Chaos Reigns, Page 2
Justin Blasdel
HOLE
It lives.
PSYCHE looks back at HOLE, and HER good mood drops to below the grounds in the presence of such darkness.
HOLE
Your world. It lives so well.
HE walks around, never paying PSYCHE any attention other than HIS words.
PSYCHE
I like it that way.
HOLE
I’m sure you do. Al living things love life. Hate death. It’s the natural way.
PSYCHE
Who wouldn’t love life?
HOLE focuses HIS attention completely on PSYCHE now.
HOLE
Me. I don’t.
PSYCHE picks up HER sacred egg and moves away from HOLE.
PSYCHE
Who are you?
HOLE
Who are you?
HOLE kneels down to the nest and stiffs it like a predator trying to pick up the scent of HIS beloved prey.
PSYCHE
I don’t think I like you.
HOLE
No one will ever ‘like’ me.
HOLE bites the twigs, savoring the taste like licking the sauce off of BBQ ribs.
PSYCHE
Stop…stop that!
HOLE drops the animal behaviors and stands blank-faced.
PSYCHE
That’s not yours.
HOLE points to the egg.
HOLE
And that is yours?
PSYCHE hides the egg behind HER back.
PSYCHE
Yes.
HOLE
No.
PSYCHE
Yes.
HOLE
No.
PSYCHE
Yes.
HOLE
No.
PSYCHE
Yes!
HOLE
No.
PSYCHE
Yes, it is! [Beat.] I made her. She’s mine.
HOLE and PSYCHE slowly circle the nest; PSYCHE moving away from HOLE, and HOLE calmly following.
HOLE
It isn’t, and here’s why. When you make something, there is the inevitable ending that happens to all things which must happen to your item as well. If it were meant to last forever, then something more than impermanence would have been responsible for creating it. You…will die one day. You can’t avoid it. You can’t deny it. You can ignore it, but eventually it must happen. Destruction will take you and everything you own.
HOLE and PSYCHE stop.
HOLE
Now, guess who I am.
PSYCHE
You’re evil.
HOLE
[Smiling.] I am what I am. Name me what you must. Now…
HOLE points to the egg.
HOLE
Give it. [Beat.] Give it now. It is within my realm, and trust me, you don’t want me annoyed. You know this. Imagine how cruel I can be.
PSYCHE has no choice. HOLE is right. HER arms obey the command, as horrified as SHE might be. HOLE takes the egg with graceful greed. PSYCHE moves instinctively to take the egg back, but stops HERSELF halfway. HER heart breaks as HOLE walks around with the egg. HOLE holds up the egg in the air as HE lets the light shine through it and reveals its imperfections.
HOLE
So simple this thing. We give ourselves illusions of grand creators, but we can’t even see how our imperfections are passed down through the generations. A crooked smile, an offset eye, a tendency for temper tantrums,…the instinct to kill…we see these faults as designs of fate. A lottery. [Chuckles.] Chance. Anything, but the obvious.
HOLE’s attention is back on PSYCHE.
HOLE
Your imperfection is mortality. Have you passed this flaw to your offspring?
PSYCHE
Please.
Beat. HOLE might actually be considering PSYCHE’s plea, or HE might have simply been confused by such strong emotions being experienced in HIS presence. HE walks around, holding the egg in the light as HIS mind works through whatever philosophical debate HE might be processing. HE walks over to PSYCHE and leans in close to HER face. A snake eying the parent of its latest victim.
PSYCHE
I need her.
HOLE
Yes. I believe you do.
HOLE starts to walk away.
PSYCHE
Give her back!
HOLE
No.
PSYCHE
Please!
PANDORA enters and stands in HOLE’s way. The two lock eyes in a deathly stare down. Beat. HOLE smiles.
HOLE
You know this is mine now.
PANDORA
Give that back to her. Now, before ‘I’ become annoyed.
HOLE
Your power is limited.
PANDORA
You are within my limits.
After considering HIS options, HE jauntly walks over to PSYCHE and hands the egg over. SHE snatches it away and runs away, exiting.
HOLE
Why did you do that? Hmm? That was mine! My rightful property!
PANDORA
If you don’t like it, go back to the box.
HOLE
You like that you have all this power. But I don’t care. Death will take the child. The mother. Maybe you. Not me. I last. Forever. And ever.
PANDORA
Listen.
HOLE is confused by the request.
SFX: The alarm rings.
This is new to HOLE. Unexpected. HE doesn’t know what to do. PANDORA walks over to the alarm and turns it off. SHE addresses the audience.
