The Sixth Shot

“The Sixth Shot”
By Colin Hayes

Cast:
Niklas: A man of thirty. Writer.
Tanya: A woman of twenty eight. Wife of Niklas.
Anya: Woman of twenty five.
Aleksandr: Man of thirty two. Carries and/or wears a hat.
Sonya: Woman of thirty.
Dark Figure: A figure cloaked in black. It carries a six shot revolver.

Setting:
A blank stage. Partially lit. Tinted blue. Glassware erected on a table center. Niklas’ Chair and stool right. Baseball bat resting on wall right.

Act I.
Niklas is reading a book. He turns the page. He pulls out a toothpick, sticks it in his mouth like a cigarette. Takes a drag. Holds it between his fingers. Pauses, takes another drag. Crosses his legs. Uncrosses them. Crosses his legs. Takes a drag. Slams the book shut and throws it on the ground, standing up. Looks at the book.
Walks to the baseball bat. Picks it up, examines it. Takes a practice swing, toothpick in mouth. Looks at the glassware. Takes a practice swing just short of the glassware. Returns the bat. Returns to his book.
Enter Tanya.
She looks at the glassware. Looks at Niklas. Exit Tanya.
Niklas: I’ve been turned down.
Tanya (off left): No you haven’t.
Niklas turns another page. Takes a drag.
Niklas: I’ve been discarded.
Tanya (off right): No you haven’t.
Enter Tanya. Silence.
Tanya: Don’t say that?
Niklas: Why not.
Silence.
Tanya: You make me sad when you say that.
Niklas: Well, that’s deserving, I’m altogether sad when I say that too.
Tanya: You make me sad when you say that.
Niklas: And you don’t want to be sad?
Tanya: No.
Niklas: Really?
Pause.
Why?
Pause.
I think maybe I want to be sad.
Tanya: Why?
Niklas: Nothing better to do really.
Extinguishes the toothpick. Exit Tanya. Enter Anya.
Anya: Good evening.
Niklas: Morning.
Pause.
Anya (sits): Niklas, I need to talk to you.
Niklas: Do you Anya?
Anya: Yes, it’s about…
Niklas: What?
Anya: Well, here’s the thing, Niklas. I’m not doing well.
Niklas: Not well?
Anya: I’m not Doing well.
Niklas: Join the club. I like to be sad. But I’m not allowed.
Anya: Not allowed?
Niklas: Not at all.
Anya: Why?
Niklas: Because they won’t let me. That’s why I’m not allowed.
Anya: I suppose I think I need to talk to you.
Niklas: With me?
Anya: Yes.
Niklas: Well, I’ll be honest, Anya. I’ve talked with people before, but never like this. I usually find them sulking in their corner and I dive right in. Pull it apart. Break them down, analyze them, tell them what’s what and all that. You’re only the second person to come to me to talk.
Anya: What happened?
Niklas: ….that was the only time it didn’t end well.
Anya: Oh.
Niklas: Yes.
Anya: Well, it’s this new boy I’m seeing.
Niklas: Ah yes. And how is he?
Anya: Why do you ask?
Niklas: Because I wanted to know how he’s doing.
Anya: …very well.
Niklas: What about him?
Anya: Well, he’s starting to creep me out.
Niklas: Is that so?
Anya: No, he’s really nice.
Niklas: Are you afraid of him?
Pause
Anya: What?
Niklas: Are you afraid of him?
Anya: I…I don’t know.
Niklas: Are you afraid of anything?
Anya: I…don’t…know…if I am.
Niklas: I remember Tanya tried to tell me her fears once. Dismal affair. But they weren’t all that bad, really. To tell you the truth, she had a long list. She feared that everyone she cared about might pack up and leave, that her friends would hate her, that she would hate herself, that she’d be alone. I asked her, do you think you fear getting hurt? Because that was at the end of the tunnel at each one of her specific fears. That was where it ended. With getting hurt. She never confirmed my theory, but I stand by it…even without a conflict to stand against.
Anya: Who doesn’t fear getting hurt?
Niklas: Do you?
Anya: …yes.
Niklas: Then that’s what you fear.
Anya: But that’s not really a Fear. A fear is something different. Everyone fears getting hurt.
Niklas: But there is a difference, my dearest Anya. Not everyone fears getting hurt. Most people avoid it. Others seek it. But there is a minority…one who doesn’t fear it.
Anya: What?
Niklas: Those who don’t fear getting hurt. Those who would rather be hurt every once in a while than never be hurt at all.
Anya: Your fear…?
Pause
Niklas: My fear. My greatest fear. The sum of the worst in a man. I fear the cessation of human emotions. To one day wake up and not feel. To one day not cry, nor laugh, nor hurt, nor hurt someone. To me, these feelings, these everyday emotions are what life consists of, what makes it worth living. If you don’t have these, there is no point.
Anya: I think that’s better than my fear.
Niklas: Perhaps if we were to have a fear contest.
Pause
Anya: I’m not doing well.
