BAD GUYS FINISH FIRST 

CHARACTERS (in order of appearance)  

WOLF, leader of the motorcycle gang  

GANG MEMBER #1  

GANG MEMBER #2  

NUN  

ADE, a 17-year-old boy   

SYNOPSIS  

A POSTULANT can’t take her vows to become a nun until she’s made sure she’s no longer in love with WOLF, leader of a notorious motorcycle gang. When he finds out she’s given his child away for adoption he’ll use new recruit, ADE, to take his bitter revenge on his ex.  

ACT ONE  

  

SCENE ONE 

  

The stage is dark, but we can hear the revving of MOTORCYCLE ENGINES, the screeching of tires on the road. We hear her cries before we see her. They’re a rowdy bunch, making fun of her, taunting her. She screams her protests, but they only laugh the more, provoking her so that she screams even louder. They’re getting off her torment – a pack of wolves hungry for violence.  

[The lights come on to show a NUN surrounded by 3 young men (early twenties maybe), all in leather jackets and circling her, like hyenas do just before pouncing on their prey. The appropriately named WOLF, the motorcycle gang leader, heads the pack. The other two gang members follow his lead.]  

WOLF: Beg us for mercy and maybe we leave you alone.  

NUN: There’s only one person I pray to, and he doesn’t have bad breath.  

[The other two gang members snicker behind their leader. WOLF gives them a sharp look before turning back to the nun.]  

WOLF: Your life is in my hands. Antagonizing me may not be the best way to go.  

NUN: I’ll take my chances.  

WOLF [screams]: I said beg me!  

[The NUN is shaking but bravely shakes her head no. WOLF motions to the others with a snap of his fingers and they both pin her arms down. She protests by wildly kicking out at them. But to no avail – they’re bigger and much stronger. They are all around her – a hand over her mouth restrains her crying out. Then she stops kicking, stops trying to scream. There are tears in her eyes and she’s sobbing, but she’s also looking at something behind them. Her eyes are locked on it as the only point of her salvation. WOLF sees she’s distracted, and this gets in the way of his excitement.]    

WOLF: What are you looking at, nun?  

[Slowly, he turns around. There’s someone there in the shadows.]  

WOLF [to stranger]: You want something, friend?  

[Everyone is tense and wait for the hidden spectator to reveal himself. A teenager emerges, backpack strapped securely to his back. He doesn’t have a leather jacket like the others.]  

WOLF: Oh, it’s just you, Ade. You want in on this, little man? [Turns to consider the sobbing NUN, and smiles.] She ain’t taken her vows yet so it’s like we doing her a favour. One last time before she gets married to Jesus. Ain’t that right, boys.  

[The other two laugh. We hear their animal SNARLS.]  

WOLF [to ADE]: What you doing here, little man? Don’t think we’ve forgotten what you owe us. Now get out of here before we decide to collect.  

[ADE doesn’t move.]  

WOLF: You deaf, boy?  

NUN [to ADE, barely audibly]: Please.  

WOLF [looking down at her and cupping a hand to his ear, feigning alarm]: What was that now?  

[She yanks her arm from the grasp of the thug behind her, and her freed hand reaches out to ADE.]  

NUN [again barely audibly]: Please.  

WOLF [looks from ADE to the NUN, and laughs]: What, you think he’s going to help you? You think he can save you?   

WOLF [to ADE, losing patience]: I said get out of here. Now! [Wolf starts to approach ADE. ADE, now spooked, turns around quickly, and he walks away.]  

[Even as he leaves the NUN calls to him. And this time her voice isn’t a whisper that can be easily ignored. Reeking of despair, she cries out ferociously with all of her remaining strength and in a voice to haunt the coldest of hearts.]  

NUN: Please! [But ADE doesn’t stop. He won’t turn to look at her.] 

ACT TWO  

  

SCENE ONE 

[ADE holds on to the straps of his backpack as he walks quickly away from the scene he’s just witnessed. He seems to be deep in thought, head bowed and talking to himself, and he doesn’t notice the NUN slip quietly behind him.]  

