For My Silent Sisters By Tara Meddaugh

2 |For My Silent Sisters Tara Meddaugh
For My Silent Sisters

By Tara Meddaugh
A play in two acts
Copyright © 2013 by Tara Meddaugh
All rights reserved. No part of this play may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing
from the author, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Any members of
educational institutions wishing to photocopy part or all of the work for classroom use, or publishers
who would like to obtain permission to include the work in an anthology, and actors looking to use
portions of this play for audition or showcase purposes should send their inquiries to Tara Meddaugh
Playwriting via email to tmeddaugh@gmail.com.
CAUTION. Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that For My Silent Sisters is subject to a
royalty. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, public reading, radio
broadcasting, television, video or sound taping, all other forms of mechanical or electronic reproduction,
such as information storage and retrieval systems and photocopying, and rights of translation into foreign
languages, are strictly reserved. Inquiries regarding performing or producing this play should be sent to
tmeddaugh@gmail.com.
To the millions people across the world who suffer the injustice and cruelty of exploitation and human
trafficking in our modern world. Your voices are not quiet. We hear you.
And to the many organizations, like Love 146, who hear these often silent voices, and make it their
mission to wipe out human trafficking, rescue those who have been held in bondage, and rehabilitate
and care for those starting a new life. You are a light in the darkness. You give us hope.
Special thanks to Sara Jean Ford, Mia Cenholt-Haulund, Mat Young, Mike Bouteneff, Kevin Snipes,
Gabriel Davis, Matt Schatz, Anya Martin, Arlen and Roberta Meddaugh, Nick and Olya Bouteneff, Mike
Torpey, Ali Ahan, Emma and Mia Cenholt, Erika Diehl, Aaron Costa Ganis, Maggie Raymond, Lindsay
Roth, Debarto Sanyal, Julie Thaxter-Gourlay, Erin Coulter, Xell Calderer, Lulu Hollman, Gina Shelton,
Tam Tran, Jon Valenti, Crystal Manich, Love 146, Judy and Dick Schatner, Stacey Bell, Rebecca Frey,
Courtney Winegar, Sandy Costa Giusiano, Manya Bouteneff, Iben Cenholt, Jens Haulund, Zoe Sophia
Garcia, Allison Gourlay, Anna Lise-Jensen, Sean Mellott, Rachel Monroe, Lauren Regan, Rachel
Zucker, Dawson Moore, The Last Frontier Theater Conference, Mosaic Theater Company, Ari Roth,
Manya Haile, Rob Hegblom, Wargas, Irina and Bill Booth, Victoria Murray Baatin, Jayne Wenger,
Cody Goulder, April Littlejohn
For My Silent Sisters was first presented on September 13, 2014, as a workshop staged reading
at Manhattan Theatre Club’s Creative Center in New York City with the following cast:
Marta Maggie Raymond

Jorani Ali Ahn*
Abhay Debargo Sanyal*
Claire Erika Diehl*
Woman 1 Julie Thaxter-Gourlay
Woman 2 Lindsay Roth
Man 1 Michael Torpey
Man 2 Aaron Costa Ganis*
Maly/Purnima Emma Cenholt-Haulund
With also Sara Jean Ford* and Milo Cenholt-Haulund.
Directed By Mat Young
*Actors appeared courtesy of Actors Equity.

For My Silent Sisters

FOR MY SILENT SISTERS

Character Breakdown (5 f, 3 m, 1-2 f children)
MARTA A girl from Romania. She is 16 years old.
JORANI A girl from Cambodia. She is 11 through 14 years old.
ABHAY A boy from India. He is 9 through 19 years old.
CLAIRE A girl from the United States of America. She is 17 years old.
WOMAN 1 A woman (30s-60s) who plays mostly adult roles: CODRUTA, FATIME,
KUNTHEA, BOTUM, EKTA, GAGGER 2, CAPTIVE 1
WOMAN 2 A woman who plays mostly child/teenage roles (15-30): TASARIA,

CHANTOU, SAMNANG, CLAIRE BODY, CAPTIVE 2
MAN 1 A man (20s-60s) who plays: NIHAL, PHIRUN, MAN'S VOICE, DAN,
ENRICHO, GUARD 2, GAGGER 1
MAN 2 A man (20s-40s) who plays: BILL, FREDRICK, GUARD 1, HARJEET, ROB
MALY * A girl from Cambodia, she is 5 through 7 years old.
PURNIMA * A girl of about 7, from India.
* Maly and Purnima may be doubled, if necessary.
Setting
Set should be minimal, merely an impression of locations, as they flow from one to another—homes,
streets, garbage heaps, cars, hotels, brothels…
Time
Present
AT RISE: JORANI, CLAIRE, ABHAY and

MARTA stand. JORANI is 11 when her story
begins, and journeys until she is 14. She wears
poor but modest Cambodian clothing. ABHAY is
from India, and 9 to 19 as his story unfolds. He
wears very poor Indian clothing, almost in rags,
although his appearance changes over time.
CLAIRE, from the USA, is 17 and wears a tank
top and shorts. MARTA is 16 and from Romania.
She wears a simple yet worldly dress. All four are
standing facing out. Throughout, MARTA,
JORANI, CLAIRE and ABHAY speak to the
audience then join their scenes, as they open up to
them.
MARTA (out)
Today, I wake up with purpose.
JORANI (out)
I wake up with a bruise on my face.
ABHAY (out)
Vomit on the floor.
CLAIRE (out)
I wake up alone.
MARTA (out)
The fire is burning beneath my hands…how did I get here... I’m coughing. No rag for my face.
The flames are surrounding me. This is my death…this is my death…But this is also my life.
This is my life!
JORANI (out)
The Buddha shows us suffering is life. We must rid ourselves of attachment. But is it wrong to
hold onto the image of my face? It reminds me of who I am. Who I was. When he’s outside for
a moment, I pull myself to the bathroom mirror to see that face…I am quiet, like a mouse…But
what I see…My face used to be caramel…now I see a girl whose face is yellow and brown and
black…and red. This is not my face. I accept that now. And I will look in no more mirrors.
ABHAY (out)
The vomit on the floor is mine. They didn’t make me drink, but…they made me watch. Nihal
says I have to watch to learn. She was 8. I’d kill anyone with my bare hands who did that to my
little sister. But my sister isn’t here. So I watched. And I faked a smile like the rest of them
watching. So I had to drink…Or I’d kill myself.
CLAIRE (out)
I should be studying for the SATs and waiting for some senior to ask me to the prom. I should
be, like, using my phone for whatever I want, but do you know how long it’s been since I’ve
even used a phone? Now I have to just look at whatever magazines he brings me, like I’m an
old person in a doctor’s office…I never liked being alone before. And it might be weird, but,
even now…I still don’t like being alone.
MARTA
Neither do I.
(pause)
JORANI (out)
I’m Jorani and I am Cambodian.
MARTA (out)
I’m Marta and I am from Romania.
ABHAY (out)
I’m Abhay and I’m from India.
CLAIRE (out)
I’m Claire and I live in the United States of America.
MARTA
We don’t know each other.
JORANI
We’ve never met.
ABHAY
We will never meet.
CLAIRE
Ours lives don’t intersect.
MARTA
Yet they do intersect.
JORANI
We’re tied to each other.
CLAIRE
Bound to each other.
MARTA/CLARIE/JORANI/ABHAY
Connected.
(pause)
CLAIRE
We don’t belong where we are.
ABHAY
I don’t know if I belong anywhere.
JORANI
You do, Abhay. We all do.
(World changes to MARTA’S HOME, HER LIVING ROOM, ROMANIA. It is

a bright and sunny day. CODRUTA, Marta’s mother, enters holding a folkloric
costume.)
MARTA (out)
We all belong somewhere.
(ABHAY, CLAIRE and JORANI exit.)
MARTA (out)
I have two younger sisters and five younger brothers. I am sixteen when my freedom ends. But I
think it is just beginning.
(Joins her mother)
CODRUTA
Did you feed the silkworms?
MARTA
Yes, Mama, but you know no one else does this.
CODRUTA
That’s not true, Marta.
MARTA
Aurelia’s mother said women can’t be expected to make their own maramă in this day and age.
She isn’t doing it, and she isn’t making Aurelia even learn to weave.
CODRUTA
Then Aurelia will be at a loss.
MARTA
A loss for what? She could buy the kerchief at a shop. You can earn more money but you can’t
earn more time. I’m the one who has lost, Mama. I’ve lost six weeks to feeding mulberry leaves
to worms! Well, I’m not moving those worms to the sun to watch them die. Tell the boys to do
it. They’ll be happy to.
CODRUTA
Are you ready try on your costume?
(pause)
MARTA
Yes.
(CODRUTA hands her the costume. MARTA takes it and starts to leave the
room.)
CODRUTA
Try it on here. I want to see.
MARTA
Mama, I’m not a child. I need privacy as a woman.
CODRUTA
You’re sixteen, not a woman yet. You’re still my child.
MARTA
Mama…
CODRUTA
The boys are gone with Papa for the day. Come. I want to see how it fits.
(pause)
MARTA
Fine.
CODRUTA
Good.
(she unzips the back of Marta’s dress. Marta wears a white slip under her dress.)
So what does Aurelia do with all of this time, since she doesn’t feed silkworms?
MARTA
You know. What all the girls my age are doing. Except me. She goes to the city. She sees
movies. You know she’s going to the Cannes Film Festival this year and she’s even going
alone! Staying with her aunt in France. Aurelia is really very independent. You’d see I’m the
same way if you let me.
CODRUTA
Marta, I let you be independent in ways, but it doesn’t mean you have to leave Romania.
MARTA
But I don’t know the life I want while I’m in Romania.
(pause.)
CODRUTA
Let’s slip this on.
(begins putting the costume on Marta)
MARTA
Did you take this out from last year?
CODRUTA
Only in one place.
(MARTA smiles and smooths down the top of her dress)
You are beautiful, my love.
MARTA
Mama.
CODRUTA
I see it. Everyone sees it. But beauty is not a good thing, by itself. You’re strong too. And smart.
You have a good heart. So you’re allowed to be beautiful.
(pause)
MARTA
Aurelia has a boyfriend. So does Helga. And Marina.
CODRUTA
You’ll find the right one.
MARTA
I don’t need to find the right one. Not yet. Let me find the right one when I’m 25. For now, I’ll
settle for “cute.”
(CODRUTA smiles)
Mama, look at me. I’ve finished the 10th grade. I can leave school now. I don’t want to turn
down this opportunity.
CODRUTA
We’ve already spoken about this.
MARTA
Papa can’t understand. He’s never wanted to leave. But you understand, Mama. You’ve been to
England. You know what it’s like.
CODRUTA
If you have unrest in your heart, Marta, it will follow you wherever you go. You need to be at
peace before you decide your life.
MARTA
I’m not deciding my life, Mama! I just want to…I want to see something of the world. I’ll
return to Romania. When my life leads me back. But this may be my only chance to live in
London.
CODRUTA
You would be working.
MARTA
Haven’t you raised me to work? And I can send money home to help you and the family. I will
prove myself and I will make you proud!
CODRUTA
You’ve never translated before.
MARTA
But I know English. My teacher said I’m more than capable and this is a good start. He said I
could work for the United Nations some day.
CODRUTA
Marta—
MARTA
What if I wait and stay for the festival… I’ll see the cocoons turned into borangic. Made into
my maramă. I’ll wear the costume and I’ll dance and I’ll be happy! Then you and Papa can be
happy for me.
(pause)
And let me go.
(pause)
CODRUTA
If this job will wait for you, then after the festival, I will talk to Papa.
MARTA
(smiling)
Thank you, Mama.
(pause. CODRUTA nods.)
It fits perfectly.
CODRUTA
It does.
(JORANI enters)
MARTA (out)
But I never do wear it.
(pause)
Because the job will not wait for me.
JORANI (out)
I wait to find out where he will take me. I don’t ask. I’m quiet. Like a mouse.
(MARTA and CODRUTA exit.)
I’m in a city, but I don’t recognize it. My older sister, Chantou, travels to the cities and knows
them all. She says she will live in one some day and will travel the world until she finds the
perfect one for her. But I don’t want to travel. The Kingdom of Cambodia is beautiful and I’ve
never wanted to leave. Not even for a day. It’s my home. We have been tossed around from
country to country, colonizations, occupations, bombings and civil wars. We have seen
terrorism and genocide. There is blood on my people’s hands. But I don’t blame them. This is
the nature of a people who know what it is like to have freedom ripped away from them. To
never feel it is secure.
(pause)
I wonder how many massages I must give in this city before my sister’s debt is repaid and I can
return home.
(pause)
I’m eleven.
(Enter MADAM KUNTHEA, a woman in her 40s, MALY, 5-year-old here, and
perhaps representatives of other children. World changes to BROTHEL,
CAMBODIA. MALY sits on the floor, staring at a tv.)
I’m younger than many. Older than some.
(MADAM KUNTHEA grabs Jorani by the arm and pulls her into the room.)
KUNTHEA
You like cartoons?
JORANI
I don’t know.
KUNTHEA
Watch with your family.
(JORANI sits next to Maly.)
JORANI (to Maly)

Hi.
MALY
The cat never gets the mouse. Oh, no! Did I just ruin the show for you?
JORANI
No, you didn’t.
MALY
Good. Can I hold your hand?
JORANI
Um…
MALY
We’re allowed to hold hands here. It’s okay. We’re sisters.
JORANI
I…don’t know anyone here.
MALY
I have a number and it’s a hundred and seven and I can even count that high sometimes, but my
name is Maly and I’m five years old.
JORANI
I’m…Jorani.
MALY
Miss Jorani, my hand is dirty, but is that okay? That’s why Miss Samnang said I should always
ask. Some people don’t like to hold a dirty hand.
JORANI
You can hold my hand.
(MALY beams and grabs Jorani’s hand. JORANI looks at her hand.)
Such tiny hands.
(PHIRUN, a Cambodian man in his 50s, enters)
KUNTHEA
Mr. Phirun.
(MALY stands and pulls up Jorani.)
MALY
We stand on the boardwalk outside while they choose. We’ll miss the end of the show, but
that’s okay, because remember, the cat never gets the mouse. Never.
JORANI
Okay.
MALY
Never ever.
(JORANI nods. MALY and JORANI move to line up.)
KUNTHEA (to Jorani)

Not you. Mr. Phirun is first.
(she pulls Jorani out of the line and pushes her toward PHIRUN.)
(KUNTHEA exits with Maly and any representations of children.)
PHIRUN (to Jorani)

You can stay here.
JORANI
This is where I will give a massage?
(ABHAY enters)
PHIRUN
Hm.
ABHAY (out)
I’m living alone on the streets of Mumbai, with the rats and wild dogs, and wild kids.
(JORANI and PHIRUN exit. The world changes to STREETS OF MUMBAI)
No one’s dancing and singing in bright clothes like they say happens in the movies. Kids are
trying to kill each other over a pair of shoes on some poor boy who died in a rubbish slide, and
that boy could just as easily be me. Then one day, when I’m carrying my bag to town, I got
wires and some plastic bottles and cans and these scraps of metal—it’s heavy—for some reason,
my life changes.
(sorts through his rubbish)
(NIHAL, an Indian man, well dressed, in his 40s, enters.)
NIHAL
You selling that?
ABHAY
Yes, sir. You a scrap dealer?
NIHAL
(chuckles)
No, I’m not. You look like a strong boy. You carry all that metal yourself?
ABHAY
Of course, sir.
NIHAL
Hm. You got any family?
(ABHAY shakes his head)
How old are you?
ABHAY
I’m fifteen, sir.
NIHAL
You a hard worker?
(ABHAY nods)
You looking for a real job?
(ABHAY shrugs)
NIHAL
What’s the matter with you? You like it here?
(ABHAY shrugs)
You think I’m gonna make you one of them fishing boys? Working 15 hours a day for a bowl of
rice? Hm? What you hear?
ABHAY
(pause)
They say two boys last week got taken to a factory. Making ornaments for American trees or
something. They never see light. Get beaten every day.
NIHAL
Who tells you that? Those are rumors. Do I look like a man to run a sweat shop? Please! Would
a Hindu make ornaments for a Christmas tree?
(pause)
Listen. You really think any of that is worse than what you got right now?
ABHAY
(pause)
I got light right now. The sun and the moon.
NIHAL
Right. ‘Cause you got no roof over your head at night.
ABHAY
I don’t mind.
NIHAL
Of course you don’t mind. You don’t mind eating rubbish for dinner either, do you? You’re
walking in poison here. You know breathing in this stuff will make you sick, right? You wanna
be like that rag picker twitching over there?
(pause)
You know people die here.
ABHAY
I know that, sir.
NIHAL
Course you do. You won’t last another six months here.
ABHAY
Why do you care?
NIHAL
Because you’re a human. And I walked by you. Should we not care about each other?
ABHAY
Not strangers, no.
NIHAL
Well, maybe you remind me of myself.
ABHAY
Hm.
NIHAL
(pause)
You’re not sick, are you?
ABHAY
No, sir.
NIHAL
(pause)
Are you a boy or a man?
(pause)
A boy or a man?
ABHAY
A man, sir.
NIHAL
Hm.
(pause)
You know, I was on the streets once too.
(ABHAY looks at him)
I don’t come to you to make you some slave. I come to you to give you a chance, like someone
gave me a chance when I was young. And I worked my way up. If you can prove yourself, some
day, you can have a car with four doors and a house like me. Can you imagine.
(pause)
I don’t have to choose you.
(pause)
I’m offering you a chance. You should say “thank you.”
(pulls out a pack of cigarettes.)
(CLAIRE enters)
I’m not going to beat you.

