This play was originally written for a batch of amazing actors to perform in Anne Bogart's Collaboration Class at the Columbia University MFA in Theater program.
It was written in the way that 24 hour plays are written, in that actors walked in with a prop and a character trait that they always wanted to play - us playwrights picked our actors (often over heated discussions and negotiations but I got the ones I wanted with no negotiation) - then after a week of writing the directors picked their plays (I'm told also after heated debates). This exercise was guided by Lou Moreno who I was so impressed by I worked with him later on Trying.
So this play totally grew collaboratively out of the ideas of my actors and was directed by Nadia who was constantly open to input.
This process resulted in some of my most memorable moments in theater ever. Blood represented by shiny red pieces of glass falling from Aurelie's mouth with a plink, plink, plink. Aurelie and RC chasing each other around the "castle" giggling. Aurelie ripping her pearl necklace off and hurling it at RC as she is left behind. Amazing moments that helped me realize the power of theater to create, recreate living emotion through spontaneous action that becomes performed again and again.
It also is a study in some of my favorite theater and life actions, speaking French, knitting, dancing, women kissing, illuminating misunderstanding as something to be both feared and relished in human experience. It was heavily influenced by the nuclear dreams I had after reading Douglas Coupland's Life After God.
I don't know if After will work with a different group of people in a different setting, but when another undergrad student who saw a rehearsal asked if she could direct it for her directing thesis - I was all for it!
Hope you enjoy it and as always if you want to use it - just let me know erinkellyb@hotmail.com
AFTER by Erin Browne
Characters-
Princess Aurelie- Princess in a war-torn country
Rachel/Cat – A girl to whom everything is new
Barnaby – An Irish Prize fighter
Jill – A TV exec turned Madame
2 of Jill’s hookers
Location: Room in a French castle. French countryside.
Time: After the bombs have gone off
Thanks to Heather Denyer for French translations
Thanks to my actors for being so creative, creating Aurelie’s kingdom, Barnaby’s fight, Jill’s salesmanship, and RC’s key, among other things.
Originally Performed May 1st 2006
Shapiro Theater
Collaboration Presentation
Directed by Nadia Foskolou
Stage Managed by Jenn Shipp
Dramaturg Joe Guarino
Laura Campbell as Aurelie
Liz Eckert as RC
Devon Jordan as Jill
Maury Miller as Barnaby
Meg McLynn and Nina Louise Morrison as whores
Scene
Princess Aurelie dances in her castle with a wooden toy sword to something like Louise Attaque’s Lea or Les Nuits Parisienne. There is a little creak outside the door. Aurelie turns off the radio, blows her candle out, and dives under a table. The fireplace casts light around the room. RC enters with a flashlight but shuts it off when she enters the room.
RC
Hello… Hello… I love your place. I heard your music. And the fire. I know you’re here. I won’t, I’m not, a threat or anything. I promise. It’s not like those movies. Have you seen those movies? I don’t have a weapon or anything is what I mean. You can look through my backpack if you want. God if only I’d learned a language. I was learning Dutch but I think I’m in France now anyway. I think. I mean, I don’t know, I’m not too good at maps and a lot of the landmarks are different, and you know the people I’ve met, they’ve been real sick. Are you sick? Hello. All I had a chance to learn was Kip and Kass, and that was just to order food. I’d only been in the Netherlands two days when it happened. So I didn’t have much chance. Hello? This place is beautiful, really. Like a tour, like one of those places with the ropes and the plexi-glass. Europe is full of those places. Not in California. We don’t have many of those in California. Do they have plexi-glass in Alcatraz, I can’t remember anymore. You here? You sick? I won’t say anything if you’ve got those, keloids, or anything. Seen ‘em. Just learned that word the other day, well I guess it was last year, lose track of time. After it happened. Shortly after it happened. I ran into another American who had some keloids, but then he died. Oh, there you are. Hi. Look. You don’t have to be afraid. Look, my hands, my bag, look I’ll push it away with my feet. You see, it’s not like those movies, all those end of the world movies where everyone is killing each other for bits of food or just for fun. Everyone I’ve met has been pretty nice. You speak English? Here I am babbling and you probably don’t even speak English. France, I heard you French people don’t always speak English. Not like Holland, or the Netherlands. Proud of your language. Too proud like us, like Americans. That’s where I was, in some limestone caves, when it happened, in the Netherlands. I’ve been walking, a long time. Didn’t think my first tour of Europe would be like this, thought France would we all wine and cheese and little Eiffel towers in gift shops. This place, your place is beautiful. Aw, you don’t speak English, damn. It’s just, it’s been a long time since I’ve spoken to anyone. Shut up, shut up, Rachel. Pretty. You look like you belong in this place. Like me for instance, if I was shackin’ here, people’d be like right away, she doesn’t belong here. But you. Hm, cheese. Yes, or wine that would be nice. Food’s been getting kind of redundant. You Europeans have some crazy stuff in cans. Am I even speaking out loud? I can hardly tell anymore.
