WIP for Quarantine: Day #18

Quarantine the play will be posted on here for public feedback and review as Euginia writes for the next few weeks.  The Google Doc can also be accessed here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eKNAeAFOjgluewXPGfNissWO6meg5p6VKgsfFxZq_pk/edit?usp=sharing 

Quarantine

A daughter attempts to negotiate a murder on her mother during their time of quarantine.

Mother

Daughter

Scene 4

(continued from previous entry)

Night falls. Daughter is asleep.

Mother paces around the room.

She watches Daughter sleeping. She reaches out to touch Daughter.

Daughter wakes up.

Daughter: What’s wrong?

Beat.

Daughter: It’s late. Let’s get some rest.

Beat.

Daughter: The day will be long tomorrow.

Mother: I want to walk out of here.

Daughter sits up.

Daughter: What?

Mother: I want to walk out of here.

Daughter: Why?

Mother: You’re right about me. I never did anything for myself.

Daughter: I didn’t…

Mother: I’m old. There isn’t much I want to do for myself. You’re grown. There is less I can do for you.

Daughter: I…

Mother: And since you wanted me gone… I should get rid of myself.

Daughter: You saw how they were when I tried to walk out. They’d just push you back in and gas the room.

Beat.

Mother: Not at this time, they won’t.

Beat.

Mother: Can you hear that?

Daughter: Hear what?

Mother: Precisely. Nothing.

Beat.

Mother: It’s that time of the night when nothing can be heard.

Beat.

Mother: I have to make use of it, fast.

Daughter: Please, don’t.

Mother: I should go now.

Mother makes to leave. Daughter holds her back.

Daughter: Please! Don’t!

Mother: I can’t. I can’t. I have to. I’d rather die out there… Then… Then letting you kill me.

Daughter: I won’t ask to kill anymore. I won’t. Okay?

Mother: But you already asked. Don’t you see?

Daughter: Please, Mother.

Mother: You already asked.

Daughter: If you go, what…

Beat.

Daughter: What will become of me?

Mother: You can finally… Be rid of me. Like you wanted. I don’t quite care.

Daughter: I…

Mother: Is that not what you want?

Beat.

Daughter: I do.

Mother: That settles it then.

Daughter: But I can’t let you go.

Mother: Why?

Beat.

Daughter: I don’t know.

Beat.

Daughter: This is not the way I wanted you to go.

Mother: You don’t deserve to tell me how I want to go!

Beat.

Mother: What gives you the right over my life!

Daughter: You’re right, you’re right. I don’t.

They get into another tussle. Daughter manages to subdue Mother, by holding a knife to her neck.

Mother: I won’t let you kill me. I will die on my own terms!

Daughter: Please! Don’t! I don’t want to do this!

Mother: You wanted to. You wanted to. Fine! Do it. Do it! I give up!

Daughter: Please… Don’t push me…

Mother manages to get the knife. She makes a cut on herself.

The blood drips. Daughter screams.

Daughter: No!

The knife falls.

Mother: It…

Beat.

Mother: It hurt.

Daughter rushes to get medical supplies for Mother’s wound. She tends to Mother’s wounds.

Mother: It hurt.