Niklas: Yes, please tell me about that. This boy, right…
Anya: Yes, it is. It’s just that he’s not doing too well.
Niklas: Because you’re not doing too well.
Anya: …yes…
Niklas: It happens. That you would be his cause of suffering because you want your own emotions. But you’d have to sacrifice them to make him happy.
Anya: And I want to make him happy. If I don’t then I’ll get hurt.
Niklas: Worse things could happen.
Anya: So says you.
Niklas: So says I.
Silence. He takes out another toothpick and takes a drag.
Is it what you really want?
Anya: Want?
Niklas: His happiness. To eradicate his suffering which is based on your suffering.
Anya: Yes, of course.
Niklas: To just wipe away both sides of the pain, then everyone is happy.
Anya: Yes, that’s what I want.
Niklas: Then do it.
Anya: …I can’t.
Niklas: Why not? The goal is in front of you. Your objective is clear. There is no reason not to, not for one whom fears hurt.
Enter Tanya.
Anya: No…I just can’t do it. I don’t know why. But it’s not that simple. It never is that simple, Niklas.
Niklas: And I agree with you.
Tanya: It never is that simple, is it?
FADE OUT.
Fade in. Niklas seated right. Tanya left.
Tanya: How often do you talk to Anya?
Niklas: Not often, why? Is this an accusation?
Tanya: Perhaps it is.
Niklas: Perhaps it is. And perhaps I’ve cheated on you, which would perhaps make me a terrible husband. And perhaps you’d wish to confront your probably terrible husband, and perhaps you’d want the truth.
Tanya: Yes. Perhaps.
Pause
Niklas: Which is it then?
Tanya: You only gave me one option.
Niklas: I gave you a string of consequential options.
Tanya: …I want the truth.
Niklas: Yes. (Quietly) …that’s a nice thing to have…
Tanya: What?
Niklas: …is the truth? The truth is that Anya wanted some advice from an old friend. Nothing more, nothing less.
Tanya: Oh.
Pause
Perhaps I feel lousy for suspecting you.
Niklas: (opens his book) Perhaps I feel lousy for being accused.
Tanya: Perhaps.
Niklas: It doesn’t matter. I feel better already.
Tanya: Why?
Niklas: Because no one has accused me of cheating for a long time.
Tanya: I’m not sure I understand… (a cell phone rings. Tanya fumbles for hers and answers it.) Hello. Aleksandr! How are you? Oh, I’ve been…(looks at Niklas)…wonderful. Listen, how are you? …good, good, I haven’t been up to much. (Exit Niklas.) Yes, I heard you got your hair cut. Ha! Yes, I recently got mine cut too. You know, I haven’t seen you with your hair cut…(silence)…what? (She runs off left.)
Silence.
A door is heard opening. Shouting of a man and a woman left. Enter Niklas running right, exit running left. Niklas’ voice joins the shouting. Door slams. Enter Niklas and Tanya from left. Niklas collapses in his chair. Tanya stands.
Tanya: Aleksandr…
Niklas: Before our witness…
Tanya: Why did you come back?
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Niklas and Anya sitting.
Niklas: I lied yesterday.
Anya: …what?
Niklas: I lied yesterday. When we were talking. Rather, I didn’t tell the whole truth, which is a lie.
Anya: What did you lie about?
Niklas: I told you my greatest fear, Anya. I told you what I fear above all things. I didn’t tell you that I have a second greatest fear.
Anya: A second?
Niklas: A second. I must tell you now, that my second greatest fear is to sit and feel like I have caused the suffering of others and to receive none myself.
Anya: That’s a reasonable fear.
Niklas: Is fear reasonable?
Anya: We all fear.
Niklas: But we are not all reasonable.
Pause.
Anya: Yes.
Pause.
I can’t tell you.
Niklas: Can’t tell me what?
Anya: What I wanted to tell you, not yesterday.
Niklas: You’re…not…
FADE OUT.
Fade in, seven years earlier. Anya and Niklas have been arguing.
Anya: I mean, I spend So Much Time trying to be happy, but it's so fucking hard when you're sad, and frustrated, and stressed, and depressed, and then you're Making Your Friends Around You Depressed Too which starts a cycle, and then when everyone around you is Depressed And Sad then it doesn't help you either!
Niklas: Don’t! Don’t! I don’t know! I don’t fucking Know what the hell is happening! You’ll kill me and you, and never look back, because you can’t, you fucking Can’t!
Anya: Can’t What?
Niklas: Move on! You won’t tell me what the matter is, and you won’t move on! You’ll just make everyone Miserable!
Anya: You’ll, you’ll…
FADE OUT.
Fade in. Present day.
Niklas: That night…the secret you never told me…Anya, it’s been seven years.
Anya: I know. Do you remember your letter?
Niklas: My letter?
Anya: To me, a month after we separated. You explained everything to me.
Niklas: It was my confession.
