“Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, this night shalt thou deny me.” The Bible.

Characters:-

-Mary Magdalene.

-Simon Peter.

-Strangers. Entering, exiting randomly. Non-speaking.

(The scene is on a back road in a City. SIMON enters, hurriedly, and furtively. He stands at the side, and keeps out of the way, as strangers walk by. He wears a hood, with which he nervously fidgets, taking it off and putting it back on, repeatedly. MARY enters. She pauses, and silently watches SIMON. She is dressed as a man, and wears a hood and gloves. A passerby with a basket of fruit offers SIMON a fruit; he declines, indicating he has no money; the person indicates it’s free; SIMON accepts and gestures his thanks; the passerby exits.)

MARY: (Stepping towards SIMON. They speak softly.) Simon? (He moves in shock and fear, as he turns to look at her.)

SIMON: Huh! Who are you? (She partially moves her hood to reveal some of her face to him.) Mary?

MARY: Shhh!

SIMON: Why are you disguised?

MARY: (Nearly a whisper.) Women are not allowed in the Courtroom.

SIMON The Courtroom?

MARY: Yes. It’s around the corner. He is being held prisoner in there.

SIMON: Oh? You’re going in there?

MARY: Yes. Isn’t that why you are here?

SIMON: I dare not go in, Mary. I’m not dressed for it. We have to be careful, Mary. The High Priests are out to crucify every one who was a friend to him.

MARY: Simon, I doubt if I am dressed for it. Come on. Let’s go in together as wife and husband.

SIMON: Not if you’re dressed as a man, Mary.

MARY: Oops! I forgot. And I just remembered that Joseph of Arimathaea is in town. Remember him?

SIMON: Will I ever forget someone that wealthy walking about with us penniless poor people.

MARY: He is a good wealthy man, Simon. He is in town. He is looking for us.

SIMON: Mary, what do you mean “looking for us.”

MARY: I’m not sure, that’s why I have not tried to contact him. We can go into the Courthouse as buddies.

SIMON: Uh, Mary, you go on. I’m waiting for Matthew. And Mark. Luke----John.

MARY: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John?

SIMON: Yes. They should be here any minute!

MARY: Simon, I spoke to Mark yesterday. He said he was thinking of returning to his fishing job in the town of Galilee. There’s too much violence in the streets around here.

SIMON: I spoke to Luke and John last night. They said they would meet me here.

MARY: Here, Simon?

SIMON: What’s wrong with here? (A burst of crowd noise comes from the Courthouse around the corner. They look alarmed at each other.)

MARY: Is that good or bad?

SIMON: Bad. Too late to enter that place now, Mary. (They remain silent until the crowd noise subsides.)

MARY: You asked what’s wrong with meeting Luke and John here. Look around us. Not many persons use this road to the Courthouse because of that fish factory on your way here. It stinks up the air.

SIMON: So? Like Mark, I used to be a net fisherman in Galilee. Fishy air does not bother us. Seems like it does not bother you, either, Mary. You’re here.

MARY: I came this way, Simon, because I want to avoid the crowds. If you did not tell Luke and John to come this way, they could be looking for you on the other side. (Another burst of crowd noise comes from the Courthouse. They react more-or-less the same way as the previous time.) Simon, was there a Judas among you?

SIMON: Yes. Sometimes I thought more than one. Why?

MARY: I’ve been asking around. I think someone by the name of Judas got into trouble with the rabbis in the synagogue. It is that business that brought Joseph of Arimathaea here from another town with thirty pieces of silver for the rabbis.

SIMON: I know nothing about that matter, Mary.

MARY: It does not seem as if our group will ever congregate again, Simon. Let this be goodbye, then.

SIMON: Come with me and we will walk by the Courthouse and cross over to have a last lookout for Luke and John.

MARY: Simon, the road in front of the courthouse is going to be overcrowded. It would be better if we went back this way and came from the other direction.

SIMON: Okay. Let’s go.

MARY: At the same time, Simon, don’t be disappointed if they do not show up. These are dangerous times. When I spoke with John the day before yesterday, he was thinking of leaving town.

SIMON: (Blurting out.) Mary, I did such a shameful thing! (Mary is surprised. She pauses and looks at him in silence for a few seconds.)

MARY: (Softly and warily.) Whatever it was, Simon, please do not share it here on a public road.

SIMON: It’s killing me, Mary.

MARY: Simon, please not here!

SIMON: (Having difficulty coping.) Sorry! Sorry!

MARY: Simon, go home. We’ll talk tomorrow.

SIMON: You don’t know where I live, Mary. You have never visited.

MARY: You live next to the cemetery where we buried Lazarus. Right?

SIMON: Yes.

MARY: And people in your neighborhood walk through the cemetery for a shortcut.

SIMON: Yes, but not me. I respect the dead, Mary. Some of my friends’ family are buried in that cemetery.

MARY: But I will, respectfully and quietly, Simon, when I visit you. Okay?

SIMON: Uh, okay, if you must, Mary.

MARY: I must, Simon. What’s the address?

SIMON: Unit five, Cemetery Road.

MARY: I’ll find it. Take care of yourself, Simon.

SIMON: Mary, here. Catch. (He tosses the fruit to her; she catches it.)

MARY: Thanks, Simon. (Simon exits in a hurry. Mary stands aside as strangers walk by. The stage lights fade. Mary exits in the opposite direction, as a riotously loud vocal crowd noise erupts from the direction of the Courthouse.