by Ben Musgrave
I’d like that.
Pause.
VINCENT
Do you want to come, Del?
DEREK
I need to get home.
LYDIA
Yeah.
DEREK
Do the supper.
LYDIA
Yeah.
Beat. DEREK exits down the track.
VINCENT
What’s wrong with him?
VINCENT has a bottle of beer. He offers it to her.
LYDIA
No thanks.
VINCENT takes the top off the bottle of beer.
VINCENT
Go on, take it.
LYDIA takes it. She watches him.
LYDIA
Have you got one for yourself?
Pause. VINCENT pulls out another beer. Relieved she won’t have to share a bottle, she takes a sip.
VINCENT
Have I done something wrong, Lydia?
LYDIA
No.
VINCENT
I thought there was something going on between us?
Pause.
Was I wrong about that?
Pause.
I haven’t been very happy recently.
I’ve been feeling very angry.
A black dog inside.
I really like you, you know.
I can’t stop thinking about you.
I think about you constantly.
Pause. He tries to gently touch her, but she pushes him off.
LYDIA
(Gently.) No.
VINCENT
Come on.
LYDIA
I’m sorry.
VINCENT
What’s wrong with me?
LYDIA
There’s nothing wrong with you.
PETER enters, with his briefcase, via the path.
VINCENT
What are you doing?
PETER
I’m sorry.
VINCENT
Spying on us!
PETER
I was just passing.
I didn’t mean any interruption.
(To LYDIA.) Sorry, darling.
Sorry.
I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?
You came to my talk?
LYDIA
Yes.
PETER
I hope it wasn’t too boring.
LYDIA
No.
PETER
What did you think, love?
LYDIA
Yeah, it was good.
PETER
Or did you think I was just speaking a load of bollocks?
LYDIA
(Looking down, ashamed.) No.
PETER
That’s fine if you did.
It’s a free country!
Pause.
I just try and stay honest.
We’re fighting to stay alive, here!
Pause.
We’re fighting for a future!
Ain’t that right?
What’s your name?
Pause. He looks at her, eyes glittering!
LYDIA
Lydia.
PETER
Where do you live, Lydia?
LYDIA
I don’t give out my address.
PETER
Okay, fair play.
Do you know about the sickness in this land, Lydia?
Do you know why this is happening to us?
Do you know why?
Pause.
This is punishment for the way they were living. And the parents
VINCENT
You speak such a load of rubbish, you know.
PETER
Yeah?
VINCENT
I heard your speech.
It was rubbish.
The things you say, they aren’t right.
You just speak a load of lies, you know.
Pause. VINCENT gets up, squares up to PETER.
Who the hell are you? Coming here from wherever you are, with your briefcase?
PETER
Okay.
VINCENT
Talking bollocks.
PETER
Okay, boy.
That’s okay.
It’s good. That you’ve got feelings.
Why don’t we talk about it?
VINCENT
I’m just trying to get drunk, here.
I’m trying to get to know this lady.
It’s a Saturday night.
I don’t want to talk about nothing with some old fucker in a leather jacket!
Pause. PETER considers all manner of things.
PETER
(To VINCENT.) Okay.
Okay, let’s leave it.
Pause.
You enjoy yourself tonight.
You enjoy yourself.
Just so long as you know…
That these days – days like this – glorious days – these days are numbered.
Nights like this are numbered.
When there’s sweetness in the air and wildflowers.
You cherish these nights.
Pause. PETER exits.
VINCENT and LYDIA burst out laughing as he walks up the track.
Scene Eight
Drunk
That night. By the caravan. The light of the moon.
LYDIA and VINCENT run in, joyously drunk. They stop.
VINCENT
Here we are.
VINCENT offers LYDIA a little bottle of vodka.
Finish it.
LYDIA
No, I’m gone.
VINCENT
Yeah?
LYDIA
I’m really gone.
VINCENT
Did you have a good time?
LYDIA
(Coyly.) It was fine.
VINCENT
Fine?
LYDIA
(Smiling.) It was fine.
I haven’t got this fucked in ages.
Pause.
VINCENT
When were you last this fucked?
They smile. Pause. They become aware of their surroundings.
Do you think he’s here?
LYDIA
(Laughing.) Shhhhhhhhhh!
VINCENT
Derek, are you in here?
LYDIA
Shhhhhhh!
VINCENT
You’re good at dancing.
LYDIA
Thank you.
VINCENT
It was a good night.
LYDIA
Did you like the music?
VINCENT
You know what I’d really like?
LYDIA
What?
VINCENT indicates the caravan.
VINCENT
Get you in there.
LYDIA
(Mock outrage.) I’m not going in there!
VINCENT goes into the caravan.
I’m not!
VINCENT re-emerges, with DEREK’s notebook.
VINCENT
Look at this.
LYDIA
What have you got?
