Simon: a tall, slender, well dressed man. Late 30s early 40s with medium length black hair that's pushed back, an expensive watch is on his left arm. He's in formal black shoes with black dress pants and a white button up that's pushed up to the elbows and buttoned. He works as a misdemeanor lawyer.

Oliver: a short, thin man no older than 30, he's wearing a torn and stained button up shirt with one sleeve buttoned at the elbow. His hair is light and scraggly, his dress pants are black and in rough condition with his shoes being in similar if not worse condition

Liam: a tall muscular man, exactly who you think of when you think of closeted high school homophobe. He dresses casually and works at a lumber yard. Hes typically the one who cooks and cleans while Simon is the worker

Arthur: a tall heavy man dressed in business casual wear

Leo: an average joe type character whose dressed in similar if not matching clothes to Arthur

Avery: a tall conventionally attractive woman in a mid thigh length red dress, her heels give her an extra 6 inches. Her hairs in curls and she’s covered in jewelry

Scene 1

Rain is heard from off stage, oliver is laying on the cold cement of a basement floor; fading in and out of consciousness. The set consists of three flats, one comprising each wall, with a staircase between the back wall and the right wall. There's a door leading into another flat made room on the left wall. In it a heating system and a bench with chains. A work in progress wardrobe is against the back wall and there’s a workbench with tools that look used are also on the back wall. Oliver is chained with handcuffs to a pole made to look like a support beam, center stage.

Oliver

[groans and tries to move hands on to realize their chained, their fatigued and loopy] The Hell…?

[ Simon enters from stairs humming the tune of ‘we’re going on a bear hunt’ and crosses to the workbench; with back to the audience begins sterilizing something. Oliver begins to panic rattling the chains and shooting awake]

Simon

Well somebody’s awake. [he crosses to the pole and bends down to be eye level with oliver who is avoiding eye contact with him] sadly though i'm going to need you to be quiet [he reaches out and lifts Oliver’s chin] I have guests over [he pulls a syringe out of his shirt pocket and Oliver begins to panic before Simon forcefully ties a band around his arm, and injects whatever’s inside] Now, let’s get you somewheres a little more comfy

[ Oliver’s out cold, Simon unchains him and drags him into the side room and chains him to the stool, then exits and crosses to the stairs]

Simon

All right! You guys can come down [he yells up the stairs]

[two men and a women come down the stairs single file joking, Simon crosses to the support beam and quickly picks up the chain and puts it on the bench]

Avery

So, what’s so important that you had to drag us down here to show us? I had to take my shoes off to get down here! [she holds up her shoes to simon and he gives her a sympathetic chuckle]

Simon

Well you see, I started working on this project a while ago and I wanted to show you guys.. [Leo and Arthur are shoving each other around jokingly by the door to the smaller room] Hey! Boys! Cut it out! There's fragile shit down here! [they don't listen and continue shoving Simon goes to break them up but leo gets pushed into the door and it swings open and everyone turns to see oliver chained and their faces turn to that of shock and disgust]

Leo

What the hell? Who is this??

Avery

And why the fuck is he chained in your basement!?

[Arthur slowly stars to back himself towards the stairs sensing so things wrong]

Simon

Whaaat?? How did he get there? I don’t even know him! [he starts backing up towards the workbench]

Leo

No no, that's not an answer. Who is this and why is he here?? You know him, you left the party with him last night.

Avery

We're not idiots Simon! [she looks over to the boys] one of you calls the cops!

[at this point Arthur is two stairs up and Simon is at the workbench opening a drawer]

Simon

Where the hell is Liam?? Let’s talk about that. [he’s clicking something behind his back]

Avery

NO SIMON!! WERE TALKING ABOUT THE MAN YOU CLEARLY KIDNAPPED!!!

[Simon, offended by this, pulls a handgun out from behind his back and fires two shots into Avery, Leo turns to run. But Simon shoots the back of his legs and runs towards the stairs and shoots three shots up them. A clunk is heard as Arthurl falls and a scream is heard. Leo tries to crawl past him but Simon puts a shot in his back.]

Simon

What a shame I really wanted to show you my wardrobe….

[he crosses from the stairs to the closet and walks in and closes the door; lights go down.]

