A group of students (teens) are moving about the boys locker room, some shirtless, others standing around talking. A whistle sounds from off-stage, all students look towards where the sound is coming from, and quickly get dressed and run out of the locker room except a single boy (Devin). Devin is a small boy, not a lot of muscle. He is sitting on the bench of the locker room, opening his locker. He is shirtless. A tall muscular boy walks in a few seconds later (Jacob), a look on his face that says he is looking for something. His eyes glance around the room for a few seconds, then his eyes land on Devin, whose back is to him. Jake’s face quickly turns smug. Devin jumps at the sound of Jake’s voice at the first syllable.
JACOB: Hey, Devin! You gonna come out or’you gonna stay in’ere to cry, wishin’ for your momma?
Devin says nothing and does not look at Jacob. He continues to shuffle with something in his locker.
JACOB: Well? You gonna answer me?
Jacob takes a few steps until he is behind Devin. He grabs onto Devin’s hair and yanks him to his feet, forcing him to look him in the eyes.
Devin opens his mouth in pain, but does not cry out. His eyes are tightly closed.
JACOB: (Yelling) Huh, Twiggy? I can’ hear you!
Twiggy is the name by which Jacob calls Devin when he is irritated or feeling superior. Jacob punches Devin in the stomach. Devin groans in pain.
JACOB: (Loudly, but not yelling) Still not talkin’? You gotta answer sometime!
Jacob continues to hit Devin, never letting go of his hair. Devin begs him to stop, pleading through his pain. A girl runs in to the locker room (Celia). She is also their age and a look of anger darkens her beautiful face. Jacob doesn’t notice her, his back to her, but Devin opens his eyes to plead again, and his eyes find her.
DEVIN: (Frantic) Please help! Help me!
JACOB: (Oblivious) An’ who’s gonna save you?
Although angry, she is calm and collected. Her eyes say that she is positively dangerous. When she speaks, her voice carries across the locker room eerily.
CELIA: (Commanding) Me. Stop.
Jacob turns around to look at Celia. He doesn’t know who she is and neither does Devin. Jacob looks like he is about to laugh and a smile spreads across his face. He walks straight up to her, staring her down. Jacob is acting like he is far better than she is.
JACOB: You’re brave to come down here. You aren’t supposed t’be here.
Celia speaks very quickly. Her “R” at the end of a word rolls off her tongue slightly, although she has no accent.
CELIA: Neither are you.
Jacob takes a step closer to Celia and places his hand on her hip possessively. She glances down and slowly brings her eyes back to his.
JACOB: Well…since neither of us’re suppose’ t’be ‘ere and no one knows about any –
Celia cuts Jacob off.
CELIA: I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
Jacob reaches his hand around her back and roughly pulls her body against his. She is about his height. She looks at Jacob as if he were a piece of gum on her shoe. Devin is on his feet, with a scared and nervous look on his face.
DEVIN: (Voice shaking) You leave her alone!
Jacob turns his head slightly to Devin, and speaks to him over his shoulder.
JACOB: You stay out of this, Twiggy. Unless… you wanna watch…
Jacob turns his head back to her. He licks his lips. Celia gives him a look of disgust and flicks her eyes back to Devin.
CELIA: It’s alright, Devin. I can take care of myself. You of all people should know.
Celia brings her eyes back to Jacob’s. Devin has a look of shock, then recognition.
JACOB: Why would Twiggy know anything about you?
Jacob squeezes her tighter and his other hand lets his fingers trace up her arm to her neck and face.
JACOB: (Continuing) I don’t… At least… not yet…
He leans in close to her. Her face doesn’t change from the angry look it started in. She clubs him upside the head with her fist expertly, like she’d done it one-thousand times. Jacob lets go of her and holds his head. He looks up at her with shock on his face. She turns her side to him, looking down at him to his place on the floor.
CELIA: I told you; I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
JACOB: You little!
CELIA: It would be in your best interest to stay right where you are.
Jacob’s face turns very angry. Then it gets smug once again. Celia hasn’t moved. Jacob draws himself up to his full height.
JACOB: So, you’re a feisty one aren’tcha?
