Explain Yourself at the Help (skit 2)

"Explain Yourself at the Help" skit, part 2.

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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[Three weeks later. Fierdan is driving Duke to his Help appointment. Duke has his elbow against the passenger side window.] 

Fierdan: *takes a breath, breaks the long silence* I lied, I'm sorry. 

Duke: *is looking out the window* Okay. 

Fierdan: You're not going to ask for context? 

Duke: *rests his chin into his hand* Is there any reason to? You should concentrate on the road. 

Fierdan: *doesn't plan on saying anything else but says* What you heard from me that day.. you didn't make it up. 

Duke: Sure. 

Fierdan: I.. I feel like I'm disrespecting you for going to Help before you when I knew all along that you needed it before I did. I mean, well, you were actually traumatized. 

Duke: *interrupts* What the hell is that supposed to mean? *turns his head to face Fierdan* 'Actually traumatized' is a stupid phrase. 

Fierdan: But I'm the reason I am in the first place. 

Duke: So what? I'm fucked up because of my past actions too. That doesn't mean we both didn't go through trauma. *sighs* Even if it's because of our own actions. I think that just caused our mental states to be even worse. Since we're our own monsters and all. 

Fierdan: Heh, maybe you're right. 

Duke: And what do you mean you didn't need help? You weren't sleeping at all because your nightmares and flashbacks were too severe for you to manage every time you closed your eyes. You needed Help before me. 

Fierdan: I'm worried about Ryen and the rest of them. Ever since that night we were all on the group chat, we haven't heard anything from them. *lowers voice* Maybe they really did abandon us. I mean, props to them for handling us for as long as they did. 

Duke: Yeah, it's strange. It's been a month. 

Fierdan: *is deep in thought* You disappeared into thin air that night. The next thing I remembered was them calling me Danny and saying you died a long time ago. They didn't know Brock either, which was strange. Then I was able to see you again in this static void thing. And, here we are now. 

Duke: Do you think I'm able to create different universes for us to live in? As for why it's just me and you, we share the same soul and the majority of our physical traits. We're like the same person, despite all our differences. *pauses* Huh, that sounds ironic. And that's why no one else can find us. We both disappeared into nothing that night. 

Fierdan: Is there a way to reverse it? 

Duke: Without killing me? I don't know. 

Fierdan: The timeline they must be in is the one where you stay dead and I detach myself from Fierdan. Or, in other words, the story 2 universe. 

Duke: Look, I was right. I told you I had to die before that night came to an end, but you refused to listen. Now look at this mess we're in! 

Fierdan: I refuse to kill you again. 

Duke: Why not? After everything, why not? 

Fierdan: I like having you help me with my job. 

Duke: The paperwork? Are you serious? 

Fierdan: Would you rather go back to school? 

Duke: Well, no. *looks at his feet* 

Fierdan: Thought so. *there's a long pause* Oh, it looks like we're here. 

Duke: What? We're here already? 

Fierdan: *parks the car* Remember, you don't have to bring up anything that makes you uncomfortable. 

Duke: *puts up the hood of jacket, wraps a red scarf several times around his neck, makes sure no parts of his arms are visible, puts on black gloves* 

Fierdan: Is that all necessary? 

Duke: They're all strangers. I don't want them to judge me. My scars haven't faded. They're all visible. 

Fierdan: Hiding yourself away won't help you.

Duke: They'll be scared of me if I don't cover them up. 

Fierdan: No, they won't. *sighs* Do you even know what Help is? 

Duke: Some.. some thing to help us? I don't know. 

Fierdan: You really don't know? I told you what it is several times. 

Duke: I don't remember hearing you ever explain what it is. 

Fierdan: *sighs* Fine, fine. It's a counseling service. Therapy. That kind of thing. 

Duke: *frowns* You took me in for counseling? No, no, I'm not doing this. 

Fierdan: I know you're scared, but you can do this. 

Duke: No, I can't! I had a bad relationship with my previous therapist. 

Fierdan: You never went to therapy, Duke. That project world shit? Well, that was just a joke. Everything from that damned place is a disgrace. 

Duke: I don't know...

Fierdan: Ah, come on! Do I have to hold your hand in order to make you come inside? 

Duke: No. *opens the passenger side door, steps outside* 

Fierdan: *steps outside, locks the car, catches up with Duke* Wait up! I have to introduce you. 

Duke: I'm fine on my own, thanks. 

[A few minutes later. Duke and Fierdan enter the Help building. Fierdan walks straight for the reception desk. Duke looks in all directions but then catches up to Fierdan who is now standing in front of the desk. A woman at the desk stops reading her book to look at Fierdan and Duke.] 

