Moan

MOAN-–an act with no words
(Stage darkened. Sound of heavy, yet even breathing; rattle of chains. Lights come up slowly, revealing two women: one is lying on the floor, curled in a fetal position;; the other is sitting. Both women are wearing long, dark overcoats; both are chained to the center of the stage, on separate chains. The remainder of the stage is bare, except that against the back wall is a door and a window, both opened. The WOMAN AWAKE is rattling the chains, toying with the shackles about her one leg, trying to free herself. The WOMAN SLEEPING is asleep.)
WOMAN AWAKE: (Panting) Suddenly she opens her mouth wide; it remains open for a brief moment while her face contorts. No sound issues forth. She then closes her mouth, pants again, and continues to beat at the chains, breathing heavily. Several times she stops, regaining strength and breath, and then goes back to her work on the chains.
After more attempts and failures, she begins to crawl, on all-fours, toward the opened door, the chains rattling behind. Five feet from the doorway, the chains stop her progress. She stretches one hand toward the door. She stops, looks around, frustrated. She crawls back to where the chains are fastened to the floor, and she tries to loosen them there.
No success.
She looks to WOMAN SLEEPING. Studies her.
Touches her on the shoulder.
No response.
Shakes her.
WOMAN SLEEPING awakes. Looks. Blinks.
WOMAN AWAKE holds up her chains and shakes them.
WOMAN SLEEPING looks at WOMAN AWAKE, blankly. Reaches into overcoat pocket and draws out a large screw-driver. Hands it over.
WOMAN AWAKE takes it.
WOMAN SLEEPING curls up and goes back to sleep.
WOMAN AWAKE looks at screw-driver, then to chains. Starts prying at chains, first at her own leg.
No success.
Then pries at spot where chains are fastened to floor.
No success.
Stares at chains. Ponders.
Goes to one of middle rungs. Pries it, bends, twists. Pants.
Success. She frees one link.
Ponders.
Drops screw-driver. Ponders.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING. Looks back to broken link of chains, then back to opened door.
Ponders.
Starts crawling, on all-fours, toward door.
Door slams shut.
Stops, startled. Stares. Turns and sits up, facing WOMAN SLEEPING (still asleep).
Turns and starts to crawl, on all-fours, toward window. When she is directly beneath window, she starts to rise.
Window slams shut.
She falls backward. Remains motionless for some time. Slowly, she sits up. Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (still asleep). Ponders.
Crawls, on all-fours, toward WOMAN SLEEPING. Looks. Reaches for chains still fastened to floor. Holds in hands. Ponders. Throws them down.
Grips chains still fastened to leg. Ponders. Drops them.
Door swings open. Window opens.
Looks to door and window. Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (still asleep). Then back to opened door and window.
Ponders.
Starts to crawl, on all-fours, toward door. Again, just as she gets within reach, the door slams shut. She stares at the closed door. Ponders.
Slight moan.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (still asleep). Looks to door. Ponders. Looks to window. Starts to crawl, on all-fours, toward window.
Hesitates.
Continues.
When she is beneath window and starts to rise, as before, the window slams shut.
She falls to the floor. Lies still. Slowly, she sits up.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING. Looks to window. Looks to door.
Ponders.
Another moan, longer this time.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (asleep). Crawls to her and hits her. Crawls to where chains are fastened. Fondles them. Turns to door and window. Ponders.
They both open.
Drops chains. Ponders.
Starts to crawl.
Hesitates.
Continues.
Hesitates.
Continues.
Door slowly closes. Window too.
Stares back and forth, from door to window, window to door.
Pouts.
Crawls back to center stage. Looks back to door and window.
Moans loudly.
WOMAN SLEEPING awakes. The eyes of the two women meet. Five seconds pass. WOMAN SLEEPING reaches into overcoat pocket. Hands over a pistol. Rolls back over. Goes to sleep.
WOMAN AWAKE takes pistol, stares at it. Turns it over in hands. Studies it. Looks back to door. Ponders.
Fondles pistol. Ponders. Looks down barrel. Fondles.
Ponders.
Aims pistol at belly. Tenses body.
Fires.
She sprawls back violently. Lies still.
Door opens.
WOMAN AWAKE sits up, slowly. Inspects where wound should be.
Nothing.
Ponders.
Crawls back, on all-fours, to where pistol fell. Picks it up. Studies it.
Looks again down to belly. Ponders.
Looks to opened door. Throws pistol.
Door slams closed and pistol strikes it, falling to floor.
WOMAN AWAKE sits, looking into lap.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (asleep).
Rattles chains on leg.
Groans and buries face in hands. Shoulders shake.
Looks back to door.
It opens. Window too.
Ponders. Pouts.
WOMAN SLEEPING awakes, sits up. Looks to WOMAN AWAKE.
WOMAN AWAKE stops pouting.
WOMAN SLEEPING reaches into overcoat pocket. Hands over large knife. Rolls over and goes back to sleep.
WOMAN AWAKE takes knife. Studies it. Does not look to door. Ponders. Fondles knife. Raises it high above head.
With one fast smooth motion, thrusts knife into belly.
Nothing.
Plunges knife again.
Nothing.
Again and again plunges knife.
Nothing. Nothing.
She laughs.
Stares at door.
It remains open.
Throws knife. It misses door.
She laughs. Rattles chains.
Sits quietly. Ponders.
Drops chains. Ponders.
Ponders.
Picks up screw-driver. Ponders.
Works with broken link and screw-driver. Eventually, she fastens broken link back together. Holds chains. Fondles. Tests its strength. Satisfied, lets it fall across legs.
Looks heavenward. Opens mouth wide, holds for two seconds, revealing teeth. No sound issues forth. Closes mouth.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (asleep now). Looks at door.
It closes. Window too.
Looks to WOMAN SLEEPING (still asleep).
Ponders.
Laughs.
Looks.
(Lights do not black out)
(Curtain does not fall)