Face-off

By: Tyler Selee

Harvey Dent sits Center Stage, in a fold-out chair. The left side of his face is bandaged, and he is seated with his left side facing the audience. He is hunched over, with his right hand holding up his head. Soon, Two-Face begins taunting Dent as Dent tries to convince Two-Face that the doctors have gotten rid of him. Each time one personality speaks, that side of Dent's face is towards the audience.

DENT: (Begins as Two-Face, then switches back and forth.) Hellooo? Hellooo? De-ent… Harvey? (In childish falsetto) Can Harvey come out to play? (Back to Two-Face's normal voice) I'm talkin' to you, you pathetic weakling! Why don't you answ- (As Dent) SHUT UP! Shut up shut up shut up! You're gone! (Two-Face) Ah… that's right. Today's the big day isn't it? The day the bandages come off. The day you realize that no matter how much you fix your face, I will always be with you! (Dent) No! They got rid of you! You can't make me do anymore terrible things! (Two-Face) Make you? MAKE you? It was fate! A flip of the coin! (Dent) That you flipped each time! (Two-Face) You never once tried to stop me did you? Ever! Pathetic! (Dent) How was I supposed to? How?! If I harmed you, I'd be harming me! (Two-Face) You make us sound so different, so… apart. I've been through everything with you. Everything! (Dent) No you haven't! You don't know anything about me! You never came until I got burned! (Two-Face) You are so stupid! I've always been there, I've just never made my presence known! Through everything. Your childhood, your mother's drinking problem, your father – (Dent) SHUT UP! Don't you dare speak to me about him! (Two-Face) Aw… touched a nerve, did I? Does it bother you to hear about your alcoholic, abusive, sadistic – (Dent) I said SHUT UP! Shut up… shut up… (Two-Face) Don't you think I know your deep desire to make him feel how you felt? To see the fear in his eyes? To hold the power of his life in your hands? (Dent) No! That was a long time ago! (Two-Face) Was it? Hmm…? Was it? That laid the foundation for your… lack of coping skills. Just like your mother's death. Beaten unconscious by you r own father – (Dent) No! Don't you dare speak of her. She is so far above you. You have no right – (Two-Face) Let's move on to something more recent, shall we? How about Rachel's death, hmm? How she was roasted alive at the Joker's hand – (Dent) Stop it! I know what you're trying to do! You're trying to drive me insane! To drive me out! Well you can't have me! (Stands and walks to the pantomimed mirror) I'll show you! You're gone! You can't control me! You're gone! You and your stupid coin! And your obsession with revenge and fate! (Tears furiously at the bandage) You're gone! You're gone! Gone Gone Gone Gone GONE! (The bandage falls to the floor to reveal Dent's perfectly healed face.) Hello? HELLO? (Laughs maniacally) You're GONE! You're GONE! (Falls to the floor, on his knees. He shakes, then fumbles in his pocket. He pulls something out. He looks at the door) Hello, doctor. Yes, I feel much better. I think he's gone. I think he's finally gone. Thank you very much. (He stands and mimes walking down the 

corridors, then to a pay phone.) Dad? Hey, it's me… Harvey. Yeah. Yeah, I know. I'm feeling much better now. Yes, I know today it was twenty years ago today. I know, Dad. You doing ok? Well, listen, maybe we should get together, you know, celebrate me getting out, catch up on old times. Right? Next Friday? Ok, sounds good. What? Yeah… love you, too. Yeah. See you, then. (Hangs up the phone. Faces the audience, and we see what is in his hand. It is his double-headed coin. He tosses it, catches it, then looks up and grins at the audience.) See you then, Dad.