Love's Tragic Fall

Act 5 Scene 2

Act 5

Scene 2

Enter Anabella. Anabella wakes up bound to a velvet chair as she awakes from a dreary sleep. She is in Doctor Morris’s cabin in the woods, she doesn’t know this.

Anabella: What is this? Where am I? [pull arms] Hello? [look around the room]Hello? Is anyone here? Why am I here? [yell] Can anyone hear me? [pause] Oh bloody hell. [try again and again to break free]

There is a sound off a door opening and closing off stage. Footsteps fall onto wooden floor and continue towards her.

Anabella: Hello, who is there?

Doctor Morris enters.

Anabella: [sigh of relief] Oh, thank heavens you are here, Doctor. Please, help me get out of these restraints. Someone has taken me from my home and brought me here to this retched place. As soon as I am free, we shall return to the burg and talk to the police so they can catch this monster.

Doctor Morris: [pause, stare at Anabella] I am sorry, I can’t do that, Anabella.

Anabella: [Shocked at his answer] And why the bloody hell not? We need to get out of here before that crazy man returns. I don’t know about you but I do not wish to die today.

Doctor Morris: And I promise you, you won't, but I cannot let you leave. You see, I am the one who brought you here, Anabella.

Anabella: [gasp] What? You, you brought me here.

Doctor Morris: I brought you here to protect you.

Anabella: [yell] Protect me? This more seems like a kidnapping to me, I am bound to a chair, I don’t see how this is protecting me. Release me at once, Doctor!

Doctor Morris: I am sorry, Anabella. I can’t do that. I have been waiting for this day for a long time now.

Anabella: A long time? [moment of realization] Oh my God, it is you! It has been you all along! You are the one that has been murdering everyone close to me. You were after me all along. You, you-

Doctor Morris: [interrupt] Yes, I killed May and killed your dear, old maid Nina. I also killed both Mr. and Mrs. Lawson.

Anabella: Why, why would you do this? I thought my family could trust you, even the whole burg trusted you too.  

Doctor Morris: [laugh] Well, I am not a very trustworthy man.

Anabella: [pull on restraints again] Yes, I can see that now. [questioningly] How did you get me here anyways?

Doctor Morris: [smile] Remember those pills I gave you?

Anabella: Oh no, you didn’t. You purposely gave me those sleeping pills so you could kidnap me!

Doctor Morris: Yes, indeed. My, you figured it out just like that poor lad Nicholas.

Anabella: Nicholas, he knows about this! Thank heavens! At least he will come and rescue me.

Doctor Morris: [chuckle] I am sorry, I don’t think he will be much help, my dear. [smile]

Anabella: [gasp] You killed him, didn’t you!  

Doctor Morris: Is it that obvious?

Anabella: [yell] Why would you kill him? He did nothing to you where he deserved it.

Doctor Morris: Nor did any of the other people I killed. Basically, he got in my way. I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me from having you.

Anabella: [annoyed] I don’t understand why you want me though. I am still at sea with all this.

Doctor Morris: You see, Anabella, the day you were born your mother had told me to look after you right before she died. I told her I would. You see, [walk around her chair] your mother and I were really close. I was not only your family’s doctor, but your mother and I, let me see how to put it, we were in love with each other.

Anabella: [angered] That isn’t true.

Doctor Morris: I am afraid it is, dear Anabella. Your mother and I would meet late at night to see each other. And now, seeing you grow up, is the greatest memory I have of her because you look exactly like her. [stroke her hair from the back] And I want you to be with me forever.

Anabella: [shake her head angrily] Well, I don’t, so get away from me Doctor Morris!

Doctor Morris: [walk in front of her and smack her] Don’t talk like that! I will not have you speak like that in my home. You have just made me mad, Anabella, you don’t know what I am capable of when I am angry. [walk to the side of the stage] This is why I am going to now leave you here alone in your misery. [scoff] I shall check on you later.

Doctor Morris exits, a door slams closed offstage.

Anabella: [begin to cry and speak softly] Help me, someone help me.

Curtain closes as Anabella sits there crying.