Ditch by Beth Steel Page B

holdin’ yourself again?
    Megan nods slowly. Mrs Peel shakes her head, sights the rest of the garments.
    Mrs Peel Fold the rest a’ the them things.
    Megan leaves with the sheet.
    Mrs Peel You come back here.
    Mrs Peel storms after Megan but stops dead in her tracks as Burns enters, holding the radio.
    Mrs Peel ( Gruff. ) What d’you want?
    Mrs Peel looks away from Burns ; he stays where he is.
    Mrs Peel We goin’ after my deer?
    Mrs Peel looks at Burns .
    Mrs Peel Where’s the supplies?
    Mrs Peel looks searchingly at Burns .
    Mrs Peel Burns?
    Burns turns up the volume, beautiful music plays, and puts the radio down.
    Burns ( softly ) I want my dance.
    Mrs Peel ( Relieved but stern .) I aint dancin’.
    Burns walks towards Mrs Peel .
    Mrs Peel Are you outta your mind! I aint dancin’ in here! I got work to do! I never said when!
    Burns stands still before Mrs Peel .
    Burns We only got now.
    Burns takes Mrs Peel ’s hand. They dance; he is surprisingly light on his toes whilst she is as stiff as a fence post. He looks at her whilst she looks away. Gradually their steps become smaller and smaller until they are stood still. Burns looks at Mrs Peel for what feels like a long time but is only a moment, she looks back at him. They lean very slowly towards one another. They kiss.
    Turner ( Offstage. ) Why’d you leave without me?
    Bug ( Offstage. ) Told you I was comin’ back.
    Mrs Peel jolts away from Burns and darts over to the radio. Mrs Peel tunes the radio as Turner and Bug walk in.
    Turner You could a’ woke me up.
    Bug Thought you were stayin’ on.
    Turner Well I thought both a’ us were.
    Mrs Peel Quiet!
    Radio ( American. ) . . . resulting in the disarmament of the airbase and the withdrawal of the British Security from the Sheffield area which took place at ten hundred hours GMT. Plans today were revealed for a monument to commemorate the fallen dead in China.
    Turner Withdrawal?
    Beat.
    Turner What’s the disarmament of the airbase got to do with us?
    Beat.
    Turner What the fuck does . . . withdrawal mean?
    Burns Means we aint there no more.
    Turner But . . . if we aint there then who is?
    Beat.
    Who’s controllin’ Sheffield?
    Beat.
    Turner No, no, they . . . they bein’ quarantined. S’why we pulled out. Fuck, I don’t know, there enough diseases. ( To Mrs Peel .) Put our radio on.
    Burns It’s dead.
    Turner What d’you mean?
    Turner goes to the radio . . . it’s dead .
    Turner You gonna tell me what the fuck’s going on?
    Burns I put it on this mornin’ at around five and it was dead. I left for the station cause I had to pick up the supplies and the freight never showed. What? Why? Station aint even in Sheffield.
    Burns What did you hear in the beginnin’?
    Mrs Peel Ultimatum expired.
    Turner What ultimatum?
    Mrs Peel Dint hear no more
    Turner I’m . . . I’m . . . I don’t know what’s goin’ on.
    Burns Civilians gave an ultimatum?
    Turner We gave one to them? We gave ’em an ultimatum, right?
    Burns We the ones who’ve withdrawn.
    Turner We don’t know what that means.
    Burns Means we pulled –
    Turner I know that! We don’t know why.
    Mrs Peel Why’s it been broadcast over there?
    Turner Cause a’ the airbase, it’s theirs.
    Mrs Peel Why a’ they here?
    Turner They’re not anymore. Security gonna be headin’ over there.
    Burns Maybe civilians a’ headin’ out there.
    Turner The Sheffield border’ll still be there.
    Burns Said withdrew from the area. Area? Area? That aint specific.
    Beat .
    Burns We ride out, see what’s goin’ on.
    Mrs Peel Aint it better to wait here?
    Burns If they comin’, no.
    Turner They aint comin’ out here, there gonna be Security from all over.
    Burns ( To Mrs Peel .) we’ll go to a settlement, ask there.
    Turner ( To Bug .) You comin’?
    Burns You stay here till we get back.
    Turner leaves .