Aurelie walks to a shelf. Takes down a wooden circle of cheese. She drops it on the floor and kicks it over to RC.
RC
What’s this? Um.
AURELIE – voice cracking
Cheese. Kass.
RC
English. You speak English.
AURELIE
I speak enough English. Unlike you Americans we learn in school.
RC
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go on; I never used to be like that. I mean, talking talking, you just, I spend so much time alone now. You heard all that.
AURELIE
My ears are not broke.
RC
Cat, my name is Cat. Thanks for the cheese. It’s still good?
AURELIE
It has been in the below the house. It is cold there. Cut around the mold if you must.
RC
Thank you.
AURELIE
Wine is on the table and glasses are in this eh, eh, eh,
RC
Cupboard
AURELIE
Cubberd. Yes.
RC
Oh man, this is so good. You have no idea. Maybe you do. It will probably make me sick as a dog, all I been eating is crackers and canned soups. But oh, and wine. This was lucky stopping here. I saw your light. Don’t see many lighted windows anymore. Headed for a big city but I keep getting lost. It’s hard when you don’t follow a highway and have the signs. But then again, all the signs are in another language so I recognize the city names but not which way to go. This is so good. And this place is so amazing. Have you always lived here or just since… Look at that painting. What’s your name?
AURELIE
My name is Aurelie.
RC
Wow, look at this.
AURELIE
Be caution.
RC
Oh sorry.
AURELIE
No, eh eh?
RC
Careful.
AURELIE
Be careful. Those were my mother’s.
RC
So, this is your place Orlee.
AURELIE
Au-re – lee
RC
Au – re –lee
AURELIE
This was my family home. We have been here for many many years, hundreds years.
RC
Cool
AURELIE
Yes.
RC
It’s like a castle though. I can’t even imagine, I grew up in an apartment. Can you imagine, growing up in a place like this. Whoa. Crazy. All this stuff is so old I bet your mom got mad if you broke something.
AURELIE
Yes.
RC
Was your family like royal or something or did everyone in France have castles at one time?
AURELIE
My family was royal at one time.
RC
So are you like a Princess?
AURELIE
I am not. But like that.
RC
Cool.
AURELIE
Yes
RC
Look, I know I’m annoying you and I won’t try to stay here and wreck this scene you’ve got going on, I mean, with the food and the music. I just wondered, it’s late, and I’m so sick of sleeping outside. It’s getting cold. Can I stay in one of your rooms tonight, I mean you have like a million. I’ll stay in one far away, you won’t even know I’m here. It’d just be nice to have someone like, on the same planet as me I guess.
AURELIE
Cat, why did you call yourself Rachel.
RC
My name’s really Rachel, but I hate it. After all this happened I figured that no one would know. Starting fresh in a sense, so you know. I don’t know, once a Rachel always a Rachel. But Cat just sounds so cool, always wanted to be called Cat. Sorry.
AURELIE
Rachel, you may sleep on that side of the room. The other rooms have no fire. I will sleep on this side.
RC
You speak good English Aurelie.
AURELIE
My mother was an American.
