FATHER
God willing, I wish all terrorists and the immigrants would just…

DAMIEN
All Muslim's are not…

FATHER
Shut your filthy mouth!

His father reaches over and slaps him as hard as the table will allow, DAMIEN reels in pain, almost to the point of tears but holds his emotions in. His brother begins to chuckle under his breath.

MOTHER
Greg honey, don't laugh at your brother's stupidity, it's not nice, eat your vegetables.

There is silence once again,DAMIEN is doing his best to eat through the blazing pain in his cheek.

MOTHER
Greg, how was your day?

GREG
It was fun, we got to play basketball during recess and the teacher said that my essay was the best in the class.

MOTHER
Oh! That's great darling, when you bring it home we'll have to put it up on the refrigerator.

A glance at the refrigerator reveals that it is chockfull with GREG's other, apparently numerous, achievements in school.

GREG
And, we got our assignments back in math today, I got a 100% on my test and on all my homework, the teacher says I should be put in an advanced class with the 8 th graders.

MOTHER
Wow! I always knew you were going to be intelligent though, from the moment I first held you in my arms. Isn't that right Steven darling.

STEVEN
Yep. She said, 'This one is going to be the smart one.' Just like we always knew that your brother would be the trouble maker. But I guess he's not as bad as we thought.

MOTHER
No, I guess not, but that's probably because of that counseling we made him go to a couple of years ago. Doctor Phillips was a miracle worker…So, what's going on with you anyway, Damien, got into any trouble lately?

DAMIEN
No.

GREG
He's probably lying.

MOTHER
Now don't be mean, Greg…So, what have you been doing then?


DAMIEN
School…Writing…

STEVEN
What did I tell you about writing, son, it won't get you anywhere in life. How many writers do you know personally? Huh?

DAMIEN
None…

STEVEN
Exactly, because you have to be stupid to try to be a writer. And you're not seeing that Ashley girl anymore are you?

DAMIEN
No

STEVEN
Are you sure?

DAMIEN
I said no.

STEVEN
Good. That girl is trouble. You shouldn't be worried about dating anyway, keep your focus with school.

MOTHER
Listen to your father, we didn't meet until after he was long graduated from college and see how well off we are…Shame though, Ashley's parents are so nice. Didn't you used to work with her dad, honey?

STEVEN
Yea, but he got fired for money laundering or something; he was a nice guy though. It is a shame that his daughter didn't share that gene.

DAMIEN is fed up with his disgusting excuse for a family. He stands and, without speaking a word, leaves the table. His family yells at him from the distance but he is finished listening. He travels down the basement stairs to his bedroom and locks the door, finding solace on his bed, picking up a notebook and a pen. He begins writing fervently with angry strokes as we see a poster of Edgar Allan Poe on his wall.