Two men, who seem to be at least 60 years of age, occupy the same room. Deprived of life, only smokey grey walls and mint ceramic floor, there are unfamiliar cushions on the walls and two bunk beds. The door seems locked. The two men seem strangers to one another

Their eyes seem to communicate confusion and impatience, one is seated in the bunk bed and the other in front of the locked door.

Old man 1: Don't stare at the door or it will never open.

Old man 2: (Frightened by this intervention as if he forgot anyone was there with him, maybe he did.) I apologize, good sir, did you just say something?

Old man 1: Yea. The door (he points to it), stop staring at it. It's kinda freaking me out.

Old man 2: Oh well, sorry about that! I didn’t think I would bother anyone. Oh by the way, did I tell you the story of the free horse?

Old man 1: I don't think you ever told me a story before.

Old man 2: Well, you see, the horse was attached to a chain but the chain was not attached to anything, the horse believed he was a prisoner and did not even try to break free, thinking it to be impossible. Fascinating isn't it?

Old man 1: I think I saw you somewhere before.

Old man 2: You possibly have! You see, I'm really close with the mayor, we call each other by our first names, you know. Do you know the mayor?

Old man 1: (His face changes, he goes from confusion to disgust) You bastard.

Old man 2: My friend, what has gotten into you so suddenly? We should keep our good manners. I did not want to upset you, I could introduce you to him…

Old man 1: You know perfectly well what you did, you snake, you were my best friend. He stumbles around the room like a wild animal in a cage

Old man 2: I... I don't recall. You may be confused.

Old man 1: Oh yeah? Do you recall when you stole ma' wife? I knew there was something going on between you two, I was naive enough to actually believe it until I saw you, Harry. At my wedding, what a fool I've been.

Harry: (his face expresses a mix between shock and guilt) Did I really steal your fiance? How could I forget something like this... How could I ever do this?

Old man 1: You did. We were friends for 30 years. We were neighbors once, we were very little when you taught me to speak to women, that's how I met my wife (pause) Claire. You were a bit of a troublemaker and to be honest, I always looked up to you, you know. You were a great friend until you betrayed me so.

Harry: I... I don't know what to say frankly. I hope you could one day forgive me.

Old man 1: Never.

Harry: You would throw away 30 years without a thought? Now, now, think about it. There must be a misunderstanding, or perhaps there is a reason why I did what I did... Now that I think about it...

Old man 1: What did I ever do to you? huh?

Harry: Starts sobbing.

Old man 1: Common, spare me the tears, they're just as fake as you.

Harry: How could you be so cruel... He realizes this gradually by looking at him. I remember what you did! (Harry gasps in fright and runs towards the corner of the room farthest from Harry without losing his sight) You killed my cousin! That was you!

Old man 1: What is the meaning of this allegation, (he laughs) you’ve lost your mind, my friend. What proof do you have huh? I am no killer. Nonsense.

Harry: Oh but you did. You claimed it was self-defense, but it was not, am I right Simon? You stone cold-blooded killer. What did she ever do to you? Huh?

Simon: It was self-defense! Did I win the trial? I don't seem to remember...

Harry: (Looks down, with sadness) You did. You bastard proved to the jury that she attacked you because she was jealous of your wife, you even claimed she tried to poison your wine at my aunt's birthday dinner. But I never believed you.

Simon: She was crazy and tried to kill me. You have to believe me, my friend, I am no killer.

Harry: Say you did that in self-defense, why did you hide the body?

Simon: Where did I hide the body?

Harry: In your own garden, where you grow those tomatoes you would serve us at your lunch parties

Simon: Oh right you loved those, didn't you?

Harry: Yeah I like when you do the special recipe and you add white wine to it.

Simon: Really? wow, I would love to taste something like that.

Harry: How on earth could you forget those tomatoes, you are seriously worrying me, you used to sleep beside them sometimes, that's how much you cared for them. Our friends even began to suspect you going mad.

Simon: Oh yeah, hum. (He goes and lays on the floor looking at the ceiling as one observes the stars.)

Harry: Have you ever heard about the man that went rogue believing he was a bird?

Simon: Yeah you told me this story, right? I'm a bird I'm a bird then boom. (he imitates tastelessly with his hands, a man crashing on the floor)

Harry: He jumped out of the window that man, what a fool. You know, we should be afraid of our similarities to animals.

Simon: Yeah you make me feel like a rhinoceros at times.

Harry: You speak of the devils that attacked us during the war again.

Simon: You mean the nazis.

Harry: Same thing.

Simon: Harry, I think the sun has left the room.

Harry: Let's rest.

The two men reach their mediocre bed mechanically as if this performance has taken place before

The next day

Simon: Stop staring at the door,

Harry: Did you know about the horse?

Simon: What about it?

Harry: He thought he was free but he was, only, in reality, he was not

Simon: You make no logical sense my friend.

Harry: With your bloody logic... Only you don't see, he was free in our world but not in his. He'd been locked in his own mind.

Simon: Mmh.

Harry: Therefore, if our mind is locked, we will never get out. Frightening our own resemblance to animals, isn't it?

Simon: Have you ever tried the door old man?

Harry: I don't want to.

Simon: Why is that?

Harry: I am scared to know what's beside it.

Simon: Wouldn’t be worse than here.

Harry: At least here we know what we can find, maybe the horse didn't want to find out what freedom would lead to. Uncertainty, like the man bird.

Simon: (His eyes open wider) I think I recognize you... You bastard.

Harry: I don’t.

Simon: My wife, you forced her! You devil, you snake, you kidnapped her!

Harry: She was free like a horse! I would never.

Simon: The horse is not free. You’ve told me the story before. You, my friend, have such a short-term memory.

Harry: He stares at his interlocutor, I know who you are and I refuse to speak to a... Murderer!

Simon: Don’t try to pin this on me, you are the deceiver, not I. In fact, I will not speak either.

They go to sleep; The next day :

Simon: Did I ever tell you the story of the man who thought he was a rhinoceros?

Harry: Who are you?

Simon: Well, he thought he was a rhinoceros and so he jumped out the window!

Harry: Boom (again with the hands)

Simon: Scary how animals look like us.

Harry: But wait a minute. You were a rhinoceros during the war, weren’t you?

Simon: Now my friend you have officially lost your mind! (with laughter)

Harry: No, no I believe that’s right you were. She survived by hiding in the attic during the war. You hated that right

Simon: Who are we talking about here?

Harry: My cousin! You animal, you monster!

Simon:(he freaks out) Stop! I didn’t do it!

The door opens and both men hide in the corner of the room. A Nurse enters with a doctor.

Nurse: It's them sir, patient 239 and patient 240.

Doctor: Hello! How are we doing today?

No answer, only confused stares.

Doctor: Well, (addresses to the nurse) their diagnosis was Alzheimer's, psychotic disorder, and derealisation, am I forgetting something?

Nurse: That’s right, they forget their psychoanalyst visit every day, Common guys' time for therapy.

Old man 1: I don't want to go with him, he stole my wife

Old man 2: I did not, nazi!

The nurse is taking them outside with care

Doctor: What is...? Do they know each other?

Nurse: Not really they're accusing each other of the things they did before going mad, I guess the guilt was too strong for both of them.

Doctor: Right.