Haiku

A crowd of people

surrounding me, but I am

lonely without you

a.b.

A Terrible Gift

Scene 1: A bench sits in the center of the stage. Lights over it are dim. Enter MAN. He is holding a bouquet of flowers. He walks over to the bench and sits.

MAN: It’s a terrible gift, knowing when you have to let go. It’s the worst gift of all when you know you’ll never be able to hold on to anything better. You were the best, my love. The most beautiful, most lively, the most caring. And I was the boy with the terrible gift, and I knew that first time you sang to me the day you’d have to go. You know I spent those first few days, watching you in silence, wondering if I could watch you and never speak to you if you would never have to go. If I had never never known that you were to leave that maybe, just maybe, you wouldn’t have. (Beat) It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? Well, of course, a year is always a long time. I miss you every day, do you know that?  Do you ever miss me? Wherever you are? Do you think of me? Of our summer? Because I think about you... all the time. And I hate you for leaving. Every single day I’m angry with you because you broke my heart and I’m desperate for you to come back. (getting up from bench, leaving flowers) If you ever get these, know that I left them, and I still love you. I know it’s been ten years, but you have my number. It hasn’t changed.

Scene 2: Two teens sit on the bench in the center of the stage. The BOY is hunched over his journal at one end of the bench, the GIRL confidently strumming her ukulele on the other. They exchange glances and go back to their work. GIRL exits and the BOY looks up, watching her go. Lights down. Lights up on GIRL lying on the bench and strumming, BOY enters and looks at her before sitting down on his side of the bench. Lights down. Lights up on the pair sitting almost in the middle,  the wind is blowing hard. The GIRL is singing loudly and playing the uke and the BOY is writing on the flimsy piece of paper that keeps almost getting away. One large gust of wind sends the paper flying into the air. The BOY lets out a yelp and the GIRL jumps, grabbing the paper in the air and holding it out in front of her to read.

GIRL: (sings, reading from paper) Hey girl/ who I’d like to meet/ I’ve seen the rhythm/ of your dancing feet/ You seem really fun/ and really neat/ So what makes you/ so damn hard to greet? (picks up her uke and sings) Hey boy/ who I’ve never met/ I think I like you/ as of yet/ You seem real quiet/ but I bet/ that you’re just/ playing hard to get.

BOY: How do you know it was about you? That’s a little presumptuous, don’t you think?

GIRL: How do you know it was about you? I was just singing from the point of the girl who you were writing too.

BOY: Maybe I was writing from the point of view of a girl too.

GIRL: Maybe you were. (sings) Hey girl/ from down the block/ remember that time/ you used my chalk?/ You’re so pretty/ like a seagull flock/ and I want you to/ darn my socks.

BOY: That was lame.

GIRL: You thought it was great.

BOY: Yes, yes I did.

Scene 3: The BOY sits on the bench with his FRIEND lounging next to him. GIRL enters, but she doesn’t sit, she hangs behind the pair, reacting.

FRIEND: So, you like this chick, huh?
BOY: I guess. I mean, we’ve only really known each other for about a month... But she’s-

FRIEND: She’s different and fun and charming.

BOY: Yeah, how did you know?

FRIEND: I’ve heard the stories, little bro. I know what kind of woman we’re dealing with.

BOY: Are we dealing with her?
FRIEND: Is she pretty?
BOY: Yes. I guess so.
FRIEND: And you like her?

BOY: I like the idea of her.

FRIEND: And she’s knows about-

BOY: No.

FRIEND: You’re crazy! You know you’re never going to be able to keep a girl if you don’t tell her the truth!

BOY: I’ve scared off all the others, Darren! I don’t want her to be another one!

FRIEND: You aren’t going to know whether she is or not if you don’t tell her!

BOY: You don’t get it, Darren, her date, it’s the end of the summer!

GIRL: My date?

BOY: (beat) Isn’t it a little presumptuous to assume we’re talking about you.

GIRL: I will like you no matter what it is.

BOY: You won’t.

GIRL: And you’re calling me presumptuous.

BOY: Darren, can you leave? If I’m going to do this, I have to do it alone.

FRIEND: Whatever you want, bro. Good luck.

Exit.

GIRL: This has been a weird month.

BOY: God, I can’t stall any more! But I can’t tell you, either! It hurts, Chris, this whole thing hurts.

GIRL: You don’t have to be scared.

BOY: I want to ask you out, but there’s no point!

