|
Post by Frodo on Jul 1, 2017 9:07:58 GMT
Misthaven…
After walking through the streets for several hours, just trying to get her head around everything that’s happened the last few days, Rebecca’s thoughts slowly turn to… ‘What Am I Gonna Do Now?’ She doesn’t have a job. She doesn’t have a place to live. She doesn’t even have friends now. She’s feeling completely alone.
She clutches her duffle bag tightly, shivering as the wind picks up. She looks up at the grey clouds gathering above her.
As she continues walking, she’s suddenly aware she’s in a familiar street - Oakdale Avenue.
22 Oakdale Avenue…
She hadn’t intended to come here - but here she is, standing outside 22 Oakdale Avenue. She stares at the house. This is where it all happened. This is where it all began. REBECCA: *to herself* Where are you Marcus? It wasn’t easy, finding your house. Where are you? Suddenly, a man appears at the window, and sees Rebecca. He flings open the window, and shouts. MAN: HEY YOU! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING? GET OUT OF HERE! GO ON, CLEAR OFF!!! A woman joins the man at the window - the same woman that caught her here before. They must be married. The woman looks at Rebecca harshly. WOMAN: I CAUGHT YOU SNOOPING AROUND HERE BEFORE, DIDN’T I? ARE YOU STALKING US OR SOMETHING? MAN: BUZZ OFF! WE DON'T NEED YOUR KIND AROUND HERE! AND IF I CATCH YOU ROUND HERE AGAIN, I’LL BE CALLING THE POLICE! The police? The last thing Rebecca needs is having to explain to the police why she’s looking for Marcus Yates. So she beats a hasty retreat. She kicks a small stone in the street, and watches as it bounces ahead of her.
As she kicks the stone again…
CRACKLE
That was thunder!
Rebecca looks up and shudders. Before she has time to do anything, the skies open, and unleashes torrential rain. Poor Rebecca is drenched in seconds!
She looks around, desperately wanting to find shelter. Further down the street, she sees an area with trees, and what can be described as tree-benches. The ground is muddy, the bench is damp, and the tree itself doesn’t offer much shelter. But it’s the best she’s going to find. Rebecca sinks down into the bench, hugs her duffle bag to her chest… and sobs.
It’s a couple of hours before the rain begins to ease off. Rebecca glances back up the street, towards ‘The House’, but she doesn’t want another confrontation with the couple that now live in that house. So she begins to walk in the opposite direction, away from the house.
She decides to find a bus stop, and visit the library again - it’s the only place she can think of that will be dry and warm.
Misthaven Library…
After a bus ride, Rebecca arrives at the library. With her very limited money, she knows she should have walked… but the long walk in the cold rain was more than she could bear.
She enter the library, shivering with cold. A library assistant approaches her. LIBRARY ASSISTANT: Oh, you got caught in that dreadful thunderstorm? You poor thing! Rebecca nods. LIBRARY ASSISTANT: * looks out the window* Well it’s eased off a lot now, thankfully. On the spur of the moment, Rebecca decides that since she’s here anyway, she might as well do some more research on Marcus Yates. REBECCA: Um, I was wanting to do some research on the internet… LIBRARY ASSISTANT: Certainly. The internet computers are right over that way. * points* REBECCA: Thanks. Rebecca heads for the internet computers, and sits down at one of them. Then she starts looking for websites for Misthaven newspapers. Without a phone, there’s no way for her to contact Brendon Weatherly, the reporter that helped her before - had he tried to call her at the motel? She‘ll never know! But luckily, both of Brendon’s newspaper articles have dates on them, which gives her a reference point to start from.
A quick search on the internet brings up the site for ‘Misthaven Chronicles’, a daily newspaper that‘s still popular today. As before, she goes to the Archives section, and starts looking through old editions starting from the date of Brendon Weatherly’s first article. Nothing on that date… or the date after that. But something catches her eye, dated 3 days after Brendon’s article. Unfortunately, there is no picture with this article: Rebecca looks up and sighs. REBECCA: * to herself* Nigel Fieldman from Misthaven Chronicles! Must remember that! She looks at the ‘Contact Us’ section of the paper, and sees a phone number for general enquires… but without a phone, it’s useless to her. She sighs again. REBECCA: * to herself* Brendon Weatherly, where are you when I need you? VOICE FROM BEHIND: Ahem! Rebecca jumps, as she hears someone clearing their throat. She squints round to look behind her, and sees one of the library assistants. LIBRARY ASSISTANT: I’m sorry, we’re about to close now. Do you need help with anything else? Rebecca hesitates. She doesn’t want to leave the library. In the library, it’s nice and warm. Outside, it’s cold. It’s not raining anymore, thankfully, but it’s still cold. And she has nowhere to go. But the library assistant isn’t going to care about that. So she stands up. REBECCA: No thanks, I’m finished for now. With a heavy heart, Rebecca walks out of the library. She knows there’s no way she can afford another motel\guest house, or any type of lodgings tonight. The best she can hope for, is to find somewhere with a bit of shelter.
She finds her way to the bus stop that WOULD take her back to Capri Motel. But what’s the point in going there? Nilo threw her out. So she continues walking down the street.
Before long, she comes to a cluster of shops that have already closed up for the night. Between each shop, is a small alleyway. Rebecca investigates. In one on the alleyways, she finds steps leading to the back door of a shop. Above the shop door is a little canopy, giving a small amount of protection from any rain that would fall down. It’s not much, but it’s better than nothing.
Rebecca curls up on the steps, and tries to settle down. It’s going to be a long night!
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Jul 13, 2017 12:07:11 GMT
Misthaven…VOICE: Miss? Miss? The birds chirp in the morning light. Rebecca feels someone roughly prodding her awake. She opens her eyes, so stiff, she’s barely able to move. It takes her a moment to realise where she is. Then she remembers - she’s in an alley at the back entrance of a shop. Nilo threw her out of the motel yesterday, so she had nowhere else to go. VOICE: Miss? Wake up! She stretches out, and sits up to look at the voice. A policeman is standing over her, along with a man who must be the shop owner. POLICEMAN: You can’t sleep here, Miss. Time to move on. Come on. This man * indicates the man standing next to him* wants to open up his shop. Without saying anything, Rebecca clutches her bag, which she had been using as a pillow, and stands up. SHOP OWNER: *to the policeman* Thanks for your help. I didn’t know what to do, when I arrived here this morning, and found her lying there. Didn’t know if she was a drunk who had passed out, or if she was hurt, or what. REBECCA: I’m NOT a drunk! POLICEMAN: Okay, okay. Just move along now, Miss. Rebecca sighs, leaves the alleyway and goes back out into the street. She leans against a wall, feeling cold, tired, and lost. The street is quite busy, with shop owners opening up their shops for the day, as well as people in the street going about their daily business. REBECCA: *to herself* Come on, Rebecca! You knew from the start, this wasn’t going to be easy. But you can do it! Sleeping in the alleyway is no different than sleeping under a bridge, like you did when you first came to Misthaven. It’s no big deal. Not like you haven’t done this before. Despite her little pep-talk, she knows she needs to find another job soon. So she plants a smile on her face, and enters the nearest shop - the shop whose alleyway she had been sleeping in. REBECCA: *to the shop owner* Hi there. SHOP OWNER: *looks her up and down* Do I need to call the policeman back? REBECCA: No! I just wondered… erm… do you need any help in the shop? SHOP OWNER: No I do not! Please leave now! REBECCA: But… SHOP OWNER: NOW! She’s not going to get anywhere with him, so she leaves.
She tries the other shops nearby, but gets a similar result from all of them. She even begins asking if they know anyone who’s hiring, but gets nowhere.
She continues walking down the street, until she comes to a hotel - Hotel Eden. A porter is helping a couple take their bags inside. Suddenly, Rebecca has an idea - she doesn’t think of the hotel as ‘a place to stay’, but as ‘hotels need people to run them’. She quickly dusts herself down, and follows the couple inside. Hotel Eden…
Inside the hotel, the receptionist is talking on the phone.. Rebecca waits until the receptionist hangs up the phone, then walks over to her. REBECCA: * smiles brightly* Hey there. I was wondering * glances across at the couple with the porter* if you needed anyone extra to help customers with their luggage? The haughty receptionist looks Rebecca up and down, her eyes falling on Rebecca’s duffle bag. She clearly doesn’t approve of the teenager coming in to the hotel like this. RECEPTIONIST: * coldly* No. REBECCA: I’m stronger than I look. I could… RECEPTIONIST: *cuts her off* I said No! REBECCA: … Okay. Um… do you need any help with getting rooms ready for people? RECEPTIONIST: Again… No! REBECCA: How about in the kitchen? Do you need anyone to… I don’t know… chop veggies? Assist the cook? Wait on tables? RECEPTIONIST: Do you know how to prepare Beignet? REBECCA: * thinks* Ben Who? RECEPTIONIST: I thought as much. No! REBECCA: * thinks* You must have to deal with a lot of paperwork. Need anyone to file it for you? RECEPTIONIST: * sighs impatiently* You really are a pest, aren’t you? This hotel doesn’t need anymore staff at the moment. Especially someone like you! Now go on, be off with you. Shoo! The receptionist turns her attention back to her paperwork, dismissing Rebecca.
