Two poems - Gradma and Forgotten Wonders of Time

Grandma

Grandma, I love you.
Where have you gone?
Grandma I miss you.
Why did you leave?

There is comfort you provide
when all seems lost and gone.
There is warmth you provided
when your presence never dare dwindled.

Grandma, I need you.
Who are you with now?
Grandma, I welcome you.
When will you come home?

Every hour is a pinging pain my heart
begs as if in want of your chief loss.
Remembering moments of you
a radiant smile appears on my face.

Grandma, I hate not knowing.
What are you doing?
Grandma, I love you.
How are you doing?

Comfort and warmth is not enough.
Pinging pains grow more sorrowful.
Sorrow turns to joy
When we see each other again.










Forgotten Wonders of Time

Memories exist in motionless places and time.
Current thoughts escape on a cloud,
fluffy and puffy and swirling and pink in their prime.
Nature’s too rich and oh so loud,
for one such as you to ignore.
Rewarding you thus makes me proud.

Forgotten wonders, then and now lost eternally,
neither sun nor moon awaken,
bonds of so so long ago. Eclipsing, faithfully,
all evil tortures forever.
Life eternal and youth divine, make us carefully,
carefully, darefully, hasten.

Sitting, watching, lying around as age takes a hold.
Waiting for youth to reassert
what has been lost to both you and I to extreme cold.
We ignore all said signs of dessert.
Cake, pie, candy, and molasses.
Sinful sloth, absent to assert.

A wakeup call is a sharp slap to lazy faces.
Why have I been holding back all?
When did you, my companion, stop taking all my cases?
We were strong, courageous, and proud.
Fools we were to let ourselves fall.
We get up. Tie our shoe laces.

At Thirteen and forty-two you humbly order me,
Never not knowing I listen.
The day has come and been gone. I fall and scrap my knee.
Hard at work we both do glisten.
How do we continue this new, everlasting road?
What hardships are there soon to be?

Memories of yesterday. Forgotten time and space.
A willingness that is divine.
A depressed moodiness turned into a cheerful face.
At long last, now we can go on.
Now we are great. We are wonderful and we are fine.
Do you feel that way? Like an ace?

This is now the end. Finished. And yet is not finished.
There is no relief in mere sight
for the continuing journey life has now anguished.
Reason and rhyme give form in night
Memories exist everywhere and yet still nowhere.
The sun rises; darkness perished.

Werewolf Poems

Too Much

I can’t stand it.
The sound is driving me crazy.
They’re kids. My kids.
How much noise do they need to make?
I need to put a stop to it.

My boys were wrestling.
My little girl was lying on the floor.
Was she hurt?
Was she in Rick and Jack’s crossfire?
Or were they just playing?

“What are you doing?”
Apparently playing.
A part of me wished
I could act that way again.
“Do you have to be so loud?”

“You could play with us Daddy.
Then you wouldn’t notice
how loud we were,” Katie said,
eyes closed, awkwardly spread on the floor.
I didn’t know the dangers that lay ahead.





I Know What You Are

I know what It is.
Fast and strong, like a bear.
Able to stand upright like a mere cat.
Silent, yet loud
and more dangerous than anything alive.

Hair of coarse fibers,
black as night.
Glowing yellow eyes
twinkle in darkness,
searching for human prey.

The moon’s lunation
directs It at Its target.
The victim turns.
With a growl and a yelp
It attacks.

What could I have done?
Would I have been killed too?
When twilight comes
It turns into human form;
in control until the next full moon.





X

I watched for a month.
The office, the store and home.
Places It traveled.
Its lycanthrope joyride unimportant.
Did It know what it had done?

Last night wasn’t Its first time.
My first viewing
under a bright, yellow moon,
a family of four was mauled.
I hadn’t known what It was.

Regret is strong.
Could I have done anything?
Its name still escapes me.
I call It X.
X calls me dinner.

A sliver of moon is missing.
Tomorrow X will attack
another unsuspecting someone.
I know what X is now,
and how to stop It.





Hunting

I came upon the transformation,
a jaw-dropping event.
My moment was coming.
X needed no sheep’s clothing
to hide what’s inside.

Guns stuffed
in bib pockets.
My face heated up.
Killing this creature in overalls.
Not a pleasant task.

A feral growling
railroaded my thoughts.
I fired my guns in time.
The bullet chipped concrete,
Missing the target by inches.

Death was near.
Blood stained concrete,
none belonged to the animal,
X was gone.
I closed my eyes for the last time.





What Have I Done?

The sun’s rays beam down
on my naked backside.
Groggily I open my eyes to
a mess of blood and gore.
What have I done?

Standing is problematic.
I’m nude in public daylight.
Is anyone looking?
Why?
What have I done?

Running for cover
I left John or Jane Doe behind.
Broken. Beaten. Dead.
I left the body behind.
What have I done?

What was I supposed to do?
Memories start flooding me.
People torn apart.
It scared me.
What have I done?





Why?

Clothes are an invention of man.
My father tells me
nudity is a sweet sin only
around women.
I love clothes.

Why was I naked?
Why was I naked in a public place?
Why in broad daylight?
Why does the light bother my eyes?
And why does that man smell so delicious?

A man walked by.
Shouldn’t be a reason to worry.
The old geezer smelled of raw meat.
Or like raw meat.
Why?

Why was I smelling delicious humans?
Why did they make my mouth water?
Why was my eyesight so weak?
Why had I been nude?
And why did none of these things bother me?





Vengeance

The hardest part was not knowing.
People are right about that.
Should I worry about it?
Too many people smelled good.
I had to investigate.

A month passed. No answers came.
A mauled corpse, keen eyesight and hearing.
A terrible hunger.
The only explanation was…
Wow.

I can’t believe it. I’m a –
I dare not use the word.
I fear it won’t be true.
Tonight is the full moon.
If it is true, vengeance is mine.

The next-door neighbor,
the girl who refused my advances,
my parents.
All of them.
No life will be spared.





The Next Door Neighbor

Midnight.
What am I doing out this late?
Crickets are creepy in the city too.
Every step I take, every sound I hear,
echoes like a gunshot.

Imagination plays tricks
on the mind.
A growling sound.
Can’t be real.
Can it?

I hate the dark.
I want to go home.
Now.
There’s that growling again.
It isn’t fake.

I hit the ground hard.
The weight registered,
then the growling.
What makes that kind of sound?
No animal I –





The Girl

I knew when I dreamed.
I didn’t know how.
Not everyone did.
Falling off a cliff awoke me.
The dream had become a nightmare.

I needed to read
to stem the adrenaline flow.
My thoughts were jumbled.
Clusters of images.
I was chased to that cliff.

Sitting down relaxed me.
Crime and Punishment did not.
I was determined to finish.
I wish Brad was here.
He knew how to relax me.

The window shattered.
A giant shape lunged at me
pinning me to my bed.
My dream! Was this what chased me?
Was this a crime or a punishment?





It’s Over

I lay sprawled on the ground,
my three kids by my side.
Two hours was long enough.
Playtime is exhausting.
I’m the adult. I say when it’s over.