(puts cigarette to his mouth)
You ever seen a bar before?
ABHAY (out)
I go with him. I got nothing to lose. He’s right. Anything is better than how I’m living here.
CLAIRE (out)
I think my life is worse than anyone’s, but my dad says it’s just because I’m seventeen.
(NIHAL and ABHAY exit)
But seriously, it’s like, every day, Courtney and Shona text each other that I’m a slut, when I’m
like, right there in gym class next to them, and I haven’t even had a boyfriend. And, like, I never
get the leads in school plays because I don’t flirt with the drama teacher, even though I did a
killer monologue from Game of Thrones at auditions. And the boys in my chemistry class are
always grabbing my ass, and when I hit them, I’m the one who’s sent to the principal’s office.
My mom died ten years ago, and I don’t even remember her voice now. But my school
counselor says I should be practicing Gratitude, so the one thing I’m always grateful for…is my
dad. He works a lot and he’s usually tired, but he’s always nice to me. He smells like
mouthwash and cinnamon and his face scratches me every night when he hugs me.
(World changes to OUTSIDE APARTMENT BUILDING, SYRACUSE, NY)
And I’m thinking of him, leaning against the glass door to Jessica’s apartment. I’m thinking of
everything we said tonight, and his girlfriend, and how everything’s going to change. Jessica’s
not answering her buzzer, and I can’t believe I forgot my cell phone, and I’m shaking. A couple
years ago, there was snow at Halloween in Syracuse. But it was 80 degrees today. It’s not now
though. It’s late and it’s, like, really really cold. My legs don’t want to hold me up anymore. A
few people pass by on the street. But no one notices me. I’m crying. I’m lonely, and, like,
shaking, at midnight. And no one notices me.
(BILL, a man in his 30s, enters)
But then someone does.
BILL
Hey. You alright?
(CLAIRE shrugs)
Do you have a coat or something? You look like you’re freezing in those shorts.
CLAIRE
I’m fine.
BILL
Here.
(he takes his own sweatshirt off and hands it to her)
CLAIRE
Oh—no thanks.
BILL
You’re shivering.
CLAIRE
I don’t need it.
BILL
But you want it. Take it. It’s yours.
(pause)
CLAIRE
Thanks.
(BILL starts to walk away, then turns back)
BILL
Hey, you wanna talk about it?
(CLAIRE shrugs)
I listen good. If you want to talk. Life can suck. But it sucks less if you got someone to talk to.
You know?
(They look at each other. pause)
CLAIRE (out)
I don’t know this man. But he’s here and he’s asking, and I guess I do want to talk. Because I
tell him. I tell him about my dad, about his girlfriend moving in and her 4 kids. I also tell him
about my mom, about how I’d hear her crying at night, even after I’d draw her all these pictures
of rainbows. And how she killed herself. I tell him I know my problems are stupid. My
problems are nothing compared to starving kids in Africa. But he tells me—
BILL
No, they’re real. They suck. You got handed some bad cards. That’s not your fault, sweetie.
CLAIRE (out)
This man is listening to me at 1 in the morning and when some thug walking by mutters at me
under his breath, my man punches him in the gut until that guy tells me he’s sorry.
(pause)
I feel sick. I’m shocked.
BILL
Assholes walking around at this hour.
CLAIRE (out)
I’m scared of this man.
BILL
You gotta be careful.
CLAIRE (out)
But somehow…I also feel safe.
BILL
Sorry you had to see that, Claire.
CLAIRE
It’s…ok…
BILL
No, a girl like you shouldn’t see something like that. These streets—at this hour—this isn’t safe
for you. Why don’t you come back with me? Your friend’s not gonna answer.
(MARTA enters)
Look, I’m not far from here. Why don’t you stay with me tonight? Take a hot shower, get some
sleep. The world will look different tomorrow. I promise.
(CLAIRE looks at him. He smiles.)
I promise.
(BILL puts his arm around her)
MARTA (out)
The world looks so different to me as I leave my home to find her.
(CLAIRE and BILL exit)
My home—it’s lovely and charming, my mother always says. But for ten of us? It’s small. And
I know it’s time to walk toward something larger.
(FATIME, a worldly woman in her 40s, enters. World changes to VILLAGE

CAFE, ROMANIA. FATIME and MARTA have tea.)
My future. I meet with Ms. Fatime.
FATIME
This festival, Marta, it’s amazing, no doubt. Amazing. You’d be stunning.
MARTA
Thank you.
FATIME
Woman to woman? You’d be a sight for all the other girls. The boys. The men. But, please.
Marta. We can’t wait a month.
MARTA
When does the job start?
FATIME
Next week. Thursday. We’ve barely enough time to get you trained.
MARTA
You didn’t say it was that soon before.
FATIME
Things have changed. There are a lot of other candidates for this job.
MARTA
Oh.
FATIME
I lucked into finding you here in the country. But I was on my way to Bucharest. If you can’t
commit, I’ll still head there and I’ll find someone else.
MARTA
Well, I want to come. I want the job. But, I promised my mother—
FATIME
Look, Marta. You’re a smart girl. If this isn’t the right time for you or it’s not appealing, I
understand. Rest assured, you’ll find another job at a later point.
MARTA
I will?
FATIME
Of course. I even saw a sign for a seamstress on my way over.
MARTA
I don’t want to be a seamstress.
FATIME
Well, whatever you want to be.
(shakes her hand)
I wish you the very best.
MARTA
Are you leaving?
FATIME
If you can’t accept the position, I really must be going.
MARTA
But I—I haven’t turned it down.
FATIME
I can’t play games, Marta. My time is too valuable. If you’d like the position, come with me
now. We’ll set you up in a beautiful flat in London. We’ll fill your refrigerator with jams and
breads. We’ll even give you an allowance for work clothing. But you have to come now. I’ve
already been in this village longer than I expected.
(MARTA nods. Pause)
MARTA
Yes. Ok. Yes. I’ll accept.
(laughs)
I accept!
FATIME
Wonderful!
MARTA
I’ll just—I’ll get a few things from home, say good-bye to my family.
FATIME
Oh, Marta. You know they want you to stay for the festival. They won’t let you leave if you
return to your home. But maybe this is what you want? Then you can blame them for your
missing this opportunity.
MARTA
No—
FATIME
But it is yourself, Marta—you and your childish fears of new experiences—that will not let you
leave this village.
MARTA
That’s not it. I want this.
FATIME
Do you?
MARTA
I do.
(pause)
FATIME
Then come with me now. Don’t dawdle like a fickle little girl.
(JORANI enters)
You can call your parents from the airport and visit them in a month on your first break.
MARTA (out)
On the way to the airport, Ms. Fatime tells me she has already called my mother for me.
JORANI (out)
Madam Kunthea says she is my mother now.
(FATIME holds Marta’s arm and they exit)
She doesn’t sing to me or hold my hair as my mother did, but she gives us candy when we do
well, and says I will do well if I listen to her advice. Stand up straight, lower my head, look up
at the men through my lashes.
(pause)
And the men are there. Night after night. The men who come to us might keep us for a few
hours, or a week, a month. I dread standing on the broken boardwalk outside the shacks as the
men decide. If they’ve been here before, they might choose the same girl. This might be ok if
they fed us, let us sleep and had fans in the windows. But the sick ones who treat us like dogs,
who chain us to their beds and make us eat food without using our hands, who do the worst
things that I don’t say out loud…
(CLAIRE and BILL enter.)
They are the ones who make my blood run cold when I see them again.
(World changes to BILL’S APARTMENT, SYRACUSE. CLAIRE is cuddled up

on a couch)
CLAIRE (out)
I’m not cold anymore. It’s morning now—or afternoon really. It feels weird I’m still here.
(JORANI exits)
Bill’s been nice to me, but I’m sure my dad’s worried. He’s probably called the cops by now. I
need to go home, but Bill says he has a better idea.
BILL
Last night, you were saying you always wanted to see the shore, right?
CLAIRE
Yeah…
BILL
Let’s take a drive there.
CLAIRE
Where?
BILL
The ocean. Wherever you want.
CLAIRE
Like—Miami?
BILL
(laughs)
No, not like Miami. That’s over a thousand miles away, Claire.
CLAIRE
Oh, I didn’t—
BILL
It’s ok. You’re cute. Miami.
CLAIRE
Well—
BILL
No, I was thinking, New Jersey maybe.
CLAIRE
How far is that?
BILL
Four or five hours or so.
CLAIRE
That’s too far.
BILL
Let your dad stew in his fear a little longer. He’s been taking you for granted.
CLAIRE
Yeah…but, that seems so—
BILL
Don’t you think you’ll have fun with me? The boardwalk? Cotton candy? Don’t you want to
smell that salty breeze?
CLAIRE
What do you, like, work for New Jersey Tourism or something?
BILL
I’d sell anything for you, Gorgeous.
CLAIRE
(pause)
Maybe another time? I’m kind of tired today.
BILL
You don’t have to drive. All you have to do is be your beautiful self and do whatever you
beautiful girls do in the car. Listen to music or paint your nails, read your Cosmo…talk with
me. Am I really that bad?
CLAIRE
No…
BILL
Look, I know I’m the lucky one. You’re stuck with some older guy in a suit, and I’m the one
who gets to hang out with this amazingly gorgeous—you know you’re gorgeous, don’t you?
CLAIRE
Shut up.
BILL
This amazingly gorgeous girl. It’s all my honor. I know that. Because what’s cool about you, is
you’re not just pretty. You have this quality about you. This…there’s no word that fits what I
feel about you.
CLAIRE
What do you feel?
BILL
I don’t know. It’s just—when I look at you…when you look back at me, and I see your eyes,
sort of looking up in this way…it just…it melts me to a puddle. You know what I mean? It’s
hard for me to think. You have this, this spell over me.
CLAIRE
You’re making me sound like a witch.
BILL
Not a witch. Just…you’re spell binding. Has anyone ever told you that before?
CLAIRE
No.
BILL
You’ll break a lot of hearts, Claire.
CLAIRE
Stop it.
BILL
I have to watch myself. I let my guard down you’ll break my heart too.
CLAIRE
I won’t.
(he gently touches her face and hair)
BILL
Please. Please. Do you want to see a grown man get down on his knees and beg? I will. You
know that. I will.
(MARTA enters.)
(BILL gets on his knees and holds her hands)
Please. Come with me. You will literally make me the happiest guy in the world. Please.
(CLAIRE reaches down and touches his face)
CLAIRE
Okay.
MARTA (out)
I’m happy. Giddy, like when Papa gave me a puppy when I was eight. Excited.
Nervous, of course, and I can’t help but feel that tinge of sadness in the way I have left my
home. But I dream of my first return to Romania, in only a few weeks, bringing money and gifts
for my brothers. How proud my family will be of me.
(World changes to A VAN, ROMANIA, driving across the country.)
We meet two men, Ms. Fatime’s friends, who have a van and we travel in it with them, picking
up other employees before we make our flight. It’s a long trip, through Sofia, Skopje, Tirana,
but the girls we pick up are excited, like me. So the time passes quickly. The start of a new life.
Ms. Fatime speaks to the border officials in Greek or Italian, which none of us understands. I
wonder why she doesn’t speak in English. But she does not allow questions at this point, so I
know not to ask. Instead, I make friends through our travels.
(TASARIA, a girl of about 16, enters and sits by Marta)
Tasaria is so sweet to me, and so beautiful. She’s Romani, a real gypsi. She will have a job at a
department store in Paris. I tell her—
(to Tasaria)
You really must improve her French if you don’t want the ladies to be rude in the store.
TASARIA
And you really must improve your manners if you plan to work for the UN some day.
(they look at each other, then laugh)
MARTA (out)
In the days we sit by each other, we tell each other everything about our families, our lives, our
schooling, boys, how we celebrate holidays. We know each other more than friends since
childhood.
TASARIA
You are my sister now.
MARTA
And you’re mine.
(out)
We love our travels.
(ABHAY enters)
We laugh together, harder than I have laughed in years. And they let us drink champagne in the
car. It goes well with our pastrami sandwiches.
ABHAY (out)
There’s so much laughter in the bar. Yelling, fighting, quiet too. The laughter makes me sick,
but I learn to make my face a statue.
(MARTA and TASARIA exit)

It’s clearly not just a bar Mr. Nihal has taken me to. He has me work the street at first, asking
men if they want to meet a girl. One of the girls he has. Behind his bar. I never know who to
ask, how to say it. I’m not as pushy as some of the other kids he’s got working for him.
Bringing in customers.
(NIHAL enters. World changes to BAR/BROTHEL, INDIA)
He sees I’m no good at it, but he’s still nice to me. I don’t understand why, but he is. He says I
can do clean up inside for a while instead.
NIHAL
I was no good at it at first either.
ABHAY
How did you get…better?
NIHAL
Well, I educated myself. Just because you’re from the streets, doesn’t mean you can’t be smart.
ABHAY
How do I know if I’m smart?
NIHAL
You’re alive, aren’t you?
(ABHAY nods)
That’s a start. But, you become smarter when you try harder. Learn several languages. I’ll work
with you over lunch. You won’t appear so desperate then, grabbing at their wallets like the other
kids do. And that’s fine. It brings in some business. That’s fine for them. But not for you. Not
for my Abhay.
ABHAY
Thank you for teaching me, sir.
NIHAL
You’ll prove yourself.
ABHAY
I will always work hard, sir.
NIHAL
But for now? You clean the toilets. Haul out the trash, clean up if someone gets sick. Get rid of
as much blood, as much piss, as you can. You can do that?
ABHAY
Yes, sir. I can do that.
NIHAL
And smile sometimes.
(pats him on the back)
Life could be worse.
(ABHAY nods.)
ABHAY (out)
He could be right. My blood boils when I see the faces of the young girls—this is not what I
signed up for. But then, I think, what other option do I got?
NIHAL
You have good food here, from the bar.
ABHAY (out)
No wild pig is fighting with me over rubbish.
NIHAL
There is no rain on your back when you sleep.
ABHAY (out)
They even pay me. It’s not much to others, but I have money for the first time in my life. I can
buy a mango from the vendor if I want, and I don’t have to steal it.
(JORANI and her sister, CHANTOU, a girl of about 14, enter. CHANTOU holds
a large pot and spoon. There are soap molds.)
NIHAL
And this money is nothing compared to what you’ll be making. You’ll be able to buy a mango
tree and yard to put it in. One day, Abhay, you’ll be able to buy a home.
JORANI (out)
My home, our small shack, is not far away from here, but it is hard to even remember the days
of making soap with my sister.
(ABHAY and NIHAL exit)
(The world changes to JORANI’S HOME, A SHACK, CAMBODIA.

CHANTOU stirs the soap in a pot.)
Her arm was always tired stirring.

