Stage Play / Distance (Analysis)

Distance

Characters: Girl One age 16-18; Girl Two age 16-18

(Curtain)

Stage is empty except for two girls sitting on a couch. A stack of papers and a rug are on the floor. Girl One is on a laptop computer and Girl Two is reading a book. They are sitting on opposite ends of the couch. Both of them have their feet on the couch facing each other. A faint ticking of a clock can be heard in the background.

Girl One: (typing. makes a scrunched face and hits a button multiple times. (deleting))
Girl Two: (turns page in her book)
Girl One: (starts typing again. stops, groans and slams her hands on the keyboard. hits a button multiple times. (deleting))
Girl Two: (marks her spot in her book, closes it and sets it on the arm rest.) I seriously feel like killing myself.
Girl One: (continues typing and doesn't look up) What?
Girl Two: (sits up straighter and brings her knees to her chest where she holds them.) You know, dying. But doing it myself.
Girl One: (still not looking up) Doing what yourself?
Girl Two: (looks out behind the couch, thinking) Maybe a gun.
Girl One: (angrily hits a button multiple times. (deleting)) What?
Girl Two: (looks at Girl One) Will you be there for me?
Girl One: (nods) Of course. We're best friends.
Girl Two: (smiles and picks up her book. lies back against armrest and opens it to her place but then closes it slowly. looks up at Girl One) Do you have a gun?
Girl One: (no response)
Girl Two: (sits up and sharply smacks Girl One on the foot) Hey.
Girl One: (looks up) Yeah?
Girl Two: Do you have a gun?
Girl One: (scrunches eyebrows) Um, my mom does I think. (looks back down at her computer) For protection or something.
Girl Two: (nods slowly) Where?
Girl One: Um, in her sock drawer. (pauses while typing) Why?
Girl Two: (leans back, opens her book and starts to read)
The two girls continue with reading and typing. Girl One periodically gets frustrated, and Girl Two may turn a page or two. This goes on for approx. thirty seconds. The clock ticking gets slightly louder.
Girl Two: (not looking up from her book) How's the paper?
Girl One: Frustrating. I hate science.
Girl Two: (closes her book and sets it on the floor) What's it about?
Girl One: (picks up the stack papers and starts looking through them) Damnit.
Girl Two: What is your paper about?
Girl One: (hands Girl Two a piece of paper from her stack)
Girl Two: (looks at it and hands it back) Evolution vs. Creation?
Girl One: (nods)
Girl Two: That sounds neat. (extends her feet and starts to tap Girl One's foot)
Girl One: (pulls away)
Girl Two: (quickly brings her own legs to her chest and holds them while looking down. a few moments pass and she looks up looking very sad) I'm going to do it. (she stares at Girl One)
Girl One: (looking down) Do what?
Girl Two: (voice is calm and matter of fact) I'm going to kill myself. (gets up from couch and walks off stage)
Girl One: (streches out) Okay. (continues to type. lets out a frustrated sigh and puts her head on the keyboard.)
The clock ticking is extremely loud. A gun shot is heard off stage.
(Curtain)