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The Posthuman War Act 4: Red River

by Paul Shapera

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1.
The Dogs 06:02
Leanne: Oh, here come the dogs Oh, oh here come the dogs And if you rest to catch your breath You’d best be moving on Cause oh, oh here come the dogs Leanne & Dominique: Oh, oh here come the dogs Oh, oh here come the dogs And if you rest to catch your breath You’d best be moving on Cause oh, oh here come the dogs Marjolein: Ok everybody, let’s do a head count. Who all’s here? Leanne: Hi, my name’s Leanne Dominique: I’m Dominique Marjolein: Hi, I’m Marjolein. Listen, as weird as this all might seem, I’ve done this before and I promise you, you’re not in any danger. Nothing’s gonna happen to you, okay? April: Hi, I’m April. Marjolein: Hi April. Kurt: Hi, I’m Kurt. Marjolein: Kurt?! Kurt: Marjolein?! What are you doing here? Marjolein: What am I... What are YOU doing here? Kurt: I really like to go to the theater. Marjolein: Oh my god, Kurt, it’s so good to see you. Kurt: It’s so good to see you too. Ah, this is great! Another one of these wacky, full emergent theater things, huh? Marjolein: Yeah, alright well, let’s see how this plays out Leanne, Dominique, and April: Oh, oh here come the dogs Oh, oh here come the dogs And if you rest to catch your breath You’d best be moving on Cause oh, oh here come the dogs … Leanne: Oh, here come the dogs Oh, oh here come the dogs And if you rest to catch your breath You’d best be moving on Cause oh, oh here come the dogs
2.
Veerd Savah 03:14
Marjolein: How the hell was that kinder and gentler? April: Why is the river red? Dominique: Day 19, we’re still following the river. We’d like to rest for a day... Marjolein: Day 19? We’ve only been here for a few hours. Leanne: A few hours? It’s been days. April: Days? It’s been weeks. Kurt: Remember how long we were in the caravan? Marjolein: It seemed long, but now I don’t think that’s true. Time in these things is an illusion. Dominique: Does anyone hear the voices? April: What voices? Dominique: Listen… Voice 1: Eating, and being eaten. Voice 2: I hear there isn't a creature in the forest that isn't hunted by something else. Voice 3: And man? Voice 2: he’s just meat like everything else. ... Voice 2: There are no souls in the jungle, very little justice and no ethics. Well, in the end you begin to accept it all. We watch things hunting and being hunted. Reproducing, killing, dying it's all endless and pointless. Except in the end one small pattern immerges from it all, the only certainty: one is born, one lives for a time, and then one dies, that’s all. All the rest is yeey saba. Voice 1: What’s that? Voice 2: It's a game the natives play. It doesn't make sense, it's quite pointless. A chases B, B chases C, C chases A. Then they turn around and go the other way. It’s quite senseless. Except that the fellow who was here has satisfied his desire to be over there, everybody’s had the fun of running after something, everybody’s grabbed a handful of stuff that they wanted because everybody else wanted it and well it's endless.
3.
The Race 05:37
April: By day we follow rivers course The barking echoes through the hills At night we light a fire Sit and huddle gainst the bitter chill Memories we never knew Appear sometimes inside our heads Attics we have never seen And characters we’ve never been The circles that would bind us The webs that weave inside us The waves we hope will part to show The dreams beneath the seaweed The home the water’s waves lead And quietly down to drift we’ll go The race we run is frightening Dizzying and blinding The dogs pursue and never slow The race we run is frightening And at our backs they’re biting We hold our hands and don’t let go Leanne: This land is dark and depressing April: I’m scared Marjolein: I know. Sarah’s failing at the whole gentle thing. I’m thinking of pulling the plug. Kurt: You can do that? Marjolein: We agreed on a safeword that’ll stop this if it gets to be too much Kurt: Oh good, that’s a relief. I’m a little frightened myself Marjolein: I wouldn’t let anything happen to you Leanne: It’s the dogs Dominique: They’re coming Kurt: We gotta run Marjolein: Ok let’s go. We’ll try just a little further before we give up on it. April: The days, our selves begin