A play I entered into the ‘Tiny Plays’ Competition, it didn’t win, but I am pleased with it, given that I’ve never really written in this form before.

Joyce is Dead

Megan Smith

Eugene sits alone in a room. There are two chairs in front of an unlit fireplace. Eugene rests his head in his hands. The room is completely quiet but outside the rumble of people talking steadily grows louder. The door opens and in walks another man, Michael, in his hand are two glasses of whiskey.

Michael: (Passing the glass to Eugene)  Here get that down your neck.
Eugene: (Downing the whiskey) What’ll we do now Mick?
Michael: We’ll do what we’ve been doing forever Eugene, we’ll survive.
Eugene: But Mick, he’s dead. How do we survive that? How do we survive knowing-
Michael: It’s done, we have to accept what happened. Your brother, he needed it, that’s why we had to...
Eugene: But did we Mick? Did we really have to? (Leaning forward to Michael) Did you?
Michael: (Resigned) Yes, Eugene, yes I did. I had too, for us all, don’t you ever forget that. I did it so we could live. So we could carry on.
Eugene: But all those people out there, they think -
Michael: I don’t care what they think Eugene.
Eugene: But Joyce would Mick. Don’t you see? He would hate this, this lying. He was always telling me to be honest. To be more open with people about it all.  
Michael: (snorting in derision) Maybe he should’ve spent less time telling you to be honest and more time helping you. Then maybe we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Eugene: You can’t blame him surely?
Michael: I blame them all Eugene. All of them, I blame for their pettiness, their small mindedness, I blame them for sapping the life out of us, for leaving us empty, and alone. They left you with nothing Eugene. Nothing, except me. I’m all you have.
Eugene: Couldn’t we have waited though? Maybe he wouldn’t have... Couldn’t we have... Couldn’t we?
Michael: Couldn’t we what Eugene?
Eugene: Explained it to them?
Michael: Explain it Eugene? (frustrated now) Explain it so they could lock you up? I’ll tell you what Eugene, if you’re so desperate to go out into confession, then go! I dare you! Go out and tell them all, stand up and tell them all the dirty little secrets we’ve been keeping for years! Go on, get out there!
Eugene: I... I... I...
Michael: I thought so.
Eugene: Stop looking at me like that.
Michael: Like what?
Eugene:  Like you’re disgusted by me.
Michael: I am disgusted by you Eugene. I am. I’m disgusted by your weakness. You would rather protect the memory of a deadman. A man you told me to-
Eugene: STOP! Just stop it Michael. Stop!
Michael: Why should I stop? It’s time you faced facts Eugene, you wanted me to do it. You wanted me to protect us didn’t you? Isn’t that what you said when you came crying to me? That you needed me to protect us? That the only way to do it was to-
Eugene: I didn’t mean THAT! I never asked you to-
Michael: You’re a liar Eugene. A filthy liar. You didn’t have to say the words, of course you didn’t, I’m part of you, I know what you’re thinking before you even say it.
Eugene: (crying) I didn’t mean for you to kill him. I didn’t. Whatever you say, I didn’t want you to kill him.
The door opens, a woman enters. Dressed in mourning clothes.
Woman: (looking around) Eugene dear? Who are you talking to?
Eugene: (staring at the empty chair) Just myself Mam, just myself.