Neil LaBute, Plays 2

by Neil LaBute

  Terry nods at this – listening without really believing what his brother is saying.

  Terry Growing up like we did … who the fuck has any idea what oughta be considered ‘normal’? Right? (Beat.) The son-of-a-bitch used to delight in beating on us, you know he did; the look on Dad’s face when he was hitting me … Fuck him! I don’t think he ever got pleasure from Mom the way he did from using his belt on my backside. I doubt it. And you, too, once I was gone, I’m sure of it. (Beat.) So I don’t care what I hear from any doctors or, or from some asshole who has a TV show most afternoons – this guy came to me and made me feel important. Todd gave me something that I had never felt before and cannot find from anything else out there … he made some kinda difference in me, and, you know, hey. So be it.

  Drew Terry, I’m … Look, it’s … if it matters at all, I’m … I get it … I do.

  Drew tries to decide how to continue here. Terry keeps an eye on him as his brother searches for the right words.

  Terry You ‘get it’. ’S that it? (Beat.) You wanna know the real reason I ran away from camp that summer? Because before I went, Todd made a joke, one about you … how he was gonna have to move over to you now that I was leaving. He promised me that he was kidding, that he was just being silly, but you know how you are when you’re a kid … He’s practically an adult and the shit coming outta his mouth is gospel. (Beat.) So, I get out in the middle of this big ol’ scout deal, trying to concentrate on canoeing and crap like that and I’m, like … ‘fuck this’. (Beat.) Took me four days to make it home. Had to hitch some, plus the car that I finally took – four days. But, see, now you know the truth – I’d been warning you to stay away from him for my sake. Because he was mine …

  Drew I’m … yeah. I see that now …

  Terry Irony being, once I got back there, it was me who needed help. / Needed you to help me for once …

  Drew I tried … / I tried to …

  Terry By telling the old man that I was hiding out in the garage? Huh?!

  Drew Terry, listen – I was, like, twelve years old. Just a little kid … / I only told ’em that you were, you know, that you’d come home …

  Terry Right. / After I asked ya not to … begged you, in fact! I – begged – you.

  Drew I had no idea he was gonna react like that! Freak out and, and … call the cops and everything. / I don’t know! I was …

  Terry How the fuck did you think he was gonna act?! / He used to smack me in the mouth if I dropped a fork!

  Drew It all happened so fast! We … Mom dragged me outta there and into the house … / Yes, she made me go up to our … I, I had to go up to …

  Terry No. That’s … / No, Drew.

  Drew What?

  Terry Don’t.

  Drew What, Terry?

  Terry Do not do that. Rewrite history.

  Drew I’m not.

  Terry Yes, you are … because that’s the way we do in our fucking house. We lie about it or we don’t say shit; we clam up and don’t utter a fucking syllable about things … about the real truth. Yes.

  Drew What’re you …?

  Terry I’m – talking – about – you – and – Mom! OK? That’s what. The fact that you two could stand there and let me be … like I was some … asshole that you never met before. Even as the cops are asking you … directly in your fucking faces you didn’t say shit, either one a’ you. (Beat.) You had the chance to say something – say that not a day of our lives went by without that motherfucker hitting me or, or that he was a piece a’ shit. That it was self-defence or anything!

  Drew … Terry …

  Terry WHAT? When I finally needed you …

  Drew I did! Terry, that’s not true … what did you expect?! … You know how Dad was when he got going like that! I wanted to try and …

  Terry Fuck you, Drew, you lying prick! I mean after. (Beat.) I saw you out there on the lawn as the cops were taking me away … You just watched me go. (Beat.) You two never said a word. NOT ONE WORD in my defence. Ever.

  Drew No, Terry … that’s not the …

  Terry That’s the story, Drew – you sold me out to our fucking father and then when you had a chance to do the right thing … you hid behind Mom’s skirt like a little bitch and let ’em drag me off!

  Drew … No … no … NO …

  Terry You piece a’ shit – look at you. A glass of bubbly in your hand and you’re feeling pretty good about yourself, huh?

  Drew What does that mean?

  Terry Means you’re a self-medicating fuck who can sell himself on just about anything! Always have been!

