By Navada
This screenplay is intended for performance in a theatre.
A narrow single bed is positioned stage right, next to a small plain bedside table bearing some letters and a fountain pen. The bed is made up with starched white linen and khaki blankets. REG, a handsome young man wearing an Australian World War I army uniform, lies on the bed. He is currently sitting up so we can see his face. One of his knees is prominently bandaged and blood-stained.
An ornate antique writing desk is positioned stage left, also bearing letters and a fountain pen. MYRTLE, a pretty young woman wearing a flowing white dress, sits at the desk.
These characters are in different worlds, connected only by their letters across time, space and events beyond their control. Therefore, each actor occupies their own side of the stage and they do not interact.
INT. CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL WARD, CLACTON-ON-SEA, ENGLAND
The song "Keep the Home Fires Burning" plays as lights slowly fade up on REG
REG
Reading letter
Reckitt’s Convalescent Hospital, Clacton-on-Sea, England
June 17, 1918
My darling Myrtle,
Don’t be too alarmed by my new address. I just caught a piece of shrapnel in my knee. I’m hobbling around on crutches, but I’m hoping to progress to a cane very soon. Picture me twirling it round like Charlie Chaplin!
There’s good food here (certainly better than bully beef) and the nurses are kind, although none can hold a candle to you. I’m clean, dry and warm, far from the trenches, and we spend plenty of time relaxing in the gardens. This wound is a blessing in disguise.
I do miss you, my dear girl. If only you could be here with me in good old Blighty. We could visit the music halls in London and have a good laugh and a singalong. What fun!
Lights fade out on REG
INT. MYRTLE’S DRAWING ROOM, CAMBERWELL, MELBOURNE
Lights fade up on MYRTLE
MYRTLE
Reading letter
29 Riversdale Road, Camberwell
August 30, 1918
Dearest Reg,
I don’t know whether I was more shocked or relieved to hear you’ve been wounded. I was upset, naturally, but knowing you’re safely ensconced in hospital brings me some peace of mind. I keep busy during the day, helping Mother with the little ones, but I’m all alone with my thoughts at night-time. I think of you waving goodbye as your ship sailed away from Station Pier and I pray I will see your smile again very soon.
I do feel better knowing you are safe. The trenches don’t loom quite so large in my nightmares. I see greater promise in the future than I dared before.
Lights fade out on MYRTLE
INT. CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL WARD, CLACTON-ON-SEA, ENGLAND
Lights fade up on REG
REG
Reading letter
October 15, 1918
My darling girl,
A quick note to tell you my leg is improving. I manage now with a cane, and I can walk a little further each day. As the English winter sets in, the bitter cold keeps us indoors now. I read by the fire and play cards with the boys. We talk a lot about our lives back home.
A few of them have recently contracted a strange illness. It’s like the common cold, but their breathing is laboured and they have terribly high temperatures. It’s alarming.
Here is the main reason for this note. I have great news – I’m homeward bound! My wound means I won’t return to active duty. I’m waiting for the doctors to tell me when I can depart. Sweetheart, I can’t wait to see you again and hold you close.
Lights fade out on REG
INT. MYRTLE’S DRAWING ROOM, CAMBERWELL, MELBOURNE
Lights fade up on MYRTLE
MYRTLE
Reading letter
November 11, 1918
My darling, we’re overjoyed to hear the news of the Armistice! Four long years of misery and suffering are over. I’ve never seen such unbridled joy. The whole community of Melbourne is celebrating. Even the staid matriarchs of Camberwell are dancing in the streets!
So excited to receive your news that you’re coming home! Now the fighting is over, I grow so impatient to be reunited with you. We can start to plan for our future.
Lights fade out on MYRTLE
INT. CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL WARD, CLACTON-ON-SEA, ENGLAND
Lights fade up on REG
REG
Reading letter
November 11, 1918
My love, no doubt the news has reached you that hostilities have ceased. There is such relief and excitement among the boys. It’s all over!
You’ll never know how the memory of you has sustained me through the war. I think of you every hour. My favourite daydream is when I kneel before you and take your hand in mine. Kneeling might prove harder for me now, with my bad leg, but it won’t stop me from asking you a very important question …
Lights fade out on REG
INT. MYRTLE’S DRAWING ROOM, CAMBERWELL, MELBOURNE
Lights fade up on MYRTLE
MYRTLE
Reading letter
January 29, 1919
Darling Reg,
Many weeks have now passed since the Armistice, and we still wait for news of your return. This cursed war has cost us so much time together already. Were it not for this, we might already be married and welcoming the first of many little ones.
While the war has ended, one dark cloud tempers our joy here in Melbourne. As the soldiers filter back into the community, a malevolent unseen traveller accompanies them. In a previous letter, you described an illness affecting your fellow soldiers. It sounds like the same one spreading rapidly here. Many are falling prey to this virus, and some take a savage turn for the worse just as they are beginning to recover. The death toll is highest in the slums where people live cheek-by-jowl in unsanitary conditions. It’s dangerous, deadly and cruel.