RC
Thanks for letting me stay.
AURELIE
Just be quiet for a minute, my ears hurt. Can you turn off your mouth to sleep?
RC
Yes.
Scene
Aurelie reads a book. RC wiggles and looks out the window.
RC
Where is your family?
AURELIE
On the hill, by the river.
RC
Those graves. All those graves. Princess Aurelie, there are so many.
AURELIE
My family was big. We had many rooms to fill.
RC
Who dug their graves?
AURELIE
Me.
RC
That’s a lot of work.
AURELIE
The servants died too. A daughter should dig her parent’s grave. The servants should not do it.
RC
Who dug the graves for the servants?
AURELIE
Me. There was no one else.
RC
Your hands are rough.
AURELIE
There must be fires. There must be graves. I am not a Princess anymore. In a land of no subjects there is no royalty.
RC
I can be your subject.
AURELIE
I do not choose this kingdom.
RC
It’s in your blood you said.
AURELIE
Blood changes.
RC
Blood never changes.
AURELIE
Shut up Rachel, I’m reading.
SCENE
Aurelie stabs at the sleeping RC with her toy sword.
AURELIE
Do you hear?
RC
What?
AURELIE
The skra-creak skra-creak.
RC
Skra-creak?
AURELIE
Shhhh.
RC
No, I don’t hear it.
AURELIE
Because you are not being quiet.
RC
What is that?
AURELIE
A sword.
RC
Sword?
AURELIE
From when I was small.
RC
You sleep with that?
AURELIE
No.
RC
Why do you have it now?
AURELIE
Shut up, sleep now. If you would like to sleep on this side of the room you may.
RC
Do you want me to?
AURELIE
I do not care. Good night.
Aurelie collapses on a couch and turns her back. RC moves to within a few feet of where Aurelie is laying and sits down.
Scene
Aurelie knits. RC watches her.
RC
What are you doing?
AURELIE
I don’t know the word.
RC
Knitting.
AURELIE
If you know why did you ask?
RC
Why do you do it?
AURELIE
It calms me.
RC
Okay.
RC watches Aurelie knit.
Scene
Aurelie and R.C. play cards and drink wine
RC
Who do you think did it?
AURELIE
What?
RC
All this. Blowing up the world. The nuclear bombs or whatever.
AURELIE
Desolee. I forgetted?
RC
Forgotten.
AURELIE
Forgotten for a minute.
RC
Forgotten?
AURELIE
Yes. Playing at cards here with you. I had forgotten.
RC
Oh. Well. Who do you think did it? I mean do you think about it?
AURELIE
The Americans.
RC
Why us?
AURELIE
I assumed.
RC
I assumed it was the Koreans. The north or the south, I forget which are the bad ones.
AURELIE
You see, this is why I assumed it was the Americans.
RC
Can you not be all condescending and French for like five minutes.
AURELIE
No, it is in my blood. Gin.
RC
Damn. I just taught you this shit, how can you be beating me?
AURELIE
More wine Cat?
RC
Yes, please.
AURELIE
What is that key you wear around your neck?
RC
To my boyfriend’s apartment, in Ocean Beach. He gave it to me right before I left for my semester abroad. ‘Fraid I might find some Dutch hottie, I guess. I don’t know why I save it, I mean I know he’s dead.
AURELIE
How do you know?
RC
I just know it right here. I think they’re all dead. All of them. Or we would have heard something from them. I can’t think about it.
AURELIE
He may be alive.
RC
He’s not. But if he is, you think he thinks about me?
AURELIE
He must.
RC
He gave me this key and you know, didn’t ask me to move in or anything but gave me this key and that’s like saying, you can come in anytime because I don’t have anything to hide from you anymore. Like, you know, when it gets real dirty and my boxers are all over the floor, I don’t have to hide that from you, and no girls here on the sly. I mean he’s a real, he was a real nice guy. He used to visit my grandma at the home sometimes because he lived real close to her. He was a nice guy. Just a real good guy. Ed. He hated his name too. Rachel and Ed.
