Testament of Youth Page #17

Vera is left standing there, stunned.

VERA:

He says you’re heartless.

137 INT. GERMAN WARD - LATER 137

A sweating Vera is dealing with the dressing on a soldier’s

back wound. She lifts the blood-stained gauze to reveal a

raw mass of pus and blood. A moment’s shock.

Then - she goes to a nearby work top. The only equipment is

a pair of grubby forceps in a cracked jar. Soldiers cry out

for her help. Vera looks around her, overwhelmed, trying

not to panic.

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138 EXT. DISPENSING STATION - ETAPLES 138

A queue of nurses wait to collect medical supplies from two

orderlies manning the dispensing station. Vera, at the head

of the queue, hurries away with her arms full of lint,

bandage, medicines and antiseptic.

139 INT. GERMAN WARD - LATER 139

Vera has a bottle of antiseptic, but is looking around for

a jar to use. There’s nothing.

A CORNER OF THE WARD - Vera is rummaging through her

suitcase. She pulls out the jar of cream her mother gave

her.

BACK AT THE WORK TOP - Vera is washing the jar free of all

the cream. Quickly, she pours antiseptic into it, shoves in

instruments for sterilisation.

140 INT. GERMAN WARD - DAY 140

Vera is dressing a leg wound on a German soldier. On the

hut floor, lie piles of dressings saturated with blood and

pus. As she finishes, her eyes meet his - his look of

intense gratitude moves her. Vera smiles and nods in

acknowledgement.

VERA’S VOICE

Here I am, dear Edward, fighting

with every inch of strength to

save men who, fifty or so miles

away, you’re risking your life to

kill. It makes you wonder,

Edward, really it does.

141 EXT. HILL, ETAPLES BASE - DAY (SPRING) 141

Vera is standing at the top of the gentle slope above the

base - below her, the vast stretch of huts that makes up

Etaples base, cut through by the railway line. She’s been

here a while.

VERA’S VOICE

I waited for you again on Sunday.

I’ll be here every week, until you

can come.

A figure walks towards her, waving - Hope.

HOPE:

(as she approaches)

Miss Brittain! You’ll get

sunburn!

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Vera says nothing, Hope can see she’s upset.

HOPE (CONT’D)

Another no-show?

Vera nods.

HOPE (CONT’D)

He’ll get here when he can, I’m

sure. Come on, let’s walk.

VERA:

I need to rest.

HOPE:

Nonsense. Best thing for nervous

upset is exercise.

She’s already striding off.

VERA:

(calling)

I’m not upset!

HOPE:

(calling)

Chop chop!

Vera sighs, follows her.

142 EXT. WOODS, ETAPLES - LATER 142

Hope and Vera are walking together through beautiful, sun-

dappled woods. Quite a way ahead of them, a limping officer

and a VAD are walking, a self-conscious distance between

them.

HOPE:

Look at those two. All the signs

are there. Give them a few

minutes and they’ll be in the

bushes. Not my preferred

location, the flora and fauna

round here are prickly as hell.

Vera looks at her in surprise.

HOPE (CONT’D)

Do I shock you, Nurse?

Vera smiles, shakes her head.

VERA:

I don’t think there’s going to be

much room left for etiquette when

all this is over.

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HOPE:

Won’t life be dreadfully dull,

though? (Seeing something) Ah,

there we go.

She gestures to where the couple were a minute ago.

HOPE (CONT’D)

You see? Gone.

Hope runs on, calling out.

HOPE:

Here little bunnies! Where are you?

Come on out, Mummy won’t be cross!

Bunniekins!

A rustle in the undergrowth - they catch sight of two figures

scampering off through the trees, the man with his trousers

down throws her a dirty look. Vera laughs. Hope grins,

enjoying her prank.

142A EXT. WOODS, ETAPLES - A LITTLE LATER 142A

Vera and Hope walk, enjoying the fresh air.

VERA:

(hesitant, a confession)

You know, some of the time here I’m

actually happy -

HOPE:

‘Course you are, you’re addicted to

it, Brittain, just like the rest of

us. It’s what happens when it’s

over that’s the real worry.

Vera looks at Hope - whose face is flooded with sudden

unspoken pain.

HOPE (CONT’D)

All that mopping up to be done -

ghastly.

But she battens down the hatches, grabs Vera’s arm.

HOPE:

Come on, race you back!

They run off, laughing.

143 INT. GERMAN WARD - DAY 143

Bloody chaos. About 15 freshly wounded men have been

brought in, in a critical state.

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Vera, Hope and another VAD are desperately trying to cope,

rushing between the beds, as orderlies bring more men in on

stretchers.

Hope passes the bed of a man whose arm is turning black.

HOPE:

Gangrene. Brittain, get some

powder on this filthy Hun!

Vera throws Hope a look at this language, scurries over

with a powder bottle, shakes it on the man’s arm. He’s

whimpering with fear.

143A INT. GERMAN WARD - LATER 143A

Hope is by the bed of a uniformed officer who’s bleeding

profusely from the neck. Vera comes over to her side. Hope

is trying to stem the bleed.

She sees Vera, pulls her briefly aside.

HOPE:

It’s hopeless. Get the screen.

Hope stays with the man, who grabs her hand tight.

DYING OFFICER:

Lieber Gott...Nicht so!

HOPE:

Alright old boy...alright...

DYING OFFICER:

(raw fear)

Nicht so! Nicht hier!

His eyes suddenly lose focus, a look of panic comes over

him. Vera is pulling a screen on wheels round the bed.

DYING OFFICER:

Meine augen! Ich sehe nichts!

He lashes out, flailing. Hope struggles to hold him down.

Vera comes over to help, it takes both of them.

HOPE:

Calm down old chap -

DYING OFFICER:

(total panic)

Hilf mir!

Vera suddenly grips his hand, leans in close.

VERA:

Sei still! Alles in ordnung.

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Hope looks at her in surprise. Hearing his own language

makes him stop and listen - Vera smooths his brow. He

calms, starts to whimper like a frightened child, delirium

fast engulfing him.

DYING OFFICER:

Klara...? Klara, bist du’s?

A pause.

VERA:

Ja...ja, ich bin da.

He calms right down, grips her hand tightly.

VERA:

(a whisper)

Keine angst haben...

DYING OFFICER:

Verzeihe mir Klara...verzeihe

mir...

Vera can’t hold back the tears, She leans in and kisses him

on the forehead.

VERA:

Naturlich.

Hope has tears in her eyes too.

Vera watches the life leave him. Then focuses on the hand

gripping hers, as it slackens....

Silence. She closes his eyes.

A noise rouses her - Hope is opening a small window above

the man’s head.

HOPE:

To let his soul escape.

Vera looks up, sees a tree branch right outside - she hears

the peaceful twitter of a bird.

She freezes, then starts to shake - the utter, pointless

horror of it pushing her close to the edge...

Hope sees. She comes over. Bends down, takes her hands,

looks her straight in the eye.

HOPE:

(calm, firm)

Control your mind. It’s the only

way.

Vera nods, trying, trembling.

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