NUN: That was really brave of you back there, kid.  

[ADE gasps when he sees her and stops dead in his tracks. Then he turns back around and continues walking, quickening his pace to get away from this ghost from his very recent past.]  

NUN: Hey, I’m talking to you.  

ADE [over his shoulder, and trying to sound nonchalant]: So, they let you go.  

NUN: What was that they called you: Ade? That your name?  

ADE [walks even faster so she won’t catch up]: Why’d they let you go?  

NUN: That all you have to say to me?  

ADE: They don’t do that. You’re lucky.  

NUN: Maybe those animals got tired of playing with their food. I probably wasn’t worth the bother after all [her voice breaks when she says this]. [Angry he won’t take any responsibility she screams at him.] I said, is that all you have to say to me?  

ADE: What do you want from me, Sister?  

NUN: I’m not a sister – not yet. Or didn’t you hear your friends back there?   

ADE [nods]: You’ve yet to take your vows. I heard. [Shrugs defensively] So they didn’t do nothing. No harm no foul. That’s the way I see it.   

[He takes great pains to avoid looking at her, but she won’t let him off that easily.]  

NUN: Is that the way you see it?  

ADE [finally stops walking and turns sharply to her]: What do you want from me, lady?  

[NUN stops walking as well and keeps a wary distance. ADE continues staring at her; neither says anything. Finally, he breaks the silence.]  

ADE [for the first time, showing sadness, sighs]: There were three of them. I couldn’t do nothing. What was I supposed to do?  

NUN [raising her arms and rolling her eyes in frustration]: Run for help, maybe? Not just leave me there alone with them.  

ADE [also frustrated]: Listen, I left it alone. That’s what you do around here. You leave it alone. You leave them alone.  

NUN: You’re scared of them.  

ADE: And you aren’t?  

NUN: I was scared. That didn’t stop me from fighting back.  

ADE: Yeah? What good did that do you? They let you go not because you fought them off. They were in control from the start.  

NUN: God is in control.  

ADE [emphasizes each word so each one is full of bitter intensity]: THEY WERE IN CONTROL.  

[NUN stares at him, then looks away with a shake of her head. She folds her arms around her, hunching her shoulders, as if to keep out the coldness of him.]  

ADE: Listen, I’m glad they didn’t do nothing; glad you made it out alive. Okay? We good?  

[He nods, as if to reassure himself, and he starts to walk away.]  

NUN: What kind of person walks away so casually after witnessing that level of violence?  

[ADE stops, grinding his teeth hard so they made an uncomfortable and ominous sound. Then he sighs resignedly, giving up his protests.]  

ADE: The kind of person who wants to stay alive.  

NUN: So that’s it? You just want to live. That’s the great plan? No matter the cost.  

Even if the cost is your own soul?  

ADE: Hey, lady. My soul is fine.  

NUN: Doesn’t look that way from where I’m standing.  

ADE: You still haven’t told me what you want.  

NUN: I know you.  

ADE [surprised by her reply]: What?  

NUN: We went to the same school. I was a year ahead of you.  

[ADE looks intently at her and shakes his head.]  

ADE: Yeah, maybe. Look, I don’t know. Maybe you look a little familiar. Listen, I’m sorry. I truly am. If I knew we went to school together I could have tried to speak for you back there.  

NUN: That’s not my point.  

ADE: I’ve said I’m sorry. Okay? I’ll say it again: I’m sorry. [He shrugs. His shoulders are squared in confrontation and his arms are folded, like he finally accepts he’s in the wrong and wants to protect himself from her rectitude.]  

NUN: I knew you when you were… different.  

[He’s breathing harder now. Then he suddenly snaps around.]  

ADE: Goodbye, Sister. You really should get back to wherever you call home. It can be dangerous around here when it gets dark.  

