Two's A Crowd. (4) Isa: Not half as strange as dying. Kate: What about going to my room? In my bed? Isa: Not too swift my sweet one. Hold on a moment. Kate: In a moment. Jefferson: No. We must go. Dad will be here himself if we’re not there soon. (Jefferson release Kate and moves away.)Get dressed into something suitable. And be quick. Or they’ll be here. Quick now. No more of this. Isa: Get him to look out of the window Kate: Look at the stars. (Draws back curtains more.)Look at them, Jeff. Jefferson: We need to go. (Looks out of the window. Isa creeps behind him. Kate stares at him.)I like the stars at night. (Kate stares as Isa brings out a pair of Kate’s tights and suddenly wraps it about Jefferson’s’ neck and they both pull on an end. Jefferson struggles to free himself. There is a struggle, they move away from the window, and Jefferson fights for his breath and life and chairs at the table are knocked over. He eventually ceases to struggle. He goes limp and Isa and Kate let his body sink to the floor.) Kate: Done. It’s done. He’s dead. Isa: Finished with him. Kate: Goodbye, brother. (Kicks the body gently with her foot.) Isa: Good riddance to bad rubbish. Kate: He looks somewhat grotesque now doesn’t he? Isa: He always did. Kate: I suppose he did. That way he had about him. Daddy’s pet. Daddy’s best child. No problems with Jefferson. Isa: We must move him. Kate: Where? Isa: His room. On his bed. Kate: What happens next? (Looks at the body.)What about the other two? Isa: We’ll wait to see who turns up. Now we must move the body. Kate :( Touches the body with the fingers of her right hand. She shakes the body.) How soft it is. Isa: It will soon stiffen. Kate: I hated him deep down. It made me cringe when he came close. Isa: I know. I know it did. I know how you feel. (Goes to Kate and embraces her gently.)He’s dead now. The punishment has been carried out. Kate: He did touch me and he did do those things to me. Isa: Yes. I was there. It was I there as well. I suffered too. Kate: No one believed me. He always said it was a game. They said it was my imagination. My mind was sick they said. But I was telling the truth. Isa: They should have listened to you. They should have believed you. Kate: Should have listened. (Kisses Isa.)I would be lost without you. I would be lost without you beside me. Those nights with you beside me. Holding me. Keeping me safe. Keeping me warm in those cold nights. Isa: We are one. We have been though so much together. Kate: So much together. So much to make us closer. Isa: We must move him, now, sweet one. Move him before someone comes up looking for you both. Then tidy up the place. Prepare for the next one. Keep calm, my Love. (Isa and Kate drag the body slowly along floor upstage to Jefferson’s bedroom door. They pause and smile. Kate opens the door and they drag him inside. Silence.) End of Scene Two. Act Two. Scene Three. Fifteen minutes later. Kate and Isa are standing at the window looking out at the evening sky. The upper stage door opens and Lisa looks in. Kate and Isa turn and gaze at her. Lisa closes the door behind her and walks a little downstage, then pauses. Lisa: Where’s Jefferson? Kate: He’s gone. He left just now. Isa: Yes, permanently. The scenic route. Lisa: I never saw him. (Moves further downstage.)And what are you wearing? Kate: A red dress. (Smiles.)Do you like it? Isa: I’m sure she doesn’t. Not her thing at all, my sweet. Lisa: Where did you get that? (Moves downstage to the table and pauses.)And why are you still here? We’re waiting downstairs for you and Jefferson. Your father’s getting quite annoyed. He sent me up here to what was up. Kate: (Softly.)Oh, dear. (Moves upstage towards Lisa. Isa follows.)I’m really concerned about that. (Smiles.)Let him wait. Lisa: What’s got into you? (Pause. Lisa looks apprehensive at Kate.)You had better stay here if you’re in that kind of mood. I don’t want any scenes downstairs at the party. (Kate and Isa stand in front of Lisa.)Not fair on me or your father to have to put up with this nonsense. Kate: Shut up, Mummy. (Stands staring at Lisa. Isa stands behind Lisa.)You never listen. That’s the trouble you never listen. Always talking, never listening. Lisa: How dare you tell me to shut up. (Backs away, but falls back