Man's Best Friend

Psycho-thriller in thirty minutes or less.

“Man's Best Friend”

A Play

by

Trystin S. Bailey

 

Characters

DR. SWEET: the psychiatrist

ANGELA: the innocent one

NICKY: the perverse one

DAMIAN: the dark one

DAN: the ______ one

 

The set is fairly simple. There is a single room, a psychiatrist's office. The entire area has a very modern look to it, but is unmistakably a formal place of business. There is a desk and chair where the Dr. Sweet will sit. On the desk is a clock, a bottle of water, and a number of notebooks and loose pieces of paper. A full bookshelf exists against one of the walls and a potted plant or two. Opposite the desk is the doorway through which patients enter and exit. There is a comfortable seat facing the desk chair for the patients of the psychiatrist to sit.

 

-PLAY BEGIN-

 

Dr. Sweet sits at her desk, holding a clipboard. She fumbles through her papers. Damian creeps into the room, unnoticed by Sweet. He takes his seat in the patient's chair, glaring at the doctor for some time before he decides to speak.

 

Damian: I don't need to be here.

 

Sweet: (startled) Oh! Damian. I'm sorry I didn't hear you come in. (checks her clock) You're early. An hour early to be precise.

 

Damian: I know. Early in. Early out.

 

Sweet: So, Damian, what would you like to talk about today?

 

Damian: This. You. How pointless this is. There is nothing wrong with me. This is a waste of my money and your time, Doctor.

 

Sweet: Perhaps you are right, Damian, but neither of us have any choice in the matter, do we? (Pause) Why did you start the fire?

 

Damian: I was bored.

 

Sweet: Damian.

 

Damian: (tries hard to hide his rising tension) I was bored. There was nothing to do.

 

Sweet: (worried) Damian?

 

Damian: (tension building, Bordering on madness) So I found some gasoline. I went into their room. They were sleeping.

 

Sweet: Damian.

 

Damian: (Pause. Eerily calm) You should've seen it. The flames. So beautiful. They consumed them in a matter of minutes while screamed and cried to their God as the flesh boiled and melted from their bones. The sounds were like music me. It was Satan's great symphony and I was the conductor. And when the performance had come to its climactic finale I took a single liberating breath, taking in their collective ashes. My audience was speechless at first. And then a torrid applause crackled so thunderously that I could not think. I could not breathe. My greatest symphony had ended.

 

Sweet: Damian. You're a murderer.

 

Damian: I'm no murderer, Doctor Sweet. I did not murder the pair. I liberated myself. And for that, I will never regret my actions.

 

Fade out. Exit Damian. Enter Nicky, with backpack. Fade in. Nicky paces, irritated, around the office space.

 

Nicky: So, where was I?

 

Sweet: I believe you were-

 

Nicky: Oh yea. Sex. So I met that chick, Veronica, right? She's got the legs and the tits and the whole package so, as you can imagine, I was all over that like scabies on a prostitute. Heh. We were f****n' left and right for like a week straight. Every room in both of our houses. And my parents'. And her boss'- long story. We perfected all sixty-six standard positions. Then we invented ninety-eight of our own. Eventually, things started to get predictable, right? Keep in mind that we were the best f***s each of us had ever had so we didn't want to just throw in the towel, naturally. I mean, come on, right? So, we decided we'd do it in a few exotic locations. See if that got our juices flowin' if you know what I mean. So, last night, eight-ish, we walked into Sam's Club, back to that tire area half the population doesn't even know exists, the one by the bakery. I propped her up in this big-a*s tractor tire and I pounded into her for like twenty minutes, uninterrupted. It was the stuff of legends, man. Twenty minutes of pure, wild, sweaty, f*****g and then I notice we'd got ourselves quite a little audience. A bunch of fourteen year-olds were watching us from behind a cardboard cut-out of the Goodyear Tire-Guy, each one with their mouths hanging open, drooling with boners ready to burst right out of their f*****g pants. So I look at the kids, still going at Veronica like Kennedy on Monroe, and I say “Hey, kiddies, you want some of this?”and they all just about s**t themselves and run away like a bunch of f*****g p*****s. The end.

