on phone) WHAT? . . . YEAH, I’M HERE . . . I’m not going anywhere . . . I’m here. – 7 – Deep-blue darkness. Sunlight streams through a hole in the ice above, illuminating the underwater world. Muffled voices create a tapestry of plaintive sounds. JEAN, seemingly unconscious, is being rocked back and forth by a gentle tidal movement. The same long strands that appeared earlier float around him. A strand brushes his face. JEAN comes to with a start. He looks around, lost. The water turns his movements into a kind of weightless ballet. NULIAJUK (whispering) Who. Are. You. JEAN Allo? NULIAJUK (louder) Who. Are. You. JEAN Liz? A youthful giggle reverberates throughout the liquid world. Liz c’est toi? A shift in the light reveals larger-than-life NULIAJUK. The plant-like strands are part of her wild mane. Various SEA ANIMALS, including the DAUGHTER bear, are trapped in it. Whoa . . . That’s . . . That’s a lot of hair. She giggles again. NULIAJUK They call me. Kanna. Projection (text): This One Below. They call me. Samani.

Projection (text): Out at Sea. They call me. Sanna. Projection (text): Down There. But I am Nuliajuk. Inuit Goddess. Of the Ocean. And the Underworld. JEAN Oh it’s funny you sound exactly like my wife. Well my ex-wife . . . Wait. Did you say goddess? NULIAJUK You. Like my father. Weak. Makes me. Very very. Cranky. JEAN Oh my God. NULIAJUK He. Cut off. My fingers. JEAN I’m losing my mind. NULIAJUK Let fear. Guide his heart. JEAN looks up toward the light, evaluating his chances of making it to the surface. JEAN (to himself) Okay calme reste calme . . . Cognitive disturbances . . . decreased motor control . . . I’m not dead this is just cerebral hypoxia – not enough oxygen going to the brain. He gathers his strength and tries to push himself up but the SEA ANIMALS grab him. SEA ANIMALS (whispering) Help me . . . JEAN What – No. Don’t – He struggles to free himself. SEA ANIMALS (whispering) Help me . . . Help me . . . NULIAJUK wraps strands of her hair around him. JEAN No. Let me go. LET ME GO! NULIAJUK Jean.

JEAN How do you know my name? NULIAJUK Bird-spirit wanted. To take me away. My father’s power rose. To fight. Bird-spirit. Spirit shaken. Briefly. Then spirit’s power grew. Dark. Heavy. Overwhelming. My father. Threw me. Overboard. Threw me. Into the icy water. I gripped. The kayak. Cut off. My fingers. One two three four five six seven eight nine ten. With his knife. JEAN That’s – I’m sorry that’s terrible but – NULIAJUK Here. At the bottom. Of the sea. I was reborn. Now the ocean. Is my dominion. Here. I can sense. The weakness. Of all. Humanity. JEAN But what does any of this have to do with – NULIAJUK WEAK! Her anger triggers a cacophony of frightened SEA ANIMAL responses. Let fear. Guide your heart. NULIAJUK wraps more hair around JEAN, immobilizing him. JEAN No don’t please that’s . . . Aaaah . . . Look you seem like a very nice young woman – NULIAJUK