Once again, Rebecca’s temper gets the better off her. She slams her hand onto the counter. REBECCA: I’M NOT ASKING TO BE A BLOODY BRAIN SURGEON HERE! SO DON’T TELL ME TO BLOODY ‘SHOO’! The receptionist raises a snooty eyebrow at Rebecca. Then she tilts her head, and looks across the room. RECEPTIONIST: Bert? If you please? * indicates Rebecca* Rebecca feels a strong grip on her arm. She looks round a sees a tall man standing behind her. He must be a security guard. The man drags Rebecca to the door, and pushes her out. And with a hefty ‘Don’t Come Back’, firmly closes the door behind her. Misthaven…
Back outside the hotel, she leans against the wall, and slides down to a sitting position. She feels like screaming - that receptionist was so condescending, talking to Rebecca like she was just a piece of rubbish! And she’s getting turned away everywhere she goes - nobody will hire her! If only she still worked at the diner, with Cam, and Anne. But no… Cam fired her. He accused her of stealing. She had trusted him, she thought they were friends, but he turned on her without a second thought. She’s still hurt that he did this. Was he just looking for an excuse to fire her? REBECCA: *to herself* That’s what I get for letting my guard down! Don’t trust anyone, and they won’t let you down. Isn’t that what Tony always said? She sits there for a while, trying to calm down. Eventually, she realises she’s hungry - it’s mid-afternoon, and she hasn’t eaten since yesterday. She pulls out her money pouch, and counts how much she has left - £4.62. She can afford a sandwich. She heads back to the cluster of shops she was at earlier, and enters a newsagent. She selects the cheapest sandwich from the fridge, and goes to pay for it. She’s tempted to eat there and then, but instead, she puts it in her duffle bag, trying to keep it for as long as possible.
She sits down on a street bench near the cluster of shops, just trying to think what to do next. REBECCA: * to herself* Okay Rebecca, THINK! You need to find Marcus Yates. You had a good lead, and possibly an ally, with Brendon Weatherly. But you can’t call him now, cos you don’t have a phone. Likewise, that other reporter from Misthaven Chronicles - what was he called? Nigel Fieldman, I think. Can’t call him either, cos… no phone. If I could get a motel room with a phone, that would be good. But… can’t get a motel room with no money. Need a job. But no-one is willing to give me a chance, and hire me. Well… except Cam. And look how THAT turned out! * sighs* It’s a vicious circle! Feeling at a loss, she pulls out her map, and studies it. There’s a park not too far away. Might be a nice place to sit and watch the world go by. She heaves herself off the bench, and follows her map directions to the park. The Park… As she enters the park, it’s a lovely place, with lots of trees. And she can see a fountain in the distance. She makes her way over to the fountain, and sits down on one of the benches. There’s something calming about the water splashing down. A robin perches at top of the fountain and sings, as if to say ‘Look at me, I’m the king of the castle’. Rebecca smiles.
She watches the robin for a while, then finally opens her sandwich and begins to eat it… taking her time, and chewing slowly.
Tomorrow can only be better. It HAS to be better!
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Jul 21, 2017 8:30:53 GMT
Misthaven Park…
A new day…
Something cold and wet roughly rubs over Rebecca’s face, jerking her awake. She splutters and flails her arms in front of her face, trying to stop… whatever is rubbing her.
Her eyes fly open, and she is greeted by… a dog. A big German Sheppard dog, to be precise. It pants at her, before trying to lick her face again. VOICE FROM NEARBY: Mollie. Here, girl! The dog turns to look at her owner calling her, and trots off obediently.
Rebecca looks towards the voice, to see who was calling the dog, and she sees an elderly man standing nearby. MAN: I’m sorry about that. Mollie just likes to greet everyone. Well… ‘elderly’ isn’t exactly correct. His face looks… early 50s, she guesses. Not very old. But his body language - the way he walks with small steps, the way he leans heavily on a walking cane, the way he holds his head, and his world-weary voice - all make him seem much older.
She sits up, as he walks towards her. REBECCA: Don’t worry about it. * looks at the dog* She’s a beautiful dog. MAN: Thankyou. * smiles proudly* Rebecca holds her hand out to Mollie, and Mollie trots over, sniffs her, then licks her hand. MAN: * to Rebecca* I think you’ve made a new friend there. * smiles* Rebecca pauses. Friend? She doesn’t hear that word very often. MAN: May I? The man indicates the empty space on the bench, effectively asking for permission to sit down next to Rebecca. She nods. MAN: Ahhhh, it’s good to sit down. These old bones are not as young as they used to be, you know. Rebecca looks at him - he seems harmless enough. Although why he decided to sit on ‘her’ bench, she doesn’t know.
Mollie licks her hand again, then looks at the man. MAN: You want a treat Mollie? Sit. Good girl. Mollie sits, and the man throws her a doggie treat.
The man turns to Rebecca. MAN: So what’s a young girl like you doing sleeping on a park bench? Rebecca looks down at the ground. She doesn’t want to tell all her problems to a complete stranger. MAN: Not talking, eh? Not to worry. The man begins fussing over his dog for a while, and Rebecca is wondering if she could just slip away quietly. But then he brings out a harmonica from his pocket, and starts playing. Rebecca looks at him again, not quite knowing what to make of him. But when he starts playing ‘American Pie’, she can’t help but smile. The man stops playing, and looks at her. MAN: Ahhh, THAT got a smile from you. * chuckles* I’m Dave, by the way. And the dog is Mollie. * holds his hand out to her* REBECCA: * shakes his hand* I’m Rebecca. DAVE: So you decided to sleep under the watchful eye of Mother Nature? It can be glorious, seeing the stars twinkle in the night sky. REBECCA: * shrugs* It was alright. DAVE: * shakes his head* Ahhh, I see too many like you. A park bench is no place for youngsters. Life can be cruel… it makes my heart sad. There’s something about this man that Rebecca can’t help liking. He seems… kindly… insightful. He doesn’t pry, but he seems to understand she’s down on her luck. He gives her leg a friendly pat. DAVE: Let me tell you something, Rebecca. When it feels like you’ve hit rock bottom, things can only get better. He smiles at her. Then he stands up with a groan, whistles to Mollie, and continues on his way.
Rebecca watches him as he walks away, still leaning on his cane, Mollie trotting faithfully at his side. He hadn’t talked down to her, or judged her for sleeping on the park bench. So different from most of the people she’s met in Misthaven. She stretches, stands up, and slowly walks over to the fountain. She sits on the edge of the fountain, and splashes the cool water onto her face.
After a while, she decides to explore the park. She leans against a tree, enjoying the natural beauty around her. She takes her time walking through the park, and eventually comes to the exit - the opposite end of where she entered yesterday. As she exits the park, she finds herself in a busy little shopping area. REBECCA: * to herself* Hey, maybe I’ll actually get lucky, here. Maybe someone will actually hire me. * pause* *sighs* As if! Still, she has nothing to lose. And a job would give her the money she needs to find a place to stay, as well as letting her continue her search for Marcus. So she plants her best smile on her face, and enters the first shop. REBECCA: Hi there. I was wondering if you needed any help in your shop? SHOP OWNER: Nope, sorry, not looking for any extra staff right now. The next 4 shops give her a similar answer. But then she enters a 5th shop - a gift shop called Stargazer Gifts. As she enters the shop, the owner is busy sweeping the floor. Rebecca smiles at her. REBECCA: Hey there. Are you needing any help in your shop at all? I’m a good worker, and… SHOP OWNER: * interrupts her* Clear off! * thinks* WAIT! Yeah, I guess I could do with some help. You can begin by sweeping the floor, while I set up a promo stand for the counter. The woman hands Rebecca the broom, then dashes into the backshop. Rebecca sweeps the floor, then goes to see what the woman wants done next.
The next several hours pass by, with the woman seeming to find endless jobs for Rebecca to do - everything from re-arranging the soft toys, to checking expiry dates on the sweet, to making sure the mugs were displayed just so! And even re-folding t-shirts in the backshop. It’s just one task after another, and Rebecca doesn’t stop all day, except for half an hour for lunch.
Eventually, the day comes to an end. SHOP OWNER: Good day, today. We were quite busy. REBECCA: Yes, there was a lot of customers. SHOP OWNER: Well, thanks for your help today. You can go now. REBECCA: Um… *hesitates* SHOP OWNER: Problem? REBECCA: Um… what about my wages? SHOP OWNER: Wages? What wages? REBECCA: For working here all day. SHOP OWNER: HA!!! Again… what wages? You volunteered your help for today… I accepted that help. Payment was never discussed. REBECCA: But… SHOP OWNER: But nothing! Like I said, thanks for your help. Now scram-sce! REBECCA: YOU CAN’T DO THAT! I’VE WORKED HARD ALL DAY! SHOP OWNER: Tough. REBECCA: All I’m asking for is a fair wage. If you don’t pay me that, I’ll go to the police! SHOP OWNER: * shrugs* And tell them what? REBECCA: That you exploited me - got me to work for you, then refused to pay me anything! SHOP OWNER: * chuckles* Exploited? I didn’t make you do anything, you were free to leave at any time. REBECCA: YOU LED ME TO BELIEVE YOU WERE HIRING ME! SHOP OWNER: I don’t recall saying that at any time. Rebecca’s temper flares up again. REBECCA: YOU TWO-FACED, DOUBLE-CROSSING BITCH! YOU OWE ME A DAY’S WAGES! I HOPE YOU GET ROBBED BLIND! SHOP OWNER: Are you done? REBECCA: GO TO HELL! Rebecca storms off. The shop owner had just used her as a day‘s free labour, and there’s nothing she can do about it. She COULD go to the police to report the shop owner, but then it’s only Rebecca’s word against the shop owner. Rebecca had done everything the shop owner asked… for nothing!
Once again, Rebecca is beaten down. Without having anywhere else to go, she returns to the park bench for the evening.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Jul 29, 2017 3:12:24 GMT
Misthaven Park…
After another cold and uncomfortable night on the park bench, Rebecca wakes early, still fuming at the owner of the gift shop from yesterday.