Anya: And I tried to confess too. But I couldn’t. I tried, I swear I did, I wanted to tell you everything like you told me, but you didn’t hold the same secrets…
Niklas: I know.
Anya: I want to tell, Niklas, I really do, but I’m afraid.
Niklas: So am I.
Anya: (hurt) Of me?
Niklas: No, of Tanya. She already accused me of cheating on her when she saw us talking. Plus, Aleksandr showed up yesterday. He…she…it wasn’t pleasant.
Sighs. Takes out a toothpick. Takes a drag.
Anya: …you don’t want to hear?
Niklas: …you don’t want to tell.
Anya: It’s true.
Niklas: I don’t want this. I don’t want to see you hurt, but I don’t want to see Tanya hurt. You must understand.
Anya understands.
Good. Just remember, if you think that the secret will hurt me, don’t be foolish. Of course it will. But in a world of fear, I’m not afraid.
Anya: All right…
Niklas: You should go…
Anya: Yes…yes…
Exit Anya. Niklas stands. Takes a drag. Sits. Stands. Walks towards the bat. Stops. Walks towards his chair. Stops. Throws down his toothpick and angrily stomps it out. Runs to the bat, seizes it and makes to strike the glassware, but holds back at the last second. Pause. Silence. Frustrated, Niklas swaggers towards his chair. Spontaneously strikes it down, furiously verberating . Stops. Calmly replaces the bat, but doesn’t let go. He hangs his head. Silence.
FADE OUT
Fade in.
A Dark Figure moves in the background. Niklas is standing left, looking out at the audience.
The Dark Figure advances behind Niklas, crouched. The Dark Figure draws a revolver and places it to Niklas’ head.
Niklas recoils and starts to put his hands up, then subsides.
Niklas: There you are. Just tell me…who you Are. Whirls around.
Gunshot.
FADE OUT
Fade in.
Niklas is sitting in his chair, asleep. Tanya is sitting over him, stroking his hair.
Tanya: Dearest…dearest Niklas. You look so cute when you sleep. Sleep your dreams sweet…your sweet dreams…
Niklas silently jerks awake.
Dear? What is it?
Niklas: Nothing. Nothing I haven’t seen before.
Tanya: You were dreaming?
Niklas: Yes…I was.
Tanya: What did you dream about?
Niklas: Nothing.
Tanya: Nothing?
Niklas: Nothing. (pause)
Tanya: Are you quite sure?
Niklas: Positive.
Tanya turns about from Niklas and looks at her hands. She dusts them off and walks left.
Tanya: Aleksandr apologized.
Niklas: That man…
Tanya: Yes, what he did was quite inexcusable. To just show up…and then the shouting.
Niklas: I know. You know, you really should have let me beat his brains out.
Tanya: Why? You never would even if I let you. You’d never beat anyone’s brains out, Niklas. You never did.
Niklas: That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t.
Tanya: (walks back right, puts her hands on Niklas’ shoulders.) Aw, poor Nikki. You don’t have to fight for me, you know.
Niklas: Yes, but I want to.
Tanya: I know you’ve always felt the urge to fight, for me. I know it’s what you’ve always wanted in life, but it’s something you don’t have to do.
Niklas: I…
Tanya: Nikki?
Niklas: Someday…
Tanya: …Niklas?
Niklas: Someday I will w…you’re right. I don’t have to. I mean, what good would it be to obtain glory in today’s world, eh? Who fights for anything? Not me. I don’t fight for anything. And why? I go about my business every day. I try to squeeze the creative juices out of my mind onto paper, or writing, as they call it. I have a beautiful wife. (Tanya smiles.) Who needs it? Not me. Nothing worth standing for. Someone else can do that. Someone else can stand up. Not me. I don’t need to. I have a wonderful life. I sit, I read, I write, what more, I ask? There is no more. Shouldn’t be. Wouldn’t be. Can’t have it any other way really. And who needs it to be as such. Not me. Definitely not me…
Tanya: …Nikki? Are you alright?
Niklas: Fine, splendid, wonderful. (pause) Care for a walk?
Tanya: (smiles) I do.
Niklas: Excellent. Why don’t you get your jacket ready, I’ll just tidy up the study.
Exit Tanya. Pause. Niklas starts to walk off right, stops. Turns left. A gun is held out from offstage at Niklas’ head. Pause.
Niklas: Finish me, why don’t you.
Niklas closes his eyes tight. The gun withdraws. Pause. Niklas looks around. Runs off right.
Curtain.
Act II.
Aleksandr and Tanya seated.
Tanya: Do you want to know a secret?
Aleksandr: Of course!
Tanya: I think Niklas is a little crazy.
Aleksandr: A little crazy? Oh, believe me Tanya. Just hearing about that man for so long has made me positive of that.
Tanya: Yes…(laughs) I really should have known that myself. I almost always thought his lunacy was just for the sake of humor.
Aleksandr: The man’s just crazy Tanya. I can’t believe you ended up with Him.
Tanya: Oh, you never liked him, did you Alex?
