Play 25: Wake

by Joseph Frost

a play written for The 31 Plays in 31 Days Project

Draft August 26, 2012

Attic Scripts 4550 Normandy Dr Jackson, MS 39206 atticscripts@hotmail.com

Two men carry in a woman who is laying stiffly horizontal. They place her on a table top. The men sit on chairs at either end of the table, facing away. KELLEN I cant say that I miss her. VINCE I know its an awful thing to say, but Im glad its over. KELLEN To me, shes been gone for some time. VINCE I didnt like to see her like that. KELLEN Hadnt seen her in months. Itd been a few weeks. VINCE Maybe more.

KELLEN To be honest, Ive more or less moved on. I was sad for a while. VINCE But Ive made my peace.

KELLEN Its not like Im glad shes gone. VINCE I dont wish shed come back. A moment. The woman, GEORGIA, lightly breathes. She moves slightly. Then she slowly sits up. KELLEN She once told me that I was the love of her life. VINCE She once told me that I was the love of her life. I believed her. KELLEN

VINCE I didnt believe her for a second.

2. KELLEN I wished I felt the same. VINCE The more was my shame, that she was the love of mine. Georgia rises, standing on the table. GEORGIA My father once told me the story of how the stars came down to visit the earth. The stars, jealous of the beauty of a little girl, left the sky one night and looked for her. They went from house to house, peeking in the windows, hoping to find her. As he told the story, hed make noises, stomping his feet or scratching at the wall, making it seem like the stars had come looking for me. It made me feel... special. KELLEN She said that I knew how to make her feel special. VINCE I always worked very hard to make her feel special. KELLEN I never knew what she was talking about. VINCE I dont think I ever figured it out. Georgia gets down from the table. walks past Kellen. KELLEN I have to ask you something. Me? GEORGIA She

KELLEN What happened after I left? Oh. GEORGIA You dont want to hear about that. KELLEN

Im asking you.

GEORGIA But you dont want to know. (beat) You want me to say that I forgot about you. about me.

Like you forgot

3. KELLEN

Thats not what I want.

GEORGIA You cant even admit it to yourself. You didnt love me. Well, I cant take back that I did love you. What a fool. You or me? Yes. And him. KELLEN GEORGIA (beat) KELLEN GEORGIA

He was after me? I didnt say that.

KELLEN You never mentioned him before. He loved me. GEORGIA

KELLEN Then why arent you talking to him? You needed to know. Know what? GEORGIA KELLEN

GEORGIA That I thought of you first. What do you mean? KELLEN Georgia walks around to Vince. I heard what you said. Should I apologize? VINCE GEORGIA

VINCE Do you think you should?

4. GEORGIA

What would I say?

VINCE Im sorry could be a start. It could be. GEORGIA

VINCE I hate what youve done to me. GEORGIA I hate that you made me do it. I didnt make you. VINCE

GEORGIA There was no chance that I could have lived up to your expectations. I failed. I warned you. I didnt make you. VINCE

GEORGIA He never expected so much from me. And look at him. Yes. VINCE GEORGIA Georgia crosses to the middle of the table. GEORGIA (CONTD) And the jealous stars climbed into the little girls eyes. And from then on, there were no stars in the sky for anyone else. She was the only one who could see them. As she stared at the night sky. She lays back down. A moment. KELLEN I cant say that I miss her. Im glad its over. VINCE

5. KELLEN VINCE The lights go down. End.

I wish I could say it. I wish it were over.