Forgive me. I should dwell on happier subjects. Please write the instant that you receive news about your departure. I am so desperate to be re-united with you.
Lights fade out on MYRTLE
INT. CONVALESCENT HOSPITAL WARD, CLACTON-ON-SEA, ENGLAND
Lights fade up on REG
REG
He reclines on one elbow and looks terribly unwell
Reading letter
February 1, 1919
Dearest Myrtle,
My handwriting looks different today. That is because Sister Chamberlain, one of our nurses, is writing this for me. You mustn’t worry, my darling, but I have to tell you that I’ve been unwell. This Spanish Influenza has struck us with a vengeance. It’s very contagious, and no matter what precautions are taken, it spreads like wildfire. Most of the boys have been ill and two have been severely affected. George is slowly recovering now, but Archie will never see his beloved Australia or his family again.
I was very weak and listless last week with a high fever, but that’s passed. My appetite is returning and I’m regaining some strength. I’m on the mend, sweetheart, so please don’t fret.
Lights fade out on REG
INT. MYRTLE’S DRAWING ROOM, CAMBERWELL, MELBOURNE
Lights fade up on MYRTLE
MYRTLE
Reading letters
March 15, 1919
My darling Reg,
Thank God you’re returning to health. The Argus reports that up to 40% of Melburnians are affected by this terrible virus. You would think the young, fit and strong would be the safest among us, but people our age are dying more frequently than the elderly or infirm. It makes no sense. It’s a shocking thing.
Cool lights fade up dimly on REG, just enough for us to see his head fall back onto the pillow; his last letter drops from his outstretched hand
April 1, 1919
Really, Reg, it is too bad of you not to write more frequently. How in Heaven’s name can the Army be so slow to organise your voyage home? It is hard lines to remain so far apart so long after the guns have fallen silent.
My love, I have some terrible news. Elsie and Charles have been taken by the Spanish Flu. They lost their respective battles in the same week. They succumbed so suddenly that their families had no chance to nurse them. I saw Elsie’s poor mother at church. Her eyes were so bewildered. She looked right through me, as though I were smoke rather than flesh.
Do you remember our lovely Sunday picnics in Studley Park with all our friends? It seems so long ago, like a half-forgotten dream from a distant childhood.
Reg, with such sadness unfolding around us, I need you here with me. I can’t bear your absence any longer.
Lights on MYRTLE transition gradually from warm to cool during the final letter
April 15, 1919
Darling, I’ve not heard from you for so long. It’s so unlike you. I know the mail is unpredictable, but I yearn so desperately for news. Have you already boarded your ship? Are you sailing home as I write this?
More people fall victim to the virus. Three more friends from school died in the past fortnight. I fear reading the newspapers, just as I did during the war. Both our families have been spared thus far, but who knows what the future could bring? Fear lurks around the margins. At night I lie awake dreading some prospective loss.
How strange it would be if you survived the trenches, only to discover that the real frontline was right here in Melbourne all along.
"Adagio for Strings" plays as lights slowly fade out on MYRTLE and REG
| Author Notes |
This is the first time I've posted a screenplay on the site. I'd appreciate feedback about the formatting.
These are the relevant excerpts from the songs mentioned earlier, designed to open and close the play: Keep the Home Fires Burning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrvMUEyXLSg from 0.49 to 1.11 - 22 seconds Fade out after first two lines Adagio for Strings https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVowLNuV4Zk 0.08 to 0.32 - 24 seconds Fade up quickly and down on final note |
By Navada
Lights fade up to reveal two desks, positioned on either side of the stage. They are slightly angled inwards so each occupant can see the other while being seen clearly by the audience. CANDICE and JANE work for a company that produces a world-renowned dictionary. CANDICE is a senior editor and JANE is her considerably younger colleague. The two women sit at their respective desks in CANDICE’s office, surrounded by reference books, folders, paper and pens.
INT. CANDICE’S OFFICE
CANDICE yawns and stretches
CANDICE
Right. Let’s recap. How far have we got?
JANE
Rifles through sheets of paper
So far, we’ve covered “pandemic”, “virus”, “lockdown” and “doom-scrolling”.
CANDICE
Brow furrows
Hmmm. Very cheerful.
JANE
Well, that was the year that was.
CANDICE
The very definition of an annus horribilis.
JANE
Indeed.
CANDICE
So, before we move on, have we created watertight definitions for those terms?
JANE
Watertight? Is there a flood coming?
CANDICE
I mean, are they clear?
JANE
What?
CANDICE
Would a child understand them? Would they prove helpful for a person who isn’t particularly familiar with the English language?
JANE
I guess so.
CANDICE
Well, don’t guess, please. Be sure. Eminent people are trusting us to get this right.
JANE
So you’ve said. Many times.
CANDICE
It’s always helpful to keep in mind a clear sense of the scale of this task.
JANE
Under her breath
Helpful for you, perhaps.
CANDICE
Constructing useful definitions is a good beginning. Have we also sourced appropriate etymological examples?
JANE
Pardon?
CANDICE
Etymology. Word origins. Have you found some good examples of when these terms first entered common usage?