Cranky. JEAN Yeah that too mais pour de bonnes raisons. And I’m all for – I’m all for working it out you know ’cause life is a beautiful thing and I’d like to enjoy as much of mine as I can so if there’s anything – NULIAJUK has created a dark hair cocoon around JEAN that completely traps him. NULIAJUK Like my father. Don’t protect me. At a time. When. I need it most. JEAN Then I will I’ll protect you I promise. I’ll do anything you want me to do . . . NULIAJUK Prove. JEAN Prove? Prove how? I mean I – I – NULIAJUK AAAAAAAAAAARGH!!! JEAN I will! I’ll prove it to you I’ll – NULIAJUK Weak. JEAN No please . . . Noooooooooo! DAUGHTER & SEA ANIMALS Help me . . . Help me . . . The phrase echoes endlessly while JEAN is swallowed into the cocoon and everything recedes into a dark blue mystery. – 8 – Leanna’s house. VERONICA is still huddled in a corner, expressionless. LEANNA sits facing her. LEANNA The weather has been weird all month. One day we’re walking around in T-shirts, the next day it’s snowing. (pause) It feels like the whole world is out of whack. (pause) Takuqqaujara Inuujaq ullaaq. She and the other students at school miss you. She asked me to give you this drawing. LEANNA shows a drawing of Samuel flying over an arctic landscape. She says Samuel’s anirniq has gone back to sila. She stares at VERONICA, waiting for her to react. Veronica, say something! I’m here! That’s what you wanted, isn’t it? I’ve cancelled everything, the least you can do is speak to me! (pause) Awh, taima. We didn’t survive for four thousand

years by throwing in the towel every time we encounter hardship. It’s hard? Yes, it’s hard. Now get up on your feet and fight. Tusaavingaa? Get up! She grabs VERONICA and tries to get her up on her feet. Makilirit! VERONICA struggles to free herself. LEANNA doesn’t let go. The two women fight silently until VERONICA pushes her mother and finds refuge in another corner of the room. What do you want? What do you want me to tell you? That I’m sorry? That I should have done things differently? That I failed you and Samuel as a mother and a grandmother? Is that what you want? A long silence. LEANNA’s tough shell starts to crack. Paniapik, ajuinnaqqagit . . . Don’t leave me alone with this. – 9 – Coast Guard centre. RAPHAËL is still on the phone. THOMAS is on the VHF radio. THOMAS (to radio) Do you see the ship? RAPHAËL (to phone) CAN YOU SEE THE HELICOPTER? . . . (to THOMAS) He can hear it. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) Can he give us any kind of position? RAPHAËL (to phone) CAN YOU TELL WHERE THE – JONAS? . . . JONAS? . . . CAN YOU TELL WHERE THE HELICOPTER IS IN RELATION TO YOU? . . . (to THOMAS) I can barely hear him. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) The pilot’s gonna try to go lower. RAPHAËL (to phone) CAN YOU SEE IT NOW? (to THOMAS) They can see it! THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) Are there only three of them? RAPHAËL (to phone) HOW MANY ARE YOU, JONAS? . . . (to THOMAS) Yeah, only three. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) They’re lowering the ladder. RAPHAËL (to phone) JONAS, LISTEN TO ME. THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. YOU GOTTA GET ON THAT LADDER, YOU HEAR ME? THINK ABOUT YOUR WIFE. THINK ABOUT ALL THE GOOD HIKING PLACES YOU HAVEN’T – WHAT? . . . (to THOMAS) The ladder’s out of reach. THOMAS (to radio) They can’t reach it, can you move in closer? . . . (to RAPHAËL) He’s being whipped around by the wind. He’s gonna circle around and try again. RAPHAËL (to phone) OKAY, JONAS, GET READY. THE PILOT’S GONNA CIRCLE AROUND AND – (listening) NO, CIRCLE AROUND . . .

THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) He’s coming back. RAPHAËL (to phone) WHAT? . . . (to THOMAS) He’s gonna let the other two go up first. Tense beat. THOMAS (to radio) You got one? (to RAPHAËL) They’ve got one! (to radio) Congratulations! RAPHAËL Woo-hoo! They high-five each other. THOMAS (to radio) All right, two more to go. RAPHAËL (to phone) JONAS? . . . HEY MAN, I’M COUNTING ON YOU, OKAY? I’M GONNA BE WAITING HERE WITH A CUP OF COFFEE . . . NO, COME ON . . . I KNOW BUT I SWEAR, IT WON’T BE NECESSARY . . . ALL RIGHT, WHAT’S HER NAME? . . . Hannah YES, I WILL TELL HER. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) The other one’s up. RAPHAËL (to phone) ALL RIGHT, JONAS. I KNOW YOUR HANDS ARE FROZEN BUT YOU GOTTA DO THIS, MAN. JUST LIKE THE OTHER TWO. THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) Okay, he’s gotta go now. RAPHAËL (to phone) YES, I WROTE IT DOWN. HANNAH . . . THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) NOW! RAPHAËL (to THOMAS) He’s going up . . . RAPHAËL puts the phone down. THOMAS (to radio) Okay, this is your last one . . . Long, excruciating beat. RAPHAËL Come on, Jonas. Come on, Jonas. You can do it. You can fucking do it . . . THOMAS (to RAPHAËL) He’s on the ladder. RAPHAËL Come on, Jonas . . . THOMAS looks at RAPHAËL. He shakes his head no. FUCK! He slams the phone. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!