  Drew Jesus Christ, Terry …

  Terry SHUT UP! (Seething.) I have been there for you, Drew, tried to help as you’ve thrown your life away and you have never even acknowledged that night … not once!

  Silence as Terry stops for a moment. Drew regroups.

  Drew Look, Dad did all that to you and I’m sorry, I truly am – if you feel like I was to blame. I’m, I really didn’t mean for anything like that to happen to … how could I? Terry, please … I’m not a bad guy, you know that, I’m not … at least not when I was twelve! (Tries a laugh.) Bro, please now – I mean, if we’re gonna get all … ‘full disclosure’ here – ya jacked a car, Terry! Nobody made ya do that, they didn’t, and I’m sorry if that was … you know. I dunno … (Beat.) I never wanted him to hurt you … God … even when it helped keep Mom and me from getting smacked around, that doesn’t mean I ever would’ve wished it on you! I mean, no …

  Terry That was nothing, Drew. You know that.

  Drew It wasn’t nothing, Terry, he …

  Terry He could smack me all day long and I wouldn’t say a thing. I was used to it by then – ohh, and as far as that ‘car’ goes, hell, I could’ve been outta custody in a few hours if somebody would’ve vouched for me. Instead they threw me in juvie for four years! (Beat.) Never did a thing wrong up until that age – not a stolen candy bar, nothing – and I was tossed out of that family like some carton a’ bad milk … It was pretty breathtaking, I gotta tell you. To have it happen to you as you’re watching it and not a thing you can do about it to save yourself – not one damn thing.

  Drew Yeah, but, you … / OK, fine, I’m just a little confused here …

  Terry It’s true! / No, I think maybe what you’re feeling is guilt … which must be an odd fucking sensation for you.

  Drew What?

  Terry You heard me.

  Drew That’s … for what? I didn’t do anything!

  Terry Exactly. That’s exactly right.

  Drew Oh, come on! – You wanna talk about the ‘truth’, why don’t we at least mention the fact that you … before the police came you … / You know …

  Terry Go on … / Go on, man …

  Drew … you almost beat ’em to death! / I’m not saying that he didn’t … but let’s be honest, Terry … you put Dad in the hospital for two months!

  Terry I know. / I know that …

  Drew OK, then. So …

  Terry And I’m sorry. I really am. (Beat.) I’m sorry I didn’t kill ’em.

  Drew … Terry …

  Terry I will regret that every day for the rest of my life … (Thinking.) Standing there, in the dark of the garage with him all up in my – the light spilling in from outside – and after whacking me a few times, he gets right here, I mean, real close and sorta … and he kind of smiles and that hot breath of his … he says, ‘You are outta here, you little fucker,’ and he looks at me funny, looks and then adds: ‘Ohh, and your boyfriend there’s a goner, too.’ And – for the first time – it hit me. That was it … this son-of-a-bitch was gonna ship me off and I was never gonna see Todd again. (Beat.) So I grabbed him, grabbed him so fast that he couldn’t even react and I started to – I just launched in on him and I … I … it wasn’t even me any more! He’d dropped to the ground after … I dunno, like, a few punches to the head and I got down there on top of him because, I mean, I was not through with him yet. I wanted to, to just …r />
  Drew … Don’t, Terry …

  Terry But it was so good, Drew! It was so, so good to see the skin peel back off his face as I was … as I hit him there. Goddam! I’m always gonna remember that. How that made me feel … how great it felt to almost kill my father.

  Terry stops now – there’s nowhere else to go. Drew is off to one side. Silent.

  Drew I’m sorry, Terry … I mean, if that is how you’ve felt for … / If that is what you think of me now then I don’t know what to … say to you …

  Terry I’m not angry, I’m really not … / Just clearing the air here, little brother, that’s all. (Beat.) Every pamphlet I’ve read says to do that same damn thing. So there ya go.

  Drew starts to say something but catches himself; instead he lets the idea soak in. Overtake him.

  Drew … Yeah.

  They seem to have reached a détente for now. A separate peace.

  Terry Let’s call it a day and I’ll head out.

  Drew You’re always welcome – my casa is your casa or however those people say that shit. / Whatever.

