The Script - Alice Tully's Blog
Looking for JJ
By
Anne Cassidy
Adapted for the stage
By
Marcus Romer
Marcus Romer
Pilot Theatre
York Theatre Royal
St Leonard’s Place
YORK
YO1 7HD
+44(0)1904 635755
marcus@pilot-theatre.com
www.pilot-theatre.com
Characters
Alice/JJ/Kate
Michelle/Lindsay
Lucy/Sophie
Carol/Jill Newton/Sara
Rosie
Frankie/Stevie/Mr Cottis
Voices/Reporters/played by the company
Looking for JJ
A room composed of white gauze. We see water rippling on all the surfaces. It is calm. A lake. Berwick Waters. There is a girl on a bed. She has is listening to an ipod. Her white headphones are just visible beneath her dark hair as she lies on a plain wbite bed with white bedding.
The whole room is as if it is fluid and rippling. We hear her music. Tinny at first as if we are hearing it from her headphones. It gets louder and we hear it change to a full sound. The water changes and we get a series of images all over the space. She sits up. Stares at us as the music builds and the images flick through.
Shoes/cat/hand/mud/smile/black and white paper/water/girls faces/hand/fingerprint/man’s face/cake/Rosie/ it is as if we are seeing these images go down a plughole until we are back to the water again.
She picks up her ipod nano. It is white. She takes off her headphones. All the while she looks at us.
The sound goes dead. The images freeze. Her room is visible. It is empty. She has a white macbook on her bed. She open it. The light from the screen lights her face
Kate Its not always the same, not always in the same order. Sometimes its different you know? The pictures, the faces but no, listen to me I’m not mad honest. I just like to get up before the alarm goes off. It feels like you’re getting something of the day to yourself. Where no-one can get you. That’s when I read my messages. Add stuff. See?
We see her MySpace page all over the space. It is all around the room. We see her pictures. Her friends. Her writing and her images.
My time in Myspace. My Place it should be called really. Cos people come over to it. Sometimes for real and sometimes in my head. But I told you. I’m not crazy, not even the slightest bit. I’m at Uni. So they tell me I’m doing good. They always tell me stuff like that. So I suppose you want to come in too? Into here into this place? You want to know what happened right? Well I need to show you around a bit first… Introduce you to one or two friends of mine. Can’t just leap in with all the other stuff straight away. Need to get to know your way around a bit, right? So who do you want to start with. Me? That’s simple. Look at the top. That’s me. Age 18, nearly 19 actually, but I think I look terrible in that picture. But hey…It was taken a few years ago. You want to know my name? Well that’s the story right? Who are you looking for? JJ? Kate? Alice?. Ok I’ll tell you about them all…but I have to get them in the right order. Look its as much for me as anything…you know…the trying to make sense of it all…
We see some images of Alice/hair up/hair down/no make up/with make up/
So Alice. Alice Tully…we’ll start with her
We see the name ALICE TULLY
I don’t like having my picture taken. OK? Had to for the railcard though. And my driving licence. Provisional. And this one was taken by Frankie. On his phone. Its why it looks so rubbish. He looks great though? Don’t you think?
We see his picture.
He emailed this one after we first went out. Made me laugh. He was older than me. He’s still at uni. I think A third year now 20. Not bad eh? Where did we first meet? You see you always want to know that stuff. Look…it was last year…Where was I working? Before I came to here?…it was this coffee place next to the station. The ‘coffee pot’, except they have a machine and you press a button and it just adds powder to milk to make a frothy cappuccino.
We see images of the café overlaying pictures of Frankie
And well one day…he just walked in.
Through a gap in the gauze that allows people to enter from both sides
Frankie Hi do you know what time the next train is to Brighton?
Alice Er…not really – I mean who did he think I was the information desk?- we just sell coffee and pastries. Danish and flapjacks and – I started rambling you know what its like, words just tumble out really badly and you look like a complete jerk –
Frankie Oh its just that I think I missed the last one so I’ll have a coffee please while I’m waiting.
Alice Waiting for what?
Frankie The next train
Alice Oh Yes of course – what did I say that for? He must think I’m a complete idiot! of course he’s waiting for a train – What sort…of coffee would you like
Frankie Oh er just a filter
Alice So those were the first words he really said to me
Frankie How long have you worked here?
Alice A couple of months. Why?
Frankie Just that I’ve not seen you here before. I’m just going back to my parents for the weekend. Get my washing done
Alice Sounds like fun – no I meant it I really did. I mean the going back to your parents bit not the washing
Frankie I’m at Uni here. Just never seen you before and…hey would you mind doing something for me
Alice - Now this did take me by surprise – Sure, anything – Anything? God how stupid
Frankie Can I put a poster up. In the window and leave some flyers on the bar? – counter sorry
Alice Of course what are they for
Frankie A band night, I’m organising. Its on Friday. Next week In the Union Bar. Do you want to come
Alice Yes.
Frankie OK
Alice What time
Frankie It starts at 8
Alice OK – Straight out with it. No messing. Nice one – sugar?
Frankie Sorry?
Alice The sugar, its over there
Frankie Thanks, yeah thanks a lot. I’ll see you there then
Alice Er yeah. Um my name’s Alice. Alice Tully. – He smiled and then he said
Frankie Frankie. Just Frankie. 8 o’clock yeah?
He leaves
Alice I’ll be there – And that was it. The start of it And this picture see, was taken at that gig. And no I’m not going to give you all those kind of details. Well not yet anyway. See I don’t like having my picture taken for lots of reasons OK? Especially not now. Not while people are looking…Not here. Not even on my birthday which was a few days after the gig. Yeah for real. Well it was when I woke up. Rosie was wearing her brand new blouse…
Images of blinds/bedroom/close up of Macy the doll and we hear Rosie’s voice -off
Rosie Here sleepyhead. Come on.
We see her enter
Alice Don’t tell me
Rosie What?
Alice You’re in court today. I can tell
Rosie You guessed it. Smart eh? Here take this birthday girl
She opens the ‘window’ we see light flood in.
Alice Hey do you want me to freeze to death?
She opens a small box and there are earrings inside. We see these images
Wow these are/
Rosie /More your taste than mine eh?
Alice /lovely
Rosie You’re on lates this week?
Alice Yeah
Rosie I’ll be home early so I’ll cook a special meal
Alice There’s no need
Rosie Its not just because its your birthday, do you realise you’ve been here
Alice Six months. Six whole months. I loved Rosie, my room, my own room and the earrings. Look? Yeah? They’re a really good design. See? She got them for me. Chose them. For me and she’s only known me for
Rosie Six months. Doesn’t time fly
She leaves
Alice Yep…and it really did. Which is why this blog stuff. So it doesn’t all get lost. You know in the madness and stuff here so…I don’t forget...so here goes…
We cut back to…
Alice Alice Tully, 52 Phillip Street, Croydon. My address my name. Just like normal. Except its not normal. See I get a card from Rosie, and some earrings right? But nothing from my mum. Nothing and do you know why? She doesn’t even know my name…even she is looking for me. That’s what they all want, and the reason I’m doing this now is have you seen the paper. No seriously. Look at this.
We see the headlines – Jennifer Jones free after six years. Is this Justice? A life for a life
See this. Its always the same stuff they print. Listen to this bit…Should Jennifer Jones stay in Britain? Is she a danger to children…
She reads we see images that underpin the following. Should almost look like google earth pinpointing into a town and then to Berwick waters and we end with rippling water as at the start. It is like a journey back in time
Alice “…A bright blue day in May six years before. The sun was staring down from the sky, but a sharp breeze bothered the bushes and flowers bending them this way and that. The town of Berwick. A few kilometres off the main Norwich Road, It had a high street with shops and a pub and road after road of neatly laid out houses and gardens. Beyond the small school and the park the road led out of the town passed the disused railway station to Water Lane. A row of cottages, eight of them stood in a small orderly line along the road…Three children emerged from the cottages…Later that day only two came back…”
Alice See they missed out the details in that one you know the bits about the Lake being man made and how they drowned some farmland to do it and that there were these cats. You know the ones with scary eyes that look at you. They give you that funny feeling when you see them…yeah they were all drowned too…Ah the Home Office have made a statement look…here in black and white
“Like any other offender Jennifer Jones has been carefully vetted. It was the considered opinion of all concerned that she poses no threat to children and accordingly she was released under licence and is currently living in a safe environment. Any talk of revenge or vigilante action is wholly inappropriate and will be dealt with in the most rigorous manner”
So where is Jennifer Jones? You want to know? Everyone wants to know. And me Alice Tully, well I know and I’ll tell you…See it needs to be done in order for you to get it. I mean properly get it. Not just like the facts and stuff you get in the papers. I mean get inside the whole story. See that’s what this mySpace is all about. Pics, Stories, postings. Got to be careful see. The world is a bad place out there and you don’t want to go letting people know all your personal info right? Well same for me so here I can let you know the good stuff. So you know me, and Frankie and I lived with Rosie. Then one day – not too long ago this guy comes in. You know the type thinks he looks great yet can’t see that he is old bald and got a greasy ponytail. Nice.
We see his images and the coffee shop
He always wanted a…
Man Cappuccino and a large muffin
Alice He would stay about ninety minutes
Man Making notes. And just thinking
Alice And looking
Man And writing
Alice See that day, the first day I saw him I’d had a bit of a run in with Frankie. So I was what’s the word? – preoccupied that’s it …You know thinking stuff over. In my mind and everything. You know how you go over conversations? Like press the rewind button and go over them again and again. It was about something stupid too
Cut to
Frankie You were late
Alice I was getting my hair cut, and the appointment ran over – not true – but he didn’t know that
Frankie I thought you were going to grow it
Alice I never said I was
Frankie You look like a boy
Alice I like it short – well I had it long as a child and – Yeah I do!... he just sat there moping – Look shall I get a takeaway?
Frankie Well…
Alice I’ve got some cash. Then he did that thing. You know that annoying boy thing
He comes up behind her and gives her a squeeze
Alice Ow get off!
Frankie Come on, don’t lets argue
Alice I thought you had some work to do
Frankie It can wait, but I can’t
Alice Well I can.
She moves away from him
See annoying. Yes I wanted to. But not yet I only just met him and then I was going over the whole scene in my head when the muffin man got up and left and as I went over to clean his table there was a scrap of paper on it. Covered in doodles but clearly in the middle were three names
Jennifer Jones
Michelle Livingstone
Lucy Bussell
They had lines under each one. He’d been thinking about them. The three girls names. The ones who had set out from the house that bright May morning. Plastered over the papers for months. Yet only one had remained famous. Jennifer Jones. JJ. He was looking for JJ. If only he knew he had found her… You see if he knew, if anyone knew that they were centimetres away from Jennifer Jones, JJ, the girl from Berwick who had spent six years in prison for murder, what would they say? Well what would you say? Yeah? So you know what I did? Wiped the counter, took off my overall and stepped out of the shop and didn’t turn back, not even a glance…and went straight back to the flat. To Rosie’s…
Rosie See of course people will be looking for JJ. But they think she has just been released see? Not working in a coffee shop in Croydon for 6 months. But there will always be people looking
Alice Always. That’s why you’re here isn’t it?
Rosie We need to have a chat
Alice Have you ever had a murderer staying with you before?