NUN: What happened to you? [She’s following him again as he walks.]  ADE [shrugs]: What happens to all boys? They grow up.  

NUN: Yes, but do you like what you’ve grown up into?  

ADE: I’m fine, Sister.  

NUN: Told you, I’m not a sister yet.  

ADE: Then what’s with the… [He points at her habiliments.]   

[The nun fingers her habit, suddenly self-conscious.]   

NUN: They’re not mine. [She admits to this with head bowed, her face turning red.]  

[He’s suddenly intrigued.]  

ADE: So, where’d you get them digs? You stole them? Oh! Oh! [He’s smiling.]  

NUN [blushing]: It’s not what you think.   

ADE: You don’t know what I think.  

NUN: Oh, I can guess. Wipe that smile off your face.  

ADE: Yes, Sister.  

NUN [turning even redder]: I told you not to call me that. I didn’t steal the uniform. I just borrowed it from one of the others. No one will notice.  

ADE [eyes turning bright with interest]: So, why’d you steal the clothes?  

NUN: I didn’t steal anything.  

ADE: You running away?  

NUN: It’s not like that. I want to take the vows.  

ADE [peers intently at her and finally discerns her problem]: But they don’t want you.  

NUN: We’re supposed to pray while we’re postulants. Pray hard.  

ADE: What’s that?  

NUN: What’s a postulant? [He nods.] That’s what they call the new guys. You do 6 months. You live and you pray with the community, get to know everyone, get to figure out what you want to do.  

ADE: And you want to be a nun?  

NUN: Yes.  

ADE: So, what’s the problem? Seems to me like you’ve made up your mind.  

NUN: You have counsellors, people in the community who pray alongside you during your postulancy. They asked me to reconsider my position.  

ADE: Seems like there’s a whole lot of waiting just to be a nun. You’d think they’d be grateful anyone wanted to join their little group. You don’t get to have sex anymore, right? Who’d be waiting in line for that?   

NUN: You’d be surprised. They just need to make sure you understand it’s a lifelong commitment and that you aren’t running away from anything in the real world.  

ADE: Oh.  

[She nods, and they walk together in quiet understanding.]  

NUN: Gary… [She pauses, looking for words.]  

ADE: That who you’re running from?  

[She nods.]  

NUN: I stole the clothes and slipped out of school with a party on an excursion.  

ADE: That don’t seem like nun behaviour.  

NUN: I needed to be sure.  

ADE: And?  

[She turns around to look behind her, like she’s left something back in her past.]  

NUN: That isn’t me anymore. Seems I’ve changed more than I’m willing to admit.  

ADE: Gary. Gary. [ADE scratches his head, deep in thought.] I’m not sure I know any Garys live around here. I know two live some ways away – Lewisham actually.  

NUN [snaps]: Maybe you don’t know this particular one, okay.  

ADE [looks curiously at her, but decides to leave it alone]: So, you ready to move on, huh?  

NUN: I think so.  

ADE: See, it all worked out.  

NUN: I don’t believe you’re trying to put a positive spin on what happened back there.  

ADE [softly, raising a placating hand]: I already said I was sorry. I really am. I’m glad they didn’t hurt you – least not more than they seemed like they was preparing to.  

NUN: Thanks. That means something. I think.  

ADE: You seem to have recovered all right.  

[NUN shrugs.]  

ADE [reflects]: I mean for a religious person such as yourself to have nearly got herself violated you seem awfully fine.  

NUN: I’m training to be a nun. We’re taught to endure wrongs. Nuns get raped in some of the most isolated places in the world. We bring education and food, and sometimes we get syphilis in return.   

ADE: Seems like after your adventure today you’re good and ready for service.  

NUN [glares at him]: A joke?  

ADE: You’re not laughing.  

NUN: I remember you used to be quite popular. In school. There’d be these rap battles. You made us laugh with your rhymes. You could tell a story. But then you became sore. You stopped joking.  

ADE: Hey, Sister, leave it. Okay? Please.  