  Terry Dunno. / Maybe ask ’em when they’re eating the cake outta your bushes.

  Drew Ha! (Laughs.) You’re still a funny guy, you know that? / Even if you walk around with this dark cloud thing going on, you’re still very comical …

  Terry Yeah. / Yep, I am one funny fella.

  Drew drifts over and gives his brother a hug. Terry waits for him to finish. Drew smiles and hits him on the arm.

  Drew I should prob’ly scoot back, dude. / Yep.

  Terry Right to the end with that shit, huh? / Figures.

  Terry nods at this and Drew reacts silently – shaking his head. Drew starts to say something, stops. Tries again.

  Drew Look, Terry, I’ve been … I …

  Terry What is it?

  Drew It’s … fuck, bro, nothing, I’m …

  Terry Go on. (Beat.) Drew, what? Please.

  Drew I’m just … wondered when, you know … we might see you again.

  Drew looks off again toward the house and the party. He makes an involuntary step, even. Terry watches and waits.

  Terry Maybe Christmas.

  Drew Sounds good …

  Terry Get some time with the kids.

  Drew That’d be cool …

  Terry Kids aren’t ‘cool’, Drew. They’re all that matters in this fucking world …

  Drew I know. (Beat.) … I’ll tell ’em goodbye for you. / I will, right when I get back.

  Terry You do that. / Fine. Take care.

  Drew You too, bro.

  Terry You’re an asshole, you’re aware of that, right?

  Drew I am. You have made it very, very clear for me …

  Terry Good. Then we’re covered …

  Drew nods and starts off – he stops for a moment and watches Terry, who is looking up into the trees. Searching.

  Where you gonna put it?

  Drew Huh?

  Terry The tree house – which one a’ these you plan on using?

  Drew Oh, I dunno yet. / Haven’t got that far with it – just an idea, really.

  Drew goes and looks into the sky where Terry is pointing. A light seems to click on inside Terry – he turns to Drew.

  Terry OK. / Sure. (Points.) This one’s good right up – see that pocket on your maple over there? It’s nice.

  Drew Yeah, right – I see the spot.

  Terry ’S perfect.

  Drew Yep.

  Drewstares upward at the trees. Terry studies him.

  Terry Strong …

  Drew Uh-huh. I think that could work …

  Terry suddenly grabs Drew into his arms, pulling him in tightly from behind. Drew resists, then slowly gives in.

  Terry Lemme just hold you a second … Come on … / Stop it, Drew …

  Drew … No … / Don’t, Terry, you’re … / Terry, please, I don’t wanna.

  Terry It’s OK, Drew – Drew, stop … / Just relax for a second – Drew, STOP – IT! (Beat.) I know, OK? I know … I KNOW WHAT YOU’VE DONE.

  With those words, Drew stops struggling – he almost melts into his brother’s arms. Silence as they stand together.

  Just figured it out. (Beat.) I was thinking about it, what you said, and I’m imagining your kids climbing up there and I’m thinking to myself, ‘Well, they better be a whole lot braver than Drew ’cause he’s a fucking wuss,’ and then it just … (Beat.) You and Todd up in our fort … that couldn’t’ve ever happened up there – ’cause Dad tore it down the summer before. It got all mixed together in my head … when you told me, but that’s the truth. Isn’t it? The old man did that the previous August, when he thought I was having too much fun up there so he tore it down, piece by piece, and made a dog house out of it. I ’member that now … it’s all coming back to me. (Beat.) Doesn’t matter, Drew … I promise. It’s … it’s OK. For a second there, just for a moment I thought ‘How? How the fuck could you do that to me for a goddam traffic ticket? To somebody who you grew up with!’ – but I understand why you did it. I GET IT … and I forgive you. I do. ’Cause I know what it’s like to be frightened all the time …

  Drew tries to say something, but can’t come up with words; just keeps sucking in air. Terry finally releases him.

  Terry stands there as Drew moves to him – burying his head in his brother’s shoulder, Drew bursts out crying. Long, brutal sobs. Even Terry’s eyes start to well up – he hugs Drew with a ferocity that surprises both of them.

  Drew Man, don’t remember the last time you ever gave me a hug – like, one that you started.

