Fragments of His Being | ✓

ACT II - SCENE III

ACT II

SCENE III

[Setting: In the small living room in CODY's home. The floor was covered with a cheap carpet to hide the cracks below, and the TV was placed on the floor since there wasn't any table it could sit on.]

[CODY turned flipped the switch, letting light flood the room. He sighed in relief when he noticed that no one was in the living room area, and his smile from interacting with QUINN returned to his face.]

PERSON: What are you smiling about, brat?

CODY: (Turns, only to widen his eyes at the sight of his brother.) Nothing—Nothing CHARLES.

CHARLES: (Glares at CODY from the door of the hallway that led to the rooms.) Fuck you for smiling. You think you have the right to be happy — You don't.

CODY: (Looks away, not wanting to stare at his brother.)

CHARLES: You're not going to say anything?

CODY: (Stays quiet.)

CHARLES: (Walks over to hover over CODY.) You were smiling just a minute ago. (Laughs.) What's wrong? Cat's got your tongue.

[CODY refused to answer, keeping his eyes on the ground as his brother continued to harass him. He was used to this, and if he was lucky he'd get out with just a slap in the face and nothing more. CODY could smell the alcohol on his brother's clothes. It was nauseating.]

CODY: (Kneels on the floor after receiving a small from CHARLES. He sighs, but doesn't say anything.)

CHARLES: You're still not going to talk?

CODY: What do you want me to say? (Holds on to stinging cheek.)

CHARLES: (Frowns a bit.) What were you smiling about?

CODY: I came back from watching some basketball.

CHARLES: (Laughs.) You, sports?

CODY: (Stays silent.)

CODY'S MUM: What's going on out there? CHARLES?

[Her voice came from her room, meaning that she could hear CHARLES slaps and kicks from her room. CHARLES' looked a bit shocked at the sound of her voice, he might have thought she was asleep. CHARLES let go of CODY's hair that he'd gripped.]

CHARLES: Nothing. (Turns to CODY with a frown.)

CHARLES: (Whispers.) Get up.

CODY: (Get's up and begins to head for the hallway.)

CHARLES: Sleep out, I don't want you in our room.

CODY: (Sighs before nodding.) Okay.

[CHARLES disappears into the dark hallway, leaving CODY alone in the dimly lit sitting room.]

CODY: (Sighs as he turns to look around about the living room.)

CODY: (Approaches the small sofa before laying down on it and turning to the side, so that his head was buried in the backrest.)

[CODY could feel his cheeks burn, and he could almost feel the burn of tears trying to make themselves visible — almost.]

CODY: (Smiles.)

[He would have cried until he passed out if this had been any other day, but he had something — someone to look forward to. It was a great feeling, and it made his heart beat quicken.]

CODY: (Whispers to self.) I've got QUINN. (Smiles.)

[The thought of that alone made him happy, and for once in a very long time he didn't cry himself to sleep.]

Curtains fall.