Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 KELVIN ‘You gotta be a positive person on this shit hole planet. We could be covered in flies in fica, hell we could have goddamn harelips for all | know. But, as they say, positivity wins the race. JESS I don’t think anyone says that, I don’t think anyone's said that ever actually. KELVIN I’m so positive, | walk down the street happy, smiling all the time, people throw shit at my head, shout “-the fuck you smilin’ about?”... I say - “love you brother,” life is short. And | intend to live. JESS Yeah, I'm going in my room now- KELVIN [All those friends of mine say, “What're you wastin’ time with Kacie for?” Jess stops, tums to him. JESS ~-Sorry? KELVIN She’s a little overweight, | don’t care. JESS Am I hearing you wrong? I must be hearing you wrong- KELVIN Works with kids all day, talks to me like I’m one, I really don’t mind that either. | visit your mom all the time. And you. JESS What about me?! KELVIN Your sister cried almost every date we went on for the first few months. JESS Maybe it was the company a2Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15, KELVIN Na- she still cries herself to sleep almost every night Jess is stopped by this. JESS What? KELVIN AIL’m asking for is- can you please not do that “sister-talk” in her ear. I drive, 1 cook, I'm not on Viagra, I’m a catch, okay’... So I don’t know why you have a problem with me Jess comes to the table. JESS | was a gunner in my unit... I had to separate dead bodies from debris. And I got pretty good at identifying trash. KELVIN JESS I don’t know what's wrong with you, but I'll figure it out. KELVIN Nothing- nothing wrong here JESS No. I can smell people when they’re rosting. Kelvin looks scared, stands. Kacie enters the Kitchen in a little black dress. KACIE How do I look? It was on clearance. Got one for you too, Jess, it's a spinner- (to Kelvin) When Jess and I were little, we called our dresses spinners if they went out like this- KELVIN Let’s- come on.Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15, KACIE You sure you don’t wanna come? (to Jess) We're gonna see mom after the launch, visiting hours go late today, you could join us? Jess shakes her head. KACIE ‘There's broccoli and chicken if- JESS Kacie- KACIE She keeps forgetting, but | tell mom every time we got you back. That you finally made it home. JESS Katie. Go. Kacie and Kelvin exit. Jess “Good King Wenceslas.” She props the mirror up, stands in front of it, tuming to the right, the left, the front once again. She undresses. Each movement is a greater pain than we've seen before. Bending at the waist almost causes a scream. Still humming Her body is covered in protective bandaging Legs and upper arms are wrapped tightly in a pressurized skin suit, She changes into the dress that Kacie gave her. Looks in the mirror. Throws it down. Crosses to the window. Stares up at the night sky. Time transitions to later in the night. Stevie steps out onto the roof, spreading out a blanket, waiting. 44Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE (shouting inside) My wife would never watch this with me. This is awesome of you! Jess has trouble getting out. STEVIE You need a hand? I could pick you up...? JESS No, no, I’m-- gimme a second. STEVIE It’s for me. -would make me feel like a man. She tries again, STEVIE Would it hurt- I don’t wanna hurt you more. JESS STEVIE Up you go! He carries her onto the roof and she appears little in his arms. She looks at him. They laugh. He puts her down, sits, shifts a little further apart STEVIE I got beer. Are you allowed to have beer? JESS (to a moron) Yes. Yes | am allowed to have A beer. STEVIE I was gonna get weed, but didn’t know anybody who sold it 45Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS You work at a gas station! He opens and clinks beers. STEVIE Ah -this is so weird, am I being weird? JESS You're always weird. STEVIE -it doesn’t seem different. We'd sit up here when you were in college and, | dunno, there’s NO WAY it’s been this long. NO WAY. I thought, get married, That’s it. My life'll start. That'll change some shit in my life... So I got married... And. Then it was like, okay, we'll get a CAT... That’s gonna-- make it all change. Now its... how “bout house?... Maybe having kids’ll make me an adult, 1 dunno, JESS You're gonna have-- kids-- together? STEVIE Well she'll end up pregnant at some point. JESS So romantic, STEVIE No, | mean, Nothing ever seems different... l keep waiting for it to Beat. Stevie goes to turn on the radio, grumbling preparatory remarks