ISABELLE: a play
In a Dystopian world, a virus called “The Germ” has devastated the global population. The former Archaeological Museum of Delos, now repurposed as a mental facility, harbors an amnesiac named Isabelle who is haunted by her hazy past.
SETTING
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The former Archaeological Museum of Delos, repurposed as a mental health facility. The Cycladic island chain is one of several WHO-sanctioned Safe Zones, supposedly free of “The Germ”, which has had a rapid and severe impact on the world population.
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Industrial work lights are employed sporadically throughout in an effort to conserve power. The resulting void is interrupted sparingly by art that was too cumbersome to relocate: giant statuary, massive arches and Doric columns.
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SCENE ONE
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ISABELLE
Let’s begin.
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ANISIO
Is this really necessary?
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ISABELLE
Focus on your breath—chest, rising and falling. Start with the first thing you
can remember.
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ANISIO
The stairs.
ISABELLE
What stairs?
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ANISIO
Leading up.
ISABELLE, composed as an able psychiatrist would be, sits in a chair. ANISIO reluctantly lies on the couch.
ISABELLE
Good. What were they like?
(no reply)
Were they steep? Endless? Did you fall?
ANISIO
No, I didn’t fall. They were...rocky.
ISABELLE Where did they lead?
ANISIO
To the top. It took forever.
ISABELLE
Time runs strangely in dreams. What else?
ANISIO
Things looked different from the photographs—
ISABELLE
Just tell me what you saw. Did you reach the top?
ANISIO
Yes, but before that, the goat again. This time, along the path.
ISABELLE
Could you see the monastery?
ANISIO
Yes. Bright white, in and out of view as the path snaked around.
ISABELLE
How did you feel when you saw it?
ANISIO
What about the goat?
ISABELLE
What about it?
ANISIO
It hissed at me this time. Is that important?
ISABELLE
Is it?
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ANISIO
(EXPLODING, he sits up)
I’m not doing this—
ISABELLE
(assertive)
Lie down. Please. Go back to the dream.
​
He lies down but continues to pout.
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ISABELLE
Mr. Argyris?
ANISIO
I hate it when you call me that.
ISABELLE
Anisio. Skip ahead monastery.
ANISIO
It was white.
ISABELLE
You said. Anything else?
ANISIO
The brightest white I’ve ever seen. The sun...reflecting off the stone, I guess.
I was blinded.
ISABELLE
Did you go inside?
ANISIO
I must have. I don’t remember a door but I remember the inside.
ISABELLE
Were you alone?
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ANISIO
There was a priest. Not really a priest, but a holy man. His ears were pierced and he
had a scratchy beard. Do you think—
ISABELLE
Let’s not try to interpret. Just tell me what happened. Did you approach him? Did
he speak?
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ANISIO
He was telling the story, the legend of the monastery.
ISABELLE
Try to remember exactly what he said.
ANISIO
I don’t know. He was pointing toward the wall. The whole structure is carved into the
side of the mountain.
ISABELLE
What was he pointing to?
ANISIO
A chisel. The chisel in the legend.
ISABELLE
Anything else? About the interior?
ANISIO
There were paintings—religious icons—on the wall. There ARE paintings. I saw them
in the photographs. I don’t know if I dreamt about them first or remembered them
from the report—
ISABELLE
Just stick to the dream. What were they like?
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ANISIO
They were...flat.
ISABELLE
Flat? Is that all?
ANISIO
Flat, two-dimensional, I don’t fucking know...Lots of gold paint, the figures had big
dead eyes.
ISABELLE
Good.
ANISIO
And the Panagea—her mouth.
ISABELLE
The Panagea?
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ANISIO
The dark-eyed Virgin.
ISABELLE
What about her mouth?
ANISIO
It was moving. She spoke.
ISABELLE
What did she say? Could you make out anything?
ANISIO
No.
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ISABELLE
No?
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ANISIO
I don’t want to talk about that.
ISABELLE
Okay. You don’t have to.
ANISIO
Can we stop now?
ISABELLE
You’re almost done. Tell me how it ended.
ANISIO
You know how.
ISABELLE
(prompting)
You went outside...
A pause.
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ANISIO
There was a terrace. And flags.
ISABELLE
Flags?
ANISIO
I remember them blowing because it
was incredibly windy. Like...
ISABELLE
Like...?
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ANISIO
It wasn’t like anything. It was just windy.
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ISABELLE
Like it was going to blow you off the mountain?
(he doesn’t reply)
What happened to the holy man?
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ANISIO
He wasn’t there anymore. I was alone. Not entirely alone.
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ISABELLE
Not entirely? And then?
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He glares bitterly.
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ANISIO
You tell me.
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ISABELLE
The falling.
ANISIO
Falling.
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ISABELLE
You’re almost done. Tell me about the falling.
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ANISIO
I don’t see how this is helpful.
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ISABELLE
Was it fast? Was it frightening?
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ANISIO
Frightening!!??
(sitting up, leaning forward)
It was fucking terrifying. Dropping from impossible heights, unable to catch my breath.
I woke up still feeling that hollow in my gut, gasping for air and searching for
something...anything, to grab onto.
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ISABELLE
You felt like that upon waking?
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ANISIO
I’ve felt like that ever since.