He thrashes around, punching the walls and kicking everything. THOMAS (to radio) Thanks, man . . . Yeah, get home safe. RAPHAËL Jonas, you fucking FUCK! All you had to do was hold on to the fucking ladder! THOMAS Raphaël, you’re gonna hurt yourself. RAPHAËL All he had to do was hold on! THOMAS I know. RAPHAËL How fucking hard is that? THOMAS I’m sure he tried. RAPHAËL Jonas, Jonas, Jonas . . . THOMAS Come on. Sit down. RAPHAËL We were gonna go hiking together. The phone rings. THOMAS (to phone) Coast Guard . . . Hold on . . . He hands the phone to RAPHAËL, who doesn’t take it. THOMAS insists. RAPHAËL Hello? . . . Yeah, this is Raphaël . . . Oh my God . . . Tears stream down his face. (to THOMAS) I’m a dad. – 1O – Tulugaq’s house. JEAN is propped up in bed, drinking hot tea. TULUGAQ sits with him. TULUGAQ You combed her hair? JEAN Did I comb her hair? TULUGAQ Yes. JEAN No I did not comb her hair. TULUGAQ You have to comb her hair. JEAN

Well I’m sorry I didn’t have a comb handy. TULUGAQ Nuliajuk is very angry. If you don’t comb her hair, she keeps all the sea animals away from hunters. Hunters have no food. You have to comb her hair so she feels love. JEAN It’s a little late for that. TULUGAQ Go back. JEAN You want me to jump back into the Arctic Ocean? TULUGAQ I am a hunter. I cannot work with you if Nuliajuk is angry. JEAN I was unconscious I – there was no one in the water . . . TULUGAQ You saw. JEAN A lot of people see things when they come close to death. It’s the brain firing off you know . . . it was my imagination going crazy. TULUGAQ If you believe, it is real. If you don’t believe, it is not real. JEAN You believe it was real? TULUGAQ I believe I see Nuliajuk, I comb her hair. Beat. JEAN What was she trying to escape? When her father cut off her fingers? TULUGAQ Nuliajuk is a stubborn girl. She doesn’t want to marry. Father says: you must marry. Nuliajuk marries a young man. Beautiful. Kind. Young man takes her away to live on his island. But young man is not a young man. Young man is a bird-spirit. JEAN Oh. TULUGAQ Evil spirit. Nuliajuk has many tears. One day, her father comes to visit. She tells him about bird-spirit. Father tries to bring Nuliajuk back home in his qajak. Bird-spirit attacks. Father is scared. He throws Nuliajuk in the water. JEAN Shouldn’t her father comb her hair then? TULUGAQ Nuliajuk didn’t ask her father. She asked you. JEAN

