Girl Victim Monologue

Excerpt from my original one act stage play, Phobos, about a high school shooting.

When the lights come up, Ensemble 2 is laying upstage left, as if dead. Ensemble 1 is standing next to her and pulls a sheet to cover the body. After a few beats, the Girl enters stage right. She is dressed in all white. She walks around the stage, as if confused. She sees Ensemble 1 and goes to them, as if she was able to be seen. Ensemble 1 circles the body. The Girl resorts to the floor.


GIRL VICTIM:

Death is a funny thing. Especially sudden death. It's like one second you're here, and then the next... you're not. When you're 16 you think you're old enough to conquer the world. You think you're ready to leave home and never come back. You think you're mature enough to live life, but you're not.

There is a pause as she gets up and walks around while looking at her body.

I use to think that I had done so much in my time on this planet, but 16 years is nothing. (pause) I won't ever get to dance at prom or graduate or get married or anything.

Ensemble 1 raises the sheet to inspect the body.


ENSEMBLE 1:

Young girl, 16. Confirmed dead at 10:29 a.m. due to gunshot wounds.

There is a pause as the Girl sits right next to her body.


GIRL VICTIM:

All because of one second.

The Girl begins to reach down to touch her hand but stops.

I had never really thought about death. Well, I mean yes I did, but not really. I had only ever wondered about what happened after. I never fantasized about how I would die or anything like that.

She looks at her body once more before getting up.

But if I did, I sure as hell wouldn't have bet I would have gone this way. (to Ensemble 1) I mean a shooting?! That doesn't even happen in real life, like what are the chances? (looking down) I guess it doesn't really matter now.

She looks up and to Ensemble 1. She circles the body and follows Ensemble 1 and says the following lines as if trying to speak to them.

Look at him. "Poor girl" he's probably thinking. No one knew me yesterday (change in tone) but tomorrow, the whole nation will know my face. (looking down) They'll know all my secrets too.

The mother, the FRIEND, the GUY, Ensemble 3 and 4 enter stage right, carrying flowers and assorted memorial objects. They are all visibly upset, except for the GUY who stands away from everyone and doesn't seem to carry much emotion at all. The Mother places a single red rose on the memorial.

Everything comes out now. Everyone will try to search for the reason he chose us, the reason why we deserved to die.

The Mother SOBS and the Girl turns to her and rushes to her side, as if to comfort her. Ensemble 1 exits, taking the sheet from the body with him. Ensemble 2 stays on the floor, dressed in the same clothes the Girl was wearing at the beginning.

But it wasn't planned out. (walking through the people surrounding the memorial) At least it didn't look that way. He was so... calm. Something must have happened that made him choose today. I bet that gun had been in his backpack for at least a week now, he was just waiting for the right time. I was walking down the hallway and he looked at me and gave me this smile as if he knew a secret that I didn't. Then... bang.

There is a pause and the Girl makes her way back to the Mother's side.

I feel bad for his mom. I bet she never thought that Dex could do this. I wish I could give her a hug and tell her it's not her fault.

The Girl walks stage left and before exiting, she grabs the hand of Ensemble 2 and they exit stage left. Barbara Bailey enters stage right with a notepad in hand.