Aleksandr: He’s just crazy Tanya. That’s all. Not sane.
Tanya: Oh he’s amazing. You just don’t want to get to know him.
Aleksandr: Hmm.
Pause.
Tanya: You know, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.
Aleksandr: It has.
Tanya: Do you remember? That time, when we were up north.
Aleksandr: North…
Tanya: Remember the lightning storm?
Aleksandr: (laughs quietly) Yes, you really don’t like storms.
Tanya: (shivers, as if a bad taste in her mouth) They’re terrible. But you remember, don’t you. You’d remember. The storm, I told you I was afraid…
Aleksandr: Afraid, yes.
Tanya: We talked so much back then. We were such good friends. How did we ever come apart?
Pause
Aleksandr: You know.
Tanya: (looks as if she would vomit) I know. Why….we were best friends.
Pause.
I loved you.
Aleksandr: (shifts) I know. I…
Tanya: (cries) And I don’t understand it! Why, dammit? I loved you more than anyone I’ve ever loved. And I was never able to tell you. I thought it was too late. But I’m here now! I’m here and I have to say it. I have to say I loved you. I love you, Alek.
Aleksandr: Tanya…you’re married…to Him…
Tanya: Can I not love whom I wish?
Aleksandr: There’s this funny thing about marriage Tanya, you sort of vow to love him and only him till death do you part…remember?
Tanya: Vows can’t tell me my feelings.
Aleksandr: Tanya, be reasonable.
Tanya: I can’t! I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t I can’t! (Leaps from her chair) I can’t help how I feel. (Calms down) And I don’t want to.
Aleksandr: Tanya…
FADE OUT
Fade in.
The glassware and baseball bat on stage center.
Niklas enters right. Walks past the glassware. Stops. Looks back at it. Walks off left at a brisk pace.
Pause.
Niklas enters right again. Keeps walking cheerfully. Passes the glassware. Stops. Looks at the glassware. Looks at the baseball bat. Nudges the bat with his toe. Takes out a toothpick and takes a drag. Swaggers off left.
Pause.
Niklas swaggers in left. He is carrying Alexsandr’s hat in a clenched fist. Anger is in his eyes. His face trembles. He throws down the hat, his eyes fixed on the glassware. He picks up the bat. Get’s ready to swing.
Enter Dark Figure left.
Pause.
Niklas turns, aggravated.
Niklas: God help me.
Dark Figure and Niklas face each other, start circling each other. They move across the stage from left to right. Niklas swings several times but Dark Figure is too far away. Frustrated, Niklas turns on the glassware. He swings and nips a single glass which shatters.
Pause.
Dark Figure straightens up and walks off right. Niklas drops bat, looks off right. Runs his hands through his hair.
Niklas faces away from the audience. Picks up a single glass and examines it. Lets it drop.
Niklas: That bastard…
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Tanya on stage. A hat sitting by Niklas chair.
Enter Niklas right, slowly.
Niklas: Company over?
Tanya: Yes.
Niklas looks around, looks at the glassware with missing glasses. Moves center. Picks up a hat.
Niklas: Whose is this?
Tanya: That’s…Aleksandr’s.
Niklas: Oh. What was he doing here?
Tanya: Nothing. We were just talking.
Niklas: Talking.
Tanya: Just talking.
Niklas: I suppose you really haven’t conversed in a long time, now, have you?
Tanya: He’s my best friend, Niklas.
Niklas: Is he still?
Tanya: Yes. He is.
Niklas: I would have thought…never mind. Well, did you have dinner? A chat about politics, perhaps?
Tanya: We didn’t really eat…he left early.
Niklas: Ah.
Tanya: We were just talking about…the new book. The new book, that your publishers are releasing.
Niklas: I’ve been told they release a good deal of new books. As opposed to the old ones, at least.
Tanya: Um, well, there’s a new author. Brand new, in fact. Only, Aleksandr says your publisher is going to have to cut someone to keep the new author, you see. They really like the new author, and they’re going to keep him.
Niklas: And…
Tanya: And they must cut an old one.
Niklas: An old one.
Tanya: An old one.
Pause
Niklas: Well?
Tanya: Well what?
Niklas: Well, what more have you to say?
Tanya: Oh…I…think maybe you should check, dear Nikki. I think you had best find out. I think that maybe…
Niklas: One day…
Tanya: Maybe you should make sure it isn’t you.
Niklas: I will walk away…
Tanya: Oh, but you shouldn’t walk. Your company is based in New York, is it not? You’ll have to fly.
Niklas: (closes his eyes, massages his eyebrows) You…heard this…from Aleksandr?
Tanya: Yes.
Niklas: You let him in?
Tanya: Yes.
Niklas: He didn’t shout?
Tanya: Yes.
Niklas: And he knows the insides of my publisher?
Tanya: Yes. No, he doesn’t. It’s a friend. A friend of his knows the insides, mentioned it…Alek just thought you would appreciate the tip.
Niklas: I don’t think…
Tanya: Oh, but you really should Niklas.
