FicWad

A/N: Scene 4, as promised! Again, once I get 2 reviews/ratings I'll put up the next part. Read all of it, I know it's long, but this is a very important chapter! To get to the song, you have to read all the way to the end...

Scene IV:

The house door now faces stage right. A table sits within the house, with two chairs at either end. The kitchen half of the house contains a large pile of dirty dishes, pots and pans. Julie stands by the sink, wearing yellow rubber gloves. Her face shows signs of exhaustion, and she often glances at the men that sit at the table with looks of longing, for she wants to sit and talk with them. Skylar and Shaun sit at the table, both with scotch glasses in their hands. A large bottle sits on the table, empty. Skylar’s glass is still mostly filled; Shaun’s, almost empty. Skylar remains much quieter, and Shaun becomes increasingly loud and obnoxious. A spotlight is placed on the two men, while a softer dimmer spotlight focuses on Julie while she cleans. The two men are in conversation. Shaun does more of the talking and often fails to include Skylar, resulting in many one-way conversations. Skylar does not seem to mind, and quietly listens.

Shaun: (laughing)....and then, he asks me just where the hell I think I’m from..and I’m so goddamn wasted I say “Planet Earth, where you from, Mars? (Shaun laughs loudly and obnoxiously, slapping his knee.) I was slurring my words and everything.

Skylar gives a half-hearted smile and a quiet, almost unheard laugh. He glances over at Julie, clearly uncomfortable. His smile fades. Shaun drains the last of the drink in his glass, then reaches for the empty bottle.

Shaun: Aw hell, it’s empty. Damn good scotch, too. Julie!

He shouts her name almost violently, and she rushes over. Fear flickers on her face for an instant.

Julie: Yes?

She answers as though she is only a humble servant. Skylar’s face changes, and he begins to show muted signs of anger directed towards Shaun. Shaun, drunk, takes no notice As Shaun begins to address Julie, Skylar quickly dumps the scotch into the large potted plant behind him.

Shaun:Get us another bottle of this. I’m sure we have more. Skylar could do with a bit more.

He winks at Skylar.

Skylar: No really, I don’t-

Shaun: Nonsense! We’ll both have another glass!

Shaun looks away, and Julie stands there for a moment, frozen. Skylar does not look either of them in the eye, and instead stares down at his (now empty) glass. His knuckles are white, one balled into a fist on the table and the other gripping the glass tightly, as though he might shatter it with his grip. Shaun looks up at Julie again after a moment has passed.

Shaun: Why are you still standing here? Go and get the bottle! (He says this loudly and angrily.)

Julie hurries back to the kitchen, fear flickering in her eyes. The glass in Skylar’s hand shatters.

Skylar: Oh, crap, I’m so sorry...

Shaun: It doesn’t matter, Julie will take care of it. (he says this with a wave of his hand.)

Skylar: No, I can clean it.

Not giving Shaun time to answer, he gets up and goes into the kitchen, where Julie is standing, looking for the bottle of scotch Shaun requested. The spotlight comes off of the table, and briefly focuses to where Julie and Skylar stand together.

Skylar: Can you show me where the broom and dustpan are?

Julie: The cabinet below the sink.

They both have their backs to each other now. Julie goes back to the table and sets down the new bottle of scotch, while Skylar rummages around for the dustpan in the cupboard below the sink. Julie returns to the kitchen, and begins to wash dishes again. Skylar stands up with the dustpan, brushing against her.

Skylar: (quietly) Why do you let him order you around?

He looks at Julie with obvious concern in his eyes. Julie looks at him, then looks down at the dish she is washing,. She slowly shakes her head and whispers.

Julie: I don’t know.

Skylar looks at her for a moment more, appreciating her beauty, then speaks softly and delicately, not acknowledging the question and its answer.

Skylar: Is there a basket I should put the glass in?

Julie answers quietly, sounding as though she is about to cry.

Julie: You can use this.