PANDORA
He is here…
Blackout. Beat. Lights Rise. HOLE is gone.
PANDORA
And now he is not.
PANDORA chuckles.
SFX: Phone ringing.
LILITH enters, holding a phone on a platter. PANDORA eyes LILITH and then answers the call.
PANDORA
Speaking…Yes…that happened…I’m very satisfied with the results, yes…No…No…We’re fine. We don’t need any assistance.
PANDORA takes the phone and waves LILITH away. LILITH starts to walk away.
PANDORA
They do?
PANDORA snaps to get LILITH’s attention, who does stop and returns.
PANDORA
Well that changes everything.
PANDORA mines writing in a ledger to LILITH, who understands and exits.
PANDORA
Yes…yes…we’ll have to do that then…I think he’ll be okay with it.
LILITH enters with a pen in one hand and a large, thick book in the other. PANDORA takes the pen, and LILITH opens the book towards PANDORA. PANDORA writes furiously on the book.
PANDORA
Him and the other? Together?...I can think of something…Some sort of game, you know how it is.
PANDORA finishes, hands the pen to LILITH, and then waves HER off. LILITH closes the book and steps back a few paces where PANDORA won’t see HER.
PANDORA
Yes, think of it as done…Yes…of course…like always…I hate you, too.
PANDORA kisses twice and hangs the phone up.
PANDORA
[To Audience.] Well, I—
PANDORA notices LILITH.
PANDORA
Yes?
LILITH
The phone.
PANDORA hands the phone over to LILITH. Beat.
PANDORA
Is everything alright?
LILITH
I love your work.
LILITH exits. Beat.
PANDORA
She’s so weird. [To Audience.] A change in plans. According to higher wishes, we will now present the folly of man. You are welcome.
PANDORA walks to the table and picks up the clock. SHE smiles and then flicks the clock’s bell twice. Blackout.
END SCENE III
SCENE IV
SFX: A distant boom, like thunder rolling across the
sky. This is followed by the high-pitched squeal of falling bombs and more booms, all distant. Gunfire even breaks out, but its direction is indiscernible. It all dies down and goes silent.
Lights up. GOLIATH and HOLE are sitting down facing the Audience. THEY are in uncomfortable, basic chair and in front of each of them is a table with a chessboard in mid-game. HOLE looks greatly invested in HIS game. GOLIATH is physically worn down and shows hardly any interest.
Long Beat.
HOLE positions HIS hand over a piece.
HOLE
I don’t understand.
GOLIATH
What? [Half-Beat.] What?
HOLE
Whose turn is it?
GOLIATH
Not ours.
HOLE
Am I winning?
GOLIATH looks over to HOLE’s table.
GOLIATH
No.
HOLE
What makes you—(think I’m losing--)
GOLIATH
You’re not winning.
HOLE
Why?
GOLIATH
Why ask?
HOLE
Because it might be true? Because I asked? I want to know. You’re here. Tell me.
GOLIATH eyes HOLE.
HOLE
Tell me! It has to mean something, yes?
GOLIATH starts with a low chuckle that grows into full blown laughter.
HOLE
It’s not funny.
GOLIATH
It’s why I laugh. You don’t understand.
HOLE
Understand what?
GOLIATH
There’s nothing to know here. It’s nothing.
HOLE smiles.
HOLE
I’m nothing. I know myself.
GOLIATH exhales away the frustration.
HOLE
It’s not our turn?
GOLIATH
No.
HOLE
We’re playing a game with others.
Half-Beat.
GOLIATH
Move a piece.
HOLE
I can?
GOLIATH
Do it.
HOLE carefully walks HIS fingers over the pieces until one special bishop catches HIS gleaming eye. HE goes to move it, but something is wrong. HE picks up the board and turns it upside down. The pieces do not fall. They’re glued to the board. GOLIATH laughs like a dying horse.
HOLE
I don’t like this game.
GOLIATH
No one does.
Beat.
HOLE
I quit.
HOLE pushes the table away and stands up.
GOLIATH
You…why?
HOLE
It’s a stupid game. I don’t like it. I quit.
GOLIATH
Who ‘are’ you? Who do you think you are? You can’t quit!
HOLE
I did. It’s the past. Get use to it.
HOLE starts to leave.
GOLIATH
Wait.
HOLE
Why?
Beat.
HOLE
Tell me.
GOLIATH
I want to know how you quit.
HOLE
I wanted to. So, I did.
GOLIATH
I want to quit.
Beat.
HOLE
You’re not doing it.
GOLIATH
I want to quit.
Beat.
HOLE
Still nothing.
