The Way BackA Screenplay by Luke IandoliI wrote this for a one-act festivalCurtain Opens To a stage set with only a small table And two chairs. There is nobody on stage. After a few seconds have passed, the lead walks Onto the stage. This is WILLIAM, the main character WILLIAM Today is the day. The piper has played his final tune and the bear has retired to his den for the final winter. Today is the day that I have finally accepted the fact that this will never get better for me. I really, truly wish that there was another option, but it seems that this is the only choice I am left with. Could this have been avoided? If I had heeded the advice of the therapists or indulged myself in so called “miracle pills,” would I be somewhere else now? No. I would rather it be that nothing could help. That I was simply a born basket case. At least then I know that it was not my fault. At least I know that there was nothing I could do. William sits down at the chair WILLIAM Why has the thought of me ending my conscious taken this ong to fully form? Perhaps up until know, I believed that I had hit a stretch of bad luck and it was due time for the universe to repay me for the harm it had caused me William laughs sadly WILLIAM I can not even say it without breaking into laughter. The illusion around me has collapsed, revealing my true setting, a bleak, barren wasteland. I was simply an actor, portraying a role, and know I am forced to attempt the rest of the show without a stage, walking through the motions in a barren space of nothingness. Well. Here I am. Finally confronting the truth which has been eluding me this long. I have finally struck the deeper meaning, yet what I believed to be gold was only dust. From underneath the table, William pulls out a fake knife WILLIAM With this blade, I call upon you Angel, Angel of sleep, Angel of Peace, Angel of Endings, Angel of Death. Take this burden of my shoulders and close my eyes, for I am too tired to do it myself. Come Angel of death. Whisk me far away from this land of suffering, for I can walk no further. Come Angel! With this, there is knocks off stage and the lights flicker and from the side opposite where William entered, DEATH walks in. Death is dressed in colorful attire.(A girl or boy may be cast for this role.) DEATH Who here calls my name? Who here has forgotten the consequences of ushering the names of death in that manner? WILLIAM I do, I William Barret have called you, yet I am sorry, for you, Death, do not match the image which I had built for you in my mind. Death laughs cheerfully at this and sits down in the opposite chair DEATH Oh poor man! I understand your confusion, yet I do not understand why this image of the dark and terrifying hooded figure does not match who I truly am WILLIAM I apologize for my my kinds misconception, but you must understand why we have taken to describing you in that dreary fashion, you are a terrifying thought for some DEATH I never understood that. My friend, do I scare you now? WILLIAM No, now that I see you for who you are, I understand why you would be upset at the common description of your stature. DEATH Well, thank you. But enough on that, why do you, someone with so much time left call my name? WILLIAM With this knife, I call you to take me away from here. I call you to lay me to rest and to strip away my dirty, ragged clothes and dress me in loose linens DEATH Do you know what these words you speak mean? WILLIAM Yes, I speak, therefore I understand DEATH Such is not always the case my new friend. What you ask I could grant to you with the snap of the fingers, but you must assure me that you are completely sure of yourself and your decision. Tell me, why do you want this? WILLIAM For a while I had asked myself that very question, and the answer I found was: For me, there is no reason not to. As you can see, my home is empty and my pocket and heart empty. DEATH Yes, I am aware that for your entire life, you have received the worst of it, but tell me, have you no hope that things will become better? WILLIAM I once did, but that time has passed. DEATH And why do you no longer? WILLAIM Well, I came to a very interesting realization. It seems to me, that the universe is not real DEATH And what do you mean by that? WILLIAM After months of rigorous thinking, I described my absurd notion as this, while it is easy and reassuring to personify the universe and blame your misfortunes on it, is completely wrong. The universe does not target a mortal because the universe does not think, breath or speak, but, being the Angel of Death, I believe you know this already. DEATH Yes, I was fully aware of the lack of a controlling factor, at one time of my immortal life, this scared me very much, enough to send me spiraling into the same mindset as you are currently in. WILLIAM So, Angel, do you understand why I seek eternal sleep from you? Death throws his head back in laughter, placing his/her hand on Williams hand DEATH William, I understand that the acceptance of overwhelming irrelevance is terrifying and I understand that this is a truly catalytic moment in man’s life, if they are unlucky enough to experience it, but no, I do not believe this is a reason to call out my name WILLIAM How can you say this when you yourself have admitted the pain that this discovery drove you to the edge? DEATH Yes, what you speak of is true, but I recovered from it, therefore you can also WILLIAM How can I? How can I overcome this barrier? How am I to conquer this beast? DEATH You will not be able to conquer the beast or overcome the barrier because this truth