Fidelis

Scene 1

(Uriel’s flat. Enter Sariel, who looks very content. She looks over at Uriel, who is seated in the couch looking grim. Sariel deflates slightly. She grumbles and folds her arms across her chest.)

Sariel: What happened today?

Uriel: If you don’t mind, I’d rather not dwell on it.

Sariel: (Rolls her eyes.) Well then I highly recommend you stop sitting on your sofa and brooding, Uriel.

(Uriel glares at her. Sariel glares back and then sits down beside him.)

Sariel: Spill it.

Uriel: (Shakes his head.) If you really must know, I went into Iraq today to help Gabriel move in and shit went down.

Sariel: What, between you and Gabriel?

(Uriel glares at Sariel.)

Sariel: Oh. Bombs and stuff. (She shakes his head.) C’mon Uriel, car bombs and suicide bombers freak you out? You’ve lived through every human war and two ethereal ones, including one which you were a general. This shit pales in comparison.

Uriel: I dunno, it’s different for some reason. It’s not trench warfare like in the Great War or the absolute insanity of the Lucifian, it’s more…I can’t explain.

(Sariel props her feet up on Uriel’s coffee table.)

Sariel: Since it’s damn obvious I’m not getting laid tonight, you wanna give me an idea of what you went through today that way I can psychoanalyze and then mock you?

(Uriel shakes his head miserably.)

Uriel: Considering the source, I don’t think you’re the right person to analyze my psyche.

Sariel: You leave my brain out of this. It’s damn obvious you want to talk. So do it.

Scene 2

(Earlier that day. Iraq. A small village. Gabriel and Uriel stand talking to a woman outside her house in Arabic. Uriel looks around, watching a few children play.)

Woman: Not many Americans come here to live. Most are either in the military or reporters.

Gabriel: Most people try to avoid going into war zones if they can avoid it. (He frowns.) It explains the large number of Iraqis leaving the country and heading into places like Iran to escape the violence.

Woman: Obviously. How long are you and your brother planning to stay?

Uriel: Er…(he blushes.) I’m only here for another day to help him settle in and then I’m heading back home.

Gabriel: I’m staying for at least a year. (He shrugs.)

Uriel: Just don’t get blown up little brother. Excuse me for a moment. (Uriel walks off.)

Woman: You really feel you’ll be safe here?

Gabriel: (Smiles.) Safer than you’d might think. Actually I--

(At that moment an explosion hits. In English.)

Gabriel: BUGGER! (He turns around and yells at the house next door.) URIEL GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE!

(Uriel runs out of the house. His eyes widen.)

Uriel: Fuck.

Gabriel: Put out the damn fire in that car and then start helping me see if there are any people injured.

Uriel: Or dead.

(Uriel runs out and approaches the car. Gabriel follows. The car is a blaze. Uriel waves his hands in a sweeping motion and the flames extinguish. Gabriel is examining a body.)

Gabriel: (Loudly, but scared.) 2 dead so far!

Uriel: (Looking into the car.) Make that 3, the guy in the car’s fried too. (He frowns.) Gabriel, do you really think you can handle a year here?!

Gabriel: (feeling a pulse on a young man. Quietly.) I’m gonna have to. (Beat.) This one’s alive!

Scene 3

(We return to present day. Uriel shakes his head slowly.)

Uriel: We spent the rest of the day trying to help the injured. It was horrible to do. I mean, just horrible.

(He leans against Sariel, who looks taken aback.)

Sariel: You feel any better now you doofus?

Uriel: No. Coz day after day I’m gonna have to sit and worry about Gabriel’s safety.

Sariel: Except for the part where he’s kinda immortal.

Uriel: (Shakes his head.) You don’t get it. It’s not his own safety I’m worried about; it’s the people around him. If people find out there’s an American-

Sariel: Supposed American.

Uriel: Whatever. Someone who looks like the people that occupy the country, there’s gonna be more attacks in an effort to get rid of him. Gabey can assimilate as much as possible but that won’t change his nationality.

Sariel: And revealing his identity is out of the question.

Uriel: Obviously. And the more people that die the more Gabriel will feel responsible and just have a complete mental break down.

Sariel: Gabriel doesn’t strike me as the mental breakdown type.

(Uriel chews his lip for a moment.)

Uriel: I know my brother, Sariel. He will feel personally responsible for an increase in violence in that village, should that happen. And he will break down.

Sariel: Well look, you can’t do much about this now, can you?

Uriel: No. He’s on assignment. I couldn’t do anything if I wanted to.

Sariel: My point exactly. So stop being so weepy and just get the Hell over it! (She smacks him upside the head.)

Uriel: What do you suggest I do?

Sariel: Do I look like the oracle at Delphi? (She stands up.) How should I know?!

(She heads over to the door and opens it.)

Sariel: At the very least I’m going out for coffee. You coming?

(Uriel hesitates for a moment and then stands up. He walks over to the door and puts on a leather coat.)

Uriel: Might as well.

(Sariel smiles and pats him on the head.)

Sariel: Good boy.

(They exit.)

Fin.