First Sentence

"FIRST SCENE: Stinging Filth and Bloody Hands by Tasmin Jahan (Pen Press Publishers) - All rights reserved Copyright Tasmin Jahan 2009 -Scene One - The opening scene continues on from Marissa’s funeral. She is Jack’s deceased wife. Jack is in his thirties, tall, dark and handsome. People are now gathered at the wake. A discreet rant is taking place between Jack and Emily where he is ending their secret relationship. Emily, also in her thirties, a family friend, is tall, blonde and pretty. Emily is upset. Jack: [angrily] I should have stopped you from coming to the wake. You’re being silly and stroppy. It’s all over between us. Just deal with it. I don’t need you here. Emily: [in tears] Please don’t do this to me. Jack, you promised. Jack: [ignores her] I have finished with you. I’m not interested anymore. Emily: [despondently] But I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Jack: [shakes his head] Sorry. Nothing I can do. Now please leave. Jack rejoins the crowd. Emily is about to leave when suddenly her distressed state takes a major turn. With anger, she wipes away her tears, fixes her gaze on Jack for a moment and then hurriedly moves to the centre of the room. Jack sees her and becomes alarmed. She beckons everybody’s attention. Emily: [proudly stands] Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your undivided attention please? It is absolutely vital that you are all made aware of a fundamental secret. Jack: Emily, I thought you’d left? Emily: Jack and I are passionate lovers. We’ve been sleeping together for many years now. [the crowd gasps] He may be crying a flood of tears today for his wife but all this sorrow is total pretence. This is a cover-up of the truth. Isn’t it, honey? Jack has confidently disclosed to me that he and I will run away together. Jack: I never said that! Emily: [facetiously] Don’t get me wrong. Naturally we all feel sympathy for Marissa. This is a very dark hour for her family and children. She’s a great loss. What’s quite strange is May 2001, you lavishly celebrated your tenth wedding anniversary and then two months later you murder her? Such a momentous diary entry, isn’t it, Jack? Dear diary finally the nagging bitch is dead. Jack: [forcefully] I’ll call the police and have you arrested if you don’t leave right now. Emily: Arrested? Why on earth would you want me arrested? Just have the courtesy to shut up and let me finish. The crowd is waiting. Jack: You’ll regret this! Emily: Ah! The wonderful ceremony, the gathering of family and the sharing of tender feelings is such an awe-inspiring scene. Rene, you must be sorely missing your sister. Imagine if you were still in prison! Rene is Marissa’s younger sister. She is in her late twenties, slim and attractive. Following Emily’s comment, she turns pale and anxious. Rene: [with gritted teeth] Maybe you should leave quietly? Emily: [pettily] I’m just stating the facts! No need to get so cross. Rene: How dare you come in here with that attitude? You must be drunk! Emily: You should go out and get some air, Rene, you look a little pasty. Rene: You have no right to be here in this frame of mind. Just leave! Emily: Are you jealous of me? Rene: Never! Emily: You chased him and you chased him but you were never really rewarded. Jack chose me. It was always me. As I was saying, Jack and I are passionate lovers. The sex has been amazing. He’s so sweet, gentle, manipulative and vindictive. He claims innocent lives so that he can get his own way. Jack: Emily, you have no right to accuse me like this! Emily: Jack has always been there for me. Marissa meant nothing to him. He said so himself. The children were never a concern either. Were they, Jack? He was even going to propose to me but, alas, the course of true love never does run smooth and we never got round to it. Jack: [angrily] Absolute rubbish! This is all utter nonsense! This outrageous show is because I never gave in to your advances. You’ve been on my back ever since. I knew you were bitter and irate, Emily. Is this your idea of revenge? Emily: [to Jack, sarcastically with pursed lips] Oh honey, you’re trying so hard to cover all this up. Aren’t you just adorable? Jack: [aggressively] You need serious professional help. Emily: [to the crowd] He regularly came to my house and then like wild animals we’d be all over each other. Jack: [shakes his head] This is all untrue. She’s lying through her teeth. Emily: Why would I lie? Maybe we should all consult your infamous diary? Everything about our intimate relationship was splashed across one page after another. We were so happy until his snotty wife found out. Jack: I’ve had enough! You’ve gone too far! Get out now! Emily: I haven’t finished yet. There’s something else that everyone, including you, should know. Jack: That you’re mentally unstable and you need to enrol into an obscure institution? Emily: I’m carrying our child. Jack: [flabbergasted] What! Rene: [flabbergasted] What! The crowd begins to twitter with astonishment. Emily turns gleefully to face the stunned guests. Emily: Initially there were complications but now I’m pleased to declare that I’m eleven weeks pregnant and counting, my handsome prince. You always said you wanted a child with someone you loved and you did it! Jack: [incredulously] Is this another one of your sick jokes? Emily: If you drop by later, I can