Act 3

I am the king of Scotland now, but there is a hitch: Banquo. He was a friend and advisor but now he is my worst enemy. When I was walking through my palace I came upon him getting ready to ride in the stable with his son, Fleance. While I talked to him and learned of his plan for the afternoon, a plan was already forming in my head. After inviting Banquo to my coronation banquet I stood and watched him and his son ride away, hoping that it would be the last time I saw him. I needed myself rid of all loose end. I wouldn’t tell a living soul of this but I’m deathly afraid of Banquo. He has been smart and brave as long as I knew his. I fear to have him around, and the prophecy feeds my fear even more.  If I kill him and his son, I’ll be safe.  I didn’t kill Duncan for Banquo’s children, didn’t infect my dreams with the old man’s blood for them to rule the kingdom. I will not stand by and watch it happen. I’d rather fight fate itself to the death.

After my private session in my head, I called for my servant to bring in my two special friends. Those two special friends are the descendants of Banquo’s long dead nemesis. He was smart and brave enough to vanquish his nemesis but he was too soft to finish off the threat. Now I am taking advantage of his past stupidity. Banquo and his son will not live to see another day. As I sent off my special friends with their special task, my wife came up to my chamber to talk of my problems. She doesn’t know that we are still in dangerous waters with sharks circling around us. She doesn’t know how far I have waded out into this sea of blood to ensure our safety. She’ll know it after this dark night and she’ll never call me a coward again.

As the sun hid and the darkness showed its face, my coronation banquet started. I sounded as cheerful and happy as a recently crowned king would’ve been. Then I saw a bloody face peering out from the door. I never was gladder to see a bloody face. I excused myself from the diners. As I approached my special friend, I could see the worry in his face. When I asked him of his deed he confirmed that Banquo had been killed, but when I asked of Fleance he went silent for seconds then confirmed their failure to kill him. The joy in my face from the first news vanished in an instant when I heard the second news. It was almost perfect. I got the cut-throat to confirm his deed again. At least we got the grown serpent. But what can I do of the worm? He’ll burrow into dirt and hide in earth, he’ll wait for his fangs to grow and attack when he’s ready. I could’ve been whole as the marble, founded as the rock, as broad and general as the casing air. But I’ll rest easy for now.

When I came back to the banquet my wife told me to give the toast. As soon as I finished I noticed another man sitting in my place. People started talking to me but I couldn’t hear anything. The man turned around and stared at me with dead eyes. It was Banquo. He shook his bloody head at me. I told him that I didn’t do it but it looked like he couldn’t hear me. As I backed away, he stood up and walked toward me with his arms outstretched, grabbing the air as if to reach me. I tripped and fell backwards. I looked up in fear, but Banquo was already gone. I stood back up and tried to act as naturally as possible. I made excuses for my behaviours but then Banquo came back. I screamed at his face. He should be dead! Yet he walks toward me reaching out for me. The ghost vanished again, and this time Lady Macbeth dismissed everyone. As I calmed down, we talked of our missing guest and I decided to visit the witches again. Now I walk myself to nightmare-filled sleep.