A Subway Tale
Scene I
Francis Dover, after being held up by a meeting, frantically tries to make it to the subway on time, only to arrive to early Justin Carver, growing tired of his father's abuse, decides to steel some cash and leave town.
Francis: (to herself) I can't believe that damn meeting lasted that long. I hope Vaughn isn't mad. This is the third diner date I've missed.
(Enter Justin Carver)
Justin: How's it going?
Francis: (reluctantly) Excuse me?
Justin: I said how's it going?
Francis: Um� fine I guess.
Justin: What's a pretty woman like you doing out this late?
Francis: I'm waiting on my train.
Justin: Did you just get off of work?
Francis: (agitated) I don't mean to be rude but I've had a bad day and I'm not in the mood to talk.
(Justin looks around to see if they're alone)
Justin: (angrily) Well since your not in the mood to talk, I guess I'll get to the point. (reaches into his pocket and pulls out a gun) Give me your purse!
Francis: (frightened) wha� what are you doing?
Justin: (starting to get impatient) I said give me the fucking purse!
Francis: (shaking with fear) I�I�I
Justin: (extremely impatient) This is the last time I'm gonna say it! Give me the damn purse!
Francis: Please don't hurt me! Please don't hurt me!
Justin: Fuck it!
(Justin frantically tries to grab the purse from her hands, and in the scuffle the gun goes off. The bullet strikes Francis in the stomach and she falls to the floor)
Justin: Oh shit� what did I do?
(In the confusion Justin leaves the purse behind)
(Exit Justin Carver)
Scene II
Francis Dover lies on the floor bleeding. She is in too much pain to move.
Francis: (speaking very faintly) Help me�Help me�please somebody help me.
(Enter Justin Carver)
(He hides behind a cluster of trashcans so he can't be seen)
Justin: (to himself) What the hell did I do? I shot her� I can't believe I shot her. I hope somebody comes by soon. I don't want her to die.
(Enter Gwen Harris and Brad Fletcher)
Brad: Oh shit! Look Gwen that lady's bleeding!
Gwen: I wonder what happened?
Brad: Let's check it out.
(Gwen and Brad approach Francis cautiously)
Brad: What happened lady?
Francis: I�I've been shot� I think I'm dying� please help me.
Gwen: Who shot you?
Francis: I don't know� just help me� please.
Brad: Look lady, we would help you but we don't want to get involved. Besides we're late. I'm sorry.
Gwen: (turning towards Brad) Don't you think we should help her? She's dying for God's sake!
Brad: Shut up Gwen! We can't get involved! She's dying. By the time we get help she'll be dead and the police aren't gonna believe we had nothing to do with this!
Gwen: Damn you're right. What the hell was I thinking? (turning back towards Francis) Sorry lady. He's right we gotta go.
(Brad rummages through Francis' purse and takes the money he finds)
Brad: I'm sure somebody will be by. If not you'll probably bleed to death before long, so one way or another you'll get help.
Gwen: (finding humor in the situation) You know lady, red's really not your color.
(Brad and Gwen laugh at the lady and leave in a hurry)
Francis: (to herself) I can't believe they didn't help me. (starting to sob) Why didn't they help me?
(Justin Carver had witnessed the encounter)
Justin: (to himself) No, No� stupid fucking kids. They left her� what the hell were they thinking! Her death is gonna be on my hands because of those two bastards.
(Justin continues to watch Francis as she lies bleeding on the ground)
Scene III
Francis is becoming weaker and knows she is about to die. Justin Carver doesn't want to be seen so he continues to watch in secret.
Francis: (to herself) I wish you were here Vaughn. I'll never see you again. I wish I could tell you I love you one more time� I can't believe I'm gonna die in a subway� I never�
(A wave of immense pain rushes over Francis. She passes out)
(Enter Anna Foster)
Anna: Hey lady are you o.k.? (She shakes the lady, and starts to sob) Lady answer me. Are you alright? Lady� lady. I think she's dead! What do I do?
(Anna looks around. She is very confused)
Anna: Shit� why did I have to see this? What should I do? What should I do? O.k.� she's dead, I didn't do it, I'll just leave� that's it, I'll just leave. I can't help her and if I stay I might be accused of killing her, so I'll just leave.
(Anna turns to leave. Justin hears her say that Francis is dead and sits down very abruptly. In his motion he knocks one of the trashcans. Anna hears this and turns toward the noise.)
Anna: Hello. Hello� is somebody there? Is somebody there? Shit I don't like this.
(Anna leaves in a paranoid trance. As she is walking away she sees a man. She doesn't want to be seen so she starts to run.)
(Enter Charles Stevenson III)
Charles: Damn it will you look at that, another dead person in the subway. I swear this city is overrun with crime. I wonder what this woman did. It's probably a drug deal gone bad. I don't know what possessed me to take the subway. Thank God my BMW will be fixed by tomorrow.
(Charles approaches Francis)
Charles: Lady! Lady! You're bleeding all over the place. You're not the only person who uses this subway. (to himself) Some people are so inconsiderate. (to Francis) Lady! Wake up damnit! Oh shit. Look at that. I got some of your blood on my shoes. This just isn't my day. Lady� did somebody shoot you? (He snickers) You probably deserved it. (to himself) I have to stop talking to people of such low class. I'm gonna take a taxi.
(Exit Charles)
Scene IV
Francis starts to wake up. She is so weak that she can barely open her eyes. She is unaware of her last two visitors.
Francis: This is how it ends. Bleeding to death in a subway. Help� Please help me. It's no fucking use. Nobody cares. They would rather let me lay here bleeding instead of helping me. Fucking pricks. (Sobbing heavily) I don't want to die� Please God don't let me die!
(Justin comes out of hiding and approaches Francis)
Francis: It's you. You fucking shot me. Why� I didn't do anything to you. Why'd you shoot me? (Sobbing) I just wanted to go home� that's all I wanted.
Justin: (Starting to sob) I'm so fucking sorry. I didn't mean to shoot you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so damn sorry. I know nothing I can say will change what I did.
Francis: You think that makes it all right? (In an immense amount of pain) I'm engaged to be married� I wanted to have ch� children. That'll never happen now thanks to you.
Justin: Why didn't you just give me the purse? I was scarred� that's when it happened� (Sobbing) the gun just went off.
Francis: You ruined my life. I� I� just want you to know� that� I don't forgive you. I hope� you� spend the rest of your life� agonizing over what you did. I hope you� die� a horrible death. You stupid pr� pr� prick.
(Justin looks on as Francis dies.)
Justin: Lady! Wake up! Wake up! Oh shit� fuck� she's dead. I� I� killed her� I fucking killed her!
(Justin sits on the ground crying)
Justin: I didn't mean to hurt you lady, I swear I didn't. I can't believe I just left you here, bleeding to death while I watched. My life's gone to shit and now I ruined yours.
(Justin stares at Francis. He has an insane look on his face. He pulls the gun that he used to kill Francis out of his pocket)
Justin: (crying uncontrollably) I'm sorry. I never wanted to hurt anyone. Please forgive me. I'll make it right. I'll make it all right.
(Justin points the gun at his head and ends his life. The gun falls to the ground and his body falls on Francis'.)