GIRL: Cause I’ll never say yes? Try me.

BOY: No, Christina, there’s no point! I only have until the end of the summer to see you.

GIRL: Are you moving away? I’d email you daily.

BOY: I have a gift. A rare one. I know when you’re going to die, Christina. There’s a derailed train, or a fire, or a piece of carrot in your airway - something - something that will end your life before you get to see the leaves turn red. And it’s stupid and awful because I know when you’ll die, the exact date, and time, but I don’t know how, and I can’t stop it.

GIRL: Oh...

BOY: You should go. I’m sorry I had to tell you.

GIRL: No.

BOY: What?

GIRL: No, I won’t go. If I’m going to die, there’s a lot I need to do. I mean, I still haven’t skinny dipped or hiked a mountain or eaten a deep fried Mars bar or, um, lost my virginity! At least now that you’ve told me, I can do them before my time. And I can do them with you.

BOY: Christina-

GIRL: No buts. We’re going to make this the best summer either of us will remember.

Scene 4: The GIRL and the BOY stand before the bench, holding hands, facing one another.

GIRL: This is the last time I’m going to see you.

BOY: What- why?

GIRL: Because I want a nice parting. It’s the start of school and I’m going to die soon. I want to burn out, not fade away. This summer was a firework. Thank you.

BOY: I can’t let you go!

GIRL: You can’t save me either.

BOY: I’m so, so sorry.

GIRL: Don’t be sorry. That would make you sorry for everything we had.

BOY: What do you want me to say, then?

GIRL: Tell me the truth.

BOY: I think I’m in love with you. And not just the idea of you. Every single part.

Scene 5: The GIRL stands in the center of the stage, facing away from the audience.

VOICE: (from offstage) Christina, move!

The GIRL looks to her left, but suddenly we hear car honk and tires swerve and the lights flare blindingly on the stage, before fading into black.

Shooting Star Summer

Sand in my hair

grains of the tide.

Hands of the pair

hold on for the ride.

Sunset has fallen,

the stars out to play.

We are not sullen

with the lack of the day.

Stars in the dark

shards of the sky.

On a beach, in a park

there’s no need to cry.

Lying out under

a vast sky of light

we wish we may,

we wish we might

Race of the meteor

bursting with light.

To have this wish

and keep forever tonight.

Painted Lockers : A Play

PAINTED LOCKERS

Avery Sara Burrow

Dramatis Personae:

Kayla Minamoto: High school Junior, rebellious attitude, Japanese-Canadian. Smart, but does poorly in school just to annoy her father and gain their attention after the death of her mother.

Isaiah Evans: High school Junior, hides true emotion with an exaggerated mask. Doesn’t talk often and if so, it seems like he isn’t being sincere. Quiet and mysterious. Penchant for dark clothes.

Jasmine Conway: High school Junior, preppy and high-achieving. Part of student council and best friends with Kayla.

Mr Robinson: Their art teacher. Middle aged.

Scene 1:

Lights up on Kayla standing center stage in a stoplight.

Kayla: I know I’ll never forget it. Now that it’s happened, there’s no way I can. I see blood. Everywhere I look, I see it. I want to remember him in a better light, you know?

I think I loved him... (beat) But everything’s too new, and no matter how much time passes, I think it’ll still...stay with me. It was a prom, a goddamn prom!

Now it’s a funeral.

Fade to black.

Scene 2:

Lights up on Isaiah, he is graffiting on lockers in the unused part of the school. His art is beautiful. He hears footsteps and bolts off stage right, dropping his cannister of paint. Kayla enters stage left, she looks at the graffiti fondly before opening one and putting her bag inside. She sees the cannister and picks it up, turning it over with scrutiny.

Kayla: Who are you? You must come every morning, or every night to graffiti my locker, but I’ve never seen you, not once. I don’t want to rat you out, I just want to meet whoever draws on these things... Maybe if I wrote you something... (pulls out a piece of paper and pen, writes note)

Kayla leaves the note under the cannister, she exits stage left, bumping into Isaiah as he enters.

Kayla: Watch it, asshole.

Exits. Isaiah picks up the note and reads.

Isaiah: Well, Kayla Minamoto, I never thought I’d hear you admit to admiring anyone’s art, let alone mine. It’s really a pleasure. We’ve already met before, we have seventh period art, but if you want to meet again, I’d be more than glad to. After all, I know a lot about you, your favourite colour; indigo, the physical feature you hate the most; the dimple on your left cheek. I guess it’s time you learnt a little about me.

