KARL: So you live here?
STEPH: For the moment…it’s my brother’s place… I told you. (Beat.) I told you I’m just up here remember?
KARL: Huh?
STEPH: I’ve just arrived…remember? I told you in the club, I’m from –
KARL: Oh yeah (Takes a can of beer.) So when did you see me?
STEPH: In the club
KARL: Yeah?
STEPH: Yeah in the club
KARL: But when?
STEPH: When I saw you (She giggles.) that’s when I saw you…
KARL: What did you think when you saw me?
STEPH: I thought… I dunno… I’m not very good at this…
KARL: It’s simple…what did you think when you saw me?
STEPH: (Coming back into the room.) I thought… (Stops for a second, closes her eyes, deep breath.) I thought ‘fuck me is he looking over here?’ (Looks at him, smiles.) and you were (Beat.) Why? What did you think of me? When you saw me? First? What do you remember?
KARL: I remember how you were dancing that’s what I remember
STEPH giggles, she sits on the couch, he sits with her, opens the can, drinks half.
STEPH: So what is it you do?
KARL: I’m in production
STEPH: (Impressed.) Wow…what kind of production?
KARL: TV…film…music videos…that kind of thing
STEPH: (Eyes wide.) Wow…anything I might have seen?
KARL: I don’t know do I? Don’t know what you’ve seen
STEPH: No but…you know anything big?
KARL: Big…it’s…you can’t like say…like put things into…into boxes…you know?
STEPH: Sure…sure… I love music videos… I love watching the dancers… (Beat.) From Danny’s room you can see right across the street into the national ballet company’s studio…sometimes I just go in there with my dinner and watch them…there’s one girl…she must be like the top ballet dancer…she always has the solo dances…and sometimes when I’m watching her I want to cry…isn’t that crazy? (KARL is getting uncomfortable.) Like a proper cry, like she reminds me of something that I miss…and when she’s dancing she looks…weightless… I’d love to be weightless…you know? I always wanted to be a singer…when I was younger…used to take my mum’s hairbrush and stand on the bed…pretend I was Madonna (KARL looks at her, she’s embarrassed.) Just make believe…just dreaming like (Beat.) You have any dreams?
KARL: No
STEPH: Everyone has dreams, or goals, or…you know…ambition.
KARL: No
STEPH: Oh go on you must have one
KARL: (Something strikes him, but he’s not sure if she’s genuine.) You serious?
STEPH: Yeah
KARL: (Vulnerable and earnest but still guarded.) Well it’s not…not a dream or anything…but I’ve had this idea…
STEPH: Go on…
KARL: For when you’re in your car…and you know…it’s hot…and you’re driving about from one place to the next and you reach down for your coke and it’s warm
STEPH: I hate warm coke
KARL: Exactly, so my idea is a little gadget, just the size of a coke bottle or a water bottle…that you fit your bottle into and it keeps it cold…so when you reach down for your coke…it’s cold
STEPH: (Beat, she stares at him.) I think that’s brilliant
KARL: You do?
STEPH: Of course I do, that’s like…genius…why hasn’t someone already come up with that? I mean think of all the hundreds…thousands…millions of people that you will be helping. You should go to those places where inventors go and get it copy written and then you’ll make millions…
KARL: I don’t know
STEPH: Millions Karl…that’s just…brilliant… (She kisses him then sits back embarrassed.)
KARL: (Looks at her.) You have the look of a pop star you know
STEPH: (Delighted but embarrassed.) No…
KARL: You do…lovely eyes…nice body…maybe I could make a few calls
STEPH: You haven’t even heard me sing
KARL: Yeah but you know…when you know, right? When you’re in the business…you know who has it and who doesn’t…
STEPH: You think I have it?
KARL: Fucking too right (He lunges for her, they kiss madly, she comes up for air.)
STEPH: You really think I have it?
KARL: (Kissing her neck, undoing her blouse, muffled.) Absofuckinglutely
STEPH: How do you know?
KARL: (Stops kissing her.) Just do
STEPH: Yeah but how?