[The NUN holds on to his arm to stop him.]  

NUN: Why’d you stop laughing? You changed after…  

[Suddenly his eyes are flashing.]  

ADE [in a menacing voice]: I told you to leave it.  

NUN [continues bravely]: Seeing you today. Maybe it was meant to be.  

ADE: I’m not your God-project, Sister. You don’t get to fix me and make your screwed up life better. You want them to accept you back at your school then you can get back in without using me as your charity case.  

NUN: You need fixing.  

ADE [scoffs loudly]: Look who’s talking. You ran away before you’ve even taken your vows. A nun no one wants to be a nun. And I need fixing? You don’t get to judge me.  

NUN: I’m not. [She puts a hand on his shoulder and leans in close.] I’m saying you’re in pain.  

[Ade swats her hand away.]  

ADE: You don’t know me. You think because we went to the same school you do?   

NUN [appealing]: I’m not saying I do. Just saying you’re a different person.  

ADE: People change.  

NUN: Yes, they do. But if they don’t change for the better we get to ask why?  

ADE: Any questions are mine to worry about. Not yours.   

[He’s walking aggressively toward her, and she backs away, but her courage compels her to continue speaking, and in so doing she’s reaching out to his soul, desperately reaching out.]  

NUN: Some people can’t hear you no matter how loudly you speak. And these kinds of people make bad parents. They form fear in their kids.  

ADE: What are you talking about?  

NUN [continues]: Fear is very real. It will embalm you – but all it’s preserving is something dead.  

[ADE looks confused.]  

NUN [takes his hand]: These kids… with this fear, they grow up. Now they have a choice to become like their parents or to break out of that cycle of pain and fear: they can bring pain to others as pain was brought to them or they can decide to be better people.  

[ADE flinches and moans in despair. He wants to take his hand away from hers, but she won’t let him go.]  

NUN: If you become him you lose, and he wins. Do you understand me?  

ADE [in a small voice]: How did you know?  

NUN [shrugs]: I don’t. When I saw you back there… I’m just saying maybe we were meant to meet today. Maybe God orchestrated it.  

ADE: I hate him for what he did.  

NUN: Don’t become him. You have to forgive your father if you want to move on without his shadow looming over you.   

ADE [turns sharply to face her]: And have you dealt with the shadows you’re running from?  

NUN: This isn’t about me.  

ADE: Isn’t it? You said maybe God orchestrated this. If he did maybe he knows you need help as much as I do.  

NUN [sneers]: You’re not qualified to give help.  

ADE: And you are? You’re not a real nun. Remember? Not yet anyways.  

NUN: I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have judged you. Okay, maybe you’re right. We both get to help each other. We’re misfits together.  

[ADE smiles grudgingly.]  

NUN: So, what are you going to do?  

ADE: You first.  

NUN [sighs]: I was pregnant before all this. [She gestures at her vestments.]  

ADE: Gary?  

[She nods.]  

NUN: I still want my old life back, you know? It was fun back then. So, they’re not so far from the truth when my counsellors say I’m not ready. I wake up some nights and  

I think of him, and I feel what I felt then. My body tingles. I feel him. These thoughts, I’m not supposed to have them if I’m going to be a nun, right?  

ADE: I guess. I don’t know. You’re human; you still feel stuff, right? Seems unnatural to me to deny them.  

NUN: That’s the point: so, we ask for grace to help us deny our bodies, our predilections. The issue is do you want the help?  

ADE: And now you do?  

NUN [nodding]: I think so. That’s why I needed to come out, see Gary one last time, know I wouldn’t be giving up anything worth having. You know? Know for sure. Be sure.  

ADE: What about your kid?  

NUN: I had to give him up for adoption.  

[ADE scoffs scornfully in disgust.]  

ADE: I’m in a foster home now. [He says this in a manner that seems to accuse her. And he is accusing her, for leaving her son.]  

NUN: Do you still see him? Your dad, I mean.  

