Chapter 4

After we got back and put everything away - we went over the script again. Then we took a nap to be ready for tonight's read-through.

We got up, took a shower and drove to the Playhouse Community Theatre. We beat Kevin so we just talked for a while - until a horn beeped declaring that our director arrived.

We got out and had our arms around each other making Kevin smile.

"I take it, that you two have become ... closer than last time we all saw each other?"

We explained everything to which Kevin responded, "The writer of this play is aware of the technical gaffs in it but understands your re-explanation and I concur. We could possibly make this even more apocalyptic and you two could be the last two people on the planet?"

"That certainly is an interesting possibility," Amy said. "We could espouse some political awareness or possibly the futile nature of war."

"I would be all right with that," Kevin said, "provided this doesn't become an 'afternoon special' about the vagaries of nuclear proliferation?"

He stopped to open up the theatre and let us in.

"OK, you two. Since you are veterans of this theatre you may remember that I have a physical read-through to give my actors a chance to think of actions while they're coming to grips with their lines."

"Cool," I said. Both Amy and Kevin snickered at that.

"OK guys, I'll read the background information as well as the stage directions while you two start to get inside ... each other's head."

"Scene One. A fall evening in the year 2024 - in the hills overlooking Denver, Colorado. At one side of the stage stands a makeshift tent comprised of two army blankets pinned over a rope tied to two branches that serve as tent posts. A red glow in the background suggests both a sunset and the flames of the still burning city below."

"As the scene opens a young man of 28 crawls out of the tent, clad only in blue jeans with a fig leaf hastily stitched onto the front. A handkerchief is tied around his head. He is 'Michael' Adamson Chauvin III, the last surviving male after a nuclear holocaust."

"(Apprehensively walking away from the tent, peering into the distance, he says)"

Michael: Amy, is that you?

"'Amy' Evelyn Libber enters behind him dragging a large child's wagon. It's full of canned goods, an old army shirt and a bow and arrow. She is a spirited young woman also in her late 20s. Amy is wearing boots, shorts and an army shirt too big for her, but open in the front enough to reveal decidedly feminine curves. When she speaks, Michael jumps nervously and turns to face her."

Amy: Yep, it's me. I found some things for us to eat at the farmhouse down below. Is your head better now, Mike?

"(She reaches to touch him - Michael is in no mood to be comforted)"

Michael: Yeah the pain is gone but I still feel a bit wobbly. Say, was this your idea of a joke sewing a fig leaf on my last pair of jeans while I sleep?

Amy: Of course it's a joke! Now, don't tell me that you've lost your sense of humor just because we've lost almost everything else/

Michael: I don't see anything to laugh about. Look at the city burn down there. There's a wall of flames. We might never be able to go back again.

Amy: It's best if we never do go back again. We're immune to the radiation but with all of those rotting corpses down there we might run into some pestilence. Here's a shirt I found at the farmhouse if you want it.

Michael: What's this for - are we dressing for dinner?

Amy: Why not, it might improve your morale and your appearance.

"Kevin," I said breaking out of character, "Could I go a little more ... insensitive then written?"

"Try it," he said.

"Cue me again please?"

Amy: Why not it might improve your morale and your appearance.

Michael: You didn't seem to mind last night and again this morning when we made love to one another.

Kevin interrupted, "Very good ... go on, Amy!"

Amy: That was in private. You should wear a shirt in public.

Michael: PUBLIC! You and I are the last two people on earth - public and private mean the same GOD-DAMN thing now! I can see that you're still holding on to all of your hang-ups!

"STOP," Kevin said, "You two are really good less than a page into this, and I'm already worried about how this will end and I already know how it ends! Was that an intentional paraphrase, Michael? It sounded better."

"Yes actually we have gone over this a few times before tonight and I scribbled some small changes along the way," I admitted.