Dart. Season Two, Episode Nine

(Episode begins with Jenny pulling into another parking lot. She’s managed to escape the darkness. She pulls over and shuts off the car.)

JENNY (shaky)

Fuck, I think I lost it.

(She pulls over, parks, and takes a shaky breath.)

JENNY

The good news is I think I solved one mystery. 

(She laughs tightly and lets her head fall back against the headrest, then she groans.)

JENNY

The darkness came as I was getting angry. 

JENNY

And I was getting just so, so mad. And then what do I hear? The fucking CHEER song. That little (she mimicks the song.), then the darkness. There’s no way that was coincidence.

JENNY

So as I was driving for my life, I was thinking. CHEER very clearly noticed that I was, what? Pissed? Fucking furious? Completely betrayed? (pause) Angry. It noticed my, um, negative emotion and it started up. Which is creepy as hell. But then I thought, why did it start up? 

(There’s another pause)

JENNY

I’m not talking to you, Rory. I’m thinking out loud. So the app was attracted to the negative energy I was making. And I realized that CHEER’s whole thing is getting rid of negative energy. So what if it’s taking it? I don’t know how, but it makes sense. You feel negative, you turn on CHEER. CHEER works and you feel positive again. So where did the negativity go? I thought maybe it dissipated, but what if CHEER comes in like this big, creepy gross net and scoops it up for their own use? Don’t ask me what, but energy is energy, right?

So here’s where the lousy part comes in, at least for me. I need to experiment.

(She pulls out her phone and turns on the CHEER app. The song plays as the app loads.)

JENNY

So I’m going to get good and mad, then see what CHEER does with that.

(She clears her throat, pauses for a second, then begins.)

JENNY

I’M BROKE! I have no money. I deliver pizza to rich people. Rich people don’t tip! I’m tired! I’m so tired and someone’s trying to kill me so I can’t stop and sleep! My best friend was an asshole, then died! I had to block my landlord’s number, so I’m probably getting arrested! I’m so tired! I don’t want to do this anymore!

(She’s getting worked up now.)

JENNY

I used to have a job I loved and it was scary and thrilling and really satisfying. Then my best friend had to get himself killed AND ALSO BETRAY ME and now I’m delivering salads. SALADS! They get warm and people blame me! And don’t even get me started on smoothies! Yeah, let’s order a smoothie from Brighton and deliver it to Dorchester! What do you mean it melted? Fuck you!

(The darkness starts coming in now, flattening her words. But instead of getting scared, starts chanting along with the voice coming from the CHEER app on her phone.)

JENNY and VOICE

Wellness and health through the power of positivity…wellness and health through the power of positivity…wellness…

JENNY (alone)

Wellness and health…through the power of positivity…positivity

(The darkness cuts out abruptly before she notices.)

JENNY

…positivity…oh.

(She stops and considers the silence for a moment.)

JENNY

It worked. And, OH MY GOD, MY PHONE.

(Her phone is humming in an unsettling way.)

JENNY

There’s whatever the hell that is. And it’s fully charged despite the fact it was on thirty percent when I started. So that solves that I guess. CHEER is making the darkness? Somehow? And the only way I’m going to solve that is…

(She groans.)

JENNY

I guess I’m back to Boston to check out the CHEER headquarters. And my car is apparently running on CHEER juice for the moment, so I don’t even need to stop for gas.

(She turns the car on.)

JENNY

Well, let’s see what they’re hiding.

(The season ends as the sound of the car fades out.)

——————–

Dart is an Enfield Arts production and was written and performed by Amanda McColgan. For more information on Dart and other Enfield Arts projects, or how to support the show, please visit EnfieldArts.com.