The Damned Page #5

---

not want the children to watch him die.

It's just an ordinary lock on this side.

What is a lock, Simon?

Good afternoon, Miss Nielssen.

- Good afternoon.

- I hope I'm not interrupting anything?

- No.

The name is Gregory. You may remember we met at the Closter the other day.

- I remember you.

You're one of Bernard's toy soldiers, aren't you?

- Yes, that's right.

I've been promising myself I would come and see your work some day, by way of improving my mind.

- Mmm. Very clever. Very clever.

It's a very interesting effect, that. Sort of unfinished, really, isn't it?

- Well now,....

...isn't everything in life

sort of unfinished, hmm?

Well, I never really

thought of it like that.

May I come in? - Please,

please. - Thank you.

I hope you don't mind silly questions?

- As long as you don't mind my silly answers.

- Shouldn't I?

- If I could explain these, I wouldn't have to make them.

Yes, quite.

Thank you, Miss Nielssen, You've been very kind. -

Nothing, nothing at all. Come again. Come again. - Thank yo.

All clear Captain.

I'm Sid.

Yes, I've noticed you hanging around.

Perhaps you noticed other

things, too. Where's King?

I hope you have a better

sense of humour than he does.

Yeah, I'm laughing all the time. We

haven't seen him when he came up here

Would you like me to find him for

you? Yeah, maybe you know where he is.

Maybe you know where the brass

is knocking about in your quarry.

[ Bell is ringing ]

Quiet, please. Order, please.

- Sir, Mary's not here.

Don't worry about that,

Victoria. Mary is to stay in bed.

Now children, I have called you together at this unusual time

because it is very important and I want you to cooperate with me.

I know that you have some big people in your

hide-out. Oh yes, I know about your hide-out...

... and I wanted you to keep it. But I

will not be able to let you keep it,...

...unless you help me, is that understood. If you will not

help me, I will be forced to take your hide-out away from you.

Now, Victoria, how many of these

'big people' are you hiding?

Don't be stubborn, children, it's very

important. Big people are dangerous to you.

How did they get inside?

Very well, I can find

out all that later.

Now, Victoria, I want you to go to them

and tell them to come out. Tell them...

...to come to the lift

and we will get them out.

- We want to keep them here, sir.

- You cannot.

I'm very sorry to tell you this.

But here is dangerous for them.

They'll become ill, they will

go sleepy if they stay with you.

They are warm, and nothing

that's warm can live with you. ...

... You will remember what happened to the rabbit.

- You're just trying to frighten us, sir. ...

... We don't believe you.

- You killed the rabbit because we loved it. You sent the Black Death for it because we loved it.

I love you, children, and

I'm trying to protect you.

- You don't.

- You don't.

- Think, children, think.

You will have to do as I say.

King, King, where are you? King, the Black

Death is coming and gonna take you away.

What is it, Henry?

- He's coming for you. You'll get sleepy like the rabbit.

...and open the cave door for us.

- What's the good of that?

- I've been to the other door. It's no good

without a key. You think you can climb these cliffs?

We'll have to swim for it.

- Through those rocks, with a tide like that, with the kids?...

Let them come for us. - No! [ muffled

cry ] - King, I've seen too much.

Are you coming, or not?

Thank you.

I know it's kid stuff, knocking about

in a gang. But what else is there to do?

What would you like to do?

- I don't know.

There aught to be something to do?

Guard, bring the dingy in.

I have had to send someone down.

Because of your disobedience.

Children!

... This is a crisis. ...not understand

what is happening. Now try to be quiet.

Think! Think! You will have

to do as I say eventually.

You'd better come out,

Howard. We can't direct you.

Let me go man, for God's sake. Let me go.

- All I want is that key.

- Get rid of it, throw

it away! Throw it away!

Why are you so afraid of this, Major?

- Because we'll go blind, man!

- Get up.

Give me that thing

- Won't do you any good now.

- Now let's be equal.

- Watch him. Joan!

I'm getting you all out of here.

They should be getting

out of these clothes first.

Go on, take 'em off. All of you. - Simon,

we can't. - Don't argue, take them off.

- We can't undress in front of each other.38

- You do as I say.

- Allright, children, undress.

- That's right, Wells. The children

themselves are radio active.

- The children? What in heaven's name are you doing?

- You can't be expected to understand.

- I'm taking them out of here.

- You can't do that, they're dangerous.

- Please Simon, take us out! Please take us out!

- Please!

- Wells, you can't!

- Can't I? Come on children.

- Can we put our clothes on?

- Yes, it doesn't matter now.

- Do you understand what you're doing? - Do you

understand what you're doing? - Yes, certainly.

- Tie him to the bed.

Tie him to the bed!

Come on, Joan. We can't wait.

- I want to go too, Joan.

- We can't leave her, Simon, she's sick.

- Be careful.

Now the children were opening the locks with the

radiation of their own bodies. Now, I've been here,...

... we needn't worry about the

cave door, because I've checked it.

- Then take a complet detachment to this door.02

Alert the helicopters, in case they get any farther.

And Gregory, if Mis Nielssen is at the studio, make sure she doesn't see anything. And hurry.

- Yes sir.

Hello! Anybody there?

Here we are my love. We took a walk. That's the world.

- I'm frightened.

Don't be frightened.

Look, here's something

small, a little flower.

Let me go!

Go away from me.

- No! I'm coming with you, King!

They're children, Bernard. - Gregory!

- Yes sir! - Henry's gone! In the car.

- I've seen you before. You're the man

who knows all about violence, aren't you?

You're the man who knows all the answers,

aren't you? Why are you doing this?

What's it all for? What are you

trying to make out of these children?

What do you want with us?

Anwser me! Will you answer me!

- Where is Major Holland? -

He's down there? - Is he alive?

- He's alive! - Gregory, get him out of

there, as quickly as possible. - Yes sir.

- Mr Wells, you and the young

lady may go to your boat.

Children, Bernard. 48

- The worst of this incident is ...

...that my children will now think of

themselves as prisoners and as freaks.

- Did you do this thing to them, Bernard?

- They were born as they are. ...

...Their mothers were exposed to an unknown

kind and level of radiation by an accident.

I don't need to tell you that there are such

accidents. Three hundred in the past fifteen years.

That is a fact. We don't yet know how to repeat

the exact conditions that produce these children.

- You mean you would if you could?

- Certainly.

- Ahh.

- Freya.

Freya. It is now

desperately important ...

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes