⋯⋯

蘇菲　所以你是要告訴我，除非要一直假裝不了解真正的「什麼」，像是不承認自己發現他是人魚，才有可能繼續？（停頓）我知道啊。

（沉默）

酒保　大家來喝酒，不都是不知道接下來該怎麼做嗎？

（沉默）

蘇菲　為什麼人魚被發現了身份就一定要把對方殺掉呢？

酒保　人魚世界有人魚世界的規定吧。

蘇菲　我覺得沒有什麼不可以的。大部分事情都是這樣。不知道這是不是我常常說謊的原因。我也不是很懂我在幹嘛。

酒保　你可能只是想傷他們的心。

蘇菲　可能。

酒保　但這也不是秘密。

蘇菲　不是。（停頓）可以陪我跳跳舞嗎？華爾滋以外。有這項服務嗎？

酒保　可以有。

⋯⋯

Sophie
So you’re telling me, unless we keep pretending we don’t understand what’s really “going on” — like refusing to admit we’ve realized he’s a merman — there’s no way we can go on?

Pause.

I know that.

Silence.

Bartender
Isn’t that why people drink? Because they don’t know what to do next?

Silence.

Sophie
Why is it that once a merman’s identity is discovered, he absolutely has to kill the other person?

Bartender
I guess they got their own rules.

Sophie
I don’t think there’s much that’s truly impossible. It’s like that with most things. Not sure if that’s why I lie so often. I don’t really know what I’m doing either.

Bartender
Maybe you just want to break their hearts.

Sophie
Maybe.

Bartender
And that’s no secret.

Sophie
It’s not.

Pause.

Will you dance with me for a bit? Anything but a waltz. Is that part of the service here?

Bartender
It can be.

⋯⋯

教育部文藝創作獎劇本佳作
Honorable Mention, Ministry of Education Creative Writing Awards