Dolly

CHARACTERS

Chloe – five to six years of age; wearing a Cinderella Disney Princess dress. She appears

             Ordinary, unremarkable.  

The Butcher – a bloated, gargantuan, drooling mountain of a man; dressed in butcher’s

             attire, his apron splattered with fresh and congealed blood; a machete brandished in his left hand.

 

SETTING

 

The freezer room in a butcher’s shop.

 

Meat hooks dangle from the ceiling, a faceless body hanging there. Blood and gore dribbles from the cold walls.

 

A singular naked bulb.

 

 

Notes

 

• Denotes an interruption

/    Denotes two people speaking at once

 

 

 

 

                        THE BUTCHER IS STANDING, DRIPPING WITH CRIMSON, PANTING WITH DELIGHT, FACING THE AUDIENCE. IN                                 THE SHADOWS THAT HALF OBSCURE HIS FEATURES, THERE CAN BE SEEN A PROTRUDING HAND OR FOOT.                                     PERHAPS A HEAD – IS IT DECAPITATED? A DOLLY, WITH HAIR THAT USED TO BE BROWN BUT IS NOW SO MATTED                         WITH SCARLET AND MEAT CRUMBS THAT IT IS NEARLY INDISTINGUISHABLE, LAYS SPRAWLED ACROSS THE                                 GREASY FLOOR.  

 

                        IN THE FOREFRONT, CHLOE HAS HER BACK TO THE AUDIENCE, FACING THE BUTCHER. SHE IS TINY COMPARED                           TO HIM.  

 

Chloe:              Mummy?... Dad-dy…?

 

                        THE BUTCHER GRINS. HE GRINS THROUGHOUT THE SCENE. WAVERING, ANXIOUS, MALEVOLENT, BUT ALWAYS                         SMILING.

 

The Butcher:   Hello, little girl.

 

                        CHLOE SHUFFLES BACKWARDS, AWAY FROM HIM.

 

The Butcher:   No, no, no, no, no – don’t be afraid there… little – princess. We’ve just had a little accident is all, I swear – I swear I won’t… I won’t                         do nothing to ya – to hurt you, little girl. Your daddy and – huh – mummy here had a big old… accident, yeah… yeah, an accident.                             Why don’t you, uh –

 

Chloe:              I’ll go get help –

 

                        CHLOE GOES TO RUN OFF. THE BUTCHER LEANS FORWARDS, THE SHADOWS

                        FOLLOW HIM.

 

The Butcher:   No! No, no, no, no need. I’m – uh – I’m already into it, you see.

 

                        HE LICKS HIS LIPS. GREAT SNAKES OF SALIVA STICK TO THE CHAPPED FLESH.

 

The Butcher:   You wouldn’t want to spoil the secret now, would you?

 

Chloe:              Secret?

 

The Butcher:   (LAUGHS BREATHLESSLY) Yes, the secret… Uh, they’re not, not really – the accident, uh, it was a little game, and they – uh –                             wanted you to – play along, too.

 

                        HE LEANS IN SOME MORE, THE MACHETE AT HIS HAND TWITCHING. CHLOE IS OBLIVIOUS TO THE DANGER.

 

The Butcher:   You wanna do that, don’t you – play – play the game?

 

Chloe:              You’re strange.

 

The Butcher:   (ANOTHER BREATHLESS LAUGH, THIS ONE HYSTERICAL) Strange…! And what does that make you?

 

                        THE BUTCHER RETREATS TO THE DARKNESS.

 

The Butcher:   Your mummy and daddy wouldn’t like that, would they? Such a perfect little thing getting messy. That’s why you stay in the light                               there. But… Why – why don’t you come over and see them? I’m sure – I know they’d like that… Sweet as – sweet as pie, little                                 princess. Wouldn’t you – yeah, come closer.

 

                        CHLOE IS HESITANT. THE BUTCHER LOOKS AFRAID.

 

Chloe:              It’s cold.

                       

The Butcher:   I know that, uh – don’t – don’t – don’t be shy, though. Come… come closer. They’ll be happy to see you.

 

                        CHLOE EDGES FORWARDS, UNCERTAIN.

 

The Butcher:   Wha – what’s your name… little girl?

 

Chloe:              Chloe – I – I don’t like it. I’m scared.

 

                        THE BULB FLICKERS. CHLOE BACKS OFF AGAIN.

 

The Butcher:   Oh, we’re all scared… Chloe. Princess, we’re all scared. Your mummy and daddy, oh, they were frightened. Terrified. It’s good. It’s                           alright. It’s human.

 

Chloe:              No.

 

                        CHLOE RESISTS. THE BULB FLICKERS AGAIN, FRANTICALLY.

 

                        THE BUTCHER GLANCES FROM THE LIGHT TO CHLOE. HE IS WORRIED. AS HE TRIES TO SOOTHE CHLOE, HE PUTS                         BOTH HANDS FLAT. THE ONE WITH THE MACHETE IS INTIMIDATING.

 

The Butcher:   Chloe, don’t you want to make mummy and daddy happy? Look at them, they need a little warmth.

 

                        THE BUTCHER GARGLES AT HIS OWN TWISTED JOKE.

 

                        THE DOLLY CATCHES HIS EYE.

 

The Butcher:   Is this yours?

 

Chloe:              (NODS) Uh huh.

 

The Butcher:   What’s its /name?

 

Chloe:              /Her.

 

The Butcher:   Alright then – what’s her name? Does she have a name?

 

Chloe:              Annabelle.

 

The Butcher:   Annabelle… that’s a pretty name – though, not as pretty as Chloe, huh.

 

                        PAUSE. THERE IS THE SOUND OF BLOOD DRIPPING LIKE A FAULTY TAP.

 

The Butcher:   Would you like Annabelle?

 

                        CHLOE NODS. THE LIGHTING COOLS.

 

The Butcher:   Then why – then come over. Come get her. Come see mummy and daddy. They’d love for you to – they love you very much. Cos                               like Annabelle, you’re special – you see that? You’re a special little princess – with all that – all that – what you have. And your                                 mummy and daddy, they didn’t realise that. They were silly people. But you know that your special, like I do. I know. So, come on                             over, Chloe. Come say hi.

 

Chloe:              They’re… okay?

 

                        THE LIGHTING FLICKERS AGAIN. THE SPACE AROUND CHLOE IS BRIGHT. WARM.

 

                        THE BUTCHER NOTICES. HE BECOMES MORE URGENT.

 

The Butcher:   Of course, they are. Now, come here, Chloe. Come – here.

 

                        CHLOE DOESN’T MOVE.

 

The Butcher:   Chloe – when an adult tells you to do something, you do it. Did your daddy tell you that? Cos we’re wise, you see – so, come in.                                 Annabelle’s a-waiting.

 

                        CHLOE MOVES INTO THE SHADOWS, WITH THE BUTCHER RETREATING. THE FLICKERING BULB GOES OUT                                     PERMANENTLY.

 

The Butcher:   Good girl. Gooooooooooood girl.

 

                        THEY SUBMERGE INTO THE DARKNESS.

 

                        WE HEAR GROANING. A SHUFFLE OF FLESH AND METAL.

 

                        SILENCE.

 

                        THE LIGHT COMES BACK ON, SWINGING.

 

                        CHLOE EXITS FROM THE DARKNESS, CLUTCHING HER DOLLY.

 

END.