 

Sweet: Hm. Nicky, I-

 

Nicky: I know. I know. You like your payment up front from people like me. You think I'm going to skip out the money I give you every week for sitting in your little chair and doing jack s**t for my head which, I might add, is perfectly fine. Keep your granny panties on, lady. (Rummages through his backpack) Condom. Condom. Text book. Condom. Porn. Vibrator- not mine. Sticky s**t. Condom. Ah, here it is. Checkbook. (Pulls out a pen and begins to scribble into his checkbook)

 

Sweet: Have you ever thought to yourself that their may be more to life than casual sex? You must understand that though it may feel good and satisfy you for the moment there are far greater, far more satisfying events in life that your frivolous lifestyle blinds you from ever experiencing.

 

Nicky: Heh. Are you trying to tell me sex isn't good for you? Ha. Next you'll be saying the same thing about acid or 'shrooms or carrot sticks.

 

Sweet: Why don't we get serious here for a moment, Nicky? Otherwise I won't be able to help you.

 

Nicky: You want serious? Fine! Here's your serious. Veronica is pregnant.

 

Sweet: (pause) I see. Well, Nicky, we-

 

Nicky: (bursts to laughter) Aw man, you should've seen the look on your face. Pregnant! S**t.

 

Sweet: Nicky, this is not a game. This is serious.

 

Nicky: No. This is a joke. This is the biggest f*****g joke I've ever seen. You know, I may not live some middle-class dream life, but I'm fine the way I am. I don't work in some corporate skyscraper with a bunch of white bread zombies, slowly choking to death on my own necktie. I don't go to church every Sunday and suck God's dick for an hour, hoping that He's too f****n' aroused to notice all the Commandments I break during the following week. You can sit here all you want, propped up in your throne, your head so far up society's a*s you're drowning in every ounce of s**t they try to dump on us every day. But, Doctor, I'm here to tell you that you and every other Harvard-educated, holier-than-thou, elitist b***h out there can kiss the collective asses of my kind. The revolutionaries. The heralds of the future, free of your tainted words. This session is over, Doc. Don't ever f*****g talk to me again.

 

Exit Nicky. Shortly afterward Angela enters timidly. Dr. Sweet notices her immediately, an shows a touch of relief and warmth toward her.

 

Angela: Dr. Sweet?

 

Sweet: O-Oh, hello, Angela.

 

Angela: Are you okay, Dr. Sweet? I heard yelling in here and- and I thought that maybe you were hurt so I rushed in without first scheduling a time.

 

Sweet: I'm fine, dear. Have a seat.

 

Angela: Have you been outside lately, Doctor? The weather is simply wonderful.

 

Sweet: Not since this morning.

 

Angela: The sun is shining and I spotted a blue jay singing not to far from this very building. It had been months since I'd seen one of those.

 

Sweet: Well, that is truly wonderful. When I was much younger, my mother told me that seeing a blue jay meant good luck for the rest of the day.

 

Angela: Really, Dr. Sweet? I can't say that I've ever heard that one. Though, I do hope it's true.

 

Sweet: What can I do for you today, Angela?

 

Angela: Well. Actually. I just wanted to thank you. I stayed up all night thinking about what you had said to me about my parents. You were right, of course, about everything. It seems silly now, that I couldn't see that until now.

 

Sweet: That is excellent news. And there's no need to feel silly or stupid. There are many people who blame themselves for these events which they have no control over. I'm proud of you, Angela.

 

Angela: Thank you, Doctor.

 

Sweet: Is there anything else you'd like to talk about today?

 

Angela: Well...there is this...boy.

 

Sweet: A boy?