CHANTOU
Your turn.
JORANI
You just started.
CHANTOU
My arm is sore.
JORANI
Okay.
(takes the spoon from her sister and stirs)
CHANTOU
You know when it’s done, right?
JORANI
Of course.
CHANTOU
Good.
(pulls out a cigarette)
JORANI
You can’t smoke!
CHANTOU
Watch me.
JORANI
Chantou! You can’t!
CHANTOU
I don’t believe that crap about cancer.
JORANI
The soap should smell like lavender. Not smoke.
CHANTOU
I smoke all the time when I make soap. No one’s complained.
JORANI
Well, some customer will notice. And Mama will smell the smoke anyway.
CHANTOU
Mama’s never here.
JORANI
When she comes home.
CHANTOU
Is today Tuesday?
JORANI
Yes!
CHANTOU
How is it Tuesday already?
(JORANI shrugs)
I’ll stand by the window.
JORANI
She’ll still smell it. Please…I don’t want to lie for you again.
CHANTOU
You’re such a baby. Get a backbone.
(JORANI holds back tears)
Don’t tell me you’re crying now.
JORANI
I’m not.
CHANTOU
Are you serious? I’m gonna go outside to smoke.
(CHANTOU exits. JORANI stands and stirs. She moves the spoon into her other
hand. She stirs. She shifts her weight. She stirs.)
(CHANTOU enters)
JORANI
That wasn’t long.
CHANTOU
They’re all hovering. Those little street rats.
JORANI
The kids?
CHANTOU
I can’t smoke in front of them.
JORANI
I didn’t see any.
CHANTOU
They’re not there until they smell the smoke. Then suddenly, they circle you and there’s, I don’t
know, a million of them.
JORANI
Poor kids.
CHANTOU
Should mind their own business.
JORANI
They have nothing.
CHANTOU
That’s not my fault.
JORANI
It’s not their fault either. They’re kids. They have no parents.
CHANTOU
We basically have no parents. You don’t see us out there begging on the street.
JORANI
Mama works so that we can have all this.
CHANTOU
All this? This, what? This mansion? On stilts?
JORANI
Why are you so mad at her?
CHANTOU
You’re so young.
JORANI
You’re not so old.
(pause)
I could give the children some soap.
CHANTOU
Don’t bother.
JORANI
Will you stir while I go out there?
CHANTOU
My arm, Jorani…
JORANI
Just for a minute.
CHANTOU
You won’t help by giving them something. You know that. They’ll kill each other for one bar of
soap.
JORANI
No, they won’t.
CHANTOU
You wanna bet?
JORANI
Take over stirring.
(gives Chantou the spoon)
CHANTOU
They’ll never leave here if you give them something.
JORANI
I want to—
CHANTOU
I’m not stirring.
(CHANTOU walks away from the pot)
JORANI
You can’t leave it!
CHANTOU
I just did.
JORANI
We’ll lose the whole batch!
CHANTOU
You better stir then.
(pause. JORANI walks back to the pot and picks up the spoon.)
Good girl.
JORANI
I’m not a dog.
CHANTOU
You know what’s right.
JORANI
I know Mama would whip our butts if we ruined the soap.
(stirs)
Sometimes I don’t like you.
CHANTOU
(pause)
Jorani, you can’t help everyone.
JORANI
I know that, Chantou. But you don’t want to help anyone.
(pause. CHANTOU shrugs and separates the soap molds.)
How did you get the money for cigarettes?
CHANTOU
I do other things.
JORANI
What do you do?
CHANTOU
Why do you care?
JORANI
Because Mama has to go to Thailand for work, and if you have a job here, then you—
CHANTOU
It’s not a job.
(pause)
JORANI
What is it?
CHANTOU
I just…I just make some money sometimes. Leave it at that, Jorani.
(pause)
JORANI
Are you a…a…
CHANTOU
What?
JORANI
A…
CHANTOU
Am I a what?
JORANI
A…a…
CHANTOU
Spit it out, Jorani! What’s the matter with you?
JORANI
A…whore?
CHANTOU
What?
JORANI
Well, you said—
CHANTOU
I’m not a whore! Don’t you dare say that!
JORANI
You wouldn’t say, so—
CHANTOU
So I wouldn’t say! Doesn’t mean if I don’t share, I’m a whore! Of course I’m not a whore!
JORANI
Stop saying that word.
CHANTOU
Does that bother you?
JORANI
Yes…
CHANTOU
Then why did you say it? Whore?
JORANI
Stop it.
CHANTOU
You’re too sensitive. You’re such a child. You probably don’t even know what a whore is.
JORANI
You’re being mean.
CHANTOU
You called me a whore!
JORANI
I was asking!
CHANTOU
Like that’s the only way I could make money.
JORANI
So tell me then. How you’re doing it.
(pause)
CHANTOU
I’m not a whore.
JORANI
I know that.
(pause)
I’m sorry.
CHANTOU
Don’t tell Mama.
JORANI
I wouldn’t.
(pause)
CHANTOU
I gamble.
JORANI (out)
Buddha says gambling is one of the six ways of squandering wealth. There are dangers in
compulsive gambling. Winning breeds resentment. Savings are lost. Friends may fight. There is
one that rings in my ear, loudly, painfully: The loser mourns. The loser mourns—not the game
that is lost, but what is lost to the game.
(CHANTOU picks up the soap molds and exits.)
(MARTA, CLAIRE and ABHAY enter)
ABHAY
It’s so quiet now.
JORANI
Peaceful.
CLAIRE
Where do you go, Jorani, when you need to?
JORANI
If I’m not at home with my sister, then I go to the beach in Thailand. We all went once. I was
very small. But the scent has stayed with me. A salty clean smell…
ABHAY
I’m always with my little sister, Purnima. It’s not so much where we are—but we’re together,
keeping her warm under a blanket or sharing a bowl of rice.
JORANI
Where would you want to be, Claire?
CLAIRE
Oh—I don’t want to be anywhere else. Not yet.
MARTA
Me neither.
JORANI
But you will. You both will.
ABHAY
In time.
JORANI (out)
I wish time would speed up.
CLAIRE (out)
Slow down…
JORANI (out)
Let me skip the moments I don’t want to have.
CLAIRE (out)
Let me remember each moment he calls me beautiful. His angel.
ABHAY (out)
Time is doing what I have to do until the next time I do what I have to do. Until the next time...
MARTA (out)
Time is never mundane. Always changing. My future is open. So bright. It’s excitement.
Freedom.
ABHAY (out)
Time means nothing if you have no one left.
MARTA (out)
Time will bring me back to my loved ones, with more than I left with.
(pause)
ABHAY (to Marta)

Unless it doesn’t.
(pause. MARTA looks at Abhay)
(JORANI, MARTA and CLAIRE fade into the back and exit.)
ABHAY (out)
My mom and my little sister are the only people I’ve ever loved. I never met the man that got
my mom pregnant with me. Two years later, she got pregnant from a different man. I never met
him either, but I owe him—‘cause he gave me Purnima…My mom was always kissing my
forehead, stroking my cheek with her hand, calling me baby, when she was just a kid herself.
She had me when she was 14. She wore dark purple nail polish. It almost looked black. I liked
the smell of it, like strawberry. Her bracelets would jingle when she hugged me and she told me
I gave her the best hugs in the world. I believe it too because she was surrounded by some real
bad people. She never even got to turn 20. She died of tuberculosis when she was 18. My baby
sister was two. We got no family, no friends that would stick around and raise two bastard kids.
Only took a day before some crazy men took over the hut she’d somehow managed to get for
us. They said it was theirs. I knew they were thieves, but I’m four at the time, so what can I do.
One guy throws me a banana as he kicks me out. I ask him for another one. I got a baby sister, I
tell him. He sorta laughs and says it back to me like I’m the two-year-old. “You got a baby
sister, do you? Well then, she probably wants it all mushed up, huh?” And he grabs the banana
and steps on it. The banana smushes out of its peel, his dirty black shoe getting all over it. I
curse at him and walk away. I don’t want his damn banana anyway. But by the end of the day,
when we’re cold, and it’s raining, and we don’t have a thing to eat, I kick myself for not
scraping it up from the ground. Purnima’s crying ‘cause she’s hungry and she could be eating
that banana.
(World changes to a GARBAGE HEAP, MUMBAI, INDIA. PURNIMA,

Abhay’s younger sister enters. She is around 7 years old now. She carries a stick,
rock and an old rag. She sits on the ground and plays with them.)
I do everything for Purnima. Her name means full moon. And she is. She’s my light when it’s
dark. She’s little, so soon, she doesn’t remember our mom. She thinks it’s fun to steal food,
sleep all huddled with other kids and she isn’t scared of the wild dogs and pigs that lurk around
with us when we’re working at the rubbish heap all day. She still knows how to laugh. And
play. You can take a house and a mom and a dad away from a kid, but she still knows how to
play.
PURNIMA
(holds the rag over the stick and walks it along the ground.)
Bump bump bump.
(holds the rock to the stick)
“What are you doing here?”
(stick)
“I’m going fishing.”
(rock)
“Fishing? There’s no fish out there!”
(stick)
“But look! I just caught one!”
(rock)
“Mm. Looks small.”
(ABHAY walks to her. PURNIMA rushes to him.)
ABHAY!!
(she hands Abhay the rock)
You be Elephant!
ABHAY
(rock)
“Do you want to see a real fish?”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“This is a real fish!”
ABHAY
“Where are its gills?”
PURNIMA
What are gills?
ABHAY
Things they—these flaps they breathe from.
PURNIMA
Fish breathe from flaps?
ABHAY
Yeah, they—you know. They breathe under the water with them.
PURNIMA
Oh.
ABHAY
(rock)
“I’ll show you where to go fishing. You have to go to a secret spot. No one knows about it.
Except me. And soon, you.”
PURNIMA
Oooh, I like secrets!
ABHAY
I know you do.
(rock)
“Over here.”
(leads her)
(rock)
“You have to go through the jungle, and swing on the vines.”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“What if I fall?”
ABHAY
(rock)
“I’ll catch you. I’m very strong.”
(they pretend to swing through vines)
(rock)
“Come on!”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“We’re so high up!”
ABHAY
(rock)
“You’re doing great! But now, we have to go through the city.”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“What city?”
ABHAY
Um…
(rock)
“The biggest city in the world. New York City!”
PURNIMA
Where’s that?
ABHAY
In America.
PURNIMA
Where’s America?
ABHAY
Far away. It takes a long time to go there.
PURNIMA
Oh.
ABHAY
(rock)
“But not for us! We can fly!”
(they fly through the air)
PURNIMA
(stick)
“Wheeeee!”
ABHAY
(rock)
“Look down there! It’s New York City!”
(they land)
PURNIMA
(stick)
“Wow. It’s so big.”
ABHAY
(rock)
“Lots of cars here.”
PURNIMA
I don’t like a lot of cars.
ABHAY
Then they’re boats.
PURNIMA
Okay.
ABHAY
(rock)
“Lots of boats here. We just have to jump in that water and swim past the boats to where the
fish are. Let’s go!”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“Okay!”
(They swim)
(stick)
“Ouch! Something’s biting my leg!”
ABHAY
(rock)
“It’s just—it’s a shark, but it’ll be fine later. Keep going!”
PURNIMA
(stick)
“The water’s too hot! It’s burning me up!”
ABHAY
(rock)
“No, no—it’s cold water. There’s no hot water here.”
PURNIMA
Well, I’m hot, Abhay. I’m really hot!
ABHAY
Are you okay?
PURNIMA
I’m tired. Are we to the fish yet?
ABHAY
(rock)
“Sure, we’re there! Put down your line.”
PURNIMA
They’re too cute, Abhay. I don’t want to catch them.
ABHAY
(rock)
“But we’ve come all this way. It’s our food.”
PURNIMA
I’m too tired. It’s not real food anyway.
(pause)
But you play. I’ll watch you.
(she smiles at him)
ABHAY (out)
Purnima was tired a lot. And hot. And weak. Soon, she stopped eating. She stopped going to the
rubbish heap. Maybe she had TB like my mom or some other disease ‘cause God knows, a
bunch of us kids got diseases. Maybe it was the bite from the dog that never healed right.
Maybe it was all the junk she was touching and breathing in every day. I don’t know. But one
day, after she was really hot and really tired and really weak, she just never woke up.
(PURNIMA exits)
She’s all I got in the world. And she’s gone.

(pause)
I carry her to the rubbish heap because I don’t know what to do with her. I’m 9 years old and I
don’t know what to do with a dead body. With my sister’s dead body. I decide I’m gonna bury
her. Land is so far under this junk but I don’t even think about that. I just start digging through
rubbish with my hands until I get a couple feet down. I’m not sure what I’m gonna do next, but
I remember some Hindus talking about putting flowers on a body, rice in the mouth. I don’t
know if I’m Hindu or not. I never heard my mom talk about anything, and I had no time to think
about gods after she left. But I get it in my head that my sister needs this. She needs the rice and
the flowers and I’m gonna get it for her. I’ll get it in the city ‘cause I’m fast and was always
better at stealing than she was. I think about taking her with me, but decide someone might try
to take her away from me if they see her, plus stealing isn’t very easy carrying a girl with you.
So I put her here, in the little area I dug out. And I cover her up, but just a little bit, so I can find
her and she can still get some sun. And I run to town. Rice and flowers are easy to steal and I’m
back quick. My heart is burning the whole way there and back, like it’s on fire and there’s no
water in the world to put it out.
(pause)
When I get back to my sister…when I get back to the rubbish…when I see what’s happened…I
thought my heart was on fire before, but it’s in flames now. I’m stronger than anyone in the
world because I have the biggest hate and sadness in me that anyone’s ever seen.
(pause)
Those dogs got my sister.
(pause)
They got her in pieces and they’re fighting over her and the bit of clothes she had on is off now
and one dog’s walking away with her arm. He’s walking away with Purnima’s arm. Purnima’s
arm. My baby sister’s arm is in some dog’s mouth. The rest of them are still chewing and
ripping and destroying her perfect little body. But that dog is walking away. Like he doesn’t
even have the dignity to stick around. Like it’s his arm. He’s a street dog so he wants to eat, but
Purnima wouldn’t even eat fish. And he’s eating her.
(pause)
I run to that dog. I run faster than any kid I ever seen and it’s easy for me to find stuff to kill
him with. There’s metal and crap all around me and I don’t even know what I pick up ‘cause I
can only see that dog and her arm. And I crush this dog’s head over and over and over and over.
I don’t hear if he whines. I don’t see if he tries to bite me or run away. I just feel. And I feel I’m
crushing his head until his head is just blood and guts. And I take my baby sister’s arm and I
hold it all day long and I wrap it in my shirt. The only shirt I got, but I wrap it and feel its
warmth. And that night, I sneak into someone’s yard—I don’t care whose place it is—but I’m
quiet and it takes me all night. But I bury it with the rice. And I put the flowers on top.
(CLAIRE enters)
Then I go back to the streets. What else can I do? And a few years later, I meet Mr. Nihal. Who
brings me here. Where I can buy a mango if I want with real money.
CLAIRE (out)
I don’t have any money with me, but Bill says that’s cool. He buys me Twizzlers and weird
flavored gum and magazines I never buy myself.
(ABHAY exits)
We stop at a mall along the way, and he gets me all these cool clothes and shoes that aren’t even
on sale, and the cutest little stuffed poodle dog, because I told him how I always wanted a
poodle but my dad said no one’s home to take care of it. And we eat popcorn and watch this
cartoon at the movie theatre, but I don’t even care what we’re watching, because it feels so good
to be with him.
(BILL enters)
And we talk about, like, all these great things. School and education and music, and not just pop
stuff, but, like, classical music, you know? And important stuff too—you know, like, racism in
America and our government. My friends never talk to me about that kinda thing. It’s like we’re
on this crazy adventure. Because, we kinda are. Heading toward the ocean, feeling
this…connection between us…When he looks at me, and talks to me like I’m, I don’t know,
like I’m this princess on a throne or something…it makes me sweat and my heart race, but you
know…like, in a good way.
(pause)
It’s getting dark and I kinda feel bad not calling my dad yet ‘cause I know he’s got to be
worried, but I’ll call him soon. And I try to not to think about it.
(World changes to a TRUCK STOP. BILL and CLAIRE stand next to each
other)
We’re stopped at this truck stop, leaning against the car and stretching our legs.
BILL
Are you cold?
CLAIRE
Kinda.
(BILL puts his arm around her and rubs her arms)
BILL
You look cute in my sweatshirt.
CLAIRE
It’s big on me.
BILL
You’re so petite. Like a model.
(CLAIRE shrugs)
You have the most beautiful shoulders.
CLAIRE (out)
His knee touches mine.

