This is my first attempt at play writing so I hope it's good. Heavy themes are talked about through out this play and I hope I do them justice.

Enjoy :)

CAST

Molly
Dexter
Jordan
Hannah
Gabrielle
Dan
Laura

Act One
Scene One

Five people are standing in a row, spread apart so that they each have their own spotlight. They are no lights on. First spotlight illuminates Molly. Molly looks up.

Molly: My name is Molly and I am…was sixteen years old.

Her spotlight goes out and the one next to her illuminates Dexter.

Dexter: I'm Dexter, or Dex, or Loser. I'm seventeen.

His spotlight goes out and the one next to him illuminates Gabrielle.

Gabrielle: (timidly) Gabrielle…I'm…I'm Gabrielle

Her spotlight goes out and the one next to her illuminates Jordan.

Jordan: I'm Jordan. I'm sixteen.

His spotlight goes out and the one next to him illuminates Hannah

Hannah: I'm Hannah. Sixteen.

All spotlights turn on.

All: We're five people with five different stories. But they all end in the same place.

Rapid fire; lights on and off as soon as person speaks and is done speaking.

Molly: I'm dead

Dexter: I'm dead

Gabrielle: I'm dead

Jordan: I'm dead

Hannah: I'm dead

All spotlights turn on

Molly: It's my fault.

Dexter: I was murdered

Gabrielle: I committed suicide

Jordan: I drove you to kill yourself

Hannah: I'm happy I'm here

All look at each other. The full stage lights up to show an office type environment. Five plastic chairs are placed in a semi-circle, and there is a big comfy chair behind a desk.

ENTER LAURA AND DAN

Laura: (smiles) Please, sit.

The five awkwardly sit in the chairs avoiding eye contact.

Dan: Do you know why you're here?

Dexter: We all died and now we're in hell?

Laura: You think this is hell?

Dexter: Well we're stuck in a psyche ward with people we hate and who hate us. In a few minutes you're probably going to make us (mockingly) talk about our feelings. So yeah, I'd say this is hell.

Laura shakes her head sadly

Dan: This isn't hell; it's your second chance.

Molly: Excuse me?

Dan: (looking at Gabrielle) You had so much potential, it's a shame. You shouldn't have done it.

Gabrielle: I had nothing to live for

Dan: (firmly bordering on angry) You had everything to live for

Laura: {places hand on Dan's arm) slow down, we're not there yet.

Hannah: That poses a good question actually, where are we?

Laura: Nowhere.

Jordan: Nowhere?

Laura: It's what we call this in between, this place between life and death

Dexter: So we're not dead!

Dan: Not yet

Jordan: How is that possible?

Laura: You're all in comas right now; at death's door but not quite ready to open it.

Molly: So we came here

Laura nods

Molly: …why?

Dan: To get another chance at life. (Sits in the comfortable chair).

Laura: You don't have to die

Gabrielle: And if we want to?

Dan: Then the door is there (points and a black door is illuminated by spotlights before covered in shadows again).

Jordan: Okay then where is the door to life?

Dan: And that is the question of the day! Tell me, what did you do to get yourself here?

Jordan: I…

Dan: Oh you can tell me…we're all friends here (false smile)

Jordan: I ate peanut butter because I'm deathly allergic.

Dan: Why?

Jordan: I…I hit my breaking point

Dan: And you? (points to Molly)

Molly starts and looks down, subconsciously covering her stomach and her thighs.

Molly: I umm…I took all my mother's sleeping pills.

Laura: (softly, kinder than Dan anyway) why?

Molly: I-I hated myself. I just wanted out.

Laura: Out of what?

Molly: My skin.

SILENCE

Dexter: Okay this has been fun and all, but you still haven't answered the question.

Dan: Which is?

Dexter: How do we get home?

Dan: Why would you want to go back there?

Dexter: Because I don't deserve to be here! I don't deserve to die!

Dan: Says the boy who tried to kill himself and assisted in another suicide.

Dexter: (looks perplexed) How! (Dan gestures to Gabrielle). Gabrielle? Psh. I had nothing to do with her.

Dan: But let's not forget Hannah, (mockingly) perfect Hannah.

Hannah: (irritated) What?

Dan: (amused) Why'd you do it?

Hannah: Why shouldn't I have?

Dan: I don't know

Hannah: Well obviously you do

SILENCE

Dan shrugs

Dexter: Can you please answer my question? It's the least you could do

Dan: (Laughs) The least I could do is let you die.

Laura: (Firmly) Enough

Jordan: So what is the point of this, of meeting you guys here and having this oh so wonderful conversation?

Laura: We can't tell you.

Everyone scoffs

Laura: You have to figure it out on your own

Hannah: Okay, then who are you guys?

Laura: I'm Laura, (points to Dan). This is Dan. (Dan wiggles his fingers sarcastically).

Hannah: I meant what are you?

Laura: To keep things simple just think of us as your Guardian Angels

Dexter: (points to Dan) he's too rude to be an Angel

Dan: What do you know of angels?

Laura: I said to keep things simple

Molly: Then make them complicated…please

Laura: (sighs) We're spirits like yourselves who have dedicates our after lives to helping those souls in need.

Jordan: We're in need?

Laura: You're stuck

Hannah: What do you mean stuck?

Laura: You're trapped here in limbo, the in between, Nowhere.

Dexter: So once again I pose this question, HOW DO WE GET OUT!

