An Almost Perfect Thing, Page 4

  She nods.

  Now imagine all the neighbourhoods in the city. And then all the towns surrounding the city. Imagine all the space surrounding those towns. All that space. Okay? I want you to do that every time you feel trapped. And to make up for being late… I have a surprise for you. Guess what it is.

  CHLOE

  I get to go upstairs?

  MATHEW

  No.

  CHLOE

  A computer? TV? Radio? Candy? New toothbrush? I need a new toothbrush—

  MATHEW

  I changed my mind. You have to earn it. Make me smile.

  CHLOE

  I could read you The Last Polar Bear.

  MATHEW

  I'm bored of your books.

  CHLOE

  If you get me some new books, I could read those to you.

  MATHEW

  I'm still not smiling—

  CHLOE

  Knock knock.

  MATHEW

  Who's there?

  CHLOE

  Honey Bee.

  MATHEW

  Honey Bee who?

  CHLOE

  Honey Bee a dear and get me a soda! You smiled!

  MATHEW

  Did not. Tell me how nice I am for giving you this. That'll make me smile.

  CHLOE

  You're so nice. Like the nicest, coolest person I know—

  MATHEW

  I told you not to talk like that. Talk like a grown-up and I'll give you your prize. Don't and I'll never—

  CHLOE

  I'll talk like a grown-up. Cross my heart and hope to die.

  MATHEW

  Close your eyes.

  He gets the newspaper.

  Open them.

  CHLOE

  For real? Thank you—

  She grabs for it but he pulls it away.

  MATHEW

  It's been thirty-two days and you've been very good. You deserve it.

  She goes to grab it but he pulls it away again.

  Not so fast. I'm giving it to you so you can see outside in your mind. You have to imagine the city and the people. That way you won't feel so alone. Do you understand that?

  She nods her head eagerly. He hands it to her.

  CHLOE

  Thank you so much, Mathew.

  MATHEW

  You can have it every day if you're good.

  CHLOE

  I'll be good. I swear, I'll be so good. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

  Beat. He watches her rip it open, flipping through everything.

  MATHEW

  You still have to care about me. You can't use me to get a surprise.

  CHLOE

  I won't.

  She keeps reading.

  MATHEW

  Then read it later. Pay attention to me now.

  She stops reading.

  Talk to me.

  CHLOE

  Um… What's for supper?

  MATHEW

  Grilled cheese.

  CHLOE

  My favourite. Maybe we could have some vegetables this time? Carrot sticks or cucumbers or celery and peanut butter. My teacher says that if we don't eat our vegetables we'll get really sick. I used to make the vegetables for—

  MATHEW

  You don't like the food I give you?

  CHLOE

  That's not what I meant. I just need to make sure—

  MATHEW

  Don't lie. I can tell when you're lying. It's my superpower, remember? You don't like the food I give you. You think I'm stupid.

  CHLOE

  No—

  MATHEW

  I don't buy you new books, I don't give you vegetables.

  CHLOE

  I didn't mean that—

  MATHEW

  I'm stupid, stupid, so stupid!

  CHLOE

  I don't need vegetables—

  MATHEW

  I fail at everything! That's what you think.

  CHLOE

  No—

  MATHEW

  I'm a terrible dad!

  CHLOE

  That's not true—

  MATHEW

  We're not having supper. I'm going to bed and I'm not going to get up for three days. We're not going to eat for three days. And it's all your fault.

  MATHEW goes to leave.

  CHLOE

  Wait—will you tuck me in first? Please? I love it when you do.

  Beat.

  I don't have the nightmares anymore. Since you taught me. That was so smart of you. You're the best, Mathew. And you don't have to have me much longer. I'll be so good for the rest of the time. I swear. Will you sing to me? Please?

  He goes to her.

  MATHEW

  Hush little baby, don't say a word. Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

  MAT/CHLOE

  And if that mockingbird don't sing, Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

  CHLOE

  Thank you.

  MATHEW

  I'll go make your supper now. I'll try to make some vegetables.

  CHLOE

  Whatever you want.

  SCENE EIGHTEEN

  Shift. To the audience.

  GREG

  That morning.

  CHLOE

  The third article comes out.

  MATHEW

  They're doing a series on the missing little girl.

  CHLOE

  It's all about me.

  GREG

  There's nothing in it. Nothing substantial. Nothing worthwhile.

  CHLOE

  My routines, my books, my assignments. How I taught myself all of it.

  GREG

  I see them reading it.

  CHLOE

  Hear them talking about it.

  GREG

  On the train, at the coffee shop.

  CHLOE

  On the radio—

  MATHEW

  —and the TV.