JANE
Um … not yet …
CANDICE
We need to chart the evolution of each word. We need to provide an example of its first recorded appearance in print. We also need to document any variations or developments in its meaning. You know, semantic changes.
JANE
Right.
CANDICE
This research demands more than our competitors would expect, but that’s what makes this dictionary one of the world’s most highly respected and authoritative resources.
JANE
Yep.
CANDICE
This is what separates it from the rest of the pack. That, and the fact that it bears the name of one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of learning.
JANE
Cool.
CANDICE
Raises one eyebrow
“Cool?”
Pause
Well, I’m delighted that you grasp the significance of our current enterprise. This is not a common garden everyday project. We’re being entrusted with something special. It’s a high watermark. Something that will continue to shape the way certain words and meanings are employed in the future. We are shaping our language. We are a part of history.
Did you know we’re following in the footsteps of the American army surgeon Dr Minor? He was one of the greatest contributors. He spent decades perusing volumes in his personal library and writing down interesting etymological examples by hand. Mind you, he had plenty of time on his hands. He was an inmate of Broadmoor. A lunatic asylum. He played the flute and painted watercolours, but he also committed murder and severed his own appendage with a pen knife. I’m not sure what that says about people who practise lexicography. Nothing good.
JANE
Drily
Golly.
Pause
CANDICE
For my sake, and for the sake of our managing director, I’d encourage you to take this seriously.
JANE
Have I given you any indication that I’m not?
CANDICE
Wryly
The words “cool” and “golly” qualify as an indication. Words have infinite shades of meaning. There’s a glorious rainbow-coloured spectrum of subtleties out there.
JANE
Indeed.
CANDICE
And yet, while engaged in a task dealing with the mother tongue of Shakespeare, you are content for the words “cool” and “golly” to drop from your lips. You sound like a banal adolescent.
JANE scowls, but doesn’t reply
CANDICE
Let’s move on. What’s next?
JANE consults a sheet of paper
Um … the next term to explore is the word “unify”.
I see.
CANDICE consults one of the large reference books on her desk
What have our predecessors made of this?
She flicks through the pages
Ah. Here we are. “Unify”. Verb. This source suggests it has Latin origins.
JANE
Really?
CANDICE
From the early sixteenth century, apparently. Unificare. “Make into a whole”.
She circumscribes an imaginary globe in mid-air with both hands
JANE
What kind of hole? Like a pit? Or a quarry?
CANDICE
Ah, if only yours was a “whole” wit. Instead, I find myself dealing with a half-wit.
JANE
What?
CANDICE
Never mind. Let’s settle on a definition.
JANE
Thoughtfully
“Unify” …
CANDICE
Thoughtfully
“Unify” …
JANE
What does it mean to unify?
CANDICE
What do you think it means?
JANE
To initiate somebody into university life?
CANDICE
Pardon?
JANE
You know, pub crawls, low-level good-natured hazing …
CANDICE
Yes, yes, I’m familiar with the concept. But how are you linking that with …
JANE
“Unify?” UNI … fy?
CANDICE
Unimpressed
Oh, I see. Very droll.
JANE
Sorry?
CANDICE
Your pun.
JANE
What pun?
CANDICE
Rolls her eyes
Never mind. Let’s try a more sophisticated approach. Let’s play word association.
JANE
If we must.
CANDICE
How else would you suggest arriving at a workable definition?
JANE
By looking up someone else’s?
CANDICE
I see. When entrusted with creating definitions for a world-leading dictionary, your solution is plagiarism.
JANE
Surely exploring existing definitions is a valid starting point. You just consulted a text to discover Latin origins.
CANDICE
That’s because I … oh, never mind.
JANE
What?
CANDICE
Look at your books.
They each flick through a few reference books in silence
JANE
What about “to unite?”
CANDICE
That seems rather obvious. What about “to bring together?”
JANE
Also pretty obvious. Um … “to combine?”
CANDICE
“To conjoin?”
JANE
“Integrate?”
CANDICE
“Amalgamate?”
The speed of delivery increases; they begin to swap terms at a rapid-fire pace
JANE
“Fuse?”
CANDICE
“Mix?”
JANE
“Merge?”
CANDICE
“Blend?”
JANE
“Bind?”
CANDICE
“Link?”
JANE
“Weld?”
CANDICE
“Meld?”
They both start to grin – this is a fun game
JANE
Pronounces the next word rather slowly, as if tasting it
“Synthesise.”
CANDICE
Nice!
Pause
Similarly lingers over the next word, enjoying it
“Federalise.”
JANE
Oh, that’s quite a specific shade of meaning there. Political overtones. Very nice.
Pause
CANDICE
“Coalesce.”
JANE
Ooh, fancy!
Pause
CANDICE
Um … what about … “harmonise?”
JANE
In the style of the movie character Babe
“La, la, la!”
They both giggle
CANDICE
Here’s one. “Conjugate.”
JANE
Hmmm. As in pertaining to verbs, or pertaining to one’s wedding night?
CANDICE
I think you’ll find that word is “consummate.”
JANE
Oh, close enough.
CANDICE
Either way, it signals connection.
