DROWNED

(One Act Play)

Tears. Screams. Breakdowns. Pain. I am sick of enduring these over and over again. I feel
like I am losing myself. I feel like I am on the edge of giving up. I feel like I am bothering and
destroying others … and I did. I did because I was drowned by depression and I drowned them
with me.

Ace: David! David! (shouting)

David: Ace? Why? What’s wrong?

Ace: David help me. Jam is cutting her wrist again. She’s at the rooftop.

David: What?! (run)

----

Jam: (crying)

David and Ace: JAMELLA!

Jam: (caught offguard)

David: Why are you doing this again? Are you out of your mind Jam?!

Jam: (emotionless) I am just tired living in this world. My mom is dead. My father is an
alcoholic asshole. I have no siblings. I only have family relatives … who are treating me like a
trash.

Ace: Jam. Always remember you have me and David. Right David?

David: (staring at Ace)

Ace: David?

David: Ah! Yes. Yes. You have us Jam.

Jam: Thank you (crying) please bare with me (hugging David)

Ace: We will Jam.

David: (smiling) Yes. We will.

Since then, I treat them like a hope. A hope for me to continue living and to continue fighting.
Specially David, he was there for me on those times where I needed someone to lean on,
someone to talk to and someone I can count on. And I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want to
lose my hope because if it will happen, I will lose myself too.

-----

David: Hey. You’re alone here at the rooftop again.

Jam: Oh hello David (smiling)

David: What’s with the smile?

Jam: David. Thank you.

David: Thank you? For?

Jam: For everything you have done for me. For always being there for me. For not giving up for
me. For giving me hope in this life.

David: (smiling) You’re welcome. We are friends by the way and also I can’t bear to see Ace
crying when you are in the midst of suffering.

Jam: (hurting) Ahhhh I see. So sweet of you (sarcastic)

David: I adore her Jam. She’s very determinant and tough girl. You can never hear negative
thoughts from her, she’s so optimist and I love it. I love how genuine her smile is, I love how
her eyes curve when she laugh, I love how beautiful her face when she’s happy and I love how
natural she is. Isn’t she lovely?

Jam: (crying) Well, she is. I must go. See you around.

David: Oh okay. Take care!

------------

Jam: (talking to herself) Determinant?! Tough?! Lovely?! Huh! All this time? All this time he
has adoration on Ace when I thought it was me. I thought .. I thought it was me. Why is that
world is so unfair to me? Why is that life wrecking the hell out of me? Why can’t he see that I
am also strong? Strong enough to continue living. Why can’t he realize that I am also
determinant? Determine to open the door of life without anxieties and over thinking. Why it
should be Ace when it could be me?

-----------

Ace: Jam!

Jam: Hm?
Ace: Did you see David? He’s last message is that two of you chilled out on the rooftop but it
was 3 hours ago and it’s already 7 P.M.

Jam: Ahhhhh …. Ahhhhh. If I am not mistaken I saw him at the back of the campus? Ahmmm
near the forest.

Ace: Back of the campus? Near the forest? What’s with him to go there this late? Anyways, I’ll
go then.

Jam: Ah Ace!

Ace: Yes?

Jam: Ah nothing. Take care!

Ace: Okay then. Thank you. You too!

----------
Ace: Jam? Jam? Hayyyy. Where is he?
Unknown Boy: Hi beautiful. Where are you going? I can take you there (wink).
Ace: Ah. I’m sorry. I don’t need help (trembling)
Unknown Boy: Oh noooo .. Don’t be shy baby girl.
(DAVID CALLING)
Ace: (running) David! David! Help!!!! (crying)
David: ACE?! WHAT’S GOING ON?! WHERE ARE YOU?!
Ace: on the forest …
-----------------
Ace: (waking up) Where am I?
David: We are currently at my grandmother’s house. Can you tell me what happened? Please
Ace.
Ace: (crying)
Mamu: David?
David: It’s my grandmother. Yes mamu?
Mamu: You have a visitor.
David: I’ll check it out. You stay here.
------
David: Jam?
Jam: Where is Ace? How is she?
David: Come in. She’s in the room. Let’s go.
-------
David: Jam is here.
Ace: (silent)
David: Anyways, please tell me what happened Ace and good thing Jam is here for atleast she
will also have an idea what happened to you. We were worried sick.
Ace: (staring at Jam) Worried sick? (confused) Where are you that time when you called me
David?
David: At the Library. I also told Jam to update you because my phone is still charging since we
accidentally bumped each other at the hallway.
Ace: (smile weakly) I see. It was my mistake. I thought I took the right path. It was already
gloomy when I left the campus and also I am not feeling well that’s why I didn’t notice I am
taking the wrong path. Then suddenly an unknown man came up and that’s it.
Jam: (trembling)
Mamu: David! Help me prepare the foods for the dinner.
David: I’ll be back.
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Jam: (teary eyes) Why?
Ace: What?
Jam: Why did you cover me up? Why did you say it was your mistake?
Ace: (smile weakly) I said it was my mistake because I know how much it hurts to be put in
danger intentionally by the person you treasure, trust and love the most. I don’t want to add more
burden to your heart. I don’t want you to think that in this world we are living in that is full of
uncertainties there is no assurance, because there is. And Jamella, it is me.
“Being depressed will never be good enough reason to put other person down together with you.
Don’t let me drowned too Jamella.”