VINCENT
(Reading by the light of the moon.) ‘You are okay’
LYDIA
Is / that – [DEREK’s notebook]?
VINCENT
‘One day you / will’
LYDIA
Don’t read it!
VINCENT
‘One day you will grow your wings.’ (Impersonating DEREK.) ‘These are just a few notes, Lydia.’
LYDIA
Don’t read it!
VINCENT
‘One day she came out of the sea.’
LYDIA
Stop it!
VINCENT
‘She crawled out of the mud, quietly.
Shy and beautiful
Brushing off sand and / shells.
LYDIA
No, seriously
VINCENT
And over marsh and pool she looked straight into my eyes.
And even from that d
istance he knew she could understand him.
And knew she had the answers.
To all the things that hurt or didn’t make sense.’
Pause.
(Turning to LYDIA.) Do you think this bit is about you, Lydia?
LYDIA
No!
VINCENT
Do you find it rather beautiful?
LYDIA
No!
VINCENT
But do you think it is ‘good writing’?
LYDIA smiles.
He flushes when he sees you.
LYDIA
Does he?
VINCENT
Do I flush too?
LYDIA
When you’ve had a few pints.
VINCENT
That’s okay.
VINCENT smiles. He goes in for the kiss, but she pulls back.
LYDIA
No, not yet.
She holds his head in place with her hand. She kisses him on the cheek.
He kisses her on the cheek.
They enjoy the moment.
VINCENT
(Shouting out loud, to the sky.) Derek, are you watching?
Because if you’re watching could you stop watching, now?
She smiles. He kisses her neck. She looks down, suddenly invaded with dread.
(Joking.) I bet you do this with Derek, too?
LYDIA
(Outraged.) No!
I wouldn’t.
VINCENT
Why not?
LYDIA
I couldn’t go with someone like him.
He’s nothing, he’s just
Pause.
There is some scuffling in the grasses. As if someone were running away.
What was that?
VINCENT
What?
LYDIA
Like there was something in the bushes.
VINCENT
Probably a fox.
LYDIA
Oh shit.
Do you think it was him?
VINCENT
No.
Pause.
He leans in to kiss her, but the thought has possessed her.
Are you okay?
LYDIA
Yes.
VINCENT
What?
What did I do?
She pulls away.
What did I do?
She pulls away.
What’s wrong?
Scene Nine
Persuasion
DEREK sits on the step of the caravan. A hot hot day.
PETER enters.
PETER
Hello, boy.
What’s wrong?
What’s wrong, buddy?
Who is it?
Has something happened?
DEREK
(Angrily.) No.
PETER
It’s alright!
DEREK
Please go away.
PETER
What’s happened, mate?
Don’t be frightened.
I’m just trying to help you.
Pause.
Why do you hate me?
DEREK
I don’t.
PETER
There’s too much hate in this world isn’t there?
The only thing I hate is hatred, Derek.
Pause. He looks about.
It’s not right, is it, that a boy like you, a good boy, a really good boy, should have to grow up like this. I grew up when there was some hope in the world. And now look what’s happening.
Pause.
You thinking about her?
That girl you’re sweet on.
DEREK
I’m not sweet on / her
PETER
Course you are.
You know they went off together?
You know they went off together last night?
We all saw them leave the pub?
His hand on her arse.
Pause.
Where does she live?
DEREK
I don’t know.
PETER
Exactly.
DEREK
(Pointing.) Over that way.
PETER
Who lives down there, though?
Pause.
It’s just puzzling isn’t it?
How we never see where she goes.
Women, eh?
They make you feel good for a minute, and that minute it feels so good, doesn’t it?
Do you know what I mean, Derek?
When you feel you have a trust?
She makes you feel special. For a few moments.
Just for a few moment.
And then something snaps, you don’t know why, but it snaps, it’s unexplainable.
And it’s all gone.
I’m through with women now.
I just serve the Lord.
Pause.
She’s clever, isn’t she?
The way she pulled you in.
And now you’re feeling lost, and confused.
But don’t worry. That feeling will go away.
Because there’s a greater love, isn’t there?
There’s a love that won’t let you down.
God… and country.
Because you love this country, I know that.
Derek, I’ve got a pal who’s a whizz with a computer.
And he hacked into a list from the district hospital.
There are three type-thirty-seven contaminants registered for the trial drug in this borough alone, as of two weeks ago.
Of course, they deny it / when
DEREK
It’s not her.
PETER
No?
DEREK
It’s not her.
PETER
It’s okay.
DEREK
It isn’t.
PETER
We’re not interested in causing trouble.
DEREK
It’s not her.
PETER
I just want you to be careful.
Pause.
Are you not afraid you’ll catch it?
DEREK
No.
PETER
It doesn’t work you know.
The suppressant.
How could it work?
This thing, there isn’t an earthly cure.
This is real, you know
This isn’t a story.
Look.
He hands DEREK some pictures.
DEREK looks away, disgusted.