to blur Players lost inside the play The hunt is on, the dogs unleashed And all of us now are the prey The smell of fear the sense of doom Lingers in the autumn sun Every step we lose ourselves Across the bitter race we run The circles that would bind us The webs that weave inside us The waves we hope will part to show The dreams beneath the seaweed The home the waters waves lead And quietly down to drift we’ll go The race we run is frightening Dizzying and blinding The dogs pursue and never slow The race we run is frightening And at our backs they’re biting We hold our hands and don’t let go Kurt: I remember an attic Dominique: I remember an attic too. April: There’s a guy named Adelaide who gave us a map... Marjolein: What are you talking about? Kurt: I’ve got these memories that I don’t think are mine Dominique: We’re on some astral plane Leanne: We’re part of a church group Marjolein: That’s interesting. You’re remembering fictitious backstories April: They’re starting to feel more real than my other memories Marjolein: I’m not sure about this Leanne: The dogs, they’re here Kurt: Move! Marjolein: I don’t think we should continue … Kurt: Leanne look out! Dominique & April: Leanne! *screams* Kurt: They killed Leanne! Dominique: They ripped her apart! April: Oh my god... oh my god... Kurt: Make this stop Marjolein: Yellow! Yellow! Sarah, Yellow! Sarah, Yellow! April: The circles that would bind us The teeth that cut and blind us The race we know will never slow The dreams that die inside us The grief that will divide us And quietly down our hopes will go The race we run is frightening Dizzying and blinding The dogs pursue and never slow The race we run is frightening And at our backs they’re biting We hold our hands and don’t let go The race we run is frightening Dizzying and blinding The dogs pursue and never slow The race we run is frightening And at our backs they’re biting We hold our hands and don’t let go
4.
Interlude 1 01:15
(Lloyd hums along to jazz recording.) Lloyd: So good Raven: Have you seen Marjolein? She's just disappeared. It's not like her. Lloyd: No, I haven't. R: She's never run off before. L: Ah, but Jill is off somewhere, and in case you haven’t noticed, I believe there's a bit of a thing that’s developed between the two of them. R: Oh really? L: Yes, she's probably off with Jill. R: Ahhh. Okay, just checking.
5.
The Caves 06:26
Dominique: Day 27. The rain has soaked us and our spirits are low. We've taken refuge inside of some caverns… Kurt: So is it day 27? Marjolein: No, but that's the least of our problems. We're in real trouble. I can't jump out of here so I’ve got to figure out some way to keep us alive. Dominique: As we cower in caverns As the rain falls outside As we shake and we shiver And some of us cry As the path fades to nothing That we wandered upon The light you glimpse And you grasp for an instant is gone As the clouds stain the skies In a thick, ashen grey And the sun and our spirits We’ve not seen for days As we huddle for comfort And wait for the dogs The light you glimpse And you grasp for an instant is gone And oh, here come the dogs Oh, here come the dogs And if you rest to catch your breath You’d best be moving on Cause oh, here come the dogs ... Kurt: Dominique, do not move Dominique: Oh my god. Oh my god April: Don’t move Dominique: Oh my god I’m gonna die.. I’m gonna die.... Ok... ok... It’s my time... Kurt: Why aren’t they attacking? Marjolein: Sarah’s showing off. It’s a flex. She’s milking the moment. Kurt: So there’s nothing we can do? Marjolein: Ok, hang on, I’m gonna try something. Hey! Hey, over here! Over here! Uh, uh ok wait... wait wait wait wait wait... shit... shit.... Ok, w… wait give me a second… Your psycho toxic head trip gets under my skin You poison every well and world in which you deign to live I will survive you, will survive you will despise revile you I will survive you till the day you drown alone So sad I’d cry for you but die for you I won’t I will survive your petty cruelties and your tired tropes I will survive you, will survive you will despise revile you I will survive you till the day you drown alone I will survive you, will survive you, feel my spite inside you I will survive you till the day you die alone
6.
Weave 02:37