They giggle once more
JANE
Thoughtfully
You say that in jest, and who doesn’t love a double entendre? But I think you have a point.
CANDICE
I do?
JANE
Whenever I hear the word “unify", I don’t think immediately of … things … of combining ingredients in a kitchen or mixing substances in a laboratory. I think of … people.
CANDICE
Go on.
JANE
Surely, if we learnt nothing else during lockdowns, we recognised anew the value of other people. Friends, family, colleagues, pets, loved ones of all types. “Isolation” wasn’t just an arbitrary definition during lockdown. We lived it. We felt it. And it taught us unexpected things. We experienced enforced separation from other members of our tribe. And we found ourselves mourning their absence. More than we anticipated.
CANDICE nods silently
When defining the word “unify”, what better way to do so than to emphasise the way it evokes genuine connection between people?
CANDICE
Hmm. The perfect form of nuance.
Pause
“Unify” – “to re-unite. Through unity, we … recover.”
They each reflect on this concept and what it means for them
JANE
Recovery. Like furniture.
CANDICE
Sorry?
JANE
You know. Recovery. My Nan is getting her couch recovered as we speak.
Pause
CANDICE
Oh, Good Lord above, deliver me.
Lights fade out
By Navada
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of language.
MICK is in his early to mid-twenties. He and his wife Pippa have a baby daughter. He is a compulsive gambler. He is smartly dressed but looks deeply distressed.
The FERRY MAN is an older man in his forties or fifties. He wears ragged clothes from a bygone era, looking like an elderly Huck Finn. He carries a pole to “punt” his ferry across the water.
EXT. RIVERBANK
The stage is in darkness.
Mick enters from upstage and moves downstage right into a pale pool of light. He is shivering as he looks all around him. He is clearly bewildered.
A matching pale pool of light downstage left reveals the Ferry Man sitting on the front of the stage, dangling his feet over the edge. He balances a long pole on one shoulder and whistles in a carefree fashion.
Mick glances at him, looks startled and quickly looks away again. However, with nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, he clearly has no choice but to approach the stranger.
The lights come up fully as the characters speak.
MICK
Hi.
FERRY MAN
Hi, yourself.
A beat
MICK
Haltingly
Um ... where am I?
FERRY MAN
You’re here.
MICK
“Here”?
FERRY MAN
Yep.
MICK
Where’s “here”?
FERRY MAN
Where do you want it to be?
MICK
What?
FERRY MAN
Turning to look at him for the first time
I said, where do you want it to be?
MICK
I … I don’t know …
FERRY MAN
Yeah. Like most people.
MICK
What?
FERRY MAN
You got problems with your hearing, son?
MICK
What?
FERRY MAN
You keep saying “What?” all the time. What’s wrong with you?
MICK
There’s nothing wrong with me!
FERRY MAN
Then why do you keep saying “What?”
MICK
Raising his voice
Why are you being a pain in the arse?
FERRY MAN turns towards the audience and resumes whistling
MICK turns away from FERRY MAN and punches himself silently in frustration
He looks all around, but has no choice but to resume the conversation
Look, I’m sorry. I’m just … I need to know where I am. Can you tell me?
A beat
Please?
A beat.
FERRY MAN addresses MICK as though nothing has happened
FERRY MAN
Gently
Where did you think you’d be, son?
MICK
I … I really don’t know …
FERRY MAN
You were expecting fluffy clouds? Cherubs with harps? Pearly gates?
MICK
No …
FERRY MAN
Then what?
MICK
I don’t know, all right? I never thought about it! I didn’t give a damn where I was going! I just wanted to …
A beat
MICK buries his face in his hands
FERRY MAN
Siddown, son.
MICK
Looking up
What?
FERRY MAN
Siddown. Take a load off. Dangle your feet in the water.
MICK looks at him
After a moment’s hesitation, he sits down and dangles his feet over the edge of the stage – FERRY MAN smiles
Better?
MICK
Yeah. A little.
FERRY MAN
Makes you feel like a kid again, doesn’t it?
MICK
Smiles a little
Yeah, I guess so.
A beat
So … what do I call you?
FERRY MAN
I’m the Ferry Man.
MICK
Looking startled
What?
FERRY MAN
Oh, don’t start saying “What” again, son. We’ll be here all night.
MICK
No, I mean … I thought you were …
FERRY MAN
The Big Enchilada?
Laughing uproariously
No way, son! I’m just the guy who gets you there.
MICK
So you’re … ?
FERRY MAN
The Ferry Man, like I said. It’s my job to punt you over the river.
MICK
Looking startled
You’re gonna kick me?
FERRY MAN
No, no, not that sort of punt. Good grief, son, your brains have turned to butter. I’m here to punt you over the river on the ferry.
Using his pole, he does the actions to show Mick what he means
Understand?
MICK
Oh. Right.
FERRY MAN
That’s if you want to go.
MICK
Huh?
FERRY MAN
We’ll get to that. First, would you like to tell me why you’re here?