Rosie Alice
Alice JJ
Rosie Come here
Alice You going to ring Jill?
Rosie I think we ought to do you?
Alice Jill Newton. Thin. Probation officer. She planned all this. You know the identity the job. Rosie. Everything. Three girls/
Rosie The media are looking for a girl who has just arrived in the community/ You’ve been around for six months
Alice /Only two came back
Rosie Eat up.
Alice Why?
Rosie Because I need you too
Alice Everybody always needs something from somebody. That’s the deal now. Its just the way it is
Rosie So what if this detective or whoever he is cones back in, what’s he going to say?
Alice That the game’s up?
Rosie He doesn’t know your new name! He has no photographs of you. He thinks Jennifer Jones has just arrived. He can ask anyone he likes but no-one will be able to point at you.
Alice Homemade biscuits. She always made them in times of crisis. First time I met her she brought a big tupperware box full of them. It was when I was leaving Monksgrove…Before I was called
Jill Alice Tully
Rosie Pleased to meet you Alice.
Jill This is Rosie Sutherland
Alice Hi
Rosie Would you like one of these I baked them specially. I’ve heard a lot about you Alice
Alice I’ve just taken my A’levels and I got three B’s
Rosie That’s wonderful
Alice And I’ve got a place, and I’m going to take a year out first
Rosie Very wise. Do you cook?
Alice Me? No chance
Rosie Well I’ll teach you then
Alice Warm, always warm. Like the sun, you know when it hits the back of your neck on a summer’s day. A new start...thats what they called it…
Jill A new start. We are going to let you leave Monksgrove in January.
Rosie And move in with me
Alice Who will know about this?
Jill Just the three of us. No-one else. It will give you a good six months
Rosie To find your feet
Jill After living in such a closed community
Rosie You need time
Alice To settle in
Jill And get used to the placement
Alice Freedom. My own room and a new name
Jill Alice?
Alice Sorry? Oh yes sorry…It took a bit of getting used to. I still had to close my eyes and say it a couple of times each day - just to remind myself that I am who I think I am. Alice. Alice. Alice.
Cut back to
Rosie So why would he come here? To Croydon. He has no idea whether you live here or in York or Newcastle or wherever
Alice I know. I lied I lied to her…see I knew why. I knew why he had come. And it was all my mum’s fault. Again. It just was
Rosie I mean why would anyone choose Croydon?
Alice A birthday card. With a stamp on it. Sent. In a moment of madness. To my mum. Postmark? Croydon. Shit!. So that was the start of it really. My mum…Carol Jones…nightmare
Rosie You seeing Frankie tonight?
Alice Er..oh? Sorry yes
Rosie You won’t be late eh?
Alice Course not
Rosie Soft drinks only eh?
Alice Of course…Mum!!...She knew that I drank beer and wine. I knew that she knew. It was one of those things you do. You know with so called grown ups. You let them believe you still believe. Its like when you are little and you know that there’s no tooth fairy or Santa. Its yer mam and that bin liner in the airing cupboard has got stuff in it for you. Its part of the contract, the deal yeah? You pretend for them - It makes ‘em feel better
Rosie You know the rules
Alice You know I don’t touch the stuff. See perfect! Not with my hands anyway. Goes straight in here (her mouth).
Rosie Back at eleven. OK?
Alice Twelve?
Rosie Nope. Deal? Or/
Alice /No deal!
Rosie Exactly.
Alice So what you doing tonight?
Rosie Sara is coming round
Alice Who?
Rosie The teacher, you know, the woman who moved in below us. She’s coming over we are going to have a girly night
Alice Doesn’t she have a partner?
Rosie Nope. Footloose and fancy free
Alice Like you?
Rosie Alright don’t rub it in!
Alice What does she teach?
Rosie Primary kids – 7 to 8 year olds. So we’ll be having a real old laugh tonight then!...Don’t be late
Alice I won’t…You see Rosie cares. She still does and when I found the poster. You know the ones don’t you. The missing ones, the ‘Have you seen this girl’ poster. The one on the tree outside the Coffeepot I knew we were in trouble. Big trouble
We see the poster image
Have you seen this girl
A photo of Alice
Her family long to hear from her
Last seen in the Croydon Area
Reward of £100 for any information
Alice Those words. Have you seen this girl? Still haunt me. Reminds me you know?...I could see the reporter’s face on the TV all those years ago. Standing by Berwick Waters. His face looking seriously at the camera
Voice Have you seen this girl?
Alice Only JJ knew the answer and she wasn’t going to tell.
Rosie Alice?
Alice Hmm?
Rosie We need to go home. We’ll contact Jill. She’ll put a stop to this
Alice Jill Newton…see it goes round in a circle again
(Jill Newton appears)
Jill Newton Alice, great to see you. Would you like a drink? Coffee?
Alice (shakes her head) Well would you after working all day in a coffee shop?
Rosie Come on Alice, we need to get this sorted
Jill Newton How’s the job?
Alice Its OK, a bad couple of weeks though
Jill Newton Listen, I’ve had a message that your mother is trying to get in touch with you. She says that you sent her a birthday card. Is it true?
Alice (nods)
Jill Newton Your mother has taken this as a sign you want to re-establish contact with her. Is this the case? Do you want to see her?
Alice (Shakes her head) Well that’s what they wanted me to say
Jill Newton That’s what I thought. Look sending her a card /wasn’t exactly the best thing to do
Alice /Wasn’t exactly the best thing to do. My life is full of those things now. More than ever
Jill Alice, love. We had this plan, that you would live in total secrecy for a number of years. This would give you a chance to sort out a normal life
Alice Normal?
Jill Newton To live in the community, go to University, to get a job, find a partner and maybe have a family of your own
Alice Fat chance
Jill Newton But…this means total anonymity. There are only three people who know…
Alice You, me and Rosie…It sounded good. You know a new life. A new start, like being born again – no not like that – but you know what I mean
Jill Newton We are all people you can trust
Alice Yep unlike her…Carol Jones
Jill Newton Your mother and others from your past will have to be left behind. Maybe not for always, maybe ten years down the line when you’re established you could consider some contact with your mother
Alice In ten years I’ll be 27.
Jill Newton Now this business in Croydon we have two options – contacting a judge and set up an exclusion order.
Alice You mean stop that detective coming anywhere near me?
Jill Newton If we do this it will, no doubt, lead back to the dead girl’s parents
Alice The words just tumbled out of her mouth.
Jill Newton Dead Girl
Alice See they just came out of her mouth like she was ordering a pizza. The Dead girls name was/
Jill Newton /But if we do contact a judge
Alice Her lips were making movements
Jill Newton The press will certainly get hold of the story
Alice Sounds were coming out, but they couldn’t drown out the buzzing in my head. Dead Girl
Jill Newton It will show them they’ve stumbled on your whereabouts
Alice Sounds, water, splashing
Jill Newton It means that you have to move on from Croydon
Alice Dead girl…
Jill Newton We might have to find another placement for you
Alice (Shakes her head) No…
Jill Newton The second possibility is that we simply ignore it. A lack of reaction from you and this detective will think he is looking in the wrong place.
Alice They all looked in the wrong place
Jill Newton After a while he’ll move on
Alice Like she did
Jill Newton He’ll suspect the card you posted to your mother…
Alice Carol Jones – smiling face
(We see her mum’s face)
Jill Newton …was posted by someone else, somewhere far away from where you live
Alice I’m so sorry. Why on earth did I send that card to my mum?
Jill Newton Look we’ve arranged a special phone for you. You mustn’t let anyone else have the number. Its just so you can contact me. OK?
Alice Nokia
Jill Newton The detective will get tired of looking
Alice 2310. Silver.
Jill Newton He’ll give up when his pay stops coming in.
Alice Vodafone. Pay as you go
Jill Newton Then you can get back to normal
Alice She hugged me. I waited for the train. The cold wind . The feel of the shiny new phone in my pocket…it was all these things, you know what I mean by the little things in life? Well this was it the new start and all that…but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I still can’t. Her smile her face. That face that stared down from the wall in our front room. Carol. A beautiful photograph being bundled up and put into the back of a van…the cold wind on that day. The same every time. The pictures…six years before. Dirty snow on the ground. Mum and I carrying suitcases. Large suitcases from the flat in Norwich…
Cut to
Carol Hurry up Jennifer
Alice Jennifer. Jennifer Jones. JJ…Get it? - Yes mum! I’m coming
Carol Did you pack everything you need?
Alice I’ve got Macy. She’s here
Carol Quick let’s get going
Alice Macy. The catwalk queen. Like my mum. Beautiful and always in a hurry…we were going somewhere new
Carol Berwick Waters
Alice Sounds pretty
Carol Oh it is love, it is. Just like you
Alice Mum…
Carol it’s a lovely sounding place don’t you think?
Alice Water lane?
(We see the row of houses – like the ones in Grosmont)
Black plastic bin liners – full of clothes…shoes sticking out of one of the bags. Ripping the plastic and poking through. The cottage looks smaller on the inside than it does outside?
Carol Hurry up it’s freezing in here
Alice Shall I put the fire on?
Carol No use love, no power till midday that’s what they said
Alice Mum was with Danny then. A big bloke with tattoos on his hands. I remember what he smelled of…
Carol Fish and chips?
Alice That’s it…What?
Carol For tea, here’s some money there’s a fish shop on the high street
Alice Can I take Macy?
Carol Who? Oh that doll, of course you can love. Take her and play out
Alice She’s not a toy. You don’t play with her. You just have her near and touch her hair…Then I saw her…Through the window…out there! a small girl ran into the garden of the house next door…She was about my age. She turned and touched the fence and ran back again as if in a race with an invisible friend… She stopped and looked at me. Her eyes staring and burning at me…Michelle…Michelle Livingstone that was her name. Her best friend was Lucy – Lucy Bussell and they lived on Water Lane…Berwick Waters…Both of them looking at me staring at me…We see them and their images seem to melt away…That sound came again. You know what I mean the scary sound…coming from upstairs…
We hear Carol and Danny upstairs in the bedroom
Carol I told you to stay downstairs!
Alice I’m sorry
Danny (voice) Get her out of here
Alice I’m sorry
Carol I’ll make it up to you later. I promise
Alice That’s what she always said. Her thin body the rose tattoo on her shoulder, the smile to the camera. She could turn it on alright. Her face…You want to know how long it is since I’ve seen her? Its five years. And you know what It seems like a lifetime.
We see Carol’s face it merges into a picture of JJ and is the poster again
Cut to…
Frankie What’s this?
Alice Oh its nothing
Frankie Have you seen this girl?
Alice Yeah she’s over here. I wanted him to stop looking at the poster
Frankie There’s a reward. Nice one eh?
Alice How much
Frankie Parents are distraught – good word that distraught– cash reward hundred quid
Alice Not much for a life
Frankie What do you mean?
Alice Its not much
Frankie Buy us plenty of beer though eh? Wonder what she’s done
Alice Nothing…probably
Frankie Looks like she’s from a home or something
Alice What do you mean?
Frankie She’s got that look
Alice Its too blurry to tell. Anyway what we doing tonight?
Frankie Got any ideas?
Alice Loads…See he’d just bought me this. (She gets it out of a box – a necklace) I don’t wear it now I’m not allowed to. Its got Alice written on it…See?
