Crushed Shells and Mud
Page 2
DEREK
(Uncertain.) Don’t be stupid!
VINCENT
They say it’s coming.
DEREK
It won’t get here.
VINCENT
Did it get to where you were, Lydia?
LYDIA
No.
VINCENT
They say there’s more of them about than we would think.
Pause.
Well, you be careful.
LYDIA
I will.
VINCENT
Are you after anything else, Lydia?
Medicinals?
Beat. LYDIA is alarmed.
Something to make you feel good?
Then she understands what he means.
LYDIA
What can you get here?
VINCENT
(Ushering her away.) Not in front of Derek.
DEREK
It’s alright!
VINCENT
Derek doesn’t approve of drugs.
DEREK
It’s not that!
VINCENT
He doesn’t approve of my lifestyle.
DEREK
(Trying to save face.) It’s not that.
LYDIA
I don’t think he liked me smoking.
DEREK
No, / I didn’t mean
VINCENT
(To DEREK.) Cheeky bleeder!
VINCENT ‘lightheartedly’ smears his hand up against DEREK’s nose.
DEREK
Getoff!
VINCENT
You leave the lady alone.
DEREK
I didn’t do anything!
VINCENT
(To LYDIA, of DEREK.) He gives you any jip, you box him round the ears, that’s what I do.
VINCENT shadow-boxes with DEREK. DEREK tries to shadow-box back but it’s hopeless.
DEREK grins and breaks it off.
VINCENT grins at LYDIA.
Isn’t he a little diamond?
Beat.
Come out tonight, Lydia!
LYDIA
Another time.
VINCENT
When would suit?
LYDIA
I’ll let you know.
VINCENT
I’ll ask you again.
LYDIA
(Smiling.) You do that.
Beat. VINCENT looks at his phone.
VINCENT
(Making to hug her.) Now, I’ve got business to attend to, so it’s nice to meet you.
LYDIA
(Accepting the hug.) Yeah, nice to meet you.
VINCENT
Thanks for the smoke.
LYDIA smiles.
VINCENT turns and exits.
She watches after him.
LYDIA
He’s cheeky, isn’t he?
DEREK
Yeah.
I’ll have to have words with him, about that. With you just got here.
LYDIA
Don’t worry about me.
DEREK
He thinks he can say whatever he wants!
You don’t have to accept it.
You don’t have to have anything to do with him, if you don’t want to.
LYDIA
It’s okay.
Pause.
DEREK
He can be a bully, sometimes.
His dad
His dad hasn’t been very good.
Pause.
LYDIA
I should be getting back.
DEREK
Would you like a view of the sea before you go?
(Of the caravan.) You can see from the top of this.
DEREK scrambles round the side of the caravan, then climbs up the side-ladder to demonstrate.
LYDIA
It’s rusty.
DEREK
Oh, it’s quite safe.
LYDIA climbs up. She sees the sea. She smiles.
It’s nice when the sun’s on it, isn’t it?
The sunsets are often
She seems to be going within herself.
You’ve got to get home.
Sensitively, he gets down the ladder. She finishes looking at the sea, then begins to climb down.
On her descent, she cuts her finger on a jag on one of the ladder rungs.
LYDIA
Ow.
DEREK
Are you alright?
LYDIA
Yes, fine, I just
She licks her finger.
DEREK
Oh god / I’m
LYDIA
It’s alright.
Beat.
DEREK
I’m sorry about that.
LYDIA
It’s fine.
DEREK
Would you like a plaster?
LYDIA
No, really
Beat. Pause.
DEREK
I’ll try to beat the path through tomorrow.
LYDIA
Please don’t go to any effort.
DEREK
No, I will.
LYDIA
It was just something to say…
About wanting to see the sea.
It’s not important.
Pause.
DEREK
Lydia
DEREK notices that LYDIA’s hand is bleeding.
(Reaching out to take her hand.) Lydia, your / hand
LYDIA
(Looking down in fright.) Oh
DEREK
It’s bleeding quite a bit.
Quite instantly, he takes out a clean white handkerchief, and wipes the blood off. She instantly pulls away.
LYDIA
No!
DEREK
Sorry / I just
LYDIA
(Panicking.) Don’t touch it!
DEREK in the headlights.
(Of the handkerchief.) Don’t touch it! Get rid of it!
He throws it on the floor confused.
Pause. She calms.
(Calming down.) Sorry
DEREK
(Gently.) It’s okay.
LYDIA
(Back to normal.)
Sorry, I was
I have a phobia about it. Blood.
DEREK
Okay.
LYDIA
It’s nothing really. It passes.
DEREK
I understand.
LYDIA
I really must go.
DEREK
(Of the rusty ladder.)I’m sorry about the
LYDIA
No, it was my fault.
DEREK
I’ll have to see to that.
LYDIA
Do people come here, much, Derek?
DEREK
No, not very much.
Pause. She makes to go off, then turns.
