"The Throes" is a serialized, minimalistic story/script/phantasmagoria that was posted on The Boutros Boutros Follies in 2007 and 2008. Parts 1-5 are presented here as a whole.
The Throes
By: Peter Rinaldi
Part 1: I was doing shit in my black out
John passed out on the floor of his bathroom. It's afternoon. Tons of light pouring in the window. A cell phone ringing in the other room. It's loud enough for him to stir from the noise.
He jumps up. He is a horribly handsome man in his late 20s, not quite looking his best at the moment. He runs into the living room slash bedroom slash kitchen. Grabs it. He got up too fast; he's shaky.
John/Hello?
Voice/What's up?
It's Sammy, a friend.
J/I can't talk dude, I'm fucked up.
S/Why'd you answer the phone if you can't talk.
J/Yeah, I know, right? I don't know.
S/So you can talk?
J/What the hell do you want? Why are you calling me so early?
S/Its 2:30 in the afternoon.
There are boxes everywhere. He's in the process of packing to move out. John scans his room. Something is wrong.
J/I blacked out again. I was doing shit in my blackout.
S/What?
J/I must've moved stuff last night. I don't remember moving this stuff.
S/Oh yeah? Listen, I gotta talk to you about what happened with "Mustard" and "Ketchup".
J/Yeah, definitely…
He is not really paying attention. Something is bothering him about the boxes.
J/…I want to know what happened.
S/Yeah, developments. Well, do you want to get something to eat? Like, say, in like an hour or something?
John is disturbed by something on a box, enough to move toward it.
The word "Stacie" is written on one of the boxes.
J/(low)What the fuck?
S/What?
He looks at another box. It has the word "Donna" on it in black marker as well. Another has "Tina" on it. Another has "Alice".
J/What the fuck is this?
S/WHAT?!
J/Someone wrote on my boxes.
Another call coming in. He looks at the phone. It says "Mr. Flynn." There is black marker all over his index finger.
J/Dude, my boss is calling, I gotta take this.
S/Where do you want to meet?
J/I can't eat man. I drank too much last night. I'll call you back. [Clicks over] Hello?
Voice/Get over here now, it's an emergency.
____________________________________________________________________
Mr. Flynn asks John to sit down on his living room sofa. He does. He's nervous.
MF/Did you have a good time last night?
J/Oh shit, what did I do?
Mr. Flynn is 'Tim Roth' meets 'Yul Brynner'. The first three buttons of his cuff-linked shirt are open. His apartment is modern but cozy and completely 'upper east side'.
MF/You drank a lot huh? You don't remember?
John puts his head in his hands.
J/(Barely audible) No.
MF/I believe you.
J/(Lifting his head up)I really don't. What happened?
MF/You kissed my daughter.
John's face changes another color. It is not on the color scale and not worth trying to describe. He starts to shake his head.
J/No way.
MF/Listen to me…
J/Oh my God.
MF/Listen… (He looks around. Gets up.) Let's go in my office.
When Mr. Flynn closes the door of his office John is already sitting on the chair next to Flynn's desk. He is sunk low. His head is almost at his knees.
MF/Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you.
J/I can't even begin to tell you how sorry-
MF/Save it. She's fourteen years old. I should strangle you to death right now.
John looks at him right in the eyes. He nods his head repeatedly.
MF/I happen to trust you, John. I actually still trust you. But it is going to take a lot to begin to make things right with you in my mind. Would you like to begin to do that?
J/Yes. Yes I would, Mr. Flynn.
MF/Okay. I have been thinking of asking you to do something that I didn't think you would do, but now, thanks to your "mistake", well, let's just say I no longer have to make this a request.
J/Whatever you need me to do.
MF/I am telling you things that are not to leave this room. You hear me?
John nods. He swallows. He's a little more fearful of what Mr. Flynn is going to say.
MF/I a feeling my wife is being unfaithful. I don't know with whom. It might be with a number of men, it might not be with anyone, yet. I don't know. But she's at least trying to cheat on me.
Mr. Flynn stands in front of him for dramatic effect.
