Read Murder Mysteries a Play for Voices (9781466109827) for Free Online Page A

walk. And.... There are voices, in the
Dark. I listen to the voices. They promise me things, ask me
questions, whisper and plead. And I ignore them. I steel myself and
I gaze at the City. It is the only way I have of testing myself --
putting myself to any kind of trial. I am the Captain of the Host;
I am the first among the Angels, and I must prove myself.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Why did you not tell me this before.
     
    LUCIFER
    Because I am the only angel who walks in the
Dark. Because I do not want others to walk in the Dark: I am strong
enough to challenge the voices, to test myself. Others are not so
strong. Others might stumble, or fall.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Thank you, Lucifer. That is all, for
now.
     
    /SFX/ LUCIFER WALKS BACK.
     
    RAGUEL THEN (CONT’D)
    Phanuel. How long have you been taking
credit for Carasel's work?
     
    PHANUEL
    I... I uh... whu-whu-whu...
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Well?
     
    PHANUEL
    I... I would not take credit for another's
work.
     
     

     
     
     
    RAGUEL NOW
    But you did take credit for Love?
     
    PHANUEL
    Yes. I did.
     
    RAGUEL NOW
    Phanuel. Would you care to explain to us all
what Love is?
     
    PHANUEL
    (didactic, with no understanding)
    Er. Yes of course. It's a feeling of deep
affection and attraction for another being, often combined with
passion or desire -- a need to be with another. The feeling that we
have for the Name, for our Creator -- that is Love... amongst other
things. Love will be an impulse which will inspire and ruin in
equal measure... We are... we are very proud of it.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Who did the majority of the work on Love?
No, don't answer. Let me ask the others first. Zephkiel? When
Phanuel passed the details on Love to you for approval, who did he
tell you was responsible for it?
     
    ZEPHKIEL
    He told me it was entirely his project.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Thank you, sir. Now, Saraquael: whose was
Love?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    Mine. Mine and Carasel's. Perhaps more his
than mine, but we worked on it together.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    You knew that Phanuel was claiming the
credit for it?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    ...yes.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    And you permitted this?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    He -- he promised us that he would give us a
good project of our own to follow. He promised that if we said
nothing we would be given more big projects -- and he was true to
his word. He gave us Death.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Well, Phanuel?
     
    PHANUEL
    It is true that I claimed that Love was
mine.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    But it was Carasel's. And Saraquael's.
     
    PHANUEL
    Yes.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Their last project -- before Death?
     
    PHANUEL
    Yes.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    That is all.
     
    RAGUEL THEN (CONT’D)
    Carasel was a remarkable designer. If he had
one failing, it was that he threw himself too deeply into his work.
Saraquael? You’re shivering, Saraquael...
     
    SARAQUAEL
    Am I?
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Saraquael. Who did Carasel love? Who was his
lover? Well?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    How did you know?
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Just answer my question.
     
    SARAQUAEL
    I...
    (scared, then proud)
    I was.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Do you want to tell me about it?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    No. But I suppose I must. Very well, then.
We worked together. And when we began to work on Love... we became
lovers. It was his idea. We would go back to his cell, whenever we
could snatch the time. There we touched each other, held each
other, whispered endearments and protestations of eternal devotion.
His welfare mattered more to me than my own. I existed for him.
When I was alone I would repeat his name to myself, and think of
nothing but him. When I was with him...
    (beat)
    ...nothing else mattered.
     
     

     
     
     
    RAGUEL AND SARAQUAEL ARE NOW VERY CLOSE,
TALKING INTIMATELY.
     
    RAGUEL THEN
    Then why did you kill him?
     
    SARAQUAEL
    Because he would no longer loved me. When we
started to work on Death he -- he lost interest. He was no longer
mine. He belonged to Death. And if I could not have him, then his
new lover was welcome to him. I could not bear his presence -- I
could not