A BOOK AND ITS COVER

































CHARACTERS
MORPHEUS (nights shapes)
EVDOKIA (to seem well)

EXTRAS & VOICE ACTORS
MOTHER
PENELOPE
POLICEMAN
AMMON
FATHER
























A BOOK AND ITS COVER

SCENE 1

Lights up. MORPHEUS is in a classroom by himself. Enter EVDOKIA. She interacts with multiple students and notices MORPHEUS. She looks over at him. They make eye contact and MORPHEUS quickly looks away. She sits down in the seat next to him. He groans quietly.

EVDOKIA. Are you new here? (No response. She goes back to writing notes. A pause.) I can show you around if you want. (MORPHEUS drops pencil. They both go to reach for it at the same time. They look at eachother for a few seconds when EVDOKIA looks away.)

MORPHEUS. Hey!

EVDOKIA. Um. Hi!

MORPHEUS. You look-

EVDOKIA. What's your-Oh. Sorry, what were you going to say?

MORPHEUS. No, go ahead. (Giggling.)

EVDOKIA. What’s your name?

MORPHEUS. Trevor.

EVDOKIA. Really?

MORPHEUS. No, not really.

EVDOKIA. Then what is your name?

MORPHEUS. Morpheus.

EVDOKIA. That’s a nice name. What were you going to say?

MORPHEUS. I was gonna say… you’re looking very angelic today (EVDOKIA turns away and grabs backpack.) You get more angelic every day. (EVDOKIA takes her medication. MORPHEUS’s smile fades and then gets up to leave. Blackout.)


SCENE 2

Lights up. EVDOKIA enters her dorm room on the phone.

EVDOKIA. I thought work was over at 5 … No. I-I understand. Okay… I’ll see you tomorrow… No, don’t worry about it. I-You have to go now? Love you too.. (She hangs up the phone and throws it on the bed. She sighs and puts her head in her hands. A knock at the door. She lifts her head and looks at the door. Another knock. She gets off the bed.)

Enter Morpheus

MORPHEUS. Hey. You know, Ammon is a pretty s*** boyfriend, right? Do you- (Sits down on bed.)

EVDOKIA. How did you get in here?

MORPHEUS. (Matter-of-factly) You left the door open. (Going back to what he was saying.) Do you really think he likes you? You finally started to suspect him of something. That took a little while. Now that you’re seeing it I can help you out a little bit.

EVDOKIA. Stop. What are you talking about?

MORPHEUS. I want to help you, Evdokia. I can show you things from my point of view. (A beat.) You know nobody likes you, right?

EVDOKIA. I don't even know you! Get out of my room!

MORPHEUS. You don't know me? I'm Morpheus, remember?

EVDOKIA. (She brushes him off.) I know who you are. Why are you here?

MORPHEUS. (Looking away from her.) I’m just trying to help you out.

EVDOKIA. Well... What do you want?

MORPHEUS. I don’t really want anything...tangible. I just want you to be able to see your situation. At least the way I see it.

EVDOKIA. You aren’t making any sense. You’re actually scaring me.

MORPHEUS. There’s not even a reason to be scared! (A little too forceful, MORPHEUS notices this.)

EVDOKIA. Morpheus, I want you to leave. Right now.

MORPHEUS. Don’t be rash, I only want to-

EVDOKIA. Now, Morpheus.

MORPHEUS. Help you (he speaks as if he is talking to a child.) Lend me your ear for a couple of minutes, that’s all I ask. (EVDOKIA gets up to get medicine.) How’s Penelope?

EVDOKIA. (Confused.) Fine? (Slightly perturbed by the question. Still moving to get meds)

MORPHEUS. (With more haste because of the growing stakes.) Has anything about Penelope bothered you lately? (EVDOKIA slows.) Like how she has been busy in the afternoons? (EVDOKIA is taken aback be the rhetorical question.) Consistently busy? (A pause.) Usually when Ammon says he “busy”.

EVDOKIA. (Realizing.) She wouldn’t. We’re best friends.

MORPHEUS. Oh? Are you?

EVDOKIA. Yes. We’ve known each other since we were in the second grade.

MORPHEUS. People change. Do you really think throughout those many years of ‘friendship’ that that six year old kid would stay the same? No. She is her own person with her own selfish interests in mind (A slight pause to let the words sink in.) Like I said, I just want to help you.

EVDOKIA. And like I said, I want you to leave. (She walks past the bed and to her bag on the chair.)

MORPHEUS. No, Evdokia, you can’t just ignore me after what I’ve just said. There are so many other things that you haven't even noticed...Evdokia!

(Blackout.)



SCENE 3

Stage is blacked out with a spot hitting each person as they speak. Each person is facing forward but talking to one another. MORPHEUS is seated on the apron of the stage.

PENELOPE. You know Ammon, she isn’t even pretty. She’s not worth your time.

AMMON. C’mon Penelope. Don’t-

PENELOPE. She keeps gaining weight, too.

MOM. Another B? Do you want to lose your scholarships?! Special on EVDOKIA on the railing.

