Salvation

by Alan Cliff

not your son.

  MARY. HE IS MY BOY! If you come near him again I will put a blunt end to the matter. I perform God's will, child. If that means finishing your friendship then so be it.

  DEIRDRE. God is not close to you.

  MARY. ‘Tis a harsh world you face if you wander longer down this road.

  DEIRDRE. I must find Aidan.

  MARY. You must withdraw from this place. Make our lives easier.

  DEIRDRE. Not without him.

  MARY. For the sakes of all that will perish, you must leave.

  Deirdre tries to leave, Mary crosses her path.

  DEIRDRE. Let me by, you wicked woman.

  MARY. I want your word that you will be gone from this place.

  DEIRDRE. I have work to do.

  Deirdre tries to get through again, Mary shoves her back.

  MARY. Not expecting such strength from an old maid? I cannot allow my son to be tempted by a whore. It is not only I that believes such, God wants this too.

  Deirdre attempts to break through again, Mary stops her.

  The lights lower.

  MARY. So be it. (She takes the rope from her apron, looks to the ceiling as if praying) My Lord, I am here only to fulfil Your wishes.

  DEIRDRE. What is this?

  MARY. He gives life. He taketh it away. You are the devil itself.

  Mary pulls the rope around Deirdre's neck.

  DEIRDRE. Get off…get off…me…

  MARY. Shhh. Shhhh. Now. Grand now child. Good girl. Shhh. The devil is near to collect thee.

  DEIRDRE. Let me be with Aidan, let me…

  MARY. Child, your mind and body were not fit for this world.

  Aidan has his arms outstretched in an attempt to stop this.

  DEIRDRE. (Struggling, gagging) Hea…ven. Hea…ven. Bring… me…to heaven.

  MARY. Silence! God's mercy will not stretch to your corrupting soul.

  Mary stops.

  Deirdre drops to the floor, dead.

  Mary kneels to her, still holding the rope.

  MARY. It. Is. Finished. Allow God to remove the curse descended upon this house!

  Lights up in mortuary.

  AIDAN. Stop! Paddy! Stop this!

  Pause.

  Mary exits.

  Aidan breaks the divide between the rooms by going over to Deirdre.

  He kneels and takes hold of the rope around Deirdre's neck.

  Aidan begins to weep.

  AIDAN. You have it wrong, friend.

  PADDY. You? (Beat) It was you?

  AIDAN. (Nodding) My jealousy Patrick, I couldn’t allow anyone else to have her. I knew I was dying and I couldn’t bring myself to go before her. (Long Pause) I have been in agony. (Beat) It was quiet, I didn’t say a word.

  Long Pause.

  PADDY. Are ye protecting the hag? She keeps the rope.

  AIDAN. She gave it to me. Told me to pull laundry. I couldn’t stop it, I couldn’t stop…

  Long Pause.

  Aidan steps back into the mortuary.

  Lights down on the chapel for Deirdre to exit.

  PADDY. The fever is with you. God's actions are just.

  AIDAN. I have had visions of her as an angel coming to save me. It will not happen. She is up with God. I am going to hell. Patrick, how could I do something so terrible?

  Pause.

  PADDY. This house and that woman have turned you into a madman.

  AIDAN. Will I be forgiven?

  PADDY. That is for God to decide.

  AIDAN. Ye truly believe in the eternal glory now, so?

  PADDY. There must be higher powers than us, Aidan. We have both failed. Me with the stealin’ and you with the killin’. Now, I have to believe in God, I have to believe that we will all somehow find salvation.

  Paddy goes to leave.

  AIDAN. As my friend I have a favour to ask of ye. (Beat) You are destined for hell, you must be, with the gambling and hitting your wife. You must be. Please, if you kill me I will get into heaven.

  PADDY. (Considering this) I have never been your friend.

  Paddy exits.

  Aidan goes to his slab and sits on it, he coughs and weeps.

  AIDAN. My love, I am such a fool. (He lies on the slab and to the roof, loudly) Come and get me God!

  Switch to:- Chapel.

  Mary is praying with rosary beads.

  MARY. He is dead, my Lord. He is dead. Oh, Lord, why could You not have spared him? Have You ever been present in my life? I have prayed for the removal of sickness and for the removal of sin but You have left me with nothing. I do not believe in You any longer, there is only evil in this world. I neglected Margaret Finney for You, You told me this would save my boy. You told me if patients died the nurse would leave. But You still took my child. Aidan, Aidan.

  She coughs.

  Coughs again.

  Blood appears from her mouth.

  Paddy enters, he approaches Mary.

  PADDY. Missus.

  He opens her apron and takes out the pouch.

  He throws it in one hand a couple of times.

  PADDY. That's what ye owe me for fixin' the leak.

  Paddy exits.

  Mary looks up at the cross.

  Lights fade.

  CURTAIN