Undeserved

Undeserved

A Horror Play

Vance “Jiggy” Lord : 47
Bernard Stevens: 22
Edward “Mat” Matar: 24
Penelope Collins: 23

Scene I

Within the paled yellow walls of Jiggy’s 24-Hour Pizza. The clock says 9:30, and the windows are dark. Bernard waits upon three separate tables. He carries the bill to one of the tables and returns behind the counter. Only he and the tremendous Jiggy are there to run the place. Jiggy pulls Bernard aside.

JIGGY: Hey, Bernard, I got an order for a large Hawaiian to be delivered to this address.

BERNARD: But, Jiggy, I’ve got three tables! If I leave now, I won’t get the tips!

JIGGY: I don’t wanna hear it. This place is Jiggy’ 24-Hour Pizza. That means my customers can depend on me to deliver at all unholy hours of the night. You volunteered for the night shift; this is what you signed up for. I’ll take your tables.

BERNARD: (waves hands frenetically) I’m only taking the night shift because my girlfriend walked out on me and I need the extra cash to stay in school!

JIGGY: (holds up a silencing finger) Don’t want to hear it. Here’s the pizza. Here’s the address. Get.

Bernard takes the pizza and moves stage left. He follows a sidewalk in the dark night. He wears a gaudy Jiggy’s uniform and holds a paper with the address written on it up to a streetlamp to read the address.

BERNARD: (furiously) Three blocks?! This guy lives three blocks away and he has me drop my tables just to deliver a single stinkin’ large? What the hell is up with this guy? (continues stage left until he stands in front of Mat’s lit home) So this is the place, huh? Lazy bastard. I can see Jiggy’s from here! Probably won’t even tip well! I’ll show you, piece of crap. (opens pizza box and spits vehemently into pizza) See how you like that. Enjoy. (walks upstage to front porch of house and rings doorbell. The door opens. With false cheer Hi. You ordered from Jiggy’s? That’ll be $7.20.

MAT: (hatefully) You spat into my pizza.

BERNARD: (caught off guard) I didn’t spit in your pizza!

MAT: I just watched you spit into my pizza, treacherous cur! Do you think it’s okay to walk about spitting into others’ pizzas? Do you think you have the authority to launch you fluids wherever you please? (becomes faster and more intimidating) Wretches like you compose the dregs of society. You are the cancer of humanity. There is a special sect in hell for people who defile the pizzas of others’ as you so do. You disgust me, insignificant maggot.

BERNARD: (unsurely) Sorry, man! I was just mad that I had to deliver this pizza three blocks, and—Dude, I can get you another one, on the house! Just let me—

MAT: Do not speak to me! You don’t have the right to even look at me! You will feel the anguish of remorse for what you have done this night. You will regret this unforgivable sin ten thousandfold before this week’s end. (produces stun gun unexpectedly from pocket and jams it into Bernard’s neck, rendering him unconscious)

Bernard collapses. Stage goes dark.


Scene II


Bernard awakens in a dank, dark, and featureless concrete room with his hands secured in manacles on thick chains bolted to the wall behind him. Stage right is shrouded in darkness, but a set of stairs leads up from the basement and down back to the darkness in stage right. He moans with confusion and discomfort. The light flicks on, and Mat descends into the room holding a plate of pancakes.


BERNARD: Where am I?

MAT: (without animosity) Oh, you’re in my basement. (sits stage left, directly across from Bernard cross-legged; sets plate between them) I installed those chain here myself to discourage any would-be escape artists. You know how it is, right? (beat) What’s your name?

BERNARD: Bernard.

MAT: Well, Bernard, I’m Edward Matar. Most people, however, call me “Mat.” (beat) Pancakes?

Bernard eagerly bites into the top pancake while Mat looks pensive.

MAT: I had a great sleep last night, Bernard, although I was rather famished. (beat) Remind me—there are so many names and faces—why are you chained up in my basement, again?

BERNARD: Well, I… um… you know, kinda got mad and spit in your pizza. I’m sorry! Please let me go!

MAT: (body language changes; demeanor darkens) Ah, yes. (drags plate away from Bernard) No pancakes for you. (beat) You disgust me, Bernard. You have failed society as a whole. You took on the job of delivery boy, and your customers expected that you will do everything reasonable to ensure the speedy and safe arrival of their pizzas. What you did betrays humanity’s trust—my trust.

BERNARD: I’m sorry, man! It was just a stupid thing! I’ll never do it again, I swear on my life. Just let me go!

MAT: Let you go? No, I’ll do just the opposite. (beat) The last person trussed in your manacles was a girl, Lorie—very pretty; I’d have liked to have dated her under different circumstances—and her boyfriend, Norm. The two of them got stoned and hit a busload of children at an intersection. They tried to run away rather than pay their penance to society. Be assured, though, that I extracted that penance forcibly and without regret—one toe and a pound of flesh for every dead child. One. Two. Three.

