MARCY: I don’t smoke…I’m not oral.

BRO: Then what are you? Anal?…Dangle it between your lips and turn sideways. I’m gonna shoot it out of your mouth.

He grabs the pistol off the counter, and a bullet, too.

GRANDMA (quietly—almost reverently): I’d say there’s been enough silly madness for one night around here. For a lifetime…But nobody listens…

Meanwhile, BRO shoves the bullet into the cylinder, snaps it closed with a flick of the wrist, and gestures that MARCY should turn sideways.

MARCY sighs and turns her profile. She puts the cigarette between her lips.

BRO sights down the pistol, not three feet away from her. Cocks back the hammer.

The barrel of the gun begins to jiggle. He repositions his shooting arm, holding the weapon with both hands.

BRO: Stand still. Real still. Don’t move. Shut your eyes.

As he speaks, he moves closer. Closer. Until the mouth of the gun is right against the cigarette in MARCYs mouth. She shuts her eyes.

Pause.

CASS (very quietly): Don’t do it.

BRO (very calmly): Are we gonna have it out now?

CASS (very softly): Have what out, Bro? What have we got against each other? What have you got against anybody here?

BRO (also softly): I don’t know. I wish I could put my finger on it.

GRANDMA: You were such a beautiful, beautiful boy!

Pause.

He strikes MARCY about the head—three quick blows with the gun.

BRO: BAM! BAM! BAM! YEAH.

MARCY cries out, collapses.

Pause.

BRO dangles the gun by two fingers above her weeping form. Then drops it.

GRANDMA: Get away from there! Leave her be!

BRO retrieves the Kool, steps back, and observes while MARIGOLD, CASS, and GRANDMA get MARCY into the recliner. He lights up and smokes. Meanwhile, overlapping:

MARIGOLD: There. That’s good now. I’ll get a cloth—

CASS: God oh God oh God. Okay. Okay now—

MARCY: Ow. Ow. Ow. I have to spit. I have to spit. There’s blood inside my mouth.

GRANDMA: You’ll be—we’ll get you—are you hurt bad? How bad is she hurt—get a cloth!—she is bleeding!—a cold cloth!

MARIGOLD gets a cloth wet at the sink and returns to the others to wipe gently at MARCY’s face.

MARIGOLD: Just spit in the cloth if you need to, Marcy, hon. I’ll get another one.

MARCY (snuffing and spitting): My whole mouth hurts. And my whole face. My ear hurts, Bro.

BRO (to MARIGOLD): There you go, Sis. Right? Huh? Her ear hurts and her whole face hurts. Huh?

GRANDMA and MARIGOLD minister to the patient. Meanwhile:

CASS: Nice. Nice…Nice going, Bro. I think you broke her nose.

BRO (to MARIGOLD): And it looks like her nose is broke.

MARCY: What do you mean?

GRANDMA: Honey. Oh hon. Honey now. Nothing.

MARCY: What happens if my nose is broken?

GRANDMA: Nothing. They’ll fix it. They know how to fix your nose if it’s broken.

CASS stands up straight. Sighs. Looks his brother over. Turns and exits toward the stairs. We hear his footsteps going up.