The Conflict Within

The scene is a dimly lit bedroom. Joe, Dan, Mike,
and SC are sprawling leisurely on the floor staring at the ceiling. Loud music blares from the stereo.

Joe:    [Sounding lost] It’s been awhile, now… we should make a trip back home. You know, go check out school, and see how Monty’s doing…

Mike:    [Turning to SC] Dude, turn up the volume, will you. Joe’s at it again. [To Joe] There were no “glory days of the past”! Why do you keep rambling on about it, man?

Joe:    Hey, don’t get started with me on this! We had some good times, we did!!

Mike:    Oh yeah?! Tell me, Mr. Blast-from-the-past, how many of our friends from back home are you still in touch with? One? Two?

SC:    Cool it you two. Now’s not the right time, okay? I’ve got to get this crap figured out before tomorrow.

Dan:    Let me have a look at it. [Ponders over the implications of the mathematical theories scribbled on the paper in front of him for a very long time] Give me a moment; I’ll have this figured out in a jiffy.

SC:    Thanks, bro. I owe you one.

Mike:    [In an excited tone] Guys, stick to the code! Hot chick, across the street!!

Joe and SC, suddenly animated, perform a series of complicated manoeuvres to reach the window. Dan stays put.

Mike:    Yo, Dan! Don’t go gay on me, man!! Stick to the code!!!

Dan:    Stick your bloody “code” up your arse, my friend. I’ve got better things to do.

Mike:    Like what? Whacking your brain then wanking off what’s left of it? Give yourself a rest, dude.

Dan:    [Looking furiously at Mike] Give your tongue a rest, will you?!

Mike:    Alright, alright! I’m backing off. No need to get all het up and sweaty about it.

Dan:    Man, I’m just so sick of you guys loitering about town all day. When will you ever see that the future is NOW! You screw up now, and you’ll be screw-ups forever.

SC:    Dan, I get it, okay? Stop lecturing. Get a life, man.

Dan:    I’m not dead. I do have a life.

SC:    Whatever, man. Hey, we’re out of fags. I’ll head out and grab some. You guys want anything?

Dan:    Get me a couple o’ bars of candy, bro. This stuff makes me really hungry.

Joe:    Dude, you’re stoned again?? [To SC] Hey, hold up. I’ll come with you.

SC:    Alright.

Joe and SC make for the door. Joe slams the door behind them.

SC:    What the hell did you do that for?

Joe:    Remember what we were like back then? We had everything going for us; we had everything figured out. Look at us now.

SC:    And what’s wrong with us now? This shit is all part of putting on years, man.

Joe:    C’mon, you don’t believe that, do you?

SC:    Give it a rest, Joe. There are a lot of other things I’ve got to worry about. Besides, Mike keeps us sane. He’s like this buoy, you know, that warns us when we’re too close to burning out.

Joe:    Hey, look at that guy. He looks familiar.

SC:    You’re right! I can’t place him, though.

Joe:    Oh, dude. He went to the same school as us! He was our senior!! I just can’t seem to recall his name, man. Let’s go talk to him.

SC:    Yeah, why don’t you go on ahead? [Mimicking Dan] I’ve got better things to do.

Joe:    Yeah, right.

Joe disappears amidst a flurry of people.

SC:    [Singing] I can’t do this all on my own… No, I know… I’m no superman… yeah… I’m no superman…

Half an hour later, SC returns home to his bedroom, which, to his bewilderment, is empty.

SC:    Fuck!

He picks up the piece of paper that Dan had been scrawling on.

SC:    [Thinking aloud] He did it, the old fool!

The neutral expression on SC’s face slowly turns into something queer. In a sudden, jerky motion, he turns around to find Dan, Joe, and Mike,
standing across the room staring at him.

Dan:    No, you did it, SC.

A breeze wafts through the window. Dan, Joe, and Mike fade, as if they were smoke dispersed by the listless wind.

~ by Sayan on September 18, 2008.