THE DISAPPEARING DUNG BEETLE 8

ACT TWO

ACT 2, SCENE 1:  WEEKS LATER.
The stage is black.  A large white, circular light shines down on chelsea.  She is the only one on stage.

CHELSEA
Some say that Newton came up with his Theory of Gravity while watching apples fall from a tree.  Another legend is that the man who invented the steam engine got the idea while watching a boiling tea pot.  It is a fact that Conrad Roentgen discovered X-rays purely by accident while studying cathode rays.

Chelsea steps down and raises a flashlight that is pointing down on the ground.

CHELSEA
Mine wasn't that dramatic.  It was actually quite simple.  A simple flashlight held over a Dung Beetle to simulate the movement of the moon in a completely controlled environment. We observed what we already new.  The Dung Beetle made its way back to his nest, guided by the light.  Then adding a filter...

The light over Chelsea's head changes to orange.

CHELSEA
The Dung Beetle made a dramatic turn to the left and...

Chelsea turns off her flashlight.

CHELSEA
The Dung Beetle never got home.  The dung beetle was lost.

The lights come up to half, revealing the apartment.

CHELSEA
(Out loud, but to herself)
No way.  Too easy.

Chelsea sits and faces the audience.

CHELSEA
(To the audience)
I was sitting at my desk and staring straight ahead at the wall where my bulletin board was.  Could it be that simple? Not insecticides.  Not a predator. Could the Dung Beetles just be getting lost?  I sat there staring straight ahead and there it was on the wall.  "NEW JUNGLES PROMPT A DEBATE ON RAIN FORESTS".  An article from the New York Times.  "NEW JUNGLES", "DEBATE", what if...

The lights come up to full on the apartment.

JEREMY
What are you talking about?

CHELSEA
What if the topography, geography all the eco-environments were to change so fast that.... here.

She passes the article to Jeremy.

JEREMY
What about it?

CHELSEA
The article says that for every one acre of rain forest we lose that there is another fifty acres of new rain forest being planted and grown.

JEREMY
You think they're related?

CHELSEA
There's only one way to find out.

JEREMY
How?

CHELSEA
Got your passport?

JEREMY
Me?

CHELSEA
That's what you wanted, isn't it?

JEREMY
South America?

CHELSEA
I'll pay.

JEREMY
Yeah, that's great, but...

CHELSEA
But what?  Come on, I need this research.  You want to travel and...

JEREMY
You want me to leave?

CHELSEA
I want you to go out into the field for me, like you've been doing for the last few weeks.

JEREMY
This isn't New Jersey.  This would be South America.  The Jungle.

CHELSEA
Exactly.

JEREMY
Alone.

CHELSEA
Of course alone, I can't and that means... wait... hold on.

She notices Jeremy is different.

CHELSEA
Oh no.

JEREMY
What?

CHELSEA
Don't tell me you... You didn't go soft on me did you?

JEREMY
Soft?  No.

CHELSEA
Don't get goofy on me now.

JEREMY
It's not "goofy".  Might just be better if we... you know... did this together.

CHELSEA
I'm not going.

JEREMY
You could do it.

CHELSEA
No, I can't.

JEREMY
Yeah, but we just got to the point in our relationship...

CHELSEA
Where I trust you enough to send you to do the job I hired you for.

JEREMY
That's not what I meant!

CHELSEA
I know what you meant.

JEREMY
Yeah, but what if...

CHELSEA
There's no "BUT"!  I don't have time to break in another assistant and I trust that you will go there and do the work.  Don't screw this up for me!

JEREMY
Is that all I am to you?

CHELSEA
What?

JEREMY
I'm just your "errand boy"?

CHELSEA
No, but...

JEREMY
You don't care how I feel, you just want to finish your thesis.

CHELSEA
That's what this is about.  I told you weeks ago, "Do not mix this up".

JEREMY
I'm not mixing things up.

Jeremy looks sad.

CHELSEA
Don't mope.  It's not everyday that someone figures out their thesis, let alone how to solve it.

JEREMY
You could "solve it" yourself.

CHELSEA
Don't start.

JEREMY
You trust me enough to send me to South America, why can't you trust me that...

CHELSEA
Stop it.

JEREMY
Nothing bad is going to happen to you, if you step out of this house.

CHELSEA
You've seen what happens.  I am not going to instantly change, especially in South America.

JEREMY
Because of Mexico?

CHELSEA
Shut up about that.

JEREMY
What happened in Mexico?

CHELSEA
None of your business.

JEREMY
Ever talk to a therapist?

CHELSEA
That's none of their business either.

JEREMY
It's not your Mother's business.  It wasn't Kourtney's business.  Not my business, but it's business that has to be dealt with!

CHELSEA
I don't want to talk about it.

JEREMY
What happened?

