The Director Sector

SCENE 4 - Somewhere over the Rainbow

ROLF

The first two years of my marriage were amazing. And by amazing, I mean amazing. In every way you can think of, too. Social activities were amazing, the food was amazing, the sex… Holy shit, the sex was amazing. It was so incredible we couldn’t get enough. We did it on the couch, in the closet, in the shower, on the bed, under the bed, by the pool, on the roof, at the park behind the bushes. I was like a hummingbird and Trisha was my nectar. I couldn’t get enough.

Before long, we received good news. She was pregnant.

(GIRL, pregnant, walks by ROLF, kisses him on the cheek and exits.)

Our son was born just before Halloween. We named him Nick, after the man who introduced Trisha to me. There was Old Nick and Little Nick.

(DEVIL walks on stage, holding a baby. He grins evilly.)

Old Nick gave us everything. We made a promise that when Nick came of age, that he would go work for his godfather. It was a good feeling, and it made Old Nick happy.

(DEVIL winks again and walks offstage, baby in arms.)

A year later, my daughter was born. Lucy was so precious, so sweet. Sometimes I felt like my life was perfect with just her in my arms. Nothing else mattered – not the house, the servants, the fine clothes or even my perfect speech. Nothing but my precious, lovely child. And I vowed that I would do anything to protect her.

It was on a night like this that I had an epiphany.

(ROLF sits on the ground.)
Every night since my daughter was born, weather permitting, I would sit on the roof of my mansion and watch the sky. I’d watch the stars and the moon. And I’d dream. I’d dream about the future and about my family. Sometimes my wife would join me. It’s funny, even after all this time we were still like newlyweds.

(GIRL enters, sits next to ROLF)

(to GIRL)

Hey honey.

GIRL

Hey, snuggle-bunny! Whatcha doin’?

ROLF

Same as always.

GIRL

It’s such a pretty night tonight, I thought I’d join you. Lucy and Nicky are asleep, so we have the whole roof to ourselves.

ROLF

Do you love me?

GIRL

What?

(Writer’s Note: For the following sequence, it’s important that the GIRL act silly and flirtatious, as if she thinks ROLF is joking when he asks the following questions. Silly poking and kissing and hold-handing and anything that a love-struck girl might say. She should NOT be offended or upset by these questions! Happy, naive, ignorant, whatever.)
ROLF

Do you love me?

GIRL

What a silly question! Of course I do! Why would you ask such a thing?

ROLF

Would you ever leave me for anyone else?

GIRL

Of course not!

ROLF

Not even for someone with more money than me?

GIRL

(laughs)

Nobody has more money than you, Rolf.

ROLF

What if he had a bigger house?

GIRL

Aw, Rolfy, nobody’s got a bigger house than you!

ROLF

What if he were better looking than me?

GIRL

(laughs again)

You’re so silly, honey!

(beat)

ROLF

I noticed you didn’t deny that one.

(GIRL looking at the stars.)

GIRL

It’s a beautiful night. See those stars over there? Three in a row. Like a belt!

(beat)
ROLF

Yes, I see them. Orion, the hunter from Greek mythology.

GIRL

Yes, that one! Do you know the story?
ROLF

Orion pursued the seven daughters of Atlas in the constellation Pleiades – that’s those stars over there – and chased them across the world. Zeus, the king of the gods, changed them to a constellation so they could never be caught. When Orion was made into a constellation, he was placed on the opposite end of the sky, so that he would never catch them.
GIRL

That’s so neat.
ROLF

Ironic, huh? That he pursued something his entire adult life and never caught it. Even when he was brought to the top of the world, he still didn’t find what he was looking for.

GIRL

How is that ironic?
ROLF

It’s… it just… Nevermind.

(pause)

GIRL

(yawns)

Well, I’m tired. Are you coming to bed anytime soon, Rolf?

ROLF

In a minute.

(GIRL kisses him on the cheek, gets up and leaves. ROLF stays seated, staring at the skies. Several long moments pass.)

Fuck it. I can’t do this anymore.

(He stands and attempts to exit, but the DEVIL enters.)

DEVIL

Hey, hey, hey. Where you going?

ROLF

To find you.

DEVIL

Well, here I am.

ROLF

Yes.

(pause)
DEVIL

Well?

ROLF

I want to talk to you.
DEVIL

Good, I was tired of playing tennis.
ROLF

Quit being a smartass.
DEVIL

Quit being obtuse.
ROLF

You’re such an asshole, Nick.
DEVIL

I know you are but what am I?

ROLF

You know what? Fuck this. I quit. I’m done. I don’t need you, okay? I don’t need your money, I don’t need your house, I don’t need your fancy clothes. You can go to hell, you got that?

DEVIL

(laughing)

How ironic. So you’re just going to walk away from all of this?

ROLF

Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.
DEVIL
Do you remember how I found you?
ROLF

That doesn’t matter. I’m a different person now.
DEVIL

Are you really?
ROLF

Yes, I am.
DEVIL

I found you lying on the street, barely coherent. You were begging for quarters from passing strangers. You were covered in your own piss and shit.

ROLF

Someone else pissed on me!
DEVIL
You couldn’t get a job, you couldn’t bathe yourself, you couldn’t even stand up without help. You were total, utter trash. Until I saved you.

ROLF

You didn’t save me.
DEVIL

I saved you, you little ungrateful fuck. Don’t you dare turn your back on me. Turn around. Look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t want this.

(ROLF turns to face DEVIL, but he can’t maintain eye contact. He turns and walks away.)
DEVIL

You might not want me, Rolf, but you need me. You need me.
ROLF

I don’t need anybody. I’ve got Trisha, my kids. I don’t need you anymore.

(DEVIL laughs again evilly.)
DEVIL
You think that girl is gonna stay with you if I leave?

ROLF

Yes, I do.
DEVIL
You’re even dumber than I thought, pal.
ROLF

She loves me.

(DEVIL laughs again.)
ROLF

She does. She fucking does. I can tell.

DEVIL

Oh, you can tell, can you?

ROLF

Screw you.  I don’t need you.

DEVIL

Well how about this, pal. Tell me what this is.

(DEVIL pulls a scroll from inside his jacket. It’s the Contract.)
Do you know what this is, Rolf? Do you remember? You signed this. You signed this contract. You are MINE, do you understand me? Don’t you dare treat me like I did you some favor. You are MINE. MINE.

ROLF

Fuck you.

(ROLF begins taking off his nice clothes. He tosses them at DEVIL. He removes the jacket, the hat, the nice shoes. He drops the cane to the floor. When he’s done, he’s wearing a tattered undershirt and ragged shorts.)

I don’t need any of this. I’m gone.

DEVIL

You’ll be back, Rolf.

(ROLF exits.)
You’ll be back.

(blackout)