Synopsis: Pauline lives in post-apocalyptic Paris and survives by eating unsuspecting passer-byes. Her life changes when she meets Pierre who skillfully avoids her attack and tries to engage her in a battle of wits. He achieves questionable results since she takes away his weapon and manages to wound him. However, a strange sense of affection develops between the two of them and Pauline has an unusual dilemma - to listen to her heart, or her stomach?
''The Afterparty'' by Bruno Lovric
Copyright © Bruno Lovric 2003, All rights reserved
CHARACTERS:
PAULINE - 32, female
PIERRE - 37, male
PLACE:
Interior of Basilique du Sacre - Coeur in Post-Apocalyptic Paris.
Pauline is slowly walking through the Church and singing Shirley Bassey's song '''Diamonds are Forever'' to herself. She is starved and in great physical and mental pain. She talks to herself and examines the walls with her fingers. Her hands are shaking and she laughs occasionally.
PAULINE: (singing) Diamonds are forever, forever....forever! Diamonds are forever. Fuck the diamonds. Ha, ha,ha...(She finds a bone on the floor and gnaws it. She tries to get to the heart of the bone with her knife and then sucks it loudly before realizing that it is already empty). Add a little salt....some pepper, maybe some carrots (She gesticulates as if doing it, then throws the bone furiously into the wall with a sharp scream, she sobs). I want a chicken! I want a Big Mac with ice cold coke, French-fries, ketchup...I want a chocolate cake, fresh strawberries with cream, I want pork, loads of pork in greasy fat and juicy oil streaming from my mouth! I want a Christmas turkey or at least a small cow.
Dear Mr. Santa Claus, please bring me a little cow for next Christmas, please, I’ll be a good girl, I promise. And if you cannot get me a cute little cow, your reindeer will do just fine. At least one of them?... Rudolph? He‘s very old dear Santa. You don’t need him anymore. Please Santa, please...Sincerely yours ... Pauline.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree your leaves are faithful allies, Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...(She is looking out through the window and notices Pierre running toward the Church, her entire physiognomy changes, she becomes a cold, calculated animal stalking her prey) Oh my...oh Santa. Here comes the .... Oh, Thank you dear Santa! Thank you! Thank you! Yes come, come to mama, come... Stay cool stupid, stay cool, don’t scare him off. Ok. I’m cool, I’m cool. I can do this, I’m ready, I’m cool. (She grabs her knife tightly, Pierre smells a trap and he slows down and turns away from the church) No! Come back, come back...It’s ok, come back please. Come back! Stay, stay... (She desperately runs to the Church doors and yells to Pierre)
Help! Help please! Mr! Help me please my daughter is sick! She needs help! Please! She has lost a lot of blood please help us. (Pause) We have some food ...
(Pierre enters very carefully)
PIERRE: What’s wrong with your daughter?
PAULINE: (panic) Oh, she went to find some food, but the gang captured her...she was wounded, she managed to escape but lost a lot of blood and now...(she sobs) I don’t know what to do. She fainted an hour ago...if something happens to her...
PIERRE: Where is she?
PAULINE: Behind the main altar (She points and waits for him to go ahead of her).
PIERRE: Will you lead the way?
PAULINE: Of course, this way.
(She starts to walk but with great pain, helping herself by touching the walls as if her leg was broken)
PIERRE: You’re also hurt?
PAULINE: Yes, the gang. I fell while running from their camp with Melanie.
PIERRE: Melanie is your daughter?
PAULINE: Uh-huh.
PIERRE: How old is she?
PAULINE: Fifteen.
PIERRE: Wow! I haven’t seen any children since this began. How did she make it?
PAULINE: It is a miracle. God wanted her to live I guess. I would have died the first day if it weren’t for her, she is the reason I kept going...and now she is dying (she stops and cries).
PIERRE: She must be a very strong child if she survived these past few years.
PAULINE: Yes, she is. She is very strong. (She starts walking again very slowly and with pain)
PIERRE: Do you need help?
PAULINE: No I can walk, it’s nothing serious.
PIERRE: Are you sure?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: You said you had some food?
PAULINE: Yes, (pause) I did.
PIERRE: Was that a lie just to lure me to help you?
PAULINE: No. We have food; we have plenty of it actually.
PIERRE: Really?!
PAULINE: Yes. (She stops to rest again).
PIERRE: Well, how can that be?
PAULINE: Melanie found a secret way to get in to the camp storehouse. They forgat to seal the sewer pipe. Their food storehouse is full of different kinds of drink and food and before they caught us we managed to make our little supply. It is not big, but in exchange for help we are willing to share it with you.
PIERRE: Really?
PAULINE: Uh-huh.
PIERRE: Well thank you. Are you sure you can walk alone?
PAULINE: I am. (She begins to walk slowly again)
PIERRE: And how was your daughter.. .
PAULINE: Melanie.
PIERRE: Yes Melanie, how was she caught? And did they.. hurt her?
PAULINE: They noticed that some of the food went missing and they set a trap for her. It was brilliant …
Pauline suddenly falls down and Pierre runs to help her. As he reflexively moves she stabs him in the shoulder. She jumps on him amazingly quickly for her condition and knocks him to the ground. She sits on his chest and tries to cut his throat; they fight.
PIERRE: Get off of me you witch! (He manages to take her knife, the roles switch)
PAULINE: Please don’t kill me, please! I didn’t mean to harm you but they made me, they made me...they said that they would kill her if I didn’t bring them someone to switch places with her! They would kill her, I had to...I swear...
PIERRE: Shut the fuck up! (He hits her in the face with his fist.)
PAULINE: Didn't your mother teach you how to treat a lady?
PIERRE: Shut up!
PAULINE: I didn’t mean to hurt you, I only did it because of Melanie...
PIERRE: Shut that filthy mouth! (He grabs a chain from the bunch of junk on the floor and ties her hands and legs) Why did you have to do this? Why? Are you crazy...or have you just invented a great way to survive? Is that it? You want to eat me, huh, is that it? You would like me to be your meal? Huh? Would you like to become my meal? How would you like that?
PAULINE: I already told you that...
PIERRE: Shut up! (He hits her again)
PAULINE: Fucktard!
PIERRE: Bitch!
PAULINE: I am not an animal! I did not want to eat you. I haven’t fallen so low... at least not yet!
PIERRE: Shut up! Don’t lie to me! Nice story you made for me, I couldn’t have done it better myself. Congratulations! Two weak women in need of help and a bunch of food as a reward for the brave hero. Beautiful, just beautiful.
PAULINE: It’s not like that at all.
PIERRE: Oh it’s not? Really? And what’s it like, then? Would you share it with me?
PAULINE: What’s the point, you won’t believe me, anyway.
PIERRE: True story. But, if you want to confess your sins before you die it will be easier for you. Maybe that dirty soul of yours, if you have one, still has a chance to find some heavenly peace. We are in the great place for dying... or repenting, and since I am the only human being in here, you are welcome to use me.
PAULINE: Fuck you.
PIERRE: Thank you for reminding me, maybe I will.(Pause) I wish you didn't smell like ass.
PAULINE: I didn’t lie to you. Pierre runs behind the broken altar.
PIERRE: Oh, my God, I can’t believe it. Here she is! She is here! Your fourteen year old daughter...
PAULINE: Fifteen.
PIERRE: Your fainted and wounded and invisible fifteen year old daughter is lying right here! And I, stupid fool, did not believe you. Oh, please forgive me. Amazing. (He grabs a piece of cloth he found behind the alter and tries to put it around his wound.) Ah!
PAULINE: Need help?
PIERRE: Ha - ha. Ah!
PAULINE: A gang really caught her, but I couldn't save her. Honestly. They almost caught me too, and they will let go of her under only one condition.
PIERRE: If you bring them someone for an exchange..
