AUSTIN is sitting at the table on his phone. PEYTON is serving dinner.
PEYTON (trying to sound happy): Ok, dinner is served! Austin? Dinner's ready.
AUSTIN: Ok, woman! Shut up!
PEYTON (happiness fades): I-I'm sorry.
AUSTIN *scoffs*: So you should be.
AUSTIN puts his phone down.
AUSTIN: What is this... slush?
PEYTON: Massaman beef; it's Thai.
AUSTIN: It looks fowl.
PEYTON: Please, just try it.
They start eating.
Eventually, AUSTIN stands up.
AUSTIN: It's bland, no flavour. The only thing I can tell is in this is a whole lot of spice, because my tongue is on fire.
AUSTIN starts walking away.
PEYTON stands up so quickly her chair falls over.
PEYTON (yelling): This is my Grandmother's recipe that she passed on to my mum when she died, and now I have it because my mother is dead! My family loved this!
AUSTIN: Well, you're family were obviously a bunch of nutters if they liked this.
(Say "this" disgustedly)
PEYTON: Austin, why are you acting like this?
AUSTIN: It's the truth, Pey. You know it. Now, clean this mess up.
AUSTIN throws his meal all over the table.
PEYTON: You can't treat me like this anymore!
AUSTIN: I am the man, you are the woman. Men – muscular. Women – weak. You are the weak, I am the strong. You listen to me and to no one else!
AUSTIN walks over to PEYTON and pushes her over.
PEYTON (quietly): You're a monster. An utter monster.
YOU ARE READING
Toxic
Romance**NOT FOR UNDER THE AGE OF 13** Themes: Strong Violence: Strong Langauge: Mild This is a short script about a toxic and very dangerous marriage between Peyton and Austin. Austin is the old-fashioned thinking kind of man; he thinks only men should be...
