(A man sits at a broken, shabby desk in the middle of a nearly empty, worn down room. A cell phone lays near him, looking uncharacteristically high quality among the poor interior of the room. The phone rings, and the man jumps.)
Man: “Hello?”
Phone Voice: “Phil. Are you in or are you out?”
Phil: *Shudder*s. “I…I need more time. Can you give me more time?”
Phone Voice: “You have taken time. What is your answer?”
Phil: “How much did you say it would pay, again?”
Phone Voice: “That depends on how well you do your job. Rest assured, however, you will be rewarded handsomely for your services”.
(From behind the wall, clattering and clanging of kitchen utensils is heard, with a woman scolding her children to not eat all their food at once. Phil glances towards the source of the noise.)
Phil: *Sighs resignedly*. “I’m in”.
Phone Voice: “Excellent”. Hangs up
(A pregnant woman walks into the room, clad in a stained bathrobe and drying a dish.)
Woman: “Who are you talking to, honey?”
Phil: “I – no one. Just…thinking aloud, I guess.”
Woman: “Well, quit thinking aloud and come help. Your children need to get to school, and I don’t want them walking alone; there was a shooting down the street the other day”. *Phil flinches at the word “shooting”.*
Phil: “Alright. Just give me a second”.
(Woman leaves, and Phil puts his head down in his hands.)
End of Scene
(Phil walks into an ally, clutching around him a threadbare coat against the cold. Waiting for him is a group of men in identical black coats.)
Man #1: “Hello Phil. Glad you could make it”.
Phil: “Please. Let’s be quick. I need to get home to my wife.”
Man #1: “I assure you, I have no intention of wasting time. But there are some things that must be discussed. Have you any experience with assassination?”
Phil: “No.”
Man #1: “Have you ever committed a killing of your own?”
Phil: “No.”
Man #2: “Have you ever harmed a man in any way?”
Phil “Never.”
Man #1: “Do you have any experience handling a gun?”
Phil: “None”.
Man #3: “Alright, that’s all well and good. But what we really need to know is, do you think you can go through with this?”
Phil: *Hesitates* “I…I need to feed my family. I will do whatever it takes for them not to starve.”
Man #3: *Smiles.* “Excellent”.
Man #1: “Where do you live?”
Phil: *Pointing”* Down that street and to the left a ways. It’s the apartment building at the end of the block.”
Man #1: “Ah, perfect! Our target resides on that street. Do you know a man by the name of Axel Sih personally?”
Phil: “No. I try not to make casual friends. It’s difficult to trust anyone”.
Man #1: “I suppose that’s wise. In any case, it makes our mission easier.”
Phil: “If I might ask…”
Man #1: “What?”
Phil: “Why do you need me for this? Why can’t you kill him yourself?
*Man #1 opens his mouth to respond, but Man #2 quickly cuts him off.*
Man #2: “He used to be a close friend of ours. He knows us too well, and we know him. We need a stranger to do the job for us.”
Man #1: “Besides, this job takes planning and organization. We’re leaving for a job in England soon; we haven’t got that sort of time. It’s up to you”.
Phil: “I…alright.”
Man #3: “Don’t mess things up.”
Phil: “I…I won’t. I won’t.”
*Man #1 pulls out a sheet of paper and a pen. *
Man #1: “Sign here, please”.
(Phil signs the paper. Man #1 folds it up and tucks it in his coat, then the three turn and leave. Phil stands for a moment, then sighs and leaves in the opposite direction.)
End of Scene
(Phil and his wife stand in a kitchen together, his wife cleaning and Phil looking through some papers.)
Woman: “Phil, have you found a job yet?”
Phil: *Starts*. “I – no. Not yet. I’m looking, but honey, the economy…it’s terrible. Something will come along, but…it may take a while.”
Woman: “I know, I know. Just keep looking.”
Phil: “Your job is going alright…right?”
Woman: Well…I…that’s the thing.”
Phil: “Merrie! What’s wrong?”
Merrie: “It’s not a certain thing. Not yet. I just…I received a warning. That maybe…I might be fired.”
Phil: “What?! What will we do?”
Merrie: “Now, Phil, it’s not certain
Phil: “Regardless, it’s a possibility. If it does happen, how will we cope?”
Merrie: “I don’t know. I…I don’t know. Just…please, Phil, keep looking for work.”
Phil: “I will. I swear I will”.