PAULINE: And I have until sunset.
PIERRE: Too bad. I guess poor little Melanie will just have to except the fact that she’ll become somebody’s dinner.
PAULINE: You bastard! You heartless fucking pig! How can you say that?! (Pause) Please, please if you don’t want to help me, just let me go and I’ll find a way to help her, myself. Please if you are human, she is just a child...maybe the only child. If something happens to her (she begins to cry again)...I will die without her, I will die! Please help me, together we have a greater chance of rescuing her and I didn’t lie to you, they really do have a large food supply and I know how to get there, I’ll show you the way...
PIERRE: No more crocodile tears, please, and how do you know that you won’t die before your daughter?
PAULINE: Oh, you wouldn’t do that, it’s obvious that you are a good man. I can see that in your eyes...your eyes are warm and full of live. Not dead like mine. Please forgive me for attacking you, I never did something as awful as that in my entire life. And if it was only my life in question believe me, I would rather strangle myself with my own hands than to hurt an innocent man. I was desperate, alone, afraid and desperate, please try to understand me. My life has no point without Melanie and if you plan to kill me, do it, I won't mind. Just do it fast. I do deserve it. I only ask you to forgive me. Please say you forgive me? Please...
PIERRE: I forgive you.
PAULINE: Thank you mister, oh thank you! (he begins to sharpen the knife on the wall) I can die peacefully now and I guess I will see Melanie again...on the other side. God is merciful, he will let it be. I just hope that she will not suffer a lot, my poor little baby, after all the hell that she’s been through, she will now die...(she cries) She didn’t deserve for this to happen to her. If only she was born 20 years ago, if only she had a chance to live her life as I did, a chance to have a peaceful childhood with lots of toys, friends, school and love. Instead of that, she had to grow really fast, too fast. She had to live with death on her small back instead of bag full of books, and eat real junk instead of junk food. She doesn’t remember supermarkets, malls, tidy streets full of smiling people, she forgot that we had a Jacuzzi! Or even a clean running water - she doesn’t remember anything. Maybe it’s better that way?...The only thing she does remember is TV! (she smiles nostalgic) TV...God...
PIERRE:(With the knife in his hand) Are you ready?
PAULINE: I am ready if you are ready? Are you sure that this is what you really want?
PIERRE: Yes.
PAULINE: Then I am ready, too.
He goes slowly behind her and holds her head while slowly putting his knife against her throat
PIERRE: Would you like to tell me truth now, or do you prefer dying like this?
PAULINE: I told you the truth.
PIERRE: Are you sure?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: I’ll count to 3.
PAULINE: Ok.
PIERRE: One...
PAULINE: Is the knife sharp enough, are you sure I won’t suffer? You have done this before, right?
PIERRE: It is sharp enough and don’t worry, you won’t suffer, I guarantee it.
PAULINE Good.
PIERRE: One...two...thr...
PAULINE: Stop!
PIERRE: What!
(Pause)
PAULINE: I am afraid.
PIERRE: It will be fast; you won’t even feel it. Trust me.
PAULINE: Would you...would you hold me once before you do it?
PIERRE: Hold you?!
PAULINE: Yes, please, I really need it. I know I smell but I haven’t felt a human touch for a really long, long time and I just want a last hug before I pass on. Please, I will be ready after that.
Pierre goes down to his knees and gives her a strong, long hug. She starts kissing him.
PIERRE: What are you doing?
PAULINE: Nothing.
PIERRE: Stop it.
PAULINE: Why?
PIERRE: Because...it’s wrong.
PAULINE: Why? Just let go of it...this is my last wish, you cannot deny me my last wish. Just relax and enjoy...It doesn’t cost you anything and it means a world to me. Please...
They cuddle on the floor.
PAULINE: I’ve dreamed about this for so long...
Pierre breaks away from her.
PIERRE: No! I cannot do this!
PAULINE: Why?! Why not? You haven’t brought any protection?
PIERRE: It is wrong.
PAULINE: It is not wrong! This is my last wish, OK? If you had some cigarettes with you maybe I would have asked for some cigarettes, or if you had some food to offer, maybe I would have asked a last meal from you, but you don’t have any of that, do you! What you do have is that stupid penis of yours, and if you weren’t as stupid as you are, you would have used it by now without your philosophic crap! My God, of all the men in the world I had to run into fucking Plato!
PIERRE: You’re putting God and fuck into one sentence and you expect me to believe you. Is it so hard to tell me the truth?
PAULINE: What's with all the gay talk? What is wrong with you?! Have you asked yourself if an opportunity like this would show up again in the near future? Maybe I am the last woman left in the world, maybe the entire human civilization will die with me. You haven’t thought about that, have you, genius! Maybe you will kill the entire human kind by killing me.
PIERRE: There will still be the ''gang'' with all the food, right?
PAULINE: Fine! Then just go ahead and slaughter me...barbarian!
PIERRE: I would have raped you before killing you if I were a barbarian.
PAULINE: My am I lucky. I will be killed by an impotent and civilized cannibal.
PIERRE: I’m not a cannibal. I’ll count to three, one...
PAULINE: Then why do you want to kill me? Why?!!
PIERRE: Because I don't want to be your meal. I don’t want to kill you, but your lies are forcing me. Two... PAULINE: I am not lying! I swear to you, hope to die dead right now a horrible, painful death, I swear on everything dear to me, I am telling you the truth! Truth, only truth, and nothing but the truth! We still have time, just untie me and help me find Melanie.
PIERRE: Three! (Long pause as they freeze) You do deserve to die.
PAULINE: (she laughs wildly) I knew you couldn’t do it! I knew it! You are a coward, you cannot kill me because you are afraid of me. Coward! Weak, impotent pig. I was right all along! You are defeated by an unarmed, tied-up woman. You are the one who doesn’t deserve to live, why don’t you use that knife and end your own miseries. Or if you are afraid, let me do it. I’ll be glad to help you!
PIERRE: You are insane.
PAULINE: Oh I’m not insane, I am very sane and you are the one who needs help. Let me help you, please I’ll help you. I’ll release you from all of your problems, your philosophical dilemmas, you will not feel pain anymore, you won’t suffer, you will be well fed and warm. Let me help you. Untie me.
PIERRE: So I was right. You were going to eat me after all?
PAULINE: Duh. It was nothing personal though.
PIERRE: Nothing personal?! Nothing personal! You are a beast! Beast in the body of a woman. A freak! You feed on your own blood and your own flesh....No animal does what you do. You are lower than just an animal. What kind of creature are you?
PAULINE: The hungry one! And please spare me the pathos. I know that we are in the church but I am not here for the sermon.
PIERRE: You make me want to vomit.
PAULINE: Vomit then, but who are you to judge me. Are you a saint, Buddha, Jesus... to teach me what is right and what is wrong? You think you're better than me because you can run faster than me? I would probably eat rats too if my legs weren't crushed after the first earthquake. I used to run six kilometers every morning with my personal trainer. Yeah, I had a personal trainer and my own gym. Of course I'm lying because that's the only thing I'm good at, right? And my tits were as hard as rocks, not like these ..these saggy mushrooms here.
Have you ever heard of Pauline Show on KFTV? Her show was at 3:30 Monday to Friday. Pauline Bertrand, blond ditz in pearls and pink? You must have seen her, her jumbo ads were plastered on every city bus and every subway station..She smiled broadly as the wind in her golden hair revealed a pair of strategically placed earrings from Tiffany s? No? Well, I was her before a studio ceiling collapsed on my head and shattered my bones. I was the least likely to live and to see the works from Louvre used as the firewood, parents prostituting their children for food, government escaping and diseases taking over. I was sick, very sick, but I kept going because my baby needed me to provide her with food and shelter.
