31 Plays in 31 Days, #1 - "Because I Know You're Not"

I am out of town again this month, this time to visit relatives in Pittsburgh, so I am a bit busier than I hoped to be for the first few days of August, but here begins 31 Plays in 31 Days! I just threw this first one together in the few moments before the end of the day, so it's pretty rough, but at least I'm not behind this early.

Today's entry is extremely spoilery for my larp Brockhurst-- this is a scene from the back story of two player characters, so please don't read this one if you're still planning on playing that game!


Because I Know You're Not
by Phoebe Roberts

LIEUTENANT CHRISTIAN CHASE, the last survivor of a WWI English company
LADY ABIGAIL BELLAMY, second daughter of the earl of Brockhurst

London, England, 1914
~~~

(ABIGAIL, dressed in evening wear, approaches CHRISTIAN in his formal uniform at the party.)

ABIGAIL: Lieutenant Christian Chase?

CHRISTIAN: Yes, miss. And who might you be?

ABIGAIL: The same Christian Chase that commanded the hundred and fifty-first company on march into France?

CHRISTIAN: I am.

ABIGAIL: And was the only survivor of that last mission?

CHRISTIAN: Why do you ask?

ABIGAIL: Because I know you're not.

(CHRISTIAN stares.)

CHRISTIAN: What?

ABIGAIL: Don't try to deny it. I know you're not Christian Chase.

CHRISTIAN: W-Why would you-- why would you say that?

ABIGAIL: No one cares to question a war hero, do they? Especially one as useful as you've been. But I noticed that Lieutenant Chase is supposed to be thirty-four years of age, and I'd be surprised if you were a day over twenty-five.

CHRISTIAN: You cannot possibly know if--

ABIGAIL: Dig a little further, and one finds that Chase grew up in the south country, and no one could mistake your accent for anything but that of a Yorkshireman. No, your posh posturing doesn't fool me.

CHRISTIAN: Miss-- I don't know what you mean by all this--

ABIGAIL: Spare me, sir. I wasn't able to turn up just who you are, but I believe it's safe to conclude that you are not who you say you are. And I could reveal that fact at any time.

(Pause.)

CHRISTIAN: Please. You can't tell anyone. You don't know what it means to me.

ABIGAIL: I assure you, that's not my intention. At least, not unless I have to.

CHRISTIAN: I don't mean any harm, I swear.

ABIGAIL: Please, sir, calm yourself.

CHRISTIAN: Just... what do you want?

ABIGAIL: I don't want to ruin you. I want to use you.

CHRISTIAN: Use me... to do what?

ABIGAIL: First thing's first. Why don't you tell me who you really are?