George F. Walker is one of Canada’s most prolific and popular playwrights. Since beginning his theatre career in the early 1970s, Walker has written more than 30 plays and has created screenplays for several award-winning Canadian television series. Part Kafka, part Lewis Carroll, Walker’s distinctive, gritty, fast-paced tragicomedies illuminate and satirize the selfishness, greed, and aggression of contemporary urban culture.
Girls Unwanted, his latest play, about three girls at a halfway house in an inner city, will be published in 3 instalments over 3 weeks. In part one, we discover Hanna has a brother she never knew about and their social worker, Victor, was found dead in an alley. They suspect each other of being responsible for Victor’s death. *READ PART 1 HERE*
SCENE 3
Ash and Kat are in the kitchen, chopping vegetables.
ASH
It was just a guess. People get killed in alleys all the time.
KAT
It happens, yeah.
ASH
That’s all I was saying. I don’t think Maddy believed me though.
KAT
Why wouldn’t she?
ASH
Because of my history. I come from a family that let an eleven year old girl go hitch hiking on her own. People who do that, there’s no way they can be trusted.
KAT
So you were hitch hiking when you were–
ASH
Eleven, yeah.
KAT
And did anything…like happen?
ASH
Yeah I told you. I was on my way to town. And two guys in a truck stopped and– I told you.
KAT
No you didn’t. They raped you?
ASH
Two guys, yeah.
KAT
I didn’t know that. You never told me that.
You only told me about the time when you got snatched and…locked up.
ASH
Oh. Maybe because that was worse. I got away from the first guys. The other guys killed me.
KAT
What?
ASH
Well I’m kinda dead, right.
KAT
No. You’re just–
ASH
The guys who took me, put me in that basement, and I died there. Just like all those other girls.
KAT
Except those girls actually did die. And you escaped.
ASH
Not really. How old were you when that happened to you?
KAT
I was never kidnapped and put in a cage.
ASH
No. But you were–
KAT
Fourteen. Almost fourteen.
Maddy comes into the living room.
MADDY
Get in here. We need to talk. Come on. Hurry up.
Kat leaves the kitchen and approaches Maddy.
KAT
What’s up? You okay?
Ash joins them.
MADDY
No. I’m not. Someone I knew pretty well just got murdered.
KAT
Yeah. I guess it’s been awhile since that happened to someone you knew.
MADDY
What? No. I never knew anyone who got murdered, Kat.
KAT
Really? I had two friends who did. One got stabbed by a pimp. Wasn’t even her pimp. And the other one got run over by a cop car. That was just weird.
ASH
I knew a lot of girls who got killed.
KAT
(to Maddy)
She means the ones who were found in that field.
ASH
And before that there was Cassie. A guy was trashing her in one of the rooms upstairs. She broke his vodka bottle on the wall, cut his throat, and then cut her own. That was good. It was good that she took him with her.
(to Maddy) So what’s up?
MADDY
(a beat to recover)
The police want to talk to you.
ASH
Just me?
MADDY
No. All of you. Me too. (to Ash)
Go wake Hanna up, okay.
Ash nods and hurries off.
We have to keep an eye on Ash, okay.
KAT
Sure. Like always.
MADDY
No she’s gotten worse.
KAT
Maybe. So the cops… This is about Victor.
MADDY
They have some questions for us.
KAT
What kind of questions? You gotta give me an example. I need to get prepared.
MADDY
To do what? Lie? Just try to relax until we get there, okay.
KAT
We’re actually going to the cop shop. I don’t think I can handle that.
MADDY
It’ll be okay.
KAT
It’s never been okay before. I mean I’m not doing all the same stupid shit I used to. But I still have trouble talking to cops. Anytime they’ve ever been in my face, I–
MADDY
You what? Panicked? Confessed when you didn’t mean to?
KAT
Well not exactly, but–
MADDY
Did you kill him? Did you kill Victor?
KAT
No.
MADDY
Okay so just try to remember that before you open your mouth.
Ash comes back in.
ASH
Her door’s locked. I knocked and yelled a little, but she didn’t–
MADDY
I’ll get her.
KAT
How?
MADDY
I’ve got a key.
KAT
Just to her room?
MADDY
No. To all of them. I thought you would have figured that out.
She leaves.
KAT
Why would she have keys to all our rooms?
ASH
Maybe for emergencies…
KAT
Emergencies. You mean like a…
ASH
Like a fire, yeah.
Maddy comes in.
