One of the most challenging situations for teenagers in the present time is suicide. Preteens and teens are killing themselves or attempting to kill themselves at alarming levels. In this scene we meet Kameron Beck, a teenage girl who has walked into her high school with a knife in one hand and a gun in the other. As she walks blankly down the hall she clearly has a purpose, to find the dark hall closet. She walks into the closet and the scene begins. This is not another school shooting, this is a suicidal teenager who feels safe in the one place that looks how she feels, dark and alone. The scene travels through different interactions in her present life: with her best friend who recognizes something is wrong but wants her to “get over it,” her mother who loves her and sees her sadness. She tries to help her by listening and supporting her, but to no avail. Finally, we hear from Kameron who shares what she is feeling as her “voice” tries to push her to get the job done. This is a story that shows us the power of depression. It’s not just about the suicide or the fear of a school shooting, it’s trying to find the words to explain these feelings and why asking for help is so difficult. Kameron is left with a choice: she can either choose life or death. As we hear Kameron’s voice, the voice that lives within her as well as the reporter outside all of their emotions are real and present. (This scene comes with two endings for the performer or director to choose from.)
Voices In My Head
(Scene opens with Kameron, a teenage girl pacing back and forth in what should feel like a small room. She stops, takes out her phone and hears.)
Reporter: No one thought it could happen here in rural America but here we are reporting live from Canesbrook High School where they were put on lockdown when a student reported seeing one of her classmates walking as she described, “Blankly down the hallway with a knife in one hand and a small caliber gun in the other.” The building is on lockdown as the police and other agencies work to clear the area. 185 children and teenagers have been killed in school shootings. Will that number rise today? We will stay live and keep you posted.
(Transition back to Kameron looking at her phone, a voice speaks.)
Kameron: They don’t know anything. If I wanted to hurt someone, I would have done it. I’ve been thinking about this day for three months, but today…today was special. Like a birthday or Christmas. Today was the day.
(Kameron Voice is the devil on her shoulder. This can be just a voice, OR it can be a character if that is the performers choice. Both work for the purpose of the scene.)
Kameron Voice: What do they know? Birthday, I like that idea. They say with death comes a level of freedom. You are exactly where you are supposed to be, and no one has to understand that but you.
Kameron: But they all think I’m some kind of monster. I’m not a monster…I’m not a monster, right?
Kameron Voice: (Laughing)No, of course not. But everyone has monster moments. Moms, dads, your best friend with the things she did. Maybe this is your moment to be a little monstrous.
(She takes out the knife and looks at it for a moment.)
Kameron: It’s so beautiful. The blade of a knife, the weight of a gun. My mom would always tell me that the things that we do in our teenage years will shape our life. What does my life look like?
Kameron Voice: What does the knife look like?
Kameron: (Smiles)Bright.
(Transition Kameron is now back in school. She is happy, full of energy and walking into her class as she is approached by her friend Rachel. Her happiness is what she has to do to get by. It should feel effortful.)