AURELIE
You have a new name.
RC
I do.
AURELIE
I had a boyfriend. He was Italian. Carlo. A bastard but very rich. If he is dead, I do not care. That is sad, no?
RC
No, I don’t know. I don’t know him.
AURELIE
Sexy. He was sexy. Hottie like you say.
RC
Yes well. So, that’s Ed’s key. I’ll stop wearing it soon, I guess. No sense in it. Place probably flattened to the ground and all.
AURELIE
It is not bad to wear.
RC
Do you think he thinks about me here? Wishes I was with him?
Aurelie looks at RC and touches her face. Holds RC’s face in her hands.
AURELIE
I am sure he does. I would.
RC gently touches Aurelie’s hand. They kiss knocking over their wine.
Scene
Aurelie and RC dance around the room to the same song from the beginning. They dance together and apart like teenage girls.
Scene
Aurelie and RC sleep wrapped around each other. RC wakes fitfully.
AURELIE
My pretty Cat. Rest, peace, my one.
RC
Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.
AURELIE
Daccord. My little princess Cat.
RC
You are my princess Aurelie.
AURELIE
I should sing you a song, no?
RC
Is that what your mother did for you?
AURELIE
My sisters.
RC
How many did you have?
AURELIE
Two old, one young.
RC
Do you ever wonder what is out there beyond the graves of your family.
AURELIE
I know what is out there, that is why I stay here.
RC
What if we get sick. What if something happens and you fall. What if when you’re chopping the wood for the fire, you chop your hand. I can’t sew that on, I can’t sew on your hand. There have to be others alive, we can’t be the only ones.
AURELIE
I will stay with my family, with my house. You may leave. I do not own you.
RC
That’s not what I’m staying. Don’t you want to see, what’s around, who is left, what is left.
AURELIE
I saw them walk by my river. I saw them drink this poison water. I heard them yell and saw them kill each other. I will stay here with the fruit trees and the graves of my family. Here I have wine and cheese and fire. You may leave. I will stay.
RC
I’m not leaving Aurelie.
Scene
RC stands by the door with her backpack on.
RC
I’m not leaving.
AURELIE
Go. Go. I know you want to leave. You stupid American. Search and conquer and destroy. Go west.
RC
Can we not get into a fight about history right now. I’m curious Aurelie. That’s all. Please stop this. Stop breaking your beautiful things. Stop.
AURELIE
Go. Go. Go.
RC
I’m trying to protect you. I’m trying to help us.
AURELIE
Find. Go find what you need. Je ne peux plus parler dans cette langue de merde foutue. Je te déteste. Quitte ma maison et laisse-moi seul. Je ne peux pas tout être. Le monde est fini, et ce n'est pas suffisament pour toi. Reste ici Je suis amoureuse de toi. Tu es bête. Comment puis-je tomber amoureuse d'une telle imbécile. <I can't speak in this fucking language anymore. Shit. I hate you, get out of my house. Leave me alone. I can't be everything. The world has ended and that isn't enough for you. stay here. I'm in love with you, you're a stupid fool. How can I fall in love with such a stupid fool.>
RC
Aurelie. Aurelie. Let’s go together. You need to get out of this drafty castle. Please don’t do this.
AURELIE
Laisse-moi, tu pute. <Leave me you cunt.>
RC
I’ll walk towards town, and I will be back in 2 days. You need medicine for your ears. It is infected Aurelie. I’m not a doctor but I know. It’s infected and you might go deaf. Look at you. You’re so sick you can barely stand up.
AURELIE
Je sais que tu ne vas pas revenir. Ils ne reviennent jamais. <I know you won’t come back, they never come back.>
RC
You know that isn’t fair. Speak to me in English.
AURELIE
GO Rachel!
RC
Aurelie I will be back. Take my key.
RC takes the key from around her neck and holds it out. Aurelie refuses it, so RC sets it on the table.
AURELIE
I will burn it.
RC
You may, it’s yours now.
