Projections

We had to write a play piece in class. Mine is not finished but I enjoyed working on it. The story is pretty cliche but I don't care because I enjoy the story. I figure that I will finish the play later on. It will be much longer than expected though so don't rely on that getting finished. 

CAST OF CHARACTERS

RAINN………………………………………………………a man suffering from schizophrenia, mid twenties, attractive but has dark, tired eyes.

JENN………………………………………………………...one of Rainn’s best friends from childhood. She doesn’t know about his schizophrenia.

AUDITORY HALLUCINATIONS…………………………these are sounds and voices that Rainn hears even though they are not real. He cannot distinguish between reality and his subconscious quibble.

TIME:   Dusk- Some time in the 90’s

SETTING: The sun has set over the evergreen treetops in a suburb outside of Seattle. Though it is dark there is a full moon that sits just on top of the trees. It is bright and sends down luminous rays across the landscape, creating ominous shadows. It is hard to distinguish objects. The background moves as if with the sway of a breeze but the movement does not occur in patterns but instead is a torrent of random movements.

Projections

Act

SCENE 1-

RAINN sits on his knees overlooking the swaying forest. He looks tired and confused as if a ghost has appeared. He reaches his hands up to his face to examine them. He becomes startled by something and pulls them down quickly and continues to stare off into the forest. Just then Jenn appears from the cityscape behind and puts her hand on his shoulder. This startles Rainn and he jumps up and turns around.

RAINN. What? He realizes that it is Jenn and the fear in his eyes dissipates. He sits back down not facing her.

JENN. Come on Rainn, you’ve got to come back home. It’s getting late.

RAINN. Looking distraught, Rainn slowly puts his head so that he is facing the ground. I just can’t. Something is happening to me. I can hear things. There are people arguing and when I turn to hear them. Rainn turns his head to look at Jenn. His eyes are wide and full of despair and fear. He pauses on the words for a moment as if anticipating the voices to appear. When I turn to see the source of them they just aren’t there.

JENN. She stares deep into his eyes, searching for a source of what he talks about. The silence grows uncomfortable and she can’t find anything in his eyes but a pleading. Tell me more. W-what is going on? What do you think the voices are?

RAINN. I don’t know. Sometimes I get the feeling that someone’s watching me and plotting against me. I know it’s irrational and that’s what makes it so scary. There is no logic behind the feeling but it’s real. It’s more real than most things now a days.

JENN. What do you mean by that?

RAINN. I mean we go to university and believe that we’re becoming smarter in the process but we sleep walk through each day and go to sleep feeling the illusion of education, but it’s not real. It’s hypnotism. These voices scare me but they make me feel something. They tell me things, interesting things. A chilly wind blows through the trees and hits Jenn and Rainn. The wind blows Jenn in the face and makes her squint. The wind hits Rainn from behind and his hair swirls wildly around. From the wind a slight whisper is heard. Rainn’s eyes squint in concentration. Slowly the whispers become hearable. The lights dim and a spotlight makes only Rainn visible.

The whispers are two separate people talking; a man and a woman. They speak in dialogue to each other.

AUDITORY HALLUCINATION 1. He doesn’t understand the gravity of this situation.

AUDITORY HALLUCINATION 2. I know. He lacks what we have. He’s learning though.

RAINN. His eyes are clenched tight to hear the voices. I can hear you! What do you want me to do? Who are you?

AH1. Questions, questions, questions. All he does is ask. He arrives at no destination. His life is a trip on an infinite road.

AH2. He should stay at home. He shouldn’t trust anyone. They’ll get in the way of his pilgrimage.

RAINN. Don’t talk like I’m not here. What are you talking about? Who can’t I trust?

AH2. The water is black death and the food is infested with worms and maggots that will infect him.

AH1. Yes, he shouldn’t eat anymore. A fast shall occur from this day forward.

RAINN. What poisoned my food? Who can’t I trust? What’s happening?

The voices slowly fade into gibberish and backwards-unintelligible talk. The lights slowly return to normal and Jenn is standing a few feet behind Jenn with a look of horror on her face. Rainn rubs his eyes feverishly and contorts his face to wash it of convolution.

RAINN. See. They know things. He turns and begins to pace. He whispers to himself quickly. I can’t be eating, no more school. I’ll just stay at home. Yes that’s good, I’ll just read and drink water. Wait, no I can’t be doing that. I’ll read and just let the voices tell me. I don’t need to worry.

JENN. Rainn? I didn’t hear anything. Please Rainn. He continues to pace as if he can’t hear her. RAINN! The loud noise pulls Rainn out of his hallucination. He turns quickly to look at Jenn as if it’s the first time that he’s seen her.

RAINN. What?

JENN. What’s happening to you? Who are you talking to?

RAINN. Questions, questions, questions. They tell me not to ask questions and you’re standing here asking me all these questions. What do you want?

JENN. Rainn, come on. Come here. Jenn walks towards Rainn and puts her hand on his neck. He flinches extraordinarily.

You’re okay. Just calm down. Let’s walk back to the house. You’ll feel better there.

RAINN. I just don’t know what’s going on.

JENN’s mother’s voice is heard calling from outside the stage. The lights dim and no one is seen

JENN’S MOM. Honey, come here it’s getting to be late. The lights come back on and just JENN is standing in place.

JENN. Oh come on mom, just a couple more minutes, we’re just playing.

JENN takes a doll from her pocket of a boy and begins to sing and dance with it off the stage. Lights cut off.

NOTE: The reason it has a terrible ending is because if I were to continue with the story it would be much longer than what is reasonable for a four day long assignment. Maybe I will continue with what I had in mind later. But this will do for now.