The Man in the Shadows

The Man in the Shadows

By: Jesse J. Russell

Characters:

Henry Gray: A handsome man in his late twenties, medium black hair, and blue eyes. He is dressed in fine clothing indicating wealth.

Mr. Walter Black: The mysterious character lingering in the shadows, you never see his face. His voice is deep, and commands ones attention.

Alexandra: A woman in her late twenties, she is very beautiful. Has long light brown hair and blue eyes. She is dressed in white.

Opening:

A man is standing in a large dark study looking distraught. This man is the poet known as Henry Gray who is revered for his poetry of love. Papers are spread out throughout the study mostly bunched at the desk, quills litter the floor. A man lingers in the shadows, only the silhouette of him is seen. The man of the shadows goes by the name of Mr. Walter Black. It is raining outside and every so often thunder booms throughout the study. A single candle illuminates a small portion of the room.

Scene:

Henry looks out a window.

Henry: I don’t think I can do it anymore. What cause do I have for anything? To have fallen so far off, to feel such pain. (Henry sits at the desk and places his hands on his head. He lets out a deep sigh. He throws the papers to the ground)

Henry: How can I force myself to write of love when I have it no longer? Oh how heartbreak causes this a rift in me.

Mr. Walter Black: The rift has always been there. It’s your job to overcome it, to overcome the pains of this metamorphosis. This is what you wanted in the depths of your heart, you told me yourself.

Henry: I had not known that the pain would be too heavy for this heart to bear. She meant everything to me you know Mr. Black. I would have transgressed the fires of Hell, delving deeper into each circle fighting to have her. (He starts sobbing gently, looking away as if ashamed)

Mr. Black: There are others in this world you can find to better suit you.

Henry: I do not want others. I have spent my whole life trying to win Alexandra’s affections. Now my arrogance, my hubris has destroyed all that. The only thing left is the turmoil after the fallout.

Mr. Black: You are being overly dramatic.

Henry: Am I?

Mr. Black: Indeed you are.

Henry: It is in my nature as a poet isn’t it? Oh how I long for her soft touch upon my skin. To linger in the gardens once more smelling the flowers seeing her smile, what I wouldn’t give for that.

Mr. Black: You know there is no time for that now.

Henry: Yes I know, and so I must do the unthinkable. I must move past this heart wrenching feeling that torments me.

Mr. Black: Transformations are never easy Henry, but at least you have me to get you through. (A black malformed hand reaches out from the shadows.)

Henry: (scoffing) I have not needed you before. Who are you to tell me of change? I know the inner most workings of a man’s heart better than anyone before me.

Mr. Black: Yet you refuse what needs to be done. The ties severed.

Henry: What you ask of me is too much Walter. It’s just too much. Have you ever loved?

Mr. Black: I have but once a long time ago. She was a beautiful youth so vibrant, radiant with life. She always wore a jeweled blue ribbon in her hair that I gave her. It was a soft blue that magnified even her most subtle features. As the days passed she stopped wearing it. Her affection for another began to grow in my absence

Henry: I had no idea.

Mr. Black: I lost her to another man, one who placed her time above his own. Little did she know that every waking minute was spent on thoughts of her. I pleaded with her tried to make her see, but she would not listen to my cries. Then the new man he stepped in. He beat me bloody. Until I could not move more times than I can count. Still every day I would return to win her love back. Day, night, rain, snow, or sunshine, I would be there only to be denied the one thing in this world I truly desired. The passion that drove me, that created me from the vessels of the heart.

Henry: I understand. I placed so much into love. Only to have it stripped away from me as well.

Mr. Black: I have something for you to do Henry Gray. It is something that may upset you, but is necessary in building our relationship. I have been with you for quite some time so you must trust me.

Henry: What is it?

(The malformed hand points behind Henry. Lightning flashes and reveals Alexandra bound to a chair and gagged. She looks frightened tears roll down her face from her unusually blue eyes. Henry can only look on in horror. The only thing you see of Walter is a smile.)

Henry: What have you done? Why is she here? (Softly)

Mr. Black: Only that which is required of me. She is here because of what you have told me, the final solution.

Henry: There has to be another way. There has to be another way to end my pain. Take me instead. (Henry looks away from Alexandra)

Mr. Black: There is none and I cannot.

Henry: (looking down) When did it come to this? When did God leave my side? Or has he been dead all this time. Either way he has been ignorant to my suffering.

(Henry walks over kneeling next to Alexandra. He stares at her heartfelt and removes the gag from her mouth, she screams. Henry looks at her with soft eyes and smiles.)

Henry: I am sorry my love. No one can hear your cries.

Alexandra: No. Please God no. Please regain control of yourself.

Henry: I have always had control of myself. Why would you say this?

Alexandra: Are you so stricken by grief that you can’t see? You have even failed to notice me until now. Does that not puzzle you?

(Henry looks confused. He looks towards Mr. Black)

Henry: What is she talking about?

Mr. Black: Do not listen to her. She will speak anything to remove herself from this situation.

Alexandra: Oh what have I done to you? You poor thing that you cannot see what is in front of your very own eyes.

Henry: Is it you who cannot see? Is it you who is blind, blind to my constant heartbreak.

Mr. Black: Take the blade, and end this. End the suffering (He holds a shaving razor out to Henry)

Henry: I’m sorry my love but this is what needs to be done. (He takes the razor and stands behind her, lighting and thunder is roaring as rain poor down)

Alexandra: I am sorry. For this schism that I have caused, this great divide in your heart. I have caused you to turn away from God. I am sorry for turning you onto a much darker path.

Mr. Black: Do it!

Henry: I am sorry. I love you (Whispers.)

Alexandra: I lo---- (Henry takes her by the hair and slices open her throat. Alexandra gasps for air as blood spurts from her throat, her eyes are not of fear but of anger. As he lets go he looks to his hands. A blue ribbon soaked in blood drops to the floor unnoticed.)

Henry: What have I done? I do not feel that this has made anything better.

Mr. Black: You will in time.

Henry: I don’t know if I ever will. (Henry has not moved his eyes from his hands.) Shakespeare once said “Will all of great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood from my hand?” I feel the same, even emptier, more hollowed than ever before.

(Henry’s eyes look at Alexandra’s body turning from horror to rage as he looks towards Mr. Black.)

Henry: You! You made me do this!

Mr. Black: I gave you the blade. I did not take your hand and open her throat.

(Henry then charges at Mr. Black and finds no one there only a mannequin with a hat and coat in his place.)

Henry: I don’t understand. Walter was just here. Wasn’t he? (Confused)

Mr. Black: (Voice) I have always been here. That is because of one simple fact. I am you. You created me. To deal with the things you were unable to handle, to ease your loneliness and carry the weight of loss.

Henry: How love used to drive me to such amazing feats. I thought once I could do anything. Now love has created a beast inside of me, this monster that I have become.

Henry looks at the razor.

Mr. Black: (voice) You know we could end this here. We together could end it now, your infinite torture.

Henry: To die now. No that would be too easy. I must live with what I am the devil, Lucifer in the guise of a man. I will live each day without her as penance, until I take my rightful place in hell.

Henry sits down in a chair facing Alexandra dropping the blood soaked razor. He then grabs a quill and paper beginning to write. All the light fades.

End.