RC tries to hug Aurelie but Aurelie pushes her away and leaves. RC picks up her bag and starts to follow Aurelie but then turns and leaves through the door she came in.
SCENE
Aurelie is sitting mending holes in her coat. She is wearing RC’s key around her neck.
BARNABY
Hello. Who might you be?
AURELIE
Je ne comprende pas.
BARNABY
Don’t you speak English?
AURELIE
Je suis desolee
BARNABY
Typical like, the first living bird I run into in a year and she don’t even speak English. We’ll have a right repartee won’t we.
AURELIE
Desolée.
BARNABY
Pretty though, you. Got anything to eat?
AURELIE
Manger?
BARNABY
Right. You live here? Ya jammy cow. (Lucky bitch)
AURELIE
Fatigué?
BARNABY
I don’t understand a word your saying lovely. Sorry. Just trying to get out a the rain. You’re quite good looking. Make better foder for wankin than the faces a dead broads I been going off of for a while now. I mean in the mags, not the dead bodies themselves, I ain’t like that.
AURELIE
Ta guelle, mes oreilles me font mal. <Shut up my ears hurt>
BARNABY
I guess I best be going, this ain’t going fucking no where. Usual unlucky shite, eh?
Aurelie kisses him. He kisses her back.
BARNABY
Lady. I don’t–
Aurelie kisses him again.
Scene
Barnaby and Aurelie are lying down together.
BARNABY
Well my wee beastie. Unexpected. Can’t explain that but I guess this is pretty boring in here too. You ever get out of here?
AURELIE
Non. Tout le monde m’abandone.. <No, people leave me.>
BARNABY
Still don’t have a clue what you’re sayin. Fuck it. If my ma could see this place. I got into the gloves to get out of our house and into a place like this. Didn’t think it would take all of this. Wanted to put my mom in a house like this. Been so long since I seen my mom though, and my mates. Whisked me out of there pretty quick once I started making a name for myself bare-knuckled, then they put me in the gloves... Was in Russia when it happened. Walked, can ya believe? I’ll get back to my home if it kills me. If I have to swim. If I have ta fight every cunt from here to-
AURELIE
Un homme obligé <Committed man.>
Barnaby grips a cross around his neck.
BARNABY
Been traveling so much, my head is all fucked. Even before. My head was all fucked. Don’t know what I’m saying most of the time, wasn’t a kind thing that happened with all them bombs. Wasn’t.
AURELIE
Tais-toi, s’il te plait. <Please shut up.>
BARNABY
I’m Barnaby by the way.
AURELIE
Rachel. Enchantée.
BARNABY
Enchantée Rachel. Pretty girl.
Scene
Barnaby struggles with a bottle of wine. Aurelie deals him cards.
BARNABY
Fuck me, I can’t figure this out Rachel. Can you not open this bottle for me please? My dad was a sheep-shagger from the North and my mom was Irish and neither of them taught me how to open wine. No call for that in my neighborhood you know. Outside of church.
Aurelie opens the bottle of wine easily.
BARNABY
So how’d ya end up in this drafty place?
AURELIE
J’ai passé toute ma vie ici. <I have been here my whole life>
BARNABY
Your whole life. I see that. You have fine features. Like you belong here. Not me, takes the eradication of a planet to get me into a place like this.….
Aurelie hugs him.
BARNABY
I don’t need coddling from you, for fucks sake woman.
AURELIE
D’accord.
Aurelie takes her wooden sword and throws it on the fire.
BARNABY
You always lived here alone?
AURELIE
Avec ma famille. <with my family>
BARNABY
Lived with my mom before all tha flying around, all I know is fighting and now there isn’t a soul to fight.
AURELIE
Tu peux me combattre. <You may fight me>
BARNABY
I don’t want to fight a woman. Don’t get all bloakie with me.
AURELIE
Ben, alors. <Ah well.>
BARNABY
I warn you Rachel I’m good at cards.
AURELIE
Gin.
Scene
Barnaby is skipping rope. Aurelie watches him.
AURELIE
Qu’est-ce que tu fais? <What are you doing?>
BARNABY
Skippin rope.