KARL: (Beat, thinking.) Because you know…you’re special
STEPH: (Almost in tears.) You think I’m special?
KARL: Just said it didn’t I? Don’t go around just saying stuff
STEPH: Special
KARL: Beautiful…special…
He lunges for her again. They kiss madly but KARL is definitely the one in control. In a quick movement he gets on top of her and he pushes her down on the couch. He pulls up her skirt and undoes his fly. They have sex quickly and manically, her just holding on to him while he is lost in what he is doing. He finishes and sits back up. STEPH sits up and pulls her skirt down. She is somewhere between horrified and delighted. She reaches out and touches his face, he moves away, reaches for his beer. DANIEL enters covered in paint.
DANIEL: Steph?
STEPH: (She stands, KARL does up his pants.) Danny…shit…sorry… I was trying to be quiet…sorry…sorry
DANIEL: Are you okay?
STEPH: Yeah…yeah I’m… I’m fine I just… I brought someone… I mean I met someone… (She moves to the couch.) I hope you don’t mind but…this…this is Karl
DANIEL: Hi
KARL: Alright
STEPH: We were just…we were having a beer…you want one?
DANIEL: I heard a noise, I thought there was something wrong
STEPH: No…nothing wrong…you want a beer?
DANIEL: If I’m not disturbing –
STEPH: No God no…no…
STEPH exits, DANIEL turns on the light and sits in the armchair beside KARL, DANIEL is a bit distracted, it’s awkward.
KARL: Daniel is it?
DANIEL: Yeah
KARL: (Beat.) Right (Beat.) This your place?
DANIEL: Yeah
KARL: What’s with all the paint and shit?
DANIEL: (Beat.) I paint (Long awkward beat before STEPH enters with a bottle of whiskey and three glasses.)
STEPH: So… (Carries bottle over to table and pours.) Karl is into production
DANIEL: What kind?
KARL: You know…bit of this…bit of that
STEPH: He says I should give the singing a go…said he’d make a few calls
KARL: I know you…you’re that guy…that guy from the bus crash… I never forget a face…fuck me…fucking hell man…unbreakable or what?
STEPH: Everyone says that
KARL: So? What was it like?
DANIEL: (Drinking back the whiskey and pouring himself another. Over the course of this scene he drinks a lot of whiskey.) I don’t really like talking about it
STEPH: He doesn’t
KARL: Did you see all the bodies? Did you have to walk over them to get out?
DANIEL: Don’t really remember
STEPH: He doesn’t
KARL: On the news they said it took one girl’s head right off…said a sheet of metal ripped it right off…did you see that? They showed a picture of her, young girl, red hair. Did you see her head?
DANIEL: No… I don’t remember
KARL: What? You don’t remember anything?
DANIEL: No
KARL: Why? You like…brain damaged or something?
DANIEL: No… I just… I blacked out…
KARL: (Beat.) Saw a documentary about a guy who almost died once…got lost at sea and blacked out…said he even saw the light at the end of the tunnel…angels in white dresses and everything…but then he got saved by these Japanese fishermen looking
for whales or something. He said everything tasted fucking amazing after that…even a piece of cheese tasted like…like…fucking amazing…you get that? With cheese?
DANIEL: No
STEPH: Daniel’s a really good artist…he won this huge award
KARL: Oh yeah?
STEPH: Where were you today Danny? I waited for ages, thought we could go out.
DANNY: I went to see a Psychiatrist
STEPH: Did you?
DANIEL nods, KARL picks up the painting of the ship.
KARL: This one of yours?
STEPH: Why did you go to a Psychiatrist Danny?
KARL: What is it?
DANIEL: It’s for the show
KARL: (Turns it upside down.) Seriously what is it?
DANIEL: You don’t see anything?
STEPH: Danny?
KARL: Do you see something?
DANIEL looks at it.
DANIEL: (Beat.) I don’t know
STEPH: Danny?
KARL: Can’t see a fucking thing
STEPH: (Frustrated with KARL.) It’s a ship
KARL: Where?
STEPH: There’s the stern
KARL: I can’t see any ship, where is it?