Niklas: The odds…
Tanya: But your job is such an important thing, Niklas. (She walks closer.)
Niklas: But this is hearsay, I just don’t…
Tanya: (puts her arms around Niklas. His arms are limp.) Now, Mister, I won’t let you lose your job over this. (Pecks him on the cheek and lays her head on his chest.) Please Nikki?
Niklas looks off right, still in Tanya’s embrace. Pause.
Nikki? Won’t you?
Niklas: Yes, yes alright. I’ll go. I’ll go Tanya. I will go.
Tanya: (hugs Niklas) Oh thank you thank you, Niklas. You don’t know how much it means to me.
Niklas: I’m sure I don’t.
Tanya: Excellent, now you must go and pack. Quickly now! (Ushers him off right.)
Niklas: I’m going, I’m going. (Exit right.)
Tanya walks left center, pulls out her cell phone, dials. Pause, she taps her foot.
Enter Dark Figure right.
Tanya: Oh! Hello Alek, listen, would you like to come over for dinner tomorrow? …Oh, no occasion. I think we need to get reacquainted. Better than the other night. Much better. …yes? Wonderful! I’ll see you then!
She hangs up.
Dark Figure watches her from back center. Tanya, ecstatic, bubbles off left. Dark Figure watches. Pause.
Dark Figure pulls up Niklas stool and sits left center. Produces a revolver. Opens the chamber and loads all six shots. Spins the chambers several times. Stops to prepare itself. Swings chamber shut and stands. Conceals revolver and walks off left.
Pause.
Enter Niklas right. He walks across the stage and stops at the stool. Looks at his right hand. Makes a fist. Paces. Pulls out his cell phone.
Dials.
Niklas: Hello? Sonya? This is Niklas. Yes, I’m still alive. Listen I need some time to talk to you. …very soon. I leave tomorrow. …before then? Yes, before then…alright, see you then. Hangs up.
Dials
Hello, Anya? Are you still familiar with Aleksandr? Good. I need you to tell me something…
Curtain.
Act III.
Fade in. Enter Dark Figure right. Stops. Looks at glassware center.
Pause.
Walks around glassware and continues left. Stops. Looks back at glassware.
Enter Niklas right. Pause. Niklas and Dark Figure look at each other. Silence. Niklas and Dark Figure circle around the glassware. Niklas starts right, Dark Figure goes left. Niklas starts left, Dark figure goes right. Then left, then right, then right again, then left again.
Pause.
Niklas runs straight at the glassware towards Dark Figure. Stops before he reaches it. Backs up.
Dark Figure draws a revolver. Points it at Niklas. Pause.
Niklas: Why don’t you do it?
Pause.
Well? Why don’t you?
Dark Figure shakes its head. Conceals revolver. Exit Dark Figure.
Niklas (yells): What? What do you thin you can do? You think you can leave me hanging like this? You think you can come here and so close? You think that you can point a gun in my face and God I’ll kill you I’ll kill you and I’ll kill it all and you’ll be the first by God I swear by God you’ll be the first I’ll kill you first and then there won’t be anything because it’ll be all gone and you’ll be…all…Gone!
Silence. Niklas pants.
Niklas swipes the glassware and nicks a piece to the ground. It shatters.
Niklas walks around the glassware three times. Goes to his chair. Collapses on the floor.
Silence.
Off, a phone rings. Niklas does not move. Phone rings. Niklas does not move. Phone rings. Niklas looks up. Phone rings. Niklas stands up. Phone rings. Niklas peers off right. Phone rings. Niklas goes off right. Pause.
Phone rings. Enter Niklas left. Enter Tanya right. They look at each other. Exit Niklas left. Tanya approaches the glassware. Looks off right for Niklas. Looks left. Looks right. Looks left again. Seizes a piece of glassware. Flaunts it. Carelessly tosses it over her shoulder. It shatters.
Exit Tanya.
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Anya sits on the stool left. Niklas enters right. Sits in his chair. Niklas takes a breath.
Anya: Listen, we don’t have much time.
Niklas: What do you mean?
Anya: Listen, Tanya is really freaked out by us talking for some reason and I don’t want to freak her out and we shouldn’t…
Niklas: Anya. Look at me.
Anya looks.
No one is going to cause a commotion over this, I promise. I need to talk to you about Aleksandr.
Anya (shifts uneasily): Umm…yes. I think I know why.
Niklas: You do?
Anya: Maybe. Tell me anyway.
Pause.
Niklas: Aleksandr and Tanya recently conversed the other day. After Aleksandr left, Tanya insisted that he had a contact in my publishing company who knew that an old author would have to be cut to make room for a new one. Seeing as this could be a threat to my job, Tanya insisted that I fly to New York to make sure that I remain employed.
Anya: I see…
Niklas: I need to know this from you, though. You and Aleksandr…you had a relationship.
Pause.
Anya: Yes.
Niklas: How does he feel about Tanya?
Anya: Tanya?
Niklas: Tanya.
