SCENE TWO (Pt. 2)
(To view Part 1 of Heaven is for Sharks, click here)
(A mix of atonal/tonal music plays
and intensifies to be scary and beautiful.
SHARK’s shadow is projected on a screen
behind POET mannequin so that the mannequin
disturbs the shadow’s path. As the music intensifies,
POET mannequin begins to wiggle around trying
to follow the shadow. The shadow disappears,
lights dim, and the mannequin is removed.
SHARK enters on stage.)
SHARK: (deep, rich laughter) Ha, ha, ha! What have we here? A survivor? Not for long!
(Music plays for a couple of seconds while
SHARK laughs. POET enters stage. Lights
rise to POET and SHARK on stage.
Music cuts when SHARK speaks.)
SHARK: Welcome to Heaven.
POET: (makes it to his feet) Heaven? No, I don’t believe that’s right.
SHARK: Of course this is right! There’s no reason for you to doubt a shark… to doubt an angel.
POET: An angel? I’ve written many strange dualities, but an angel as a shark? Hm. Angels aren’t slippery, grey predators of the sea. Why is an angel a shark?
SHARK: Ouch… Why is a slippery, naïve little poet a human?
POET: Okay. Fine. But, what happened to the skies full of dreams come true and the golden gates welcoming those who are either graced enough or damned enough to enter Heaven?
SHARK: Ha! Oh, how the views of Heaven have changed. Riddle me this: if god had two left feet... or fins, would you still follow her?
POET: (beat) Riddle me this: what is the difference between saying that god doesn’t exist and saying that there never was a god?
SHARK: (beat; smiles) We will enjoy your company. Let me show you around.
POET: (looks up) Wait. I have a question before we begin. (points up to another mannequin "floating" at the "surface" of the water) Why isn’t he down here with us? Why isn’t everyone that died?
SHARK: Not everything you’ve heard about Heaven is a lie. Not everyone goes to Heaven. What you are seeing is something that most people can’t… Hm. (beat) When you are welcomed into Heaven, all other dimensions cease to exist. (playfully) Very strange. (seriously) Very strange indeed. Anyway… That (beat; points up) is purgatory.
POET: Purgatory. (beat) How long will he be left there, surrounded by nothingness?
SHARK: Probably forever. We really aren’t terribly concerned about those who don’t make it into Heaven the first time around, nor is Hell.
POET: (slightly disturbed) We can’t just leave him there!
SHARK: That’s how it is.
POET: No! That’s one of my men, one of my friends! I’m not going to leave him to rot in salt water and sunbeams! (tries to swim upwards; stuck on stage)
SHARK: It’s no use. Once you’re here, you’re here. You are ours now.
POET: (angry and defeated) Well, that’s no Heaven like I’ve heard of!
SHARK: That’s because you’ve never heard of this Heaven. It's difficult for the living to discuss something they haven't yet experienced. You are a poet. Be more open minded. Anything is possible, and everything is possible here. (beat) Please, follow me. (POET follows SHARK around stage; SHARK randomly points to places) Here you have the swordfish guardians. (flashes of bird shadows are projected)
POET: (quietly) Swordfish guardians. Hm. Makes sense. (frustrated) I wish I could write all of this down.
SHARK: And here you have the fish school. We need to learn too, you know. And here –
POET: Wait. Wait wait wait. (beat) What do you do with knowledge? Do you learn immortally? What happens to mortal knowledge? Is it completely negated here? I mean, what do you do with teachers? Doctors? Poets? What purposes do we have in Heaven? The all-knowing, the all-this-and-that. What about your astronomers? (beat) Oh my god…
SHARK: Actually, not your god, no, but –
POET: (sadly) There’s no full moon in Heaven for me to look at…
SHARK: I suppose you’re right, but –
POET: People always look up to be comforted by the stars. The moon. Birds. God. There’s no difference between up and down anymore. I've always thought that Hell wouldn't have poetry and moonlight. But, it's here that I don’t have poetry and moonlight. (tense and upset) Is this comfort? Is this Heaven? Or is this all just a sick joke?
TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK...