 

Angela: Yes. A boy. I-I don't know his name, but he's been bothering my friends lately. He's been making them fight and they don't do anything to stop it and I'm the only one that seems to care that people could get hurt.

 

Sweet: And how does that make you feel?

 

Angela: Torn, I guess, because sometimes he's really nice, but sometimes he's not very nice at all. And some of my friends like him and some just can't stand him. No matter whose side I take I'll be going against another. I just want everyone to be happy, that's all. That's all I've ever wanted.

 

Fade to black. Exit Angela. Lights up. Enter Dan, clearly uncomfortable. Dr. Sweet notices Dan immediately, stopping everything and placing all her attention on him.

 

Dr. Sweet: Hello?

 

Dan: H-hi, um, you're Doctor Sweet, right?

 

Dr. Sweet: (slightly perplexed) Yes. Yes I am. And you are...?

 

Dan: Daniel Williams. (Dr. Sweet is visibly excited by this) But...everyone calls me Dan.

 

Dr. Sweet: Please, Dan, have a seat.

 

Dan: Oh. Okay. (He sits)

 

Dr. Sweet: So, do you know why you're here?

 

Dan: Yes. I know that I have this...this thing that makes my head all fuc- all screwed up.

 

Dr. Sweet: You are not screwed up, Dan. You have a disease. A serious mental illness that can be taken care of. You and I will work together until it is taken care of.

 

Dan: It's just that- I was finally getting my life together, you know? Everything was...good. And then this happened. Out of nowhere this happened. I've been through so much s**t in my life. Like, unimaginable s**t and somehow I manage to come out of it as a halfway decent human being. Granted, I've always had problems, but never anything like this. This is beyond your average problem. This is like God Himself getting so pissed off at the fact that every single person on this planet doesn't give a f**k about love or peace or unity that he decides He's going to take out all his pent up Old Testament rage on a single man, just to prove a point. F****n' s**t. That's what this is.

 

Dr. Sweet: I know you must be feeling scared and alone right now, but there are a lot of people here who want to help you.

 

Dan: No, offense, Doctor, but you have no idea how I feel. You can't possibly know what I'm feeling right now because I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I don't know what I was feeling ten minutes ago and I sure as hell won't know what I'll be feeling tomorrow or in an hour or two minutes from now! You have no idea how I f*****g feel! (Takes an inhaler from his pocket, uses it, then returns it to his pocket, calmed) I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Doctor. Damnit! Do you see what this is doing to me?! Do you?

 

Dr. Sweet: It's okay, Dan-

 

Dan: How can you look me in the eye and say that? How can you lie to my face like that? I am legally insane. I am three steps away from life in prison...or worse, life in an asylum...and you say it's okay.

 

Dr. Sweet: Daniel-

 

Dan: The cravings are back.

 

Dr. Sweet: What?

 

Dan: I've been clean for year...but they're back.

 

Dr. Sweet: You can fight this, Daniel. You triumphed over adversity more than your fair share of times before. You can do it again.

 

Dan: (distant) I have a friend. Freddy. We grew up together. He's the only person who's always been there for me, through everything. Even...this. I-I've been staying at his place, I- Damn. (breaks down, cries) Damn.

 

Fade to black. Exit Dan. Enter Damian, sitting down, gazing blankly downward. Lights up.

 

Dr. Sweet: Damian? (pause) Damian, can you hear me? (pause) This has to stop, Damian. You are not a child. You have to take responsibility for your actions.

 

Damian: Responsibility, Dr. Sweet. I take nothing but responsibility for my selfless act; my grand symphony...

 

Dr. Sweet: You know what I mean.

 

Damian:Ah, yes. You want me to turn myself in. To spend the rest of my life rotting behind bars at the hands of a society that will forever be unable to grasp the splendor of my actions.

 

Dr. Sweet: Damian...

 

Damian: (stands) I did it for the world.

