US

by

Joe Sutton

Copyright 2012
Joe Sutton
64 Goose Hole Rd.
New London, NH 03257
(603)763-1218
jsut @ juno.com

CHARACTERS
Matt...............................18
Mary...............................his Mother
Mark...............................his Father
Time: The Present
Place: The suburbs
Setting: The back half of the ground floor of a two-story house. Primarily a
kitchen, this setting (which should include an entrance leading to a yard),
may be achieved in a
number of ways: naturalistically, with refrigerators and
stoves...or more abstractly -- with merely a few essential props. All that is
really necessary is a coffee maker. And maybe a couple of chairs.

ACT ONE
LIGHTS UP ON MARK, WHO SPEAKS QUICKLY,
EXCITEDLY.
MARK

I don't know how it started -- I think she heard a sound -- but she was instantly
out of bed and down the stairs -- she said she raced down -- and she found
him, in the dark, out of breath.
(DIM LIGHTS ON MARY AND MATT. THEY ARE
IN THE KITCHEN.)
MARY

There you are!

(THIS LAST MARY SAYS AS SHE ENTERS,
CAUSING MATT TO SPIN AROUND, HIS LINE
OVERLAPPING WITH HERS, PANICKED.)
MATT

Huh? What!?
(THIS IN TURN CAUSE MARY TO STEP BACK,
STARTLED BY THE VEHEMENCE OF MATTS
REPLY.)
MARY

I said "there you are."

(AND MATT REALIZES HES OVERREACTED.)
MATT

Oh. Yeah.
(BEAT. THE TWO ARE NOW TIP-TOEING
AROUND EACH OTHER. )

2.
MARY

I didn't hear you come in.

MATT

Right.

Yeah.
(THE LIGHTS ARE NOW OUT ON MARK. THE
KITCHEN ITSELF IS NEARLY ALL BLACK.)
MARY

You just came home?

MATT

Yeah.
MARY

When?
MATT

(BEAT) A little while ago.

MARY

And you stayed out here?

MATT

Yeah.
MARY

Why?
MATT

(GRASPING AT AN ANSWER) To get a drink.

(HE HOLDS UP A BOTTLE. IT IS BARELY
DISCERNIBLE. THE ONLY LIGHT VISIBLE IS
COMING FROM A HALLWAY. THE KITCHEN
ITSELF IS DARK.)
MARY

Have you been running?

MATT

No.

3.
MARY

You're sweating.
MATT

It's hot.
MARY

You're really sweating.

MATT

It's really hot.

(BEAT.)
MARY

We were worried.
MATT

Uh-huh.
MARY

But you're okay?

MATT

Yeah.
MARY

Why don't you come inside?

MATT

I will.

(SHE WATCHES HIM A MOMENT.)

MARY

Are you breathing heavily?