[The room is dimly lit, casting eerie shadows across the room. Beatrice sits in the corner of a hospital room, restrained in a straight jacket, her eyes wide with fear and confusion as she speaks aloud to herself, still staring at the wall.]
BEATRICE:
"Why am I here? Trapped within these suffocating walls, bound by chains of uncertainty. They tell me I'm sick, that I belong here. But I don't understand... I don't belong here."
[Beatrice's voice trembles as she delves into her memories, her words echoing through the room like whispers of the past.]
BEATRICE (cont'd):
"I remember... I remember the day I found out. The day the world seemed to stand still, filled with nothing but promise and hope. We were going to be parents, my husband and I. But then... then everything changed.
I remember... oh, how vividly I recall that day. It was as if the universe held its breath, brimming with anticipation and excitement. My husband and I, we revelled in the joyous news, our hearts dancing with the promise of a new life, of parenthood. Oh, the dreams we spun together, like delicate threads weaving a tapestry of hope and anticipation.
The sun bathed the world in a warm, golden glow, casting everything in a luminous hue of possibility. In that fleeting moment, all seemed right with the world, as if destiny itself had smiled upon us. We were ready to embark on the greatest adventure of all, hand in hand, united in love and purpose."
[Beatrice's expression darkens]
BEATRICE (cont'd):
But then... then everything changed. Like a sudden storm on a tranquil sea, darkness descended upon our once blissful existence. It was as if the very air grew heavy with foreboding, suffocating the light that had illuminated our path.
The news came like a thunderbolt, shattering our dreams with brutal force. Reality crashed down upon us like a relentless wave, leaving us gasping for breath in its wake. The joyous anticipation that had filled our hearts was replaced by a gnawing sense of dread, of uncertainty.
And in that moment, the world as we knew it ceased to exist. Our hopes, our dreams, our plans—all swallowed by the gaping maw of despair. We were left adrift in a sea of darkness, clinging to each other for dear life, even as the tempest raged around us.
But amidst the chaos and turmoil, a flicker of defiance ignited within me. I refused to surrender to the despair that threatened to consume us. I refused to let go of the fragile spark of hope that still burned within my heart.
For even in the darkest of times, there is light to be found. And though our path may be shrouded in shadows, I vowed to keep moving forward, to keep fighting for the future we had once dared to imagine. For in that moment of darkness, I found the strength to believe that somehow, someway, we would find our way back into the light.
We were so happy once, my husband and I. Laughing, dreaming, planning for the future; our future. But then... then the darkness crept in."
[Beatrices facial expression becomes scornful as she mocks her husband.]
BEATRICE (cont'd):
"You're crazy, Beatrice. You're not fit to be a mother."
[Beatrice recoils and grimaces, her heart shattering into a million pieces once again as her husband's words pierce her soul.]
BEATRICE (voice trembling):
"He left me here, abandoned, forsaken, stranded amidst the labyrinth of my own thoughts and fears. But what choice did I have but to languish in this solitude, suffocating beneath the weight of his betrayal? He left me, battered and broken by the storm of his scorn. Yet, in the depths of my despair, I feel a glimmer of defiance, a feeble ember of strength that refuses to be extinguished. Though I may tremble beneath the weight of his disdain, I will claw my way back from the brink of oblivion. I will not allow myself to be a victim of his cruelty. With every ounce of my being, I will finally fight for myself."
[As Beatrice's resolve strengthens, the harsh reality of her confinement looms over her like a dark cloud.]
BEATRICE (reflecting):
"I can still feel it... the flutter of life within me, the promise of a future yet to come. We were so happy then, my husband and I. Nothing could touch us, nothing could break the bond we shared."
[As Beatrice's memories unfold, so too does the darkness of her reality. She recalls the moment her husband's love turned to scorn, his accusations tearing through her like daggers.]
BEATRICE (painfully):
"He said I was crazy, that I was unfit to be a mother. How could he say such things? How could he turn his back on me when I needed him most?"
[Beatrice's voice trembles with emotion as she confronts the depth of her betrayal and abandonment.]
BEATRICE (cont'd):
"I thought I knew him... thought I knew the man I married. But now... now I'm not so sure. How could he abandon me like this? How could he create this nightmare for me?"
[As Beatrice grapples with her feelings of betrayal and abandonment, that flicker of defiance ignites within her. Tears stream down Beatrice's face as she recedes into the corner, her body wracked with sobs as she pleads for release. As Beatrice sits in the darkness, lost in her thoughts, memories of happier times, now shrouded in pain, flood her mind once more. Suddenly, she pauses.]
BEATRICE (resolutely):
"But I can't do this... I can't bring a child into this world, not like this. I won't let him win. I won't let him destroy me. I won't let him have the option. I won't let this child be a constant reminder. "
[Beatrice stands and thinks for a moment before throwing herself to the ground, her body wracked with sobs as she prays for release.]
[The stage falls silent as Beatrice's decision hangs heavy in the air, leaving the audience with a haunting sense of tragedy and loss. The monologue concludes, leaving Beatrice alone on stage, sobbing, grappling with the consequences of her decision and the harsh reality of her confinement.]
