Before stage lights go back up, stage is set with downstage right a wall of Sarah’s bedroom. Paintings and posters on the wall along with a mirror, her bed is set in front of the wall with night stand at its side, a doll lays on the bed. Center stage left is the police's office, two chairs sit across from polices desk, cluttered with papers and folders. Light’s rise on stage with police one behind desk along with police 2 and Daniel and Elizabeth in 2 chairs. In Sarah's bedroom Sarah sits on the bed playing with doll.

Officer 1

Let me get this straight, your daughter, a mere 12-year-old girl, with the mind of a of a Harvard graduate, the brain capacity intelectual to the greats, was murdered, she was murdered for who knows what reason but she was murdered in the alleyway behind your home. We have no clue how she was murdered or if it even was murder but all we know is she is dead and that is all we have.

Daniel

Correct.

Officer 2

Is there any possibility that this, and please take this into a legitimate consideration, that this was a suicide

Elizabeth

(Pauses in shock.)

I- I- well. No, no there was not possibility Sarah was beyond happy with her life, she had so much going for her, so much life to live, so much brilliance with in every strand of her DNA.

Officer 1

(leans back in the chair and crosses leg over knee)

Tell me about that, about how happy she was with said future.

Elizabeth

Well she just was, there was nothing else to it really, she was happy, we were happy.

Daniel

Liz, come on, they want a story, we can tell them a story.

Elizabeth

Sarah loved everything she had going for her, just last week, in fact, you could see it, I could see it.

Elizabeth

I remember we had just finished discussing her admission to a leadership conference she was going to be attending down in Phoenix. I said to her, “Sarah, I’m so incredibly proud of you.” And she responded...

(Elizabeth continues to lip synch the words as past Sarah speaks)

Sarah

I love you Mom.  

(Music transitions back in time and Elizabeth gets up from seat and walks to bedroom set)

Elizabeth

I love you too.

Sarah

(A long pause of uncomfortable silence)

Mom? Do you think I’ll get any time off down in Phoenix?

Elizabeth

Maybe, but I think your booked, why?

Sarah

I wanted to go see the mountains down there, they are all so pretty from what I’ve heard. I wish I had time to just do more with myself.

Elizabeth

I think you have plenty to do with yourself, for the love of God you're a prodigy, an aspiration to excellence that can’t be beat, soon enough you will be on Ellen with all your brilliance.

Sarah

I guess It’s just-

Elizabeth

I’m very proud of you.

Sarah

( read sarcastically )

Mind as well let the whole world know about it

Elizabeth

I am no bumper sticker parent. I will not be ruining my minivan with signs proclaiming my child's mediocre participation in an after school activity.

Sarah

You don’t even drive a minivan anymore.

Elizabeth

You’re right, I drive a Porsche, one I paid for with the money you so generously raised for our family.

Sarah

What are you talking about?

Elizabeth

The charity banquet, last summer? The one you gave a speech about saving the trees.

Sarah

That money went towards the trees I thought.  

Elizabeth

Well of course partially, but your the household genius and you still let me do the banking, what’s the harm in keeping a little for us

Sarah

(rising from bed in anger)

Why wouldn’t you tell me you did that?

Elizabeth

Sarah, you may be one of the most outstanding minds our world has ever seen, but you know nothing of the real world, you know nothing of that lifestyle. Your mind may be grown but my mind is stuck. Stuck in a void in between the walls and the only way out is your knowledge my dear. My happiness is in your hands and you’ve molded it beautifully but you do not know the human heart like you do the human brain, you do not know one thing in this world, you do not know the world itself.

Sarah

That still doesn’t make it right to-

Elizabeth

Go to bed Elizabeth, it’s a school night and even a mind like yours legally needs to go.

(Elizabeth exits door in the wall and as music plays walks back to cops office.)

Sarah

(Begins to pull out clothes for bed as she looks in her reflection in the mirror)

I just wanted to see the mountains. I just wanted to see the trees. I just wanna know this world for who it truly is.

Lights dim out on the bedroom and refocus on the cops office.

Daniel

She was our little girl, she was sweet and simple and she just wanted-

Elizabeth

She just wanted to see the mountains and the trees

Daniel

What?

Elizabeth

Last week she asked if she could go see the mountains down in Phoenix.

Officer 1

Do you think she wanted to go there? Like she would have tried to go there by herself?

Daniel

That doesn’t explain why she was found dead behind our house.

Officer 2

Did you ask them about Nathaniel?

Elizabeth

Nathaniel, whose Nathaniel?

