Prom Night. A nervous CARRIE stands in her slip, staring at herself in the mirror, trying to work up her courage.
CARRIE
I‟LL CLOSE MY EYES AND SUDDENLY HE‟LL BE THERE
HANDSOME AND WISE AND PROBABLY A PRINCE WHO COULD...
(She breaks off) Oh, God, I‟m so scared … so scared.
(MUSIC resumes.) WHAT COULD GO WRONG?
I SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE WORST BUT WHAT IF I‟M STRONG?
MY LOVELY BALLOON DOESN‟T HAVE TO BURST IF I CONCENTRATE I MIGHT FIND
THAT THE ONLY DEMONS ARE ALL IN MY MIND
(PULSING TEMPO now as she fantasizes):
WAS IT HIS VOICE?
WAS IT HIS SMILE?
I HAVEN‟T FELT SO WONDERFUL IN QUITE A WHILE
ALL OF THIS TIME THERE WAS JUST ME
MAYBE HE‟S A PREVIEW OF HOW GOOD MY LIFE COULD BE
I‟M NOT ALONE
SOMEBODY‟S FREED ME FROM THIS LONELY TOWER SOMEBODY‟S BY MY SIDE AS I FACE THE UNKNOWN I‟M NOT ALONE
SPEAKING HIS NAME, I NEVER FELT SUCH POWER BEFORE I‟M NOT ALONE ANYMORE
(As she continues, she begins to use her powers playfully. She flexes and her
hairbrush come to life. Then her shoes, her lipstick.)
CARRIE WHERE THERE WAS ONE
NOW THERE ARE TWO
THAT‟S THE KIND OF MAGIC ONLY LOVE CAN DO
CARRIE (CONT.) THINKING OF HIM
THRILLS ME SO MUCH
I COULD MOVE A MOUNTAIN NOW WITH JUST A SINGLE TOUCH I‟M NOT ALONE
SOMEBODY‟S FREED ME FROM THIS LONELY TOWER SOMEBODY‟S BY MY SIDE AS I FACE THE UNKNOWN I‟M NOT ALONE
SPEAKING HIS NAME, I NEVER FELT SUCH POWER BEFORE I‟M NOT ALONE ANYMORE
(Finally as the fantasy reaches its peak, she makes her PROM DRESS rise and float in the air. She dances with it.)
I KEEP FLOATING
TWO FEET OFF THE GROUND I FORGET MY FEARS
WHEN HE‟S AROUND
HEARTACHES, HEARTBREAKS THEY DON‟T BOTHER ME
AS LONG AS THERE‟S SOMEONE WHO CARES THEN I‟LL NEVER BE
ALONE
NO MORE LONELY TOWER
SOMEBODY‟S BY MY SIDE AS I FACE THE UNKNOWN I‟M NOT ALONE
SPEAKING HIS NAME, I NEVER FELT SUCH POWER BEFORE I‟M NOT ALONE
ANYMORE
(MARGARET enters. The dress falls to the floor.)
MARGARET Give me the dress.
CARRIE No.
MARGARET Give me the dress. We‟ll burn it together.
CARRIE No, Momma.
MARGARET I won‟t let you go!
CARRIE Leave me alone!
MARGARET He‟s not coming.
CARRIE He is coming, Momma.
MARGARET He‟s not.
CARRIE He is!
MARGARET He mustn‟t come! Don‟t you understand?
CARRIE I don‟t want to fight with you, Momma.
MARGARET My mother... she had the power...
CARRIE Go away, Momma.
MARGARET This is Satan‟s power.
CARRIE It‟s not Satan. It‟s me.
MARGARET It is evil.
CARRIE
It‟s not evil. I don‟t want to hear it, Momma.
MARGARET Sin...
CARRIE It‟s not sin, Momma. It‟s fun. Look –
(She flexes levitates the hand mirror and whirls it in a pattern.)
MARGARET
God forgive her! The Lord will not be mocked, Carietta!
CARRIE It‟s fun, Momma.
