ACT I

Narrator: “La Bestia" also known as the "train of

death" is one of the most known and controversial
train networks in Mexico, and beyond its original
purpose, which is to transport raw materials, the
train is famous for being used as a means of
transportation for Central American migrants who
travel on it illegally to reach the United States in
search of the American Dream.

SCENE I

[Alma and Ricardo enter the stage together each one with a
little bag in their backs. They seem tired and confused]

Alma: Maybe we should stop here, at the refugio.

Ricardo: I guess there’s nothing else we can do.

Alma: We must wait until tomorrow.

Ricardo: Lets go find somewhere safe to sit.

[While Alma and Ricardo are walking around, on the other side
of the stage 2 other guys are sitting down and playing around]

Jaime: I mean we all come to fulfill a dream, to work, to be

safe, get papers, but what’s your dream?

Mauricio: I really want to start a family there you know? Meet

a pretty lady and have a lot of kids. So many kids that I
could make my own soccer team.

Jaime: Ay amigo! (He laughs) You have good intentions but

first you’d have to get a job.

Mauricio: I´ll have a futbol team, they´ll make me rich

Jaime: How are you planning to feed that team until they´re
big enough, genio?

Mauricio: AY! Then what’s YOUR plan?

Jaime: I want to start fresh, be better.

Mauricio: You’re such an aguafiestas man! That´s not even a

plan!

Jaime: ¡¿Tu qué?! ¡Chamaco grosero! Having a futbol team out

of babies isn´t a plan neither!

[Jaime hits Mauricio in the head and tips over his hat]

[Ricardo sees Mauricio´s hat, picks it up and gives it to him]

Mauricio: Gracias (he nods his head lightly while putting his
hat on his chest thanking him)

[Alma gets nearby]

Alma: Can we sit here with you?

Jaime: ¡Ah! ¡Si, si, si, claro!

[THEY ALL SIT DOWN TOGETHER]

Ricardo: I’m Ricardo, and this is my sister Alma.

Mauricio: Mauricio

Jaime: Jaime

(there’s an awkward silence)

Ricardo: So… you here for la bestia too?

Mauricio: Yes sir! I’m tryna make mi mamá proud.

Alma: So where is your mom?

Mauricio: She stays at home with my 8 brothers and 3 sisters,
I´m kind of like.. the hero to my family, y´know? [says with a
flirty voice, then Jaime gives him a sape]

Mauricio: Ouch! What are you, my papa or what?

Jaime: Always respect the ladies, didn´t your mom teach you
that?

Mauricio: Oh, shut up you old man… Where are you two from, by
the way? [taking his attention back to alma]

Alma: We are both from Guatemala, my brother and I have been

traveling for some time now. How did you two meet? Are you
family or something?

Mauricio: Me and him? family? no no no, I’m way to handsome to

be related to him

Jaime: What are you talking about?! Chamaco grosero.

[Jaime hits Mauricio in the head]

Mauricio: Ay! Yo nomas decia pues!

(Everyone laughs)

Ricardo: Then what about you? Why are you going to La Bestia?

Jaime: Me? Ay amigo the same old story as everybody. Big

dreams, small rancho. but I’m by myself, no brothers, sisters
or parents.

Mauricio: Oh man.. Pobre cosita fea.

[Jaime gives another sape to Mauricio]

Mauricio: Hermano, keep doing that y me vas a sumir la

mollera.

Jaime: Keep being that unrespectfull and maybe I will.

[An uncomfortable silence sets and then the lights turn off]

Mauricio: AY WEY! What is happening?

Jaime: Parece que nos quieren callar, ya los enfadaste con tus
cosas. We should rest as much as possible…

Ricardo: Well then, good night, everyone.

Alma: Good night

Mauricio & Jaime: Good night.