We see the necklace
Frankie Do you like it?
Alice Its beautiful
Frankie You’ve got a lovely neck. You should wear things that show it off more
Alice This is brilliant
Frankie (goes to kiss her) Hey…what’s the matter?
Alice Nothing…its just…Rosie might come back any minute
Frankie Not here because of Rosie. Not at my place cos of my flatmates. Where then? Are you trying to tell me something?
Alice No..its just
Frankie What? Don’t you love me any more?
Alice Hey…don’t be pathetic…It’s not you…its…look the truth is I’ve not done anything like this before
Frankie You’re a virgin?
Alice (Nods her head)
Frankie But you’ve had other boyfriends before?
Alice Yes - Another lie
Frankie And you never?
Alice Not ever…
Frankie Well you’re right. We should wait for the right moment. Its got to be really special. But for now…I think I need another shower. A cold one
Alice Sorry…(He goes) Seem to spend my life apologising at the moment. I’m sick of it…see people start tumbling in now. Knocking on my door wanting a piece of me…Its been like this for ever now…
Knocking cut to…
Sara Hi Alice?
Alice Who is it
Sara Sara, from downstairs. I collected this package for Rosie
Alice Thanks. No school today?
Sara I’m having a duvet day. I’ve had enough of badly behaved kids to last a lifetime
Alice Oh…Right
Sara How are you feeling?
Alice What do you mean
Sara Oh Rosie said you had been out of sorts this week
Alice Oh no I’m fine thanks…I wanted to tell her to mind her own business.
Sara You’re so thin! Its so unfair, I mean I spend all my time running about
Alice Oh…
Sara In the classroom I mean and look at me!
Alice Well…
Sara Tell Rosie I called
Alice And that was that. You see I should have known then, but you gnever do, do you? See the picture, you know the one the detective was sticking round the place? Well that was taken a long time ago…well three years actually. At Monksgrove…And yeah Frankie was right, it is a kind of home. But one where they don’t let you go out if you know what I mean. Oh yes its very secure…Dyed my hair since see? Yeah and cut it. Well had no choice really…Frankie…Why? Why. It should have been so easy.
Cut back to Uni Bar
Voice Are you a student?
Alice No I’m starting at uni in September?
Sussex – no I’m on a gap year, yeah that’s right…
Frankie My mum wants you to come and stay with us for a week
Alice What?
Frankie In Brighton in August…I could show you around maybe look at the Sussex campus. It’s not that far
Alice That’s really nice of her
Frankie Hey I want you to come. We can spend a lot of time together. You can meet my little sister
Alice Sophie?
Frankie She’s a pain. You know what 10 year olds are like
Alice Kinda
Frankie Anyway I’ve got my own room in the loft - with a double bed
Alice Oh
Frankie Its like a tiny apartment, I think they were trying to get rid of me!
Alice Then I saw him…the guy you know the one with the greasy ponytail
Voice Derek Corker, Private Detective. Excuse me have you seen this girl?
Alice (to Frankie) Come here
Frankie Yeah?
Alice (She kisses him)
Frankie Whoa! What have I done to deserve this?(They continue to kiss)
Voice Who’s he looking for?
Voice Some missing kid. Used to go out with a student or something
Voice That’s her business
Voice I wouldn’t tell em nothing even if I knew where she was
Voice Even if he offered you money?
Voice Nah not me
Voice How much
Voice I only see him offering tenners
Frankie How much would you take to grass on someone?
Alice I wouldn’t
Frankie Yeah but surely her parents have a right to know
Alice How do you know?
Voice They just do
Frankie Yeah, say if it was my sister my mum and dad would be going ape
Alice I need the toilet
Voice Don’t I know you
Alice You know that feeling? Like freezing cold and your head starts to spin
Voice I said don’t I know you?
Alice Its like there’s a whole kind of whirring noise inside your head
Voice Know you?
Alice …er I don’t think so - And it seems to last for ever but in fact
Voice Yes I do…the Coffee Shop
Alice It doesn’t, it’s a very short time indeed - er of course. Latte and a danish right?
Voice Smart cookie. Just wondered if you’ve seen this girl
Alice Er no
Voice You haven’t seen the photo yet
Alice No I’ve seen the ones you left on the table – over there – my heart was almost jumping out of my chest
Voice Well if you do. Here’s my number
Alice Thanks Mr…
Voice Corker, Derek Corker
Alice That stupid name. Stupid ugly stupid name. Stupid idiot name
Frankie Hey. You OK?
Alice I’ve got to go
Frankie Why
Alice You know (holds her stomach)
Frankie Er Ok I see. But hey will you still come?
Alice To Brighton?
Frankie Of course! What else?
Alice Cheeky…of course - if Rosie lets me
Frankie She’s like the mother from Hell.
Alice She’s not
Frankie What about your own mum? What was she like?
Alice Like a bolt. I stood there and looked him straight in the eye. She was a model. Really glamorous. Still is I suppose – but I don’t see her any more. See an honest answer. Something Alice didn’t have to lie about…
We see Carol getting ready
Alice What job are you on today, Macy?
I’m doing a fashion show. On a catwalk. Wonderful
We see Carol
See when she picked me up from school it was like floating on a cloud, her hair, her clothes, beautiful- all the kids were jealous. She was a model see? She didn’t look like any of the other mums. She had photos, professional photos…and Macy well she had her own outfits as well…Sometimes we’d play all night as mum would get back really late sometimes early in the morning when it was time for school…Its tiring being a model and mum would be in bed… a lot – she got tired see
Carol What time is it? I must’ve slept for hours. Thanks for not waking mummy up…Its too late for school now, you’ll have to stay at home today
Alice Those were the best days. When she didn’t have the headaches and the curtains drawn. Then I think I was about ten…it started to change
Carol Mummy is waiting for some more work love that’s all. As soon as it comes in I’ll make it up to you
Alice Yeah? Will we have a holiday?
Carol I promise
She starts getting changed
Voice is that of Rosie
Voice Did your mum abuse you?
Alice No
Carol Just need to get some more modelling work, you know
Voice Did she hit you?
Alice No
Carol All I need is to get my foot back in the door
Voice Did she hurt you?
Alice No…well not on the outside
Carol I want you to do something for mummy
Alice No
Voice What about all the men she knew?
Voice Did any of them touch you?
Alice No
Carol Just for a while
Alice I don’t want you to go
Carol Well you’ll need to stay here
Alice On my own
Carol You’re a big girl now aren’t you?
Alice Am I allowed to watch a video?
Carol Course love. Here are some crisps and some pop
Alice She didn’t actually abuse JJ
Carol Now don’t touch anything you shouldn’t. OK? Look I’ll have to run
Alice Just those days she went got longer
Carol I’ll be back in the morning
Alice It was that she simply deserted her…
Carol Good girl
Alice …abandoned her
Carol leaves
See its five years since I’ve seen her. This one photo. The one here is the only one I’ve got…
We see the crumpled photo image she keeps
Cut back to
Frankie Alice?...Alice! Thought you were giving me a hand packing
Frankie packing to go to Brighton
Alice How long till your dad gets here? (She goes to hug him)
Frankie (Ignoring her) …About an hour
Alice What’s the matter?
Frankie Well I’m going to be back home for a whole ten weeks and I thought you’d be here a bit earlier.
Alice You know…work stuff
Frankie Whatever
She kisses him and we hear her mobile ring tone
Alice Oh I’m sorry.
We see the screen. It says Jill Newton
Alice Its Ok I need to take it in the hall. Shit! Jill Newton.
Jill Newton Alice how are you?
Alice Is anything wrong?
Jill Newton Good news. We have managed to get a story into the papers about you
Alice What?
Jill Newton No listen, we were able to leak a story that you had been placed
with an English family in Holland
Alice But why?
Jill Newton Once the press get hold of this they won’t bother looking for you over here.
Alice The detective will back off
Jill Newton If you’re not in England there’s no point. You can get with being Alice. Go to Uni, everything.
Alice You know when you feel like you can fly? Its like when you’re told someone you love has the all clear or someone says yes they will go out with you…That was then.
Jill Newton Alice. The papers will soon forget about JJ
Alice Forget. It’s such a simple word, you know as if your brain could wipe something clean, erase it, delete it like on a computer. The silly small things of life forgotten…a birthday card, an overdue library book a tube of toothpaste…they were easy. In the trash and away…but the big things they were ingrained in the back up memory in the blood and fibres. They were hard wired in. They would always be there… memories…pictures flickered…
We see these images
the three girls…a hole dug in the ground…the skeletal face of a feral cat…the splashing of water…the sight of blood, like a shocking red rose blooming from a child’s head. I can never forget, I won’t ever forget. Not now
cut back to
Frankie Who was it?
Alice Who? Oh er just work. Wanted to know about the…milk order
Frankie Tell me the truth
Alice I am
Frankie You’re seeing someone else aren’t you?
Alice Of course I’m not
Frankie You’re always late or having to leave early or on that bloody phone to someone. Work? Yeah right. Why don’t you just tell me straight?
Alice I’m not seeing anyone else Frankie. You just have to believe me. His eyes were that deep blue like water. You know the ones you could just dive into. You see I’ve never met anyone like you before.
Frankie I’m sorry. I just want you all for myself. I can’t help it
They embrace
Alice Poor Frankie. He didn’t know it wasn’t possible to own people…JJ knew that a long time ago…At my gran’s house…See when the modelling work stopped coming in mum locked herself in her bedroom for days
Cut to
Carol Sorry love mum’s not feeling too well today
Voice You need her to come and stay with me?
Alice Gran?
Voice Til you’re better?
Carol Please Mum
Alice But I don’t want to
Voice You ungrateful little girl. Do you hear me
Alice Yes
Voice You have to stay with me
Alice And Nelson her horrible yapping dog
Voice She’s never been able to look after you properly
Alice Yapping and silences. Me and Gran and the dog with one eye.
Voice Here Nelson! Look who’s here to stay
Alice I want my mum
Carol Just a little while longer love
Voice Hope you’re not making a mess up in that room
Alice I hate you. Days…weeks…months…You can’t do anything to stop her going…over and over
Carol Just a little while longer
Voice Look I can’t have a kid here all the time
Carol But mum I need you to have her just til I sort things out
Alice Late night phone calls. When Gran thought I was asleep
Voice You can’t just dump her here when you feel like it
She’s not my responsibility
Carol I’m almost sorted
Voice …I don’t care what sort of job…
Alice Growling horrible dog
Voice I’ll have to contact Social Services
Alice Stinking yapping hound
Voice I’m warning you
Alice Lifting up my arm…holding onto Macy…Really tightly.
Voice One day she won’t be here when you get back
Alice That drilling sound again…in my head
Carol Please mum
Voice It can’t go on like this
Alice Please mum.
Voice She’s not my responsibility
Alice Yapping
Carol Please!