ADE: Never. After what I said about him in court if he ever saw me again I know he’d kill me. Just like he did him.  

NUN: I’m sorry.  

ADE [putting on a brave face, but not quite being able to hide his pain]: Hey, I’m fine. But don’t let’s change the subject. All I’m saying is if you give up on your old life it’s

not just Gary you’d be leaving behind. I don’t know him. I don’t know what he did to you. I don’t know if he’s worth having as you put it. But you’d also be leaving your child in foster care. Gary may not be worth having but surely your child is.  

NUN: No, of course. I didn’t mean her.  

ADE: You have a girl?  

NUN [head bowed]: Yes.  

ADE: How old is she?  

NUN: A little over a year.  

ADE [frowns]: It ain’t right.   

NUN: No, it isn’t.  

ADE: I’m in foster care. It’s no picnic let me tell you. You’re willingly doing that to your child just so you can live a cushy life in some nunnery.  

NUN: It’s not an easy life.  

ADE: It’s not foster care! And you say I need fixing. Girl, you are so far from having the right to judge me. Maybe you’re the one in need of fixing after all. Me, I’m fine.  

[ADE stomps off, and this time she doesn’t follow.]  

  

ACT THREE

  

SCENE ONE 

[ADE walks, muttering to himself and mulling over the NUN’S words. The more he ponders her words the angrier he gets.]  

ADE [muttering to himself]: Fear and pain? Be like him? She doesn’t know what she’s taking about. I’ll never be like my dad. I’ll not afraid of him. I’m not afraid of nothing.   

[Suddenly there’s that dreaded sound of ENGINES revving, tires screeching on the road. The gang SNARL like wolves. ADE stops immediately, like a terrified rabbit caught in the glare of an approaching vehicle’s headlights.]  

WOLF: It’s time to collect, boy.  

ADE [takes time to speak]: I don’t know, Wolf. Maybe I changed my mind.  

[The ENGINES stop. We hear the kickstand on one of the bikes come down and someone get off his seat. WOLF appears in front of ADE.]  

WOLF: Maybe you changed your mind?  

ADE [shaking visibly]: I been thinking.  

WOLF: Ain’t nothing to think about, little man. You forgotten what you asked us to do after what he did? You need reminding?  

[ADE hesitates.]  

WOLF [snaps with teeth bared]: Answer me!   

[ADE winces.]  

ADE [nodding slowly]: I remember.  

WOLF: You remember.  

ADE: Yes.  

WOLF: Remember what exactly? You remember what your father did to your brother?  

ADE: Yes.  

WOLF: Don’t think you do, little man. You remember your dad’s temper? You remember your brother was sick? What was that he had anyway?  

ADE: Sickle cell.  

[The gang SNARLS.]   

WOLF: Can’t hear you. Speak up.  

ADE [again]: Sickle cell.  

WOLF: That’s real sick ain’t it?   

[WOLF stalks around ADE, watching every move while ADE just stands still. WOLF is the conquering army asking all the questions of a besieged city’s defenses and try as ADE might his resistance will gradually wither away to nothing in the end.]  

ADE: Yes, sickle cell can be bad.  

WOLF: So bad that sometimes your little brother would be sick in bed? Unable to do anything all day long.  

[ADE nods again.]  

WOLF: What was that?  

ADE [speaks up]: Yes.   

WOLF [nods knowingly, continues to stalk around ADE, terrorising him]: So, one day before your father leaves for work he tells your brother to do some chores [pauses, leans in closer to ADE to whisper in his ear]. But when dad comes back your brother hasn’t done them, because he’s been sick all day. So, your dad beats him, beats him until he stops moving. You remember that, little man?  

[ADE buries his face in his hands and sobs.]  

WOLF [puts an arm around ADE’S heaving shoulders]: It’s all right. I lost someone too. Of course, nothing as permanent as death – my baby mother decided I was good enough to bed but not good enough to raise my child. She gave her up for adoption. My baby girl’s still alive, but she’s out of my life. So, I understand what you feeling now, little man. You want to hurt your dad for stealing your brother away from you. I know how you feel, because I also want to hurt the person that took my child from me.  

