Stop.

By: Hannah Jahal

(Underlined portions in this script indicate things that need to be edited.)

Characters (in order of appearance):

Ruth Harling: Late 40s. Loving, warm, reasonable. Ivans mother.
Dan Harling: Early 50s. Cold, calculating, critical. Ivans father. Business
man/Workaholic.
Ivan Harling: 23 years old. Sarcastic, resilient, awkward. Older brother to
Charlie.
Charlie Harling: 21 years old. Creative, smart, adventurous. Younger
brother to Ivan.

Setting:
Takes place in the home of the Harlings in Auburn Hills, Michigan.

(The following lines are read overlapping each other in a cacophony. It is

recommended that this should be recorded and played as a sound effect.)

RUTH: You cant blame yourself forever.

DAN: You shouldnt have lied to him.

RUTH: If only hed reached out.

DAN: He wouldnt be gone if you had stayed out of it.

RUTH: You couldnt have known.

DAN: This is all your fault. He looked up to you.

RUTH: If only we hadnt fought.

DAN: You werent thinking. You never think.

RUTH: You were his role model. Why didnt you see it?

DAN: This wouldnt have happened to him, if it werent for you.

IVAN: STOP.
-----------------
(IVAN and CHARLIE are in the smallest bedroom of the house--Charlies
room, sitting on the floor and looking through a couple of boxes.)

CHARLIE: You know, you cant stay in here forever, right?

IVAN: Sure, I can. (he examines the trophy in his hands) Just bring me a
supply of food and cigarettes every week or so, and Ill survive. (he gently
places it in the box.)

CHARLIE: Ha. Ha. Youre so funny. Im serious. Being in here isnt good for
you.

IVAN: I know, kid. Believe me, I know. (he gets up and goes over to the
bookcase, taking a few books and looking through them)

CHARLIE: Look, I know this is hard. But--

IVAN: (he scoffs and looks through the books) Conrad, Faulkner, Passos,
Hemingway? ...Sure knew how to pick up some light reading.

CHARLIE: Look, Ivan. You can do this later. This room is always going to be
here. But right now, there are people out there wondering where you are.

IVAN: This room is going to be rummaged through and changed completely.

You know that, I know that. I give it a week before its torn apart and turned
into a gym or something.

CHARLIE: You really think itll be a gym? I see it as more of an office. Or

maybe a spa area for mom. (he chuckles)

IVAN: Now whos being funny?

CHARLIE: All Im saying is that youve been in here for twenty minutes.
Meanwhile, theres a wake happening in the next room. Is your speech not
ready yet or something? Because I can--

IVAN: Dont you think I know that? (he grips the book even tighter) Theyre
counting on me being there. I get it. (he sets the book down on top of the
bookcase) Just--give me a second.
CHARLIE: Youre forgetting--I know you, Ivan. Youre planning on sulking in
here until its over. Mom will kill you. Or worse--shell sic dad on you. Lets
just get out there, alright?

IVAN: Dad doesnt want to see me. He cant stand to look at me right now.
I think those were his exact words, right?

CHARLIE: Hes just--not taking it well. Okay? He shouldnt be taking it out on

you, but you--

IVAN: Hes not just taking it out on me, he blames me.

CHARLIE: Ivan this isnt your fault. This isnt anyones fault.

IVAN: I dont want to talk about this right now. (he sighs) Youre right. We
should just get this over with.

(IVAN picks up a worn book and opens the front cover, pulling out a small
piece of folded up paper and putting in his breast pocket. He takes the book
and goes out into the living room, where the wake is taking place. Lights
fade on CHARLIE. DAN spots IVAN and goes over to him.)

DAN: (he comes up, his face stoic) Ivan. Nice of you to finally grace us with
your presence.

IVAN: (he straightens up) Im here, arent I? (he tucks the book under his
arm and takes out a pack of cigarettes, taking one out.)

DAN: What the hell are you doing? (he snatches the cigarette from him)
Stop. Dont you think that can wait?

IVAN: (he sighs and pushes his lighter back into his pocket.)

DAN: Just get over there.

