Set somewhere before now, where being queer isn't exactly hated, but is still a very much volatile topic. Nathan is a typical high school bully who is very popular and picks on Arthur, a nerdy artist. Over the course of the play, Nathan discovers that he is gay and starts dating Arthur and the play is about them keeping their dynamic, while secretly being in love. In this particular moment, Nathan and Arthur are almost found out, and Nathan decides that they need to end it.

Nathan (solemnly): Arthur... This needs to stop

Arthur: ...No it doesn't

Nathan: Arthur... we were almost caught

Arthur: And why does that matter? I want to be with you Nathan and I know you feel the same way. You care too much about what people think! What are you so afraid of?

Nathan: That I'm going to lose everything! You don't get it, Arthur. You have the privilege of having nothing to lose. I have the burden of having everything to lose.

Arthur: I have nothing to lose? You selfish, fucking bastard. I can't count the amount of hours of sleep I've lost over you. The friends I lost over you! My goddamn, dream school! You wanna know why, you oh-so-burdened, trust-fund baby? Because I wanted to be with you!

Nathan: ...You shouldn't have had to do that for me

Arthur: You're damn right I shouldn't have.

Arthur exits and Nathan is left alone to contemplate his actions

Author's Note:

God. It is currently 1 AM. I should be sleeping but I am not. I had the first half written for the longest time, but I just posted the first chapter of this thing on Wattpad so I thought why the hell not?

Jane is about to enter the afterlife after killing herself. She meets and talks with God about her life. At this particular moment, God questioned why Jane killed herself in the first place

.

Jane (dumbfounded):

Let me make sure I heard you correctly, because I'm not sure that I did. You've only given me challenges you knew I could handle?

God (matter of factly):

That is correct.

Jane scoffs and gestures around herself

Jane:

Well, that obviously isn't true, is it? I wouldn't be here if it was. You threw me down a bottomless pit where I couldn't even get a foothold to even attempt to get better. You abandoned me, you must have. People say your glory and light banish the darkness away like it was nothing. If that's true then where were you? Where were you when I was lost in an inky, black, suffocating abyss, where the light of day seemed like just a figment of my imagination and all I could do was suffer. Where were you! This was not a challenge that I could handle, and you knew that too! After all, you're the all-powerful and all-knowing God aren't you? You must have known this would happen, that it would end like this. You already knew the outcome. You gave me a challenge you knew I could handle? You're either a liar, or an asshole.

Author's Note:

This the first entry in a writing exercise I like to call "Scenes From Things That Don't Exist, where I write things that I think would be cool

Sometimes I like to debate theology in my mind. A particular question that floats around is "Would God send a good person to Hell?" So I wrote this with that in mind. I imagine this scene taking place near the end of the play.

It’s funny. I have never noticed him before. But, once I started to, I couldn’t stop.

Alex Becker. We were seated alphabetically and he was the only kid who’s last name started with a B, which I found weird. Though I don’t think I could judge, I was the only kid who’s last name started with a C. Due to our unusual names, we were seated next to each other. For a while, that was it. I had my group of friends, and he had his. Now, our teacher liked to crack jokes, and as students, we were obligated to laugh at them even if they weren’t funny. It was just a usual day. Our teacher told us a joke and we laughed at it like always. Except for Alex. He didn’t laugh at the joke. Instead, he raised his hand and when the teacher called on him, he said “I don’t get it.” The teacher tried to explain the joke and Alex, to my surprise, was listening intently. I couldn’t pay attention to the lesson after that. My focus was on Alex the entire time.

My grades started to decline because my focus was on Alex most of the time. There were times when I tried my hardest to pay attention to the lesson, but my eyes would always slowly shift back to Alex. He intrigued me. I wanted to know more about him. What his favourite colour was, favourite food, aspirations for the future. And why, out of all the people in the class, why was it him that caught my attention. I studied him more than I studied my own textbook. If you asked me to write a 50-page essay about him, I probably couldn’t because I suck at writing, but it felt like I knew that much about him. It was all just fascination at first. I wanted to know what made this person tick, what made him who he was. But, that changed. It changed in a way I didn’t expect it to.