KAT
What’s going on?
MADDY
You tell me.
She is followed closely by Max and Hanna. Max has just finished getting dressed. Hanna is wrapped in a large blanket.
KAT
(off them both) What the fuck is this?
MADDY
Hanna says this young man is your brother.
MAX
I am.
KAT
(to Max)
Jesus. What were you doing with–
MADDY
Since when do you have a brother?
KAT
Since yesterday maybe.
MAX
No. It was yesterday.
Maddy’s cell goes off. She steps away to answer it.
KAT
I meant maybe I have a brother. (to Hanna)
Are you so hard up you’ll bone anyone? He’s just a kid.
MAX
It’s no biggy. I do it a lot.
KAT
Yeah? And do you usually do it with freak shows like her?
HANNA
(to Max)
I told you she’d get nasty about it.
(to Kat)
What’s it to you anyway. You don’t even know him. And if you’d been awake to say hi when he got here, I wouldn’t have had to entertain him.
KAT
(to Max)
How was she? Did she move at all, or just lie there and let you worship her?
HANNA
You were out cruising again, weren’t you
(to Max)
Ask her how many guys came on her face last night.
(to Kat) Whore.
KAT
Yes. You are.
Maddy steps back in.
MADDY
Okay knock it off. That was the police making sure we’re coming.
(to Hanna)
Go finish getting dressed. They want to talk to us about Victor.
HANNA
So why can’t they come here?
MADDY
Because I don’t want the neighbours watching the police come into this house anymore.
HANNA
(to Ash)
That was your fault. (to Max)
She tried to burn us all alive once.
ASH
(to Max)
I had problems. But I’m a little better now.
KAT
She means it was an accident.
ASH
(to Max)
I forgot there were other people in the house. I was supposed to be the only one who–
HANNA
Got burned to a crisp?
ASH
Yeah…
(puts out her hand to Max)
Ash..
MAX
Max
ASH
And you’re her actual brother? (to Kat)
How cool is that, eh.
KAT
Yeah. Effing amazing.
ASH
Think I better go put something clean on.
MADDY
Good plan. And maybe lose a few of the piercings. They’re cops, honey. Some of them are–
KAT
Assholes.
MADDY
She means they see certain things and they judge. Lose whatever you can without harming yourself.
HANNA
Yeah don’t just yank that stupid thing out of your nose.
ASH
That’s funny.
(to Kat)
She says funny things sometimes.
Ash leaves.
HANNA
She’s way freakier than she used to be.
Hanna leaves.
MADDY
I should probably go hurry them up.
Maddy leaves. Kat looks at Max.
KAT
So did you have fun up there?
MAX
Yeah. She laughed a few times, and that was a little–
KAT
Weird?
MAX
Every time I…did something she’d laugh and say “Well that was a surprise” I asked her if she was okay. And she said, “Yeah, just surprised.” It was kinda strange. But basically, it was nice. I like her.
KAT
Oh good. So…this isn’t next week like I suggested.
MAX
No. But…
(he takes a note out of his pocket)
I wanted to give you this.
(hands her a note)
It’s from our dad. He wants you to call him.
KAT
Call him. Not go see him. Just call him.
MAX
To start with, yeah. Like he says in the note. He thinks we should go slow.
KAT
Slow. Sure. I guess I thought he’d be excited to see me, but–
MAX
Well he got pretty worked up when I told him I’d found you. He cried.
You know, like a lot. But then… Well basically he doesn’t know how Mum would handle it.
KAT
You mean handle me.
MAX
Handle knowing about you. That you’re alive, and that you’re–
KAT
A low-life criminal.
MAX
Both those things, I guess. Well not a low life. Just a–
KAT
Criminal.
MAX
Yeah. But not even that anymore. Right?
KAT
Right. Unless shit happens… And it usually does so–
MAX
Yeah but let’s say it doesn’t. Or it does but you can handle it. So even if it does, can you call him?
KAT
Probably not.
MAX
Right. So…probably not. That could actually mean maybe, couldn’t it.
KAT
Yeah. I guess so, but–
MAX
So how’ve you been?
KAT
Since yesterday?
MAX
Yeah. I mean Hanna told me about that social worker guy getting killed.
KAT
Yeah. That happened.
MAX
Right. And now you’re off to talk to the cops about it. So… Do you have any idea who did it?
KAT
Wasn’t me if that’s what you’re worried about.
MAX
Who says I’m worried.
KAT
You should probably be a little worried. Just in case.