“It’s over kids.”
Jack sprung from the floor.
He had played
The Hunter hazardously.
“You heard me son.”

Jack dropped the dart gun
sulking away with Rick,
playtime’s fearful neighbor.
“Goodnight Daddy,” Katie said,
kissing my cheek.

She had played the scared girl badly.
She tried so hard. I never scared her.
I nicked the dart gun,
lifting myself from the floor.
“Thank God playtime is over.”

Spoiled Fantasy

Spoiled Fantasy

By: L. Paul Fobert

It had been incredible. The best sex, no, the best lovemaking she had ever had. Lynni lay on an extravagant, silk covered bed. Next to her laid the love of her life. One day they would be together in more ways than just the flesh. She was sure of it. She just didn’t know how. Lying there watching her loved one sleep, she began to think. Wonderful memories of the first time they had met. Back when Lynni was working in the kitchens.

“Are you all right child?” A man asked gently.

“Wha…” The girl asked looking around, her long, black, tangled hair swinging back and forth as she did. She had just woken up from a nice dream about...she couldn’t remember what it was about. All she remembered was that it was nice. She wiped the rest of the sleep from her eyes and gazed into the flour-dusted face of The Master Baker.

“Are you all right?” he repeated.

“Yes. I’m fine.”

“What’s your name?”

“Lynni, sir.”

“Do you know who I am Lynni?”

She nodded.

“I’m The Master Baker. Get back to work!” he yelled. Grabbing her by the wrist with his right hand. He was left-handed; he pulled her off the soft and comfortable flour sacks she had been sleeping in and drug her towards the oven. His right hand didn’t have his two middle fingers. Yet somehow even with only the use of his thumb, his pinkie, and his forefinger he managed to have the strongest grip of anyone in the kitchens, and quite possibly anyone in the castle.

The Master Baker had no name. He was referred to as The Master Baker ever since she could remember. The rumors about him flew around the kitchens like scavengers searching for food. Lynni wasn’t sure what to believe. Some rumors referred to him as a pompous ass with a temper and other rumors said he was the most lovable man in the kingdom. With her he was both, so she was always nervous around him.

One thing about The Master Baker that was an actual fact was how he lost his fingers. Lynni knew how this happened because she was the one who had done it, unbeknownst to him. They were alone in a particular room of the kitchens. He was shaping dough while she was cutting the baked bread. Next thing she knew she was slicing through his fingers. The specific details he will never remember. During this incident Lynni had found out that he had a memory problem of some sort. After running out of there so fast she was afraid of tripping over her tattered and worn dress she realized he wasn’t chasing her. She slowly went back and peeked around the corner without being seen. She watched as Theodore, the baker’s apprentice, tried his best to bandage his Master’s fingers while the baker’s boy, who was the apprentice’s apprentice cleaned up the blood that had covered The Master Baker’s white shirt, pants and even his bakers hat. The Master Baker was telling them he didn’t know how he had done it. Lynni thought this was odd since he had seen her do it. She never mentioned the incident to anybody.

“You’re going to scrub the oven clean. And be quick. Dinner needs to be started soon.” Lynni was forced out of her thoughts by The Master Baker’s orders. “After you’re done with that, the stove needs a good scrubbing too.” He picked up a brush and threw it at her feet then he turned and stormed off about to leave her alone, but turned around just before leaving and said in a much more soothing voice, “When you finish here. You’re welcome to leave. I’ll have Theodore finish up.”

For the next few hours she scrubbed until she thought her hands would bleed. “Excuse me, miss?” A soft melodic woman’s voice behind her asked with authority.

Lynni had never heard this voice before. She turned to see the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was a noblewoman from the looks of it. Dressed in the finest clothing she had ever seen. Reddish brown hair pulled into a bun to go with a bright red silk dress. Behind her stood a trembling Master Baker. Trembling? This woman must be important. She glanced one more time at The Master Baker and giggled. “What’s so funny?” The woman asked kindly but still holding the air of authority. Before Lynni could say anything the noblewoman answered her own question with a small smile, “He amuses me too.” She turned to him and said with even more authority than she had before, “Leave us. I wish to speak with her alone.” Lynni had never seen anyone move that fast before.

“Who are you? What do you want?” Lynni asked.

The noblewoman standing before her answered with a question, “How old are you?”

“I’m twenty summers.” In The Known Lands, people always answered this question with the season they were born in. Lynni wasn’t sure why. She actually thought it was odd, but it would have been even more odd to say something someone might not understand. “Who are you? What do you want?” She asked again, ignoring the fact that her questions were inappropriate.

“I’m twenty-five summers. My name is Rowan. What is your name?”

Lynni ignored the question entirely this time. Her eyes went wide. Rowan? Rowan was the only widowed noblewoman in all The Known Lands. Rumors around the kitchens told of how men not only in the castle but also throughout The Known Lands traveled for miles to try and win her heart. Her husband had been one of the richest men to ever be recorded in history books. When he died he left everything to her. It always left her wondering whether the men were after the money or her. Now she knew. It was her. It had to be.

“Hey.” Rowan said gently bringing her out of her thoughts, “Are you okay?” When Lynni nodded gently still unable to speak Rowan asked her what her name was again. It took her a couple more seconds but she finally choked out, “Lynni.”

Lynni, I’m looking for a new Lady’s Maid. The king and queen offered to let me use their servant along with them but I politely turned them down. I preferred a hard worker that was female. I was told to see the kitchen staff in this case. I guess what I’m trying to ask is will you be my Lady’s Maid?

“Will I be your Lady’s Maid?” Lynni repeated, not believing what she was hearing.

“That’s what I’m asking you, yes. If your up to it.”

After a moment of thought to process everything that had happened in the last few moments, Lynni breathlessly replied, “Yes Milady.”

Ever since that day about a year ago Lynni has been Rowan’s Lady’s Maid. Everything about it had been wonderful. She turned to Rowan who was sleeping peacefully next to her. She and Rowan had been together since last summer six months ago. It wasn’t easy. The founder of Lavek, King Galin, made a law stating no member of the same sex was allowed to show any sign of affection towards each other. Neither she nor Rowan cared about that though and after a little resistance on both their parts, they gave in.

Lynni leaned over and planted a light kiss on the side of her lover’s head. Rowan woke up groggily until she stared into Lynni’s hazel eyes with her own. Smiling, she slid her hand beneath the sheets causing Lynni to let out a soft moan of pleasure. “Oh, Rowan.” She didn’t stop. “Milady.” That did it. Lynni had once tried to play a game she called master and servant, but Rowan didn’t like it, so every time they needed to put a stop to things, she played the “Milady” card. It was their safety word, in case things either went too far or they just weren’t in the mood.

“Why’d you do that baby?” Rowan asked.

