In Which Carmen Makes her First Attempts at Playwriting

[xaara]

Two weeks from Wednesday, I have to turn in a completed first draft of a shortish play. The day after tomorrow, I have to turn in at least one scene. So I played around with a few options and eventually came up with the following. Playwriting is actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be--it's like writing dialogue with only vague description. It's almost relaxing in a way.

 

SCENE: ALLEY

 

Concrete-block buildings line the alley, but it’s fairly clean.  No graffiti or vandalism mars the walls; there is a minimal amount of trash.  The gray fire door that leads into the back of one of the buildings reads “MADAME ROSALIA’S FORTUNE TELLING;” immediately to the right of the door is a dumpster.

 

AARON emerges from behind the dumpster, looking both ways down the alley.  He is slightly agitated.  Footsteps, approaching from offstage.  Enter MINA, stage right.

 

MINA: Aaron?

 

AARON: God, Mina, don’t you have any sort of volume control?  I could hear you a mile away.

 

MINA: Shut up and listen.  I’ve got something to say, and I’m going to say it, and then you’re going to let me go.

 

AARON: This’d better not be what I think it is.  We already talked about this.

 

MINA: Yeah, we did.  And we’re not talking about it now.  What I’m telling you about now is me.  And what I need.  For once.

 

AARON: You’re already involved in this--there isn’t a you.  There’s just the job.

 

MINA: So think for a second.  Because I want a self, as I’m sure you do.  And there’s no way I’m settling for halves like I’ve been doing for years now.  I want out.

 

AARON, simply, as if his answer is obvious: No.

 

Beat.

 

MINA: That’s it?

 

AARON, shrugging: Yeah.  That’s it.  You were contracted into this, and the boundaries of your contract were clear when you signed.  You don’t get out.

 

MINA: I do get out.  I don’t care what you say.

 

AARON: Don’t force me to make you care.

 

MINA: What…you don’t make sense half the time.

 

AARON: Or maybe you just haven’t learned to listen.

 

MINA: I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I’ve done everything you’ve ever asked for, and now I’m calling you on those favors you asked for from me.  I’m getting out.

 

AARON: No, you’re not.

 

MINA: And what precisely are you going to do to me?  Kill me?  I have friends, Aaron, friends who know you.

 

AARON: Does your husband know me?  Does your daughter?  MINA shakes her head, but he’s ignoring her--he already knows the answers to his questions.  So when they’re found washed up a mile downstream, who are you going to point at?

 

MINA: You honestly think you could kill one of them?  Get past me and kill one of them?  I’m better at this than you ever were--I know a bluff when I see one.

 

AARON, eerily nonchalant: But do you recognize a real bet?  Because I’ve got a royal flush, and I’m going all in.

 

MINA, rolling her eyes: Okay, Aaron, that’s just pathetic.

 

AARON: Maybe.  Whatever.  But you have a choice.

 

MINA, sarcastically: I thought you told me I didn’t have a choice.

 

AARON: I’ve been known to lie on occasion.

 

MINA: Whatever.  What’s my choice?

 

AARON: Jason or Shannon?

 

MINA, beginning to understand: No.  I’m not going to choose between them.

 

AARON: Or stay on with me.  It’s not all that hard of a choice.

 

MINA: No.  I’m not making that choice.

 

AARON: Actually--

 

MINA: No.

 

AARON: So you’d rather have us choose for you?  We’re perfectly capable, I assure you.

 

MINA: You don’t come near them, you hear me?  Jason or Shannon.

 

AARON: Then you stick around.  Keep running the hits for me, and they stay.  Otherwise, choose between them.  We don’t want both--one’ll work just as well.

 

MINA: Do you know how long we’ve known each other?

 

AARON: Ten years?  Fifteen?  You think that’s going to stop me, Mina?  It’s not my fault you’ve suddenly grown a heart.

 

MINA: No, it’s not.  Beat.  I didn’t, you know.  Grow a heart.  Deep breath.  I found one.

 

AARON: And let me guess--now you’re going to tell me that it’s my fault you lost it?

 

MINA: No, not really.  But you capitalized on it.  I guess everyone has a niche.

 

AARON, shrugging: Everyone smart, anyway.

 

Pause in the conversation as MINA and AARON attempt to stare one another down.

 

MINA, levelly: You don’t touch them.

 

AARON: You going to stop me?

 

MINA: You’d better believe it.

 

AARON, cruelly: I’m glad to know you’ve got that much self-confidence.  You know, my counselor used to recommend it.  Goes with this whole self-esteem thing.  But let me tell you something: no matter how you believe in yourself, your positive energy brain waves still aren’t enough to protect them.

 

MINA: I might not be able to protect them, but I can sure as hell make sure it’s not worth it to you to kill them.  I can make your life so unworth living--

 

AARON: Let me take a stab...that I’ll want to die?  Think again, Mina.  Walk away now and you’re throwing away everything you’ve ever wanted, everything you ever told me about.  The normal life, the husband, the kid, the white picket fence, the works.

 

MINA: I have everything I’ve ever wanted.

 

AARON: Except you don’t, do you?  Or you wouldn’t want out.

 

MINA: This is going in circles.  I didn’t come here to ask you if I could stop--I came here to tell you that I’m stopping.  End of story.

 

AARON: Is it?

 

MINA: Is it what?

 

AARON: The end of the story?

 

MINA: Yes.  It’s the end.

 

AARON: Sounds an awful lot like you’re still trying to convince yourself of that.

 

MINA, visibly collecting her frazzled nerves: I’m convinced.  If you don’t believe me, well, that’s your problem.  I’m out, and I’m not coming back.  Mina advances several steps on Aaron, suddenly menacing.  And if you do anything--anything to harm my family, I will kill you.

 

AARON: Fair enough.  Extends right hand.  It’s been nice knowing you, Mina.

 

MINA, ignoring the proffered hand: I’ll see you when I see you.

 

AARON, winking and then disappearing downstage right: Not if I see you first.

Comments

[carrole.livejournal.com]

:O

Carmen, I'm practically bouncing waiting to see what happens. This is an EXCELLENT beginning! I like how creepy Aaron is, and the setting, the fortune teller in the background--it's really cool to see that there. Awesome!

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Wow, thanks. I actually don't know what's going to happen--I've already thrown out two scenes that were utterly unprintable and I'm working on a third that I have more hope for--so I'm undecided about which direction this is going to take. As it stands now, it looks like it's going to get pretty messed up, but on the other hand, I'm a sucker for happy endings, so...I don't know. ;)

[thirteenmirrors.livejournal.com]

Continue this! I can't wait to see more of it.

[xaara.livejournal.com]

I will, definitely. Thanks for reading! :)

[dancinggoldfish.livejournal.com]

Very very cool. And she has my name (my real first name, spelling and everything) :D I want to read more!

[xaara.livejournal.com]

Hehe, that's awesome! The name actually started it out for me, which is strange, because my characters are usually more or less fully formed before they get names. More coming--I promise. :)

[dancinggoldfish.livejournal.com]

Sounds very cool :D