SOLDIER
What happened?! Shit... You scared me.
GIRL
Hey... sorry. (giggles) I was just watching you
sleep.
SOLDIER
Watching me sleep?! Why?
GIRL
It’s funny... you tremble your nose when you breathe.
SOLDIER
What?
GIRL
At least you don’t snore.
SOLDIER
What a big difference snoring could be in the middle
of a war...
GIRL
If its too loud it could show where you are. (laughs)
The SOLDIER notices the packet.
SOLDIER
What the hell... What is this?
GIRL
I don’t know. I was wondering too.
The SOLDIER analyses the packet carefully. The
GIRL gets impatient. As the SOLDIER keeps
looking around the packet and moving it very
slowly with the tip of his finger, the GIRL just
sighs and grabs the packet ungraciously.
SOLDIER (SHOUTS FURIOUS)
What are you doing?! Are you crazy? You could kill us
if it was a bomb! Do you realise the danger of it?!
GIRL
You’re so stupid! You think the enemy would come here
at night, leaving you a nice packet with a bomb? Oh
my God i thought you were more intelligent.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 18.
SOLDIER
Those things happen!
GIRL
Hey stupid... If they want to kill you at night, they
only need to stab you or cut your throat. Why would
they waste a bomb if they can do it cheaply.
The SOLDIER looks to her incredulous.
SOLDIER
You know what?!... You’re right!
They both laugh.
GIRL
Come on! Unwrap it! I’m curious now!
They look to the box with a bit of anxiety.
Finally the SOLDIER starts to rip the paper up.
Its tied with old string. The SOLDIER unwraps
the paper on his lap. There is some women’s
panties, some chocolates, a pack of cigarettes,
a bottle of vodka and some crackers. There is
also a small paper note. The SOLDIER grabs it
and reads.
SOLDIER (READING)
"Hope you enjoyed your night. Give the panties to the
girl, she may need them! Signed the fearless tigers"
Oh those idiots! (Giggles)
GIRL
Hey show me that (looks the panties and puts them in
a pocket) Well you never know! (React) Oh my god! You
have chocolate there!
The GIRL grabs one bar of chocolate, rips the
paper and starts to eat frantically.
SOLDIER
Hey what are you doing!? I need that!
GIRL
So do I! (Giggles) Who are those stupid Tigers?
SOLDIER
Oh... just a bunch of idiots from the battalion.
Crazy guys.
GIRL
They look nice... Come on! Show me the presents!
SOLDIER
It’s not presents... Just stuff... chocolates for
energy... And you just took one. Silly girl.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 19.
The GIRL Giggles. The SOLDIER looks to her and
smiles.
SOLDIER
Now I could die because of a loss of energy you know.
(He jokes)
GIRL
Oh yeah... Because of a single chocolate bar. You’re
such an idiot. (laughs)
He laughs and keeps checking the stuff.
SOLDIER
Let’s see... A bottle of vodka...
GIRL
Wow... open it!
SOLDIER
Shut up! You’re just a child. (He hides the bottle)
This is to keep me warm at night. You’re too young
for it. You should be drinking milk now!
GIRL
Monkey! I’m not a child anymore.
SOLDIER
Oh yes you are... (ignoring her) I have some
crackers... three or four packs. (He looks to her)
Humm, well keep one. I can manage with these.
GIRL
Can I have another chocolate bar?
SOLDIER
No way! You have your share. And stop eating it! You
have to save it!
GIRL
No way! I haven’t had any chocolate for months! Let
me enjoy it!
SOLDIER
You’ll need your new panties soon if you eat all that
chocolate at once. (laughs)
GIRL
I don´t care. I’m going back to the village.
SOLDIER
Oh shit! I’m so stupid! You could have gone with the
guys last night! Oh shit, shit!
GIRL
Hey calm down!
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 20.
SOLDIER
Don’t you understand? You would be safe by now. Oh
shit... why do I get all this stuff to deal with... I
really need some help here. They were drunk and
didn’t realise ... I need help not chocolates!
GIRL
Give them to me then.
SOLDIER
Hey stupid girl... this is serious now. (He peeks
over the sand bags) Do you think you could go back
alone? It’s looking calmer now. Maybe if you just
crawl for a while you can get far enough from here...
Wait a minute. You can talk with those guys in
town... Just tell them that I’m in trouble here.
GIRL
Those guys in the pub?!
SOLDIER
Anyone. Anyone will do. Do you think you could do it?
GIRL
I guess so. What should I say to them?
SOLDIER
Just tell them that I’m the last one here but those
bastards haven’t realised. Wait, I’ll write you a
note.