“I need to be getting back to the servants quarters before anyone notices I’ve gone missing.” Rowan grunted her disapproval as Lynni got out of bed and started putting on her clothes. Lady’s Maid’s were the highest servant’s in the castle, but they still had to wear rags. After she finished dressing, she kissed her lady passionately on the mouth before exiting the chamber swinging her hips, knowing that her lover’s eyes were staring at her swaying buttocks.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Dressed entirely in black, the tall, portly figure slid gracefully down the hallway. It was almost sunrise so the figure had to make it quick. It didn’t matter who it was as long as the job got done. Moving through the shadows was something the figure was not accustomed to. The figure was usually followed everywhere. That was why this had to be done now, an hour before sunrise. None of the servants would be up fixing fires. The cooks wouldn’t be fixing breakfast and lovers would be hiding in more conspicuous spots than hallways and corridors. Hearing footsteps, the figure pressed against the wall in the darkest shadows and waited.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Walking through the halls each night was the worst part about Lynni’s relationship with Rowan. She always wanted to ask her to come along, but if anyone were to see them together this late at night it could mean anything from jail time to beheading. She didn’t mind though. It didn’t mean that it wasn’t scary.

The sound of flint could be heard down the corridor. After a couple more steps, she saw the sparks light a candle and a figure step away from the wall. He was dressed entirely in black from head to foot. “Wh-wh-who-who a-a-are y-y-yo-yo-you?” Without saying a word, the figure bent over to place the candle in the middle of the corridor and when he stood back up, he silently stared at her as if looking right through her. Lynni was near panic now, “Wh-wh-wha-what a-a-are y-y-yo-yo-you?”

With the speed of a castle guard-maybe that’s who he was, a castle guard-he was upon her. She was on the cold, wet, stone floor with a man nearly three times her size on top of her. He covered her mouth with his left hand and said in a hoarse but threatening voice, “Cooperate or I’ll cut you like a fish.” A cold, tingling sensation appeared at her throat. It was a dirk. She was going to die. “Do you understand?” The figure still had a hand on her mouth. He pulled it away. She began to reply when he told her to shut up. He still had the knife to her throat so she listened.

He moved his hand back to her mouth and the other hand, the hand that held the dirk, began cutting her ragged clothing into even more than the nothing it was. It took him a short amount of time to strip her completely naked. But unlike with Rowan, this wasn’t in a good way. He lifted the dirk back to her throat. The steel cut skin and drew blood making her gasp in shock and pain. Seconds later she felt something enter her womanhood roughly. The way she use to have sex with the cellar steward, only a little harder and without permission. Sheller, she swore in her thoughts. She was being raped.

Afraid for her life she did as she was told and didn’t move, or at least tried not to. It was hard considering how much it hurt. Tears began streaming down her face, blurring her vision. The pain was excruciating, but the entire time he held the dirk at her throat. She could do nothing.

After what seemed like hours, the figure pulled his manhood out of her and took his hand off her mouth to pull his leggings up. “Why?” Lynni sobbed. The dirk cut deeper into her throat.

“I told you to shut your mouth!” he said in a loud whisper. With one quick motion he tore the mask off his head. The pain from between Lynni’s legs was forgotten, momentarily replaced by shock. Her mouth was gaping slightly. Even through her blurred vision she could tell who it was. Anyone who couldn’t shouldn’t be living in this city. The figure was King Fredrick Dartmouth. If the small whiskers (not quite a beard) on his chin didn’t give him away, the jeweled crown certainly did. What was he raping her, or anyone for? Most people would want him anyway. Wouldn’t they? Except her for obvious reasons. Did the queen know about this? “You will tell no one about this. They would never believe you. Do you know what treason is?” She was still in shock so she didn’t answer. “Do you?” The king asked with a little more force. She hesitantly nodded. “Good. Because I’m the one who decides the punishments and if someone were to accuse me of such a crime it wouldn’t go well for them.”

The king thrust his hood back on in one quick motion, adjusted the eye holes to his eyes, then walked back over to the candle, picked it up and walked away leaving her in the dark.

Lynni couldn’t see anything. The shock hadn’t worn off, but the pain was returning. She couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t return to the servant’s quarters either. All the servants slept in the same room. They would all wonder what happened. She had to get up and get back to Rowan’s chambers. She dreaded telling Rowan what had happened. She didn’t want her to have to see her like this. But there was no other way. She slowly lifted herself up using the support of a large crack in the stone wall. Pain coursed throughout her entire body. It was going to be a long trip back.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Rowan was in a dreamlike state. She was lying on top of the covers, still fully naked, staring at the ceiling, while running her fingers through her hair. Rowan loved this time of day just after Lynni left. She was alone in her room for another hour before Lynni would come back into the room and be forced by the law to act proper instead of how they both wanted to act, like lovers free of the law that said that two women couldn’t be together. “Damn Galin and his cursed law. Anyone who loved each other should be able to have a relationship. Anyone.” She whispered. Her thoughts started to drift to the happiest day of her life six months ago. During the biggest festival in Lavek’s history. The Day of First Breaking.

Rowan was excited. The Day of First Breaking was a festival celebrating the day that Lavek became a part of the Known Lands. The first city in the Known Lands. Every city had their own festival with their own name. Anlet celebrated The Day of Light, Suffolk celebrated The First of it All, and even the biggest and wealthiest city in the Known Lands, Wren, dedicated an entire week to The Week of the Richest.

Every city and town was proudest of their own festivals for their own reasons. Oglen was proudest because their city came first. During this particular festival Rowan had picked out a special dress, but not for her, for her Lady’s Maid Lynni. She had been doing the best job any Lady’s Maid had ever done for her and was a little reluctant to admit that if the law allowed, this would be more than just a friendship gift.

Three loud, long raps followed by three short, fast raps made a presence at the door known. Lynni had been purposely sent away to see to other business just so that she would not be here for this visitor. “Enter.”

Roland, the servant to the royal family entered carrying a servant’s dress that was sky blue and floor length. “M’lady,” he announced as he handed her the dress without wrinkling it. A difficult task even for servants and Maids. She always wondered how Roland managed it considering his hands looked so worn and old. Like her grandfather’s did. Most servants would usually put a permanent wrinkle of some sort in it by carrying it the wrong way. Roland didn’t. It was probably because he was the oldest servant in the castle. She could see why the royal family kept him around. There was no fancy ruffles or hoops. It was standard in everything except color. The standard color for servant’s dresses was brown, but Rowan assured the king that by the time she started working hard it would be as brown as all the others. She looked over the dress while dismissing Roland with a wave of her hand, catching a glimpse of the sunset in his bald head. Crazy or not, the queen still knew her fashion.

Rowan heard a single and gentle rap on the door. She put the dress on her bed before bidding Lynni enter. Most servants and maids had their own particular way of knocking on a door and Rowan was pretty sure that she had gotten all the servants knocks she knew down.

“Milady?” Lynni asked as she entered, “You asked me to come back once I was finished? A final task for the day?”

“Yes Lynni. I have something to give you.” Rowan picked the dress off the bed and gave it to Lynni.

Lynni went into shock. “No Milady, I mustn’t.” Rowan’s face fell. She had hoped that Lynni would like the dress. “Oh. That’s all right. If you don’t want…”

“It’s not that,” Lynni interrupted. Rowan was one of the few masters who would allow servants to interrupt her. Most slapped them if they did. She had never slapped a servant and she without a doubt knew Lynni would never be slapped as long as she was her servant. “It’s just that…well…I haven’t done anything to deserve it and I don’t wish to make the other servants jealous. And…are not servants suppose to wear brown?”