LYDIA
Derek
Derek, thank you, for being kind.
Pause. She exits down the track.
DEREK watches her go, and then looks at the ladder for the offending jag. He flakes it off.
He picks up the blooded handkerchief, and puts it in his notebook, like he’s pressing a flower.
It is getting dark.
The sound of the sea.
Scene Three
Peter
By the caravan. A hot day.
The path down to the sea has noticeably widened.
PETER enters, carrying a briefcase.
PETER
Hello?
Hello?
Anyone about?
PETER puts down his briefcase, then flings open the door of the caravan, but there’s no one in there.
PETER goes into the caravan.
DEREK emerges up the sea path, sweating. His shirt is unbuttoned, and he carries a machete.
DEREK
Who’s there?
Is there someone
PETER stumbles out of the caravan. DEREK and PETER freeze, DEREK with his machete raised.
PETER
Christ.
Sorry.
PETER
You gave me a shock.
DEREK
(Keeping the machete raised.) I’m sorry, sir.
PETER
(Of the machete.) Put it down, then.
DEREK puts the machete down.
You shouldn’t spring on a man with a weapon, you don’t know what he could do.
Pause.
I must have come the wrong way, I was looking for the pub.
DEREK
It’s back up the track.
PETER
(Of the machete.) What you doing with that?
DEREK
The path.
Down to the beach.
PETER
What about it?
DEREK
I was beating it back.
PETER
Why?
DEREK
It was all grown over.
PETER
You’re keeping it open?
DEREK
Yes.
PETER
The walkers don’t come no more?
DEREK
I’m afraid not.
Pause. PETER takes the machete and examines it.
PETER
(Of the machete.) This is blunt.
DEREK
I know.
PETER
The blade is blunt.
DEREK
I’m sorry.
PETER
We’ll get it sharp for you.
Beat.
(Looking down the path.). You’ve done all that with a blade like this?
DEREK
It’s been a bit of a job.
PETER
Fuckin hell.
DEREK
Yeah!
PETER
It’s a good deed.
PETER tosses the machete onto the grass.
What’s your name?
DEREK
Derek.
PETER
When the time comes, Derek, we’re going to need boys like you.
DEREK
What time?
PETER
You’ll know.
DEREK
I don’t.
PETER
You will.
Pause.
This your den?
DEREK
Not really.
PETER
Your little place?
DEREK
I suppose so.
PETER
Your parents know you hide here?
Beat.
DEREK
They don’t care.
PETER
(Of the place.) You love it?
DEREK
Yes.
PETER
Yeah, I can see that.
Pause.
It’s a beautiful part of the country.
If only you knew how far we’re still to fall.
There’ve been cases now twenty miles from here.
It’s getting closer.
It’s gonna be like London was.
And nobody does anything about it.
Am I boring you?
DEREK
No.
PETER
This is real, do you understand?
Pause.
You got a good nose on you?
DEREK
I think so.
PETER
Good eyes?
DEREK
Twenty twenty.
PETER
Will you do us a favour, Derek?
Keep your eyes open?
Anything unusual?
People acting strangely?
Will you do that for me, Derek?
DEREK
Yes, sir.
PETER
This is for the country. This is for good decent people.
Pause. PETER offers DEREK a fiver.
Look, there’s a fiver.
Buy yourself some chips.
Go on… no strings attached.
DEREK
No, I’m alright.
PETER
Just go on.
Beat. DEREK takes the money.
You’ll find me in the village.
I’m speaking tonight. At the pub.
You see anything, you let me know.
DEREK
Okay.
VINCENT enters.
VINCENT
Who’s this?
PETER
I’m from the League.
(To VINCENT.) I was just telling your friend about my talk.
VINCENT
I heard about it.
PETER
Maybe I’ll see you there.
VINCENT
Maybe.
Pause. PETER exits.
If I want to die of boredom.
VINCENT sees the machete.
You’ve been beating back the path?
DEREK
Yeah.
VINCENT picks up the machete. Pause. He looks at DEREK.
VINCENT
Come here.
Come here.
DEREK
What are you gonna do?
VINCENT
No, I’m not going to do anything!
DEREK
You sure?
VINCENT
I promise.
DEREK
That’s what you always say.
VINCENT
I promise you.
DEREK goes over to VINCENT.
Kneel.
DEREK
No.
VINCENT
Go on, kneel.
Pause. DEREK kneels down. VINCENT ‘knights’ him with the machete, the blade touching the skin. DEREK is scared.
Arise, Sir Derek.
Pause. DEREK doesn’t arise.
Why don’t you get up?
Pause.
DEREK
I’m frightened.
VINCENT
Why are you frightened?
(Angering.) Why are you frightened?
He gets the machete against DEREK’s neck.
Don’t say things like that, Derek, it’ll make things worse.
Don’t be frightened of me – do you know how shit that makes me feel?
Pause.
Is she here?
DEREK
Who?
Pause.
VINCENT
You know who.