Scene Practice: The Mindbreaker

[A therapist’s office.

Edith has had this practice a long time. The office is a mess. She’d call it organized chaos, but it’s really just a mess that brings Edith comfort.

Perhaps somewhere, we see that she specializes in superheroes and other law enforcement or military professionals. This is a world where superheroes are just another spoke in the machine, used to wage wars, to fight crime, used by mobsters as hitmen and drug runners…

Somewhere, Edith has a plaque or a poster that reads:

IT’S NOT THAT HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF;

IT’S THAT HUMAN NATURE DOESN’T CHANGE.

Her expression says it, too.]

[Edith sits across from a sidekick. This is Breaker, someone who can’t necessarily control minds (yet), but he can put memories in your head, read your thoughts, and if he’s really mad, he can mess up your brain and make you go comatose. He can put you into whatever kind of coma he wants.

Breaker is in for bad behavior. When they catch bad guys, Breaker ruins them. Maybe we can work this into the dialogue somewhere. He’s a jaded, frustrated sidekick, with a sense of justice that verges on vengeance. He thinks of himself like Batman, but acts like a killer.]

Breaker. I can.

Edith. Excuse me?

Breaker. Hear it. I heard what you were thinking.

Edith. I’d prefer if you didn’t do that, Jonathan.

Breaker. [laughs] You think I can turn it off? …Of course you do. That’s what everyone thinks. At least when you’re talking, I can… When you’re talking, it’s easier to think.

Edith. You can’t turn it off at all?

Breaker. No.

Edith. Has it always been like that?

Breaker. [shrugs] No. I mean, I guess there was…

[pause]

Breaker (cont’d). No.

Edith. When did you…? When did you first, um…

Breaker. I was 5. My grandpa hit my mother. Something snapped. Before that… I mean, I’d always heard things, but we all just… I was told it was childhood schizophrenia. It wasn’t, of course; it was all very real. But we didn’t know that yet. Supers wouldn’t be in the news another… I dunno, 3 years? 4 years or something? I was young; it’s hazy.

Edith. I see. What…happened? With your grandfather?

Breaker. You know, I can tell when you’re not listening.

Edith. Not listening?

Breaker. And where your mind goes. I can hear that too. Does that scare you?

Edith. …

Breaker. I don’t want to scare anybody. But I do. Can’t help it, I…

[smiles.]

Breaker (cont’d). Hey! That’s good!

Edith. What?

Breaker. You closed me off. You… [laughs] You closed me off! God, it’s so…quiet. I forgot what quiet was like. How did you do that?

Edith. I…don’t know.

Breaker. Oh wow. You didn’t even know you did it? Did you?

[Edith is a little scared, but shakes her head “no” despite that fear.]

Breaker (cont’d). Wow. Wow! I–listen, I’m gonna be frank with you, Edi: I didn’t expect this se–

Edith. Edith. I’d like you to call me Edith.

Breaker. [he doesn’t care] Okay, whatever; when I came in her, I didn’t expect to get anything out of this really. But… Listen! Just listen to that.

[Silence. He breathes in a great big, slow sigh, and as he lets it out, Breaker sinks into his chair.]

Edith. Your grandfather?

Breaker. …Yeah. Sure, I’ll tell you; it’s the least I could do. Edith. [he smiles, before diving into the memory.] It was my first real memory. 5. He’s beatin’ the spit out of my mother’s face. You wince, but… You asked for this. I can still see it. Tiny details. Whenever we catch a bad guy–someone really bad, you know?--I put this memory in his head. I make ‘em watch. Casey can’t handle it when I do this. He gets all mopey. But hey, it works. Works every time. I make ‘em watch, and then? I show them why they call me Breaker. I show him what I did, the first time I went into someone else’s head. I show ‘em what a break looks like.

[Long silence. Breaker is lost in thought. Edith is watching him intently, somewhere between disgust and fascination.]

Edith. Do you like it?

Breaker. [he looks up at her] Do I like it.

Edith. Or did you? Did you like it?

Breaker. Breaking my grandfather?

Edith. Yes.

Breaker. That’s a good, good question, Edith. Did I like it? …No. I don’t think I did. But no one’s ever hit my mom since. So I, I guess I… No, I didn’t like it, but I would do it again. Every. Time. Hands down.

[Breaker’s expression changes slightly.]

Breaker (cont’d). Your wall came down.

Edith. …

Breaker. Either that or you’re– [smiles, then laughs] Yeah, it’s just that your disgust is so loud! It seeps right out.

Edith. I’m not disgusted.

Breaker. You’re something! Yes, you’re really something, Edi.

[Edith makes a decision. She begins to write something, tears the page, and puts it on a pile on her desk. She goes back to writing a slip as she speaks.]

Edith. Jonathan, I’m putting you on probation.

Breaker. [genuine surprise and anger] What! You can’t do that.

[Edith tears the slip, and hands it to him.]

Edith. I think you’re a danger to the force, and I’d like to put you in therapy. I want you on a weekly schedule at the least with a trauma expert. Their approval will be–

[Breaker pushes on her mind. At first, she’s caught off guard with a panicked look on her face. Edith’s eyes bulge, and her temple and her jaw clench.

Then, Edith’s expression changes. She goes on the attack, rising to her feet. She’s a pusher, too–though before this moment, she didn’t know it. She pushes on Breaker’s mind, and he’s so caught off guard he slumps in his chair.

Both of them let go. A silence, as they huff at each other.]

Breaker. You… You’re…

Edith. Out! Get out of my office!

Breaker. Another pusher. Full of surprises… I think I’m in love.

Edith. Now! Get out! Get out!

Breaker. [hands up, laughing] Whoa, whoa, I’ll go I’ll go! [gets up. When he gets to the door, he gives her one last look] …It was a pleasure meeting you, Edith.

[He leaves. Edi huffs, alone in the office.

She throws her notepad at the door, and flings the pile of papers into the air with a shout. She screams loud and long, and kicks the leg of her desk. Another scream takes her to the ground, before she goes quiet, maybe sobbing, maybe just staring at empty space.

We watch Edi a long time, until we’re a little uncomfortable. It’s almost too private a moment, like watching Elio at the end of Call Me By Your Name…]

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