a play by Ketlin Narris

~~~Cast~~~
Lawrence
Austin

~~~~~~

The play starts in an ordinary office room, a man of about 20 or older occupying the desk
chair (Lawrence).  There is a hurried knock on the door, and he gets up to answer it.

Lawrence:  Hello?

A child of about 16 answers.

Austin: Are... Are you Lawrence?

Lawrence: Yes, and who are you?  Do you have an appointment?

Austin:  I... you just- you just asked me to come here....

Lawrence: Oh!  Austin, I’m sorry, I should have recognized your voice.  Come on in.

Austin:  [hanging back]  But this is your office,... No, never mind, you’re busy...

Lawrence: Ah, you see, I already made an appointment for you- it’s the workday, you
  know, so it was the only way you could come to see me.

Austin:  [comes in but doesn’t take a seat]  But I didn’t come for any psycho
  babble...

Lawrence: Aw, com’on, I don’t talk like that over the phone, do I?  Sit down, Aus.

Austin sits down, very nervous.

  I’m glad you could make it here today.

Austin:  Yeah....

Lawrence: You don’t think you were followed here?

Austin:  I-I don’t know- I should leave--

Lawrence: No!  It’s alright, even if they do find you here.  We won’t let anything
  happen to you- I won’t.  No one here will- that’s what we’re for of course.
  Please stay.

Austin:  I--

Lawrence: Look, did you leave a note?

Austin:  No...

Lawrence: Then they can’t possibly know where you’ve run off to, now can they?
  Don’t worry, this place is safe- and you know I’m confidential. [pause]
  It’s nice to finally see you.

Austin:  Yeah... I-I shouldn’t be doing this, I need to talk to you sometimes, but
  this... here, they’ll be looking for me...

Lawrence: Your parents?

Austin:  [getting up]  Yeah...

Lawrence: Austin, you can stay and talk as long as you want.  All we need is some
  sort of proof, and they’ll never be able to touch you again.

Austin:  No.

Lawrence: You don’t have to go back.

Austin:  No....

Lawrence: At least not yet, your Dad’s at work, right?  They won’t be home awhile.

Austin:  [hesitates]  A little longer. [sits back down]

Lawrence:  [sits down][cheerily]  We’ve got hours.  No one will know you were here
  but me.

Austin:  This never happened.

Lawrence: That’s right, totally confidential.

Austin:  Ok.

Lawrence: So... how have you been?  I haven’t talked to you since our last phone call.

Austin:  Ok.

Lawrence: You look awfully nervous.  [long silence]  Are you sure you’re ok?

Austin:  I’m fine.

Lawrence: Look, if you need to, just pretend we’re on the phone.  It’s the same thing.
  We’re just talking.

Austin:  That doesn’t help....

Lawrence: Why not?

Austin:  Because, you know I have to hide that too....  Otherwise I would call you
  more.  Is... is any of this...illegal?

Lawrence: You’re 16 now, right, Aus?

Austin:  Yeah.

Lawrence: Good.  That means that now you’re allowed to seek professional help
  without your parents consent.

Austin:  Really?  Any professional?

Lawrence: Um, yeah, I think so... you could ask for help from a medical doctor, a
  psychologist,--

Austin:  So, I’m allowed to talk to you... by law?

Lawrence: Yes- I’m a certified psychologist.  No matter what your parents do they
  can’t stop you from coming here.  There, told you it was ok.  Feel better
  now?

Austin:  I dunno.

Lawrence: Is there anything you wanted to talk about?

Austin:  I dunno....

Lawrence: Do you know why I asked you here?

Austin:  No.

Lawrence: Well, there are many types of proof, Aus.

Austin:  Like what?

Lawrence: Well....

Austin:  I’ll try almost anything, please, you keep telling me you work with other
  kids, so how do you get them out?

Lawrence: Very basically, by declaring them abused.

Austin:  Abused?

Lawrence: Yes, Aus, your father is very abusive.  [pause]  That’s what I was getting
  at, you see, there is one way I can officially say your Dad is abusive.
  That’s proof- if we can prove how abusive, we might even be able to get
  you out of there.

Austin:  Only one way?  What way?

Lawrence: Your testimony.  All you need to do is come here one day and answer a
  bunch of questions for me.

Austin:  What kind of questions.

Lawrence: A lot like the ones I usually ask you, only they’ll be a record of them, and
  it’s best if you answer them all.

Austin:  Why wouldn’t I answer them all?

Lawrence: Some of them might make you uncomfortable.

Austin:  Like what?

Lawrence: Just specific questions.

Austin:  I would have to answer them?

Lawrence: No, I’m not going to make you do anything.  It would be best if your were
  honest and elaborated as much as you can, though.  You could take it now,
  if you like- we should have enough time if we start soon.

