SCENE 5

Characters
ULYSSES
JOHN
AIKO
JEAN
MS. WILCOTT

(The lights fade in on the table in the mess hall, revealing ULYSSES and JOHN on the left side of the table. JOHN is working on a sudoku, his glasses propped on his nose. ULYSSES has his head down on the table, and we can see his face, contemplative.)

ULYSSES
I can tell she doesn't respect me, John.

JOHN
Regrettable.

ULYSSES
It's as though she hasn't even noticed me.

JOHN
Well, you did come across a bit strong... sir.

ULYSSES
A bit strong? I had to! She hadn't noticed anything else!

JOHN
You are ten years her senior.

ULYSSES
...Christ. Am I really 48 years old?

JOHN
Forgive me. Twelve years.

ULYSSES
I'm 48 years old, John! What else have I forgotten, stuck in this hellhole?

JOHN
It's been a month, Ulysses.

ULYSSES
A month too long! You know... we may never get out of here!

(JOHN glances nervously over at the big, metal door before answering.)

JOHN
We... we'll just have to wait and see.

ULYSSES
Easy for you to say! You can keep yourself busy with those... puzzles, and your thoughts. Me? I'm a man of action! We need to plan ahead, John!

JOHN
Of course, sir.

(The lights dim on the two as the right side of the stage lights up, revealing AIKO, JEAN, and MS. WILCOTT. AIKO is seated at the computer, and JEAN stands behind her, his arms folded across his chest. MS. WILCOTT is standing in the doorway, watching.)

JEAN
I still see nothing.

AIKO
I swear, Jean, I was online. I swear!

JEAN
Swear all you like; I'm not seeing a connection.

AIKO
You will, just give it a moment.

JEAN
Aiko-

AIKO
You can wait for a minute, can't you? What else do you have to do?

(JEAN glances at the razor in his hand, frowning.)

JEAN
Well, I wanted to shave.

AIKO
I'm sure we'll forgive you if you put that off for another few minutes.

(JEAN rubs his jaw, grinning.)


JEAN
I don't know. I might only have a few minutes before my rough, Canadian beard claims some more victims...

AIKO
If that comment had ANYTHING to do with how "beards irritate our thighs," I'd think /you were-

JEAN
/What? No!

AIKO
Right, 'cause... you know I don't go for that. Right, Ms. Wilcott?!

(AIKO leans over and smirks at MS. WILCOTT in the doorway.)

Not one for moustache rides, am I, Ms. Wilcott?

(MS. WILCOTT smiles, nodding at AIKO.)

MS. WILCOTT
Go ahead and taunt me, girl. Our fate is on God, now.

AIKO
Christ, you're a nut. What are you doing hiding in the doorway?

MS. WILCOTT
Just... standing. Thinking. Watching.

AIKO
Watching me, right?

MS. WILCOTT
Watching anyone.

AIKO
So, technically, you're watching me.

MS. WILCOTT
I'll watch anyone I want, dear.

AIKO
Yeah, right... but you were looking at me.

MS. WILCOTT
There are only six of us... that does narrow it down.

AIKO
Don't look at me, you creepy old bat.

MS. WILCOTT
Honestly, I don't see why it bothers you.

AIKO
It bothers me that you're so-

JEAN
Ahh!

(JEAN leans over AIKO's chair, pointing at the screen.)

Aiko!

AIKO
What?

(AIKO turns her attention back to the computer, studying the screen. After a second, she freezes, shocked.)

It... See?! See that? It works!

JEAN
Do something!

AIKO
W-what do I do?

JEAN
Not Facebook! Not Facebook! I don't know... news! News! CNN!

AIKO
What's the address?!

JEAN
Just search CNN!

AIKO
You know, Facebook has these news applica-

JEAN
Shut up! CNN!

AIKO
Alright, alright.

(As AIKO types, Ms. WILCOTT casually creeps closer to the computer.)

C... N... N....

(Beat)

....It's loading...

JEAN
I thought it was slow?

