Immortality is Eternal

By: Mara

 

Disclaimer: This play and everything in it is MINE, except for Marius who is pretty much the same Marius that belongs to Ann Rice. Please ask before borrowing.

 

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Characters:

Jessie: A 16 year old girl who somehow become the love interest of Zekk. She was a lowly street-kid until she was given to him as a pet by Marius. But she refuses to love Zekk in return.

 

Zekk: A 50 year old vampire doomed to spend eternity in an 18 year old boy’s body. He was made by Marius and is desperately in love with Jessie, and truly thinks she loves him in return.

 

Marius: A 2,500+ year old vampire man in a 40 year old’s body. Made Zekk and loves him very dearly. A tall, regal Roman.

 

Feria: A 4,500+ year old vampire woman in a 45+ year old body. A very persuasive person, quick to anger, and can sometimes predict the future. Also a stately Roman; a product of her time.

 

 

Scene one: A back alleyway. Zekk has been chasing Jessie for quite some time.

 

J: (backed in a dead-end corner, panting hard) Stop it, Zekk! I said no! I won’t willingly do it! I won’t!

 

Z: (calm, no emotion) Please, my love, (pets face gently) I want you to be with me forever.

 

J: (slaps Zekk’s hand away) I told you no! I don’t love you! You can’t do this to me! (still panting)

 

Z: (still emotionless) Liar. You do love me. But I will have you, because I can. I love you, Jessie, and—

 

M: (voice from offstage) BOY!

 

J: (smiles with relief and is still panting)

 

M: (enters in all his regal glory) Boy, you have disobeyed me.

 

Z: (suddenly meek) But, Master, I—

 

M: No. You will not turn the girl against her will, young fool.

 

Z: (gravels) Master Marius, please, I just—

 

M: Do you aim to disobey me again, my boy?

 

Z: (shakes head no)

 

M: I thought as much… (caresses face with one hand) Just because I told that you can keep her does not mean you can abuse her. (slaps Zekk’s face)

 

Z: (whimpers and kneels in front of) Master, I’m sorry. (kisses hand) I don’t mean to torment her. I love her, though. I love her so.

 

M: (motions Zekk to rise, and he obeys) I know this, my beautiful boy. Now, hence home before daylight breaks.

 

Z: (nods and attaches a collar and leash to Jessie, then drags her off towards home)

 

J: (curses at Zekk until he picks her up and runs off at preternatural speed)

 

M: (sigh) What will I do with Zekk?

 

F: (steps out of shadows-again, with regal glory) He will one day defy you. He will turn the girl. And when he does, more problems will arise.

 

M: Have you foreseen this prediction, my love? (clasps shoulders)

 

F: Aye, darling. But in logic itself, it appears inevitable.

 

M: I suppose you are right, dear Feria. (takes her hand in his) Come. Let us walk.

 

F: To where? (unconsciously starts walking with Marius anyways) We have but an hour till sunrise when we must retreat to home again, behind closed doors and shades, trapped from the lively mortal world of light, love, fun, and—

 

M: (laughs) Still bitter after 4,000 years?

 

(Background changes to a park with a garden and a bench in it.)

 

F: (scowls) 4,500 years, actually, and yes. Had I known I would be in hell when Balatos turned me, I never would have allowed it. (stops and sits on the bench)

 

M: (sits next to Feria) We are not in hell.

 

F: You are right; this is not hell. This is worse then hell. At least the people in hell were made to die. They have not lived for millennia upon millennia and they have not had to watch the world slowly change into something strange and grotesque.

 

M: That is not the way to look at our life, whatever it may be. Think of it this way, my lovely: if you had died so long ago, you never would have gotten to meet me, never would have gotten to fall in love, and would never have gotten to bear another child. (tenderly touches her as-of-yet not swollen stomach)

 

F: (smiles) Why are you so certain I am with child? I have not shown…

 

M: Everything about you is more radiant-that is, when you are not complaining about being a vampire. You have always been happier when in the presence of children. You are, in essence, a mother to everyone. It makes you happy, to take care of innocent little lives, to watch them grow up and venture out into the world to find themselves. I bet you knew the exact moment the child was conceived, my precious, for you are so in tune with your body, your mind, and your motherly instincts.

 

F: (laughs lightly and lays her head on his shoulder) Yes, I am. Very much so. What will we name out little girl child?

 

M: (kisses the top of Feria’s head) Are you so sure it is a girl?

 

F: Aye, I am.

 

M: If then you are wrong, and you birth a boy, we shall call him Amadeo.

 

F: But that will not be.

