Two characters, A and B, stand in a forest clearing, beside a misty lake.
B is heavily bearded. He is dressed in a clean grey tracksuit.
A, clean-shaven, is dressed in loose shirt and pants. They are ripped and dirty.
A looks at B.
B gazes out across the lake, concentrating.

A
I saw some bluebells on the walk.
 

B looks at A.
 

B
Some cherry blossoms?
 

Pause.
 

A
No. Bluebells. Blue as a quiet death.
 

B
Funny, they both resemble death; cherry blossoms and the Seppuku death poems.
 

A
They waved to me in the breeze.
 

B
And how did you react?
 

A
Badly.
 

B
Badly?
 

A
I gave them the finger. Told mother nature to go screw herself.
 

B
And she knew where you were heading?
 

A
I lied. Told her I was off clubbing: taking drugs, sweating, dancing the whole night through.
 

B
What, and she didn't wanna come?
 

A
Told her there was a dress code.
 

B
What kind of code?
 

A
Blue.
 

Pause.
 

A
No... red.
 

Pause.
 

A
(Assured)
No: chaos.
 

Silence.
 

B nods towards the lake.
 

B
Can you see anything out there?
 

A
(Angrily)
What's with all the fucking questions!?! My God, you're as bad as she is.
 

Pause.
 

A
(Calming down)
Why, can you see anything?
 

B shakes his head sadly.
Silence.
A
How long you been out here?
 

B looks at his fingers and mutters to himself.
 

A
How long?
 

B
Could be ten years now... Nine? Eight? I can't remember. It's pretty consistent. Nothing looks any different.
 

Pause.
 

A
Do I look different?
 

B leans close and inspects A's face.
He turns away and resume his watch.
 

B
A few less pimples. A few more wrinkles. But not so much real difference. Still a weakness is visible.
 

Silence.
 

A
Do you wanna know what I've been doing this past year?
 

Pause. B scratches his beard thoughtfully.
 

B
Have you been married?
 

A
(Eagerly)
Yes!
 

B
Divorced?
 

A
Of course.
 

B
Reconciled?
 

A shrugs.
 

A
To a certain dull degree.
 

B
Imprisoned?
 

A
Numerous occasions, too many to mention here.
 

B nods and looks solemn.He pulls back his stained sleeve and produces a faded blue tattoo, inked onto his forearm.

​

B
Remember how I got this?
 

A nods and pulls back his own shirt sleeve: the exact same tattoo in the exact same place.
 

B laughs.
 

B
(Respectfully)
Ah, one in the same.
 

A nods.
 

A
The bastard squealed for mercy.
 

B
(Wide-eyed; full of bloodlust)
Yes! Up through the rotten guts? Like I told you?
 

A makes a severe upward motion with his hand.
B claps his hands loudly.
 

B
His eyes?
 

A
Blank.
 

B
Profession?
 

Pause. A looks embarrassed.
 

A
Soldier.
 

B
Soldier!?!
 

A
A medic.
 

Pause.
 

A
Handicapped. Honorable discharge.
 

B considers.
 

B
(Shaking his head; resigned)
Money?
 

A
None.
 

B
Ambition?
 

A
Plenty.
 

B
(Becoming enthusiastic again)
Any last words?
 

Silence.
 

B
(Menacingly)
Any last words?
 

A
He... he wanted me to lie to his mother.
 

B nods thoughtfully.
 

B
Of course, of course.
 

B waits for more.
 

B
(Encouragingly)
And..?
 

A
I told her the truth.
 

B laughs.
 

B
(To himself)
He told her the truth... he told her the truth...
 

He takes something from his pocket and holds it up to A: a pebble.
 

B
(Commanding)
Spit.
 

A spits onto the pebble.
B examines the saliva-marked pebble before throwing it as far as he can into the lake; a distant splash sounds.
He dusts off his hands.
 

B
And the feeling?
 

A surveys the lake thoughtfully.
 

A
Power... disgust... love...
 

B
Regret?
 

They look at each other for a minute before bursting into laughter.
 

A
(Wiping his eyes)
You almost had me fooled. Ah, for a second, you almost had me you crazy old fool.
 

Silence.
 

A
(Cautiously)
I had... an urge.
 

B
(Worried)
An urge?
 

A looks down at his feet.
 

A
It felt good... natural?
 

B considers.
He slaps A on the back.
 

B
(Well-humoured; sympathetic)
It's normal lad. Don't worry, it's definitely not natural.
 

A looks relieved and smiles.
Silence.
 

A
So?
 

Pause.
 

A
(Respectfully)
Can I join you?
 

B looks at A out of the corner of his eye.
 

B
(Smirking)
Nothing would please me more.
 

A steps closer and puts his arm around B's shoulders.
B puts his own arm around A's shoulders.
 

They look out at the lake silently.
Sounds of a rowing boat in the distance.
 

Lights fade.