PIERRE: Why are you telling me this? We all had our hard times and we did what we had to do to survive. Only some of us remained human beings while others didn't.
PAULINE: You don’t know what I have been through, you don’t know the things I saw, you can’t imagine the things I had to do. You don’t know me and you have no right to judge me.
PIERRE: Oh, but I think I do! I do. Our brief encounter has told me volumes about both who you are and about who you think you are. You are obviously very messed up in the head, and given the circumstances, that is quite normal. Extreme hunger, anger and horniness has turned you into a flaming bundle of primary needs. Me, me, me!! Screams your deprived brain and invents a child, your alter ego, whose survival justifies anything. Including murder of innocent people and cannibalism. No? You really had a child? Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't, we'll never know.
However, you still insist that that I know nothing about you and that I shouldn't jump to conclusions, right? Right. At the same time you fail to recognize that, by default, you know nothing about me either. And more importantly, you don't give a shit about who I am or who I might be. Maybe I'm a father of a last child in this city, a husband; you don’t know if somebody’s life depends on mine... maybe there is someone out there who loves me, who cares for me. You didn’t know anything about me, and yet you stabbed me with that knife without the slightest hesitation. That hurts a bit. And then you tell me it’s nothing personal? It is everything personal. It is my life!
PAULINE: Life is over . . . priced.
PIERRE: Maybe, but still, it is not free.
PAULINE: Do you intend to kill me?
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: Untie me then.
PIERRE: So that you can kill me?
PAULINE: Yes. Beat
PIERRE: All right.
He unties her.
PIERRE: Here, (She takes the knife from him) now kill me. Kill me! What are you waiting for? Kill me and feed yourself, there will be enough meat for couple of days and you will not be hungry anymore. Why are you looking at me like that? You said that you want this. Kill me; that is what you want, isn’t it? I give you permission, what more do you want? I am not joking, go on stab me. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to do it myself? Kill me! Do you intend...
She stabs him with the knife, but in the healthy shoulder.
PAULINE: There, are you happy now, are you happy?
PIERRE: You stabbed me?
PAULINE: Because you asked for it.
PIERRE: I can’t believe you stabbed me... again! Why?
PAULINE: You wanted it, you asked me to stab you. You begged for it.
PIERRE: I asked you to kill me, not to wound me and let me bleed to death!
PAULINE: Don’t you yell at me! This is your fault; I didn't want to do with it I just did what you told me. You told me to stab you and I did!
PIERRE: You are crazy.
PAULINE: You are crazy! To give a knife to a crazy woman? How crazy do you have to be to do something as stupid as that?
PIERRE: Let’s skip the idle discussion, OK, and just give me something to tie around this before I totally bleed to death?
PAULINE: And, why would I do that?
PIERRE: Because I ask you politely?
PAULINE: I am afraid that it won’t be enough...but since I am a merciful and compassionate woman, I will help you...even though you don’t deserve it!
She rips the part of her dress and ties it around his wound.
PIERRE: Thank you kind madam. (Beat) Why didn’t you kill me?
PAULINE: Because you told me nothing about yourself; I still don’t know if you are a father or a husband, I don’t know if anyone depends on you. I don’t want to kill two flies with one stab. (Pause) I kill only one at the time. It's called rationing.
PIERRE: Bullshit.
PAULINE: It is not.
PIERRE: Yes it is.
PAULINE: Then why didn’t I kill you? You tell me.
Pause
PIERRE: You like me!
PAULINE: (laughs) I like you? Really?
PIERRE: Yeah.
PAULINE: Well, I am sorry to break your dreams Romeo, but you obviously haven’t seen a mirror in a long, long time. You are not irresistible my dear, on the contrary.
PIERRE: I didn’t think of myself as irresistible anyway, but does someone needs to be irresistible to attract a bit of your attention?
PAULINE: You're not my type.
PIERRE: And what is your type?
PAULINE: I don’t know... it’s not you! I know that for sure.
PIERRE: A tall and broad-shouldered model type with long dark hair?! I bet they are your type. But you know what, they are all gone. Take what you can. At least our kids will be smart ... ugly tough, but smart!
PAULINE: Yes, I think that perfect models are my type - perfection for perfection.(she laughs cheerfully) Purely physical attraction wears off quickly and “What really matters is inside”. My best friend used to call that "The Philosophy for Ugly People".
PIERRE: Well, I am sorry to break the news, but you are one of them.
PAULINE: If you are trying to seduce me, you are horrible at it.
PIERRE: I am not trying to seduce you. You already like me.
PAULINE: And just how, did you come to that ridiculous conclusion if I may ask?
PIERRE: I have strong intuition about things like this, I guess. I just knew as soon as I saw you.
PAULINE: How? I wanted to eat you as soon as I saw you.
PIERRE: You see? You felt something too, subconscious desire to have me close to you!
PAULINE: I had a subconscious desire to have you close to me?
PIERRE: Yes!
PAULINE: In my stomach?!
PIERRE: What is closer than that? No! You just thought that at first, but then you were attracted to me.
PAULINE: I was?
PIERRE: Yes, and I knew that you couldn’t hurt me.
PAULINE: I have some serious issues, but you... I tried to kill you and I stabbed you. Twice!
PIERRE: In the shoulder! Both times! You know better than that, you know where my heart is but you aimed at my shoulder. You didn’t want me dead. Now kiss me and let’s get it over with!
PAULINE: Ewww. Not for all the food of this world.
PIERRE: I like when girls play hard to get.
PAULINE: So subconsciously, I am madly and deeply in love with you?
PIERRE: Perhaps, and perhaps I am madly, deeply and insanely in love with you too. Subconsciously – of course!
PAULINE: Wow! We should get married!
PIERRE: Of course! We’ll do it with God’s blessing! Why not! Right here and right now!
PAULINE: Right here and right now!
PIERRE: Right here and right now!
PAULINE: God, this is so romantic.
PIERRE: Totally.
PAULINE: Pure Hollywood. Ask me to marry you!
PIERRE: Will you marry me?
PAULINE: Not like that! Go down on your knees and ask like you really mean it. And you have to seem really, really in love with me.
PIERRE: Do I have to? It hurts when I move. Let’s skip the wedding day and move on to our wedding night?
PAULINE: No we will not skip the marriage and yes you have to! It was your suggestion! Now you have to do it properly.
PIERRE: I am not joking, it really hurts and if I move I could start bleeding again.
PAULINE: I am not joking either, ask me to marry you.
PIERRE: My wound is too fresh, I am serious.
PAULINE: I am dead serious.
He stares at her.
PAULINE: Do it.
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: Ask me to marry you.
PIERRE: I do not want to.
PAULINE: Yes, you do.
PIERRE: No!
PAULINE: On your knees! Now!
He doesn’t move, she puts her finger into his wound, he screams.
PAULINE: Will you stay so cool now? Huh? Will you? On your knees!
PIERRE: Bitch! You sick fucking bitch!
He screams again as she continues to torture him.
PAULINE: I am not a bitch, I am just a woman in love, that’s all. You said it yourself.
PIERRE: (in a break between screams) Sadistic psycho bitch, that’s what you are!
PAULINE: That’s no way to talk to your bride now, is it? I hate when we quarrel. Just ask me to marry you already!
He slowly gets on his knees in front of her, she takes the chain from the floor and tries to separate the chain links.
PAULINE: Here, these are our diamond rings. Chains, how appropriate...”With this ring I chain you.” (she laughs) Ask me, go on. And don’t forget to be persuasive!
PIERRE: Will you marry me?
PAULINE: Oh, come on...you can do better than that!
He pushes her, she falls down and he takes her knife away and in the fight stabs her in the stomach.
PIERRE: Why are you so fucking self-destructive?!
PAULINE: Does this mean our engagement’s off?
PIERRE: I didn’t want this!
