Act 3, Scene 2: Saving Private Will

TECH PREROLL

%LIG% LX 0099 - Work Light OFF (Static Playbacks)

%LIG% LX 3200 - STANDBY for GO: DBO with dim blue reading light (link to LX 0002)

%MIX% Check Levels
%MIX% Unmute Desk

%MIX% Pan: ON
%MIX% Eisfuchs: ON

%MIX% Lynard: OFF

INTRO

%ATT% Abe and Eva have been drinking wine all evening, and are slightly tipsy. Not drunk. Just a bit uninhibited :)

%SND% Music from the radio running in the background

Abe: "Damn, my glass is empty again."

Eva: "Let me fix that."

%SND% Cork removed from bottle, pouring liquid

Abe: "This a really fine wine. It must have cost you a fortune!"

%SND% Fire Engine drives along the street outside, sirens blaring

Eva: "Not really. You know what's better than being the official confectioner of the royal family? Being the favorite confectioner of the royal family's staff. Lowly working folk like us take care of each other."

Abe: "I see! - *hic!* - I have to restrain myself, or I won't be able to walk you home!"

Eva: "Who said I'm going home tonight?"

Abe: "Oh! Don't you have to work tomorrow?"

Eva: "Every single person in this goddamn bakery is always late! Why can't I be the one who's late for once?"

Abe: "Too right. To hell with work! Cheers!"

Eva: "Cheers!"

%SND% Glasses clink

%SND% Fire Engine drives along the street outside, sirens blaring

Eva: "What on earth is going on out there?"

Abe: "The fire station is around the corner, you get used to it after a while. There are so many ways to set your house ablaze … Forgetting the pot in the oven, smoking in bed … Did you know more than 5000 people die that way every year?"

%SND% Music in the radio stops

Radio: "Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt this program to bring you a special news bulletin. An ongoing series of explosions is still shaking the city of Port Ospen. The police department reported another detonation around 11 pm at a bakery on Lewse Road, following the attack on the Peter M. Harrington airfield the day before. The building is on fire and has partly collapsed. A passer-by was injured by flying debris, and the police are still searching for the owner and resident of the building. Queen Irdis denounced the bombings and appealed to Port Ospen's residents to "keep calm and show a united face."."

Eva (shocked): "Lewse Road? That's my shop! Abe, that is MY SHOP!"

Abe: "For god's sake, it is!"

%ACT% Eva turns white under her fur. (Her voice reflects her fear)

Eva: "Florence …"

Abe: "What?"

Eva (panicked): "Something must have happened to Florence!"

%SND% Chair scraping as Eva tries to run out

Abe: "Eva, wait! What does Florence have to do with this? She isn't even here!"

Eva (panicked): "You don't understand!"

Abe (irritated): "Damn right I don't!"

Eva (panicked, voice trembling): "Those were no terrorists. It was Welsh. He wants to kill me! Because Florence is dead!"

Abe: "Why?"

Eva (insistent): "I already told you, I can't talk about it!"

Abe (softly): "Eva, I'm on your side. Please let me help you. Please trust me."

%ACT% Eva sobs, sits back down

Eva: "You're right. It's too late anyway. Peter was a genius, you know? If he had an idea, he would spend days locked up in his office. And the more people told him that something was impossible, the more stubbornly he would move forward. But a businessman he was not. He knew Welsh from his university days, and with his MBA degree he seemed to be a good man to partner up with. At first, all was great. Welsh secured funding, ran the books and hired new staff. Peter was happy as long as we didn't have to starve. Welsh however wanted more. When the kingdom began to arm itself against Vanos, Welsh saw a golden opportunity. When Peter refused, Welsh threw a tantrum. 'Unfit for business, unfit for life', that's what he yelled, and then he slammed the door in Peter's face."

Abe: "And he hated Peter so much that he had him killed?"

Eva: "It wasn't even hate. For him it was more like a change in business strategy. Removing the single point of failure from the process. All he had to do was to disable the fuel gauge on Peter's plane."

Abe (full of hate): "A murderer AND a coward …"

Eva: "Welsh took me aside during the funeral, and told me what he did. And that Florence would soon share Peter's fate if I didn't voluntarily relinquish my inheritance."

Abe: "What stopped him from killing both of you anyways after he got what he wanted?"

Eva: "I'm not sure. Maybe my relationship to the royals. I've been living in fear ever since. And I tried to keep Florence as safe and as far away from anything that Welsh controls."

Abe: "Like airplanes."

Eva (agitated): "That he tries to kill me now, after so many years of silence can't be a coincidence. Something must have happened that made him think he can no longer control me. Something must have happened to Florence!"

Abe: "If that's true, you should stay here. Nobody knows you're here. Don't let Welsh know that you're still alive."

Eva: "And then … what next, Abe? What about Florence? And my house? I can't just sit here and do nothing! My life just went up in flames, don't you understand?"

Abe: "We'll find a a way. We're the good guys, Eva. The good guys always find a way."

