65

11.12.06
Total darkness/silence. The audience awaits the play for enough time that their eyes adjust and they almost become uncomfortable. Light tinkery music. The performers enter the space quietly and begin to whisper to one another, audible to the audience.

11111
Sad. So sad.

22222
Tragic. Terribly tragic.

33333
Lost. Completely lost.

11111
Scared. Very scared.

22222
Worried. Truly worried.

33333
Afraid. Absolutely afraid.

A LOUD POP. Silence again. Again whispers.

11111
What was that?

22222
Did you hear something?

33333
What did you think that was?

11111
Mind playing tricks…

22222
Sounded like a pop…

33333
I don’t know what that was…

SILENCE.

11111
Do you think we’ll hear it again?

22222
Would you want to hear it again?

33333
It scared me the first time.

11111
You were already scared…

22222
Frightened, really. We were all frightened.

33333
I don’t want to hear it again.

SILENCE.

11111
Maybe it was nothing.

22222
Just a shot in the dark.

33333
Maybe it was the first step.

11111
The first step?

22222
To what?

33333
To the end of the world.

11111
Nonsense.

22222
What would make you say such a thing?

33333
It’s bound to happen sooner or later.

11111
I have a feeling it would be much larger-

ANOTHER LOUD POP, THIS ONE LOUDER.

22222
I’m scared!

33333
Step two…

11111
Be quiet!

A POP WITH ECHOES.

22222
Shhh….

33333
Shhh….

11111
What is that noise?

22222
I want to get out of here.

33333
Shhh….

11111
You shh, I want to know what that was!

22222
A big pop!

33333
The end of the world, when the music stops…

11111
The music has never stopped before.

22222
Yeah, the music has never stopped before.

33333
Always a first time for everything.

SILENCE.

33333
Including the end of the world,

SILENCE. The cessation of whispers.

11111
You aren’t going to scare me!

22222
I’m scared! I’m definitely scared!

33333
Nothing we can do about it, it’ll happen sooner or later.

11111
You aren’t going to turn my crank or yank my tale! I’m not scared!

33333
Never said you should be!

22222
Well you’re scaring me!

11111
Knock it off!

33333
There’s nothing I can do about it! The end is near!

22222
It’s not true! It’s not true!

11111
It can’t be true-

THE LARGEST OF POPS, followed by a blinding white light and happy child’s laugh. 11111, 22222, and 33333 are dressed in weasel outfits. They reach to the sky and bobble up and down.