Pourquoi moi? TULUGAQ I don’t know. Only you can answer. Beat. More tea? JEAN No I’m fine. TULUGAQ You have some colour in your face. You’re better now. JEAN Yeah I feel better. Thank you. TULUGAQ Okay. But I don’t work with you anymore. I don’t work with you until you comb Nuliajuk’s hair. – 11 – Leanna’s house. VERONICA is awake but motionless, as if frozen in place. LEANNA and JEAN enter. LEANNA Veronica, honey . . . Jean came to see you . . . You don’t want to talk to him? VERONICA doesn’t react. JEAN I’d love to hear your poetry . . . VERONICA doesn’t react. JEAN And learn more Inuktitut . . . J’ai uh I did figure out what pitsiaqattautiniq means. (to LEANNA) Am I saying it right? LEANNA Close enough. JEAN (to VERONICA) It means respect. See, for a qallunaaq, I’m not that clueless. VERONICA doesn’t react. “JEAN (to LEANNA) How long has it been? LEANNA Weeks. I don’t know what to do anymore. JEAN pulls something wrapped in cloth from his pocket. He unwraps it. It is Tulugaq’s polar bear sculpture. JEAN I uh . . . This is for you. He puts it on VERONICA’s lap. I thought it could keep you company. LEANNA Thank you.

JEAN After my son – (pause) It took a long time. It takes a long time. LEANNA I know. JEAN We lost him shortly after I gave a keynote. It was in Houston Texas – hot as hell. Some blogger didn’t like my views about a possible carbon tax and posted me and my wife’s email address online. We started receiving death threats. I wasn’t too concerned – some of my colleagues had been threatened before – but Liz got scared. She uh . . . she wanted to go to the police. I thought that was a bad idea. I didn’t want to look like a . . . you know. A few days later some lunatic walked up to her and started threatening her. I don’t think it went on for very long – there were other people nearby so someone called the police – but she was very shaken. That night she uh . . . we were lying in bed and she said . . . she told me something was wrong. We went to the hospital. They confirmed the baby’s heart had stopped beating. LEANNA That must have been very hard. JEAN I didn’t protect her. LEANNA Maybe you were just looking in the wrong direction. It’s very easy to do that. Very easy. Beat. When are you going back? JEAN À la fin de la semaine. The helicopter is finally working but the storm ripped the multi-year ice off the coast. It’s now drifting down Davis Strait. We totally missed it . . . LEANNA The appeal was denied. JEAN I’m sorry. LEANNA I guess it was to be expected. JEAN You know . . . Maybe we should figure out a way to join forces. If I knew I could put the data to good use I might consider taking that contract. LEANNA Let me finish my job here first. But maybe when things get better . . . They reach for each other’s hand. Thank you for stopping by. He starts to leave then stops. JEAN I uh . . . I know this is gonna sound weird but – Do you have a comb? LEANNA A comb?

JEAN Yeah. She exits and comes back with a comb. JEAN approaches VERONICA. She recoils. Let me . . . He moves toward her again and starts combing her hair. Beat. JEAN invites LEANNA to take over. She hesitates. He places her hand on top of his. Together, they comb VERONICA’s hair. VERONICA’s eyes well up with tears . . . and she finally allows herself to sob. (For music here, try “Sila” by Tanya Tagaq.) Voices rise all around them, happy and light, like when school lets out for recess. The light shifts to reveal NULIAJUK’s hair loosening and releasing the trapped animals. Before they swim away, they gather in one of those unexpected formations only Nature knows how to create, and celebrate life with a water ballet. DAUGHTER bear waits for her turn . . . then soon, she is released too. She joins in the celebration . . . but something is tugging at her and she must leave. She swims up . . . and up . . . with the grace and energy of youth but when she reaches the surface, she doesn’t stop, she keeps going, up into the sky and beyond, up, up, becoming a flying bear, becoming a spirit. DAUGHTER I’m coming, Anaana! – 12 – An official ceremony. THOMAS and RAPHAËL, looking sharp in their Coast Guard uniforms, stand at attention. They speak in a low voice while the unseen ceremony unfolds. THOMAS Have you picked a name yet? RAPHAËL We have. THOMAS What is it? RAPHAËL I’m not telling. We won’t decide for sure until I meet him. THOMAS Come on, tell me. RAPHAËL No, you have to wait like everyone else. THOMAS I hope it’s not Raphaël. RAPHAËL Shut up. THOMAS Raphaëls are wimps. RAPHAËL

