Big trigger warning.
I'm putting some new thoughts about my characters into skit form. Maybe that'll make it more pleasant to read over.
Viewer discretion is advised.
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[One day from three weeks ago. Time: Late morning. Fierdan and Duke are the only ones at the skit house. Ever since Duke left college, he's been working at the house. Fierdan trained Duke to be his secretary. The two work from the house while Ryen goes on trips related to the same line of work. Ryen is off on one of those trips. The rest of the characters do not currently live in the skit house.]
Duke: *walks up to Fierdan from behind, has a pile of papers in his hands* I have the papers. Should I put them on the table?
Fierdan: *is mentally somewhere else?, didn't notice Duke's presence, speaks softly but emotionally* I understand you can't trust me, but I'm really trying to be a good person. No, I really am! *sighs* For your information, I doubt myself all the time. I get that you were abused, so of course you have the right to.. to feel the way you do. But your words don't help, Dawn! I don't even know if it's right for me to say I was abused like you and Ryen.. hell, even Duke, were. My experiences compared to yours will always be invalid because.. damn it.. was I even hurt? Am I even traumatized? Does what I went through even count as abuse? Was Soulless real, or did I just make it all up? *hands start to shake* I am trying my best to be a good person, and yes, I know I'm a murderer. Please, Dawn, I want to be good!
Duke: *cuts Fierdan off from saying anything else* Fierdan!
Fierdan: *regains his composure and turns around, has a different tone of voice as he addresses Duke* Good, you can put them over there. *points to a section of the table* They are organized in the correct order, right?
Duke: *is a little stunned* Uh.. yes.
Fierdan: *gives Duke a skeptical look* Are they or are they not?
Duke: *clears his throat* Yes. I made sure they are in the correct order.
Fierdan: Okay, then put them down where I told you to.
Duke: *nods, walks over to where Fierdan pointed to, places the pile of papers on the table there*
Fierdan: I'll be in the kitchen. It's about time we take a break. *leaves the room for the kitchen*
Duke: Yes sir!
[A few minutes later. They are both in the kitchen. There are two wine glasses filled with red wine on the table. Fierdan pushes a glass closer to Duke.]
Duke: *looks down at the glass in front of him then up at Fierdan who goes to sit back down* I know that's wine. Do you know what time it is?
Fierdan: Does it matter?
Duke: It's not even noon.
Fierdan: Yeah so?
Duke: Isn't it a little too early in the day to drink?
Fierdan: No. *looks thoughtful as he takes a long sip from his glass*
Duke: We're in the middle of working. I don't think it's smart to drink at this hour.
Fierdan: *puts his glass down* Time doesn't exist when it comes to us.
Duke: What is with you today? Are you okay?
Fierdan: Damn, this is some fine wine. Try it. *drinks from his glass for a longer amount of time before putting the glass back down again*
Duke: *is frustrated* I'm not drinking! What would Ryen think?
Fierdan: *has a strange sense of calmness in his eyes* Why would I give a damn about him? He fucking left us.
Duke: He didn't leave us. What are you talking about?
Fierdan: *leans back in his chair, smiles* They all left. They're not coming back to find us. This whole 'work' thing is fake because I want a sense of purpose. Do you want to feel useful for once, Duke?
Duke: I don't get what you're saying.
Fierdan: *laughs* Do you seriously not remember any of it?
Duke: *stands up* Remember what?
Fierdan: You disappeared. When I reopened my eyes, they strongly refused to call me Fierdan. Then everything fell to static, and I found you again. You found me. *pauses* They said you didn't exist. That you were dead. But we found each other. Everyone is lost, but we are found.
Duke: *tries to snatch Fierdan's glass*
Fierdan: *has a fierce look in his eyes* Our lives are meaningless. Everyone abandoned us. *leans forward to rip Duke's hand off his glass*
Duke: You're insane, Fierdan.
Fierdan: *smiles viciously at Duke as he grabs his shirt collar to pull him closer* Listen to me when I tell you to *tightens his grip on Duke's shirt collar* drink your fucking wine! *grabs his glass with his other hand, splashes the wine in Duke's face*
Duke: *breaks out of Fierdan's tight grip, wipes his wine-covered face with the side of his right arm* You asshole. *gets up to leave*
Fierdan: Hey! Where do you think you're going?
Duke: Fuck you. I heard what you said. I was going to console you. I was going to say that Soulless isn't you, but I don't know what to think anymore. You are traumatized. It's pretty obvious. But are you even trying to be a good person? Just.. *shakes head* fuck you, man. *leaves the room*
[That night. Duke is in the shower. He is singing in the shower.]
Duke: *sings angrily but also softly* Whoa, oh, oh. Whoa, oh, oh. *starts screaming* Harassed! Violated! Break me down until I'm nothing! *sings softly again* I think there's something wrong with me. There's fire in my skin, and it burns. I told you it hurts, but you only strengthen the flames. *screams again* Harass me! Violate every part of me! This body isn't mine! *sings* I hate you. I hate you. *pauses* Why do I love you?
Fierdan: *knocks on the bathroom door, says with some hesitance* Duke?
Duke: *turns off the shower and steps out of it, wraps a towel around himself, sits on the tiled floor*
Fierdan: *sounds worried* Duke, are you okay?
Duke: Don't touch me.
Fierdan: What?
Duke: Don't come near me.
Fierdan: Why would I?
Duke: *sniffs* Just don't, okay?
Fierdan: Did I hurt you? Please tell me what's wrong!
Duke: Yes, you hurt me today.
Fierdan: I haven't seen you all day. How could I have hurt you?
Duke: *yells* You splashed wine into my fucking eyes! It hurt, you asshole!
Fierdan: What are you talking about?
Duke: Stop it! Make it stop!
Fierdan: *goes away for a minute, returns with a key*
Duke: I don't know what's real.
Fierdan: *inserts the key, twists the doorknob, opens the bathroom door*
Duke: Hey, get away from me!
Fierdan: You're so much worse than I thought.
Duke: Excuse me?
Fierdan: Your mental health has deteriorated.
Duke: Huh?
Fierdan: *sighs* You can't tell dreams from reality.
Duke: What the hell are you saying?
Fierdan: *takes out a small paper from his pocket, throws it at Duke* In three weeks.
Duke: *wraps the towel tighter around himself as he stands up, picks up the paper, reads it* Help?
Fierdan: You have an appointment three weeks from now. I was lucky to get you one so soon.
Duke: *looks disgusted* What is this shit?
Fierdan: I made sure you would get the same person I have. You can't go on living this way without it.
Duke: I'm not going.
Fierdan: Yes you are, Duke.
Duke: *notices the red marks all over the top half of his body* What is all this?
Fierdan: That's what your body looks like in its rawest form.
Duke: Tell Dawn to heal my scars again!
Fierdan: Dawn didn't do it. You did.
Duke: *looks down at his chest* I'm covered in scars.
Fierdan: Well, of course you are.
Duke: *stares wide-eyed at Fierdan* No, don't tell me.
Fierdan: *nods*
Duke: *forgets all about his towel, it drops around him as he collapses to the floor, loudly sobs*
Fierdan: *doesn't listen to what Duke said because he goes up to him and puts a comforting hand on the center of his back*
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To be continued.
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