about the launch. Jess tums it off. JESS Do you remember what I looked like? STEVIE ‘Yeah, duh, I don’t have amnesia- 46Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS Can you be serious? STEVIE What do you mean, do I remember- yeah, yes. Of course JESS Can you tell me. STEVIE --What? JESS What I looked like. Beat STEVIE I dunno- JESS I'masking STEVIE I- Your hair- was. He can’t articulate so gestures to indicate that it was long STEVIE -this is stupid. JESS Please, STEVIE ~-Long, it was really. You had healthy hair, is that a thing? JESS 47Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE You shed like a dog... It'd be in our sheets... the shower. JESS What else- STEVIE Come on. JESS Stevie. Please. STEVIE L.. liked to watch you brush it JESS STEVIE JESS «You did? STEVIE ‘You looked litte in all that hair. I'd roll over in bed, it would- (makes choking sounds) You know- like choke me. JESS Thanks- STEVIE No, no | liked that... My wife has short hair, makes her look like a lesbian. Or a mom. JESS Can you, for two seconds, two seconds NOT-- STEVIE Sorry. JESS 48Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE JESS Look. Do you remember my skin~ STEVIE Enough. Okay? JESS Ineed to know- STEVIE Why are you doing this? JESS STEVIE What kind of a question is that? Yeah, sure. ISS, Why aren’t you looking at me? STEVIE Fine. 1 do. JESS You're sill not looking at me. STEVIE (angry) I remember your skin. Okay?! Is that what you wanna hear?! JESS STEVIE (kinder, an apology) People don’t always look- how they- looked. People change. JESS Not really the same- 49Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE And people don’t ever like the way they look. It’s a thing It’s like- nobody does. JESS You don’t have to make me feel better, that wasn’t the point- STEVIE I'm ying... JESS STEVIE I got gray hair JESS Do not even- STEVIE I'm not comparing it, I'm... Wanna see? She laughs, shukes ler head, gives up. JESS Sure, STEVIE -this cheek. Right around- JESS (inspecting his beard) There's like one! STEVIE No, it’s a salt and pepper thing starting. JESS I think I need a microscope. STEVIE Pretty soon, I'l be all gray. And you don’t even wanna see me with my clothes off now. 50Ualy Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS ..All gray? STEVIE No, God, I didn’t- no, I just don’t look the same. / don’t wanna hafta see me naked- my wife doesn’t wanna: I... am... | am saying A LOT. You don't wanna see me all nude, it’s-~ not good. She laughs. STEVIE You don’t-- want to, right? Beat. JESS ‘Was that some kind of weird offer? STEVIE No... I+ didn’t want that to be why you asked me over. That would make me sad. JESS You basically invited yourself. STEVIE Oh. JESS Maybe you shouldn't have come, STEVIE We're just talking. JESS I know. They stare into the night sky. JESS can’t. Think of what I look like. Forget now. But before. It’s blank... Nobody recognizes me, I can’t get one person to, And you're the last-- who knew me like that... All of me... 51Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Beat. STEVIE, You always had tan lines. He goes to sort of touch her, but can’t get past sort of, STEVIE Here. He touches his own collar bone. STEVIE And- He touches his chest, gestures out towards hers. ‘She moves closer, pushing her upper chest into his outstretched palm. Beat. STEVIE (breaking away) Do you think, um-- do you think it’s going up soon?! JESS Stevie STEVIE My favorite part about launches- JESS Stevie. Look at me. He does briefly, looks back the radio. STEVIE Everything stopped. Cars pulled off the highway. Teachers quit teaching so we could watch from the soccer field She keeps trying to look at him, but he can’t maintain eye contact. 52Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE All down the block, people came outta their houses to stand in the driveway- Everybody in the world was looking up. He tries to turn the radio on, but she won’t let him, turning his face towards her STEVIE Jess. It’s hard, ‘cause your- JESS T know what I look like- STEVIE No, no. It’s hard for me ‘cause your- (gestures to their eyes) Your eyes’re- still-- they’re like~ still exactly the same. Long beat, JESS You think? STEVIE They are. She takes his hand, guides it to her eyelids. Holds it there. He tries. He really does. He moves closer. For a fleeting moment, there is the chance of something together, something new. But then it happens. The horizon lights up with a fiery gold. Light first, then sound. Together, they look up to the night sky, faces bright with the shuttle’s flame. ‘A moment of beauty before the roof shakes with a guttural rumbling. 53Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Suddenly Jess starts to shake, panic, hyperventilate, scream. STEVIE What's wrong?! JESS What is that, what is that?!? STEVIE JESS Sh- ‘What, what, what, we need to go- STEVIE Sh- what’s wrong? He tries to hold her. She shakes harder. JESS GET OFF ME!!! Get inside, move!! LIGHTS SHIFT. Sounds of gun shots. Chaos Jess is more or less alone, shouting into the void. JESS Get your team up here!!! You can’t leave two men walking by themselves. Jess hums “Good King Wenceslas” which turns into the army cadence/march. JESS Let's GO, let’s GO! All together!! (chanting) Bomb the village, shoot your mark. Try to save your energy. Desert nights are long and dark. Hard to see your enemy. 54Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Lam in the Army Corp Watch ‘em all come gather ‘round Lock and load with your M4 Gun them motherfuckers down! Gun, war and then an explosion with the lick of crackling flames. Lights dim. VOICE Focus. Focus. Focus on what you see. Lights to Jess coming downstage, still shaking VOICE You’ ve made it this far, stay focused- Could you tilt your head to the left? She does. VOICE Good. Looking that way now, you'll see a hill to climb, I think you’re ready. ‘One step at a time. Brace yourself. And-- Get ready to run! Patriotic songs or Paul Simon? JESS (harshly), What do you think? “You Can Call Me AI” by Paul Simon begins 55Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 “YOU CAN CALL ME AL" A man walks down the street He says why am I soft in the middle now- Why am I soft in the middle The rest of my life is so hard- I need a photo-opportunity I want a shot at redemption Don't wanna end up a cartoon In acartoon graveyard. Jess pushes her walker to the side and begins to walk on her own as the song swells. LIGHTS SHIFT to the living room. Music out. Kacie opens the front door to Stevie, drenched in sweat, maybe a little out of breath. STEVIE Oh- Is- KACIE She's asleep. STEVIE, --Whew! -glad she'll get some sleep, good. Kacie stares at Stevie who fidgets with his shirt. STEVIE Front door was open, I'm--- not- normally this sweaty. -took a couple laps ‘round the ‘ol block while you two were gone, -Hot out, huh?... JULY! -I'm gross. KACIE Do you need something, STEVIE Uh, I had ub- | brought a bag with me earlier tonight? -and like a blanket- my comforter for my bed, so, Can't show up home without it 36Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Kacie gestures that he should get it and be quick. Stevie enters the living room, takes the blanket, looks around, STEVIE She’s- KACIE In her room. STEVIE Y'know what- keep- keep the beer. I'll probably-rolllll on out- Awkward. KACIE What're you doing here? STEVIE Oh, I was waiting outside for you two to get back from the hospital. I saw you help her back in the house. KACIE What were you- watching from the bushes? STEVIE I-- I wanted to make sure she’s okay. KACIE (even harsher) What. Are you doing? STEVIE P'mreally glad she's okay. Beat. KACIE ‘You were the /ast person I thought would be calling. | can’t believe you still have my number. 37Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE I should probably- KACIE Yeah. You probably should. He goes for the door, hesitates, turns back. STEVIE I’m not some-- I dunno what you think I am, but a lot’s confusing for me too KACIE .. Really? STEVIE Itis KACIE Alright, then, Here. She throws something at him. STEVIE What is this? KACIE Listerine strips. STEVIE ‘What is- is it my breath? KACIE Her doctor said whoever spends time with her has to carry them, you can fit ‘em in your pocket. They re less bulky than smelling salts, He looks at the strips, confused. KACIE When shis happens. And it doesn’t happen a lot. But it’s happened before... and it’s more than likely gonna happen again, she needs something to ground her in reality Sucking on listerine makes her snap to. 58Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Oh, okay... Nice. Might be faster than calling me. Sorry I didn’t know- Doctor's numbers are here. I see that now- STEVIE Stevie slips them into his pocket. KACIE STEVIE KACIE STEVIE KACIE Loud noises. The beach. Crowded places. All that’s out. Cool. Yeah, it’s “cool” she takes these. No worries And- -here. STEVIE KACIE Kacie pushes over an extra-large pill organizer. STEVIE This hangs in the air. KACIE, She throws a tub of medicated cream, 39Unly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 KACIE Rub it on her skin grafts. Her scalp, her back, four times