She stands up, and walks over to a nearby tree, thinking of her next course of action. She’s completely lost in thought… then she hears a dog barking. Mollie bounds up, her tail wagging frantically. Rebecca gives a little smile, and scratches Mollie behind the ears. REBECCA: Hey girl. Ahhh, you like getting scratched behind the ears, don’t you? MOLLIE: Woof woof. REBECCA: Oh, to be a dog. You have it easy, I bet. No-one to betray you. No-one to turn against you. No-one to kick you out on the streets. No-one to rip you off. * sighs* Dave soon appears, still leaning heavily on his walking cane. He sees Rebecca petting Mollie, and smiles. DAVE: Ahh, my dear Rebecca. How lovely to see you again. REBECCA: Dave, hi. I knew you couldn’t be far behind Mollie. Rebecca pets Mollie again, and the dog pants happily. DAVE: * to Rebecca* You’ve DEFINITELY made a friend there. * smiles* Come… let us rest our weary bones on the bench. Dave makes his way over to the bench, and sits down. Rebecca follows, and sits down next to him. Even though she only met him yesterday… there’s something about Dave that’s very likable. He doesn’t look down on her, or judge her, like most other people have. And he doesn’t pry into the circumstances of her sleeping on a park bench. DAVE: So how are you on this morning? REBECCA: Meh… had a crappy day yesterday! DAVE: Oh? Do tell? Rebecca hesitates, still not keen to tell her problems to a stranger. She looks over at Mollie, who is happily sniffing something in the grass. DAVE: You know, sometimes it helps, just to vent out your frustration. REBECCA: * sighs* Been trying to get a job. But getting knock-backs left, right and centre! Then there’s this gift shop I found yesterday - Stargazer Gifts. *glances in the direction of the park exit* The owner agreed to me being there… worked hard all day! Then she refused to pay me for the days work. DAVE: * frowns* Oh, Rebecca! That is wrong on SO many levels! I am sorry that happened to you! Dave shakes his head sadly. He falls silent, as though thinking about something. DAVE: I tell you what. I shall give you £5 if you fetch my prescription for me. * smiles* REBECCA: I DON’T need your charity! DAVE: * chuckles* Charity? It is not charity. You would be doing me a favour. It’s a long walk to the chemist, it would talk a lot out of me. But for a young thing like you, I’m sure it would be no bother. Rebecca hesitates. Does he really need a prescription collected? She isn’t sure. But she’s seen how much he leans on his walking cane - and she doesn’t like to think of him struggling to a chemist. REBECCA: How do you know I won’t just run off with your money? DAVE: * smiles* Mollie is a good judge of character, and she has taken a liking to you. As have I. I believe you are trustworthy. Trustworthy? That means a lot to her, after Cam’s accusations! She smiles at Dave. REBECCA: Okay. Where is this chemist? DAVE: Over in Mulberry Road. If you go out the East Park Entrance * points in the right direction* and turn left till you get to the crossroads, then straight ahead. You can’t miss it. * pause* The name is David Woods. Oh, let me give you this note to show the chemist, just to prove you have my permission to collect my prescription. Dave quickly writes a note, confirming Rebecca is acting on his behalf. REBECCA: David Woods? Got it. Be back soon. Dave gives her the £5 as promised, and she heads off to the chemist, while Dave rests on the bench. DAVE: * to Mollie* She seems nice, don’t you think Mollie? MOLLIE: Woof! DAVE: Although it saddens me deeply to think of her sleeping rough on this bench. What tragedy has befallen the poor girl? But Mollie’s attention is suddenly taken up with a squirrel, and she runs off to chase it. Mulberry Road…
Half an hour later, Rebecca has found the chemist. After showing Dave’s note, the chemist hands over his prescription to Rebecca. Back outside the chemist, Rebecca quickly glances around. This is an area she hasn’t explored yet. She must come back here and have a proper look around, after she’s given Dave his prescription.
She’s about to start walking back to the park, when she sees a man walking in her direction, busy reading his paper and not looking where he is going. He bumps into her roughly. He looks up from his paper, and tuts impatiently at her. MAN: Do you mind? You should look where you’re going! REBECCA: Hey, it’s YOU that wasn’t looking where you were going! Not me! The man looks her up and down, clearly not approving off her. MAN: Riff-raff like you don’t belong amongst us decent people. That comment gets Rebecca’s hackles up. REBECCA; WHO ARE YOU CALLING RIFF-RAFF? IF YOU HAD KEPT YOUR NOSE OUT OF THAT STUPID NEWSPAPER, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE BUMPED INTO ME!!! MAN: Tsk tsk, temper temper. Today’s youth show NO respect! REBECCA: What do you expect, when you go calling me flipping names? RING RING… RING RING… RING RING… The man’s mobile phone starts ringing. He tuts again, as he takes it out his pocket, and answers. MAN: * to the phone* Good Morning. Malcolm Young at your service. Malcolm Young? Rebecca will remember that name! What a horrible, obnoxious man!
The man glares at her, then turns to walk away, still talking on his mobile. Rebecca makes her way back to the park. Misthaven Park…
Back in the park, Rebecca finds Dave right where she left him. She sits down next to him, and gives him the prescription. DAVE: Oh, thank you so much Rebecca! You saved me a long walk. Mollie is sitting at Dave’s feet, looking at him, and giving a little whine every so often. REBECCA: What’s wrong with Mollie? DAVE: Oh, nothing… Rebecca notices something lying on the bench next to Dave - 2 large hotdogs, in hotdog rolls. He picks one up, and hands it to Rebecca. DAVE: * grins* I thought you might like a… * pauses* H…O…T…D…O…G Dave spells the word out, and then leans in and whispers to her. DAVE: Don’t say that word out loud in front of Mollie. You know… in case she gets offended. Her being a dog, after all. Rebecca can’t help chuckling. Dave is worried about Mollie associating hotdogs, with dogs being food. REBECCA: So where did you get it? DAVE: There’s a You-Know-What stand next to the duck pond. REBECCA: And where’s the duck pond? DAVE: Back there, behind the trees. * points to a cluster of trees* Dave takes a bite from his hotdog, as he holds out Rebecca’s hotdog for her. She can’t believe her luck - she hasn’t eaten since her lunch-time sandwich at the Gift Shop yesterday. She takes the hotdog and thanks Dave, before tucking into it. Dave smiles. He suspected she would be hungry.
Mollie parks herself between Dave and Rebecca, staring at them both, trying to persuade them to give her a bit of hotdog. REBECCA: * laughs* I think Mollie would like some of this, too. DAVE: Hehehe. Mollie has had her breakfast, haven’t you Mollie. Rebecca enjoys herself, eating the hotdog, and chatting to Dave. He’s such a friendly man. Mollie also had a fun time, chasing squirrels and sniffing various things. Before she knows it, an hour has flown past. Dave looks at his watch, and stands up. DAVE: Goodness, look at the time. I must be heading off now. It was a pleasure talking to you, Rebecca. REBECCA: * smiles* You too, Dave. And thanks again for the ho... DAVE: * interrupts* Ahh-ahhh-ahh REBECCA: Sorry. * glances at Mollie* Thanks again for the breakfast. Dave stands up, and gives a little bow, before going on his way, with Mollie happily trotting at his side. Rebecca decides to go back to Mulberry Road, to look around, and see if she can get a job anywhere. Mulberry Road…
After exploring the area for a while, she comes across a bar - The Craven Arms Bar. Working in a bar can’t be much different from working in a café. So she enters the bar, and asks to speak to the manager. After finishes the drink he’s in the middle of making, the manager comes over to speak to her. MANAGER: So you’re looking for a job here? First up, what’s your name? REBECCA: Rebecca Danby. MANAGER: And how old are you. Rebecca Danby? REBECCA: I’m 18. MANAGER: Have you worked in a bar before? REBECCA: No sir. But I’m a quick learner. And… The manager holds his hand up, meaning for her to stop talking. He thinks for a while, before speaking again. MANAGER: Well, I can’t let you behind the bar, pulling pints. You’re barely old enough for that. But I could do with something to collect the empty glasses, wipe down tables, banter with customers when necessary, that sort of thing. Think you can handle it? REBECCA: * smiles* Yes sir! Thankyou. MANAGER: Okay, let’s see how you get on today. You can start with clearing Table 5 over there. * nods to the table near the window* Rebecca nods, and immediately goes to collect the empty glasses from that table, as well as emptying the ash tray. The thought crosses her mind that this could be a repeat of yesterday - working all day and then not getting paid at the end of it. But she has to put those doubts aside.
As the day wears on, the manager does seem friendlier than the owner of the Gift Shop from yesterday - every so often, he asks Rebecca if she is getting on okay. And when lunch time arrives, he makes sure Rebecca sits down for a proper lunch.
At the end of the day, the manager thanks Rebecca for her work, and then pays her. Rebecca breathes a sigh of relief. It’s not much - she still can‘t afford a motel room, or Bed & Breakfast, or anything like that, but it’s a start!
The manager tells her to come back tomorrow, if she wants another day’s work.
After leaving the pub, she’s surprised at the chilly wind cutting through the air - it wasn’t chilly that morning, when she was chatting to Dave. She shivers, as she heads back to the park for the evening. Misthaven Park…
Back at the park, she looks for the duck pond and Hot Dog stand Dave had mentioned, and soon finds them. The ducks are quacking loudly on the pond, and on a warmer day, it might be fun to watch them. But right now, she buys another hot dog from the vendor, who is just about to pack up for the day. She lucky she caught him in time - the warm hot dog might offer HER some warmth, as well as a tasty tea. She glances up at the sky - those clouds are definitely getting darker. And the wind has picked up quite a bit. Even the vendor says he’s glad to be finishing for the day, cos it’s cold this evening.
She makes her way back to ‘her’ bench, and sits down. She huddles into her coat, as she tucks into her tasty hot dog.
Ten minutes later, the skies open, and rain buckets down. Poor Rebecca is in for another horrible night! The Next Morning… The rain hadn’t let up all night, and even progressed into a thunderstorm for a few hours. Rebecca, luckily, managed to find some shelter in the band stand last night. But several nights sleeping rough, as well as being out in some extremely heavy rain showers and thunder storms, have caught up with her. She sits huddled against the fence, clutching her duffle bag tightly, shivering uncontrollably. She feels dizzy. And she's so cold, she feels like she's sitting on an ice block.
