Bond Plays: 7: The Crime of the Twenty-First Century; Olly's Prison; Coffee (Contemporary Dramatists) by Edward Bond

Author:Edward Bond
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: BLOOMSBURY PUBLISHING
Published: 2013-12-09T16:00:00+00:00

Sarge we –

Sarge they’re on the –

Gregory. Leave it! (To West.) Get back over there with yer mates. (Bangs his hands together and rubs them in satisfaction. To Jelly.) You: get that coffee on – ’n don’t ruin it. I fiddle ’em the best coffee ’n ’e makes it taste like ’edge’og shit.

Simon Sarge they’re on the –

Gregory Rifles!

Jolly What?

Gregory Use yer rifles! (To West.) I tol’ yer – over there!

Zemlinsky We can’t!

West joins the other soldiers at the MGs. They hesitate and look at each other uncertainly.

West (to the soldiers) Rifles?

Jolly (to the soldiers) For them – at this distance – ?

Gregory (looks at the soldiers) Yeh … yer think yer lords a’ creation sat with ’n MG between yer legs. I seen yer smug faces. Kids sprayin piss up the playground wall. Now we’ll find out ’oo can shoot. Yer’d better make each round score. Yer run out, yer mate’ll be in dead trouble. Save ’im one. ’E can put ’n ’ole in ’is ’ead ’n we’ll watch the piss run out.

Jolly, Simon and Zemlinsky pick up their rifles.

Gregory Fire in yer own time. No ’urry. They’re still comin out. I’ll tell the CO it was my idea for some real target practice.

Simon (counting) Thirteen – fourteen – fifteen … twenty-one – twenty-two – the lot?

Jolly Wait – don’t panic ’em –

Gregory Twenty-eight. ’E said twenty-five.

West (peering across the ravine) They don’t know where they are.

Gregory Down down in case they twig.

Zemlinsky Won’t they see the MGs?

Jolly, Simon, West and Zemlinsky crouch with their rifles. Jelly makes coffee. Nold stands at the Primus, his mug held out in his hand, his head bowed in angry thought.

Simon They’re stood there … ’S like doin it in slow motion.

West (mystified) Why’s it so … ? (Realises.) They ain naked! – they ain bin strip off.

Jolly Weren’t worth the bother – last lot.

Zemlinsky (targetting) The ol’ sod in the greatcoat.

West No always start with the nippers. Kid on the left.

West fires a shot. Pause.

Simon ’E miss?

West No!

Simon ’E ain fell.

Jolly Totterin on the edge.

Silence. The soldiers stare.

Zemlinsky O no.

Simon I don’t believe it – I’m not seein this …

Silence.

West The silly cow! – look at the silly cow! –

Zemlinsky. She’s –

Silence.

Zemlinsky (shouts) Let ’im go yer stupid – let go a’ ’im yer stupid cow – !

Silence.

Simon It ain ’appenin…

Nold (to Jelly) Any water left t’ rinse me mug? The shit ’n dust on that climb.

Jelly (hands the billy-can to Nold) Don’t waste it. That ’as t’ be donkeyed ’n all.

Gregory (looking at the soldiers) Kids gawpin at a circus! Shoot the silly bitch! Get it started!

Jolly Shoot ’er! Shoot ’er!

The four soldiers fire ragged shots.

West She’s gone.

Simon They still don’t know…

West They see the kid fall in the pit with ’er –

Jolly They’re lookin along the line t’ see …

Simon They must know… they must know …

Gregory (looks over his shoulder at Nold) Look at ’im stood there with ’is mug at the ready! ’E’s good at that! Get them boxes stack!

Gregory turns back to watch the firing.

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