 

M: Then she will be…?

 

F: Diana.

 

M: After the great goddess?

 

F: Aye.

 

M: You are a strong woman, my beloved Feria.

 

(Re-enter Zekk with Jessie still being dragged along on the leash.)

 

Z: Master Marius, Mistress Feria…Please, come home. I worry for your safety, for I sense the impending sunrise.

 

F: We come, dear boy. Slowly we come.

 

(All exit to stage left/audience right, with Jessie cursing and being dragged like usual.)

 

(End scene one.)

 

 

Scene two: A basement of sorts-some place underground. Gloomy gray brick walls all around. A bed, a coffin, and old-fashioned changing screen, and various other bedroom furnishings fill the room. Zekk sits on the bed’s edge, with Jessie’s head in his lap, and he is petting her lovingly.

 

Z: Jessie, my love (leans down and kisses her cheek), you must rest now. You’ve been up all night. (gently makes her sit up and he ushers her under the bed covers)

 

J: (yawns) But I’m not tired…

 

Z: Really? (crawls under covers next to her)

 

J: Zekk, no, please. Normally, I would oblige, but no play-time tonight, okay?

 

Z: But Jessie, dear, I want you…(kisses shoulders and puts arms around her)

 

J: NO. (squirms to get away)

 

Z: (suddenly stops) What? You’ve never told me no!

 

J: So?! I can and I have! (pulls covers high up to chin)

 

Z: Nobody tells me no! (flips Jessie onto her back and pins her arms in one of his hands above her head) I always get what I want!

 

J: (screams) NO! STOP IT!

 

(Lights go out-stage becomes completely dark.)

 

J: (frantically screaming) NO! ZEKK, NO! STOP IT! DON’T TOUCH ME! (loud sobbing and weeping, cries of pain, soft muttering of:) No…please stop…it hurts…stop…

 

Z: Shhhhhhhh…be quiet…

 

(Lights slowly come back on.)

 

Z: (holding a whimpering naked Jessie wrapped in a blanket in his arms) Sleep now, my eternal lover. Tomorrow’s night will be an adventure for you.

 

M: (offstage) ZEKK!

 

Z: In my room, Master! (gets up to greet Marius)

 

M: (storms in with Feria right behind him) Boy, Feria has told me what you have done to that girl!

 

(Jessie jumps out of bed with the blanket still wrapped around her and clings to Feria, who hides Jessie behind her.)

 

Z: What have I done? (reaches out to take Marius’ hand)

 

M: (roughly grabs Zekk’s wrist and forces him to his knees) Feria says you raped Jessie.

 

Z: I did no such thing, Master. (whimpers and tries to pry off Marius’ grip on his wrist)

 

F: You lie, boy! I heard it all! I heard her cries…

 

J: (angry) Then why didn’t you stop him?!

 

F: I don’t own the boy. I am not his Master, Jessie.

 

Z: (bitter) You beat me as though you are!

 

F: You insolent little— (starts towards Zekk with a raised hand. Zekk cringes, but Marius gestures for her to stop)

 

M: I will take care of our little rapist, my love. Stay with Jessie. (hauls Zekk to his feet and leads him off stage/out of room)

 

F: (heaves a sigh and goes to sit on the edge of the bed) Come now, child. Go put on some clothes.

 

(Jessie goes behind the changing screen. The screen is old fashioned, and she puts on clothes as Feria talks.)

 

F: Why did you not run from him, Jessie?

 

J: (still behind screen) I don’t know.

 

F: You barely even put up a fight. (smoothes out the bed sheets by her side out of boredom)

 

J: (finishes) I don’t know… (comes back out from behind screen with the blanket) Do you know what he meant? I mean, right before you and Marius came in?

 

F: What do you mean?

 

J: Well (sits next to Feria on the bed), he told me, “Tomorrow’s night will be an adventure.”

 

F: Oh no…

 

J: (worried) What?

 

F: The little demon has something planned. (clenches a fist and becomes quite angry) Aye, Zekk has been up to no good since the day Marius made him…no, even before then! (growls) Marius needs to teach that boy right from wrong…

 

J: (silent for a moment) …Feria?

 

F: (suddenly realizes she is clenching her fist and drops it, half-smiling) Yes, child?

 

J: Marius made Zekk. So, who made Marius?

 

F: (looks off into space, laughing softly) Aye, that was long ago. An ancient vampire by the name of Dryad made Marius. The details of it are still a mystery to even me, but…

 

J: Oh…well, who made you? If you don’t mind me asking…

 

F: No, child, it is all right. (deep breathe) I was made by Balatos.

