Cast of Characters:

• Turtley, a wise turtle

• Humans

• Masked Humans

The park is empty due to the pandemic. Turtley, a turtle, moves slowly, as turtles do. He seems to be in deep thought, observing his surroundings. Suddenly, he hears the sound of footsteps and hides in his shell. A human walks past, not noticing him. Turtley peeks out of his shell and thinks to himself.

TURTLEY

(to himself)

It seems that humans are too preoccupied with their own worries to notice what's going on around them.

He moves forward, cautiously. Suddenly, he sees a group of humans wearing masks, walking in a line. Turtley is fascinated by this strange sight.

TURTLEY

(to himself)

What's happening? Why are they covering their faces? Is it a new fashion statement?

(He moves forward, following the group. They are walking towards a building that looks like a hospital. Turtley moves closer to the building, trying to understand what's going on.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

This is strange. There's something supernatural about this place. I can feel it.

(He moves closer to the entrance of the hospital and sees humans rushing in and out of the building.)

(He sees some humans crying, others shouting, and some are just standing there, looking lost. Turtley observes them closely, trying to understand their behavior.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

These humans are strange. They seem to be in a state of panic. But what's causing it? Is it something I should be worried about?

(He moves closer to the entrance and sees a sign that reads "COVID-19 Testing Centre". Turtley is intrigued by this and decides to investigate further.)

CUT TO:

INT. COVID-19 TESTING CENTRE - DAY

(Turtley enters the testing centre and sees humans in white coats, moving around frantically. He sees people being tested for the virus and others receiving treatment. He sees humans hooked up to machines and hears the sound of beeping monitors. Turtley is fascinated by this strange environment.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

This is strange. Humans are creating all these machines to fight a virus. But why can't they see the bigger picture? Why can't they understand that they are part of a larger ecosystem? Why are they nto seeing the fundamental cause of such a tragedy.

(Turtley moves towards a human in a white coat and starts to speak.)

TURTLEY

Excuse me, can you tell me what's going on here?

(The human stops what they are doing and looks down at Turtley, surprised to see a talking turtle.)

HUMAN

THIS IS MADNESS. Why can turtles talk? But fine, guess the pandemic has messed up the world. Well, dear turtle. This is a COVID-19 testing centre. We're trying to contain the spread of the virus and help those who have been infected.

TURTLEY

But why are humans not taking care of the environment and the ecosystem? This pandemic seems to be a result of neglecting nature. It is indeed people’s consumption on wildlife has led to this tragedy.

HUMAN

That's a good point, Turtle. We need to learn from this experience and work towards a more sustainable future. But I guess someone besides me will take care of it.

TURTLEY

Fine, at least it is a realization from humans. Thank you for your time. I hope humans can learn from this and take care of the planet.

(Turtley moves away, pondering over the interaction.)

(The human in white clothes watches Turtley walks away and sneers.)

(Turtley encounters another human who is walking in a hurry)

TURTLEY

Excuse me, human. Can you tell me what's happening here?

(The human looks at Turtley, surprised.)

HUMAN

(surprised)

Oh my god! A turtle! How did you get in here?

TURTLEY

Never mind. Can you tell me what's happening here?

HUMAN

(sighs)

The COVID-19 is spreading, and I am here buying medicines for my four-year-old son. I hate bates so much. Why are they torturing us like this. I have to go now. Bye, turtle.

TURTLY

I am sorry to hear that. Hope your son could feel better.

(Human nods his head in agreement and walks away.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

Humans are not realizing their mistake. They have a long way to go. I hope they realize the importance of preserving nature before it's too late.

(As he exits the testing centre, Turtley sees humans walking past, still ignoring him. He moves slowly towards the park, thinking about the state of the world.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

Humans are strange creatures. They are so focused on their own problems that they fail to see the bigger picture. They need to realize that they are not the only ones on this planet and that they need to work towards the greater good.

(As Turtley moves towards the park, he sees humans still wearing masks and social distancing. He sees the world around him slowly transforming, adapting to the new reality of the pandemic.)

TURTLEY

(to himself)

The world is changing, and humans are slowly adapting. I hope they learn from this experience and work towards a better future.

(As Turtley reaches the park, he sees humans sitting on benches, staring at their phones, and ignoring the world around them.)

HUMAN

(to himself)

This pandemic is ruining everything. I can't do what I want, go where I want. And now, I have to wear this stupid mask.

(Turtley looks up at the human and clears his throat.)

TURTLEY

Excuse me, sir. Can I help you with something?

HUMAN

(startled)

Whoa! A talking turtle? Am I losing it?

TURTLEY

(smiling)

No, you're not losing it. I'm just a turtle who happens to talk. And I couldn't help but overhear you complaining about the pandemic.

HUMAN

(rolling his eyes)

Yeah, it's a real pain in the ass.

TURTLEY

It's more than just a pain in the ass. It's a global crisis that has affected every aspect of our lives. And yet, you seem to be more concerned about how it's inconveniencing you.

HUMAN

(defensive)

What do you want me to do, turtle? I'm just trying to survive.

TURTLEY

(pointing to the surrounding nature)

You know who else is just trying to survive? The plants and animals in this park. They don't have a voice, but they're suffering too. And yet, you're cursing nature for this pandemic. It's not nature's fault. It's our own doing.

HUMAN

(irritated)

What are you talking about? How is this our fault?

TURTLEY

(sadly)

Humans have been exploiting the planet for centuries. We've polluted the air and water, destroyed habitats, and caused climate change. These actions have consequences, and one of them is this pandemic. We need to take responsibility for our actions and start making changes for the betterment of all living beings.

HUMAN

(looking away)

I don't have time for this. I have things to do.

TURTLEY

(shaking his head)

That's exactly the problem. Humans have become so self-absorbed that they've forgotten that we're all connected. Your actions affect me, and my actions affect you. We need to start caring for each other and the planet if we want to have a future.

(The human walks away without a word, leaving Turtley alone on the rock. Turley looks out at the park, saddened by the indifference of humans towards the world around them.)

(Turtley moves towards a pond and jumps in, disappearing from sight.)

(As the stage goes dark, we hear Turtley's voice.)

TURTLEY

(voiceover)

Humans may be indifferent to the world around them, but nature is always watching. We are all connected, and we need to work towards a sustainable future. I may be just a turtle, but I see the world in a different way. I hope humans learn from their mistakes and work towards a brighter future.

(The lights come back on, and we see the empty park, the world transformed by the pandemic, and Turtley disappearing into the pond. The audience is left to reflect on the message of the play, to think about their own place in the world, and their responsibility towards the environment.)