RIDDLE LOST

Okay. So I've been busy, writing lots of stuff- new short play, new long play, new screenplay-

Busy Busy Busy.

Now it's time to hear feedback. I've decided to put part of new play on blog. See what people think. If they dig it, groovy.

The New play is titled "Riddle Lost". Here is first few pages.

AN OPEN SIDE-SHOW TENT IN THE MIDDLE OF A CARNIVAL MIDWAY. INSIDE, A TABLE WITH A CRYSTAL BALL; OTHER TABLES AND SHELVES ARE FULL OF: ICONS- MYSTICAL, RELIGIOUS, AND CULTURAL; RELICS OF THE OLD WEST; AND ARTIFACTS OF VARIOUS NATIVE AMERICAN CULTURES. A PHANTASMAGORIC WILD WEST SHOW ATMOSPHERE FILLS THE ROOM. AGAINST THE BACK WALL IS AN OLD STYLE CIGAR STORE INDIAN. HEL, NORSE GODDESS OF DEATH, SITS AT THE TABLE, HUNCHED OVER A DECK OF TAROT CARDS. A LONG BLACK VEIL COVERS HER FACE. SUDDENLY, SHE SITS UP. JEFFERSON RIDDLE ENTERS.

RIDDLE

Excuse me, miss?

Hel does not move. Riddle politely waits for her to answer.

RIDDLE (cont’d)

Hello?

He looks around the room, pokes his head out of the tent, then back inside.

RIDDLE (cont’d)

Could you tell me-

Hel raises her hand to silence him.

HEL

Who are you?

RIDDLE

I’m...I’m Riddle.

HEL

Riddle?

RIDDLE

My name-

HEL

Your name is a riddle?

RIDDLE

No- my name is Riddle.

HEL

Am I’m supposed to figure it out?

RIDDLE

Figure what out?

HEL

Your name.

RIDDLE

My name?

HEL

You’ve come here seeking answers, no?

RIDDLE

No. Yes. I’m not sure.

Hel places a Tarot card on the table.

HEL

You lie.

RIDDLE

No.

HEL

You say you’re a riddle.

RIDDLE

I come from a long line of Riddles.

HEL

Don’t we all?

RIDDLE

My father was a Riddle-

HEL

My father is the King of Riddles.

RIDDLE

Look, Miss...I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.

HEL

I didn’t throw it.

Hel stands, slowly walks to Riddle, until she is standing right before him. She sniffs the air.

RIDDLE

Miss?

HEL

Silence!

Hel takes Riddles hands, smells them, then drops them.

HEL (cont’d)

Hel.

RIDDLE

I apologize if I’ve upset you.

HEL

I am not upset. I am Hel, Queen of the Dead. And you are?

RIDDLE

I told you- I’m Riddle. Jeff C. Riddle. Perhaps you’ve heard of me? I wrote a book once.

Hel reaches out and begins to feel the top of Riddles head.

RIDDLE (cont’d)

What are you-

HEL

You hope I will show you clearly what has become clouded with time.

RIDDLE

No. Could you tell me where I am? Last thing I remember I was in my car-

HEL

You seek a boy and a man and a legend and a body.

RIDDLE

I do?

HEL

You don’t know what you want.

Hel slowly lifts her veil, looks directly into Riddles eyes.

HEL (cont’d)

You don’t even know you’re dead.

RIDDLE

I’m dead?

HEL

Tell me- in that last memory- the one of you in the car- do you remember anything else? Like a truck coming at you with great velocity?

RIDDLE

Truck?

HEL

Yes, truck. Riddle me this- when a truck hits a car head on, what usually happens to the man in the car?

RIDDLE

So you’re saying I’m dead?

HEL

Look into my eyes.

Riddle looks into her eyes, shivers, backs away.

RIDDLE

What’s...what’s happening?

Hel walks towards him, their eyes locked.

HEL

Don’t you know?

RIDDLE

Are you hypnotising me?

With effort, Riddle looks away. Hel reaches out, turns his face back to her.

HEL

I’m measuring the thread of your soul.

RIDDLE

If I’m dead, why don’t I feel any different than I did before?

HEL

How did you feel before?

RIDDLE

Hard to describe.

HEL

Try. Tell me what your life was like.

RIDDLE

Sometimes good. Sometimes...not.

Hel sees something in his eyes.

HEL

The Everytime...what’s that?

RIDDLE

How do you know about the Everytime?

HEL

Tell me.

RIDDLE

Oh, well- the Everytime is...was...it’s just a theory I had. Have. About life, memory, things like that. Every now and then, all my memories sort of just happen again. All at the same time. Like a tule fog made of memory and time.

HEL

The Everytime?

RIDDLE

Yes.

HEL

Tell me about the tule fog.

RIDDLE

It’s a really thick fog that hits from out of nowhere- we had it a lot where I grew up.

HEL

Where was that?

RIDDLE

Lost River.

HEL

A river was lost?

RIDDLE

No. Well...actually, I suppose you could say that. Yes.

HEL

More.

RIDDLE

Sometimes- often when whiskey is involved- I get sort of...I don’t know...like I become part of my memories, part of that fog. Lost in the Everytime. And it always feels like it’s supposed to mean something- but I can never figure...never quite stitch all the moments together. I thought that after I wrote my book I might have... but even that wasn’t- I don’t know. What was your question again?

HEL

What was your life like?

RIDDLE

Confusing.

HEL

It wasn’t always like that.

RIDDLE

No.

Hel turns and goes back to the table and sits.

HEL

Let us gaze into the past.

RIDDLE

Is this some kind of side show or something?

HEL

Sit.

Riddle goes to the table and sits. Hel looks at the crystal ball.

HEL (cont’d)

Now, why don’t you tell me what your name used to be.

So, is that goofy, or should I post more?