A beat – MICK looks troubled and shakes his head
Come on, son. I’m not trying to pry. It’s just that we need to find the best option for you. Don’t be concerned that I’ll judge you. I’ve been here a long time. I’ve heard all kinds of stories. Nothing you say could surprise me.
A beat
MICK
How do I know I can trust you?
FERRY MAN
You don’t. You’ll have to “take a punt”, as they say in the classics.
MICK rolls his eyes – FERRY MAN laughs
Pardon the pun, son.
MICK
I’ll try.
A beat
FERRY MAN
Gently
So what’s your story?
A beat
MICK
Well … you’ll love the irony of this … I’m here because I like a punt. Not like yours. A bet. A flutter. I enjoy it a lot. Too much.
Pokies music starts very quietly in the background.
MICK
It was just a bit of fun at first. A bet at the footy on the weekend or a flutter on the ponies. It’s the Australian way of life. Sportsbet. TAB. Ladbrokes. William Hill. Those ads were on the telly every night. In prime time. When I surfed the net, the pop-up ads were everywhere. The apps were on my phone. Weekend bets became daily bets. Then hourly bets. I started losing more than I was comfortable with. So I started chasing my losses. And then I lost more. It wasn’t fun any more. It wasn’t a voluntary act. I felt compelled to do it.
The pokies music is becoming louder
I started dipping into our savings. I was spending more than I earned. My wife got caught out at the supermarket. She tried to use EFTPOS at the checkout only to be told there were insufficient funds. She had to walk out without any groceries or supplies for our baby daughter. She said the hardest part was seeing the looks on the checkout chicks’ faces. She started crying as she told me the story. I couldn’t stand seeing her cry. I couldn’t stand knowing I was the one making her cry.
We started fighting after that. Everything she said, every accusation she threw at me, I was already telling myself. I hated myself more than she did. Her bitter words mirrored my own self-loathing. I was so weak. I couldn’t stop.
The pokies music is becoming even louder
MICK raises his voice
I was afraid. If I lost my wife, I’d lose my baby daughter, too. With the debts I’d incurred, we’d probably lose the house. I was going to lose everything I’d ever cared about. And I still couldn’t stop.
The pokies music is painfully loud now
MICK shouts to be heard
What kind of man does that to his own family? I couldn’t call myself a man any more. I couldn’t stay. I had to leave.
Shouts louder
WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?
The pokies music stops instantly – the sudden silence is deafening
MICK buries his face in his hands once more – there is a long pause
FERRY MAN
Gently
Thank you for sharing that with me, son.
MICK
Haltingly as he looks up
So … what happens now?
FERRY MAN
You have to make a choice.
MICK
What kind of choice?
FERRY MAN
We’ll get to that. First, why don’t you tell me about your wife?
MICK
Huh?
FERRY MAN
Your wife, Mick.
MICK does a double-take
MICK
You know my name? How do you know my name?
FERRY MAN
I know a lot about you.
MICK
Angrily
You know a lot about me? What the hell is this?
MICK gets to his feet – FERRY MAN also rises
They face each other – MICK’s body language is aggressive
FERRY MAN
Calm down.
MICK
I don’t want to calm down! Would you be calm if you were me?
FERRY MAN
Come on, son. Relax. Tell me about your wife.
MICK
Sarcastically
What the hell for? If you know all about me, you must know all about her, too. Why bother asking?
A beat
FERRY MAN
Gently
Mick, I’m not the enemy. I’m trying to help you.
MICK
Says who? You ask me to trust you, but you won’t tell me how you know my name. Why should I believe you?
A beat
FERRY MAN
I know things because I’ve existed in this realm for a long time. I know things because it’s my job to know them. I don’t pose any threat to you. Quite the opposite.
A beat
Come on. Sit down.
Long pause
MICK’s body language remains tense
Eventually, he relaxes and sits down in his previous spot on the front of the stage FERRY MAN resumes his previous position as well
They both look out towards the audience
MICK
I’m sorry.
FERRY MAN
That’s all right. I’ve seen worse.
MICK
I bet.
FERRY MAN
Many others have reacted the same way. No-one expects to find themselves here. When they arrive, there’s plenty of confusion to deal with.
MICK nods
FERRY MAN
So tell me about your wife. Her name’s Pippa, right?
MICK
You do know her name.
FERRY MAN
Yes, but I’d like to understand how you feel about her.
MICK
She’s a great girl. I don’t deserve her. I’ve betrayed her so badly with my gambling.
FERRY MAN
How did you meet?
MICK
We lived in the same halls of residence at university.
FERRY MAN
What was the first thing you noticed about her?
MICK
She had this great music collection. I lived just down the corridor from her. I’d hear the most awesome music pouring out of her room at all hours.
FERRY MAN
Anything else?
MICK
She had this … smile.
FERRY MAN
Yeah?
MICK
It lit up the room. When she spoke, there was this energy, this zest for life, that was really contagious.
FERRY MAN
Sounds like you fell pretty hard.
MICK
We both did. I’m not sure why she fell for me. I just know I’m grateful she did.
A beat
MICK’s face reflects his fluctuating emotions as he thinks about his wife
FERRY MAN
Seems like you left some unfinished business.
MICK
Maybe.