Voice I’m warning you. Its for your own good
We hear the dog yapping
Alice Crashing/hitting/screaming/Macy/Nelson/Stupid/stinking/yelping/ ugly/ugly/horrible/ugly/ugly
She is hitting the dog with Macy the doll
Alice Horrible ugly dog. And I’m a nasty wicked girl. So what’s new eh? Have you never killed a fly? You know stood on an ant or something? No big deal. Look I didn’t kill the stupid dog. Just made it whimper a bit. It was asking for it…anyway have you never hit out at something when you got really mad. And I mean really mad and crazy about stuff? Yeah? Well then you’ll understand won’t you…I just wanted it to be normal again. You know just normal and with my mum and me and with my own room…My own bed…all comfy with my own duvet, where I could wrap myself up. Does anyone out there understand…The duvet was warm…And I wrapped myself in it and stayed there. Always the same when people went away
She is wrapped in Frankie’s duvet…
Cut back to
Frankie Come on I’ll need that. My dad’ll be here soon
Alice Its not possible to have people all for yourself
Frankie What are you on about?
Alice About you wanting to own me
Frankie Hey crazy face. I just need to pack the duvet!
Alice August 14th? Is that OK
Frankie Of course. How will you get down?
Alice Rosie will give me a lift.
Frankie Check up on me more likely
Alice She looks after me. She wants to make sure you’re not taking advantage of me
Frankie Better not tell her then
Alice Tell her what?
Frankie That’s precisely what I am going to do.
Alice Take advantage of me?
Frankie I love you Alice Tully
Alice Really? He nodded and left the room with his stuff…It was ten days later when the story broke…
Rosie Its not so bad
Jill Newton They fell for it
Alice Jennifer Jones on European Offenders scheme
Rosie In Holland see…It will all die down now
Alice Those words. It was easy for her to use them…for anyone but not for JJ, not for Alice Tully
Rosie See there’s a quote…
Jill Newton
At press conference
I cannot confirm or deny the whereabouts of Jennifer Jones. We do not comment on individual cases. We can only say that in Holland ex-offenders are given every opportunity to start a new life and become responsible members of society
Rosie You’d hardly notice it
Alice But as these things do have a tendency to happen. You guessed it. Things really did hit the fan…
We see headline
Child Killer gets new life in Holland
Alice See the grainy picture..see the headline its all about me. In the papers
Rosie The front page on this one too I’m afraid
Alice Rather like being a movie star or something…an actress in a film. Those words again…Glamour model…Berwick waters…dead girl…prostitution…hidden body…Then turning the page
Rosie Look Alice…You need to stay calm
Alice Carol Jones...a recent photograph. Her eyes…beautiful looking back…Attractive 34 year old ex model…
Cut between a press conference
Carol I know that my Jenny did a terrible thing
Alice Had tears in her eyes yesterday
Carol And I know that people say she should be in prison for longer
Alice When she spoke of her long separation from her daughter
Carol See I’m not allowed to have any contact with her
Alice The notorious killer of a ten year old girl
Carol I don’t even know where she is. I’m not even allowed to have a photo of her
Alice Berwick Waters six years ago…
Carol No I recently remarried…and not a day goes by when I don’t think of my Jenny
Alice Jennifer. JJ. Jen. but never Jenny. She knows that
Rosie She is appalled that the authorities have sent her out of the country
Carol She needs her mother. Anyone can understand that. She even sent a me a birthday card. Look. She needs a permanent home. With her family
Alice Stop it. Please…enough. The one thing I’ve never had
Rosie You have here love. You know that.
Alice The picture from the paper. See here. The only one I’ve got. I was going to scan it. You know stick it online…but no chance. You see no-one knows who Alice Tully really is and now, well now I have to be more careful than ever…that face…that brilliant smile, that lipsticked mouth, those sparkling eyes had been there for me once… Promises of the two of us…You can’t change what happened…No matter how much you think of it or cry you can’t change a single second of it…
Rosie The only thing you can change is the future Alice
Alice I don’t deserve a future
Rosie Of course you do
Alice I took someone else's life remember? A life for a life isn’t that what they put in the papers?
Rosie You’ve got to go on. Otherwise its two lives wasted. You have to go on now and make a good life for yourself
Alice To make up for what I have done?
Rosie In a way its your only choice. Look I’ve promised to take you. Are you packed for Brighton?
Alice Almost…Almost – that word. I was almost happy. That time going to see Frankie…The press thinking I was in Holland. The place at uni…but the reason I’m here…well I don’t deserve it see?
Rosie Hurry up then
Alice Coming…Then there is a knock on the door. Just like the movies…
Sara Only me
Rosie Oh Hi Sara. Do you want a drink?
Alice I knew
Sara No. But I think you had both better sit down
Rosie What is it
Alice I knew. Right from the off
Sara You see I’m not a teacher
Alice Running around!
Rosie What do you mean
Alice Never at school
Sara I’m a journalist
Alice She knew
Sara And I want to talk to Jennifer
Rosie But
Sara I have been following her for the last few weeks now
Alice Moving in below us
Rosie All the false stories
Sara I’m afraid so
Alice Cold. Really cold
Rosie How could you?
Sara Its my job. But listen. I don’t want to run the story yet. I’ve managed to stall my editor
Rosie Well that’s big of you
Alice Standing still
Sara I have an offer. I can hold them off. But in return
Alice Always a pay off
Sara I want an exclusive interview with Jenny
Alice Its JJ right. Not Jenny. Don’t you ever call me Jenny
Rosie Alice!
Alice Oh stop it. I’m JJ you know she knows, I know. So come on then
Sara I understand you are upset. But that is what I want to focus on
Alice What
Sara You being these two people. Its really fascinating
Rosie I think you’d better leave
Sara I can give you a couple of days to think about it. It will give you chance to give your side of the story
Rosie And what about the dead girl’s parents. Do they get a chance to get their daughter back. What good can come if it now?
Alice I’ll do it
Rosie Alice
Alice JJ
Sara I will hold them off for a while. You have my word.
She leaves
Alice Its over
Rosie No it isn’t. We’ll deal with this you’ll see
Cut to
We see the sign
JENNIFER JONES
Alice You know there are 53 million blogs in the world. Well more really as they double every 6 months so by the time anyone trys to find me…then there’ll be over a hundred million…so the term needle in a haystack – if you get my meaning kind of jumps to mind…Two slides, on either side of her head. See? There…can you see her? The girl in the garden…you know the girl with the ginger hair was called
Michelle Michelle Livingstone. Who are you?
Alice Jennifer
Michelle Who
Alice Jennifer
Michelle No, I mean Jennifer who?
Alice Oh..er sorry. Jones
Michelle OK. This is Lucy
Lucy Bussell
Alice Pardon?
Michelle Lucy Bussell. Der!
Alice Small, with mousey brown hair
Michelle That’s what we call her
Lucy Mouse
Alice Oh I see
Michelle Because of her hair
Lucy Ginger!
Michelle Shut it!
Alice I’ve just moved in
M & L We know!
Alice Oh. Of course. People call me JJ
Michelle JJ. OK. Where’s your dad, what does your mum do and have you got any brothers or sisters?
Alice Er…Don’t know. She’s a model and no its just me an my mum
Lucy Really?
Michelle Don’t interrupt her Mouse
Lucy Whispers…A model!
Michelle My mums’s a secretary, she works at my school, I’ve got a den and some dressing up stuff and it’s my birthday in three weeks time. What have you got?
Alice A lot of things. We haven’t unpacked everything yet. Her hair with two slides in was annoying me. Everything was annoying me
Michelle Is your mum really a model
Alice Oh yeah, she has photos, all sorts of stuff
Lucy Can I see them
Michelle No you can’t Mouse. They haven’t unpacked them yet and anyway JJ is going to show them to me first
Alice Well…
Carol Jen. Why don’t you go and play with those girls
Alice I’m ten right. We don’t PLAY
Carol They’re a posh lot
Alice Who
Carol Them, next door. Why don’t you go round
Alice I want to be with you
Carol For your tea, or chat. That’s what girls do.
Alice No we don’t!. That’s for boring grown ups
Carol Whatever. Want to come shopping with me? Don’t want to look a state do I (She is getting ready) We’re only renting but doesn’t mean I can’t dress well does it?
Alice Freezing cold and a scraggy ponytail
Carol Its not exactly Bond Street is it
Alice Small high street and a co-op
Carol An apartment in Spain is what we need!
Cut to
Alice It was Michelle who first said the word
Michelle We’ve dug a grave in the garden
Alice That word
Lucy A grave we dug it
Alice What for
Michelle Dead things stupid
Lucy Do you want to see it
Alice Just the thought of it
Michelle Look
Alice Whose grave is it?
Michelle Not whose grave. Its not a person’s grave Silly. It’s a bird
Lucy Mine
Alice Quiet as a mouse.
Michelle She found it in the garden
Lucy It lived on my tree. Now it’s dead
Michelle You can see it if you like.
Alice A tiny thing. Lying on its side…Like it was sleeping. Just sleeping officer. I promise just sleeping. Curled up in the ground
Lucy You won’t tell anyone will you
Alice Never
Michelle Dead now
Lucy We said a prayer for it
Alice Are you sure its dead
Michelle Course it is. Probably killed by one of the wild cats
Lucy With staring eyes
Michelle Up at the reservoir
Lucy There’s loads
Michelle Since they flooded the valley
Lucy Killed all the animals
Alice For the reservoir?
Lucy Berwick Waters
Alice Oh I see
Michelle Except the cats
Lucy They’re wild
Michelle They survived and are all mangy
Lucy And scary
Michelle Yeah shut up! They kill things
Lucy They’re cruel
Michelle They eat anything.
Alice She’s very timid. Lucy I mean
Michelle Her dad left home. She lives with her mum
Lucy And my brother
Stevie Stevie
Alice You know when boys look grubby? I mean just grimy and a bit sleazy? Well that’s him all right
Stevie So you’re mum’s a model. Nice
Alice Shut it
Lucy Stevie you promised
Stevie So where are the pictures?
Michelle She’s showing them to me first
Stevie How do you know I haven’t seen them already?
Alice How could you?
Stevie (he mimes writing on a keyboard) www…ww…What?!
Lucy Ignore him he’s an idiot
Stevie Shut it squirt
Alice Leave her alone you big bully
Michelle My mum says he could get away with murder
Alice Army cadet. With a uniform on. And shiny boots. A big greasy nose and spots on his forehead like a pizza
Stevie Be seeing you around. If I find her I’ll let you know. Ciao!
Alice Idiot. Smelly idiot
Michelle Ignore him
Lucy I hate him
Michelle Do you know what that means?
Lucy Yeah I hate him
Michelle No it means/
Alice /You wish he were dead.
Michelle Thass right
Lucy Well perhaps not that then
Alice Why not?
Michelle Come on JJ. What about those photos?
Alice I’m not sure now
Lucy Oh go on
Michelle Shut it Mouse!
Alice I remember his face.
Voice The photographer?
Alice That’s right, Mr Cottis
Mr Cottis How do you do?
Voice Did he visit often
Alice Yes. He brought his camera gear
Mr Cottis Just a few more shots eh?
Michelle Is that your mum’s photographer?
Voice Did he stay over?
Alice Sometimes
Voice Did he talk to you?
Mr Cottis You must be Jenny?
Alice Yes
Mr Cottis You are a pretty little thing aren’t you
Alice Stop it!
Voice Just a little bit more
Mr Cottis Just for your mum.
Michelle Is she famous?
Mr Cottis You want her to be in magazines again don’t you
Voice Did he touch you
Alice No
Mr Cottis It won’t take long
Alice Berwick Waters
Voice What do you remember?