Merrie: “Phil…if I do lose my job, and you can’t get one…you know what happens then.”
Phil: *Looks at Merrie*. “No.”
Merrie: “What else could we do? It may have to come to that”
Phil: “No. Absolutely not. You will not resort to that. I swear upon my life, that I will not allow that to happen. I will feed this family, and you will never work as a whore”.
Merrie: I know. I trust you. I trust that you will. But please…if it should come to that (heaven forbid)…just, please. Think of the children.
Phil: *Looks at Merrie for a long while.* “I will.”
Merrie: “I hope you understand. I would rather die. But I would never let my children die”.
.
Phil: “There are other ways. There are always other ways. I promise you-“ *takes Merrie’s hands in his and looks directly at her* “We will find a way to get by”.
End of Scene
*Phil walks into the room with the desk seen in Scene 1. On the desk lies a small gun. Phil jumps slightly at the sight and then, hesitantly, picks up the gun and hides it in the desk drawer. He walks out looking troubled.*
End of Scene
(Phil stands outside of a house, clenching the gun in his hand. He stands there for a few moments, then ventures into the house.)
(Once inside, he hides in a closet. After a while, a man comes by into the room where Phil resides, and Phil cautiously steps out of his hiding place into view.)
Man: *whipping around at the sound and handing his hands out defensively.* “Whoa! Who are you!”
Phil: “Hello. My name is Phil”.
Man: “Why are you in my house?” *notices the gun in Phil’s hand.* “And why have you got a gun??”
Phil: “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Man: *Looking scared.* “What? What are you talking about? What are you doing?”
Phil *Readies the pistol*. “I have to do this. I have to. I haven’t got a choice”.
Man: “No. Don’t. Please – please don’t!”
Phil: “I have to. I have to.”
Man: *whispers terrifiedly.* “No. No you don’t. You don’t have to do this!”
Phil: “I have to feed my family. I’m desperate. I haven’t got a choice”.
Man: *on verge of tears* “Please…”
Phil: “I’m sorry”. *Pulls trigger.*
(The man falls to the ground with a bullet in his stomach, gasping for breath. Phil walks over and, with a stony expression on his face, pulls the trigger again. The man falls silent. Phil sits down by the man, watches him die, and then leaves the house and closes the door behind him. He pulls out a cell phone and dials a number.)
Phil: “The job is done”.
Man: “Hello?”
Phone Voice: “Phil. Are you in or are you out?”
Phil: *Shudder*s. “I…I need more time. Can you give me more time?”
Phone Voice: “You have taken time. What is your answer?”
Phil: “How much did you say it would pay, again?”
Phone Voice: “That depends on how well you do your job. Rest assured, however, you will be rewarded handsomely for your services”.
(From behind the wall, clattering and clanging of kitchen utensils is heard, with a woman scolding her children to not eat all their food at once. Phil glances towards the source of the noise.)
Phil: *Sighs resignedly*. “I’m in”.
Phone Voice: “Excellent”. Hangs up
(A pregnant woman walks into the room, clad in a stained bathrobe and drying a dish.)
Woman: “Who are you talking to, honey?”
Phil: “I – no one. Just…thinking aloud, I guess.”
Woman: “Well, quit thinking aloud and come help. Your children need to get to school, and I don’t want them walking alone; there was a shooting down the street the other day”. *Phil flinches at the word “shooting”.*
Phil: “Alright. Just give me a second”.
(Woman leaves, and Phil puts his head down in his hands.)
End of Scene
(Phil walks into an ally, clutching around him a threadbare coat against the cold. Waiting for him is a group of men in identical black coats.)
Man #1: “Hello Phil. Glad you could make it”.
Phil: “Please. Let’s be quick. I need to get home to my wife.”
Man #1: “I assure you, I have no intention of wasting time. But there are some things that must be discussed. Have you any experience with assassination?”
Phil: “No.”
Man #1: “Have you ever committed a killing of your own?”
Phil: “No.”
Man #2: “Have you ever harmed a man in any way?”
Phil “Never.”
Man #1: “Do you have any experience handling a gun?”
Phil: “None”.
Man #3: “Alright, that’s all well and good. But what we really need to know is, do you think you can go through with this?”
Phil: *Hesitates* “I…I need to feed my family. I will do whatever it takes for them not to starve.”
Man #3: *Smiles.* “Excellent”.
Man #1: “Where do you live?”
Phil: *Pointing”* Down that street and to the left a ways. It’s the apartment building at the end of the block.”