Now Rowan understood. She breathed a sigh of relief, “I thought you didn’t want it,” she replied when she saw Lynni’s startled look.

“No!” Lynni shouted causing Rowan to jump. “Sorry, I do…”

“Then take it, please, as a Day of First Breaking gift.”

“All right. Was that all?”

Rowan hesitated. Did she really want to tell her she loved her? Her husband died years ago. It had taken her longer than she expected to move on and when she did all the men were either too boring, too old, too young, too stupid and just not worth her time.

Friendships seemed to be more interesting. It was one of the reasons she started treating her servants so well, not that she didn’t treat them well before. But then Helga died. She had died while doing a simple task for her. That year she was in charge of Galin’s Day, Lavek’s second most important festival. It was more of a feast than a festival like The Day of First Breaking, and was in celebration of Galin, founder of Lavek. While lighting the candles with another, the flame got away from Helga and the fire spread too quickly for her to control. Once it was under control, she was dead.

It took Rowan a month to replace Helga, which was quickly in her mind but a month too long in most noble’s minds. Rowan found herself drawn to Lynni in a way she had never been drawn to anyone. Not even the way she had been drawn to her husband.

Lynni who seemed to be asking her a question brought Rowan out of her thoughts. She focused her attention on what it was she was saying, “Milady? Beg my pardon for asking but are you all right?” Rowan smiled. This was why she loved her. Her sweetness. Her sincerity.

“Yes Lynni I’m fine,” she replied. “I have something I’m going to say and it may shock you.” Without waiting for a response, she decided to just get it over with now. She leaned over and kissed her on the mouth. Worried when Lynni didn’t respond she pulled back and looked at her. She was standing there in shock. “Lynni?”

“Milady? If this is a practical joke it isn’t very funny. There are a lot of bad things that could come of this…” Rowan felt her heart sink. She was hoping that Lynni would return her feelings. She thought she had seen some signs. Throughout their time together as master and servant their had been glances, avoidable contact, and even extra time spent together at Lynni’s request.

“…so if this is a joke please tell me.”

Lynni stared directly into her lady’s eyes waiting for a response. “This is not a joke,” Rowan replied kissing her on the mouth once again. This time she felt Lynni hesitate before kissing back with just as much passion.

Rowan was surprised when Lynni started removing their dresses, but didn’t protest. “Rowan?” she asked playfully, “Do you own any dresses that aren’t red?”

Six months ago had been the start of the best thing in Rowan’s life. But they had to be careful. They were lovers by night and master and servant by day. One day that would be different. She swore by Sheller it would be different some day.

A moan brought Rowan out of her thoughts. She listened, thinking it was her imagination. After all, there was still half an hour until sunrise. After a few seconds she heard it again. It sounded like it was coming from right outside her door. She got out of bed, threw on her undergarments, pulled a thin cloak out of her closet and walked slowly and carefully towards the door

Throwing it open Rowan saw the most horrifying sight she had ever seen. Lynni was lying in a heap on the floor, nearly unconscious. Without another thought, she threw herself into the hallway, gathered her lover into her arms and as gently as she could carried her to the bed.

Her clothes were torn into nothing. Rowan wasn’t sure how they were still even on her body. They were so badly torn that her breast and her womanhood were both exposed. Her throat was labeled with a wound. It didn’t look life threatening, but there was no way to be sure. She turned to the washstand and wet a washcloth. Wincing, she pressed it gently to Lynni’s neck.

It wasn’t until sunrise that the wound stopped bleeding. Rowan carefully removed what was left of Lynni’s clothes and tossed them under her bed. She would dispose of them later. As she walked towards the closet she heard a soft moan. A pained moan. So different from the one she had been making an hour ago.

Rushing back to her side, she gently held her hand. Lynni shuttered in fright and mumbled.

“Shh baby, shh,” Rowan whispered, “It’s all right, I’m here.”

Lynni opened her eyes and Rowan met them lovingly. “Rowan?” she mumbled, this time audibly. Had she been without water? Had she been screaming? Or yelling? Her voice was hoarse. Why? What happened? At least she knew her name. And was using it. She only used it at night. If someone heard a servant using her master’s name, it would be very suspicious.

“Yeah baby, it’s me.”

“Stay with me, but…”

“But what baby?”

“But don’t touch me, I just…not right now, please. Not after…after…” Rowan watched as Lynni burst into tears. Slowly she put Lynni’s hand back onto the bed and watched as she cried herself to sleep. Someone did this to her. Rowan made herself a promise, whoever it was, was going to pay. She didn’t know who it was.

Yet.

But whoever it was would pay.

With their life!

