CASSANDRA: Part 12
The festival is almost here! Today we present the final installment of Bryce Duzan’s serialized version of his play, CASSANDRA. Thanks for reading and come check out the festival, starting November 6, through November 23rd, for more Trojan madness!
CASSANDRA
by Bryce Duzan
ACT TWO
Scene 6
(We are now back in modern day. APOLLO has just touched his fingers to CASSANDRA’s temples. She now snaps back into reality and pushes him away.)
CASSANDRA
You…Apollo…no! Why do you keep doing this? Why do you keep making me remember what has been?
APOLLO
Why do you keep running, Cassandra? Why do you keep forgetting what has been?
CASSANDRA
You know why, scum. I run…I forget…to stay away from you.
APOLLO
And I keep following. I will keep following you. Don’t you see? Don’t you see my love yet?
CASSANDRA
How blind are you that you think this is love? How unaware of humanity can you be? This is not love, Apollo. This is obsession.
APOLLO
A man who will never leave your side. Some women would die to have such a lover. Why not you?
CASSANDRA
I am not “some women.” I am Cassandra of Troy. You made me rise above when you scarred me with your “gift.”
APOLLO
You never think of it? Think of life with me? Love with me?
CASSANDRA
Of course I do.
APOLLO
Really?
CASSANDRA
Yes…oh Apollo, it would have been so good. If you had only…
APOLLO
Only what, Cassandra?
CASSANDRA
Only respected me. But you do not. Now I’ll ask that you leave.
APOLLO
I will not, Cassandra. I have a purpose for coming this time…more than usual, that is.
CASSANDRA
What kind of purpose is that?
(APOLLO ignores her question and begins to move around the room, inspecting the house.)
APOLLO
You have done well for yourself, Cassandra. What do you do now?
CASSANDRA
I work for a lawyer. I try to help people. It’s a simple home and a simple life…what I’ve always wanted.
APOLLO
And you live here by yourself?
CASSANDRA
No, with my daughters.
APOLLO
(Surprised.)
You have children?
CASSANDRA
Indeed I do, Apollo.
APOLLO
With whom?
CASSANDRA
Do I sense a twinge of jealousy?
APOLLO
I am…merely curious, of course.
(He is clearly lying.)
CASSANDRA
Of course. Well, you’ll be relieved to know that they are not mine. Biologically, anyway. I adopted them when they were both very young and raised them myself.
APOLLO
Yourself? Why?
CASSANDRA
Because I’ve always wanted children…and have never wanted a husband.
APOLLO
Hm, I see. What are their names?
CASSANDRA
Hecuba and Helen.
APOLLO
Your mother and…why Helen? Why not your blood sister?
CASSANDRA
My sister holds a place in my heart. Helen and my mother were influential to my life. I will never forget any of my family for as long as I live, but those two…I hear their words and advice in my mind always. Now they live with me. They are…both very good girls. I think I did pretty well.
APOLLO
I see. Congratulations.
CASSANDRA
Thank you.
(There is a heavy pause.)
APOLLO
Well, then…
CASSANDRA
Yes. Why are you here this time, Apollo?
APOLLO
I have come to give you a choice.
CASSANDRA
Let me guess. You’ve derived a scheme. Choose eternal life and love with you, or else something terrible will happen, yes?
APOLLO
Something like that, yes.
CASSANDRA
What makes you think this time will be any different?
APOLLO
Because this is something you want. Come with me, Cassandra…or I will let you go.
CASSANDRA
…what?
APOLLO
That’s what you want, isn’t it? You want death. Release from this prison called the earth. And I can give it to you.
CASSANDRA
No…why now? I finally have a life, a life I can be proud of. Why have you come to rip that away from me? Come back in fifty years, when I am supposed to retire and my children have lived long, happy lives. Come back then, when I should be ready to pass on, and then I will gladly take death then!
APOLLO
Don’t you see? That is precisely why I have come at this time in your long, long life. Because now is when you are at your peak. Think of it: if you die now, what will happen to your children? The people who depend on you? They will suffer because of your choice. And that is something you could not possibly bear, is it?
CASSANDRA
You bastard. You clever, cruel bastard. Why would you do this?
APOLLO
Because I know that this is my only chance to finally have you.
CASSANDRA
Please…Apollo, I beg you. Don’t make me do this!
APOLLO
I’m sorry, Cassandra, but now is the time.
CASSANDRA
Is it really so easy to cut these binds that have held me for so long?
APOLLO
Easier than you know.