Fade to black.

Scene 3:

Kayla stands facing the audience with Isaiah standing next to her, his back turned.

Isaiah: Day one.

Kayla: Michael Miller.

Isaiah: “Here’s our first letter, to begin the thirty days in which I will tell you the reason for the demise of thirty high school students who you know - or will know by the end of this. Let’s start with Michael, shall we; I admire you, really, I do. I like the way that you shove kids into lockers and are completely inconsiderate of everyone around you. I think that’s great. I mean, I’m not the most friendly guy either. But there are things that I will never understand about you. You were my friend, Michael. And I’m not going to put you on this list for casting me away, no, your reason isn’t about me. It’s about that girl, Ada Karlsson. It’s about what you did to her. Because of Ada Karlsson, you don’t deserve to live.”

Lights up on Isaiah, standing with his back against the lockers. Kayla enters stage left. She gives Isaiah a look, but ignores him, beginning to undo her lock. He stares at her until she finally turns him.

Kayla: What do you want?

Isaiah: I thought you wanted to meet me (he waves the note she wrote him).

Kayla: Wait, that was you? No. It can’t be. You’re that quiet dude in my class; Mr. Robinson’s seventh period art!

Isaiah: Is that all you know about me, Kayla Minamoto?

Kayla: Uh, yeah. And I don’t really think I wanna know more.

Kayla starts to exit, but Isaiah stops her, blocking her exit with his arms.

Kayla: Leave me alone, you creep!

Isaiah: Don’t you want to get to know the boy who graffitis your locker?

Kayla: I wanted to meet you, and now I have. And now I want you to get off my case.

Isaiah: Your wish is my command.

Isaiah exits stage right, Kayla begins to stop him but shakes her head.

A girl enters stage right, she looks thrilled, her name is Jasmine Conway, she is Kayla’s best friend.

Jasmine: Kayla! Where the hell have you been? Didn’t I tell you to come to school early to help make posters for the Junior Prom?

Kayla: Oh, hey Jasmine... Sorry, I got waylaid.

Jasmine: Bitch, please, you just slept in.

Kayla: No, seriously, some dude just knocked me into those lockers.

Jasmine: Actually?! Who?

Kayla: Isaiah Evans or something, just a guy from my art class.

Jasmine: That quiet kid in my English? He is such a fox, Kayla! He’s totally got you in his sights!

Kayla: It wasn’t like that, we were just talking, and-

She opens her locker and a piece of paper falls from it to the ground.

Jasmine: Omigod. What is that, Kayla?

Kayla picks up the note and reads.

Kayla: What the hell? What kind of sick, twisted letter is this?

Jasmine: Ada Karlsson?

Kayla: What? Did you know her?

Jasmine: We were students council reps together. She left school at the end of last year. Never heard from her again.

Kayla: Fuck.

Jasmine: Do you know what he did?

Kayla: Jasmine. Whoever wrote this didn’t need to illustrate any further.

Jasmine: No. He couldn’t have, this is Michael we’re talking about.

Kayla: Yeah, you’re right, this is complete bullshit. Some really bad prank, huh?

Jasmine: Totally. You should throw that thing away, it’s giving me the creeps just thinking about it.

Kayla: Yeah, right, for sure. (hesitantly throws paper away) Uh, you get to the gym, I’ll be there to paint posters in a sec. Just gotta put my stuff away.

Jasmine: Kay, whatever, just don’t ditch me again.

Jasmines exits stage right. Kayla grabs the note from the wastebasket and shoves it in her locker before exiting.

Scene 4:

Isaiah stands facing the audience with Kayla standing next to him, her back turned.

Isaiah: Day two.

Kayla: Jean-Luc DuPointe

Isaiah: “Since you’re number two, straight after Michael, you’ve got to know why you’re here. You’ve got to know why you’re on an anonymous hit list that you may never end up reading. Hell, you’re more proof than Michael of how twisted this world is. Do you remember Ada, Jean? Do you remember how she was always on honour role? What her laugh sounded like? Who she hung out with? Or do you only remember what she looked like shitfaced with her panties around her ankles?”

Fade to black. Enter Jasmine and Kayla. Kayla is distracted, looking at the paper in her hand.

