by Ben Musgrave
They found the house I was living in.
Bricks through the window.
Threats.
The poor people who were putting me up, they had to leave, too.
DEREK
And your parents, are they?
LYDIA
No, they’re not dead.
Pause.
I live with this woman now.
She’s
They’re in a kind of network.
DEREK
A network?
LYDIA
There are some people
Who want to help us.
Because there are places now where it’s too dangerous.
Attacks.
So the network help us move.
She’s
She’s really into it.
Political.
It’s a bit much to be honest.
DEREK
I’ve heard
I’ve heard there’s this
Woman.
LYDIA
No, it’s just fairy stories.
DEREK
Right.
They look out. Pause.
LYDIA
It’s so quiet here.
They listen to the silence.
And the sea.
Is this what you write about?
DEREK
Yes.
And also characters.
And things I’m feeling.
LYDIA
Can I read something?
DEREK
None of it’s any good.
LYDIA
That doesn’t matter.
DEREK
I wrote a story about a trawlerman that was okay.
Pause.
I think I have a copy of it somewhere.
Pause. He rummages in his bag and then finds some typed pages.
Please don’t feel you have to.
LYDIA
You don’t make me feel I have to do anything.
Pause.
DEREK
I’ve been
I’ve been meaning to ask
What music do you like?
LYDIA
Loads of things.
DEREK
Yeah?
LYDIA
What do you like?
DEREK
Nineties.
LYDIA
Nineties?
DEREK
(Smiling.) Yeah.
She smiles.
I’ll do you a tape.
LYDIA
A tape?
DEREK
Well, a CD.
LYDIA
Old-school!
DEREK
I’m not very good with new things
VINCENT enters.
VINCENT
Hi.
LYDIA
Hi.
VINCENT
I was looking for you.
LYDIA
Okay.
VINCENT
Come to the pub!
It’s packed.
It’s gonna be a night.
They’ll be singing later.
Are you coming?
Pause.
LYDIA
(To DEREK.) Do you want to come?
Pause.
DEREK
I don’t think I should.
LYDIA
You should come.
DEREK
No… I won’t.
But you go.
Pause.
VINCENT
(To LYDIA.) Are you coming, then?
LYDIA
I don’t think so.
VINCENT
I’ll buy you a drink.
LYDIA
I’m alright.
VINCENT
You enjoyed yourself last time.
LYDIA
I need an early night.
VINCENT
Why?
LYDIA
I’m going swimming tomorrow.
Beat.
Do you want to come, Derek?
DEREK
Sure. What time?
LYDIA
When would be best?
DEREK
Tide’s at eleven, so how about here at ten-thirty?
LYDIA
Perfect.
Pause.
DEREK
I’ll see you tomorrow, then!
LYDIA
Yes.
Pause. She exits.
Pause. VINCENT looks on.
VINCENT
Just be careful, mate.
DEREK
Eh?
VINCENT
I don’t want you to get hurt.
I don’t want you to think ‘oh things are going pretty well for me’ when they’re not.
Is that what you think?
‘I’m quietly confident.’
This new girl with the sweetest breath in England, she turns up and for some reason, for a few moments, she’s showing you some interest.
It’s a mistake, Derek.
It’s a mistake that awkward shy boys have made throughout history.
When everything is up in the air, when everything’s new, this kind of girl they can sometimes make mistakes. Jumble people up. Get trapped with the wrong company.
And the longer they’re trapped the more vicious the snap will be.
DEREK
What you on about?
VINCENT
Your goodness won’t turn her on.
It’ll just make her feel terrible.
Pause.
I’m going to fuck her, Derek.
I just know it. It’s like destiny.
I will.
I’ll fuck her and there’ll be fireworks all over London.
That’s what I’m going to do.
DEREK
You won’t.
VINCENT
Why not?
DEREK
You just won’t
VINCENT
Why not?
DEREK
Leave it.
VINCENT
Of course, I know there must be some ‘thing’ about her.
There’s always some ‘thing’ about girls like her.
With a reason to be shy.
Is she the girl who gets addicted?
Or doesn’t like to eat.
Or hides the cuts on her arms?
I don’t care.
I don’t care about any of that stuff.
Pause.
Are we still friends, Derek?
DEREK
Yes.
VINCENT
Do you promise?
DEREK
Yes.
VINCENT
I wish my soul could be more like yours.
VINCENT gets out his knife.
Do you trust me?
DEREK
Yes.
VINCENT
I want to prove to you that I care for you.
How can I prove it?
DEREK
You don’t need to prove it.
VINCENT cuts his own hand with his knife.
No, Vince.
VINCENT
Do you think I’m a good person?
DEREK
I do.
VINCENT holds DEREK’s hand.
VINCENT
Will you always be my friend?
DEREK
Yes.
VINCENT
Are we blood brothers?
Pause.
Don’t worry, the knife’s sharp.
VINCENT cuts DEREK’s arm. DEREK cries out.