MARGARET
It‟s danger, sin. There will be judgment! This power will destroy you!
CARRIE NO!
(CARRIE flexes and pushes her mother into the wall.)
MARGARET You are stronger than I am.
CARRIE
Yes, Momma.
MARGARET Why are you punishing me?
CARRIE Because you make me.
MARGARET
So will they! Will you punish them like you punished me? Will you hurt them like you hurt me?
CARRIE No.
MARGARET Will you?
CARRIE No.
MARGARET Will you?
CARRIE No.
MARGARET Will you?!
CARRIE NO!
(CARRIE flexes again and MARGARET is pushed to the floor.)
MARGARET You are a witch.
CARRIE
I‟m not a witch. I‟m not. I‟m Carrie. Momma, I thought of all people, you would understand. Don‟t you see who I am?
MARGARET You‟re my child.
CARRIE I have to get ready.
MARGARET STAY HERE INSTEAD
JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU‟D LIKE TO DO WE‟LL TALK AND WE‟LL LAUGH
AND I‟LL SING TO YOU
AND I PROMISE YOU WE WON‟T FIGHT DON‟T LEAVE TONIGHT
CARRIE MOMMA, I‟M LATE
MARGARET THE BOY DOESN‟T CARE
NOT AT ALL!
CARRIE HE‟LL BE HERE AT EIGHT
MARGARET
HE‟LL BUILD YOU UP ONLY TO WATCH YOU FALL CARRIE,
YOU DON‟T KNOW THESE PEOPLE THEY‟RE NOT YOUR FRIENDS
MARGARET (cont.) CARRIE
THEY‟RE ONLY WAITING TO TEAR YOU IN TWO CARRIE
WHAT IF THEY LIKE ME?
MARGARET JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
THEY‟LL LEAVE WHEN THEY‟RE THROUGH
CARRIE THEY MIGHT LIKE ME
THEY‟LL LIKE ME
MARGARET YOU‟RE SUCH A FOOL!
AREN‟T YOU AWARE HOW PEOPLE DECEIVE THEY‟LL TAKE AND THEY‟LL BREAK YOU AND THEN THEY WILL LEAVE YOU
CARRIE … CARRIE CARRIE
YOU WERE THE LOVED I WAS BETRAYED FOR
MY PRIDE AND MY SHAME CARRIE
CARRIE, WE‟RE ONE AND THE SAME OH, CARRIE
CARRIE MOMMA I LOVE YOU
MARGARET CARRIE
CARRIE MOMMA I NEED YOU
MARGARET DON‟T GO!
TOMMY (O.S.) Carrie!
MARGARET DON‟T GO.
TOMMY (O.S.) Carrie!
MARGARET
It‟s not too late. You can stay here with me.
CARRIE
I don‟t want to sat here. I want to go to the Prom.
MARGARET
I‟ll say you‟re sick. I‟ll say you‟ve changed your mind.
(CARRIE flexes MARGARET, pinning her against the wall.)
CARRIE You‟ll say nothing, Momma.
MARGARET I should never have had you.
CARRIE Why did you, Momma.
MARGARET I should never have let you live.
CARRIE Why did you, Momma?
TOMMY (O.S.) Carrie?
(CARRIE releases MARGARET; then):
CARRIE
(Shouting offstage.) I‟m coming!
(to Margaret) I love you, Momma
(CARRIE exits with the dress, leaving MARGARET alone.)
MARGARET WHEN THERE‟S NO ONE
THERE IS DARKNESS
WHEN THE LIGHT THAT USED TO SHINE THAT ONCE WAS MINE
NO LONGER GLOWS
MARGARET (CONT.) AND THERE IS NO SUN
WHEN THERE‟S NO ONE WHEN THE SONG DIES THERE IS SILENCE
WHEN THE TUNE THAT FILLED MY DAYS NO LONGER PLAYS
THE ROOM IS STILL
AND THERE ARE LONG SIGHS WHEN THE SONG DIES