Conversing with the Liquid Demon

A note to performer: Underlined words are stressed (usually the most important words of a sentence). Bold words need extra emphasis (for emotional purposes). Pauses last three to five seconds. Silences last seven to ten seconds. Gestures are with hands or otherwise stated. New line is a moment to take a breath

[Set: An interrogation room with two wooden chairs with backing to hold the bottle of alcohol.
Ashley is standing centre stage with her back to the chairs…one of which holds the bottle of alcohol. (Alcohol bottle can not have a label.) When the lights hit Ashley, she opens her eyes and outstretches her arms. ]

[In the dark] Argh! I can’t take it anymore! What can I do? [silence]
[shocked] Confront a demon!? [silence]
You’re right. I must do it. Give me strength!
Shine your light upon me! [Spotlight on me]

Ashley: I call into existence the Liquid Demon! [Ashley turns around and sees the bottle of alcohol.]

Ashley: [shocked that it work, but triumphantly] Ha! You show yourself now! [Pause]
[Spiteful] Look at you, sitting there so innocently…
[Quick paced] I have a bone to pick with you and you will stay here and listen to me until I am done!
[A moment of weakness hits me. Spellbound, I open the bottle, smell it, hold it to my mouth]
[Angry] Do not try to charm me with your smoothness.
I know the sting of your tongue.
Fire water, destroyer of lives, demon among angels. [Pause]
[Slower] I know the true you.
[Louder] I expose you now! [Pause]
Let me tell you all the ways you have impacted MY life.
[Sit in chair face to face w/ alcohol, but still turned so audience can hear]
[Contemplative. Slow paced] You were always there as I was growing up, always around, entering my loved ones.
I wasn’t even aware of the subtle differences.
Perhaps, because as a child, I could see beyond anything you tried to change.
You could not cast your spell upon me! [Pause. Look away and down, then back]
High school.
You were there too.
Friends would talk about how drunk they got
[Sarcastic. Quicker paced] and how much fun they had puking their guts out
[slower] or falling down on hard asphalt as they attempted to get in their car and drive home. [Silence]
I, proudly, was safe at home learning words and history
[proud] so that I may combat all demons,
including you…
you who choose to present yourself in liquid form.
[Aggressive. Slow pace] What? You say it’s so you can spread yourself to many.
Oh how slick you think you are.
I’ll tell you what! You are a coward! Now shut up! I’m talking here you son of a bitch!

[Pause and slight chuckle of laughter]
[Louder as if talking over the demon]
College!
[Matter of factly] You were there quite frequently.
I remember downing you,
and thinking that I could rock climb without rope or proper shoes…
You made me think I could move my car from the party to my house. Luckily, my cousin wrestled me to the ground and took my keys. This was after turning green, passing out against a wall, scratching my back and turning out the light, and after taking off all my clothes and taking a shower…getting dressed 2 seconds before the male, sober host of the party entered the bathroom to find out what was going on.
All these times, I displayed YOU, NOT ME!
I don’t even remember what happened some of the time.
[Frown]
[Faster pace] The haze you cause makes me want to vomit just thinking of it! [Silence]
[Slow pace. Quiet] I almost drove while drunk…
Friends were there to stop me.

[Slow paced.] Life after college is when I really felt your damage the worst.
[obvious turmoil] I decided to throw a “party” to celebrate being single again.
Things were okay at first. The drinks were flowing and flowing and flowing some more. The pungent smell of alcohol was on all our breaths. I passed out on the couch to avoid the two traumas that happened before. After everyone else left, he said, “The bed is more comfortable than the couch.”
You took the word NO away from me
And gave him courage to go forward no matter how hard I fought, no matter how many times I slipped in and out of consciousness. [GAG, Tears]
[Pause, change of subject]
On December 22, 2005, again you entered somebody who was celebrating.
Or numbing himself from emotions that are way too difficult to bear…
[Half pause and shake head]
Whatever the reason..
he was drunk.
You swam inside him, flirting with Mary Jane, sharing a line of coke, and feeling ecstacy.
He was out…in public.
[Slower] One moment, when nobody was around to keep him from doing anything deadly, one isolated moment
[Sudden outburst. Fists clenched.]
That’s all you needed you son of a bitch!
You took his body, you took him to his truck and turned it on!
You entered I-35 North and turned that car around without exiting!
You were out on the street when my soul mate… [Effort. Slight pause]
the one who made everything better just by his presence
was on the road sober and on his way home for a special Christmas with a wonderful family that most only dream about. [Look away and down] he died on impact.
[Angry] You killed my love you son of a bitch!
You killed my friend! [Calmer]
You killed him! (Pause)

He beat you though, [harsh smile]
whether you want to believe it or not.
My Phoenix rose above your flames and is now soaring in the Summerlands,
SAVING MY LIFE!
A final [Gesture] FUCK YOU from beyond the grave.

[Hissed or snarled] You are such a vile demon.
You take down boundaries that are UP for a reason! [Shake head]
You make parents beat their children who have done nothing wrong.
You make people feel they are invincible and able to drive…
How many bodies will our men and women in blue
have to cover up with the yellow tarp [Slight pause. Quieter]
because of you? [Normal pace again. Angry]
How many fingers and toes will loved ones have to identify
because you have taken their bodies away?
How many murders are caused
because you are there,
inside,
triggering that rage that is latent until the final swallow [Pause]
and then [Fist punches into other palm] BAM!
Blood is spilled.

You take lives.
Then you stand back and say,
“Oh, it wasn’t me!
Humans are the ones that take lives.
I did nothing wrong.”
LIAR!
Be truthful!
[Sarcastic] as you are truth serum for many.
Take responsibility.
[Silence]
I’m waiting.
[Silence]

[Quietly]
Figures. ..
You sit there
silent.
I am taking responsibility now as I grab you by the throat.
[Grab bottle by the neck]
[Each word dictated clearly and strong,]
You have NO. MORE. POWER. OVER. ME!
I am in CONTROL! [Pause]
[Calm yet almost sadistic]
For all of my loved ones
And myself
who have been destroyed by you,
I now get one back for them…for us!
[Smash the bottle and scream]
YOU HAVE NO POWER OVER ME!

[slam bottle on stage.] [Spotlight off]

[Celebratory]
I am free… [Drop head & breathe]