Cutting

Three female actors. About 8-9 minutes.

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Entire Script:

CUTTING

Written by Warren Sager

Cast of Characters:  Becky, Sue and Lisa:  college age girls
INT. HALLWAY AT COLLEGE DORM
Becky is fumbling through her books when Sue approaches.
SUE
Becky!  Can I talk to you for a minute?
BECKY
Sure, Sue…what’s up?
SUE
Have you seen Lisa lately?
BECKY
Not in the last few days I guess…why?
SUE
(Proceeds slowly not sure how to say what she wants to say)
I wanted to talk to you about her.  I was wondering if you had noticed anything unusual in her behavior.
BECKY
Huh?  What do you mean?
SUE
Well….it’s just that…I noticed something yesterday and it kind of concerns me.
BECKY
Something in her behavior.
SUE
Not really.  Just something on her.  I guess I need to come right out and say it, because I know I’m not making any sense here.
BECKY
You got that right.
SUE
She was washing some dishes the other day when I came walking in and I thought I noticed something on her arm…like a cut.  She quickly pushed her long sleeves down to hide it like she noticed I was looking.
BECKY
So she has a cut on her arm and she didn’t want you to see it.  What are you saying?
SUE
Well, have you noticed how she always wears long sleeves?
BECKY
Maybe.  I don’t know.  Perhaps an interesting fashion choice.
SUE
Yeah…that’s what I thought till I saw her try to hide that cut.
BECKY
Was the cut on her wrist?
SUE
Like she had tried to slit her wrists?  I don’t think so.  I don’t know.  That’s what scares me.
BECKY
You think she might be suicidal.
SUE
But she doesn’t seem that type.
BECKY
What type is that type?  Have you ever known anyone who was suicidal?  My understanding is that it isn’t easy to detect, and you shouldn’t discount anything.  If she’s like that, she needs help and needs it right away.
SUE
That’s why I wanted to tell you.
BECKY
Okay…well I will definitely be praying about this.  I certainly want to make myself available in any way I can.
SUE
Good.  I know you are a Christian and you guys always know how to help people who are hurting and seem to be lost about things in life.
BECKY
That’s an interesting observation.  Well, I know the power of God can work through me in this situation.  Sometimes the smallest word can bring a ton of encouragement.  And of course I believe God directs us where He wants us to go.
SUE
And I’m not even sure she is suicidal!  I’m not sure that was what the cut was.  It wasn’t really going across her wrist…you know like you would think it would be.  It was higher.
BECKY
Lisa is smart enough that if she really wanted to do it, she would do it right.  But we shouldn’t jump to conclusions.  Plus, we need to respect Lisa’s privacy. Maybe she just cut herself accidently.
SUE
Then why try to hide it?
BECKY
If that is really what she was doing.  Maybe she just wanted to pull her sleeves down because she was done.
SUE
That’s just it.  She wasn’t done…and she got her sleeves wet doing that.  It just seemed like she was hiding it.
BECKY
It would seem that way.
(Has a sudden thought)
Unless she is cutting.  Do you suppose that’s it?
SUE
What do you mean?
BECKY
You know…cutting.
(Not sure how to explain it)
SUE
Oh yeah…I’ve heard of that.  Oooh.  Do you think?
BECKY
I don’t know.  But that ain’t healthy.  We need to talk to her.
SUE
She’s in her room.
BECKY
Okay.  Let’s go.  I’ll be praying.  Just follow my lead…I will do the talking.
SUE
You do that.
They exit
LIGHTS FADE
LIGHTS COME UP ON LISA’S ROOM
SCENE TWO