MF/I know she finds you attractive. I want you to seduce her to see if she is interested in having an affair with you and then I want you to report back to me.
John is not reacting. He seems calm.
J/(Not in a pleading way, but calmly)Is there any way I can talk you out of using me for that? She and I get along well. She is very nice to me. I wouldn't feel right-
MF/No.
Silence.
J/(wincing)How do you suppose I go about doing this?
MF/Come on John. I know you've fucked wives.
John looks at him, repulsed. Mr. Flynn smiles, then drops it. He stares at John for a long time.
MF/Now go apologize to Kira.
________________________________________________________________________
Kira's room is not "typical teen". It could be mistaken for Grandma's room. There are no posters or clutter. There are no electronics save for a tiny TV on the dresser. She is sitting up on the bed with a book in her hand. John is half-way in the door frame.
K/You told me you would say that today.
J/ What?
K/You told me, last night, that you would come to me today apologizing and saying that you didn't remember anything.
John is taken aback.
J/Are you being serious with me?
K/ You were bored with the party. You said you'd help me with my homework but you were manic. It was kind of funny. I was laughing. You really don't remember?
J/No. And that's the problem right there. We shouldn't be hanging out like that. That happens too much. You shouldn't be hanging out with adults in your room.
K/(laughing)Why are you telling me? It was your idea.
J/Alright. (He scans the hall) Listen to me. I think you're a great kid. I enjoy talking to you. You are really smart and funny and you're gonna be a beautiful young lady, but-
K/(smiling)I already am a beautiful young lady.
J/Kira, you know what I mean.
K/I'm just kidding.
J/But, despite what I might have said when I was really drunk, I didn't, and don't, want to kiss you. I do not like you like that, at all.
K/Chill out. I don't care.
J/I date women.
K/Yeah, I know, you told me.
J/What!?
K/You told me about all the girls you're dating right now.
J/Aww, for fuck's- I can't believe this. What did I say? Wait! You know what I don't wanna know. This is sick (He freezes. He is remembering something.)Oh my God.
K/What?
J/(More to himself than to her)I think I labeled my boxes with all their names.
He looks at his black marker-ed fingers. He is overwhelmed a bit by the thought and bizarreness of this.
K/(slowly)Okay. You need help.
J/Yeah, I probably do. Listen, if you are not bothered by the kiss, why did you tell your dad?
K/I didn't. He must've seen us.
John's face drops slightly.
She goes back to her book.
K/Don't worry, I'm not fucked up from making out with you.
________________________________________________________________________
John's box-filled apartment. The lights are low. A woman, Sonja, is lying naked on his bed. John is kneeling on a pillow next to her.
J/I have to leave.
S/Who is it?
J/What?
S/Who is it tonight?
J/Sonja, why do you want to put yourself though that?
S/(Holding in tears)Good….question.
She reaches to grab her clothes.
J/We have to talk about him before you leave. It's important.
S/No! I don't want to talk about him!!
J/He knows something is up with you.
S/So what! Keeps him on his fucking toes. (She stops gathering her clothes and turns to him) Wait, how do you know? Did he say something?
J/He asked me to seduce you, to try to get you to have an affair with me.
She takes it in.
She is struck with laughter.
S/(laughing)Wow. He asked you to do that? (She stops laughing and suddenly looks like she is going to cry.)That's almost sweet. (She begins to gather her clothes again.) Did you tell him to go fuck his sick ass self?
John doesn't know how to answer. It wouldn't make sense that he would agree to do something like that for no reason. Did Mr. Flynn tell her that he kissed Kira? Probably not. He is taking too long to answer. She looks at him.
J/Yeah…I mean, I didn't say that, but, I told him "No, that's sick."
S/Then don't worry about it.
J/But he knows you're attracted to me.
S/So what? Who isn't?
She looks at him with deep longing. She is drowning. Her eyes fill up with water.
John gets up and makes his way to the bathroom. The shower turns on.