(pause)
It’s just a knee, but it’s, like, what they say in the movies. It’s like electric. He’s so strong and
warm and…he seems to know so much about everything. And he’s freakin’ hot.
(BILL and CLAIRE stare at each other)
BILL
God, you’re so beautiful. I can’t—I just can’t even look at you.
CLAIRE
Why not?
BILL
You’re like…I don’t know if I could control myself. I’m so not worthy of you.
CLAIRE
What do you mean?
BILL
You’re this amazing girl with so many cool ideas. You’re so fun, and—you should be a rock
star with that voice of yours! And I’m too old for you. Just this boring guy. You’re so out of my
league, and…I want to kiss you so badly.
CLAIRE
(pause)
So why can’t you look at me?
(BILL stares at her. Then he pulls her in and kisses her. She kisses him back.)
(MARTA enters)
MARTA (out)
We look out the window, watching for planes in the sky and an airport on the horizon.
Tirana is the last city we see, and as we drive farther away from it, a bit of the hope we’ve been
drinking from, starts to dry up. We drive to the countryside in Albania. It’s beautiful.
Untouched.
(TASARIA enters. The world changes to the VAN, roads of ALBANIA)
There are so many mountains here. Tasaria and I sit in the back of a van and whisper to each
other. We’re not loud and laughing like before. We see elk and deer. She sees a small horse.
The air feels good to me, but Tasaria doesn’t like it.
TASARIA
We’re climbing too high.
MARTA
It’s the country. That’s how Albania is.
TASARIA
There are no more cities.
MARTA
There are always more cities.
TASARIA
Hm.
(pause)
Are you hungry?
MARTA
I…maybe…a little.
TARSARIA
Well, I am. And there’s a reason. When is the last time they gave us food?
MARTA
I don’t…
TASARIA
Too long ago.
MARTA
We haven’t been able to stop.
TASARIA
They’re starving us.
MARTA
Why would—
TASARIA
Sh.
(pause. They look ahead.)
MARTA
(quieter)
This is our first time away from home. You’re just getting nervous because we’re almost to the
airport.
(TASARIA looks out the window, shakes her head)
TASARIA
There’s no airport out here.
MARTA
But—we’re headed to—
TASARIA
Sh!
(they look ahead)
(pause)
Wherever we’re going, we’re driving there. And we’ll be there soon.
(pause)
MARTA
You’re scaring me.
TASARIA
Well…
MARTA
Look, it hasn’t been what I thought it would be either. But…life never is. You have to go
through the mountains to find the valley. Right?
TASARIA
Is it the valley or the mountains that is supposed to be the reward?
MARTA
I…I thought…I don’t know.
TASARIA
Something’s shifted. Something’s not right.
(They look forward)
(JORANI enters. In her dress pocket, she has a small plastic bag which holds a
few handfuls of stones)
MARTA (out)
Her words creep in my heart. I’m uneasy now. But I don’t have long to wait. The van finally
stops.
TASARIA
(whispers)
We’re here.
(MARTA looks at her, then looks out to the landscape.)
JORANI (out)
I’m eleven. Then I’m twelve. I’m thirteen. I am still here.
(MARTA and TASARIA exit)
I know the years go by because my body changes and grows. Because they tell me every six
months, they will stitch me up again and I will be a virgin, and they will charge double. The
years go by and I see how some leave, and some return, begging to live here again. I see Koleb
leave. She pleads for rest, after her baby was ripped from inside of her. One does not ask for
things like that, so the Madam gouges out her eye so that we all may remember this lesson.
They see no worth in her now—so, she is gone. Sometimes a customer purchases a girl, and so
then, she is gone. Sometimes girls who resist are taken to the rooms below us, the rooms where
they torture the girls, and sometimes, they are gone. I wonder how I will be gone some day.
(pause)
As girls leave, the young ones come in. They replace the old. I care for them. This is my
purpose. I kiss their wounds, and I tickle them to get that laugh they can’t help. I’m their mama
now. I promise Maly I’ll teach her Bay Khom.
(World changes to OUTSIDE YARD, BROTHEL, CAMBODIA. MALY, now

about 7, enters)
She’s young for the game, I know, barely seven, but she’s smart, and she’ll learn. I think it will
take me weeks to collect the 42 stones, but once Maly sees what I’m doing, she is not quiet
about it to the other children. Before the day is out, I have a bag full of stones. Enough for four
boards, at least. Samnang wants to play too.
(SAMNANG, a girl of about 17, enters)
She’s one of the oldest girls and people listen to her. She is often chosen because she smiles at
the men and it looks real to all of us. She says she will marry one of them some day, and that
they ask her all the time, but has not yet decided which country she wants to move to. Lately,
she is thinking Germany.
(pulls out a bag from her dress and sets it down, full of stones, on the floor)
MALY
Is it ready?
JORANI
Almost, my nom kroch.
(out)
That’s the orange cake I like. She does too.
SAMNANG
Help her make more holes, Maly.
MALY
Where?
SAMNANG
Where she tells you.
MALY
Where should I, Miss Jorani?
JORANI
Over here. I have the holes for 3 boards, but let’s do 1 more. Just dig them one across from the
other.
(MALY starts digging)
Good!
SAMNANG
Ten holes?
JORANI
You’ve played this before.
SAMNANG
Of course I have. But I can also see how many holes you’ve dug for the other 3 boards.
JORANI
Mm. Right.
SAMNANG
I’m a genius. That’s why they gave me a scholarship to this hell hole.
MALY
What’s a scholar—
JORANI
She’s making a joke.
MALY
Oh! I love jokes!
SAMNANG
It’s not funny. Never mind.
MALY
Miss Jorani taught me one.
SAMNANG
Okay.
MALY
How does it go, Miss Jorani?
JORANI
Which one, love?
MALY
The sneezing one.
JORANI
“What’s the best thing to do…”
MALY
Oh, yes! What’s the best thing to do if an elephant sneezes?
SAMNANG
Get out of its way!
JORANI
Samnang…
MALY
Oh, you know it!
SAMNANG
That joke has been going around here for years.
JORANI
You could have let her say it.
(SAMNANG shrugs)
MALY
I need a new one, Miss Jorani.
SAMNANG
Yes, teach her a new one, “Miss Jorani.” Preferably one that hasn’t been told twenty times a
day.
JORANI
Okay. Um…
(pause)
Seven more holes, Maly. Just like the other three. You’re doing great.
MALY
Thank you.
JORANI
What a perfect oval shape.
MALY
What’s an oval?
SAMNANG
You don’t know what an oval is?
JORANI
It’s a squashed circle. An orange is a circle. A mango is an oval.
SAMNANG
Sort of.
JORANI
You’re doing well, Maly.
MALY
I like helping. I’m making the game!
JORANI
You are! And playing the game will be good for your mind too. We must keep our minds
strong.
SAMNANG
And your legs stronger.
MALY
Why my legs stronger?
(JORANI and SAMNANG look at each other)

JORANI
So you can run. And play. Some day. Can you run fast?
MALY
I don’t know.
(pause)
JORANI
Well, if I ever tell you to run, you run fast, ok?
MALY
Like in this room?
JORANI
No. You run away from this building, on the street, you run as far as your legs will take you
until you find a nice old lady and you tell her everything about yourself and that you are waiting
for your sister—that’s me. It will be our game. And then I’ll catch up to you.
MALY
Okay, Miss Jorani. Oh—my fingernails are getting dirty.
SAMNANG
Don’t use your fingers!
JORANI
Use a stone.
MALY
I didn’t know—
JORANI
It’s okay. I didn’t tell you. We’ll get you a wet cloth.
SAMNANG
(hands Maly a stone)
Here.
MALY
Thank you.
SAMNANG
She’s so polite.
JORANI
Aren’t we all?
SAMNANG
When we have to be.
JORANI
It matters more when we don’t have to be.
SAMNANG
Oh, I don’t think so. And you shouldn’t either.
(pause)
JORANI
I have a joke for you, Maly.
MALY
Oh!
JORANI
I’ll whisper it to you.
MALY
Okay!
(MALY rushes to Jorani’s side. JORANI whispers in her ear. MALY giggles.)
Oh! I love it! Can you tell me it again, please?
(JORANI nods and whispers in her ear again.)
Okay!
SAMNANG
So what is it? Impress me!
MALY
What is the best—oh, Miss Jorani, can you tell me one more time?
SAMNANG
Come on…
MALY
I want it to sound perfect!
JORANI
Of course, Maly.
(whispers in her ear again)
MALY
Okay. What is the best thing to put in a cake?
SAMNANG
Hm….The best thing?
MALY
What is the best thing to put in a cake?
SAMNANG
I don’t know. Chocolate? I don’t know that one.
MALY
Your teeth!
(SAMNANG and JORANI laugh)
SAMNANG
Your teeth!
JORANI
Your teeth! Of course!
(pulls Maly toward her for a friendly tickle/hug. MALY explodes with laughter)
You’re my little orange cake! Yum! Yum! I’ll eat you up, my nom kroch!
(pretends to lick her face.)
(SAMNANG looks off to where she hears someone talking to her)
Yummy sesame!
(MALY giggles. JORANI pretends to take a bite out of her)
(SAMNANG walks almost off stage for a moment)
Yummy coconut!
(MALY giggles)
(SAMNANG walks back on to Jorani and Maly)
SAMNANG
Hey.
JORANI
Yummy orange!
MALY
(giggling)
No!!! Don’t eat me!
SAMNANG
Hey!
JORANI
What?
SAMNANG
Japanese man from last week. He asked for her.
JORANI
Oh.
MALY
I have to go?
JORANI
It’s time to pretend you’re in a castle!
MALY
Will you wait for me? To finish the last board?
JORANI
Of course I’ll wait for you, Maly.
MALY
Thanks for the joke, Miss Jorani!
(JORANI nods)
SAMNANG
Come on.
(MALY and SAMNANG exit.)
(JORANI stands for a moment. SHE looks down at the board she and Maly have
been making.)
(CLAIRE enters)
CLAIRE (out)
Bill’s joking around with me. He’s kind of funny, kind of sweet, kind of serious. But…I feel
weird now…I didn’t want to do all of that with him. I’ve never had a boyfriend. I haven’t—I
hadn’t…I didn’t want my first time to be in a car. It was…I miss my dad.
(JORANI exits)
But it’s over now.
(BILL enters. World changes to Bill’s car, at a TRUCK STOP.)
He pulls out some drugs and offers them to me. I tell him no, and I’m kind of surprised he has
them. But he tells me I’ll feel better if I take them.
BILL
We’re already so connected now. Do it with me and I’ll really be yours. And you’ll be mine.
CLAIRE (out)
He says they’re not like regular drugs.
BILL
They’re natural. It’ll just make you feel more like yourself.
CLAIRE
I don’t know, Bill…
BILL
Come on…I don’t want to do it alone. Please, Claire…I’m totally falling for you. Will you do
this with me?
(pause)
CLAIRE
I guess…
(BILL kisses her)
(out)
After we do the drugs—I don’t even know what we do—he’s relaxed at first. Then he starts
getting all weird for a little bit and tells me he’s been keeping something from me. I’m worried
he’s got a body in the trunk, but he says nothing like that, it’s just he’s embarrassed, because
he’s a guy and, it’s just—
BILL
I’ve got no more money.
CLAIRE (out)
He wanted to impress me and buy me the clothes and take me to the movies, but now we’re
sorta stuck here, at this truck stop, without even enough gas to get us back on the highway. And
it’s starting to look a little scary. I want to call my dad, but he says it would take hours for my
dad to get here.
BILL
We could be murdered by then.
CLAIRE (out)
Then he gets even weirder and it takes him like ten minutes to say it, but he finally spits it out
that I could help us get the money—
BILL
‘Cause…well, see those guys checking you out?
CLAIRE (out)
I don’t get what he means at first, but then I do and I’m like—there is no way I’m sluttin’ it up
for money. Like, no way! He’s even more embarrassed now and says—
BILL
Yeah, I know. That’s totally crazy. Totally crazy. I should never have mentioned. I’m sorry.
CLAIRE (out)
And then he pulls out a gun from under the seat. I practically pee my pants but he laughs and
says it’s not for me.
BILL
Don’t you know me at all?
CLAIRE (out)
He says he’ll go to the guys and get us some money another way, and he sort of nods at his gun.
So we argue and I cry and I’m freaking out that he’s going to get himself shot or he’ll shoot
someone else, so finally after all this time, I say, ok.
(pause)
I don’t totally trust him but I have no one else here. I’ll help get us some money—but nothing
more than a kiss.
BILL
I won’t let anything bad happen to you. I promise.
(MARTA enters)
CLAIRE (out)
So we go over and Bill talks to them and I just stand there, feeling like my legs are gonna
collapse on me. And when the guys say they’ll pay twice as much to do whatever they want to
me, Bill doesn’t say no.
MARTA (out)
There is no airport. There are no planes. There is nothing anywhere, but mountains, trees,
caves—for miles.
(CLAIRE and BILL exit. World changes to the VAN.)
The van drives through grass now, tall weeds. We’re in a forest or a field. And behind the trees,
not visible from the road, is a building. It looks like it might have been a prison or a boarding
school a long time ago. We step out of the van. There are people here, mostly men, some
women. And they grab us, lead us toward the building. They throw all of us into a dark room. I
am clutching Tasaria’s arm and she is clutching mine. They tell us to take off our clothes.
(pause)
One girl, I think she’s Bulgarian, she tells them she wants to go home. She doesn’t want this
job. Tasaria squeezes my arm hard and looks away. A man throws this Bulgarian girl into a wall
and kicks her stomach and her head until she is nothing but white and pink and red, hard and
soft. He asks if anyone else wants to go home. Most of us are crying, some are looking away.
Tasaria doesn’t cry. She looks right into his eyes. He’s going to notice her.
(pause)
This girl, this flesh in front of us—I didn’t know her name. And I never see her again.
(pause)
The rest of us. We take off our clothes. We pray silently, some girls out loud, that this is a
dream. That we’ll be rescued. This must be a dream. This has to be a nightmare. This can’t be
happening to me. I was just feeding silkworms in my mother’s garden under the hot sun. This
must be a dream.
(ABHAY enters)
But it’s not a dream. I know it’s not a dream. Because then they beat us.
(pause)
And it hurts.
ABHAY (out)
My mama never hit me. Not once. She said she wanted me to be kind, gentle. The sort of man
she’d like to know. But I don’t care if someone hits me now.
(MARTA exits)
Mr. Nihal keeps his word and doesn’t beat me. But it’s easy to find fights on the street. People
are mad out there. Hungry. Desperate. The pain feels good. I walk into it. I try to keep my face
clean, ‘cause I know I gotta look ok when I come back to the bar. ‘Cause people see me now.
After three years of doing shit work, Mr. Nihal promotes me.
(NIHAL enters. World changes to BAR/BROTHEL, INDIA)
I’m eighteen now, I know a few languages ok.
NIHAL
I’m proud of you, Abhay. You’ve worked hard and you’re smart. I’m lucky I found you.
(pause)
So. You deserve a better job now.
ABHAY
Thank you.
NIHAL
You’ll work with the customers inside here. Feel them out, bring them back to the girls. We’ve
been raided a few times, so you need to be careful.
ABHAY
Oh—
NIHAL
Cops don’t do much if we give them a few girls a week. But sometimes new officers start in the
department. We just—it’s better to be careful. Discerning with the customers. You can do that.
You can read people.
ABHAY (out)
I don’t like this new job. I don’t like much about this place, but somehow, I’m good at it.
(NIHAL pats Abhay on the back and exits)
I don’t know why, but the customers trust me. Or maybe I just start to realize, it doesn’t matter
what the guy looks like, how nice or how crude he talks, because underneath that suit or those
ripped jeans, I got more than a 50/50 chance the guy’s gonna come to the back.
(FREDRICK, a man in his 30s-40s, enters, a little drunk)
Kids with their grandpas, military men, parties—the same men holding the door open for a lady.
It’s anyone. And no amount of police raids is gonna stop this business. As long as the men keep
coming back.
(to FREDRICK)
Namaste, sir.
FREDRICK
Oh, what?
ABHAY
Namaste.
FREDRICK
Right. Namaste.
ABHAY
Are you enjoying yourself, sir?
FREDRICK
Yeah. Sure. Good beer.
ABHAY
We have the finest alcohol.
FREDRICK
Good beer.
ABHAY
We have the finest of many things here.
FREDRICK
Yeah?
ABHAY
We specialize in other items, as well. More costly than alcohol. But more gratification.
FREDRICK
What are you talking about?
ABHAY
Do you agree a man deserves gratification?
FREDRICK
Yeah…I guess.
ABHAY
We have a different…menu in our private rooms. With more…specialized items.
FREDRICK
You got a menu—for that?
ABHAY
Would you like to see, sir?
FREDRICK
First, tell me—you got the—you got the kind that’s, you know, the, the, the fresh kind? I don’t
want something I could just get at home. You know what I mean?
ABHAY
We have a variety, sir. As fresh as 4 years.
FREDRICK
Oh that’s just—that’s too young. That’s just—I don’t wanna hear that. I don’t wanna know that.
That’s like—that’s like—
(shakes his head)
ABHAY
I apologize sir.
FREDRICK
Yeah, I’m not sick, you know.
ABHAY
Of course not, sir. I apologize.
FREDRICK
That’s not me.
ABHAY
That’s not you. You’re a good man. You’re just looking to have a good time.
FREDRICK
I’m done with my business for this trip so—
ABHAY
It’s time for a little vacation for yourself.
FREDRICK
Yeah, yeah.
ABHAY
I understand.
FREDRICK
I don’t wanna—you know, I don’t wanna do anything weird.
ABHAY
Of course not. You seem very respected.
FREDRICK
Yeah. So…Just—just at least a few years older than that. You know?
ABHAY
(nods)
Shall I show you our menu?
FREDRICK
Ok. Yeah. Show me your menu. Show me your menu.
ABHAY (out)
I hate to look at the girls when I bring the men back. I watch the man’s face instead. It holds
back excitement sometimes. Other times, it calls out rude drunken remarks. When it decides, I
gotta see who it chooses.
(FREDRICK exits)
Some girls look pleased I call their numbers, lead them to a space. Some keep track and flaunt it
over others. Some are horrified, scared of what this man may do to them. Some are…
(JORANI enters. ABHAY looks at her.)
Indifferent. They just accept this as…their path.
JORANI (out)
I have been ready for Buddha’s path of suffering all my life—
(ABHAY exits)
My father died when I was young. My mother left us for days so she could work and I was
lonely. I saw women with leather bags and elegant dresses and I was jealous of what I didn’t
have. I thought I was suffering then, but I was in the path of plenty—of food, shelter, safety,
love. But my true path of suffering opens when I am 11. When my sister, Chantou, gambles
away money that our family does not have. When my mother protects her daughter, protects
herself. When I am not that protected daughter. When I am the one chosen to be sacrificed.
(World changed to JORANI’s childhood home, a SHACK, RURAL

