ACT 2nd The Deuce of
swords Scene 1st Back at the Coffee
House the Sisters and Jack patch are sitting together, along with the host of
the evening, they are drinking coffee and being attended to by the Black
Figures. There is no on else there. EILLAINE: Nice place
youve got here, Jack, planning on leaving it, or was it just a one night
stand? JACK PATCH:
Well, now thats an interesting question.
If I leave it someone will have to run it for me.
On the other hand if I remove it, then Ive got to change reality for a
lot of people outside the doors, including anyone who might have just passed by
last night. LAURAL: The Prince of
Lies is having problems with lies? JACK PATCH: Please,
you cut me to the quick. That name
was applied to me by someone who couldnt stand the truth.
looking at the host, How do you like being mortal? HOST: Its
interesting, Ive never tried human before.
If you want me to keep this place up for you Im not busy for a few
centuries yet. JACK PATCH: If
youre sure you can handle the native born viciousness and hatred of this era
youll do all right for a few years, it might even prove entertainingif
nothing else educational. HOST: Entertaining is
good, educational can be painful. Still,
it might be fun to see the nonsense first hand. JACK PATCH: Okay, then
its done. LAURAL: Great.
Host, whats your name? HOST: You mean on
Earth? At home, my name is just
that Host, or sometimes Legion.
Hmmm, what should I use for a name here? JACK PATCH: Something
that fits the name of this joint? LAURAL: How about
Nicholas von Teufel? People could call you Nick, I doubt Jack needs the name any more. HOST:
I like it. JACK PATCH: Im sure
youll do it proud, that is once some of the insanity blows over and they have
a war or two. LAURAL: Must you two
always talk shop? EILLAINE: Typical,
weve just seen an incredible turn of events, and these two only want to talk
business. JACK PATCH:
Goddess, isnt business what its all about?
This is America after all. Pauses,
scratches a sideburn lightly, looks at the other three with a puzzled expression
on his face. Where did she get
a unicorn? LAURAL: And why? EILLAINE: looking
slightly frightened. Rhiannons
symbol is a horse, or a white rabbitand, of course, her birds.
Why a uni
The door flies open
and Rhiannon enters, dressed in mortal clothes, and starts speaks as
though shes out of breath from running, there is also a slightly panicked
tone to her voice. RHIANNON:
Have any of you seen Decker? EILLAINE:
Isnt he still in your bedroom? RHIANNON: glaring
at Eillaine, Lady Wisdom, please dont play games with me.
I know youve coveted him since he was your student.
Have you got him? I just
want to know if hes safe. LAURAL:
Sit down, Lady Rhiannon, youre serious arent you? RHIANNON:
Deadly. I woke up this
morning, some sound startled me
No, we werent still in the motel
I shifted us back to my lodgings. I
looked through the window, I turned and he was goneas though hed never
been there. Eillaine, do you know
where he
EILLAINE: Me?
What are you suggesting? RHIANNON:
Youve get the immortal hots for him every time he
EILLAINE:
He was mine first! RHIANNON: Hes
mine, he was mine before your Fathers name was ever uttered ! LAURAL: Hey! EILLAINE &
RHIANNON: exasperated anger WHAT? LAURAL: Havent you
two noticed somethingor excuse me, Lady RhiannonEillaine, havent you
noticedyoure remembering everything again, so am I. EILLAINE: Im
remembering all right, Im remembering that I had a lovely student once who
became so confused that
LAURAL: Eillaine
please be careful of what you say? Do
you remember where we are? RHIANNON: Lady Wisdom,
do you recall where that lovely student came from? EILLAINE: My Lady, my
sister advises us correctly. Im
afraid this setting may indeed affect our memories and attitudes as much as
Earth herself does. JACK PATCH: I am,
after all the Prince of Lies, am I not, or is that Prince of Truths?
I cant change the rules of this kingdom any more than I can change the
rules outside the door or in heaven itself.
But, please, no more anger for a few minutes.
Rhiannon, your young man hasnt been here, and Eillaine hasnt left
since we left you last nightwith your Dr Powell and your unicorn. RHIANNON: Unicorn?
Decker said something about a unicorn, but Im afraid we were too busy
for me to focus on what he
EILLAINE: To busy
indeed, filling your horny
. RHIANNON:
Look you heavenly bitch
LAURAL:
Both of you, stop it, now. JACK PATCH:
I enjoy a good cat fight as much as any other demon, but not tonight
please. For some reason I feel an
urge to help your Decker too. Odd,
Ive been helping you three all along, every since you set foot in my kingdom.
You are in deed strangers in this strange land, sojourners as it
EILLAINE: Can it Jack.
I appreciate you help, but Im also sure youve got your own motives.