Dominique: Winding strands and withered streams Across the spool, the spinner weaves Corners bow as patterns dream Across the spool, the spinner weaves Winding strands and withered streams Across the spool, the spinner weaves Corners bow as patterns dream Across the spool, the spinner weaves Backs are bowed beneath the weight Words are shards as years gyrate Scream your dreams console your mate Bow your back and clear your slate Winding strands and withered streams Across the spool, the spinner weaves Corners bow as patterns dream Across the spool, the spinner weaves Pack the album, pages turn Memories fade, the match will burn Read the pattern ever turns Yarn that spins will never yearn Winding strands and withered streams Across the spool, the spinner weaves Corners bow as patterns dream Across the spool, the spinner weaves Through the door, the years will sway Discarded hours and long lost days Youth is left beside the road So on and on and on we go Winding strands and withered streams Across the spool, the spinner weaves Corners bow as patterns dream Across the spool, the spinner weaves The phoenix burns in triumph flies Till dies and lives but cries and cries And bitter times for decades last Until it leaves to walk to the path
7.
The Chase 10:50
April: The river that we run beside Snakes and winds as we grow tired The race is never kind We lose our will, we lose our minds Memories of who I was Fade at last and I become Lost inside this dream The race is all I’ll ever be Lost inside this dark embrace Tiring of this brazen race Where all we hope to find Is misplaced dreams and scribbled lines Swept along the current’s crest Weary bones that ache for rest The end that waits for me Adrift along the ruby sea The cobwebs fade, my memories set A church group, esoteric texts A man named Adelai Found a door to other sides Kabbalic spheres, we read his notes Learned the prayers, the steps he wrote And now ascent begins The dogs will come and cleanse our sin Caught between engulfing thoughts To lay me down or carry on The dream is gone I know There is no end there is no home The race’s end, the final sleep In one shrill wind both beckon me Embrace the final dream Adrift along the ruby sea Kurt: Marjolein, I don’t think we can make it Marjolein: Listen, it’s okay, I’m going to try a trick this guy named Raven taught me. It’s called Keystone Cops, so just, just bear with me. … Kurt: You did it Marjolein: Thank goodness Kurt: Um, why is April standing on the edge of the ravine like that? Marjolein: Oh nuts, let me get her. Hold on. Kurt: Uh Marjolein... they’re coming again, we gotta run … April: Gazing at the chasm deep That sings sweet songs of precious sleep And soothes the bones that cry For solace from the blood, the tide I’m sorry that I’ve let you down The race is run and over now Tonight, no cries or dreams I’ll sleep beneath the ruby sea Kurt: April, no! Marjolein: April! Dominique: April, don’t do it! Marjolein: Oh Kurt... I’ve lost another one Kurt: Who’s Kurt? Marjolein: What? Kurt: My name’s Orion. I’m with the church group Sarah: Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, and you can’t retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, and you can’t retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, and you can’t retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, and you can’t retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day You can’t stay, you can’t stay, and you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day You can’t stay, you can’t stay, and you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills your days, and you can’t retrace Race that fills your days, you can’t stay retrace Race that fills, race that fills, race that fills your day
8.
Girl Talk 2 03:44