a day. On the new, raw skin. ‘There are places she can’t reach, STEVIE KACIE You'll have to scrub until the scabs break open. Or else her skin hardens too thick and she can't move. That’s what happened to her knee, she couldn’t bend it. And patches on her spine still ooze a little, bandages stick, so you'll need to rub on shis. She throws another. Stevie stares down at all that is in his hands. STEVIE okay. KACIE She probably didn’t want you to know- STEVIE (threatening) Then siop telling me. Beat. KACIE _..She is living on hope. And there’s very little of it around here... So if you’re taking away even a fraction, even a decimal... If you're giving her even this much- and it’s not real. STEVIE T'm not doing any thing. KACIE You are. You don’t know it I guess, but you are. STEVIE -I don’t know whar I'm doing 60Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 KACIE (a threat) Well figure it out STEVIE Yeah. Yeah. | will. Stevie puts everything down, returning even the listering strips, and exits KACIE (with venom) Tell y our wife we all say hello. Kacie picks everything up, heads into the bedroom, The acoustic of Simon and Garfunkel’s “The Sounds of Silence” begins, underscoring the following scene fragments so that Snow World overlaps and blends with reality in a kind of Aluid dream, VOICE What does paradise look like? Jess emerges, heading downstage, determined. VOICE Falling snow might draw attention to your skin. So- your snow-—- Is made of feathers. And even though it isn’t real.. There will be beauty somehow. VOICE Is there anything else you'd like? JESS More. 61Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 VOICE More trees? JESS More. VOICE More snow? JESS More. VOICE ‘The snowdrifts are much higher on his side of the hill. Bend at the waist to grab the shovel at your feet Jess bends to pick it up VOICE Pain...? Jess digs VOICE On a scale of one to ten. Jess digs, VOICE Any pain? JESS Tum the music up Kacie appears in the living room, talking to Jess ‘over the music as she continues to dig. KACIE Jess, mom really wants to see you today, I know it... / want you to come with me. ‘Would you stop, would you talk to me?! Come on. Please? 62Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Jess clears the snow as Kelvin drifts in. KELVIN (to Kacie) This is how it works. You give your money to me. Big, small, doesn’t matter. Investments are investments as I always say. I°ll put your money in my business account. Kelvin and Sons, we don’t have any sons yet, but it sounds better, don’t you think? And we go to short sales. Up and down NASA Parkway, foreclosure here, foreclosure there. Buy, buy, buy from the bank. Sell to the people. Like Robinhood. Robinhood who makes a profit. A year’s salary. In three weeks, how does that sound? You and me together... Drivin’ through the Rockies. They drift away. Jess continues to dig. Kacie reappears, a new sense of urgency. KACIE Jess- Let’s go. Mom had a fall JESS KACIE I've had to deal with this by myself for years, you are coming... Be my sister. JESS KACIE, (near tears) It'll be great! It'll be so good for her. Jess rips off goggles, turns to Kacie in the living room, JESS (with venom) Kacie... she is NOT going to recognize me. 63Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Jess tums back to the game. Kacie exits, upset Jess dismantles framed family photos from the living room walls. VOICE What does paradise look like? If possible, the pictures frames drop off the wall all at once as Jess breaks them open, taking out photographs. VOICE Gone are aches and pains- Your body’s war. ‘All these things that keep you trivial, All these things that make you small. Jess makes her way downstage. VOICE Here you are the creator. VOICE So you are as big and as powerful as the stars. LIGHTS SHIFT. Music out. Jess, holding photos, looks up for the voice. VOICE Pain-? JESS I'm. I'm having kind of a hard week. VOICE From 1-10...Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS I'mtired... VOICE Could you try answering on the scale- Beat JESS I'm $0 tired of being tired. Beat JESS I don’t think it’s working any more. VOICE Your numbers are down! While you're in here, you're showing improvements- JESS -but I need it to work out there! Beat VOICE I'm sorry you're feeling that way, I am, but I’m not sure what else I can do-- for you. JESS I need you to redesign the game. VOICE Excuse me? JESS I've- got it all figured out... Instead of snow, I want you to build my town, Build it back up again. I brought pictures- VOICE Jessica. That is not how this works. Forward motion. Do you understand? Forward ‘motion is how you'll survive. 65Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS The whole time I was over, I thought about coming back. And I did- because this is my home. It’s the only place I've ever called that, But... It’s-- gone I think. There’s um, there’s an Applebee's now... There never used to be that kind of- the hotels all look empty. My friends moved away or are married- and- my mom: VOICE JESS I dunno where to go... Hello?! VOICE The game is unfamiliar so it doesn’t remind you of the past. So it doesn’t cause more pain. JESS This is me, And my sister- Look, she was so pretty. This is what we look like. She holds up the board, now covered with pictures of her old life. JESS Look... Look at me! VOICE I would do- anything more... if | could- JESS Please. VOICE (a final admission) 1-- can't. LIGHTS SHIFT abruptly. Jess lowers herself to the couch. Kacie enters and sees the destruction of the photo wall. Almost cries, but doesn’t let herself. Takes a deep breath. 66Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 .-How’re you feeling? KACIE JESS Will everyone stop taking my temperature every two seconds?! Kacie! I'm fine. | am- Kacie. I'm sorry We are all... fine, Kacie pulls out a too! kit and hammer. She puts photos back on the wall Kacie fixes what she can. Kacie looks as if she is about to scream. Stops herself. Picks up another nail, And the hammer. And fixes. Hammering hard until she slams right through the sheet rock, hacking at the wall with direct strokes. JESS Kacie stops. Jess turns towards her. KACIE KACIE am trying REALLY hard to keep it together. JESS KACIE Kacie pulls the hammer out of the wall, stands there, holding it. Jess makes room for her on the couch, Kacie climbs into the couch next to Jess, foot to head. 67Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 ‘They look at each other, neither knowing what to say, Jess rests an arm on Kacie’s legs. Beat. JESS You have the hairiest toes, Kacie starts laughing, JESS I'm serious, shave them or something. You look like a hobbit. They laugh. Beat KACIE I REALLY... needed to go on vacation. ... | was looking forward to being outside, seeing snow JESS So- go- KACIE 1. Invested my vacation fund... Its really not the worst thing- JESS Kacie, you gave him your money? KACIE It’s my problem. JESS ‘You could literally do anything... You could do anything you want. KACIE JESS Kacie, you are living my life. KACIE 68Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS Please. Please don’t waste it. Beat. JESS Get your stuff. You're coming with me. (struggling to stand) Get your stuff, let's go. LIGHTS SHIFT quickly downstage. Kacie stands in the therapy area, clutching her purse. Jess enters, JESS She said it’s fine. VOICE I didn’t say it was fine... Kacie and Jess look up for the Voice. VOICE Jess said it was an emergency... You never saw me do this. JESS (smirking, to the Voice) I never get to see you any way Jess takes Kacie’s purse from her and helps her into gogules JESS (to Kacie) T'll pick you up when you're done. VOICE (to Kacie) When you're ready... open your eyes. 69Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Kacie steps forward. Her jaw drops. She looks up and to the side. She sees the world for the first time... and maybe it looks like paradise She reaches hands for the sky, moving with more grace than Jess will ever be capable of, grasp ing at infinity. Jess watches her for a moment and then goes. Kelvin appears in the living room, staring at his phone, grinning stupidly, undressing to boxers, Jounging on the couch LIGHTS OUT on Kacie as Jess enters the house. Kelvin jumps up. KELVIN Oh!!! Uh- Kacie texted me to come over right away, she said we had the whole house to ourselves. Jess throws Kacie’s phone at him. JESS Yeah, you mentioned you like to text a lot. KELVIN (uncomfortably) Oh! - that was -You’re, ub... hilarious... Kelvin backs up, Jess draws closer. KELVIN Can y ou- go-go stand over there- I wanna get my shorts on. She throws his pants. 70Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS Pull up your capris and let’s go. KELVIN I’m not- what? JESS I want you more together if we're gonna fight. Beat, KELVIN Are you- what? JESS Tam goingto hit you. If you don’t wanna defend yourself, that’s your choice. Kelvin looks at her uneasily. Jess moves closer, steady ing herself on the walker. As Kelvin backs up, she threatens him with each inch, taking her time. JESS A girl in my unit strapped her chest down with bandages ‘cause she was nursing when she got deployed. Then we all started doing it. “Cause we felt tougher like that, But now I feel rough all the time. She moves closer, brings her fist back and punches, hurting herself, but hurting him more. He stands there, not sure what to do, rubs his face, looking sad more than any thing else. JESS Come on, KELVIN What? JESS Come on! 1Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15, She pushes him. JESS Punch me... Punch me, | can take it! | am strong I could take anything you throw at me. Let's GO, let's GO! I am stronger than YOU! ‘There is no fight in Kelvin at all KELVIN (hurt, scared) Why do you hate me so much... JESS KELVIN -I don’t get it. JESS KELVIN Stay- stay over there, please! JESS Did you take her money? Her vacation fund. KELVIN Yeah and I booked our vacation! Beat. KELVIN She has too much to deal with, she would nevera done that for herself. JESS What? KELVIN -booked airfare and campsites in Yellowstone with her half. / payed for sleeping bags, coolers, a little stove-- even had to get bear spray and a tent. 2Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 (flatly) Surprise Beat. JESS (remorseful) Oh my God. KELVIN I don’t get it. I got you a job, threw you a party, I made decorations and used all my ink! - ~ Your sister gave me a whole list of people to invite so I drove up and down, stopping into places, inviting every body- Beat. JESS Did you go to a gas station? KELVIN ‘What? JESS Did you, by any chance, invite a guy that works at a gis station...? KELVIN Steve something, right? JESS KELVIN Your sister was pissed he didn’t show. Beat. Jess is dumbfounded, devastated. JESS have to go She limps back to her walker, moves for the door BBUgly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 KELVIN |-- think I’m-- the only person who didn’t know you--- before... So I guess you have to hate me... But if it’s okay by you... I’m not gonna hate you back. Beat, Jess is stopped by this- almost smiles, almost nods. At the very least, she acknowledges him for the first time and then exits into the convenience store. Stevie is mopping The bell rings when she steps through. STEVIE Oh hey you. He smiles openly, affectionately STEVIE, Missin’ my favorite customer. Gets lonely without my stalker. He creaks Lis sunile wider. She’s not going for it. STEVIE thought about bringin’ you scratch offs, but didn’t wanna support your gambling habit. JESS STEVIE No? Nothin’?... Heh. (as if the mop handle was a microphone) Is this thing on? JESS You knew I was home... And you didn’t come see me?! STEVIE Woah there- 74Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS Thad to go find YOU? Beat STEVIE I thought you didn’t know I worked here... You said you just came in. JESS | drove around looking for your car, Stevie... ‘Cause you were the only person invited to that party I would have wanted to be there. Beat JESS Why didn’t--- did you not wanna see me? STEVIE JESS No, no- Oh God! And when I came in, did you- you knew it was me and- oh my- STEVIE Things’re complicated a little- JESS Why didn’t I hear from you after the other night? STEVIE JESS Why do /have to be the one to come here?!... Again. STEVIE How ‘bout we start over? JESS You didn’t even visit me in the hospital. STEVIE ‘You were in Texas! 18Ualy Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS 1 was in there fourteen months! Beat. JESS How ‘bout a card? STEVIE And write what?! I'm gonna start over. Stevie rings the bells on the door. STEVIE Hi you. JESS STEVIE “Then you would say hi- JESS STEVIE Wanna sit? STEVIE The floors are sticky, these kids tured the slushees on and left. Turns out I'm uh, not so good at noticing things. JESS STEVIE Can you- maybe sit down... JESS 16Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE There are things-- once-~ said. Can’t be- unsaid. JESS Tam aware of how talking works, Stevie? STEVIE Twant-- one- normal second with you / before- JESS ‘Are you breaking up with me again? STEVIE You dumped me, but let’s not- JESS Do not say it like that, STEVIE. Well it’s true. JSS Thad to go back. STEVIE (a sharp shift) No, you volunteered. ‘And | was fine waiting through round one, round vo, But JESS You're the one who made it an ultimatum. STEVIE I didn’t think you'd choose what you did. Long beat, JESS The people there, Stevie 7Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE Yeah, | know- JESS Some of the women. When they found out I was like them, they wanted to see my eyes. Touch my hair. STEVIE You've told me, know- JESS I'm good at my job. | follow orders, it makes sense. Back here I don’t really