41: Michael's Dream

Entombed in his closet at Janet’s, Michael sleeps. Smoke pours in and he wakes up and starts to choke. He gasps. He jumps out of bed in his underwear and throws the door open. When he does, the room melts away and he is in a hazy, vacuous space. He walks unable to find his way, he stumbles, and goes flat on his face. A shoe appears on his back. His father, Alfred, is there.

Alfred: Don’t you ever, ever disrespect her again. She’s going to be my wife.

Michael: She doesn’t even like me.

Alfred: Not when you treat her the way you do.

Michael: I just treat her, the way you treated mom.

Alfred: I could crush your skull boy. I could.

Judy appears.

Judy: Do it, Alfie. Do it. Crush him. Kill him. Please. Please. I can’t live with him in this household.

Alfred: Do you hear her cries? She can’t live with you in this household. I want you to pack up your things and get out of here.

Judy: Yes, get out of here.

Michael: You don’t need to tell me to go. I’ve already gone.

A curtain falls separating Michael from Judy and Alfred. He gets up. The rain pours. Thunder and Lightning. Michael is soaked to the bone. He shivers. He finds solace in an alley way under a box. Tobias lays unconscious a few feet away from him.

Michael: It was cold remember? It was so cold. . . we were both soaked. I’m there, Toby, I’m there again.

Toby: I’ve been in secret societies. I’ve killed men. I know how to fuck people up, buddy. Trust me. Stick with me and you’re stuck for life. Can you do it?

Michael: I’ll do anything. You care.

Toby: Yeah, I care.

Toby’s face transforms into a snakehead.

Toby: I’m going to go out. I’m going to do what I want. We are going to make it for ourselves.

Michael: Where are you going?

Toby: You don’t get to know everything, buddy.

Michael: But I love you.

Toby: No, you don’t.

Michael: You took care of me. You fed me. You clothed me.

Toby: No, I didn’t. Drugs did that. Drugs do everything. Drugs fill up your cups with joy, dude. Do you know how old I am?

Michael: My age?

Toby: I’ve been through what some eighty year old men will never see in a lifetime.

Michael: Sounds sexy.

Toby: Don’t say sexy to me, cunt. We make a pact. We make it now. Brothers forever. Have a bite of my carrot.

Michael: Brothers forever.

Toby: Give me your blood.

Michael: I don’t know if I can.

Toby: Do it.

Michael: Okay.

Michael cuts himself on the arm and offers it to Toby.

Toby: More. I want more.

Michael: I don’t know if I can give you more.

Toby: What would a true brother do?

Michael: A true brother would die for his fellow brother.

Toby: That’s right. I’ve taught you well. Now I feast.

Toby drinks Michael’s blood from his arm.
Michael: Awww, man, that feels good.

Janet appears.

Janet: Michael, what are you doing?

Michael: Nothing.

Toby: Get out of here you stupid retard!

Michael: Don’t say that word. Do not use that word.

Janet: Michael. I’m scared.

Toby: Cut her too. I want to drink her blood. I’m still thirsty.

Michael: So?

Alfred appears from behind the curtain. Judy follows.

Alfred: Don’t you know right from wrong?

Toby: Don’t you know what you want? Weren’t you determined to beat him at his own filthy money game? Make yourself a fortune. . .your way.

Judy: Yes. Yes I was.

Michael: I knew you were just after my father’s money!

Alfred: That’s what men do, Michael. They make a ton of money so they can fuck around with women. They make fortunes so they can have empires of women. That’s what men do. Aren’t you a man? Why haven’t you married?

Judy: You always said there was something wrong with him.

Alfred: I can say that, but you can’t.

Judy: I’m only saying.

Janet: What are all of you saying?

Toby: I’d kill all of them for you, buddy. Is this how you treat me? I want to drink. Kill them all. Think of the alley. Think of the rain. Think of all the pain.

Janet: I don’t know anything about you Michael. I don’t know you. Tell me about yourself.

Michael: I don’t want to talk about my family with any of you! I want to forget.

Toby: If they are dead, you will forget.

Paula’s voice sounds, but she is unseen.

Paula: But you’ll never forget me. Will you? The only thing that is real is love and loyalty, Michael. You have to find love and loyalty.

Michael: I have found love. I love him.

Toby pulls a chain and everyone disappears.

Paula: You can get rid of the sights of the world and you can run from your problems, but the truth always emerges in the sound of love. Wake up, Michael. Wake up. Fucking wake up.

Toby: You’ve felt how good it is to drink blood. Don’t forget that.

Paula: Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

Paula’s voice merges into Toby’s voice.

Toby: Don’t forget to wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

Michael’s eyes open. He is back in the closet. Toby stands over him.

Michael: What the fuck? What are you doing here?

Toby: I had to see you.

Michael: Why?

Toby: I- I-

Michael: What the hell? Is Janet home?

Toby: No. She’s not here.

Michael: She must be at work.

Toby: I climbed in the fire escape.

Michael: How did you know which apartment was-

Toby: I followed you once.

Michael: I just had a really bad dream.

Toby: Yeah? Well we’re in the clear.

Michael: What do you mean?

Toby: I just got rid of her. She’s gone.

Michael: I don’t want to talk about it.

Toby: Come here.

Michael: No.

Toby: Let me lay with you for a few minutes.

Michael: I don’t think I should see you.

Toby: Why? I love you.

Michael: What?

Toby: I said. I love you.

Michael: Really?

Toby: I do. I do, buddy. I do.

Michael: Prove it.

Toby: Let me lie down.

Michael: Nobody is stopping you.

Toby climbs into bed with Michael.

Toby: We’re gonna make this work. We are.

Michael: I hope so.