Demons of the Mind

Excerpt

Delivery © Talia Pura

This excerpt may not be used for any purpose whatsoever. Rights to produce, in whole or in part, by any group, amateur or professional, are retained by the author.

Scene 2

Marie walks to the mat in front of James and curls up on it in a fetal position. After a
moment, she sits up and looks at James for the first time.

James: Marie. My name is James Campbell. I am here to help you. (beat) Your husband
called me. He wants me to represent you. (Marie doesn’t respond) Marie. I’d like to talk
to you.

Marie: Heavenly Father, hear our prayer –

James: Would you like to tell me what happened?

Marie: Keep us in your loving care –

James: What happened in your house yesterday?

Marie: (sings) Our Father, who art in heaven –

James: Marie. It would be good if –

Marie: (sings) Hallowed be thy name –

James: Marie.

Marie: (sings) Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven –

James: (overlapping) For God’s sake – MARIE –

Marie: The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoresth my soul. The Lord is my
shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me
beside the still waters. He restoresth my soul. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He
restoresth my soul.

James has walked away from Marie during this speech. He stands, thoughtfully for a
moment, then begins his monologue over her repetitive chant.

James: Why am I even considering this case? (to audience) I have no shortage of clients.
And there are any number of hopeless cases that I could take on. At this stage in my
career, I don’t need this one. I prefer to work with people who can at least talk back to
me. She doesn’t need a lawyer, she needs a doctor. But, she really does need a lawyer,
and a very good one. A charge of capital murder is no laughing matter. ……… It’s the
challenge. The thrill of looking into the eyes of the jury and knowing that I’ve got them.
Ha ha. I’m a defense attorney. It’s what I do. I defend people. Everyone is entitled to a
strong defense. I defend their rights, whether they are innocent, guilty, or simply insane.

Marie: (sings) Our father, who art on heaven – Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom
come, thy will be done –

James: (over her song) This is going to be a complicated case. This one I can’t even talk
to. This one might be utterly hopeless. (he begins to exit)

Marie: Please don’t leave me.

James: (beat) All right, I won’t.

Marie curls back up into a fetal position

James: (to audience) In the state of Texas, there is no such thing as simply insane. The
law does allow that you may be mentally ill, but being mentally ill does not mean that
you are insane. Not guilty by reason of insanity. To be truly insane in the state of Texas,
you must not be able to tell right from wrong. If you did not know that what you did was
wrong, you are insane, and therefore, not responsibly for your actions. However, if you
knew that what you did was illegal, however mentally ill you may be, you are criminally
responsible for your actions. You can thank John Hinckley and his assassination attempt
on President Reagan in 1981 for that. Never again was someone going to escape
responsibility for his – (looks at Marie) or her – actions, merely with a plea of insanity.

Marie: My husband went to work yesterday. I fed the children their breakfasts. Benjamin
always ate so fast. He finished his breakfast and ran outside to play. The other children
finished eating and we all went outside. Jacob played with his wagon. The girls were on
the swings. I gave Miriam a push. She loves to swing. She squeals. Higher, mommy,
higher. Soon it was naptime. The children were all very sleepy. Benjamin wouldn’t stay
in his bed. He ran back outside. I didn’t want to hurt him, I just wanted to bring him back
into the house.

James: You just wanted to bring him back?

Marie: But I couldn’t. He ran so fast. I wanted to save him, but the devil interfered.
Benjamin, oh Benny. It’s too late. I couldn’t do it. Heavenly Father, hear my pray. I have
failed you Lord. I am not worthy of your love and forgiveness. The devil was at my back.
He won. I didn’t save Benny. Gone. Lost. Forever.

SOUND of a heavy metal door slamming shut. Marie is behind the bars.

James: (to the audience) We mourn the loss of that little life and the pain of the mother.
But you know there is more to this story. There is a charge of capital murder. What
happened yesterday morning? (beat) Look at that pain. It’s real. She does, at this
moment, carry the indescribable pain of loosing her son. But it isn’t the loss that you
imagine. Benjamin is alive. He did run out of the house. She tried to grab him and bring
him back into the house, but he screamed. He screamed bloody murder. The lady next
door, Bernice Miller, heard him. She ran over, wrestled him away from his blood-
splattered mother and called the police. Bloody murder is what they found.

Marie: They had to go to heaven now. All of them. My children – Jesus told me – time –
the sign. On the TV. Fire burning. Too soon. Police came too soon. First Ben. All of
them, finished. Then call the police.

James: You were going to call the police yourself?

Marie: Yes.

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