THE STORY: Two lonely derelicts have taken temporary shelter in an abandoned waterfront building on Halloween night. Vaguely uneasy, some sixth sense makes John want to leave, but he is nevertheless impressed and intrigued by Peter’s unending fund of information and is prevailed upon to stay until midnight. As the water slaps against the pier outside, they brew tea over a tar-barrel fire, and engage in a fascinating dialogue on various jobs, hitchhiking, chess, ancient customs and meanings. Peter explains that the “Lord of Death” appears at midnight on Halloween, the start of All Saints’ Day, to exact retribution for misdeeds. Peter misses his wallet and accuses John of having stolen it. John denies it. In an awesome struggle Peter relentlessly attacks John and leaves him lying on the floor. He then discovers the missing wallet and goes to tell John, only to find him dead. Remorseful and troubled, Peter slides John’s body from the window into the water below, and returns to sit and await his judgment from the “Lord of Death."
Included in the collection
A is for All.
Alternately funny, touching and chilling, with overtones of the mystical, this remarkably gripping two-character play keeps the audience enthralled from opening curtain to electric denouement.