get what the hell’s going on! STEVIE | think all that’s great. I really do. But--you need to understand... This-- is all 1 wanted. Work. Go home, Put something funny on TV, Go to bed. Hopefully-- next to somebody That's about-- all I can handle. JESS STEVIE Most people just wanna be happy. JESS ~-Are you? STEVIE JESS STEVIE JESS 8Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE You would nor have stuck around town as the wife to a gas station attendant. Beat. JESS have to believe what I did was right. That’s why I went back. To finish. So- (indicating herself) this {indicating her and Stevie) this- (indicating it all) This was not for nothing This was NOT for nothing This CANNOT BE FOR NOTHING!! STEVIE Jess! He rushes to the door, but doesn’t know what to say. JESS What? STEVIE JESS What?! Say it, say something! STEVIE 1- I wish I could quit my life to take care of you, that’s it, or, or gone back in time and gone over and- like shot everybody in the head to stop it from happening, agh- I sound like an idiot! I think you are----- He searches, but the right words don’t exist. STEVIE He instead gestures something grand. 79Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 STEVIE And .. -- want you to have, just (still searching) -all the things... All the things that're good. JESS STEVIE But I can’t give ‘em to you. JESS 1 didn’t ask- STEVIE But, but- it’s not why you think... The-thing about my life is... it's already-- going. ‘And would take-- a braver person than me to- fix that He collapses onto the stool, exhausted by what he’s said. She meets him on the other stool. He looks at her, helplessly. Jess slowly unwraps her head scarf. Her scalp is, bare. Surgeries have left checkered, charred skin, patches of hair. She is more naked now than if she'd taken off all her clothes. He sees her. Really sees her. Straight through to the bone... He doesn’t look away... He kisses her shoulder... They lean on each other a littl. ‘They sit in the quiet understanding of what has been said and will never be said; that strange pause, or last breath of togetherness, right before everything is about to change. 80Usly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 It starts to snow in the convenience store. Soft white feathers float down. ‘The small Christmas tree grows to a substantial height. ‘A wintery forest emerges, breaking through and taking over the convenience store. ‘As the scene transitions, snow piles gather. VOICE (from another place) On a scale of one to ten? JESS (almost a whisper) I dunno. VOICE Try to know. JESS Not today. Don’t make me today VOICE Come here... The snow storm has started. We need to test your strength, JESS I'm not ready VOICE Forward motion is what you need. JESS But it isn’t real. This is at least real. Beat. 81Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 VOICE What is pain? .. JESS VOICE Living here, right now, while remembering all you once were, all you were capable of. To get rid of pain, we ler go. And when we do that. We see the world not for what it was. But for what it is. JESS (a whisper, to Stevie) ~-bye. Stevie’s light fades into the background and the convenience store disappears VOICE Pain- JESS (breaking down) I don’t know. I don’t know. VOICE You're so close to the edge of the clearing Keep going Here comes the storm. Jess digs and digs as wind and feathers blow around, The storm picks up, but she manages to weather it JESS More. The storm increases. 82Ualy Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS More. The storm increases, but she stands strong. JESS More. More! More!! The storm grows and grows. VOICE You're at the edge, there you go!!! JESS (yelling to the wind) What's next? Just tell me what's next!!!! ‘The storm stops abruptly. VOICE You've reached as far as we've programmed. JESS What? VOICE ‘You made it across!! Congratulations JESS Is that- That's it? VOICE You did it. That’s the whole game. JESS We're- we're done? VOICE Jessica- 83Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS You're done with me?! VOICE Of course not. We can do this again and again and again-for as long as you like. ‘There will never be an end, if you don’t want there to be. Give me a few moments here, I'll resend you to the beginning. Long beat. Jess is devastated. JESS But when’s it actually over? VOICE Your body is durable. JESS No- VOICE It takes time. Baby steps. Your healthy skin was placed on burs. Your body accepted this- JESS VOICE It will slowly regenerate broken fingernails, hearts, and bone. JESS But how long til I’m fixed? VOICE JESS ..When am I done? Beat. “When Johnny Comes Marching Home” fades back in, low at first. 84Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 VOICE Little by little, you'll see You are not built to endure. You are built to recover. JESS The music grows. VOICE When you're done... is up to you. Jess steps up to the trees with her walker, examining her snow, her world. She steps forward as the music grows louder. “WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME” Let love and friendship on that day, Hurrah, hurrah! Their choicest pleasures then display, Hurrah, hurrah! She picks the walker up as much as she can and valiantly smashes it into the trees, the snow, the virtual world. (Over and over again as it disapp ears. “WHEN JOHNNY COMES MARCHING HOME” And let each one perform some part, To fill with joy the warrior's heart, And we'll all feel gay when Johnny comes marching HOME! When Johnny comes marching HOME! When Johnny comes marching HOME! A strong wind blows, but she withstands it. The feathers blow away and disappear as well LIGHTS FADE to black. Song out. 85Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 Open your eves Watch your step, watch your step- -your house always so big? This is your house, mom. Iv’s big Even bigger in here, In the dark: VOICE LIGHTS UP to Jess by herself in the living without her headscarf, She returns the mirror to its proper place on the wall She waits nervously in the livingroom as offstage, a car pulls up. Jess peeks out the window, paces. Car doors and voices come from outside. KACIE (OFF) THEIR MOM (OFF) KACIE (OFF) THEIR MOM (OFF) Jess grabs her walker and retreats into the bedroom as Kacie helps THEIR MOM into the house. Their mom is confused, but shouldn't be physically frail THEIR MOM KACIE Remember, I said there was a special guest- THEIR MOM Is it Johnny Carson? I love Johnny Carson. 86Ualy Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 KACIE Why don’t you sit on the couch, I'll start dinner soon (shouting off) Jess! JESS (OFF) Why'd you have to make it such a big deal? THEIR MOM Who is that? KACIE Open up (knocks) Don't do this! THEIR MOM Stop yelling. Jess tries pushing the door closed. Kacie strigples, hut pulls Tess ont af the hedroom THEIR MOM What? What's going on? ‘Their mom and Kacie stare at Jess. JESS oH THEIR MOM (nonchalant) Hello, KACIE JESS 87Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 THEIR MOM Okay KACIE Mom, JESS Forget it. KACIE (louder) Ma- THEIR MOM What, honey? I'm not deaf, KACIE She’s- JESS Leave it alone- KACIE Do you know who this is? THEIR MOM What's wrong with you? You think I don’t know my own daughter? Long beat. JESS What? THEIR MOM If you wanna be Jess now, fine, but | like Jessica better, -why I named you that... Why re you all staring at me? Beat KACIE ‘You-- haven't-- seen her in awhile. 88Ualy Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 THEIR MOM | dropped you girls at school this morning, didn’t I?... (to herself, quiet, confused) Didn’t I2.. Kacie and Jess look to each other. Jess crosses to her mom, hugs her tightly, collapsing into her. THEIR MOM (scolding) Kaie, did you let Jessica sit with you at lunch today’ I don't want her crying she has no one to sit with... KACIE THEIR MOM You two watch out for each other. That school’s so big... And you re just litle girls Now. Get off me. Where's this special guest? Beat. Jess watches Kacie setting the table, her ‘mom folding napkins. It is both mundane and perfect KACIE -It's gonna happen any minute now, Jess. Okay? Your doctor said give you plenty of waming. THEIR MOM What? KACIE The sonic boom, (to their mom) ‘Remember what you'd tell us when we were kids. When the shuttle comes back, and you hear the two sounds, it means everybody made it back safe, everybody made it home. 89Ugly Lies the Bone - Roundabout Underground Production Draft - 10/13/15 JESS (a laugh) Kacie. KACIE Any minute, alright? Mom, you wanna fold these napkins’ Kacie continues preparing dinner. KACIE | got, um, broccoli on sale- hope we have enough. Jess goes to the window, climbs out onto the roof on her own She looks out at the night sky. Her sister and mom grow smaller in the background until the kitchen and house fade away entirely. Jess waits pensively, looking into the sky. Jess is alone among a billion stars, clutching the roof tense, terrified, and thrilled. ‘And that’s when we hear it.. The SONIC BOOM Overwhelmingly loud. ‘The sonic boom feels like a heart beat... beginning again BLACKOUT END OF PLAY. Bows to “Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel. 90