  GREG

  They want—

  MATHEW

  Her.

  CHLOE

  Me.

  GREG

  More.

  MATHEW

  And I have her. The missing little girl. They want her. And I have—

  GREG

  A responsibility. To them.

  MATHEW

  I have—

  CHLOE

  To go shopping.

  GREG

  To a meeting.

  MATHEW

  To see her.

  GREG

  Summoned by my editor.

  CHLOE

  (imitating sales clerk) "Colour. You'd look great in reds, purples, greens."

  I try on a sweater. Feel it against my skin. Open the change-room door and—

  MATHEW

  There she is.

  GREG

  There they are. My editors. Lined up in a row.

  CHLOE

  All these women. Just standing there.

  GREG

  Like a firing squad.

  (imitating editors) "If it bleeds it leads, Greggy, if it bleeds it leads."

  MATHEW

  She looks—

  CHLOE

  (imitating sales clerk) "Beautiful!"

  MATHEW

  —like an angel. When she sleeps. When she's awake it's tantrums and questions and playing and crying. But when she sleeps—

  GREG

  (imitating editors) "Where's the violence? Where's the sex? Where's the truth? This isn't the truth."

  MATHEW

  I watch her chest rise an
d fall. So perfect.

  CHLOE

  (imitating sales clerk) "So skinny!"

  Someone hands me another sweater and then another.

  GREG

  (imitating editors) "People are starting to question."

  CHLOE

  (imitating sales clerk) "Say cheese!"

  GREG

  I want to be the one to finish her story. Give her a voice. Get the details that lead to catching the monster who did this. But now—

  MATHEW

  I notice the calendar above her desk. Tuesday, May 24. There's a star in the corner. She's keeping track.

  GREG

  If she won't actually tell me that there was a person, admit how they interacted with her… be honest about what they did to her… Then—

  MATHEW

  What am I supposed to do? I can't let her go now. Her dad will never take care of her like I do. I still have so much to teach her.

  CHLOE

  I turn from the camera and see these girls. They're talking and laughing. Falling into each other's arms. They're best friends. I wish I could go over there. I wish so bad—

  GREG

  It's not fair. What she's doing.

  MATHEW

  She'll be okay when I tell her. She'll understand that it's for her own good.

  CHLOE

  Across the store are a boyfriend and girlfriend holding hands. The girl holds up a shirt to the guy and he laughs. He pulls her in and kisses her on the forehead. They seem happy.

  MATHEW

  A radio. She's wanted one since she got here. That'll make her happy.

  GREG

  I need to get control. For once in my life I can't screw things up.

  CHLOE

  I hope Greg notices my new sweater.

  GREG

  I have to stand up for myself.

  CHLOE

  Secretly, I really hope he notices my new sweater.

  GREG

  For once in my life.

  SCENE NINETEEN

  Shift. GREG's condo.

  GREG

  You're late.

  CHLOE

  Busy morning. Had to study. I'm taking my exams next week.

  Beat.

  Do you like my sweater? It's new.

  GREG

  Let's get started. I don't have a lot of time today.

  CHLOE

  You want to set up a second meeting? I don't mind two this week.

  GREG

  No. I just want us to stay on track.

  CHLOE

  Question for a question. Sure.

  GREG

  No.

  CHLOE

  Yes.

  GREG

  No.

  CHLOE

  Yes.

  GREG

  (forceful) I said no.

  Beat.

  Chloe, if I'm telling your story, then I have to tell the whole story. We can't avoid this anymore. You know that. I need you to tell me about the person.

  CHLOE

  Tell me you like my sweater. It's new. Do you like it?

  GREG

  Sure. Yeah. I like it.

  CHLOE

  How much do you like it?

  GREG

  …A lot. It's very nice.

  CHLOE

  Thank you.

  Beat.

  Now what do you want to know about him?

  GREG

  Him. Okay. Good. Did he live alone?

  CHLOE

  Like you? Yeah. Ever since his mum died.

  GREG

  When was that?

  CHLOE

  I don't know… Like a year before he got me.

  GREG

  What happened when you first got there? What did he say to you?

  CHLOE

  He told me it was for seventy days. That it was to teach my horrible dad a lesson.

  GREG

  Did he threaten you? So you wouldn't escape?

  CHLOE

  There was no way to escape. And he would never threaten me.

  GREG

  Why?

  CHLOE

  Because he was like a puppy. He just wanted to be loved so bad. And he had to be trained. I taught him everything. When to feed me, how much, how often. He had no idea how to raise a kid. Like your dad.

  GREG

  What was your relationship like in the beginning? Did you spend a lot of time together?

