59: Not to imitate them in customs and clothing

The Book of Knowledge
Laws of Idolatry and Paganism
Not to imitate [the idolaters] in customs and clothing (Lev 20:23)

            a teenager and his mother in a cramped basement

            a pentagram is painted on the floor

            in the center of the pentagram a small fire is burning in a copper bowl

            also on the floor is the body of a middle-aged man

            his throat has been cut

            blood is pooling on the floor

            long silence

MIRA
why didn’t you talk to me first?

ALEXANDER
i can take care of myself

MIRA
you’re sixteen

ALEXANDER
in some cultures sixteen is an adult
in some cultures sixteen is an elder
in some cultures sixteen is basically dead

MIRA
well in this house in this culture you are a child
a dumb dumb child
why would you do this?

ALEXANDER
the cool kids are doing it

MIRA
ritual sacrifice is what the cool kids are doing?

ALEXANDER
yes

MIRA
what was the ritual for?

ALEXANDER
it’s not like
…
reducible to a single-

MIRA
so you have no fucking clue what this sacrifice was even for?

ALEXANDER
i knew you wouldn’t understand

MIRA
you couldn’t just have sex like a normal teen?

ALEXANDER
oh i’m definitely doing that too
after the rituals there’s orgies
we wear goat skulls-

MIRA
stop

ALEXANDER
we were gonna kill dad anyway

MIRA
yes but now how do i file an insurance claim for death by natural causes?

            beat

ALEXANDER
fuck

MIRA
yeah bud
fuck is right

ALEXANDER
fuck mom i’m sorry i-

MIRA
let me think
            beat
ok
we’re pivoting to a break-in
come help me smash some windows

ALEXANDER
ok

MIRA
and you are so so so grounded

ALEXANDER
that’s no fair you do ritual sacrifices all the time
why can’t i?

MIRA
because i’m the mom and i say so
now go find a rock for the break-in

            END OF PLAY