Pause.
Anya: What about Tanya?
Niklas: How does Aleksandr feel about her?
Anya: Who?
Niklas: Tanya.
Pause.
Anya whistles.
Anya: You see…it’s not Aleksandr you need to be worried about.
Pause.
It’s Tanya.
Niklas: What?
Anya: Yes, it’s…like this. She loves you.
Niklas: She does.
Anya: But…she loves Aleksandr too.
Pause
Niklas?
Niklas: I see. One more thing. I know that you’re familiar with the inner workings of m publisher.
Anya: Yes, I’m still very good friends with the secretary there.
Niklas: Have you heard anything about a new upcoming author and cutting an old one?
Anya: What?
Niklas: You know, the company needing to cut an old author to make room for a new one they want..
Anya: Niklas, I don’t think they even work like that.
Niklas: I could’ve figured as much.
Anya: What’s going on?
Pause
Anya looks nervously about.
Maybe I should go.
Niklas (staring into space): Maybe you should.
Anya looks left. Looks right. Stands, walks left. Looks at Niklas. Exit Anya left.
Niklas: Yes…maybe you should. Maybe I should.
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Enter Sonya left.
Sonya: Niklas? Niklas where are you? (Exit Sonya right. Pause. Enter Sonya right.)
Niklas? You called? Where are you? Really, this isn’t the time… (Walks left. Enter Niklas right.)
Niklas: I’m glad you could come.
Sonya: What is this about?
Niklas: It’s about Tanya.
Sonya: Oh, you poor thing! (Runs right, embraces Niklas. Niklas’ arms are limp.
Pause. Breaks embrace.)
…I knew it would come to this.
Niklas: Come to what?
Sonya: To this! To everything! You’ve been married to her for just six months and now she’s looking at someone, isn’t she? It’s who she is, I told you.
Pause.
Niklas: Yes, yes you did.
Sonya: It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m so sorry, sorry sorry.
Niklas: Sorry about what?
Sonya: Tanya! She’s cheated, hasn’t she? She’s cheated, cheated cheated.
Niklas: No, she hasn’t. She hasn’t done anything yet, other than try to send me to New York on for no reason.
Pause.
Sonya: Then why did you want to talk to me?
Niklas: Why did I want to talk to you?
Sonya: Yes, you called me here.
Niklas: Yes, I suppose I did.
Sonya: So you want to talk to me.
Pause
Niklas (pacing): Well, it is ultimately a question of revenge or vengeance, that is to say that when one is wronged one ethically shouldn’t respond but perhaps in the realm of health it is best for one to respond considering the fact that one might be relieved temporarily of the circumstances that is to say the wrong or at least to create a sense of personal justice not to say that one’s actions are justified in a universal sense but rather that one’s actions are justified on an intimate level that would be healthy and perhaps relieve some potential stress therefore and therein because when one is too pull one’s punches all one’s life one can hardly be satisfied with walking away constantly and not striking back. Do you know what I mean?
Sonya: …yes. You want revenge.
Niklas: That is precisely it. I want revenge.
Sonya: On Tanya? It’s okay, it’s natural to want revenge. I mean since you’ve been cheated on…
Niklas (pacing again): But there’s a difference between being wronged per se and seeking revenge or to be about to be wronged and this seeking vengeance that is, if it’s a certain thing, a certainty, an absolute, a fact of that which will happen, what does one do other than to seek the actions aforementioned that would otherwise be appropriate assuming that said action or the wrong had taken place already.
Sonya (resolute): It’s not right.
Niklas: What is?
Sonya: It’s not. You’re not going to get revenge. Especially if she hasn’t even done anything. For my sake, you had better not.
Niklas: Please, please. You have to understand you have to I need you to understand.
Sonya: No. You need me to condole your selfish actions. I’m surprised at you, Niklas. All your life you’ve been such a good person. What have you come to?
Pause
Niklas: You don’t understand…
Sonya: No, I must not understand because I don’t see things your way. Talk to Tanya. Do not get revenge. Be a gentleman.
Niklas: But I have to…just this once…
Sonya: No. No. No. I can’t control you, Niklas, but I’m not going to support your revenge. I’m sorry to see that you’ve been reduced to this.
Niklas: You don’t understand…I need…just once….I need…
Sonya: You don’t need to talk to me. Turns to go. I must be going.
Niklas: Wait!
Sonya: What?
Pause
Niklas: ….just…please…
Sonya: Goodbye Niklas. (Exit right.)
Silence.
Niklas (quietly): You…can’t….do this…to me… (starts rocking back and forth) …you can’t…do this…to me… (clutches himself tightly) …you…can’t…take me back….(shaking) …you…can’t…do this…you can’t…do this…she can’t…do this… (violently, standing) She won’t do this to me! You all won’t do this. You all will go back and will tell me and you can’t do this to me. (Runs right to baseball bat. Seizes it and hits some glassware. Enter Dark Figure left. Stop. Pause. They look at each other.)