Alice A lake. I thought it would be mysterious but it was quite ordinary. Not like it looked on the news pictures. We were going for a walk. An ordinary walk
Carol You going out?
Alice With the class. It’s a school trip
Carol That’s nice dear. You know the photographer
Alice Oh him
Carol Mr Cottis. I told you he’s going to help me. You know get back into those glamorous magazines again
Alice I hate him
Carol No you don’t. Do you know what that means?
Alice I do
Carol Look I’m going to his studio today. OK? Do you want to come with me?
Alice I’ve told you. School trip.
Carol Another time maybe
Alice Time off school. That’s what she wanted all the time
Voice Why do you think
Carol Just to keep me company?
Michelle Are you ready?
Alice Sorry I have to go
Carol But sweetheart
Alice We could go on Saturday or Sunday
Voice So you suggested it?
Alice Well…It wasn’t my idea if that’s what you mean
Michelle Hurry up
Lucy We’ll be late
Carol Fingers crossed. This could be my lucky day. I might be a touch late
Voice Did she leave you on your own?
Alice Sometimes
Michelle Do you like the water?
Alice It was a woodland park I remember it. The lake…artificial looking. A bit too neat…flooded valley
Michelle Drowned cats
Lucy Staring eyes (She giggles and makes a face)
Alice Shut it mouse
Lucy Don’t YOU call me that as well
Michelle Where’s your packed lunch
Lucy (Pulls out a foil square) Mum made me a sandwich
Michelle Is that all?
Lucy She’s going to have an operation
Alice What’s wrong with her?
Lucy She’s got a sore heart
Michelle Is it broken?! (she laughs)
Alice Look
Lucy A cat
Alice Did you see it
Michelle Maybe?
Lucy The cats didn’t know. Nobody knew. One day it was a field and the next day it was a lake. My mum said she saw cat bodies floating on top of the water. She fished one out and it was all stiff and its fur was all/
Alice /Mangy
Michelle They don’t like people
Lucy They avoid us. Stevie said
Alice Why?
Lucy If you were to go near one
Michelle It would attack you
Lucy Only people in the army know what they’re really like. Stevie told me
Alice Have you ever seen a cat attack someone?
Lucy No. But Stevie has. At night up here
Michelle He came up in the dark
Lucy At night
Alice No! Really?
Lucy To hunt them
Michelle With his gun
Alice Gun?
Stevie Bang!
Lucy Yes. He’s got a den too
Stevie Its made of branches and there’s this big hole underneath
Lucy Like a grave
Stevie Shut up
Alice That word again
Voice Did he show you the den
Alice No it was the girls
Voice Are you sure?
Alice I think so. So much time so many questions. I hadn’t heard form Frankie in ages and now this Sara business it was too much. Trying to make a sense…
Michelle Do you want to see it
Alice But what about the school trip.
Lucy Yes we’ll get into trouble
Alice We’ll all get into trouble
Stevie It’ll be fine
Voice Did he say that?
Alice I’m sure he did
Michelle So the cats
Lucy Feral cats
Stevie They’re all up there
Alice Then I saw it. The eyes and the fur and the empty face. A sort of staring and scared yet really frightened look
Voice What did you do
Alice Stared back and as if the whole world goes very still and a sort of sound inside my ears
Voice The drilling sound?
Alice Different. A water sound. It comes when I get scared
Voice are you scared now?
Alice I’m scared
Michelle Scaredy cat
Lucy Scaredy cat
Michelle Sitting on the doormat
Alice Stop it! Mouse
Lucy I’ve asked you…don’t call me that!
Alice Mouse. Mouse. Mouse
Lucy Please!
Voice Did you leave her?
Alice Who?
Voice Lucy?
Alice Leaning against a tree. Yes
Voice Then what?
Alice I ran all the way back. All the way back home
Cut back to
Carol Not now love. Mummy’s got a headache
Alice Please mum
Voice Why did you walk off. On your own?
Alice I told you. The noise. They told me my education had been/
Voice A little /erratic
Alice Sitting there.
Voice Who?
Alice Michelle Livingstone. Playing the recorder. It was her fault
Voice Do you think so?
Alice Do you want to go the tuckshop?
Michelle (Ignoring he and playing the recorder)
Alice I’ve got some money
Michelle Maybe you should go with Mouse
Alice Don’t say that!
Michelle Poor little mouse living with her nutty mum
Alice Its not nice
Michelle What’s it to you?
Alice Leave her alone
Michelle Don’t wet you knickers about it
Alice The noise
Voice Which one
Alice Drilling loud. Smashing into her head.
Michelle Get off me!
Alice Spots of blood
Lucy What have you done?
Michelle …Ow!!
Alice With the weapon in my hand
Michelle Its my recorder
Lucy Her mum’ll kill you
Michelle I’ll kill you
Alice Michelle’s face
Lucy Her eyes. Staring
Alice Like the cat
Lucy She’s staring at us JJ…What do we do?
Alice I could see the look in her eyes
Voice What did you see?
Alice Excitement…That was the scary part. It was excitement
Voice What was he like?
Alice Mr Cottis?....
Cut to…
Michelle Are you looking for Carol Jones, the model? She lives there
Mr Cottis Thank you very much, young lady
Alice Black van, brand new
Voice Anything else?
Michelle This is her daughter, my best friend
Mr Cottis Indeed
Alice Embarassed. I think. Yes that’s it embarassed
Voice Why?
Alice When you know something is wrong. You get that feeling. Here. Your head can’t work it out but when you look back
Mr Cottis She’s a pretty little thing isnt’t she
Alice Seeing her and knowing there was something wrong
Stevie How’s your mum JJ?
Alice What do you mean
Stevie (licks his lips) You know
Alice No I don’t
Michelle Shut up Stevie. She’s a model
Stevie Yeah and I know what kind
Alice Stop it
Voice Its OK Alice
Alice I’m going
Michelle I wonder what the photos will be like
We see the images of Carol blurred and out of focus
Alice White socks. Schoolgirl skirt. Hair in Pigtails…Mum
Carol Hello love. You’re back early
Alice What are you doing mum?
Mr Cottis It’s for a special photo shoot
Alice She had painted on freckles and smudged lipstick. She was wearing my school tie and holding a teddy bear
Carol Run along now love
Mr Cottis There’s a good girl
Alice The room…all messed up. A school globe on the bed, clothes on the floor. Curtains drawn. A pile of fifty pound notes
Mr Cottis There’s more where that came from
Alice Mum…will it be in a magazine?
Carol Not this time love. Not this time. Now mummy needs a bath. OK?
Alice The house felt lonely. Most of the time
We hear a siren and see a blue light
Cut to
Lucy JJ. Its my mum
Michelle What’s happened Lucy
Lucy She’s got a poorly heart
Alice I know…I’m so sorry
Michelle She smokes
Alice Stop it
Lucy (Starts crying) Don’t please
Michelle Where’s your mum JJ?
Alice Asleep
Michelle Through all this noise?
Alice She’s tired OK. Always defending her. Always backing her up and why. For what?
Voice She’s your mum
Alice Yeah but what does that matter. Why should I care?
Voice Why did you send her that card?
Carol (On the phone) Its from Jennifer
Alice I wanted to let her know
Carol That’s right Carol Jones
Voice She told the papers
Carol No I’m her mother
Alice I wanted her to know I was still here
Carol Of course I’m upset. I haven’t seen her for six years
Alice Will her mum be OK
Michelle Who knows. My mum says she had it coming
Alice That’s not fair
Carol That’s what I said
Alice See? always information. People. Faces Staring wanting something
Michelle She has to stay with us
Lucy Til my mum gets better
Michelle This is my bed. You can sleep on the floor
Lucy I don’t mind
Alice You can stay with me if you like?
Michelle No she can’t your mum never gets out of bed.
Alice Who says?
Michelle My mum
Lucy At least your mum is there
Alice Yes leave her alone
Michelle Shut it Mouse
Lucy Please stop calling me that
Alice Leave her… Just leave her. Leave her…lets go. Come on Lucy listen to me we have to leave her.
Cut back to
Michelle She has to stay with me! And even worse my mum wants us to have a picnic for Lucy’s birthday
Carol That’s nice dear. Here have some money go and get yourself some sweets.
Alice Michelle’s mum is doing the food
Lucy Thanks
Michelle Well you’re just going to have to behave or else
Alice Her mum’s ill
Michelle And her dad’s gone. SO what do you want me to do about it?
Alice Nothing
Michelle Can I come round to yours after?
Alice I don’t know. Mr Cottis might be there
Michelle Does he come round every day?
Alice Maybe three times a week
Voice And did you have to go out then
Alice I just wanted to. You know needed to. I knew that I didn’t want to be in the house with him. I’ll call for you later
Michelle We could go to the park. We’ll have to take Lucy with us
Alice That’s OK
Cut to
Carol Say hello to Mr Cottis
Alice No
Carol This is Mr Smith
Alice Another man. Fat. Ugly with a gold tooth.
Carol He’s here to help Mr Cottis, now why don’t you go to the park or something
Alice I already am
Carol With the girls
Alice Of course who else
Carol Mr Cottis is a sort of agent who gets me work. That’s right. Well it’s the industry you see. You need contacts. People who can show you the way in so to speak. Yes I am working at the moment. A variety of different projects actually. Photography. Mostly. You see when I got the card from Jennifer
Alice Lots of money in the house. I knew where she kept it of course.
Carol You have to take the work when it comes along. You know how long it took me to get back into modelling
Alice It was better than her lying around doing nothing
Carol See new clothes JJ!
Alice I didn’t want to go
Carol But gran really like you
Alice But I want to be with you. That horrible dog the cigarette smoke. I’ve got friends here. A new school. Everything
Carol Are you going out to play?
Alice I told you we don’t play. We’re too old
Carol Here’s some money for fish and chips if you like
Alice Ten pounds?
Michelle Really?! Hurry up
Alice Mr Smith was the one who liked the uniforms. The school skirt and the school tie. The pictures in Mr Cottis’ bag.
Lucy Come on JJ
Voice Did he show them to you?
Alice The pictures?
Voice Did he show them?
Alice No. We found them. Just found them…
Michelle She cant’ come
Alice Black and white…
Michelle Lucy, you can’t come
Alice No you can’t. Go and see your mum
Lucy But she’s in hospital
Alice So?
Lucy She’s not coming home til next week
Alice Maybe she will maybe she won’t
Lucy That’s not true is it?. She’s coming home next week
Michelle Course she is!
Alice You don’t know. Her mum might be dead. At this very minute she might be dead
Lucy No she’s not
Michelle Don’t say that to her
Alice LEAVE US ALONE. Go away go and find YOUR MUM
Michelle You’re mad you are.
Alice Perhaps I am. I must be. That must be the answer
Voice Alice. Come here.
Alice I’m sorry
Voice I know
Alice No really. Sorry. You know when you say it and don’t mean it. Like when you say it out of the corner of your mouth, or when it comes out like sorreeee as if you are saying that is the last thing I actually am at that moment. You know? Not sorry at all
Lucy Its OK
Alice I was in a bad mood. Course your mum’s coming home
Lucy Really?
Alice I heard Michelle’s mum say so
Lucy OK
Alice See it wasn’t Lucy that was the problem it was her brother
Stevie How’s your mum?
Alice What do you mean?
