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Our Numbers' Up
Abigail: Scared and Insecure
Seth: Apathetic and Rough
Abigail: 1944 the Nazi party is at its height, there worse than ever. Millions have died so will we? I don’t know where we are, I don’t know how we got here. I just know that it won’t be good.
Seth: The gas chambers, an incredibly harsh way to go, right. We’re filth we have to go for the better of all. (Sarcasm)
(Neutral position)
Abigail: Wow, where are we?
Seth: (Lying) I don’t know, but that doesn’t look too good. (Points at vent)
Abigail: Great, just great…
Seth: It will be fine…
Abigail: But we’re gonna die
Seth: Well…
Abigail: Well nothing this is it. I never thought it would end like this.
Seth: How did you think it would end?
Abigail: I don’t know, I thought I would be old.
Seth: So did I but I guess not.
(Abigail cries)
Seth: The truth is the truth.
Abigail: Right.
(Awkward Silence)
Seth: So, how did you end up here?
Abigail: Like everyone else I guess. It’s really harsh when somebody just breaks in and tears your family apart. I think my brother might still be alive somewhere, God, I hope somewhere. And you?
Seth: I made the stupid mistake of leaving my hiding place. Won’t be long till everybody left there will get caught.
Abigail: Where were you?
Seth: Some lady’s attic, a bunch of others were there too.
Abigail: Like who?
Seth: There was this one girl her name was Anne, really whiney and wrote in her diary all the time.
Abigail: Oh. What was it like before?
Seth: Before what?
Abigail: Before, Before this?
Seth: Whatever you would consider normal.
Abigail: Did you have family?
Seth: Yea.
Abigail: What were they like?
Seth: Do you ask this many questions?
Abigail: You started it.
(Awkward silence again)
Seth: They were nice, loving, giving, everything a person could ask for. No more no less.
Abigail: Sounds nice.
Seth: You?
Abigail: What?
Seth: Your family?
Abigail: Same, I had two brothers and a sister. She had just gotten married, to nice man. We were all having diner together when, when…
(Abigail drops her head as if she is gonna cry Seth sits awkwardly not wanting to touch her as if she might break)
Abigail: My brothers were always a pain, but I guess it happens.
Seth: Wait? Earlier you only mentioned that one brother is alive?
Abigail: (Laughed almost deranged) Yea, one. How can people be so cruel? So cruel to murder innocent people where they stand. You see my brother, my other brother, he was sick, real sick. The Nazis deemed him unfit.
Seth: Sorry.
(Abigail just stares off into the middle distance)
Seth: My mother, she, she was sick too. She never even made it to the camp. I see where your hurt. Hurt when people believe they control the lives of others. Control who lives, and who dies.
Abigail: Yea.
Seth: My dad tried to escape…
Abigail: Did he get anywhere?
Seth: No, the general caught him not two miles from the camp. Lined him and the others against a wall and shot ‘em.
Abigail: Oh, I’m, I’m sorry.
Seth: I guess I’m just saying I understand where you’re coming from.
Abigail: It’s not hard. We’re both in the same place, aren’t we?
Seth: You could say that.
Abigail: Could? You’re right by me plain as day.
Seth: I may be, but, up here (Seth taps his head Abigail slowly mimes his motion) I may not.
Abigail: How so?
Seth: You seem distraught.
Abigail: Oh, it’s me. Maybe that’s why I’m here?
Seth: Maybe.
Abigail: Again with the positivity.
Seth: This isn’t really a positive place now is it?
Abigail: No.
Seth: Thought not.
(Again the air goes dead. Abigail fiddles with a gold locket.)
Seth: (amazed) what’s that?
Abigail: Something the Nazis will never have.
Seth: But they will just…
Abigail: They may hold it, but they will never have it, just like my…our freedom.
Seth: Our freedom? Our numbers’ up, they have our lives.
Abigail: No, no they don’t. Like this locket they will only ever hold it, they will never have, they will never own it. It’s mine.
Seth: There are an awful lot of people that have nothing left.
Abigail: They have something, but choose not to see it. This (Referring to the locket) can be ours?
Seth: Ours?
Abigail: Yes, ours. The one thing we can share together…in the end.
Seth: Together…
(Silence for a beat)
Abigail: It’s starting to get crowded in here…
Seth: Yea.
(They hear a door being slammed shut)
Abigail: What was that?
Seth: I think… it’s time.
Abigail: No, no, no, no…
Seth: Wait, if I die I want someone to know my name.
(Abigail nods as Seth writes his name in the dirt)
Abigail: Seth…
(Abigail does the same and writes hers in the dirt)
Seth: Abigail…
(The grab each others hands the locket dangling between)
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