Dan: It depends

Dexter: On…

Dan: Where you want to go

Dexter: (bitter laugh) we get to choose! Heaven or Hell, take your bloody pick!

Laura: Onwards or life, not heaven or hell.

Molly: So we can go back

Laura: If you so choose it, yes

Molly: I choose to.

Dan: You can't choose yet

Molly: Why not?

Dan: All in due time.

Hannah: Why would you choose to do this? You have the rest of forever to chill in (pause) heaven or wherever, why waste your time with us?

Laura: (soft smile) because no matter what you think you are worth our time

Dexter: (impatiently) When do we get to choose

Laura: Soon

Dan: (patronizingly) Patience is a virtue

Dexter: (growls in frustration and kicks a chair). I just want to go home! I want to see my family again!

Dan: Even after what you've put them through?

Dexter: Excuse me?

Dan: You still want to go back to them after you blatantly chose to leave them?

Dexter: I—

Dan: Do you know who found your beaten body hanging from the ceiling?

Dexter: I—

Dan: You're eight year old sister. (piercing scream echoes around them) Do you know what that does to a kid? (short laugh) I hear that we may have a new arrival

Dexter: (grabs Dan's collar) You shut your filthy mouth

Dan: The truth hurts doesn't it?

Laura: (gently makes Dexter let go of Dan) There is hope Dexter, there is always hope. Going back would save her, and your mother—

Jordan: I get what you guys are doing!

Dan: (nods) oh, you do?

Jordan: You guys are doing a bad cop good cop thing! Why?

Dan: Psh! I am not a cop

Dexter: Just answer the damn question!

Dan: Gabrielle, why don't you tell them?

Laura: (Warningly) Dan.

Dan: What? She's been here before, she knows the drill.

All eyes turn to Gabrielle, even Hannah who was pretending to be bored and look at her nails the entire time

Gabrielle: I..

Dan: Right, I forgot! You don't do public speaking.

Hannah: (rolls eyes and stands) Just answer the question, it's not that big of a request and there's like seven of us.

Gabrielle doesn't respond

Laura: (steps up) You know those voices in your head? The ones that tell you not to do something because it sounds stupid and dangerous

Dan: And the one that tells you to do something because it seems like pure reckless fun?

Laura: And the one that tells you, you are beautiful and you are loved

Dan: And the one that makes you hate your body and everything in it?

All: (uncomfortably knowingly) yeah…

Laura: …That's us…

Dan: (smirking) I'm the "bad" (points to Laura with something akin to disgust) and she's the "good"

Gabrielle: The angel and the demon

Dexter: I thought you said you were spirits here to help!

Laura: We are here to help

Molly: Yeah? What about him? (Gesticulates to Dan).

Dan: I think the correct question is what are we here to help you with?

SILENCE

Dan sighs and gestures to Gabrielle, prompting her to speak.

Gabrielle: They're here to help us make a decision

Jordan: (to Dan) You're trying to goad us to kill ourselves!

Dan: Of course not (wicked smile) I already did that

Laura: In the end it's down to you…it's always down to you

Hannah: For something (air quotes) "good," you really don't talk much

Laura: Did I talk much when you were alive? Dan is much stronger than me right now, just like he was when you were alive, because you continue to let him be

Gabrielle: It's not really a choice

Molly: She's right you know

Dan: You could've just kept on fighting, not let me win

Gabrielle/Molly/Hannah: (exhausted) But I was so tired

SILENCE

Jordan: (turns to Gabrielle) I am so sorry. From the bottom of my heart I am so sorry for everything. If I could take everything back I would. I'm a terrible person and I just (voice breaks) I am so sorry.

Gabrielle: You ended up here too; obviously you have your own problems

AWKWARD SILENCE

Gabrielle: (sigh) I forgive you

STAGE BRIGHTENS

Dexter: What was that!

Laura: (smiles) The first step

Dexter: (hurriedly) Gabrielle I'm sorry too

Dexter looks up, nothing changes.

Dexter: What the hell!

Dan: Now now, we both know you didn't mean that. (stares at Dexter, cocks his head) You honestly don't think you did anything wrong

Dexter: I made a mistake. A stupid heat of the moment mistake. She (points to Gabrielle) didn't. She wants to be here, you said it yourself she's been here before! Why would she try again if she'd already had a second chance?

Gabrielle: Nobody wants to be chased off the face of planet you know. I chose life because I had hope. A new town, a new school, new people, I figured hey, I could be okay here. But obviously I'm destined to never be happy! ...Why should I prolong the torture? And god! You don't even regret it.

Dexter: I didn't do anything.

Light dims

Laura: (sighs) And there goes our progress

Molly: (to Dexter) Your speaking rights have officially been revoked

Dexter makes a face

Molly: (threatening) I swear if you speak a word…(to Laura) I don't know Gabrielle or Jordan, what can I do to set things right?

Laura: Why did you attempt suicide?

Molly: …I…(sighs) I—I was convinced I was disgusting and deserved to die….(weak laugh) It all sounds so crazy now

Laura: You're detached from those emotions right now, but as time goes they're going to come back

Hannah: Why?

Dan: Because they are what you'll be going back to if you so choose

Dexter: I choose

Molly glares at him

Gabrielle: It's easy to say that now while they're gone. Just wait—

Dan: You might change your mind

BLACK OUT

TBC

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