Michelle Leave her Stevie
Lucy Yes stop it
Stevie Is she keeping busy?
Alice She’s a model
Stevie Bet she’s had more than her face in magazines eh?
Alice I’ll tell my mum
Stevie (Mimicking her) tell my mum
Michelle Her mum is a model
Stevie I know that all right. Is that what she calls it
Michelle What do you mean?
Alice Leave it Michelle
Stevie A lot more than her face in magazines eh?
Alice What do you mean?
Stevie How come she has blokes visiting her every day if she’s just a model?
Alice You mean Mr Cottis. He’s her agent. He’s a photographer, see?
Stevie Is that what he calls it!
Michelle She’s beautiful and she’ll end up on the front of a magazine or a newspaper. Isn’t that right JJ?
Alice I couldn’t speak. It was that sick feeling again
Stevie Yeah some prozzies make good money
Alice Leave…I had to run , just run they all faded into the background very small…like ants in the distance?
We see more picture of Carol
Alice You wonder why I don’t like having my picture taken? You wonder why? Do you know now? Do you see? I don’t ever want people to see me like that. To stare at me to look at me. To own me. I don’t want to see those pictures again. But you know that term. Corrupted. Like a file that gets messed up. A corrupted file. Well that’s what happens. Up here – in your head. Once you’ve seen something. The picture. You can’t get rid of it. You can’t erase it, drop it in the trash and press delete. No way. Its here OK For keeps. For ever and those pictures…the school tie…the rose tattoo on her shoulder…the cold white flesh in the bedroom surrounded by schoolbooks. My schoolbooks. Can’t get rid of that. The same way I can’t get rid of that face…staring back at me…with a grimace, a sick smile – and those eyes. Those dead eyes…staring
Voice That’s why its good to talk
Alice No its not. For you maybe. For me – not a chance. So yeah this stuff writing down kind of puts it in a box, makes it come out in the open but its still there. It doesn’t go away.
Cut to
Carol Jenny love, I’ve got a surprise for you
Lucy It’s the den
Alice What is it
Carol Mr Cottis thinks it would be a good idea
Michelle The one Stevie built
Alice I want to wreck it
Carol If we took some family shots
Lucy That's the plan
Alice Smash it up
Carol Mother and daughter. Us two together
Alice Break the whole thing. Smash it to bits
Carol In school uniform
Lucy He’ll never know it was us
Alice Stomach
Carol For a magazine feature
Lucy Serve him right
Carol He’ll pay you some money
Alice Wanted it all destroyed
Carol It will have to be our little secret
Lucy No-one will know
Michelle At night. We’ll do it at night
Carol You see you’re too young for modelling
Alice He shouldn’t have said those things
Carol Our business no-one else’s
Michelle Serve him dead right
Alice Lets do it
Carol He wants you to wear some special clothes
Alice The noise was from here. The same. Calm as before. Just like branches and leaves being turned into pulp
Lucy Are you up for it?
Alice I don’t want to
Carol But you’d be famous. In magazines in the papers
Alice Don’t care. Don’t like my having my picture taken
Carol For me. Do it for me
Alice Pleated skirt, long white socks
Carol He’s a very important man. He gets me work. Its how we get nice things. Eh?
Alice Shakes her head
Carol He’s coming at twelve o’clock tomorrow. I want you to do this.
Alice Twelve o’clock. She spoke softly. That’s it softly like velvet but underneath…underneath were pebbles. Hard and cold
Carol It’ll be all right love. You’ll see. It’ll be a laugh.
Alice The duvet…it had small flowers on. Faded small flowers. Green and pink and with little leaves. Faded small leaves. Small and fading…
Cut to the girls at Berwick Waters
Michelle Hurry up Lucy don’t be so slow
Lucy I’m boiling
Michelle You can be my slave today, mouse. You can carry my jumper
Alice She untied it from her waist and draped it around Lucy’s shoulders It was pink and had little roses on. Tied in a loose knot
Lucy Around my throat?
Michelle I’m cold slave. Give me my jumper back
Lucy Here you are
Michelle Here you are what?
Lucy Here you are mistress
Alice Don’t be stupid
Michelle It’s all right. We play this game all the time don’t we Luce?
Alice She just nodded. Michelle was dressed up. A t-shirt
Michelle See it says Babe on it.
Lucy It’s nice
Michelle You don’t have clothes like this do you Lucy?
Lucy Sometimes
Michelle What does that mean idiot brain?
Alice (chuntering to herself) Don’t forget the photos this morning…yeah right
Michelle What did you say?
Alice Sorry, just rambling that’s all
Lucy Its not much more
Alice What do you mean
Lucy To the den. The one Stevie made
Michelle Good cos I’m tired
Lucy If you stop the wild cats will get you
Michelle Not me. You more like. Mouse!
Lucy (wearily) Oh Don’t
Michelle Because they hate people. They blame people for pumping in the water and drowning them. Don’t look straight at them…They might scratch your eyes out
Alice Don’t say that.
Michelle Why not? It’s true
Lucy It is true. That’s why Stevie hunts them
Alice Idiot brain…Lying down. On the blanket. Touching his trousers with his hand…laughing. In a disgusting way.
Stevie I know about your mum
Alice Now look…I didn’t know how he knew about my mum
Stevie She’s a proz…
Michelle JJ. Don’t go so fast
Alice She looked just like him
Voice Lucy?
Alice Her red face. Like Stevie’s sweating and
Lucy Really hot!
Michelle Come on slave…keep up!
Alice Through trees and branches…school holidays nothing unusual…
Voice Three girls setting out from Berwick Waters
Alice Nothing unusual at all…Woodland Park
Michelle Public Access Prohibited
Lucy You can ignore that. This way
Alice She had been there before
Lucy The den’s up here
Michelle Come on
Alice Not staying. Not with him in the house. Not with my mum
Michelle Come on
Alice I’m coming…She didn’t have to go back and have her photo taken
Lucy It’s in there
Alice A gap in the trees
Michelle Down to the lake?
Lucy Yep…straight down. Watch you don’t slip
Michelle Oh no. My trainers.Yuck
Alice It was only a bit of mud
Lucy We’re nearly there. Nobody comes here
Alice Where’s the den
Lucy Here…careful the rocks are slippy and some are loose
Alice Moving twigs and branches
Michelle Under there?
Lucy Here’s the box. Look
We see a tin box in a hole about 60 centimetres deep
Michelle That’s not a den
Lucy Wait til you see what they keep in here
Michelle It’s a box, its not a den. A den is a place to sleep, to eat. Not a stupid box
Alice What’s inside it?
Lucy …sleeping gag, some tins and stuff…tools - a screwdriver that sort of thing. Oh yes, and a
Michelle Stanley knife! Nice one Mouse
Lucy Even a baseball bat. Look…
Alice Where’s the gun?
Lucy Yeah right, I mean he’s really going to leave that there isn’t he?
Michelle You said he shot cats
Lucy He does. But its at home. Anyway its an air rifle not a gun
Michelle If it really exists
Lucy It so does
Alice It was there I found the photos.
Michelle Whatever!
Alice She was lying there. Just still
Michelle What are you doing?
Alice Lying still. With a teddy bear. Naked
Lucy What have you got there?
Alice Two pictures. Crumpled
Michelle Show me. Let me see
Alice How did you get them?
Michelle What are they?
Alice Where did your brother get them from?
Lucy I don’t know
Alice Did you steal them? From my house?
Lucy No!
Alice Is that why he called my mum those names?
Michelle Prozzie
Alice Stop it!
Lucy I didn’t take them.
Alice You did and you gave them to your stupid brother. She’s a model not a…
Lucy I never took them. I didn’t
Alice You must’ve done. How else could your brother have got them?
Michelle Yuck. Disgusting
Lucy Uncle Kenny gave it to him
Alice Uncle Kenny, Kenny, who’s Kenny?
Lucy Kenny Cottis. My uncle Kenny
Alice Mr Cottis. His black bag. The gold earring…the images came thick and fast now
We see a blurring of Mr Cottis and Carol
Michelle Mr Cottis is your mum’s friend, Some uncle
Lucy I never took the photos from you, honest JJ
Alice Stevie’s face. Laughing
Michelle Look out
Lucy Get off
Alice Pushing her down
Michelle She’s in the water!
We hear water and see rippling
Lucy Help me!
Michelle What have you done?
Alice That face. It was…excitement
We see Lucy in the water
Alice Splashing…
Michelle Her clothes are too heavy
Alice Thrashing
Lucy Help me!
Alice Why didn’t someone do anything…Michelle!
Michelle What?
Alice Grab this rope
Michelle It’s no use
Alice Come on. Here! Lucy Grab the rope
Michelle She’s too heavy
Alice GRAB it!
Michelle She can’t see it
Alice Behind you. The rope grab it!
Michelle Told you
Alice What?
Michelle She’s too heavy
Alice Walk backwards….come on backwards!
Lucy I can’t hold on
Alice Come on
Michelle Pull it
Alice Again. Come on again
Michelle Alright. No need to shout
Alice No?!
They pull her out – using gauze and images of water to pull her through the ‘image’ They collapse on the floor. Lucy is soaking wet
Alice Lucy!
Lucy My mum’ll kill you for this
Michelle She will. She’ll have another heart attack
Lucy Begins to cry
Alice Stop it. Please just stop it can’t you
Michelle You nearly killed her
Lucy I’m cold…I want to go home
Michelle Well you can’t you have to dry off first
Alice She can dry off at my house
Michelle With Mr Cottis watching. Maybe he can take some nice pictures of her too
Alice Don’t
Michelle She can’t come back to my house. My mum’ll kill her, then she’ll come round and kill you. I’m supposed to be looking after her
Lucy I don’t need anyone to look after me
Michelle Yes you do. Look at you
Alice Come here Lucy...Don’t pull her like that, she might’ve hurt herself in the water
Lucy I’m OK
Michelle Mind your own business. Its your fault. If you hadn’t lost your temper she wouldn’t be in this mess now
Lucy I’m telling your mum
Michelle No you won’t. Otherwise you can go back to your own house!
Alice Don’t say that to her! Hasn’t she had enough?
Michelle Why. It was you her kept calling her Mouse
Alice I never
Michelle I heard you
Alice Stop it
Michelle Lucy and I were friends before you came
Lucy starts to leave
Alice Lucy wait!
Michelle Let her go. Don’t try and come all goody goody now Jennifer Jones. I know your sort. Fair weather friend
Alice I didn’t mean…
Michelle You’re mental you are. Hitting people, shouting
Alice Don’t say that
Michelle Too late. I already did…
Alice Stop it
Michelle I’m telling your mum about this. About everything…the pictures
Alice Don’t you mention my mum
Michelle Some model
Alice Smack.
Michelle You didn’t say she showed her body to everyone
Alice That drilling sound…
Michelle Loads of men come round to your house…
Alice She is a model
Michelle Yeah and my dad’s Father Christmas
Alice Wait…she turned round. Slowly
Michelle Please yourself. I’m off
Alice Stumble
Michelle Loser!
Alice Wait!
