Scene 1 

 

Lights up the stage shows The Three Fates working on their tapestry 

​

MAIDEN 

​

I think humanity is set for another tragedy. Think of how the colours will blend. 

​

MOTHER

​

Patience, sister, we must transition them seamlessly. If we rush this, it will lose all its elegance. 

​

MAIDEN

​

There’s too many of them now, and their lives are only getting longer, it’s a miracle we’re keeping up. 

​

CRONE

​

Whether there are 7 of them, or 7 billion, we will continue our work. 

 

The Maiden stands up from her chair and steps back, taking in the whole of the masterpiece. 

 

MAIDEN

 

 I’m thinking right there we kill a few billion. It will change the tone of our work, keep us interesting. 

 

MOTHER

 

A change in the colours.... A new theme would be refreshing. 

 

MAIDEN 

 

Exactly! And if we get creative with how we kill them, it would give us some material that will last us decades -there's something wrong. 

 

CRONE 

 

What is it? 

 

MAIDEN

 

Here, this thread is unraveling. 

 

 MOTHER

 

Impossible.

 

Mother and Crone also step back and examine what Maiden has pointed out. 

 

 CRONE

 

Diana Agapi. Her thread was cut, today in the human realm is the date ordained for her death. 

 

MOTHER 

 

If she’s unraveling from the masterpiece then she didn’t die when she was supposed to. 

 

MAIDEN

 

Well this sucks. We’ll have to call Death and get him to sort this out. Again. 

 

MOTHER

 

Why is it every few centuries he tries to interfere with our masterpiece?

 

CRONE

 

I will call him. We are, how do they say in it in the human realm? On good terms. Attend to the loom. We will need to sort out this loose thread.

 

Scene 2 

 

The stage shows the loom of the fates,  Mother and Maiden continue to work on the masterpiece.  Crone and Death enter arm in arm. 

 

DEATH

 

Always a pleasure to hear from you ladies, even if it happens so rarely. 

 

CRONE

 

The nature of our work is the same. 

 

MOTHER

 

 Death. We appreciate you taking time out of your busy day to come see us. 

 

DEATH 

 

You ladies seldom leave a man with a choice. I’m sure something important has happened? Or will happen?

 

MAIDEN

 

This is about what is happening now. Look! 

 

 Crone leads death to the loom.  

 

DEATH

(laughing)

It appears you have a loose thread. Careful not to pull at it, the whole sweater may unravel. 

 

MOTHER

 

That’s why you’re here.

 

DEATH

 

I don’t follow. 

 

MAIDEN

 

That loose thread! Diana Agapi, was supposed to die today in the human realm. 

 

Death pulls out a tablet. 

 

DEATH 

 

Diana Agapi is not on my list of souls to collect for today.

 

MOTHER

 

That’s not what we weaved. 

 

CRONE

 

When do you have her soul reaping scheduled?

 

DEATH

 

Let me check her file…...Diana Agapi, scheduled reaping…..well this is interesting. 

 

MAIDEN

 

What? 

 

DEATH

 

She did have a scheduled reaping today, but it was cancelled. 

 

MOTHER

 

Well what date is it now? 

 

DEATH

 

Undetermined. 

 

MAIDEN

 

What do you mean undetermined? We decided right here on the loom. Reschedule her and get that soul. 

 

DEATH

 

No. 

 

MOTHER

 

Death, look at the thread. She must die today before any more damage is done. 

 

DEATH

 

And if she dies today, I will collect her soul. But at this moment she is no longer on my list. She is not dead. I could help you by killing the girl myself, but I’m choosing not to.

 

MAIDEN

 

You’re Death. It’s your job to- 

 

DEATH

 

-to collect the names on my list. Diana Agapi is no longer on my list. 

 

MOTHER

 

Death, we need this girl to die. 

 

DEATH

 

Then you can ensure it happens yourself. 

For millennium you three have sat here and weaved the fate of humanity, and every time something didn’t match your vision you would send someone else to deal with it. I think it's time you fixed your own problems. 

 

CRONE

 

You of course are under no obligation to kill the girl Death. Thank you for coming to us today, I know how busy we keep you. 

 

DEATH

(aside)

This should be interesting. I’ll keep my eyes open for Diana Agapi to pop up on my list. 

 

Death exits. 

 

MAIDEN

 

Why did you let him leave? 

 

CRONE

 

Because he was right. It is our masterpiece, our job to fix the girl’s fate. 

