smoke

The stage is dark and empty. Jeremy, Rebecca, and Will stand in a line upstage of Bernard and Ann-Marie, with even spaces between them of about an arm�s length. Jeremy is at stage right, Rebecca in the center, and Will at stage left. Rebecca and Will are holding hands with arms spread slightly to accommodate the space. Bernard and Ann-Marie stand downstage of the others, next to one another, but not directly in front of the other characters so that each character can be clearly seen by the audience. Both of them keep their faces toward the back wall of the theater. None of the characters look directly at each other or the audience when speaking, and should act as though each line is internal, with minimal to no movement. A spotlight is shone and left on each character upon speaking, dimming when the line is finished but left on.

Rebecca (turning head to Will, but looking down toward the floor rather than at his face): I love you.

Will (turning head to Rebecca, also looking down): I love you.

Jeremy (looking toward Ann-Marie): I am not in love with you. But I do love you.

There is a pause. When Ann-Marie begins to speak, the spotlight on her is dim, and builds to the same intensity as the others only when she delivers her final line in the play. She alone is permitted to look at the audience when speaking.

Ann-Marie (to the audience): I used to rub salt in my wounds. I remember watching straight and stone faced as the knife would saw through my skin. Once was never enough. It had to be done hard, and back and forth, and again and again and again until the pain would finally roll in, sharp as dawn air, and the blood would leak out with each little drip drip drip until it cooled and hardened like magma. Then I would spit in my hand and pour salt into my palm until I made a filthy paste that burned even my unblemished skin, which I then took and scrubbed my cuts and seared myself like fire. The smoke was invisible, but I could feel it rising from the raging fire on my arms that stabbed and hurt and healed. I felt like I was letting the devil out. It�s all we ever wanted, just to let the devil out. The devil that burns our hearts up with pain and rage and desire. Let the smoke out. Breathe in. Breathe out. The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, and the smoke, it overtakes me.

Another pause.

Bernard (facing the back wall and tilting his head slightly upwards): Can you love me?

The spotlights should now be shone with equal intensity on every character and then begin to fade a few moments after Ann-Marie speaks. The curtain is to be drawn and closed at the same time as the theater is finally left in darkness.

Ann-Marie: Do you love me?