CASSIE
Dinner’s almost ready.
ROMULUS
Not from a can?
CASSIE
Not from a can. What’s that?
ROMULUS
Helps me remember things.
CASSIE
What kind of things?
ROMULUS
Things I don’t want to forget.
(There’s an awkward silence.)
CASSIE
So…your sister and my sister…meow!
(She makes clawing gestures in the air.)
ROMULUS
Sorry about that.
CASSIE
Not your fault.
(Another awkward silence. There’s a hint of attraction in the air.)
What’s it like?
ROMULUS
What?
CASSIE
Out there.
(Romulus shrugs.)
What’s that mean?
ROMULUS
Sometimes stuff just is, you know?
CASSIE
Is good or is bad?
ROMULUS
How come there’s no other guys?
CASSIE
Sometimes stuff just is.
(Beat.)
There were, where we used to be. The twins, Matthew and Luke. Then there was John…and Peter. Peter was the funny one.
He’d find these dead flowers on the ground, and he’d try to water them with spit and give them to me. One time, his mouth is so dry, there’s hardly any spit and what there is can’t get into the air—only he doesn’t know it.
And so he smiles and gives me these dead dandelions and then he realizes he’s got this glob all over his chin, and he’s trying to get it with his tongue while he’s still smiling and bowing and holding out the flowers.
I’m like, “Peter, I think the dandelions could use a few more drops.” And he says, “I think you’re right.” And he wipes them on his chin and put them in my hand.
(Beat.)
He was the first to go. Andi says that’s so he could be at the gates for us. I don’t know what that means. I just know he’s gone.
ROMULUS
He sounds pretty cool.
(Cassie nods.)
CASSIE
And then we left and found this place.
ROMULUS
Why do they say you see things?
CASSIE
Because I do.
ROMULUS
How?
(Cassie shrugs.)
CASSIE
(Beat.)
I’ve got some pictures before the—Andi calls it Tipping Day.
ROMULUS
You’ve got pictures?
CASSIE
(Continuing her thought:)
Like it was happening a little all the time. Just a little. So little you don’t even notice. Until one day it just…tipped.
(She pantomimes a tipping motion with her hands.)
ROMULUS
I want to see the pictures.
CASSIE
It’s almost like that here. Like it was before.
ROMULUS
Please.
CASSIE
I can show you.
ROMULUS
I’d like that.
(He reaches out and takes her hand.)