FERRY MAN
Do you remember the last time you saw her?
A beat
MICK
Haltingly
I was … floating …
FERRY MAN
Floating? You were in a pool?
MICK
No … this is so strange … I was floating in mid-air. I was looking down at my bed and I could see myself lying there, very still. Two paramedics were hovering over me and there were little empty bottles scattered everywhere …
FERRY MAN
Where was Pippa?
MICK
It’s okay … I’m sure she’ll be relieved …
FERRY MAN
Was she in the room with you, Mick?
MICK looks startled – it’s like he’s witnessing the scene for the first time
MICK
Yes. I can see her. She’s there in the room. She’s … she’s crying.
FERRY MAN
With evident relief
That’s right.
MICK
She’s sobbing. She looks hysterical. She’s … she’s collapsed on the floor. The paramedics are trying to pick her up.
FERRY MAN
Gently
She doesn’t look relieved.
A beat
MICK slowly shakes his head
You should have seen her at the funeral. She’s a strong girl, but she wasn’t coping, Mick. Makes you wonder how she’ll manage when she’s trying to raise your baby daughter alone …
A beat
MICK is clearly engaged in deep thought
MICK
You told me I have a choice.
FERRY MAN
Yes. You can go on. Or you can go back.
A beat
MICK
What happens if I go on?
FERRY MAN
I’ll punt you across the river.
MICK
But where would I go after that?
FERRY MAN
“On”.
MICK
“On”? Where? What does that mean?
A beat
FERRY MAN looks at him, smiles, and doesn’t answer
Okay. Fine. What happens if I go back? How would that work?
FERRY MAN
You’d travel back in time. You’d arrive just after the moment you overdosed. This time, though, you’d recover.
MICK
So there wouldn’t be any funeral?
FERRY MAN
No need. You’d survive the overdose, and you’d go from there.
MICK
So Pippa wouldn’t have to bury me?
FERRY MAN
Not unless we’ve started burying the living.
MICK
So it would be like I never died?
FERRY MAN
That’s right. The shock of almost losing you suggests that Pippa will probably stay with you and help you rebuild your life. There are no guarantees, though.
A beat
MICK
You think I’m strong enough to turn things around?
FERRY MAN
Only you can answer that, Mick.
A beat
MICK
I escaped because I was weak. I bailed out. I couldn’t see any other way.
FERRY MAN
But were you right?
A beat – the men look at each other
Sometimes, when people are in pain, like you were, they can’t see the consequences of their actions. Or they don’t want to see. But there are always consequences, Mick.
A beat
MICK
What do you think I should do? Go on or go back?
FERRY MAN
That’s not for me to decide. I’m only here to provide the transport.
MICK sits quietly for some time, thinking
Eventually he gets to his feet – FERRY MAN does the same
They face each other
MICK
It’s time for me to move on, Mr Ferry Man.
FERRY MAN
Which way? Do you need me to punt you across the river?
MICK
How often do we get a second chance? I’m going back. I don’t know if I’m strong enough to make amends, but I’m going to try.
The men shake hands slowly, then pull each other into a hug
Upon releasing, they grin at each other
FERRY MAN
I’ll see you again, my friend, but not for many years. Stay strong.
MICK
I’ll do my best.
FERRY MAN
Farewell, Mick. Au revoir. Until we meet again.
Mick moves upstage and exits. The light fades out on his side of the stage.
The Ferry Man returns to his initial position, dangling his feet over the edge. He balances his pole on his shoulder, grins, and starts whistling.
Fade to black.
| Author Notes |
Pokies are poker machines - I believe they're called slot machines in the US. They have very loud jangly music and sound effects.
Footy is an abbreviation of football (in this case, it refers to the AFL or the Australian Football League). A flutter is a casual fun bet. |
By Navada
Warning: The author has noted that this contains the highest level of language.
MAN and WOMAN are modern-day preppers in their early to mid-twenties. They are living a life they’d prepared for, but hoped would never happen. They are both dressed in dirty flannelette shirts, track pants and flip flops. Their appearance speaks of exhaustion and fear.
Snippets of VOICES are heard over the radio during the scene.
The kitchen where we find MAN and WOMAN resembles a 1950s style nuclear bomb shelter. Everything in this room looks old, grey and dusty. It’s not a pleasant place to be.
Set dressing includes:
INT. PREPPERS’ KITCHEN
Lights up
MAN scans the dial of the transistor radio - crackles, static and brief snippets of songs are heard
WOMAN slumps in the chair on stage right - her body language suggests lethargy and despair
MAN locates a voice on the radio – the tone is world-weary and the speech is halting with frequent pauses
VOICE 1 (over radio)
… Australia today bears no resemblance to the country we remember. God knows we had plenty of warning. The experts told us decades ago that maximum temps would pass 50 degrees and our water would dry up. Perhaps we didn’t realise how fast it would happen, but we knew for certain Day Zero was coming. We should’ve been better prepared.
Things got ugly so fast when the reservoirs in the cities dropped below 5%. Dunno about you, but that surprised me. I never thought I’d see armed soldiers in the streets. Not in this country. If only they’d got the rioting under control fast enough to stop the bloodshed. The anger and the hate were just too powerful.
