The Testing of a Wizard - Viktor Gitin

Those who try a forbidden fruit won’t be able to stop eating it. The desires of people are endless! And you can’t fulfill them all. Believe you me, I know! People just want more and more, and so I keep raising my price. And little by little I take their whole soul, and, in the end, they have to bring someone else, and convince them to join into the temptation. This sort of payment also suits me. And anyway, it is more comforting to sink into sin with company. And because of this I am never in shortage of customers. They are like links in a chain, one pulls the other. And until this world stops, I will always be needed and have a job. You can’t fully satisfy passions and temptations because genuine passion and temptation have no boundaries!

GELO – But I don’t need this. I know what I want from life!

VEDALIA – Wow! That is a bold statement, either you don’t want much or you don’t know enough about life.

GELO – If I take your route, my conscience will suffer and be tormented, because I would have betrayed my duty and vacation.

VEDALIA – Dear Gelo, it is never too late to repent. But it is more difficult to commit sin when you are older. Years will go by, and you will want to commit sins, but it will be too late. You’ll only be able to repent. So don’t lose time in vain! Use everything what life and youth granted you to do. Duty, honor, vacation – this was all invented by people, it’s like a nightmare of the mind. As if there was nothing else to think about! You should live your life easily and do what you want. And then even death won’t seem like a tragedy, because in reality death is the freedom from responsibility of the world.

GELO – And do you really believe that these people are really happy?!

VEDALIA – Of course! For all these years I am tired of fulfilling all their insatiable desires. And they still don’t have enough… Every day is just – work, work, work! Continuous work, and no personal life.

GELO – Why don’t you have a rest?

VEDALIA – I don’t have anyone to rest with! Maybe you will agree to rest with me… fulfil my life with new sensations.

GELO – No, I can’t take a rest, I need to hurry…

VEDALIA – (Tries to flirt with Gelo) Don’t hurry. You have plenty of time…

GELO – No I can’t! I have a fiancé.

VEDALIA – What a shame! I’m like every other woman; I sometimes want to indulge myself… So that someone would take advantage of me! And use me, use me, use me! …

GELO – Don’t get upset. When I will find the MIRACLE I will definitely make you happy.

VEDALIA – How tempting! It’s been so long since anyone has made me happy. I have even forgot how real men would do it…

GELO – (Bashfully) No it’s not what I meant.

VEDALIA – What other meaning of happiness could you offer a woman?! And don’t be shy, that’s life. And it is very well-known that life is passed on from one person to another by sexual intercourse.

GELO – But for real happiness apart from the pleasure of sex there must be love between man and woman. Without love life loses its meaning.

VEDALIA – Then why have you abandoned your love, and going to the edge of the world?

GELO – It’s completely different, my vacation is to become a great Wizard. When I find the MIRACLE and complete my duty, then I will definitely marry Lizy, because she is the most beautiful, sweet and dearest girl.

VEDALIA – (Laughs) Ha-Ha! You’re so naive! Take my advice, men usually find the most beautiful, sweet, and attractive girls only after they have had a long, tedious and monotonous years of marriage.

GELO – How come?

VEDALIA – Because that’s when they get wiser.

GELO – It’s not true! I know my Lizy is the best one! I just know this!

VEDALIA – People who think they know everything get on my nerves.

GELO – Why?

VEDALIA – Because I know more than anyone else!

GELO – Then who can appreciate it?

VEDALIA – Nobody, so that’s why I’m suffering. I’m so priceless and nobody can value me… but anyway I can see this is a pointless argument. You are young, naïve and in love. It is good for accruing the MIRACLE. (Ambiguously) But I’ll take care of the rest later. I will show you the path to the MIRACLE. Go and get ready. The journey will be hard.

GELO – Thank you very much. And please don’t get upset. I’m sure you that you will celebrate happiness in your life. (Walks off stage)

Vedalia looks at him with thoughtfulness. When he is gone, she starts talking to herself.

VEDALIA – Of course my dear boy, I will celebrate, if you will get the MIRACLE so that I could use it. I could never get it myself. For that you need a pure soul, like the one you have. And the same naïve thoughts that you have, that’s why I will help you. But to use the power of the MIRACLE, you have to be wise like me. Believe you me I could use it in the proper way, unlike you… To get what you want, you should use all means necessary, especially if they are handed to you on a plate. Ha-Ha.

Vedalia turns back into an old woman. Sits down in front of a mirror and looks herself once again. Lizy walks on stage.

LIZY – Hello granny. Excuse me please; I’m looking for my fiancé. Has he been here?

Vedalia is startled and jumps up because she is both surprised and offended at being called a granny. And once