Prometheus Rebound Kevin Griffin Dramatis Personae: Speed, a thug Beater, another thug Proth, a basketball shoe designer Phillipe, a boy Mae, Proth's muse and girlfriend,(with camping lantern) Searchers (at least three), with flashlights Everyone, all cast, crew and the audience. Basketball court, at dusk. One wall, wooden. Lines on ground to indicate free-throw and half-court. A hoop is optional. A struggle is taking place. SPEED Get the nailgun! Beater The cord won't reach! Speed Get the f'ing gun! I want this citizen on the wall. Beater It won't reach! Speed Aim for his wrists, I'll hold him down. Sound of a nail gun Now that's better. Proth's wrist is attached to the wall Beater I think he's passing out. Speed That's okay. Finish this, I'm a mess. Speed departs, shaking blood off of himself. Beater to Proth Man, why you'd have to do that? I ain't gonna kill you, but you gonna spend time on the wall. Sound of a nail gun, other wrist is attached to back wall Hey Zeus! You're a heavy one, aren't ya? Better get those shoes off ya. Beater removes Proth's shoes. Sound of a nail gun, Proth's feet are now attached to the wall What a mess. You had to come here didn't ya? Speed can't blame me for this job. Beater departs, lights go dimmer. (pause) Proth rolls his head, gurgles (Lights out) Proth It's so bright now. I see it all. It couldn't have happened any other way. The ball left my hands, and I end up here. I took my shot. It was beautiful. It was the wrong time to make a beautiful shot. I ... trails off Hear a noise. Dark now, who is that? enter Phillipe Phillipe Are they gone? Proth Who? Those others? They'll never go. What do you want? Phillipe I heard shots. The lights were out in the court. Never but once are the lights out. Proth What ... happened that time? Phillipe There were parts, everywhere. I saw it, in the morning. Now I have a flashlight. Twelve volt. Are you okay? Proth Fine. Phillipe Why are you in our turf, so late? Why is it dark? I'll go get my flashlight. Proth No, wait, stay. I'll tell you a secret. Phillipe Mister, I don't know you. Round here, the only people with secrets are dead. I don't wanna know. If you got money for me, that's different. Proth Go. Flashlights from stage left. Phillipe runs off. (pause) Flashlights move off towards backstage. Proth No talking for me now. No good will it do, not for me, not for you. If I could do it again, say those sweet words that come to mind now, too late. For me. For her. No good at all. Maybe if I shout, maybe a friend will come. Or it will get me killed. If I play dead, then I am safe. pause Searchers (with Flashlights) Ahoy! Who are you? are you dead? Answer! Who did this to you? Proth I made a better ... shoe. I was showing off. head slumps Everybody He was showing off (searchers point to his bare feet) Searchers He's crazy! No shoes, no show-off. This poor bastard's just waiting to die, hanging round in this neighborhood after dark. pause Searcher #1 Just waiting to die. You think this is the guy? Searcher #2 Poking Proth in the side. Buddy! Buddy! Wake up! We're looking for somebody. Had a pair of sneakers. Proth Go away, no money here. Can't help you. Everyone He can't help you. Searchers laugh Searcher #2 You got us all wrong, buddy. We were sent here, looking for somebody, 'bout your height. In a little better shape than you. Not nailed to a wall, neither. Proth Sorry, can't help you. I don't remember... Searcher #1 Remember? Remember what? There's a big reward, and if you know something you'd better start talking now. pokes him, hard, in the side. Proth How I got here. There was a game... Searchers Basketball, figures. Let's go. They exit Proth That was almost helpful. Like air ... is almost a pie. Everywhere ... needed. I am a shoe thinker. I make motion. They move in my machines. pause How did I end up here? How do I get down? Where do I go, back down, in the court? I remember. I move like the ground tells me to. When I walk down town, I move upright like a citizen, proud... In the court, I... coughs Seem to lose ... coughs again, harder What's that dripping? It's warm, all over. Drip, drip, drip. I'm losing ... red. Red, I remember red. Red, like a rose red. I gave a girl a rose, once. A red rose. She pinned it up on the wall, to dry out. coughing fit It's funny, now. All dried out, she probably still has that thing. grimaces. Mae enters, stage right, with lamp. Mae Proth? Proth Mae? Mae Yes! Absolutely. Proth Now I know it's you. Nobody else says absolutely like that. Mae You're bleeding! Proth weakly Just a little. Don't touch the nails. I'll lose too much. Mae examining Proth's wrists You're a little stuck, aren't ya? Proth attempts to shrug, futilely A little. Mae This is the first time since I've known you, that you haven't been running off, somewhere. Proth I'm the motion man. Mae. You're not moving now. Never stuck on anyone, too long. Proth. It almost hurts, now. That you're here. Like it was before. I could not touch the fire you. He starts to shake Mae I'll get you down. If anybody can .. Proth It's the can-do... Mae Absolutely girl. What did you say to me? That I could talk my way out of a box.. Proth in a third world prison... Mae in the desert.... Proth talking to people... Mae who couldn't understand me well enough to kill me? Is that what you said? Proth Something like that. Serious, blood out if nails out. Can't come down like this. Mae Then you'll have to come down from there some other way. We'll have to bandage you up, well enough till we can get you cut loose. tears up a shirt, starts to bandage Proth A Noise off to the side startles both Mae and Proth. Mae What now? Proth Shh! It might be them, again. Go hide. Go! (Mae hides off stage) Flashlights are seen, again. Phillipe has returned with the searchers. Phillipe There he is! Searchers That's not him. Phillipe No, it's him. Pay me. You'll get a reward, you bring him in. Searcher #1 Pull him down! Proth No! Searchers(all) Pull him down. Get him on the court. Mae (rushing in) Don't! You'll kill him! Searcher #2 Don't be daft. The reward's ours, he's in good hands, and we're taking him. the Searchers pull him down, and carry him off-stage. Everyone The reward's ours! .