CAMBODIA. PHIRUN enters. HE is dragging CHANTOU. CHANTOU
screams. BOTUM, Jorani’s mother follows behind, crying. JORANI stands
quietly in the back.)
BOTUM
Please! Please!
PHIRUN
I have given you time but you have nothing!
BOTUM
Let her go! Please!
PHIRUN
What do you have for me?
BOTUM
I—I—I have some money for you! It is not nothing. I have some!
(runs to a jar and pulls out some bills)
Here!
(she hands them to him. He lets go of CHANTOU and counts the bills)
PHIRUN
80,000 riel?
BOTUM
And 10 dollars.
PHIRUN
Is this a joke? One month and this is all you have? She owes twice this much!
BOTUM
This is everything! Please!
(PHIRUN pulls out a large knife)
PHIRUN
I will cut off her hands! And yours too!
(grabs Chantou again.)
(CHANTOU screams. BOTUM screams. JORANI backs away, still quiet)
CHANTOU
Mama!
BOTUM
Wait! Wait! Please! Wait!
(she hurls her body around CHANTOU’s)
We—we cannot work without hands! Please! Let us work. Let us earn your money!
PHIRUN
I’ll take what you have and sell your hands for the rest.
(grabs Chantou and pulls her to a table. Slams her arm on the table)
CHANTOU
Mama!
BOTUM
Please! Leave us our hands!
CHANTOU
Mama! Mama! Mama!
BOTUM
Please! Stop! Take our home!
PHIRUN
What is this shack to me? It’s nothing! It’s worthless!
(stretches CHANTOU’s arm out)
CHANTOU
Mama!
BOTUM
We must have something worth the debt! Please! Please!
PHIRUN
I’m doing you a favor. I’m stopping your daughter from costing you more. With no hands, she
cannot gamble.
CHANTOU
Mama!
BOTUM
She’ll bleed to death. We’ll both bleed to death! Have pity!
(she pulls at his arms, but he easily pushes her away. She falls to the floor)
PHIRUN
I have only pity for people like you! I spit on your floor!
(he spits on her)
BOTUM
Please! Please! I beg you! Look around!
(at his feet)
Please! Take whatever you want in our house! Take it! But leave our hands!
(PHIRUN stops for a moment. He stands up straight, holding onto Chantou’s

arm, but not pushing it on the table. She stops screaming. He looks around the
house. They are all silent, waiting.)
PHIRUN
There’s nothing here of value.
(CHANTOU starts to cry again, quietly. PHIRUN keeps looking. JORANI shifts
slightly. Slightly, but in the silence and stillness, it is enough for PHIRUN to
notice her for the first time.)
Who’s she?
BOTUM
(stands)
She?
PHIRUN
The girl.
BOTUM
She is…she’s my younger daughter.
PHIRUN
How old?
BOTUM
She has just turned 11.
PHIRUN
Hm.
BOTUM
What business do you have with her? She’s committed no crime. She makes soap.
PHIRUN
Hm.
(He lets go of Chantou. CHANTOU rushes to her mother’s side.)
BOTUM
Why do you ask about Jorani?
(PHIRUN walks to Jorani and looks at her from all sides)
Why do you ask about her? Please, she is nothing to you. Please…
(PHIRUN holds her face. He turns it up to his)
What do you want with her? What do you want with my baby?
(pause)
PHIRUN
I’ll take her.
CHANTOU
Jorani!
BOTUM
Please…she’s just a child!
PHIRUN
She is not so young.
BOTUM
If you—if you need someone to…go with you, please take me. Jorani has not lived.
PHIRUN
And you’ve lived too much. I don’t want you.
(to Jorani)
Come.
(he grabs Jorani and starts pulling her out)
BOTUM
Wait! I didn’t—I haven’t agreed to this!
PHIRUN
Do you want your hands?
BOTUM
I…want my child…
(Looks off. She has lost.)
(PHIRUN pulls Jorani. She resists)
JORANI
Mama?
BOTUM
Jorani…
CHANTOU
He can’t take her!
(runs to the Phirun and pulls on him)
You can’t take her! My baby sister!
(PHIRUN turns and hits Chantou, throwing her to the floor. She remains there,
weeping.)
JORANI
Chantou!
(she tries to go to her, but Phirun pulls her back)
JORANI
You’re not—you won’t let him…
BOTUM
I will get you the money!
CHANTOU
I’m sorry…
PHIRUN
She’ll earn more than you ever could.
CHANTOU
I’m so sorry…
JORANI
Where am I going?
(PHIRUN pulls her away)
Mama!
BOTUM
My baby…
JORANI
Mama!
PHIRUN
Say good bye.
BOTUM
To live…is to suffer. My baby…
CHANTOU
No!
JORANI
I don’t—
BOTUM
Rid yourself of attachment—
PHIRUN
Come on!
JORANI
How—
BOTUM
And you will rid yourself of suffering…
(PHIRUN pulls Jorani away)
JORANI
Mama…Mama! Mama!
(BOTUM and CHANTOU are crumpled together on the floor)

ACT 2
(ABHAY, CLAIRE, JORANI, MARTA are on stage)
ABHAY (out)
I’m nineteen now and Nihal says I got real potential in this field. I’m good with the men. But
I’m bad with the girls. I don’t look at them.
CLAIRE
“Maybe you’re gay.”
ABHAY
But I don’t touch the boys either. I gotta toughen up.
JORANI
“Get your hands dirty.”
ABHAY (out)
Then I’ll be making the real money, he says. I do wanna make some real money. I want out of
here. Maybe I can get to New York City. Purnima would have loved that. I think my hands are
dirty enough as it is. But I know they can get dirtier. They can always get dirtier.
CLAIRE (out)
The floor in the room is dirty. The shower is dirty, like, wear-your-flip-flops dirty. Even the
bedspread looks dirty. It’s brown, but I think it usta be pink. We’re in a motel room now.
We’re not at the shore yet. But we’re working toward it, Bill says.
MARTA
“Gas prices have gone up. “
ABHAY
“The motel isn’t cheap.”
CLAIRE
If we did less drugs, I think, we’d have some more money. But he says how could we give them
up when they bring us together, connect us at our souls? And, I don’t know, I guess it does
make me feel less worried. Less scared. And I like feeling that.
(out)
He starts bringing guys back to the room and says I need to make us a little more money. I don’t
want to do it. I tell him I won’t, but he says I already have.
ABHAY
“So what’s the big deal?”
MARTA
“Love is not always about candy and movies.”
CLAIRE
He says I ought to trust him ‘cause he knows what’s best for us. I say, “what if I call the cops?”
And he kinda shakes me and says if I do, I’m going to jail ‘cause what I did is illegal. And—
and—I don’t want to go to jail. My dad’s gonna see these pictures Bill has of me, and be like—
what happened to my daughter? And I wouldn’t know what to say because I don’t know what’s
happened to me either. I’m numb.
MARTA
I can’t go numb. They want to break us, so we’ll do whatever they say. That’s why [they]—
JORANI
They take away your clothing.
CLAIRE
Call you by numbers instead of names.
ABHAY
You’re blindfolded when you eat.
JORANI
No windows. You can’t go outside.
CLAIRE
You don’t know when a day ends or when it starts.
MARTA
They’re treating us like prisoners of war. I’ve studied this in school.
JORANI
So what do you do?
MARTA
You have to keep track of days yourself. You have to call each other by your name, not your
number. You have to remember who you are. You can’t go numb. They can break your body,
but you can’t let them break your soul.
JORANI
I don’t resist much anymore. I go with the men. I speak only when spoken to. I turn my face
away from a mirror if I see one now.
(out)
Buddha’s my guide. I suffer. I have no attachments to things, and my heart only yearns for
peace for the children.
MARTA
The ones who were ripped from their mother’s arms before they learned Buddha’s teachings.
JORANI
In our moments together, I impart what I can.
ABHAY
A lesson or two that the Buddha has taught you.
JORANI
For myself—I accept with quietness. But there’s a limit. I have been here for 3 years. I’m
fourteen now. And there is a limit.
CLAIRE
Be strong in your path, Jorani.
ABHAY
Run to it.
MARTA
Then you’ll be free.
(MARTA, ABHAY and CLAIRE step to the background, but remain on stage)
JORANI (out)
This man is worse than the others. Or maybe he’s not. How can I tell the difference any more?
(pause)
He degrades me. And makes me watch myself in the mirror. I am not this thing. Suffering
through this. And yet, that face resembles my face. I don’t want to see that face. I never want to
see that face. That face…that face…that face…
(pause)
Then he pulls out a bar of soap. What I’ve done, what he’s made me do, repulses him now, and
I need to be made clean. It’s not the thin bar of soap from the bathrooms in the upscale hotels.
There is no soap here, but he’s brought his own in his case. It’s large and thick.
(pause)
It smells like lavender.
(pause)
And smoke.
(long pause)
Other men have washed my mouth out with soap before. I sometimes vomit, but I won’t now. I
want to ask him where he bought this soap. But I don’t need to ask. I’m here, with this man,
because of that soap tinged with lavender and cigarette smoke. I’m here…and that soap is being
sold to tourists.
(pause)
And a fire in my heart, that I thought was dead, knows this has to be, this must be, the worst
man I have ever met. And then—with my cleaned face, he makes me look in the mirror again.
That face in the mirror with the soap and the smoke and that face and that face and that face!
(pause)
I will not look at that face anymore! He wants to degrade me again, but he has pushed this face,
this face, this face, too far. So with the taste of lavender and tobacco in my mouth, I do the one
thing I can do to hurt him.
MAN’S VOICE (os)

(screams)
AHHH!
JORANI (out)
I bite him.
CLAIRE
Oh, Jorani…
JORANI (out)
The American beats me himself, but then returns me that day to Mr. Phirun, even though I think
he has me for another week. I don’t hear them speak, because my ears are ringing. I know they
will take me down, to the rooms where the girls seldom come back.
(MALY enters. World changes to BROTHEL, CAMBODIA)
I see Maly in the hall as Mr. Phirun grabs my hair to drag me below. It is only a second I see her
face, but it lasts an eternity to me.
(JORANI stares at Maly. MALY stares back, concerned, confused. They give
each other a small smile.)
She’s just lost a front tooth.
(pause)
And I whisper as I pass by…
(to Maly)
Run.
(JORANI and MALY look at each other. Then MALY runs off stage.)
(out)
It’s dark down here, and I see buttons, wires. It smells like something is burning.
(PHIRUN and GUARD 1 enter with a chair, wires, gloves. They follow Jorani’s
verbal cues in a representative way, but interact with the empty chair, not Jorani.)
It smells like pee. And worse. They take off my bottoms then push me onto a chair. They tie me
to it. So I won’t run away. But I wouldn’t run away. Not this close to the light.
MARTA
I can’t hear this…
JORANI (out)
There are guards standing outside of the room. Why?
CLAIRE
Maybe they know someone will rescue you.
JORANI (out)
This thought, that someone would charge in here to save the poor brown girl—it makes me
laugh. They don’t like that. So they hit me in the face. One of my teeth wiggles now.
MARTA
You had such strong teeth.
(MADAM KUNTHEA enters with a bucket. She follows Jorani’s verbal cues,
but does not come near Jorani or interact, remaining parallel. She looks out.)
JORANI (out)
Madam Kunthea dumps a bucket of water on me. My shirt is drenched. She shakes her head.
ABHAY
She didn’t expect to see you down here.
(MADAM KUNTHEA exits)
JORANI (out)
Mr. Phirun says—
PHIRUN
What a pity.
(exits)
JORANI (out)
Then leaves me with the other man.
(GUARD 1 and JORANI look at each other. GUARD 1 puts on a rubber glove
then holds up a wire.)
CLAIRE
Oh no…
JORANI (out)
And he puts the live wire up inside of me.
CLAIRE
No!
MARTA
Jorani…
ABHAY
And then…
JORANI (out)
It hurts. It hurts! It HURTS! IT HURTS!
(She closes her eyes. The pain leaves her face. She opens her eyes)
And then…
(a slight smile)
I leave my last attachment.
(pause)
I leave my body.
MARTA
Jorani…
JORANI (out)
(still smiling)
Enlightenment.
(Long Pause. Darkness. JORANI, ABHAY, MARTA, GUARD 1 exit.)
(The World changes to Claire’s APARTMENT KITCHEN. Claire’s father,

DAN, a man in his 30s-40s, enters. They sit at a kitchen table.)
CLAIRE (out)
I have my place to go to now. When I don’t want to be here. It’s not exotic or something. It’s
just…home. Getting out a bowl of cereal for my dad when he comes home late from work. I
don’t pour the milk until he sits down. I don’t want it to get soggy.
DAN
You added blueberries.
CLAIRE
They prevent heart disease.
DAN
You shouldn’t know about heart disease.
CLAIRE
They tell us that in school. But I could make you a frozen pizza. I bought one last week.
DAN
This is fine.
CLAIRE
You want me to get you that granola kind next?
DAN
Ok.
CLAIRE
You don’t like the flakes?
DAN
I like the flakes.
CLAIRE
But you’d rather the granola?
DAN
Whatever’s on sale.
CLAIRE
(pause)
How was work?
DAN
I didn’t get laid off.
CLAIRE
That’s good.
DAN
How was school?
CLAIRE
I didn’t get detention.
DAN
We’re just about perfect, aren’t we?
CLAIRE (out)
My dad really tries. He doesn’t know anything about raising a daughter, but he gives me cash to
buy clothes, and he doesn’t let me eat candy for meals.
(DAN moves away from the table. Dinner is over. It’s another evening.)
He always says I look pretty and even though I say “whatever”—I like it. He’s the only person
who’s…just mine. And I’m all his. I know I have to share him a little bit with Heather,
but…still…he’s supposed to be mine first.
(DAN paces)
DAN
You’re acting like a little kid, Claire.
CLAIRE
But it’s not fair!
DAN
You like Heather.
CLAIRE
I’ve met her, like, I don’t know—3 times? I like her, I guess, but I don’t want her to live with
us!
DAN
She’s a sweet woman. And her kids—
CLAIRE
What? You never said she had kids!
DAN
I wasn’t trying to hide it from you. I just—I didn’t want you to think—
CLAIRE
What?
DAN
That…
CLAIRE
That you were spending time with other kids instead of me?
DAN
It was never like that…She has two girls and two boys. The youngest is five.
(pause)
CLAIRE
Would they be moving in too?
DAN
They’re her children.
CLAIRE
Four kids and your girlfriend? Dad!
DAN
She’s being she’s being evicted. She doesn’t have anywhere to go.
CLAIRE
If she’s being kicked out, doesn’t that, doesn’t that show you something about her?
DAN
It’s not her fault. Her ex-husband has been late paying child support so—
CLAIRE
So she has to come here? Can’t she call a judge or something? We only have two bedrooms in
our apartment. Where are they gonna go?
DAN
We’ll get some sleeping bags. Share rooms. We’ll all be making sacrifices.
CLAIRE
But I don’t want to make a sacrifice for them.
(trying not to cry)
Dad, please…please…don’t do this…
DAN
I’m sorry, Claire.
(tries to hug her but she pushes him away)
CLAIRE
That’s it? You’re sorry? You don’t…you don’t even care what I think?
DAN
I care what you think, but…this is what we have to do. I’m still the dad here, right? And this is
one of those decisions I have to make. I can’t turn my back on her.
(CLAIRE shakes her head)
Look, I told Heather I’d be by tonight to help her pack. They’ll come in the morning. Are you
gonna be ok?
(CLAIRE shrugs)
I’ll be back in a few hours. Okay? Okay?

