EXCERPT FROM: Limit

By: Sinjin Jones

DAN runs the opposite direction, towards the classroom and off-stage. The group stands for a moment then continues walking in the same direction, mildly frustrated. As soon as they exit, DELULIO appears from the middle. He walks forward to address the audience.

DELULIO. Ah, the end of another day. Or is it? Because nothing really ends, everything's just a continuity of the thing before it, isn't it? And so we can't really say that the day has ended because it hasn't, it has merely melded seamlessly into the next day through the night. And I bet you're wondering, through this continuing chain of events separated only by sleep, why everyone knows Daniel's father. Well, perhaps your not, but, as it is of integral importance to this story, I feel obliged to tell you. You see, Mr. Sade used to be in big business here, he owned this place and made himself an empire. The only problem was that he was a double dipper, he liked his vanilla and his chocolate and couldn't give up on either and so he made some enemies. A lot of enemies. And in this place, as he and you well know, enemies are not exactly a good thing. Even between Shapers and Shifters, there are no enemies because there is no need for them, there is only need of friendly competition that sometimes leads to the friendly disappearance of a friend. But Travis didn't think like that and he killed a lot of people for reasons that have been deemed questionable. He made many people very angry and so one day, perhaps as a favor to an enemy or perhaps out of fear, Travis Sade decided to leave this place and, even though he wasn't the most paid pauper, his exit brought this city down to its economic knees and we've been trying to build it back up ever since. He was a genius…is a genius, but he shouldn't have come back. As you've probably discovered, word in this place travels three point zero times ten to the eighth meters per second, and nothing is hidden…Except one thing. Charles is a fairly introverted person and, as such, his business isn't as interesting as some of the other people's, and no one asks questions of Addie because she has five and no one wants a bomb. So, with this new information, it's not hard to believe that these two could have a relationship known only to the fewest number of people. This is a place full of secrets, and this secret is one of the big ones…

CHARLES and ADDIE have appeared at ADDIE's stand and are sitting atop it. They cuddle in each others arms and look up to the sky in reverence. CHARLES is now much more bright and happy, and ADDIE is her normal, cheerful self. It is obvious throughout the conversation that the two are in love.

CHARLES. I miss Cassie.
ADDIE. No you don't.
CHARLES. What?
ADDIE. You don't miss Cassie.
CHARLES. Why not?
ADDIE. Because you can't miss someone who's not gone.
CHARLES. But she is gone.
ADDIE. No she isn't, she's just in the stars.
CHARLES. How long is left?
ADDIE. Two days.
CHARLES. I can't wait.
ADDIE. Well, you'll have to.
CHARLES. He's such a prick.
ADDIE. Who Dan?
CHARLES. Yea, he thinks he's so big and bad just because he's Travis' son.
ADDIE. Everyone gets what's coming to them, that's what I do.
CHARLES. But you don't do that at all.
ADDIE. Says you.
CHARLES. You just give people what other people tell you to give them.
ADDIE. Which is what they deserve.

Short pause.

CHARLES. So, how much do you actually know?
ADDIE. About the limit?
CHARLES. Yea.
ADDIE. Everything and then some.
CHARLES. So, do you want to share?
ADDIE. I can't.
CHARLES. Why not?
ADDIE. Business and pleasure always must be kept separate, you know that.
CHARLES. Well, call this business, for a moment.
ADDIE. Okay, but I have no business telling you.
CHARLES. Oh, come on, I'm sure that you could make an exception for me…
ADDIE. Trust me, you'll be much happier going with the flow.
CHARLES. Why do you say that?
ADDIE. Because it's a good flow and it leads to a good ending.
CHARLES. If you say so.
ADDIE. I do say so.

Lights go dim and the Calculus class jitters with students. CHARLES joins TREVOR, MELINDA, and DAN in the small class and the bell rings once again. They all sit in their respective seats and wait quietly for MRS. PETERSON to walk through the door to teach them. This does not happen however and the room stays silent for awhile. Soon the students begin to look at each other questioningly, wondering where she is and, eventually, the class is thrown into a gossip haven as the four discuss possibilities. The room is thrust into teenage chaos. After awhile, DELULIO approaches the room from the other side. As he enters, the students get quiet once again and sit in their seats. He has a somber look upon his face and turns towards the students.

DELULIO. (At a loss of words for the first time) Um…I…uh….
CHARLES. What's wrong, Mr. DeLulio?
DELULIO. Mrs. Peterson is…dead.

Limit is a one-act play that I wrote in about a month because I wanted to use the script for this year's Student Directed One-Acts, of which I am a director. It is a take on 1950's film noir in a modern sense. The style was inspired by the movie Brick and the movie Lucky Number Slevin and I really like how it turned out. It tells the story of Daniel Sade who moves into this town in which his father had "business" awhile back, and he tries to learn the trade of how business works in this town only something is weird about this place...