A Sketch by Jean-Pierre Martinez
Two characters wearing masks or blindfolds. One comes from one side, the other from the opposite side. They seem frustrated to meet each other.
Him – So?
Her – Nothing…
A pause.
Him – What if we try over there?
Her – I just came from there.
Him – And have we already tried that way?
Her – Yes.
Him – Are you sure?
Her – Absolutely. And several times.
Him – Then I don’t see any more…
A pause.
Her – How long have we been lost in this maze?
Him – I don’t know. A long time…
Her – All this time wasted looking for the exit, and we still haven’t found it.
Him – What if there isn’t one…
Her – Then how did we get in?
Him – I don’t know. Do you remember when we entered?
Her – No… but there must have been a moment when we came in. Otherwise, how did we end up here?
Him – You’re right. We must have come in somewhere.
Her – Yes. Through the exit.
Him – We came in through the exit?
Her – I don’t know… Do you think there could be an entrance and an exit?
Him – That would make two possible exits…
Her – And we haven’t found either?
Him – Or there was only one entrance, and it was blocked off once we were inside.
Her – They? Who are they?
Him – I don’t know… Someone must have designed this maze, right? And since it wasn’t us…
Her – Are you sure it isn’t us?
Him – If it were us, we’d know where the exit is, wouldn’t we?
Her – Yes, I suppose…
Him – Or maybe we’ve forgotten.
Her – Forgotten what?
Him – Forgotten where the exit was.
A pause.
Her – Do you think we’re the only ones in this maze?
Him – We’ve never met anyone else.
Her – Maybe our paths have never crossed.
Him – I doubt it…
Her – Why not?
Him – Every time we go off in different directions to find the exit, we always end up back here.
Her – True… We never find the exit, but we never get lost. We always end up back here…
Him – Yes… We’re doomed to stay together.
Her – Doomed?
Him – Did I say “doomed”?
Her – You said “doomed to stay together”.
Him – No, I meant… Apparently… it’s our fate. We’re meant to live together.
Her – Yes… but then why spend all our time looking for the exit?
Him – I don’t know.
Her – Do you think if we found the exit, we wouldn’t stay together?
Him – Together? Outside, you mean?
Her – Yes, outside… Do you think the first thing we’d do when we got out is go our separate ways?
Him – That… we’ll never know.
Her – Unless we find the exit…
Him – Yes.
Her – What if we stopped looking?
Him – Stop looking for the exit?
Her – Why not?
Him – And what would we do instead?
Her – I don’t know. We could… I don’t know…
A pause.
Him – Maybe it’s better if we keep looking, don’t you think?
They start moving again.
Her – I’ll see if it might be that way.
Him – And I’ll try this way.
Her – We’ll meet back here?
Him – OK…
They each go out the opposite side from which they entered.
Black.
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A sketch from the collection The Rebels
Link to the collection for free download (PDF)
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