A dog barks, but it sounds so far away… and so hazy.
Seconds later, Mollie bounds up to her, and licks her face. REBECCA: * weakly* Mo… Mollie? Mollie barks again, and goes to the steps of the band stand. Dave appears, leaning on his cane. DAVE: You have found her, Mollie? Good girl! Good girl! You deserve a treat for that. Dave tosses a doggie treat to Mollie, who gulps it down. Dave climbs up the stairs to the band stand, one step at a time, and crouches over Rebecca. DAVE: Oh, Rebecca! I had worried about you, when I heard the storm last night. I had hoped you would find SOME kind of proper shelter. But alas… here you are. * feels her forehead* And you are burning up! That does it! You simply cannot stay out here another night! You are coming home with me, so you can get over this dreadful fever! REBECCA: N…no. I’m fine Dave. I'll be fine. DAVE: You mustn’t argue with me, I have decided. MOLLIE: Woof woof woof. DAVE: * pets Mollie* And Mollie has decided also. REBECCA: … DAVE: I can’t carry you, Rebecca. But again… you cannot stay here. Must I call a police constable? Or an ambulance crew? Rebecca turns her head to look at Dave. He looks genuinely concerned about her. It’s such a kind gesture of him to invite her back to his home, so she won’t have to sleep rough anymore, and she’s touched. She reaches an arm out to the top of the fence, and hauls herself up, still shivering violently. REBECCA: * weakly* Th…thank you Dave. You are the kindest man I know. I’m gon… gonna make this up to you! Even though Dave has trouble walking himself, and relies on his walking cane… he puts a supportive arm around Rebecca. And together, very slowly, they make their way to the park entrance. And from there, Dave stops a taxi, to take them to his home.
At last, Rebecca has somewhere warm and dry to stay.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Aug 2, 2017 5:47:56 GMT
Dave Woods House…
As fever rages through Rebecca’s body, her hazy mind drifts through a land filled with nightmarish dreams… ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rebecca gasps, jerks awake, and sits bolt upright.
She’s emotionally shaken by the dreams. She rubs her forehead, wishing she hadn’t had those dreams.
It’s several minutes later, before she realises… where is she? This isn’t Nilo’s motel, and it certainly isn’t the park bench! She looks around the room - it’s a lovely room! But again… where is she? The last thing she remembers, is trying to find shelter in the band stand.
She sits on the edge of the bed, and pulls up her t-shirt… just a little bit… and looks down at her stomach. Angry-looking scars stretch across her tummy. She touches them tenderly, before pulling down her t-shirt again. She sees her duffle bag lying nearby, on the floor.
Time to find out where she is! She stands up, and opens the door to the bedroom. Wow, the hallway is just as nice as the bedroom! This is a lovely house!
She begins walking to the top of the stairs. Seconds later, she hears a clacking on the wooden floors, followed by panting, and a couple of ‘woofs’.
Then Mollie appears. REBECCA: Mollie? Mollie greets Rebecca with a wag of her tale, and Rebecca pets her affectionately. REBECCA: * to Mollie* If you’re here, then Dave must be here as well. Is this Dave’s house? How did I get here? MOLLIE: Pant pant pant woof. Rebecca heads down the stairs, with Mollie at her side. Mollie leads Rebecca into the living room, then goes to sit by Dave, who is reading his morning newspaper.
When he sees Rebecca, he grabs his cane and uses it to help him stand up. He looks at Rebecca with a big smile on his face. DAVE: Ahhh, my dear Rebecca! Your fever has broken at last. Come, come, sit. Tell me, how are you feeling? Rebecca sits where Dave indicates. She smiles. REBECCA: I feel great, Dave. * pauses* But... my… fever? DAVE: You do not remember? Rebecca shakes her head. DAVE: I found you in the park. Or rather, MOLLIE found you in the park. * stratches Mollie’s head* You were in the bandstand, drenched from the torrential rain. And I suspect it was not the first night you spent in a downpour! REBECCA: But how did I get here, to your house? DAVE: Hoho, it was not easy, let me tell you. It was quite an effort to get you to stand up, and come with me to the park entrance. Then I managed to hail a taxi cab. The taxi driver was kind enough to get you up to my spare bedroom. REBECCA: So… this is your house? * looks around the room* DAVE: Indeed it is. And you must stay here for as long as you wish, my dear girl! * leans across, and gives her knee a friendly pat* Rebecca is touched by Dave’s kindness. REBECCA: Dave… you are AMAZING! * pause* I managed to get a job in a bar near the park. I can’t pay you much, but I can pay you SOMETHING. DAVE: Not at all! It does my heart good, to have a youngster around again. * pause* Anyway, it is good to see you better. I had a doctor come and have a look at you… he confirmed you had a dreadful fever! He also said you were dehydrated, so I had to keep giving you fluids, which wasn’t easy, as you kept drifting in and out of consciousness. But I was able to get some water into. Even some soup, yesterday. REBECCA: YESTERDAY? But how long have I been here? DAVE: It has been… * thinks* 3 days now. Rebecca is shocked. She had no idea she had been ‘out of it’ for so long. Dave sees the look of confusion on her face. DAVE: As I said, my spare bedroom is at your disposal, dear Rebecca. Mollie rests her head on Dave’s knee, wanting some attention. Dave pets her and talks to her, and she wags her tail, and pants happily. REBECCA: Mollie is such a lovely dog. How long had you had her? DAVE: Oh, Mollie’s been with me for a long time now. Suddenly, Mollie’s ears prick up. She barks, and races off to the front door. DAVE: * chuckles, then looks at Rebecca* I do believe the postman has arrived with some post for me. Mollie is convinced that my letters are some strange monster come to invade my home and attack me. She considers it her job to protect me from said monsters. * smiles* I should rescue the post, before Mollie tears it to sheds. REBECCA: Let me get it for you Dave. It’s the least I can do. Rebecca stands up and goes through to the hallway. It’s a funny sight, watching Mollie ready to pounce on the ‘dangerous’ letters as they drop through the letterbox. REBECCA: C’mon Mollie. Let’s get this mail through to Dave, shall we? Mollie cocks her head, unsure if she should let Rebecca near the post. But Mollie is a good dog, and doesn’t snarl as Rebecca picks up the letters. But she DOES follow Rebecca back through to the living room, to keep her master Dave safe from the nasty letters. Rebecca can’t resist giving Mollie a good scratch behind the ears as she hands Dave his mail. DAVE: Ahh, thank you Rebecca. I shall deal with these shortly. What do you say, we have some breakfast first, hmmm? REBECCA: * smiles* I say, that’s a very good idea, Dave. Rebecca helps Dave back to his feet. He puts the mail onto the mantlepiece, them he leads Rebecca through to the kitchen for some breakfast… with Mollie following them, of course.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Aug 28, 2017 21:07:40 GMT
Dave Woods House…
Later that morning, after a VERY tasty breakfast (the best meal Rebecca has had for a long time!), David takes his mail from the mantlepiece, that he had placed there earlier.
Rebecca notices some photos on top of the mantlepiece. Rebecca looks at the photos. REBECCA: Is she your daughter? She’s very pretty. DAVE: * long pause* Um, thank you. Yes, this is my daughter. REBECCA: I hope I haven’t stolen her bedroom away from her, these last few days? What’s her name? DAVE: * hesitates* Her name… is Mollie. REBECCA: Mollie? Like your dog? *looks at the dog* Dave grows quiet for a while, and Rebecca wonders if she’s said something wrong. But then Dave looks at her, with a look of sadness on his face. DAVE: Mollie, my daughter, passed away. REBECCA: Oh Dave, I am SO, SO sorry! DAVE: Thankyou. * pauses* Her death was very hard for me. REBECCA: Of course it was! She was your daughter! DAVE: * looks at the dog* This bundle of fur came into my life after I lost my daughter… and it just seemed like fate. As though I was meant to become her owner. And she has been a source of great comfort to me, ever since. REBECCA: Well, from what I’ve seen, you and Mollie… the dog, Mollie, have a strong bond. And I’m sure you were close to your daughter, as well. DAVE: * nods* She was only 16 when she died. * picks up one of the photos, and looks at it intensely* But life must go on, as they say. It happened a long time ago. REBECCA: How did it happen? If you don’t mind me asking? Another long pause. DAVE: * quietly* She was taken from me. She was murdered. REBECCA: * gasps* Murdered? Dave, I am so sorry! I had no idea. DAVE: And how could you know? REBECCA: Did they catch whoever was respons… Dave puts his hand up towards Rebecca, effectively interrupting her. DAVE: The person responsible was dealt with. But forgive me… it is not something I feel comfortable discussing. REBECCA: * nods* Of course! I understand, I’m so sorry. And Rebecca DOES understand. Why should he want to discuss his daughter with her, when they don’t know each other that well? After all, there are parts of Rebecca’s history she doesn’t want to share with Dave - such as those dreams she had, or her interest in Marcus Yates. Mollie, the dog, licks Dave’s hand, as though sensing the man is in distress. Dave gives a sad smile, and strokes Mollie’s head. DAVE: *to Mollie* Yes, you know we‘re talking about your name-sake, don’t you gal? MOLLIE: Woof! DAVE: * to Rebecca* Now, might I suggest we change the topic to something more enjoyable? REBECCA: Of course! *looks at the mail that Dave is still clutching* Who knows, maybe one of those letters says you’ve won the lottery? *tries to cheer him up* DAVE: * chuckles* Hehehe, you never know, my dear girl. You never know. Dave turns, and slowly walks over to his favourite chair to sit down and read his mail. But Rebecca can’t help noticing, he seems even frailer, after talking about his daughter. And he’s leaning on his cane more than ever. Rebecca bites her lip. She’s been taught from an early age not to trust anyone. But after Dave took her in and nursed her when she was sick… it’s hard NOT to trust him. And he seems like such a kind man. She wishes she could do something to help him. Later That Afternoon…
Rebecca is feeling stronger, after her fever from spending too many nights out in the rain. She’s grateful to Dave, but she knows she should go back to the bar that gave her a job. She NEEDS that job, after all. She checks her map - Mulberry Road (where the bar is) is within walking distance. She tells Dave where she’s going, then heads off.