Receptionist: *has a kind voice* Oh wow, you two look awfully alike! 

Duke: *adjusts his scarf and checks to make sure his wrists aren't visible* 

Receptionist: *looks curiously at Duke*

Fierdan: *in a charming voice* Hello, beautiful. 

Duke: *kicks one of Fierdan's ankles* 

Fierdan: *chuckles as he pulls Duke's hood down* 

Duke: *glares furiously at Fierdan* 

Fierdan: *keeps his eyes on the woman at the reception desk, smiles* 

Receptionist: Are you two brothers, or am I seeing double? 

Fierdan: *laughs but maintains his charming voice* Brothers? That's a good guess, but you're wrong. 

Receptionist: *is suddenly at a loss of words* 

Fierdan: Hi, I'm Fierdan. *is as close to the desk as he can get, puts a hand on the desk, hasn't stopped smiling* I made several phone calls about the situation. You should have been expecting us all day. I'm offended that you don't know us from our physical appearances. Don't fuck me over, ma'am. 

Receptionist: *gulps, flips through pages* Fierdan, was it? 

Fierdan: *is still using his charming voice but it makes it sound even more threatening at this point* Can you listen? Yes, my name is Fierdan. *taps his fingers on the desk* 

Duke: *sighs* Don't pay any attention to him. He made an appointment for me here at this time. My name is Duke. Fierdan and I look so alike because we are basically the same person. 

Receptionist: Oh! Fierdan and Duke- got it. 

Fierdan: *quits his charming voice* You're slow at this. 

Receptionist: Do I need to call security? 

Fierdan: No thanks, I'm good. *walks away but then turns around* Make sure Duke gets the same person I do. *continues walking away* 

Duke: *gulps when he realizes he's all on his own* Uh, so how do I start this thing? 

Receptionist: *gives Duke a paper, pen, and clipboard* Fill this out and hand it to the person you're here to see when you are called. *points somewhere* There's a waiting area over there. 

Duke: Thank you, ma'am. *walks to the waiting area, finds a seat* 

[Duke spends a while filling out the paper. Writes his name, age, gender, and all that stuff down.] 

Duke: 'What is the reason for your visit?' Well, uh, Fierdan made me come here. I don't think I can put that down though. *shrugs and writes something down on the lines for that question* 

[A few questions later.]

Duke: *while writing things down or checking boxes* My life is one huge traumatic event. I guess it's not a good thing for me to beg for my death and get upset at people who refuse to kill me. *shrugs* 'Low self worth?' I'm worthless, so I guess? I don't deserve good things. I have excessive guilt. I'm more shaky these days.. yeah? 'Experience nightmares?' Yes. Oh yes, I have problems sleeping. Life literally became better after I died. Well, after Fierdan killed me. Definitely not that time Risak kinda killed me. 'Ever feel depressed?' Haha, that's a good one. 

[A few minutes later.] 

Duke: 'Triggers?' Huh, I never got asked that before. *writes some words down* My mother. No, my parents. Shit.. *tears off his gloves, scratches his head* My father? Uh.. *frowns at the paper* School. *adds 'Calliah' next to 'my mother'* Taurel. Risak. That bitch, Admiral. Soulless. *scratches his chin* Am I doing this right? Oh, I know! Eye mutilation. Fireflies. Syringes. Objects with sharp blades. *shakes head, stares at the paper* Fuck it. 

[Stares at the paper for a few more minutes before going to the receptionist to tell her he finished filling the paper out. Then he waits.] 

[Duke, too warm with the additional clothing on starts taking it all off. He isn't aware of Fierdan taking a seat in a different part of the waiting area. Duke unwraps the scarf from being tightly wound around his neck. Duke takes off his jacket. He pauses before taking off his sweater. Then he sits back down with his neck and arms visible.] 

Fierdan: *looks over the magazine he's currently reading to see Duke, sighs with satisfaction* 

[Some amount of time later. Duke leans back and takes a deep breath.] 

Duke: You want me to start from the beginning? 

Help person: Yes, that would be great. The more I know about you, the better I can help you. 

Duke: This is therapy? Haha, what a fucking joke. 

Help person: Not exactly. This is Help. 

Duke: Yeah, yeah whatever. Close enough. 

Help person: I guess if you'd rather call it that, then go ahead. 

Duke: Okay, I don't really care. *thinks* Here goes my life story. Sorry Fierdan, but I'll have to mention the things that make me uncomfortable. I'll let the people know more about me and my past.

[. . . .] 

To be continued.