Scene Zero

It is about three p.m. in the afternoon in Laurel, Mississippi. The outer wall of the apartment is bleak and cracked. The wind howls and the tree branches batter at the window under the overcast, moody sky. BLANCHE and ALLAN GREY, her newlywed husband are in the apartment. BLANCHE is busy scrambling between the living room and the kitchen.  ALLAN is thoughtless and staring at the windowed wall. The whole scene appears to have come from the oldest era of television.

BLANCHE [hurrying in a panic]: Come on, come on!

[ALLAN grunts.]

BLANCHE: Why, how can I forget about this —

[BLANCHE darts across the room and tears the paper lantern off with an overexerted effort. With however much carefulness she had left in her, she put it into her suitcase.]

BLANCHE: Mon cher! Don’t you slack around! Come and find what else there is!

[ALLAN slants downward and faces the mossy floor.]

BLANCHE [gasping]: Don’t tell me I left that —

[BLANCHE sprints into the bedroom with her suitcase. A loud ‘bang’ and subsequent noises can be heard as she throws something open and stuffs it into her suitcase. She crashes into the hallway with the suitcase. It is dotted with some exotic fur.]

ALLAN: Quit it.

[The room grows silent, the blowing wind and scratching branches can be heard. BLANCHE and ALLAN face each other, deadly still. BLANCHE loosens her hold on the suitcase handle, which falls flat on the floor.]

ALLAN [After a long pause]: Stop it. I need a moment.

BLANCHE: A moment? Do you realize what situation we are in right now? We need to leave!

ALLAN: Yes, just…

[ALLAN puts his hands on his forehead and looks straight down. He fumbles with something in his jacket, but promptly retrieves his hand. His voice is faint.]

         I just need to…think…

BLANCHE [Going across the room to face ALLAN on the opposite of the dining table]: What is that in Laurel you are mumbling, sir? Do you think that’s a very cavalier thing to —

ALLAN: I said SHUT UP!

[BLANCHE is physically repelled by the impact. The wind intensifies for a moment before subsiding with a melancholier tone.]     

BLANCHE: Mr. Grey…Ami, what has gotten to you? All this week…no, for the last three months I daresay you’ve been acting like this!  

ALLAN: It’s not that…it’s just…

BLANCHE: Well, then is something else the matter? Pourquoi? Don’t be afraid to tell me what’s wrong! 

[ALLAN looked up slightly before turning away with a glimpse of a suppressed expression. His mouth opens as if wanting to say something, but no words came out of it.]

         Allan… all the way from the start I thought you were pure, talented. Why, yes, I did! But keeping secrets like these is the thing, the one thing that I do not approve! It hurts you! It batters, traumatizes you! One thing I always believed, is that deliberate cruelty is intolerable. Why are you then afraid to speak your heart? Do you not realize what cruelty you are imposing upon yourself, cher?

         [ALLAN’s shut mouth opens a sliver.]

        Let me tell you, Allan, you might have been descending into this trap at the very start. None of this do I care! Even if you are waist-deep in quicksand, I will stride in! No, I will get you out!

[All of a sudden, it is as if the overcast sky has cleared. A sliver of sunlight penetrates the thinned clouds, illuminating the room. BLANCHE’s shadow is cast upon ALLAN, who covers his eyes in shock. Every item in the room, with their stretched shadows seemed to be a thing of the past. Faintly from his covering, ALLAN looks out the window for a while.]

[However, a heavy, rapid knocking is heard on the front door and the view is broken. The reverie ceases, and the room fades back into greyness. BLANCHE screams in terror as ALLAN stands up agitated.]

BLANCHE [Startled]: Who - who is that?

[More knocking is heard. The door is being scratched by a sharp metallic object. Some large men kick on the door.]

TOWNSPEOPLE [With ghastly, ethereal voices at the same time]: Out! Aristocrat! Disgrace! Scandalous!

ECHOS: Out! Aristocrat! Disgrace! Scandalous!

[BLANCHE screams more and cringes on the floor. ALLAN walks back from the door and looks around. On the other side of the window, the blurry shape of a supply man in overalls appears. He is SHAW.]