"AFTERLAND"
SC1. Ext. A remote scottish farm. day
An old stone farmhouse is in the mid ground. The forest behind thins to a carefully tended kitchen garden. As we watch 2 girls appear from the front door and race round the side of the house yelling in gentle Scottish accents. This is Elizabeth and Angela Carter. 8 year old twins.
SC2. EXT. the
The two girls race round the corner of the house and continue their chasing game amongst the fruit trees. Their mother, Alice Carter, (mid 30’s, Scottish, has the kindly yet stern face of a mother of energetic twins) knocks on the glass and shouts for them to come in but they charge past unheeding. She glances at the sky, decides it will not rain and lets them play.]
SC3. The orchard - CONTINUOUS
Angela races towards the end of the garden. The forest reaches almost to the cultivated area and she pulls up short of the dark trees. From behind her Elizabeth yells but Angela hardly hears –she is watching something. For the first time we see her face. Angela has a prominent burn mark that pulls one eye down.]
CUT TO:
Something is watching Angela from the trees. They are aware of each other. Angela takes a step forward and smiles.
CUT TO: Camera view
[Angela watches the trees rustle as something vanishes into the woods.]
Elizabeth:
Angela, you didn’t even hide.
Angela:
You frightened him.
Elizabeth:
Who?
Angela:
The lumpy man.
Elizabeth (unsympathetically):
Mummy says you’re not to make stuff like that up.
Angela:
I’m not. There is a lumpy man. There is so.
Elizabeth:
No, there isn’t. It’s just...
(beat – She peers in the woods)
...Just shadows and the leaves and the wind. That’s all.
Angela:
No, Elizabeth. I …
ELIZABETH (over angela):
No, stop it. That’s enough. I’m telling mummy if you carry on.
Angela:
Alright. Meany.
Elizabeth:
I’ll show you mean.
[The two girls race off again, laughing. We see the trees waving gently in the breeze. There is nothing there, just a childs imagination. Then, in a sudden shock of activity, something unseen races violently away into the deep woods breaking branches and crashing through the undergrowth as it goes. then the woods are still again.]
Roll Credits FADE TO:– EP 1
SC4. The kitchen - EVENING
The two children are sitting at the table drawing. establishing shots of the kitchen show occasional incongruities. The colouring pens are worn modern crayons but the light is provided by candles and lanterns. Books on the kitchen shelf are modern and all about growing and preserving. This is either the home of self sufficiency experimenters or something here is not quite right. Alice bustles around cooking and cleaning. She is hot and flustered. A third child, Emily (just about talking age), is in a home-made looking high chair watching the scene in goggle eyed wonder.]
Elizabeth:
Mummy, Angela is kicking me.
Angela (insulted):
Am not. She’s hitting my foot.
Elizabeth:
Oh, am I? I’m just hitting my leg really hard on your foot am I?
Angela (taunting):
Yes. That’s what a Dodo does do.
Elizabeth:
Mum, she called me a Dodo again.
Alice:
Oh for pity’s sake stop it you two.
Angela:
She started it.
Elizabeth:
Did not.
Angela:
Did to.
Elizabeth:
Did NOT!
Alice:
ENOUGH!
The girls instantly quieten. They know when to not push their luck with Mummy.
Angela (whispered):
Did too start it, Dodo.
[Suddenly Tom, (mid 30’s well built), is behind them. Tom Carter does not sport the expected scottish accent, rather the opposite is the case and he has a neutral ‘middle England’ sound.]
Tom (Amused):
Don’t call you sister a Dodo.
Angela/Elizabeth:
Daddy, Daddy.
Tom:
You two fighting again?
Elizabeth:
She called me names.
Angela:
She was being, being, being.
Elizabeth:
Ha, Angela Jelly Belly can’t remember the word.
Angela:
Being,
EMily (excited):
Dodo. Dodo.
Emily diffuses the tension and even Alice laughs signalling the end of the tiff.
Alice:
Dinner in 10 minutes.
SC5. The twins ROOM - NIGHT
Through the door Tom can be seen closing the door to the baby’s nursery then he comes through to tuck the twins in. The room is decorated with children’s drawings. Toys cover the floor but no electronic equipment can be seen. The odd boxed game is visible but they look old and worn. A solitary lantern lights the room.
Angela:
[Tom checks the second bed.
Tom:
So she is. Anyway, you snore more.
Angela (mock insulted:
Do not. You always say that. Anyway the Lumpy Man would tell me.
Tom:
Ah, would he?
He reaches down and picks up a ragged, hand made doll – this must be what Tom considers the Lumpy Man. It is human in general shape but it is lumpy and badly. Elizabeth has a similar one on the window sill. Clearly this is the handiwork of the two girls.
Angela:
Lumpy Man never sleeps. He’s always awake watching me and he’s sad all the time.
Tom (Concerned):
Lumpy Man is sad? Why?
Angela:
I think it’s because he’s not very pretty.
