An accidental arson?  IS DELINGUAL (out of law) BEHAVIOR OF YOUNG PEOPLE WITHOUT REASON (unjustified)?

 

 

The scene takes place at a café near the school. Kostas is drinking his coffee, being very preoccupied and feeling very miserable. Nicos is approaching him.

 

Nikos: Hey! What’s up? Where have you been? You have disappeared for a couple   of days .

 

Kostas: I have been not missing? Don’t you know? I missed the class because of insufficient attendance. I was left on the spot, finite! That’s all with school, I am not going to continue school anymore. Those asholes teachers, that care only for good students like you, just dropped me out! Students like me have no place at school, they don’t want us here. They think we are garbage, useless! 

 

Nikos: What are you talking about? There must be a solution. You have to talk to them, like you did to me. Explain the drama you live at your home. I will have a word with them too! I am going to tell them everything, what you have been going through all this time .

 

Kostas: Let it go body! Let it go! I have my pride too. I don’t want to knee to those jerks, nor beg for their mercy! Apart from structure and maths, they care for nothing. Has anyone of them asked me ever, like you did, to ask what is going on, why I am late for school in the morning, what is behind this so called “impudence” and aggressiveness? Even though, how could I describe what is going on at home, with my dad coming home early in the morning,   drung, yelling at my mum,  beating her  and calling her names? Me, trying to get her away from him, till he calms down. By that time, I have already missed a couple of classes at school.

 

 Nikos: Please, Kostas, let me speak to them, for god’s sake, they have to understand the situation and they may erase some absences of yours.

 

Kostas : No I forbid you, I really do! Do you get it? They despise me all year long, look down on me, having decided that I am   worthless and lazy. Now go away, here comes my closest friend George, from C class that he also dropped the class. I don’t want him to see me talking to you, he doesn’t like  good pupils like you. Anyway, thanks for caring.

 

(Nikos goes away).

 

George: What up, friend? What have you got with this (a name of a pupil that studies a lot). I feel like punching him on the face, him and his mates, the best students of school! They have everything settled by their parents! Jerks, they don’t have to worry about anything! Give me a cigarette, I die for one   and I haven’t got even a penny!

 

(They smoke without talking.) 

 

George: Hey my friend, I have been thinking days now, about taking revenge against this system, that drives us out. I mean, you, me and those that don’t have the luck to grow up in a wealthy family. They have everything solved out. You live in hell at home and they drop you out. I work all night serving as I am the only one working at home, my dad was fired and my mum is ill. How can I be on time for school? But who cares? The system wants machines to produce wealth and we, that won’t finish school, will work for a piece of bread all our life. They will take advantage of us and then fire us too. School is only for our realizing what our future is going to be, underlining that we are second class people, inferior creatures. We are going to be outcasts, they call us names because we can’t stand this injustice and show our anger and range towards them, smoking and taking no account of their remarks and our refusal to compromise to their standards. Noone has really realized what   is really going  on. (Whispering) I have some good friends- you know-haha, who make molotof bombs. Rebels! They burn dustbins (garbage) and cars at night. I really admire them because they dare do it! They are my heros! They dare hit back this rotten society and injustice! (he opens his sack) Look what they have given me!

 

Kostas: Wow, my friend they are going to hand us in, they will put us behind bars!

 

George : SSSSHH! Shut up, you idiot! This is how we will hit back that they dropped us. We will destroy everything. It will be the end of this bordello! Their libraries and their labs that prepare people to be according to the “musts”.

 

Kostas: No, no no! They will catch us and hand us in. They will find us. We will be the first to be inquired by the police.

 

George: You are a chicken. You don’t have the guts, you chicken! What have you got to lose? Look at a looser friend I have? And I trust you! Your could turn me in to the cops!

 

Kostas: No, no no. Don’t talk to me like that! I am with you, you are right! Let burn them down! I am not afraid as long as we are together in it. When are we going to do it?

 

George: We will do it today. The school is closed, we wail for half an hour to be sure and we jump in at the back fence, there is an opening there. The library is away from the central endrance and the guards. We break the window with a stone and drop the molotof, nobody is going to take any notice. Imagine the fun!! It will turn into ashes, the books of those so called “spirituals” of a penny, that just serve the system.

