Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT I - SCENE IX

ACT I

SCENE IX

[Setting: In the living room that also served as a dining room in QUINN's family's house. The room was lit in orange light, reflecting against the old worn out furniture. QUINN was sitting next to CODY on the sofa. The two boys were sipping soup with metal spoons from the small bowls they hand in their hands.]

QUINN: (To Cody.) How is it? (Gestures to food.)

CODY: (Swallows.) Good. It's really nice.

QUINN: That's good to hear, my mum's good at cooking. (Laughs.)

CODY: (Smiles.)

Thunder strikes in the distance.

QUINN: (Looks towards the window.) Huh. It has started to rain.

[The light petals hitting the windows of the house made a dripping noise, and QUINN got up to put a bowl under the area that the roof usually leaked during heavy rain.]

QUINN: (Walks back to the sofa.)

QUINN: (To CODY.) Are you done? (Gestures towards the bowl.)

CODY: Yeah. (Gets up.)

QUINN: (Moves to take the bowl from CODY.) Don't worry, I'll drop it off for you. (Smiles.)

CODY: Sits back down.

QUINN: (Returns to sit beside CODY.) Rain sucks, doesn't it?

CODY: (Laughs.) I guess. (Shrugs.)

QUINN: Everything gets all wet and sticky. My sneakers aren't going to like the mud tomorrow.

CODY: (Laughs.) But it's sort of like natural air conditioning?

QUINN: (Frowns a bit before his features soften) Yeah, I guess sort, but can't it be cold without you know — messing up the place?

CODY: (Laughs.)

Silence.

CODY: (Cocks his head at QUINN)

[CODY could see how tired QUINN looked under the dim light. His brown eyes were dull, and his smile didn't reach his eyes.]

CODY: Are you tired.

QUINN: (Laughs as he rubs his eyes.) Yeah, a little bit.

CODY: Maybe I should leave so you can sleep?

QUINN: It's okay, I still have to stay up and wait for my parents to come back. I know my sister is at her friend's place, but my parents don't usually come back till ten.

CODY: That's late.

QUINN: Yeah, they do overtime. I wish I could work a bit, but they don't want either me or my sister too yet. Ah, they're that kind of parents who like to put the full burden on themselves.

QUINN: (In a whisper) I just wish they live long enough for us to pay them back.

CODY: Oh.

Silence.

[The sound of the fan's blades spinning and the sound of the drops of water hitting the metal bowl from the area of the roof that leaked resounded through the small apartment. QUINN eventually put the TV on, looking through some CDs before selecting one.]

QUINN: We should watch something if I plan to stay up. (Laughs.)

CODY: (Chuckles.) Yeah.

[The movie QUINN had put was an old horror film with awful film effects, and QUINN and CODY spent most of the night laughing instead of screaming in horror.]

QUINN and CODY: (Turn towards the door at the sound of the lock clicking open.)

[QUINN's mother, a dark-skinned woman in her early forties walked into the kitchen/living room. She was in plain blue jeans and a cream top, and it didn't take long for a man around the same age range to walk in after her.]

QUINN'S MUM: QUINN? Is that KARL?

QUINN: (To his mother.) No this is CODY, his staying over this night.

QUINN'S MUM: (Nods as she puts groceries away.) Okay, did you at least feed him?

QUINN: (Laughs.) Yes, mum. (Rolls eyes.) He liked your cooking.

QUINN'S FATHER: (Opens a can of beer.) Everyone loves your mum's cooking.

QUINN: (Laughs.)

[CODY watched QUINN and his parents interact. It was fascinating to him, to say the least. He'd learned to be wary of adults — flying arms were always a possibility. CODY continued to watch, and nothing happened, eventually, QUINN'S parents disappeared into their room, and QUINN turned off the TV before leading CODY to his room.]

CODY: (Looks around, unsure of what to do.)

[QUINN had given him a pair of shorts and a shirt to change into, but now he wasn't sure where he was going to sleep. There was only one bed, and QUINN was already laying on it.]

QUINN: (Taps the area on the bed beside him.) Come on, it's cold.

CODY: (Doesn't move.)

QUINN: (Sits up on the bed.) Is something wrong?

CODY: (Shakes head.) No. (Moves to climb into bed next to QUINN.)

QUINN: It's not gay if that's what you're worried about. (Laughs before turning away.)

[CODY didn't laugh. He felt like his heart was in his throat. He couldn't really explain the feeling — it was sickly — yet not sickly. Was it restlessness?]

CODY: (Looks on at QUINN's back in the dark.)

CODY: (Sighs before shutting his eyes tight.)

[Maybe I can wish it away, CODY thought.]

[His plans didn't go quite as planned, and he was restless for most of the night, but eventually fell asleep in the early morning hours.]

Curtains fall.