BERNARD: (horrified) Oh, God! How could you do that?

MAT: (waves hand dismissively) They always ask that. Unfortunately, Lorie died soon after—exsanguination, no doubt. I just couldn’t continue to punish Norm with Lorie dead; that would be unfair. So I tied him to his beloved and dumped the two of them in the sewers, where they belonged. (stares thoughtfully past Bernard; snaps back with renewed vigor) But your faults far surpass those of Norm and Lorie. They did not intend to kill three schoolchildren that night, and they merely felt a moment of cowardice when they fled. You, however, have betrayed the fundaments of your place in society. You hold yourself so pridefully high above others that you are unfit to be amongst them. I have removed you.


A deafening alarm bell resounds within the basement. Mat stands, sliding the plate of pancakes from Bernard’s reach with his foot.


MAT: That’s the doorbell. (walks upstage and ascends steps; turns back at top) I would have given you a tip for the delivery, Bernard, even for only three blocks. I really like Jiggy’s pizza.

Mat turns off basement light, closes door, and the lights reveal his cheery, unkempt suburban home at stage right. He moves stage right across home to front door, and opens it. He is greeted by Penelope, a tall and attractive mail carrier who holds a package.

PENELOPE: (amiably) Hiya, Mat! I have a package for you. (hold forward digital screen) Sign here please.

MAT: (shyly) Hi, Penelope. (takes screen and signs) How are you today?

PENELOPE: I’m just great, Mat. Here’s you package. (hands him package, then waits)

MAT: I would invite you in but… (chuckles nervously)

PENLOPE: It’s okay, I’m on duty; but I haven’t seen you in a while. Why don’t you invite me over tonight and we can talk?

MAT: Oh, sure! I have… no plans.

PENELOPE: Right. See you at 6:00!


Penelope departs and he immediately begins to organize his unkempt home, shifting furniture and sweeping. Stage goes dark.


Scene III


Mat once again flicks on the light to the basement and descends. At the bottom, he stands across from Bernard and glowers down on him menacingly.


MAT: I have a friend coming over in a few minutes. I advise you remain silent, for, while there is little chance she’ll hear you through the basement door, there’s no need to risk it.

BERNARD: Screw you, bastard!

MAT: A predictable response. (draws a kitchen knife, grabs Bernard’s hair, and presses the blade against his throat) However, I am not in a forgiving mood this night. I warn you against pushing me too far, Bernard.


Deafening doorbell alarm sounds.


MAT: There she is. Be silent, Bernard.

Mat walks back up the stairs without turning off the light. Bernard waits a few seconds, then begins thrashing wildly and screaming for help, banging his manacles against the walls frantically. Stage goes dark.


Scene IV


Mat’s house is lit but not the basement. Penelope and Mat sit at his dining table laughing over a nearly finished meal. They are each dressed semi-formally.


PENELOPE: Oh, Mat, I haven’t had this much fun in a while. It’s good to see you again.

MAT: It’s even better to see you, Penelope. I’ve missed you so. (beat of looking into each other’s eyes) More wine?

PENELOPE: (giggles) I couldn’t, Mat. Actually, I think I need to use the little ladies’ room. Is it still in the back?

Mat nods, and Penelope stands, walking stage left. She pauses beside the darkness. She can hear clanging of steel and faint yelling. She ascends the steps stage left, looking as though following her ear, and opens the basement door and flicks on the light. Bernard is still begging for mercy and help below.

PENELOPE: (horrified) Oh, my God!


She dashes stage right into the house. Mat is washing dishes at the sink.


PENELOPE: What the hell is going on, Mat?!

MAT: I don’t know, what?

PENELOPE: Why is there a man chained up in your basement? What the hell are you doing to him?!

MAT: Oh, him. I haven’t done anything to him, yet.

PENELOPE: (snatches steak knife from dining table and brandishes it threateningly) You let him go! Now!


Mat sighs regretfully, drawing a large kitchen knife from the soapy water. He turns to Penelope calmly. Stage goes dark. Penelope screams.


Scene V


The dinning room light is off, and the light to the basement clicks on.  Mat descends into the room, still holding the knife. He and the knife are drenched in blood. His movements are deadened. Bernard silently watches him.


MAT: (deadpan) Bernard, you didn’t stay quiet. (beat) Why didn’t you stay quiet? (sighs wistfully) You made me stab Penelope.

BERNARD: Is she… dead?

MAT: Of course she’s dead. You try stabbing someone in the neck without killing them.

Mat stands across from Bernard and the two gaze at each other silently for a long while.

MAT: You made me kill Penelope.

BERNARD: You killed her yourself.

MAT: You made me kill Penelope.


Mat slashes Bernard’s throat with the knife. Bernard falls to the ground, writhing and clutching at the wound. Mat stands above him, looking on with disinterested eyes and a cocked head. Mat ascends the stairs and steps into the darkness beyond them stage right. After a moment, he reaches back and flicks off the basement light.