Fourth Draft

GSA

A box full of personal belongings, paperwork and overdue bills sits on the floor. Two hands covered in scratches and cuts; start to dig through the items in the box. The hands pick up an old photo album covered in dust. The album opens up to a picture of a mother and two children, on the next page are baby photos of a boy and a girl. A blonde haired girl between the ages of 19-21, uses her sleeve to wipe her eyes and nose. The girl puts down the album and picks up a bottle of alcohol and starts to drink. She throws the bottle to the side and turns to pick up a woman’s cardigan she tentatively unfolds it. The girl runs her hands over the wool material and brings the fabric to her face and starts to inhale the scent. She quietly sobs into the fabric, rocking slowly back and forth.
A knock at the door makes her look up. She puts the cardigan down on top of the bottle of alcohol and starts to wipe at her face. She gets up from the floor and walks toward the door. She clears her throat and asks “What do you want?”
A voice from behind the door replies in a quiet voice “Its me let me in Layla. We need to talk about the house.” Layla glares at the door and turns around to walk back to her seat on the floor. “Go away! I don’t want you here.”
There is another bang on the door, then another louder bang. “For god sake! Stop being such a child, we need to talk… and I would like to see my little sister.”
Layla picks up the bottle and takes another swig, and swallows some pills. She paces around the room and pulls up the sleeve of her cardigan. She starts to viscously scratch her arm; which is covered with old scars.
“Layla please, I need you, we need to sort this out.” begged the person behind the door. Layla sighs and walks toward the door and opens it.
A man between the ages of 20-22 stands awkwardly in the frame of the door, he walks in and sits on the bed. In his hands he has a couple of with sympathy cards, he places them down on the bed beside him. Layla stands on the other side of the room away from him. He looks down at the photo album and smiles, his smile drops when he looks at the paperwork. He picks up some of the paperwork and bills with a deep frown on his face. “More bills. This is bad we can’t afford it…and an eviction notice, well this is great.”
Layla stares at Nial and sits down next to him. “We? This is nothing to do with you.” Nial stares down at Layla’s arm, where her scars are. He keeps his eyes fixed on her arm “Yes we she was my mum too and no matter what you say I’m staying. From the looks of it you need me too.”
Layla looks down at her uncovered arm and goes to pull her sleeve down. Nial puts his hand out onto her arm to stop her. They both look up at each other at the same time; they gaze at each other for a while. Both start to breathe heavily and Layla swallows and bites her lip. They both lean into each other slowly, and become so close they are almost touching. Layla closes her eyes and takes in one last breath.
Then it goes black.