GOLIATH
I want to quit! I want to quit! I…want…to…quit!
HOLE looks around as if something magical will happen.
SFX: Very, very distant thunder.
Nothing does happen, and HOLE finds it funny.
HOLE
Well, well, well. I think you’re here for a reason, aren’t you?
GOLIATH
Leave me alone.
HOLE
Make me.
HOLE traces GOLIATH’s chess pieces as HE earlier did with HIS own.
HOLE
I can leave, stay, talk with you, play a game of chess, whatever I want. Because I let myself. I have nothing to lose, because I keep nothing for myself. I take, I leave, and then I take some more. I…consume. It’s all for the taking. Wanna try it?
HOLE stops touching the chess pieces.
GOLIATH
You lose everything.
HOLE
Yes.
GOLIATH
Your pain.
HOLE
Yes.
GOLIATH
Your misery.
HOLE
Yes.
GOLIATH
Your anger.
HOLE
Why would you want to keep those things? Experience them and then throw them away.
GOLIATH leans over to HOLE.
GOLIATH
You are no one.
HOLE
I’m me.
GOLIATH
You can’t be. You keep nothing inside. You take and throw away and nothing else. You are a hole. An empty space. You are nothing.
GOLIATH chuckles through HIS wretched smile. HOLE is insulted. HE almost says something, but exactly what to say eludes HIM. HOLE knows GOLIATH is right, so HE defends HIMSELF the only way HE knows how.
HOLE
I don’t want this anymore. Stay here in your pain, misery, and anger. There’s no place for me here. I’m gone.
HOLE exits. GOLIATH stops laughing.
GOLIATH
There is no place for you. Nowhere.
Beat.
LILITH enters. LILITH has a feather duster and uses it to clean off GOLIATH while SHE hums. HE does not move. SHE adjusts HIS clothes to make HIM seem proper.
LILITH
Are you enjoying your little game?
GOLIATH
No.
The two lock eyes. GOLIATH, for once, is immune to LILITH’s annoying aura. SHE is frightened.
LILITH
How strong are you?
GOLIATH
Not strong enough.
LILITH
Good. We have some time left together. I’m happy.
LILITH goes back to dusting GOLIATH and moves to the chessboard. HE can’t stop smiling.
SFX: A doorbell rings.
Blackout.
END SCENE IV
SCENE V
SFX: Doorbell rings twice.
Lights up. The chairs and boards are gone. The dinner table is Center Stage, and its chairs are gone. Alarm clock is gone, but a dinner bell is in its place.
SFX: Doorbell rings. Footsteps going upstairs, walking across a floor, and opening a door. PANDORA talks to a man, but the sounds are too muffled to make out.
MAN [OS]
Here is your delivery, ma’am.
PANDORA [OS]
I appreciate the service.
MAN [OS]
Always a pleasure, ma’am.
PANDORA [OS]
Goodnight.
MAN [OS]
Yes, farewell. And burn in hell, you lonely, lonely man.
SFX: The door closes. Footsteps across the floor and down some stairs. Another door opens, this one being much closer.
PANDORA enters holding a chest with a lock on it. SHE sets it down and gives HERSELF a celebratory clap. SHE then notices the lock and goes to HER pocket for the key. It’s not there. This is frustrating for HER, but not upsetting. SHE gets an idea. SHE walks over to the dinner table and rings the bell.
Beat.
PSYCHE enters, holding a tray with a key on it. SHE is no longer happy and carefree. Something has gotten to HER. Age? PANDORA puts the bell down and as soon as SHE touches the key, PSYCHE speaks, and the two are frozen in place.
PSYCHE
And then I thought to myself, “It’s only a few steps. So she takes a few steps. I’m h
appy for her.” And then later, in time, she starts to run. Run away from me. She laughed at first. Then she stopped laughing and run faster. I tried to keep up. I ran as fast as I could, but the wind made my knees hurt. They bled on the inside, and I couldn’t run anymore. I crawled on my hands, but not fast enough. Nothing was faster than her. Nothing. I saw her blurry body disappear. And then her cheery, cheery laughter left me. I waited for the silence to end. For her to come back. She didn’t. I stayed alone. Me and my bloody knees.
PSYCHE exits. PANDORA looks to the key with a hint of reverence, which quickly burns away and leaves a smile behind. PANDORA uses the key to open the lock. SHE rests HER hands on the chest, almost feeling the presence of what’s inside. SHE quickly opens the chest and reaches in, slowly revealing an egg which some small creature had hatched from. SHE turns it in HER hand, seeing it from every angle.