You…
Dark Figure points and Niklas. Shakes its finger and head “no.” Draws the revolver. Points it at Niklas.
You will tell me what you’re doing here now dammit! (Begins to chase Dark Figure around the glassware in circles with the baseball bat.) You will kill me or I will kill you. You are killing me every day! (Stop with Niklas left and Dark Figure right. Dark Figure shakes its head and concels the revolver. Turns to go right. Stop. Turns and fires. A single piece of glassware shatters. Exit Dark Figure right.)
Pause
It’s not over…
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Niklas stands center. Pause. Takes out a cellular phone. Dials.
Niklas: Anya? …yes…I need you t… why? … where are they? …here? No, not here… where is he? I know where he is. I know where they all are. I n… yes…what? …no. I need you to come here…yes…can you? …good…goodbye.
Hangs up. Walks over to his chair. Sits down. Relaxes. Tenses. Stands up. Sits down. Stands up. Walks left. Faces off left. Pause. Walks back left. Faces back. Pause. Looks off left. Exit left.
Silence.
Enter Niklas left. Walks right. Picks up baseball bat. Exit right. Pause. Enter Niklas left. Exit right. Pause. Enter left. Stop center before glassware. Niklas faces back, towards the glassware. Seizes one piece. Faces front. Holds the piece before him blankly.
Enter Anya left.
Anya: Niklas?
Niklas crushes the piece of glass suddenly in his hand.
Niklas: Anya…
Anya: Are you alright?
Niklas: Never been better. I might be getting somewhere. Let me tell you about it. Sit down. (Niklas sits in his chair. Anya sits in his foot stool.) I’m doing great. Great great great. I can’t believe the breath of fresh air this is.
Anya: Is that why you wanted to talk to me?
Pause.
Niklas: No.
Anya: Oh. Then what is it?
Niklas: I don’t ask much of you, do I?
Anya: Well, it would depend on what was much…
Niklas: Rather, the point is that I am going to ask you something now.
Pause.
What was the secret?
Anya: What?
Niklas: What was the secret, Anya? It’s been seven years. Seven years since we fought. Seven years since we separated. And seven years ago, you had a secret that you wouldn’t tell me. A secret that drove us apart. What was it?
Pause
Well?
Pause
I’m not kidding Anya. I want to know. I don’t want to drift, a straight line. I don’t want to sit and pull my punches. I don’t want to dawdle while my wife cheats on me. I want to know. I want to be hurt. I want you to hurt me with the truth, the razor sharp truth. The truth that pains you to tell and pains me to hear. I don’t want to sit neutral.
Pause
Or I’ll die. Please, Anya.
Pause
Anya: I…I…can’t. I can’t tell you.
Niklas: (pained) Please. Just once. Don’t let it sit. I just need to know.
Anya: (starts to pant) I…I…I…can’t. I can’t! I can’t do it! How can you expect me to do it! And for your own selfishness. You can’t make me do that! I can’t! I won’t! Not now, not ever, you hear me? (stands)
Enter Dark Figure right. It stops and looks on.
Goodbye, Niklas. (through tears) Goodbye. (Exit Anya right. She walks by Dark Figure without a look.)
Pause
Niklas rises and walks center. Stops. Looks front. Dark Figure walks beside him. Stands right of Niklas. Puts an arm around Niklas’ shoulder. Niklas turns to face Dark Figure. Dark Figure puts his other hand on Niklas’ other shoulder. Shakes him. Dark Figure shakes his head “no.” Draws revolver. Draws Niklas close, as a lover. Runs the revolver up Niklas’ neck and under his chin slowly. Pause with revolver under the chin. Nods its head “yes.” Releases Niklas. Begins to walk off right. Stop.
They look at each other.
Dark Figure displays the revolver once more. Waves it before Niklas. Dark Figure faces back. Tucks revolver in its belt by its back. Pats the revolver. Faces Niklas. Nods “yes.” Exit Dark Figure right.
Silence.
Niklas begins to stumble left. The baseball bat is slid onto stage from off right. Stop. Pause. Niklas stumbles right. Picks up the baseball bat. Examines it.
He looks at the glassware.
Curtain.
Act IV
Fade in.
The table remains, but empty. The glassware is gone. The baseball bat is on the floor.
Niklas is sleeping in his chair. Jolts awake. Stands. Looks out eagerly front. Shuffles center. Scratches his head. Faces back.
The revolver is visible tucked into his pants by his back.
Niklas walks to the table. Scratches his head. Scratches his back. Reaches the revolver. Stop. Pause. Niklas whirls around, clutching his back with both hands, hunched over. He slowly stands up and draws the revolver. He holds it lightly in both hands. Niklas suddenly looks off right. Walks quickly to his chair, sits. Ponders. Plays with revolver absent mindedly. Begins to sob.
Niklas: I can’t…
Trembling, Niklas points the gun under his chin. Arms the hammer. Closes his eyes.
Pause
Niklas exhales and takes the gun down.