Mulberry Road, The Craven Arms Bar…
Half an hour later, she’s standing outside the bar, not knowing what to expect when she goes inside. From the bar’s point of view, it must seem like she just never bothered to come back. She takes a breath, and then enters.
Inside, there are several customers sitting at bar tables, and some customers sitting at the bar itself. In some ways, it reminds her of Cam’s diner.
She heads over to the bar, and smiles at the manager. REBECCA: Hi again. I’m back. The bar manager barely looks up. MANAGER: Well, well… look who decided to come crawling back! * snaps at her* REBECCA: … Look, I know that’s probably what you think, but I got sick. MANAGER: PFFFTTTTT! Yeah, right. You take me for a fool? REBECCA: No! * pause* You remember the storm a few days ago? I got caught out in it… all night. And it wasn’t the first torrential rain I was out it. I got sick… I had a fever and was delirious. A friend found me, and took care of me. MANAGER: Boo-hoo! * sarcastic* REBECCA: Look, didn’t I prove I could handle myself? Collecting empty glasses, dealing with rowdy customers and stuff? MANAGER: You did. But you had your chance, but I don’t give second chances! And I DEFINITELY don’t hire stupid unreliable teenagers! REBECCA: But it wasn’t my fault. I didn’t want to get stuck out in the rain and get sick. MANAGER: Tough! Now get out of my pub. You’re barred! REBECCA: But… MANAGER: What part of ‘Get Out’ don’t you understand? *tuts with impatience* REBECCA: * loses her temper, and slams her hands on the counter* WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THIS STUPID PUB ANYWAY? YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY BAR AROUND HERE, YOU KNOW! AND FOR YOUR INFORMATION, SINCE YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY TOO DUMB TO KNOW… I CAN WORK BEHIND A BAR AT 18 YEARS OLD! I’M NOT ‘TOO YOUNG’, AS YOU SAID! Seconds later, Rebecca feels an arm roughly grab her, and drag her towards the door. She whips her head round, and sees Barney, the bouncer, dragging her out. She immediately knows she’s blown her chance of getting her job back. She kicks the wall outside the bar, in frustration.
What’s she going to do now? She walks along the street, hoping to see another bar, or shop, or diner, or anything else she might be able to get a job at. After a while, she sees the gate entrance to the park. The day Dave bought her a hot dog (and spelled the word out)… didn’t he say there was a duck pond in the park? She can’t resists going into the park to try and find it. And sure enough, just as Dave said… the duck pond and the hot dog stand are right next to each other.
She stands there, watching the ducks, thinking what an easy life ducks have… suddenly she hears a voice. A male voice. MALE VOICE: TIA! Instinctively, Rebecca turns towards the sound of the voice. The voice sounds angry. And then… Rebecca turns pale! She sees a man walking towards her. A man she never expected to see again. REBECCA: T… Tony? TONY: Yes, Tony! * looks around* So this is where you ran off to. I should have realised it sooner! REBECCA: Tony… I HAD to come back here. * tries to turn away from Tony* TONY: Oh you did, did you? You thought you could just run out on me? REBECCA: … TONY: After EVERYTHING I did for you? After I raised you? REBECCA: *spins round to look at Tony* RAISED ME? I was your SLAVE! TONY: Oh Tia. You WOUND me! You wound me DEEPLY! Tony puts his arm up to his head, acting as though he’s hurt. But really, he’s more frustrated as losing his slave. REBECCA: ‘Tia, get this’, ‘Tia, get that’, ‘Tia, make my tea’, ‘Tia, mend my shirt’, ‘Tia, polish my shoes’. It never ended! TONY: But you did it so well, my little Cherie. REBECCA: Cos if I didn’t… if I got ANYTHING wrong… you would beat me black and blue. TONY: So this is how you repay me? I took you in, Tia. I looked after you, when no-one else would. REBECCA: I was 6 years old! You found me in the street. I was scared. I wanted my daddy. And you just told me he was worm-food! TONY: So you came back… what… to get answers? You think everything’s going to be all hunky-dory now? REBECCA: Maybe I came back here, to get away from YOU! Every thought of that? TONY: Tia, Tia, Tia. Didn’t I teach you well? You haven’t forgotten our lessons, have you? Rebecca bite her lip and looks down at the ground. Tony DID teach her something when she was 15. She can’t deny it. Something she’s never forgotten. REBECCA: I haven’t forgotten, Tony. If it wasn’t for those lessons, I wouldn’t be able to come back here. But after that… things got… bad. TONY: Let’s not fight, ma cherie. Let’s make up, and be friends again. Tony runs his finger up and down her arm. His other hand goes to her shoulder, and he pulls the shoulder of her tshirt down. REBECCA: * shrugs him off* T… Tony, DON’T! Please! This is the part of our lessons I never liked. I was a child, Tony. Tony doesn’t listen. He pulls the shoulder of her tshirt down further. REBECCA: Tony, STOP! *pushes him away* TONY: Stupid, ungrateful, BRAT! Tony slaps her across the head. Rebecca runs off, desperate to get away from this man that terrifies her so much. The man that found her when she was 6 years old, and instead of trying to help her… made her a slave. TONY: You’ll regret that, Tia. Mark my words! So now we know… Rebecca’s real name is Tia.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Sept 13, 2017 22:43:43 GMT
Dave Woods House…
A week passes. Rebecca had hated telling Dave she no longer had her job at the bar. But Dave had been fine about it, even insisting she remain under his roof. So she stayed with Dave, becoming a sort of carer\companion for him - getting messages for him, taking Mollie out for extra walks etc. He had been kind to her right from the start, so she does what she can to help him out. And now she knows about his daughter, she sympathises with him. After all, they share the same pain - she lost her father, he lost his daughter.
And now she has a roof over her head again, she resumes her search for Marcus Yates. But she keeps this from Dave - Dave and Marcus are from two completely different parts of her life, and she doesn’t want those two parts colliding.
She grabs her duffle bag, and searches through it for her note book, and flicks through it, checking her notes since she arrived in Misthaven. Brendon Weatherly, the reporter that helped her while she was in Nilo’s motel, had said that Marcus Yates had been arrested and that there was some controversy about his sentencing. Maybe Rebecca could find out more the sentencing, and if he‘s still in prison or not? She decides to go back to the library to do some more research.
Misthaven Park…
On her way to the library, Rebecca takes a detour through the park. She likes the park - she likes watching the ducks in the duck pond.
Suddenly, she hears a whistle, and someone shouting her name. VOICE: * whistles* TIA! She turns to the sound of the voice, and doesn’t like who she sees. She turns to walk away. But Tony runs and catches up with her. TONY: OY! What d’ya think you’re playing at? Don’t walk away from me, Dumbass! He slaps her on the back of her head. She grabs his hand and twists it backwards, glaring at him. REBECCA: DON’T LAY YOUR FILTHY HANDS ON ME! YOU GOT AWAY WITH THAT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER AT NOT ABLE TO DEFEND MYSELF. NO MORE!!! TONY: * pulls his hand free* So THAT’S the gratitude you show, after I took you in? All the years I spent raising you, Tia? REBECCA: Pffft! You got a slave. Free labour. A punch bag. * starts walking again* What do you want Tony? TONY: * steps in front of her, blocking her way* What do I want? Who says I want anything? REBECCA: Why are you here? TONY: *looks around* It’s a lovely park. Can’t I just… go for a walk? REBECCA: Why are you here, in Misthaven? TONY: Again… can’t I just go for a walk? REBECCA: Maybe I’ll go to the police. I’m sure they’d love to know how you kidnapped me when I was 6 years old. TONY: Go right ahead, ma cherie. I won’t stop you. He steps aside, letting her walk away if she wants. She does so. But he calls after her. TONY: But of course, I’m sure they’d be equally interested in you. REBECCA: * stops* What’s THAT supposed to mean? Tony walks up behind her in a menacing fashion. TONY: One could ask… why are YOU here, in Misthaven? * smirks* REBECCA: This is my hometown. TONY: Hmmmm, true. But just how STUPID do you think I am? REBECCA: … Tony leans in to her ear. His voice lowers to barely a whisper. TONY: You coming back here… it has nothing to do with Marcus Yates? After all… this is where he… REBECCA: * spins round to face Tony* SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! She doesn’t want to hear Tony saying it. She doesn’t want to hear the words ‘This is where Marcus killed your father’. She runs off, almost in tears. Tony laughs cruelly, and the sound of his laughter rings in her ears. TONY: See you soon, Tia, my sweet. Thoughts of doing research at the library forgotten, Rebecca spends the next few hours just walking through the streets, trying to calm down. Before she knows it, she finds herself at a familiar address. Oakdale Avenue. Marcus’s old house. But the mood she’s in now, she can’t deal with a confrontation with the currant owners. So she makes her way back to Dave’s house. Dave Woods House… She opens the door, and enters the house. Mollie greets her with a wag of her tail, and Rebecca pets the dog affectionately. REBECCA: Hey there Mollie. Hey girl. Dave calls out from the living room. DAVE: Rebecca? Is that you? REBECCA: *going through to the living room* Hi Dave. Yes, it’s only me. DAVE: * smiles* Did you enjoy your walk? Rebecca bites her lip, not wanting to tell Dave about Tony. She sits down on the settee. REBECCA: Um, yeah, it was okay. Um… I was at the park… I almost bought a hot… I mean, a h.o.t.d.o.g DAVE: * chuckles* Hahaha. I must confess, there is nothing quite as tasty as a h.o.t.d.o.g from that stall in the park. REBECCA: I’ll get one for you tomorrow, I promise. DAVE: And I shall hold you to that promise. * smiles* As Dave and Rebecca are talking, Mollie seems to sense that Rebecca is upset. She trots over, and places her head on Rebecca’s lap. Rebecca scratches her ears, glad to have Mollie and Dave on her side.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Sept 29, 2017 8:00:48 GMT
Dave Woods House… Rebecca jerks awake, in a cold sweat. It was a dream! It was just a dream! She’s not in that dark room anymore. But the memories still haunt her, even in her dreams. She sits up, and looks at the clock - it shows 2.38 am.
