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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:
- Fridge (upstage left) containing large jugs of water (2-4 litres) with logos on the sides
- Transistor radio (on bench next to fridge – stage left)
- Formica table and two rickety wooden chairs (centre) – chairs face each other on either side of the table
- Stove (upstage right); kettle with an old-fashioned whistle; two plastic cups
- Large piles of canned goods on shelves stacked to ceiling height (stage right)
- Other items on the shelves include books, a generator and bottled gas
- Cork noticeboard (over the bench) with faded photos of MAN and WOMAN in happier times
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.
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