The Problem

The Problem
By: L. Paul Fobert

I didn’t want to go to bed, even though it was eleven o’clock in the evening. I just wasn’t tired. My eyes were wide open. I had been bouncing off the walls as if I had just eaten a dozen pop tarts and drank a two-liter bottle of Dr. Pepper. Apparently the rest of my family wasn’t tired either. My dad, who usually went to bed around nine or ten o’clock, was reading the paper in his recliner, my mom was sitting on the sofa to my left reading the Reader’s Digest; Emily, my thirteen year-old sister was sitting on the love seat to my right and Eliza, my nine year-old sister, was spending the night at a friends house.
I was sitting on the sofa trying to decided whether or not I was tired enough to go to bed when a tingling feeling shot through my right hand. I couldn’t move it. “Mom!” I said looking at her with eyes full of fear.
“Robert!” My mom called out to my dad.
They both jumped off their seats. My mom knelt in front of me and laid me out across the sofa.
“I…ca…can’t mo…move my…my…hand,” I stuttered as my body started shaking uncontrollably.
Before I blacked, I heard my dad say, “Oh no!”
I didn’t completely black out. I could still make out light through the back of my eyelids.
My whole body shook. The intensity of the spasms intensified so much that my muscles and joints were locked into place. Each breath was shallow and deep. My brain felt like it was on fire. It was worse than any headache I’d ever experienced.
After what seemed like hours, but I would later find out was really only about five to five and a half minutes the violent and uncontrollable shaking stopped, and I could see and hear again. A couple days later I learned that I couldn’t see because I had had my eyes closed and I couldn’t hear because I had been focusing my attention on the pain in my brain which is why I had my eyes closed.
I opened my eyes, but I was still too weak too keep them open, so I closed them and listened to the conversation around me.
“I called 911. It’s all I could think to do,” my mom was saying as she sobbed. At least I thought it was my mom.
“It’s all right, honey. Honey. Honey. Barbara, calm down,” my dad soothed.
After that, the voices started coming together, making the headache that had started to go away, worse.
I tried opening my eyes again. This time I had enough strength to do so, although I was still weak. The first person I saw was my next-door neighbor, Shelley Duran. What am I doing over at the neighbor’s house? I thought. Before I had a chance to ask, a man who was undoubtedly a paramedic or a doctor, at the time I couldn’t tell, shown a light into my eyes.
“Do you remember your name?”
“David Masters.”
“Do you know what day it is?”
I was about to reply when I realized I couldn’t. I didn’t remember. I closed my eyes in disbelief and concentrated. It wasn’t coming to me. How was that possible when there were only seven to choose from? I just couldn’t for the life of me remember, No matter how hard I tried it wasn’t even on the tip of my tongue.
The man continued examining me. A thought came to me and it seemed like it was better to say than nothing. “I remembered this morning.” As the words left my mouth, I realized how stupid it actually sounded, but the one thing I knew for sure was that morning I had remembered what day it was.
A few minutes later I found myself on a stretcher being rolled out of my house to an ambulance. Yes, I was at my house, I had figured that out while being questioned by the man who I could now identify as a paramedic instead of a doctor.
On the driveway, the wheels of the stretcher ran over a Whipper Snapper, the small firecrackers that give off small pops when thrown on the ground. I heard my mom give a yelp of surprise. I smiled for the first time since everything started. Now I remembered, today was Sunday July third. That’s why we had Whipper Snappers on the ground. Tomorrow was the Forth of July.
The ambulance ride was uneventful. Very little happened. My mom and I rode with the paramedics while my dad and Emily were in the car somewhere behind us, or maybe in front of us. I don’t really know because I didn’t see them until after all the test were over. And I’ll never understand how my mom got to sit shotgun in the ambulance, my guess was that there wasn’t enough room in the back with me and one of the two paramedics that were there. Since when were there two. I knew they always came in two but this was the first time I had noticed the second one. I lay there watching the green line on the heart monitor machine move up and down and left to right all the way to the hospital and not once did the driver bother to turn on the siren.
At the hospital, I learned that the paramedics had put an I.V. in my arm and a heart monitor on my finger. It left me wondering When it happened and why hadn’t I felt it? It explained the machine with the green line in the ambulance.
A female nurse with long black hair and loose fitting scrubs, allowed me to let my imagination run free just by entering the room. She transferred me from the stretcher to an uncomfortable hospital bed.
It was a little disconcerting looking at blank and empty, white walls and waiting for a doctor, I was actually starting to wish I was an emergency case, a gunshot victim or a car crash survivor, at least then I’d be attended to. Being attended to by my nurse couldn’t be bad, she was hot. But even looking at hot girls can get boring, especially if they catch you doing so. I found myself again wondering why the walls in this place were so bare. Was it just the ER or was it the whole hospital. I hoped it was just the ER, I can at least understand why they wouldn’t decorate, but why wouldn’t the rest of the building. And why didn’t ER’s decorate. Even television show emergency rooms decorated. ER, House, Scrubs all did. Why not actual ER’s.
I started to get antsy. Waiting when you’re not in a waiting room was the worst. I looked up at the green on the hear monitor and started tapping my chest with the finger that was attached to it. The line started moving up and down in longer strokes faster across the screen. I had done this a few times on the drive over.
But what would happen if…
When the line reached the right side of the screen, the machine started beeping like crazy. The doctors and nurses came running. Now I knew how to get their attention.
One of the doctors was wearing a white lab coat and seemed to have come from nowhere. When I first saw him, I started wondering where my dad and sister were. I hadn’t seen them since the ambulance pulled me out of the house. Would they really be in the waiting room? The man in the lab coat looked like he was in his early thirties, even though he was balding.
“Hello David. My name is Doctor Stephens and I’m going to take you to get a CAT Scan. So we can see why you had that seizure.”
I’d had a seizure.
“Is that all right?”
Without waiting for an answer, they pushed the bed down a hallway to the CAT Scan room. The doctor and nurse transferred me from the bed to the machine. Irritably I wondered if they didn’t think I could walk. In a panic I started imagining scenarios if that were the case. While I was being transferred, I worked myself into a frenzy and just as quickly calmed myself down.
“You need to stay still for half an hour. The machine is going to make a lot of noises. Try to ignore them. And don’t move.” My mom, the doctor and the nurse all left the room. I could, however, see them through the window separating the rooms. Every time the machine made a whirring noise I would jump slightly. Forcing myself to stay still for that long was very hard work.
When the CAT Scan was over, the doctor told us he would be back with the test results later. I got to walk around for the first time in what seemed like hours. I didn’t know how long it had really been and didn’t think to ask. I stretched my muscles for the first time in half an hour.
I got my first glimpse at what the CAT Scan machine looked like. It was a huge circular machine with a hole in the middle. From the hole came a holding tray of some sort that a person could lay on which feeds into the machine.
On the wall by the door there were actually two comic strips. They matched the walls perfectly. They were black and white comic strips. Both of them were making fun of CAT Scans. The first one pictured a man holding a cat, holding binoculars over a man who was lying on a table. The second had a man standing in the middle of a room full of bookshelves which were lined full of cats staring at him. Both of the comic strips had the words CAT Scans printed in bold letters at the bottom.
After about ten minutes, I started to once again get bored, but the heart monitor on my finger was taken off when the doctor and nurse transferred me from the bed to the CAT Scan machine, so I had to figure out another method of amusement. I started walking back towards the bed, which was still parked next to the CAT Scan machine. As I walked, I put my left foot where my right foot would go and my right foot where my left foot would go, making it look, to my mom, like I was still woozy. Mixed with the way my body was handling this seizure and whatever drugs the doctors might’ve given me, it made me look as if I was about to fall down. I learned a short time later that it was a possible seizure symptom.
Mom jumped out of her chair. “David!” she yelled, rushing to me.
Just before she reached me, I stood up straight, said, “Gotcha!” and started laughing.
She didn’t think the joke was very funny. Later I wouldn’t either.
“David Masters. Mrs. Masters.” A voice whispered, although with the way it was spoken, so calmly and in that ‘I have something to say and you’re not going to like it way, it seemed to just boom and echo in my ears.
We both turned to see doctor Stephens looking at us solemnly. A small folder was in his hands. The test results.
“I’m afraid I have some bad news.”
“What is it?” I asked.
My mom stood by me with her hand on my shoulder.
“You have a brain tumor which is causing serious grand mal seizures. It’s grown to such a great size and is placed in a part of the brain that it is too dangerous to operate on. At this point radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the only options available.”
My mother and I stared at the doctor in horror.
“I’m sorry.”

Five More Poems

A Mistake is Made
by: L. Paul Fobert Jr.

Is there a reason it came to this?
She was telling me why now,
I wasn’t listening.
It wasn’t anything I hadn’t heard on TV.

She had been fighting.
This wasn’t new.
Her friend was in the house
touching her things.

What did he do?
He did something.
He always does something.
Or maybe it was her.
I must have done something wrong.

It was my mistake.

************************************

Will he ever forgive me?
I wouldn’t were I in his shoes.
The spark in his bronze eyes died
when I told him.

The statement of certainty
as I confirmed his thoughts
made his pupils darken black.
He hasn’t spoken since.

I just finished moving her things.
He still won’t look at me.
How do I explain this to him
when I can’t explain it to myself?

This is my mistake.






Midnight
by: L. Paul Fobert Jr.

Tan, peach, cream, rosemary white
crystals twinkling brightly,
all speaking to everyone, yet no one.

