WOMAN No, but…
FLAT OWNER You’re safe and warm, you’ve got hot tea. I’ll also bring cookies in a moment. What else do you want?
WOMAN I’m very sorry, I didn’t want to offend you, but…
FLAT OWNER But you’re behaving really badly! I’ve let you into my heart and into my home (though I could not have let you in). I’m being nice to you. And that’s how you repay me?
WOMAN Sorry, I need to go.
WATCHER Where to?
FLAT OWNER You’ll ruin everything if you leave!
WOMAN Jesus Christ, why?
FLAT OWNER You’ll destroy my life!
WOMAN (points at the wall from behind which all the sounds are coming) What on earth is going on there?
WATCHER Shhhhhh!
The women fall quiet. Thumping sounds are heard. A voice from upstairs shouts: “Will you ever shut up? Will you let me live in peace?! I’ll call the police!”
WOMAN It’s all fucked up.
WATCHER You should learn some yoga breathing. Just breathe: in and out. In and out.
Watcher and Flat owner begin to breathe in sync. Thumping sounds don’t stop.
WOMAN (gets up and heads to the door) It’s all fucked up. Totally fucked up.
Woman yanks the door open and steps out into the darkness.
SCENE 2
Silence. Darkness. Woman starts moving forward very slowly, groping the air. Then her foot bumps into something and someone pulls her down with force. Woman crouches down.
BYSTANDER Shhhh!
Woman sits, clinging to the Bystander. Headlights of a passing car outline a figure of a man standing nearby.
It’s dark again. Gravel-crunching footsteps can be heard: the man who’s been standing nearby moves further and further away. Woman touches the Bystander by the sleeve.