Fallen Petals Read online

  Both PHIL and SALLY are getting up for breakfast.

  PHIL’S STORY…

  PHIL enters.

  JOHN: You might want to go back to bed, son.

  PHIL: Hmmn?

  JOHN: Why don’t you take it easy today? Get some rest?

  PHIL: I’ve got school. So have you.

  JOHN: Have a few days off on me.

  PHIL: Dad, I’ve got Accounting today. I want to make up the numbers.

  JOHN: You won’t be able to.

  PHIL: Why didn’t you laugh?

  JOHN: After breakfast, just have a lie in. A sleep in. A lie down.

  PHIL: Are you okay?

  JOHN: It’s important.

  PHIL: Have you finally gone insane, Dad?

  JOHN: Schools are closed. A whole bunch of high school kids came down with the Syndrome. Couple of them went.

  PHIL: A whole bunch?

  JOHN: A quarter of the high school have got it.

  PHIL: That’ll be the stupid kids then, won’t it?

  JOHN: Phil.

  PHIL: The dumb kids. That’s good. Any final year kids? Dumb kids bring down the mean. Dumb kids bring down the marks. I hope there were final year kids.

  JOHN: It’s hard for you Phil, I know. Be strong.

  PHIL: I am. I’m going to get out of here. Quick. Ring up the Principal in Sandcastle—I’ll finish the year out there.

  JOHN: Can’t do that.

  PHIL: What? You mean you don’t want to do it.

  JOHN: You can’t go to Sandcastle.

  PHIL: You’re an arsehole, Dad.

  JOHN: The area’s been quarantined.

  PHIL: What?!

  JOHN: Until the Syndrome… blows over… or they understand what causes or transmits it.

  PHIL: And the school’s closed until then.

  JOHN: Phil. Won’t you have friends who…?

  PHIL: Don’t lay the guilt trip on me, Dad. I’ve got enough to worry about. What’s going to happen to our exams?

  JOHN: You should be thinking about the value of human life at a time like this. What you would like to do—?

  PHIL: And my life? Some dumb, unambitious tools get terminal—and my life is being destroyed? Value of human life? These are Hollow hicks keeling over, Dad, making my school close down! It’s probably some in-bred thing going back generations.

  JOHN: Phil?

  PHIL: No ambition, no future, no bigger picture, that’s why they’re dying. Worthless deaths—that’s not a tragedy! You talk all you like about the value of their lives and forget about me, then. I’ve got to get my ticket: it’s called university entrance.

  JOHN: You’re stressed. You don’t mean that.

  PHIL: Fuck yeah, I’m stressed. This had better not be a joke, Dad.

  JOHN: It’s not a joke.

  PHIL: So they know nothing about this Syndrome and they just decide to lock us away here, miles from anywhere.

  JOHN: We’re not miles from anywhere; we’re here.

  PHIL: You’re the bloody primary teacher. It started with primary school kids. Maybe you’re the carrier. Maybe they ought to lock you up.

  JOHN: Don’t talk like that.

  PHIL: Are they still paying your wages?

  JOHN: Don’t talk like this. Phil. What have I brought you up to believe in?

  PHIL: Get fucked.

  JOHN leaves.

  Every problem is not a problem. It’s a challenge. This is a challenge. A challenge that shall make the end result all the sweeter. A challenge is an opportunity. Lie of Success.

  He goes to a stereo and turns on a tape.

  TAPE: [voice-over] Lie of Success. Number Two. Everything happens for a reason. There is no good or bad, only results. If there is any Lie of Success you need to believe more than any other in my MindPower series, it is this one.

  PHIL: Everything happens for a reason.

  TAPE: [voice-over] It is amazing, I have found in my life, what happens when you apply this belief to any situation that you previously may have found dispiriting. It’s the belief that I credit with my global success today.

  PHIL: Global— [He switches the tape off.] Time to study.

  SALLY’S STORY

  SALLY enters.

  WOODS: Morning.

  SALLY: Hey, Mum.

  WOODS: Time to talk.

  SALLY: I’m running late.

  WOODS: You’re not running anywhere today.

  SALLY: It’s not Saturday, yet. I’ve got school.

  WOODS: School’s closed.

  SALLY: No.

  WOODS: Was on the radio.