[Ade looks up at him like he’s just seeing WOLF for the first time.]   

WOLF: I told you I understood loss. Remember what you asked me to do when they didn’t send your dad to prison? Didn’t get justice from the government that time, did you? You remember what you asked me, little man.  

ADE: I said if you could kill him dead for me.  

WOLF: And I said maybe – that I’d think about it, but that I’d most like need something too in return. So, this is it, little man. It’s judgement day, and I want something. You want something. You still want something from me, don’t you? [ADE bows his head but nods slowly.]  

WOLF: A life for a life.  

[The gang SNARLS.]  

WOLF: It’s time to collect. Hear me, little man? I take your dad’s life, and you take my baby mama’s. You in? Say now.  

[ADE thinks about this for a while, but slowly nods again.]  

WOLF: Say it.  

ADE [after another pause, finally]: I’m in.  

[The gang LAUGHS amid their feral SNARLS. WOLF starts to walk away.]  

  

WOLF [over his shoulder, without looking at ADE]: Good. I believe you’ve already met mine. Do it before she goes back into hiding in that school of hers. And tell her for me she ain’t no nun. Not in my eyes.  

[The motorcycles sound again, as the gang rev up their machines to life, and drive away amid the roar of ENGINES and the snickering and hollering of evil laughter. Finally alone, ADE breathes a sigh of relief and sinks down on his knees. He looks around in desperation, seeking guidance, but there is no one else with him.]  

ADE [arms splayed beside him, finally admits]: I’m alone. There’s no one else.   

[But then determination sets in – as the ENGINES sound again – and he clenches his fists and looks up to the heavens. We see only him because at that moment only he and the audience exist. The ENGINES grow louder and louder hitting a crescendo of sound. ADE’S forehead is furrowed as he ponders deeply. However, we are not privy to his thoughts. But we can see him come to a decision. He gets up with a quick movement and exits the stage. And the ENGINE sounds follow him. It used to be that their sound marked the entrance of the motorcycle gang. And nothing has changed for ADE is now one of them.]  

ACT THREE  

  

SCENE TWO 

  

[There is absolute silence on the stage – the noise of the ENGINES is now gone. ADE stands apart from the NUN. She’s standing quite still so you can hear a pin drop, and she watches his every movement. ADE doesn’t look at her and busies himself exploring the area. Her wary gaze never leaves him.]  

ADE [finally]: You didn’t tell me that your Gary was Wolf.  

NUN [shrugs, her eyes follow him as he paces]: Does it matter?  

ADE [sighs]: Maybe you’re right. It doesn’t matter. Not now anyways.  Still maybe…  [He steps forward, and she gasps and backs away from him in fear.]  

[ADE raises a placating hand and gestures to her that he will not come forward to her. He takes a few steps back until the distance between them is resumed.]  

ADE [his voice thick with despair]: You should have told me you were my boss’ girl, and that you’d taken his child from him.  

NUN: So, he’s your boss now?  

ADE: Hey, I told you how things worked around here. He runs things.  

NUN: And I already told you what I think of that.  

ADE [looks at her]: Do you know what they told me to do to you?  

NUN [bitterly]: I can imagine.  

ADE: Hey, don’t make this thing between you and him my fault. I didn’t tell you to have a child with him.  

NUN: It was a mistake. He destroys everything he touches, and he will destroy you.  

ADE: I need him.  

NUN: What for?  

ADE: I need him, OK?  

NUN: What for?  

ADE: I do this for him, and he does something for me.  

NUN: Your dad.  

ADE [shaking his head fretfully and crying]: He has to pay.  

NUN: You’re so full of bull. Today isn’t your fault, yesterday as well. I guess when your brother died you had no choice too. Just like today. Nothing is ever your fault.  

When will you take responsibility for your life?  