AURELIE
Pourquoi? <Why?>
BARNABY
It relaxes me.
Aurelie watches Barnaby skip rope.
Scene
Aurelie is stacking fire wood.
BARNABY
I can do that for you Rachel. You just need to ask.
AURELIE
Mèrci Barnaby.
BARNABY
You never tell me about yourself, I know I’m a punter and might not understand your French but we been getting along fine have we not?
AURELIE
Il n’y rien à dire. <There is nothing to tell>
BARNABY
Now don’t be telling me there is nothing. I never met a girl that likes to talk as little as you do about yourself. Come. Give me something my wee beastie.
AURELIE
Demain. <Tomorrow.>
BARNABY
Quiet, you. Don’t trust a quiet one my ma used to say.
AURELIE
Barnaby, ne fais confidence en personne. <don’t trust anyone>
BARNABY
I trust ya, no matter what you say.
Scene
Barnaby and Aurelie lay sleeping. Aurelie starts and sits bolt upright in her sleep.
AURELIE
Cat! Come back. Come back.
Barnaby pulls a knife from his boot and stabs Aurelie in the chest without even opening his eyes. When he realizes what he’s done he shakes in horror and pulls the knife from her chest. He drops the knife.
BARNABY
My little dove. What did I do? What the fuck did I do?
AURELIE
Bury me on the hill.
BARNABY
No, no, Rachel. Don’t fuck off like this and leave me. Rachel, come back…Fuck. Fuck.
Barnaby listens at her chest. He takes his cross from around his neck, kisses it, and places it around Aurelie’s neck with the key.
BARNABY
This world is fucked. This whole world is fucking shite.
Barnaby holds Aurelie’s head up to his and kisses her like he might eat her face. RC rushes in excitedly.
RC
Aurelie. Princess Aurelie. Who are you? Who are you? What-
Barnaby stares at her.
BARNABY
It’s not how it looks, my little Rachel, she, I didn’t mean this. I didn’t mean it to be like this, she was screaming in her sleep and I just -
He drops Aurelie to the floor and crumples over her body. RC picks his knife off the floor and stabs it into his back. He turns his head to look up at her.
RC
How did you know my name was Rachel?
Barnaby slumps onto Aurelie’s body. RC pulls the knife out of his back and drops it to the floor. She shoves Barnaby’s body off of Aurelie. RC looks at Aurelie. RC takes a bottle of pills out of her pocket and they rattle onto the floor. She picks up Aurelie’s body and hugs it close to her.
RC
Aurelie. Aurelie. I can sing you a song. You’re still warm. Aurelie. Sleep. I have been walking for a week to find those pills. I didn’t stop for a minute. I didn’t stop to sleep. Sleep and we’ll talk later. My princess.
RC kicks Barnaby’s body over further and curls up around Aurelie.
Scene
RC pours a wine glass for herself and one for the propped up body of Aurelie. Barnaby still sits where he has been on the floor.
RC
Aurelie, you are not allowed to drink wine with these pills but I will let you just this once because there is no doctor around to scold us. Who was he, if you don’t mind me asking. A friend. I guess if he’s a friend of yours, then I’ll give him a second chance but really our first meeting was not so good. Not really a first impressions type of guy. I guess I’m not that great at that either. Well perhaps if he’d get himself up off the floor.
RC pushes Barnaby’s body with her foot.
RC
I don’t feel sorry for him at all. He can sit there all night and I won’t feel sorry for him. Everyone has to fend for themselves now don’t they. Except that I have you.
Aurelie reaches out and holds RC’s face. RC curls up next to Aurelie and they sleep.
Scene
Aurelie and RC sit drinking wine.
RC
And then I realized that I hadn’t realized how long I’d been gone. I’d been searching so hard that I didn’t realize how many days had passed. Without news, without my day planner, you just lose track. So I headed back and that’s when I found the pills.
AURELIE
My ear is good. Thank you Cat, you saved my life.
RC
Well.
AURELIE
I missed you.
RC
What about him.
