A Play A Day #363

Wound


Cast:
Kane
Donna

Setting: A theater, working on a set


(lights up, Donna is painting a wall of the stage, we hear the unmistakable whine of a table saw slicing up a piece of wood offstage, then the table saw grinds to a halt, then suddenly starts up again along with a loud bellow of pain, the saw shuts off, but the pained sounds - grunts, moans - continue)

Donna: Kane?! Kane?!

(Kane enters, holding his right hand in his left, blood covering both hands, he is in great pain, but dazed somewhat)

Kane: This is bad, this is bad, this is bad, this is bad...

Donna: (over Kane's lines) Oh my God! Ahhh! Kane, Jesus! What... nevermind... (thinking on her feet) Sit, sit down, sit down... you need to...

Kane: The saw got stuck and...

Donna: Okay, okay, don't talk about it... the saw, I can tell... I'm going to get the first aid kit and call 911... here, sit, sit, sit...

(Donna helps Kane sit and lean against a wall)

Kane: I can't... I can't stand blood, Donna.

Donna: Alright, alright... Don't look at it, okay? I need you to stay right here. I need you to not look at it, and stay right here, okay? Okay? Kane?! (shaking him a bit)

Kane: Yeah...

Donna: Stay here, and don't look at it... don't look at it.

(rushing offstage)

Donna: (shouting from offstage) Say something to me, Kane, let me know you're alright!

Kane: I'm alright...

(Kane turns his head slowly and looks at his hand)

Kane: Ahh, Jesus...

(he thumps down onto the ground, passing out)

Donna: (returning to the stage, talking on cell phone, first aid kit in hand) 719 Pinyon Avenue, the front door's open. Please hurry.

(putting away cell phone, opening kit, shaking Kane)

Donna: Kane... Kane... Come on... don't let this happen, come on, Kane.

(Kane slowly revives)

Donna: (breathes out in relief) You looked, didn't you?

Kane: Yeah... I...

Donna: Stupid, stupid... listen to me...

Kane: Sorry.

Donna: Let me look.

(Kane lets go of his right hand)

Donna: (big breath) Okay, okay... ummmm...

Kane: Bad?

Donna: Nevermind that. I'm going to lift your arm and hold it straight up so the bleeding slows down.

Kane: Right...

(Donna does so)

Donna: Now, I'm going to wrap this roll of gauze around your fingers, that will help too.

Kane: I didn't mean to do this...

Donna: (with understated obviousness) I realize that, Kane.

Kane: The saw stuck on the plywood, and I went to lift...

Donna: Kane, Kane, I don't need the details, just relax... let me wind this stuff around your fingers.

(starting with the gauze, she will slowly wrap Kane's fingers and hand for the rest of the play)

Kane: I can't really feel my fingers.

Donna: I can. They're still there; you're going to be fine. Just breathe, okay, breathe slowly.

(Kane tries to do so, but his system is still in overdrive from the trauma.)

Kane: Ahhh... I can't... I can't...

Donna: You can. I need you to, Kane Deep slow breaths... deep and slow... deep... and... slow...

(Donna demonstrates, wrapping the fingers very slowly and carefully to the rhythm of her deep breaths, Kane catches on gradually, lights soften, this should be played for a while to build a hypnotic feel between the two of them and the wrapping of Kane's hand)

Donna: (quietly) That's it. Slowly.

Kane: I'm going to fall asleep.

Donna: (too loudly and quickly) No! (Kane jolts out of his slow breathing, Donna catches herself) Sorry... sorry... I mean, please don't fall asleep, okay? I need you to be relaxed, but awake.

Kane: Are you a nurse?

Donna: No, just my guesses at some basic first aid.

Kane: I'm glad you're here.

Donna: Thank you.

Kane: This is the first play I've helped with at this theater.

Donna: Yes, I remember you told me that at the volunteer meeting.

Kane: They'll never ask me back now.

Donna: Don't be silly, Kane; we always want volunteers.

Kane: They won't let me use the powertools.

Donna: Well, will you want to use them again?

Kane: Yeah.

Donna: Then we're not going to be too picky. We need as much help as we can get.

(pause)

Kane: You're pretty.

Donna: You're in shock.

Kane: Maybe.

Donna: Thank you though.

Kane: I owe you one.

Donna: You don't owe me anything.

Kane: I want to.

Donna: Please don't.

Kane: Sorry.

(beat)

Donna: It's just, taking care of someone in a traumatic situation forges weird bonds. Attachments that don't disappear.

Kane: We'll always have the table saw?

Donna: Yeah, like that. So we'll have this odd connection from now on.

Kane: Maybe we could make it a normal connection?

Donna: I make it policy not to date the medically compromised.

Kane: Aren't we all medically compromised in some way?

Donna: The immediately medically compromised.

Kane: Sounds like a policy you made up right now.

Donna: Maybe. Listen, people get attached when they're wounded. Things feel desperate, and they cling to whoever helps them.

Kane: So?

Donna: So, their feelings for the other person are never really about that person as an individual, but more about that person as a savior of sorts. They're always tied up with the accident.

Kane: Ohh... but what if his feelings for the sort-of savior were there before he volunteered to help build the set on the night when he knew that she was going to be there painting?

Donna: Umm... well. I...

(Donna finishes wrapping his hand, pause as she holds it there at a loss for words)

Kane: (motioning to his injured hand) You should know that this wasn't part of the plan.

Donna: That's... that's good to hear.

Kane: Sure helped me overcome my shyness though.

Donna: Yes. I guess it did. (pause) The ambulance should be here soon.

Kane: I kind of hope it never makes it.

Donna: I can ride along with you to the hospital if you want.

Kane: I'd like that.

(Donna leans in and starts kissing Kane, the kiss gets slowly more and more passionate as the lights fade out and an ambulance siren fades in, eventually Donna is on her hands and knees over Kane, kissing him, Kane lets his wounded hand fall to Donna's butt, Donna quickly grabs it and returns it to its upright position with a little laugh and goes back to kissing Kane as the siren reaches full volume)

(sound and lights out at the same time)

(end)