(CLAIRE nods)
Okay.
(DAN exits)
CLAIRE (out)
I stand there. A minute. Ten minutes. I don’t know. I’m so angry. I’ve got, like, these hot tears
on my cheek. I get angry on the bus, at school, but…my home. This is my home. I don’t get
angry here. This is my, I don’t know, this is where I have peace, you know? And I don’t want it
taken away from me.
(grabs a bag)
I stuff a few shirts in my backpack. Some jeans, socks, underwear, flip flops. I grab a poptart
and shove that in too. I’ll go to Jessica’s tonight. She’s not far and her dad is always bringing
back women to her place. She’ll understand. But when I get there, she doesn’t answer the door.
Maybe she’s gone or she can’t hear or she just knows you’re not supposed to answer the door
after 9. I reach in my pocket to call her and realize I left my cell phone at home. I curse at
myself, but I’m not going back there. Not tonight.
(MARTA enters)
I’ll get it tomorrow when my dad’s at work. So I’m standing there, leaning against the door to
Jessica’s apartment building, crying. When Bill notices me.
MARTA (out)
It feels good when someone notices you. They respect you. They see you as a person of worth.
Tasaria and I do that for each other. She keeps my soul going.
(CLAIRE exits)
After the first days or weeks of humiliation, isolation, terror, they give us a bit of rest. We can
eat without a blindfold. And they let us talk to one another. Let us make friends. We sometimes
sit respectfully in chairs while people give us, what they call, “trainings.” The women teach us
how to walk, how to show our bodies to the men in a way that will make them crazy for us, how
to laugh and seem like we are happy doing what we are doing—because no one wants a boring
girl. How to wear our hair and make-up, how to please a difficult customer. Tasaria and I try to
be subtle, not let them know we are friends. She tells me they will use our friendship against us.
They will make us betray each other to break us, or they’ll make us do bad things to save the
other. Look what has happened, she reminds me, when Stefka refused to do to the man what
they wanted. They beat Milena in front of her until Stefka was on her knees begging to do it to
the man now if they would just stop beating her friend. Milena can’t walk well now and Stefka
has gone mute, but she will never refuse anything again.
(TASARIA ENTERS)
So we try to not speak. Which is ok for us, because we are above words. We’re above looks.
We can sense each other, feel each other. If she’s in the room, then I know, someone knows
who I am here. And on rare occasions, we do manage a time to talk.
(World changes to OUTSIDE TRAINING CAMP. TASARIA and MARTA are
digging in the dirt.)
A group of girls, five of us, have been rewarded for our good behavior. We’re given outside
work. We’re in the sun. The guards are standing not far from us, but not paying much attention
to us. This is the freest we have felt in weeks or months—I have no conception of how much
time has passed. We’re digging in the ground. I don’t know if they’ll be planting, or building a
well, but we don’t ask. We’re grateful to see the sun, although it hurts our eyes.
(TASARIA and MARTA don’t look at each other, but look ahead or to their
work.)
TASARIA
Your hands are so dry.
MARTA
Are they?
TASARIA
They looked cracked.
MARTA
It’s the season.
TASARIA
I have some lotion.
MARTA
(turns to Tasaria)
You do?
TASARIA
Look at the ground!
(MARTA looks back to the ground.)
I swear, you’ll be the death of me!
MARTA
Don’t say that.
TASARIA
Why not?
MARTA
It’s in bad taste.
TASARIA
What’s in good taste now? Tell me. Please, and I’ll say it.
(pause)
The lotion.
(drops a small bottle on the dirt.)
(MARTA bends down)
Don’t make it so obvious, Marta!
(MARTA starts to get back up)
Don’t get up quickly like that!
(bends down again)
MARTA
I’m sorry. I’m not good at this.
(stands back up with the lotion)
Where should I put it? Will they search me?
TASARIA
Put it on your hands.
MARTA
Right now?
TASARIA
Subtly. Pretend you’re in a spy movie.
(MARTA tries to subtly put it on her hands)
And yes, they will search you.
MARTA
What will you do with it when you go back inside then?
TASARIA
I’ll be ok.
(MARTA looks at her)

Let a girl have secrets.
MARTA
(pause)
Thank you.
TASARIA
Sure.
(pause)
They’re sending us off next week.
MARTA
They are?
TASARIA
Arta heard them talking. Our training period is almost over.
MARTA
Where are we going?
TASARIA
We’re getting split up.
MARTA
No!
TASARIA
Most of us are going to Germany and the Netherlands.
MARTA
So we have a good chance we’ll stay together.
TASARIA
Are you kidding?
MARTA
What?
TASARIA
You can’t let them take you there.
MARTA
It can’t be any worse than this.
TASARIA
It is. You think it’s bad now? You’re with like 20 guys a night there. And you think these guys
are crazy! The stories I’ve heard…if you get there, you’ll never get out.
MARTA
So what do you…
TASARIA
I’m not going. And you shouldn’t either.
(pause. They dig.)
MARTA
How will you…The girls who run to the caves always get found. And you know what happens
to them…
TASARIA
I’m not going to a cave. Those girls don’t have plans. Look, Tuesdays and Thursdays, around 9
in the morning, a truck carrying potatoes comes by this route.
MARTA
How do you know that?
TASARIA
I just do.
MARTA
The road is…at least a mile away.
TASARIA
So I have to run first. Time it well. And hide.
MARTA
They’ll find you.
TASARIA
They won’t think I’ve stopped after a mile. They won’t think I’m dumb enough to just head for
the open road when cars barely come by. They’ll look further.
MARTA
What if they don’t? What if they find you?
TASARIA
Then they find me. And you run to the truck.
MARTA
Tasaria…
TASARIA
I can’t go on to there. And I can’t stay here. I’ll kill myself first, Marta….Will you come with
me?
MARTA
I don’t know.
TASARIA
Well, you need to decide. Now. I don’t know if we’ll have another private time to talk before
Tuesday. I don’t even like them seeing us next to each other now. They’ll think we’re friends.
MARTA
How do you know when Tuesday is?
TASARIA
Let a girl have—
MARTA
Secrets. I know.
(pause)
I’ll try to come with you.
TASARIA
What does that mean?
MARTA
It means, I’ll…I’ll try, but I…I don’t know if I’m as brave as you.
TASARIA
Two days from now, it’s Tuesday. We’ll be in a “training,” with the men, not the women. And
I’ll look away, refuse to look back, and cough. A guard will grab me and hit me, then he’ll pull
me out of the room. If you want to come with me, cough when I do and look at me. He’ll hit
both of us, and grab you too. If you get scared…just…don’t cough and…watch the training. I
will never tell them your name.
MARTA
The guard is helping you…
TASARIA
You can’t get much of anything without help, Marta. How do you think we were chosen for
outside work today?
MARTA
They say for good behavior—
TASARIA
You think I’ve been behaving good?
MARTA
(pause)
If your plan, to escape, if it doesn’t work…
TASARIA
(she smiles and shrugs)
Then I guess it will be some other girls digging our graves.
(MARTA looks at Tasaria for a second, then at her shovel.)
(ABHAY enters)
ABHAY (out)
Mr. Nihal has a job for me. It’s gonna take me to the next level.
(TASARIA exits)
I’m old enough now. Almost twenty. Strong enough. There she is. She was backtalking Mr.
Nihal. He’d normally take care of it himself, but he says it’s my time now.
(CLAIRE enters. ABHAY and MARTA fade into the back but remain present.)
I’ve seen it done lots of times. But I always look away. This time, I can’t look away.
CLAIRE (out)
I have this fantasy that a customer rescues me. I used to have fantasies about, I don’t know,
marrying this really nice millionaire and buying a house for my dad and being a famous actress
and stuff, and now I just day dream about some random dude who pays for sex to take me away
from this hell hole….I still can’t believe this is my life.
(pause)
Bill takes me out to breakfast today, out of the motel, to a real restaurant. He introduces me as
his girlfriend. He tells me he loves me as he’s, like, pouring syrup on my chocolate chip
pancakes. I smile. I’m polite. I sit there at IHOP and think which waitress I should tell that this
guy has me practically locked up in a motel room. But then, I’m not locked up. And sometimes,
when we’re laughing and eating pizza and playing Pictionary, I think I might love him too. So
would they even believe me?
(BILL enters. The world changes to IHOP, somewhere in New York State. BILL
and CLAIRE sit at a restaurant table.)
When I tell Bill I’m gonna use the bathroom, it’s like, he’s suddenly reading my mind. ‘Cause
he puts his hand on mine, on the table. He plays with the silver charm bracelet he got me, and
smiles, like he’s telling me some romantic secret. And lets me know something he hasn’t
wanted to tell me before, but feels it’s time now.
BILL
They all know, Claire.
CLAIRE (out)
I’m like, who? And he’s like—
BILL
Everyone.
CLAIRE (out)
He says they all get a cut of what we earn. The pizza place around the corner, the motel
manager, the servers at IHOP. Even the local cops.
BILL
So if you’re thinking of telling any of them, just know, they’re not going to stop it. They’re
making money off it too.
CLAIRE (out)
He goes on, again, like he knows my thoughts, telling me the guys that come to me, they’re all
buddies of his too.
BILL
They’re guys from my high school, the army—
CLAIRE (out)
So if I think about telling any of them I want out, they’re just gonna tell him. And then he’s not
gonna be really happy with me.
BILL
You’re so pretty, Claire. You’re lucky so many guys want you.
CLAIRE (out)
He says I gotta just accept this for now, and remember how nice he’s been to me. He says he
doesn’t want to do anything bad to me—
BILL
Or your dad.
CLAIRE (out)
Because I stupidly told him where my dad lives.
BILL
But if I have to…you know, sometimes I gotta do it.
CLAIRE (out)
I’ve seen him beat guys who can’t pay. Beat them on the floor until he’s gotta drag them out,
and who knows what happens to them.
BILL
(kisses her hand)
So just be cool with it. Eat some Twizzlers and read your Cosmo.
CLAIRE (out)
He never lets me use a phone.
BILL
Take a dip in the pool. We almost have enough money to go to the shore.
CLAIRE (out)
I do swim in the pool.
(BILL exits)
I lie in the water and float and try to get up the courage to run. I wanna run. I wanna get out of
here. My knees are always shaking at the pool, because I feel so close to being free. And so
close to him killing me. Would he really kill my dad? Can I take that chance? Why hasn’t my
dad come to save me yet?
(pause)
So I just dry off.
(pause)
And go back to the room.
ABHAY (out)
He’s already hit her a few times.
(CLAIRE backs away, and MARTA joins her, watching.)
Says he couldn’t wait for me.
(World changes to BROTHEL, INDIA. NIHAL enters, pulling a girl, EKTA, on

with him. EKTA crouches down on the floor by Nihal.)
NIHAL
Go on! Go on, Abhay! What are you waiting for? You want to be like me, right? You want to
have the things I have, don’t you? You want to have a life like mine?! Then you have to start
earning it! Making a life for yourself!
(pause)
Abhay! Abhay—are you not like a son to me? Then trust me! Abhay! I have given you
everything! Show me that you respect me! Respect what I do!
(pause)
Are you a boy or a man?
(pause)
Abhay! Are you a boy or a man?
(pause)
ABHAY
A man.
(HE punches Nihal. Nihal falls to the floor. HARJEET, one of Nihal’s men,
enters, rushes to Abhay and pulls his arms behind his back. HARJEET pushes
him off as he and ABHAY exit. NIHAL stands, stares after them, smooths his
hair, grabs Ekta and drags her out.)
MARTA
Oh, no…
CLAIRE
They’re beating him.
MARTA
Tying him up.
CLAIRE
Throwing him in a pit out back.
MARTA
Filled with rats.
CLAIRE
They’ll chew on him…
MARTA
He’s going down his path.
CLAIRE
Ours is starting soon too…
MARTA (out)
It terrifies me the way Tasaria talks. Although we won’t talk to each other any more. Our
mouths are sealed shut and our eyes are on the floor. I think two days have passed since Tasaria
and I…were digging graves.
(TASARIA enters. Marta’s world changes to TRAINING CAMP, ALBANIA)
We’re in our class and I’m staring at Tasaria’s feet. These feet which I’ve grown so used to
looking at. The tan line from wearing her sandals over the summer. How her middle toe is
longer than the rest. She knows I’m looking at her feet, but my peripheral vision is good now. I
am surprised at how much I can see without looking. I see her raise one eyebrow, just a little bit.
And I think the edge of her mouth is curling up. She wiggles her toe. Today is the day.
CLAIRE (out)
I’m tired now. I don’t see how this will end. In a movie, you believe it will, you know? You can
watch the bad stuff, because it’s not going to end like that, right? You just, like, have faith that
the movie will offer some way out for the girl. She’ll run, or someone will save her, or the bad
guy will, I don’t know, get shot or something. But, what if those things don’t happen? What if
you’re really in that movie…and you can’t see any way out?
(pause)
Bill says I’m not smiling much now, at him, at the customers. He feels bad I’m not happy, and
he’s gonna help me. He wants me to take some more drugs. Different ones. They’re more
expensive, but he says I’m worth it, and he promises it’ll make me feel better about everything.
MARTA (out)
My heart is beating out of my chest during the training. My hands are slippery and cold. A
guard keeps watching Tasaria but she plays it very cool. She has a confidence, a strength, that I
am not sure I have. After she is called up for a turn to demonstrate, she walks back, and I don’t
think she’s felt a thing. Her mind is set on freedom. It’s set on seeing that sun again, playing
with her baby brother, listening to her father sing an old Roma tune before they go to bed:
(MARTA sings softly, and TASARIA dances and hums in dream-like light.)
“Beautiful you are, your eyes are beautiful.