PAULINE: Well, you got it, anyway! I didn’t believe you could actually do it. Congrats.
He rips part of his pants to tie it around her wound.
PAULINE: Leave it! It is too late. Why the hell did you have to stab me in the stomach?! Why didn’t you stab me in the heart or just cut my throat? A stomach wound is the slowest and the most painful death.
PIERRE: Why did you have to torture me with this ridiculous marriage game?
PAULINE: Why are you so sure that it was a game? I always dreamed of getting married in a big church full of relatives and friends and flowers and all... It's every girl's dream.
PIERRE: Cut the crap, we have to put something around it, we can not leave it just open like that.
PAULINE: Oh, let it be. Who cares? I don’t. (pause) Do you?
PIERRE: I don’t want you to die.
PAULINE: Why not?
PIERRE: Because...You could be the last woman left in the world...and, and...who would I talk to then?
PAULINE: You are not the last man left in the world.
PIERRE: How do you know that? Maybe I am!
PAULINE: I just know. You are not. You are like cockroaches, nothing can exterminate men. But I COULD be the last woman.
PIERRE: Yes you could.
PAULINE: And the entire human civilization may die with me?
PIERRE: Perhaps.
PAULINE: I would like that, it should die. It deserves to die.
PIERRE: Maybe it does.
PAULINE: What has that great human civilization ever done for me? What?! Absolutely nothing! I’ll be happy to die if that will kill it off, too!
PIERRE: You don’t mean that.
PAULINE: Yes I do! Look where we live, just look! Look what we eat (She takes dust from the floor.)! What can I hope for; a better life? What? That a bug will pass by and prolong my miserable life for couple of minutes, or that the rain will fall and save me from dying of thirst?! I don’t want that. That is not living, it is not life. I’d rather die, actually I can’t wait to die, death is my last hope! (She starts to cry.)
PIERRE: Calm down. The wound is not too deep, we can stop the bleeding and you will be all right, you won’t die.
He tries to tie the cloth around her again.She pushes him away with great difficulty.
PAULINE: Get away from me! I told you to leave me alone! I want to die! Leave me alone!
He stares at her.PAULINE: What are you staring at? Go! Go away, get out!
PIERRE: All right, die then! Die! It’s great to bathe self-pity, isn’t it! Is your melancholy making you feel better. You will die as a great martyr woman! Poor little you! But you are no martyr, what you are, is the most egoistic and egocentric person I have ever met in my entire life! Is there anything in this world you think about except yourself?
PAULINE: Oh shut up already... I am not being egoistical. Future generations should be grateful to me: I’ll spare them life’s miseries, frustrations, pain, and all the other crap that comes along with life.
PIERRE: How noble of you. You are a true personification of virtue. You deserve a medal for your goodness.
PAULINE: I know, I know...(She waves him away.)
PIERRE: I hope you’ll burn in hell.
PAULINE: Me, too. I had an eternity of dampness and drafts in this fucking church.
He is madly looking straight ahead and keeping his mouth shut.
You’re out of humor? Has anyone ever told you that you look funny when you’re "mad"? (He does not answer.) Well, you do. It’s cute actually. (he still does not answer) Now you should reply with a compliment, something like “well, you look nice too when you’re...waving with that long beautiful hair of yours, or smiling with that piano-key-teeth smile of yours!” (he smiles)
A smile! Thanks. Look, if you really want to tie that thing so badly, and if it will make you feel happier, fine. Then do it. I don’t think it can do much good for me.
PIERRE: I will not force you to live. If you want to die, it’s OK with me.
She passes out, he jumps and quickly ties the cloth around her wound then puts a hand to her chest to check her heartbeat.
PAULINE: Taking the last opportunity?
PIERRE: No I was just checking your pulse.
PAULINE: Yes, yes of course...you barbarian. There is something I want you to do for me.
PIERRE: You shouldn’t talk right now.
PAULINE: But you have to promise me that you’ll do it! You’ll have to!
PIERRE: I’ll do it if I can.
PAULINE: Yes you can, but promise me first.
PIERRE: I promise.
PAULINE:(pause) You have to eat me.
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: But you’ll die if you don’t!
PIERRE: Don’t you worry about that.
PAULINE: You think that you’ll catch a nice big bug or rat or whatever you usually eat? You won’t! You have two wounds and you are not able to run! You can’t even walk properly.
PIERRE: I would rather starve to death than to eat a human being.
PAULINE: It is only my flesh. I am not offering you my “being”.Only flesh, nothing more or less...well there are some bones of course, but the point is that I will die anyway and I would rather be eaten by you than by those stupid worms. That would be a terrible waste of food.
PIERRE: I am sorry, I cannot do that for you, nor for anybody else.
PAULINE: I am dying! You have to obey what the dying person asks you to do! You have to.
PIERRE: OK, I will do it. I will eat you.
She is looking at him with suspicion.
PAULINE: You are a most miserable liar. I wanted to eat you. You think I stabbed you in the shoulder because I wanted you to live or because I like you?! Don’t be naive. You had two wounds and I expected you to bleed to death, you should have bled to death. I just wanted to have some fun before my dinnertime.
PIERRE: That is not true.
PAULINE: Yes it is. You were amusing me, like a little rat trapped in a glass bell, and I was a cat and I just wanted to see what you would do. And here’s what you did: made a hole in my belly! God this hurts! I am not hungry anymore I guess this means that I’m losing my senses. Good. But I am still thirsty, I am so terribly thirsty...
Pauline is passing out again, Pierre checks her and then finds a part of a church statue’s hand that can be used as a vessel, and runs out of the church. Immediately after that Pauline opens her eyes and turns her head in the direction of the knife that Pierre left on the other part of the stage; the knife shines with an unnatural sheen. She begins to mumble the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” as she crawls, using superhuman strength, but it is obvious that every movement is causing her incredible pain. The real “Yellow Rose of Texas” performed by Mantovani’s Orchestra begins to play. The red trace stays behind Pauline as she comes closer and closer to the knife and stops when she finally grabs it. Pierre comes back with the water in the stone hand.
PIERRE: You moved.
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: Is that water for me?
PIERRE: Where’s the knife?
PAULINE: I don’t know.
PIERRE: Give me the knife.
PAULINE: Give me the water.
He stares at her coldly.
PIERRE: OK, you are pissing me off now!
PAULINE: Too bad.
PIERRE: Will you give it to me? (she coldly stares at him) I am leaving now.
PAULINE: Go. (pause) Just leave the water. Please.
He puts the water down a few steps away from her and slowly leaves - she doesn’t look at him as he leaves but after he is gone she quietly begins to sob - honestly and painfully for the first time. After a several seconds he slowly returns and looks at her; she is turned with her back to him and she doesn’t see him. He picks the water up, quietly walks to her and holds the water in front of her mouth)
PAULINE: This fucking wound hurts as hell.
PIERRE: Yeah?
PAULINE: Uh-uh. (pause) (She notices that he is nervously looking at the knife.) What? You are still afraid of it? Good, you should be. (she lets it drop) I wanted to kill you with this knife.
PIERRE: I know. You changed your mind?
PAULINE: No.
PIERRE: Do you hate me?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: You remind me of somebody.
PIERRE: Who?
PAULINE: I don't know. Myself probably. My old self.
PIERRE: You hate your old self?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: Because it changed. You will change too. You’ll see...
PIERRE: We all change...
PAULINE: Yes ...but you will not change. You can’t. Change won’t bring you any good.
PIERRE: OK, I won’t change then.
PAULINE: You won’t, because I will not let you.
Lights fade out, the sound of the hard rain is heard in the darkness, rain is falling on the Church marble, garbage outside the Church, metal, stones...But not on the plants! Lights slowly fade in: Pierre and Pauline are on the floor. Pauline is dead and Pierre is sleeping beside her. They are holding hands but their unconscious heads are turned in different directions. The rain is falling on them and they are both totally wet. Lights slowly fade out again. The sound of the rain stops.