Michelle Its not you fault…after all we can’t choose our parents
Alice The baseball bat
Michelle Don’t bother following me
Alice Smooth wood
Michelle You and I aren’t friends any more
Alice Be my friend (quietly)
Michelle Laughing
Alice Be my friend
Michelle Be my friend
Alice With the first hit she fell to her knees
Michelle Quietly Be my friend
Alice The second one made her lie down on the ground
Michelle I’m brave
Alice The third time she just lay still
Michelle I’m really brave
Alice The cat…with its eyes staring. It had seen everything…It was a witness.
We see the cat’s face merge with the sign that says
ALICE TULLY
Cut back to the car journey to Brighton. We hear the noise. Her head is against the window
Rosie It’ll do you good to have a break. You’re thinking about it far too much. I told you something would work out
Alice I know
Rosie It’s a good compromise, staying at Frankie’s parents
Alice Yep
Rosie Do you want to go in?
Alice Not really
Rosie Why not, you’ve been looking forward to this for ages
Alice Too long on the computer…too long thinking…too long
Michelle I’m brave…I’m really brave
Alice But I’m not
Rosie Come on sleepy head
Alice Shhh…I don’t want the whole world to know I’ve arrived in Brighton
Sophie enters
Sophie Hi!
Rosie Hello. You must be Frankie’s sister?
Sophie I’m Sophie, that’s Sophie with an ie at the end not a y cos that would be just soppy and anyway Frankie has an ie at the end of his name so why should I be left out as he’s my brother…you must be Alice?
Alice Yes, hi…and this is Rosie
Rosie With an ie too!
Sophie Nice one. I’ll just go and give him a shout
Alice Small about ten, maybe eleven its hard to tell but she reminded me of…
Sophie I’m brave look, I burned myself on the oven door, flapjacks for you, I knew you’d like them. Frankie says/
Frankie /Relax…calm down you little mouse. Hey you’ve changed. Come ‘ere
Alice Really?
Frankie Your hair? I like it
Alice Erm…thanks. You winding me up?
Frankie Me? No chance! (he smirks)
Rosie So remember the deal?
Alice No big deal OK?
Rosie You’ve got your phone?
Alice Yes
Sophie Ooh let me see. Nokia. Well Nice!
Frankie Hey you squirt, leave her alone she’s only just got here. Sorry
about that
Alice No don’t she’s adorable
Sophie I’m not a cat!
Alice Sorry, no I didn’t mean…
Frankie Ignore her she’s just a pain
Sophie Am so not! Pig face.
Rosie Frankie’s only said good things about you
Sophie Yeah I wish. Do you want a flapjack?
Frankie She only does all this to make me feel bad
Alice Thank you Sophie
Sophie I’ve been dying to meet you. Do you want to come and see my room. You can sleep in there if you like
Frankie That’s enough, I’m sure Alice could do with a break, it’s a long journey
Sophie Nonsense. Here my mum got you this. Frankie told us you were - tiny - It’s the smallest size
Alice A nightgown…white cotton,
Rosie That’s lovely
Alice A high neckline too
Rosie Perfect
Sophie Do you like it?
Alice I do on-one has ever bought me anything like this before
Frankie Don’t play the martyr, I know you’re only joking
Alice I’m not
Sophie Leave her Frankie don’t be so mean. I’ve told you I won’t be your friend
Frankie She’ll drive you mad. You know what most ten year olds are like
Alice Yes. I do
Rosie Just a quick word
Alice I hate that don’t you? A quick word or even worse a quiet word. Cos it never is it’s a always a telling off or a long explanation. Its never quick or quiet
Rosie About the journalist
Alice Sara Wright?
Rosie I’ll finalise the arrangements – for the interview and I’ll be in touch. Then I am sure that we be the last of it
Alice You’ll call me
Rosie You’ve plenty of credit left, just leave it switched on in case Jill or I need to get hold of you
Alice And she was gone…The laptop see. Its what I have now. All the stuff well…
Frankie Hey daydreamer!
Alice Sorry, nodded off
Frankie You like it?
Alice Your room is like…
Frankie My own apartment – told yer! yeah?. See mini bar…ta dah!
Alice Well good
Frankie You can hear the sea too
Alice From where?
Frankie Down here! He pulls her onto the bed with him
Alice Frankie!
Frankie What? We’re on our own now…no Rosie no flatmates
Alice Come here
Frankie The thing is…since you told me...you know
Alice What? What did he know?
Frankie That you were a virgin
Alice (relieved) Oh that! That’s no problem
Frankie No but it is…It’s like a funny feeling
Alice Where?
Frankie No, I mean like a lot of pressure
Alice (Giggles) I don’t know what you mean?!
Frankie Behave!...its that its got to be…
Alice Special?
Frankie Yeah that’s it. I mean it would be special with you but…
Alice Its put you off?
Frankie Well yes, I mean no. I just don’t think we should rush it
Alice OK/
Sophie enters as they are in an embrace
Sophie /No way!
Frankie Oi! You’re not allowed in here
Alice Its OK. Come here Sophie
Sophie hugs her
Sophie I like you more than he does
Alice I like your family. All of you the same
Sophie Really?
Alice Of course. All of them…everything about them.
We see images of family album snapshots
Cut back to
Alice Interview…press interview…sounds like someone is going to press you, you know what I mean. Really press you hard so the juice comes out. The facts the dirty horrible details squeezed out of you. The Press…that Sara, how could she be such a cow
Voice (Rosie)The press are only interested in you because you are such a
mystery…They want to know the truth
Alice Doesn’t everyone?
Frankie My family
Alice Don’t say that…You don’t know how lucky you are
Frankie They all love you
Alice They’ve only just met me. They don’t know me
Frankie What’s to know?
Alice You don’t really know me either, I mean about my life when I was younger – a kid – there I’d said it
Frankie You never talk about it
Alice What if…go on tell him
Frankie What?
Alice What if I’d done something bad?
Frankie Like really naughty? (he laughs)
Alice I’m serious…I mean really awful…in the past. Would you still want me then?
Frankie Of course I would. I love you – silly
He kisses her
Frankie I’d better go an get some sleep…we’ve got sightseeing tomorrow…
Cut to…we see the cat’s eyes again in the woods
Alice The cat didn’t stay for long…
Voice What do you remember doing?
Alice With the bat? I put it down
Voice No. with Michelle?
Alice Looking at her…stretched out on the ground…not moving.
Blood like a rose growing…deeper red
Voice Tell me
Alice Walking…quietly…the sun dazzling on the water…quietly
no…no…no
Voice You need to
Alice Pulling…moving her…slowly…to the den…the hole in the soft
earth…ferns covering her…soft and green…covered
her…gently
Voice The tin box?
Alice Into the water. It sank slowly…to the bottom of the lake
Alice takes off the white nightdress and covers herself with the duvet
Alice Wide awake…always wide awake…eyes open…always awake
Cut back to
Lucy There’s no one home
Alice Mum?
Lucy Told you no-one. Where’s Michelle?
Alice We had a row. She walked off. Easier to lie. Always easier to tell stories now.
Lucy What about?
Alice You
Lucy Me - Why me?
Alice Thing is. I think its better we don’t tell anyone about what happened today
Lucy About you pushing me into the lake?
Alice I didn’t…yes...best not to eh?
Lucy You want me to say I fell in?
Alice Well…I think it best not to say anything because what will happen is that Michelle and I will get into trouble and your mum would have more heart stress and everything
Lucy We best not say we went to the lake cos Michelle’s mum doesn’t allow her
Alice That’s right we’ll say we went to the park and you fell over
Lucy And dirtied my dress
Alice That’s it…and Michelle walked off in a huff and I brought you back here to change
Knock at the door
Alice Who is it
Voice Michelle’s mum. Is she there?
Alice Who?
Voice Michelle
Alice No we went to the park and had a row and
Lucy She walked off
Voice That is a shame come on Lucy lets get some tea…
Off What happened to your dress?
Fading…Cut to
Carol Jen… where have you been…Look at me when I’m talking to you
Alice Always…that voice
Carol Where did you get to? Mr Cottis waited for over an hour for you
Alice I was out
Carol He was fed up…and now I find out you were playing with that Michelle
Alice We don’t play
Carol And another thing…Mrs Livingstone can’t find Michelle anywhere. Are you hiding her somewhere?
Alice We don’t know where she is…do we Macy?
Carol Well no-one does. She’s rung the police
Alice Her face…small wide eyes spoke to me
Carol Tell me
Alice Its worse. Much worse than you think
Frankie What is? What’s the matter
Alice Much worse…
Carol What do you mean she just walked off? She may have got locked in a garage or something
Alice No
Carol Well you must know something?
Lucy (Whispering) What’s happened to Michelle?
Alice I don’t know…Dark…outside it was one of those cold nights even though it had been a sunny day…
Mr Cottis Late….always late
Carol Outside…at the park
TV voice Have you seen this girl?
Alice See the same thing…over and over
TV voice Have you seen this girl?
Alice Missing posters. Her face. Smiling
TV voice Berwick waters…
Alice Stop it
Carol Where’s Michelle?
Lucy I don’t know
Carol When did you last see her
TV voice Missing girl
Alice Berwick Waters
Carol Are you sure? You said the park?
Lucy I promised not to
Carol Not to what?
Lucy Nothing
Carol Come on. Tell
Lucy I can’t
We hear Lucy crying
Carol Stay there. Don’t move
Alice I never
Mr Cottis She’s gone out. I’ve got to keep my eye on you
Alice Get out get out!
Lucy She made me
Alice No…
Lucy I’m so frightened
Alice Don’t be. Its not your fault
Male voice Carol Jones?
Carol Jen
Alice No
Carol Come here
Alice I’m scared
Male voice Come here
Alice Lucy had told them…but you see the thing was they made a mistake. They thought she was still alive…
Carol Hurry
Male Voice Come on now
Alice Prohibited footpath – no right of way. Blue lights and - cold. Really cold. Voices – slamming doors footsteps on the gravel
Voice Show me
Lucy Its over there
Voice Its just a hole…an empty hole
Alice Worse much worse…Look under the branches
Voice Nothing here…She must have
Carol Jennifer where is she?
Alice She’s in here she’s in here…
Pulling tearing scraping…nothing…she’s gone
Carol Gone?
Voice Worse?
Alice Much worse
She holds onto Frankie
Frankie Come here
Alice Tearing
They kiss
Frankie I love you
Alice I love you too
Lucy On the ground
Frankie Hold me
Alice Always
Frankie I’ve got you
Alice I know
Lucy She’s there
Alice Nails scraping
Frankie Hold on
Alice I’m trying
Frankie Nearly there
Alice I can’t hold on
Frankie Please
Alice I can’t
Lucy She’s there…
Male Voice She’s there
Alice I closed my eyes
Lucy Be brave
Male voice Oh no
Alice It’s over
Male voice Oh my god
Alice Eyes tight shut
Male voice Don’t…
Alice Pink jumper
Male voice Don’t let the children see this
Alice Silence…and stillness…No sound of breathing…Lying there…on the ground…Worse…much worse…crawled…half dead half alive
Michelle’s voice I’m brave…really brave
Cut back to Alice holding Frankie and sobbing…
Alice It’s worse
Frankie You keep saying that. Why now?
Alice Outside on the grass. Just lying there…As if nothing would spoil it. Nothing.
Sound of Alice’s mobile receiving an sms
Frankie Oh come on. Who’s that your secret boyfriend
Alice Something like that eh?
We see the screen “When U R alone ring me asap Jill”
Frankie Well. Who is it?
