Ashley
Mark, I need her to leave now!
Ashley
Yes, I can’t stand her.
Ashley
I don’t even know how she knew I was here.
Mark
But you’re not supposed to resist, remember?
Ashley
I don’t care about any of that anymore, Mark.
Ashley
I just want to be happy.
Mark
She’s going to make you feel better.
Ashley
No she isn’t. She’s going to try and make sure you never come back to me.
Mark
That’s not possible.
Ashley
They’re going to try and drug me.
Mark
It’s okay. I’m sure she wants what’s best for you.
Ashley
No, trust me, Mark. They all want to keep you down there.
Ashley
Because they think you’re bad for me.
Doctor Malvern approaches the bed with a pill cup.
Dr. Malvern
Ashley, you need to take your medication.
Ashley squirms and starts texting again.
Ashley
Mark, I’m worried they’re never going to let me see you again.
Mark
What happened, babe?
Officers Bender and Peterson return.
Officer Peterson
Ashley, we called the fraternity.
Officer Peterson
No one matching the description of Mark was there last night.
Ashley sits up and types on her phone.
Ashley
They’re saying you weren’t at the fraternity last night, Mark.
Ashley
Mark, what is going on??
Mark
Did you mention the Red Room?
Ashley
No. But where did you really go last night?
Ashley
Please, Mark. Tell me. I’m losing my mind.
Ashley
I don’t know what’s real anymore.
Mark
What we have is real.
Ashley
What do we really have? Where are you?
Ashley
Where are you when I need you most?
Officer Peterson
We’re all worried about you, Ashley
Officer Bender
You’re lucky your roommate came home and found you outside and called 911.
Officer Peterson
We found the knife in your bedroom.
Officer Bender
And the doctors are saying that your wound appears to be self-inflicted.
Ashley
Mark, they’re saying I did this to myself!
Ashley
That I stabbed myself!
Mark
Why would you do that, babe?!
Ashley
I don’t know…I don’t know. I don’t know why.
Ashley
Why am I so lonely?
Mark
Ashley, why did you do that to yourself?
Ashley
I didn’t mean to do it.
Mark
I’m so sorry, babe. I wish I could be with you all of the time.
Mark
But I can’t anymore.
Ashley
It’s not your fault.
Ashley
They say I need help, Mark.
Ashley
That none of this is real.
Mark
How can this not be real?
Mark
We’re talking right now.
Ashley looks up and speaks to Dr. Malvern.
Ashley
Where is Mark’s wallet?
Ashley
It proves he exists.
Dr. Malvern
Yes, the wallet.
Dr. Malvern
We’ve talked about the wallet many times in our sessions, Ashley.
Dr. Malvern
You remember our sessions, don’t you? We’ve made so much progress.
Dr. Malvern
It’s the wallet that you were going to give to Tom before he had his car accident.
Dr. Malvern
For his birthday. Do you remember that?
Dr. Malvern
Do you remember what happened to Tom, Ashley?
Dr. Malvern
He was your boyfriend.
Dr. Malvern
He’s gone now.
Dr. Malvern
He died in the accident.
Dr. Malvern
But I’m helping you work through your grief.
Dr. Malvern
We’re doing it together.
Ashley starts shaking violently.
Ashley
Mark, where are you?
Ashley
I need you to be real.
Dr. Malvern
Ashley, I think it’s time for you to take a break from your phone.
Ashley
Is this all in my head, Mark?
Dr. Malvern
I know how much you are attached to your phone.
Dr. Malvern
But this is for the best.
Ashley
They want to take my phone
Ashley
Where are you? Please just tell me.
Dr. Malvern
Come on, Ashley. You don’t need it right now.
Ashley, her sobs subsiding, hands her phone over to Dr. Malvern.
Dr. Malvern steps outside with the officers.
Dr. Malvern
Officers, you have to understand. Ashley is one of the brightest students on campus.
Dr. Malvern
I should have told you earlier, she created an app…
Dr. Malvern
Yes, it allows her to create digital avatars that she can converse with.
Officer Peterson
Like a fake person?
Dr. Malvern
Yes. We thought it would be healthy at first.
Dr. Malvern
To help her with the grieving process.
Officer Bender
Over her boyfriend?
Dr. Malvern
Yes, he got hit by a drunk driver. It was such a senseless tragedy.
Dr. Malvern
We didn’t know if Ashley would ever recover emotionally.
Dr. Malvern
She lost the one person who understood her.
Officer Peterson
What a shame.
Dr. Malvern
Mark was supposed to get her back on her feet.
Dr. Malvern
He was supposed to get her to feel good about herself again.
Dr. Malvern
But it was only meant to be a temporary fix.
Officer Bender
And…Mark isn’t real?
Dr. Malvern
No, he isn’t.
Dr. Malvern
Ashley used her app to create him.
Dr. Malvern
She called the app the Red Room.
The officers leave, and Dr. Malvern rejoins Ashley.
Dr. Malvern
I think it’s time to permanently remove Mark from the Red Room.
Dr. Malvern
What do you think?
Ashley signals her assent with a slight shake of the head.
Dr. Malvern
Okay, here you go.
Dr. Malvern hands the phone back to Ashley
Ashley
Mark, I will miss you.
Ashley
You made me see what is real inside of me.
Ashley
You made me realize how special I am.
Ashley
And it’s time for me to show that to the rest of the world.
She sets her phone down on the table.
Three months later and Ashley is lying on her bed at home.
It’s a cold winter night.
She picks up her phone to answer a text.
Tyler
What’s going on, babe? I’m just getting out of comp sci.
Tyler
This class is so brutal. I don’t know how you can major in it. Lol
Ashley
Watch, you won’t study or anything and end up getting perfect grades.
Ashley
Just like with everything you do.
Tyler
Hahaha that’s not true.
Tyler
Seriously, I work really hard
Ashley
How come I never see it?
Tyler
Because, I don’t want you to make fun of me.
Ashley
I wouldn’t make fun of you!
Tyler
If you saw how inept at this I was you would.
Tyler
You’re completely out of my league.
Tyler
Yes, you really are.
Ashley
Well, how about if I tutor you?
Ashley
Would you like that??
Tyler
I can’t think of anything better.
Ashley
Even better than going to get dinner now?
Tyler
Well, that sounds pretty damn good too.
Tyler
Why do you know me so well?!
Ashley
It’s easy with you.
Tyler
It’s easy with you too.
Tyler
Know where we should go?
Tyler
Do you remember where I first met you?
Tyler
No, come on! You don’t remember??
Ashley
I’m kidding. Of course I do.
Ashley
That little Italian panini place.
Tyler
I was staring at you the entire time.
Tyler
I was trying to be subtle behind my book.
Ashley
I thought you were staring at Samantha.
Tyler
Well, I ended up making it pretty clear it was you didn’t I?
Ashley
Yes, let’s go there!
Tyler
Perfect. I’ll be by to pick you up in 15!
Ashley rises to her feet and begins dressing to go out.
She looks in the mirror and likes what she sees back.
A strong, beautiful, young woman.
She smiles and picks up her phone.
Tyler
Hey, I’m outside, babe.
She tosses the phone into her bag and leaves her bedroom.
She finds Tyler waiting right outside her door.
They exchange a passionate kiss and walk to his car.