She puts her bra on. His cell phone vibrates on the nightstand. She leans over, looks at it. It says "Alice". She sits back down and coldly slips her top on. The vibration stops. She freezes, closes her eyes, sighs, then opens them again. She scans the looming boxes surrounding the bed. She sees the marker-written "Donna" on the box right in front of her. She turns and sees "Greta" and scanning more of the room she sees "Tina". She looks panicked, like something is overtaking her. She is frantic now. Her eyes stop on "Alice". She stares at it. She bites her teeth together. The fist that holds her panties clinches tight. Tighter. She pushes it into the mattress hard.
The phone beeps twice and is silent.
Part 2: I'm bleeding...I think
It's morning. John's cell phone is ringing. He is passed out on this bed, naked. He finally hears it and jumps up, grabbing it off the dresser.
John/Hello?
He has to hold his right arm out to the wall to support himself. He looks like he is going to pass out.
Voice on Phone/I hope you are happy with yourself.
It's Sammy.
J/What?
He feels something on his leg. He looks down. There is dried blood all over the lower half of his body. He looks at the bed. There is dried blood all over the sheets.
Sammy on phone/Some friend you are.
John feels his legs for some place where the blood is coming from.
J/Sammy? Hold on man, I'm bleeding…I think.
S/Good. I hope you're fucking bleeding good, ya drunk bastard.
John can't find a cut. Something's weird. He puts his blood covered finger to his nose, takes a sniff, and then licks it.
J/Its Ketchup.
S/What?
J/Sammy, seriously man, tell me what happened. Why is there ketchup all over my bed?
S/How the fuck do I know. Ketchup? That is fucking ironic considering you went home with Mustard.
An image comes rushing back to John. He was out the night before with Sammy and two girls that they playfully code-named 'Mustard' and 'Ketchup', one a blonde and the other a redhead. John was integral to Sammy's plan, for it was unsure to Sammy which one was going to take a liking to him, with John's role as "caretaker" of the other. But at some point in the night 'Ketchup' must have fled, leaving the single image in John's mind of a very uncomfortable Sammy watching as 'Mustard' flirts with John.
J/She went home with me?
S/You really don't remember? Are you being serious? She's not there?
J/No. I'm sorry man. I really don't know what happened. And now there's ketchup all over my bed. I gotta stop drin-
S/Whatever man, I gotta go.
J/Shit, man-
Sammy hangs up. John puts the phone down. He looks back at the sheets. It looks like a murder scene. He shakes his head.
_______________________________________________________________________
John enters Mr. Flynn's home office. He's got a cup of coffee in his hand. He is not looking good.
Mr. Flynn jumps up from his desk. He pushes John back out the door into the hall.
Mr. Flynn/Didn't you get my text? You gotta get out of here.
In all the Ketchup hoopla John must have skipped his message.
J/No I didn't get it. What's the matter?
MF/She doesn't want you in the house anymore.
J/Who?
MF/My wife. This whole thing backfired. She demands that I fire you. She told me you came on to her and she will never feel comfortable around you again.
John is floored. How could she do that? Why? He doesn't know how to react.
J/Can't you talk to her.
MF/She won't listen to anything I have to say.
J/No, I mean, can't you tell her the truth?
Mr. Flynn laughs like that is the silliest suggestion ever.
MF/Good one.
J/So, that's it? I'm fired.
MF/John, you did exactly what I asked you to do. You are a loyal confidant to me. I can't let you go. Just stay away for now. Let some time pass. She'll cool down.
John has to hide his anger. What the hell is she up to? Why would she do this to him?
Behind Mr. Flynn's shoulder, Kira's bedroom door opens. She pops her head out, locks eyes with John, starts shaking her head and mouthing the word "No". John tries not to let his eyes linger on her so Mr. Flynn won't notice she's there. He's confused.
MF/This is all my fault. I should have realized my wife is an honest woman. I will not let you suffer for my mistake. (lowering his voice) But you have to leave immediately.
______________________________________________________________________
John is ascending the subway steps, checking the text message that has come in. It's from Sammy. John freezes.
"Cops were here. They are coming to your apartment."