The End
PAULINE - 32, female
PIERRE - 37, male
PLACE:
Interior of Basilique du Sacre - Coeur in Post-Apocalyptic Paris.
Pauline is slowly walking through the Church and singing Shirley Bassey's song '''Diamonds are Forever'' to herself. She is starved and in great physical and mental pain. She talks to herself and examines the walls with her fingers. Her hands are shaking and she laughs occasionally.
PAULINE: (singing) Diamonds are forever, forever....forever! Diamonds are forever. Fuck the diamonds. Ha, ha,ha...(She finds a bone on the floor and gnaws it. She tries to get to the heart of the bone with her knife and then sucks it loudly before realizing that it is already empty). Add a little salt....some pepper, maybe some carrots (She gesticulates as if doing it, then throws the bone furiously into the wall with a sharp scream, she sobs). I want a chicken! I want a Big Mac with ice cold coke, French-fries, ketchup...I want a chocolate cake, fresh strawberries with cream, I want pork, loads of pork in greasy fat and juicy oil streaming from my mouth! I want a Christmas turkey or at least a small cow.
Dear Mr. Santa Claus, please bring me a little cow for next Christmas, please, I’ll be a good girl, I promise. And if you cannot get me a cute little cow, your reindeer will do just fine. At least one of them?... Rudolph? He‘s very old dear Santa. You don’t need him anymore. Please Santa, please...Sincerely yours ... Pauline.
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree your leaves are faithful allies, Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree...(She is looking out through the window and notices Pierre running toward the Church, her entire physiognomy changes, she becomes a cold, calculated animal stalking her prey) Oh my...oh Santa. Here comes the .... Oh, Thank you dear Santa! Thank you! Thank you! Yes come, come to mama, come... Stay cool stupid, stay cool, don’t scare him off. Ok. I’m cool, I’m cool. I can do this, I’m ready, I’m cool. (She grabs her knife tightly, Pierre smells a trap and he slows down and turns away from the church) No! Come back, come back...It’s ok, come back please. Come back! Stay, stay... (She desperately runs to the Church doors and yells to Pierre)
Help! Help please! Mr! Help me please my daughter is sick! She needs help! Please! She has lost a lot of blood please help us. (Pause) We have some food ...
(Pierre enters very carefully)
PIERRE: What’s wrong with your daughter?
PAULINE: (panic) Oh, she went to find some food, but the gang captured her...she was wounded, she managed to escape but lost a lot of blood and now...(she sobs) I don’t know what to do. She fainted an hour ago...if something happens to her...
PIERRE: Where is she?
PAULINE: Behind the main altar (She points and waits for him to go ahead of her).
PIERRE: Will you lead the way?
PAULINE: Of course, this way.
(She starts to walk but with great pain, helping herself by touching the walls as if her leg was broken)
PIERRE: You’re also hurt?
PAULINE: Yes, the gang. I fell while running from their camp with Melanie.
PIERRE: Melanie is your daughter?
PAULINE: Uh-huh.
PIERRE: How old is she?
PAULINE: Fifteen.
PIERRE: Wow! I haven’t seen any children since this began. How did she make it?
PAULINE: It is a miracle. God wanted her to live I guess. I would have died the first day if it weren’t for her, she is the reason I kept going...and now she is dying (she stops and cries).
PIERRE: She must be a very strong child if she survived these past few years.
PAULINE: Yes, she is. She is very strong. (She starts walking again very slowly and with pain)
PIERRE: Do you need help?
PAULINE: No I can walk, it’s nothing serious.
PIERRE: Are you sure?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: You said you had some food?
PAULINE: Yes, (pause) I did.
PIERRE: Was that a lie just to lure me to help you?
PAULINE: No. We have food; we have plenty of it actually.
PIERRE: Really?!
PAULINE: Yes. (She stops to rest again).
PIERRE: Well, how can that be?
PAULINE: Melanie found a secret way to get in to the camp storehouse. They forgat to seal the sewer pipe. Their food storehouse is full of different kinds of drink and food and before they caught us we managed to make our little supply. It is not big, but in exchange for help we are willing to share it with you.
PIERRE: Really?
PAULINE: Uh-huh.
PIERRE: Well thank you. Are you sure you can walk alone?
PAULINE: I am. (She begins to walk slowly again)
PIERRE: And how was your daughter.. .
PAULINE: Melanie.
PIERRE: Yes Melanie, how was she caught? And did they.. hurt her?
PAULINE: They noticed that some of the food went missing and they set a trap for her. It was brilliant …
Pauline suddenly falls down and Pierre runs to help her. As he reflexively moves she stabs him in the shoulder. She jumps on him amazingly quickly for her condition and knocks him to the ground. She sits on his chest and tries to cut his throat; they fight.
PIERRE: Get off of me you witch! (He manages to take her knife, the roles switch)
PAULINE: Please don’t kill me, please! I didn’t mean to harm you but they made me, they made me...they said that they would kill her if I didn’t bring them someone to switch places with her! They would kill her, I had to...I swear...
PIERRE: Shut the fuck up! (He hits her in the face with his fist.)
PAULINE: Didn't your mother teach you how to treat a lady?
PIERRE: Shut up!
PAULINE: I didn’t mean to hurt you, I only did it because of Melanie...
PIERRE: Shut that filthy mouth! (He grabs a chain from the bunch of junk on the floor and ties her hands and legs) Why did you have to do this? Why? Are you crazy...or have you just invented a great way to survive? Is that it? You want to eat me, huh, is that it? You would like me to be your meal? Huh? Would you like to become my meal? How would you like that?
PAULINE: I already told you that...
PIERRE: Shut up! (He hits her again)
PAULINE: Fucktard!
PIERRE: Bitch!
PAULINE: I am not an animal! I did not want to eat you. I haven’t fallen so low... at least not yet!
PIERRE: Shut up! Don’t lie to me! Nice story you made for me, I couldn’t have done it better myself. Congratulations! Two weak women in need of help and a bunch of food as a reward for the brave hero. Beautiful, just beautiful.
PAULINE: It’s not like that at all.
PIERRE: Oh it’s not? Really? And what’s it like, then? Would you share it with me?
PAULINE: What’s the point, you won’t believe me, anyway.
PIERRE: True story. But, if you want to confess your sins before you die it will be easier for you. Maybe that dirty soul of yours, if you have one, still has a chance to find some heavenly peace. We are in the great place for dying... or repenting, and since I am the only human being in here, you are welcome to use me.
PAULINE: Fuck you.
PIERRE: Thank you for reminding me, maybe I will.(Pause) I wish you didn't smell like ass.
PAULINE: I didn’t lie to you. Pierre runs behind the broken altar.
PIERRE: Oh, my God, I can’t believe it. Here she is! She is here! Your fourteen year old daughter...
PAULINE: Fifteen.
PIERRE: Your fainted and wounded and invisible fifteen year old daughter is lying right here! And I, stupid fool, did not believe you. Oh, please forgive me. Amazing. (He grabs a piece of cloth he found behind the alter and tries to put it around his wound.) Ah!
PAULINE: Need help?
PIERRE: Ha - ha. Ah!
PAULINE: A gang really caught her, but I couldn't save her. Honestly. They almost caught me too, and they will let go of her under only one condition.
PIERRE: If you bring them someone for an exchange..
PAULINE: And I have until sunset.
PIERRE: Too bad. I guess poor little Melanie will just have to except the fact that she’ll become somebody’s dinner.
