Cats Have Nine Lives

DESERT

We see an angel flying over the stage from left to right. Voices of A + B as one voice from above.

A+B:

Ouch, ouch, it hurts!

As if someone is pinching me with burning pliers.

This leg, this leg,

that's what's pinching me, as if it's someone else's,

as if it's not me, this leg,

ouch, ouch, ouch, as if it's not I, that's how

it's hurting me, this leg. What shall I do?

If your leg bothers you, rip it out.

I rip it out.

A's leg falls to Earth

A+B:

Ouch, ouch, ouch, what kind of pain is this,

I can't bear it,

my arm, my arm,

should it fall off, this arm,

fall off, arm!

It doesn't fall off, it wants to be me,

this arm, ouch, ouch, ouch, what to do with this pain,

what to do with this arm,

away with it, if your arm bothers you,

rip it out.

I rip it out.

An arm falls to Earth.

A+B:

Now it's in the head.

My forehead's a wilderness.

Ouch, ouch, ouch.

I'm hot, as if in a fever,

boil over, you damned brain.

My head breaks,

then break, you stupid shell,

break in two halves,

my own head as if it's not me,

out of my head, you head,

Boil over, break the pot!

The shell bears it.

The brain holds out,

more than I do.

I know,

I rip the head off.

Head off.

A head falls to Earth

A+B:

And now,

Now it's better.

No, It's not better.

Now I'm pinched,

Now I'm ripped,

Now I'm bitten,

Now I'm stabbed,

Now I'm slashed,

Now I'm boiled,

Now I'm burned,

Help!

No one there.

Hardly anything left,

and still hurting so much.

Help!

Hardly even me, and yet: I can't take it!

Help!

Show yourself, I hit you on the mouth!

No one there.

I know.

I'll rip my self out.

1

B is a baby. A, the mother, holds it in her arms. B screams.

A: Stop screaming.

B screams.

A: Want to know what Mommy's going to do now, you little piece of shit?

A throws B down and picks up a rope. B stops screaming.

A: Mommy's going outside now to hang herself with this rope.

B holds onto the mother and starts screaming again. A starts screaming and howling herself.

A: Because you're unbearable, because you're an unbearable little screaming turd.

A shakes the child off and leaves the house with the rope.

Time passes.

B as an adolescent locks all the doors, takes the key, sits down and waits, the key in her lap, staring at the window. A comes home.

A:

Tell me, what kind of game is this?

B:

I was scared.

A:

Do you wish to make terror here, young lady?

B:

No.

A:

Who do you think you are?

B:

Nobody.

A:

Fine then. Did you wash the dishes?

B:

No.

A:

Did you vacuum?

B:

No.

A:

Do you think I'm your maid?

B:

I couldn't.

A:

What does that mean, I couldn't.

B:

I was scared.

A:

The young lady was scared. Do you know, how sick I am of this?

B

shakes her head.

A:

I'm up to here with it, up to here.

B

shakes her head.

A:

Do you know what Mommy's going to do now?

B

shakes her head.

A:

Mommy's going out now to hang herself with this rope.

A leaves the room with the rope in her hand.

Time passes.

B is pregnant.

A:

You're pregnant?

B nods.

A:

That can't be true.

B is silent.

A:

What do you want with a child?

B is silent.

A:

A child with a child. That just can't be true.

B is silent.

A:

There's no father, I suppose.

B shakes her head.

A...