Victoria/Em travel scenes

A segment of my stage play 'Nowhere' to sample my writing. This part of the story follows two young women traveling through New York together in search of different goals.

Scene 7

The scene is the bus stop again. Victoria and Em sit there, Victoria growing more impatient and Em looking distraught and suddenly saddened. Victoria looks over to her once more and sighs, deciding offer her support.

Victoria

Something on your mind?

Em

You could say that.

Victoria

Still shaken up from your buddy threatening you?

Em

No, it’s not that. It’s just, I’m thinking again about what I did. Talking about it I guess is reminding me how I felt afterward…

Victoria

You saved a guy’s life. How bad could it have felt?

Em

It wasn’t what I did, it was what he said.

Victoria

And what exactly did he say?

Em

He kept telling me to leave him, that his life wasn’t worth saving. I mean I’m sure he’s grateful now wherever he is, but I’ll never forget the way he’d just given up on himself. I mean, what does someone go through to make them think that? To say their life is worthless? I guess I’m just scared that it’ll happen to me… that one day I’ll look at myself in the mirror and just give up. Maybe deep down I don’t really care if I die.

Em stares down for a moment in reflection. Victoria shrugs.

Victoria

Doubt it.

Em

How are you so sure?

Victoria

Everybody thinks they want to die at some point. Nobody likes to say it, but we all feel sometime or another that it would be better if we just weren’t here. But we’re still here aren’t we? We still get up every morning, we still go out and face the world. If you truly gave up one day, you wouldn’t keep going. And the thought of it wouldn’t be so scary to you.

Em

I guess you’re right.

Victoria sits back in her seat nonchalantly while Em puzzles the thought.

Em

Do you really think everyone wants to die at some point?

Victoria

Well, no. No one really wants to die, just sometimes it feels like less work than living with pain. What they all really want is to stop feeling it, even if that means feeling nothing at all.

Em

After everything we’ve both been through, maybe pain’s not so bad.

Victoria

How do you figure that?

Em

Well, it’s a part of life. Without it, nobody would know what joy is like either. It just wouldn’t feel as special if it was all there was.

Victoria

See? You’re catching on.

Em

How did you get to be so sure of yourself?

Victoria

I wasn’t always. I used to be scared too. I thought I’d given up.

Em

What happened?

Victoria

I’m still here, aren’t I? The world can’t get rid of me that easy.

Fade out, transition.

Scene 9A

The setting is the streets of New York again. Victoria and Em enter, walking to their next stop.

Em

Victoria, you don’t believe in God, do you?

Victoria

Not in the slightest.

Em

I figured. Doesn’t that scare you?

Victoria

Why would it?

Em

Without a God, who do we answer to?

Victoria

Exactly. If anything, it makes me feel free.

Em

Free to sin?

Victoria

Free to live knowing I’m not constantly being watched and judged. Knowing every choice I make is my own, and I don’t belong to some greater force in the sky.

Em

Well, I don’t need to know where we came from or anything like that, and I don’t need God to change my life… I just like knowing that at the end of all this there’s a plan for us. I mean, we go through so much in life and have to make all these choices about right and wrong… If there’s no God, then what’s it all for?

Victoria stops walking to rest her legs. She then sets her bag below her and sits.

Victoria

That’s it, we’re taking another break.

Em, seemingly not tired at all, shrugs and stands beside her. Victoria looks up at her.

Victoria

Hey, Em. I don’t mean to challenge your faith or anything, I think everyone should believe whatever they want if it’s not hurting anyone, especially if it makes them want to be a better person. I just think maybe you’re looking at it wrong. You shouldn’t depend on God or anything else to feel like you matter.

Em

Isn’t it arrogant to think I do?

Victoria stretches her legs and winces in pain.

Victoria

You know, maybe instead of searching for a meaning in life, you’re supposed to make it yourself.

Em hesitates for a moment. Fade out, transition.