(Lights up on Julia’s hospital room. Steve is sitting by Julia’s bed. She is stirring, rolling around as if she’s waking up. She’s murmuring.)
(JULIA (unintelligible sounds, then…)
…you deserve it…
STEVE
Julia?
(Steve gets up and goes over to her bedside. Julia doesn’t hear him.)
JULIA
…you deserve it…
STEVE
What are you talking about?
JULIA (getting a bit louder)
You deserve it!
STEVE
Who deserves what? I don’t understand what you’re trying to tell me.
JULIA (sitting up straight in bed)
YOU DESERVE IT!
STEVE
DESERVE WHAT?
JULIA
WHAT? . . . WHAT WHAT WHAT?
(Julia is yelling now. Her eyes are open. She can’t see Steve, but she responds to his voice whenever he says something. It doesn’t necessarily make sense, but she responds.)
STEVE (changing tactics)
Julia, it’s Steve. Your brother, Steve. Can you hear me?
JULIA
ME! ME ME ME!
STEVE
Julia, do you know where you are?
JULIA
WHERE? WHERE WHERE WHERE!
STEVE
My God…
JULIA
WHERE? WHERE WHERE WHERE!
STEVE
Never mind…
(Steve walks back to the chair and slumps down. Julia realizes that he’s not there anymore. She tries to shake herself awake, shake herself out of this state of mind, but she can’t get out of it. Steve watches her struggle, struggle with her head and struggle with the restraints on her arms. He gets up to start to go to her.)
JULIA
NO? NO NO NO?
STEVE
What do you want me to do?
JULIA
STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP
(Steve stops. He just looks at her, waiting for her next words.)
JULIA
HELP! HELP HELP HELP!
STEVE
Julia?
JULIA
HELP HELP HELP HELP
STEVE (talking slowly, trying to get her to understand)
JULIA, I’M RIGHT HERE. IT’S STEVE, YOU’RE BROTHER. STEVE. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
JULIA
NO STEVE! NO UNCLE STEVE! BAD. MOMMY! NO!
STEVE
Oh God… NO, JULIA. IT’S ALRIGHT. IT’S JUST ME. STEVE. YOUR BROTHER. NO UNCLE STEVE.
JULIA (hands over her face)
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO
STEVE
Shit… NO, HE’S NOT HERE. IT’S JUST ME. YOUR BROTHER.
JULIA
BROTHER? BROTHER BROTHER BROTHER
STEVE
YES, yes, your brother. Your twin brother.
JULIA
TWIN BROTHER. BROTHER BROther brother.
(Julia is beginning to calm down. She leans back in the bed. Steve starts to move towards her bed, slowly.)
STEVE
Yes. BRU-THER. YOUR. TWIN. BROTHER. STEVE. Just me. No one else right now. Claire’s out.
JULIA
SISTER? SISTER SISTER SISTER?
STEVE
Yes, our sister. Claire. She’s out right now, but she’ll be back soon.
JULIA (takes a deep breath, then)
…Claire…
STEVE
Right, Claire. That’s right. She’s Claire, and I’m Steve. You’re brother. And who are you?
JULIA (takes a moment, then)
…Julia…
STEVE
Right. Exactly. You’re Julia. (he pauses for a moment and takes her in) And who’s older?
JULIA
You. You you you.
STEVE (smiling and relieved at her progress)
And don’t you forget it!
(Steve laughs at his own joke, and Julia kind of smiles.)
JULIA
Forget it. Forget forget forget it.
(Julia closes her eyes, and she’s back to sleep, leaving Steve to just stand and look at her. Perplexed by what just happened. But hopeful. Lights out. End of scene.)