Iasc

ACT I

Scene 1

BENEDICT "BEN", nineteen, sits in the back of an old pick-up truck. From his position on the tailgate, his feet dangle off of the edge as he swings them through the dirt. He is watching AILISH, seventeen, who paces in front of the tailgate with a long branch in her hand. It's about four inches thick, and it's uneven at the end closest to the ground, as if it was pulled forcefully off a tree. Pieces of the bark that were still green hang in strands off of the actual branch. The tree it came from stands beside the truck. It doesn't block the truck but from the road on the other side of the tree Ailish disappears from sight as she passes behind it. As she moves, Ailish becomes increasingly agitated by something. Her movements become quicker, and the branch passes from her left hand to her right with growing speed. When this does nothing to calm her, she aims at the truck. BEN jerks his feet up into the bed of the truck as the branch strikes the tail-light bouncing back into the space where his legs were.

BEN

Jesus, Ailish. What's got you so riled?

AILISH

You sound just like Da when you say that..."riled".

Were you even listening to me? The whole way here, did you hear a single word I said?

Ben puts his feet back down and Ailish holds the branch, ready to strike again if needed.

BEN

Listened to some...Do you know how fast you talk? Not in general, when you're mad.

Ailish starts to swing the branch again in semi-circles around her legs.

BEN

Something about Kili. I don't know. You tell me so many stories about the kid...they blur together.

Ailish swings the branch faster listening to the WHOOSHING sound it makes as it cut through the air. She hits the truck again and again, each time with more force. The fourth time she hits it, Ben moves back into the bed of the truck pulling his legs up against his chest. A piece of the light shatters. There is glass and plastic on the bumper.

AILISH

Wasn't a story, Ben. It was fact. And you didn't listen. Wonder how much your da is going to listen when you try to blame this on me? Maybe he'll listen to you more than you did me.

BEN

Jesus, Ailish! Seriously? I listened.

Ben jumps out of the back of the truck; it gives slightly when his weight is removed. He leans down to examine the light. His fingers pick at the broken glass and plastic that falls down onto his shoes. He kicks his foot to get the glass off, but has to bend over to pick the pieces out of his shoelaces.

AILISH

Then what'd you hear? that's what Mam always used to ask me and Kili, "Oh, yes, Ailish, you listened, but what did you hear?" She'd do it to Kili, too, even when he was littler. I still don't think he knows the difference...

BEN

There's no difference. Dad's gonna kill me, and all I have to tell him is, "Sorry, Dad. My former-best-friend Ailish went insane. Her brother did something stupid, but I can't tell you exactly what he did because she was talking too fast for me to keep up. Apparently, I didn't "hear", so she felt the need to take it out on your truck."

Ailish drops the branch as he speaks. By the time he's finished she's walked over to the tree. She looks down the road at the headlights that are driving in the opposite direction of where she's looking. Ben comes up behind her, dragging the stick behind him.

AILISH

"Iasc".

After a few cars, Ben throws the stick into the road.

BEN

"Fish". The first Irish word you taught me. What does that have to do with my dad's truck?

Another car comes by. It runs over the branch. From where they are standing, they can hear as it scrapes against the belly of the car and rolls under the tires before coming to rest once more.

AILISH

Kilian killed them all.

She turns away from the road with her back against the tree to look at Ben.

AILISH

Every single one of them. Da was the one who found them. I wasn't even home. I was...with you. Probably. I didn't.

BEN

Say good-bye.

Ben takes her hand and pulls her toward him. Their embrace is between a friend mourning and a friend trying to comfort; friendship, not sensual emotions draw them together. He hugs her as she cries. Headlights pass over them illuminating and then disappearing. Ailish pulls back away from him and leans back against the tree.

AILISH

Kili. He killed them. Da said the pond...my pond...it was. Painted. The rocks and the water. The water was coloured like Da's paintings.

BEN

Ailish, he didn't know what he was doing he-

AILISH

Was practicing his name. When I got and Da told me and I went outside, it was like he was writing "kill" on all those stones. Just he never finished.

BEN

Ailish...

AILISH

The water was swirled like a Van Gogh. The fish were floating on the surface... Jesus, I can't even...

BEN

Ailish, he's sick. He didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know how much they meant to you, how much time you put into raising them all. Your dad was doing water-colours. Kili probably just got. Confused. Something.

AILISH

I don't care. He didn't care. He can't care.

Ben takes her left hand in his right. He doesn't pull her closer; he just holds her fingers between his.

BEN

You don't mean that.

AILISH

I might. You know, it's really hard to feel sorry for him. He's fine sometimes. So, I just find it hard to believe he doesn't understand.

BEN

You still don't mean it. He's your brother.

AILISH

Your sister...?

Ben lets go of her hand.

BEN

What about her?

AILISH

She was perfectly fine...until she wasn't. Then you stopped caring about her. Don't get mad, please. Not about this. I know you're angry because of the truck, but don't hate me for this. I'm trying to make you understand.

BEN

You know how bad it was when she left. You know that's not true.

AILISH

I saw you that day. I just didn't know if I remembered right. We were so little...I remember you dropping a box and books spilling on the street.

BEN

Capelin's books. She tried to help me pick them up. Her hands were shaking so much. From the withdraws. I didn't know that was why. No one told me that was why. How do you remember that...you were what?

AILISH

Seven.

BEN

God. Ten years. She still writes sometimes. Not as much as in the beginning, but it's something, I guess.

AILISH

You never told me-

BEN

Didn't think it was important. Can you imagine what my parents would do if you brought it up? Ailish, promise me you won't give up on Kili.

AILISH

I won't say anything about the letters.

BEN

I know.