Janna Tierney
Man 2 starts wildly at the sound of the announcement
but doesn’t stand. He searches around the empty hallway
with his eyes, pauses for a moment, trying to penetrate
the darkness at the end of the hall, but almost
instantly finds this uncomfortable, and quickly resumes
looking straight ahead.
Man 2 turns timidly to Man 1, and his voice cracks
nervously when he finally speaks.
MAN 2
What are you here for?
Man 1 remains motionless.
Man 2 shifts his weight, crosses and uncrosses his
legs nervously, starts whistling. He is a poor, breathy
whistler. The sound quickly peters out. He swallows.
His brow is perfectly dry but his hair trembles. He
wipes his brow with the back of his arm. His skin is
clean and his palms are calloused.
Man 1 remains motionless.
Man 2 looks down the hallway again, squinting his eyes
to try to see further into the dark at the end of the
hall for only a few seconds before jerking his head
away and staring straight ahead at the blank grey wall
in front of him.
Absent-mindedly, Man 2 grasps beneath the arm railing of
the bench and discovers a chewed piece of hard, rubbery
gum. Picks it up, looks at the teeth marks in it. Throws
it on the floor.Man 2 stares at it madly, eyes wide open.
MAN 2 (cont’d)
It won’t stop staring at me.
MAN 1
Then put it back where you found it.
Startled almost out of his life, Man 2 yelps out and
spins around to face Man 1. The sound of his cry echoes
blankly in the hall. Man 2 has not moved, and is
exactly as before.
Man 2 stares in horror at Man 1. A look of terrible
uncertainty crosses his face.
MAN 2
Did you say something?
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