A Voicemail from Peri 

WRITTEN BY ELI BARRAZA
DIRECTED & Edited BY DANIELLE SHEMAIAH
PERFORMED BY ELI BARRAZA & DANIELLE SHEMAIAH
SOUND DESIGN BY MISCHA STANTON
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RUTH VOICEMAIL RECORDING: Hey there! You’ve reached Ruth’s voicemail. You must’ve just missed me but if you leave a message, I’ll give you a call as soon as I can.

[[SFX: BEEP. Peri’s voice comes in slightly fuzzy through the phone.]]

PERI: Hey Ruth, um I got your voicemail, just heard it. You were right, I-I was in the fog, sorry about that. You must be asleep. Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you are doing the right thing, as much as I can get the sense of right and wrong these days.

Y’know… hearing your voice made me realize how much I miss you? You’d think I’d be used to missing people by now but... it’s... different than what I’m used to. You were so... present. You were just here and now we’re apart again. But it’s not like years ago when we were really apart. And I know, you are doing something important while I’m looking for Ace.

I miss him too but... I’m used to missing him, the way I do hasn’t really changed. He’s... missing and being missed but... it’s all so far away now. I’m missing who he was because, I guess, I won’t know who he is when I find him. (rushed) And that’s not a bad thing, it’s just... a fact. People change.

Benny changed. You know I’m still getting his letters? The ones from when I was... away from the lighthouse. Ruth... I don’t know what happened to him. I know she had something to do with it but... his letters are just so full. Full with adventure and... and kindness. He was so good at connecting with people without even trying. He had snowball fights with strangers and played games with people in cafes he’d just walked into. He was so soft and it makes me smile until... until I remember the Benny who left. He left. He left and that felt so... final. I miss him in the way that’s hard to look at. He was my best friend, y’know? And he became the person who chose to leave (sigh) and I miss him anyway. (breath) But I wasn’t talking about missing him wasn’t I?

I miss you. Because we care so much about each other and I miss you because I know we’re gonna see each other again. And we’re gonna change when we’re apart and we’re gonna change when we’re together but I’ll know it’ll still be you. Or... I hope it’s the same you and the person I’m falling for isn’t just the shadow of the feeling I’m missing but y’know, us together. Not together together just, I mean… with you. Anyway. Call me soon. I miss you, Ruth.

[[SFX: End call]]