She takes a wastebasket from below the sink and thrusts it into his hands, carefully avoiding any eye contact with him. Skylar nods, and returns to the table. The spotlight moves back to the table.

Shaun: Really, don’t bother, I’m sure Julie will clean it for you-

Skylar: (He speaks forcefully, implying that the topic is not up for discussion.) I’ll clean it.

He does not make eye contact with Shaun, still obviously angry. He sweeps up the glass quickly and efficiently. Julie, having finished washing the dishes, walks over to the table. She kisses Shaun on the cheek.

Julie: I’m off to bed. I’ll see you two in the morning.

Julie is behind Shaun as she speaks. She does not look at him, and rather addresses Skylar. She smiles weakly as she says this, and she looks exhausted. Shaun stays silent, and gives no reaction to Julie. Julie walks offstage. Shaun looks at his glass. Skylar’s eyes follow Julie until she is offstage. He then looks at his own glass. Shaun looks up at Skylar.

Shaun: So, you know all about me. What about you? Why did you move? Why this town? Who are you?

Shaun stares intently at Skylar, waiting for an answer. Shaun is curious but wary, not sure if he can trust Skylar.

Skylar: Why does it matter?

Shaun slams his fist on the table, but Skylar is still unfazed.

Shaun: I invite you into my home without even knowing who the hell you are! You could be a mass murderer for all I know! That’s why it matters.

Skylar waits a moment, then begins to speak in an empty monotone, as though reading simple facts off a prepared list.

Skylar: My name is Skylar. I haven’t wrote, spoke, or heard my full name since college. I don’t have any close friends. I’ve learned to prefer to be alone. I’ve had one serious girlfriend. My parents don’t know me, never did, and never will. I grew up with my Aunt and Uncle. (Anger and remorse now begin to enter his voice.) My uncle was a drunk and a gambler. He would come home late each night, beat his wife, and, if he was in a real rage from a lost bet, me. My uncle never liked me, and blamed me for his and my parent’s troubles. When I was younger I didn’t understand. When I got older, I didn’t care. I moved out when I was seventeen, and barely scraped through high school. I was accepted at a shitty community college, and dropped out. For a long time I just worked, at stores and small businesses as assistants, making just enough money to live.

He stops, then stares at Shaun, as though taunting him.

Skylar: Is that enough information for you?

Shaun keeps his head down, and does not look Skylar in the eye. There is a long pause before he answers.

Shaun: You didn't answer my first question. Why did you move?

Skylar: I can’t answer that.

He says this with a firmness, but gives away nothing in voice or expression as to why he cannot tell. Shaun looks up, and stares him straight in the eyes.

Shaun: Why the fuck not?

Skylar: It’s personal.

Shaun’s anger and shock grows, and he becomes more confident. Though he responds quietly, he can barely keep his anger in check. His tone becomes threatening.

Shaun: I could throw you out onto the street. I would have no regrets about it either. If I don’t trust a man, I certainly won’t allow him to stay in my house.

The two men stare at each other, as though engaged in a mental battle. Not breaking his gaze, Skylar answers. He is deadly serious.

Skylar: I have one request.

Shaun: Name it.

Skylar pauses, then takes a deep breath before speaking.

Skylar: I only ask that you give me your word that you will tell no one, not even your closes friends and family, not even Julie, of the events I am about to describe to you.

Shaun: I give you my word.

Skylar looks into Shaun’s eyes, searching for verification that Shaun will keep his word. Not necessarily satisfied, Skylar looks back down at the table. He then begins, speaking with many pauses, without his previous confidence. He is clearly uncomfortable, and does not like to speak about the subject. The are some traces of regret in his voice as he speaks.