Jasmine: ...and then he asked me! Jean-Luc, the super hunky Quebecois guy? Yeah, we’re going to Junior Prom toge- Kayla, earth to Kayla? What the hell is up with you? (notices note, grabs for it, but Kayla swerves) What’s that?

Kayla: Don’t go with him. He’s a rapist.

Jasmine: Hey, where are you going? I’m not done talking to you!

Kayla: What if I’m done with you? You go out with the bastard, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Jasmine: What the hell has gotten into you? You’ve been so freaking on edge lately! You never even hang out with us at lunch.

Kayla: It’s none of your business.

Jasmine: Then you can just leave me and Jean-Luc alone.

Kayla: Fine, you go do that, but don’t come crying to me!

Jasmine: Don’t walk away from me, Kayla Minamoto!

Kayla: You’re not my mother!

Jasmine: Your mother’s dead!

Kayla stares at Jasmine, emotion crossing her face. Jasmine tries to apologize, realizing what she’s said, but Kayla has already run off.

Kayla enters the unused part of the school where her locker is, breathing heavily and trying to hold back her tears. Isaiah enters, but she doesn’t notice him.

Kayla: I can’t even believe her.

Isaiah: Jasmine problems?

Kayla: What the hell are you doing here?

Isaiah: It’s lunch, this is where I eat lunch. I should be asking you what you’re doing here.

Kayla: Yes, okay, it’s Jasmine problems. Now would you kindly fuck off?

Isaiah: I know you’re a lot smarter than you pretend to be, Kayla. You used to be an honours student, now you’re suddenly pretending to be this tough, rebel chick who doesn’t take guff from anyone.

Kayla: And why, might I ask, is that your business?

Isaiah: I never said it was. I’m just an observer.

Kayla: Well, you can go observe someone else, then, because I don’t want your shit.

Isaiah: This is about your mom, hey?

Kayla: Please just leave me alone..

Isaiah: She died two years ago.

Kayla: Five hundred and seventy-eight days ago, yes. From some stupid underaged drunk.

Isaiah: He goes here, right? Albert Cartioni?

Kayla: Leave me alone, I don’t want to talk about it.

Exit Kayla stage right. Fade to black on Isaiah.

Scene 5:

Kayla stands facing the audience with Isaiah standing next to her, his back turned.

Isaiah: Day three.

Kayla: Sasha Paloski.

Isaiah: “Drugs. You do them, you deal them, you coerce people into taking them. You’re like a dirty little leech, sucking out college savings, friendships, the very life force of a person. This isn’t about Ada Karlsson, thank god. No, this is about your parents. This is about how it felt the first time they bailed you out of jail. About the second. This is about your father losing half his fortune for a bad deal. This is about all the families of the kids who you did that to. This is why you can’t go on.”

Lights up on Kayla sitting in front of the lockers with a piece of paper in her hands, looking high strung. Isaiah walks up, startling Kayla. He takes her hand and helps her up. For a minute, we see their hands linger over each other and they share a glance before turning away from each other and exiting the stage awkwardly.

Isaiah stands facing the audience with Kayla standing next to him, her back turned.

Isaiah: Day seven.

Kayla: Eloise Hawking

Isaiah: “First girl, aren’t you lucky. Lets talk about gossip, shall we? You like that, I know. I heard a little tidbit that I thought you might be interested in; you remember that girl who slit her wrists in the girls’ locker room last November? Yeah, I think you know who I mean. You know you’re the reason - I see it in your makeup-caked face whenever someone says her name - yet you’ll never stop calling any girl who eats more than a carrot in your presence fat, or the kid who reads on the bus a dork when he’s not listening. You aren’t going to learn unless someone teaches you some manners.”

Isaiah and Kayla switch positions. Kayla now stands facing the audience with Isaiah standing next to her, his back turned.

Isaiah: Day fifteen.

Kayla: Frank Brennan.

Isaiah: “There are some guys in this school who are players, yeah, we know, I mean, we’re horny high schoolers, I know that well. But Frank, you are the worst. One day is all it takes for a girl to think you love her and the second is all it takes for you to break her heart. There’s only one way for a guy like you to learn how to commit. It’s to make sure he can’t be flaky.”

Kayla begins to crush under the weight of the words, falling to the floor in a ball. Isaiah, hangs over her, circling.

Kayla: Day nineteen.

Isaiah: Ethan Ho. Stabbing. Twenty. Saraphina Sarcosa. Prejudice.

Kayla: Please, no, stop it.