 

Dr. Sweet: Please. Take a seat...

 

Damian: It's a better place because of me...

 

Dr. Sweet: Sit down!

 

Damian: (examines Dr. Sweet, dark expression creeping across his face) You fear me, don't you, Doctor? I can see it in your eyes, the utter terror each time I explain with pure exhilaration the gruesome details of my crime. Sometimes I think I can still taste their ashes. You think I'm some sort of monster when in reality it was I who killed the true beast. (pause) When I was younger I would draw pictures. Thousands of pictures, illustrating an entire world of colorful, vibrant characters. That was my escape. In the off-chance that one of my creations would experience some sort of physical or emotional pain there was this imaginary doctor that would cure all of their ailments. Her name was Sandy Sweet. Interesting, no?

 

Fade to black. Exit Damian. Enter Nicky, with backpack, to Damian's final position on the stage, facing away from Dr. Sweet. Lights up.

 

Dr. Sweet: I must say that I'm very glad you decided to come back and-

 

Nicky: Shut the f**k up, lady! Just...shut the f**k up, okay?!

 

Dr. Sweet: What's wrong, Nicky?

 

Nicky: Nothing's- F**k! I don't know! I mean... I just... I-

 

Dr. Sweet: Breathe, Nicholas.

 

Nicky: Breathe, breathe, breathe! Deep breaths aren't gonna help me through this one, I assure you.

 

Dr. Sweet: Then tell me what's wrong.

 

Nicky: How can I-? Where do I even begin to-? (pause) Veronica. Everything, I guess. F****n' s**t, Doc! She's in the hospital. OD'd on something, I think. I dunno. I went to visit her. She looked like- Her face was so... She didn't want to see me. Something about another girl picking up the phone. They got in an argument...over me! I swear to God she must have called the wrong number because I never cheated on her! Never! Jesus Christ! And there are these other things, too. Strange stuff. Impossible s**t. People calling me, wrong number after wrong number, insisting they know me when I know, I know, I've never talked to them before. Things in my apartment just-just moving on their own. Food disappearing! I'm going nuts here, Doctor. What's happening to me?

 

Dr. Sweet: (pause) Nicky. You have a disease...

 

Fade to black. Exit Nicky. Enter Angela, overjoyed, present in hand.

 

Dr. Sweet: Angela, how are you today?

 

Angela: Wonderful, Dr. Sweet. Absolutely wonderful.

 

Dr. Sweet: That's good to hear-

 

Angela: Remember what you said about the blue jay being good luck? Well, you were right. You were oh so very right. Not even fifteen minutes after our session I had the most wonderful idea. The idea to end all ideas.

 

Dr. Sweet: Oh? And what was this wonderful idea?

 

Angela: It's a secret. Oh, and before I forget, I bought you something. A little thank you present for everything you've done for me. (places present on Dr. Sweet's desk)

 

Dr. Sweet: You didn't have to do this-

 

Angela: Oh, yes I did, Doctor. I really did, because I couldn't have done any of this without you. Do you smell that?

 

Dr. Sweet: Smell what?

 

Angela: The morning dew. The air, fresh and sweet. Flowers showered in sunlight. The scents of a brand new day. Anything's possible. Anything can happen. Any wonderful thing, like in a fairytale when the prince is trapped in the tower by his mean old stepmother and just before he loses all hope a fearless princess comes and whisks him away to a better place. A place were everyone can be themselves and no one can tear them apart forever and ever. Soon everything will be perfect. For the first time in my life, everything will come together in one great big perfect symphony.

 

Fade to black. Exit Angela. Lights up. Enter Dan. He bursts in, frantic, on the verge of tears.

 

Dan: He's dead.

 

Dr. Sweet: (rises from her seat and goes to Dan) Daniel! Daniel, tell me what happened. Who's dead?

 

Dan: (as Dr. Sweet takes Dan to his seat) Freddy. Remember? My friend, the lawyer.