into one of the chairs at the table.)I won’t have it. I’m your mother, not some friend of yours. Kate: Will you just listen. (Stands over Lisa.)Be quiet for a moment. (Puts a hand on Lisa’s arm.)Things have changed. Things can never be the same again. Lisa: What are you talking about? Kate: The old ways are over. Finished. Kaput. Lisa: Have you completely lost your mind, now? I want to see your father. (Attempts to get up, but Kate and Isa hold her own.)What’s all this about? Isa: Tell her, my sweet. Tell her the good news. Kate: Your precious son is dead. Done with. Gone off. Lisa :( Lisa’s eyes widen. She stares at Kate and clutches at Kate’s hand.)What have you done with Jefferson? Kate: I told you, he’s dead. Lisa: Where? (Lisa’s voice becomes strained.)What have you done? Why? (Lisa attempts to get up again, but is held down.)You’re mad. You’re completely mad. Kate: No, not anymore. I’m quite well now. Never felt better. Isa: She’s a new woman. She’s never been so relaxed. Lisa: Let me up. (Pushes herself up and goes passed Kate. Isa nods to Kate.)Where is he? Where have you put him? Kate: In his bedroom. (Pause.)Resting. Lisa: I don’t believe you. You’re lying as always. (Hesitates.)You’re lying. Kate: Look for yourself, then. Go on, look in his room. Isa: Doubting Thomas. Lisa :( Moves to Jefferson’s door and stands looking at Kate. She then opens the door and peers into the darkness. She turns on the light and goes in. A muffled cry offstage. Lisa rushes out and closes the door quickly. She stares at the door for a few moments. Then she stares at Kate.)What have you done? You foolish girl. What have you done? Kate :( Calmly.)We strangled him. With my tights. Lisa: (Lisa moves slowly towards Kate.)We? Who’s we? Kate: The two of us. Isa and me. Isa: She’ll never believe you, sweet one. Lisa: Who is Isa? Who is Isa? Kate: Hard to say really. What does it matter, we did it together anyway. Lisa: I don’t believe you. You just making this up, you liar. Isa: Told you, my sweet, she’d not believe a thing you say. Kate: You never have. That’s the trouble. You never believe what I say. If you had, none of this need have happened. Lisa: What are you talking about? Kate: If you had believed me about Jefferson, then this could have been avoided. Lisa: What about Jefferson? Kate: He abused me when I was nine. Lisa: How can you tell such lies? And him…And he… (Moves away from Kate.)Him dead? Is he really dead? Kate: Yes. Isa: Completely. Lisa: You murderer. You foolish murderer. Wait until your father finds out. Kate: Don’t become all melodramatic. He’s dead because he abused me when I was nine years old. He admitted it. Just before we killed him. Lisa: Liar. You always have to lie.(Lisa begins to sob quietly.) Kate: No. (Kate’s tone becomes hard.)Not a lie. The utter truth. He did what I said. He did it and I told you and you never believed me. Lisa: How could I believe such a thing? Not Jefferson. Not my Jefferson. Kate: Yes, your precious Jefferson. He, who can do no wrong, did a very wrong thing indeed. And that’s not all. My precious Daddy. My, oh, so lovely Daddy, he has been abusing me one way or the other for years and you’ve not even known. Have you? Did you know? Is there just a slight hint of suspicion in that mind of yours? (Lisa says nothing, but stares at Kate.)He, who must be obeyed, is a cruel sadistic man. He produced those bruises this morning. Nice aren’t they? (Lifts her dress a little revealing a bruised thigh.)He did it. Your husband. He did it, whatever he says. He did it. Lisa: (Lisa’s voice is strained.)No. I don’t believe you. You’re lying. Kate: Am I? Are you really sure? Lisa: Yes. You’re father would never do such a thing. Kate: Oh, but he would and he did. Believe me, Mummy, dear, he’s quite capable of many things you won’t or can’t believe. Isa: Many things indeed. The man’s a complete and utter maniac. Lisa: No, no, no. I won’t believe it. (Moves upstage slowly.)It’s all lies. Kate: No, Mummy, all true. One hundred percent true. Ask him yourself. Lisa: He would kill you for what you’ve done. Kill you. Kate: Yes, he would. Given the chance. Given a moment to consider the matter, he probably would. That’s quite true. You’re right. He would wouldn’t he? (Smiles at Lisa.)But he won’t