Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT II - SCENE VIII

ACT II

SCENE VIII

[Setting: The living room of CODY's home. CODY rushes into the stage, breathing heavily as he looks about for any sign of his brother or mother. Letting out a sigh of relief, he takes a sit on the couch.]

CODY'S BROTHER: Don't think I didn't notice you were gone. You didn't come home yesterday, did you?

CODY: (Widens his eyes before looking behind him.)

CODY'S BROTHER: Where were you?

CODY: (Stays quiet.)

CODY'S BROTHER: Answer me.

CODY: I—I was at a friend's place.

CODY'S BROTHER: (Laughs.) Friend? As if you have friends. (Laughs as he walks over to the couch CODY was sitting on.)

CODY: (Tries not to look at his brother by focusing on the tiles on the floor.)

CODY'S BROTHER: There's only one thing you're good at, and that's being a slut. Look at me before I knock your teeth off. You're even wearing a different set of clothes — disgusting.

CODY: (Looks up at his brother, but doesn't say anything.)

[CODY's brother was bulky and dark haired. He had a smirk on his face that told CODY he wasn't going to leave the scene without a bruise or two.]

CODY'S BROTHER: My mother could have left you. She could have abandoned the son of slut that stole her husband, but she didn't, be grateful.

[CODY could feel tears building up in his eyes. Grateful? A first had been, but after suffering years of physical and mental abuse he wasn't sure what he should be grateful for anymore.]

CODY'S BROTHER: (Pulls CODY up from the couch by the arm.) You don't deserve to even sit down. You disgust me.

CODY: (Says nothing even though his hand feels like it's shattering from his half-brother's grip.)

CODY: (Winces when his brother's grip only tightened.)

CODY: CHARLES, please—

CHARLES: (Cutting CODY off.) Don't use my name you piece of shit. Don't say my name, don't say my mother's name. I'm not your brother, and she's not your mother.

CODY: (Stay's quiet, and bites his bottom lip to avoid crying out.)

CHARLES: When you're eighteen you'll be leaving this house, and us. You won't get to annoy me by simply existing, and my mum doesn't have to remember the woman that stole her husband by simply looking at you—

CODY: (Unable to endure the pain anymore.) Shit—

CHARLES: Shut up. You killed my father.

CODY: I—

CHARLES: (cutting CODY off.) Your mum killed my father. What's the difference? If she hadn't made him move in with her, he wouldn't have been there when her house burned down. (Tightens grip on CODY's hand.) The fact that you survived that day is a slap to my mum. It's like your mum's trying to live through you to mock us.

CHARLES: (Let's go off CODY.)

CODY: (Kneels on the ground as he cradles his arm.)

CHARLES: Stay out of my way today. If I see you I'll beat you up.

CODY: (Nods.)

CHARLES: (Leaves the living room.)

[CODY soon found himself sobbing silently. It wasn't the pain from his twisted hand. He was just tired of living and being a walking reminder of his mother. He was just so, so tired of simply existing and not living.]

Curtains fall.