It was a warm day. I saw a red flower on my way to school and a couple of butterflies. I sat down in my spot and waited for Alex to enter and come sit next to me. He did enter, but when he did, there was a different air around him. He had a huge smile on his face and walked with a spring in his step. He took his seat next to me and I just stared. I stared at his grin and I thought to myself, ”what could have caused his smile?” The things I paid attention to started changing. I began to notice how curly his hair was and how it was brown in the school light but golden in the sun. I started to notice how he had a gap in his two front teeth. He smiled at everyone, but when he smiled at me I felt myself get goosebumps and I was left wondering 2 things. ”Was it a girl that caused his smile?” and ”Could I make him smile like that?” The second thought turned my face red. I couldn’t think like that. It wasn’t right for me to think like that. Yet that thought followed me around throughout the school day and even followed home, up until I went to bed. That night, I dreamt about Alex and that gap in his smile.

It’s funny. I have never noticed him before. But, once I started to, I couldn’t stop.

Alex Becker. We were seated alphabetically and he was the only kid who’s last name started with a B, which I found weird. Though I don’t think I could judge, I was the only kid who’s last name started with a C. Due to our unusual names, we were seated next to each other. For a while, that was it. I had my group of friends, and he had his. Now, our teacher liked to crack jokes, and as students, we were obligated to laugh at them even if they weren’t funny. It was just a usual day. Our teacher told us a joke and we laughed at it like always. Except for Alex. He didn’t laugh at the joke. Instead, he raised his hand and when the teacher called on him, he said “I don’t get it.” The teacher tried to explain the joke and Alex, to my surprise, was listening intently. I couldn't pay attention to the lesson after that. My focus was on Alex the entire time.

My grades started to decline because my focus was on Alex most of the time. There were times when I tried my hardest to pay attention to the lesson, but my eyes would always slowly shift back to Alex. He intrigued me. I wanted to know more about him. What his favourite colour was, favourite food, aspirations for the future. And why, out of all the people in the class, why was it him that caught my attention. I studied him more than I studied my own textbook. If you asked me to write a 50-page essay about him, I probably couldn't because I suck at writing, but it felt like I knew that much about him. It was all just fascination at first. I wanted to know what made this person tick, what made him who he was. But, that changed. It changed in a way I didn't expect it to.

It was a warm day. I saw a red flower on my way to school and a couple of butterflies. I sat down in my spot and waited for Alex to enter and come sit next to me. He did enter, but when he did, there was a different air around him. He had a huge smile on his face and walked with a spring in his step. He took his seat next to me and I just stared. I stared at his grin and I thought to myself, "what could have caused his smile?" The things I paid attention to started changing. I began to notice how curly his hair was and how it was brown in the school light but golden in the sun. I started to notice how he had a gap in his two front teeth. He smiled at everyone, but when he smiled at me I felt myself get goosebumps and I was left wondering 2 things. "Was it a girl that caused his smile?" and "Could I make him smile like that?" The second thought turned my face red. I couldn't think like that. It wasn't right for me to think like that. Yet that thought followed me around throughout the school day and even followed home, up until I went to bed. That night, I dreamt about Alex and that gap in his smile.

This can’t end like this, not now. It was hard to deny that I was dying. Each breath I took was a painful reminder of the hole in my lung. Dammit, why me. Couldn’t that robber pick a different ally to stick someone up? There was so many things that I wanted to see. I wanted to travel the world, buy a house. Get married. I don’t want to die, not here. These words kept pounding away in my head, wanting to be heard and finally, they broke free. “I don’t want to die, I want to stay alive at all costs.” My voice was a garbled mess, and nobody heard me. Well, I thought nobody heard me. The air changed rapidly, and I felt like an elephant was stepping on my back. A booming voice started ringing in my ears. Do you want to live? What kind of question was that? Of course I wanted to live. Are you sure you are willing to stay alive at all costs? Yes I was sure. I was going to do whatever it took. Speak its name, and you will have it delivered to you. A word popped up in my head, and without thinking, I spoke it. “Exchange.” And just like that, the pain was gone. I slowly came to a sitting position, and I felt around my chest. The hole was gone, and I felt like nothing ever happened. The voice resounded again in my head, and it spoke, I could feel dread form deep within my heart. The exchange has been completed.