Sarah: A little girl talk a little girl time we A little girl talk sit and spill some tea A little girl talk, a little girl, it’s Time for girl talk Marjolein: Sarah you fucking bitch Sarah: Woah! Marjolein you little sad, lost waif You’re so over your head today You’ve no idea what I’ve built here You’ve only scratched the surface, dear Marjolein: These people they are innocent You’re tormenting and killing them Sarah: Oh normally one might survive Transformed and changed, you’d be surprised You shouldn’t have come I cannot let you live, you’ll tell the other ones You cannot conceive Of the army I’m building, you can never leave I see you know Kurt, what a shame He’ll die before you, Marjolein Although I thought maybe I might Let him be the one who survives One flowers here in every show In ways you cannot dream, although They physically transform it’s true Mutations gross, they make some puke But though insane these mutants be They power me like a battery You’ve no idea what I can do Lloyd will star in my show too And when I am done I will build me an empire like there never was The sad gaze on me At my throne where I rule the metaverse as queen The thing I can’t decide is do I let Kurt be alive A mutation gone insane, but babies with me he could make As I take, as I take, as I take your friend away But maybe better I could have him die before your eyes You’re so outclassed here my dear, I swear I just cannot decide We will see, we will see, the suspense is killing me Marjolein: Gloat and strut, insult me but The race is not over yet I’ll keep Kurt alive, I’ll send out a sign To tell the gang you’re a threat Oh, so here I am, last line in the sand I’ll fight you until the end Sarah: You know I always thought you were too much of a weak little coward to put up much fight. And, you are, but, you did show a delightful amount of spirit. I mean, you really have made this so much more enjoyable. So, Kurt, dead or mutant? Let’s find out. Marjolein: I swear you awful bitch I swear I won’t let you win Sarah: Buh-bye Margie
9.
Dominique: Are you all right Marjolein: It’s panic, it’s intense anxiety I am trying not lose my mind, I’m trying just to breath Kurt: We’re gonna die, there’s no way out Marjolein: You will walk away, Kurt you were kind to me Back when I needed to be saved I’ll save you now, I’ll pull it off I just can’t figure how Kurt: I wish could remember I remember nothing now Dominique: I’m just so scared Marjolein: Now Sarah she will come at us real hard Of all the posties I’m the worst And useless one by far Why did it have to be me Kurt: Oh you’re shaking Dominique: We should run You feel the ground is trembling All the dogs are... here they come … Marjolein: The day when you will get The quiet smile the summer’s rest The wistful peace I wish for you The sunrise and the red wine too The day when you will see The laughing friends and autumn leaves And lose yourself with love inside The thing you do which gives you life Kurt: And past the long day straining Into the low sky raining It’s the way the moment goes Into the flow sustaining And past the breakers waning It’s the way the water flows When the story has consumed you When your memories are gone You don’t even know who had loved you Who you loved and who you are When you know your time is ticking And the race is almost run And you hope the deeds you did In the end are good enough And past the long day straining Into the low sky raining It’s the way the moment goes Into the flow sustaining And past the breakers waning It’s the way the water flows And you think was I a good guy Did I ease a person’s pain Did I ease somebody’s burdens Did I make someone feel safe I believe in stuff like kindness Though the world might call it dumb And I hope that in the end I might have spread a little love And past the long day straining Into the low sky raining It’s the way the moment goes Into the flow sustaining And past the breakers waning It’s the way the water flows Because now it ends in terror Because now it ends in fear All my memories are stolen And my hope’s no longer here I don’t get the happy ending I don’t get the growing old But I don’t want to leave in anger With bitterness upon my soul And past the long day straining Into the low sky raining It’s the way the moment goes Into the flow sustaining And past the breakers waning It’s the way the water flows Marjolein: The day when you will get The quiet smile the summer’s rest The wistful peace I wish for you The sunrise and the red wine too The day when you will see The laughing friends and autumn leaves And lose yourself with love inside The thing you do… Sarah: Marjolein, BOO! Dominique: They got me! They got… Ah ! AH! AH! Marjolein: Hold on, I’m coming! Kurt: They got me! Ah, my leg! My leg! Ah! AH! Marjolein: Shit! Kurt! The day when you will get The quiet smile, the summers rest The wistful peace I wish for you The