is neither of those things which you mentioned. WILLIAM I’m sorry, but I must disagree with you here. my goal in life was to achieve happiness, and this has kept me from reaching that, therefore it is a barrier, and if it drives me to call death, then it is, in my opinion, a beast DEATH No. You are wrong here. This is only a realization. Do you realize what you have done? You have contradicted yourself, William. Earlier, you told me how foolish it is to personify the universe, yet here you are, personifying the lack of order in the very same universe William sits thinking for a moment WILLIAM Yes, I see the mistake I have made, however I was using those comparisons to present my point to you. I understand that this is only a thought, but this thought has prevented me from reaching happiness or anything similar to it. Therefore, I would argue that it does act as a barrier DEATH Oh simple, naive man. This is not a barrier which you face! This small notion should not prevent you from living a happy life. In fact, this should propel you for it. Do you realize what you mean William? Do you realize the comfort this will bring you when you come to accept the great truth? WILLIAM How can I accept my own irrelevance? How can I continue through the rest of my life knowing that my actions will never be truly relevant? when I know it will only slip out of my grasp and tumble down the great hill, forcing me to begin my task again? How am I to continue with this if I know that it is all for nothing, if it is all an act of distraction which engages me until my death? Tell me Angel, how am I to thrive in a world deprived of meaning? DEATH You speak like a man who has contemplated this for most of his life WILLIAM It is because I have, this question has rarely left my mind. DEATH It is extremely difficult to enjoy the happenings around you when your mind is in turmoil. Tell me before I tell you what you must do, have you ever experienced complete clarity in the mind? WILLIAM At one point in my life I must have, but I do not remember those times. This is not the only thing which I contemplate DEATH Ah I see. I see that your mind has gotten the better of you, bending your body to it’s will. This should not be so, the body should always be ahead of the mind, or else every human would suffer from the same illness you possess. The two sit in silence for a moment. DEATH I have made my decision on whether I will fulfill your wish or not. I have decided to allow you to choose, but I warn you, think this through, and if you will, allow me to attempt in persuading you to choose what is to come rather than the end. WILLIAM That seems to be counterintuitive to you. Does the angel of death not enjoy taking souls when it is there time to enter the endless sleep? DEATH Only when it is the proper time. When I am completely convinced a life must end, and even then I do not particularly enjoy delivering the fatal touch. Truthfully, it pains me to take a man or woman from their loved ones. That is the punishment I am given in exchange for my power and immortality. Seeing men and women from all backgrounds and lifestyles curse my name as I take the ones they love destroys me. This, William, this subject which I have just brought up is the reason why I must persuade you to stay. You have time left. You still have time to right your wrongs and to achieve the goal you spoke so eagerly of. WILLIAM But a moment ago you agreed with me on my, and everybody else’s insignificance and lack of purpose. DEATH Yes, but you see, although we may all be born just to die, that does not mean we cannot enjoy the little realities we experience. The cool breeze on a hot summer night, or the starburst of colors which follow the setting sun. Your lack of relevance does not prevent you from enjoying the starscape on a clear night. You see William, the beautiful thing about this absurd realization is that once you have accepted it, you may give yourself the purpose which you believe your mind lacks. one to ride the ebbs and flows of so-called “fate.” I would rather script my own life rather than act along to someone else’s. This William, is why I implore you to reconsider your decision WILLIAM What you say makes sense, but how am I to live by that? How am I supposed to tread this path you have lain for me without being stirred? How shall I stay true to your words? DEATH That is your task William. This goal you seek is not easily attainable, however it is possible to grasp. This is not an easy path my friend, yet I would argue it to be much better than the alternative. I’m sorry to cut our discussion short, but as you know, my job is extremely demanding and I must be going. I will give you time to consider your decision, I am leaving you with two flowers, the Lily and the Gardenia. One represents endings, and the other beginnings. One symbolizes twilight, and the other dawn. I truly hope you choose wisely, for this is no decision to be taken lightly. Death stands up from the table and pushes in the chair he/she sat in. Then, produces the two flowers previously spoken about, placing them both on the table in front of William DEATH your time with this decision, for this truly Is a matter of life and death With this, death leaves the room, walking out the same way he/she entered, leaving William all alone with the two flowers. The End © 2017 Luke IandoliAuthor's Note
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Added on March 20, 2017 Last Updated on March 20, 2017 Tags: One act, death, life, the absurd Author
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