The play is Cosi. This was written for an English assignment. Takes place in 1970's Australia.

Knives

Cherry was bored. Cosi was over, ensuring that once again, the mental hospital was a lifeless prison with no escape, not even a temporary one. Except, of course, for love! It had always been easy for Cherry. It really didn't take much for her to imagine a potential romance, often out of nothing more than coincidence. Not that she saw it that way.

It went a long way towards explaining why she was currently staring dreamily at Ward D's newest inpatient. In her eyes he was skinny, so skinny, but still unbelievably handsome. His very presence seemed to light up the drab recreation room, filled with both damaged furniture and people. Definitely the prettiest man in the hospital, if not the world. And she, as the most beautiful woman there, was clearly destined for him. Besides, their eyes had met when he'd been introduced. Even if they had only paused momentarily before flickering away to survey the rest of the room, it was clearly a Sign. The fact that he'd wandered away immediately afterwards meant nothing to her. He just wanted to get better sooner, that was all. Actually, it was probably for her – he wanted to leave the hospital healthy so that he could come back and rescue her. Obviously. He wasn't just her One True Love, he was going to be her saviour as well.

…although things would move along a lot more quickly once he realized that. From that point onwards, every time she'd seen him she'd made sure to talk with him, flirt with him, lightly brush against him… Very subtle. Maybe too subtle, because she hadn't gotten a single reaction out of him. Cherry found herself becoming increasingly frustrated by the man's obliviousness, but she persisted. There was no obstacle too great for True Love, after all.

Still, after awhile she had to stop and consider that maybe there was another factor at play, something beyond mere obliviousness. Cherry decided to stop talking to the man and start watching him from afar, instead. Maybe something was happening when she wasn't around, something that dulled his senses. Something that wasn't his daily-administered dose of drugs.

And that was what she did. Watching from behind a bush while he went on a stroll through the hospital grounds, full of so many sweet-smelling Spring blooms, the answer soon appeared. Some bimbo – Cherry had seen the girl around, but hadn't bothered to learn about her – approached him as he neared the lavender and to Cherry's absolute horror… they embraced.

No.

This wasn't happening. It wasn't. She was hallucinating. Surely, that was the answer. She'd spent too much time around the crazies that lived in this place and had finally become one of them. Because the scene in front of her was impossible. Because she and him, they were in True Love. No other girls could possibly compare to her. None. And definitely not her. Cherry's eyes narrowed and she spat in disgust at ground below. Well. If that girl was in the way, then she would have to be removed. Simple.

"H-hello?" The nervous, pitiful voice called out into the night. "S-Stephen…?" But she was there now and that was what mattered. "I came like your note said to! Stephen…?" Underneath the moonlight, lurking in the shadows cast by the giant oak tree, Cherry waited. "Stephen, is this some sort of joke? I-it isn't funny! Please, cut it out!" She looked so pale, so tiny, so frightened standing over by the hacked up flowerbeds… Cherry almost felt sorry for what she was about to do. "Y-you know we're not supposed to be out here… I only snuck out because you wrote that you wanted to do something special for me…"

Almost.

A pebble, one of many brought with her was thrown, landing near the girl's bare feet. "S-Stephen?" She jumped, trying desperately to peer into the darkness from where it had come from. Relief filled her face and she immediately began to walk towards where Cherry oh-so-patiently waited. "Playing a trick like that was really mean of you! It'd better not be the only reason you called me out here…" The girl had no time to react to the flash of silver that cut through the night, catching her in the throat. Instantly there was blood everywhere, spurting like a fountain, covering both the surrounding ground and Cherry. Repeatedly, Cherry struck, continuing to cut and slash until the same dress, as well as the person beneath it, was in tatters. She couldn't see the sight well at all, but she could certainly feel it! Pausing to push up her glasses, she allowed herself a small smirk. There. Now… what had she called him…? Stephen…? He would be all hers.