 

J: Well, who is Balatos?

 

F: Balatos is my brother.

 

J: (gasps) Oh…but you used present tense?

 

F: Balatos is still alive, somewhere in the world. I cross paths with him every so often, but…

 

J: But what? (eager to know)

 

F: But he and I had a fallout some hundred years ago…

 

J: Oh. Um, I’m sorry. (lowers eyes, guilty she asked)

 

F: Peace Jessie. Worry not about it.

 

(Moment of silence.)

 

J: Every vampire was turned from mortality for a reason, right?

 

F: I suppose so. Why?

 

J: (cautious) Why did Balatos turn you?

 

F: (sighs sadly) I was dying.

 

J: (starts to apologize for asking)

 

F: No, it is all right. You asked, and I will tell you my story.

 

J: (nods and gets comfortable to listen)

 

F: (composes herself) Some 4,500 years ago, when I was in my thirties, my brother Balatos disappeared. Nobody ever found him, so we thought he had run away or drowned in the river. Everybody in the village wept-for the loss of my oldest brother was a tragedy. But when I was in my mid to late forties, I was birthing a child. I knew I was too old to go through it all again-I had carried a baby nearly every year since I was 20. Everyone was worried about me, and as I gave birth, the baby became stuck. I was slowly dying and nobody could save me.

 

J: Is that when Balatos came to you? As a vampire?

 

F: Yes. It was quite a blur, all I can remember was everyone around me suddenly disappearing amongst a chorus of screams-my brother having slain them all-and then feeding me his blood-turning me into the vampire I am today, have been everyday since then (sigh), and will continue to be for all of eternity. (retreats to own thoughts)

 

J: (worried) Feria…?

 

F: (suddenly bitter) Immortality is eternal. It never ceases, it never pauses, it never becomes any better. Never cross over to our side, dear Jessie. Live as a mortal and die as a mortal. It does not ever get any better.

 

J: (looks at Feria with a mix of fear and sadness)

 

(Lights fade out. End of scene two.)

 

 

Scene three: Next night, Zekk’s room again. Jessie is asleep in the bed. Zekk quietly enters and kneels by Jessie’s bedside.)

 

Z: (quietly) My love. (pets her very gently, not even causing her to stir) My beautiful Jessie. Tonight, you will forever be mine. (kisses her lips)

 

J: (softly groans and stirs, changing her sleeping position)

 

Z: (stands) Rise, Jessie. Rise and come to me…(slowly backs up)

 

J: (opens her eyes and sits up) Zekk?

 

Z: Come to me…(holds open his arms)

 

J: (like she is hypnotized [because she really in essence is]) Yes, my love…I will come to you…(walks to Zekk)

 

Z: (engulfs her in his arms) I promise, it will all be over soon. (buries his face in her neck, biting her)

 

J: (cries out in pain and ecstasy)

 

Z: (stops when Jessie goes limp in his arms) Now, my beloved, (bites his wrist) drink. Drink my blood and live forever…

 

J: (feebly latches onto the open wound and drinks. She drinks for a while, slowly gaining more strength, and then suddenly lets go, stumbling around and then collapsing to the floor) W-what’s happening to me! You killed me! (rolls around in pain, clutching stomach)

 

Z: (hisses in contempt as he heals his wrist wound) It’s only mortal death. Pay no attention. It happens to us all…

 

J: (weeps and curls up on the floors, still clutching stomach)

 

(Lights fade out. End of scene three.)

 

 

Scene four: Back in the alleyway! A reverse of scene one, Jessie has Zekk cornered and cowering. She is verbally berating him.

 

J: (screaming) I TOLD YOU I WOULD NEVER BE WITH YOU AND THAT I WILL NEVER LOVE YOU! (hits him over the head) I HATE YOU! (hits him again) I HATE YOU! (hits him again) I HATE YOU! (hits him again)

 

F: (runs in) Jessie, no! Stop! (pulls her away from Zekk)

 

J: (struggles) I won’t stay with him! I won’t! (breaks free and runs away/off stage)

 

Z: (sobs) She left me, didn’t she? (slides to the ground and pulls his knees to his chest, burying his face in his arms)

 

M: (late for the scene, he rushes in) Are you alright, my boy? (kneels by him and hugs him tight)

 

Z: (stuck on repeat) She left me…she left me…she…left me…left me…left….

 

F: What did I tell you, Marius? I told you nothing good would come out of the boy and his pet. Immortality is eternal. It ruins even the best of times…

 

(Lights fade out and end of scene four.)

 

~Fin.~