show you the ultrasound scan pictures of our little one. I’m so excited! Jack: This trick won’t work. Emily: We must have been trying for about four months or so, was it, Jack? It would have happened sooner but one night you would be tired, then another night I would have a headache. It just got delayed. Jack: You’re in very dangerous territory, Emily. Emily: Are you threatening a pregnant woman? Jack: You’re not pregnant. You’re lying! Emily: Oh, my poor little love! I know you feel quite overwhelmed by this surprise but you must understand. I’m the mother of your unborn child. I’m sure your parents would like to know about any future grandchildren. Why would you want to take that right away from them? That’s just cruel. Jack: [panicked] Mum and Dad, this wretched, slanderous trollop is making all this up. There is no us, there is no child and I certainly didn’t promise to run away with her. Emily: Why are you hurting me like this, Jack? Tell them the truth. Share your new-found joy just like me. The truth is always hard to express but once you get it off your chest, you feel so relieved and happy. Jack, my darling, just admit to it all and then you’ll see. We’ll have a marvellous time together with the baby. Jack: Emily, for the hundredth time, there is no ‘us’. Emily: Jack, the baby is your flesh and blood. We can do test after test to prove it. Jack: How convenient for you to say that, knowing we wouldn’t be able to prove anything right now. Emily: You can make as many excuses as you like but all of this is true. Mr Lander: [angrily interrupts] Enough! I’ve heard quite enough, young lady! Emily, how dare you ruin such a sacred day! How dare you torture my son like this and how dare you choose to air your dirty laundry here today when we’re trying to remember and respect the lovely memory of a person who is clearly far better than you will ever be. Are you deaf? Why can’t you accept my son’s wishes and leave quietly? If you had an ounce of self-respect then you would have left moments ago. Jack has been through hell and back. This unfortunate ordeal has torn him apart and all you can think of is how to humiliate and persecute my son in front of all these people. You must be suffering from an irrecoverable mental sickness. I strongly suggest you find a tolerant and understanding psychiatrist or, better still, a constructive rehabilitation unit away from this town. Whatever you decide to do, please make sure you are absent from the eyes of civilisation. Your distasteful outburst has given the word ‘crazy’ a whole new meaning. Jack: I can only agree. Mr Lander: Please dispose of this mentally deranged vixen. Jack grabs Emily’s arm and attempts to drag her away. Emily: [in blazing anger] I’ll leave when I am good and ready, Jack. Just let go of me! You’re hurting my arm. [yells] JUST LET GO OF ME! [Jack, furious, lets her go] Mr Lander, there’s no doubt that you would take your son’s side but your son is no innocent man. He has a staggering record as a womaniser. He’s even slept with his sister-in-law. Hasn’t he, Rene? Rene: [fuming] Definitely not. No. That’s another lie. How dare you throw such offensive and misleading accusations! Emily: [sardonically] There was one specific occasion when he was having sex with Rene and Marissa was only in the next room. Jack and Rene seized this opportunity to rock each other’s world. He’s a master between the sheets, isn’t he, Rene? Or should I say on the table? Rene: I would never stoop so low. Emily: Ashamed of the truth, are we? Rene: Your poor husband! Michael did warn us about your compulsive lying. He’s been very worried about your mental state for quite some time now. Emily: Don’t bring Michael into this! Rene: [sarcastically] He did mention an appointment with the local vet. Apparently they have a particular inoculation for the mental disorder you’re suffering from. Rabid dogs seem to have it too. Emily: I had no idea that you’d been through the same thing! How was it? Rene: Please just go away! Haven’t you caused enough damage already? Emily: You can never conceal the past, Rene. Jack: Emily, if you don’t leave right now I’m going to call the police. Emily: [sternly] No need to impress the crowd further, Jack. I’ll leave you all with this commemorative speech. Please take a moment before you judge me. An emotional showdown of such perspicuity surely deserves some form of justice. As she exits, Jack follows her. Whilst the guests are in the background he stops her from behind and confronts her. He is fuming and stands very close to her. Emily delightfully welcomes the closeness. Emily: Is this my reward? Jack: [furiously] You’re a demented whore! I thought you said you had gotten rid of it! Emily: Oh Jack, if only you would press those moist and tender lips against mine once more. I’ve been deprived for so long Jack: You’ve totally humiliated me. You’ve caused un­speakable pain today. You’ll perish, Emily, I warn you – you’ll perish. Emily: [quite nonchalantly] Jack, darling, my silence was killing me. I had to unleash it. Jack: I’ve never had the joy of smothering two heartbeats simultaneously. I look forward to it. Emily: You don’t call the shots anymore, Jack. I do and I believe I just did. Consider this World War Three. This is only the beginning. I eagerly await your next move, my darling. Emily exits and Jack looks on with contempt."