Two Roads - By Robert Frost/Modified
by DragonLass
Two roads diverged into a
wood,
And I took the one less
traveled.
But, in my haste.
I made a mistake.
And now I pay the price.
Destiny Paradox
Drama by DragonLass
__________
( Lights: fade in. The soft
music of the orchestra sets the mood. All actors stand still as if manakins,
each one holding a different position. The background: A military scenario
of some sort. All men, presently. Suddenly, the music booms! And, on the
key, the people on stage move, as if a moment in time had been frozen,
but now is moving once again. They all go about as if nothing strange had
occurred. A whistle is blown.)
Lieutenant 1: Captain on
deck.
Captain: At ease.
( The actors, who were originally
rigid in salute, now relax. The captain, a broad shouldered man of about
40, paces the stage from forward to rear of the stage.)
Captain: As you know, the
capitol has just informed all of the main bases and fleets that the enemy
has begun its attack. Our job; to wipe them out before they wipe out us.
Lieutenant 2: But, how do
we do that? They're alien for God's sake! We're weak!
Group: Yes.
How do we?
He's right!
Captain: Lieutenant, what
is your name?
( The Lieutenant is silent
for a second. This angers the Captain.)
Captain: (roars) Lieutenant,
that was not a request, it was an order. State your name and rank!
Lieutenant 2: Second Lieutenant
Li of the 4th division, sir!
Captain: Lieutenant Li,
please, follow me.
( They exit the bridge deck,
into the perpendicular corridor. As the doors slide shut, another set on
the sides open, and two women step in. One has blond hair, but the other
with jet black, immediately looks about the bridge.)
Woman: Where's Lieutenant
Li?
Lieutenant 1: Done it again.
Mouthed off in the Captain's presence.
Woman: Professionally, Lieutenant.
We're still on duty.
Lieutenant 1: Ma'am. He's
being dealt with by the Captain.
Woman: Thank you. And from
now on, its 1st officer Rae, Lieutenant Hatcher.
Hatcher: Uh, yes Ma...1st
officer Rae.
( The woman smiled approvingly,
and left the bridge through the perpendicular corridor to find the Captain
and Lieutenant. Meanwhile, the Lt. Li is being " dealt with".)
Captain: Lieutenant, how
long have you served aboard this vessel?
Lt. Li: 5 years, sir.
Captain: And in that time,
have I ever done you wrong?
Li: No, sir.
Captain: Than, in heaven's
name, what did you think you were doing?!!! Trying to mutiny the crew?
Li: No, sir. Just stating
a fact of the war.
Captain: Lieutenant. Tell
me, what can I accomplish, if the crew's morale is low?
Li: ( uneasily) I'm afraid
I don't understand.
Captain: Well, maybe Commander
Rae can assist you in understanding.
( Li turned to see Rae coming
towards him down the corridor. She immediately saluted the Captain.)
Rae: Captain on the bridge.
Captain: Deal with this.
(he shakes his head in Li's direction.)
( He motions toward Li, and
storms off. Rae has her hands on her hips, and a puzzled expression on
her face. Li is frowning bitterly.)
Rae: Syaoran, why do you
always have to argue with the Captain? You had 50 chances to get promoted,
but you always manage to get in his hair. Why?
Li: I don't know, Commander.
Rae: Syaoran, stop. You
know I don't like it when you do that. You're 2 years older than me! So,
act like it! It's already bad enough to have rank over you.
Li: How's it bad? You always
did. That's how it all started...
Rae: Syaoran, if you're
still churning over that, then I can't help you. It happened too long ago,
and I don't think about it as a mistake, and neither should you.
Li: Cruel world..
Rae: Li, I'm worried about
you. Ever since that time, you've never been the same. Do you need some
leave? Because if you do, I'm willing to grant you some...
Li: ( amusingly) What? And
have the Captain write me down as AWOL? He won't listen. Even if you do
report it, he won't take it.
Rae: Then let it be AWOL.
Leave the army, Syaoran. Take a break. You need it.
( Syaoran smiles for the
first time in decades. Despite the lines of 30 working up his cheeks, he
somehow seemed to still be the boy that he'd lost so long ago. Rae smiles
and pushes him towards the exit.)
Rae: Go. Go back. I tried
to keep you apart, but it didn't work. I guess you were always meant for
one another.
( The lights fade out, and
the music dies down into a droning. Only a single beam remains on Meilin
Rae, as she watches her subordinate, and past love, leave her. But, it
would be the last time they'd see each other in this time.)
Scene 2
( The lights fade in again,
and the music starts off, softer this time, a sad tune of days forgotten,
sunshine, and happy memories. Background: a suburban town. A house of two
stories and yellow paint. Kinomoto painted on the mailbox outside. Li walks
up to the door and rings the bell.)
