The Frozen Section - A Short Play

Cast:

Zoe

Catherine

Setting: An apartment bedroom late at night.

The Frozen Section

CATHERINE

Wake up.

ZOE

What’s wrong now?

CATHERINE

Just--please wake up.

ZOE

Another bad dream?

CATHERINE

I can’t sleep.

ZOE

Oh, that’s all.

CATHERINE

It’s serious.

ZOE

Count sheep.

CATHERINE

You’re being stupid.

ZOE

I’m being sleepy.

CATHERINE

Well, stop it. Wake up. Let’s go out.

ZOE

It’s too late.

CATHERINE

I want cake.

ZOE

What?

CATHERINE

Or tacos. I want tacos and cake.

ZOE

God, it’s the middle of the night.

CATHERINE

That doesn’t matter.

ZOE

Where would we go?

CATHERINE

Wal-Mart’s always open.

ZOE

You want to go to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night.

CATHERINE

Yeah.

ZOE

To get cake and tacos.

CATHERINE

Yeah.

ZOE

Cake. At Wal-Mart.

CATHERINE

You know, with the little treats all wrapped up in the bakery section?

ZOE

I know what cake is. Go to sleep.

CATHERINE

Aren’t you listening?

ZOE

I’m trying not to.

CATHERINE

I’m scared, okay?

ZOE

The dreams?

CATHERINE

Of course the dreams.

ZOE

They’re just dreams.

CATHERINE

I know that.

ZOE

Won’t hurt you.

CATHERINE

You’re too groggy.

ZOE

You’re too paranoid.

CATHERINE

Yeah, well.

ZOE

Rest.

CATHERINE

I can’t.

ZOE

You can. Just try.

CATHERINE

It’s my brain.

ZOE

I know.

CATHERINE

It’s, like, loud.

ZOE

It’ll quiet.

CATHERINE

You don’t know that.

ZOE

It’ll be fine after Tuesday.

CATHERINE

Doubt it.

ZOE

What’s the matter with you?

CATHERINE

The psychiatrist retired.

ZOE

The who did what?

CATHERINE

My psychiatrist. She retired.

ZOE

We’ll find you a new one.

CATHERINE

Three days after I told her my dreams.

ZOE

I don’t think it’s related.

CATHERINE

I told her all of them.

ZOE

Catherine.

CATHERINE

The one about the maze.

ZOE

Your thesis paper was due.

CATHERINE

And the goblin.

ZOE

The car broke down.

CATHERINE

The recurring one where I’m naked in the grocery store and it’s cold because I’m in the freezer section and my third grade teacher is there--

ZOE

You know what? You’re a nightmare.

CATHERINE

Can’t we go out?

ZOE

[Pause.] Cake?

CATHERINE

Or tacos. And tacos.

ZOE

I’m wide awake and it’s your fault. You know what means?

CATHERINE

I’m paying?

ZOE

You’re paying.