DANIEL: (In a daze.) I don’t know
KARL: (Takes the canvas and holds it in front of DANIEL’s face.) Show me (STEPH goes to show him.)
STEPH: It’s – (KARL pushes her back.)
DANIEL: (He lifts up his hands to the canvas, he runs his fingers along the surface and traces the ship as he sees it, but his hands begins to move more erratically.) I don’t know
KARL: Why’d you say it was a ship then? If it’s not? I mean is it the kind of ship only you can see is it? (Beat.) This is your contribution? To life? A fucking ship that no one can see?
STEPH: I don’t think I have a contribution…do I Danny?
KARL: I fix things…something is broken…like your telly…your satellite dish…means you can’t watch your shows…see the news…watch a film… I fix it…electronically… I make it so you can…that’s a contribution
STEPH: Thought you were in production?
KARL: I work… I actually…sweat…when I work… I help people…when people look at what I do…they know what it is…know what it’s for…you know? It was broken, I fix it, you know?
DANIEL nods.
STEPH: Thought you were in production Karl?
KARL: (Frustrated at her interruption.) I… I… I fucking…moonlight between the two…alright?
STEPH: Oh…why did you go to a Psychiatrist Danny? Are you sad? (He is staring at the canvas.)
KARL: This what you won your award for? This kind of stuff?
(DANIEL nods.)
STEPH: I think it’s pretty… I like the colours, reminds me of swimming in the lake…remember the lake Danny? You used to take me there all the time
KARL: But what’s it for?
DANIEL: People like it…like looking at it…it makes people feel things when they look at it…makes them happy or sad or whatever…people just like it
KARL: Like the way people like watching TV?
DANIEL: Yeah
KARL: Only fucking useless
DANIEL: (Beat, he’s wearing him down, STEPH hugs him.) It’s not useless
KARL: (Beat, sees he’s affecting him, enjoying it.) Almost died…lucky weren’t you?
DANIEL: Lucky
KARL: Want to have –
STEPH: Leave him alone Karl
KARL: Want to have something to say that means something?
DANIEL: I have something to say
KARL: What?
DANIEL: Lots of things about…lots of things…about…
KARL: (Holds out his hand.) Here (DANIEL looks at him.) Give it here
STEPH looks concerned, she tries to protect the painting. DANIEL hesitates then gives it to KARL.
STEPH: Don’t…don’t hurt it…
KARL: I’ll show you a ship (He takes a marker from the table and draws a crude and childish shape of a boat.)
STEPH: Don’t (DANIEL watches on in a daze.) Danny don’t let him…
KARL: There’s a fucking ship for you… (He drinks.) I can see that…can you?
DANIEL: (Takes the canvas.) I can… I can see it…
The bulb flickers and goes out.
STEPH: Shit… Danny? You have another bulb? (DANIEL doesn’t answer.) Danny?
Lights down.
SCENE SIX
The park. LJ sits watching DANIEL staring at something off-stage, he is more fragile than before.
LJ: She’s going to think you’re a fucking freak if you don’t stop staring at her
DANIEL: I’m not staring
LJ: Well what exactly are you doing then?
DANIEL moves away.
DANIEL: I just… I feel like I should say something
LJ: Fine then, go on, say something
DANIEL: (Beat.) I don’t know what to say
LJ: You know all you are to her is a reminder that her daughter didn’t make it, that her precious baby was decapitated and here you are walking about in the full of your health (Beat.) Look, I know you’re worried about the exhibition but you just have to do your best, that’s all you can do, just do your best
DANIEL: Do my best?
LJ: Well what do they expect? After what you’ve been through, I mean if you’re a bit behind schedule then they should accept that
DANIEL: I’m not a bit behind schedule LJ
LJ: I thought that’s what all this was about
DANIEL: I haven’t even started
LJ: But…you’ve been locked up in your studio for weeks…
DANIEL: Yes
LJ: Yes? What the fuck have you been doing in there?
DANIEL: Reading mostly, reorganising the furniture, I painted one of the walls completely black then white then black again.