Scene 2

The flats from scene 1 are flipped and a bedroom set with a walk-in closet are revealed; the stairs are removed and placed in the wings and the back panel is moved to the right and another flat with a door is placed in the empty space. A full sized bed is all the way to the right wall and the workbench is flipped and placed to the left of the bed revealing a dresser and the wardrobe is flipped revealing a finished wardrobe with Simon's name carved on the bottom of the door and moved to the side room. The dresser is covered in clutter; a lamp, notebooks, ties, etc. in the walk-in seat with chains is flipped to hide the chains and reveal an ottoman and the heating system is flipped, revealing a bookshelf and is placed between the two doors. The support beam is entirely removed and in the wings with the stairs. Lights up to reveal Simon sitting on the end of the bed and Liam rummaging through the wardrobe with angry and aggressive body language

Liam

Why did you have to shoot them Simon?! Do you know how much cleaning I'm going to have to do! Not only that imagine how suspicious people will be that your the only one in that friend group who didn’t die?!

Simon

Like I’ve been saying liam. If we fake a car accident with their bodies we can say they didn't get here. I’ve already checked all their phones and they didn't tell anyone they were here.

Liam

[Liam stands in the doorway facing Simon] THEY WERE SHOT TO DEATH SIMON! YOU CAN'T FAKE A CAR CRASH WHEN THEY HAVE AT LEAST TWO BULLETS IN EACH OF THEM!!

Simon

[Simon stands] DON’T YELL AT ME!! DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHO GOT YOU THAT COMFY JOB AT THE LUMBERYARD?? ME!! YOU ONLY HAVE THAT JOB BECAUSE I KILLED THE LAST GUY WHO HAD IT!! Or is that only a problem when you're not profiting from it?

Liam

Your like a fucking child. [Liam begins walking toward him] You have no sense of right or wrong. You just kill, kill, kidnap, kill. ‘Oh that's a little inconvenient, I WONDER IF I CAN JUST KILL OR KIDNAP THAT PERSON AND GET WHAT I WANT’ face it simon. You're not like your father. You're worse.

Simon

WATCH YOUR MOUTH!! [Simon backhands Liam across the face and crosses to the door] And clean this dresser off, it’s filthy. Have dinner ready by four; we have a guest and you will not ruin it this time. [he opens the door and begins to walk out]

Liam

Where are you going?

Simon

To clean up the mess you’ve neglected to take care of. [he storms out and slams the door] AND STAY OUT OF THE GOD DAMN BASEMENT!!

Liam

[trying to hold back tears he picks up a lamp and throws it at the door to the closet] FUCK YOU!

[he crosses to the bed, sits down and begins to sob. Lights down.]

Scene 3

Lights up, the stairs are back but on the left side of the stage. The extra room is off stage and there's an outdoor light hanging from the outside of the door. Inside there's a medium length dining room table with three chairs. One on each end and one in the middle. Centered on the table is a covered the right of the stairs is the bookshelf and a short China cabinet.There's multiple bottles of wine on the cabinet along with trinkets On the wall above the china cabinet there’s a family photo of Simon and Liam and a dog. Liam is setting the table and Simon is coming down the stairs with Oliver in tow.

Liam

Well look who's finally awake [he chuckles and smiles at oliver and simon glares at liam]

Simon

Yes, our guest was very tired and didn't want to leave the guest room. I think he was frightened. Poor thing.

Oliver

Uh hi? I'm right here? I can hear the entire conversation.

Liam

[ignoring him] Well that just won't do. [he shakes his head in a disappointed manor]

Simon

I'm going to run out to the shed dear. Why don't you tell our guest what’s for dinner and get him seated. [liam shakes his head in compliance and simon leaves out the front door]

Liam

[walks over to Oliver and rests his hand on his shoulder] Hi, I know we haven’t had a chance to talk yet, I'm Liam; Simon's husband.

Oliver

You're dating that monster?! He kidnapped me!

Liam

Listen I get it, [he leads him over to the center seat and pulls out the chair] he ‘kidnapped’ you. You're scared. But that's no reason to be rude towards your host.

Oliver

[at this point oliver is fully seated and liam is pouring him a glass of wine]

HOST!? WHAT'S WITH THIS FREAKSHOW!

