Like fragile ice anger passes away in time.

Opening Scene

The cold winds of late autumn whispered through the bare branches of a nearby tree, rustling the fallen leaves in the quiet park. The sky was a pale grey, the air sharp and crisp, yet there was a quiet stillness in the world that only seemed to deepen the tension between Jack and Jeeny.

They sat on an old, weathered bench, their faces illuminated by the soft, fading light of the afternoon. The city was just a hum in the background, but here, in this moment, everything else seemed to fade away, leaving only the echo of their last words.

Jeeny:
(voice soft, breaking the silence)
“You’ve been so distant lately, Jack. What’s really going on?”

Jack:
(slowly, eyes narrowing, voice edged with frustration)
“I don’t know, Jeeny. I feel like everything’s building up inside me, like there’s this constant pressure, and I can’t seem to escape it. I’m so tired of it all. I don’t know how much longer I can hold it in.”

Jeeny:
(her expression filled with concern, leaning closer)
“Hold what in? What’s been bothering you? You’re not acting like yourself.”

Jack:
(voice clipped, fists clenched at his sides)
“Anger. It’s like it just keeps building. And when it comes, it feels like everything I’ve been holding back is going to explode. I try to stay calm, but sometimes, it’s just so hard to keep it together.”

Host:
The winds picked up slightly, sending a shiver down their spines. The quiet that enveloped them was thick, and the tension hung between them like a storm on the verge of breaking. Jack’s body was tense, his hands balled into fists, while Jeeny sat calm, her gaze fixed on him, trying to understand the whirlwind of emotions he was battling.

Jeeny:
(gently, her voice almost a whisper)
“Anger can be a powerful thing, Jack. It can feel like it’s all-consuming. But do you really believe that holding onto it helps? That keeping it buried inside will make it go away?”

Jack:
(voice rising, a flicker of anger in his tone)
“I don’t know what else to do, Jeeny! Every time I try to let it go, it just comes right back. It feels like I’m trapped in a cycle, unable to break free.”

Jeeny:
(her eyes softening, almost as if searching for the right words)
“Maybe it’s not about holding onto it or letting it go all at once. Maybe it’s about understanding that, like fragile ice, anger will pass with time. It’s not permanent. It doesn’t define you, Jack. It never does.”

Host:
The air between them seemed to cool, as Jeeny’s words settled in the space, quiet but profound. The soft light from the setting sun cast long, delicate shadows over their faces. The park, usually full of life, was now eerily still, mirroring the quiet, slow unraveling of Jack’s tension. For the first time, his clenched fists began to relax, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.

Jack:
(voice softer, almost skeptical)
“You really believe that? That time can heal all this… anger? I don’t know, Jeeny. It feels like it’s always there, waiting to come back.”

Jeeny:
(nods slowly, her eyes steady, reflecting a calm strength)
“I do believe it. Anger isn’t forever. It’s like a storm — it’s intense while it lasts, but eventually, it fades. The sky clears, the ice melts, and you can breathe again. You just have to give it the space to pass, Jack. You don’t have to fight it.”

Host:
The wind seemed to die down, and the clouds parted just slightly, allowing a brief moment of sunlight to break through. In that small sliver of warmth, Jack’s eyes softened, and for the first time in a long while, he let out a deep, steady breath. The weight of his anger seemed to shift, as if the very act of speaking it aloud had allowed a crack in the ice to form.

Jack:
(sighing deeply, his gaze lost in the horizon)
“I’ve never really been good at letting things go. At accepting that sometimes, things just… happen, and there’s nothing I can do about it.”

Jeeny:
(her voice soothing, like the wind in the trees)
“You don’t have to fix everything, Jack. Some things just need time. Anger, like ice, will melt if you give it the chance. It’s okay to feel it, but you don’t have to let it control you. It will pass.”

Host:
The silence between them held a sense of understanding now, something softer than before. The park, the trees, the distant hum of the city — all of it seemed to fade into the background. It was as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for Jack to fully embrace the wisdom in Jeeny’s words.

Jack:
(voice almost a whisper, his shoulders finally relaxing)
“Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve been holding onto something that doesn’t need to be held. Maybe it’s time to let the ice melt.”

Jeeny:
(softly, her hand gently resting on his)
“Exactly. And when it does, you’ll feel like yourself again. The anger won’t define you anymore. It’ll just be a memory of a storm that passed.”

Host:
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the last traces of light warmed their faces, a quiet symbol of the shift in Jack’s heart. The tension in his chest had loosened, and the remnants of anger that had once seemed so permanent began to fade, like the last traces of ice on a spring day.

End Scene.