Work In Progress

1.10 A "He"

[Periscope appears to be alone in Dice and Periscope's kitchen. Periscope is reading a book.]

Dice, unseen from the floor: Pipette hasn't been around in four days.

Periscope: Yeah, what's up with that?

[Dice doesn't answer, leaving a long pause.]

Periscope: You should go see if they're home.

Dice, unseen from the floor: They won't be.

Periscope: You should meet their new roommate, anyways.

Dice, unseen from the floor: You said their roommate was terrible.

Periscope: He really is.

Dice, unseen from the floor: How do you know he's a he?

Periscope: Aggressively masculine. Pipette used "he" for him.

Dice, unseen from the floor: Okay.

There is another long pause.

Periscope: Do you need help getting off the floor?

Dice, unseen from the floor: No, thanks, I live here now.

Periscope: D, you can't live on the floor. Come on, we're taking a walk.

[The camera cuts to Dice and Periscope walking. Dice is looking vaguely at the ground.]

Periscope: When can we go see Aglet again?

Dice: I don't know.

[Beat.]

Dice: I don't actually care what you do.

Periscope: Pipe will be back to visit us with our mail any day now. You really think they would just up and leave us? Especially you. You're the only person they really care about.

[Dice doesn't answer. The camera cuts to Moe sitting on Pipette's church pew. There is a knock on the door. Moe gets up and walks to the door.]

Moe, in the background: Hello?

Periscope, in the background: We're coming in, if you don't mind.

Moe, in the background: Actually, I kind of do-

Periscope, walking into frame: Oops.

Moe, walking into frame: Did you want something?

[Periscope sits on the floor. Dice walks into frame, and then also sits.]

Moe: ... Hello? Was there something you needed?

Periscope: You already know me. My name is Periscope. This is Dice. Dice?

[Dice doesn't respond.]

Periscope: Dice.

Dice: When was the last time you saw Pipette?

Moe: Pipette? The day after I got here.

Dice: What was the last thing they said to you?

Moe: How should I know?

Dice: I don't know, you got a brain in there?

[Dice realizes what they've said.]

Dice, beginning to stand up: I'm sorry. I think I'm going to go home.

Periscope: Dice, don't be melodramatic.

Dice, sitting back down: This is my fault.

Periscope: How is any of this your fault at all?

Dice: Well, I know Pipette doesn't like having feelings. I think I might have caused them to experience an emotion, and that they're spiraling because of it. Or, were spiraling.

Periscope: That isn't your fault.

Dice: Everything is my fault.

Moe: I don't understand what's going on.

[No one speaks.]

Dice: I don't think anyone asked you. What's your name? I don't even know who you are.

Moe: I'm Moe.

Dice: Well, how about you tell us your whole life story, Moe, because obviously, everything's about you.

[No one says anything for a brief moment, because Periscope doesn't mind that Dice is being rude. The moment passes.]

Periscope: Really, though, tell us about where you're from. San Diego, was it?

Moe: Yeah, and you're both from here, right?

Periscope: I am, but Dice is from... where, again?

Dice: I'm from Williamsville, wait, Peri, what are you talking about?

Periscope: Williamsville, that's right. So, is everything in the west like they say it is?

Moe: I guess that depends, what do they tell you?

Periscope: Well, they say there are still camps for people trying to escape the night terrorists.

Moe: Night terrorists?

Dice: Yeah, night terrorists. I mean...

Periscope: We never saw any night terrorists, because we were on the outside brigade.

Moe: What did you do there?

Dice: Let's not talk about it. That's a really bad idea. Are there really night terrorists?

Moe: Well, there are mobs and things like that, but don't they have those everywhere?

Dice: There have never been mobs anywhere I've lived. There's certainly not one in Harmony.

Periscope: By the way, why did they send you to Harmony? Harmony is usually a displacement location for trauma victims and-

Moe: Political refugees.

[Beat.]

Dice: Well, that sucks.

Periscope: What in the name of the pages did you do?

Moe: Let's not talk about it.

Dice: That's fair.

Periscope: Look at this, we don't even need the talking stick.

Moe: The what?

Dice: The talking stick.

Periscope: We always have too many conversation threads going, and so last time Pipette was over, we used a stick to take turns talking.

Moe: That's dumb.

[Dice doesn't use their turn to talk.]

Periscope: Don't worry, Dice, everything will be fine. I mean, I miss Pipe, too, but it's not anything to worry about, and it's really not your fault.

[Moe doesn't use their turn to talk.]

Dice: Okay.

[credits.]