At rise: Marie is alone in the storage room, her wrists and ankles strung up to a control bar above her head and resting against the wall behind her with thick ropes. She is desperately trying to cut away the strings with a razor blade.
MARIE
(muttering and wincing in pain from the razor)
Come on...come on! Please...please…
(She accidentally drops the blade.)
MARIE
No!
(ALOIS LAURENT enters. He stops after a few paces and looks at MARIE's unbound ankles, then to the razor on the ground, then back at MARIE.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(with a raised eyebrow)
What are you doing?
(MARIE just looks at the floor, not in guilt, but in disappointment that she was too slow. ALOIS walks to the knife, puts it away in a cabinet and grabs a spool of the same string that she had just cut and a pair of scissors. Then he walks to MARIE and starts retying her to the control bar.)
Marie… you promised you would not do this anymore.
MARIE
I want out, Alois.
ALOIS LAURENT
Marie, I cannot let you go. I don't want to let you go.
MARIE
Why not? Please, just let me out of this room.
ALOIS LAURENT
I have told you no already, Marie.
MARIE
Please, Alois! Let me go. I want to be free.
ALOIS LAURENT
I cannot let you go. I need you. You are the star of my shows.
MARIE
I don't care.
ALOIS LAURENT
But people love you. You're "The Stringless Marionette". Think of all the children who love to watch you dance and play on that stage. Marie, you are a beautiful creation, and I-
MARIE
(beginning to raise her voice)
I don't give a damn! I want out!
ALOIS LAURENT
(still calm and collected, puts the materials on the table and looks at her with crossed arms)
Marie. If you try to escape again, I will be forced to hurt you. I don't want to do that. Please understand.
MARIE
(laughing, voice raised louder)
You don't want to hurt me? What about Sophia? Did you say that to her? And Marcus? Did you tell them that before you killed them?!
ALOIS LAURENT
(gritting his teeth in anger)
Marie, you leave them out of this.
MARIE
(shouting in his face)
You going kill me if I try to get out again? Huh? You going to keep me here and kill me after you're done screaming at me like you did to Sophia?! Or are you just going to-
(ALOIS gives MARIE a sharp slap on her cheek, silencing her.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(almost stunned at himself for having done that)
I'm sorry… Marie, are you alright?
(MARIE is silent)
ALOIS LAURENT
(sighs)
Marie, I am sorry I struck you. I didn't mean it, but you angered me.
MARIE
(in a weak and trembling voice)
I'm sorry.
ALOIS LAURENT
You cannot continue trying to escape. If this happens again, then I will be forced to do something drastic. Please, do not make me do that. Alright?
MARIE
Yes, Alois.
(ALOIS turns to leave. He takes a couple steps and turns back around to her.)
ALOIS LAURENT
Listen, I didn't want to kill them. You don't understand the whole story. I panicked.
MARIE
You panicked?
ALOIS LAURENT
(sighing and rubbing his eyes)
Yes, I panicked. I didn't want to be left alone. Her leaving me was something I couldn't control, something I never planned.
MARIE
You panicked? And that is how you justify MURDER?
ALOIS LAURENT
I didn't want to hurt her. I didn't even see the flight of stairs behind us. I was just so angry and upset… And Marcus, he was going to tell the cops. I didn't mean to kill him either. I didn't want them to leave me.
MARIE
But you didn't have to kill them. You could have done anything other than kill them. There are some things in your life that you just cannot control.
ALOIS LAURENT
But I needed to be in control. They didn't understand that I needed to be in control. That is the reason I went into the magic and puppeteer business. For that control.
MARIE
Alois, I don't want to be here. I don't want to get on stage again. I don't want to have those people stare at me.
ALOIS LAURENT
(in an attempt to change her mind, slightly raises his voice)
Where would you go? Who would protect you? How would you survive on your own?
MARIE
I don't know! And I don't care!
