Act 1, Scene II

The scene opens in the same cell. Two more days have passed. Still, in that time, nobody has come for them. JULIA has collapsed on the floor, no longer responsive; MEGAN believes she has died. MEGAN herself is deteriorating. The effects of dehydration are growing worse, dizzy spells and headaches consume her, and salvation is nowhere within reach.

MEGAN

[She lies on the floor on her side, facing the bars, and groaning. Her eyelids flutter open and she sees DANIEL, standing beyond the bars, looking down at her.]

Please...

DANIEL

In this last of meeting places, we grope together and avoid speech, gathered on the beach of this tumid river.

[He smiles.]

MEGAN

...What?

DANIEL

That's from one of your favorites.

MEGAN

I don't...I don't...

DANIEL

Nevermind. Here.

[He bends over and retrieves a bottle of water and a loaf of bread from a plastic bag at his feet. He removes the cap from the bottle and removes the clip keeping the wrapping over the bread. He reaches through the cell and places them in front of MEGAN.]

MEGAN

[She uses what little strength she has to sit up. Immediately she tears into the loaf and drinks from the bottle, finishing it quickly and aspirating a little at the end.]

Thank you...

[She coughs.]

Thank you. So much.

DANIEL

De nada.

MEGAN

Where is everyone? What happened? How'd you even find us?

DANIEL

Well—

[He sits down, indian-style.]

—I don't work here and I'm no inmate, in case you're wondering. And I'm really only here for you.

[He gestures toward JULIA lying on the floor behind MEGAN.]

She's long gone, and it wouldn't matter if she wasn't. And as for what happened to everyone, well, it's the end time. Simple as that. Apocalypse—if you like that term better.

MEGAN

[She chews and swallows another slice before speaking.]

I—I still don't understand. If you don't work here, then how'd do you even know my name? How'd you even know I was in here?

DANIEL

I know a lot about you, Megan. You'd be surprised—born in Langtry, Pennsylvania. Moved to California when you were thirteen. You were bullied for much of your adolescence. You try not to think about it much, especially now that you're twenty...what else. Your longest relationship lasted six months. You were a student coasting through the University of California, Irvine with a 3.8 GPA not too long ago.

(He flashes her a big, toothy grin.)

But then you killed both of your parents. Dumped gasoline throughout the bottom floor of their house while they slept and lit it before leaving out the back. The smoke inhalation killed them, in case you're wondering. Oh, and you were indeed the cops' number one suspect right from the get-go. You were then charged and sentenced to life in prison, unanimously guilty, and now here you are.

MEGAN

(There is a look of confusion and fright on her face; she is speechless.)

DANIEL

It's all here.

(He reaches back into the bag next to him and produces a plain manila folder. He reaches through the bars and hands it to MEGAN).

MEGAN

(She takes it and opens it, revealing that it's empty).

There's nothing here.

DANIEL

Strange. I guess it's all in here then.

[He taps his forehead with his index and middle finger. Then he gives a short laugh.]

Oh, and I found this earlier.

[He dangles a key in front of the bars.]

Lucky, aren't you? Bet you want out. You've been in there for what...five days?

MEGAN

Are you...are you real?

DANIEL

I'm as real as anything else, and I can prove it too. Your imagination couldn't let you out of there, could it?

MEGAN

Please.

DANIEL

Of course. But first, I want to talk to you. I want to ask you something. I did you a favor—am doing you a favor—so I need one from you first.

MEGAN

[She gives a weak shrug.]

I just want to go.

DANIEL

All right. Well, my first question is...why?

MEGAN

Why what? I didn't ki—

DANIEL

Not that. That's irrelevant, for now. Why do you want out so bad?

MEGAN

What?

DANIEL

Just answer me, please.

MEGAN

It's pretty fucking obvious isn't it? I've been trapped in here...accused of something I didn't do. Starving and thirsty. Some crazy...she's dead. Died right in this cell with me. And you want to know why I want out?

DANIEL

All right. So you're out. You're out and then what? What do you do? Where will you go? Didn't I just tell you the world ended out there?

MEGAN

I don't believe you.

DANIEL

Then don't. It still doesn't change anything. Answer me. Where will you go?

MEGAN

(She stares at him but says nothing.)

DANIEL

Hmmm?

MEGAN

Just let me out. You said you would.

DANIEL

Answer me.

MEGAN

Open it!

DANIEL

Answer me.

MEGAN

(She sounds hysterical.)

I don't fucking know, all right? I just want to go back. Back to my friends and school and my job and my...my life. Everything. I just want it to go back.

DANIEL

But it won't. There's nothing left for you out there.

MEGAN

That's not true!

(She breaks into tears.)

DANIEL

It is, and you know it.

(He unlocks the door, and rolls it along on its tracks.

Like I said I would, but you're exactly where you should be.

MEGAN

No...

DANIEL

Nothing left out there for you. Nothing.

MEGAN

[She continues to weep.]

DANIEL

[He begins to walk away.]

[Curtain closes.]