 

Dr. Sweet: (seats Dan) Yes. Yes I remember. (sits at the edge of her desk) When did this happen?

 

Dan: I-I- Last night, I think. Or earlier today, maybe. I'm not sure. He called me to meet him. He wanted to talk about my future, how I was going, my plans, stuff like that. I walked over to his place. The door was open and I went inside. I called his name a couple times and got no answer. He wasn't in the kitchen or the living room so I went upstairs. Things got kind of blurry after that. I just remember seeing Freddy on the bedroom floor, lying in a pool of his own blood. His hair, his clothes were soaked with the stuff. And, the strangest part...his left foot was cut off. It was just...gone. There was a knife in his neck. Freddy was still alive when I got there, somehow gasping for air, convulsing. I tried to speak to him but...but... I had never seen anything like that in my life. It was inhuman. I'll never forget the look he gave me...

 

Dr. Sweet: (Pause) Do you have any idea who did this, Daniel? (there is a moment of silence, which is broken by the ringing of Dan's cell phone. Dan examines his phone and is unnerved by his findings) Who is it, Daniel?

 

Dan: I-I'm not sure, exactly. She's been calling for a couple days now. It's- Her name is Veronica.

 

Enter Nicky, with backpack, bursting into the room

 

Nicky: Give me that! (takes the phone from Dan and walks to a corner) Veronica! It's it really you?! Yea, it's Nicky! Who else would it- Are you alright?

 

Dan: (to Dr. Sweet) Doctor Sweet, what is...?

 

Dr. Sweet: Daniel. It's one of them.

 

Dan: One of...

 

Nicky: (still on the phone, to Dr. Sweet) She's okay. She's f*****g okay! (returns to his silent conversation)

 

Dan: I...

 

Dr. Sweet: Nicky. Nicky, could you come here for a moment?

 

Nicky: (on phone) Veronica. What's that? Some more tests? Oh. Okay. Talk to you later? Okay. I love you. (Pause. Nicky places the phone in his pocket and returns to Dr. Sweet and Dan. He is suddenly confused by his surroundings) Where am I? H-how did I get here?

 

Dr. Sweet: You may want to sit down, Nicky.

 

Nicky: (sits beside Dan) Sit down...what- what the f**k is going on here?

 

Dan: Seriously?

 

Nicky: Who the f**k are you?

 

Dr. Sweet: This is Daniel. Daniel. Nicky.

 

Dan: We're in trouble.

 

Nicky: (laughs) Is this some kind of-

 

Dan: Our parents are dead, Nicky.

 

Nicky: (experiencing a quick sting of pain in the head) What?

 

Dan: And Freddy, too.

 

Nicky: Freddy? You mean that b*****d who keeps calling and coming over to my house, treating me like some f*****g charity case?

 

Dan: He's been our best friend since we were five. And your house? It's Freddy's guest house. We've been hiding their since...since we set our parent's house on fire.

 

Nicky: (his denial slowly fading as realization begins to peek through) Bullshit. Bull. S**t. (to Dr. Sweet) What's this f****r talking about?!

 

Dr. Sweet: The truth, Nicholas. The truth you've been hiding for far too long.

 

Nicky: Okay. This is f*****g ridiculous. F*****g insane.

 

Dan: We're murderers.

 

Nicky: No. No! No! No! No! There has to be a way out this. There has to. I would never kill anyone.

 

Dan: Neither would I, but that's beside the point.

 

Nicky: God, I could use some f****n' Coke right about now.

 

Dan: No. I haven't done any of that...in years. It's been years.

 

Nicky: Dude, I did some last night. (awkward stretch of silence) Who did this to us? Who's fault is it that you and I are in this bottomless s**t-pit?!

 

Dan: (to Nicky) You've been...? I've been clean for months.

 

Nicky: No. You haven't.

 

As Dan talks Damian enters, creeping against the back wall of the office.