ALOIS LAURENT
(with a sigh)
Marie, you will never admit it, I know, but you do need me. I have given you life. A real life, like a real human. Don't you like having this life? Don't you want to stay like this?
MARIE
No. Not anymore. Please, Alois. Let me go.
(ALOIS sighs and puts a hand on MARIE's shoulder.)
ALOIS LAURENT
Please understand, Marie. I'm doing this because I want to protect you. I want to keep you safe from the world out there. It is evil, Marie. Cruel. They would rip you apart out there.
MARIE
(her voice tinged with defeat)
Yes, Alois.
ALOIS LAURENT
I have to go prepare for our next act. I will be back in an hour. But remember that I still need you, Marie.
(ALOIS exits. MARIE stays tied to the wall for a little while. Lights dim to show that some time has passed.)
MARIE
(talking mostly to herself)
He never listens to me. Oh Marcus. If only I could have helped you escape. Poor Sophia. If you would have seen me, would you have helped me get away from here?
(MARIE sighs.)
Is the world really cruel? Is it really dangerous, like Alois said?
(The door opens and CAMERON ADAMS enters.)
CAMERON ADAMS
(staring in surprise and awe at MARIE)
Oh wow. So you're her. "The Stringless Marionette".
MARIE
(sensing an opportunity to escape)
Help me. Please, get me out of here.
CAMERON ADAMS
(walking closer to her)
You're even more beautiful in person. Wow. He said I'd find you in here. I knew his magic was special somehow. I'm Cameron. It's such an honor to meet you.
MARIE
Thank you, Cameron. But please, can you untie me? I don't belong here.
CAMERON ADAMS
(biting his lip and shaking his head)
I'm so sorry but I can't.
MARIE
Please, Cameron. I have to get out of here. You'll be saving my life if you let me go!
CAMERON ADAMS
Mr. Laurent said if I let you go, he would immediately fire me.
MARIE
But-
CAMERON ADAMS
I need this job. I have a wife and sick mother. Mr. Laurent pays me enough to keep them both fed, and I have been saving up to get my mother's medicine. I'm sorry, Miss Marie, but I can't untie you.
(MARIE hangs her head and sobs. CAMERON looks at her apologetically and goes to retrieve a few props for the show.)
MARIE
Please, you don't understand what you're doing. He's going to hurt me, maybe even kill me. I'm begging you, you have to let me out of here.
CAMERON ADAMS
I'm so sorry. I just came here to grab a few things for your next show. Miss Marie, understand that he would never try to hurt you.
MARIE
(angrily speaking)
He's a murderer! Do you know that?
CAMERON ADAMS
(a little surprised)
What are you talking about?
MARIE
You remember Mrs. Laurent? Sophia, and her son Marcus?
CAMERON ADAMS
No. I never met them. Mr. Laurent was married?
MARIE
(taking the opportunity)
Yes, he was. But Sophia threatened to divorce him, and he got angry. Alois is a killer.
CAMERON ADAMS
What?
MARIE
He pushed Sophia down a flight of stairs, and he killed his son, Marcus, when he threatened to tell the police. And he's going to kill me next. Please, Cameron, save me!
CAMERON ADAMS
Wait, wait. How do you know all this?
MARIE
(sobbing harder, desperately crying out)
I saw him kill Marcus! I saw Marcus fall, I heard his neck snap! I watched them arguing, then watched him die!
CAMERON ADAMS
When did this happen?
MARIE
After I was fully created and before I was given my own life. Please, Cameron, you have to believe me.
CAMERON ADAMS
I mean, it doesn't seem too unlikely. But… why would he kill them?
MARIE
Because he isn't getting what he wants and he is panicking.
CAMERON ADAMS
What does he want?
MARIE
Power. Control. And he isn't getting that.
CAMERON ADAMS
But you said he will hurt you. He will hurt us.
MARIE
Not if you help me.
CAMERON ADAMS
(nodding after a short pause, grabbing the scissors off the table)
Okay. Let's get you out of here.
