[Stage Play] The Fire (a drama in one act)
Title: "The Fire"
Length: approximately 800 words (approximately 20 minutes)
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Author's Notes: This short play was written as an answer to the challenge: "Write a text that contains the phrase 'take my hand'." We were also supposed to visit http://www.deviantart.com and choose one of the most popular pictures of the last 8 hours to inspire our text. Obviously, I chose the picture of a marihuana plant. *lol*
So, here you are. This is no literary masterpiece, but it was fun to write. Perhaps, I'll get round to putting it on stage one day... one can hope. ;-)
The Fire
A drama in one act.
[A ruined living-room. It is obvious that there has been a fire. Soot covers everything, burned pieces of wood stick out of the charred mess covering the floor. The wail of sirens can be heard. Everything is drenched in water. A policeman and a fireman are interviewing a man (Tony) and a woman (Melinda).]
Policeman: So, when you came home, the house was already on fire?
Melinda: Yes, officer.
Tony: Completely on fire.
Policeman: And what did you do then?
Melinda: We called the fire-department, of course.
Tony: Of course.
Fireman: Mrs. Durnham called us at six past ten. She was very agitated.
Melinda: Of course, I was. It's not everyday you come home to find your house burning down in front of your eyes.
Tony: Yes, yes.
Policeman: I see. What were you doing out this late anyway, Mrs. Durnham? I'd hardly think it's the weather for a drive to town. The snows still so high, we nearly didn't manage to make it here.
Melinda: My husband had made a reservation down at the Blue House. It's our wedding day, you see.
Policeman: I see. I'm terribly sorry, the fire happened today.
Fireman: The Blue House is that fancy place down on Central, right? That must have cost you a bit.
Melinda: It certainly was a special treat.
Tony: Yes, yes, it was.
Policeman: And when you came back, you parked your car...
Melinda: One house over, at Miss. Reynold's. We could see the fire from there, and we really didn't wanted to go nearer.
Tony: No, we didn't wanted to do that.
Policeman: Did someone else of your neighbours notice the fire?
Melinda: We had to wake up Miss Reynolds. The old hag was already asleep.
Tony: That she was.
Melinda: The house on the other side of ours is empty right now, and the Timmons, they live opposite us, are currently on holiday.
Tony: In Mexico.
Policeman: And there was no one but yourselves living in this house?
Melinda: No, just us.
Fireman: The fire started in the backwards bedroom, you see. It looks as if there was an accelerant used.
Policeman: Did anyone else have a key to your house?
Melinda: Well, my husband's mother does. She looks after our plants, when we go on holiday.
Tony: She... she does that. Yes.
Melinda: Have you checked if someone might have broken in?
Tony: Have you?
Policeman: My co-workers are currently working on that. Don't worry, Ma'am, you'll hear from us once the first reports are in.
[The policeman and the fireman say goodbye and take their leave. Tony and Melinda move silently around the room, touching this and that. Outside, the sirens stop. Inside, the two keep looking around. They obsessively try not to look at each other. The silence between them becomes first oppressive, then awkward. Tony is the first to give in.]
Tony: That worked well.
Melinda: Yes, it did.
Tony: Do you think they'll check the reservation at the Blue House?
Melinda: They most certainly will.
Tony: And do you think, they'll figure out the trick, how we...
Melinda: No, they will not. Pull yourself together, you're acting like an idiot.
Tony: More like a nervous wreck.
[He sits down with his head in his hands, shaking. Her hard look softens, as she moves towards him.]
Melinda: Come on, you know that we had to do this, right?
Tony: Right.
Melinda: There was no way, we could move all the plants unnoticed. This way, no one will ask questions when we move out of town next week. Shock, and all of that. And once we're gone, that big oaf of an Italian won't bother with us anymore either.
Tony: Big Piero is not an oaf. He controls the drug market on the whole coast, for fuck's sake. He wouldn't have gotten that far if he hadn't had the brains. We should never have gotten involved with him.
Melinda: Oh? And whose bright idea was it to plant the whole building with pot?
Tony: You agreed. You said, it was a good way to make money. Don't push this off on me.
Melinda: You started selling the stuff down-town. I was happy with the neighbourhood.
Tony: And how was I to know, our stuff was better than his?!
Melinda: Tony.
Tony: No! Don't you 'Tony' me.
Melinda: You're becoming hysterical.
Tony: So? So, what? I can become hysterical all I want! Don't tell me what to do! This is a mess.
Melinda: Yes, it is. But we'll deal with it. First, we'll clean up. Then we'll move to a hotel. And once the police has finished with their reports, we'll move to another town - on the 'other' coast.
Tony: And this time, we'll make sure, we're the only ones in business there.
Melinda: Right. That too. Come on, take my hand, I'll help you up.
[She pulls him up, and they exit the stage.]