LJ: Well where do you usually get your ideas from?
DANIEL: They’re just there, sometimes they’re not…now they’re not
LJ: (Wants to help.) We had this writing teacher once and she said if you can’t think of anything to write about you should go through a newspaper and look at the headlines because real people are more fucked up than anyone you could make up… (Beat.) She didn’t actually say fucked up but…you know…she was a nun I think. I went through papers that time and found this article about the Empire State Building that said that somewhere at the bottom there’s a sign that says don’t look up…because if you look up you’ll fall backwards…but how could you expect someone to stand at the bottom of the Empire State Building and not look up? When I read that I thought…that would be a good thing…to write a story about…but I didn’t know where to start. (Beat.) But you could try that, looking in the paper, for ideas. (He’s not listening, looking off stage.)
DANIEL: (He reacts to something off-stage.) She’s leaving…same time every day…she comes here with a coffee…sits on that bench…drinks and stares out over the water…stands and leaves…same time every day… I bet she’s thinking about her daughter…
LJ: How do you know?
DANIEL: What?
LJ: How do you know if she comes here every day? (Beat.) You following her? (He doesn’t answer.) She’s not even pretty
DANIEL: What’s that got to do with it?
LJ: You’re beginning to piss me off you know that? You hardly ever call – (Stops herself.) you need to fucking move on Daniel, you need to get on with your fucking life and let me get on with mine and stop obsessing over it all. You need to move on.
DANIEL: I can’t
LJ: Why not?
DANIEL: (Beat.) What if I was standing two inches to the left of where I was? What if I had decided to sit down or if I had gone to the upper deck? What if I dropped my wallet or my phone in that instant before the truck hit? I’d be dead now right? Like the rest of them.
LJ: But you’re not
DANIEL: But I could be, there was just this much (He gestures with his fingers just a tiny fraction.) betwe
en life and death, this was the difference between me standing here now or being buried somewhere six foot under.
LJ: So fucking what? It is what it is, what’s the point in talking about what might have been?
DANIEL: Because I have to know if it means something.
LJ: Of course it means something
DANIEL: What? What does it mean? (She can’t answer.) I have to make it mean something… I have to… (Beat.) What would you have wanted, if you had died?
LJ: Would it matter what I wanted? I’d be dead.
DANIEL: Think about it, if it had been you and someone else had survived and you were looking down on them, what would you want them to do?
LJ: I wouldn’t want them to do anything, I would want them to get on with their lives
DANIEL: I wouldn’t…
LJ: Well what then?
DANIEL: I don’t know, but I wouldn’t want them to forget me, to forget how lucky they were, I would want them to remember me
LJ: Danny, we didn’t even know these people, how are we supposed to remember them?
DANIEL: (Beat.) I don’t know yet…but I’ll think of something… I’ll think of something…
Lights down.
SCENE SEVEN
Art Gallery, GERRY stands looking at pictures on the wall. He looks slightly uncomfortable in the surroundings but is genuinely intrigued by the exhibition. The pictures are hard to make out at first, but as the scene goes on they become clearer. They are all of dead bodies, in various states of mutilation/decay. LJ wheels in after a minute. She has made an effort, wearing an expensive top with sparkly jewellery and too much make up. She still doesn’t look like she belongs there. He realises she is watching him.
GERRY: Fascinating (Beat.) Isn’t it?
LJ: Well it’s dead people
GERRY: Sorry?
LJ: Dead people…people always want to look at dead people…makes them feel alive
GERRY: Yes
They both look at it.
LJ: You probably saw me in the paper (Looks at him.) You think I’m lucky
GERRY: Well…not for me to say I guess
LJ: People I don’t even fucking know tell me…
GERRY: Well it’s subjective isn’t it? (LJ looks at him.) You mightn’t feel very lucky
LJ: (Looks back at the picture.) Bet she thinks I’m lucky and all. (Beat, she looks at him.) I’d rather have my legs back… (He nods.) but then you know I saw this girl on the telly once who was born without any arms or legs…she’s just a lump…so…least I know what they felt like…legs
The Dark Things Page 3