Tangy gold, bushy green
vegetation, ageing slowly
within the garden fence.

Fresh morning dew becomes
black magic night. Now all seems lost
when shadows are let loose.

A Dash ‘a salt, a pinch ‘a pepper
reminds them all of
A Witching Hour.






Music
by: L. Paul Fobert Jr.

The rubber against my butt never felt good.
I learned to ignore it.

Inhaling and exhaling
I reminded myself there was no race.
Ignoring the dull throb of my ears
I started my piece.

My arms began to get tired.
Cramps were starting.

Stage lighting has its uses,
audiences do not.
Their major theme, make me sweat.

Recitals are nerve wracking.






Silence Is Golden
by: L. Paul Fobert Jr.

The best time of day is night.
It is a time for silence.
When all is lost, the empty
echoes of the moon are deafening.
Silence use to be golden.

When others are talking
the sound can be loud or soft,
but whispers of subconscious memories
are music to piercing ears.
Silence should be golden.

Bursts of loud noise are bad.
None worse than in areas designated quiet.
Why do cell phones ring in libraries?
If there are dual TV’s, why argue?
Silence can be Golden.

The resounding hours of silence
are betrayed by those who use them
for their own purpose. When silence is broken
the world has nothing.
Silence is golden.






The Bells and Whistles of Insanity
by: L. Paul Fobert Jr.

Bells going off and whistles,
signaling the start of something. Of what?
Bells and whistles represent the start
of everything.
Or is it the end?

Is the oven finished baking bread?
Did a sporting event just reach its conclusion?
Earth’s destruction is predicted
everywhere, every day. That’s it.
The end of everything.

The ringing, pinging and dinging
sounds hollow out strained ears,
no longer calming nerves,
instead they echo in an empty mind.
A crazy mind?

A bell goes off again. A gonglike sound
that doesn’t burrow inside.
This wasn’t imagined.
Down the street kids play with a
plastic gong and mallet.

A whistle sounds in the mind, not
ringing off any walls but the house.
This wasn’t imagined either.
Where did the sound come from?
It doesn’t matter. The crazy mind doesn’t exist.

The window of the house is a reminder of being
Alone in the middle of the woods.
No kids with a gong.
No manmade sounds all week,
only the whistle-ringing of a strained, hollowed-out, empty mind.

Last Day -Twelve Page Play

Last Day

(The curtain is closed over the stage. A BLACK ROBED FIGURE comes from behind the curtain on stage right carrying a red scythe, moving gracefully across the stage in front of the curtain before disappearing behind it on stage left. The curtain rises to reveal a living room. A couch and a love seat sit downstage left with a young woman in her 20’s, named SARAH, sleeping on the couch. A recliner sits mid-stage across from the two other pieces of furniture. A television sits in the backstage between all three. THE BLACK ROBED FIGURE enters from stage right and moves towards Sarah. SARAH snorts in her sleep. The BLACK ROBED FIGURE backs away a few steps, startled, then comes closer again and raises the red scythe to strike. An older woman in her 40’s, named SUSAN, enters stage right. She doesn’t see the black robed figure. SUSAN smiles and walks to Sarah. THE BLACK ROBED FIGURE backs away. SUSAN sits at the end of the couch. SARAH wakes up.)

SUSAN
Hey sleepyhead.

SARAH
Hey.

(The two women kiss passionately)

SUSAN
You told me to wake you up when it was time to pick up Jessie and Alex from their father’s. Still want to go with me?

SARAH
No you go ahead. I’ll be here when you get back.

SUSAN
Are you sure?

SARAH
Yeah. I’ll just finish my nap. I’m going to need it once the kids are home.

SUSAN
All right.

(SUSAN exits stage right. SARAH lies back down and in a few moments is asleep. THE BLACK ROBED FIGURE steps forward and raises her scythe. A SECOND BLACK ROBED FIGURE, named JULIA enters. She is not wearing a hood and is in her early thirties with long cascading black hair as is revealed when she takes off her robe. Underneath she is wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans.)

JULIA
I’ve harvested all my souls. What about you, Michelle?

(MICHELLE tiptoes over to the right side of the stage)

MICHELLE
(Dark and ominous voice, whispers)
What are you doing here Julia? Go away.

JULIA
I wanted to see how my bestest, best friend was doing on her possible last day.

(MICHELLE glares at Julia)

MICHELLE
(Dark and ominous voice, whispers)
I haven’t gotten fired yet.

JULIA
You will if you don’t kill…

MICHELLE
(Dark and ominous voice, whispers)
3821.

JULIA
…3821. And you better get a move on. The head office wanted her dead two days ago. You need to hurry up or-

MICHELLE
(Dark and ominous voice, whispers)
I’ll have to go back to deskwork.
(Sighs)
I know.

JULIA
Take off that stupid hood you sound ridiculous.

(JULIA takes off Michelle’s hood. MICHELLE is a mid-thirties blond woman.)

MICHELLE
It’s mandatory for all reapers when working, to wear their cloaks. You could be spotted otherwise. You should put yours back on.

JULIA
So why’s it taking so long to bag Ms. 3821?

MICHELLE
(Curtly)
Her name’s Sarah…
(Sighs)
...and I don’t know.

JULIA
It can’t be that hard to just-

(A sound from offstage interrupts Julia. MICHELLE looks to Julia in panic. JULIA just smiles. She walks to her fallen cloak, picks it up, puts it on, and stands in the corner.)

MICHELLE
You’re going to watch me?

JULIA
(Dark and ominous voice, distinct from Michelle’s, yells)
Yes!

(The booming voice awakens SARAH in fright. MICHELLE pulls her hood on in a panic. SUSAN enters stage right with a five year-old boy named ALEX and a ten year-old girl named JESSIE behind her. The two kids start playing tag on the right hand side of the stage. SUSAN sees SARAH shaking with panic and fear. She runs to the couch worried.)

SUSAN
Honey. What’s wrong? Are you all right?

SARAH
I guess. I don’t know. Something woke me up. Did you hear anything?

SUSAN
Can’t say I did. But I just got home.
(Smiles playfully)
Did my poor baby have a nightmare?

SARAH
Want to make it better?

(The two women kiss. ALEX and JESSIE stop playing.)

ALEX AND JESSIE
Ew. Gross.

(SUSAN and SARAH stop kissing and turn to the children smiling)

SARAH
(Playfully)
Girl cooties.

JESSIE
Girls don’t have cooties. Boys do.

ALEX
Uh-uh.

JESSIE
Yu-huh.

ALEX
Uh-uh.

JULIA
(Scares everyone, including Michelle, with dark and ominous voice)
Sarah!

(ALEX scream and runs off stage left)

SUSAN AND SARAH
(Shouts after him)
Alex!

(SUSAN, SARAH and JESSIE head towards stage right)

JESSIE
Who was that mom?

SUSAN
I don’t know Jess.

(SUSAN, SARAH and JESSIE exit stage left. MICHELLE and JULIA throw their hoods off. JULIA is smiling. MICHELLE stomps over to Julia.)

MICHELLE
Why did you do that?

JULIA
I don’t want you to get fired. I’m pushing you in the right direction.

