Swarthy & 'Fro

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Disclaimer

Acts 1 to 2 will be available to read for free on Swarthy and ‘Fro. However, Acts 3 to 4 will only be available in the subscription due to long length.

Read Act 1 Here: https://swarthyandfro.com/2025/09/24/read-a-script-about-insecurity/

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Synopsis

A young man is pressured to get straight A’s regarding his grade. If other people can do it, why can’t he?

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Act 2: Scene 1

Cast of Characters 

Quartz Sapphire: An 18 year old twin brother. 

The Monster: An unknown entity within an unknown area.

A Familiar Echoing Voice: A sound that Quartz recognizes, but can’t see.

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Setting

Time: Unknown

Location: This scene’s setting takes place in a forest. Flowers form together to create the colors of a rainbow, the grass is a little tall and deeply green, the trees have strong shades of brown with the shade of medium green—sunlight piercing through the canopy. The warm wind slightly pushes the vegetation as ivory clouds stroll across the skies. And there, lay Quartz on his back in the middle of a small opening of only grass—trees surrounding him.

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Quartz 

[Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale—Quartz slowly breathes in and out while opening his eyes. He sees the sunlight and immediately uses both hands to cover his face. He sighs.] 

What’s…what’s happening? Where am I at? 

Quartz

[He uses both of his arms to sit up on the ground.] 

I think…maybe I’m in my family’s garden. But it looks so different. I don’t remember this many trees. 

[He uses one leg at a time to get up and stand on his own two feet.] 

Quartz 

That was so scary. I don’t ever want to do that again. How did I get outside anyway? Maybe I don’t remember. I can’t tell my mother and father about this. It’s bad enough I told Jasper I was going to do it. 

[He looks to his right and sees only tree branches. But the mini mansion he lives in is nowhere to be seen.] 

Quartz 

I need to find my way back home. I mean, we have a pretty big garden, but I don’t remember it being this vast. Thankfully, I feel better now. Oh no…the substances! I left it out on my bed! I need to throw it out. I just need to find my way out. Shouldn’t be too hard, right? 

[Quartz begins to walk on his right side and into the trees. He jogs and then pants.] 

Quartz 

[After running for almost a minute. He stops to catch his breath.] 

All I see is more trees. Goodness, where is home!? No, no, no, no this can’t be happening to me. I should’ve been there by now! 

[Quartz’s mind suddenly starts listening to running water.] 

Quartz 

Is that…is that running water? 

[Quartz follows the sound on his left side. He strolls out of the trees and sees a crystal blue river with a few rocks upon its surface. He walks near the river and looks around the river and trees across the river.] 

Quartz 

This place…as beautiful as it is…I have no memory of it. Where on Earth am I? 

[Quartz faces down onto the river again. He touches his forehead.] 

Quartz 

I’m sweating. I didn’t even travel that long. Why am I sweating? 

[He wipes off some of his sweat with his right hand and puts his hand back straight down. He bends down on his knees, his right hand placed on his right leg and his left hand placed on his left leg—he sighs.] 

I know I don’t have a clue where this water comes from, but…goodness…why am I burning up? 

[He uses his right hand to fan himself with the collarless part of his shirt.] 

Quartz 

I just need some water.

 [He uses both hands to splash water on his face and arms from the river.] 

The river is pretty cool…that’s better. 

Quartz 

[He gets up and looks across the river one last time and says something softly to himself with a worried look on his face.] 

I can get across from here and keep moving. 

[He then moves back, runs, and jumps over about 72 to 84 inches of water.] 

Quartz 

[He bends over while placing his right hand on right leg and left hand on his left leg, inhales and exhales, then stands straight up again.] 

Okay, maybe I could go into the Olympics. Haha. 

[He smiles and looks around—his smile disappears into worry again.]

I need to find my way back home. And I need to hide those…things.

[Quartz pauses and stands still and thinks to himself for one second.] 

Wait…why aren’t there any animals? I haven’t heard or seen not one animal… 

[Out of nowhere, Quartz hears the sound of loud splashing water as if an adult elephant fell into an ocean. He quickly turns around and sees something with a green bald head emerging from the river as the river is turning lightly green.] 

Quartz 

[Quartz voice cracks at the end.] 

Whaa…what is that!? 

[A green creature within the shape of a slender but toned human man appears. It has hollow eyes illuminating deep red lights and a mouth in the shape of a traditional pumpkin carving. But the mouth is illuminating a deep red light, too. Its hands (with no nails) and arms are out like it’s trying to hug Quartz. And it has no legs or feet—just a long green frame in the shape of a wide and long snake’s body, and that snake’s body is connected to the river. Who knows how deep its body goes?] 

