Act One, Scene Seven
(James is in his apartment, frantically looking around, he's got a backpack and he's stuffing it with random articles, clothing, books, food, etc, Deborah enters through front door and stands watching for a minute.)
Deborah:
Hello.
James:
Hi.
(points to kitchen)
There's a note on the counter. We're through. (Deborah crosses to counter, reads note, looks at him)
Deborah:
James, let's sit down and talk.
(motions to couch)
James:
Talk? We've talked enough. We're through. I have to get out of here, Away from you. For my own safety.
Deborah:
Why? What have I done?
James:
(approaching her, backing her onto couch and leaning over her)
If you don't know by now, you're even more clueless than I thought.
(holds fist in her face)
You see this mark? You did this, when I was asleep, had them come in, put a chip in me.
Deborah:
Who? What? Why?
James:
Just like in New Orleans, its happening again...
(grabs head)
The buzzing. The buzzing. Why are you lying to me? I know the truth now, Deborah. You are one of them.
Deborah:
I'm not. Remember, the cafe. End of the Universe. Its me.
(James moves to coffee table, picks it up and dumps it over, storms downstage, Deborah follows him and stands beside him, he doesn't look at her.)
James, calm down, you are not yourself...I know you.
(There is a knock at the door. Deborah moves to answer. James stops her.)
James:
If you really knew me, you wouldn't have done what you did.
Deborah:
I have to get the door--
(James grabs her arm. Knock again.)
James:
This is the end. All my friends see it, you're crazy---
Deborah:
What friends?
(Another knock, then door opens, Matthew, Shaggy, Ray, and Thomas stand in doorway, holding beer. Neither James nor Deborah notice them.)
James:
Our friends, Matthew, Shaggy, all of them. They are so done with you.
(He faces audience.)
Deborah:
That can't be.
(She steps in front of him.)
James:
Its true. They are done with you, they don't believe in...fairy tales anymore. End of the Universe is over. Its over. We're over.
(after a moment)
We are through.
(He backs her up, but she trips and falls on the ground.)
Deborah:
James!
James:
YOU HEAR ME! WE'RE THROUGH. I'M DONE, WE'RE DONE.
(He holds up a fist in front of her, as if daring her to stop him, when she does nothing, he grabs a nearby chair, picks it up gets ready to throw it, but M, S, T, & R run over and pull him back.)
WE'RE DONE!
(M,S,T,&R hold James back.)
Deborah:
((quietly) )
Go.
James:
What?
Deborah:
Go, just go, then. You're...sick. You're not...yourself. There is nothing...I can't help you. This isn't working.
(She falls to the ground.)
James:
(breaks away)
Now you see.
Deborah:
You're sick, you know that.
(Matthew steps between Deborah and James, trying to stop him.)
James:
You're sick.
(to Matthew)
She's sick.
Matthew:
James!
Deborah:
(getting up and grabbing his backpack)
Go, just go. Go now, please. GO!!! JUST GO!!!!
(James looks at her, turns, opens door, slams his fist, and leaves, silence. She sits on the ground, motionless.)
Matthew:
(crossing to her)
Deb?
Deborah:
(sitting on bed)
Matthew? He's gone.
Matthew:
I saw.
Deborah:
I...I...I...did it. I..kicked him out.
Matthew:
I know.
(He helps her stand and walks her over to the bed, sits with her.)
Shaggy:
Where do you think he's gone?
Deborah:
I...don't know.
Shaggy:
We should go after him. Make sure he's safe.
Deborah:
Yes please, do that.
(Ray crosses to her and hands her a beer.)
Ray:
Here. Looks like you might need this.
Deborah:
(takes it, but doesn't open it.)
Thanks.
Shaggy:
Come on.
(motions to M, T, R).
Deborah:
Matthew, can you...stay?
Matthew:
Yeah.
(turns to Shaggy)
Call me when you find out--
Deborah:
Guys?
(M,S,T,&R turn toward her. Silence as she takes them in.)
Just wanted to say...Thank you.
Shaggy:
Yeah, well, you're one of us, right? Come on, guys.
(S,T,&R exit. Matthew crosses down to Deborah.)
Matthew:
How are you?
Deborah:
He said, you told him to leave me. He said you were on his side---
Matthew:
Well, no. You can see that...I just said you guys should give each other space, that's all.
Deborah:
I did give him space. I did...I tried...
Matthew:
I know, I know. Not your fault.
Deborah:
Now what?
Matthew:
What can I do?
Deborah:
Just make me feel...just sit here with me, okay?
Matthew:
(after a moment)
Remember...remember the first time we met? At the cafe? It was late, the end of the day, you came in wanting---
Deborah:
Coffee for my room-mate. You sold me moka java, your favorite. And, I said...nice to meet you.
Matthew:
So did I.
Deborah:
Yeah. Then later I said, something like, I think this is going to be an interesting relationship.
Matthew:
And it was, it is. That was the night of the first snow, right?
Deborah:
Yeah, it was beautiful. All those walks we took. They were all like that.
Matthew:
I took you to that look out.
Deborah:
Yes. It was--
Matthew:
Yeah. It still is.
Deborah:
We should go there again sometime.
Matthew:
Yeah.
(silence, motions to her beer.)
May I?
(She hands it to him, he opens it and takes a swig, hands it to her. She sips, hands it back.)
Deborah:
It's like Shaggy used to always say--
Matthew:
The government is out to get you.
Deborah:
No, no, no, not that. Please not that. No, the other thing--
Matthew:
Never give up--
Deborah:
the fight. Yeah, that's right. I never really understood that. And, how he was always singing "Damn it used to be a gangster" like everywhere we went.
(They both laugh.)
You know, what is his real name anyway?
Matthew:
(laughing)
Oh, that's classified information. (zips mouth.)
Deborah:
So, what now, Matthew?
Matthew:
I don't know. Maybe we take down the governmen--
(cringes)
Sorry.
Deborah:
You ever finish your pilot's license testing?
Matthew:
Yep, I can fly.
Deborah:
Really? You always said you would take me up.
Matthew:
You were always...busy.
(Silence, they sip beer.)
We can now. We can go anywhere. I've always wanted to see so many places, you know, like New Orleans--
Deborah:
No, not New Orleans. Never New Orleans.
(silence.)
You said you'd take me to Mexico, is that still all right?
Matthew:
Yeah, sure. We can do that.
(Deborah leans against him.)
Deborah:
You know, I love you, right?
Matthew:
You're all right yourself.
Deborah:
You always used to say that, but I get it now. I know what you're really saying.
Matthew:
It's true.
(His phone rings. He stands, pulls it out of pocket, answers.)
Hello?
(listens.)
God, no.
(listens.)
Okay, um, just call me when you find out more. Thanks.
(hangs up.)
Deborah:
What is it?
Matthew:
(after a moment, sits.)
It was Shaggy. They found James. He wasn't himself, you know, he was in the street and a truck hit him, like a semi or something. Ambulance came and--
(Deborah screams, Matthew grabs her.)
Matthew:
I've got you. I've got you.
(He strokes her hair as she sobs.) L
Lights fade. End of Act One.
No comments:
Post a Comment