MAX
Just in case what?
KAT
In case I’m lying.
Maddy comes in.
MADDY
(to Kat) You ready?
KAT
Sure.
MADDY
(yelling off) Hanna! You coming!?
HANNA
(off) Hold on!
MADDY
(to Max)
So can you wait for us?
KAT
Why would he want to do that?
MADDY
So we can have a talk.
KAT
About what?
MADDY
About you. What else?
Hanna appears in a very nice outfit.
HANNA
Okay. Let’s go.
They all start out.
MADDY
That’s a pretty dress, Hanna.
HANNA
Thanks. I was saving it for a special occasion.
KAT
And a visit to a police station qualifies, eh. Weirdo.
Ash appears with fewer piercings. And she is wearing a clean t-shirt.
ASH
Better?
MADDY
Yeah it’s fine. (to Max)
Make yourself at home.
The women leave. Max looks around.
MAX
Sure…
He sits. Looks around. Stands. Sits again.
Right…
Blackout
SCENE 4
Max is gone.
We hear Maddy and Kat coming in the front door.
KAT
Hey! Stop pushing me.
MADDY
Get in the house.
KAT
No I gotta go find her!
MADDY
You’re not going anywhere. Get the fuck in the house!
Maddy is pushing Kat into the living room.
KAT
Someone’s gotta go look for her.
MADDY
The police are doing that.
KAT
Yeah. And that’s great, isn’t it. Dumb-ass bullies!
Maddy enters.
MADDY
Okay. Calm down.
KAT
Did you see the smirk on that one cop’s face. The motherfucker! Ash started to cry and he– I wanted to break a chair over the stupid prick’s head.
Hanna comes in.
HANNA
You scared the shit out of that Uber driver.
KAT
Like I care.
HANNA
(to Maddy)
He wanted to know if it was safe for me to be in here with her.
KAT
After what you pulled in front of those cops, probably not.
(to Maddy)
Ash is out there alone now, and she’s gonna hurt herself!
MADDY
No she’s not.
KAT
Yes she fucking is! When she’s upset like this, she hears them call her.
MADDY
What are you talking about?
KAT
She hears the voices of those girls she left behind. They want her to join them.
MADDY
Join her. She knows they’re dead, right. Those freaks shot them all when the cops were closing in.
She’s forgotten that?
KAT
No but–
HANNA
She feels guilty about it. She’s the one who told the cops about that farmhouse.
KAT
Could be that. Or it could be getting accused of murder and chased out of a police station by a couple of outta control cops!
HANNA
They weren’t outta control.
KAT
Shut up.
HANNA
They were just doing their jobs.
KAT
I told you to shut your mouth, you dopey bitch! You keep talking and I’m gonna put my fist through your face!
HANNA
Fuck you! I can talk as much as I want, and you’re not gonna stop–
Kat rushes her and is about to pound on her. Maddy intervenes and grabs Kat from behind.
MADDY
Kat. Get off her!
KAT
(to Hanna)
I warned you, didn’t I. But you can’t ever just shut the fuck up!!
MADDY
Kat! Knock it off!!
Maddy with a very large effort manages to pull Kat away.
Jesus Christ! I am so sick of the crap between the two of you!
KAT
Look I know how she felt.
HANNA
You know shit about how I feel.
KAT
I was talking about Ash, you dumb cunt!
(to Maddy)
I know what it’s like when cops focus on you like that.
And it was all because of the garbage this fool was telling them about her!
Maddy’s phone buzzes. She takes it into the kitchen.
HANNA
It was the truth! Ash is dangerous.
KAT
Just to herself.
HANNA
Oh yeah, right. What about the fire? And she hit me once.
KAT
Everyone you know musta hit you at least once. You told me Victor hit you for mouthing off to him.
HANNA
It was just a slap. And so what?
KAT
So maybe you killed him!
HANNA
Ash killed him. She basically admitted it.
KAT
No she didn’t. She said she’d had a blackout.
HANNA
While she was with Victor.
KAT
While she was looking for Victor.
HANNA
Well put two and two together and you can assume she found him.
The cops did.
KAT
After you went on about her sometimes being “outta control.”
HANNA
I should have withheld evidence?
KAT
You should have kept everything you thought you knew inside your ridiculous brain. Just do that from now on, okay. Just stay in bed all day sucking on gummy bears or something.
HANNA
I’ve got low blood sugar!
Maddy returns. Putting away her phone.