Liam

[completely insulted, this is his family. He slams down the wine and shakes it at the table] THAT'S QUITE ENOUGH FROM YOU!! [he clears his throat and sits down at the right end of the table] dinner is ready, and it’ll be served once Simon returns.

Oliver

[trying to make small talk] what's for dinner?

Liam

[we see Simon walk back onstage towards the door with a little bit of blood on his white shirt. Liams pissed at this point] stake.

Simon

Sorry about that, [he crosses towards the china cabinet and kisses liam on the head before pouring his wine back to the audience and continuing] there was a little loose end i had to clean up from last nights fiasco.

Oliver

[intrigued] what happened last night?

Simon

[begins walking back to his chair] well i had company over, as you know, and I brought them downstairs to show them a wardrobe i had been working on.

Liam

[much farther in on his wine then the others] that sure was a bitch to bring up two flights of stairs!

Simon

Yes dear. [Simon clears his throat] and two of them thought it would be a good idea to go snooping around under the facade of ‘play fighting’ and found you [Simon takes a sip of his wine and Liam begins pouring himself a second glass. Oliver is clearly anxious and is biting his lips] they went off the handle claiming i kidnapped you, but that's not at all what happened.

Oliver

But you did kidnap me.

Simon

Oh no no no. I saved you. I saved you from your boring life where you worked day in and day out and lived alone and unloved in a horrible studio apartment downtown. Now? Now you get to live in the wilderness! You get to be a part of our lives and cook and clean and eventually be a nanny! You'll get to live an amazing, and useful, life oliver!!

Oliver

[tearing up] but i don't want that!! [stands up and slams his hands on the table] I WANT MY LIFE BACK! I WANT TO GO HOME LET ME GO HOME.

Simon

[he stands up, knife in his hand pointing it at oliver] listen here you ungrateful little wretch. If there's another outburst like that you won't have this life, or your old life. For a matter of fact you wont have any life. Now SIT DOWN. [Oliver sits down and once Simon is satisfied he also sits] anyways they threatened to call the police and we couldn't have that.

Liam

Nope! That wouldn't do! [his speech is slightly slurred] Simon here took the first chance he could to kill me off! Just like always. Great aim this one is!

Simon

[slightly raising his voice] Yes, Dear. don't you think you should slow down on the wine?

Liam

No, I think I'm doing completely fine. I'm having fun. Hey, I think we should eat, don't you? [he goes to pick up the platters cover before simon puts his hand on top of his from across the table]

Simon

Well I think it's time you put down the wine dear.

Liam

AND I THINK ITS TIME YOU STOP FUCKING SHOOTING PEOPLE SIMON! But that doesn't matter does it? All that matters is that you get what you want no matter the expense.

Simon

[he raises his hand to hit liam] if you don't shut your mouth and sit down i swear to god ill-

Liam

DO WHAT? SHOOT ME?

[Oliver begins to cough; this seems to tick off Liam]

Simon

Maybe I will. [He goes to pull out his gun from his holster to threaten Liam but it's not there. He begins to panic and checks all his pockets] Shit!

Liam

looking for this? [simon goes to speak but liam interrupts him] i swear to god if you try to interrupt me one more time i'll put a bullet in your foot [olivers coughing is now full blown choking and Liam has the gun pointed at simon] IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP I SWEAR TO GOD!

SImon

Listen. Why don't we start over? We can sell the house and find an apartment in town. No more killing or kidnapping. I promise. [simon starts to turn purple still coughing]

Liam

I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP. [Liam quickly points the gun at Oliver's chest and fires two rounds killing him. He then points the gun at the table. Only holding it in one hand. And begins holding back tears] start over… that'd be nice…Really… nice. Just me. [tears begin to roll down his face and simon begins to panic]

Simon

Liam, don't forget me. A new beginning. For both of us

Liam

I'm sorry Simon, I love you [he pulls the trigger three times. One shot hits Simon's shoulder, another his heart, and the third his stomach] I really do..

[Liam walks behind Oliver's dead body towards the door and stops at Simon's head resting on the table and kisses the back of it and then walks to the door and looks back one last time] a new beginning [he walks out. Gently close the door and the lights go out. A car speeding away is heard before a screeching brakes and the loud crash of a car hitting a tree]