Quartz 

[Quartz shakes his head left and right and takes a few steps back.] 

You’re not real! You can’t be real! This…this is a nightmare! 

[He attempts to run into the trees but trips when the monster moves its body forwards and reaches out and grabs his right leg.] 

Quartz 

Get off of me! No…don’t take me with you! I need to get back home! Please! Stop it! Leave me alone! 

[Quartz tugs his legs and punches the monster’s arms. But it just turns into a green dust and repairs its arms to its original form.] 

The Monster 

[A deep voice that sounds raspy whispers to Quartz.] 

Become a part of me. 

[Then the volume of its voice raises.] 

Abuse me! 

Quartz 

No! Get away from me. I don’t want this! Please stop! Mother! Father! Jasper! Help me please! 

A Familiar Echoing Voice 

Quartz! Quartz, brother. It’s me! Wake up! 

Quartz 

Jaa…Jasper! 

[Quartz tries to hang onto the dirt with a mighty grip but the monster’s strength is too strong.] 

The Monster 

Drown in me! 

[The monster nearly sweeps Quartz under the river’s surface.] 

[Quartz holds his breath by taking a huge inhale before being forced into the body of water and vanishes from the unknown land from where he walked. The monster swims and pulls him under more and more as Quartz tries to reach for the surface by stretching his arms up. But Quartz disappears into the darkness of the bottom river as he is forcefully following the monster pulling him down.]

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Act 2: Scene 2

Cast of Characters 

Quartz Sapphire: An 18 year old twin brother. 

A Familiar Echoing Voice: A sound that Quartz recognizes, but can’t see.

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[Quartz is once again laying flat out on the ground in a little spacious grassy area. But this time, flames and smoke are reaching for the sky around him.] 

Quartz 

Ugh… 

[Quartz opens his eyes and slightly moves his head left and right.] 

Quartz 

[His eyes immediately open and he gets up to stand. He tries to raise his voice but it somehow lowers down, like a whisper, in the last few words]

The ground is…! Burning up… I have to leave…where’s…home…?

[His eyes get a little watery. He stumbles a few steps forwards to then be able to gain balance while his arms are out—he then puts his arms back down.] 

Quartz 

I don’t know what is happening, but this is definitely a nightmare. I should’ve died in that river. I have to find a way to wake up…from…these substances. It’s the drugs fault. I’m so sorry, mother and father. 

[Quartz looks around while moving both his face and body in all directions.] 

Quartz 

Maybe if I just run until my body wakes up. Yes…I just need to run to pass some time.

[Quartz finds an opening in the trees where there is the least flames. As he is running, he is sweating viciously and starts coughing up blood.] 

Quartz

Oh, no…no no no no no! What is…happening to me? 

[Quartz bends over and holds his stomach with both arms like he did in the mini mansion.] 

Quartz 

Just keep going, just keep going…just keep going, just keep going. I need to…keep breathing. 

[Quartz runs a little slower this time until he leaves the surrounding flaming trees and sees that same river, but this time, it’s still left lightly green from before.] 

Quartz 

[Quartz somewhat slowly and lowly talks to himself while heavily breathing and coughing a few times all the way through his nightmare.] 

No, no, no, no…not this river again. I despise this place! This place must leave my sight at once! 

Quartz 

[Quartz turns back around towards the trees and takes a few steps forwards near the little opening of flameless trees. But he loses balance and falls forwards on his knees—both hands on the ground stopping his fall.] 

No…no…I need to get up. 

[He begins to cry.] 

Quartz 

My chest…my chest is hurting. 

[He takes one hand and holds his chest but then suddenly loses full balance on the other hand and falls to his side near the growing flames.] 

Quartz 

Please…God. Please…I beg of you. Please let me live. I’m sorry to my family. God, I just want to live…will do that for me? 

[Quartz teeth start chattering and grinding and then he starts vomiting a little.]

A Familiar Echoing Voice 

[A calming but shaking voice can be heard in Quartz’s ears.] 

I should’ve told, mother and father. I’m so sorry, Quartz. But you’re going to live. I’m calling the ambulance right now. You’re going to live. I just need you to wake up, brother. I need you. You can’t die…

[The familiar voice sounds like it’s crying.]

Not like this…we have a whole life to live together…you have a whole life to live happily. Please, brother, wake up. 

Quartz 

[Quartz’s body begins slightly shaking] 

Jasper? I’m sorry…I…I love… 

[Quartz closes his eyes as flames from tree branches fall on him.]