Man #1: “Ah, perfect! Our target resides on that street. Do you know a man by the name of Axel Sih personally?”
Phil: “No. I try not to make casual friends. It’s difficult to trust anyone”.
Man #1: “I suppose that’s wise. In any case, it makes our mission easier.”
Phil: “If I might ask…”
Man #1: “What?”
Phil: “Why do you need me for this? Why can’t you kill him yourself?
*Man #1 opens his mouth to respond, but Man #2 quickly cuts him off.*
Man #2: “He used to be a close friend of ours. He knows us too well, and we know him. We need a stranger to do the job for us.”
Man #1: “Besides, this job takes planning and organization. We’re leaving for a job in England soon; we haven’t got that sort of time. It’s up to you”.
Phil: “I…alright.”
Man #3: “Don’t mess things up.”
Phil: “I…I won’t. I won’t.”
*Man #1 pulls out a sheet of paper and a pen. *
Man #1: “Sign here, please”.
(Phil signs the paper. Man #1 folds it up and tucks it in his coat, then the three turn and leave. Phil stands for a moment, then sighs and leaves in the opposite direction.)
End of Scene
(Phil and his wife stand in a kitchen together, his wife cleaning and Phil looking through some papers.)
Woman: “Phil, have you found a job yet?”
Phil: *Starts*. “I – no. Not yet. I’m looking, but honey, the economy…it’s terrible. Something will come along, but…it may take a while.”
Woman: “I know, I know. Just keep looking.”
Phil: “Your job is going alright…right?”
Woman: Well…I…that’s the thing.”
Phil: “Merrie! What’s wrong?”
Merrie: “It’s not a certain thing. Not yet. I just…I received a warning. That maybe…I might be fired.”
Phil: “What?! What will we do?”
Merrie: “Now, Phil, it’s not certain
Phil: “Regardless, it’s a possibility. If it does happen, how will we cope?”
Merrie: “I don’t know. I…I don’t know. Just…please, Phil, keep looking for work.”
Phil: “I will. I swear I will”.
Merrie: “Phil…if I do lose my job, and you can’t get one…you know what happens then.”
Phil: *Looks at Merrie*. “No.”
Merrie: “What else could we do? It may have to come to that”
Phil: “No. Absolutely not. You will not resort to that. I swear upon my life, that I will not allow that to happen. I will feed this family, and you will never work as a whore”.
Merrie: I know. I trust you. I trust that you will. But please…if it should come to that (heaven forbid)…just, please. Think of the children.
Phil: *Looks at Merrie for a long while.* “I will.”
Merrie: “I hope you understand. I would rather die. But I would never let my children die”.
.
Phil: “There are other ways. There are always other ways. I promise you-“ *takes Merrie’s hands in his and looks directly at her* “We will find a way to get by”.
End of Scene
*Phil walks into the room with the desk seen in Scene 1. On the desk lies a small gun. Phil jumps slightly at the sight and then, hesitantly, picks up the gun and hides it in the desk drawer. He walks out looking troubled.*
End of Scene
(Phil stands outside of a house, clenching the gun in his hand. He stands there for a few moments, then ventures into the house.)
(Once inside, he hides in a closet. After a while, a man comes by into the room where Phil resides, and Phil cautiously steps out of his hiding place into view.)
Man: *whipping around at the sound and handing his hands out defensively.* “Whoa! Who are you!”
Phil: “Hello. My name is Phil”.
Man: “Why are you in my house?” *notices the gun in Phil’s hand.* “And why have you got a gun??”
Phil: “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Man: *Looking scared.* “What? What are you talking about? What are you doing?”
Phil *Readies the pistol*. “I have to do this. I have to. I haven’t got a choice”.
Man: “No. Don’t. Please – please don’t!”
Phil: “I have to. I have to.”
Man: *whispers terrifiedly.* “No. No you don’t. You don’t have to do this!”
Phil: “I have to feed my family. I’m desperate. I haven’t got a choice”.
Man: *on verge of tears* “Please…”
Phil: “I’m sorry”. *Pulls trigger.*
(The man falls to the ground with a bullet in his stomach, gasping for breath. Phil walks over and, with a stony expression on his face, pulls the trigger again. The man falls silent. Phil sits down by the man, watches him die, and then leaves the house and closes the door behind him. He pulls out a cell phone and dials a number.)
Phil: “The job is done”.
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