Oh, and Thomases are better? THOMAS Much. Beat. They smile and nod to an unseen dignitary. RAPHAËL If we call him Thomas, the poor thing will turn into an asshole before he has time to say his first word. THOMAS play-slaps RAPHAËL on the back of the head. Hey! What the – THOMAS Shhh . . . Official visit. Behave yourself. RAPHAËL You behave yourself. They turn their attention to the ceremony. RAPHAËL Did you manage to set up a meeting with the P.M.? THOMAS Nope. His assistant said we’re better off lying low until the whole Polaria-debacle-slash-public-relations nightmare has blown over. RAPHAËL So . . . no port? THOMAS There will be a port. But it won’t be built under my watch. And you know, all things considered, maybe that’s not such a bad thing. (pause) Could be I need to make room for the next generation. RAPHAËL How altruistic of you. THOMAS Careful. RAPHAËL You said it first. THOMAS I’m still your superior. RAPHAËL Not for long. THOMAS suddenly shifts his attention. THOMAS Shhh. Here’s the P.M. They salute as the Prime Minister walks by. THOMAS He’s a little guy. RAPHAËL

With the charisma of a roadkill. THOMAS Yeah well, we had to leave something for the Americans. The Canadian anthem starts to play in the background. They listen for a while. RAPHAËL So this is it, huh? You’re gonna be a retiree? THOMAS Apparently. RAPHAËL You know, they should rename the Road to Nowhere after you. It’s rough, full of potholes, and it looks like its only purpose is to take you to a pit but, if you know where to look, it does have its qualities. THOMAS I did my best, Raphaël. Granted, it wasn’t much but it was my best. Now it’s up to you. RAPHAËL Geez, thanks. THOMAS You take good care of this place. RAPHAËL I will. – 13 – VERONICA, at the microphone. She performs a spoken-word poem. VERONICA no sleep for the Wicked ain’t right no sleep for the Haunted more like we’ve got but this one life how many thousand nights be no man left standing be no woman left standing nobody be handing us our plate our silver spoon we’re born and gone too soon up the moon rise up the tide rise up to blue skies and up to heaven we hope we hope in our brown eyes we hope down to our brown toes fortune come and she goes she come and she goes

she come and she goes All characters (except MAMA and her DAUGHTER) appear one by one and watch VERONICA perform. and we’re still packing, tracking feet on path – not so straight not so narrow, still not lacking for sweet things, peaches, river beaches and rocky shores we can take much and Lord give us more Lord give us more Lord give us more this is a high waved sea the bay is a live deep breathing thing deep grieving, wring our hands for days past ring the bell for loved ones passed scooped up babies MAMA appears maybe we stood in dark doorways maybe we died in back hallways maybe lost in storm maybe slipped through crack in ice, in alley DAUGHTER Anaanaa! MAMA searches for her DAUGHTER. VERONICA maybe we walk the shadowed valley or climb up on ridge high up on bridge inclined to jump – but wait while yet we breathe it’s never too late so they say are we preyed upon let us pray not, neither by foe neither by friend maybe we’re prosperous blessed big shot hot topic rocket top hit of the century got baby got sweets got house got wheels got

threads hot treads and money in the bank maybe we pull rank on minions, amass millions maybe we rage maybe we fight politicking day and night out the wrong for right hold up torch till end sew up wounds and mend string up demons and send way way way The DAUGHTER appears, hovering in the air. DAUGHTER I’m here . . . VERONICA cherish our fast done days MAMA reaches for her DAUGHTER. She cannot touch her but feels her presence. DAUGHTER I’m here, Anaana. In the clouds, in the mountains, in the snow, in the ice. I’m here. I’m here . . . After a moment the DAUGHTER drifts away. MAMA lets her go. VERONICA no no no we can’t stay we can’t stay nor for fame nor for glory still I’m told it’s a gift end of story They all take a deep breath in . . . Projection (text): Listen. I am right here. Inside of you. . . . and let it out. Blackout. – END OF PLAY –