get the chance. He won’t even have the chance to see his precious son again. Not his precious son whom he loved so much and never once abused or hit. Never once doubted. Never once hurt. Dead son, I should say. Past tense. Lisa: This is unreal. (Moves further upstage. Isa moves upstage, passes Lisa, and stands by the upper stage door. Kate moves upstage towards Lisa.)Do you know what you have done? Stay back. Stay away from me. (Moves towards the upper stage door, but Isa stands against it and Lisa cannot open it. She tries hard, but fails.) Kate: You will listen. (Moves closer to Lisa.)You will believe me. (Isa pushes Lisa so suddenly that she falls at Kate’s feet. Both Kate and Isa hold Lisa down on the floor. Lisa unsure of herself remains still. Isa produces a pair of tights and ties Lisa’s hands behind her.)Stay calm. Don’t struggle. Isa: In the chair up there. (Isa and Kate drag Lisa downstage to a chair by the table and sit her down. Then they tie her to the chair. They gaze at Lisa for few moments.) Kate: You will understand soon. You will know the truth. Isa: Tell her how disgusted you feel. Kate: I’m disgusted how you have disbelieved me while I have had to suffer. Lisa: I won’t listen to your lies. Isa: Tell her how you tried to tell her the truth. Kate: You have never believed me. I tried to tell you the truth, but you didn’t want to believe me. Didn’t want to believe. Yes, that’s it. Didn’t want to. Lisa: You’re lying. Untie me now. You’re in no fit state to tell me anything. Kate: Shut up and listen. (Kate pulls Lisa hair back.)Hear me? Lisa: Let go, you’re hurting me. Kate: Good. Now you realise what pain is like. I’ve suffered pain. I’ve suffered pain and agony and misery. And you’ve not understood it. Lisa: Let me go. (Kate realises Lisa’s hair.) Kate: Sit still and be quiet. We’ll wait. Lisa: What are you waiting for? Kate: Daddy of course. Darling Daddy. Lisa: What for? What are you going to do to me? Kate: That depends on you doesn’t it. Be quiet and maybe nothing. Lisa: What about your father? Kate: You’ll see. Isa: That’s it, my sweet. Lisa: This is madness. Let me go. Kate :( Grabs Lisa’s jaw and squeezes it.)Quiet. Hush. Or it will be your undoing. Isa :( Isa produces Harrison’s knife.)We could slit her throat now. Kate: No. Not now.(Releases her hand from Lisa’s jaw.) Lisa: Please. (Looking very frightened. Sitting upright, but shaking.)I can help you. Kate: Too late. You’re too late now, Mummy. Much too late. Isa: Just slit her throat now. One cut and she’s a goner. Kate: No. We’ll wait. Wait for Daddy. Isa: Harrison will be here soon. I’ll wait by the door. (Isa hands Kate the knife and walks to the upper stage door and stands behind it.) Kate: We’ll wait. Be silent or you’re dead. (Shows Lisa the knife.) Lisa: No, please. (Sees the knife and becomes silent. Kate waves it slowly in front of Lisa’s face. Isa nods and smiles.) Kate: Not a sound. Not a bit of sound or I’ll slit your throat. (Lisa stares at the knife and then at Kate. She closes her eyes and moves her lips, but no sound comes out. Silence. Stillness.) End of Scene Three. Act Two. Scene Four. Ten minutes later. All is quiet. The upper stage door opens and Harrison enters. He stares at Lisa and Kate lower stage. Isa is behind him standing staring. Harrison: I’ve been waiting downstairs like a fool.(Pause.) What’s going on? Where’s Jefferson?(Looks around the room, then stares again at Lisa and Kate.)Well? Kate: Hello, Daddy.(Shows Harrison the knife at Lisa’s throat.)Mummy’s a bit tied up at the moment.( Harrison moves forward slightly, but stops when he sees the knife.)No need to come any further. Just stand there and listen. Harriosn: What do you think you’re doing? Put that knife down, now. (Moves forward.) Kate: Stand where you are. (Holds knife closer to Lisa’s throat.)One step more and I’ll slit her throat. (Harrison stops.)That’s right. Now listen and listen carefully. Isa: Be careful of him, my sweet, he’s devious. Kate: I will. (Breathes in heavily.)You’re going to tell Mummy the truth about what you’ve done to me. Harrison: What are you talking about? Release your mother now and put an end to this nonsense. (Moves forward again, but stops when Kate pulls Lisa’s hair back with the knife touching her throat.)All