Roads

Episode 1, Scene 2

Narrator: The next day, Chris wakes up feeling hollow inside. Like he’s still living the recurring dream he always wakes up to. He didn’t want to think of it as a nightmare but more of a thought that lingered in his mind. It coated the walls of his head in some façade of doubt. Somehow he still hadn’t accepted his condition. (Chris, previously lying on a bed, centre stage, gets up and out of bed) Speaking of nightmares. His parents await his presence. (Set changes to a dining room/kitchen, with a table and three chairs. Chest of draws and cabinets litter the rest of the stage. Mum and Dad enter from left. Chris enters from right. Both stop. Gaze at each other before the mother and Chris hug each other briefly. Dad sits down on the table.

Chris: How are things?

Mum: Oh you know. Not the same without you (laughs slightly)

Chris: Well you’d better get used to it

Mum: What?

Chris: Nothing sit down, please.

Mum: Why, whats wrong

Chris: (gently) nothing is wrong. Just sit (they do. Looking at each other with trepidation and nervousness)

Dad: Go on then.

Chris: Okay, straight to the point. Okay, good. So. (As each word is said, the parents lean closer and closer towards Chris who sits in the middle of them. He says, quickly;) I’ve decided to go see…Her-

(Dad and Mum immediately spring up and go to opposite parts of the room)

Dad: I knew it, I said I knew it

Mum: I’ll put the kettle on then (starts to get mugs and spoons out of the cupboards. Trying to distract herself)

Dad: Thank you dear. Christopher, we’ve had this discussion with you-

Mum: -How many sugars-

Dad: -too many-

Mum: but you usually have one dear.

Dad: Yes your right (realising the hectickness of the situation) Oh for goodness sake stop making me go on tangents

Mum: (shouting over the kettle that is on the stove boiling and screeching) sorry dear I cant hear you. (there sentences overlap and it ends up being a conversation of confusion)

Chris: It might be my last chance.

Mum: What do you mean?

Dad: Chris. What’s going on.

Chris: I just feel it’s the right… time

Dad: I hope this isn’t an excuse to run away.

Narrator:  (light shines on the right side of the stage to show the narrator) Of course it wasn’t an excuse to run away. He had thought long and hard about telling his parents. It wasn’t a matter of them reacting in such a way that would change his mind. Because he had made up his mind already. It was the thought that, would there mind change if he told them he had-

Chris: I’m not running away!

(All of cast, even Narrator stop and stare at Chris)

Dad: Dear, can you just go sit in the other room, father son talk

(Mum is taken off stage by Dad who stops, prepares himself. Gets chair and sits opposite Chris. Looks him in the eye. But Chris doesn’t look at him)

Dad: Chris.

(Chris slowly raises his head)

Dad: When i say to you run, you think of running away from something. But what you hear, and what i see in your eyes is that you are running towards something. It is not a case that you are running away from your past but that you are running, pursuing your future. and that... That is what shows me that you are motivated and dedicated to do something when something is wrong. This woman who you believe to be of great beauty yes she can be all that you are destined for, all that you believe is plausible, all that you believe you should have. However, this is not always the case. You run towards her and you find... You see that she is not perfect. No... Not that she is perfect but that she is something that you did not expect- that... That is where judgement is made on whether you are a coward... Or a man who wants happiness ... many of us would like to have what you have. We would love to rewind or fast forward to a time where we had the choice to do what we

believed you be right for us that was most important for us. This is the most important thing for you. You have thought about this for a year now. At least you can go on living knowing you could have seen her rather than not going to see her and ending up being in a place you didn't want to be, that you wanted to run away from. That is why I am interested. And that is what fills me with hope

(Chris looks on silent at his Dad. Whips tears from his eyes)

Chris: Dad, i erm... need to tell you something

Dad: What, was it?

Chris: (with nervousness) I err...

Dad: Yeah

Narrator: The blood raises his body temperature. His legs become heavy with anxiousness and then comes to the conclusion-

Chris: I won’t let you down

Dad: Good-

(Ray comes onstage. Dad freezes)

Ray: (Shouts) Wait, what the fuck!?

Chris: What you doin-

(Ray goes to Chris’ side)

Ray: Look, at his face. (Grabs Chris’ face) Look!

Chris: Yeah i can see it

Ray: Why didn’t you tell him?

(Chris gets Rays hand off his face)

Chris: Because I didn’t want to upset him.

Ray: Mate, he’s your Dad. If anyone’s going to understand it’s him, and he’s sitting right there.

Narrator: He knew he was right

Chris: Yeah okay

Ray: (Leaving) Tell him, you better tell him. Otherwise...something will happen. (Finally leaves)

Chris: Okay

Dad: what was that?

(Narrator goes over behind Dad, so that Chris can see him and Chris see him and seems scared)

Chris: nothing.

Dad: Okay. Good. Great. I’m gonna go get mum in. (Getts up and pushes past the Narrator, who goes past Chris and off stage)

Chris: Yeah i should leave. I’ve got stuff to do.

Dad: You sure?

Chris: Yeah. (Smiles and hugs Dad. Dad goes offstage before saying...)

Dad: Bye.

Chris: (Before Dad can hear him) Bye. Time to think even more i guess. (Goes off stage. Lights fade)