KAT
Low blood sugar. Right. Here we go…
HANNA
Low blood sugar, deep anxiety and very low self esteem because of all the neglect I’ve had to suffer for most of my life. Even when I was first born. None of the nurses would come near me!
KAT
Oh God. You remember that, do you?
HANNA
My parents told me about it. They thought it was funny. I told you. They’re horrible people!
KAT
(to Maddy)
Help me out here, will ya.
MADDY
Look, Hanna. No one thinks you don’t have serious problems–
HANNA
(off Kat) Except her.
MADDY
Well she doesn’t know everything about your history. But that stuff you told the police about Ash, it was like you were trying to make them think it was her who killed Victor.
HANNA
I was just pointing them in a direction.
MADDY
A very specific direction.
KAT
And if Ash does anything to herself–
HANNA
It’ll be because that’s what she was always going to do. Look, I’m sorry about all the things she went through. Being a sex slave, that’s really ugly. But if she’s totally damaged then–
KAT
Then what? We should just let her rot in jail!?
HANNA
(to Maddy)
Who was that on the phone?
KAT
Was it the cops?
MADDY
No.
HANNA
Was it Ash?
MADDY
No. Look it’s not–
HANNA
So who was it? Had to be someone.
MADDY
It was just a friend.
HANNA
You don’t have any friends.
MADDY
Fuck off.
HANNA
Hey. You can’t talk to me like that.
MADDY
Why not?
HANNA
Because you’re not allowed. Because of your position here. Even if it is temporary.
MADDY
Right. I forgot. But fuck off anyway.
Max comes in with two bags of groceries. They look at him.
MAX
While I was waiting I got a little hungry, but there wasn’t much in the kitchen so–
MADDY
You went shopping for us?
MAX
Well you were gone all night, so I thought when you got back I could make you breakfast. How did it go with the cops?
KAT
It was lovely.
HANNA
Ash ran away.
MAX
So…where is she now?
HANNA
We don’t know.
KAT
(to Max) Yeah. Do that.
MAX
Do what?
KAT
Make breakfast. I mean that’s the only reason you’re here, right…
MAX
Yeah. Sure. Okay…
He starts into kitchen. Stops.
About that call to Dad. It might be too complicated to get rolling on that right now.
KAT
Whatever.
HANNA
(to Max)
How long are you going be staying anyway?
KAT
Why, you hoping to get another shot at him?
HANNA
I’m just wondering how come he can be away from home this long?
MAX
Not an issue.
KAT
Yeah they might have already forgotten about him.
MAX
Funny. I’ll get breakfast going.
Max goes into the kitchen.
MADDY
What is it that he wants from you, Kat?
KAT
Probably nothing I can give him.
HANNA
He’s lonely.
(off Kat’s look)
He told me when we were upstairs. After his little sister died his parents stopped talking…
KAT
To him.
HANNA
Yeah. And each other. Sounds pretty bleak there. He thinks he’s not enough.
MADDY
What’s that mean, not enough?
HANNA
Not enough to help his mother. He thinks she just needs her daughter back.
KAT
(to Maddy)
He means the one who died.
MADDY
Or maybe he means the one who’s still alive. Look you need to talk all this through with him. When you’re allowed to leave here and spend more time with him, you can-
KAT
Whatya mean, when I’m “allowed.” I’ve done my time. I can leave whenever I want.
MADDY
No. Sorry. I told the police I’d be responsible for you until–
KAT
Until when?
MADDY
Victor was killed. They don’t know who did it. So…
KAT
They think it might be me. I mean if it wasn’t Ash.
HANNA
Well, you’d be next on their list for sure.
KAT
But not you.
HANNA
I never got into a fist fight with the man.
KAT
No you just sent him threatening emails.
HANNA
There’s no proof that was me.
KAT
It wouldn’t be the first time you’d-
HANNA
All that happened when I was someone else.
KAT
We were all someone else, Hanna.
HANNA
Oh no. You were probably always the nightmare you are now.
MADDY
Shut up. Both of you. You can’t go anywhere either, Hanna. They want you both staying put.
HANNA
That’s okay by me. But how are you going to stop her from sneaking out every night?
MADDY
I’m going to ask her not to.
HANNA
Oh. Good plan.
KAT
(to Maddy)
No. I’ll stop. I thought you were okay with it.
MADDY
It was what you needed to do for awhile.
HANNA
You mean screw half the city?
KAT
(to Maddy)
I don’t know why it makes her happy to think that.