Int.  Lisa’s room
Lisa enters with a can of soda and sits down on the couch.  She pops the tab off and takes a drink, still holding the tab on her finger. She starts looking at it, and thinking about it.  She puts the can down and slowly pushes up her opposite sleeve.  She touches the edge of the tab to test it’s sharpness and then slowly brings it to her arm as if she is about to cut.  Suddenly there is a knock on the door and she stops and quickly puts the tab down and pushes her sleeve back down.
LISA
Come in!
Becky and Sue enter
BECKY
Hey Lisa!  What’s up?
LISA
Becky…what are you doing here?
BECKY
I just thought I would…
SUE
I asked her to come over.
LISA
Oh…are you two working on a project or something?  What is it…biology?
SUE
No.  We wanted to talk to you.
BECKY
(Nervously looking at Sue who seems a bit abrupt)
If that’s okay with you.
LISA
Sure.  What about?
BECKY
Uh…well…
SUE
Can we be perfectly frank?
LISA
(Starting to feel uneasy)
Sure.  What’s going on?
BECKY
Lisa, Sue was telling me something and it has us concerned.  We thought we should just ask you about it because maybe it’s nothing.
LISA
Something about me?
SUE
Yeah.  The other day when I came in while you were washing dishes, I noticed a cut on your arm…
LISA
(Answering quickly)
Yeah…I scratched myself.
SUE
Well…I thought you noticed me looking and you quickly pulled your sleeves down, so I thought you didn’t want me to see it.
LISA
You’re mistaken.
SUE
It just seemed to me that you were hiding that cut on your arm…
LISA
I told you it was a scratch.
BECKY
Lisa, we don’t want to upset you.  We just got worried.
LISA
You have nothing to worry about.  So, can we just forget it, now?
BECKY
Sure.  I mean, if there is nothing, then there is nothing.  No harm, no foul, right?
LISA
Yeah.
BECKY
But you can see our part, can’t you?  Long sleeves hiding a cut on the arm could look like you are cutting yourself and don’t want people to know.
LISA
(Defensive)
And why would I be doing that?  Why would you think that?
BECKY
Well, Lisa, I don’t know you all that well.  It seemed like it could be a possibility.  You see, I have done that before.  It was a few years ago.  It was just something that I kind of dabbled in.  I’m only telling you that because we care about you and wanted to offer our help.
LISA
(Very abrupt)
Well, I don’t need your help.
BECKY
That’s fine.  I’m sorry we pushed the issue.  If there is nothing, then we can just chock it up to being overly suspicious for no reason.
SUE
Well, I’m not giving up that easily.  Since we mentioned cutting, you seem to have become even more defensive.
LISA
I am not.  You two are just being weird and I think you need to mind your own business.
SUE
Why?  Because we have hit a nerve?  There is something wrong isn’t there?  What’s going on, Lisa?
LISA
Sue…do I go poking my nose in your business?
BECKY
You are right, Lisa.  We are poking our noses in your business, but the more we poke, the more you fight us and act suspiciously guilty.  I’m with Sue on this one.  We have hit a nerve haven’t we?
LISA
(Building in intensity)
Just leave me alone.  I said it was none of your business and I meant it.
BECKY
Lisa…please.  Are you cutting yourself?
LISA
So what if I am?  Why do you care so much?
SUE
Then you are!
BECKY
We aren’t here to accuse you.  We want to help.  Why are you doing it?  Is there some kind of problem going on in your life right now?  Is someone else getting you to do it?
SUE
I heard that people who do that to themselves are just trying to cover up something else that is going on.  They inflict pain to take their minds off of some other difficult issue.  But it is only temporarily covering it, and the issue doesn’t go away.
LISA
You don’t know what you are talking about!  Just leave me alone!  I don’t appreciate you coming in here and ganging up on me like this!
BECKY
I’m sorry it seems like that, Lisa.  For me, it took a good friend who really cared to confront me and share with me and just talk.  We talked about how Jesus could help me overcome this thing.  You see, my dad had died, and I wasn’t dealing with it very well.  Someone told me that if I cut myself, it would inflict pain and cover up my other pain. (Pause) I just want you to know that we love you and care about you and if you need us for anything…just to talk, then we can be here for you.
LISA
You love me?!!  You just said you don’t know me very well!  How can you say stuff like that?
BECKY
You are someone special to God.  Since He loves you then I can love you, too.  And I just want you to know that if you have gotten yourself into something that you feel helpless about and you cannot get through it alone, then God is right here and He wants to help you.  I know because He has helped me so many times.
LISA
Why are you doing this??  Go away!  Go preach to someone else!
BECKY
I don’t mean to preach.  I just want to help.  I don’t want to see you hurt yourself.
LISA
Look!  It’s my body!  I can do what I want!
SUE
That’s true.  You can.  But is that really what you want?  You want scars?  What if you cut too deep and really injure yourself?  What then?
LISA
I said, go away!
SUE
Are you going to live the rest of your life in long sleeves?  How much are you hiding now?
(She moves quickly to her and starts pulling back her sleeves which Lisa fights)
LISA
Get away from me!  Leave me a lone!
BECKY
(Pulling Sue away from Lisa)
Sue!  Stop!
SUE
What are you doing?
BECKY
Sue…I don’t think we’re really helping her.  We’re attacking her and she is just defending herself.  I wouldn’t want someone to take this approach with me.  Maybe we should leave her alone.
LISA
Thank you.  I would appreciate that.
SUE
Becky…we’re making progress here!  What are you doing?
BECKY
Are we?  I only see her pushing us away.  She knows we care… and that Jesus can heal her right now.  She will talk to us when she is ready.  I mean that, Lisa.  Just call me, I’ll come over…anytime…seriously.  I won’t preach.  I’ll just listen if that’s what you need.  If you are feeling trapped in something… don’t be afraid.  There is a way out of it. I really believe that…and I’m living proof.  Here’s my cell number.
(Grabs a pen and writes it on a piece of paper lying there)

Lets go, Sue.  Lets leave her alone.
SUE
Okay… I hope you know what you’re doing.
They both exit.  Lisa sits there for a little bit staring straight ahead, then she pushes up her sleeve to see the cuts.  She picks up the paper with the number on it and looks at it, then she picks up a phone or cell phone and dials.
LISA
Becky?  Can you meet me in front of my building at 10:00?  Thanks.
(She hangs up)

THE END

Copyright 2006 Warren Sager