Fatal (Pt 2.)

INT. ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM. Morning.

The sun is shining over the bed. The radio clicks on at 10:00AM and 'Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go' plays. ELIZABETH wakes slowly. She is alone. She listens for a moment and hears MARTIN downstairs.

MARTIN makes continual noise downstairs. ELIZABETH reaches into the side drawer and finds an envelope. She pulls out a couple of photos. She flicks through them and sees a few of her and Martin, and then one of him in hospital. She is asleep next to his bed.

There is another noise from downstairs, louder. ELIZABETH flinches and scrambles to hide the photos again. She quickly pulls on a dressing gown and goes downstairs. The music fades.

INT. ELIZABETH'S Kitchen. MORNING.

MARTIN is making toast. There is a layer of frost on the windows.

MARTIN
Morning.

ELIZABETH
Why didn't you wake me earlier?

MARTIN
I wanted to make you breakfast.

ELIZABETH
Oh.

MARTIN
You like that.

ELIZABETH
Yes. Yes I did.

MARTIN
I thought about what you said last night. It's been seven years, hasn't it?

ELIZABETH
It's longer than that, surely?

MARTIN
It doesn't feel that long.

He tries to smile. The toast pops. ELIZABETH goes to the fridge and pours herself a drink of orange juice.

You should let me do that. I should do it.

ELIZABETH
No. It's fine. I'm fine.

MARTIN
Elizabeth?

She looks up.

I... We should...

ELIZABETH
Yes?

MARTIN
It's cold... but it's sunny outside. We should...

ELIZABETH turns to the window and drinks. She stares out for quite a while. MARTIN begins whimpering softly.

ELIZABETH
Martin?

MARTIN
I can't... I should...

ELIZABETH
Please Martin.

She moves closer to him; his whole body is tense. She looks round him onto the tabletop. There are two slices of toast on a plate. There is a jar of Jam and a jar of Marmalade nearby. MARTIN stares between them, frustrated.

MARTIN
Why can't...

MARTIN falls back and collapses to the floor. ELIZABETH stands behind him, noticing the scar across his head again.

Why can't I remember? I should remember.

ELIZABETH
(Bending down to him)
Jam.
(Pause)
I like jam.

MARTIN
(Without looking at her)
Why am I like this? Why can't I remember?

ELIZABETH withdraws.

I don't know who am I anymore. I can't remember anything. And I don't know why. I want to know why. I should know. Jam or Marmalade? I've made toast for you before. I must have done. Seven years.

MARTIN stands again in anger and picks up the two jars. ELIZABETH backs up against the far row of cabinets.

I should know! I should remember! And I can't... I can't... I don't know...

The jam jar slips from his hand and shatters on the ground. He glares at it for a few seconds, then glances up at ELIZABETH. He says nothing, slams the Marmalade jar onto the table in the middle of the room and storms out. ELIZABETH closes her eyes, but still flinches when the front door slams. She doesn't open her eyes.

INT. ELIZABETH'S FRONT ROOM. Afternoon.

ELIZABETH is sitting on the sofa, in the light, staring blankly into space. She gives the impression she has been there for a long time.

There is a knock at the door. She is broken out of her trance and goes to answer the door, timidly.

HARRY
Your car needs a clean. I didn't notice last night.

ELIZABETH
Martin doesn't like driving anymore. What are you doing here?

HARRY
Oh, you know. I had some jobs to do. Oh and Martin left his coat in my car.

ELIZABETH moves across to let HARRY inside. She takes a brief look at the rusting car parked on the roadside, but quickly closes the door again.

HARRY
(Handing ELIZABETH a coat)
Here you are. Thought he might need it.

ELIZABETH
Thank you.

HARRY
So, is he around?

ELIZABETH
He went out.

HARRY
Any idea when he's going to be back?

ELIZABETH
(Thinks for a moment while she hangs the coat up on the rack under the stairs)
No.

HARRY
It was fun last night, wasn't it? It's not too often we have a reunion like that. We can't go another year without one.
(Pause)
Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH
I'll make you a cup of tea.

HARRY
I can't stay too long.

ELIZABETH looks to the floor.

ELIZABETH
Of course not.
(Pause)
At least sit down for a while.

HARRY
Sure.

They sit in silence for a while.

HARRY
It was good to see you, Liz.

ELIZABETH
It was good to see you, too.

HARRY
At least it looks like Martin is doing better.

ELIZABETH
Oh. Yes.

HARRY
(Begins laughing)
It's a shame he couldn't remember the punch line to that joke. You remember, you know the one about the girl with the tattoo?

ELIZABETH nearly smiles.