DIALOG

%HND% Curtain - open

%LIG% LX 3210 - Lights on

%AMB% AMB-1001 - Farm House At Night

%ACT% Mae is sitting at the table, knitting a looooooooong scarf.

%SND% SND-1001 - door opens
%MUS% MUS-1001 - Cue 1

%ACT% Florence and Cal come in, carrying a lifeless Will (stage entry order: 1. Cal, 2. Will, 3. Florence)

Mae: "Florence, Cal, what on earth happened?"

Florence: "Illyan betrayed us! We were ambushed by Welsh's henchmen. They shot everyone down. "

Mae: "Oh my Lord! Will? Will!"

%ACT% Mae jumps up and storms towards Will

Florence: "He's the only one still breathing. Everyone else is dead."

Mae: "Put him on the table!"

%ACT% Mae runs back to the table, clearing everything from its surface with one swiping motion

%SND% SND-1002 - Crash!

Mae: "Illyan, that bastard! I always knew something was sketchy about him …"

%ACT% Florence and Cal put Will on the table

%ACT% Cal immediately turns away, and starts sobbing silently

%ACT% Will breathes

%ACT% Mae shakes Will

Mae: "Will! WILL! Talk to me! DAMN! You two stay here and have an eye on him, I'll get the doctor!"

%ACT% Mae storms towards [7]

Florence: "Be quick, he's bleeding to death!"

%ACT% Mae turns around

Mae: "Then do something about it!"

%ACT% Mae leaves

%SND% SND-1003 - Door Closes

Florence: "Cal, come over here and help me!"

Cal: "What am I supposed to do?"

Florence: "Get me some fresh towels."

%ACT% Florence rips parts of the clothes off Will's body

%SND% SND-1004 - Ripping Cloth

%ACT% Cal searches for towels, finds them, and brings them to Florence

Cal: "Here. What now?"

Florence: "We're going to make a tourniquet."

Cal: "A what?"

Florence: "A tourniquet!"

Cal (aggravated): "They taught me how to make people bleed, not the other way around! What the fuck is a tourniquet?"

%MUS% MUS-1002 - Cue 2

Florence: "I'll fold up this towel and put it on the wound. Now take the other towel, and tie it down really tight. The pressure stops the bleeding."

%ACT% Cal fidgets around (facing away from the audience, conveniently blocking whatever is happening)

Cal (pulls tightly): "Hrrrrrrn!"

Florence: "Good! That's pretty much all we can do for now."

Cal: "How do you know all this?"

Florence (while working): "Father insisted I take the courses. I was the only girl in the class. And the boys beat each other up over who's gonna be the dummy!"

Cal: "Wait! Is … is he still breathing?"

%ACT% Florence puts her ear to Will's nose, listening

Florence: "Shit, shit, shit, we're losing him!"

%ATT% Florence does the puppet version of CPR, while Cal runs around panicking - The script suggests a fixed sequence for readability purposes, but in reality Florence will answer Cal at any point during her routine.

%ACT% Florence puts her paws on Will's chest, and pushes down 10 times.

Florence: "1…2…3…4…5…6..7..8…9…10"

%ACT% Florence performs muzzle-to-muzzle resuscitation, three times

Cal (while Florence goes on): "I am the one who deserves to die, not Will! I am guilty of this whole mess as much as Welsh himself! I used to be one of his men! How could I? HOW?"

Florence (busy): "I'm not giving up on him just yet!"

Cal (while Florence goes on): "Jack and Sly are gone! What is going to become of their families? Their children? Working for Welsh always felt like a game, but suddenly it's all dead serious! I did whatever Welsh wanted to whoever he told me to. I never felt anything for them. But these - these are my friends! I'm such a piece of shit!"

%ACT% Florence puts her paws on Will's chest, and pushes down 10 times.

Florence: "1…2…3…4…5…6..7..8…9…10"

Florence (busy): "Oh will you shut up and stop pitying yourself! This is hard enough as it is!"

%ACT% Cal sobs, and turns away.

%ACT% Florence performs muzzle-to-muzzle resuscitation, three times

%ACT% Will coughs, and begins to breathe again.

%MUS% MUS-1003 - Cue 3 (yes)

Florence: "Yes! That did it!"

%SND% SND-1005 - Door Opens

%MIX% Lynard: ON

%ACT% Dr. Hempwire comes in from [7], staggering, shitfaced drunk. He is clasping a doctor's bag to his chest. He sways back and forth.

%ACT% Mae comes in from [7], shoving and pushing Hempwire in front of her

Mae: "Get in there, move, move, move!"

Florence: "Thank god you're here!"

Mae: "Don't set your expectations too high. I had to pluck him from under a table at the tavern."

Hempwire (drunk): "Why can't a man enjoy his time after work?"

Mae: "Listen, my husband is dying, if you want to be able to enjoy anything in your life after today, you'd better MOVE YOUR BUTT AND DO YOUR WORK!"

%ACT% Hempwire puts his bag down on the table near Will's feet

%MUS% MUS-1004 - Cue 4

Hempwire (drunk): "Okay, lets see … The patient … he looks kinda miserable. What happened to him?"