(APOLLO extracts a dagger from a pocket. It is golden and shines with an unnatural light. He shows it to CASSANDRA, who recoils slightly.)
CASSANDRA
What…a knife?
APOLLO
One of the last artifacts from our time. It can free you…for good.
CASSANDRA
I…I don’t know, Apollo.
APOLLO
We have time, Cassandra. I can wait.
CASSANDRA
But…the girls! They’ll be back soon!
APOLLO
Then I suppose that you do not have any time left. How ironic. You are always the one making me chase you through time, and now you are the one who is out of it.
CASSANDRA
No, I can’t do this…not now!
APOLLO
Take it, Cassandra! Feel your freedom in your hands!
(APOLLO grabs CASSANDRA by the wrist. She struggles, trying to get away, as he puts the handle in her hand. Once she is holding it, she calms. She analyzes it.)
CASSANDRA
(With wonder.)
I can feel how powerful it is just by touch…
APOLLO
It is with great pain that I bring it here. Now the question is…will you use it?
CASSANDRA
What if I do?
(A long pause.)
APOLLO
I…do not know.
CASSANDRA
Are you that confidant that I will go with you? Or simply that desperate? Furthermore, what if I do go with you? I will be leaving my children behind all the same.
APOLLO
You can stay with them. Fifty years, as you say. Then you come with me.
CASSANDRA
I see… (Her eyes wander back to the blade.) And there is no other way?
APOLLO
There is no running this time, Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
Why is that?
APOLLO
That would be worse than death for you and you know it. You would run and leave your children behind? No, I don’t believe you will.
CASSANDRA
(Sighing.) You are right. It is strange… Clytemnestra told me that someday I may have to resort to violence. I did not believe her until now.
APOLLO
We all have lessons to learn, Cassandra. I hope you have learned-
(CASSANDRA stabs APOLLO in the stomach with the dagger. Shocked, he gasps, falling to his knees. She lets go of the dagger, leaving it in him.)
APOLLO
What…what are you doing, Cassandra?!
CASSANDRA
We must all make our own path, Apollo. I am making mine. The children will be home soon. Once they are… I’m taking them far away from here.
APOLLO
This is murder, Cassandra!
CASSANDRA
It would seem so.
APOLLO
I…I only loved you, Cassandra. Is that a crime?
CASSANDRA
You know everything wrong with that statement, Apollo.
APOLLO
What will you do when I’m gone? My curse will remain…and the dagger is spent. You will be immortal forevermore!
CASSANDRA
You’re right. Though it gives me grief to do so, I must…
(CASSANDRA kneels next to APOLLO. She wrenches the dagger out of him. He grunts in pain. The dagger already has lost its luster and is rusted. She tosses it aside and puts her hands on APOLLO’s wounds.)
APOLLO
What are you-
CASSANDRA
Shut up. Look me in the eyes, Apollo. (He does.) I am taking this wound from you. It will not manifest now, but in fifty years, it will appear on me. I will die. In pain or in peace, it does not matter. I will die. You will not. That is my gift…to you.
(CASSANDRA takes her hands off of APOLLO. His wound is gone.)
APOLLO
What…but how?
CASSANDRA
It seems you gave me a bit more of yourself than you’d intended.
APOLLO
I’m healed.
CASSANDRA
Yes. And your hold over me is broken.
APOLLO
Cassandra…
CASSANDRA
You can leave now.
APOLLO
This…this can’t be! This isn’t over, Cassandra!
CASSANDRA
No, it most certainly is over. For good.
(APOLLO tries to work up his anger, but he cannot. He is utterly defeated.)
APOLLO
I…am sorry, Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
I know. There is nothing left to say. Please go.
APOLLO
(Looks out the door, then at CASSANDRA.)
As you wish.
(APOLLO walks to the door. He gives one final look at CASSANDRA, then departs. She breathes, a heavy, healthy breath, and exhales. She smiles. It is bright and lit with true happiness. The smile of a prisoner freed.)
CASSANDRA
It…is over. By everything good, it is over.
(HELEN and HECUBA enter.)
HECUBA
Mom? Is everything okay? Why is the door open?
CASSANDRA
Oh, girls, you’re home! The cable man just left. Said he needed some tools from work and would be back in a little bit.
HECUBA
Oh, okay.
HELEN
Are you alright, Mom? You look…different?
CASSANDRA
What do you mean?
HELEN
I dunno. You just look…really happy, I guess!
CASSANDRA
(Smiling.) I am, dear. I am. (She hugs them both.) I love you both so much. More than you can ever know.
(BLACKOUT)
(END OF SHOW)