CHARACTERS
Dr. Silenoz (Asyraf Syahir)
Elizabeth Silenoz (Anisyah Syazwani)
The Boy (Hakim Hamdan)
(A dark basement – rather, a murky laboratory. A chair. A surgical bed. A pale body full of stitches is seen lying on the surgical bed - motionless. A man dressed in the demeanour of a doctor is sewing up the body.)
(The laboratory brightens up and a woman’s voice is heard.)
Elizabeth: Deary boo, come have a cup of tea while it’s still hot and fresh.
(Dr. Silenoz continues to do his work – he is probably too busy to notice.)
Elizabeth: Deary boo?
(Elizabeth enters the laboratory with a cup f tea.)
Elizabeth: My dearest doctor, come have a cup of tea first. I made it just the way you like it – extra sodium with three drops of chicken liver juice.
(The doctor signals with his hand that he’ll be done in a minute.)
(The doctor puts away his face mask and gloves. He let out a sigh of relief.)
Dr. Silenoz: My work is done my dear Elizabeth! My masterpiece is done! (Laughs and sits down on a chair.)
Elizabeth: That’s wonderful! Congratulations my darling. Is it the one you’ve been working on for the past nine months? You never told me what it is about.(Pause) Have a cup of tea, my dear.
Dr. Silenoz: Elizabeth, my dear, I have achieved something no man has ever been able too. I’ve brought science to a whole new level! I’ve brought mankind to a whole new level!
Elizabeth: Oh, really? That’s lovely; but I thought you achieved that already with your last experiment. (Pause) Have a cup of tea, my dear.
Dr. Silenoz: No, my love, no. This is more than just simple personal alteration of the human genome – this goes beyond the mortal capability of mankind. (Stands up) I have achieved something thought to be only of God’s. (Laughs.)
Elizabeth: And what would that be, my dear?
(The doctor sits beside the body on the surgical bed.)
Dr. Silenoz: This,my love. This! (Laughs.)
Elizabeth: A stinky body stitched up from different corpses?
Dr. Silenoz: This is a present from me to you, my love. This is the symbol of my everlasting love.
Elizabeth: Thank you my dear. I’m flattered, I really am; but as much as I love a stinky body stitched up from different corpses, I don’t understand how this is the symbol of your love.
(The doctor approaches his wife.)
Dr. Silenoz: (Laughs) He will be our son, Elizabeth! We will finally have a child of our own! Isn’t that wonderful?
(Elizabeth turns away.)
Dr. Silenoz: What’s wrong my love?
Elizabeth: (Sighs) My dearest doctor, a lifeless body which is a little bit stinky will not change the fact that we are cursed with being childless. We have lived together for more than 30 years now and we have been fine with only the two of us. In fact, I have already forgotten my desire of a child. (Sobbing) Why do you have to remind me of that?
Dr. Silenoz: Forgive me my love; but my intention is never to hurt you. Yes, throughout our marriage, we have been happy even without an offspring; but, if we can be happier, wouldn’t you want it? If we can have a child, wouldn’t you want it?
Elizabeth: Don’t ask me things of which impossible, my dear.
Dr. Silenoz: But it’s not impossible!
Elizabeth: (Sobbing) What nonsense are you uttering my dear?
(A brief silence)
Dr. Silenoz: Yes, you are right my love – I’m talking nonsense; but the nonsense of which I’m talking about is not impossible.
Elizabeth: What do you mean, my dear?
Dr. Silenoz: (Laughs) Of all people, do you really think I’ve been locking myself up down here for nothing over the past nine months?
(Elizabeth stays silent.)
Dr. Silenoz: My love, what would you feel if I tell you that I can make our son here alive?
Elizabeth: I – I don’t know what would I be feeling.
Dr. Silenoz: You would feel happy, my love. I know you’d feel very happy.
(Elizabeth is speechless. Dr. Silenoz retrieves a syringe which seems to be empty.)
Dr. Silenoz: Elizabeth my love, this is my real gift to you. This is what I’ve been working for the last nine months.
Elizabeth: A slightly interesting but empty syringe?
(Dr. Silenoz laughs out loud.)
Dr. Silenoz: Still the same Elizabeth I know 30 years ago; but know this, love – mortal eyes are not able to see what is inside this syringe.
Elizabeth: My dear, what are you talking about now?
Dr. Silenoz: I told you earlier that I have achieved something thought to be only of God’s, right? Well, that something is the creation of a soul – the creation of soul which has often thought to be divine. (Laughs) Well, today, I will prove that man can be divine – I will prove that science is the true divinity.
Elizabeth: You just made me fall in love with you even more, my dear.
Dr. Silenoz: I know, my love. I know. (Pause) Nine month ago, I began to wonder whether souls exist or not – and it really troubles me. While the question may not have been one which I usually think about, it led me to the founding of metaphysical properties which is intangible. Yet, my scientific superiority permits me to examine such unique properties. After many experiments, I have perfected the formula to create a soul - the first ever artificial soul.
Elizabeth: And after you have successfully created a soul using your profoundly divine formula, all you need is a body for the soul.
Dr. Silenoz: Correct my love, correct!
Elizabeth: My dearest doctor, you are a genius. You are my genius.
(Dr. Silenoz approaches Elizabeth.)
Dr. Silenoz: My love, let us both be witnesses of this divine moment – the moment when man is no longer man; the moment when man turns into God!
(Dr. Silenoz offers Elizabeth to hold the syringe together. Slowly, they inject the body at its chest. The light dims.)
Dr. Silenoz: When the ninth month comes,
the cold womb warms.
Elizabeth: The bleeding heart resigns
an abomination of designs.