EVDOKIA. Mom, I can--

AMMON. Shut up, Penelope. (Reluctantly) Although…

PENELOPE. Exactly. I don’t even know how she fits in her clothes anymore. Poor thing.

AMMON. You’re right…I’ve noticed it too lately. And the make up. I can’t stand it. I don’t even know why she-

MOM. No, I don’t want to hear your excuses. This is the third time this has happened, Evdokia.

All characters on stage except for MORPHEUS turn ninety degrees. They all begin to walk in a circle, gradually picking up pace. MORPHEUS has a smile on his face.

PENELOPE. It’s because she’s afraid to show everyone how ugly she really is.

AMMON. Did you know that she is terrible at making out? God only knows what she’s like in bed.

MOM. You’ll never go to college!

PENELOPE. Ammon, be with me.

AMMON. Penelope, you’re beautiful.

EVDOKIA. (Drowned out) No, stop.

MOM. Why can’t you be like your sister?!

PENELOPE. I’m so much better.

AMMON. I’ve always had feelings for you.

MOM. You’re a disappointment to your father and I.

EVDOKIA. Stop! I can’t take it anymore.

MORPHEUS. Finally, you acknowledge it!

EVDOKIA. Morpheus, make it stop!

MORPHEUS. Listen to them, this is real life.

EVDOKIA. No, this is all just a bad dream. I need to wake up. Please wake up. Please wake up.

MORPHEUS. You know nobody likes you, right?

EVDOKIA. You know what, I do know. I tried to ignore it for so long, but it’s too overwhelming. I see everything. Penelope and Ammon. My whole family thinks I’m a failure. I know that my so called ‘best friend’ talks about me like I’m a piece of trash. My boyfriend sneaks off to whisper sweet nothings into her ear. Morpheus, I know. My whole life is a joke. I knew it all along, (sarcastically) but thank you for pointing it out. It’s.. it’s just easier to walk around with a smile on my face a pretend nothing’s wrong. Do you even know how much pressure there is?! To try and be everything you’re not?!

MORPHEUS. No, because I’m not a coward. Like you, Evdokia.

(MORPHEUS turns around to reveal that he doesn’t have a face, EVDOKIA screams.)

Blackout. Lights up on Evdokia waking up from the nightmare that is the previous scene.

SCENE 4
In EVDOKIA'S dorm room. Lights up and EVDOKIA is sitting on her bed with a glazed over look. Enter MORPHEUS. She slowly looks over at him and he gives her an evil smile.
EVDOKIA. (Quietly.) What else could you possibly want from me? (No response.) Well?
MORPHEUS. (Goes to her and shushes her.) I’m here to help.
EVDOKIA. Please, just leave me alone! (Begins to tear up.)
MORPHEUS. Shut up!
EVDOKIA. Get out of my way! (Tries to push past him. MORPHEUS pushes her back and she struggles. He slaps her across the face and pushes her down.) Morpheus! Why?!
MORPHEUS. How dare you, how dare you even think that you have the gull to ask that question! You wanna know why? You. Are. Worthless. Your entire existence is a big joke, a facade. You truly are ignorance incarnate. You couldn’t even see how bad your life really was until I came and showed it to you! I had to spell it out to you! Frankly, I’m surprised that slap even hurt. You’ve made yourself so utterly numb to the world around you, I thought you wouldn't even feel it. For Christ sakes! You didn’t even figure out your boyfriend was cheating on you until I came along and rubbed it in your face. Nothing about you is real. Your entire view of life is based on a horribly skewed, distorted idea of what is real! I, a whole other person, can see the entirety of your life, struggle, your pain? Why can’t you see it for yourself?! Imbecile! How could it be that difficult to see your life as it is! How?!...Answer me!
(Black out. Gun shot.)
SCENE 5
(The sound of a car stopping. The car’s door opens and the closes. Walking is heard. A knocking on the door. The door is answered.)
MOTHER. Yes, who is-
POLICE MAN. Good evening ma’am I am the sheriff of the … Police Department, is your husband home?
MOTHER. Yes, why what is this about?
FATHER. Hello, what is going on here?
MOTHER. I don’t know yet.
POLICE MAN. There has been an incident involving your daughter.
MOTHER. (Gasp) She is alright isn’t she?
POLICE MAN. I acknowledge with regret, ma’am that your daughter is dead. (Gasp) I understand that this must be unsettling news for the both of you, however I am obligated to question the parents for the purpose of conducting a complete investigation of the case. Do you have a few moments?
FATHER. Of course.
POLICE MAN. Is this the correct name and prescription for the pills (pin spot on pills on stage.) that she had been taking?
FATHER. That is correct.
POLICE MAN. Thank you sir, that is all I require.
MOTHER. Wait! Can you at least tell us what happened?
POLICE MAN. With the information you have given me, we are certain. The cause of death...is suicide...And there were no signs of foul play found.
MOTHER. And one more thing! Please! Can you make sure that the press doesn’t find out that she was a schizophrenic, please? She suffered oh so greatly from hallucinations of grandeur and general insanity. Oh! I fear that those pills may have not been strong enough to keep her sane.
POLICE MAN. I will keep this report from the presses eyes. Thank you for your time.