  SALLY: Wasn’t on Triple J.

  WOODS: Was on the local.

  SALLY: Why?

  WOODS: Sounds like about twenty high school kids died last night.

  SALLY: Oh.

  WOODS: It’s not good, Sal.

  SALLY: No. No.

  WOODS: So they’ve closed the school and quarantined the town.

  SALLY: What. What are they doing?

  WOODS: They want to work out what’s causing it.

  SALLY: I thought only little kids could get it. Was there… anyone I know?

  WOODS: Presume the parents would have rung you up. [Beat.] It’s time, Sally.

  SALLY: Time for what?

  WOODS: Time you moved on.

  SALLY: And worked in the shop. Okay.

  WOODS: No. It’s time you moved on.

  SALLY: What?

  WOODS: You were always going to be kicked out by the end of the year. Let you become an adult by going out on your own. But now business demands that you go.

  SALLY: Mum, are you all right?

  WOODS: Here’s a blanket.

  SALLY: Where am I going to sleep?

  WOODS: I’m giving you a blanket. The business can’t afford more. My customers know that I have a child at the high school. Now nobody is saying how this Syndrome gets passed around, but I’m not taking any chances. I don’t want people attacking my shop.

  SALLY: No one’s attacked your shop, Mum. I’m not sick.

  WOODS: Can’t take the chance. Have to stop it before it starts. I’ll be assuring my customers that you haven’t touched any of their clothes before taking this step.

  SALLY: Mum.

  WOODS: Look, it’s not what I would want to do, but I don’t know much about anything, and anything might be causing this disease. Better to be safe.

  SALLY: Mum.

  WOODS: Come on. Get out. Out you go.

  SALLY: Mum?

  WOODS: There’s a drought on. It’ll still be warm at night.

  SALLY: You want this.

  WOODS: There’s no alternative. I’m not making the choices. Don’t make this any harder.

  SALLY stares at her mother for a beat, and then takes the blanket from her. She leaves.

  SIXTH

  At the tree.

  SALLY is sitting at the tree trunk, blanket under her arm.

  PHIL enters, carrying a plastic bag. He drops it at his own feet.

  PHIL: Brought you some stuff.

  SALLY: Gee, thanks.

  PHIL: You’re not authorised.

  SALLY: What’s unauthorised about me?

  PHIL: The sign says authorised entry only. I’m taking a risk for you.

  TANIA enters, also carrying a plastic bag.

  Be thankful we managed to make it through.

  TANIA: Stole this from Dad’s truck. Phil.

  PHIL: What?

  TANIA: You’ve got dirty, black dandruff.

  PHIL: Fuck off. Hey, Sal, have you heard?

  SALLY: What?

  PHIL: This is great.

  TANIA: What is it?

  PHIL: They’re burning the bodies. All the dead bastards are getting chucked on pyres.

  He is laughing. Black ashes begin to fall from the sky.

  TANIA: [laughing] They should just leave nature to it to sort it all out.

  SALLY: Sure.

  TANIA: It’s going to blow over, Sal, you frigging hobo. Cheer up.

&nb
sp; PHIL: [laughing] Have a sense of humour. It’s pretty funny. You getting kicked out by your mum.

  TANIA: Come on. You gotta laugh.

  PHIL: [scratching his head] They don’t guard this perimeter very well. City Boy must be getting paid a fortune for letting the Authorities use this place.

  TANIA: They’re using this place?

  PHIL: They’re burning the bodies just over there.

  TANIA: [laughing] Shit! No kidding!

  SALLY: My blanket’s getting dirtier.

  TANIA: Phil. All your dandruff. You should shower.

  PHIL: Fuck off.

  TANIA: [looking up] Oh, hang on.

  She starts laughing hysterically.

  PHIL: What is it?

  TANIA: [barely controlled] It’s the ashes! It’s the kids’ ashes, not dandruff!

  PHIL: Aw, fuck!

  PHIL maniacally brushes out his hair and his t-shirt. But the shirt gets rubbed in with the ash and dirty. TANIA points at various spots in the air.

  TANIA: There’s Tony, and David, and Bylinda, and Rachel, and Emily… She giggles.

  SALLY: Fuck! That’s disgusting!

  SALLY shakes out her blanket and hides underneath it. PHIL is still brushing himself out.

