For this one, you must seek a cure for your vampire bite in a church.
WORDLESS MONOLOGUE V (any gender, mid teens through late life)
[Back to the audience. Place your left hand over the side of your neck where a vampire has bitten you.]
[Place your right hand over your brow, shielding your eyes]
[Turn front, look one way. Look the other way. Nobody else in the church. Good.]
[Keep your hands where they are and carefully make your way downstage a few steps]
[Stop. Look one way and then another. Coast is still clear. Okay]
[Clumsily get down on both knees. You haven't really done this before]
[Squeeze your eyes shut. Take your right hand off your eyes. Your right hand is shaking. Slowly make the cross over your heart]
[Hiss and gasp in pain. Put your right hand over your left hand. The bite is burning. Your breathing turns rapid]
[Slowly remove your right hand, keeping your left hand on the wound. Still breathing hard and still with eyes shut, put your hand out palm front, like the "Stop."]
[Slowly open your eyes as you see the large religious statue in front of you.]
[Wince and open your mouth gasping. Your eyes are squinting. But you begin to blink them and see the image in front of you.]
[Take your right hand and raise it like you're testifying in court. Look to the image in front of you. Make the peace sign with your right hand. Look at your hand. Look at the image. No that's not it. Put your peace fingers together. Look at your hand. Look at the image. Look at your hand and release your thumb. That's it.]
[Look back at the image. Look to your left hand. Your breathing has calmed. You remove your left hand from your neck. Nothing there anymore. You rub your left hand along your neck. Really. Nothing there. You let out a shuddering breath.]
[You then take a deep, calming breath. Move your left hand to your heart. Move your right hand to your heart. Look, unflinching at the image in front of you. Smile and nod.]
Copyright 2016 by Matt Haynes.
If you would like to use this piece, please credit: "Courtesy of Matt Haynes and The Pulp Stage"