Write On!

              MAGDA ROLLS HER BAKING The praetorian guard of course kept saying
STILTEDLY " We have no king but Caesar. We have no king but Caesar."
DEJECTEDLY One gets tired of that after awhile. PREPARING ANOTHER
CAKE But, who was it? Someone said he drove the merchants out of the
temple, so angry he was. Was that Jesus? I do believe they said it was Jesus.
Such a humble man, it must have taken a great injustice to provoke him into
such a violent act. in the temple too. I wonder if he could have emptied The
Palace of its malpractices. Pontius Pilate is governor now, SNIFFS not
much given to us folks. POUNDS THE CAKE Nice wife though. She's more
interested in what goes on here than he seems to be. And Herod - ROLLS
HER EYES AND SHAKES HER HEAD that's one for the gossips! ... here
from Galilee for the celebrations... The Palace is full!
MAGDA SETS THE CAKES ASIDE AND PICKS UP TIBIAS' NOTES
Tibias was saying there was some disturbance at the palace last night... and
early this morning, and I mean early. Seems like the temple was in an uproar.
Imagine getting folks out of bed at that hour ... A bunch of riffraff hanging
about. Do anything for a penny, raise a riot for the fun of it, they would!
MAGDA PUTS DOWN THE NOTES AND CONTINUES PREPARING
THE CAKES It was time for Rome to release a prisoner. I could hear them
from here, yelling, " Barabas, give us Barabas!" I wonder who Pilate wanted to
give them? PATTING THE CAKES Then again this morning ... you could
hear ... muffled like it was ... women weeping ... soldiers cracking their whips...
Seemed like quite a commotion up the street.
BECOMING UNCOMFORTABLE Listen! Did you hear that crack?
Sounded like thunder, but this is not the time of year for it. There ... it sounds
again, and it's raining, pouring, and it's dark ... so very dark. What ever is the
matter? MAGDA SETS DOWN HER BAKING AND LOOKS FURTIVELY
ABOUT, COCKING HER HEAD
Listen, from the temple, sounds like something fell, no, a wind
perhaps? More like a great tearing. What could that be all about?
UNSTEADILY STANDING AT THE DOOR POST
Ah Lord God, have you forsaken us? This is no time for such
darkness. It smells of death. 0 God, the earth shakes. MAGDA ROCKS
WITH THE EARTHQUAKE Surely you are displeased with us Lord God.
What is it Lord? REELING BACKWARDS What is happening? What have
they done? Will the Sabbath never come? Who goes there? MAGDA STEPS
OUT AND RECOGNIZING PASSERBY SHE CALLS... Joseph! ... Joseph of
Arimathea! Where are you going? For whom are the spices, and the burial
clothes you carry? SHE SHUDDERS, SHRINKING FROM THE NOISE OF
THUNDER Who has died Joseph? Ah, the wind blows the words back in my
face. He cannot hear me. But it must be someone of importance, some one of
good standing. MAGDA SITS HEAVILY AND COVERS HER HEAD There
is evil afoot this day. Perhaps a good man has died. LIFTING HER HEAD
Listen! Even the heavens cry. Even the heavens cry. BOWS WITH
OVERWHELMING GRIEF 0 Lord, what have we done?