AIKO
I don't know, maybe we found a faster connection.

JEAN
How do you find THAT? Did it migrate?

AIKO
I don't know! Maybe it was the time of day, or something.

JEAN
Come on! CNN!

AIKO
Alright, alright, chill!

(AIKO clicks the mouse and leans closer to the monitor. JEAN does the same, holding his breath in anticipation. MS. WILCOTT, now behind the computer, cautiously reaches up to grip the computer's power cord.)

Look, look!

JEAN
Right. It says-

(MS. WILCOTT abruptly rips the cord from the computer, and the screen shuts off. JEAN and AIKO continue to stare at the empty screen in utter shock. After a moment, JEAN pulls back and continues staring, his expression blank. AIKO falls back in her chair, her face screwed up in frustration.)

MS. WILCOTT
Oops... silly me. I didn't think that would happen.

(AIKO and JEAN continue to stare in silence. MS. WILCOTT grins again and heads back to the doorway.)

MS. WILCOTT
Oh well... it mustn't have been important anyway... The Internet is not a force to be trifled with. Think of all the danger we'd be in if we were subjected to it everyday down here! Thank heaven books don't need any electricity, or ... connections....

(MS. WILCOTT exits the room. Several seconds later, she sticks her head back through the doorway.)

Or cookies!

(MS. WILCOTT disappears with a cackle.)

(Beat.)

AIKO
I'm going to kill her.

JEAN
I can't seem to find the willpower to stop you.

AIKO
I am going to kill her!

JEAN
We've established that.

AIKO
I'm serious, Jean. Dead. I'll tear her apart. I'll leave a leg in here, an arm in the hallway.... I'll smear everything in-between with her blood... Oh, she'll be laughing then, won't she?

JEAN
Now you're starting to worry me.

AIKO
I'll go Old Testament on her!

(AIKO pushes the chair away from the computer, catching JEAN's leg. As he yells in pain, she leaps up, making a beeline for the door.)

JEAN
Ow... Aiko! You're not killing anybody!

AIKO
There will be blood tonight!

(AIKO hurries through the door, leaving JEAN to glower and clutch his leg.)

JEAN
Well, if this is half as bad as it feels...

(JEAN takes a seat as the lights fade on the right side of the stage, then fade in on the left. ULYSSES and JOHN are still seated at the table, but ULYSSES has become more animated, obviously causing JOHN some aggravation.)

ULYSSES
-And she says, "I'm sorry, but I need someone who cares more about his work." Me! All I do is work! I've been working my entire life, and she says I don't do enough! This meant something, John.

JOHN
No matter how much work we do, it's never enough?

ULYSSES
No! Never trust anything anyone says, especially a woman!

JOHN
Shocking.

ULYSSES
That's why I have to tell Charlotte! That's why I need her!

JOHN
Because you don't trust her?

ULYSSES
No! She needs to realize that we're all that's left! Six people! Three men, two women-

JOHN
Three.

ULYSSES
(reluctantly)
Three women. We can't wait much longer! We don't know how long this will last, so we should make an effort to preserve it!



JOHN
Permission to speak freely, sir?

ULYSSES
Permission granted, soldier!

(JOHN rolls his eyes and places his notebook and pencil on the table.)

JOHN
It's only been a month. Reproduction would take NINE.

ULYSSES
You've had training in birthing, haven't you?

JOHN
If by "training," you mean a college Biology Class, then... yes.

ULYSSES
Same thing!

(ULYSSES paces away from the table as the entire stage is lit, revealing JEAN sitting at the computer chair, inspecting his leg.)

JOHN
Not remo-

ULYSSES
I'm off to see Charlotte! Wish me luck!

JOHN
No.

(ULYSSES shows no indication of having heard JOHN. Instead, he moseys past JEAN, then stops.)

ULYSSES
Nasty cut you got there, Jean.

JEAN
Thanks.

(ULYSSES nods, then continues from the room, his chin held high. The lights fade.)