Darla
Daniel Brothers
2/18/2021
Darla
Characters
Darla: owner of a fine necklace
Reggie: trying to steal said necklace
Quick Slim: A nogoodnik, who won the necklace in a poker match
Setting:
A small western settlement style house, a tumbleweed could almost blow through and not be out of place, there are some simple pieces of furniture including one nice dresser with a mirror on top of it. The mirror is cracked, and clothes from the dresser are slightly mussed.
At Rise
Reggie is seen opening the outside door and entering with a flower, he glances around the room before calling out.
Reggie: Darla? Darla?
At no response, he relaxes, the flower drooping. He hurries over to the dresser and starts to look through the top bit of it. Darla then enters
Darla: Reggie is that you?
Spinning to cover
Reggie: Darla! My love my light my flame! I come bearing a fine gift I found by the spring
Darla: Well my my that looks just like the flowers ol greg had shipped in from pilapecky.
Reggie: Well all he needed to do was walk the road down to the mineshaft and he could have found one for free.
Darla takes the flower
Darla: You're a liar
Reggie: Well then you are the most ugly woman i've ever seen
Darla: Reginald!
Reggie: What? I wouldn't want to be accused of telling the truth, liar like me
Darla: Alright alright stop your flirtation, I am mad at you
Reggie: No you're not!
A look
Reggie: Oh, you are!
Darla: You are gonna stop hanging out with slim pete
Reggie: I haven't sen slim pete in years.
Darla: Thats not true you went drinking with him yesterday
Reggie: That was Quick Slim
Darla: What happened to slim pete?
Reggie: He went up the river
Darla: Up the river?
Reggie: Yeah, to South Bend
Darla: That just is a mighty confusing set of situations there
Reggie: And so is your predicament with me! Quick Slim is a good man Darla, he looks out for his buds just like the other folks hanging around this town
Darla: He shot John Tucker
Reggie: The barber?
Darla: Shot him dead, didn't like his haircut.
Reggie: IT was pretty lopsided
Darla: John Tucker was a good man! Just not a good barber, you don't shoot a man for being bad at his job
Reggie: Well I mean, in this economy?
Darla: What? What has gotten into you?
Reggie: Look me and Quick Slim. We are making some good money, protecting the mines, going out and getting bounties on all the local outlaws.
Darla: I don't know Reggie, I just don't have a good feeling
Reggie: What doesn't feel good Darla. I know a few things that feel good
Darla: Reggie!
Reggie: Darla.
Darla: Reggie, people will talk
Reggie: People already talking
Darla: Reggie.
Reggie: Yes ma'am.
Darla: You will not have anything to do with me, until you and Quick Slim are no longer acquainted.
Reggie: You can't exactly unaquant with someone.
Darla: You can't undo a lot of things Reggie but here we are.
Reggie: But I
Knocking at the door
Reggie: Yes who is it?
Slim: Well that answers that question
Darla: Why is he here?
Reggie: Shhhh\
Slim: Reggie Reggie Reggie. What have you been up to? Best be hoping its been finding my coin there partner
Reggie :You know it Slim!
Darla: What did you do?
Reggie: Shh!
Slim: You know me and my pals here are getting worried that you might not be able to come up with what you said you had, so we just wanted to check in on yah.
Reggie: That's no worries there Slim, I was just putting it together for yah now.
Slim: Took a little bit of a detour didn't yah? Little dalliance with a little lady don't seem like getting me my money now does it hmm?
Reggie: I just happened to leave a few things here the last time I was over
Slim's voice starts to move from one side of the stage to the other as he circles the house
Slim: Leaving all sorts of things around. That necklace of yours seemed to end on that little ladies neck it did
Reggie: I don't know what you're talking about
Darla: What does he know about my necklace?
Reggie: Shh
Darla: I will not shh! What does he care about my necklace
Reggie: I bet it in a game of cards, and I lost
Darla: [gasp] Get out of this house
Reggie: I can;t he is gonna
Darla: You're gonna get out of this house and deal with your own demons Reginald
Slim: SOunds like things aren't going so well for yah in there bud, is your little missy in there talking with yah?
Reggie: Please don't
Slim: Get on up out here Reggie and face the music.
Reggie: I can't do that yet Slim. Darla please
Darla stands and goes to get the door, reggie goes to grab her but is slapped away as she says
Darla: Face the god damn music Reggie
She pulls the door open and a percussive blast from Slim's shotgun rocks the stage, Darla staggers back bleeding both profusely and horrifically. She collapses wheezing
Reggie: Holy shit Darla! Darla!
He goes for his gun, but Slim enters with a shotgun cock, and you know that boy has two barrels.
Slim: Come on there Reginald no need to cry over spilled sweet tea.
Reggie: Why did you, why am I, why?
Slowly reaching down to grab the necklace and pull it off of her neck
Slim: I got some business to attend to a few towns over, and I always get what is mine.
Reggie: Darla I'm I'm sorry
Slim: I'm sorry too. didn't want to was a whole shell on this poor lil lady.
Blasts Reggie who promptly dies, his gore hidden behind some furniture.
Slim: Both of these was meant for you.
Lets the shells out of the gun, before pocketing the necklace and walking out the door, they stop in the doorway. Goes to speak, but does not
End