A coward…
Pause
Niklas plays with the revolver absent mindedly. Opens the chamber. Looks at the bullets.
Six shots…
Niklas closes the chamber resolutely. Stands. Tucks the revolver in his belt by his back. Begin to exit right. Stop. Looks back at the empty table. Laughs and exit right.
FADE OUT.
Fade in.
Aleksandr sits in Niklas’ chair. Tanya sits on his lap. She strokes his hair.
Aleksandr: Tell me again how you managed to get rid of Him.
Tanya: (giggles) Oh, but I’ve already told you a thousand times.

Aleksandr: Oh, but you must tell me again. I just love to hear you tell it.
Tanya: (giggles) Oh, I know. (She leans in. They gently kiss.)
…it was all my idea. I knew I had to get rid of him, simply had to. So I knew exactly what to do. I knew he wrote. I knew he was cautious of his job. So I told him his job was in jeopardy. A new writer…
Aleksandr: Yes, a new one…
Tanya: Would replace an old one. (mock pout) And we would never want poor little Nikki to loose his precious job now, would we?
Enter Dark Figure right. Stop. Watches.
Aleksandr: Oh, no. Not Him. He couldn’t…
Tanya: We mustn’t let him. (They kiss again. The kiss continues.)
Enter Niklas left. Niklas and Dark Figure look at each other. Dar Figure nods “yes.” Exit Dark Figure right. Niklas draws the revolver. Points it at Tanya and Aleksandr.
FADE OUT. Two shots are heard.
Fade in.
Sonya sits on the empty table. Head sunken. Enter Niklas right.
Sonya: You’ve come to get your revenge, haven’t you?
Pause
I know you have. I knew you would when I first told you I’d never approve. I’m sorry it had to come to this, Niklas.
Niklas: It always had to come to this. …it always did. (Draws revolver. Points.)
FADE OUT. A shot is heard.
Fade in.
Anya sits on Niklas’ stool. Hunched. Head in hands. Enter Niklas left. Niklas slowly walks up to her.
Niklas: You’re beautiful, you know that? You always were. Such perfection in life. Such waste, to take it away. To reduce to nothing. Such perfection. You were such a brave, intelligent character. You always were. So, so brave. (Niklas arrives behind Anya, who does not move. Niklas pulls Anya to her feet by her armpits. He embraces her from behind, as a lover. He runs his nose from her neck to her ear, inhaling. Draws the revolver and places it under her chin. Anya trembles.)
Be brave for me, little girl. Be brave. (He arms the hammer.)
FADE OUT. Anya screams. A shot is heard, cutting her relent.
Fade in.
Niklas sits cross legged on the empty table. His head rests on his one hand. The other holds the revolver limply. Pause.
Niklas: Four shots…those are four shots…there are two…two shots left…two shots… (Enter Dark Figure left.) Two shots…one for who…another for who…I must…I must…two shots… (Dark Figure snaps its fingers. Niklas looks at him. Pause. Niklas leaps off the table and approaches.)
You, it was all you. You gave it to me, this is your doing. You gave me six shots. Who are the other two for, dammit?!
(Dark Figure shakes its head “yes.”)
You! (Niklas points the revolver at Dark Figure. Fires. There is no effect. Dark Figure shakes its head “yes.” Niklas trembles. Staggers front. Sinks to his knees. Drops revolver. Reaches in his shirt. Feels. Withdraws hand. It is covered in blood.)
It was…me…
(Dark Figure nods “yes.” Exit left. Niklas looks at his hand. Holds the revolver limply in his non bloodied hand.)
One more shot…the last shot…the sixth shot…
(Niklas painstakingly eases the revolver under his chin. He tilts his head back.)
FADE OUT. Simultaneously, a shot is heard.
Fade in.
Niklas is sleeping in his chair. There is no blood. The glassware is back in its entirety on the table. Pause. Niklas jolts awake. He stands. Shuffles center. Turns to face the glassware. The revolver is absent from his belt. He walks to the glassware. Examines it. Ponders.
Enter Tanya left. Stop.
Tanya: Niklas?
Niklas turns and faces her.
Niklas: Tanya…
Tanya: What have you been doing? You look odd.
Niklas: Odd?
Tanya: Odd.
Pause.
Niklas: I…I…don’t know…
Tanya: Well, I’m going out tonight.
Niklas: Out?
Tanya: Out.
Niklas: Where?
Tanya: To a friends’.
Niklas: Which friends’?
Pause
Tanya: A friends’.
Exit Tanya left. Niklas paces right. Enter Dark Figure left. Stop. They look at each other. Dark Figure approaches the glassware. Niklas approaches the glassware. Dark Figure extends its hand “wait.” It reaches into the center of the glassware. Without disturbing the pieces, it withdraws the revolver. It gestures to Niklas, presenting the revolver. Niklas shakes his head “no” vigorously. Dark Figure shrugs. Points revolver at Niklas. Pause.
Niklas: One more…
Pause.
Curtain.
Pause.
A shot is heard.