Mister Martin

(A play for voices)

Sound of a TV, volume very low, and soft steady rain against a window. Both noises remain constant until indicated otherwise, whether or not the characters are speaking. The TV is showing an old melodrama, with frequent breaks for adverts. Occasional gusts of wind blow the rain harder against the glass.

Jack   I can't feel anything Mum.

Mum   Time for bed Jack.

Jack   I can't feel.

Mum   Teddy's waiting for you. Ted in bed. And Jack in bed. Jack in bed.

Jack   If I go to bed I won't come back.

Mum   What a thing to say. Where are you going that you won't come back?

Jack   I can go anywhere but I can't come back.

Mum   Who's got you talking in riddles Jack? Is it Mister Martin? Has Mister Martin been telling you riddles?

Jack   Mister Martin doesn't talk riddles. Mr Martin's dead. He's a ghost.

Mum   He was alive and well this morning. You told me so yourself.

Jack (laughing)   Mister Martin…

Mum   What's so funny Jack? Share the joke.

Jack (frightened)   Mister Martin…

Mum   That's a terrible face Jack. If the wind changes you'll stay like that.

Mum   Anyway I thought Mister Martin gave you a present. This morning you said he gave you a present. Why don't you tell me what he gave you and come along to bed.

Long pause, during which a break for adverts begins on the TV. The volume is slightly higher than the movie, and the indicated words can just be made out.

Mum   What did he give you Jack?

Advert (singing)   Wherever you're going…

Jack   He gave me everything.

Mum   He gave you everything? Well that's quite a gift.

Advert (singing)   Wherever you are…

Mum   Did he wrap it up for you? Tie a little ribbon round it like they do in the shop?

Jack   He gave me everything.

Advert   Do it right, do it RealBrite!

Mum   Open your eyes Jack. It's time for bed.

Mum (becoming exasperated)   Open your eyes Jack. It's time for bed.

The adverts end and the old movie resumes. The TV becomes suddenly louder, so that Mum's berating of Jack is as drowned out as the adverts were before.

Female voice   No-one has ever loved like us… no-one.

Male voice   Do not talk of love. It is deadly to speak of it. If we allow ourselves for one instant to believe that love can save us we will be destroyed. Destroyed, do you hear?

Mum   …had enough. Do you under…

Female voice   I will talk of love and you know what? I don't care if it does destroy us. I don't care if it destroys the whole world.

Male voice   When your eyes fill with fire like that, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.

Mum   …god's sake Jack!

Female voice   Oh Randolph.

Male voice   Come to me Delilah. Be mine in heaven tonight and we'll damn tomorrow, damn all our tomorrows to hell!

The sound of swelling music fades, until the movie is back at its original volume. Rain taps steadily against the glass.

Dad (shouting from another room)   Have you seen my book anywhere? I can't find my book.

Pause  

Dad   Found it!

Mum sighs.

Mum (softer voice)   Did he give you castles?

Jack   They floated in the sky.

Mum   Did he give you stars?

Jack   They dropped in the sea. They hissed and frothed and steam came up and light swooshed out like milk in coffee.

Mum   Did he give you words?

Jack   They gunned the walls so the white flaked off and you could see the bricks and the bulletholes inside and the cracks spreading out like spiders. They smashed the windows. One by one, all the windows in the house and the bottles on the shelves. They shot the stones in the dead field. They blasted the stones so you could see the white in the shiny black and the powder in the stone.

Mum   Did he hug you?

Jack   It was so warm. I've never felt so warm.

Mum   Did he touch you?

Jack   I can touch anything.

Pause.

Jack (anxious)   I can't feel anything.

Mum   You mustn't let him touch you Jack. Never let him touch you.

Pause  

Mum   Where did he take you?

Jack   Mountains, cities, oceans, flames.

Mum   Where did you go?

Pause.

Mum   Where did you go Jack?

Pause.

Mum   Did he show you pictures?

Jack   They burned my eyes. My eyes went on fire and my eyes dripped out and my eyebrows went black and everything… everything grey.

Mum   Did he tell you lies?

Jack   They dropped from the trees and wriggled on the ground. They crawled up my back and down my legs. They bit me all over. They bit me all over.

Mum   Did he tell you lies?

Jack   They came down like rain but they were fire. They were yellow orange white red, all fire colours, and when they were gone everything was grey.

Mum   Did he tell you lies?

Jack   They fell on the grass and flowers popped up, and they fell on the stream and the sun sparkled on top of the stream. People came to dig the grass but the roots grew too quick and the holes filled with trees and the people went away and the grass and the flowers and the stream were all mine.

Long pause. The wind intensifies, slapping at the window.

Mum   Open your eyes Jack. It's time for bed.

Jack   Mister Martin…

Mum   Mister Martin's gone Jack. Open your eyes.

The rain stops, a cock crows, birds begin to sing.

Mum (screaming)   Open your eyes! Open your eyes!

Frightened noise from Jack. The sofa creaks and his feet thump on the carpet.

Jack (tearful)   I can't see you Mum.

Mum   Of course you can see me. Give me your hand.

Two pairs of footsteps cross the floor. Birds chirp outside.

Jack (on other side of room)   I can't see.

The door clicks shut and muffled footsteps climb the stairs. Barely audible, another door opens upstairs. A few seconds later the movie stops and an ad break comes on, violently loud.

Female voice   Break the chickenbones that spike your fright. The sour crotches you despise. You will be rewarded! You will be rewarded!

Male voice   The spark of choice rises for you. The palace awaits. The pleasure awaits. Every day is another day wasted. Come in. Do not wait. Do not be deceived.

Both voices   You have no-one but yourself to curse! You are the forger of the sword! Your destiny will not forgive your weakness! Love lies gleaming at your feet! You must have it! You must have it! You must have it!