I left my home for you!
My mother and my father,
brother and sister.
I promised you, I’ll go with you,

Yes, I’m coming, I died without you!”1
(TASARIA stops dancing)
I died without you…
(The daydream is over. GUARD 1 enters. TASARIA and MARTA stand near
each other)
Tasaria is coughing.
1
From “Shej baxtali” or “Lucky Girl.”
(TASARIA coughs and looks away.)
GUARD 1
Are you sick?
TASARIA
No, sir.
(TASARIA coughs and looks away. She glances at Marta. MARTA looks
straight ahead. TASARIA stops coughing for a beat as she takes in the reality
that she is going on her own.)
GUARD 1
Pay attention!
(TASARIA pays attention for a beat. Then coughs.)
Pay attention!
TASARIA
I’d rather not.
(GUARD 1 hits Tasaria but she doesn’t fall. She looks at Marta. He hits her
again. She stumbles, but she stands. He hits her a third time and she falls to the
floor. MARTA looks away. GUARD 1 pulls Tasaria up and pushes her out of the
room. GUARD 1 and TASARIA exit.)
MARTA (out)
I died without you…
CLAIRE (out)
The new drugs make me slow. It makes me talk slow, I walk slow. And I think slow. Then I
meet this guy. Another friend of Bill’s. Better treat him well. They’re always Bill’s friends.
(ENRICHO, a man in his 30s or 40s, enters. World changes to MOTEL ROOM.)
He’s wearing jeans and an Aerosmith t-shirt when he comes in. I ask him what kind of music
that band plays. I’ve heard of them, I tell him, but they’re old. He laughs.
ENRICHO
Do you think I’m old?
CLAIRE
I don’t know. You’re…what? Bill’s age? Is that old?
ENRICHO
Who’s Bill?
CLAIRE
Bill.
ENRICHO
There are a lot of Bills in the world, honey.
CLAIRE
No, but…your friend. That guy who brought you here.
ENRICHO
I just emailed the ad I found online.
CLAIRE
On—You don’t know who…?
ENRICHO
You mean your guy outside?
CLAIRE
Yeah.
ENRICHO
Believe me, he’s not gonna tell me his real name, honey.
CLAIRE
Oh.
ENRICHO
Are you ok? You seem a little out of it.
CLAIRE
I’m ok.
(out)
But I’m not ok….And someone asked….Someone asked if I’m ok. My feet wanna move. But
they can’t. I wanna leave with Enricho, this man who’s not Bill’s friend, who doesn’t even
know who Bill is. They don’t all know who Bill is! Who remembered that I’m a person and I
have, like, my own feelings and I just might not be ok. But I can’t form the words. Whatever
Bill’s got me on, I can’t form the words.
(ENRICHO exits)
Enricho leaves, but I’m watching Bill now. I smile my drugged-up smile. I let him take his turn
with me and he doesn’t know I’m starting to remember who I was without him. And when he
leaves his bag in the room for ten minutes—he’s going to get some pizza for us—I open it. I see
all the drugs…so many bottles and pills and needles and powder. And I want to feel again.
(pause)
So I dump it. All of it. I dump all of it down the toilet and I flush it. Once, twice. I flush it three
times. I’m still flushing it when Bill comes in and sees me.
MARTA (out)
I think I won’t hear of Tasaria’s escape until nighttime.
CLAIRE (out)
He gets this look again. The look he had the first night I met him and he beat up that guy in
front of Jessica’s building. The look he gets when guys don’t pay all they’re supposed to, then
he punches them until they’re quiet. He gets that look and then he always punches someone.
MARTA (out)
But I hear of it much too soon.
CLAIRE (out)
This time, it’s me.
MARTA (out)
My sister, my Tasaria…We’re all called out of this training, only ten minutes after she leaves.
CLAIRE (out)
But he doesn’t stop there. The drugs are in the toilet so he drags me in there. He’s screaming at
me. I’ve never seen him so angry. He’s cursing at me, slamming my head on the toilet.
MARTA (out)
They herd us outside of the building. We blink our eyes at the sun. The hateful sun.
CLAIRE (out)
I know I’ll black out soon. That’s what happens in the movies. I just need to be patient...
MARTA (out)
Outside, there she is. My Tasaria. Naked…Tied to a stake.
CLAIRE (out)
Gotta be patient.
MARTA (out)
They burn her to death.
CLAIRE (out)
I’m fading…fading…
MARTA (out)
Then they come for me.
(DARKNESS. MARTA and CLAIRE fade to back. JORANI enters)
(A DREAM-LIKE WORLD. JORANI stands, clean, pure, dressed in something

simple, timeless, shapeless.)
JORANI (out)
My chest is tight. But it isn’t pain. I smile not out of force, but because I feel light. It’s a new
sensation. One I have never truly experienced, although I always sought it.
(pause)
I’m at peace.
(ABHAY enters)
But I know they are not.

(pause)
I see my sister is swimming, drowning.
CLAIRE
I can’t breathe.
JORANI
The water is cold on your face. Your hair is clumped.
CLAIRE
It’s dripping.
JORANI
My brother feels bites on every part of his body. So many open wounds already. So much
blood.
ABHAY
I have a rat for a hand.
JORANI
They’re eating you…
ABHAY
Let them.
JORANI
My Romanian sister is being buried alive.
MARTA
Our love must have been too powerful to be kept hidden as a secret.
JORANI
More piles of dirt on your face…
MARTA
I think of the silkworms at home…
(pause)
JORANI (out)
They’ve given up.
ABHAY
Who wouldn’t?
JORANI
But you remember your name, Abhay.
ABHAY
My name.
JORANI
Your mother gave you two things: a sister—
ABHAY
Who I lost.
JORANI
And a name. She carefully chose both of your names. She was a young mother, but she thought
for months about your names.
ABHAY
Purnima has always been my full moon.
JORANI
She shines in your darkness.
ABHAY
But my name—
JORANI
You know what your name means.
ABHAY
(pause)
Fearless.
(pause)
Fearless is what put me with the rats.
JORANI
But it doesn’t have to let you die with the rats. Be fearless again. When you have lost all trust in
people, trust again.
CLAIRE
I’m not fearless. I’m, like, the total opposite of that now. So close to dying. Shouldn’t I feel
relieved? Because I don’t.
JORANI
But it’s not your path, Claire.
CLAIRE
He’ll kill me. He’ll kill me now and I’ll, oh God, I’ll die in a toilet bowl!
JORANI
Listen, Claire.
CLAIRE
(listens)
I don’t hear anything.
JORANI
No. You don’t.
CLAIRE
So…
JORANI
So…
CLAIRE
He’s gone.
JORANI
He’s gone.
CLAIRE
Then all I have to do…
JORANI
All you have to do…
CLAIRE
Is pick my head up.
JORANI
That’s it.
CLAIRE
Out of the water.
JORANI
That’s all….And Marta…
MARTA
I’m filled with…so much…anger…rage…fire! I will die for Tasaria if I must but I will not be
quiet again!
JORANI
Be loud if you desire, but think, plan, as Tasaria would. Use your rage, your fire. This torture is
lasting for hours. If they wanted you dead, would they bury you for hours?
(pause)
What did Tasaria tell you to do if they caught her?
MARTA
If they find her…then I should run to the truck.
(pause)
But I can’t move, under the dirt. And Tasaria is here, her body, her soul…How could I leave my
Tasaria?
JORANI
Tasaria’s soul would never stay here. What remains of her—it’s only ashes now…
MARTA
I’ll make my own ashes now…Ashes to engulf those evil ashes…
JORANI
Now…
ABHAY (out)
Be fearless. Trust again.
CLAIRE (out)
Get your head above the water.
MARTA (out)
Make your own ashes now.
JORANI
Be freed.
(GAGGER 1 and GAGGER 2 dart on stage and tie up Abhay’s legs)
(JORANI, CLAIRE and MARTA exit)
(World changes to INDIA. A PIT far behind the brothel/bar where Abhay has
lived. It is late, dark.)
ABHAY (out)
The rats are noisy. Biting, wiggling, tearing into my flesh. They’re all I can hear. But then—
(GAGGER 1 and GAGGER 2 tie up Abhay’s arms)
I hear something else.
(ROB enters. He is a tourist, in his 20s, with a backpack on. He’s running after
someone)
ROB
Hey, kid! Come back here! Come back—hey—where the hell are you leading me? I can’t see
anything back here! Seriously? You’re going to just—steal my take-out? You don’t want my
wallet? Come on…
(GAGGERS tie Abhay’s mouth and push him down to a seated position on the
floor. GAGGERS exit. ROB kicks at some dirt)
Keep it. Wherever you are, kid. It was shit food anyway.
(The rats make a sound and ROB turns toward it.)

Hey.
(ABHAY shuffles.)
Hey.
(ROB circles around where Abhay is)
Is that you, with my food? Is someone over there? You didn’t—

(walks closer)
Is that a—is that some sort of well down there? Who’s down there? Where the hell am I?
(ROB takes his backpack off and rifles through it. He pulls out a flashlight.)
Okay. I’m gonna shine a light down there, so if you’re a cobra, please do not freak out and jump
at me. Okay? Ok.
(shines the light down at Abhay)
Oh, God!
(back away)
Oh, God!
(pause)
Oh, God.
(turns back to Abhay)
Sorry. Sorry. Ok. Um—hey, look. I’ll—uh—I’ll…
(shines the light down again)
Oh, God—you can’t talk, can you? Shit. Oh, God. That’s…that’s…Okay, I’m just gonna reach
down and pull you—shit. You’re all tied up. You can’t grab my hand. Oh, shit. I should call the
cops. I should just—I should go. This isn’t my business—this doesn’t look good. What kind of
place is this? I mean, shit, what happened to you? You can’t talk. Right. You can’t talk. Ok. I
should go.
(ROB starts to leave.)
(ABHAY makes a small sound.)
(ROB stops and turns back. He shines the flashlight down again)
Shit, you’re gonna die down there…Ok. I’m gonna…I’m gonna…okay, I’m gonna come down
there. Ok? I’m gonna come down there and…I’ll untie you and, and, and, I’ll hoist you up and
then…and you pull me out. Ok? Ok?
(circles)
Shit, those rats do not look friendly. Ok. Just—just don’t freak out on me, ok? Ok. Here I go.
(starts to get in pit but stops)
Ok. Here I go. It’s just like hazing.
(starts to get in pit but stops)
Here I go. Here I go.
(jumps into pit.)
(ROB is next to Abhay now. They are very close together. There is little room to
move.)
Shit! Shit! Shit! I got rats all over me! Okay—Okay! Okay! I’m gonna untie your mouth, but
don’t yell or anything, ok? Whoever did this to you…I don’t want them running back here, ok?
(ROB unties Abhay’s mouth. ABHAY breathes out.)
You alright? Shit, this is disgusting. Ok, I’m gonna untie your legs now. Don’t kick my face,
alright? Just, just be cool.
(ROB unties his legs)
Ok. Good. You’re being cool. Thanks, man. I’m gonna untie your arms now. You’re not gonna
start swinging and whatever? Right? Okay.
(ROB unties Abhay’s arms)
Okay. Dude, these rats are insane—let’s get out of here.
(hoists Abhay up)
Pull yourself up the rest of the way, dude. You got it? You got it?
(ABHAY is out of the pit.)
Okay, now, you just gotta lean down and see if you can help me up a little—it’s not that deep.
Shit, these rats are crazy. You strong enough for that?
(ABHAY leans down and grabs Rob’s arm. ABHAY helps pull Rob out of the
pit. Rob brushes off his clothes quickly.)
Dude! We did it. Shit, you look awful. But we did it! I think we need to get a rabies shot or
something.
(ABHAY and ROB look at each other for a minute.)
You gotta go to the hospital, man.
(ABHAY starts to walk away)
Hey. Are you going to the hospital? Dude, you’re like mostly blood right now. I don’t even
know how you’re walking.
(pause)
Hey, come back here.
(catches up with him)
Ok, I’ll take you to the hospital. Come on.
(he starts to walk toward a road, but Abhay doesn’t follow)
Come on.
(gestures)
Come with me. Come on. Shit, you don’t speak English. I. Help. You. I’ll help you.
(ABHAY walks away)
Hey—dude. What’s wrong with you? Where are you going?

(ROB puts his hand on Abhay’s arm. Abhay shakes him off.)
I jumped in a rat pit to help you, man. I know I’m a stranger and clearly you got the shit kicked
out you so you probably don’t want to hang with someone right now, but seriously. You’re
gonna die if you don’t let me help you. You wanna die?
(ABHAY looks at him for a beat. Then he slowly shakes his head.)
Ok. Good. You don’t wanna die. Good.

(pause)
And you do know English.
(pause. ABHAY looks at Rob.)

Come on.
(Rob takes a few steps toward the road. ABHAY follows. They exit)
(CLAIRE enters. World changes to MOTEL BATHROOM.)
CLAIRE (out)
I’ve never been so happy to hear nothing before. I don’t know where he’s gone. He might just
be, like, right outside the room. He might be looking for his gun. I have no idea. But he’s not in
the bathroom. He’s not in the motel room. So this is my chance. I want to do it, but…why is it
so hard to move?
(CLAIRE BODY is on stage, draped over a toilet. Her back is to the audience
and she wears the same clothing, same hair style, as CLAIRE. Her head is in the
toilet bowl, she is bloodied and bruised.)
Just lift your head up. Just, like, just lift your head up. Do it. That’s it. Do it! Lift your head up!
Lift your head up! LIFT YOUR HEAD UP!
(CLAIRE BODY suddenly pulls her head out of the toilet and gasps for air.)
You’re alive!
(laughs)
Oh, God, you did it! You’re breathing! I’m breathing!
(CLAIRE bends down on her knees, puts her hands on Claire Body’s shoulders,
and stares at CLAIRE BODY)
I’m alive!
(The sounds and lights of a fire fill the stage. World changes to TRAINING
CAMP, ALBANIA. Confusion, as CAPTIVE 1, GUARD 1 and GUARD 2,
along with perhaps representations of children are in a frenzy, running around,
maybe screaming, calling out to one another. We don’t see their faces, but their
bodies are almost shadows in the background. These are the girls of the Training
Facility, the kidnappers, and the traffickers.)
(CLAIRE and CLAIRE BODY exit together)
(MARTA walks from the chaos into the light. The Fire quiets and the people
move slowly now)
MARTA (out)
My ashes engulf the evil ashes.
(CAPTIVE 1, GUARD 1, GUARD 2 and the CHILDREN merge into the

background as the Fire dulls and they stop moving)
I do it for her. For us. For my silent sisters.

(pause)
As they fill my mouth, my lungs with dirt, sticks poking at my beaten skin, I grab one. I grab
two. They’re small. Not even bigger than the palm of my hand, but I grasp them through the
powdery dirt. If this is not the end for me, I will do justice for Tasaria and I will take these
sticks with me. I’m naked, so I put the sticks the only place I can hide them.
(pause)
When they let me back in, they make their mistake. They don’t rape me. They don’t burn me
too or search my naked body. They put me in a room. By myself. They think that seeing my
best friend burned to death, feeling myself be buried alive for hours, and now sticking me
solitary confinement—this will be punishment enough. This will break me. This will end my
resistance. But it doesn’t. And I am not by myself in here. I have two sticks.
(pause)
I take out my sticks and I blow on them until I feel dizzy, waving my hands over them to dry
them completely. It’s dark, but I don’t need light. My mind rushes back to when my brothers
and sisters and I would camp in the woods behind our house. My father made us start a fire on
our own, no matches. In the wild, we would not have matches, he’d say. We’d race to see who
could start their fire first. I never won, but I never gave up and my fire would eventually burn as
brightly as any of my brothers’. When my sticks are dry, I feel for the other thing they left in
this room with me. My hair. I grab a fistful of dirty hair and I pull. I pull and I pull and I pull it
out. I don’t know how much time has passed. But now, I have a pile of dirty yellow hair on the
floor. My head is throbbing and numb, but I have my kindling. And I have my sticks. And I
have my father’s voice in my head telling me just how to rub two sticks together to start a
flame. And so I do.
(flames grow and previous CAPTIVES, GUARDS and children representations
enter and begin to move with the flames)
This is an old building, made almost entirely of wood, and it doesn’t take long for my little fire
of hair to catch onto the dry old door they’ve locked.
(flames grow)
I don’t even smell the smoke. I only smell freedom.
(CLAIRE enters)
(The flames quiet)
CLAIRE (out)
I crawl out of that dark motel room. And it’s sunny outside.
(The flames die down. CAPTIVE 1, CAPTIVE 2, GUARD 1, GUARD 2 and the
children representations exit.)
I keep on crawling until a motel maid sees me and calls 911. They take me to a hospital.
ABHAY (out)
This tourist with a backpack stays with me in the car until we reach Hospital. He tries to carry
me in, but I won’t have that. He makes me lean on him as we walk inside. I don’t mind this so
much.
MARTA (out)
I’m a naked girl running through Albanian mountains in the middle of the night with other
naked girls. Burns, scars, bruises, blood on us. We know we’ve lost many already, and several
more turn around and go back. The building is burning, but they still turn back. They’re terrified
someone will kill us, they think their families would never take them in again, they somehow
have come to trust the guards more than the thought of trusting a stranger.
(pause)
I understand.
(pause)
But I don’t turn back. We keep running, and eventually, we see a truck on a road. It’s a husband
and a wife. They have a farm a few miles back.
(pause)
There’s a farm only a few miles from here.
(pause)
They’ve never seen this building. We’ve never known about them. They’ve been selling their
produce all day and are driving in the darkness to return to their home. I thank God for this
farm—for their olives, for their grapes and honey and sugar beets that have brought this couple
and their truck to us. They give us animal blankets and they’ll drive us to a hospital in the city.
I fall asleep in their truck. The bumpy road, the cold night air, the way we are all huddled
together like newborn puppies—it doesn’t bother me. It comforts me. Tasaria is not with me,
but I know she is happy with what I’ve done. Her sacrifice has brought us here. And I wake up
to the sun on my face. The kind sun.
(JORANI enters)
CLAIRE (out)
My life will never be the same.
MARTA (out)
But I’m alive.
ABHAY (out)
I’m alive.
CLAIRE (out)
Alive.
JORANI (out)
And even when we leave this world, we hope that a part of us has changed someone else.
(MALY enters)
MALY (out)
Are you a grandmother? I’ve been running all day…I’m waiting for my sister…
JORANI
And we pray that they can hold onto hope. Hold onto life. Hold onto Victory. Because there will
be times, when they say—
ABHAY/CLAIRE/MARTA/JORANI/ /MALY
I feel alone.
JORANI (out)
When they are scared that the world turns as it always has, without them.
ABHAY/CLAIRE/MARTA/JORANI/MALY
I have been forgotten.
JORANI (out)
But we hope they remember—
(to Abhay/Claire/Marta/Maly)
You have not been forgotten. For every person who shows you the kindness you deserve—
know there are hundreds of thousands more, whom you will never meet, but who care for you
too. There will not be victories for all of you. But they will remain persistent for you. They will
tell the world about you. Your voices are heard by them.
MARTA (out)
We have a future again.
CLAIRE (out)
With memories and scars.
JORANI (to Claire)