PAULINE: You bastard! You heartless fucking pig! How can you say that?! (Pause) Please, please if you don’t want to help me, just let me go and I’ll find a way to help her, myself. Please if you are human, she is just a child...maybe the only child. If something happens to her (she begins to cry again)...I will die without her, I will die! Please help me, together we have a greater chance of rescuing her and I didn’t lie to you, they really do have a large food supply and I know how to get there, I’ll show you the way...
PIERRE: No more crocodile tears, please, and how do you know that you won’t die before your daughter?
PAULINE: Oh, you wouldn’t do that, it’s obvious that you are a good man. I can see that in your eyes...your eyes are warm and full of live. Not dead like mine. Please forgive me for attacking you, I never did something as awful as that in my entire life. And if it was only my life in question believe me, I would rather strangle myself with my own hands than to hurt an innocent man. I was desperate, alone, afraid and desperate, please try to understand me. My life has no point without Melanie and if you plan to kill me, do it, I won't mind. Just do it fast. I do deserve it. I only ask you to forgive me. Please say you forgive me? Please...
PIERRE: I forgive you.
PAULINE: Thank you mister, oh thank you! (he begins to sharpen the knife on the wall) I can die peacefully now and I guess I will see Melanie again...on the other side. God is merciful, he will let it be. I just hope that she will not suffer a lot, my poor little baby, after all the hell that she’s been through, she will now die...(she cries) She didn’t deserve for this to happen to her. If only she was born 20 years ago, if only she had a chance to live her life as I did, a chance to have a peaceful childhood with lots of toys, friends, school and love. Instead of that, she had to grow really fast, too fast. She had to live with death on her small back instead of bag full of books, and eat real junk instead of junk food. She doesn’t remember supermarkets, malls, tidy streets full of smiling people, she forgot that we had a Jacuzzi! Or even a clean running water - she doesn’t remember anything. Maybe it’s better that way?...The only thing she does remember is TV! (she smiles nostalgic) TV...God...
PIERRE:(With the knife in his hand) Are you ready?
PAULINE: I am ready if you are ready? Are you sure that this is what you really want?
PIERRE: Yes.
PAULINE: Then I am ready, too.
He goes slowly behind her and holds her head while slowly putting his knife against her throat
PIERRE: Would you like to tell me truth now, or do you prefer dying like this?
PAULINE: I told you the truth.
PIERRE: Are you sure?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: I’ll count to 3.
PAULINE: Ok.
PIERRE: One...
PAULINE: Is the knife sharp enough, are you sure I won’t suffer? You have done this before, right?
PIERRE: It is sharp enough and don’t worry, you won’t suffer, I guarantee it.
PAULINE Good.
PIERRE: One...two...thr...
PAULINE: Stop!
PIERRE: What!
(Pause)
PAULINE: I am afraid.
PIERRE: It will be fast; you won’t even feel it. Trust me.
PAULINE: Would you...would you hold me once before you do it?
PIERRE: Hold you?!
PAULINE: Yes, please, I really need it. I know I smell but I haven’t felt a human touch for a really long, long time and I just want a last hug before I pass on. Please, I will be ready after that.
Pierre goes down to his knees and gives her a strong, long hug. She starts kissing him.
PIERRE: What are you doing?
PAULINE: Nothing.
PIERRE: Stop it.
PAULINE: Why?
PIERRE: Because...it’s wrong.
PAULINE: Why? Just let go of it...this is my last wish, you cannot deny me my last wish. Just relax and enjoy...It doesn’t cost you anything and it means a world to me. Please...
They cuddle on the floor.
PAULINE: I’ve dreamed about this for so long...
Pierre breaks away from her.
PIERRE: No! I cannot do this!
PAULINE: Why?! Why not? You haven’t brought any protection?
PIERRE: It is wrong.
PAULINE: It is not wrong! This is my last wish, OK? If you had some cigarettes with you maybe I would have asked for some cigarettes, or if you had some food to offer, maybe I would have asked a last meal from you, but you don’t have any of that, do you! What you do have is that stupid penis of yours, and if you weren’t as stupid as you are, you would have used it by now without your philosophic crap! My God, of all the men in the world I had to run into fucking Plato!
PIERRE: You’re putting God and fuck into one sentence and you expect me to believe you. Is it so hard to tell me the truth?
PAULINE: What's with all the gay talk? What is wrong with you?! Have you asked yourself if an opportunity like this would show up again in the near future? Maybe I am the last woman left in the world, maybe the entire human civilization will die with me. You haven’t thought about that, have you, genius! Maybe you will kill the entire human kind by killing me.
PIERRE: There will still be the ''gang'' with all the food, right?
PAULINE: Fine! Then just go ahead and slaughter me...barbarian!
PIERRE: I would have raped you before killing you if I were a barbarian.
PAULINE: My am I lucky. I will be killed by an impotent and civilized cannibal.
PIERRE: I’m not a cannibal. I’ll count to three, one...
PAULINE: Then why do you want to kill me? Why?!!
PIERRE: Because I don't want to be your meal. I don’t want to kill you, but your lies are forcing me. Two... PAULINE: I am not lying! I swear to you, hope to die dead right now a horrible, painful death, I swear on everything dear to me, I am telling you the truth! Truth, only truth, and nothing but the truth! We still have time, just untie me and help me find Melanie.
PIERRE: Three! (Long pause as they freeze) You do deserve to die.
PAULINE: (she laughs wildly) I knew you couldn’t do it! I knew it! You are a coward, you cannot kill me because you are afraid of me. Coward! Weak, impotent pig. I was right all along! You are defeated by an unarmed, tied-up woman. You are the one who doesn’t deserve to live, why don’t you use that knife and end your own miseries. Or if you are afraid, let me do it. I’ll be glad to help you!
PIERRE: You are insane.
PAULINE: Oh I’m not insane, I am very sane and you are the one who needs help. Let me help you, please I’ll help you. I’ll release you from all of your problems, your philosophical dilemmas, you will not feel pain anymore, you won’t suffer, you will be well fed and warm. Let me help you. Untie me.
PIERRE: So I was right. You were going to eat me after all?
PAULINE: Duh. It was nothing personal though.
PIERRE: Nothing personal?! Nothing personal! You are a beast! Beast in the body of a woman. A freak! You feed on your own blood and your own flesh....No animal does what you do. You are lower than just an animal. What kind of creature are you?
PAULINE: The hungry one! And please spare me the pathos. I know that we are in the church but I am not here for the sermon.
PIERRE: You make me want to vomit.
PAULINE: Vomit then, but who are you to judge me. Are you a saint, Buddha, Jesus... to teach me what is right and what is wrong? You think you're better than me because you can run faster than me? I would probably eat rats too if my legs weren't crushed after the first earthquake. I used to run six kilometers every morning with my personal trainer. Yeah, I had a personal trainer and my own gym. Of course I'm lying because that's the only thing I'm good at, right? And my tits were as hard as rocks, not like these ..these saggy mushrooms here.
Have you ever heard of Pauline Show on KFTV? Her show was at 3:30 Monday to Friday. Pauline Bertrand, blond ditz in pearls and pink? You must have seen her, her jumbo ads were plastered on every city bus and every subway station..She smiled broadly as the wind in her golden hair revealed a pair of strategically placed earrings from Tiffany s? No? Well, I was her before a studio ceiling collapsed on my head and shattered my bones. I was the least likely to live and to see the works from Louvre used as the firewood, parents prostituting their children for food, government escaping and diseases taking over. I was sick, very sick, but I kept going because my baby needed me to provide her with food and shelter.
PIERRE: Why are you telling me this? We all had our hard times and we did what we had to do to survive. Only some of us remained human beings while others didn't.
PAULINE: You don’t know what I have been through, you don’t know the things I saw, you can’t imagine the things I had to do. You don’t know me and you have no right to judge me.
