Coins and Promises

(SCENE: A busy city street. Gary and his 6 year-old daughter Anne are shopping)

Anne: Look Daddy!

Gary: What is it, Anne?

Anne: Gold! It’s a gold circle!

Gary: I’m sure it’s just a wrapper or something, honey. Why don’t you just leave it there on the ground.

Anne: It’s not a wrapper. It’s a coin. Look!

Gary: Oh my goodness, Anne! You’re right! But I’m sorry. It’s probably not real gold.

Anne: I think it’s real, Daddy.

Gary: Of course you do, sweetie, but people don’t just leave gold coins on the ground.

Anne: Can I keep it?

Gary: Sure you can. We’ll take it home and wash it.

Anne: Hey Daddy, who’s this man on the front of the coin?

Gary: I don’t know, let me see. What? This can’t be! It’s… it’s a beast with horns! I think it’s supposed to be the devil, Anne. And so lifelike!

Anne: Can I play with it?

Gary: Once we get home.

(SCENE: Anne’s Room. She is playing with the devil coin)

Anne: Would you like some tea, devil coin?

Devil Coin: Bother me not with tea, child!

Anne: Wha?

Devil Coin: I’m sorry, Anne. I didn’t mean to yell.

Anne: You can talk?

Devil Coin: I can talk.

Anne: Are you magic?

Devil Coin: I am beyond magic, Anne.

Anne: Daddy said you were the devil. Are you bad magic?

Devil Coin: I can give you everything you’d ever want. Does that sound like bad magic?

Anne: No…

Devil Coin: Exactly. It’s only bad magic if you want bad things.

Anne: Well I don’t want bad things! I want to be good.

Devil Coin: Oh I’m so happy you found me then!

Anne: So how do I make good things happen?

Devil Coin: Just hold me and concentrate on what you want.

(Anne picks up the Devil Coin and squeezes her eyes shut)

Anne: Daddy’s favorite cupcakes! You did it!

Devil Coin: I did. Just remember, Anne. You can never tell anyone about me.

Anne: Okay. I promise.

(SCENE: 20 Years Later. Anne is thin, pale, and smoking a cigarette in an extravagant and luxurious penthouse. Her hair is pulled back and she’s wearing dark glasses. She is surrounded by servants)

Anne: Everybody get the fuck out of here.

(The servants quickly try to leave, but one of them didn’t hear remains behind)

Anne: God. I’ll just do it myself.

(Anne takes the coin shuts her eyes, and the remaining servant disappears. Anne sits for awhile and then slowly looks to where the servant had been)

Anne: I have become a monster!

Devil Coin: That was my plan all along, you bitch!

Anne: That was your plan? But what about all the good you did?

Devil Coin: Necessary sacrifices. They provided justification. They provided distraction.

Anne: Whatever. I don’t even care anymore.

Devil Coin: I know. I know you don’t.

(The camera pans outside and we see that the world is burning and in ruins. There is suffering everywhere.)

(SCENE: A twenty-eight year-old named Arnie is walking down the street and he sees something platinum. He picks it up. It is a platinum coin)

Arnie: Why…what’s this! It’s a platinum coin with Jesus’ face on the front.

Jesus Coin: Hey Arnie. It’s time to make a difference.

Arnie: Wha?!