Alice Oh just Rosie
Frankie Checking up on me. Making sure I’m not getting up to any bad things?
Alice She’d kill me if she knew
Frankie What? Cos of this? No way
Alice Yes way! Put your shirt on people might see you
Frankie Out here? Who cares
Alice I do…I thought it would be about Sara. Some last minute detail…Your mind starts working overtime…I need to make a call
Frankie It is your other boyfriend
Alice His face…so shiny in the sun…You look like an apple
Frankie Good enough to eat?
Alice Won’t be a minute… Jill?
Jill Newton Alice can you talk?
Alice Yes is everything all right?
Jill Newton Look, I’m sorry, I’ve got some bad news
Alice Go on
Jill Newton There’s been a leak about the story in Sara’s office
Alice What?
Jill Newton The bottom line is they are going to publish tomorrow
Alice What? The whole thing
Jill Newton All the papers have got hold of it. We tried to get an injunction but because we seemed to have made a deal with one newspaper there was no way the judge would allow it
Alice Oh God
Jill Newton Stay where you are. Rosie is on her way. We need you back with her. Then when the papers come out tomorrow we will know the best way to deal with it.
Alice But I’m not at Frankie’s
Jill Newton Well get there asap. I’ll see you in the morning
Alice Efficient…calculating and now gone…all gone
She sits down
Frankie What’s up?
Alice We’ve got to go
Frankie Now?
Alice Yes now…I’ve got some things to tell you
Cut to
Alice Waiting for Rosie…packing was the hardest night of my life. You see I knew what it meant. I knew what I had to do. Poor Frankie…he had no idea
Frankie What’s going on?
Alice I’ve got to go…Something’s happened
Frankie Why? What’s wrong. Is something wrong?
Alice Yes…No…Nothing’s wrong with us…I just
Frankie Is it about this afternoon?....Are you sorry that we…
Alice Its not about us. You’d better sit down. The other night when I asked you if your feelings towards me would change…If you knew I’d done something bad
Frankie Look if you’re going to dump me just do it
Alice Frankie…I love you
Frankie I don’t understand just bloody tell me!
Alice My name is not Alice Tully
Frankie How do you mean?
Alice I’ve only been calling myself that for about 8 months, since I moved in with Rosie
Frankie Go on…
Alice Now the turn for the script that had been in my head forever…My real name is Jennifer Jones – seven months ago I was released from a secure unit…My name was changed to give me a fresh start, to begin a new life
Frankie Jennifer Jones?
Alice Six years ago I killed my best friend…and I went to prison. I did do it…I can’t make any excuses…I killed her…I was only ten…we were messing around, by a lake…can’t really explain…it was…a moment of madness
Frankie And you’re her? This Jennifer Jones?
Alice I am
Frankie laughs – You can’ t be. I mean… I remember reading about it, there was a load of publicity about it…she’s living abroad somewhere?
Alice It’s me…that was just a press story, to take the heat off me while I settled in with Rosie
Frankie You killed your friend?
Alice I did, I can’t explain why… I didn’t know what I was doing…don’t lie…Please…please help me…
She is crying
Alice It’s not true…I did know…I did know what I was doing
Frankie I read about it…it was all over the papers…there was something else too
Alice Another girl she didn’t do it…she was innocent
Frankie No…something else
Alice It was a terrible thing…one child killing another
Frankie I remember…she wasn’t killed outright…that was it - she was buried alive…
Alice No that’s not true
Frankie …and it was you that did it
Alice You see… I didn’t know she was still alive…I was only ten. I thought she was dead…I thought she was dead…
Frankie No...don’t
Alice If I’d known I would have got an ambulance…
Frankie Would you have done? Really?
Alice Don’t ask me…cos I can’t…nothing I can do can ever bring her back…please
Frankie Why didn’t you tell me? I had a right to know
Alice Right? who’s right? I don’t know…I don’t know any more
Doorbell rings
Frankie Who’s that?
Alice Rosie…Look Frankie…please…I’ve got to go
Frankie She knew… Didn’t I have a right to know too?
Alice I had to promise…I had to keep it a secret from everyone
Frankie Not everyone
Alice No. I had no idea I would ever meet someone like you
Sophie enters with Rosie
Sophie Is Alice going?
Alice I’m sorry
Rosie Yes she is love
Alice I’ll only be a minute
Sophie rushes to hug Alice
Sophie Tell her not to go
Frankie Get away
Alice Worse…much worse
Frankie Sophie get away from her. Leave go of her
He grabs his sister and holds her close
Alice Oh yes much worse…The two of them away from me…the child killer…never to see them. Never.
Rosie Come on Alice
Frankie Jennifer
Rosie Come on
Alice Away…melting and hazy. Not even a picture. Not anything. Gone…You see I’m not brave. I’m not brave at all
She sobs into Rosie’s arms
Cut to
Michelle/behind the gauze
Michelle I told you I was brave really brave. See I didn’t cry not once. I just kept trying to get home…just to see my mum…see my mum loves me with pictures and teddy bears all outside the house…hundreds of bunches of flowers. For me. Just for me. Left by people I didn’t even know. You see they knew me, they saw my picture in the paper then came with flowers. For me. Not for you…they weren’t for you…
Alice wakes up with a start in her bed at Rosie’s
Alice People filing in…faces getting their newspapers. Seeing my face – looking for JJ…well they found her now…people in the coffee shop, Rosie’s mum, Stevie, Lucy Bussell, Frankie…
Rosie Morning sleepyhead…
Alice Are they bad?
Rosie I’m afraid
Alice Worse? Much worse
Rosie nods
Alice No more Alice then?
Rosie Look there are reporters outside. Jill’s on her way
Alice I thought they weren’t allowed to print my address
Rosie They’re not but it doesn’t stop them
Alice What’s Jill want me to do?
Jill Newton I have a safe house for you to go to until all this dies down
Alice People use words without thinking about what they mean…Again her mouth was making words
Jill Newton There’s been a development
Alice Hearing
Jill Newton We’ll have to leave soon
Alice But not listening…like background noise
Jill Newton I’ve got information
Rosie This is important Alice
Alice Go on…
Jill Newton We have information that your mother is on her way
Alice Very brave. Very still
Rosie Coming here?
Alice That smile
Jill Newton With TV cameras
Rosie We’ve got to move quickly
Alice This is what she wanted
Jill Newton They want to film a tearful reunion
Alice tears running down her face
Rosie Here’s her bag we can use the back door
Jill Newton I can talk to the TV no problem
Alice Her face on all the Newspapers…on the television. Carol Jones the distraught mother…
Jill Newton We need to move now
Alice Alice no more
Rosie Come with me
Alice But what'll happen to you?
Jill Newton Hurry up Alice
Alice JJ
Rosie Its for your own good
Jill Newton Away from here. We need to move
Alice More suitcases. Always moving. Never still
Jill Newton Let’s face it, its not the first time she’s done this
Alice Her visits to me when I was away…inside…Her tanned face, rose tattoo…smiling.
Carol appears through the gauze
Carol I just want a photo of my girl
Alice Just a picture
Carol Of my little girl
Alice me smiling…
Carol just one more…
Alice …ended up on the front pages…The face of a killer…Carol Jones attractive mother of notorious Berwick Waters Killer, Jennifer Jones…
Carol She’s not a bad girl
Alice is slowly packing her things and clearing the room. The whole space is cleared to echo the start
Voice The girl killed her friend in cold blood…The state is paying for her to live in a place that sounds like a five star hotel…What about Michelle’s parents? How will they feel when they find out their daughter’s killer is living in luxury at the taxpayer’s expense…The face of a killer
Carol My life without Jennifer…
Alice See I can’t see her…ever…Not now
Rosie We better go. Come on Alice
Car sounds
Alice Last time I saw her? Through a car window, wipe the condensation away…her hair was shorter…and stiffer…our eyes met. Just a flicker. No more. One back seat passenger to another. Passing each other. No more …no more
Rosie Goodbye Alice
Alice But you’re coming with me
Rosie (Shakes her head) – I can’t. This is the end of the road for me
Alice I’d go anywhere for you Rosie, why won’t you come with me?
Rosie My life is here…I’ve checked with Jill. I can come and see you when you’ve settled in at Uni. We can still be friends
Alice Course we can…Both knew…both knew that was never going to happen. It couldn’t happen. All the history…all the people…all the memories had to be wiped clean…
The room is cleared
Alice All had to be erased. A new hard drive. A new laptop. A new life…
Cut to
We see the sign
Kate Rickman
The empty room…the laptop…
We hear talking and laughter outside her hall of residence room
Kate See It’s Leeds. Not Sussex. Bodington Hall. I have a lovely view over the grass and up to the reservoir…Finishing the blog and posting it for you…
A knock at her door
Lindsay Hi
Kate Oh hi
Lindsay I’m Lindsay. I’m in the next room. What course are you on? I’m doing Psychology – You’re doing history, right? You’re Kate Rickman? Pleased to meet you. I got two B’s and a C
Kate Good. Yes
Lindsay What did you get?
Kate Three B’s
Lindsay Nice. Hey laptop good one. Can you get on the broadband here? I’ve tried but mine is such an old shed, my brother said he’d sorted it, but you know what teenage boys are like
Kate Unfortunately
Lindsay So do you fancy coming out with us tonight? A few of us from this corridor are going to the Skyrack it sounds cool!
Kate Sure. I’ll give you a knock when I’ve unpacked
Lindsay Thanks Kate
Kate er oh Sorry. Yes
She leaves
Kate That name the whole starting over thing. Its weird. I 'spose this whole blog thing has been helping. I know there are millions out there but somewhere, just somewhere is a little bit of the truth. You’ve got to look really hard to find it but when you do. Gold dust. I promise. See I often think about Lucy. Mouse. Wonder where she is what she’s up to…I like being on my own now. No seriously I really do. With this. No interruptions…except for one. I’m not going to erase this one…Listen
Sms bleep on her phone
We see Rosie through the gauze
Rosie This is a message for Kate Rickman…It’s Rosie here. Jill gave me your number and I just thought I’d call and wish you luck when you start Uni next week. Everything’s OK here, all the fuss seems to have died down you’ll be pleased to hear. Hope you’re getting on all right with the laptop. Everyone swears by them but, you know me, I’d rather use a pen and paper…I got your letter and I’ll keep it among my important papers…I won’t forget you…you brightened up my life for a long time…Don’t lose that. When your life starts to calm down you’ll have everything you deserve…Thing is you mustn’t contact me…you know in case…anyone is trying to find you. But I’ll write to you when you’re settled in uni…And who knows one day, maybe I’ll pay you a visit.
Kate Jill forwarded a couple of letters too…
We see Frankie through the gauze
Frankie Dear Alice…I just want you to ring me. I’ve been a total idiot and I just need to talk to you. We can talk about what happened in the past. Just ring me. I need to hear your voice…I love you. I reacted so badly that was all…Look I understand people can change…Listen I want you to know my feelings for you haven’t changed, not deep down…Please don’t give up on me. Just ring me so we can talk…
Alice She smiles . Alice doesn’t live here anymore. So that’s the story up to now. (she closes the laptop)
Lindsay Hey Kate are you coming? I brought a friend along
Lucy Hi Kate. Kate?
Blackout