Mindgame by Anthony Horowitz

also the method, incidentally, by which Lee Marvin was killed in Stanley Donen’s 1963 classic, Charade .
    Suddenly PLIMPTON slumps and her legs stop moving. Even then, STYLER doesn’t relax his grip. Not until FARQUHAR comes over to him and lays a hand on his arm. And suddenly we become aware that FARQUHAR has changed character again. He is gentler now, rational, sympathetic .
    You’ve done it.
    STYLER: Yes.
    FARQUHAR: How did it feel?
    STYLER: It felt…
    FARQUHAR: Tell me!
    STYLER: ( Sobbing .) It felt horrible!
    FARQUHAR: Do you feel remorse?
    STYLER shakes his head, unable to speak .
    Do you feel guilt? ( Pause .) You feel disgust?
    STYLER nods .
    You wanted to be Easterman. ( Pause .) You wanted to be Easterman.
    STYLER: Yes.
    FARQUHAR: And now you have become Easterman.
    STYLER nods. Then realises .
    STYLER: No.
    FARQUHAR: Sssh…!
    STYLER: I’m not Easterman.
    FARQUHAR: You are Easterman. But you don’t want to be.
    STYLER: No!
    FARQUHAR: It’s alright now. We’ve moved back to the periphery. We’re in status nascendi. It’s alright.
    STYLER: What?
    FARQUHAR: You are Easterman. You were always Easterman. But what we’ve explored a little more today is why you were Easterman.
    A pause .
    STYLER: What are you talking about?
    FARQUHAR: ( Gently .) Easterman…
    STYLER: I’m Styler!
    FARQUHAR: You were Styler. That’s the name you chose. ( A smile .) All Styler, no substance. He’s gone now.
    STYLER: I’m a writer.
    FARQUHAR: We have no more time now.
    STYLER: What are you doing?
    FARQUHAR: That’s enough.
    STYLER: This is a trick. You’re trying to trick me.
    â€˜DR FARQUHAR’ whips the bag off ‘NURSE PLIMPTON’s’ head. She is alive. And she too has changed character. From nowon she is a business-like woman, brittle and serious. Unhappy with what has taken place .
    It would seem that DR FARQUHAR is actually Karel Ennis .
    NURSE PLIMPTON is actually Dr Farquhar .
    And STYLER is actually Easterman .
    FARQUHAR: Tell him, Dr Farquhar.
    PLIMPTON: Go back to your room, Easterman. That’s enough for today.
    A pause .
    STYLER: ( To FARQUHAR .) Dr Farquhar?
    FARQUHAR: ( Indicating PLIMPTON .) This is Dr Farquhar.
    STYLER: No.
    FARQUHAR: ( To PLIMPTON .) Help him.
    PLIMPTON: I’m Dr Farquhar.
    STYLER: ( To FARQUHAR .) So who are you? Who are you telling me…? Who are you?
    FARQUHAR: I’m Karel Ennis. You know that. I’m your therapist.
    STYLER: ( Close to tears again .) No. You’re doing this to me. You’re both doing this to me.
    PLIMPTON: ( To FARQUHAR .) Could you please let me out of this chair. I’d like to go and wash.
    FARQUHAR: I’m sorry…
    FARQUHAR picks up the scalpel and uses it to cut PLIMPTON free. STYLER can only watch as she crosses to the desk and picks up the box of tissues, using one to wipe her face. Then she crosses the room to the door and opens it. Once again it is unlocked. But this time it leads into a small bathroom with white tiles and asink. During what follows, she washes and changes. We see her some of the time…
    STYLER: What have you done to me?
    FARQUHAR: You know where we’ve been travelling. You know what we talked about. The shifting anguish of responsibility.
    STYLER: No. No. No. No. No. ( Pressing his fingers to his head .) You’re trying to take away who I am. I am Mark Styler. I’m a writer.
    FARQUHAR: You tried to kill Nurse Plimpton.
    STYLER: ( With difficulty .) I did it…because I was afraid of you.
    FARQUHAR: You did it because you wanted to.
    STYLER: No. I have written about murder. I have written…
    A pause. FARQUHAR sees there is only one way forward .
    FARQUHAR: It’s over. You haven’t written. There are no books.
    STYLER: You had it. You lent it to Borson.
    FARQUHAR: You came here in a red BMW. Where is the BMW?
    STYLER: It’s outside. It’s by the main door.
    FARQUHAR: Show me.
    STYLER crosses to the window.