The Gold

A Stage Play by Nemo

This is the first half of a ten minute play I'm writing. Half of it is to come so please excuse the title that makes no sense for now :)

SCENE ONE.

A living room. SARAH is sitting on the couch, stirring her tea but not taking a sip. DAVE is leaning against the kitchen counter, slumped over with his face in his hands.

(SILENCE.)

DAVE

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.

DAVE looks to SARAH, pleading with her to say something, anything.

Silence.

DAVE

Please say something.

SARAH continues to stare ahead.

SARAH

I love you.

The pain on DAVE’s face intensifies.

DAVE

Please don’t do this.

SARAH

Do what? Love you? Do you want me to stop loving you, Dave? Because that’s not something I can just-

DAVE

Don’t play this game with me, Sarah. We both know that’s not what I’m asking.

SARAH

Then what? I was stupid and I made stupid choices but I realize that now and I’m trying to fix them and now... Now you’re telling me it’s too late.

Silence.

SARAH

Is it too late?

DAVE

There’s just... something that isn’t there anymore.

SARAH

(through tears)

Don’t make this into a f*****g cliche, Dave.

DAVE

What do you want me to say? For God’s sake Sarah I will never stop loving you but I just can’t pick up where we left off. Something in me died when you said we had to take a break because it wasn’t worth it anymore-

SARAH

That’s not what I said-

DAVE

Well that’s what I heard! I can’t shake off the feeling that I was always just a convenience and it’s not fair for me to live like that.

SARAH

(quietly)

You’re not a convenience. You’ve never been just a convenience. You were the best thing that ever happened to me.

DAVE

If I could make it go away, I would. I don’t want this. All I’ve ever wanted from the day I fell in love with you was to take you in and never let go. But now it hurts to touch you. It’s physical, and it’s raw, and it’s not fair. Every once in a while I have to look out for myself, and this... this is one of those times.

Something in SARAH has changed.

SARAH

Okay.

DAVE

I’m so sorry.

SARAH

Please go.

DAVE looks hurt.

SARAH

Please.

They share an intense look. Hesitantly, DAVE walks to the door. With his hand on the knob, he looks behind, about to say something, changes his mind, and walks out the door. SARAH walks over to her night stand and picks up an unmarked CD. She looks at it for a few moments, goes to break it in half, but changes her mind before she succeeds. She walks over to the CD player in the living room, puts the CD in, and presses play.

BLACKOUT