She pulls out her duffle from under the bed, and takes out the photo of her father. REBECCA: * to the photo* I’m gonna make him pay, daddy. He’s not going to get away with it. With ANY of it! I won’t rest, until I get vengeance for you! Tears well up in her eyes, and she feels too agitated to go back to sleep again. She pulls on her dressing gown, and creeps downstairs, hoping she doesn’t wake Dave. She opens the back door, and goes out into the back garden. She looks up at the moon, trying to calm herself down. The moon covers everything with an eerie glow. REBECCA: I miss you daddy. Rebecca feels a hand shaking her awake. She opens her eyes, and rubs them in the morning light - she must have fallen back asleep, after all. DAVE: * concerned* Goodness Rebecca, what on earth are you doing out here in the garden? REBECCA: Um… I couldn’t sleep. So I came out here for some fresh air. DAVE: In your dressing gown? Goodness me, you’ll catch your death. And you’ve only just recovered from that dreadful fever. Go upstairs and get dressed! Rebecca smiles to herself. It wasn’t that long ago since no-one cared where she slept. Or if she had a fever or not. She stands up, goes inside, and heads upstairs to get dresses. A few minutes later, she comes back down to the kitchen. Dave is sitting at the kitchen table, munching some cereal. DAVE: Ahhh, there you are. Now you’re dressed, I can say a ‘Good Morning’ to you. * smiles* So for breakfast, would you like cereal, scrambled eggs… or you can have the same as Mollie, if you prefer. Rebecca looks across at Mollie, who is wolfing down her dog food. She looks back at Dave, and sees a twinkle in his eye. He tries, and fails, to hide a grin. He was only teasing her. REBECCA: * plays along* Well… as tempting as Mollie’s dog food looks, I think I’ll stick with cereal today. DAVE: Cereal it is then. * passes her the cereal box* Later that morning…
Rebecca’s dream, and her encounter with Tony yesterday, are still weighing heavily on her mind. And the promise to her dad - she won’t rest until she gets vengeance. She HAS to find Marcus Yates. Didn’t Brendon Weatherly say there was some controversy about his sentencing? Maybe she could find out more, at the library. Misthaven Library…
While Dave goes for his morning walk in the park, Rebecca visit’s the library again. She goes to one of the library internet computers, and starts looking for ‘Marcus Yates Controversy Sentencing’.
It takes a lot of searching, since it happened so long ago. But thanks to her previous searches on Marcus Yates, she knows roughly when the trial must have taken place. Eventually, she finds an article which gives more details. REBECCA: Misthaven Prison, eh? Wonder if I can contact them. After some more digging, she finds a phone number for the main switchboard for Misthaven Prison.
She takes a note of the phone number, and leaves the library to look for a phone box. She doesn’t have free calls now, like she did at Nolo’s motel, but still, she HAS to follow up on this lead for Marcus.
As she walks down the street, she manages to find a public phone box. She pulls out some loose change from her pocket, then enters the phone box. She checks the phone number for the prison, and dials carefully. It only rings twice before someone answers. Rebecca’s money runs out, and she’s cut off from the prison switch board. REBECCA: DAMN DAMN DAMN!!! Why did my money have to run out NOW! ARGH! She slams the phone back in frustration. She’s puzzled by what the switchboard woman said - Marcus Yates isn’t at Misthaven Prison? But the newspaper article definitely said that was where he was being held. So what happened? But without any more money, she can’t call back to ask. And she can’t call from Dave’s house, because she doesn’t want Dave to know about her past.
She looks at her watch - the park isn’t too far away, maybe Dave is still enjoying his walk. She decides to go and meet up with him.
Misthaven Park…
Rebecca makes her way to the fountain in the centre of the park. Sure enough, Dave is sitting on the bench next to the fountain, watching the world go by, while Mollie has the time of her life chasing squirrels.
As she approaches Dave, she sees someone bend down and pet Mollie. But the person has their back to her, so she can’t see their face. She sees Dave stand up, and walk (or rather, limp, as he’s leaning heavily on his cane) over to the person, and they start talking. The person with their back to Rebecca keeps bending down to pet Mollie.
Dave sees Rebecca, and smiles. DAVE: Rebecca, my dear. What a lovely surprise. REBECCA: * smiles* Hey Dave. Hey Mollie. Mollie trots over to Rebecca, barks, and wags her tail. Rebecca pets her. REBECCA: * looks at Dave* Enjoy your walk? DAVE: I most certainly did. The person who had been petting Mollie turns to face Rebecca. Rebecca gasps in shock. Tony! It’s Tony! She steps back in horror. What’s he playing at? Why is he talking to Dave? What’s he going to say? TONY: Hi there. I was just saying to your friend, what a beautiful dog he has. * leans down to pet Mollie again* Tony is acting like he doesn't know Rebecca. DAVE: * unaware of who Tony really is* Why, thank you. TONY: I had a dog once, but she ran away. Tony looks hard at Rebecca as he says this. Rebecca gulps. DAVE: * to Tony* Oh, I AM sorry to hear that. I do hope you find her again. TONY: Thankyou. So do I. DAVE: What kind of dog was she? TONY: She was a hound. With some very distinct markings on her tummy. DAVE: * smiles* Ahhh, hounds are a very loyal breed. TONY: Yes, I thought that too. I had her since she was a pup. Just a little orphaned pup. And I raised her… taught her… fed her, took care of her. But still she ran off. DAVE: Well I will certainly keep my eye out for her. What was her name? TONY: I called her Tia. She wasn’t very bright, but she was mine. Rebecca gets all of Tony’s references - SHE was the ‘dog’ who ran away. Dave seems oblivious to this, and Rebecca just wants to get Dave and Mollie away, before Tony gives the game away. REBECCA: * grabs Dave’s arm* Um, Dave, we should be getting back now. ‘Phantom Towers’ will be on soon, and you know how much you like that soap opera. DAVE: Oh, goodness, yes! Thankyou for reminding me Rebecca. * looks at Tony* I’d dreadfully sorry old chum, but I must dash. TONY: No problem. I hear soap operas can be quite addicting. DAVE: I do hope you find your dog. And I shall most certainly be on the lookout for her. Tony gives Rebecca a long, hard stare that sends chills down her spine. Then he nods a ‘Goodbye’ to Dave, gives Mollie one more pet, then walks away. Rebecca is relieved he’s gone, but the whole ordeal has really shaken her up. WHAT IS TONY PLAYING AT???
Dave clears his throat, cutting into her train of thought. DAVE: Come along Rebecca. I wonder if they will reveal who the phantom is today. Dave begins walking, with Mollie at his side. Rebecca follows, her head still spinning.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Oct 20, 2017 3:25:45 GMT
Misthaven…
Rebecca is in town, collecting Dave’s prescription. There’s a definite chill in the air today - winter is coming. Rebecca huddles down into her coat, glad that she doesn’t have to be out in the cold for long, thanks to Dave’s kindness.
She reaches the chemist, and pushes to door to enter. She gets the prescription, and the chemist assistant asks after Dave, and Rebecca promises to pass the regards along to Dave.
She leaves the chemist, and begins the walk back to Dave’s house. It’s a nice street, with lots of benches to sit on. One bench is even occupied - someone is sitting there, with a newspaper held high as he reads it.
As she reaches the bench, the person lowers his newspaper… and Rebecca freezes in her tracks. Rebecca bites her lip, trying not to show her fear. Why can’t Tony just leave her alone? She begins walking again. TONY: Nothing to say… REBECCA? Rebecca stops again, and looks at him. TONY: So THAT’S what you’re calling yourself now? Rebecca? Is ‘Tia’ not good enough for you anymore? REBECCA: What do you want, Tony? Tony’s eyes narrow. He’s NOT in a good mood. TONY: I think you and I should have a little chat. REBECCA: Not gonna happen. TONY: * pats the space next to him on the bench* Why don’t you sit down? REBECCA: Why don’t you go to hell and leave me alone? Tony lunges forward, and grabs her arm roughly. He’s strong! He pulls her towards him. TONY: I SAIDE. Sit... Down! Tony pulls her, until she’s sitting down next to him. He places a hand on her shoulder, so she can’t escape. TONY: That friend of yours… the one with the nice dog. He looks very rich. You’ve gone up in the world, ma cherie. REBECCA: … TONY: What WOULD he say, if he knew you’d been lying to him? REBECCA: I haven’t lied to him. TONY: Oh? So he knows you’re Tia Lovett? REBECCA: … TONY: I thought not. I wonder what the old man would say, if he found out. REBECCA: STAY AWAY FROM HIM! TONY: Oooh, touchy touchy! Rebecca knows Tony is dangerous, and she doesn’t want him to hurt Dave.
