Story 4: I'm Here

MATILDA
At night, the escapologist's daughter cried herself to sleep, alone in her room. She never said a single word about the evil aunt's bullying, because she didn't want to cause a fuss, and so she suffered in silence. This only encouraged the woman to greater cruelties, until one day, she exploded!

MATILDA and ACROBAT'S SISTER [off stage]
"You are a useless! Filthy! Nasty little creep!"

MATILDA
And she beat her, threw her into a dank, dark, dusty cellar, locked the door, and went out.

(MATILDA has thrown herself onto the ground. She holds her head. The sound of a car pulling up to a house is heard.)

MATILDA
But that day, the escapologist happened to come home early. And when he heard the sound of his daughter's tears – [She knocks on the door three times.] – he smashed the door open!

(The ESCAPOLOGIST, wearing the white scarf, smashes the door open to lightning and thunder, and takes MATILDA into his arms.)

ESCAPOLOGIST
Don't cry
I am here, little girl.
Please don't cry
Dry your eyes
Wipe away your tears, little girl.

Forgive me
I didn't mean to desert you.
Don't cry, little girl.
Nothing can hurt you
You've nothing to fear
I'm here.

MATILDA and ESCAPOLOGIST
"Have I been so wrapped up in my grief for my wife that I have forgotten the one thing that matters to us most? I love you so much, my daughter. I shall spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

(The ESCAPOLOGIST wraps the scarf around MATILDA's shoulders.)

MATILDA and ESCAPOLOGIST
"We shall be together, forever."

MATILDA
Don't cry, daddy.
I'm all right, daddy.
Please don't cry.
Here, let me wipe away your tears.

ESCAPOLOGIST
Forgive me.

MATILDA
Daddy, forgive me.

ESCAPOLOGIST
I didn't mean to desert you.

MATILDA
I didn't want to upset you.
Please, daddy, don't cry.

ESCAPOLOGIST
Don't cry, little girl.

MATILDA
I'll be all right.

ESCAPOLOGIST
Nothing can hurt you.

MATILDA
With you by my side,
I have –

MATILDA and ESCAPOLOGIST
– nothing to fear.
MATILDA [simultaneously]: You're here.
ESCAPOLOGIST [simultaneously]: I'm here.

(The ESCAPOLOGIST carries MATILDA to her bed and brings up the sheet. MATILDA rolls out the other side of the bed as the shape of a little girl rises from beneath the covers.)

MATILDA
But when the little girl fell asleep, the escapologist's thoughts turned to the acrobat's sister, and an almighty rage grew inside his great heart.

MATILDA and ESCAPOLOGIST
"This demon! This villain! This monster! She has sullied the memory of my wife. She has betrayed the trust of her own sister. She has shown cruelty to the most precious reality of my marriage. Bullying children is her game, is it? Well, let us see what this creature thinks she can do when the wrath of a grown man stands before her!"

(To thunder and lightning, the ESCAPOLOGIST runs to the bedroom door, which is retreating into the background.)

MATILDA
But that was the last the little girl ever saw of her father. Because he never came home ever again.