Our Girl Page #3

MOLLY:

(to Smurf)

Oh you're back alright.

SMURF:

I'm talking sense Molls and you knows

it.

Molly watches Smurf go off and heads over to Bashira.

10:
09:50 MUSIC IN – 2G4

MOLLY:

Bashira, are you okay?

Bashira shakes her head.

MOLLY (CONT'D)

Well what is it? I won't let anyone hurt

you, okay.

(taking her hands)

Why aren't you going to school? That's

the reason we're here.

BASHIRA:

I must leave. I must go away.

MOLLY:

Go where?

BASHIRA:

My father has said.

MOLLY:

He can't just send you away, can he?

BASHIRA:

(looking at her)

I've been promised to a man.

MOLLY:

What? What do you mean, promised?

BASHIRA:

To be married. I must leave.

MOLLY:

(horrified)

Is that what you want?

Bashira shakes her head and looks tearful. Suddenly breaking the

calm is the sound of gunshot and children screaming. Everyone

hits the deck including Molly as she watches Bashira run off.

There is chaos and all of 2 Section are calling out to each other

to 'stay down'.

FINGERS:

Stay down!

KINDERS:

Watch your back.

SMURF (O.S.)

I think it came from the school over

there Corporal.

10:
10:55 INT. SCHOOL. AFGHAN VILLAGE. DAY 8. 10:10

James, Azizi, Qaseem and Molly stand around with a local elder

surveying the walls of the classroom that have been riddled with

bullets. Qaseem is talking to the elder in Pashto.

ELDER (O.S)

(in Pashto – 10:10:56)

They said they will definitely come

back.

10:
10:59 MUSIC OUT – 2G4

MOLLY:

I don't understand, why the school?

QASEEM:

(to James)

The teacher says two Taliban came in,

fired at the walls and went.

JAMES:

So who was in here... was anybody hurt?

QASEEM:

The elder was in his office, he came

and saw them but they didn't harm him.

MOLLY:

The children ain't coming back.

QASEEM:

He thinks the presence of the soldiers

has only made things worse. He says this

is just the first.

MOLLY:

The first?

10:
11:25 MUSIC IN – 2G5

JAMES:

First thing they do.

James lets this shocking and threatening news sink in.

10:
11:31 EXT. COMPOUND BASE. DAY 8. 12:30

A shot of the outside of the compound base.

Sohail is watching the platoon who have gathered around for mail

distribution. James stands by the large mail sack beaming. James

lifts up a large package.

JAMES:

(holding package)

Dawes.

10:
11:39 MUSIC OUT – 2G5

MOLLY:

(stepping forward)

Is that for me, sir?!

JAMES:

No...but the letter on the top is!

The others laugh at James' ruse. Molly takes the letter and looks

at the handwriting.

MOLLY:

Ahhh it's from my sister so you can stick

that parcel up your arse.... this is

better. Sir.

JAMES:

I doubt that, Dawes. Gentlemen... this

parcel is a package of mine from my

mummy!

He rips open the package to reveal a large paddling pool.

JAMES (CONT'D)

While you lot are sweating your nads

off, I will be bathing on the steps of

my very own luxury swimming pool. Two

volunteers? One to blow it up and one

to get the water and fill it up.

Nude-Nut and Baz-Vegas are play fighting over a pair of sunglasses.

Nude-Nut holds them up out of Baz's reach and he reaches up to

try and get them.

JAMES (CONT'D)

Nude-Nut, Baz Vegas! Oh how I adore a

keen and eager soldier!

They haven't volunteered but know they have no choice. James lobs

the package to Nude-Nut and Baz.

JAMES (CONT'D)

Who's next? Dangleberries, a heavy

one.

James throws the parcel at Dangleberries while Molly looks at

Sohail who is watching them with disgust.

Molly points him out to James.

MOLLY:

What's that all about, Sir?

James watches Sohail spit on the ground in their general direction

before heading into his tent. Molly sees it too.

JAMES:

I dunno. Let's find out.

James decides to head across to him, Molly follows. James knocks

on the outside of the wall of the tent out of courtesy before

going in.

10:
12:46 INT/EXT. SOHAIL'S SMALL TENT AREA.DAY8.12:33

James greets Sohail in Pashto as he comes in. Molly follows him

in and does the same.

JAMES:

(in Pashto 10:
12:48)

Peace be upon you.

MOLLY:

(in Pashto 10:
12:50)

Peace be upon you.

Sohail eyes Molly angrily but begrudgingly reciprocates the

greeting.

SOHAIL:

(in Pashto 10:
12:52)

And upon you.

Inside the tent is a stove with a pot on. A fellow ANA soldier

is also inside and sits cleaning his AK47.

JAMES:

You making chai?

Sohail mumbles to his fellow ANA in Pashto who turns to look at

James and Molly with disgust.

SOHAIL:

(in Pashto to ANA soldier 10:12:58)

They want to taste our tea.

JAMES (CONT'D)

I take that as a yes?

SOHAIL:

You want chai?

JAMES:

That'd be lovely. If you're offering.

Sohail indicates for James to sit and pours some chai into a small

cup and hands it to James.

JAMES (CONT'D)

You sir are a scholar and a gent. Do

you know anything about what happened

up at the school this morning?

SOHAIL:

What happened? At the school?

JAMES:

You don't know?

SOHAIL:

Why should I know?

JAMES:

The Taliban went in and fired bullets

into the walls.

James looks at him trying to work out if he knows anything - he

clearly suspects he does. Molly hovers in the doorway.

JAMES (CONT'D)

You got a chai for our medic?

SOHAIL:

The female?

JAMES:

Well, we let them drink tea where we

come from.

MOLLY:

I know, mental or what?

Sohail stares at her and slowly pours her some chai. He places

the cup down for her to pick up, rather than hand it to her. James

eyes him suspiciously.

SOHAIL:

All this... just to get the children

to go to school?

JAMES:

You got a problem with that, soldier?

Sohail mutters in Pashto to the other ANA.

MOLLY:

Yeah, that's why we're here, to make

sure the children can go to school...

SOHAIL:

But they used to go to school before

you arrive.

JAMES:

The boys did, yeah.

10:
14:41 MUSIC IN – 2G6

SOHAIL:

And now no one will. So, what have you

achieved? You go soon and everything

will go back to normal.

MOLLY:

What exactly counts normal round here

then?

Sohail glares at her.

SOHAIL:

Your normal isn't our normal.

(beat)

And when you go, we will still be here.

Before Molly can respond, James is moving her out.

JAMES:

Dawes, work to do. Move.

Molly goes out the tent and James follows her.

10:
15:17 EXT. OUTSIDE SOHAIL TENT/COMPOUND BASE. CONTINUOUS

Sohail watches them as they walk away.

MOLLY:

We're supposed to be on the same side

but sometimes it really doesn't feel

like that.

JAMES:

Agreed.

10:
15:27 MUSIC OUT – 2G6

MOLLY:

Did you see his face when you said about

just the boys going to school? See, when

it all goes back to normal like what

he's talking about, Bashira don't

stand a chance...

JAMES:

Repeat after me. Do...

MOLLY:

Do.

JAMES:

Not.

MOLLY:

Not.

JAMES:

Get.

MOLLY:

Get.

JAMES:

In-f***ing-volved.

(beat, looking at her)

Because... I need you... one hundred

per cent by my side.

MOLLY:

I am, sir.

Rate this script:4.3 / 3 votes