Your dad may embrace you, Claire, and you may study marine biology, finally get to the ocean
you’ve been dreaming of.
CLAIRE
I might find acceptance. Love.
MARTA
But…You might drop out of college because you can’t focus on your studies. Because you’re
too scared Bill might find you.
MARTA
You might become a prostitute because it’s something you can do, and you know how quickly
you can make money.
ABHAY
Money is nice.
CLAIRE (to Abhay)

You might have money some day, Abhay. This tourist might help you find a safe house, and
you might receive your own education. Start a business, sell your own mangoes on the street.
ABHAY
And drop one on the ground when I see a hungry child eyeing it.
CLAIRE
Or…you might go back on the street.
MARTA
Start cutting yourself because you still believe you have no right to live.
JORANI
Maybe you will work for the UN, Marta. Advocate for girls like you and Tasaria.
ABHAY
Buy a big house for your family in the countryside.
CLAIRE
But maybe you can’t get past Tasaria.
ABHAY
Maybe she tells you to engulf more evil ashes with your ashes.
MARTA
There is so much badness in this world…
ABHAY
Maybe you end up hurting more people with all the flames.
(pause)
MARTA
But maybe I don’t.
(pause)
JORANI
Maybe…you all find peace in life.
(pause)
ABHAY
Maybe.
CLAIRE
Maybe.
MARTA
Maybe.
(pause)
CLAIRE
But for now…
MARTA
For now…
ABHAY
For now…
(pause)
JORANI
Know there’s good in this world.
(pause)
And you’re free.
END OF PLAY
A CONVERSATION WITH THE PLAYWRIGHT

How did you learn about human trafficking?
Some time around 2007, I attended a church where I heard Rob Morris, the president and
cofounder of the international anti-trafficking organization, Love 146, speak about his
experience visiting (undercover) a brothel with underaged children in Southeast Asia. I was
shocked and horrified at what I heard. How could this be going on in the 21st Century? How
could this have gotten to the point where millions and millions of people have been trafficked?
How could adults be coercing and forcing children into this field? How could so many people
be paying for this act of violence? I felt sick to my stomach. But I wanted to help. The topic has
stayed close to my heart since.
Why did you want to write a play about this topic?

I began my support of Love 146 that first day when I heard about the issue, and since then, the
idea of writing a play on this topic would surface and resurface. As a playwright, I entertain, but
I have always striven to provoke greater thought within my audience—whether it be a political
issue disguised in plants living in a greenhouse or about the lack of human connection told
through a girl speaking to a talking Bingo Chip. I typically write dark comedies, but I also love
writing dramatic pieces. The issue of child trafficking immediately spoke to me, and I felt
extreme sympathy and sadness for the children being abused. Since I heard the speaker back in
the early 2000s, the issue of human trafficking has gotten more attention and our world is much
more aware of it. However, many people still don’t truly understand the scope of this
devastating crime. I wanted to use my talent of dramatic writing to bring this issue to the
forefront, to bring it to a personal level for the audience (not merely facts and figures), to
connect us to characters we can care for, and to inspire us to do something about it.
Finally, a few years ago, after I had my own children and watched them playing with ease at the
beach, and apple picking in an orchard, I was struck with the urgency to create this play, for
those who cannot experience the freedom we take for granted. To begin the journey of delving
into this dark world so many people don’t even know exists. And to give a voice to the children
who should not be voiceless.
What was the process of researching like?

This was honestly the most difficult part for me. For months, I was immersed in watching
documentaries, reading articles and memoirs, and speaking to professionals who work in the
field of human trafficking. It weighed me down and stayed with me. It is a very dark world to
be in, even if just researching, and I had to step away from it from time to time. I know,
however, that the children who are experiencing this have no way to step away from their
suffering. When I started to write the play itself, I found some light again, as I heard the voices
of the characters and their stories unfolding. There is so much darkness there is hope. There is
strength. And children as still children.
Years ago, I worked in social services at a residential diagnostic center for children under the
age of 10. The children I worked with had been through such extreme cases of abandonment,
neglect and abuse. But they were still children. Living at the home, they were interested in
video games and Pokemon and board games; they played basketball, read books; they liked
bowling and shopping for school clothes and dance parties. They had trauma they had to work
through and will continue to work through, but they were children. It amazed me how resilient
and strong they were, and I thought of this as I researched and entered my first draft.
Several years later, I had the honor to lead a theater program with teen girls from the NYC area
who had experienced human trafficking. While their pasts had scars that would always remain
with them, again, I was struck at how, when engaging in improvisation or rehearsing scenes,
they giggled and teased and had the same nerves and joys as any other teenage girl in a theater
program. Trauma does not disappear and has consequences that remain throughout a lifetime,
but the instinct to play, laugh and find joy is strong, and if given opportunity, it can resurface.
How much of this story is really true?

This is a question I’m asked a lot. I would love to be able to say that I made up these extreme
situations, but the types of events that happen in this play are based on real events that have
happened. There was a “training camp” discovered where girls were buried alive as torture or
burned, there are facilities where girls are electrocuted as punishment. There are men and
women who lure girls away with promises of jobs in another country, and men who form a
dating relationship with a girl before turning her into his unwilling prostitute. This play is a
work of fiction and I created the characters from my mind, but the level of atrocity that these
girls experience in my play is not unlike the realities that some girls and boys face.
Why did you choose to use so many monologues to tell this story?
The topic of human trafficking is very emotional. It is an extremely difficult subject to broach,
and I wanted to handle it with the utmost respect, while still allowing the audience to see into
the atrocities. I did not want to sensationalize anything, and I felt that monologues would allow
us to see what happened in our minds, rather than showing us material that might cross a line.
I also knew that many children find themselves in situations where they feel very alone and
isolated. There are groups of children together, and it is sometimes a technique exploiters use to
gain power—they leverage a child’s friendship with someone in order to get them to do
something, or punish them. So even friendships that are formed can be used against the
children. Using monologues allowed the characters to share with us their situation, as well as
give us insight to their inner world which we might not realistically be able to see otherwise in a
play.
Does this really happen in the United States and other Developed Nations?
Definitely. There is more coverage now than there used to be, but it still is an issue that many
people don’t believe. Sometimes it might be a father who is prostituting out his daughter in her
own bedroom, sometimes it is a prostitution ring that has started from children who have run
away looking for understanding and shelter (in fact, one out of every three runaway children are
approached by a pimp within the first 2 days of leaving home). Sometimes it is an individual
who enters into a “dating” relationship with a girl only to prostitute her out himself. Sadly, the
list goes on. And sadly, it often goes on without people knowing, from cities to suburbs to rural
areas.
Do you have any tips on producing this piece?

There is great opportunity for a director and designers to explore with this play. Because it
shifts between worlds and times, it allows for creativity in bringing these aspects to light. The
worlds change fast, so there is no need to be literal about location. A good director will also find
lots of movement and poignancy in stillness to create these pictures. Actors have meaty parts to
sink their teeth into and will come up with great moments. I am always impressed by the
amazing things other theatre artists bring to my work, and I trust talented people to do just that.
It’s a dark piece, but be careful not to get lost in the darkness. There is light also, and this is just
as important to see.
This seems like such a big issue. What can we actually do to help?
You are already reading this play and by doing so, you are hearing these voices. The voices are
not mute if you are listening. If you are able to produce this play, take the opportunity to make
others aware this problem exists, generate conversations about it, and share. If you’re a
caregiver, talk with your child openly, keep your child safe online, and learn the red flags of
someone being groomed for trafficking.
In addition, we can invest in organizations that fight on the front lines to rescue children,
prevent exploitation, and provide after-care to survivors (I provide a short list at the end of this
Q and A). When these organizations can rely on our support, they can work on behalf of those
in need. Cultures who accept forced labor or prostitution as part of a way of life can change that
mindset. As a world, our governments can enact and enforce laws to protect children. Business
leaders and consumers can take the financial power out of the hands of criminals (trafficking is
a multi-billion dollar “industry” after all).
It may seem like this problem is overwhelming, and frankly, it is. But it is not so overwhelming
that nothing can be done. We cannot become stuck in the heaviness and we must remember that
there is always hope. There is always the possibility of change. Children can hold onto pieces of
themselves, they can recover (scars and all), they can laugh, they can heal. We must remember
the voices of those who are voiceless, those who are silenced, those who are no longer in this
world—voices like those of Marta, Jorani, Claire and Maly.
Thank you for hearing their voices.

Organizations that help
While the atrocities committed against the victims of human trafficking and exploitation are
astounding in number (an estimated 40 million people), there are also a growing number of
organizations working to combat these crimes. Here are only a few organizations who work to
prevent, rescue and/or give aftercare to those who have experienced this violation. You can find
a list of over 100 organizations with similar missions on Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organizations_that_combat_human_trafficking
Love 146: Love146.org

Love146’s vision is the end of child trafficking and exploitation. Nothing less. We believe this is
only possible through a bold, broad vision that cannot be achieved by only one person,
organization, perspective, or approach. The movement of people who agree that no child should
be trafficked encompasses a broad base of diverse stakeholders and supporters — people who
disagree about a myriad of issues, but who all share the vision of the end of child trafficking.
The movement benefits from this wide-reaching support and from its diversity; from the voices
of people who come to the table with different perspectives and experiences. As such, Love146
strives to set a big table in order to foster both collaborations and the collective will to end
child trafficking. We come to this table as learners, for while we seek to be experts on ending
child trafficking we understand that we will never know it all.
Polaris Project: www.polarisproject.org

Polaris, named after the North Star that guided enslaved people to freedom in the U.S., disrupts
the conditions that allow human trafficking to thrive in our society. From working with
government leaders to protect victims’ rights, to building partnerships with the world’s leading
technology corporations, we spark long-term change that focuses communities on identifying,
reporting and eliminating trafficking networks. Our comprehensive model puts victims at the
center of all that we do -- helping survivors restore their freedom, preventing more victims, and
gathering the data to pursue traffickers wherever they operate. Unparalleled expertise.
Relentlessness. And an innovative spirit.
Girls Educational and Mentoring Services’ (GEMS): www.gems-girls.org

Based in NYC, GEMS’s mission is to empower girls and young women, ages 12–24, who have
experienced commercial sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex
industry and develop to their full potential. GEMS is committed to ending commercial sexual
exploitation and domestic trafficking of children by changing individual lives, transforming
public perception, and revolutionizing the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited
youth.
More Notable Organizations:
Children of the Night: www.childrenofthenight.org
Agape International Missions: www.agapewebsite.org
Reaching out Romania: www.reachingout.ro
Destiny Rescue: www.destinyrescue.org
Breaking Out Corporation: www.breakingoutcorp.org
The Centre to End All Sexual Exploitation (CEASE): www.ceasenow.org
Children for Change Cambodia: www.cccambodia.org
Walk Free: www.walkfree.org

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
Tara’s plays have been presented by theater companies around the world
such as Fusion Theatre, Mosaic Theater Company of DC, The Directors
Company, Le Petit Theatre de Terrebonne, Theatre One, Tutti Bravi
Productions, Westchester Collaborative Theater, Possibilities Theater,
Tagragg Productions, One Armed Man, Oracle Theatre, Inc, the Bobik
Theatre Ensemble, The Acme Theatre Company, The Harlequin Players,
Woman Seeking, and numerous schools, universities and colleges including
Colgate, Gardner-Webb, Prince Williams, and Peru. Her work has showcased at festivals such
as the Artists of Tomorrow Festival in NYC, The Bangkok Community Theatre Fringe Festival,
the Pittsburgh New Works Series, and the Last Frontier Theatre Conference in Alaska. Tens of
thousands of teachers, actors and students world-wide have utilized her monologues for
competitions, course material, auditions, showcases, and in workshops at theaters, acting
studios, colleges and schools. Tara has taught Playwriting at Carnegie Mellon, the Pittsburgh
Public Theatre, for The Westport Country Playhouse, and she has led Creative Dramatics
Workshops for children and teens in underserved areas throughout New York and New Jersey.
She has script consulted on several animation and VR projects. Tara’s work has been published
by Oxford Press South Africa, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA),
Limelight Editions/Applause Acting Series, YouthPLAYS, The Hunger Journal, Meriweather
Publishing, Applause Theatre & Cinema, Performer Stuff and Ace-Your-Audition. She is a
recipient of the Shubert Fellowship in Dramatic Writing, the Sloan Screenwriting Fellowship,
the New Works for Young Women [Actors] Award, The Write Stuff Award, and is a member of
the Dramatist’s Guild. She holds her MFA in Dramatic Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.
For more information about Tara Meddaugh or her work,

visit her website at www.tarameddaugh.com.

For My Silent Sisters By Tara Meddaugh

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2 |For My Silent Sisters Tara Meddaugh

For My Silent Sisters

Copyright © 2013 by Tara Meddaugh

Marta Maggie Raymond

With also Sara Jean Ford* and Milo Cenholt-Haulund.

Directed By Mat Young

*Actors appeared courtesy of Actors Equity.

For My Silent Sisters

FOR MY SILENT SISTERS

MARTA A girl from Romania. She is 16 years old.

JORANI A girl from Cambodia. She is 11 through 14 years old.

ABHAY A boy from India. He is 9 through 19 years old.

WOMAN 2 A woman who plays mostly child/teenage roles (15-30): TASARIA,

MALY * A girl from Cambodia, she is 5 through 7 years old.

PURNIMA * A girl of about 7, from India.

* Maly and Purnima may be doubled, if necessary.

AT RISE: JORANI, CLAIRE, ABHAY and

(World changes to MARTA’S HOME, HER LIVING ROOM, ROMANIA. It is

(ABHAY, CLAIRE and JORANI exit.)

(MARTA smiles and smooths down the top of her dress)

You are beautiful, my love.

(pause. CODRUTA nods.)

(MARTA and CODRUTA exit.)

I’m younger than many. Older than some.

(JORANI sits next to Maly.)

JORANI (to Maly)

Such tiny hands.

(PHIRUN, a Cambodian man in his 50s, enters)

(MALY stands and pulls up Jorani.)

(JORANI nods. MALY and JORANI move to line up.)

KUNTHEA (to Jorani)

(KUNTHEA exits with Maly and any representations of children.)

PHIRUN (to Jorani)

(JORANI and PHIRUN exit. The world changes to STREETS OF MUMBAI)

(NIHAL, an Indian man, well dressed, in his 40s, enters.)

(ABHAY shakes his head)

How old are you?

You looking for a real job?

(ABHAY looks at him)

I’m not going to beat you.

(NIHAL and ABHAY exit)

(World changes to OUTSIDE APARTMENT BUILDING, SYRACUSE, NY)

(BILL, a man in his 30s, enters)

But then someone does.

(BILL starts to walk away, then turns back)

(They look at each other. pause)

I’m scared of this man.

(CLAIRE looks at him. He smiles.)

(BILL puts his arm around her)

(CLAIRE and BILL exit)

(FATIME, a worldly woman in her 40s, enters. World changes to VILLAGE

My future. I meet with Ms. Fatime.

(MARTA nods. Pause)

(FATIME holds Marta’s arm and they exit)

(CLAIRE and BILL enter.)

(World changes to BILL’S APARTMENT, SYRACUSE. CLAIRE is cuddled up

(he gently touches her face and hair)

(BILL gets on his knees and holds her hands)

(CLAIRE reaches down and touches his face)

(CLAIRE and BILL exit)