"Please, let me go, I'll pay you anything you want!" I stare at the pathetic lump of skin before me. "I'm afraid I cannot do that Senator Adams, you see, you are a greedy, selfish man who abuses his power." I could sense the fear in him, I had a knack for reading people's emotions. Also, he pissed his pants. "So, what are you some kind of vigilante? You wanna play hero? Is that it?" I chuckle to myself, "No, no Senator Adams, I am hardly doing this for the benefit of mankind, I am doing this simply for myself." He looks into my eyes full of fear, such amazing fear. I smile my biggest smile. "You see Senator Adams, your sins makes your blood absolutely delicious, and I'm going to enjoy drinking it.

As I leave the dried up corpse behind, I pull out the files of my next potential victims, two serial killers going by the names of Suzie and Chuck. I smile, for I know their blood will be absolutely delicious

Memories aren’t supposed to disappear, scars don’t either. They simply fade. They fade but they will always be there. I’m driving my wife and son to the beach, our first family trip since my son was a baby. It's been 3 years since then, and we’ve had some free time. I glance to my right and see my wife sleeping soundly beside me. My gaze turns to my rear view and my eyes fall upon my sleeping son. His beautiful blonde hair reflecting the setting sun. My stomach twists up at the sight of him. His hair, it’s so pure compared to mine. My hair is the same colour as his, except with splotches of red stained by blood from my younger years. I didn’t exactly have the nicest childhood. My own father would be beat me over the head with his beer bottle so frequently, that the could never be washed out or cut out. I still remember the brand, Heineken. It was a miracle that I lived. I glance to him again, and my gaze falls upon his arms. Spotless. I glance at my own arms, scarred and rough. My father decided that I was the best place to test the sharpness of his knife. As I reminisce about my past, I find a fear building up inside of me. Will I become like my father? Will I abuse my own son? What was the difference between myself, and my father? Would I one day break as well? I shake my head, trying to rid myself of these thoughts, and I keep on driving.

By the time we arrive at the beach, the sun was starting to rise. I take a second to admire the breathtaking sky behind all the clouds. I park the car and look at my still sleeping family before I doze off as well. I wake up to the sound of my wife and son playing in the water. I get out of my car and walk over to my family. My son is building a sandcastle while my wife watches. I look at the waves and watch the tide come in and carry my son’s sand castle away. “That was my 5th sandcastle,” he sighs. However, soon after that he perks up. “But that’s okay, because I know how to improve for next time!” I’m taken a bit by surprise by his words. He smiles and says one of the wisest things I have ever heard. “Sometimes a sandcastle needs to be knocked over again and again for it to be really strong!” That hit home. I burst into tears and my jumps up to comfort me. My son is obviously confused by what’s happening, so he also attempts to comfort me. “Here dad, I found a gift for you.” I dry my tears as he hands me green translucent circle. Sea glass, a really good one too. The edges are smooth, and the circle is almost perfect. I turn the circle over in my hand, and once again I burst into tears. Heineken. The sea glass is from a Heineken bottle. I felt like this was a sign, a sign that my rough past could become something beautiful for those around me. I feel my son tug at my legs. I look down and he looks up. He smiles once again, “I love you dad.” At that moment, the clouds break and the sun starts shining down on me. I can feel him tugging at my knees as well as my heartstrings. This is the difference. The difference between my father and I. My son loves me. I smile back, “You are the biggest blessing I could have ever asked for.” I pull him closer. My dark past was worth it, as long as I can give my son a bright one.