Isaiah: Twenty one. Annalise Dwight. Sex.

Kayla: No, stop! Leave me alone.

Isaiah: Twenty two.

Kayla: Go away, go away.

Isaiah: Miguel DiMurez. Fighting. Twenty three. Kelsey Ling. Rumours.

Kayla: I don’t care, this is all a joke! A prank! A lie! No one’s going to kill anyone! None of this happened! You’re making it up! All of it!

Isaiah: Twenty four. Sam Burnham. Drugs. Twenty five.

Kayla: Just fucking stop it right now!

Scene 6:

Lights up on Kayla curled in a ball in front of the lockers. Isaiah stands over her, looking warm and worried.

Isaiah: Hey, Kayla, what’s wrong?

Kayla: Yes. I’m super high strung. There’s this intense forboding eating at my stomach and I’m paranoid out of my mind. I feel fabulous.

Isaiah: Any reason?

Kayla: Nothing, just these weird letters. Some creepy prank. I feel like, well, like I know things about people that I never wanted to.

Isaiah: Every school has it’s secrets, but most people don’t have the energy to live their little lives and see into those of others.

Kayla: That was easier.

Isaiah: How many people are there in our grade?

Kayla: Like, three hundred?

Isaiah: Two hundred and seventy three. And how many of those people are gossips?

Kayla: At least two hundred and fifty.

Isaiah: And how much of that gossip is true? (silence) Not very much.

Kayla: Whoever’s been giving me these notes is definitely a gossip. Or maybe just a great listener.

Isaiah: Maybe... (beat) I painted you something new.

Our attention is drawn to the newest installation on the lockers; a huge gun shooting red roses that practically covers everything else.

Kayla: Oh, Isaiah, it’s beautiful.

Isaiah: It’s for you.

Kayla: (moved) Thank you. You’re amazingly talented.

Isaiah: Uh, Kayla...

Kayla: Yes?

Isaiah: Nevermind, it’s stupid.

Kayla turns away from the painting, she looks at him for a second, then grabs his shirt and kisses him violently. They stare at eachother for a second. Isaiah is obviously shocked.

Kayla: So, you into me or not?

Isaiah: Kayla, it can’t happen.

Kayla: What the fuck? You just stand there looking all awkward, blushing like you know you want to tell me and then you just go and-

Isaiah: Kayla, it’s not like that! You’re the only girl I’ve ever liked like that just - fuck, there’s something I have to do, something that is going to break this apart.

Kayla: I don’t care, Isaiah. You’ve been leading me on.

Kayla doesn’t let Isaiah continue, she turns and exits, defeated, leaving Isaiah standing alone. Light fades.

Scene 7:

Kayla stands facing the audience, Isaiah stands beside her, his back turned.

Isaiah: Day twenty eight.

Kayla: Jasmine Conway.

Isaiah: “Jasmine. Once you were a girl who I almost liked. Nine years can do a lot to a person, that I believe, but what have they done to you? I know your secret, Jasmine; I see you trying to validate yourself, get yourself noticed, but really, is that the best way? Sleeping around is one thing, but screwing the English teacher? Now, that is a step up. You think no one knows why you stay behind in class, but people have seen, Jasmine. This secret will come back and bite you in the ass, I’m really just stopping that unnecessary pain at the source.”

Kayla and Jasmine enter the locker place. Jasmine is talking, but we hear nothing, Kayla doesn’t hear her. Kayla opens her locker and a paper falls to the floor. She picks it up and reads it, Jasmine doesn’t notice. Kayla’s eyes grow wide and she looks up at her friend. She crumples the paper and throws it hard at the ground, running away. Jasmine yells at her soundlessly and runs after her. Lights fade.

Scene 8:

We see Kayla at her locker, she opens the door to it, but no paper falls, she looks through the stack of letters, but finds nothing new.

Kayla: There’s no letter... There’s no letter! It’s day twenty nine and there’s no letter! They chickened out. The liar chickened out. (she pulls out her phone and dials a number) Hey Jasmine? Yeah, it’s Kayla, sorry about yesterday... I was just having some, uh, emotional issues, you know how I am. Want to get pizza or something?

Lights fade. Kayla enters, throwing her bag to the floor and sitting down to remove her shoes, we see that this is her house. She notices a piece of paper next to her and picks it up. Isaiah enters her pool of light, looming above her.

Isaiah: Day twenty nine.

Kayla: Albert Cartioni.