Not that he could even remember it, before. How did it go...? 'I always used to look for a woman with a tattoo. If I did, I'd be thinking, "Okay, here's a gal... who..."'
(Pause)
Oh what was it?

ELIZABETH
'Here's a gal who's capable of making a decision she'll regret in future.'

They both laugh for a moment. But ELIZABETH turns away. Long pause.

HARRY
You did, you know.
(Pause)
It might not seem like it yet, but you did. One day, he'll wake up, and it'll be like the first day you were married again.

Long pause. HARRY moves a little closer to her, but when she notices, she begins speaking.

ELIZABETH
Thank you for bringing his coat back.

HARRY
Yes, of course. I need to be heading back to Birmingham now.

She follows him back to the front door.

Like I said, don't let it be another year before we see you again. Please?

ELIZABETH tries to smile.

Okay. I'll see you soon, then.

ELIZABETH gently closes the door after he shuts the gate back out onto the road.

INT. ELIZABETH'S Kitchen. Evening.

ELIZABETH is standing next to the whirring microwave, staring at the floor. A little absently she turns the TV on. A quiz show is playing. Occasional laughter echos from the front room.

The microwave beeps and she pulls out a less-than-appitising ready meal. With no real emotion, she moves it onto the kitchen table and starts eating. She eats very little. She throws most of the food into the bin, before heading upstairs.

INT. ELIZABETH'S FRONT ROOM. EVENING.

Passing the door to the front room, there is an advert for 'Aptamil: Follow-On Milk' playing. She pauses and watches the TV. There is a woman feeding a child breastmilk.

TV (v.o.)
Breastmilk is the best protection for your baby. And nothing compares to it. If you chose to move on, we've created Apatmil: Follow-on milk. Benefitting from 30 years' experience in Breastmilk research. It supports your baby in her new discoveries. Aptamil: Follow-on helps protect your baby from the inside.

She leans against the back of the sofa and covers her mouth. Distraught, she fumbles around with the remote and tries to turn off the TV. She switches the TV over to her wedding video, which replays from the start, juddering heavily.

PRIEST
We are gathered here today...

Without noticing, she runs upstairs.

INT. ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM.

In a mad panic, ELIZABETH begins to pack up various clothes into a small suitcase. She shoves dresses, trousers, jumpers into the bag with no folding or order. Eventually, she pulls the envelope from her side-drawer and collapses down to the floor. She begins to flick through the different photos of her and MARTIN. She cries uncontrollably, until she curls up into a ball and falls asleep.

INT. ELIZABETH'S BEDROOM. Night.

ELIZABETH wakes up, hazily. She can hear a voice coming from downstairs. Gradually, as she wakes, it becomes clearer.

MARTIN
(Repeating every few seconds)
I'll always love you.

ELIZABETH jolts up in sudden hope. She runs downstairs.

INT. Downstairs. NIGHT.

She stops suddenly; MARTIN is not in the house. Instead, she runs into the front room, where the TV is stuck on an endless loop of her and MARTIN's first kiss on their wedding video. MARTIN brushes the hair from her face behind her ear, speaks 'I'll always love you' and then they kiss.

In despair, she ejects the VHS from the player, and begins ripping out the reel.

Surrounded by crumpled tape, she sobs quietly. There is a sound at the door, of someone fumbling with keys in the lock. ELIZABETH quickly tries to hide the tape under the TV stand.

As MARTIN comes through the door with a bag of shopping, ELIZABETH runs around to behind the sofa and moves out into the hall. She tries to wipe away her tears.

MARTIN
Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH
Where have you been?

MARTIN
(Moving closer to her)
You've been crying.

ELIZABETH
Yes.

MARTIN
Why?

ELIZABETH
I was watching a film.

MARTIN
(Unconvinced)
You shouldn't cry. You should never cry.

ELIZABETH
It makes me feel better... sometimes.

MARTIN
But, you shouldn't cry. Not while I'm around. I should be able to make you happy. (Pause) Look, I...

ELIZABETH
Martin?

MARTIN
(Looking up)
Yes?

ELIZABETH
Do you still love me?

MARTIN moves closer to her. She looks into his eyes, and he looks into hers. He tries to smile, and brushes the hair from her face and behind her ear, just like in the wedding video. ELIZABETH holds her breath.

MARTIN
(Struggling to find his words)
I think... I...

She starts to smile in return.

I'll always...
(Holding up the bag of shopping, smiling.)
I bought you more jam.

He turns away from her, and heads into the kitchen. ELIZABETH stares down the hallway to the front door, holding back the tears. She takes a final look at MARTIN, unpacking the bag.

Blackout.