That wasn’t so bad, was it?
VINCENT puts his bleeding hand on DEREK’s arm.
That wasn’t so bad.
DEREK struggles with feelings of fainting.
What’s wrong with you?
Are you alright?
DEREK
Yes.
VINCENT
Don’t faint.
DEREK
I’m not.
VINCENT
It was nothing.<
br />
You haven’t gone through anything.
DEREK
No.
VINCENT
You’ve no right to be all frightened.
DEREK
No.
VINCENT
You’re always fucking frightened, but I’m not that bad.
I could make you lost again, but I’m not that bad. You’ve never really been through anything really shit, Derek.
I’m sorry, but you haven’t.
Scene Seven
A Swim
By the caravan. A lovely bright day, a bit of a breeze.
DEREK runs in quickly from the beach, up the path barefoot, trying not to run on anything sharp. He is wearing faded old swimming shorts, a bit big.
He looks back to the sea as he dries himself off with a towel.
LYDIA runs in, in a one-piece swimming suit. She dries herself with her towel.
DEREK
Alright?
LYDIA
Yes!
DEREK
Nippy breeze!
DEREK dries himself with his towel, then puts it around his shoulders.
LYDIA
How was that!
DEREK
Wonderful!
LYDIA closes her eyes and feels something.
LYDIA
I love this bit.
After swimming.
The tingling feeling.
Do you get that?
DEREK
Yes.
She picks up her clothes, and goes into the caravan.
LYDIA
I’m getting changed.
DEREK
Okay.
She opens the window, wide, and pokes her head out.
LYDIA
Is there anyone coming?
DEREK
No.
DEREK turns around as she gets changed in the caravan, and remains loyally disinterested in what is going on behind him.
LYDIA takes off her swimsuit. She quickly puts on some knickers and jeans. Shielding her chest with her arm, she briefly looks up to see if DEREK is watching.
They are both aware of what might be there.
LYDIA
I don’t want you to see it.
Beat.
It’s horrible.
DEREK
It is what it is.
LYDIA
It’s like evil.
DEREK
It’s not evil.
Maybe it will fade.
LYDIA
And scar.
DEREK
We all get scars.
Pause. LYDIA looks at DEREK, then finishes getting dressed, comes out of the caravan.
DEREK goes into the caravan, and brings out a CD he has made.
I made you a CD!
LYDIA
Oh!
Pause. He hands it to her.
DEREK
I’m going to get changed now.
LYDIA
I’ll turn round.
LYDIA
(Of the inlay card, upon which is neatly written the name of each track.) You wrote it all out!
DEREK
Yes!
LYDIA
You made me a CD!
DEREK
Yes.
LYDIA
Shall we play it?
DEREK
Alright.
I’ll bring the thing out here.
DEREK finishes changing, and then drags his CD player out of the caravan, which is connected to an extension cable.
He puts the CD in, and presses play.
A song begins, from 1995. It is a wonderful song.
LYDIA
Who’s this?
DEREK
Oh
He hands the CD case to LYDIA. She looks.
LYDIA
I don’t know it.
When did it come out?
DEREK
1995.
Pause. They listen to the song for a bit. What a wonderful song.
I don’t think we have to fall into the abyss, you know?
I think we can all find a way through.
There’s no reason why we can’t.
Don’t you think?
I remember
When it was on the news for the first time.
When all those people started dying in London.
In London!
So many people, in our country!
And we started getting very frightened.
And the blaming began:
‘This is so typical.’
‘These city people with their loose… ’
‘Well, this is what happens when you behave like that.’
Pause.
If we had stood up for your people
LYDIA
I don’t have a people.
We’re not a ‘people’.
DEREK
You’re brave.
LYDIA
I’m not brave.
DEREK
(Bravely putting his hand on her shoulder.) You are. I’ve seen it.
But that hand on her is the last straw, she snaps.
LYDIA
Get your hand off me.
Beat.
DEREK
I think you have such courage.
LYDIA
Then you don’t know me.
DEREK
I think you’re a good person.
LYDIA
How do you think I got it?
Pause. LYDIA starts to anger.
Don’t make me feel bad.
DEREK
I’m sorry.
LYDIA
You’re making me feel shit.
DEREK
I’m so sorry
LYDIA
And you’ve got one over me.
DEREK
I’d never say anything!
VINCENT enters.
VINCENT
Never say what?
He is carrying a bunch of wildflowers.
Hello.
LYDIA
Hello.
VINCENT
(Of the flowers.) I brought you these.
These are poppies.
And bugle.
And dog roses.
And elderflower.
Honeysuckle.
Ragged Robin.
LYDIA
How do you know all their names?
VINCENT
My mum used to teach me.
She used to have a florist.
They’re showing a film at the hall tonight.
LYDIA
What is it?
VINCENT
Four Weddings and a Funeral
Have you seen it?
LYDIA
Yeah.
VINCENT
We could go for a drink, afterwards.
Pause.
LYDIA