(IVAN shuffles over to the corner of the room, near a large framed picture of
CHARLIE and stands there, scanning the room. IVAN sets the book in his
hand--Charlies favorite book--to the side of his picture and positions himself
in front of the crowd. Stifled cries fill the room and people slowly start to get
quiet, turning their attention to him.)
IVAN: (he clears his throat quietly and shifts uncomfortably in front of the
small crowd.) Hello, everyone. Uh, thank you all for coming. Your--support
means everything to us in our time of need. (he glances up to see DAN,
exchanging skeptical glances with RUTH) My brother was something. He was
sharp--resourceful, incredibly smart--which he never let me forget. He was
kind and silly and good. He also had an unhealthy obsession with eating
pizza rolls while watching the news at 5:00 in the morning. (he chuckles and
wrings his hands nervously. He takes the note out of his breast pocket.) Ill
never forget how much he loved school, though. He was a total nerd. He
always had to share what he was reading. I still remember the week he went
around, spouting Shel Silverstein at the top of his lungs. He couldnt have
been older than 10, but that kid definitely had a hold on us. He made Mom
and I sit down for a reading of some of his favorites--one of which was
repeated five times. It was a huge production. When I asked if that one was
his favorite, he said he loved it to death. So I made the--morbid--joke that I'd
read it at his funeral. (His voice catches. He clears his throat and twists the
paper in his hands.) Its from--

(DANs cell phone goes off and he reaches for it frantically, answering and
taking it outside.)

IVAN: (he looks over as the door slams, then looks back at the group of
people in the room. His face darkens.) Excuse me. I--just need a second.

(IVAN looks at the paper for a moment, then folds it back up and puts it in his
pocket. He rushes over to the door, following DAN outside, irate. He stomps
over and pulls the phone out of his fathers hand, throwing it to the ground.)

IVAN: Are you fucking kidding me?

DAN: What the--Ivan, dont start this now. (he picks the phone up,
examining it for damage) We dont have time for another one of your--

IVAN: Why? Do you have another call to take?

DAN: Its work. You know I cant--

IVAN: (he over exaggerates, mocking him, irate) Mr. Harling! Always
throwing his family under a bus to make the best deal at work. Well, guess
what? Theres a room full of our family, grieving the loss of your son, in
there. (his voice breaks) And you decide that now is the best time to take a
conference call?

DAN: Regardless of what you may think, Im still trying to take care of this
family. I cant do that if I lose my job, now can I? Just go back insi--

IVAN: Why is this not important to you? For once in your life, why cant he
come first in your long list of priorities?

(RUTH comes outside and closes the door behind her quietly.)

RUTH: What is going on out here?

DAN: You think this doesnt affect me? You think that Im not falling apart
like you are? Just because I have an obligation? You have no responsibility.
You have no one to take care of. You dont--

IVAN: Your obligation to your family is all that should matter right now! (he
gestures to RUTH) Have you even asked Mom how shes dealing with this?

DAN: Who are you trying to impress with this tantrum, Ivan? How is this
going to help anything? Youre the one that pushed him to this! Maybe you
should be analyzing yourself instead of--

IVAN: I pushed him to it? I was the only one there for him. You and mom
pretended--

RUTH: Stop.

DAN: You gave him false hope. You told him his condition was okay when--

IVAN: Its not a fucking condition to love someone!

DAN: You fed into his delusions--made him think it was okay. And guess
what? As soon as he told other people, he was eaten alive. You threw him to
the wolves. They tore him to shreds. Where were you then?

IVAN: (he scoffs) Youre not going to stop, are you? You still dont see whats
wrong with this picture. It wasnt him--it was you. All I told him was that he
could love whoever he wanted to love.
DAN: He was sick. If I wouldve known what he was going through, we
couldve gotten him help. But instead--you decided you knew what was best
for him, per usual. You cant even take care of yourself. What makes you
think you have the right to dictate someone elses life? You endorsed his
brain lying to him, Ivan. Thats all you did. And what did he do? He took your
goddamn advice. Of course he did. He worshipped you--he looked up to you.
And look what happened.