RHIANNON: Lady Wisdom
doesnt know everything? EILLAINE: starts to
reply angrily, but then her tone changes suddenly to a humble one. I know
enough to
.Im sorry. Lady High
Queen, I know you love him dearly, And have for as long
as I have, and if the truth be told; youve treated him far better than I ever
have. Lady Wisdom may know
everything, but as another very lovely lady once said
The hardest voyage in a humans travel is the journey from the mind
to the heart. Im afraid
its true even for Wisdom, for Wisdom dwells only in the mind, where as
you, My lady, dwell in the heart. The room is still,
Eillaine and Rhiannon embrace each other and weep briefly. JACK PATCH: Truth will
come out here after all.
Ladies, I have an idea. RHIANNON: Yes, Jack? JACK PATCH:
Rhiannon, first; are you sure he didnt just step out for fresh air or
something? RHIANNON: Jack, no, I
was next to him. He was there, then
he was gone. JACK PATCH: If you
remember what time he vanished, you should be able to exit the rear door and
return to Earth at what ever time you like, perhaps 15 minutes before the event?
Or earlier? LAURAL: The unicorn? RHIANNON: The unicorn? LAURAL: It wasnt
yours, whos was it? Why did it
appear? Didnt your birds warn
you something was wrong? It bothers
me that some unicorns are fond of dining on human flesh. RHIANNON:
Only that of virgins, and I assure you that Decker is no
O, Im sorry
Eillaine
I didnt mean to rub it
EILLAINE:
No, its okay, I understand. RHIANNON: Ill try
it Jack, My ladies, could I prevail on you to aid me? SISTERS: Of course,
lets go now. JACK PATCH:
At the door, Rhiannon, contemplate the time you need it to be on the
other side, and where you need to bethen turn the handle and exit.
Youll be right where you need to be to begin to solve the mystery
anyway. RHIANNON:
Thank you, jack, what ever your motives, youre being a good friend for
now. Smiles and nods slightly in
deference, Jack stands and returns the gesture.
The three ladies exit off stage to the left.
There is a moment of silence, then a flash of light, and the sound of a
very heavy door being closed. JACK PATCH: sitting
and speaking to Host, What an
opportunity I had just then. I must
be getting soft. Think of the
promises I could have extracted from
HOST:
Be serious boss, you know who Rhiannon really is, even if she doesnt..
I wouldnt want to be on her bad side when she really wakes up. JACK PATCH:
The unicorn thing bothers me. HOST: Jack, hasnt
it struck you that something else is very weird?
JACK PATCH: Beyond the
normal weirdness, you mean? HOST:
Jack, look. Were figures
out of a Christians nightmare, though you bear a striking resemblance to the
way they portrayed you in Job. But look, Rhiannon? Shes straight out
of the old myths, the pre Celtic times. Wisdom
and Reason? As two figures?
Their names? What mythos
birthed them? And the judge, No
Name? Whos that?
Whats that all about? Is
he the Croucher? or is straight out of Egypt with those scales, and now we
have a unicorn? JACK PATCH:
I see your point. Hmmm, no, the Croucher is one of mine and it only goes after
the souls of the ultra self-righteous anyway, well them and psychiatrists, not
lawyers though. HOST: Not another
lawyer joke? JACK PATCH:
Nah, they got it way ahead of us anyway. Jerks a thumb toward the
audience. HOST: So, any ideas? JACK PATCH: A unicorn?
Who the heck uses or manifests as a unicorn?
No one that I can think of, but then
The light slowly
dims, the curtain falls, then rises again quickly The three ladies
are standing outside the apartment building where Rhiannon lives, the back is to
a group of trees. It is just about
day break. As they stand they hear
the sound of muffled, slowly moving horses hooves. They duck behind the trees.
The unicorn appears stage left, crosses to a window where light is
shining out. The unicorn looks in
for a moment, then turns and slowly walks back the way it came.
The ladies start to walk toward the window, but Eillaine holds back. EILLAINE:
I really dont feel like watching this part, if its okay with you
Rhiannon
looks back at her, nods in understanding.
As she moves further forward Laural also stops.
Rhiannon moves to the window and starts to look in.
She turns to the other two with a puzzled look on her face, as she starts
to turn back there is a blinding flash of light and a loud explosive noise, like
thunder. She staggers and falls to
her knees. The other two rush
forward and hold her, they try to help her to her feet but she collapses
totally. While Laural kneels beside
her trying to help her Eillaine is slowly drawn toward the window she looks in
screams, and faints. Laural stands,
a look of sick fear crosses her face as she too walks toward the window.
She looks in and simply stands there staring.
A light sobbing sound is heard, then her weeping becomes louder and
louder until in turns into a keening wail. As the curtain falls slowly the
unicorn begins to enter the stage. Just
before the curtain drops the unicorn is seen lowering its head toward
Eillaines prostrate form.. |
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