(to Hanna)
I walk, Hanna. That’s what I do.
Maddy gets another call. She leaves.
HANNA
You walk. You just walk around.
KAT
It’s a habit. When I was on the street, walking felt safer than sleeping.
HANNA
Okay. Yeah I get that.
KAT
Oh well good for you then.
HANNA
And you never get laid.
KAT
Only when I meet someone who–
HANNA
Who has a dick.
KAT
Not necessarily. And seriously, what the hell is it to you anyway. It’s not my fault you don’t get any action.
HANNA
I’ve had my share.
KAT
Who with?
HANNA
With a lot of girls who’ve come through.
KAT
Name one. Come on. Just one and I’ll shut up.
HANNA
Okay. Carla.
KAT
Carla. She was the blind chick, right.
HANNA
Partially blind.
KAT
You mean blind enough.
HANNA
Oh go fuck yourself.
KAT
Sure. You wanna watch?
Maddy comes back in.
(to Maddy)
So Ash and me are the only ones on the cops’ list.
(off Hanna) What about her?
MADDY
No one’s told me she’s in the clear either.
HANNA
They haven’t?
KAT
And what about all the other girls who’ve been here that Victor mighta pissed off?
MAX
(steps out of kitchen)
Five minutes. Maybe someone can set the table.
They look at each other.
MADDY
A reasonable request.
Kat and Hanna get to the task.
KAT
Who was on the phone that time?
MADDY
Muncie.
(off her look)
Will Muncie? My boss? It was him the last time too.
She is just looking at them.
KAT
What’s wrong?
MADDY
The police have been looking into all of us.
HANNA
All of us. You mean you too?
KAT
(to Maddy)
They found out you had a record.
MADDY
Yeah. But Will knew that. What he didn’t know is that I’m currently seeing a psychiatrist.
HANNA
You are?
MADDY
Yes, Hanna. I am.
KAT
And this Muncie guy, he’s got a problem with you doing that?
MADDY
He wants me to tell him why I’m doing it. And I want to know why can’t I have problems just like anyone else.
KAT
You can.
(to Hanna) Right?
HANNA
Sure. As long as her problems don’t get in the way of my problems.
MADDY
I’ll do my best to avoid that, okay I’m gonna see if he needs help in there.
She goes into kitchen.
HANNA
I don’t think it’s good that she’s seeing a shrink. At her age she should have her shit together.
KAT
The memories of all the bad things someone’s been through don’t just fade away, you know.
HANNA
Is that’s why you’re so messed up? Your memories haven’t faded? Why are you smiling? It could be the truth.
KAT
Okay. But the truth about you is a lot scarier. These problems you say you had with your family, that’s all smoke. You’re actually a fucking psycho.
Hanna continues putting down the plates
(laying out cutlery)
You didn’t wind up in the system because your parents ignored you. When you were in juvie, a friend of mine was in there with you.
HANNA
Yeah, so what?
KAT
There was a lot of talk in there about you, girl.
HANNA
Well I guess they thought I was sort of special.
KAT
Yeah. A violent female stalker who’d just tried to kill her best friend…that definitely made you special. Then you get here and you have that thing with Victor.
HANNA
It wasn’t…a thing.
Kat is closing in.
KAT
Sure it was. Until he dumped you. If the cops find out about that, you become suspect number one.
HANNA
No way.
KAT
Come on, with what you did to that sweet little girlfriend of yours. Trying to crush her against a garage door with your family’s Range Rover. That was some demented shit. And I think the cops should hear more about it.
Hanna suddenly picks up a fork from the table. Turns on Kat with it.
Really? A fork?
HANNA
Get outta my face or this goes in your fucking eye.
KAT
Chill, Hon. I’m not gonna say anything.
(smiles)
Not if you stop trying to put what happened to Victor on Ash. She’s been through enough, don’t ya think.
(closer) Don’t you!?
HANNA
Leave me alone, okay.
They continue to set the table.
Max and Maddy bring out the breakfast.
MAX
Scrambled eggs and toast. It’s all I really know how to do.
KAT
Looks good.
They all sit around the table except Hanna.
MADDY
Hanna?
HANNA
I’m not hungry.
She leaves.
KAT
I’ll have her share.
MADDY
I heard all that. Threatening her isn’t going to help anyone.
KAT
You think I should just move on to torture then?
Kat starts to eat. Toast first. Then some eggs. Max is watching her closely.
She notices.
What?
Blackout