review edit
FURIOUS LOVE
BY DESTINY JONES
Characters
JORDAN a young women who’s battling drug addiction.
AUGUST a young successful male, Jordan’s boyfriend
Setting
Chicago.
Note: Throughout the entire play both characters are in view of the audience.
Time
Present time.
AUGUST: I can’t believe she lied to me. (He holds a hypodermic needle in one hand, away from his body, while looking into the mirror at his own angry face) (The front door is heard being unlocked, with keys rattling) (AUGUST makes his way to the door) JORDAN: (Humming while removing her key and shutting the door behind her and then looking up at August with a smile) Hey baby, you’re home early today. AUGUST: (Disregarding her friendliness) What’s this? (holds out the needle) (JORDAN drops everything in her hand and stands there in shock) AUGUST: (Slowly lifts his head while speaking) Nothing to say? Has it rattled your brain? Is that why you’re acting like you don’t hear me?! JORDAN: (speaks in distraught) I..I was gonna tel- AUGUST: (Drops the needle to the ground as he stomps towards hers. His foot cracks the needle into pieces along the way) I’M AT MY BREAKING POINT! I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED WITH YOU! (He places both hands on her small shoulders and grips her tightly with anger) BUT TO NO AVAIL! AUGUST CONT’D: (He removes his hands from her shoulders and begins to step back while shaking his head and flailing his arms into the air and lazily putting them back down while saying in a defeated tone) I’ve tried time and time with you, but it’s no use. I think it’s time for me to remove myself from you until you figure out what you want. It’s either me or the drugs. JORDAN: I’m trying, but it’s hard.
AUGUST: Try harder.
JORDAN: It’s not that easy, and you know that.
AUGUST: Sounds like a bunch of bullshit to me. If you wanted to stop you would’ve by now.
JORDAN: (Taken back) Sorry I’m not the perfect girl of your dreams. Sorry I’m a fucked up
individual. Sorry I’m a heroin addict. I’m fucking sorry! Okay!
(She runs away into the bathroom and locks herself inside. Inside the bathroom, she stands over
the sink and empties out her purse, looking for a new needle)
(AUGUST starts to feel bad for what he said to her earlier, he knew she was an addict struggling
with something much bigger than her at the moment. He makes his way to the bathroom she ran
off too.)
AUGUST: Baby, you have to stop doing this shit. I hate seeing you like this. You don’t know
how bad that shits fucks with me. I’m in too deep to even think about living if you’re not living
with me. I love you so much. (He whispers the last line through the door) Can you please open
up the door?
JORDAN: I have to do this.
AUGUST: Do what?
JORDAN: I need to numb the pain and block out the loud noises.
AUGUST: Jordan, please, stop.
JORDAN: (becomes irate) SHUT UP! PLEASE JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!
AUGUST: (Vigorously starts shaking the doorknob trying to open it)
JORDAN: (sobbing) NOW YOU CARE? YOU JUST SAID YOU’RE TIRED OF TRYING.
YOU’RE LEAVING ME NOW RIGHT? I’M ALONE. I’VE ALWAYS BEEN ALONE.
AUGUST: Baby you’re not alone. Just calm down. I’ve been here the whole time. Through
every high and low, I’ve been right here. Jordan please open the door (he speaks in a calming
tone with his head pressed against the door) Hey babe, do you remember when we went to Aruba
and swam with the dolphins? We were so happy and baby I have faith that we can make it back
there one day.
JORDAN: (holds the needle tightly in her hand while staring intently at the doorknob. She’s
reminiscing about the trip) As much as I try and try, I always end up back here with this needle
in my hand. What’s wrong with me? Am I worthless? Maybe the drugs are stronger than me.
AUGUST: No, you’re stronger than you think. That needle is just another bump in the road we
have to get over together. You’re worth the world to me baby. Please don’t give up now. Fight
for your life back.
JORDAN: (tears rolling down her face) Do you promise to stay? (she whispers as she slides
down to the floor with her back pressed against the tub)
AUGUST : Yes, I promise. Together we can beat this. (hears the lock turn and he slowly begins
to pushes the door open. He sees JORDAN pressed with her back against the tub with her arms
wrapped around her legs cradling herself, while sobbing uncontrollably)
AUGUST CONT’D: (sit down next to her and wraps his arms around her) I’m right here, calm
down and just focus on breathing. (her sobs start to cease and her breathing return to a normal
rhythm.)
AUGUST: There you go, just breathe
JORDAN: (whispers) I’m sorry
AUGUST: Sshhhh
JORDAN: I love you, please don’t leave me alone. I promise to stop this time forreal.
AUGUST: I will never leave you like this. I’m sorry for saying that earlier, I love you too much
to just leave you this way. You have never been alone and you never will be as long as I’m here.
(He sits in shock at what just took place. He never experienced something like that with anyone.
It hurt him to see JORDAN this way.)
(Setting change to the bedroom, it’s now the next morning)
(It’s quiet between the two, as they lay in bed together as the sunrise. JORDAN watches and
listens intently to the birds chirping outside on the windows ledge as she lays on AUGUST chest
with tear stains on her face.)
JORDAN: (she slides out the bed and goes downstairs into the kitchen. She sits at the counter
and begins writing a note. After she finishes the note she folds it up and carries it back upstairs)
JORDAN CONT’D: (she sees that AUGUST is still in a deep sleep and begins to pack a few
bags. She takes them downstairs and sits them by the front door. She places the note in the spot
on the bed she once laid in. She takes one last look at AUGUST sleeping and quietly shuts the
door behind her and exits the house)
AUGUST: (He wakes up and notices JORDAN isn’t in the bed with him. He sees the note and
opens it.)
(AUGUST reads the loud aloud)
The note reads “I can’t keep dragging you down this dark road with me. I need to do this alone.
Yes, I know I said I don’t want to be alone but I need to be. It’s the only way I am going to learn
how to fight this and win. Please don’t forget about me while I’m gone. I hope that one day when
I return we can go back to Aruba and start over. Until then baby go live your life and don’t worry
about me. I’m somewhere trying to figure it out. I love you and that will never change.”
AUGUST: She can’t be serious right now. (He reaches for his phone that’s sitting on the
nightstand by the bed and calls JORDAN.) (VOICEMAIL: “You have reached voicemail box of
773-323-1234,”)
(AUGUST heart drops to his stomach and tears starts to roll down his face as he turns bloodshot
red) I LOST HER! SHE’S GONE!