  TANIA: Hey, Phil, you always wanted to get close to the people.

  PHIL: Fuck off. It’s getting on you, too.

  TANIA: [realising] Oh, shit! They’re getting in my hair. [She starts brushing herself over maniacally, too.] Fuck.

  She is only managing, like PHIL, to rub it into her clothes. The black ashes stop falling. PHIL stops trying.

  PHIL: Wind’s changing.

  SALLY looks out from under her blanket and laughs at them both.

  TANIA: Which little shits have I got all over me?

  PHIL: Do you reckon it’s from one body or bits from several?

  TANIA: Don’t ask.

  PHIL: Sal, will you fucking stop laughing?

  SALLY laughs harder and hides under her blanket. PHIL glares at her and reaches down into the plastic bag. He starts eating. SALLY hears the eating and emerges.

  SALLY: Hey, that’s for me! That’s mine!

  PHIL: Can’t you see I’ve got problems of my own?

  TANIA throws her bag at SALLY.

  TANIA: There you go, then, you needy bitch.

  SEVENTH

  Another day.

  SALLY is wrapped up in her blanket, sitting near the trunk.

  PHIL and TANIA enter, carrying school books and pencil cases. They swap notes and begin using highlighters.

  SALLY: Did you bring any food?

  PHIL shakes his head.

  The school’s closed.

  TANIA: Derr.

  PHIL: Exams are on.

  SALLY: What’s the point?

  PHIL: There’s a point to everything.

  TANIA: Lie of Success, Number Two.

  PHIL: Everything happens for a reason.

  TANIA and PHIL shake their heads and go back to highlighting.

  SALLY: Why can’t you study for your stupid exams at home?

  PHIL: Dad’s a fucking mess. ‘Our future, our future.’ Have more kids, I tell him. He’s got nothing to do, so he just hangs around me asking me stupid non-exam questions, sucking in air.

  TANIA: And I’m out in the bungalow now.

  SALLY: Sounds like paradise.

  TANIA: With my sisters.

  PHIL: Those molls. Can’t believe your dad put you out there.

  TANIA: That whole precautions crap. You know, Dad’s smallgoods business. They don’t even look at us. They just leave food at the back door. Leaving food at—

  She stops and looks at SALLY who is staring hard now at her.

  Or they…

  Pause. SALLY looks downcast.

  PHIL: [laughing] Hey, why don’t you let Sally stay with you?

  TANIA: [laughing] Yeah, right.

  PHIL: Serious.

  TANIA: Get real. Four girls in a tiny bungalow.

  TANIA laughs. SALLY is silent.

  SALLY: I thought I heard a mob come by last night. I hid.

  TANIA: Sally could stay in your house.

  PHIL: Oh, yeah. And what happens when he lets in all the kids who’ve been kicked out? What then? He’s a teacher. Not a social worker. Makes more sense for Sally to stay with you.

  TANIA: Why?

  SALLY: You’re all girls. It makes sense.

  TANIA: But not a stranger. Only family.

  SALLY: I’m not a stranger.

  Pause. SALLY begins to laugh at the other two. TANIA ignores her and goes back to note-taking and underlining from PHIL’s notes.

  You know you’re not going to be allowed to do your exams anywhere.

  PHIL: Crap.

  SALLY laughs harder. Wrapped in her blanket, she starts crawling around the ground.

  [To TANIA] Tan, why are you always working off my notes? Why can’t you give me any good notes of yours?

  TANIA: Oh, Phil. You take wonderful notes.

  SALLY finds the rotten apple that PHIL left near the tree days ago. She has her back to the other two.

  PHIL: But I need to fill the gaps. Yours covers the stuff I cover, but in less detail.

  TANIA: Phil. I won’t forget you for letting me use your notes.

  SALLY starts eating the old apple.

  PHIL: That’s not the point.

  SALLY lets out a moan, a big satisfied moan, now that she finally has found something to eat. She can’t help but make noises eating the thing.

  Sal, what the fuck?

  He stands up and walks over to her.

  Oh, that’s fucking disgusting.

  TANIA: What’s she doing?

  PHIL: She’s eating that wormy apple.

  TANIA: You fucking maggot.

  PHIL dry-retches. TANIA runs over and grabs SALLY’s blanket. SALLY keeps eating the apple.