Tony’s roaming fingers dance around Rebecca’s neck, playing with the neck-line of her jumper. TONY: Where does he live, Tia, my precious? I bet it’s somewhere really posh. REBECCA: Like I would ever tell you! Tony’s hand jumps from her neck to the back of her head. He grabs a handful of hair, and pulls it down hard, making her gasp in pain. She manages to look into his face, and sees the cold hate staring back at her. TONY: That’s not very friendly, now, is it? He keeps his tight grip on her hair, forcing her head back for a while, before finally releasing her. TONY: You’re gonna tell me where he lives, like a good little girl. REBECCA: He lives at 666 Pennsylvania Avenue. Tony slaps her hard across the cheek. TONY: DON’T GET SMART, NOW! REBECCA: … TONY: He looks rich. Just think about it, Tia. He wouldn’t miss a few £100 here and there. I bet he even has some silver stashed away somewhere. REBECCA: * gasps* You want me to STEAL from him? NEVER! TONY: You’re obviously fond of him… but does he care for you? Could he have taught you the things I did? Rebecca looks at the ground. She’s never forgotten the lessons Tony taught her. REBECCA: … No. TONY: * smug* I thought not. REBECCA: I’m not going to steal from him, Tony. You can forget about that right now! A look of anger flashes across his eyes, and Rebecca flinches, thinking he’s going to hit her again. But just as quickly as it appeared… the anger vanishes. TONY: I’ll let that little comment slide, ma cherie. You just think about what I’ve said, okay. I’m sure you’ll come to the right decision. Tony squeezes her arm hard, stands up, and walks away. Rebecca sits there for a moment, feeling very shaken. Tony still scares her a lot, but she’s not going to let HIM know that.
She heads to the nearest bus stop. She doesn’t want to go straight home, because she doesn’t want to risk Tony following her. As luck would have it, it isn’t long before a bus pulls up. She climbs aboard and sits down, watching the bus door carefully, in case Tony gets on, as well. Thankfully, he doesn’t.
She stays on the bus for a few stops, watching everyone who gets on at each stop. No sign of Tony getting on the bus. She begins to breathe easier. And she suddenly realises… she’s near the train station. She hasn’t been in this area since she first arrived in Misthaven - that seems like so long ago now. She gets off the bus and looks around. There’s a lot of cafes, pubs, and shops around. Maybe… just, maybe… one of these cafes or pubs might give her a job. What has she got to lose?
An hour later, she leaves the last fast-food shop, feeling incredibly frustrated. Not one of those places would hire her. None of them were looking for any more staff… or so they said. And the way some of them looked down their noses at her, made her feel worthless. She leans against a well, clenching her fist.
She shivers, suddenly realising how cold it’s getting. She looks at her watch. REBECCA: Damn, I should be getting back - Dave will be wondering where his prescription is. And it should be safe to go back now, I doubt Tony will stick around in the cold. She makes her way back to the bus stop, still frustrated that no-one would hire her. As the bus approaches Dave’s house, she gets off 2 stops early, and walks back, keeping an eye for Tony… just in case. As she reaches the house, she takes one last look around, before entering.
Dave Woods House…
She enters the front door, and calls out. REBECCA: Dave? It’s only me. I got your prescription. Mollie bounds up, and greets her with an excited bark. She scratches Mollie’s ears affectionately. REBECCA: Hey there girl. Hey Mollie. Dave appears in the hall, leaning on his cane. DAVE: Rebecca? Goodness me, where have you been? Rebecca helps Dave back through to the living room, and he settles back down in his favourite chair. Mollie curls up at his feet. REBECCA: Sorry Dave. I went to get your prescription. Then I decided to go back to the train station. There’s a lot of shops and stuff in that area, and I wanted to see if I could get a job there. DAVE: And? REBECCA: * shakes her head* No-one would give me a chance. DAVE: Oh dear, I am sorry Rebecca. I know it must be hard for you. Rebecca shrugs, hoping her frustration and disappoint doesn’t show. And she deliberately doesn’t mention Tony.
She glances out the window, and sees that it’s starting to snow. REBECCA: Looks like I got back just in time. * points to the window* It’s starting to snow, Dave. Dave looks outside the window, and smiles. DAVE: Brrrr, yes, it has indeed been chilly all day. Snow may be pretty to look at, but not so pleasant to be out in. * pauses* Would you be so kind as to start a fire for me? It will warm the room up nicely. Rebecca smiles and nods. Dave’s house is big, and it has one of those old-fashioned fireplaces in the living room. REBECCA: Sure Dave. She picks up the poker at the side of the fireplace… and something stirs in her mind. A memory from long ago. She dreamt about it recently, and now it’s come back to haunt her again. DAVE: Rebecca? Rebecca? Dave’s voice cuts into her memory, bringing her back to the present. She drops the poker she’s holding with a clunk. DAVE: Rebecca, are you alright? You turned deathly pale as soon as you touched that poker. Rebecca puts her hand to her head, and rubs her forehead. REBECCA: * slowly* What? Oh, yeah, um… yeah I’m fine. Sorry Dave. Dunno what came over me. Dave uses his cane to get up from his chair. He walks over to Rebecca, and puts a concerned hand on her shoulder. DAVE: There is no need to apologise, my dear girl. I’m just concerned about you. REBECCA: Really, I’m fine. *gives a nervous laugh* DAVE: * nods* Even so… why don’t you sit down for a while? You look as though you have seen a ghost. * smiles* I’ll start the fire. Rebecca shivers. That memory was intense! She lets Dave guide her to a chair. DAVE: Anything you want to talk about, my dear child? Rebecca shakes her head. She doesn’t want to talk about her past - she feels like it‘s HER fault that everything happened the way it did. She watches in silence as Dave picks up the poker and starts the fire. She feels guilty - she’s supposed to be looking after Dave, not the other way around. But when she tries to stand up, her body just won’t move.
Mollie trots over, and curls up in front of the fire. DAVE: * chuckles* Are you nice and toasty-warm, Mollie? Mollie raises her head, gives a ‘woof’, and wags her tail. DAVE: Why don’t I make us a nice cup of cocoa? Maybe that will put some colour back in your cheeks? REBECCA: Um, I can get it Dave. Thanks. She tries to stand up, but then collapses back into the chair again. DAVE: Mollie, would you keep Rebecca company, while I go and make some cocoa? Mollie’s tail thumps the floor as it wags.
Dave hobbles through to the kitchen. He’s become very fond of Rebecca, and relies on her a lot. He appreciates her help, and her company. But he realised some time ago that something is deeply troubling her. But he also knows he can’t force the issue, or it could scare her away. He must wait for her to feel comfortable enough to tell him… whatever it is.
When the cocoa is ready, he carries a mug through for Rebecca, then fetches his own mug of cocoa (he can only carry one mug at a time, due to his walking cane). He sits down in his chair, and sips the hot cocoa.
Two Days Later… Misthaven Library…
Rebecca is trying to find another clue as to Marcus Yates current whereabouts. She tried calling the prison again, but she got through to a different switchboard operator, who wasn’t’ at all helpful. Now she’s back at the library, trailing through internet records. Maybe those records would confirm if Marcus is in Misthaven prison, or not. And IF not… where was he transferred to. But to her frustration, the prison doesn’t list inmates. She would need special permission from prison authorities, and she knows she could never get that permission anyway. She can just imagine how the conversation would go - ‘Hello? Yes, I want to know if Marcus Yates is still an inmate in your prison, cos I want revenge on him for killing my father 12 years ago’. No… they would never give her the information she wants. She sighs deeply. REBECCA: *to herself* Come on Rebecca, you KNEW this wasn’t going to be easy! But you CAN’T give up! You’ve waited this long… a little while longer isn’t going to make any difference. Just… have patience! She sighs again, and leaves the library.
Outside The Library…
She walks out the library, trying to think what to do next. Suddenly, she hears someone calling her name. She stops, and turns round to see who is calling her, and gets such a surprise! CAMERON: *runs up to her* Rebecca? I thought it was you! * smiles* REBECCA: Cameron? CAM: * smiles, and leans against the wall* It’s really great to see you again! REBECCA: Yeah, right! * scowls, and folds her arms defensively* CAM: So how are you? REBECCA: As if YOU care! CAM: You’re still angry? Okay, I can’t blame you for that. REBECCA: WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? A big hug, a Kum-ba-yah, and everything is hunky-dory? * angrily* CAM: * pauses* I guess I deserve that. Rebecca… I owe you a HUGE apology. REBECCA: For what? CAM: I accused you of stealing from me. And I was wrong. REBBECCA: * angry* Whoop-de-do, you FINALLY believe me! I told you I never stole from you. But you automatically thought the worst of me! You were SO quick to judge! * turns away* CAM: I know. And I’m sorry. I truly am. REBECCA: … CAM: I tried to find you at the motel, but Nilo said you had gone. REBECCA: * spins round to face him* Yeah, funny that! I couldn’t afford the rent, AFTER YOU FIRED ME! So Nilo kicked me out! CAM: He threw you out of the motel? REBECCA: Like you would care, anyway! Cam puts both his hands on her shoulders. He looks at her with a sad expression. CAM: I want to make this up to you. REBECCA: PFFFFTTTT! Rebecca shrugs him off, and begins to walk away.
Cam rubs the back of his head. CAM: You’re not making it easy to apologise. REBECCA: * spins round* WHY SHOULD I? Did you listen to me, when I told you I hadn’t stolen from you? NO! You were happy just to accuse me! *pauses* CAM: … I know. But I’m also one to admit when I’m wrong. And Rebecca… I was wrong. And I’m sorry. REBECCA: … So why do you believe me now? After all this time? CAM: Marcy couldn’t help bragging to Anne, about how she and her boyfriend set you up. She told Anne how she had sneaked behind the counter when you and Anne were busy serving customers… and how she opened the till and took money, and then hid it ready for me to find. And then of course, Anne told me. I went straight to Nilo’s motel when I found out… but you were already gone… I mean, Nilo had already made you leave, by that time. And I had no idea where to find you! * pause* Marcy and her boyfriend are now banned from my diner, naturally. Rebecca stays silent for a moment, trying to take it all in. So it was Marcy who had set her up? Marcy, who had clearly held a grudge against her. REBECCA: Why? Why did she set me up like that? I thought she quit your café cos she didn’t want to work there anymore? CAM: * nods* It seems she was angry I didn’t want to hire her back again. It’s not that she WANTED to come back… she just wanted the satisfaction of me begging her. She thought she was irreplaceable. And she thought, if she got rid of you, then I would HAVE to beg her to come back. She was sorely mistaken! REBECCA: I’m surprised Anne told you that… since her and Marcy were friends. CAM: They were friends, yes. But you and Anne were also friends, and Anne was furious when she found out what Marcy had done. * pause* I’d also like to think that you and I were friends? REBECCA: * nods* Cam you were the first one to give me a chance… the first one to hire me… the first one to show me friendship. And that meant everything to me. I would never have betrayed your trust. BUT MY WORD MEANT NOTHING TO YOU! The stress from the last few days catches up with Rebecca. The bad dreams, the memories re-surfacing, the frustration over Marcus Yates, the confrontations with Tony, and now Cam showing up again. She feels dizzy. She takes a step back and starts wobbling. CAM: Woah, WOAH REBECCA! Cam catches her, as she faints. He lowers her gently to the ground and kneels down beside her, taking his jacket off to put under her head like a pillow.
