BLEEDING FOR BEAUTY AND LOVE

Susan is alone in her room wearing a robe over lingerie. She is holding a bouquet of flowers and she reads a card.

SUSAN

Dear God, please let this work out. Please let him love me as much as I love him.

There is a knock on the door. Susan prepares herself and then she answers it. Faust can barely look at her when he comes through the door.

FAUST

I see you got the flowers.

SUSAN

Yes. They're beautiful.

FAUST

Susan, I just wanted to - I wanted to tell you that I'm going away for a while.

SUSAN

Going ? where are you going?

FAUST

It doesn't matter. I need to get away so that I can ?

He reaches out to touch her, but she walks away.

FAUST

Susan, this has nothing to do with you. I need to be alone for a while.

SUSAN

I'm trying to understand, but you keep running away from me. Why would you want to be ALONE? I've been alone all my life. I don't want to be alone.

FAUST

Susan, I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to cause you any more pain.

She grabs a rose.

SUSAN

See this rose?

She opens her robe and sticks the thorns in her chest.

This rose doesn't mean to cause me pain. It's just what it is - a beautiful, dangerous thing, but if I stick myself hard enough -

She does so again and again .

It hurts and I BLEED AND HURT MORE. So that must be it Jonathan. You're just nature and I have to bleed when I touch you.

She wails in agony.

SUSAN

This is what we get for touching beauty.

She grabs the whole bunch of roses and begins tearing herself all over with them. He tries to stop her and she fights him off. She continues to tear herself on the thorns.

I'm bleeding for beauty and love Jonathan. I'm bleeding for you. NO. Don't touch me. Please don't. Not now. Leave me alone. PLEASE LEAVE.