ADE: What are you saying?   

NUN: It’s just us so why are you still lying to yourself?  

ADE: You should know a thing or two about lying.  

NUN [screams]: Stop it. Stop it. [Panting and pressing her hands on her forehead. She calms down slowly before continuing.] Just stop it. You and I both know your father wasn’t the only one who bullied your brother for his frailty. You’re also responsible.  

ADE: You’re wrong. My dad made me.  

[But she’s shaking her head, refusing to give an inch to his lies.]  

NUN: No more. No more of your lies. You can’t dodge the issue anymore. That’s why you’re so angry. You won’t confront the real monster here. First your dad made you do it. Then Wolf made you do it. All these people making you do things, but all I see are your victims.  

ADE [shivering]: You don’t know what you’re talking about. My father beat my little brother until he couldn’t move.  

NUN [covers her ears with her hands]: Enough! No more.  

ADE [coming closer and forcibly removing her hands from her ears]: You’ll hear me out. I’m the victim here. I couldn’t fight him off. I was helpless. I’m just a kid. He’s the adult, and he doesn’t get to walk away from what he did.  

NUN: Gary told me someone saw you hitting your little brother.  

[ADE’S protests stop short, and he just stares at the NUN, his mouth agape.]  

NUN: He knows. Your precious boss knows what you did. Everyone does.  

ADE [finally]: How…? Who saw…?  

NUN: A neighbour. I guess they took pity on you. Your dad’s a drunk, no need for another one of you to have their lives destroyed by violence. That’s why no one ratted you out to the police. So, you see you can stop your bull now.  

ADE [wipes the tears from his eyes]: I… I was only following my dad’s orders. [The NUN turns away in disgust, and he continues protesting, his voice appealing for understanding from her.] He could have stopped it any time. He was the adult. I was the child. He was supposed to stop me.  

NUN [snaps]: You both didn’t stop. Now your brother’s dead. And so am I.  

[ADE listens submissively to her. His truth has now been told, and as a double-edged sword it has slain him, executed all of his excuses. Finally, he snaps out of his reverie.]  

ADE [shaking his head with single-minded purpose]: No, it doesn’t have to end like that. You don’t need to die. I won’t kill you. I can’t let what happened to him happen again. I won’t let you die.  

NUN: But you will. We both know you will. And we do because you’re the one who cut my throat.   

[And with that she starts to slide down to the ground. He reaches for her as she falls and catches her in his arms. They stay there together, in each other’s embrace, while ADE sobs uncontrollably.]  

DEAD NUN: If it makes you feel any better, I died quickly. But I guess you’re just telling yourself that, so it doesn’t hurt so much. You’ve had more experience than me with lying to yourself. Your brother. Your dad. Now me. What new lie will you tell yourself this time to hide from your responsibilities? Ade, can you hear me?  

[But ADE is no longer listening. Still crying, he now instead recites an earlier conversation he had with her, while she was still alive, to her.]  

ADE: [To nun’s dead body] So what will you do now?   

ADE: You first.   

ADE: [to NUN’S dead body, sighs] I was pregnant before all this. [ADE caresses her habit tenderly.]  

ADE: Gary?  

[ADE nods, still weeping.]  

ADE [to NUN’S dead body]: I don’t want my old life back, you know? It’s no fun.  

Please. [Looks to the heavens in supplication.] Take it away.  

[And behind him WOLF appears. He looks at his dead ex-girlfriend in her killer’s arms. He goes and kneels beside ADE. There’s a bundle in his hands and he unfolds it to reveal a leather jacket just like his. He places the jacket around ADE’S shoulders.] WOLF: There, now you’re one of us.  

[The ENGINES start again.]  

WOLF: Coming? [WOLF starts out toward the sound of the motorcycles.]  

[ADE doesn’t answer and continues to hold the NUN.]  

WOLF [shrugs]: As you wish, brother.  

CURTAIN FALLS/ LIGHTS DOWN