right, all right, calm down. Lisa: Please, Harrison, listen to her please don’t do anything rash. (Lisa sobs.)I’m frightened. Harrison: What’s all this about? Kate :( Calmly.)You’re going to confess to Mummy what you’ve done to me. Tell her the truth, so she’ll know that I’ve been speaking the truth all these years. Harrison: You’re mad. Why should I confess to anything while you have a knife to your mother’s throat? Release her, now. Kate: You’ve one last chance. Any more nonsense and she’s dead. (Lisa sobs louder.) Lisa: Please, Harrison, listen to her. Harrison: All right, all right, what is it you want of me? Kate: The truth. The whole truth. Or Mummy dies. Simple as that. Isa: Slit her throat now and then him. Kate: No, not yet. Harrison: The truth about what? Kate: What you’ve done to me. Harrison: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Kate :( Pulls Lisa hair harder and draws the knife along her throat.)I mean what I say. This is not a joke. She’ll die if you lie. Lisa: Please, don’t kill me. Isa: Slit the bitch’s throat. Kate: No, no, not yet. (Sighs.)If you want Mummy to live then you’ll have to tell her the truth. Harrison: And what good will it do? Lisa: Please, Harrison, she’s already killed Jefferson. Harrison: Jefferson? (Stares at Kate.)You’ve killed Jefferson? Why? Kate: Because he abused me. Simple deed, simple death. Harrison: You think you can get away with this? I’ll have you put away for life. You common little murderer. (Moves forward, but Isa punches Harrison at the back of the head and he falls to the ground.) Kate: You’re not listening, Daddy. You must listen or Mummy dies. Harrison :( Rises to his knees, kneels weakly, and stares at Kate.)Jefferson? Dead? Kate: Yes, quite dead. We garrotted him. Harrison: We? Who's we? Kate: Isa and Me. Harrison: Who’s Isa? Kate: It doesn’t matter now. (Smiles.)Just tell Mummy the truth. Harrison: You won’t get a way with this. Isa: Slit her throat, he’s not listening. Kate: Now or she dies. Harrison: All right, all right. (Pause.)What do you want me to say? Kate: You abused me physically and sexually for years, didn’t you? Harrison: Hesitates.)What do you want me to say to that? Kate: Yes or no? Harrison :( Sighs. Looks at Kate, then looks at Lisa.)Yes. Yes, I did. But I couldn’t help it. I was driven by an inner drive. I didn’t want to do it… (Stops.) Lisa: No! (Lisa screams and shakes her head hysterically.) Kate: The truth, Mummy can set you free. Harrison: I couldn’t help it, Lisa; it was just an impossible impulse. Lisa: How could you lie to me? How could you do this to us? (Cries deeply.) Kate: And aren’t you going to say anything else? Harrison: What? What more do you want me to say? Kate: An apology? A mere little sorry? Isa: Kill them now, my sweet. Let’s be done with this for the last time. Kate: Wait. (Breathes deeply.)Well, Daddy? Harrison :( Rises to his feet. Isa stands ready.)I’m sorry. Sorry, Lisa. Sorry, Kate. (Moves forward downstage. Isa moves behind him.)However, it makes no difference. What’s done is done. You’re still a murderer. A sick murderer. Kate: An executioner, Daddy, dear, an executioner. Lisa :( Lisa glares at Kate.)You always were a liar. Now you’ve made your father lie to save me. Kate: (Kate looks at her Lisa. Shakes her head, then suddenly plunges the knife into Lisa’s back. Lisa sits up as if pinched. She stares at Kate with a shocked expression.)You never did believe. Not even after all this, you still doubted me. (Lisa flops forward. Harrison pauses. He stares at Kate and then at Lisa’s slumped body. Isa punches Harrison at the back of his head again and he falls down. Kate moves forward and stabs the knife into his back. Harrison groans. Kate stabs him repeatedly.)Goodnight, Daddy, dear. May you rot in Hell. (Isa takes the knife form Kate and holds it over Harrison’s unmoving body.) Isa: It’s done. The deed is done. We are one. Two’s crowd as you said. Kate: (Takes Isa’s hand and draws her down beside her by Harrison’s body. Kate and Isa kneel face to face.)We are avenged. We are redeemed. (Isa pushes the knife into Kate’s stomach and then pulls Kate into a close embrace. They kiss, and then slowly slump down, side by side. Silence.) End of Act Two and Scene Four.
Copyright © 2005 Terry Collett |