  CHLOE

  Sometimes. Some weeks he was with me whenever he wasn't working.

  GREG

  And other weeks?

  CHLOE

  I don't know… he'd give me my food and… not really say anything.

  GREG

  Why?

  CHLOE

  Who knows? Maybe he didn't feel like having me anymore. But he couldn't throw me back. Maybe he felt trapped. Doesn't matter why. What they need to know is what I did. I learned how to make him talk.

  GREG

  How?

  CHLOE

  Be nice. Ask questions. Lots of questions.

  GREG

  Why was it important that he talk?

  CHLOE

  Helped me get in his head. Figure out how to control him. I'd never escape if I didn't know how to get what I wanted.

  GREG

  And it probably kept him happy, right?

  CHLOE

  I never said that.

  GREG

  Or at least helped with the loneliness. I imagine that if you went for weeks without—

  CHLOE

  I never said that.

  GREG

  Then how did you deal with the loneliness?

  CHLOE

  How do you deal with it?

  GREG

  I'm not lonely.

  CHLOE

  'Cause you're so busy? 'Cause you go to lots of parties? What's it like when you're at a party? What does it look like, smell like, taste like? Big buildings, bright lights, red carpets… Sometimes I wanted something, anything, to happen so bad it felt like my bones were gonna push right through my skin. So I'd pretend. That I was at a party downtown. Dancing. Having fun.

  GREG

  So—

  CHLOE

  What does it feel like when you're there? What does your body feel like? On fire. Right? Tell me.

  GREG

  Chloe—

  CHLOE

  I thought when I got out I was gonna be on fire. I bet there are celebrities at your parties. You're my favourite celebrity.

  GREG

  I'm not a celebrity.

  CHLOE

  Sure you are. Now, anyway. Now that you're on the front page.

  Beat.

  GREG

  The days when he was down there with you, were his moods stable or unpredictable?

  CHLOE

  Why does it have to be all about him? Why can't it be about me?

  GREG

  It is about you. Did you get into arguments? Did he punish you? Withhold food, that kind of thing?

  CHLOE

  I'm done talking about him.

  GREG

  Well, I'm not.

  CHLOE

  You do know that there are reporters parked outside my house, right?

  GREG

  I don't care. Talk to me about how he treated you.

  CHLOE

  It's easy. He didn't control me. I controlled him. That's all people have to know.

  GREG

  Fine. How did you control him?

  CHLOE

  I found his weakness. Find someone's weakness and you control them. />
  GREG

  And what was his weakness?

  Beat.

  CHLOE

  He needed me.

  Beat.

  GREG

  I don't think I'm going to put anything in this week.

  CHLOE

  What? You have to.

  GREG

  Something doesn't feel right. If we're finally revealing the person, him— how he talked to you, interacted with you—then we want lots of details. We want to make it good. And since you're done talking about him already—

  CHLOE

  I'll talk about him.

  GREG

  I also need the truth. If I don't give that to people then I'm not doing my job.

  CHLOE

  I'm telling the truth.

  GREG

  Your truth.

  CHLOE

  I'm telling my story. Like you told me to do.

  Beat.

  I'll give you details. I want it to go in this week. We had a deal. You can't just change it.

  I like them in every week. I want them every week.

  GREG

  Well I'm sorry but—

  CHLOE

  You promised. I can't… I had… I had it planned out. I want it to go in this week. You can't change things like that!

  GREG

  Yes, I can. I control when it goes in.

  CHLOE

  no!

  GREG

  Chloe—

  CHLOE

  I WANT IT TO GO IN THIS WEEK! IT HAS TO! IT HAS TO! iIT HAS TO! IT HAS TO! I HATE YOU! Five… four… three…

  GREG

  Answer my questions and I'll put the article in.

  CHLOE

  Every time we meet I give you whatever you want. It's not fair! What do I get?

  GREG

  What do you mean, "What do you get?" What else do you want?

  CHLOE

  I… I… I want to go out. I can feel my bones pushing through my skin again. I want to go out.

  GREG

  Okay—

  CHLOE

  Will you take me out?

  GREG

  Will you give me details?

  CHLOE

  Will you take me—

  GREG

  Only if you give me details.

  CHLOE

  What do you want to know?

  GREG

  Was he violent?

  CHLOE

  Where are we gonna go out?

  GREG

  Was he violent?

  CHLOE

  Yes.

  GREG

  We'll go to a party. A big gala dinner. Beautiful people, good music.

  CHLOE

  Dancing?

  GREG

  So much dancing. How often was he violent?

  The sound of the deadbolts.

  CHLOE

  Once.

  GREG

  Just once?

  MATHEW enters CHLOE's room.