A COWARD

Characters:
MICHAEL NICK MOTHER FATHER Michael is standing on the table and screaming. NICK (comes running in): Whats the matter? MICHAEL (pointing to the corner of the room): Look, there is a mouse there! NICK:What of that? Why are you standing on the table? Why are you shouting? MICHAEL: I am afraid of the mouse. NICK: The mouse is afraid of you. MICHAEL: Take it away, Nick! Please! NICK (goes to the corner, looks for the mouse and takes something from the floor): Here it is. Look at it! It is nice. It is grey. Michael gets down on the chair at the table. Nick comes up to him and wants to show something in his hand to Michael. The boy screams and jumps on the table again. MOTHER (coming in): What is it? FATER: Stop shouting. Youre too loud. I cant watch the football match. MOTHER: Whats the matter? MICHAEL: Oh, Mother dear! Nicks got a mouse in his hand. He wants to throw it at me! MOTHER: Nick, why do you want to frighten Michael? NICK (laughing): Mum, look what Ive got in my hand. Look what he is afraid of! FATHER: Let me see! Hmmm.Michael, dont be silly. He shows them his hand in which he has got a small grey ball of wool. MOTHER (laughing): Michael, what a coward you are! Look at this thing! MICHAEL: No! No! Dont show me this thing!(Covers his eyes with his hands). I know it is a mouse. MOTHER: It is not a mouse. Look, Michael!
FATHER: Come on, look at it!

He takes his hands from his eyes and makes his look at Nicks hand. MICHAEL (ashamed): Oh, its a ball of wool. Its not a mouse. (Laughs) Now Im not afraid. He gets down from the table. NICK: You must not be a coward. Michael runs after him. They run round the table and then out of the room.