Rough Sleep – a play by Alysse Aallyn

CHASE

Here’s more fodder for my theory that reality is totally submerged – it’s never what you think you see.

JAZZ

Sounds deep.

(CHASE plays with his phone, paws through lists, makes a choice, phone to ear)

CHASE

Uh oh.

JAZZ

What gives?

CHASE

Howk’s work phone at the Health Center is disconnected.

(Paws through more lists, tries another number)

And her voicemail is full. I’m listening to it now.

JAZZ

You’re listening to her voicemail?

CHASE

Default pincode. Most employees never change it. Sounds like she didn’t show up Friday and they can’t get hold of her. 

JAZZ

That’s not good. Any calls from Corso?

CHASE

Not one. And that’s not good either. Let’s try something else.

(Fingers phone)

She lives at Punch Drunk Apartments.  Punch Brook’s it’s name but Punch Drunk’s more appropriate to the lowly adjuncts.

JAZZ

Poor Howk.

CHASE

Not answer there either.

(Stands up)

It’s a five minute walk.

(They walk to the edge of the stage.  BEX darts out, snaps a picture of them)

JAZZ

Kiss me, quick.

(Throws herself into CHASE’s arms for a long smooch. BEX exits.)

 SCENE VI – HOWK’s APARTMENT

CHASE

How’d you do that?

JAZZ

Giving Bex material for his revenge porn site.

CHASE

Not what I mean. How’d we get here so fast?

JAZZ

You said it was a short walk.

CHASE

Not that short. You kissed me.

JAZZ

You liked it.

CHASE

You triggered a flashback.  Maybe we’re dreaming. Maybe we’ve fallen into some weird wormhole vortex thing.

JAZZ

Ugh.  Just one more crime scene. What happened here?

(She pushes a door, it falls down)

Is this even true?

CHASE

Maybe it’s meta-truth. Super-truth.

(Furniture thrown around, plants and upholstery dismembered)

Somebody had fun.

JAZZ

Why’s the multiverse such a nasty place? And what’s all this pink stuff?

CHASE

Looks like insulation.  Somebody searching for something.

JAZZ

Well, they must have found it.  The bedroom’s untouched. 

CHASE

I don’t believe it. There’s no body?

JAZZ

I didn’t see one.

CHASE

Did you look under the bed?

JAZZ

You look under the bed! I’m opening this closet!

                  (Disgusting corpse falls out, suspended mid-air)

Aaargh!

CHASE

That’s Howk all right. She looks – drowned. And her skin’s all eaten off with some kind of acid.

JAZZ

I’m getting out of here. Everywhere we go is death. 

CHASE

Smells like Corso. That’s Corso’s M.O. Find out what’s alive and kill it. He stinks of sulfur. My guess is he was searching for whatever she held over him. Better get the drop on him before he comes after us.

JAZZ

Maybe that sex tape?

CHASE

But that’s over at his place. 

JAZZ

Maybe we’re going backwards and forwards in time. A U-turn in the multiverse.

CHASE

Maybe he killed Howk and hid her body. Remember Zane’s dream?

JAZZ

The abandoned warehouse? The toxic condemned site?

CHASE

Perfect place to stash a corpse.  People are afraid to enter. Very Corso.  

JAZZ

OK you solved this one. God, you’re competitive. 

CHASE

History is moving us forward. It has to.

JAZZ

This just isn’t what the Tibetan monks promised me. The moment we considered love, death was everywhere.

CHASE

I prefer Dante. Dante’s my guide.  He says you go through hell to get to heaven.  

JAZZ

Dante! Weird subject for psych majors!

CHASE

There’s a lot about me you don’t know. You need a firm grip on purgatory to understand law.

JAZZ

I think I’m coming down with something.

CHASE

You’re coming down with me. Kiss me.

JAZZ

(Fending him off)

What if I’m infectious?

CHASE

If you’re my soulmate I’m hoping you’re infectious. Maybe I could get back my soul.

                           JAZZ

Where’d it go?

                           CHASE

Taken hostage.

                           JAZZ

By –

(Their kiss triggers police car lights & sirens)

You’re right, I feel better.

CHASE

Sirens when we kiss – that’s a first for me.

(They kiss more)

JAZZ

Are they after us or our crime scene?

CHASE

We’re after them. Look where we are.

JAZZ

This is my dorm! Are you thinking what I’m thinking?

CHASE

Let’s kiss forever.

SCENE VII – Outside Hadleigh, FRESHMAN DORM

 (Enter SOLIZ, dressed like a security guard, stringing crime scene tape)

SOLIZ

Hey!  Watch your step!  Respect my perimeter! O, hi guys.

(They can’t step away – tape impedes)

JAZZ

What the hell happened here?

SOLIZ

Nobody knows. Keep moving.

JAZZ

But this is my dorm! I live here!

SOLIZ

They’re not letting anyone in. Do you know who lives in Room 824?

JAZZ

Actually, I live there.

SOLIZ

Oh, you do, do you? Well, some guy fell out your window.

JAZZ

Just like your dream!

SOLIZ

(threateningly)

I don’t know what you’re talking about.