Officer 1

I didn’t, but we’ll bring them back in for an interview tomorrow with him.

Daniel

Did you not hear my wife, she asked you a question who is Nathaniel?

Officer 2

Nathaniel Corden he’s a-

Officer 1

A suspect. That is all we can inform you of at this moment Mrs. Sanders. I promise we will let you know more as soon as we legally can but for now Nathaniel Corden is a suspect and nothing less to you.

Elizabeth

Nothing less, what do you mean by nothing less.

Officer 1

It really is time you be making your way out, we have a lot of work to do if we want to get to the bottom of this investigation while it’s still fresh.

Daniel

Now wait you can’t explain any of this to us?

Elizabeth

Not even how you found this Nathaniel?

Officer 2

I’m sorry we really truly can’t. Now I’d suggest just going home, getting some rest, and trying to distract yourselves. It’s what truly helps with trauma such as this. We will bring you back in tomorrow morning after we have done further investigation.

(as she is being pushed towards the door)

Elizabeth

Now come on this isn’t fair, we need to know, please just let me know. Who killed my daughter? who killed my daughter? please just tell me! Who kill-

Lights darken on stage as Elizabeth and

Daniel are pushed out the door, Elizabeth’s cry out slowly begins to fade with the lights.

Polices Office is set center stage left just like last scene. Upstage Right is the same alley from scene 1. Light is dimmed on the alley way and the lights are focused on the office. As lights rise the two officers are outside the office door and Nathaniel is sitting alone in a chair.

Nathaniel

(Speaks while rocking back and forth.)

It’s okay it’s okay it’s okay. Just tell them you’re innocent, remember Nate innocent till proven guilty.

(Officers enter room.)

Officer 1

Nathaniel.

(Officers both take a seat.)

Officer 2

Before we begin, I’d like to inform you the basis in which we will be integrating you on.

Nathaniel

(Nathaniel stutters as he speaks.)

I don’t know what I’ve done, but I can tell you I probably haven’t done it.

Officer 1

Please sir, only speak when we ask you, we will give you plenty of time to explain yourself.

(Nathaniel nods.)

Officer 1

Yesterday the body of a 12 year old girl was found in an alleyway behind her house. The alleyway was in between her family's house and Antonio’s Pizza on 67th street. She was a child protege, a pure genius, one of the most valued members of her generation, but now she’s dead. There was no sign of any illness nor any sign of murder outside of her body, the autopsy is currently in progress. Now correct me if I’m wrong but you work at Antonio’s am I correct?

Nathaniel

You are sir but-

Officer 2

Just wait one moment, we ask the questions remember?

Officer 1

Thank you, now according to your records you were working at the time of her death. An hour before her death, your manager informed us that you took out the garbage in the back alley way and were out there for a while. Did you see her at this time?

Nathaniel

Yes, I did. I didn’t know who she was, or what was wrong but I saw her, she looked rather sad, sitting there alone on the stairs of her back door.

Officer 2

Did you speak to her at all?  

Nathaniel

Yes.

(A small moment of silence creating a nervous tension.)

Officer 1

Care to tell us what happened?

Nathaniel

(As Nathaniel speaks, Sarah enters stage right and heads towards the alley way. Once Sarah has sat on the step, Nathaniel gets up and walk towards her with transitional music.)

She was sitting there alone. I wanted to keep silent, but then I caught her eye. She held this solid stare at her and she said to me...

Sarah

Excuse me?

Nathaniel

(slowly making his way towards Sarah.)

Yes?

Sarah

Can I ask you a favor, rather could I ask you a question?

Nathaniel

Uh, sure?

Sarah

Are you familiar with the term, brain dead?

Nathaniel

Yes I suppose you could say I’ve heard it before. I couldn’t really define it for you but I could take a guess if you’d like me to, otherwise I’d have to ask someone else, sorry I can’t be of much help.

Sarah  

Being Brain dead is a term used to describe someone who has lost any and all function in the brain. It can occur when in a coma or in a vegetative state, all that really occurs in brain is the basic control of breathing.

Nathaniel

If you knew that why did you ask me?

Sarah

I thought I’d humor myself and see. You looked rather troubled by a girl my age sitting alone behind her house.

Nathaniel

Well I suppose, but you were the one who chose to say something.

Sarah

I’m sorry sometimes I just like to come out here and wish I was brain dead.

Nathaniel

Why would you want to do that?

Sarah

Just forget I said anything.

Nathaniel

No really why would you say that?

Sarah

I said to forget it. Now just leave me be.