MICHELLE
Do you even know why the head office wants her dead? Do you know what they wrote down in her file? That it’ll be from natural causes. That’s a load of crap. I shouldn’t be a Harvester. You’re the one who’s good at that. I should be a collector. I can’t even decide how to end my first assignments life. I almost took it too soon and now I can’t seem to do it at all. That’s how nervous I am.

JULIA
You’re making this too hard on yourself. Just do it quick. Like pulling off a band-aid. One quick jerk. Right off. And don’t forget we have these for a reason.
(Indicates her scythe)
Without it we’re nothing; we’re people dressing up for Halloween. Just tip the sofa over on her head, or smother her with something, or electrocute her or make a piano fall on her head. It doesn’t even have to be that fancy. Just cut her in half with it, or-

MICHELLE
(Swinging her scythe at Julia)
Like this?

JULIA
(Dodging the scythe)
Watch it. Without our cloaks on fully, we’re just as vulnerable as humans. You know that.

MICHELLE
(Playful threat)
I do know that.

(MICHELLE and JULIA stare at each other for a few moments in silence. JULIA whips her scythe in the direction of the television and it turns on.)

MICHELLE
Don’t you dare.

JULIA
Next round.

(With another flip of her wrist, JULIA uses her scythe to turn the volume up as loud as it will go. MICHELLE and JULIA throw their hoods on. SARAH runs onstage from stage left followed closely by SUSAN. They look around the room, neither one of them see Michelle and Julia. SUSAN walks over to the television and turns it off.

SARAH
I’m starting to think Alex has the right idea.

(JULIA starts walking towards stage left. MICHELLE stops her.)

SUSAN
Hiding under the bed?

SARAH
Yeah. Do you think Jessie can get him out?

JULIA
(Dark and ominous voice, whispers)
I wouldn’t bet on it.

(MICHELLE turns to see if Susan and Sarah heard Julia. JULIA passes by and off stage left at the Michelle’s distraction. MICHELLE sees her leave.)

MICHELLE
(Shouts in dark and ominous voice)
Damn it Julia!

(SUSAN and SARAH look around in shock and fright)

SUSAN
The kids.

SARAH
(Overlapping with above)
Alex. Jessie.

(SUSAN and SARAH exit stage left, running. MICHELLE puts her hand to her forehead in disgust at what she has just done. She starts moving towards stage left. A scream is heard off stage. She runs off stage left. The lights darken the stage. A large fight can be heard. The fight enters the stage. When the lights come back on JULIA and ALEX are lying on stage right, dead. JULIA is not wearing her black reaper robe. SUSAN, SARAH and JESSIE are gathered around the bodies, confused and crying. MICHELLE enters stage left still unseen by them in her reaper robe and holding Julia’s reaper robe, also crying. She walks over to get a view of Julia as she continues crying.)

JESSIE
Mommy? What happened? Why won’t Alex wake up?

(SUSAN cries even harder. SARAH hugs her.)

SARAH
We don’t know Jess.

(JESSIE bows her head. The only sounds are the sounds of SUSAN and MICHELLE crying.)

JESSIE
Who is the girl? I’ve never seen her before.

SARAH
We…don’t know that either. Susan…we need to call the police.
(SUSAN cries even harder at these words)
We can’t just sit here doing nothing. Here, let’s sit you down on the sofa. While I go make the call.

(SARAH guides SUSAN and JESSIE over to the furniture on stage left. SARAH exits stage left. SUSAN tries to collect herself. She looks at Alex’s body and starts to cry again. MICHELLE has bent down over Julia’s body and cries even harder. She lays Julia’s robe next to her body. SARAH enters stage left.)

SARAH
I couldn’t-

(The stage goes dark. There is a lot of confused shuffling and panicked noise. This turns into sounds of a fight. The stage lights come back up. JULIA’S body is gone. REAPER # 1, with his or her hood off, has drawn his or her scythe on Michelle. MICHELLE has her hood removed.)

JESSIE
What’s going on?

SUSAN
(Dangerous whisper)
That’s what I’d like to know.

REAPER # 1
By order of the head office, under Reaper decree 54, Michelle Walker, you are hereby placed under-

MICHELLE
Are you insane? You guys do know our hoods are down right. In front of mortals. That’s Reaper decree 1. And I didn’t murder Julia.

(REAPER # 1 looks at Michelle, not believing her)

MICHELLE
This is your first day on the job, isn’t it?

REAPER # 1
(Threatening)
And your last.

MICHELLE
(Shouts)
I didn’t do anything wrong.

SUSAN
What’s going-

SARAH
Don’t. If we stay out of this we may find out who killed Alex.

REAPER # 1
Where’s the body?

MICHELLE
Her name is Julia and I don’t know.

REAPER # 1
You were sent here to collect the soul of 3821.

SUSAN AND SARAH
What?

JESSIE
What going on mommy?

REAPER # 1
Instead the Reaper Emergency Cleanup intercepted a phone call-

SARAH
But I didn’t make the call. I couldn’t. The phone died on me.

JESSIE
Did someone else?

REAPER # 1
-a phone call to the mortal police. We had to step in when we realized you were doing a job here. We didn’t expect the body of 8833. He wasn’t supposed to be collected for another eighty-three years. We also didn’t expect to see the body of a fellow Reaper. What was she doing here? Where is she now?

MICHELLE
I. Don’t. Know.

REAPER # 1
You’re lying.

SARAH
(Loudly)
Excuse me.

(MICHELLE and REAPER # 1 turn their heads slowly in synchronization towards Sarah.)

MICHELLE
Yes.

SARAH
Could you please explain to us what’s going on?

SUSAN
I think I got it figured out, but this is my home and my son is dead. I want an explanation.

REAPER # 1
(Sighs)
We’re Reapers. Mortals traditionally know us best as The Grim Reaper. Michelle was sent to collect the soul of one Sarah Davidian.

SUSAN
No, I won’t let you.

JESSIE
You can’t.

REAPER # 1
I was sent here to arrest Ms. Donahue for the murder of one of our own kind, a Ms. Julia Whitley. I’m sorry your son got caught in the crossfire. All evidence suggests that-

SUSAN
(Throws herself at MICHELLE and yells)
It’s your fault Alex is dead.

(MICHELLE swings her scythe at Susan. SUSAN stops in stunned disbelief. The scythe is buried in her side. She falls to the ground dead. MICHELLE pulls the scythe out with wide eyes. JESSIE shouts in anguish and drops next to her mother, crying.)

REAPER # 1
This isn’t helping you any.

SARAH
(Overlapping with above; yells)
You bitch!

(SARAH throws herself at Michelle in anger. Instinctively MICHELLE swings her scythe again and the recliner tips over and crushed her head. She lies underneath it dead. The only sound is the sound of JESSIE crying loudly.)

JULIA
(Off Stage)
I would have used the sofa.

(JULIA enters stage right. JESSIE gets up. REAPER # 1 smiles at her)

JULIA
Thanks. I got it from here.

(REAPER # 1 exits stage right. JULIA picks her Reaper robe off the ground and puts it on, leaving the hood off. She waves her scythe around JESSIE’S head. JESSIE starts stumbling around the stage.)