John jogs to his apartment building. There is a cop car double parked out front. He keeps his distance. He is about to call Sammy when another text comes in from him.
"Mustard never came home. No one knows where she is."
John's ketchup-stained hand starts to tremble.
Part 3: Interlude
John is ringing a buzzer at the front door of an apartment building.
Voice Over Intercom/ Yes?
John/Beth, it's me, John. Can I come up?
Beth(over intercom)/John? Why didn't you call, I got company.
J/I called like seven times.
Beth(over intercom)/Go away. You can't just show up.
J/Beth, please, it's not what you think.
John is at her apartment door. She opens the door slightly, sticks her head out.
Beth/(trying to be quiet) My grandparents are here. You can't come in.
John/Why'd you let me in then?
B/Why are you here?
J/The cops are looking for me. I just need to lay low till I figure out what's going-
Beth's Grandfather, Hank, pops his head out.
Hank/Who is it out here?
J/Hey! Mr. Davis, how are you?
H/Who are you?
B/Poppa, This is my friend John, he-
H/I'm her boyfriend, John.
B/Ah, fuck you, John.
John sticks out his hand for him to shake.
Hank didn't hear her; he was too busy making a fuss.
H/Boyfriend! Oh, come on in, John. Beth, let the boy in. What are you doing? Aren't you a little too old to be hiding your boyfriends? (He turns back in to the apartment) Sue, Beth's boyfriend is here!
Sue's Voice/Boyfriend!
John smiles at Beth. Beth doesn't return it.
Sue, Beth's Grandmother, is laying down silverware in front of John at the table. Hank is beaming next to him. Beth, the only one who seems not to be having a good time, is washing dishes, punctuating the small talk that the others are engaged in with slammed bowls and cups.
Hank/Well we can certainly understand where your affection for her comes from. She is our favorite granddaughter.
Sue/That's unofficial, John, of course.
John releases a well disguised fake laugh.
John/Of course.
H/What did you say it is that you do?
J/I'm a physician.
Beth slams a dish hard into the sink.
S/Oh my. What type?
J/I'm a Gynecologist, actually.
Beth turns and throws daggers at John. He is unphased.
J/That's where I met Beth.
B/All right, all right. John's not going to stay to eat. He's got things to do, isn't that right John?
John sneaks a quick peek at his phone. No messages.
He looks Beth right in the eyes. He smiles slyly.
J/Nope. I can eat.
He instantaneously removes his smile from this face. There is something vengeful going on between the two of them.
Beth looks like she going to kill him.
S/That' a Boy. Whatever it is, it can wait.
J/That's right.
Beth turns back to the dishes.
H/You are in for a treat, young man. My wife can cook the hell out of food.
John smiles at Hanks turn of phrase.
J/Well it must've trickled down to Beth. I am telling you, if I let another man get grab a hold of his one, I'll be missing out on some fine eatin', I am tellin'you.
Beth stops the sink. She lefts her head up. She doesn't care anymore.
B/I don't cook, dickhead. I DON'T COOK!
Sue and Hank are confused. But they try not to let the awkwardness linger.
S/Food is important. It's a major part of our lives.
H/You said it.
J/Oh yes. It's the way to a man's heart, they say.
There is a long, silent pause.
J/That's why when I marry your Granddaughter, I intend-
John is punched, hard, right in the eye, by Beth. He didn't even see it coming. It nearly knocks him off the chair.
Sue's high pitched yell is over and there is stunned silence again. But not for long.
S/Get the fuck out of my apartment, you fucking asshole!
John's shock is subsiding as the pain comes. He holds his face.
S/GET OUT!!!
John gives her a look. It says "I was joking. You didn't get it" and it makes her even more mad. She lunges at him. This time John moves. Hank Grabs her.
B/If you don't get out of here I will fucking kill you!!!!!!
She is completely flipping out now. Hank can hardly hold her. Any appearance she was trying to keep for her Grandparents is forgotten. John is scared. He slips his jacket on as he reaches for the door. He attempts a visual goodbye toward Sue and Hank, but aborts it. He slides out.