 

Dan: Well, that explains the cravings lately. Jesus. I've been trying so hard to become a better person. To make something of my life. Do you how it feels to finally, finally walk alongside your fellow man without getting the sudden urge to kill yourself because your entire life is worth nothing compared to theirs? I was this close to making something of my life. This close to finally leaving my job for-

 

Nicky: There is nothing wrong with our job, Dan. There is nothing wrong with the life we lead.

 

Dan: That's just because you haven't seen the alternative. It's beautiful.

 

Dr. Sweet: Dan. Nicky. I would like to introduce you to Damian. Damian, Dan and Nicky.

 

Nicky: Who is he?

 

Dr. Sweet: He's you.

 

Nicky: Great. (to Damian) What's your deal, man? Are you the part of us that f***s horses or something?

 

Damian: No, Nicky. I'm the part that kills.

 

(there is a general pause in the air)

 

Nicky: So, it's your fault we're all in this position.

 

Damian: It's because of me that we're all here. I was strong enough to achieve what the rest of you were too weak to acomplish.

 

Nicky: That's all I need to hear. (Nicky runs to Damian and punches him in the face. Immediately, Nicky and Dan both feel the pain of the punch) Okay. Not the best idea of my life.

 

Damian: Beat me all you want, Nicky, but I will feel no guilt for my actions. What I did was completely necessary. Our parents needed to die.

 

Angela: (enters. Doesn't notice anyone but Dr. Sweet) Are you okay, Dr. Sweet? I heard yelling in here and- and I thought that maybe you were hurt so I rushed in without first scheduling a time.

 

Sweet: I'm fine, dear. Have a seat.

 

Angela: Have you been outside lately, Doctor? The weather is simply- (notices all the others) Oh, what a surprise. All my friends are here.

 

Nicky: Friends? Who the f**k are you?

 

Dr. Sweet: This is Angela.

 

Nicky: Oh, s**t!

 

Dan: What? What is it?

 

Nicky: Angela's the name of the girl who picked up the phone when Veronica called. She thought I was cheating on her with this b***h.

 

Dan: So...

 

Nicky: She's one of us.

 

Dr. Sweet: It's not uncommon for a person experiencing what you are to have personalities manifest which are of an opposite sex. According to most scientific research this is merely the result of a desire for an otherwise nonexistent maternal figure. Some one peaceful...innocent.

 

Nicky: Thanks, Doc, we really couldn't have gotten by without that f****n' nugget of knowledge right now.

 

Another moment of awkward silence between the characters.

 

Dan: Our parents are dead. (to Damian) We killed them.

 

Angela: They're dead?

 

Damian: They deserved it for what they put us through.

 

Dan: Granted, they were not the greatest parents we could have had but...but no one deserves this. I thought I had moved on a long time ago. I ran away from home, away from them, so that I could move on.

 

Angela: When did they die?

 

Damian: They had to die. We were never truly free until they were gone.

 

Nicky: Jesus Christ, what is your problem, man?! They weren't that bad! Our life was fine until you fucked everything up.

 

Damian: Says the addict who has poisoned all of our systems with your damned hallucinogens. Do you know how difficult is was for me to formulate my plans with a flock of magenta manatees hovering over my head?

 

Angela: So, mommy and daddy are dead you and did it? And now everyone is fighting because of it? (increasingly irritated) I-I hope you realize that you have ruined everything I tried so hard to maintain. From the moment I became your friend I did all I could to make certain we all got along even though, most of time, it seemed as though each and every one of you would like nothing more than to see the potentially wonderful and pure and perfect union just...go down the toilet. I took the memory of our past and buried it. I did it for us. For us.

 

Dr. Sweet: Angela?

