The Darkness, The Light and the Grey In-between

English Monologue P2 ( The Final Copy)

This is the second part of my English monologue assignment. This was my final copy. The beginning is the same as the first one, the original. But the ending ( more like about half of it) has been changed at my teacher's request. I am still trying to find the poem and when I do I will add it in so that you can see what inspired this monologue and so I can give the credit that is owed to the poet of the poem that inspired these two monologues. So this is the final copy that I submitted for my English Assignment. I hope you enjoy it. And if you want, tell me what one you liked better:

The Original

or

The Final Copy

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lie I Keep

Character profile: James Jacobs is an eleven-year boy with dark brown curly hair and hazel eyes. Always honest and kind. He is a good student, son and a great friend.

Context: James and Tom have had a confrontation which resulted in Tom blackmailing James in order for him not to confess to lying about the murder of Charles.

Setting: [Start with a dark stage one park bench off on the right side of the stage, with a park light next to it unlit] 

(A Park at night)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Me: I told a lie today

[Spotlight shows James, head down on the left side of the stage]

I'm not proud of it.... not at all.... But I had no choice... it was either lie.

(Slowly lifts head up and stares intently at the audience with a slightly sad, guilty and morbid look)

Or die... No one must know what truly happened, but yet I feel as if this lie is curing up inside of me like a steel-hard spring... I didn't mean for this to happen

(Tries to step forward, before suddenly stopping)...

(Hangs head low in shame)

Though I must admit, for an on the spot lie, it was a pretty clever lie. I'm surprised they actually believed me. That they didn't see through the lie, to the truth.

(Pauses)

I am not proud of it... not at all. But he forced me to... What he has on me... the blackmail is deeper than the ocean and is darker than a starless space. All-day I have carried around this guilt of lying at the centre of my body. The guilt is eating me... I cried for an hour after I found out what he did.... My eyes were red and puffy and I am sad just thinking about it.

(Walks over to wooden park bench, sits with arms resting on legs, head down)

[Park light starts slowly flickering/beating]

I feel like I should confess... tell someone

(sits up, looks at audience pleadingly)...

Anyone... I just can't do this anymore. I got to tell someone before I'm completely unwound... before someone else finds out. But if he finds out that I told ... then... then... I don't even know what he will do to me.

(Looks down)

Last time someone found out too much about him, dug too deep they ended up in a shallow grave in the middle of the woods. Their body covered in dirt, buried within their grave. Only allowing the freshly turned over soil and their backpack hidden beneath the nearby bush. To show what really happened there on that God-forsaken night.

(Looks up sadly)

I don't want that to happen to me. I don't want to die... not yet. But the guilt is eating me alive... (Fiddles with hands, looks down at them)

I - I-I just don't know what to do anymore... I know I should confess, that's the right thing to do...But I am afraid of the consequences for both telling this untold secret and for keeping it so long... but I think I should risk it...

(Looks up)

Despite the threat of my life held against me. Making me want nothing more than to keep my mouth shut. His family deserves to know the truth... not the lie I told them earlier.

(Looks at hands again)

The truth that Charles, one of my two best friends was not missing like I claimed he was. But had in fact been killed by my other best friend Tom and that I, James Jacobs had found out and then was being blackmailed by Tom into not telling anyone.

(Looks away slightly, shakes head faintly)

That's it... I can't deal with the guilt anymore. I am going to tell them... Tonight

(Looks up determined, before pausing)...

I didn't want this to happen... I never did, but... this is what must happen.

(Looks up at the audience one last time)

It is the only way that I will be free from this lie I keep...

[Lights flicker a few times before it all goes black]

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope you liked this and sorry about all of the Authors notes so until next time. Bye

Published on the 29th of December 2019