On the street, John is examining his bruise in a car mirror. 'It's gonna be some shiner,' he thinks. Two texts come in, one right after the other. He looks at his phone. First one is from Kira.
'Kira?' John didn't even know she had his number.
It reads, "John, I need to talk to you. It's serious. Can I come over?"
The second one is from Sammy.
"Mustard is back. She was drugged. Call me"
Suddenly John's face doesn't hurt that much.
Part 4: A good way to refresh your memory
John at his apartment door. He is searching his pocket for his keys with one hand while the other is engaged in returning a text message.
It reads "don't care. the answer is no."
It is in response to Kira's text message that read "i have to, it's serious", which was a response to his message "no. you can't come over. i'll meet you somewhere tomorrow"
He's had enough craziness; he doesn't need his boss' fourteen year old daughter coming over his home to talk about whatever she thinks is serious.
He suddenly remembers Kira appearing behind her father as he was talking to him, shaking her head. What was that all about?
He pulls the keys out and pushes against the bruise over his eye. It hurts. He puts the key in the door.
Voice/The cops were here you know.
He turns to find a frail old woman's head poking out of her door across the hall.
John/Yeah, I know, Mrs. Gatto. Everything's alright now.
Mrs. Gatto/They're looking for a girl they said was in your apartment last anyone knew.
John opens the door, enters. Impatience runs, quickly, over him.
J/She turned up, Mrs. Gatto. So the search is over. Thanks for your concern.
He is about to close the door on her.
MG/I told them that I seen two girls leaving your apartment last night.
John freezes. He opens the door and steps back out.
J/Two girls? You saw two girls leave last night?
She realizes she's implicated herself as nosy and gets embarrassed and tries to justify it.
MG/I was up, they made a lot of noise, I looked out to see what was going on.
J/Two girls? One blonde and one redhead?
MG/Young man, you really got something going, don't ya, that you can't even keep track? They were both blondies.
John tries to rack his brain. Was there another girl that he took home? That's crazy. The only possibility would be if Ketchup came to pick her up or something.
J/You sure she didn't have red hair?
Mrs. Gatto just laughs and slides back into her apartment, the locks close in quick succession.
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When John gets inside the apartment and feels like something is wrong. He locks the door and turns. Sonja is right in front of him.
Sonja/John, you have to get out of here. It's not safe for you here.
He is startled by her.
John/What are you doing here?
S/I fucked up baby, I really fucked up. (She is fighting back tears)
J/What's happening?
S/He's gonna kill you. He's gonna kill you. You have to get out of here.
J/What going on?
S/(Her face crinkles up like she is really going to cry) Kira's pregnant.
J/What?!
S/(spilling out of her, hysterically)And for some fucked up reason he thinks it's you! I am so sorry, John. It's my fault. I told him that you came on to me. I just wanted to mess with him. And now he's paranoid that you had sex with Kira at the party. I don't know why he thinks that, John. He's so riddled with fucking jealousy and paranoia. It's all my fault.
John tries to take it all in. He doesn't know where to begin to unravel the whole thing.
J/This is crazy. I'm putting an end to the whole thing right now.
He takes his cell phone out of his pocket.
S/No John! Don't do that. He'll kill us both.
J/Sonja, calm down. No one is going to kill anyone. You're overreacting. I still don't know why you told him you don't want me in the house anymore. Explain that one.
S/I thought that would make him admit everything. I thought he would admit he didn't trust me. But he didn't.
Something isn't right. John tries to put it together. Why would Mr. Flynn be overcome by paranoia if he knows that John didn't make a pass at his wife; if he himself orchestrated the whole thing? Flynn can't possibly believe, all of a sudden, that John did more than kiss his daughter.
J/And I guarantee Kira is not pregnant. She's just trying to get a rise out of you guys.
S/I took her to the doctor today, John. She's pregnant.
John can't believe it.
J/She doesn't seem like the type to do that. I didn't even know see was seeing boys.
S/The fact is we have no idea what these kids are doing these days. (she starts to crinkle her face again) I blame myself for that too.