 

MOTHER

 

She was supposed to die in a car accident with her friend Emma Eros. 

 

MAIDEN

 

Look  Emma’s thread is right here. It’s fine. She died when she was supposed to. 

 

MOTHER

 

We’ve already weaved all the threads for this date. We can’t just arrange another death. 

 

MAIDEN 

 

But her thread has been cut! She can not continue to live, she has no string. 

​

CRONE

​

You are both right. We can not arrange her death, and she can not continue to live.The only option left  is to convince the girl to accept her fate; that she must die. 

​

MOTHER

 

How do you suggest we do that? 

 

MAIDEN

 

I’ll talk to her. 

 

MOTHER

 

You will go into the human realm? 

 

MAIDEN 

 

One of us has to. Unless one of you would rather go? 

 

CRONE

 

What do you plan to tell the girl? 

 

MAIDEN

 

That it is our will that she must die, and no one escapes the will of the fates. 

​

MOTHER

​

While that is true, I somehow don’t see that working out. 

​

MAIDEN 

 

I will think of something. I’m Fate, this girl will bend to me. 

 

CRONE

​

This is not something we have weaved. Everything that happens from now until we fix this loose thread will not be of our fabric. 

 

MAIDEN

 

What is that supposed to mean? 

 

MOTHER

​

Good luck. 

 

MAIDEN

 

We are the fates, we do not rely on luck. 

 

 Maiden exits. Lights go down on Crone and Mother. 

 

Scene 3 

 

Lights up on Crone and Mother at the loom.

 

MOTHER

 

Look at the edges of this thread. Fraying already. 

 

Maiden and Diana enter. 

​

MOTHER

 

You brought her here? 

​
 

MAIDEN

​

This is Diana. I brought her to our work room because I wanted her to see our masterpiece. Would you two give us some time alone?

 

CRONE

 

Of course. Welcome.

​

MOTHER

 

Diana, you should be honoured. Very few humans see what you are about to. 

 

DIANA

 

I just lost a friend in a car accident today, and I’m pretty sure this all some hallucination brought on to help me deal with the stress, but thanks. 

 

Mother and Crone exit. 

 

MAIDEN 

 

You are still skeptical about who I say I am? 

 

DIANA

 

I either believe you're a hallucination or that destiny is real. This is far easier. 

​

MAIDEN

​

I am no hallucination. 

 

DIANA

 

Then a dream. Yeah! This is a dream and when I wake up I won’t be in the workshop of the fates, in another dimension, and my friend won't be dead-

​

MAIDEN

​

Your friend is dead as she should be. As we weaved her to be. Come see. 

 

 Maiden leads Diana to the tapestry, she is left dumbfounded by what she sees. 

 

DIANA

 

Ok I believe you….Fate

 

MAIDEN

 

Oh really? Now I’m Fate? 

 

DIANA

​

I couldn’t imagine this. No way. 

 

MAIDEN 

 

It is beautiful isn’t it? My-our-masterpiece. But it isn’t perfect. 

 

DIANA

​

What do you mean? It’s so...so..I don’t even have a word for what this is. 

​

MAIDEN

 

There is a single flaw. Right here, you see? 

 

DIANA

 

Oh yeah, that thread looks like it's coming loose. 

 

MAIDEN

 

That thread is you. 

 

DIANA

 

What? 

 

MAIDEN

 

Why weren’t you in the car with Emma? You always carpool with her to school, that is how we weaved it. 

​

DIANA

 

It was coincidence. Luck. 

 

MAIDEN

 

But it couldn’t have been! We took everything into account. Every thread was meticulously counted, measured, cut and weaved. We leave no chance when it comes to death, no one avoids it by luck. 

 

DIANA

 

I don’t know what to tell you! My phone wasn’t charged so the alarm never went off. When my mom finally woke me up, I found the charger and called Emma. I told her to go without me, if she got another late Ms. Harris would give her detention. Oh God! I killed my friend. 

 

MAIDEN

 

No you didn’t. The father of four who was texting while driving a blue Sedan killed your friend, and he was supposed to kill you too. 

 

DIANA

 

So...I...I cheated Death? 

 

MAIDEN 

 

No. You cheated Fate, and we are not happy.  But don’t worry I’m going to let you make it right. All you have to do, is die. 

​

DIANA

​

What? No? I don’t want to die. 