IVAN: You know what? Yeah, I did. I told him that he could love whoever he
wanted to love. I told him that what he was feeling didnt make him less of a
human--that he deserved everything this world had to offer and that I would
support him no matter what. Thats something a parent should tell their kid.
But you? No, youre so caught up in your own head that you cant even see
that.

DAN: You dont understand. Until you have a kid of your own, you wont
understand. You help them grow up, you shape their minds, you put
everything into helping them succeed. And when they fail you--

IVAN: Fail you? You think he failed you because he was different? Because
he was brave enough to--

DAN: Ivan, I dont have time for this. The office has called twice now. (he
looks back down at his phone again) We arent all able to avoid our
responsibilities--

IVAN: But that's exactly what you're doing. Avoiding one responsibility for
another. Showing your true colors. And you know something? If youre not
careful, it's going to make you lose your other son too.

DAN: You--

(DAN scoffs and shoves IVAN. IVAN stumbles back a step, then moves to
punch him, but RUTH gets in front of him)

RUTH: Ivan, no! (she pushes him back) Stop.

IVAN: Go ahead! Call them back. But you can only hide yourself in your work
for so long before you realize what youve fucking done!
DAN: You little-- (he grabs IVAN by the collar of his shirt, but RUTH jumps in
between them and pushes them apart.)

RUTH: JUST STOP!

(pause)

DAN: Were done here.

IVAN: Yeah, hes right about that. (to RUTH) Unless theres something else
you want to tack on to his list of guilt trips.

DAN: Dont you talk to your mother like that, you--

RUTH: Do you even hear yourselves? Charlie is gone. My son is gone. And
the one thing we can do to honor him--the one day we can remember him,
you two decide to ruin it?

IVAN: Mom, I didnt--

RUTH: I dont want to hear it. You two have things to work out, but now isnt
the time. Right now, the only thing you both should worry about is-- (her
voice breaks and she looks to each of them) saying goodbye to your brother
and your son.

DAN: (he pauses for a moment, looking down at his phone, and back at the
house.) I--cant do this right now. I--they need me at the office.

(DAN curses under his breath and shoves the phone back in his pocket,
stomping towards his car.)

RUTH: Daniel-- (she takes a step towards him, but stops, watching him
leave.)

IVAN: (he sighs and puts a hand on RUTHs shoulder) Mom, I-- (he pauses)
How do I do this?

RUTH: Do what you can to send him off. (she turns and puts her hand on his
breast pocket where the note is.)
IVAN: (he looks down at his pocket and takes a breath.)

(RUTH puts her hand on his cheek for a moment before turning back toward
the house. They both walk back in, the small crowd whispering as they enter.
IVAN walks back up in front of the small crowd and looks at Charlies picture
for a moment. He looks back at the crowd and takes a deep breath)

IVAN: Im sorry--about that. (he clears his throat) A lot of people knew my
brother. They supported him--told him he was going somewhere someday.
And then they found out something they didnt like about him--something
they didnt accept. I think it made him believe that the real him was
someone people didnt like. I wish I wouldve known for sure if he thought
that. (he pauses to compose himself) I was proud of my brother. I am proud
of my brother. For taking a chance and being himself. He had more courage
than any of the people who shattered his self-esteem. His sense of identity.
(pause) I want to preserve his memory. And I guess this is a good way to
start. (he looks to RUTH and back down. He pulls out a small folded piece of
paper) So uh--heres what 10-year-old Charlie wouldnt shut up about.

(As the note is read aloud by IVAN, a late CHARLIE steps out and listens,
smiling. IVAN sees him and pauses, seeing him.)

IVAN:
(IVAN starts reading "The Voice" by Shel Silverstein from the note.)

There is a voice inside of you

That whispers all day long,
"I feel that this is right for me,
I know that this is wrong."
No teacher, preacher, parent, friend
Or wise man can decide
What's right for you-just listen to
The voice that speaks inside.

IVAN: (he folds up the piece of paper and holds it) Charlie always did love
happy endings, but the truth is, there are no happy endings. All we can do is
do our best to have a happy middle.

(IVAN gingerly places the note on top of CHARLIEs favorite book next to the
picture and looks toward the door.)
IVAN: Goodbye, kid.

(CHARLIE smiles again and leaves.)

BLACKOUT