  Get away from here!

  She throws the blanket back at SALLY.

  You scab!

  PHIL dry-retches again. SALLY is moaning, sort of satisfied.

  You’re going to die if I don’t kick you myself, you fucking animal!

  She runs at SALLY to kick her. SALLY realises and grabs her blanket and runs away. TANIA looks at PHIL and starts laughing at him.

  Bloody girl. Is that why you hang out with girls? Soon as it gets rough with the boys you want to puke? Faggot.

  She laughs at him again.

  EIGHTH

  Moonlit night again. PHIL stands in the darkness. He is sobbing.

  A torchlight comes to rest upon his face. He squints and raises his hands up to it. He puts his arms in the air.

  PHIL: I’m sorry.

  Silence.

  This used to be my land. This is my spot.

  Silence.

  I like it here.

  Silence.

  I’ll go. I promise I won’t come back. I’ll go, I’ll go!

  TANIA: Then piss off, ya bastard.

  TANIA laughs.

  PHIL: Tania? Tania?

  TANIA: I just heard.

  PHIL: You heard?

  TANIA: Damien Harris, the first of the Year Twelves.

  PHIL: Maybe we’re not immune.

  TANIA: No, we are.

  PHIL: He came second to me in the practice exams.

  TANIA: I know.

  PHIL: He wanted to go to Melbourne too.

  TANIA: But he wanted to come back. I heard him say.

  PHIL: Really?

  TANIA: Phil, he wanted to be a vet.

  PHIL: So?

  TANIA: He didn’t really have any ambition.

  PHIL: He was one of us.

  TANIA: Then why did I choose you and not him?

  PHIL: You chose me. [Beat.] But… but if Damien can get…

  TANIA: Phil, he wanted to be a vet. A country vet. This is where he wanted to stay.

  PHIL: Jesus, Sally will—

  TANIA: She’s a sick bitch already. You saw.

  PHIL: Jesus. Damien Harris. What if
I’m—?

  TANIA: We’re going to get the marks and get out. That’s our goal.

  She moves up to him. She strokes him.

  I knew you’d react. That’s why I came.

  PHIL: You knew?

  TANIA: The Lie of Success, Phil. Think of that.

  PHIL: What reason?

  TANIA: You have one less rival for a university place.

  PHIL: Yes. Yes. You’re right.

  TANIA: That’s one less competitor you have to worry about.

  PHIL: Yes. Maybe more will get it.

  TANIA: We’ll be fine.

  PHIL: Gee. Maybe this thing will spread to Sandcastle, and keep going down the highway.

  TANIA: Only people like us will be left.

  PHIL: People who know what needs to be done.

  TANIA pushes her hand down the front of PHIL’s pants.

  TANIA: You don’t need to worry about your enemies.

  She begins to wank him.

  PHIL: The right people will get theirs.

  TANIA: Yes.

  PHIL takes her hand out of his pants.

  PHIL: You’ll get my notes back.

  He guides her hand back in.

  TANIA: Thank you.

  She starts wanking him again. She whispers nothings to him.

  You’re so fucking smart and brave and ambitious.

  PHIL: Tell me about other places.

  TANIA: I chose you, not Harris.

  PHIL: Places.

  TANIA: We’re the evolved ones. We’re the ones who can weather this.

  PHIL: Yes.

  TANIA: On our own.

  PHIL frowns and stops her.

  PHIL: I can do it myself.

  He finishes wanking himself off. TANIA tries to kiss him as he is finishing. With his spare hand he tries to push her face away.

  TANIA: You.

  She grabs the free hand that is pushing her away and starts to kiss him again. He is getting excited by it. He responds. He comes. He is panting, looking ashamed. He looks at her.

  PHIL: This is all disgusting.

  TANIA: Yeah.

  PHIL: You’re disgusting.

  She laughs at him.

  TANIA: You’re still standing.

  NINTH

  At the tree.

  PHIL and TANIA are surrounded by their notes, textbooks and a pencil case each. They are studying with pens or highlighters at the ready.

  PHIL: You know, this was when swot-vac was meant to be happening.

  TANIA: Yes.

  PHIL: But our swot-vac started early. That’s how I’m re-framing it.

  SALLY enters. She shuffles up to them. She coughs. The other two ignore her.