Scene 1
(Lights up on GREG and ALICE’s kitchen. A bullet hole and spider-webbed cracks mar the window over the sink, and another one appears on a cabinet door. Shattered glass lines the counter and sink. A weary-looking GREG and ALICE sit at the kitchen table, nursing cups of coffee. The dark web mystery box sits in the middle of the table with the contents still inside. ROCCO’s distant barking echoes from the backyard. For a while, the only other sound is the ticking of the clock.)
GREG: (He stares down into his coffee cup as he speaks, as though he’s afraid to meet ALICE’s gaze.) I talked to the window guy first thing this morning. They’ll have to replace the whole pane of glass. I haven’t called about the cabinet yet, but you’ve never liked the style, anyway.
ALICE: (She sips her coffee and looks past GREG to the window.) You could’ve hit Rocco. You know that, right?
GREG: Yeah, I could have, but I didn’t. You saw him. He’s fine.
ALICE: No one here’s fine. Not after last night.
GREG: I’ll get rid of the gun.
ALICE: It’s not about that. Not entirely. You know what I’m saying.
GREG: I’m sending him money once I’ve finished my coffee.
ALICE: The Boxer? As tribute?
GREG: I don’t know what else to do here. Neither of us got any sleep last night, right? You want to spend another night like that tonight? How about the night after? It’s worth a shot. Besides, I don’t have anything else to offer him besides more money.
ALICE: What if you reached out to that exorcist? You know, Father Normandy? I think that was his name. You interviewed him for that special like a year ago or something. Maybe he could help us.
GREG: I don’t think it’s a demon.
ALICE: Well, we don’t know what it is. Father Normandy might be able to tell.
GREG: I’ll send the Boxer some more money first, and we’ll see what happens.
ALICE: You could do both. Send him the money, then reach out to the Father.
GREG: Yeah, I guess. It just feels dumb.
ALICE: You shot two holes in our kitchen last night. There was something in our bed. Not acting is dumb.
GREG: I wish I’d never ordered the box in the first place.
ALICE: Me too. But we can’t unring that bell. We have to move forward.
GREG: I’ll go get my wallet. (He gets up from the table and heads into the other room. ALICE gets up from her seat and goes over to the window. She presses her hand to the cracked glass, frowning. Then, she goes over to the cabinet with the hole in it, opens it up, and takes out some shattered mugs. GREG returns and stops when he notices her.) Did I fuck up something else?
ALICE: The first mug I got you. The one I made in my college ceramics class. (She holds a broken piece of it up for his inspection. He steps close to her, takes it from her hand, and sets it on the counter. He slips his hand into hers.)
GREG: Careful there, babe. You’ll cut yourself. (Suddenly, ALICE throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his shoulder. It takes GREG a minute to put his arms around her and reciprocate the embrace. The two of them stand there for a moment in silence, just holding each other. ALICE sniffles, but only cries softly. The only other indication that she has been crying is that, when they pull apart, she wipes at her eyes. GREG touches her face, maybe even tucks her hair behind her ears.) Alice, I’m so sorry. I love you.
ALICE: I’m scared.
GREG: So am I, but we can do this. We can get through it together. Not long from now, this will all just be a distant nightmare. I’m going to fix this. I promise you that.
ALICE: I know you will. Thank you. (He kisses her forehead and goes back to the table, armed with his wallet. ALICE follows him, sits back down in front of her coffee, and sips it with trembling hands.)
GREG: Once everything is over, we should take a trip somewhere. We haven’t really taken a vacation in a while. You, me, maybe Rocco. It’ll do us some good.
ALICE: We can go to the beach. Get sunburned and everything.
GREG: Sand in our crotches. Dirty band-aids floating by. Kids shitting in tide pools.
ALICE: (Teasing, as she smiles.) Don’t be so gross.
GREG: Oh, come on. You know you love it.
ALICE: I do, but you should stop now, before I lose interest.
GREG: In me, or the beach?
ALICE: Both. (GREG takes a wad of cash out of his wallet. ALICE whistles as he thumbs through the bills before folding them together and sliding them into an envelope. He writes the address on the front, grabs a stamp from the drawer, and licks the envelope to seal it closed before slapping a stamp on it. ALICE finishes her coffee and stands with her empty cup. She collects GREG’s as she passes and takes both of them over to the sink. Then, she leans against the counter, watching GREG for a minute as he examines the contents of the box once again.) You really think this will fix everything? Get the Boxer off our back, call off the Entity?
GREG: I don’t know, really. But it can’t make things worse. (He holds up the envelope. She nods. Then, he sticks it in his pocket and heads for the front door.) Hey, here’s an idea: let’s get out of the house again. Go somewhere fun.
ALICE: We could take Rocco to the park.
GREG: No, just you and me.
ALICE: (Reluctantly.) I don’t know. I don’t want to leave Rocco home alone right now.
GREG: The Boxer didn’t leave me any weird notes about dogs.
ALICE: I just have a weird feeling.
GREG: It’ll be all right, I promise. He’s a big dog, and we won’t be gone long.
ALICE: Maybe you’re right. (Relenting.) We could go to the movies, see that James Wan flick.
GREG: Yeah.
ALICE: I’ll even let you buy me popcorn.
GREG: Hell yeah. It’s a date. (He winks and heads outside to take the letter to the mailbox. ALICE goes to wash the cups, sees something in the corner of the kitchen, and freezes. Puzzled, she reaches for the object, grabs it, and pulls it out. It’s a small camera with wires attached and a blinking light on top.)
ALICE: What the fuck? (GREG returns as she continues to examine it. She holds it up to show him.) Did you put this up?
GREG: What is it?
ALICE: What does it look like?
GREG: What the fuck?
ALICE: That’s what I said.
GREG: Okay, let me take a look. (He takes the camera from ALICE and smashes it against the counter until the screen breaks and the light stops blinking. Parts go everywhere.)
ALICE: Jesus.
GREG: I bet this is the Boxer. I don’t know how, but I think… somehow, he got in here. It might have even been him in here last night.
ALICE: I thought it was a ghost or something. And what was in our bed?
GREG: I don’t know. Maybe… maybe we should get out of here for a while.
ALICE: Call the police first. Maybe they can do a sweep while we’re out of the house.
GREG: I don’t know if that’s a good idea. These dark web mystery boxes… this shit is illegal. If we get them involved, I don’t know what could happen.
ALICE: Are you kidding me right now? Our lives could be in danger. I don’t think they’ll arrest you when we’re being threatened by something.
GREG: I mean… I guess you’re right. We have plenty of other shit to worry about here. (Pause. ROCCO barks outside. Both of them look toward the window.) Tell you what. I’ll go bring Rocco in, both of us can change, and we’ll go see that movie. How does that sound?
ALICE: Call the police first, and you’ve got a deal. (GREG takes out his cell phone and dials the police ALICE goes into the other room. GREG opens the door to the outside.)
GREG: Hi, yeah, I’d like to report a crime. Well, maybe the intent for a crime. My address? Sure, it’s… (GREG’s voice fades, as do the lights, as he closes the door behind him.)