Celia shakes her head at his stupidity. Devin goes back to rustling in his locker. He is frantically searching for something now. Jacob takes a step towards Celia very quickly, and slams her against the wall, holding onto her shoulders, being very wary of his most sensitive area, making sure that if she were to kick, Celia could not make contact. Celia grunts in pain, head down for a second, her long brown hair falling in front of her face. She snaps her head up, gritting her teeth.
CELIA: (Through gritted teeth) Get. Back.
Jacob laughs and pushes her upper arms firmly against the wall. She struggles, and tries to get free, but to no avail. She tries to kick him, but he presses his legs up against hers. She tries again, and he drops her to the floor, not letting go, and straddles her. She is defenseless, still trying to break free. Devin appears to have found what he is looking for, and holds it up in the air triumphantly. He looks to Jacob and Celia, and fear and worry crosses his face. He slowly walks up to them, knife in hand.
CELIA: (breathing heavily) Get!… Off!... Me!
Jacob laughs again and forcibly starts kissing Celia’s neck. She gasps and tries reaching for something in her pocket.
DEVIN: (Worried) Celia!
Celia turns her head to Devin the best she can. Devin takes his knife and tries to stab Jacob in the side. Instead, he is kicked to the ground, accidently drawing the blade across his own arm. Jacob is lying on the ground and has his hands on his right side, gasping in pain. He pulls his hands away from his side and finds blood all over his hands. Jacob stands and backs against the wall, his hands back at his side. Celia moves to stand beside Devin. Blood coats her right hand. A razor blade falls from between her fingers.
CELIA: (To Devin) You shouldn’t have done that. You know what kind of position this puts me in.
Celia steps up to Jacob, and puts her hand underneath his chin to force him to look her in the eyes. Pain and anger are written all over his face.
JACOB: You, b****. I remember who you are now. You’re that freak-of-nature girl. The one that is the so-called “Protector”.
CELIA: Yes. There’s a reason I told you that you I wouldn’t do that if I were you.
JACOB: Devin, you and your little b**** girlfriend are gonna pay for this. (Yelling) You’re gonna pay in blood!
Devin flinches from where he is standing.
Celia: No. No one is going to pay but you. You have had others suffer by your hand for far too long.
Celia walks back to Devin and hold out her hand to take the knife from him. Devin is clutching it tightly, unwilling to let go. Her other hand gently touches his cheek and she gives him a small smile. He reluctantly lets go of the knife to her.
Celia: Thank you.
Celia kisses him on the cheek once. She then places a hand on his shoulder and pulls him close, so that only he hears her next words.
CELIA: You have been very brave. Now you must make a choice. You can leave, forget today; Jacob will not bother you again. Or, you can stay, but you must avert your eyes and turn away. You should not have to bear witness to this scene.
Devin nods.
DEVIN: I… I think I’ll leave… I’ll wait for you. Thank you for helping me.
CELIA: You only had to ask, Devin. You’re welcome.
Celia squeezes his shoulder and turns back to Jacob.
CELIA: Others have suffered you, and today you will suffer. You will suffer unlike any single person has before you.
Celia allows him to see the knife. Jacob loses his cool. He is glued to his spot by fear. He begins to plead, asking her not to hurt him. Devin leaves scene.
CELIA: (Commanding) And why should I allow you to live? After you have hurt so many? Why should I spare you?
JACOB: Isn’t mercy a sign or something of those that are… something or other; I don’t rem’mber!
CELIA: Yes. I hope you enjoy Hell.
JACOB: No, please. I’m beggin’ you. I’ll change! I pr’mise! I won’ hurt anyone again!
Jacob starts sliding along the wall, trying to get away from her. Celia follows him at a slow pace, knife ready.
CELIA: You have had many chances to change. You have not taken a single one of them.
JACOB: (Frantic) Please. Jus’ – just help me!
Celia stops. Jacob continues to move along the wall, trying to provide a cushion of safety between him and the knife in Celia’s hand.
CELIA: (Suspicious) Why?
Jacob stops as well. He tries to stand, in order to look Celia dead in the eyes.
JACOB: ‘Cause you always help p’ple who as’ed you for it.
Celia walks up to Jacob. Her knife hand is by her side.
CELIA: Yes I do. But I’m a freak, remember?
Celia stabs him in the stomach, and slashes the knife across his throat.
End of Scene.