 

Kostas: Today, you are right. If I keep thinking about it I will change my mind. Let burn all down. Hahaha! I love the idea. I want to be somewhere looking at their faces when they discover that their beloved library has been just ashes. Give me five?

 

(They give hands).

 

Half an hour later, they go in through the back fence, they drow the molotof at the library after breaking the window as they had planned before.

 

Kostas: Let’s go quickly!!!

 

George: No, wait you chicken.  I haven’t made sure that it got fire. Oh, there it is! Let’s go to the labs now.

 

(the fire alarm is ringing)

 

 George: Oh, oh the fire alarm! I forgot about it!! Run! We are leaving!

 

 

(A cry is heard from inside the library)! Help, fire, fire, my god I can’t breath, I am choking, help I can’t open the door, sobedody help me please! Helppppp!!

 

Kostas: ( Scared to death), Hey,  there is somebody in there!!

 

 George: What are we doing now? Leave him, we can’t do anything, we could be seen. Run, run, do you hear me? If we are got we are lost! Off we go, asshole!!

 

(the cries are going on)

 

 Kostas; (laying still) Hey, stop it’s Nick’s voice!!!!

 

 George: That learning  jerk!!! Let’s open the door! It’s blocked! Leave him, let him burn, let’s go, don’t you listen to me? We can’t save him. We are lost, run!!!

 

(George goes away)

 

Kostas: My god,Niko don’t be afraid, I will get you out of here!

 

(Groaning is heard from inside): I am choking, I can’t breath. Kostas, breaks the window, rush in the room and he manage to get  Nikos out) . Nikos has almost lost consciousness, they both cough roughly. The police siren  is blowing and they can be heard. He makes Nikos lie on a bench and then he runs away, jumbing over the fence.

The very same day, nikos is at hospital with slight burning on his body, his parents are beside him and the headmaster too. His schoolmates and teachers are also on his side, socked terrified onby what could have happened.

 

Nikos: I am alright guys! I don’t feel much pain now, just a little difficulty in breathing only, haahaha. I will live, don’t cry mum. You see I wanted to finish my project and stayed late in the library, hahaha! I deserved that! (he looks with anxiety all around), Where is Kostas, didn’t he come?

 

One of his fellow students: He is just outside , he is asking about you, but he wasn’t allowed to get in  by the headmaster. But he doesn’t leave. He wants to know how you are.

 

 Headmaster: What do you want this tramp! How he dares come here! I suspect him of arsoning! I will start investigations tomorrow morning. He will be punished, the jerk! I will send him to reforming school.

 

Nikos: No, no, leave him alone! Let him come in! he saved me. He risked his life for me. I want to see him please! Let him in please.

 

(Kostas enters slowly hesitating).

 

Nikos: My friend, come I want to give you a hug. Thank you for saving   my good friend.Slowly, I hurt a little. (they give a hug to each other)

 

Nikos: Can you please let us alone! Mum, dad I want to be alone with my friend!

 

(All go away)

 

Kostas; My friend, my dear friend, don’t hug me! Didn’t you understand that I put the fire? You had better sue me! I want to pay for what I have done! For what I have done to you!

 

Nikos: I know, I know, I figured it out, but I also realized that you have a good heart and great courage, all this treasure that you hide deep inside you. They have abused you since you were a little child. I will talk about you to everyone. I will make them understand what you really are. I won’t sue you, no never! I will tell my parents that you save me, I will tell them all, because they are understanding and caring and have love in their heart and they will realize what is happening to you and what you have been through. They will mediate to the social service, and we may host you in our house until we graduate! They will ask to take care of your parents too,  send your father for detoxification. We may hire your mum to help us at home with housework and have an income. My mun needs help, I know that because complains all the time that she can’t cope with all chores. My mum is a kind person and she will love your mum. They will become friends. I will also talk to the headmaster and the teachers to take you back at school. They will see you as a hero. I will also help you with lessons and we both are going to succeed in University. You are going to study arts. You are so talented in graffiti. Your creations are excellent! Or you could be an actor. You do well with it too! You are going to study whatever you want and we will always be together!

 

Kostas: (they cry one holding the other ) My dear friend, my dear friend, forgive me. I almost killed you. I really love you. NOONE ever treated me like that, so much kindness, love and understanding. Now I realize that being accepted and considered by others I can do miracles. I will change, I promise! Everything is going to change in me! I really want that and I promishe to do it!

 

(They stay hugged, ending music)