CHELSEA
You don't want to go?  Fine!

JEREMY
You were a Senior in High School.

CHELSEA
Shut up!

JEREMY
One month in Mexico with school.

CHELSEA
You're fired!  You are fucking fired!  I'll get someone else!

JEREMY
Was it one of the students or a teacher?

CHELSEA
No.

JEREMY
Somebody did something to you.

Chelsea stops moving.

CHELSEA
How did you know?

JEREMY
You shower as soon as we get done having sex.

CHELSEA
So what?

JEREMY
And when we make love, your eyes always look away.

CHELSEA
It's not a poker game.

JEREMY
Everyone has "tells".

CHELSEA
Stop it.

JEREMY
Maybe if you get past this you can step outside into the world and live again.

CHELSEA
No.

JEREMY
But, then you can come with me.

CHELSEA
Never.

JEREMY
We can be like a real couple!

CHELSEA
Stop!

Chelsea is starting to shake.  She covers her ears.

JEREMY
What did they do to you?

CHELSEA
Nothing.

JEREMY
Who did it?

CHELSEA
Leave me alone.

JEREMY
Did they touch you?

CHELSEA
Shut up.

JEREMY
Did they...

CHELSEA
(Starts to cry)
I can't.  I just can't, okay?  I don't want to.

JEREMY
Not the teacher.  Not a student.  Hotel guest?

CHELSEA
(Panics)
"This earthly saint, adored by this devil."

JEREMY
You're not going to scare me away with Shakespeare.

CHELSEA
"Little suspecteth the false worshipper;"

JEREMY
Wait.  I know this.

CHELSEA
"For unstained thoughts..."

JEREMY
"For unstained thoughts do seldom dream on evil;"

CHELSEA
Stop, please.

JEREMY
The Rape of Lucrece.

Silence

JEREMY
He did that to you?

CHELSEA
(Quietly)
"An reverend welcome to her pricely guest, Whose inward ill no outward harm expressed;"

JEREMY
He was nice to you and then he...

CHELSEA
"'O time, cease thou thy course and last no longer,"

JEREMY
Jesus.

Silence

CHELSEA
Now you know all my secrets.

JEREMY
I won't say a word.

CHELSEA
I know, but...

JEREMY
What?

Chelsea sits on the corner of the bed and silently cries.

JEREMY
Are you okay?

CHELSEA
I haven't let myself think about... it's been a long time.

JEREMY
It wasn't your fault.

CHELSEA
I know, but...

She looks away.

CHELSEA
I kissed him first.

JEREMY
Doesn't entitle anyone to...

CHELSEA
Hold me.

JEREMY
Are you sure?

CHELSEA
It's okay.

Jeremy holds Chelsea in his arms.  She looks up at him.

CHELSEA
Are you crying?

JEREMY
No.

CHELSEA
No one's ever cried for me.

JEREMY
How do you know?

She places her hand on his cheek.

CHELSEA
I just do.

LIGHTS FADE TO BLACK.

ACT 2, SCENE 2: THE NEXT MORNING.
Jeremy and Chelsea are still in bed.  Chelsea is asleep when Jeremy gets up and slowly opens the front door.  He returns and slips back into bed.  Chelsea starts to wake up.

CHELSEA
What time is it?

JEREMY
Eight thirty.

CHELSEA
Too early.

JEREMY
Since when?

CHELSEA
I don't want to move.

JEREMY
You're smiling.

CHELSEA
Shouldn't I be?

Jeremy smiles and kisses Chelsea.

JEREMY
What's the plan?

CHELSEA
Get Visas for your Passport.  Equipment. Flight arrangements.

JEREMY
You're really gonna send me to South America all alone?

CHELSEA
You're a big boy.

JEREMY
Brazil would be more fun with you.

CHELSEA
Have you ever been to Brazil before?

JEREMY
No, but I have a huge imagination.

CHELSEA
Huge?

Jeremy stands up and lifts Chelsea to her feet.

JEREMY
We'll start with a little Samba on Copacabana Beach.

They start to dance.

JEREMY
Then maybe a little dinner by candlelight in Rio!

He slowly dips her and kisses her neck as he speaks.

JEREMY
Followed by a night of romance and love making in your luxury suite overlooking the ocean at the Copacabana Palace Hotel.

Chelsea notices the door wide open.

CHELSEA
(Screams)
Jeremy!

They break away from each other.

JEREMY
What?

CHELSEA
Close it!

JEREMY
No.

CHELSEA
I said close the door!

JEREMY
I don't think so.

CHELSEA
Please, please, please.

Jeremy grabs Chelsea and holds her from behind with his arms wrapped around her body.

JEREMY
Stop fighting me.

CHELSEA
I can't.  Please.  I just can't.

JEREMY
(Yells)
The doors been open all night.

Chelsea stops squirming.