[Fin]
Comments are always welcome.
Length: approximately 800 words (approximately 20 minutes)
Rating: PG
Warnings: none
Author's Notes: This short play was written as an answer to the challenge: "Write a text that contains the phrase 'take my hand'." We were also supposed to visit http://www.deviantart.com and choose one of the most popular pictures of the last 8 hours to inspire our text. Obviously, I chose the picture of a marihuana plant. *lol*
So, here you are. This is no literary masterpiece, but it was fun to write. Perhaps, I'll get round to putting it on stage one day... one can hope. ;-)
The Fire
A drama in one act.
[A ruined living-room. It is obvious that there has been a fire. Soot covers everything, burned pieces of wood stick out of the charred mess covering the floor. The wail of sirens can be heard. Everything is drenched in water. A policeman and a fireman are interviewing a man (Tony) and a woman (Melinda).]
Policeman: So, when you came home, the house was already on fire?
Melinda: Yes, officer.
Tony: Completely on fire.
Policeman: And what did you do then?
Melinda: We called the fire-department, of course.
Tony: Of course.
Fireman: Mrs. Durnham called us at six past ten. She was very agitated.
Melinda: Of course, I was. It's not everyday you come home to find your house burning down in front of your eyes.
Tony: Yes, yes.
Policeman: I see. What were you doing out this late anyway, Mrs. Durnham? I'd hardly think it's the weather for a drive to town. The snows still so high, we nearly didn't manage to make it here.
Melinda: My husband had made a reservation down at the Blue House. It's our wedding day, you see.
Policeman: I see. I'm terribly sorry, the fire happened today.
Fireman: The Blue House is that fancy place down on Central, right? That must have cost you a bit.
Melinda: It certainly was a special treat.
Tony: Yes, yes, it was.
Policeman: And when you came back, you parked your car...
Melinda: One house over, at Miss. Reynold's. We could see the fire from there, and we really didn't wanted to go nearer.
Tony: No, we didn't wanted to do that.
Policeman: Did someone else of your neighbours notice the fire?
Melinda: We had to wake up Miss Reynolds. The old hag was already asleep.
Tony: That she was.
Melinda: The house on the other side of ours is empty right now, and the Timmons, they live opposite us, are currently on holiday.
Tony: In Mexico.
Policeman: And there was no one but yourselves living in this house?
Melinda: No, just us.
Fireman: The fire started in the backwards bedroom, you see. It looks as if there was an accelerant used.
Policeman: Did anyone else have a key to your house?
Melinda: Well, my husband's mother does. She looks after our plants, when we go on holiday.
Tony: She... she does that. Yes.
Melinda: Have you checked if someone might have broken in?
Tony: Have you?
Policeman: My co-workers are currently working on that. Don't worry, Ma'am, you'll hear from us once the first reports are in.
[The policeman and the fireman say goodbye and take their leave. Tony and Melinda move silently around the room, touching this and that. Outside, the sirens stop. Inside, the two keep looking around. They obsessively try not to look at each other. The silence between them becomes first oppressive, then awkward. Tony is the first to give in.]
Tony: That worked well.
Melinda: Yes, it did.
Tony: Do you think they'll check the reservation at the Blue House?
Melinda: They most certainly will.
Tony: And do you think, they'll figure out the trick, how we...
Melinda: No, they will not. Pull yourself together, you're acting like an idiot.
Tony: More like a nervous wreck.
[He sits down with his head in his hands, shaking. Her hard look softens, as she moves towards him.]
Melinda: Come on, you know that we had to do this, right?
Tony: Right.
Melinda: There was no way, we could move all the plants unnoticed. This way, no one will ask questions when we move out of town next week. Shock, and all of that. And once we're gone, that big oaf of an Italian won't bother with us anymore either.
Tony: Big Piero is not an oaf. He controls the drug market on the whole coast, for fuck's sake. He wouldn't have gotten that far if he hadn't had the brains. We should never have gotten involved with him.
Melinda: Oh? And whose bright idea was it to plant the whole building with pot?
Tony: You agreed. You said, it was a good way to make money. Don't push this off on me.
Melinda: You started selling the stuff down-town. I was happy with the neighbourhood.
Tony: And how was I to know, our stuff was better than his?!
Melinda: Tony.
Tony: No! Don't you 'Tony' me.
Melinda: You're becoming hysterical.
Tony: So? So, what? I can become hysterical all I want! Don't tell me what to do! This is a mess.
Melinda: Yes, it is. But we'll deal with it. First, we'll clean up. Then we'll move to a hotel. And once the police has finished with their reports, we'll move to another town - on the 'other' coast.
Tony: And this time, we'll make sure, we're the only ones in business there.
Melinda: Right. That too. Come on, take my hand, I'll help you up.
[She pulls him up, and they exit the stage.]
[Fin]
Comments are always welcome.