Anyway, let’s look at practical things we can do to stay safe. Here’s the latest press release from the Ministry of Water Management. It says, “All householders are reminded to boil any and all water they consume in order to remove impurities.” Hmm. Not sure we need reminding, but at least now I’ve done my good deed for the day.
Regarding the Anomalies, information’s limited, obviously, but we know the number of deportations is rising. The Anomaly Squads are working harder than ever. There are reports of appalling conditions on Christmas Island …
MAN turns the radio off
A beat
MAN
Don’t wanna hear that.
WOMAN
That’s a surprise. Usually I can’t prise you away from that bloody radio.
MAN
I mean the bit about Christmas Island.
WOMAN
Yeah. I keep telling you, that thing’s a waste of good batteries. We only ever hear bad news.
MAN
I know.
WOMAN
Then why bother?
MAN
Dunno. Maybe one day there’ll be some good news.
WOMAN snorts in derision
MAN
Too much to ask for?
WOMAN
Probably.
MAN
You don’t think there’s any chance of good news?
WOMAN
How long since we heard any?
A beat
MAN
Dunno. Can’t remember.
WOMAN
There you go, then.
MAN
It could happen. One day.
WOMAN
Sarcastically
Really? Well, aren’t you the little glass-half-full all of a sudden? What brought this on? That’s not how you normally talk.
MAN sits in chair opposite WOMAN – they face each other
A beat
Soberly
The ones on Christmas Island probably hoped they’d hear some good news one day. Poor buggers.
MAN
Yeah.
WOMAN
Imagine. You’re minding your own business, finding a way to get through the day, and then … you’re an Anomaly. Life as you know it is over. Just like that.
MAN gets up and opens fridge door
MAN
Speaking of which – would you like some water?
WOMAN
Good God. Worst segue ever.
They both crack a wry smile
WOMAN
Have you boiled it yet?
MAN
Nah.
WOMAN
Well, go ahead.
MAN places kettle on table and fetches jug from fridge
Jug is the only modern-looking thing in the room – the large logo on its side is prominent and visually arresting
Having filled kettle, MAN lights stove and puts kettle on to boil
He returns to the radio – crackles and static are heard, but no voices
WOMAN
Are you back at that bloody radio again?
MAN
I’m bored.
WOMAN
Thanks a lot, arsehole.
MAN
Not with you. With …
He gestures hopelessly around him
… this.
WOMAN
I know that. I’m just messin’ with ya.
They exchange another wry smile
MAN turns radio off and returns to his seat
Silence falls
MAN
I took it for granted before, you know.
WOMAN
What?
MAN
Being connected. At work you’d be on your phone and your laptop all day, and when you got home, you’d watch telly and browse online. There was a certain kind of security to it. Always being connected.
It’s so quiet now. It was peaceful, at first. The white noise disappeared, and your ears felt … cleansed. But the silence changed. After a while, it felt …
His voice trails off
WOMAN
What?
A beat
MAN
You know when a big electrical storm’s brewing? There’s a moment, before the thunder and lightning hits, when you feel that build-up, that static charge in the air. It’s a physical thing, a kind of tension. There’s something … menacing about it.
MAN and WOMAN look at each other, and then down at the table
Silence falls
MAN
That old transistor may be a piece of crap, but it’s better than nothing. Makes me feel like there’s still some sort of link with the outside world. We’re not totally alone. Yet.
WOMAN
You never seemed to mind being alone. Before.
MAN
I didn’t mind being alone when I had the choice. I just don’t want it forced on me. There’s being alone, and then there’s being alone. Like, last man standing.
A beat
WOMAN
You’re weird.
MAN
You’re not the first person to say that.
They exchange wry grins once more
Kettle whistles
MAN pours two large cups of water
He takes one and passes the other to WOMAN before resuming his seat
They hold cups in their hands and blow on them to cool them down
WOMAN
You said you were bored. Wanna play a game?
MAN
S’pose so.
WOMAN
What’d you wanna play?
MAN
You decide.
WOMAN
What about “I Remember”?
MAN
Sighs
Oh, all right, then.
WOMAN
What’s with that tone?
MAN
Nothing.
WOMAN
Pick something else if you want. Uno, Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit …
MAN
Sighs again
No, no, “I Remember” is fine.
WOMAN
Sarcastically
Well, don’t get too enthusiastic. You might hurt yourself.
MAN
It’s just …
His voice trails off
WOMAN
What?
MAN
Nothing. Let’s play. You start.
WOMAN
All right. I Remember … walking past the charcoal chicken shop and smelling all the chooks cooking. Greasy, fatty, and totally delicious. Made my mouth water.
MAN
I Remember … riding my bike to the pool in the summer and diving headfirst into freezing cold water. Bloody lovely.
WOMAN
I Remember … sitting around a campfire with my friends, singing songs and telling stupid stories and laughing so hard we nearly pissed ourselves.