(Marie holds out her wrists and CAMERON gets to work. He quickly gets the strings on her wrists undone. But before he can fully set her free, ALOIS enters again. ALOIS stares at them for a moment.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(very angry when he realizes what is happening)
What are you doing, Monsieur Adams?!
(CAMERON pauses for a moment, then quickly hands MARIE the scissors, which she holds behind her back, and takes a step forward, standing between ALOIS and MARIE. ALOIS sees none of this.)
CAMERON ADAMS
I'm letting her go.
ALOIS LAURENT
(surprised)
I beg your pardon?
CAMERON ADAMS
Mr. Laurent, I am very sorry. I know this is going to cost me my job, but I finally have a chance to really help someone. And I… I'm going to take this chance.
(ALOIS clenches his jaw and steps toward CAMERON, going to punch him. CAMERON dodges and returns with a kick to ALOIS's gut. ALOIS doubles over, wheezing. MARIE starts cutting the strings on her ankles away.)
CAMERON ADAMS
I'm sorry, sir. I'm very sorry.
(ALOIS gets up quickly and grabs CAMERON by the throat before CAMERON can throw the next punch. CAMERON struggles and chokes as ALOIS tightens his grip.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(with a sick, twisted smile)
Morietur!
(CAMERON's body sags, and ALOIS lets go, leaving CAMERON dead on the floor. He stands there, grinning triumphantly over his slain victim. By this time, MARIE has cut herself free and is running out the door. When ALOIS notices this, he follows her swiftly. Seconds later, MARIE is heard screaming from the hallway. The door opens and ALOIS walks in, dragging MARIE, kicking and screaming, in behind him.)
MARIE
(begging and screaming)
Alois, let me go! Help! Help me! Somebody help! Let go of me!
(She thrashes and squirms in his grip and eventually breaks free, but when she tries to run away again, he grabs her by the hair. She cries out in pain.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(forcing MARIE into a chair)
I told you not to try to escape again. But you didn't listen to me.
MARIE
(still thrashing and screaming)
LET ME GO!
ALOIS LAURENT
(yanking her head back and shouting in a stern voice)
PROHIBERE!
(MARIE immediately freezes and whimpers quietly.)
ALOIS LAURENT
Of all the people to want to leave me, my own creation! The thing that I should be the one to control!
MARIE
I'm sorry! Please, I won't do it again! Whatever you're going to do, please don't do it!
ALOIS LAURENT
Why can't you just listen, Marie? I give you everything, and you still want to run away. And to think I had trusted you!
(MARIE continues to scream and beg him not to hurt her. ALOIS walks over to the desk and opens a drawer, pulling out a thick book. He opens it and walks back to MARIE.)
MARIE
Wh-What's that? What is that, Alois?!
ALOIS LAURENT
(with a heavy sigh)
I'm sorry, Marie. I really did not want to do this.
MARIE
What are you… going to do? Alois?
(ALOIS flips to a page and places a hand over MARIE's eyes, reading the words on the page in a low chanting tone.)
With these words, this creation is under my eternal control. In haec verba, haec creatio aeterna meus erit in mea potestate!
(As ALOIS chants these words, MARIE starts to scream and thrash in her chair.)
MARIE
ALOIS! STOP! STOP PLEASE! I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY! PLEASE STOP!
(He repeats the phrase again. This goes on for a few seconds, then MARIE's body slumps. ALOIS lets his hand fall to his side. He closes the book and sets it on the desk. He sighs and rubs his temples for a moment, then he stands up straight.)
ALOIS LAURENT
(He pats her shoulder.)
Marie. It's time to wake up now. The show is going to start soon.
(MARIE's eyes slowly open and she stands up. She looks at ALOIS with a smile.)
MARIE
(sweetly)
Of course, Alois. I'm ready.
ALOIS LAURENT
Alright then. (He kisses her hand in a gentlemanly manner.) Let's get going.
(They exit together.)
Lights out.