Squonk
Short Story/Poetry WritingThursday, October 28, 2004
Soul Dealer
[At midnight. A HOMELESS MAN stands centerstage beside an industrial can. He is watching fire burn at the end of a large branch. He circles it through the air as THE DEVIL watches from the dark of an alley.]
THE DEVIL
What makes the fire burn so bright?
[The HOMELESS MAN turns and holds fire out to see into the darkness]
THE DEVIL
Do you know?
HOMELESS MAN
[looks at his stick of fire and then back at THE DEVIL; uneasily]
No.
THE DEVIL
[walks towards the HOMELESS MAN]
Of course not; I would not expect you to.
HOMELESS MAN
[looks bewilderedly at THE DEVIL; he is obviously on drugs]
Who are you?
THE DEVIL
[stops walking and turns presumptuously]
I am the one who can save you.
HOMELESS MAN
[slowly]
You’re not God.
THE DEVIL
[smiles knowingly]
No. He cannot save you. Only I can.
HOMELESS MAN
[pauses, then with realization]
The Anti-Christ!
THE DEVIL
[smirks]
And yet you are not completely taken with the blind faith of your race.
HOMELESS MAN
[confused]
Why have you come?
THE DEVIL
[points to the stick of fire]
You are holding my sign. I am bound by the laws of old to answer.
[The homeless man extends his stick of fire towards THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL reaches his gloved hand into the fire and with a mysterious system of hand motions, manipulates the flames to dance with new vibrance. The fire glows blood red until he removes his hand. The HOMELESS MAN brings the stick of fire back to himself and reaches to touch the flames.]
HOMELESS MAN
[stops]
Why?
DEVIL
Why would I summon you to my service?
HOMELESS MAN
[chokes]
Yes.
THE DEVIL
[takes a moment’s pause before answering]
I deal with souls. [gestures upwards at the night sky] You see them all?
HOMELESS MAN
The stars...
THE DEVIL
[looking up]
Indeed. They were once men. Their souls now hang in the sky. Why they shine brightly, I do not know.
[A heavy pause]
HOMELESS MAN
[looks shiftily at THE DEVIL]
What did you give them all?
THE DEVIL
Their deepest desire of course. It is a wonder how much men are willing to do.
HOMELESS MAN
They all did it for greed?
THE DEVIL
Not all. Some hoped to save another, while others yearned for revenge.
HOMELESS MAN
[glances at his stick of fire still burning, then back at THE DEVIL]
Why do I wish it?
THE DEVIL
I cannot know. I may, in time...but for now it is your decision.
HOMELESS MAN
I’ve lost everything. My soul is the only thing I have left.
THE DEVIL
[to himself]
How often I’ve heard it.
HOMELESS MAN
If I sell my soul I will be nothing, I would not have the tiniest inkling of memory. Tell me dark one, what would happen to me?
THE DEVIL
[solemnly]
I am not bound to answer and will not.
HOMELESS MAN
But what do I have left? Why do I even want to be alive?
[falls to his knees, still grasping the stick of fire]
[THE DEVIL stands quietly watching the HOMELESS MAN as he undergoes an internal battle.]
It was them. They cast me out, sent me away from the clinic, told me I was good for nothing and would never make my mark on this world!
[turns wildly to THE DEVIL, who does not look startled]
Grant me. Grant me my life back!
THE DEVIL
[nods and with a flick of the wrist, calls the flames from the stick to his hand]
My contract.
HOMELESS MAN
My name.
[THE DEVIL throws the flames at the HOMELESS MAN and they engulf him entirely. Fade out.]
THE DEVIL
What makes the fire burn so bright?
[The HOMELESS MAN turns and holds fire out to see into the darkness]
THE DEVIL
Do you know?
HOMELESS MAN
[looks at his stick of fire and then back at THE DEVIL; uneasily]
No.
THE DEVIL
[walks towards the HOMELESS MAN]
Of course not; I would not expect you to.
HOMELESS MAN
[looks bewilderedly at THE DEVIL; he is obviously on drugs]
Who are you?
THE DEVIL
[stops walking and turns presumptuously]
I am the one who can save you.
HOMELESS MAN
[slowly]
You’re not God.
THE DEVIL
[smiles knowingly]
No. He cannot save you. Only I can.
HOMELESS MAN
[pauses, then with realization]
The Anti-Christ!
THE DEVIL
[smirks]
And yet you are not completely taken with the blind faith of your race.
HOMELESS MAN
[confused]
Why have you come?
THE DEVIL
[points to the stick of fire]
You are holding my sign. I am bound by the laws of old to answer.
[The homeless man extends his stick of fire towards THE DEVIL. THE DEVIL reaches his gloved hand into the fire and with a mysterious system of hand motions, manipulates the flames to dance with new vibrance. The fire glows blood red until he removes his hand. The HOMELESS MAN brings the stick of fire back to himself and reaches to touch the flames.]
HOMELESS MAN
[stops]
Why?
DEVIL
Why would I summon you to my service?
HOMELESS MAN
[chokes]
Yes.
THE DEVIL
[takes a moment’s pause before answering]
I deal with souls. [gestures upwards at the night sky] You see them all?
HOMELESS MAN
The stars...
THE DEVIL
[looking up]
Indeed. They were once men. Their souls now hang in the sky. Why they shine brightly, I do not know.
[A heavy pause]
HOMELESS MAN
[looks shiftily at THE DEVIL]
What did you give them all?
THE DEVIL
Their deepest desire of course. It is a wonder how much men are willing to do.
HOMELESS MAN
They all did it for greed?
THE DEVIL
Not all. Some hoped to save another, while others yearned for revenge.
HOMELESS MAN
[glances at his stick of fire still burning, then back at THE DEVIL]
Why do I wish it?
THE DEVIL
I cannot know. I may, in time...but for now it is your decision.
HOMELESS MAN
I’ve lost everything. My soul is the only thing I have left.
THE DEVIL
[to himself]
How often I’ve heard it.
HOMELESS MAN
If I sell my soul I will be nothing, I would not have the tiniest inkling of memory. Tell me dark one, what would happen to me?
THE DEVIL
[solemnly]
I am not bound to answer and will not.
HOMELESS MAN
But what do I have left? Why do I even want to be alive?
[falls to his knees, still grasping the stick of fire]
[THE DEVIL stands quietly watching the HOMELESS MAN as he undergoes an internal battle.]
It was them. They cast me out, sent me away from the clinic, told me I was good for nothing and would never make my mark on this world!
[turns wildly to THE DEVIL, who does not look startled]
Grant me. Grant me my life back!
THE DEVIL
[nods and with a flick of the wrist, calls the flames from the stick to his hand]
My contract.
HOMELESS MAN
My name.
[THE DEVIL throws the flames at the HOMELESS MAN and they engulf him entirely. Fade out.]
I wrote this play for English class. I really really wanted to write something that could make use of olde language.
posted by Sarah Ruiz # 7:37 PM 
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