Lesbian Visibility Day

So like any good gay/queer I am late to whatever queer function is happening. Yesterday was Lesbian Visibility Day. I recently finished writing a short play about two lesbians. They meet after a terrifying pandemic has wiped out most of the human race. It’s been two years since either of them have seen another person. Of course they fall in love.

Below is an excerpt from the play. This is very undercooked and needs more revision.

SCENE FIVE: A BEDROOM IN THE HOUSE, NIGHT
It’s dimly lit. Grace sits by the open window, listening to the song of crickets and toads. From stage left, Ash pokes her head in.
ASH
Can I come in?
GRACE
Sssshh.
She goes back to listening to the crickets and toads.
ASH
The toads have such a queer melody to them.
She pulls out her violin, broken string removed, and begins to play in tune with the crickets and toads. The deep throated, echoing sound compliments them beautifully. Grace listens, eyes shut. When Ash finishes, there is a pause, as if they are marinating in the sound.
GRACE
I’m not mad at you, you know. Just disappointed. And angry. At myself. Like duh you’re going to act that way. Most white people do when confronted.
ASH
I hate being called white people.
GRACE
Then what are you?
Ash thinks and laughs.
ASH
Good question. Look, I didn’t mean to be hurtful —
GRACE
I understand that. But sometimes we do stupid things without meaning to, okay? Like we don’t know. That’s what I was trying to say. You are a good person but that doesn’t make you a saint, either.
ASH
Okay. What about you?
GRACE
What about me?
ASH
What unsaintly things have you done?
GRACE
That’s not the point!
ASH
C’mon. Share a little dirt. If I’m an incognito racist than you —
GRACE
You’re not a racist! Not any more than any white person I met.
ASH
Come on, come on, come on.
GRACE
Okay, fine. I cheated on two different people with different women. First was my college boyfriend, before I knew I was gay. I cheated on him with this beautiful, lovely girl named Simone. That only lasted a little while because Simone decided she was straight.
ASH
Bastard.
GRACE
Then it was years later with my girlfriend and . . . her best friend.
ASH
No!
GRACE
Yep. I’m a homewrecking bitch.
ASH
Good thing it’s just the two of us, then.
GRACE
Huh?
ASH
Do you think we should stay here?
GRACE
Here, in this house?
ASH
Yeah. We have running water, and electricity that won’t run out. Someplace warm and safe. Someplace where we can listen to the music of the landscape and it’s outside.
GRACE
I don’t know. I think it’s wise to travel around, just in case.
ASH
You ran into one of those bad groups didn’t you?
Grace nods.
ASH
I did too, once, but it’s been awhile. I haven’t even run into people to hear about them.
GRACE
I saw a woman slitting a man’s throat and drinking his blood before eating him. I was hiding and had to stay silent, but I saw everything.
Quiet.
ASH
Where did everyone go, you think? Did we all die off from the virus or kill each other off?
GRACE
I’m stupid.
ASH
No you’re not.
GRACE
Yes, I am. I keep hoping we’ll find a colony of survivors someday and we will finally be part of human society again.
ASH
Isn’t that what we are? A colony of two survivors.
(C) J. S. Kuiken April 2020

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