AURELIE
Barnaby.
BARNABY
What?
Barnaby stirs on the floor.
AURELIE
Barnaby, get up.
BARNABY
Why should I?
AURELIE
Cat would like to meet you.
BARNABY
Don’t know if I want to meet her, she’s a bit nasty if you ask me.
Barnaby sits up.
AURELIE
Be kind.
BARNABY
Alright, any mate of Rachel’s is a mate of mine.
AURELIE
Cat, be kind.
RC
I’m Rachel, and I’m Cat.
BARNABY
Then what’s this one?
AURELIE
Aurelie
BARNABY
Well, well.
RC
Well, Barnaby, I’m sorry about our altercation earlier. I really am.
BARNABY
Ah, it’s alright Rachel n Cat. It was a misunderstanding is all. And she’s speaking English fine too, well, Rachel n Cat you must be magic.
RC
Would you like some wine Barnaby?
BARNABY
I have developed a taste for it, shall I deal us a game a cards my wee beasties.
RC
Please do.
AURELIE
I have one thing to ask. After the game will you bury us on the hill Cat? On the hill by the river?
RC
No. I won’t.
AURELIE
That is where we belong. I belong with my family.
RC
I won’t bury you. I won’t let you go and I won’t bury you.
AURELIE
You must Cat, you can not live like this.
RC
I don’t have to do anything. I won’t put you in the ground. I won’t, I won’t.
AURELIE
Deal the cards Barnaby.
Pause
AURELIE
Gin
Scene
Barnaby and RC sit up and watch Aurelie sleep.
BARNABY
She so tired RC. It’s harder and harder for you to keep us awake in your mind isn’t it?
RC
I will keep you forever. I have no one else, I can’t lose you.
BARNABY
Some day soon your going to go too and then what, we’ll all be sittin here having our tea parties I guess like a bunch a ghouls.
RC
That doesn’t sound like a bad life.
BARNABY
We aren’t alive RC. Shake her, I bet you can’t wake her up. Try with all your mind but I’m all you got right now.
RC
Aurelie. Aurelie. AURELIE. AURELIE. Wake up. WAKE UP AURELIE. PLEASE. PLEASE.
BARNABY
You see, your mind is tired of thinking for us all the time. You have to let us go. Ashes to ashes.
RC
I can’t. Leave me alone. Why don’t you sleep. I hate you.
BARNABY
It isn’t sleep and you can’t control it anymore lovely.
RC
I could leave.
BARNABY
But you won’t will you?
Scene
Aurelie, Barnaby, and RC sit drinking coffee out of tiny cups and spreading cheese on crackers. RC goes to pour more coffee from the French press for Barnaby. Jill and her two hookers enter and Aurelie and Barnaby slump over into the positions of the dead. RC looks at them and then looks at Jill.
JILL
I come in on scenes like this all the time. Nothing to be ashamed of. Individuals go a little crazy when things like this happen.
RC
I’m not ashamed. Kill me. I’ve take these two lives. Now you should take mine.
JILL
I don’t care what you’ve done. Look at me. Do you think I would care?
RC
I don’t know. I don’t know you. Aren’t you afraid of me?
JILL
I’m from LA.
RC
I’m from California, too.
JILL
I know, I could tell your accent a mile away.
RC
Who’re they?
JILL
Well, we’ll get to that. I’m Jill.
RC
I’m Cat.
JILL
What’s your real name?
RC
Rachel.
JILL
Figured as much. Well Rachel. I’m recruiting.
RC
For what?
JILL
I grew up in California. My mom was a teacher, and before her, her mom was a teacher. Before that my great grandmother was a Madame, ran a whole house herself. I was a producer in LA so I know a little bit about selling souls, and I’m an entrepreneur you see. I know that all someone like you has left to sell now is your body.
RC
What about my mind?
JILL
No one wants your mind. Look at you, sitting around here serving tea to corpses. I wouldn’t have even had a nut like you on one of my reality shows. You’d be a liability. But I got these girls together and we’re going to go start a house up in the city about a weeks walk from here.