MAN
I Remember … going to the drive-in as kids. Mum and Dad hung that tinny little speaker in the car window while we played on the swings and the seesaw under the big screen and then Dad bought us all ice creams.
WOMAN
I Remember … eating fresh fruit straight from the orchards.
MAN
I Remember … playing with our new toys on Christmas morning before the sun came up.
WOMAN
I Remember … the first time I saw you. You were giving a presentation in a team meeting at work. You were so well-prepared and so earnest. It was endearing, in a strange kind of way. I was intrigued. And then later that week you asked me out for a coffee. You were trying so hard to look calm, but you were sweating and your hands were shaking. I knew you were pretty keen but doing your best not to look it. It was cute.
She smiles at the memory
He frowns
A beat
MAN
In a hard tone
I Remember … that night when the Squads dragged our families away.
Silence falls
WOMAN
Quietly
Why did you do that?
MAN
You were getting too comfortable, reminiscing. You can’t afford to live in the past. The world’s different now.
A beat
WOMAN
We can’t afford to forget where we came from. Memories are important. They’re not the enemy.
A beat
MAN returns to the radio and scans the dial once more
This time he finds a voice – it’s different to the one we heard before, but shares a similar world-weary tone
VOICE 2 (over radio)
… lawsuits featuring Aqua Venture. Since all Australian courts are closed until further notice, solicitors are gearing up to do battle overseas. If successful, it will open the floodgates for class actions here.
When Aqua Venture announced they could turn recyclable plastics into fresh drinking water, it was hailed as a miracle. The company solved the water crisis by processing surplus waste, killing two birds with one stone. When it became too hard to buy water from overseas due to global shortages, Australians turned to Aqua Venture in their millions.
Then the Anomalies began to appear.
By the time the toxins were discovered in Aqua Venture’s water, it was too late. The mutations they caused were completely abnormal – a terrifying new kind of evolution. They included major deformities, with some Anomalies sprouting extra fingers and toes that grew back repeatedly after being removed. Others developed multiple tumours that grew at unnatural speeds and resisted all forms of treatment.
But worse was to come. People poisoned by lead or radiation have never been contagious in the past, although their own genes were affected. But in a tragic development new to science, genetic mutations suffered by the Anomalies soon transformed into viruses. They became highly infectious, just like cholera, typhoid or the plague, and they spread like wildfire. Scientists and doctors have no answers. Neither does Aqua Venture.
This deadly epidemic is unprecedented. Roving squads are constantly monitoring the population to identify Anomalies and deport them immediately. All contact with family members is strictly forbidden. To prevent further mutations, sterilisation is compulsory. Anyone breaking these laws faces the firing squad. There are no exceptions. This may appear harsh, but it’s necessary for our survival.
When the Anomaly Squads arrive at your property, please remember to …
MAN turns off radio, refills kettle and puts it back on before resuming his seat MAN and WOMAN look at each other
MAN
I’m sorry. About before.
A beat
I … I have to ask you something.
A beat
If the Anomaly Squads ever try to take you, what will you do?
WOMAN
What kind of question’s that?
MAN
An ugly one we have to face.
A pause – she doesn’t answer
Just so you know, I won’t let them take me.
WOMAN
They’ll only try to take you if you’re sick. You’d rather stay here and infect me with your deadly disease?
MAN
I won’t leave you here alone.
WOMAN
You can’t stop them if they try to take you. They’re not exactly taking no for an answer.
MAN
If they come for you, you’ll fight back.
WOMAN
Maybe. I dunno.
MAN
You will. You won’t leave me.
She looks down
A beat
You won’t!
She doesn’t answer
With a sudden anger
Look, no musclebound moron with a gun is gonna drag me away. This is our sanctuary. We came here to protect ourselves. They’re dropping like flies out there and we don’t want to get infected. If we stay here, we’re safe. We get to control what happens.
WOMAN
You really think we’re safe? The Squads are here every week, checking us out. There’s no escaping that. They’re in direct contact with Anomalies all the time, so God knows what diseases they’re carrying. We’re not isolated. Not really.
MAN
It’s the best we can do.
WOMAN
Her voice rising
Well, maybe that’s not good enough. Maybe hiding here like bloody hermits and living on tinned crap and radio broadcasts is all gonna be for nothing. Maybe we’re just screwed like everyone else and there’s not a damn thing anyone can do to stop it. Die here or die there, what does it bloody matter? Next stop, Christmas Island!
They glare at each other across the table. He turns away.
To break the tension, she fetches a nail file from a shelf. She turns her hand back and forth as she files, inspecting each nail closely. Suddenly, she spots something unusual on her palm. Something appears to be growing there. She looks closer, frowns in confusion and looks again. When the realisation hits, she drops her hand to the tabletop. Her body is still, but her face reveals her sudden panic.
He catches her eye and they both freeze. Neither blinks or moves. They just stare at each other in shock and horror.
The kettle whistles. The sound pierces the silence, but neither moves.
Blue and red flashing lights appear dimly in the background and grow in intensity.
Fade to black.
| Author Notes | I finished this script in December 2019. Imagine my shock when, just a few months later in March 2020, COVID 19 forced Australians into lockdown. |
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