Acting?

Alone she stands upon the stage.

Her golden hair wet and her pants covered in fresh mud.

She scans the audience as if searching and her face darkens,

Tears brim her swollen green eyes and caress her pale cheeks.

She opens her mouth to begin her monologue.

I know you as you know me but we are not the same. I need…

6>

To get to the theater on the corner of 5th and Maple and I need to quickly.

Dark hair tousled and smelling of salty wind

A man scrambles into a taxicab as thunder rumbles in the distance.

He coughs into a scarlet stained handkerchief and

Settles himself into the brown, moth eaten seat.

I need to get there soon before…

6>

You leave, before you leave me to wonder if we truly are so different.

She gazes upon the crowd once more

Looking, searching for someone who isn’t there.

The people clap, her acting, her gestures seem so real.

This monologue was made with her in mind.

Could we possibly be two…

6>

Minutes. I can’t waste this much time at every light!

The cab driver grunts, he has no reason to hurry.

The man breaks into another hacking fit and

Presses the red cloth snuggly over his prune lips.

The cab lurches and the man sighs, relieved to be moving.

Finally! I hope she’ll forgive…

6>

The actions I took against you.

The hate, the resentment I expressed.

I knew you had a secret but I didn’t dare ask I merely assumed.

Tears flooded her face and she licked them off her lips.

She scanned the people again, still searching and her voice cracked,

Assuming the worst was my weakness and…

6>

Argh! Why is there so much traffic!

I need to hurry she can’t possibly believe what she said in her message.

He coughs again his body shuddering with the work.

Lazy lights dance before his eyes and his mind fogs.

He wipes the saliva and disease from his mouth with a shiver.

It is so cold. So very…

6>

Wrong. At least I hope my conscience is not tricking me

And that the guilt I feel is not a mere joke.

She sways, and staggers forward, her eyes desperate.

She is still searching for someone but the crowd can only

Gasp at her spectacular performance, her emotion.

Please don’t fail me now. Please don’t…

6>

Lose hope in me. I’ll be there, have faith.

There are only two blocks to go.

The man his eyes glazed shudders and shivers again.

The driver raises a brow and looks at the reflection

Of the man in the old, cracked mirror. He is mumbling.

Please don’t be finished. I don’t want…

6>

To believe the nightmares. I don’t wish to believe my friends

But the longer I wait, searching for your familiar face

The more real it seems to be.

The girl kneeled and slammed her fist on the floor in frustration.

The audience whispered amongst themselves, praising her.

You are toying with me. You must…

6>

Stop right here. I can run the last few feet.

The man frantically screams at the driver thrusting twenty dollars into his hand.

He suppresses a cough and stumbles out of the cab into the rain.

It soaks his clothes and he bites his lip ignoring the numb feeling coming over him.

Two steps and he sways the circles mock him.

Not now. Not when I’m right here. I…

6>

Can’t believe you. I can’t believe I was right!

The girl screams angrilyglaring at the audience.

They jump in their seats, startled by her change in emotion.

She is no longer weeping and holding a hopeful aura.

She is bitter, betrayed, and breathless.

I should’ve never trusted you! It hurts…

6>

So much. It burns! It burns!

The man gasps between coughs and shudders.

Thunder claps as the man's head connects with the pavement.

Pedestrians scream and point at him startled.

A small scarlet pool forms by his mouth and he mumbles,

I could never cheat on you. I love you! I…

6>

Hate you! I hate you! You tricked me!

The girl shrieked her hands balling into fists.

You were with another girl! I wasn’t wrong.

She kicked the wooden stage and a thud echoed through the silent crowd.

My conscience betrayed me! You betrayed me!

Everyone betrayed me! I hate you!