sunrise and the red wine too The day when you will see The laughing friends and autumn leaves And lose yourself with love inside The thing you do that gives you life Kurt: My leg is gone, they’ve torn it off It’s over now, I’m done Marjolein: I’ve got you Kurt Kurt: You should go, really, you should run Marjolein: I’m staying here our last stand It’ll be right in this spot Kurt: Dominique, is she, I heard Marjolein: I’m sorry she is gone Kurt: I wish I could remember Life before this awful place Its gone now all my memories My life, my mothers face Raven: Jill! You’re back! Lloyd: Welcome back! Jill: Thanks boys, its good to see you. Raven: Where’s Marjolein? Jill: What do you mean? I left her here with you. Lloyd: We haven’t seen her since you left Jill: Last I saw her she was going to check out some secret late night show Sarah might be involved with. Raven: Can you tell us exactly where that might be? Kurt: Did you know me before this? Marjolein: Kind of, yeah, a different show Kurt: Was I a decent person, I feel, I wish, I really hope I made this world a better place Marjolein: You’ve always been the best I promise you’re the kindest, purest soul I’ve ever met Kurt: I’m okay if its the end Marjolein: All I can do I’ll try. Marjolein, just once in your life please do something right Outside the box, think crazy, just this one thing, just this one... Just please do one thing right... Kurt: Here they come Kurt: We’re alive Marjolein: Yeah… (gasping for breath) Sarah: Marjolein! I am legitimately impressed! Who knew you had it in you? Marjolein: f... f... f... Sarah: What a goood girl. It’s over now, though. Marjolein: Fuck you, Sarah Sarah: Let’s start with the boy. Goodbye Kurt Kurt: You are seriously messed up lady Lloyd: Does anyone want to tell me what’s going on here? Sarah: Shit. Dogs, get that man Raven: Enough! Lloyd: This is... this is a betrayal, of everything we’ve talked ab... Sarah: Oh shut up you arrogant prick. I unlocked secrets to power you cant imagine. Raven: This is all going... Sarah: Have a taste! Lloyd: Wha...what was... Raven: Wha the... how did she do that Lloyd: I... I have no idea Sarah: I am the master now. You’re going to star in my little show Jill: Suck on this spell, Sarah (Blasts) Sarah: Ow! You want some? (Boom) How about some more? (Boom) Raven: Jill! Lloyd: No! No, please... don’t hurt her Sarah: I make the rules now Lloyd: I don’t understand how this is happening Raven: I have an idea. I’m gonna buy you some time. Lloyd: Ravy, what are you doing? Raven: Sarah, the woman I wouldn’t have sex with if you paid me, let’s discuss your daddy issues. Your daddy didn’t love you Cause he loved his drinking more Couldn’t get daddy’s attention Cause he only loved the bar Hey, your daddy he was selfish And a coward your mom knew He wouldn’t have the balls to kill her So she chose her daughter you Your daddy should have done it But he’s passed out on the floor The only thing your daddy taught you Was how to be a whore So you wanna prove to daddy That you’re super strong and big And by daddy I mean Lloyd Go get some therapy you pig Sarah: (huffing) I...l I’m gonna... I’m gonna rip you apart! Raven: First you gotta catch me fart face! (Softly to Lloyd) Don’t waste this. (Blips away.) Sarah: Where’d he go... that piece of shit can’t unrun me. I’ll finish you after I decapitate your boyfriend, Lloyd. (Blips away.) Jill: What do we do now? Lloyd: I… (stammers) I.... don’t... know...

credits

released May 10, 2022

Featuring:
Maggie Kozak as Marjolein
Daniel Collette as Kurt
Kerttu Aarnipuu as Leanne
Hayley Warner as Dominique
Lauren Osborn as April
Nora Sonneborn as Jill
and
Lux Mortenson as Sarah

Art by Pixelwayve

Lyrics proofed and formatted by Jenna Soul.

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Paul Shapera Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Cama’s attempt to commune with higher beings failed; she only found Decadent Dottie. Together they roamed, indulging in dangerous forms of psycho-neural self-exploration which Cama hoped would present the key to her people’s further evolution. It only led to her destroying her people so that one of their pets could evolve. She sat in her former civilization's rubble and listened to Paul Shapera. ... more

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