ABANDON

In the darkness the sound of lovemaking, ending with orgasm. Lights up on BERN and SEAMUS, post-coital.

SEAMUS

were you always so—

BERN

libidinous?

SEAMUS

I was going to say horny.

BERN

of course you were.

SEAMUS

(trying it on) libidinous. Libidinous. It sounds—slinky. I like it. So?

BERN

no. I was kind of judgmental and inflexible when I was younger. I wish I had known. I would've had a lot more sex and a lot less angst.

SEAMUS

well you're pretty flexible now

BERN

funny

SEAMUS

hey, do you have anything to eat?

BERN

oh sorry, yeah, I brought you meat

She digs in her parka and finds a package, gives it to him. He eats ravenously, trying not to appear starving.

I'm sorry it's not more. Elena is watching the supplies really closely. Now that she knows.

SEAMUS

s'okay. You're not my mom. (beat) Bern? I was thinking, I've gotta move on.

BERN

what? why? No.

SEAMUS

I can't stay like this. I am not pulling my weight. Again.

BERN

listen it's only a matter of time before Elena gets over—

SEAMUS

You're taking care of me. You barely have enough for you two and here I am sharing your food—

BERN

we have lots, Seamus, the moose will get all of us through the winter, there's still some cabins up the road that are sure to have more canned stuff. Elena is a good hunter, and she's taught me how to preserve (meat)—

She stops suddenly, wondering if she is saying too much.

SEAMUS

what

BERN

nothing

SEAMUS

(He hears her suspicion.) ah. (beat) I'll go tomorrow.

BERN

where will you go?

SEAMUS

I don't know. I honest to god don't have a clue. Can't go back. Everything else is just unknown. But I can't stay here, like a pet, being fed once in a while, stroked once in a while, waiting for the sound of your boots. It's pathetic. I am pathetic.

BERN

it's hard. These are hard times. We are all having to—become—something new. What did you do before this?

SEAMUS

I was a bike courier.

BERN

a bike courier.

SEAMUS

yeah. Crazy now, to think of it. What an absolutely useless job. Not one skill I can use in this brave new world. Never made a single thing that mattered. Never made a thing that would tell the world that I had existed. Moving envelopes from here to there, without a clue what was in them, not caring. Not caring.

BERN

That explains these muscular legs… and your stamina.

SEAMUS

Probably had a lot to do with my survival. The city was nuts—chaos. I got on my bike and pedalled north.

BERN

did you want to be something? Something else?

SEAMUS

(beat) I should make something up, eh? Make myself sound better or smarter or more interesting. But. No. not really. I was a grasshopper too. Ride around all day, drink beer with my friends, flirt with the girls. Never save a penny. Never learn a thing. Never even wonder where my ambition was. It was all fun, it all seemed full, and busy. It seemed like a life. But looking back on it now. Wow.

BERN

I can teach you.

SEAMUS

teach me what?

BERN

how to catch your own food.

SEAMUS

a moose?

BERN

no. I don't know how to do that. I haven't done it yet anyway. But Elena taught me to catch rabbit. So I can teach you to catch rabbit. And I can show you willow, and how to find water, and what is edible even though it's Snow Crust Moon.

SEAMUS

what will Elena say?

BERN

she'll be mad. But I think it's wrong to hoard