Choices.

Lights rise to reveal a small boy center stage in a single spot light. In front of the boy lies a plain knife. He takes a moment to inspect wondrously and then pick up the knife, and inspect it ever so curiously.

After a moment, the boy looks to his right where a spotlight rises, revealing a scared young man wearing the same clothes as the boy, walking by a bakers table. While the Large Baker isn’t looking, he stabs a loaf of bread with his knife, letting it slide off into his pouch, before running out of the spotlight quickly. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife. The boy stares at his knife, confused.

After a moment, the boy looks to his left where an excited young man wearing the same clothes as the boy is digging furiously at the lock to a chest with his knife, he finally breaks it open and opens the chest to reveal gold coins; joy visible on his face. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife. The boy stares at his knife in amazement.

After a moment, the boy looks to his right where a spotlight rises, revealing a man dressed the same as the boy is happily cutting a loaf of bread with his knife while the little girl looks up excitedly, and the man ruffles her hair. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife. The boy stares at his knife, almost warmly.

After a moment, the boy looks to his left where a spotlight rises revealing a man wearing the same clothes as the boy angrily taking a coin from a little girl, and smacking her with the handle of his knife while she cries out in pain. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife. The boy stares at his knife, shocked.

After a moment he turns to his right where a spotlight rises to reveal a Young Lady, wearing the same clothes as the girl, lying on the floor, dead. An Old Man wearing the same clothes as the boy rushes in with a loaf of bread. He finds that he is to late. As tears run down his face, the old man takes his knife and stabs it into his own chest and crumples to the ground next to the young lady. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife. The boy stares at his knife, trembling with fear.

After a moment he turns to his left where another spotlight rises to reveal an old man wearing the same clothing as the boy struggling frantically to stop a Young Lady, wearing the same clothing as the girl, from stabbing him with the knife, she looses her balance and the old man ends up thrusting the knife into her chest. She slumps to the feet of the astounded Old Man. The spotlight fades, leaving only the boy and his knife.. The boy stares at his knife, terrified at what he holds in his hands.

After a moment, spotlights on both sides of the boy rise to reveal all the members of the Boys possible futures staring gauntly at him, beckoning him to come to their side. The Boy first looks to one side, then to the other. As he does so, a dim path of light illuminates towards either side, and disappears when he looks away. Not knowing what to do the boy begins to sob openly. The members of his possible futures begin beckoning more insistently, and their spotlights become brighter as the Boys center spotlight slowly starts to become dimmer. Upon seeing this the boy frantically looks from side to side, illuminating paths as he does so. He holds up the knife in his hands, and after a moment of realization, throws it into the darkness behind him. His spotlight stops fading. After a moment of relief, the knife slides across the floor from the darkness to come to rest at his feet. The boy stares in horror at the knife. The middle spotlight begins to lessen again. He picks up the Knife, his knees shaking as he bends down. As his middle spotlight is almost diminished he pulls from his pocket a single coin, and taking one last quick glance in either direction flips the coin into the air and catches it with one hand covering it. As he uncovers it his whole body shakes with fear and confusion. As he lifts his hand to see what it is, he turns to his right… and slowly, shakily, still sobbing, takes one shaky step onto the illuminated path; as soon as he does all the lights behind him instantly go to black. He slowly follows the illuminated path to his future. With every step the light behind him disappears, until he finally reaches his future, and looks into three sets of his own eyes. All lights fade.

Fin.