Austin:  Uh uh.

Lawrence: Why not?

Austin:  I don’t want to be evaluated.  You’ll just tell me I’m nuts.

Lawrence: [kind smile]  Even the nuts get better.

Austin:  No.

Lawrence: Do you think you’re going insane?  [silence]  Because if you are, you
  probably just need away for awhile.  You’re stuck in that house 24/7, it’s a
  miracle you could come here at all...

Austin:  I guess so.

Lawrence: What if you are going insane, then what would you do?

Austin:  I guess I would come here.

Lawrence: And what do you think would make you feel that way?

Austin:  Life.  Are you going to make me take that test?

Lawrence: No, but I would like you to.

Austin:  I don’t want to take it, I don’t trust you.  I don’t trust the people you work
  with; the only reason I come to you is because I can’t think of anything
  else to do!  I’ve done everything!  I just can’t stand it anymore!  I can’t
  trust anyone, even you don’t understand half the things I tell you!  And
  you’re supposed to be the professional!  You want me to take the stupid
  test???!  Why can’t you just believe what I tell you!  I’ve told you a lot and
  you still don’t believe me?!  For goodness sakes, I actually escaped out of
  the house and... and..... [gets up]

Lawrence: [gets up as well]  Austin!  I never said I didn’t believe you, I’m sorry- do I
  act that way? Com’on, I’m here to talk to you of course.  Stay, won’t you?

Austin:  Why?

Lawrence: Because I still want to talk to you!

Austin:  NO!

Lawrence: Austin!  What if you can never, ever make it here again?!

Austin:  I’m not staying!!! [is almost out the door but pauses]

Lawrence: I don’t want this to be the last time I see you...

Austin:  [challenging]  Why, what are you afraid of?

Lawrence: The same thing you are, that they’ll drive you nuts.

Austin:  [defensively]  I’ve lasted this long.

Lawrence: Would you have come to me a few years ago?

Austin grips the side of the door harder, his gaze cold and determined.

  Com’on, you at least need to talk, why else would you come here?  What
  if this is the only time you can make it here?  Don’t you want to drag it out
  long as you can?

Austin:  You can’t promise me protection.

Lawrence: I can... if you stay here.  Trust me?

Austin:  What else would I have to do, that test?

Lawrence: That might be part of trusting me, we’ll both have to see.  It’s like
  paperwork- I might just have to do it.  Simple as that.

Austin:  Would you maybe just have to break my trust, too?

Lawrence: I’d rather quit my job, find some other way to help you.

Austin:  Like what.  How would you be asked to break my trust?

Lawrence: Well...It might actually be best if I bring your parents in- for an evaluation.
  But only after you were safe from them, out of reach legally and
  physically.

Austin:  Honest.

Lawrence: Yes, honest, you kinda just have to trust me, don’t you?

Austin:  I guess so.

Lawrence: There’s not much else for you to do, am I correct?  This is the safest thing.

Austin:  There’s one more thing I could do, I wanted to say good bye, that’s why I
  came.

Lawrence: Austin... there’s no reason to say goodbye, to anyone, Aus....

Austin:  I came here to say good bye.

Lawrence: Yes, I understand. But won’t you stay instead?  You can’t just end it all....

Austin:  I can.

Lawrence: Please don’t.  Stay here!  At least try this first...  You still have options
  left.

Austin:  You’ll put me in a hospital if I stay.

Lawrence: Only for a little while... and you’d still have me to talk to, and your parents
  couldn’t touch you, I promise.

Austin:  Swear? [pause] Swear it!

Lawrence: I swear, Austin.  I’ll find a Bible and make it an oath if you want.

Austin:  [suspicious, curious]  Really, what kind of an oath?

Lawrence: I’d swear to protect you, to help you like you’ve asked.

Austin:  Really?

Lawrence: Yes, there’s a Bible in the desk if you want me to go get it.

Austin:  [sheepish]  Naw, that’s ok....

Lawrence: [gets out the Bible]  I’m ready.  What exactly do you want me to swear?

Austin:  [comes fully into the room, shuts the door]  That’s ok, I believe you...

Lawrence: Then, you’ll stay and trust me on this?

Austin:  [sits down]  Yeah,... yes, I will.  But I don’t want to be in the same room
  with them.

Lawrence: Of course, I wouldn’t do that to you. [puts Bible away]  Do you want to
  just talk?

Austin:  I’ll take the test if you want.

Lawrence: Good, I’m glad- everything’s gonna be alright.  Don’t worry, just trust me.
  [smiles]

Austin:  Alright, I will.

Lawrence: You won’t change your mind?

Austin:  I won’t. [smiles back]

Lawrence: Good.... I’ll trust you.

The scene fades away to signify the end of the play.