A passer-by stops. PASSER-BY: * to Cam* Is she okay? Want me to call for an ambulance? CAM: No, I think she just fainted. She’ll be okay. But it would be great if you could pop into that library for me *nods towards the library* and ask for a glass of water for her? PASSER-BY: Sure no problem. The passer-by returns a few minutes later, along with one of the library assistants, carrying a glass of water. The library assistant gasps, as she recognises Rebecca. LIBRARY ASSISTANT: Rebecca? CAM: * looks up* You know her? LIBRARY ASSISTANT: Yeah, her name’s Rebecca. She comes to the library sometimes, for our internet access. CAM: Do you know where she’s staying? LIBRARY ASSISTANT: * shrugs* Couldn’t tell you. Rebecca’s eyes twitch, and she begins to come round. CAM: Rebecca, it’s Cam. Can you hear me? Her eyes open, and she looks up into the concerned faces of Cam and the library assistant. She sits up, and looks around. REBECCA: * goes red* Well, this is embarrassing! CAM: Hehe, don’t worry about it. Drink this. Cam holds the glass of water from the library assistant, and Rebecca sips at it. REBECCA: What happened? CAM: You fainted. I figure it’s either from the shock of seeing my ugly mug again, or you were just pleased to see me. I’m hoping it’s the latter? Rebecca can’t help but smile. She’s still VERY hurt about the way Cam treated her, but his cheerful sense of humour always did bring a smile to her face. CAM: * holds up 3 fingers* How many fingers am I holding up? REBECCA: 3. CAM: And now? * holds up 1 finger* REBECCA: 1. CAM: * nods* Good. * pauses* Can you stand? REBECCA: I think so. Cam helps her to her feet. The library assistant, seeing that Rebecca is fine, goes back into the library. CAM: Well, this is one way of breaking the ice again. *picks up his jacket from the ground* REBECCA: … CAM: Before you fainted, I was trying to apologise to you, for being such an idiot. You were a good worker, Rebecca, and I should never have doubted you. REBECCA: … CAM: I’d really like it if we became friends again. REBECCA: … I don’t know. You turned on me before… how do I know you won’t do it again? CAM: You're determined to give me a hard time, aren't you? Where are you staying now? I could take you home? REBECCA: I… I’d rather not say. Cam looks sad. He really does regret hurting Rebecca, and falling for Marcy‘s tricks. REBECCA: But it’s 100 times better than Nilo’s motel. So I guess I owe you a thanks. CAM: You’re welcome to come to the diner any time. Anne would love to see you, as well. REBECCA: * thinks* Maybe. I dunno. CAM: Things may have been… awkward between us… REBECCA: AWKWARD? Is THAT what you call it? CAM: … But I’m really glad I bumped into you today, so I can begin to put things right. * pause* Here… let me give you my number again. *pulls out one of his business cards for Pinky’s Diner, and gives it to her* Give me a call any time, okay. REBECCA: * looks at the business card, and nods slowly* Okay. She begins to walk away, but then stops. She half-turns her head to look back at Cam. REBECCA: Cam… thanks. Not just for staying with me when I fainted just now, but for finally believing that I didn’t steal from you. Rebecca smiles, as she walks away. She shouldn’t care what Cam thinks of her… but for some reason, she does. Her name has finally been cleared, and Cam knows she’s not a thief. And for her own piece of mind… she finally knows what happened that day. That it was Marcy’s spitefulness that was behind everything.
She reaches the bus stop, and waits for the bus that will take her back to Dave’s house.
|
|
|
Post by Frodo on Nov 2, 2017 23:51:26 GMT
Misthaven Library…
It’s been 3 days since Rebecca bumped into Cam again, and she’s been in two minds whether she should look in at his diner again. Should she forgive him for turning on her? She hasn’t made up her mind yet. But at least the truth finally came out, and Cam knows she didn’t rob him.
But her mind is elsewhere right now. She’s back at the library, looking online for more clues on Marcus Yates. She knew it wouldn’t be easy to find him, but it feels like she isn’t getting anywhere. She’s still no closer to finding him, and she’s finding it tough to stay patient. She’s looking for anything she can find on ‘Marcus Yates & Dr Jethro Lovett’. And as she searches, she comes across an interesting article about her father. Rebecca smiles as she reads this. She knew her daddy ‘helped people get better’, but she hadn’t known about his Lasker’s Award recognising his hard work, and she hadn’t known about the research grant either. REBECCA: I’m proud of you, daddy. You had such a good heart, you always wanted to help people. She touches his picture in the article, and as she reads through it again, another distant memory stirs from the back of her mind. But she understands now! Her daddy KNEW he was going to die in that basement. And still, his main concern was Tia getting out of there. She closes her eyes, and a tear escapes down her cheek. That memory was like a bolt out of the blue, and she feels like she‘s been knocked down by a freight train! She will never understand why the scary man did that to them. She will never understand WHY her father died. But she WILL get vengeance for him.
REBECCA: * sadly* You didn’t deserve your fate, daddy. She takes a printout of the Research\Award article - this is something she will treasure! But she needs some fresh air now, so she decides to leave the library.
Misthaven…
Outside the library, she looks down at her feet, then starts walking, trying to clear her head of the terrible memory. She doesn’t know where she’s heading, she just… follows her feet.
Suddenly, she feels a strong arm yank her, and drag her into an alleyway. As she catches her breath, she looks at the person who grabbed her. It’s Tony. But Rebecca is in no mood to deal with him. TONY: Hello, ma cherie. REBECCA: * pushes him away* What the hell do you want now, Tony? TONY: Have you thought about what I said? REBECCA: No. What did you say? TONY: We could be rich, ma cherie. Just you and me. REBECCA: * rolls her eyes* Oh yes. You want me to steal from my friend, don’t you? You want me to steal from a man who has shown me nothing but kindness. TONY: Don’t go soft on me now! He wouldn’t even miss it. REBECCA: Let me spell it out for you. I AINT GONNA DO THAT TO HIM! HE IS MY FRIEND! DO YOU KNOW WHAT A FRIEND IS? Tony grabs her by the neck, and backs her up against the wall. TONY: You WILL do what I say! Otherwise, I’ll go to the police, and tell them all about you, little Tia. Rebecca is afraid of Tony. But her loyalty to Dave, combined with her frustration over remembering some of her father’s torture, as well as her temper, give her the courage to stand up to him. REBECCA: You want to go to the police? FINE! In fact, let’s go together. I’m sure they would be a lot more interested in YOU, Tony. TONY: … You try my patience, girl! REBECCA: AND YOU TRY MINE! She spits in his eye, making him loosen his grip on her. Then she runs from the alleyway.
She doesn’t want to risk Tony following her back to Dave’s house, so she jumps on a bus. She holds her breath, until the bus pulls away from the bus stop, hoping Tony won’t follow her onto the bus - thankfully he doesn’t. She leans her head against the window, letting out a sigh of relief.
A few stops later, she gets off the bus. Tony is NOT going to be easy to deal with next time she bumps into him, but she’ll cross that bridge when she comes to it. It’s been an emotional day so far, and Rebecca just want to be somewhere she feels safe. So she begins the walk home, taking a long way round, and keeping a careful eye out for Tony.
Dave Woods House…
An hour and a half later, she arrives home. As she walks in the front door, she’s greeted by Mollie, as usual. REBECCA: Hey Mollie. Who’s the best girl? Who’s the best girl? MOLLIE: Woof woof woof! * wags tail* REBECCA: Yes, YOU’RE the best girl. Dave calls out from the living room. DAVE: Rebecca, is that you? REBECCA: *goes through to the living room* Yeah, it’s only me. Dave is sitting in his favourite chair, reading a book. He smiles at Rebecca as she enters the room. DAVE: Did you enjoy your visit to the library? REBECCA: Yeah, it was… okay. For the first time, Rebecca considers telling Dave her real name… and confiding in him about her past. She hates keeping this from him. But as she glances towards the mantlepiece, she sees the photos of Dave’s daughter, Mollie. One of those pictures really bothers her. That photo has always bothered Rebecca, ever since she first came to live with Dave. But why? Why THAT photo, and not the other photos? She can’t explain it.
Dave sees her looking at the photos. He leans on his cane and hauls himself up to stand beside Rebecca. DAVE: * touches the photos* She would have liked you, you know. In some ways, you remind me of her. REBECCA: I wish I could have met your daughter. DAVE: As do I. * sad* They stand there for a moment, just looking at the photos of Mollie. Rebecca always sees a look of such sadness, when Dave talks about his daughter, and she doesn’t like seeing that pain in him.
The clock suddenly chimes 5pm. REBECCA: * looks at the clock* Why don’t you sit down and rest, Dave. I’ll make a start on tea. Dave nods slowly. Rebecca helps him back to his chair, then goes to make some tea for them both.
|
|