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.