THE

LIGHTHOUSE

By Joseph Frost





Draft
8/1/15

Written as part of the 31 Plays in 31 Days project

2015 Joseph Frost
4550 Normandy Dr
Jackson, MS 39206
atticscripts@gmail.com
* member, Dramatists Guild

Sounds of a storm. Raging winds and crashing seas.

In the dark, voices.
SAVE ME
GRAB HOLD
HOLD ON
IVE GOT YOU
NO! NO!
All sounds fade.

Lights up on a small room, round. There is a set of stairs
that lead up, and another leading down.

A man in his late 30s, ANDREW WINTER, lies on the
ground, wrapped in a gray blanket. He awakens with a
start. Andrew takes in his surroundings, until he hears
footsteps.

Up the stairs comes, LUKE, a man in is early 30s,
dressed in official, but comfortable gear. He carries a
tray.

Luke: Youre awake.

Andrew: Yes.

Luke: Im glad you are. I was worried for a while last night. You were shaking
something awful.

Andrew: Shaking?

Luke: Shivering. Shaking. From the cold.

Andrew: The cold.

Luke: Those waters cant be much more than zero.

Andrew: the waters.

Luke: you dont remember.

Andrew: the waters. The boat. The boat was sinking.

Luke: Must have been.

Andrew: where is it?

Luke: what

Andrew: The boat.

Luke: I didnt see your boat.

Andrew: its not mine.

Luke: Its no ones now.

Andrew: its lost?

Luke: I would say so.

Andrew: (face in hands) oh no

Luke: whats wrong.

Andrew: the boat was my fathers.

Luke: oh. Shouldnt have been out in a storm like that.

Andrew: I know.

Luke: terrible storm. Once in a blue moon kind of storm.

Andrew: I know.

Luke: boats go down in storms like that. I know. I see them all the time from out
here.

Andrew: out here.

Luke: youre in the lighthouse.

Andrew: the lighthouse.

Luke: out at the end of the jetty.

Andrew: the light. I saw the light.

Luke: yep. Thats what were here for.

Andrew: I sailed for the light.

Luke: its like youve heard of us before. (beat) you shouldnt have been out in that
storm. Ive seen men die from less.

Andrew: yeah.

Luke: I have.

Andrew: I had to

Luke: you had to what?

Andrew: I had somewhere to go.

Luke: wheres that?

Andrew: it doesnt

Luke: so your father had no idea you had his boat out.

Andrew: I know it was stupid.

Luke: foolish. For sure. Mustve thought she was awful important.

Andrew: what?

Luke: only time I see people do something that foolish, some ladys involved.

Andrew: its not like that.

Luke: it is like that. Dont lie to me.

Andrew: what?

Luke: I can see the lie in your eyes. I know what a lie looks like, Andrew. I see it in
your eyes. I know what a lie feels like, when it comes off your tongue. And I know
how that makes your jaw drop a little when it falls out of your mouth. And your
mouth is doing that now.

Andrew: you called me Andrew.

Luke: its your name.

Andrew: I didnt tell you my name.

Luke: you didnt have to. I know all about you, son.

Andrew: how

Luke: Ive got eyes. I know whats happening. I watch the boats come in and out. I
see it all. I know the people, the boats. I know em like I know the waters, the sky,
the winds. I see em come and go. All of it.

Andrew: but my name

Luke: I get to town, son. I get supplies. I hear people talk. I know what goes on.

Andrew: you do.

Luke: I do.

Andrew: Well, thank you. For saving me.

Luke: its what I do, yeah?

Andrew: I suppose. I dont really know what it is you do.

Luke: dont you.

Andrew: what are you saying?

Luke: me? Nothing, my boy. Im not saying anything.

Andrew: (rising) Im going to go.

Luke: I wouldnt.

Andrew: you wouldnt.

Luke: no.

Andrew: and what would you do?

Luke: what would I do?

Andrew: yes.

Luke: if I were you, you mean?

Andrew: yes.

Luke: well, I suppose let me say this. I saved your life.

Andrew: yes, you did.