Nathaniel

Are you okay? are you lost? in need of help or some kind, or-

Sarah

JUST STOP! I TOLD YOU TO LEAVE ME ALONE! GO!

Nathaniel

But are you sure you aren’t in any kind of trouble?

Sarah

JUST GO! GET OUT! LET ME BE!

(Nathaniel heads back into polices offices as Sarah’s screaming fades.)

Officer 1

Did you say anything to her that would have made her feel threatened in any sort of way.

Nathaniel

Of course not, I’m telling you the absolute truth.

Officer 2

Now calm down, we never said you weren’t, it’s just several people in the location claimed they heard loud screaming shortly after you walked out of the restaurant and shortly before you entered. Not just her screams, the scream of a man.

Nathaniel

I did not scream at her, I did raise my voice a little bit as she yelled at me out of shock but I just wanted her to shut up, it was like she wouldn’t be quiet.

Officer 1

So you’d say you wanted to shut her up?

Nathaniel

No no, that’s not what I meant... I meant-

Officer 1

You do realise you promised to tell us the absolute truth correct?

Nathaniel

I did and I am telling you that truth sir.

Officer 1

Maybe so but your counterparts, coworkers if you will, claim to have seen you walking in frustrated and angry. We also have it marked down that you checked out only moments before she died.

Nathaniel

Are you accusing me of murdering her?

Officer 2

We haven’t said that yet sir.

Officer 1

But yes you are our most likely suspect.

(Nathaniel sits in silence.)

Officer 2

Nathaniel Corden, please answer this and so help you God truthfully, did you murder or have anything to do with the death of Sarah Sanders?

Nathaniel

I ... well... No, no sir I did not.

Officer 1

You stutter.

Nathaniel

Because I am taken out of my element here,you have to understand that. I’m just a guy who works at a pizza place and because a little girl stopped to talk to me while I was just doing my job I’m the top suspect in a murder investigation. Did it ever even occur to you that maybe she wasn’t murdered.

Officer 1

That’s pure madness.

Officer 2

Not exactly.

Officer 1

Elizabeth Sanders said it herself, people were after what her daughter had to offer the world.

Officer 2

Elizabeth Sanders is a grieving mother as well, who is confused and vulnerable.

Nathaniel

There was something quite off about her, she seemed well like she said, brain dead.

Officer 2

How is that possible?

Nathaniel

It was like her lips were moving but the rest of her wasn’t there. It was like the lights were out, like there was no one home. I’m sorry I couldn’t be of much help, but I truly think you should look at alternate causes of this death.

Officer 1

Look we do the talking here like we told you.

Officer 2

But thank you anyway, we will most likely be calling you back down shortly, enjoy your free time while you have it is what I can say. I’m not saying I believe your guilty, but if you are the only suspect, I can’t guarantee they won’t send you to court, possibly throw you in jail with limited evidence. Goodday.

Lights dim.

(Scene takes place a few days later, before Elizabeth and Daniel officially met Nathaniel.)

Stage completely cleared from last scene. A park backdrop, fake trees set up throughout the set along a trail starting upstage right going to downstage left. A park bench is placed upstage right. As lights go up Nathaniel is sitting on park bench.

(Nathaniel is sitting in silence staring off into the distance when Elizabeth and Daniel come upstage right)

Elizabeth

Daniel, daniel, look look over there at that man on the bench.

Daniel

Yes what about him?

Elizabeth

It’s him, Nathaniel Corden, that man that the officers suspect to have killed Sarah.

Daniel

Let’s just keep walking then, don’t cause any trouble.

Elizabeth

(Walking off path towards Nathaniel.)

No I want to talk to him face to face.

Daniel

Elizabeth wait, he could be dangerous.

Elizabeth

Oh so help me God, losing my life after this wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

(Continues to walk to Nathaniel and stops once he looks up and sees her.)

You!

Nathaniel

Can I help you Ma’am?

Elizabeth

You, you killed my daughter!

Nathaniel

Mr. and Mrs. Sanders-

Elizabeth

Why did you do it?

Nathaniel

I didn’t.

Elizabeth

You were the last person to see my daughter, last person to experience her brilliance, you took my prized possession from me, and I hope you burn in Hell for the rest of your sad pathetic life.

Nathaniel

Ma’am if you could please just listen-

Elizabeth

NO! I can’t listen, I can’t feel anything other than pain right now because of you.

Daniel

You approached him Elizabeth let him speak.