PIERRE: Oh, but I think I do! I do. Our brief encounter has told me volumes about both who you are and about who you think you are. You are obviously very messed up in the head, and given the circumstances, that is quite normal. Extreme hunger, anger and horniness has turned you into a flaming bundle of primary needs. Me, me, me!! Screams your deprived brain and invents a child, your alter ego, whose survival justifies anything. Including murder of innocent people and cannibalism. No? You really had a child? Perhaps you did, perhaps you didn't, we'll never know.
However, you still insist that that I know nothing about you and that I shouldn't jump to conclusions, right? Right. At the same time you fail to recognize that, by default, you know nothing about me either. And more importantly, you don't give a shit about who I am or who I might be. Maybe I'm a father of a last child in this city, a husband; you don’t know if somebody’s life depends on mine... maybe there is someone out there who loves me, who cares for me. You didn’t know anything about me, and yet you stabbed me with that knife without the slightest hesitation. That hurts a bit. And then you tell me it’s nothing personal? It is everything personal. It is my life!
PAULINE: Life is over . . . priced.
PIERRE: Maybe, but still, it is not free.
PAULINE: Do you intend to kill me?
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: Untie me then.
PIERRE: So that you can kill me?
PAULINE: Yes. Beat
PIERRE: All right.
He unties her.
PIERRE: Here, (She takes the knife from him) now kill me. Kill me! What are you waiting for? Kill me and feed yourself, there will be enough meat for couple of days and you will not be hungry anymore. Why are you looking at me like that? You said that you want this. Kill me; that is what you want, isn’t it? I give you permission, what more do you want? I am not joking, go on stab me. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to do it myself? Kill me! Do you intend...
She stabs him with the knife, but in the healthy shoulder.
PAULINE: There, are you happy now, are you happy?
PIERRE: You stabbed me?
PAULINE: Because you asked for it.
PIERRE: I can’t believe you stabbed me... again! Why?
PAULINE: You wanted it, you asked me to stab you. You begged for it.
PIERRE: I asked you to kill me, not to wound me and let me bleed to death!
PAULINE: Don’t you yell at me! This is your fault; I didn't want to do with it I just did what you told me. You told me to stab you and I did!
PIERRE: You are crazy.
PAULINE: You are crazy! To give a knife to a crazy woman? How crazy do you have to be to do something as stupid as that?
PIERRE: Let’s skip the idle discussion, OK, and just give me something to tie around this before I totally bleed to death?
PAULINE: And, why would I do that?
PIERRE: Because I ask you politely?
PAULINE: I am afraid that it won’t be enough...but since I am a merciful and compassionate woman, I will help you...even though you don’t deserve it!
She rips the part of her dress and ties it around his wound.
PIERRE: Thank you kind madam. (Beat) Why didn’t you kill me?
PAULINE: Because you told me nothing about yourself; I still don’t know if you are a father or a husband, I don’t know if anyone depends on you. I don’t want to kill two flies with one stab. (Pause) I kill only one at the time. It's called rationing.
PIERRE: Bullshit.
PAULINE: It is not.
PIERRE: Yes it is.
PAULINE: Then why didn’t I kill you? You tell me.
Pause
PIERRE: You like me!
PAULINE: (laughs) I like you? Really?
PIERRE: Yeah.
PAULINE: Well, I am sorry to break your dreams Romeo, but you obviously haven’t seen a mirror in a long, long time. You are not irresistible my dear, on the contrary.
PIERRE: I didn’t think of myself as irresistible anyway, but does someone needs to be irresistible to attract a bit of your attention?
PAULINE: You're not my type.
PIERRE: And what is your type?
PAULINE: I don’t know... it’s not you! I know that for sure.
PIERRE: A tall and broad-shouldered model type with long dark hair?! I bet they are your type. But you know what, they are all gone. Take what you can. At least our kids will be smart ... ugly tough, but smart!
PAULINE: Yes, I think that perfect models are my type - perfection for perfection.(she laughs cheerfully) Purely physical attraction wears off quickly and “What really matters is inside”. My best friend used to call that "The Philosophy for Ugly People".
PIERRE: Well, I am sorry to break the news, but you are one of them.
PAULINE: If you are trying to seduce me, you are horrible at it.
PIERRE: I am not trying to seduce you. You already like me.
PAULINE: And just how, did you come to that ridiculous conclusion if I may ask?
PIERRE: I have strong intuition about things like this, I guess. I just knew as soon as I saw you.
PAULINE: How? I wanted to eat you as soon as I saw you.
PIERRE: You see? You felt something too, subconscious desire to have me close to you!
PAULINE: I had a subconscious desire to have you close to me?
PIERRE: Yes!
PAULINE: In my stomach?!
PIERRE: What is closer than that? No! You just thought that at first, but then you were attracted to me.
PAULINE: I was?
PIERRE: Yes, and I knew that you couldn’t hurt me.
PAULINE: I have some serious issues, but you... I tried to kill you and I stabbed you. Twice!
PIERRE: In the shoulder! Both times! You know better than that, you know where my heart is but you aimed at my shoulder. You didn’t want me dead. Now kiss me and let’s get it over with!
PAULINE: Ewww. Not for all the food of this world.
PIERRE: I like when girls play hard to get.
PAULINE: So subconsciously, I am madly and deeply in love with you?
PIERRE: Perhaps, and perhaps I am madly, deeply and insanely in love with you too. Subconsciously – of course!
PAULINE: Wow! We should get married!
PIERRE: Of course! We’ll do it with God’s blessing! Why not! Right here and right now!
PAULINE: Right here and right now!
PIERRE: Right here and right now!
PAULINE: God, this is so romantic.
PIERRE: Totally.
PAULINE: Pure Hollywood. Ask me to marry you!
PIERRE: Will you marry me?
PAULINE: Not like that! Go down on your knees and ask like you really mean it. And you have to seem really, really in love with me.
PIERRE: Do I have to? It hurts when I move. Let’s skip the wedding day and move on to our wedding night?
PAULINE: No we will not skip the marriage and yes you have to! It was your suggestion! Now you have to do it properly.
PIERRE: I am not joking, it really hurts and if I move I could start bleeding again.
PAULINE: I am not joking either, ask me to marry you.
PIERRE: My wound is too fresh, I am serious.
PAULINE: I am dead serious.
He stares at her.
PAULINE: Do it.
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: Ask me to marry you.
PIERRE: I do not want to.
PAULINE: Yes, you do.
PIERRE: No!
PAULINE: On your knees! Now!
He doesn’t move, she puts her finger into his wound, he screams.
PAULINE: Will you stay so cool now? Huh? Will you? On your knees!
PIERRE: Bitch! You sick fucking bitch!
He screams again as she continues to torture him.
PAULINE: I am not a bitch, I am just a woman in love, that’s all. You said it yourself.
PIERRE: (in a break between screams) Sadistic psycho bitch, that’s what you are!
PAULINE: That’s no way to talk to your bride now, is it? I hate when we quarrel. Just ask me to marry you already!
He slowly gets on his knees in front of her, she takes the chain from the floor and tries to separate the chain links.
PAULINE: Here, these are our diamond rings. Chains, how appropriate...”With this ring I chain you.” (she laughs) Ask me, go on. And don’t forget to be persuasive!
PIERRE: Will you marry me?
PAULINE: Oh, come on...you can do better than that!
He pushes her, she falls down and he takes her knife away and in the fight stabs her in the stomach.
PIERRE: Why are you so fucking self-destructive?!
PAULINE: Does this mean our engagement’s off?
PIERRE: I didn’t want this!
PAULINE: Well, you got it, anyway! I didn’t believe you could actually do it. Congrats.
He rips part of his pants to tie it around her wound.
PAULINE: Leave it! It is too late. Why the hell did you have to stab me in the stomach?! Why didn’t you stab me in the heart or just cut my throat? A stomach wound is the slowest and the most painful death.