 

Angela: All I ever wanted was to protect us from the bad, bad world outside. And I came so close, but you all just couldn't keep the past in the past, could you? You just couldn't forget, could you? (to Damian) It's your fault I had to rescue all of you in the first place. I remember now. After so many years, (to Nicky) the drugs and the alcohol and the icky, icky sins, (to Dr. Sweet) he thought he could go see his parents after years and years...thinking maybe mommy and daddy would love him this time. Boy, was he wrong. He couldn't forget. The pain. The sad lonely night. It was too much for him. Too many angry feelings to hide away. So he breaks apart into all these pieces you see. I came right after our parents died with the job of bringing us all back together as one. But how could I do that if the past kept chasing us, trying to pull us apart even further. Freddy, our childhood friend, appeared like a big handsome knight who wanted to give Daniel a second chance, but he didn't care about Damian's wish for death and Nicky's wish that things would stay exactly the same. So Freddy became a problem. And I had to deal with him.

 

Dan: What?

 

Dr. Sweet: Angela...

 

Angela: I needed to stop all the bad things he was doing to us! Don't believe me? Open your present, Doctor.

 

Nicky: Jesus Christ.

 

Angela: I was going to deal with Veronica next, but I figured the drugs would finish her off.

 

Dan searches for his inhaler in his pockets, having a panic attack. Nicky notices, reaches into his backpack, and removes an inhaler which he gives to Dan, who uses it immediately.

 

Nicky: (to Dr. Sweet) We really are insane, aren't we?

 

Dr. Sweet: Well...

 

Nicky: (to the others) Coming here was the only thing we did right.

 

Dan: Which one of you guys called in to this place? (no answers)

 

Angela: (to Dr. Sweet) Can you open my present now, Doctor Sweet? Pretty please?

 

Dr. Sweet: No, Angela, I cannot. I cannot open your present and I cannot continue with this facade. (moves near the exit) Damian. Angela. Nicky. Dan. The world in which you currently reside is a lie. It is a safe haven you've created for the sole purpose of retaining what little sanity the four of you have left. You have been exposed to your alter-egos. That is a first step, but what comes next is up to you, Nicholas Daniels, for the other three are but fractured shards of your own conscious...as am I. I am nothing more than a figment of your collective thoughts, the single force that combines all of you. An acid-induced hallucination. I am no longer needed here, and neither are the restraints I used to keep you in my presence. Like this office (lights go out. A single light comes up on all the characters). You are inside the living room of Freddy's main house. His body is upstairs. He is dead. His screams were quite loud, and his neighbors quite vigilant, so the police are probably on their way. (to Nicky) Nicky, Angel and Damien represent the ugliness that we all bury deep inside. Selfish satisfaction and the attractiveness of vengeance are things we all face. You're in trouble, that's no lie, but...Daniel is everything you have ever wanted to be deep down. Everything you ever needed to know. Please, use him. Understand the truth of what you have become. What you do next is entirely up to you. (exits)

 

Angela: Let's get out of here. There is nothing holding us back now.

 

Nicky: No. I'm the alpha persona here. I'm the boss. You all are just a bunch of suppressed memories and subconscious desires. We're going to stay right here until the cops arrive and you will let me explain everything. We need help. I need help. I can see that now. We're murderers and we're mentally disturbed and spending the next few years separated from our fellow man is just what we need.

 

Damian: Do what you will. My usefulness ended long ago. (exit)

 

Angel: You all ruined everything! Everything! (exit)

 

Nicky: (to Dan) Hey.

 

Dan: Hey.

 

Nicky: Look, I'm sorry that it ended up like this. I'm sorry you had to suffer for all of our mistakes. (Dan moves toward exit but stops when Nicky continues) When I left the house this morning, I saw the most beautiful little blue jay perched on a window sill.

 

Exit Dan. Police siren grows loud. Nick goes to the desk and lifts the present into his hand. Looks to the sky, longingly. Lights out.

 

-END-

 

Reviews

[CompellingComposer]

It was confusing at first, but ended amazingly. A surprise ending, I love it.