Nathaniel

Thank you sir. Ma’am, I know you are hurting right now and I’m sorry, really. But I promise you I did not hurt your daughter, nor did I touch her or do anything to her involving her death. I spoke to her for a few minutes but that was it. She seemed completely out of it, like she was empty, I’ve never seen anyone like that before.

Elizabeth

That’s ridiculous, Elizabeth was one of the most intelligent minds in our society, there was always more than enough going on up there.

Nathaniel

Maybe that’s why she was off, because something was going on up there, you never know, I’m not telling you this wasn’t murder but I’m telling you I am guilty of nothing. All I spoke to her about was being brain dead.

Daniel

Brain dead?

Nathaniel

She asked me if I knew what brain dead meant, it was like her lips were moving but the rest of her brain was not, like the lights were out.

Elizabeth

Absolutely absurd that you would even suggest that, a mind like hers was incapable of depleting.

Daniel

Now wait just a minute, don’t tell me you didn’t see it too Liz.

Elizabeth

See what?

Daniel

(As Daniel speaks, Sarah enters stage right and sits down next to Nathaniel on bench.)

That Sarah’s brain was dying, that she was dying all this time and we had no way of seeing it. She sat on this very bench the same way as Nathaniel does, head slumped over knees, back bent out of shape, staring into a hopeless abundance of disappointment.

Nathaniel

Wanting to be something more.

Daniel

Exactly.

Elizabeth

You think she killed herself?

Daniel

Maybe just possibly. Of course we’d have to wait for the Autopsy.

Elizabeth

Absolutely not. Sarah was smart, very smart, why would a girl with so much potential do something so stupid.

Nathaniel

Maybe because she has a mother like you.

Elizabeth

Excuse me?

Daniel

I think it’s time we go back down to the police station. They are going to give us the results from the autopsy today and I think we should remain calm for when they do.

(Daniel Extends his hand to Elizabeth as they walk down the path.)

Scene Ends

Stage is set Police’s Office again, this time center stage. Lights rise and there are three chairs in front of the desk and two behind. Elizabeth, Daniel and then a large space to downstage is Nathaniel. The two officers sit behind their desk.

Officer 1

I know if must be sufficiently awkward in here to say the least after the encounter you all had in the park prior to this meeting but thank you for coming in. Mr. and Mrs. Sanders, the autopsy has come in, would you like Nathaniel to be present in the room for the news or should we inform him on separate terms.

Elizabeth

No.

Daniel

Yes actually, yes we would.

(Elizabeth is angry but does not speak and nods.)

Officer 2

Alright I guess we will proceed then.

(Officer 1 opens up file.)

Officer 1

It shows here that your daughter was not murdered by any means. No internal bruising, no poisoning, nothing that could have been harm of another human being. But she also did not die of natural causes nor did she kill herself.

Elizabeth

Well then how is she dead.

Officer 1

I spoke to several doctors on what we could classify this as. They looked into what occurred in her brain moments before the death and it appeared to almost be some sort of spontaneous self combustion, but not in the way you would expect. It wasn’t like she lit on fire but more or less the fuses in her brain just down right died. Now it is a known fact that most humans do not use their full brain capacity, however, what we theorize happened here was that because she was extremely intelligent, she was able to tap into parts of her brain nobody ever has before, or if they have, has never been put on record. So in tapping into this new part of her brain she either a. was unable to use it correctly and died from the use of it, b. She committed suicide from the inside out or c. A combination of the two where she got access to this part of the brain and because of it was unaware of the power it had, from there she had suicidal thoughts which she did not wish to pursue, however, was unable to control in the level of being she had reached. I know this all sounds far too complicated and for us as well as quite difficult to understand but I want to encourage you to talk to the doctors and other medical professionals we talked to in the process of reaching this conclusion.

Officer 2

Again we are sorry for your loss. Nathaniel you are free to go, we will give you two some time.

Nathaniel

Me as well, I’m sorry any of this had to happen, I wish you the best of luck.

(All but Daniel and Elizabeth Exit.)

Elizabeth

I’m so sorry Daniel.

(Daniel hugs Elizabeth. Sarah enters upstage right in spotlight reading a diary.)

Sarah

I wish I wasn’t brain dead. I wish I wasn’t a brain at all. I wish I was Sarah the regular girl not Sarah the intelligent girl. I wish I was someone who I was not. I wish I could just see the mountains and the stars. I wish I could play with the other girls and not be treated specially in school. I wish I could see the world and relax. I wish I wasn’t brain dead. I wish I wasn’t brain dead. I wish I wasn’t brain dead. I wish I was brain dead.

(End of scene.)