Nervously the SOLDIER grabs his notebook and
starts to write a note. When he finishes he rips
the paper out and gives it to her.
SOLDIER
Take this. Show them this note. They will know its
true.
GIRL
Ok... I’ll try.
SOLDIER
Don’t just try girl! You really have to do it. If
those guys there realise I’m alone, they will come
quickly and then getting to the town will be just
like a hot knife going though butter.
GIRL
Why didn’t you go before?!
SOLDIER
Someone must be here to make some noise! That´s what
they need to think. Sometimes I just shoot for a
while so they know there is somebody here... Oh!
We’re wasting time here. Can you crawl that way?
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 21.
GIRL
I think so... but I’m a bit scared.
SOLDIER
Hey, you walked here! I’m certain there are no
problems that way. Now it’s daylight you can see the
road clearly.
GIRL
And if they see me?!
SOLDIER
If you just walk straight down the road, they won’t
shoot you. They will see it’s just someone from the
town, not a soldier.
GIRL
Are you sure?! It’s just you said all that stuff last
night...
SOLDIER
I know... I mean... it´s different. At night every
shadow is a target.
GIRL
I see... I’ll be careful then...
SOLDIER
You have to. And please, you really are a nice girl.
Try to keep out of trouble. You’re not stupid.
The SOLDIER smiles at her. In a fast movement,
she kisses him on the cheek.
GIRL
I like you!
The GIRL giggles and crawls out of the trench.
She leaves by DL.
The SOLDIER, surprised, slightly touches his
cheek where the girl had kissed him.
SOLDIER
Damn chick... (smiles)
The SOLDIER starts to tidy all the stuff away
that came in the packet. He grabs the bottle and
takes a great gulp then wraps and hides the
crackers and the chocolates under the sand
bag.When he finishes, he peeks over the sand bag
for a while. Then he checks his gun and rests
his back on the side of the sand bags while he
starts to clean it in an uninterested way just
to pass the time. He gets a bit distracted. In a
flash, the GIRL enters by DL, running and lays
down near him hugging him. The SOLDIER jumps in
fright.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 22.
SOLDIER
What the ...? Are you mad?! Why did you come back...
You scared me to death. I could have killed you silly
girl!
GIRL (IN PANIC)
Sorry! Sorry... they are there. They are on the way.
SOLDIER
Who?! Where?
GIRL
The other soldiers... The enemies. Oh my god i saw
them just near the road.
SOLDIER
What road? I told you to walk there...
GIRL
Oh, but they are frightening. They all have heavy
uniforms and ugly faces... And the guns! Oh my god
the guns they have! Huge ones! Horrible ones!
SOLDIER
I told you they will not touch you on the way... They
are not allowed to!
GIRL
The dogs are not allowed to poo in the parks but they
do!
SOLDIER
How many did you see? Which direction were they
headed?
GIRL
There were loads of them... on the way to the
village.
SOLDIER
Loads?! How many is loads?!
GIRL (NERVOUS)
I don´t know! I don´t know! I was near the fence by
the road and i started to listen to them. I lay down
for a while hidden in the bushes and they passed just
near my nose. I couldn’t even breathe... They were so
close...
SOLDIER
Are you sure it wasn´t our guys?
GIRL
No... not at all. I heard them speaking and I didn’t
understand a word. I can assure you...
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 23.
SOLDIER
Damn... they’re going to take the village...
GIRL
What should we do?!
SOLDIER
There’s nothing we can do here... Believe me. What am
I suppose to do? Even if I wanted to go, they would
probably arrive there first. Plus, I have strict
orders to stay here.
GIRL
That’s stupid. And if they came to get you... You
would stay here waiting for them just because they
told you to... How about with a cigar and a drink?!
SOLDIER
Don’t be ridiculous. You’re too young to understand.
We have to... I’m not going to explain that to you
now...
GIRL
Why not?
SOLDIER
Can you stop being annoying. Don’t you understand how
serious this situation is? Please... I need to think!
GIRL
But you can explain to me why...
SOLDIER
Shut up! I told you! I need to think!
GIRL
But it looks like you are not allowed to do it... is
that it? You can only do what you are told to.
SOLDIER (DESPERATE)
Oh Jesus... Can you be quiet! Really.
The GIRL stays quiet for a while. The SOLDIER
tries to think how to react. He takes the small
notebook from his pocket and starts to read some
notes.
GIRL
What are you checking? You need notes to think?
SOLDIER
Shhhh...
GIRL
OK... OK. I know... don’t talk.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 24.