It's hard for John to watch her like this. He puts his arms around her. She loosens up a little, places her arms around his waist.
J/Stop worrying about me. I'll handle it with him. You have enough problems. Once I talk to him, he won't be irrational anymore.
She starts to shake in his arms. She breaks free from his grasp to look in his eyes.
S/You don't understand. He made some calls. He's absolutely got it in his mind that you're guilty and he's hell bent on making you pay for it.
J/What do you mean 'He made some calls'?
S/(starting to get hysterical again)He knows people who handle this kind of…revenge work. This is why I am telling you, you have to get out of here.
J/He doesn't even know where I live. Besides the movers are coming tomorrow to move the furniture and most of these boxes. I have work I have to do here tonight. If I know Kira she'll talk sense into him. I mean, I'm sorry, I can't get scared over something so fucking silly as all this.
She buries her face in his chest.
S/I'm sorry I made this worse for us.
Regardless of how this all resolves, John knows that whatever this is he is having with her can't go on. He strokes her hair and stares into space.
They are passionately kissing in the hall. Sonja pulls away. She looks around kind of embarrassingly.
J/Call me later. Tell me you're okay.
She turns and heads for the door without waiting for a response but John gives one anyway.
J/I will.
John watches her leave then turns to catch Mrs. Gatto's door in an attempt to close quietly. He is annoyed. He makes an acknowledging noise that's part cough and part "hey". He enters his apartment.
John, sporting a classic black eye courtesy of Beth, is looking uncomfortable as the movers are hard at work trucking the furniture and boxes out of his studio apartment. He doesn't like standing around while other people are working. He pretends to be counting boxes and doing mental organizing.
He looks at all the names on the boxes. He forgot he did that. It kind of creeps him out. Why the hell would his unconscious mind do that? Some of these names belong to girls he had one night stands with. Jessica? Was that the waitress? He entirely forgot about her. It starts to worry him. These guys can't get them out of there soon enough for him.
There's a noise in the hall. Something fell.
John goes out. It was just a box.
J/Don't worry about it guys. It's all crap.
The two men pick it back up and get a better grip on it. As they head to the door, John notices the back of it. A name is written there, like the others. But this one's different.
"Kira".
John watches it leave the building, motionless. If one where to witness John watching the box leave, one wouldn't notice the strange combo of fear, confusion, and disgust that was rapidly swirling in his head.
As luck would have it, someone was witnessing John watch that box leave.
Mrs. Gatto/A good way to refresh your memory, huh?
He jumps but is not surprised she is there. He turns to her. Just her little head is sticking out of the door.
J/What? What do you mean?
MG/Yesterday. I bet she refreshed your memory then.
J/Who?
MG/(making fun of him) 'Who?'! 'Who?'! The blondie. The girl you were kissing yesterday. I told you there was two girls that left here that night. She's the other one. You still don't remember?
Part 5: You're Actually Killing Me.
Sonja is driving a girl, Rona, around the block in her BMW.
Sonja/Why did you say you were drugged? I didn’t tell you to say that.
Rona/How else am I supposed to explain why I didn’t come home?
S/You should’ve said you drank too much, which you did, and that you don’t remember.
R/I don’t blackout. Everyone knows that. Listen, I don’t know what this guy did to you, but he is a friend of a friend so I am done being part of whatever kind of sick joke this is. I don’t know what you were doing in his apartment when we got there, for all I know you’re stalking him, or trying to frame him or something. I don’t know. I shouldn’t have taken you up on it. So if you picked me up to try and have me do something else, forget it.
There is a long pause. They are both staring off into the road.
S/I’ll give you another $300.
Silence. They are both frozen.
Rona closes her eyes in a slow surrender.
________________________________________________________________________
Sonja is in the dank basement apartment of Chet Grover. He is shirtless, skinny and scruffy. He is sitting on an old, beat-up couch. She is standing over him.
Chet/What do you want me to do when I meet him?
Sonja/Just scare him.
C/Scare him?
S/Yeah, you know.
C/No. How?
S/Talk shit.
Chet takes it in. Starts nodding slowly.