PIERRE: Why did you have to torture me with this ridiculous marriage game?
PAULINE: Why are you so sure that it was a game? I always dreamed of getting married in a big church full of relatives and friends and flowers and all... It's every girl's dream.
PIERRE: Cut the crap, we have to put something around it, we can not leave it just open like that.
PAULINE: Oh, let it be. Who cares? I don’t. (pause) Do you?
PIERRE: I don’t want you to die.
PAULINE: Why not?
PIERRE: Because...You could be the last woman left in the world...and, and...who would I talk to then?
PAULINE: You are not the last man left in the world.
PIERRE: How do you know that? Maybe I am!
PAULINE: I just know. You are not. You are like cockroaches, nothing can exterminate men. But I COULD be the last woman.
PIERRE: Yes you could.
PAULINE: And the entire human civilization may die with me?
PIERRE: Perhaps.
PAULINE: I would like that, it should die. It deserves to die.
PIERRE: Maybe it does.
PAULINE: What has that great human civilization ever done for me? What?! Absolutely nothing! I’ll be happy to die if that will kill it off, too!
PIERRE: You don’t mean that.
PAULINE: Yes I do! Look where we live, just look! Look what we eat (She takes dust from the floor.)! What can I hope for; a better life? What? That a bug will pass by and prolong my miserable life for couple of minutes, or that the rain will fall and save me from dying of thirst?! I don’t want that. That is not living, it is not life. I’d rather die, actually I can’t wait to die, death is my last hope! (She starts to cry.)
PIERRE: Calm down. The wound is not too deep, we can stop the bleeding and you will be all right, you won’t die.
He tries to tie the cloth around her again.She pushes him away with great difficulty.
PAULINE: Get away from me! I told you to leave me alone! I want to die! Leave me alone!
He stares at her.PAULINE: What are you staring at? Go! Go away, get out!
PIERRE: All right, die then! Die! It’s great to bathe self-pity, isn’t it! Is your melancholy making you feel better. You will die as a great martyr woman! Poor little you! But you are no martyr, what you are, is the most egoistic and egocentric person I have ever met in my entire life! Is there anything in this world you think about except yourself?
PAULINE: Oh shut up already... I am not being egoistical. Future generations should be grateful to me: I’ll spare them life’s miseries, frustrations, pain, and all the other crap that comes along with life.
PIERRE: How noble of you. You are a true personification of virtue. You deserve a medal for your goodness.
PAULINE: I know, I know...(She waves him away.)
PIERRE: I hope you’ll burn in hell.
PAULINE: Me, too. I had an eternity of dampness and drafts in this fucking church.
He is madly looking straight ahead and keeping his mouth shut.
You’re out of humor? Has anyone ever told you that you look funny when you’re "mad"? (He does not answer.) Well, you do. It’s cute actually. (he still does not answer) Now you should reply with a compliment, something like “well, you look nice too when you’re...waving with that long beautiful hair of yours, or smiling with that piano-key-teeth smile of yours!” (he smiles)
A smile! Thanks. Look, if you really want to tie that thing so badly, and if it will make you feel happier, fine. Then do it. I don’t think it can do much good for me.
PIERRE: I will not force you to live. If you want to die, it’s OK with me.
She passes out, he jumps and quickly ties the cloth around her wound then puts a hand to her chest to check her heartbeat.
PAULINE: Taking the last opportunity?
PIERRE: No I was just checking your pulse.
PAULINE: Yes, yes of course...you barbarian. There is something I want you to do for me.
PIERRE: You shouldn’t talk right now.
PAULINE: But you have to promise me that you’ll do it! You’ll have to!
PIERRE: I’ll do it if I can.
PAULINE: Yes you can, but promise me first.
PIERRE: I promise.
PAULINE:(pause) You have to eat me.
PIERRE: No.
PAULINE: But you’ll die if you don’t!
PIERRE: Don’t you worry about that.
PAULINE: You think that you’ll catch a nice big bug or rat or whatever you usually eat? You won’t! You have two wounds and you are not able to run! You can’t even walk properly.
PIERRE: I would rather starve to death than to eat a human being.
PAULINE: It is only my flesh. I am not offering you my “being”.Only flesh, nothing more or less...well there are some bones of course, but the point is that I will die anyway and I would rather be eaten by you than by those stupid worms. That would be a terrible waste of food.
PIERRE: I am sorry, I cannot do that for you, nor for anybody else.
PAULINE: I am dying! You have to obey what the dying person asks you to do! You have to.
PIERRE: OK, I will do it. I will eat you.
She is looking at him with suspicion.
PAULINE: You are a most miserable liar. I wanted to eat you. You think I stabbed you in the shoulder because I wanted you to live or because I like you?! Don’t be naive. You had two wounds and I expected you to bleed to death, you should have bled to death. I just wanted to have some fun before my dinnertime.
PIERRE: That is not true.
PAULINE: Yes it is. You were amusing me, like a little rat trapped in a glass bell, and I was a cat and I just wanted to see what you would do. And here’s what you did: made a hole in my belly! God this hurts! I am not hungry anymore I guess this means that I’m losing my senses. Good. But I am still thirsty, I am so terribly thirsty...
Pauline is passing out again, Pierre checks her and then finds a part of a church statue’s hand that can be used as a vessel, and runs out of the church. Immediately after that Pauline opens her eyes and turns her head in the direction of the knife that Pierre left on the other part of the stage; the knife shines with an unnatural sheen. She begins to mumble the song, “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” as she crawls, using superhuman strength, but it is obvious that every movement is causing her incredible pain. The real “Yellow Rose of Texas” performed by Mantovani’s Orchestra begins to play. The red trace stays behind Pauline as she comes closer and closer to the knife and stops when she finally grabs it. Pierre comes back with the water in the stone hand.
PIERRE: You moved.
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: Is that water for me?
PIERRE: Where’s the knife?
PAULINE: I don’t know.
PIERRE: Give me the knife.
PAULINE: Give me the water.
He stares at her coldly.
PIERRE: OK, you are pissing me off now!
PAULINE: Too bad.
PIERRE: Will you give it to me? (she coldly stares at him) I am leaving now.
PAULINE: Go. (pause) Just leave the water. Please.
He puts the water down a few steps away from her and slowly leaves - she doesn’t look at him as he leaves but after he is gone she quietly begins to sob - honestly and painfully for the first time. After a several seconds he slowly returns and looks at her; she is turned with her back to him and she doesn’t see him. He picks the water up, quietly walks to her and holds the water in front of her mouth)
PAULINE: This fucking wound hurts as hell.
PIERRE: Yeah?
PAULINE: Uh-uh. (pause) (She notices that he is nervously looking at the knife.) What? You are still afraid of it? Good, you should be. (she lets it drop) I wanted to kill you with this knife.
PIERRE: I know. You changed your mind?
PAULINE: No.
PIERRE: Do you hate me?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: You remind me of somebody.
PIERRE: Who?
PAULINE: I don't know. Myself probably. My old self.
PIERRE: You hate your old self?
PAULINE: Yes.
PIERRE: Why?
PAULINE: Because it changed. You will change too. You’ll see...
PIERRE: We all change...
PAULINE: Yes ...but you will not change. You can’t. Change won’t bring you any good.
PIERRE: OK, I won’t change then.
PAULINE: You won’t, because I will not let you.
Lights fade out, the sound of the hard rain is heard in the darkness, rain is falling on the Church marble, garbage outside the Church, metal, stones...But not on the plants! Lights slowly fade in: Pierre and Pauline are on the floor. Pauline is dead and Pierre is sleeping beside her. They are holding hands but their unconscious heads are turned in different directions. The rain is falling on them and they are both totally wet. Lights slowly fade out again. The sound of the rain stops.
The End