[At night all the actors are lying down but neither of them
can’t sleep because of the nerves]

[The lights focus over Jaime]

[Jaime is not going to be laying down anymore, he will sit up,

rubbing his face like he just woke up]

[Behind Jaime a man’s siluette dressed in black and with his

face also painted with black makeup, is going to be running
around like someone was chasing him, a second siluette will
appear and they would “shoot it”, the first siluette will fall
to the floor and Jaime will lay back down again with an
expression of sadness]

[The lights stop focusing on Jaime, they turn off and both
siluettes leave the scene]

[The light now points at Mauricio, he sits and starts

stretching, behind him a man and a woman’s siluette appear
fighting, without sound, the man’s siluette gets angry and
leaves the scene leaving the woman’s siluette alone she later
kneels and starts crying]

[The light stops focusing on Mauricio and turns off, the

woman’s siluette leaves the scene]

[The light now focuses on Alma, who sits up feeling confused,

and a siluette with help of a microphone whispers in her ear]

Siluette: You killed him…

Siluette: He wasn’t even born yet…
Siluette: You killed him, you killed him…
[Alma covers her ears desperately and the lights turn off]

Siluette: Murderer

[The siluette exits the scene]

[The lights turn on and now focus on Ricardo and a siluette

gets near him to wake him up]

Ricardo: ¿Pepe…?

[The siluette smiles and steps away, Ricardo tries to follow

it, but he hears the shot of a bullet and the siluette falls
to the floor]

Ricardo: ¡No, pepe! Pepe!

[Ricardo se arrodilla al lado de pepe y pepe le dice

moribundo]

Pepe: Don´t worry Richi… We´ll meet again, soon…

Ricardo: What do you mean? You´re dead…!

[Pepe laughs and then closes his eyes]

[Ricardo goes back to his place, wiping his tears off and lays
back down, lastly the sound of cries is heard before the
lights go off again]
SCENE II

[Actors walk into positions ready to start the scene II, while
the lights are off; Pedro- Matias, walks on stage]

[People are talking in the background]

Alma: This is the scariest part yet.

Ricardo: You’ve been saying that for most of the things we’ve
done.

Alma: Yes, but now it feels real.

Jaime: Your sisters right. This is the hardest part, subirse a

la Bestia.

Mauricio: Asi se murió un tio.

(theres an awkward silence)

Mauricio: Chiste local.

Jaime: What a terrible joke man.

Ricardo: What if we turn back Alma?

Alma: Right now? After we’ve come so far?

Ricardo: You’re right, this is very dangerous.

Alma: We’ve always known that. No podemos regresar, what would

our parents think?

Mauricio: Escuchen escuchen!

[Then, far away from where our characters are, a whistle can
be heard.]

(They look at each other scared)

Jaime: Thats the train, ya esta aqui!

Alma: We can’t go back Ricardo.

COURTAIN CLOSES

Narrator: And so, the hardest part of their journey began. It

is known that hundreds die from trying to get on the train and
maintain their place in there.

The sound of people screaming and hopping on the train can be

heard

Jaime: (screaming) hurry up guys, or we are gonna miss la

bestia.

The sound of persons saying their goodbyes can be heard as a

background noise, all the characters are able to hope on the
train and continue with their journey, or at least that’s what
they thought.

Alma Vazquez: ufff that was a close one.

All the sudden, Alma looks down to the train railways and is
watching a horrifying scene.

Ricardo Vazquez: (screaming in agony and fear) AAAAAAAAAaAH!

Alma Vazquez: who is screaming like tha- wait, RICARDOOOOOOO.

 ACT II
[While the curtain is closed]

[We hear Ricardo scream]

Alma (desperately screaming): Ricardo!

Jaime: Subete! Subete! Mauricio, help me.

[Curtain opens]

They are all on top of the train now, Alma is quiet and with
a serious face while Jaime and Mauricio look at her worried. A
young man gets near them.

Pedro: Are you okay?!

Alma: Ricardo, mi hermano! I must get down and help him!

[Alma starts looking over the edge, everybody screams “no”

while grabbing her from her clothes]

Mauricio: You can’t help him anymore!

Alma: I can’t go on without him! ¡Necesito regresar!

Jaime: ¡Alma, stop!

Alma: ¡Tengo que ir!

Mauricio: (Shakes Alma) Ya está con San pedro!

[Everyone stays silent]