Horror · 5 min
The Table.
Over an untouched dinner and an empty chair, a mother and son weaponize grief until the whole kitchen feels unlivable.
The roles
GRACE HERRERA
47. Public school teacher. Held her family together for twenty years. Has not spoken to her older son in three weeks. This dinner was her husband's idea. She agreed. She's regretting it.
MATEO HERRERA
17. Junior year. Three weeks ago he threw a party while his parents were away. His thirteen-year-old brother fell from the apartment balcony. His brother is now in a rehabilitation facility, paralyzed. Mateo carries the guilt and will take whatever his mother throws at him because part of him agrees with her.
The Table · Horror side · memorlined.app
(A kitchen. Evening. Overhead light on, too bright. Three place settings at the table, two occupied, one empty. GRACE HERRERA sits with a plate of food she hasn't touched. MATEO HERRERA sits across from her, pushing chicken around with his fork. The faucet drips.)
GRACE HERRERA
Pass the salt.
(MATEO passes it. She doesn't use it.)
MATEO HERRERA
You going to—
GRACE HERRERA
I changed my mind.
(The faucet drips.)
MATEO HERRERA
I can fix that.
GRACE HERRERA
Your father said he'd fix it.
MATEO HERRERA
That was three weeks ago.
GRACE HERRERA
Then he'll fix it when he's ready.
(MATEO pushes his food around.)
GRACE HERRERA
Are you going to eat.
MATEO HERRERA
I'm eating.
GRACE HERRERA
You're moving food.
MATEO HERRERA
Same thing.
GRACE HERRERA
It's not the same thing, Mateo.
(He puts down his fork.)
MATEO HERRERA
You want me to sit here or eat. I can do one.
GRACE HERRERA
I want you to eat dinner with your family.
MATEO HERRERA
This isn't— I don't know what this is.
GRACE HERRERA
It's Tuesday. It's what we do.
(Neither looks at the empty third chair.)
MATEO HERRERA
Mom.
GRACE HERRERA
Don't.
MATEO HERRERA
I was going to ask about work.
GRACE HERRERA
No you weren't.
(The refrigerator cycles on. Loud, then settles.)
MATEO HERRERA
Fine.
(They sit. The faucet drips.)
GRACE HERRERA
Dr. Kessler says he's responding to the new medication.
MATEO HERRERA
Good.
GRACE HERRERA
He moved his left hand yesterday.
MATEO HERRERA
That's... yeah. Good.
GRACE HERRERA
Good. You say good like someone told you traffic was clear.
MATEO HERRERA
What do you want me to say.
GRACE HERRERA
Something that sounds like you care your brother might use his hand again.
MATEO HERRERA
Of course I care.
GRACE HERRERA
Then show it.
MATEO HERRERA
How. What does that look like. Because I've been trying and nothing—
GRACE HERRERA
You've been in your room. That's where you've been. Your room. Your headphones. Your door shut. While I drive forty minutes each way to sit with a thirteen-year-old who can't feed himself.
(MATEO stares at the table.)
GRACE HERRERA
He asks about you.
MATEO HERRERA
I know.
GRACE HERRERA
He asked if you were mad at him.
(MATEO's hands go under the table.)
MATEO HERRERA
I'm not mad at him.
GRACE HERRERA
Then why haven't you gone.
MATEO HERRERA
Because he's there because of me.
(Silence.)
GRACE HERRERA
Say that again.
MATEO HERRERA
You heard me.
GRACE HERRERA
I want to hear it at this table.
MATEO HERRERA
He's there because of me. Because I threw a party and I wasn't watching and he went out on the balcony and—
(His voice breaks.)
(quiet)
GRACE HERRERA
You weren't watching.
MATEO HERRERA
No.
GRACE HERRERA
That was the one thing I asked.
(The faucet drips. The refrigerator hums.)
MATEO HERRERA
I think about it every—
GRACE HERRERA
So do I.
(MATEO stands. His chair scrapes the floor.)
GRACE HERRERA
Sit down.
MATEO HERRERA
I can't do this.
GRACE HERRERA
Sit down and eat your dinner.
MATEO HERRERA
You're not eating either.
(He picks up his plate. Walks to the sink. Sets it down too hard. Something clinks in the basin.)
GRACE HERRERA
Mateo.
(He stops in the doorway.)
GRACE HERRERA
Visiting hours are at four tomorrow.
(He doesn't turn around.)
MATEO HERRERA
Fine.
(He goes. The hall. The bedroom door.)
Print it for class, or open it in the app: every role in this side is playable, and the other side of the scene gets a reader. Cast a voice against your part in the Audition Room, then run it until the lines are yours.
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