Isaiah: “You don’t know how your actions affect the world around you, you don’t see it. You get drunk and party and you don’t see the mark you leave on the world. You killed the mother of the one girl I’ve ever loved.”

Kayla: (beat) Isaiah.

Scene 9:

Kayla stands facing the audience with Isaiah standing next to her, his back turned.

Isaiah: Day thirty.

Kayla: No name.

Isaiah: “Meet me in the afterlife at nine o’clock.”

Lights up on Kayla standing before a table. Mr. Robinson sits on the other side of the table.

Mr. Robinson: You’re telling me that you suspect Isaiah Evans of planning to conduct a mass school shooting?

Kayla: I’m not suspecting him! I know! I’ve known since yesterday. It’s him.

Mr. Robinson: How are you so sure?

Kayla: There were these...these letters.

Mr. Robinson: Letters?

Kayla: Yes. I’ve been getting them in my locker for the past month.

Mr. Robinson: Kayla, I think you’re overworked, you need to go home, have a good dinner, take a warm bath and relax.

Kayla: You’re not listening, Mr. Robinson! Isaiah Evans has been sending me letters telling the...the fucking fates of twenty-nine students in this school!

Mr. Robinson: Kayla, please-

Kayla: Shut up, Mr. Robinson! Listen to me! Listen to what I’m saying! You can’t just ignore the girl standing in your office telling you that there’s going to be a school shooting. That she has proof of it, no less.

Mr. Robinson: Kayla, I’m his art teacher, I know him, he’s a good kid-

Kayla: Mr. Robinson, today is the last day of the month, the day of Junior Prom! He’s going to kill everyone who - who - who he feels is wrong and anyone else who stands in his way! (waits for reaction, but gets none) When the entirety of the eleventh grade lies in a pool of blood at your feet, you’ll wish you’d listened.

Mr. Robinson: Wait-

Kayla: What?

Mr. Robinson: Do you have the letters?

Kayla places a stack of paper in front of him. Mr. Robinson reads them slowly, realization hitting him.

Mr. Robinson: Tonight? At nine? (Kayla nods) And you know for sure it’s Isaiah?

Kayla: (pushing a paper towards him) This is the one I got yesterday. (pause) Albert Cartioni killed my mom.

Mr. Robinson: (picking up phone shakily) Hello? Yes, this is George Robinson, art teacher at Elliott Camelton High. I need to report suspicions of a school shooting.

Lights up on Kayla, she is looking around, distraught. Jasmine enters stage right, dressed in a prom dress.

Jasmine: What are you doing out here? Why aren’t you dressed? Come on, Kayla, you know this is a special night for me. (no reply) Are you looking for Isaiah?

Kayla: What?

Jasmine: No need to be jumpy. You two have just been, like, hanging a lot, I thought he was taking you.

Kayla: Oh. Yeah. Um. No.

Jasmine: Kay, whatever. Do you know why there are police everywhere? It’s kind of ruining the vibe.

Kayla: Uh, I dunno, maybe they’re, um, chaperoning the dance or something.

Jasmine: Probably... hey, look, more people are arriving! It’s almost nine, so I guess I should be heading back.

Kayla: I’ll catch up, you go have fun. (beat) Isaiah, where are you?

Isaiah rushes on from stage left, gun in hand. The pair stare at eachother.

Isaiah: Get out of my way, Kayla, I have to do this, I have to kill them!

Kayla: The police have the place surrounded. You have to leave town now, Isaiah.

Isaiah: Wouldn’t it be better if they just took me in? I’m criminally insane, aren’t I?

Kayla: I care about you, okay? I want to save those kids, but I don’t want you to get hurt.

Isaiah: (raising gun) Move, Kayla, before I kill you too.

Kayla: I’m the thirtieth kid, aren’t I? You have a reason for me too, but you ‘loved’ me too much to tell me. Come on, then, Isaiah, shoot me.

Isaiah: Go away, Kayla, I don’t want to do this.

Kayla: Kill me, Isaiah Evans, kill the ‘only girl you’ve ever loved’.

Isaiah: Are you saying I couldn’t? It’d be easy.

Kayla: Then do it. Get it over with. What have I done that was so damn wrong, Isaiah?

Isaiah: There’s a reason I didn’t put your name on today’s paper, Kayla. You’re not the one who’s done wrong.

Isaiah flips the gun around, pointing it at himself. Blackout with gunshot.

END