Untitled

By: Damien Darkheart

Scene: a mind

Cast:

• b>Dark: a man's madness
• Light: a man's conscience
• b>Soul: the man whom Light and Dark fight over
• Woman: an unnamed victim

Scene: the stage is bare, with no decoration or furniture. Down right, a man with in a suit of black and red stands. His hair is short-cropped and jet-black. He is powerfully built, but his features show only arrogance and cruelty. His only obvious emotions are hatred, loathing, and malicious humor. This is Dark. Down left another man stands, this one in a suit of identical cut to that of Dark but pure white. His hair is long, flowing golden blonde. His face is kind, yet shows a deep sadness. He is slender and strongly reminiscent of an angel. He watches everything with pity and sympathy. This is Light. Up Center is a third man, in a suit of identical cut to Light and Dark, this one gray. His hair is short cut brown and badly mussed. His face is ordinary, but there is madness evident in the way he looks wild-eyed at everything. He is unable to see either Light or Dark. This is Soul. He is crouched over a woman. She lays on her stomach with her head pulled back by Soul's hand in her hair. Her appearance is unimportant, save that she be slim and pretty. Soul holds a knife to her throat. She looks around the audience with an expression of terror and desperation, but never fights back or makes a sound.

Dark walks over to where soul is crouched and leans over his shoulder. Dark's voice is a harsh growl.

Dark: Kill the bitch. She's scum, nothing more. She isn't worthy of life, and never will be. She'll stay just the way she is, an unenlightened blob of flesh, until the day she dies. I say we speed up the process, save her some time. What right does she have to live?

Light: (moving up to stand at Soul's shoulder opposite Dark. His voice is soft and musical) What right do we have to take her life? She's never wronged us. We've never even met her before. Just lay down the blade, let her go, and go home to work this out. Just let her go, and everything will be all right.

Soul: (looking around in confusion, as if coming out of a daze) Who are you? Why are you talking to me? Why are you in my head? I- I don't want to hurt anyone...

Dark: (roaring in anger) Shut up! You pathetic, sniveling little rodent. You don't stand up now, they'll keep pushing you around your whole life. Like dad. Like Grandpa. You've got to get them first!

Soul: Who are you? Are you part of me?

Dark: You bet, buddy. The best part. I'm your strength. I'm your courage. I'm the one you turn to when things are too much to bear. I'm the one who's going to make your life better.

Light: (pleading) Don't listen! He's lying to you! He's your madness. You're not well, you need help. Listen to me, I'm your conscience. Like the cricket says, let your conscience be your guide. You loved that movie, remember?

Soul: (looking on the verge of tears. Hand holding the knife is trembling) You both tell me you want to help. How am I supposed to know which of you to listen to?

Dark: (turning away in disgust) Weaklings.

Light: Look inside yourself. Do you really want to kill this girl? So you really believe it will help anything?

Soul: I don't... (sighs) No. It won't. You're right. I'll let her go. I need to get help. (lays down the knife. The woman starts to crawl away))

Dark: (enraged) NO! I will NOT have you wimp out on me now! Not when you've come so far, when we've come so far! You won't kill the bitch, I will! (picks up the knife, catches the woman, and stabs her repeatedly)

Soul: (Horrified) What are you doing?! Stop it! Stop! (The woman stops moving. Dark stops stabbing her and steps back, looking satisfied)

Light: What have you done?

Dark: What you cowards couldn't. Don't it just warm the heart to see her life pour out all over the pavement like that, boys?

Soul: Oh, God, not again...

Light: How could you do that? She never did us any harm. We never even met her before tonight. She was innocent. Just like all the others.

Soul: I need a drink...

Dark: (to Soul) Shut up, you spineless little shit! No one's talking to you. (turning to Light) And no one's innocent. (mocking) She isn't. Oh, excuse me, wasn't. Heh. I think we'll do another one tomorrow night.

Soul: (nearly catatonic. Sits with his head in his hands, sobbing) I don't want to hurt anyone...

Light: (crouching by Soul's side) Good! Join with me. We can stop him, and you can get better. You want to get better, don't you? Together, we're stronger than he is. We just have to work together.

Soul: Yes... that would be nice... better...

Dark: (Walking over and shoving Soul down) WRONG, asshole. We're fine the way we are, and I won't have some shrink trying to kill me. But you may be right on one thing. Together, the two of you might be strong enough to stop me. But I can take either one of you. (considering) I think it'll be you, flesh sack. From now on, I'll be controlling this body.

Soul: (desperate and terrified) You can't do that! I'm going to get better, and then I'm not going to hurt anyone any more. You aren't strong enough to stop me!

Dark: (smiling condescendingly) Wrong again. (Dark grabs Soul by the back of his collar and drags him offstage, kicking and screaming. As soon as they get offstage, the screams are silenced. Dark returns a moment later)

Light: (frightened and wary) What did you do with him?

Dark: He's gone, buried somewhere in the subconscious. I think I'll let you stay for a while. Having a conscience could be good for laughs.

Light: You're sick.

Dark: Bingo, Jiminy. Now, then, we're going hunting.

Curtain falls.

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