The two whores are looking around slipping things into their pockets.
JILL
Come with us. You’re pretty enough. People aren’t very picky these days. They just want a little companionship from someone who doesn’t scare them. I know what people need. They want to climb inside someone . They’ll pay a lot for it. For someone else who looks like someone they knew. Someone living for someone dead.
RC
What about you?
JILL
I don’t need anyone. I just want money. I think that makes me lucky. I’m a born leader. I have inherent leadership qualities.
RC
Don’t you need people to lead?
JILL
Are you coming or not?
RC
I can’t leave them here.
JILL
You’re worse off than I thought. They’re bodies. You have to leave them if you ever want to lead a normal life.
RC
How is what you’re doing normal? Is anything normal anymore, the world has fallen apart.
JILL
You can see that as a setback or an opportunity. I prefer to see it as an opportunity. Now look at that one.
Indicates hooker who stops in the middle of taking something and admires it.
JILL
She used to mope around quoting Sartre all the time, now all she does is smile and hum Mariah Carey tunes. She loves to dance and can’t even remember the last time she had a sad thought.
RC
Who doesn’t love to dance?
JILL
I bet you can’t remember how anymore.
RC
That’s probably true. I couldn’t say. What happened? How did you fix her?
JILL
Well she joined my plan so she has a purpose now. And I also have a little thing I can do. A doctor taught me how to do this thing when I was a kid. I never thought I’d use it but it’s quite easy. I wish I’d started doing it earlier, there are some people I can think of before this all happened that could have used it. It fixed my mom when I was a kid. She was weak like you, the world troubled her. So this doctor removed her thalamus from her frontal lobe.
RC
A lobotomy?
JILL
It will work. It made my mom normal.
RC
Did you have one?
JILL
No Rachel, some people are just stronger than others. Some people are here to guide people like you along when they don’t know what to do. Before there were psychologists, and priests, and TV execs like me. We helped people every day, make decisions and become more comfortable with who they are, because we made them more like every body else.
RC
But.
JILL
Don’t you want to be with living people again?
RC
Will this help me forget?
JILL
Nothing helps you forget. But it will help you not care.
RC
I want to not care. I don’t want to care.
JILL
It will help you be normal. It will help you walk through your life not thinking about what you’re missing, why the world is wrong.
RC
I want to be normal. I want to not think. These people are in my brain all the time and I want them out, please take them out. Save me. Make me like everyone else.
JILL
How badly do you want it?
RC
Do whatever it takes.
JILL
This won’t hurt a bit.
RC
I don’t care if it hurts, nothing can hurt more than my mind already does. Please fix me. Fix me. Take them away.
JILL
Sit still.
Jill restrains RC with her feather boa, tying her in her chair. Jill drives the two “ice pick” probes into RCs eye sockets and gives them each a slow twist. She removes the probes and wipes them free of blood and crams them in her pocket.
JILL
Now sleep.
RC
Okay.
JILL
What is your name?
RC
I can’t remember right now.
JILL
Good, sleep. All of you sleep.
Scene
RC wakes up to find Jill awake and staring at her. RC crawls away from Aurelie and Barnaby’s bodies. Jill pushes the two hookers.
JILL
Now we leave. Don’t you want to say goodbye to your friends.
RC
No. They’re dead.
JILL
Good. We’ll go. We have a long walk so bring some crackers girls, maybe some cheese. You alright Cat?
RC
My name is Rachel.
JILL
Does your head hurt?
RC
No. I feel fine.
JILL
Ladies.
Jill leaves. One of the hookers rips the cross and key off of Aurelie’s neck. The cross she puts around her neck but the key she throws in Aurelie’s lap. The two hookers leave. RC goes to Aurelie and picks the key up from her lap. Aurelie starts and grabs RC’s arm.
AURELIE
Bury us on the hill by the river. Bury yourself with us. This is no life for you. Stay with us.
RC shakes Aurelie’s hand off her arm.
RC
I’m already dead.
RC drops the key on the floor, Aurelie slumps. RC exits.
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