​

MAIDEN 

​

It’s my understanding that few of you do. But you must. Look at our masterpiece. Every human life and death perfectly weaved together. Except for yours. 

​

DIANA

 

I’m sorry-wait did you just say every life and death? 

 

MAIDEN

​

Yes, all of humanity, everyone that ever was, is, and eventually everyone that ever will be is weaved on our loom. 

​

DIANA

​

And you control all of them. We’re attached to your threads like puppets. You killed my friend!

 

MAIDEN

​

Now you're being dramatic. I am the reason your friend existed in the first place. 

​

DIANA

​

Screw you! I’m not going to dance for you because you command it. I’m certainly not going to die. 

​

MAIDEN 

​

Why you little-

​

MOTHER

​

Enough! Perhaps you have done enough my sister, I will entertain our guest. 

 

 Maiden glares at  Mother, before storming out in a huff.  Mother approaches Diana. 

 

MOTHER

 

I hope you can forgive her. She can be very passionate about our masterpiece here. 

 

DIANA

​

I can tell. 

 

MOTHER

 

You never should have had to come here child, I am sorry. We are normally so flawless in our execution, but with so many people to weave now...well we missed the smallest detail, and you missed your fate. 

 

DIANA

 

Why did she bring me here? 

​

MOTHER

 

I believe she was hoping that you would see the beauty of our masterpiece and understand what we were asking. 

 

DIANA

 

So you decide everything about human life on this thing? 

 

MOTHER

​

Oh no, not everything, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. We decide some things, humans always have choices though, we can not weave every second of your lives, but the deaths, or at least the circumstances leading up to them those we always organize. 

​

DIANA

​

Am I really the first human who’s seen all this? 

​

MOTHER

​

Oh yes my dear. 

​

DIANA

​

But how can that be, surely there are have been humans more worthy than me? Shakespeare, or Einstein or Gandhi? People who should see this masterpiece. 

​

MOTHER

​

Why not Harry Martin? 

​

DIANA

​

Who? 

 

MOTHER

 

Harry Martin, postal worker in France, why does he not deserve to see this? 

 

DIANA

 

Is he important? 

​

MOTHER

 

As equally as important as Shakespeare, Einstein, Gandhi, and you. All humanity is equally important on this loom. 

 

DIANA

 

Surely some people’s lives are more important in the grand scheme of things. 

 

MOTHER

​

Look at this masterpiece. All these threads weaved together create the big picture, alone what worth are they? Just string. Together, on this loom all of humanity is the masterpiece. 

 

DIANA

 

I guess that's a nice thought. 

 

MOTHER

 

Of course it means that the loom is only beautiful if every thread is in place. That is the value of human life, if even one of you frays, the whole image is ruined.

 

DIANA

​

So my friend had to die to make your picture pretty? Why? Why weave death and suffering? 

 

MOTHER

 

Because the suffering of humanity is what makes the most beautiful parts of the tapestry. 

 

DIANA

​

What? How dare you reduce the tragedy of my species into art? The holocaust, and slavery, you did all that just to make a nice rug!?

 

MOTHER

 

We could weave a world of happiness, but we could never get the colours we do from sadness.

​

DIANA

​

Wow. Anything in the name of beauty, right? 

 

MOTHER

 

Diana, look at our tapestry, we weave the story of humanity, there is no story without tragedy. 

 

DIANA

 

If you think that I’m going to die for you, in the name of this, then you are even more deluded than you seem. 

​

MOTHER

 

I can see I’m having no luck convincing you. This is a new experience for us you know. Luck. 

 

Diana doesn’t answer.  Mother exits the stage with a sigh. Diana falls to the floor in front of the loom. She kneels in anguish. Enter  Crone who takes a seat at the loom. 

 

DIANA

 

So what, third time's the charm? You’re going to convince me to die in the name of the Rug of Destiny. 

 

CRONE 

 

Considering that you are still here, you will not die to fix the loose thread. 

 

DIANA

 

Let me put it this way, if your masterpiece was on fire I wouldn’t spit on it. 

​

 CRONE

 

You say that, but you know not of what you speak. 

 

DIANA

 

Enlighten me. 

 

CRONE

​

My two sisters and I have done this for so long they have forgotten why we weave the threads of humanity. They are lost in the art, and excellence of what we do. They forget we do not weave humanity to make something beautiful, we do it because it is necessary. 