MICHELLE
I can’t believe you’re alive.
(Pause)
Actually I can.
(Swings her scythe at her)
What did you do that to me for?

JULIA
Well I didn’t want you to be fired. The head office said to either find a way to force you to collect 3821 by the end of the day or to help you clean out your desk.

MICHELLE
But look at the body count. And did you really have to fake you death?

JULIA
Two of the perks.

MICHELLE
Only two? What are the others?

(JESSIE stumbles towards Julia. JULIA waves her scythe around Jessie’s head again and she stops stumbling around the stage.)

JULIA
I get to train a new Reaper of my choosing.

MICHELLE
Her?

JESSIE
Who are you guys? Where am I?

(JESSIE looks around the room and sees the dead bodies)

JULIA
Do you want to be a Reaper Jessie?

(JULIA starts guiding JESSIE towards the stage right exit)

JESSIE
Jessie? Is that my name?

(MICHELLE shakes her head and starts to follow)

JULIA
Yeah. So what to you say?

(MICHELLE, JULIA and JESSIE exit stage right)

Location Play

What About Love

(THE SETTING is a park. Upstage left and downstage right are two benches. In the middle of the stage a merry-go-round sits next to a slide. TWO WOMEN in their twenties are at the bench on stage left. One of them is eating an ice cream cone. This woman, named JANIS, is sitting on the bench while the other, named CASEY, is standing.)

JANIS
What about Jasper Collins? He was always good looking.

CASEY
Janis. Everybody knows Jasper’s lacking in that department.

JANIS
Well, How about Rick Trevors or Nelson Ruthers?

CASEY
Rick needed work the first time around and I’d rather sleep with Nelson Muntz than Nelson Ruthers.

JANIS
Casey. There isn’t exactly a huge list of people. All the good guys are either gay, dead or married. You know that.

CASEY
Happily married?

JANIS
(Shouts in frustration)
Casey!?

CASEY
Fine. Fine.

JANIS
(Puts down her ice cream cone)
Damn. If I’d known you were this picky about finding a guy…

CASEY
What? What would you have done?

(A MAN IN HIS TWENTIES NAMED STEVE enters stage right with a novel and sits on the bench at that end. He sees the girls but does not pay them any mind. He starts reading the novel.)

JANIS
It doesn’t matter. My best advise. If you want to get over Michael, go out and screw the first guy you see. Let’s get to the nearest bar right now.

CASEY
We don’t have to. I just found the perfect guy. He gorgeous. Who is he? Do you know him?

JANIS
I’ve never seen him before.

CASEY
I need to know more about him. I should talk to him. What should I say? I don’t know what to say.

JANIS
Do me a favor.

CASEY
What?

JANIS
Quit acting like you’re in high school. Then we’ll go talk to him together.

(CASEY takes a couple deep breaths. JANIS picks up her ice cream cone. CASEY and JANIS start walking over to stage right. STEVE looks up from his novel to see them coming. He lets out an annoyed sigh. He gets up, closes his novel and exits stage right. CASEY runs the rest of the way over. JANIS takes a lick of her cone and keeps walking.)

CASEY
(A Little panicky)
Where did he go? Why did he leave? Janis…

JANIS
You’re acting like a high schooler again.

CASEY
But why did he leave. I wanted, no, I needed to talk to him. He was a god. He was the one for me.

JANIS
Maybe he didn’t feel the same way.

CASEY
Why not? I’m appealing. I’m experienced. And I’m popular. Isn’t that what guys are looking for in a woman? Of course it is.

(Unbeknownst to either of them, STEVE enters stage left. He puts his novel on the bench before walking over to the merry-go-round, giving it a couple of big pushes and riding it.)

JANIS
I still think we should head to the nearest bar to get you a guy. There’ll be alcohol. And I’m starting to wish I was wasted.

(JANIS and CASEY start to walk off stage right when STEVE lets out a loud yell. The speed of the merry-go-round became too fast to control and STEVE was thrown from the merry-go-round. JANIS and CASEY both run over.)

CASEY
Are you all right?

(STEVE gets up off the ground and brushes himself off)

STEVE
No harm done. I’m Steve.

JANIS
Are you sure you’re all right Steve?

CASEY
Yeah, because I wouldn’t mind nursing you back to health. I took a CPR class.

JANIS
Does it look like he needs CPR Casey?

CASEY
Do you want to go out with me? Tomorrow? Next week? (Pause) Today?

STEVE
Sorry. No.

(CASEY looks at him in shock, horror, and outrage for a moment. She grabs the ice cream cone out of JANIS’S hand, who is currently taking a lick from it. CASEY shoves the cone, ice cream first, into Steve’s face before walking towards stage left. She sees the novel on the bench as she walks by and throws it onto the ground before exiting stage left. STEVE uses his shirt to start cleaning his face.)

JANIS
Sorry about her.

STEVE
It’s all right.

JANIS
I should probably go after her. (Pause) But I don’t want to.

(STEVE and JANIS walk over to the stage left bench and sit down)

STEVE
Are you going to hit on me too?

JANIS
No. I’m just curious. It’s been a long time since a guy wasn’t interested in either one of us. So…

(CASEY enters stage left. She walks up behind the bench that Steve and Janis are sitting at. CASEY listens in on their discussion.)

STEVE
Do you really want to know?

JANIS
If you want to tell me.

STEVE
I don’t believe in love.

JANIS
(Shocked)
What?

CASEY
(Outraged)
What?

JANIS
(Sarcastically)
Hello Casey.
(Smugly)
Do you have something to say to your crush?

STEVE
I’m talking about romantic love of course.

CASEY
(Sits down on the bench with the other two)
I don’t get it. You just don’t believe, what, that it exists at all.

STEVE
Love is lust in disguise. People have hands.
(Makes a jerking off gesture)
They don’t need some random nobody to make them cry.

CASEY
(Outraged)
So you don’t date at all?

STEVE
Dating just leaves people broke and marriage ends in divorce.

JANIS
(Curious)
Why all the theories.

STEVE
Most people are born with these theories. It’s where cooties come from. I kissed a girl at the age of five and never changed the cooties theory after that.

JANIS
I can respect that.

CASEY
(Shouting)
What!?

STEVE
And I respect other people’s opinions on love, even if they’re not my own. But just because I’m attracted to you doesn’t mean I’ll give into it.

CASEY
Huh?

STEVE
Just because I’m attracted to you doesn’t mean I’ll give in to it.

JANIS
Haven’t you been listening Casey?

CASEY
(Shouts)
Yes I have, but I don’t understand how someone as attractive as you doesn’t want me! How can you say you’re attracted to me and not want to fuck me! I’m beautiful goddamn it! Take me!

(As Casey is shouting, A MAN crosses the stage from stage left to stage right. THE MAN catches Casey’s eye.)

CASEY
There’s nothing wrong with my body! I…I…uh…have a good day Steve. I’ll catch you later Janis. Hey you! Wait!

(Casey follows the man off stage right. The curtain closes on JANIS and STEVE laughing.)