  Terry It’s ’cause that might be the first one. Right there.

  Drew nods, still sniffling – he wipes his nose with the back of his suit coat sleeve. Tries to smile.

  Drew I knew that you’d … you always see through my lies. / Eventually.

  Terry … Yeah. / It’s true.

  Drew Even my best ones … (Beat.) Anyway, I’ll call ya. I gotta get back up there, but I’ll call …

  Terry Fine. / Good.

  Drew … and we can talk about stuff. / I mean, all of it. The whole …

  Terry Yep. One a’ these days.

  Drew No, I’m serious here, Terry – I can say a lot of shit, promise things and all that, but I mean this! I’m gonna contact you, OK? I’ll call and we can, you know … we’ll talk. Get all of our stuff out in the open.

  Terry Yeah, some time …

  Drew No matter how hard it is for me, or … we’ll do that. The two of us.

  Terry You bet.

  Drew Let’s try and make it soon, OK?

  Terry Alright then.

  Drew We can do that, right? Talk?

  Terry Uh-huh.

  Drew Yeah. Soon. Really soon.

  Terry … Sure.

  Drew wipes his eyes and disappears into the woods.

  Terry is now alone. Finally, he sits. He reaches into his pants pocket and pulls out Jennifer’s key chain.

  He holds it up and twists it in the dying light. Watches the glinting splinters dance around him as dusk begins to approach.

  Sound of traffic and the woods.

  Silence. Darkness.

  IN A FOREST, DARK AND DEEP

  In a Forest, Dark and Deep was first performed in London at the Vaudeville Theatre on 3 March 2011. The cast was as follows:

  Betty Olivia Williams

  Bobby Matthew Fox

  Director Neil LaBute

  Design Soutra Gilmour

  Sound Fergus O’Hare

  Lighting Mark Henderson

  In a Forest, Dark and Deep was first performed at Profiles Theatre, Chicago, Illinois, on 19 April 2012. The cast was as follows:

  Bobby Darrell W. Cox

  Betty Natasha Lowe

  Director Joe Jahraus

  Design Thad Hallstein

  Sound Jeffrey Levin

  Lighting John Kohn III, Bekki Lambrecht

  Characters

  Betty

  Bobby

  Author’
s Note

  The / in certain lines denotes an attempt at interruption or overlap by a given character

  Silence. Darkness.

  We’re in a room. It’s not the only room in the place, but it seems to be pretty central. Doors and hallways lead off from this rustic space. An obvious front door.

  Music was blasting before we started but now it’s on the radio. Static but still loud. An eighties station.

  Rain beats down on the windows and skylights. Tree limbs tap at the glass. Lightning flashes and thunder rattles.

  After a moment, a woman appears above us. She’s up in the loft space, moving quickly about as she fills an old box, mostly with books. This is Betty.

  She makes her way down a set of stairs and places the box by the door. Wipes her hands on her shirt, turns the radio down and then spins to go back up the way she came. This room and the others are full of stuff, and the characters on stage will pack a lot of it up into boxes, bags, etc.

  The lights flicker and go out for a moment, then back on. Betty looks up, then goes and lights a few candles.

  Before she’s done, a knock at the door. The woman crosses over to the door, peeks out, then tries to open the door but fights the lock. Finally issues in a man – not soaking wet, but he’s damp. He carries a six-pack of Bud under an arm. This guy is Bobby.

  Betty … I need … I gotta fix that door. / I owe you one for coming here tonight. (A quick hug.) God! Sorry it’s so wet out.

  Bobby Yeah. / No worries.

  Betty No, seriously, I do, though. Owe you.

  Bobby Fine. Gimme a towel, then …

  Betty Honestly … (She throws him one.) I do.

  Bobby OK, so you owe me. I’ll jot it down, a piece a paper, stick it in the glove box. See what happens.

  Betty You do that.

  Bobby I’m gonna. (Beat.) Call you up, some night at half past nine when it’s pissing down and see what’s what.

  Betty I would come.

  Bobby Maybe.

  Betty I would! God, that’s not true … (Hands him some cash.) Anyway, here ya go.

  Bobby No, that’s … I don’t need any …

  Betty Yes … just take it …