Francis enters the living room and immediately spots the Pen, hiding under the table.

As soon as the cat sees the object, he starts to grin, deviously.

Francis approaches the pen, stealthily.

Cat (yelling): Hi Pen!
Pen (screaming): Ah!

The Pen “jumps” high into the air and falls in its “face”.

Francis starts to laugh hysterically.

Cat: Ha! Ha! Ha!

The Pen “gets up”, furious.

Pen: stupid cat, will you keep it down?
Cat: why?
Pen: Can´t you see I´m hiding?
Cat: from whom?

The Pen remains silent and looks to the side, avoiding the question.

Cat (cont.): Trouble in paradise dear?
Pen: what Paradise? Are you high?
Cat (giggling): Things not going well with your fiancée?

Pen: that thing is not my fiancée!
Cat: Oh no?
Pen: No!

Cat: Ha! Ha! Ha!
Pen (angry): stop laughing!
Cat: I can’t…

Pen: why not?
Cat: well, to be completely honest, it´s not so much that I can´t, it´s more that I don´t want to.
Pen: Sadist!

Cat: sucks to be the one to be mocked, doesn´t it?
Pen: I´m not being mocked, I´m being tortured!

Cat: how so?
Pen: That thing…

Cat (interrupts): Master Pen.
Pen: shut up! Is driving me nuts!

The Pen notices the devious and happy grin on the cat´s mouth.

Pen (cont.): stop grinning!
Cat: I can´t.

Francis drops to the floor, laughing hysterically!

Pen: You´re enjoying this way too much!
Cat: Oh you bet I am.
Pen: Francis, please help me.

Cat: No.
Pen: What?
Cat: I said no.
Pen: why the heck not?

Cat: Because I like Master Pen.
Pen: no you don´t.
Cat: I really do.
Pen: No, you don´t. You just like to see me being tortured.

The cat just smiles like an idiot.

Pen (cont.): you are so mean!
Cat: I´m not mean. You´re always mocking me.
Pen: That´s what friends do!

Cat: No, it´s not!
Pen: sure it is. Drunkard cat!
Cat (auto response): Pen from hell!

Pen: see?
Cat: see what?
Pen: best friends!

Cat: you have a very deranged idea of what friendship is.
Pen: are you going to help me or not?
Cat: not.
Pen: Please!

The cat yawns and starts to walk away.

Pen: Francis, come on, I´m begging you!
Cat: I think you two make a very lovely couple.
Pen: I hate you!

Francis turns to the Pen and smiles.

Pen: what?

The Pen “feels” a chill from top to bottom.

Pen (cont.): Oh no…

Master Pen gets near it.

Master Pen: hello my love. Did you miss me?
Pen: NO!
Master Pen: Liar.

Cat: yes, it’s a total lie. The Pen was just telling me how much it missed you and wondering where you could have gone. Really! It was about to cry.

Pen (highly irritated): Liar! No I wasn´t! Shut up you stupid fur ball!

Master Pen (ignoring the Pen´s outrage): Is that true my love? I´m sorry it took me so long to come back to you. But rest assured, I am here now.

Pen: I´m…
Cat (interrupting): Ha! Ha! Ha!
Master Pen: kiss me, my darling.
Pen: No! Go away!

Francis walks away.

Pen: Francis, get back here!
Cat: Bye…

Master Pen: together forever my love.
Pen: Oh no! Francis, help!

Cat: Ha! Ha! Ha!

The end!

2017 Joana Teixeira