Suddenly shooting sounds start coming from the
Village. First just one or two shots, then the
sound grows more and more, until it ends with
battle sounds. (The sounds are supposed to be a
couple of miles away, so they are not too
strong) .
SOLDIER
Shhh... can you hear that?
GIRL
What?
SOLDIER
The sound from the village... wait.
They both stop, trying to listen. Its more clear
now.
SOLDIER
They are fighting there! Can you hear it?
GIRL
Yes... I can now... Oh my God... They’ve arrived to
the village!?
SOLDIER
I think so.
GIRL
Oh my God... what am I going to do now? I must return
there.
SOLDIER
There is no way to return there now... can’t you hear
them?
GIRL
Whats going to happen to the people in the village?
SOLDIER
Depends who wins... But I can tell you, we’re not in
a good position and I don’t know where to send you.
You’re not safe here at all. (peeks over the sand
bags). Wait here.
The SOLDIER jumps over the sand bags and crawls.
We can’t see him behind the sand bags. The GIRL
gets desperate.
GIRL
Where are you going?!
SOLDIER (BEHIND THE SAND BAGS)
Shhhh...
The GIRL scared, puts her back against the sand
bags in despair.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 25.
GIRL
Oh God... What’s he doing?! Now he’s left me here
alone!
She checks her panties.
GIRL
Oh great! Now I’ve peed myself... Oh shit.
She searches her pocket and takes the panties
that came in the packet.
GIRL
I guess now would be the time...
She intends to change her panties, but is
interrupted just before she starts by the
SOLDIER who jumps back. She becomes a bit
ashamed and hides her hand with the panties in
behind her.
SOLDIER
Done...
The GIRL tries to hide that she’s peed herself.
The SOLDIER notices.
SOLDIER
What are you doing?
GIRL
Nothing...
SOLDIER
No really... What are you hiding there?
GIRL
Nothing I said!
The SOLDIER grabs her arm and twists it to check
her hand. Then laughs.
SOLDIER
The panties... You just peed yourself!
GIRL
Fuck off!
The SOLDIER mocks her.
SOLDIER
So my baby just peed herself... See... I told you.
You’re only a kid. (laughs)
GIRL
Can you stop it? Its already hard to be here... I’m
frightened... I can’t control myself anymore... I’m
trembling like jelly and now I’m soaked.
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 26.
SOLDIER
What a scene... Trapped in a trench with a child,
while my men are possibly being killed two miles away
and I have no chance to do anything... Unless I go
there to to die... for no reason.
GIRL
I’m not a child... It wasn’t my fault. I’m scared.
Believe me, this is no fun at all and now all I can
think of is all those people in the village... It’s
horrible. I know them. I know all of them... Mrs Kay
the school teacher... Mr Stone from the shop... All
the kids who used to play in the park. Do you realise
that I really do know them all? And probably many of
them are already dead. Oh no... Little Eddy... What
about him?! Such a sweet boy. Always playing and
running around... He’s only 6 or 7. Funny ginger
hair... freckles. He lost his teeth a couple of weeks
ago. He looks even more sweet with that gap and he
likes to laugh. He laughs and smiles all the time.
Everybody knows Eddy.
SOLDIER
I’m sorry to hear that... Sorry, I didn’t mean...
GIRL
Do you realise there are other people in the towns
and villages you bomb? There are bakers...
carpenters... children and old people who can’t move
every where... Some just wait in their beds for the
ceiling to crumble down onto them and smash them
against the mattress. And the babies who lose the
rest of the family? They just cry for food... or for
someone to change their nappies. They cry. They cry
and cry until they become weaker and weaker from
starvation and then simply don’t cry anymore. They
close their eyes and sleep. They sleep forever.
SOLDIER
Stop it please.
GIRL
Why?
SOLDIER
You are upsetting me... It’s disturbing...
GIRL
It is?
SOLDIER
Of course it is!
GIRL
Why do you do it then?! Why you go there and kill all
those people?
(FOLLOW)
FOLLOW: 27.
SOLDIER
It’s not me!
GIRL
It’s not you? What do you have in your hands?
The SOLDIER looks at his gun.
GIRL
Is it not yours?! Why do you carry it? Of course it’s
yours. You love it! You love to caress it. To stroke
it... To clean it time and time again.
SOLDIER
Shut up!
GIRL
No! You can’t tell me to shut up!
SOLDIER
Stop putting us at risk! If you don’t shut up I
will...
GIRL
You’ll what? You’ll slap me? Or maybe you’re going to
shoot me too.
The GIRL grabs the barrel of the gun and puts it
on her forehead. (The dialogue grows in
tension).
GIRL
Come on! Do it then! Pull the trigger! GO! DO IT!
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