Dr. Silenoz: Indeed, mortality is a black hole
which we can’t bear to hold.
Elizabeth: A black hole that hides away
from a fantasy of reality.
Dr. Silenoz: Becometh a dream, more than an anxious wind;
when it starts to think; its actuality in reality.
Elizabeth and Dr. Silenoz: Live! When we say live!
(The room brightens up again. The body suddenly sits in an upright position.)
Elizabeth: (Happily) My dear! Our son – he’s alive!
Dr. Silenoz: I knew you’d be happy.
Elizabeth: (Talking to the boy) Hello son, my name is Elizabeth Silenoz – I am your
mother. (Aside) Oh, he is so cute. And that brilliant man over there is your father.
(The boy doesn’t seem to respond.)
Elizabeth: (Talking to Dr. Silenoz) My dearest doctor, I don’t know how to thank you enough! This is definitely the most wonderful gift you have given me.
Dr. Silenoz: For you, my love, I’d do anything.
(Elizabeth looks at the boy again.)
Elizabeth: Okay then, son. I’m going to name you Mustis.
Dr. Silenoz: Mustis? Mustis? What sort of name is that? I think we should assign him a more decent name – Charles perhaps.
Elizabeth: Charles? Charles Silenoz? That’s decent?
Dr. Silenoz: It’s definitely more decent that Mustis Silenoz.
Elizabeth: Mustis is a unique and interesting name – and it’s also decent by the way.
Dr. Silenoz: So, Charles is not unique and interesting?
Elizabeth: Charles is so common. It bores me. Mustis is definitely him.
Dr. Silenoz: Definitely him? So now you’re the genius, huh?
Elizabeth: What? Only you can be a genius?
Dr. Silenoz: Well, it’s not my fault you possess lower IQ than me.
Elizabeth: Are you implying that I’m ignorant?
Dr. Silenoz: Oh, so I’m not the only one who notices that.
Elizabeth: You have crossed the line! I don’t care; I’m naming him Mustis.
Dr. Silenoz: No you’re not. I created him so I’m going to name him Charles.
Elizabeth: Just because you created him doesn’t mean he is not my son as well! I’m naming him Mustis!
Dr. Silenoz: Charles!
Elizabeth: Mustis!
Dr. Silenoz: Charles!
Elizabeth: Mustis!
Dr. Silenoz: Charles!
Elizabeth: Mustis!
The Boy: (Suddenly interrupts) I want my name to be Sarah.
(The whole room goes into silence)
The Boy: I want my name to be Sarah. I don’t want Charles. I don’t Mustis.
Dr. Silenoz: Sarah?
Elizabeth: That’s a girl’s name, son. You’re a boy so your name should be Mustis.
Dr. Silenoz: Charles.
The Boy: I want my name to be Sarah.
Elizabeth: Son, Sarah – and Charles are not really suitable to be your name. Your name should be Mustis because you’re a boy.
The Boy: I don’t care. My name’s Sarah.
Elizabeth: How should I put this to you? (Sighs) Sarah is not appropriate to be your name.
The Boy: So, when it’s my choice, it’s inappropriate? Why can’t you guys just let me do what I want? Why do you have to say no to everything!
Elizabeth: It’s not that you cannot do what you want; it’s just that Sarah really isn’t a suitable name for a boy. (Pause) I think I know what’s best for you.
Dr. Silenoz: Yes, son. Sarah is really not a suitable name for you.
The Boy: Why can’t you let me have what I want for once? Just because you’re my parents doesn’t mean I have to follow everything you say! Stop controlling my life!
Elizabeth: We’re not trying to control your life, Mustis. We just don’t want you to make a mistake you’ll regret later.
The Boy: I won’t regret it! It’s my life; I know what’s best for me. And my name’s Sarah, not Mustis!
Dr. Silenoz: Fine then. Do what you want.
The Boy: Fine.
Dr. Silenoz: Fine.
Elizabeth: Oh dear. (Pause) Son, have a cup of tea.
The Boy: I hate tea. Don’t force me into drinking tea!
Elizabeth: I’m not forcing you. I just thought that you’d feel thirsty.
The Boy: I’m not thirsty and I hate tea! Don’t make me drink it! (Grunts) Why do you
have to control everything?
Dr. Silenoz: Charles! Don’t talk to your mom that way.
The Boy: Or what? And my name’s Sarah; not Charles!
Dr. Silenoz: (Talking to Elizabeth in private) My love, our son is really getting on my nerves. He needs to be adjusted.
Elizabeth: Adjusted? (Brief pause) Look here my beloved, that boy is our son nonetheless. We have to nurture him and that takes time.
Dr. Silenoz: Nurture him, huh? I’ll whip up some attitude adjustment pills to nurture him.
(The boy gets down from the bed and grabs a jacket.)
Dr. Silenoz: Where are you going now?
The Boy: Hanging out with my girls. What? Are you going to say no again?
Dr. Silenoz: You’re still too young to get out on your own.
The Boy: Whatever pop. I’m still going. Toodles.
Elizabeth: Be back by eleven!
(The boy leaves the laboratory.)
Elizabeth: Our boy grows up so fast my dear. It feels as if we’ve just gotten him a few minutes ago.
Dr. Silenoz: We did get him just a few minutes ago.
Elizabeth: Oh, yeah. Right.
(A brief silence.)
Elizabeth: Tea, my dear?
Dr. Silenoz: Yes, sure my love.
(Dr. Silenoz sips the tea)
Dr. Silenoz: It’s cold.
(The room darkens and the curtain closes.)
Thanks for reading yaw.
i want to go ;/
ReplyDeletejom2. aku mybe participating lgi next month. haha.
ReplyDelete