​v. the visitor

SHELOB
​and now, this is how things stood:

​poor lonely beckett stayed in his basement
​stewing in his darkness
​sinking further and further
Into a pit of self-flagellating despair

​meanwhile shelob spun her webs
​feeding on poor beckett’s gloom

​while the wolf slowly circled
​devising various schemes
​to try to get in and devour beckett whole

(a knock at the door.)

WOLF
​hello? is anyone home?

BECKETT (sotto voce)
​don’t move
​don’t make a sound
WOLF
​i’m looking for a mister eriks andersons
​this is his last known addrеss
​you got any information on him?

BECKETT
​don’t let anyone in

WOLF
​i’m masked. no need to worry—

SHELOB
​strangеr at the door beckett?

BECKETT
​that’s death out there!

SHELOB
​once a month or so
​he’d try to perk himself up
​through the manic ordering
​of new age self-help books
​crystals
​tarot cards
​candles
​incense
​celtic bells and an aeolian harp—
BECKETT
​​putting my amazon prime to work!

SHELOB
​​trying to cleanse his spirit
​he had basically stopped bathing at this point—

(phone ring.)

SADIE (as work)
​beckett? it’s work again
​hey, i know this is a hard time. but we need those reports…give ​me a call

BECKETT
​i could feel myself slipping
​oh yeah i could feel myself slipping hard

(phone ring.)

SADIE (on the phone, as sister)
​beckett? it’s your sister
​i’ve got some good news for once. we’re getting married! ​obviously we’re not gonna do a big wedding. just family and ​close friends, outside. hope you can make it
​anyway give me call, haven’t heard your voice in a while

BECKETT (staring at the pendulum)
​but there’s this thing, right?
​when you’re mental health is slipping…
​it’s like
​how serious is it, really?
​how serious is it?
​how serious is it?
SHELOB
​beckett, my collection of flies is growing
​would you mind terribly if i stretched out a bit more?

BECKETT (still staring at the pendulum)
​maybe i’ll go out tomorrow

SHELOB
​i’ll just stretch out on this transom

(another knock at the door.)

WOLF (in a funny voice)
​hello? is there a mister beckett here?
​the super sent us, we need access to the meter

BECKETT
​i can’t do this
​gramps?

(louder knock.)

WOLF
​c’mon buddy we know you’re in there

(phone ring.)

SADIE (on the phone, as work)
​beckett? it’s work
​give us a call if you want to discuss our last email
​we just hope you’re…hope you’re okay

SHELOB
​you don’t need them beckett. plenty of work to do here

(phone ring.)

SADIE (on the phone, as sister)
​beckett? it’s your sister
​mmmmmmmm…i’m pregnant! due in february. i still can’t ​believe it…

(louder knock.)

​did you get the wedding photos we sent?

BECKETT
​i need protection—

(louder knock.)

WOLF
​look we need access buddy!

BECKETT (shouting)
​go away go away go away!