C/Being that you’re not giving me specifics, I assume you mean random shit.
S/Yeah. Loosely wrapped threats.
She goes to the table in the hallway, puts something down on it and makes her way to the door.
S/I’m leaving the address on this table.
C/Are you fucking this guy?
S/Fuck off, Chet.
She opens the door. Waves.
S/So long.
C/Yeah, yeah. Don’t forget to call Mom tomorrow at work.
________________________________________________________________________
Sonja is at the kitchen sink in her apartment. She is washing the toaster in a frighteningly methodical way. Kira facing her on the other side of the island.
Kira/This is so sick. You are so fucking disgusting.
Sonja is not facing her; she is calmly engrossed in her chore.
Sonja/Don’t talk to me like that.
K/Fuck you, you’re not my mother. Why are you using me to lie to him?
S/Because he needs to learn a lesson.
K/That is so fucked up! That’s not even what it’s about. There’s something else going on. I’m telling my father. I can’t let this-
S/Kira, you tell your father and I’ll tell him about Carl.
Kira’s face drops.
S/And about what’s under you trunk in the corner.
Kira looks at her frightened, like she just performed some slight-of-hand trick that defies the laws of science.
S/Don’t think I won’t.
Sonja finally turns to look at her. She smiles coldly.
S/I don’t want your dad worrying about anything. Now, you’re going to do exactly what I tell you to do or else what I have to tell your father will make him barricade you so long in your room you won’t remember what a boy is, or sunlight for that matter. And I don’t even have to make anything up.
Kira turns red. She looks like she is about to stomp her feet. She dashes off down the hall toward her room
Sonja cracks a smile. Then under her breath…
S/Love you too, honey.
_________________________________________________________________
The Flynn family is standing around the kitchen table. There are take-out food containers everywhere. Sonja, Kira and Mr. Flynn are all cheerfully scooping various selections onto their plates. Light, high-toned small talk abounds. There is no tension to be found anywhere in this snapshot. To the unsuspecting observer, this is a fun, free-spirited family. Mr. Flynn reaches to grab the Seafood delight and finds himself in kissing distance to his wife. He partakes. They smile. A shrimp falls from his spoon.
________________________________________________________________________
John lifts his head. It’s morning.
He is in his new apartment. It seems much more spacious than his last one, but it is hard to tell because there are boxes everywhere and no furniture. He is on the floor in a spot that was cleared. There are three empty champagne bottles laying next to him along with a half empty bottle of JD and a sleeping, half-dressed woman.
When John scans the vicinity’s contents he is confused. For a second, he doesn’t even recognize the girl. But a moment later it comes back to him.
Yelana is her name. From the Agency. She brought over some pizza and some champagne. Pleading with her that he shouldn’t drink only made her insist on it more. But why the JD? That was packed away. He can’t remember. It must have been his drunken alter ego, operating on auto pilot in a desperate search for something to fuel the fire of inebriation. It makes him sick to think of it. And, isn’t it just how the mind works, that one sad depressing thought leads to another. “I impregnated my boss’ child” he says, almost out loud. The thought makes him weak and he falls semi-limp to the floor. It wakes Yelana up. She turns over to him, still drunk probably.
Yelana/What?
John/(in an almost inaudible mumble)I had sex with my boss’ daughter in a blackout. How could I do that?
But Yelana heard it before.
Y/Will you stop it! Stop saying that.
This strikes John as funny. He didn’t think he ever said it.
J/Yelana, it’s very important that I stay sober at this time. It’s actually dangerous. It’s fucking up my life. I told you not to get me drunk.
She is smiling like it is all fun and games.
Y/I’m a naughty girl, huh?
John puts a quick end to the flirtatious banter.
J/No, you’re actually killing me.
John’s eye catches the writing on the box behind her. It is the “Kira” box. He jumps up like it’s an omen and quickly turns the box around so he can’t see it. Getting up so quickly to his feet sends a shot of clarity to his brain.
J/Alright, time to go.
The BUZZER rings.
J/Oh shit.
to be continued...
