Dialogue between Love and Hate

Dialogue between Love and Hate

The stage is empty, the floor is covered by brown cloth. A man with an uncaring face enters the stage and sits down in its middle. He fixedly stares into the distance, his legs are crossed, the back is straight. From the right a woman in black walks in proudly (Hate). She remains standing in front of the man (at the side of the public). From the left two women appear. One of them (Love) wears fair clothes and holds the hand of the other person (the "Undecided"). Love leads the Undecided to the man and then lets her hand go. Hate grabs the hand of the Undecided and leads her out. Aftewards Hate comes back and stands opposite to Love. The public sees them both from the side, the man is in front of them. He sits between Love and Hate. Love now turns her face to the crowd and speaks.

Love:
I am Love. Since there's been mankind, I have existed on this earth, too. You shall know that
nothing is more beautiful, stronger or more magnificent than I (turns her face to Hate)

Hate (turning to the crowd):
My name is Hate and people fear me on all continents and over the seven seas. Pray for me never to be sent to you by fate, mortals! (She turns back to Love)

Love only smiles.

Hate (pointing to the man):
Only an insane one could doubt the fact that he is my possession. His deeds were darker than the gown of night and I will accompany him to the place where he belongs. To the valley of the damned.

Love (softly shaking her head):
The evil took him over and led his mouth. It carries the culpability of his crimes. But let me heal the soul of this man.

Love puts a cloth over the man's head, covering his eyes.

Love:
Sometimes I make people blind, you can't reproach more to me.

Hate (mockingly):
Your stupidity overpowers me. How much does he have to hurt you for you to let him go? If he is loved, the good should be hated.

Love (clearly):
What do you know about what is right in this world? You pull everybody into a river of sorrow, you let them sink into fathomless water from which they cannot escape. You fill their hearts with hopelessness and make their souls starve outrageously. Don't torment them and me anymore and get lost into the gloom that is your home!

Hate (angrily):
At least I don't fake rainbow-colored sugar mountains. You aren't convenient anywhere, sweetie. Many only fall into unthought passions out of despair and then come back to me.

Love (convinced):
Whatever happens, you will never give the joy of life to any human.

Hate:
More have killed themselves because of you. But for the sake of your conscience your memory dismisses such... details? Order to your murderous flames to keep quiet, if you want to save them from the distress of the world.

Love (stretches out her arm, but immediately retracts it):
We can't agree, and it will stay this way till the end of eternity. There is no escape between your ice and my fire. I will not give up, until the last candle is blown out. Goodbye, creature of the twilight.

Love walks to the left (the direction from which she came). Suddenly she remains standing and turns her face to the man.

Love:
I forgive you.

Hate also prepares for leaving, glances at the man one last time.

Hate:
...and I will forget you.

Love and Hate leave the stage on opposite sides. The Undecided appears and slowly walks to the man. She takes the cloth away and presses it for a short moment, her eyes closed. She leaves the stage with the cloth. The man stares straight ahead, his face remains still. The light softly goes out. The silence is complete. The curtain falls.