Li: So long. May I finally
be able to see you again?
( An elderly woman of 50
opens the door. Li is startled. She has the green eyes, and brown hair
of the one...)
Li: ( Stuttered) Excuse me,
is this the house of the Kinomoto's?
Woman: Yes. And who are
you?
Li: My name is Syaoran Li.
I'm looking for Sakura Kinomoto.
( The woman's eyes went wide.
She seemed breathless for a second, then resumed her composure.)
Woman: Please, come in. Let
me get you some tea. Touya! There's visitors!
( A man walked up, and immediately
his eyes narrowed. Even in his old age, Touya still resembled the 18 year
old brother that Syaoran remembered so well.)
Touya: Well, if it isn't
the Chinese brat. Back after, what? 20 years? I see you've met my
wife, Miliya.
Li: She looks...
Touya: ( bitterly) Yes,
she does look like Sakura, doesn't she? Ironic, almost...
Miliya: Touya! In all this
time, you still can't say one thing nice to him, can you?
( Miliya turned to Syaoran,
sadly.)
Miliya: I remember you, now.
You were at our wedding, Touya and mine. Of course, you managed to arrange
yourself in the way back, so I'm sure you never even saw my face. It was
right afterward that Sakura went looking for you. I saw you two, talking.
Then you stormed out. I never knew why...
Touya: Hush, now love. We
need not tell him more. He knows the rest. ( turns to Syaoran) Don't you?
Li: I left saying goodbye,
and said Meilin and I were going into the military...
Touya: Yes. Sakura was heartbroken...I
can still hear her crying...looking out the windowsill at night.
Li: It was a mistake...but
where is she? Where is Sakura?
( Miliya began to cry violently.
Touya had to take her upstairs to be calmed down. He turned as they were
about to go.)
Touya: Go away. Leave. You've
caused enough pain.
( Li stuttered an apology,
and fled the room. The lights dim, and return in seconds. The scenery
is different now. It is another house, but richly decorated. It has Daidouji
on its mailbox. Li once again rings the doorbell.)
Woman: Hello? Who is this?...(gasps)...S-syaoran?
Li: Tomoyo...its been a
while...
Woman: It's good to see
you...come in...
( The two sit quietly, and
there's an awkward moment.)
Li: I'm just going to get
to the point. Where's Sakura?
Tomoyo: Follow me...
( The two walk along for
a while, until they reach a hill. Tomoyo points in the direction of a slab
of rock covered in ivy. Li walks up to it. It has writing on it, but the
ivy covers it. Li carefully smooths the ivy away.)
Li: I can see it, almost....
( He falls down in surprise, and horror at the sight that meets him. Sakura
Kinomoto: died, age 10. Cause: Unknown.)
Tomoyo: The morning you
left, the day after Touya's wedding, she met a Clow Card. A stray, one
that managed to ellude both of you. But, she'd managed to sense it while
you were gone. I watched her fight it....
Li: No....
Tomoyo: I watched it beat
her, and beat her, and beat her, until she was down bleeding and tired.
But, she wouldn't give up. She was going to catch it. Just as if you were
never there. She was going to prove that she could do it...
Li: Oh my God...( His imagination
runs wild, pictures of the horrific scene sprout as described by Tomoyo.)
Tomoyo: But, she was blinded
by her sorrow...she didn't see it coming...It had laid a trap...I...I...watched...Kero
watched...
( Tomoyo started to cry,
and Li held her awkwardly. Suddenly, she whirled out of his grip, and slapped
him. He grabbed his cheek.)
Tomoyo: You! It's your fault.
It's your fault that she's gone! If you'd been there she'd have been all
right, she'd still be alive, and she'd still be laughing and smiling the
way she always does...WHY DID YOU LEAVE?!!!
( Tomoyo cried in helpless
agony. Li backed up from her hunched form huddled on the ground. His cheek
still stung, but he didn't care. He continued to back up. Suddenly, he
felt himself bump into someone. He turned around. It couldn't be... It
was her!)
Li: Sakura...your alive!
( He tried to go near her,
but for some reason he stopped. Something wasn't right. Suddenly, she looked
up. Li gasped in horrified nausea. This wasn't Sakura. The face was half
eaten away by maggots, and the skin pale and green with mold. Blood still
clung to the bangs of her hair, and something was moving beneath her flesh.
Her jaw was visible in the hole where something had taken a bite out of
her face. It turned to him mockingly.)
Sakura: Li, don't leave me!
Please don't! I beg of you.
( Suddenly, it was his voice
now.)
