meme mayhem: empty chair monologue

[gingaginga]

1. Tag in all characters. It is a given they are stranded on a dark stage lit only by one spotlight, with an empty chair. They don't know why they are there.

2. Tag other characters. You may place yourself (ex. Allen) or other objects on the stage . You may even have characters bring it on stage (ex. Mari appears, carrying a new ledger). Your

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[sunsinge]

[wringinglilies]

[an empty bottle rolls towards him, the label half-peeled off. another follows, then another and another.]

[sunsinge]

[Diya stops the first bottle with his foot, rolling it beneath his heel for a moment before he stoops and picks it up.]

I know what you're saying, [he calls into the audience,] 'Too much'. Excessive. Isn't it? [He watches the other bottles roll to a stop near him before he looks up with a cocky half-smile.] Do you think I don't know? Do you think I'm so stupid as to think this won't hurt me? Won't hurt you? Oh, some of you believe that. And I play into it. Every man of twenty believes himself immortal.

[He twirls the bottle in his hands by the neck.] I don't. I know what I'm doing. It feels good. Destruction feels good. Most men know that. Mine is just... well, it's more private, isn't it? And some of you, [he laughs,] even think it's funny. Diya, the town drunk. Hilarious! What will he buy next? If the truth of it wasn't played out behind the scenes, in bed, in an alleyway, hunched over a kitchen table -- I wonder if you'd find it just as funny, or if you really wouldn't care. [He kicks the other bottles off

[wringinglilies]

[merena is sitting off to the side of the stage, crying quietly. a group of girls cross, talking loudly about how hideous her scar is.]

[sunsinge]

[He bristles immediately.] Shut up! You're not half--! [The girls are gone, but he takes a few steps forward and pitches the bottle at where they'd stood. It shatters and sprays glass across the stage, glinting.]

You don't know how she is! You don't know her. She's twice as beautiful as all of you, all of you--! [Slowly, teeth grit, his shoulders ease. He turns to face the audience, but his eyes are still fixed angrily on the broken glass.] I knew they'd do that. I knew they'd be cruel to her. As soon as I read the letter mother had sent - 'recovering', 'will scar' - I knew.

I took her life away. Oh, some tried to comfort me, say people could see past a scar-- but they don't. Looks matter. I know that more than most. [He smiles bitterly.] I have what I took from her. And do you know - I find myself wondering, would I trade her places? Would I wear her scar for her, if I could reverse our situation? And I don't know the answer. I don't know if I would.

[He steps over to where his sister sits, crying, and kneels

[wringinglilies]

[a blonde, black-eyed child sits on the stage, playing with a toy knight. dee, looking older, haggard, walks over to him and sets a hand on the little boy's shoulder. she is glaring at diya the entire time.]

[sunsinge]

[Merena disappears. Diya stands and turns at the sound of footsteps. He looks first to the child, then to Dee.]

Ours? [Suddenly, he seems uneasy. He can't quite look at the child.] At least it looks much more like you. I can't imagine you babying anything with my face. And look at yours! [He laughs nervously.] It'll stick that way, you know.

[A pause, and he starts to round the stage, away from where their child sits.] Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think this is my fault? You were the one who suggested marriage. Don't forget that. You got yourself into this whole sorry mess knowing who I was, what I was, how our life would be. And don't flatter yourself to say you did it selflessly, for your family. You did it for the money. [He laughs.] It's not even mine. My father's money. But we have it, so why the sour face? Hire a fucking nanny if it's so terrible to look after your own son.

[Suddenly,] Would you be happier if I left? The marriage would still hold, of course. My father would have his

[seeingheaven]

[as an escape from the house, diya is out drinking up a storm at owen's bar and eventually passes out... soon after a man rushes in shouting about a siege at the castle, and runs out again, followed by half the bar, leaving diya to slumber on peacefully]

[sunsinge]

[He's relieved when his son and Dee disappear, and watches the new scene with detached interest.] Really? [He lets out a soft laugh.] I could sleep through a seige? Oh, I don't know. Maybe I could.

But not for long, I expect. [He smiles at the sleeping version of himself, snickering when he begins to snore.] Sort of a strange moral lesson, isn't it? Don't drink, or you'll sleep through a siege. Perhaps it's best if I did. I've no real desire to be stabbed in the other leg, and Ishmael has his own army. He doesn't need me.

[decemberdarkest]

[Here is an older version of the black eyed, yellow haired child. They sit in the corner of the bar, drinking.

A man, obviously drunk, stands on top of a table and calls for toast to a recently passed away drunken lord. While the barkeep pours out more mugs of beer, the boy's grip on his drink grows white knuckled; there is anger on his face.]

[sunravaged]

[Merena appears on stage, younger than she is now. Her face is contorted with rage and resentment, and her hand goes to her scar.

It's like she's a different person, like she hasn't accepted her fate, like she hasn't forgiven Diya. She stares at him, condemning him with eyes dark with hatred.]