​

DIANA

​

Do you have so little faith in us? That if we had choice we would be hopeless?

​

CRONE

 

Humanity is always given choice. My sisters and I have never taken that away from you. But humans need….guidance, a framework. 

​

DIANA

 

Why? What would happen if you stopped spinning our destinies?

 

CRONE

 

Without my sisters and I weaving the life threads of humanity, the strings would do what strings do. They would tangle, and knot together. Imagine your world tangled into knots, the chaos. That is what we do, we order chaos. 

 

DIANA

 

I almost believe you. 

​

CRONE

 

It is my job to cut the life threads. It is not a job I take lightly. I remember cutting your friend’s thread, and yours. You are angry at us because we weave death, but imagine your world without it. 

​

DIANA

 

Living forever, that's what everyone wants. 

 

CRONE

​

You think your species would make good immortals? When you get bored after five minutes of playing on your phones? You get tired enough with the lifespans we give you, if humans lived forever you would go insane. 

​

DIANA 

​

I guess….I understand why death is necessary, I even understand why you need to weave our lives, but why do I have to die? So what if a thread is a little loose? If I live longer how could that affect your masterpiece?

​

CRONE

 

The problem with loose threads is that once they come loose they begin to fray, and unravel, and everything they were tied to begins to fray and unravel. We have tied all of humanity together. It is not to save one tiny flaw that we ask you to die Diana. It is to save our entire loom from unraveling. 

​

DIANA

​

What happens to humanity if it does? 

 

CRONE

​

Then humanity as you know it no longer exists. It never will have. Humans will still be around, but without our guidance, what would they become? 

​

DIANA

​

That's the question isn’t it? What if, without you twisting our puppet strings we become something better? 

​

CRONE

​

Possible. It is equally possible, you become something far worse. 

 

DIANA

 

What right do I have to make that choice? My life can’t be worth every one on this thread, I don’t care what your sister said about equality. It’s my life for the status quo. 

​

CRONE

​

Or, our masterpiece, for your life. The choice is yours, you have the same right to make it as we do. 

​

DIANA

​

Do I die a part of this...beautiful masterpiece? Or live alone in a new world? 

​

CRONE

​

I hope you see, what we do is not easy. 

​

DIANA

​

I do not envy you, and your burden. I’ll do it. But not for your pretty rug. I’ll die because I think it's the right choice for humanity. 

​

 Crone nods and takes her shears, the one she uses to cut the life lines. 

​

CRONE

 

I will make this as quick possible. 

 

DIANA

 

Promise me something. Promise me that no one will ever be forced to make my choice again. Make sure you never screw up again. 

 

CRONE

 

I promise. 

 

Crone takes the shears and stabs Diana. The lights dim. 

 

Scene 4

​

Lights up on the fates workshop.The three fates are at the loom. Enter Death and Diana. 

 

MAIDEN

 

You? What are you doing here? 

 

DIANA

 

I was wondering that myself. 

​

MOTHER

 

I never had the chance to thank you for dying. 

​

DIANA

 

I didn’t do it for you. 

 

CRONE

 

No. But you did it. You asked me to make sure no one else would ever have to. Here is your chance. 

 

DIANA

​

I don’t understand. 

 

CRONE

 

The reason you came here is because we missed something. There are too many threads for us to keep straight anymore. We could use help. 

 

MAIDEN

 

You want her to-

​

CRONE

​

Become our apprentice. 

​

DIANA

​

You want me to help you weave that rug? 

​

MOTHER

 

We were just complaining about the population, and we wanted a fresh perspective on the design. 

 

MAIDEN

 

Alright, but if she can’t keep up, she's out. 

​

CRONE

 

Then it is, again, up to you Diana. 

 

DIANA

 

Alright, I mean, how can I say no? 

​

MAIDEN

​

Come on, you have a lot to learn. 

​

 Maiden and Mother lead Diana to the loom. 

 

DEATH

 

It wasn’t a mistake of fate that that girl's phone alarm never went off. 

​

CRONE

 

No. But it could have been. And now I can ensure that nothing like it can ever actually happen. 

 

DEATH

 

And your sisters, the girl, they have no idea the invisible strings you were pulling this whole time? 

​

CRONE

​

I needed someone who would make the right choice, when given choice. I may have manipulated how Diana got here, but she made the choice to die on her own. The right choice.

 

DEATH

 

And the three fates have become four. 

 

Blackout. 

 

The End