Florence: "He got shot at. Three hits, one to the shoulder, two to the thigh."

Hempwire (drunk): "Good, good!"

Mae: "What?!"

Hempwire (drunk): "Yeah, no vital organs in there. Does he bleed from both sides?"

Florence: "Uhm … yeah, kinda …"

Hempwire (drunk): "Lucky Bastard."

Mae: "What are you talking about, he's in a goddamn coma!"

Hempwire: "Sure, he's lost a lot of blood. But it means the bullets went straight through. A lot less damage that way, and you wouldn't want me to poke around inside of him right now!"

%ACT% Hempwire puts his nose into his bag, sniffing around.

Hempwire: "*sniff* *sniff* *sniff*"

%SND% SND-1006 - Rustling

%ACT% Hempwire finds an infusion bottle, with a hose already conveniently attached to it.

Hempwire (to Mae): "Ah, yeah. Eh, honey, if you would be so nice to hold this for me."

%ACT% Hempwire hands the bottle to Mae

Hempwire: "Thank you. Now step back please."

%ACT% Everyone steps back

%ACT% Hempwire drunkenly aims the cannula at Will's arm like it's a dart board from way too much distance, swaying back and forth

Hempwire: "Ready, Set … Go!"

%MUS% MUS-1005 - Cue 5 (ready)
%MUS% MUS-1006 - Cue 6 (Go!)

%ACT% Hempwire rams the cannula into Will's arm at an odd angle.

%SND% SND-1007 - Sproing

%ACT% Mae and Florence flinch

Mae, Florence: "Ouch!"

Hempwire: "Bullseye!"

Florence (to Mae): "Good thing he's unconscious."

Hempwire: "A stiff drink gives you a steady hand!"

Mae: "What is this?"

Hempwire: "Shal … shaline sholushion. Not as good as fresh blood, but it'll give the old heart something to pump. If we manage to pour more of this in than blood comes out of there, he'll make it through the night. Now I need a bowl of water, and a bottle of stroooooong alcohol."

Florence: "Okay! I'll get the water."

%ACT% Florence goes to find a bowl of water

%ACT% Mae produces a bottle of vodka from nowhere

Mae: "This is for disinfection, right?"

%ACT% Mae hands the bottle to Hempwire

Hempwire: "Damn straight! Give me that!"

%ACT% Hempwire puts the bottle to his head, and drinks.

%SND% SND-1008 - GLUG GLUG GLUG

Hempwire: "HURGH!"

%ACT% Hempwire falls over backwards.

%SND% SND-1009 - Fall and Bottle Shatters
%MUS% MUS-1007 - Cue 7

%ACT% Hempwire snores

%ACT% Florence stops looking for a water bowl as she sees that Dr. Hempwire just passed out

Florence: "I guess that was all the help we are going to get for tonight."

%ACT% Mae sighs

Mae: "Yes, but I think I can take over from here."

%ACT% Florence hugs Mae (who can't hug back because she's still holding the IV bottle.)

Florence: "Stay strong Mae. Stay strong."

%ACT% Mae hangs the IV bottle onto a hook on the backdrop panel, then proceeds to clean up Will's wounds and replace the bandages in the background.

%ACT% Florence walks over to Cal, and puts a paw on his shoulder.

Florence: "Hey."

Cal (teary): "Hey."

Florence: "How are you doing?"

Cal (teary): "I've never felt so useless."

Florence: "Yeah, I know that feeling. When my life suddenly changed from airplanes to cream puffs, it was just the same."

Cal (teary): "Our only friend out here is dying on the kitchen table, and even the goddamn shitfaced doctor is more useful than me. I used to be strong and in control of my life. Now look at me."

Florence: "For the most part of your life, you only had to follow orders. You didn't give a damn about anything because you didn't have to. But now you do. This is how it feels to care! You're finally taking control of your life!"

%MIX% Lynard: Fade Out

%MUS% MUS-1008 - Cue 8

Cal (angry): "Then why the fuck am I so scared?!"

Florence: "Finding a new purpose in life is a scary thing."

Cal (teary): "So what is my purpose?"

Florence: "Why settle for one? For me, there are many things that give life meaning! Happy ones, like supporting my mother or bringing joy to my friends. Dark ones, like avenging the death of my father. Or simple ones, like just enjoying the day."

Cal: "The only thing I can think of right now is Ortha!"

%MUS% MUS-1009 - Cue 9 (awoken)

Florence: "Then Ortha it is. She has definitely awoken something in you. Something that has lain dormant for way too long. Something beautiful! You know what separates good people from bad people? The good ones can change - and they will always find a way."

Cal: "If there were a way to save Ortha, I wouldn't be sitting here."

Florence: "But there might be! Let's get some sleep. And tomorrow, we're going to make a few phone calls."

%LIG% LX 3299 Lights out.

%AMB% AMB - 1001 FADE

%MIX% Fade Ambience, SFX and Music with LX 3299

%HND% Curtain - close

%MIX% Mute all but Video

%LIG% LX 0099 - Work Light ON (Static Playbacks)