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This transcript is for…
Bonus: Rules of Estrangement
Transcript provided by Ria Couoh.
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(00:00) RULES OF ESTRANGEMENT.
Background sounds of a tavern.
Chair scrapes against wooden floor.
LARKIN
Hello, innkeep?
TESSA
Yes, young man. What can I get for you?
LARKIN
Uh– Do you do a cider, here?
TESSA
We do.
LARKIN
Then one of those, and a plate of whatever’s hot.
TESSA
Coming right up.
Footsteps fading away.
Door loudly creaks open.
KNOWLES
Look, “fun” and “likely” are two different things.
ROSIE
You’re no fun!
CASTOR
(dubious)
But very likely…?
ZARA
That… doesn’t even make any sense.
KNOWLES
Yeah, I’m downright extant!
LARKIN
(quietly, awed)
Zara?
ZARA
We’ve really lost the thread of this conversation.
ROSIE
Yes. Back to the task at hand. Are we or are we not doing a circus performance for all Tode’s little cousins?
KNOWLES
As long as I don’t have to be a clown.
Chair drags across the floor.
LARKIN
Zara!
ZARA
(surprised)
Larkin.
Silence.
CASTOR
We should… Uh, hm.
(quickly)
We should go.
ROSIE
Is that her…?
CASTOR
(slowly and with emphasis)
We should go now.
KNOWLES
Do you want me to stay?
ZARA
No. He’s right.
KNOWLES
I’m here if you need back-up.
ZARA
I’m fine. Come back if you hear carnage.
KNOWLES
Are you sure?
ZARA
(quietly)
Terric. Please.
KNOWLES
Alright.
Door creaks open and shut.
Silence.
LARKIN
You seem… You seem well.
ZARA
You are also breathing.
LARKIN
I… I kind of worried that you’d died.
ZARA
What? Why?
LARKIN
W-well, I could…
(uneasy)
I could feel you were in danger. Pretty regularly. Um. A-and then, all of the sudden, you weren’t.
ZARA
I found some friends.
LARKIN
Yeah, I can… I can see that! I’m glad!
ZARA
(flatly)
Are you?
LARKIN
Of course! I worried about you! All by yourself…
ZARA
Really?
LARKIN
Yes!
ZARA
You worried about me being alone?
LARKIN
Why shouldn’t I? You’re still my sister!
ZARA
It’s funny, is all.
LARKIN
What’s funny?
ZARA
When you had the chance to make sure I wasn’t alone, you chickened out.
LARKIN
Zara—
ZARA
Sweet of you to be concerned now.
LARKIN
I was a child!
ZARA
I was a child too, you know!
LARKIN
I know that!
ZARA
(reproachful)
Ten years old! All by myself! Not even my twin by my side!
LARKIN
(low, defensive)
Well, what did you expect?
ZARA
(sharply)
Excuse me?
LARKIN
You were dangerous, Zara! Surely after all this time you can see that.
ZARA
(poisonous)
Oh, so you agree with them.
LARKIN
You burned our house down! Of course, I agree with them!
ZARA
(ironic laugh)
I see. I see what this is.
LARKIN
(irritated)
Okay, and what do you think you see, exactly?
ZARA
You think you’re better than me.
LARKIN
(incredulous)
Come on.
ZARA
That’s not a no.
LARKIN
I’m not having this conversation with you! We should be… catching up over a cider or something!
ZARA
(mockingly sweet)
Well, that sounds so nice.
LARKIN
You are just being difficult to be difficult.
ZARA
I am pretty good at that. Unlike you.
LARKIN
You say that like it’s a problem.
ZARA
Of course it’s not. Larkin’s the good twin.
LARKIN
What of it?
ZARA
(casually)
So, how are mom and dad?
LARKIN
(uneasily)
I… Uhm… I haven’t…
ZARA
Haven’t talked to them in a while? Why’s that?
LARKIN
I’ve been traveling.
ZARA
So, they didn’t kick you out too?
LARKIN
Don’t be ridiculous.
ZARA
(matter-of-factly)
No, you just left before they had the chance.
LARKIN
Zara—
ZARA
Because you’re not the good twin, are you?
(plainly)
They’re just as scared of you as they are of me.
LARKIN
That’s not true!
ZARA
No?
LARKIN
(sharply)
The difference between us, Zara, is that I know how to keep myself under control and you don’t.
ZARA
Really?
LARKIN
Yes, really! Your temper is going to kill you someday!
The sharp sound of a blade being unsheathed.
ZARA
So, you’re under control.
LARKIN
Yes.
ZARA
Completely?
LARKIN
(with an edge of fear)
Y—yes! What are you—?
ZARA
And if I just, accidentally, nicked my hand…?
LARKIN
(high pitched and cracking with panic)
No! No!
(regaining composure)
Don’t. Please.
Blade is sheathed.
ZARA
(scoff)
You haven’t changed a bit.
LARKIN
(deep breath)
Neither have you. Still angry.
ZARA
(self-deprecating)
I can’t believe I spent so long…
LARKIN
So long doing what?
ZARA
Hoping!
(sighs)
Useless. I should have known.
LARKIN
(huffs)
Look, this is incredibly lucky, okay? Who knows if we’ll ever see each other again! Let’s forget the past! Just for a minute, okay?
ZARA
(baffled, angry)
Forget the past?
LARKIN
Unless you’re too bitter.
ZARA
I don’t have casual acquaintanceships with people who look down on me.
LARKIN
(disbelieving)
Ac-acquaintanceships? I’m your brother!
ZARA
You’re afraid of me and you resent me because you could have easily been me.
LARKIN
That’s not true!
ZARA
You want to know the real difference between us, Larkin? Because it’s not control.
LARKIN
Enlighten me, then.
ZARA
You’re still afraid of sorcery. I’m not.
LARKIN
Well, I’m not a fool.
ZARA
Sure. Fool.
A beat.
ZARA
(exhausted, slow, almost sad)
I’m not… going to sit down and have a cider with you, Larkin. I’m going to go rejoin the people who actually care about me. Apparently, we’re putting on a circus.
LARKIN
I do care about you!
ZARA
(sharply)
Sorry, did I say “care”? I meant respect.
(softer)
Good luck learning not to lose it.
LARKIN
(yelling)
I don’t lose it!
Door is quickly slammed opened and shut.
LARKIN
(sighs)
I don’t. I’m under… control.
TESSA
Glad to hear it.
Glass clinks and thuds as it’s set down.
TESSA
Here you are.
Chair scrapes against wooden floor.
LARKIN
(sighs)
Thank you.
Background sounds of tavern fade away.
(06:38) OUTRO:
Inn Between theme plays in the background.
(06:42) CREDITS:
HANNAH
This bonus episode, “Rules of Estrangement”, was written and directed by Hannah Wright with assistant director William Wright. The show is produced and edited by Katherine Ayers.
The voice of Castor is Caleb Del Rio. The voice Zara is Quin Leigh. The voice of Rosie is Lucille Valentine. The voice of Knowles is JV Hampton-VanSant.
Introducing the voice of Larkin: Mason Amadeus.
Our theme song is by Eli Hamada McIlveen and our artwork is by Gabrielle Buxman. Our transcriber is Ria Couoh.
Transcripts for this and every episode can be found on our website, thegoblinshead.com.
Season five begins soon! Stay tuned, and thanks for listening!
Music ends.
HANNAH
This story was created in the traditional territory of the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute peoples, and edited in the unceded territory of the Salish, Kootenai, and Kalispel peoples.
Episode ends.