[Angela looks out of a gap in the curtains past where the other doll is resting.
Tom:
I am sure he has lots of friends.
[He indicates the other doll]
TOM: (cont...)
I bet he has a brother who loves him.
Angela:
Maybe.
Tom:
I’m sure of it. Come on you, sleep.
He tucks her in and does the same for Elizabeth. Then he blows out the lantern.
Angela:
Oh, Daddy I have an important question.
Tom:
Really? Or is this an important ‘I want to stall having to sleep’ question?
Angela:
Really important.
Tom:
Let’s have it then.
Angela:
You know today, when I said Elizabeth was a Dodo?
Tom:
Yes,
Angela:
What’s a Dodo?
Tom (Amused):
It’s, or rather it was, a kind of waddling bird. They were sort of like a funny looking chicken.
Angela:
From before the changes?
Tom:
Yes, well before.
Angela:
Was it sad as well? Being so ugly, did it make it cry?
Tom:
No sweetie. It was a very happy bird. Just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s got to be sad about it. Now, go to sleep and stop worrying about Lumpy Man. If something made him cry then I’m sure he will feel better for a nights sleep.
Angela:
But…
Tom (stern):
No, enough. Sleep now Sweetie.
Angela snuggles down as Tom closes the door. The draft causes the curtain to fall slightly open again. We linger on the gap, Was that a flicker of movement, something like an eye peering in the room?
SC6. - Tom and
Tom and Alice are lying in bed entangled and happy. The room is as rustic as the children’s and lit only by a solitary
Alice:
So what did the great defender of Unst do today?
Tom:
He defended a lost Ram and arranged for someone to walk the Bluemull wall.
Alice:
The wall? Why?
Tom: (Drowsey)
Nothing serious. Running repairs is all.
Alice:
Good. Oh, did Jim talk to you. Apparently someone’s been stealing his milk.
Tom:
Someone’s always stealing something from Jim, according to Jim anyway. Still, milk theft, Major crime. I’ll set up a special investigation team in the morning.
Alice:
Be nice. You’re the friendly Island Sheriff. They rely on you.
Tom:
To look for missing milk?
Alice:
Now, perhaps. But they remember what it was like before you came.
Tom:
I didn’t do anything.
Alice (amused):
If you say so.
Tom:
What?
Alice:
You didn’t band them together to fight off the gangs, or start the sheriff system then? You just wandered out of the main island, sat on your arse while they did the work and then claimed the glory.
Tom:
OK. Maybe I helped them to, I don’t know, think things through, but they did the work. They built the wall and re-built the town. Stood up to Murray’s thugs. Took back their land.
Alice:
Hey, I’m only attracted to you because of the hero thing. If I find out you’re just ordinary wee man I may go off you.
Tom:
Oy, less of the ‘wee’ man.
Alice:
Oh aye? Prove it then.
Tom pins Alice to the bed.
tom:
I’ll give you wee man wench.
There is a sudden heavy pounding at the door. Tom leaps from the bed and peers through the window. A lantern below illuminates the worried face of Jim (50’s, ruddy faced and running to fat). He is carrying a small bag big enough for a jam jar.
Alice:
Who is it?
Tom:
Jim. If this is about milk I’m going to nail him to his cowshed.
SC7. INT. The kitchen. later
Jim and Tom are sitting sipping from hot drinks. Jim looks shaken. Alice and Tom exchange a look. This is not the usual Jim. Alice motions Tom into action.
Tom
More tea?
Jim:
No, no thanks.
Alice:
Something stronger then? There’s a drop of beer left.
Jim:
No. Well maybe a wee one if you can spare it.
As she leaves Alice leans into Tom and indicates a half bottle of what looks like cloudy home brew sticking out of Jims pocket.
Alice (Whispered):
I think Jim may have already had a wee one.
Tom waits for alice to leave.
Tom:
Not that we don’t appreciate the visit Jim but what’s wrong?
Jim:
It’s started. It’s here, Tom.
Tom:
What has?
Jim looks close to tears and lost for words. Eventually he reaches into his pocket and pulls out an old style penny.
Jim:
Heads or tails?
Tom:
What? Jim, I’m not in the mood for games.
Jim:
Humour me. Heads or tails?
Tom (indulgent):
Heads.
Jim gravely flips the coin. We follow it into the air and trace its arc towards the dining table. Jim never takes his eyes off Tom
Jim:
I call edge.
The coin lands spinning and settles slowly on its thin edge. The two men lower their faces to the table and examine the coin. Eventually Tom reaches out and nudges it and it falls over. Jim picks it up again and without looking flips it. The coin drops between them on its edge again.
Tom:
Amazing.
Jim:
That’s not all, I found this in the barn, it was stealing milk.
He nudges the bag towards Tom. Reluctantly Tom opens it and stares inside. There is a tapping, like a trapped Daddy long legs in a glass light shade.
Tom (still staring into the bag):
Go wake up the town council.