Luke: yes I did.

Andrew: and I thank you.

Luke: you did?

Andrew: yes.

Luke: you say you did. Im sure you did.

Andrew: isnt that what you do out here?

Luke: is it?

Andrew: I dont know what youre trying to get at.

Luke: Well, lets see, Andrew. Lets see if we can figure it out, you and me. Were
smart fellas. (beat) youre boat went down. Your fathers boat. The boat you were
piloting you took your fathers boat out into the storm and now its gone. The boat
and you are gone. You are gone.

Andrew: Im gone.

Luke: as far as anyone on land knows.

Andrew: are you threatening me?

Luke: of course not, Andrew. I saved your life.

Andrew: you did.

Luke: and now I want to tell you what I saved your life for.

Andrew: its your job. Its what you do.

Luke: it is. People lost in the storm cry out for help. Help me, they cry. Tears. Full
throated cries in the night and rain and wind. They spend their last bits of energy
and life, crying out for anyone anything to save them. And there I am.

Andrew: shining out this light. Like a beacon.

Luke: thats right.

Andrew: and you save them.

Luke: dont you know it.

Andrew: so that what?

Luke: hm?

Andrew: you save them. So that what? What do you want.

Luke: (smiles) I want your soul, Andrew Winter.

Luke sits on an old trunk. He pats it.

Luke: I collect them. All the lost souls that have cried out to me in their fear and
desperation. And I got room for yours, Andrew.

Andrew: What do you want me to do?

Luke: do? For what?

Andrew: to win my soul back.

Luke: Oh Andrew. Im not a troll. Im not a gremlin or a sprite stealing from you for
a fee, or to free me from a dungeon.

Andrew: then what? What am I supposed to do? What have all the others done?

Luke: Despair.

Andrew: what?

Luke: I have done this. And it is irreversible. You are dead. And gone. And
everyone that ever loved you will wail and weep, and rail against the injustice of the
sea, that it would storm and take an innocent man, a young man, and that it would
rip you from them and drop you down, down, down to the ocean floor. And theyll
never know. That that storm only delivered you to me. And that I saved you for
myself. That your soul is forever mine. And I want you to stand there, in the weight
of your foolishness and be. Crushed. To despair. In guilt and shame.

A moment.

Andrew: and then what?

Luke: and then? What do I care.

Andrew: what have the others done?

Luke: the others? (chuckles) they wailed. They wept. It was (smiles) sad.

Andrew: theyre not here now.

Luke: no. they are not.

Luke looks up the stairs.

Andrew: they went up there?

Luke: yep.

Andrew: are they up there now?

Luke: nope. Some men cant live with the despair. So they ended it.

Andrew: they did.

Luke: but I got their souls. (taps trunk) right here.

Andrew: do you do you miss them?

Luke: ha. Andrew. What are they to me. I have what I want. I caused their grief. I
saw their despair. I have their souls. Im no glutton. They couldnt take it, so they
left.

Andrew: on the rocks below.

Luke: and washed clean by the rising tide.

A moment.

Andrew: whats that on the trunk?

Luke:what?

Andrew: that there. Theres a name on it.

Luke: its my trunk.

Andrew: is that your name?

Luke: where?

Andrew: look

Luke jumps down and looks.

Luke: it cant be.

Andrew: what?

Luke: it says. Winter.

Andrew: that is my fathers trunk.

Luke: no.

Andrew: I thought Id find it here.

Luke rushes at Andrew.
Andrew sidesteps and drops Luke to the ground.
Andrew ties a heavy board across Lukes arms using the
gray blanket.
The board is too heavy to lift.

Luke: no. No!

Andrew: Ill go now. Im sorry I cant despair for you. Luke.

Luke: how do you

Andrew: I came here for this.

Andrew picks up the trunk. It is easier for him to lift
than it appears it should.

Luke: come back here. Thats mine! Those are mine.

Andrew: feel free to despair.

Andrew goes down the stairs, with the trunk.

Luke: NO! NOOOO!

Lights go down on Luke, tied to the board, lying on the
floor.