Skylar: About two months ago, I was living in a small town in Canada. I had lived there for around five years, and I had been with a wonderful girl for three of those years. Our relationship was pretty serious at the time. She was living with me, but we weren’t married yet. I planned to ask her to marry me the next Friday night. I planned a pretty romantic dinner; candles, music, dim lights, the whole package. Instead, she didn’t come home that night. I trusted her, so I didn’t think she was cheating on me. I still worried though. I didn’t get any calls. I figured she had just forgotten to tell me she was going to some sort of work get-together, and she’d just be home a little late. She had the type of job where everyone had to do those stupid team-building exercises. So I didn’t call the police. I stayed up all night waiting for her. It was about 1 am when I heard her car pull up. Now I was starting to get angry. I almost felt like a protective parent. How could she have stayed out so late without at least calling? Then she stumbled in the door and I forgot everything. She looked horrible. Her clothes were practically shredded, and she was soaked from the pouring rain. She looked like she had been assaulted. (Here he pauses, recalling the horror of the memory.) She came in and sat on the chair in the living room, and then I realized she was sobbing. I didn’t have to ask her anything. The second she sat down she told me the whole story, crying the whole time. One of her old boyfriends had been stalking her for weeks, maybe even months. She’d run into him a few times but hadn’t thought anything of it. Apparently, that night, he had assaulted her and tried...(he pauses here, incredibly uncomfortable, acting as though the words are caught in his throat.)...to rape her. She had obviously made it back, barely, but she was still scared as hell.
I was angry. What else could I be? I’d hated abuse of any kind, ever since I had seen what my uncle did to my aunt when I was little, and here it was, coming after my own girlfriend. I was filled with a desire to hunt this man down, teach him a lesson. I was in such a rage I didn’t think of the consequences. She told me his name, though she didn’t know what I intended to do. It took me two weeks to find him.

Here, Shaun begins to pay much closer attention, clearly interested and surprised at the heavy emotion in Skylar’s voice.

Skylar: After I learned where he was living, I told my girlfriend I was going to visit an old friend, and that I would be gone until the next morning. It’s the first time I’d ever lied to her. (Here he pauses, looking down, ashamed of himself. Fear begins to enter his voice.) I don’t think I realized what my true intentions were until I stood on the front porch in front of his house. It still haunts me, all of it, at night. During the day too. I can’t stop looking over my shoulder. Karma is coming for me, I know it. I get tremors at night, but even worse are the terrors..It feels like, as if someone is gripping my throat, trying to kill me. Sometimes I see flames and the people I once loved dying..it’s horrible. I know it’s all a dream but I can’t..I can’t ever wake up.

Here Skylar pauses, and Shaun gives him a look of sympathy, and also slight fear. Shaun seems to almost guess what is coming next. Skylar then begins to speak again.

Skylar: (he speaks in a whisper) I killed him. That night. (The same and fear is now incredibly visible in Skylar’s eyes. His voice goes hoarse.) I made it look like a suicide. I hung him from the rafters with a rope I had found in the garage. (He closes his eyes, wishing to delete the memory from his mind.) Then I realized what I’d done. I tried to go back to my girlfriend, but I told her what happened and she freaked out. She told me to never come near her again. She was scared. (He buries his head into his hands, then looks up, his voice slowly descending into hysteria.) I was scared, and stupid. I decided I had to leave the country.

From here, Skylar stands up and the set begins to move. The tables and chairs are wheeled off, and Skylar walks through the front door. of the house to the other side of the stage. The house is wheeled back so that the front door once again faces the audience. The spotlight is placed only on Skylar, and the rest of the stage is dark. The extended intro of “You Know What They Do to Guys like Us in Prison” begins. The intro serves as only a bit of background music for Skylar’s story. Skylar speaks all throughout his movement and the movement around him on the stage. He speaks to the audience.

Skylar: I’d go to America. I couldn’t go to jail..I’m too young, too pretty! Do you know what they do to guys like us in prison?! I’d almost been arrested once, but oh no, not like this. I’d get a life sentence! Hell, I’d get killed there! See, this is how it always happens...

You Know What They Do To Guys Like Us In Prison begins