A Wake - A COVID-19 Inspired Short Script.

A Wake

The whoosh sound of the video call appears onto FLO’s laptop screen. She accepts the call. A fuzzy picture comes up into a little box.

ETHAN

Hey... Hello?

[Glitches - Pause].

FLO

Oh hi Ethan! I’m just plugging in my charger. One second...

[Crackle of feedback].

ETHAN

Okay.

FLO

Hey, how are you? [big smile]

ETHAN

Ah, you know Flo, just an artist not making any money [Shows an acoustic guitar in his lap]. Some things never change.

FLO

Where’s Alice? Is she sleeping or something?

ALICE

No, I’m here.

[Alice pokes her head around, so can be seen behind ETHAN]

FLO

Oh [Laughs] didn’t see you there.

[ETHAN is very close to the camera sitting at a desk, and ALICE sits behind him on her bed. ETHAN turns around to look at her].

ETHAN

Being stuck in doors is no good for a dancer, eh Alice?

ALICE

[ALICE is knitting]

No, it’s not! I’m going a little loco.

FLO

I feel you. How Long have you both been self-isolating for?

ETHAN

Three weeks...

FLO

Three weeks!

ETHAN

Yeah because Alice’s mum is compromised, she has intense asthma. I came to see Alice for a few days before all this started and then her mum got a text saying we need to stay home. Quarantined. Stuck. The whole sha-bang! All her family is home now too.

ALICE

[ALICE interjects from the background]

My sisters have come back from Uni. It’s a difficult time. [sighs] Anyway, how are you doing?

FLO

Yeah, I’m good actually. Doing lots of work outs. The beginning of March was the worst possible time to move to London, right [Laughs]. I’m living in a two-bed with my brother - that’s my eldest brother Julian - and his girlfriend, Bella. There’s not a lot of space to roam, but I think the good thing to come out of all of this is that we’re starting to appreciate the simple pleasures more.

ETHAN

Yes.

FLO

Like pottering around a bookstore, going to the cinema... Or dancing! Alice! Do you remember our routine? DANCERS IN TRAINING 2016 - WHOOP WHOOP!

[ETHAN looks puzzled as ALICE climbs off her bed excitedly and walks towards the screen].

ALICE

Oh yeah! I had completely forgotten [A shy smile crosses her face as she does a hip wiggle and sideways jump].

FLO

That’s it! What was the rest of it like?

ALICE

Like THIS! [ALICE leads a dance off, and FLO follows her exact movements hip wiggling and jumping. Their arms out stretched, the start the worm from one side to the other. As they finish this movement. They both say

ALICE & FLO

DANCERS IN TRAINNINGGG 2016!

[FLO burst into laughter and ALICE laughs but is a bit reserved, she has a pensive look on her face and brings her gaze downwards].

FLO

Ah such a great dance. Do you still see anyone from Uni?

[ALICE sits down slowly on the stool next to ETHAN]

ALICE

Yeah sometimes... I still speak to Zoe and Ana. People I haven’t spoken to in years are coming out of the woodwork now! When I talk to my closest friends, it feels like I’m able to connect with them on a deeper level. Maybe because we can’t touch / hug...Or be fully present with each other.

ETHAN

Well the end of the world will do that to you! [he scoffs].No, ha. I’m only joking.

FLO

I’m finding out more about my brother too.

ETHAN

Oh yeah.

FLO

I had this big conversation on Skype with Abby – my girlfriend - last night about aspirations. I was getting irritated with Bella because she was saying ‘Oh I just want a big house in north London that’s my own, a garden, two more cats, you know THE DREAM’. She’s only a waitress, as if she could pay for that herself with her wages. My brother would have to buy it, he’s older than her and makes more money. I felt it was such a pathetic thing to aim for, there’s more to life than making a home. Then my Abby, you’ve met her before? No?

ALICE

[Shakes her head]

Oh well she said ‘but that’s Julian’s choice, if he wants to give her it’. And ‘you don’t get to decide other people’s dreams’... I don’t know... I guess I grew up thinking the only point to being alive was to help people and change the world. Do something radical. Better than anyone before. Lately they’ve just been you know, cleaning the house, painting the walls. What I categorise as idleness and it irritates me. Then Abby said ‘You’re not showing a very kind side of you right now, I think happiness CAN be revolutionary, it’s in the smallest victories’. And Ethan, that pretty much shut me up for the whole night!

ETHAN

Yes, [Laughs].You’re lucky to have her! I think laughing can be revolutionary too! We’ve watched so many comedy shows haven’t we, they really relieve our stress.

ALICE

Mm... I guess so. [ALICE gives a side eye glance to ETHAN]

FLO

What’s up Alice, you seem a bit off...

ALICE

..My uncle died of a heart attack.

FLO

[puts hand to her mouth]. Oh my god, I’m so sorry. When?

ALICE

Well, it was a few weeks back.

FLO

Uh that’s terrible, I know he was like a father to you.

ALICE

Yes, [whimpers], Um... it was so sudden. We were going to have a ceremony to scatter his ashes in London in two-day’s time. So that’s not going to happen now. Mum’s been chatting to our grandparents on video call because they are devastated and need a lot of support.

FLO

Oh Alice.

ALICE

Because we’re all here together, there’s no space for the sadness to go. I was so angry at my mum because she posted about it on Facebook the day we found out.

FLO

Really?

ALICE

Yeah! I think she needed to release it, not being able to go down the pub and speak with her friends about it. But when she sent that message a moment later it was like a symphony of electronica in my room. Flo I’m not even joking. Wasn’t it Ethan?

ETHAN

I think you’re exaggerating, pet. Babe?

ALICE

I made a dance to capture how it felt, the sounds were like

[A musical score plays Ping, ping ping... doorbell. Phone ringing. Laptop flashing and beeping. loud chatting from downstairs. ALICE moves her body to the direction of the sounds in a contorted manor].

ETHAN

Not like this then?

[Pulls his guitar up to the eye of the laptop camera, so FLO can see. He plays a wild Prince like solo, with a rock-star passion in his face].

ALICE

[Looking thoroughly unimpressed]

No.

You remember Rob?

[ETHAN grumbles].

FLO

Yeah?

ALICE

He poked me! [The Facebook poke]

FLO

The audacity.

ALICE

I can’t tell you how many family members I’d never heard of got in touch to see how I was doing. Now because everyone’s online. I got a billion notifications at once. It was the strangest thing and so overwhelming. All on the same day he passed.

FLO

Yeah, I can imagine!

ALICE

We were able to get him cremated before CONVID-19. He sits in an urn over there. Well... most of him.

FLO

What do you mean?

ALICE

I’ve kept a little part of him for myself in a jar.

[She points behind her to the bedroom window sill]

FLO

What?

ALICE

I just feel closer to him if he’s in my room.

FLO

Alice you freak!

ALICE

He’s in a jar! [PAUSE].

You don’t understand FLO I can’t sleep at night, I’m barely eating. I can’t let his spirit go. He’s floating around the house, I can feel it. For the ceremony in London as a family we were going to spread his ashes around the outside of his house. And now our plans are ruined! I feel so upset. Please don’t tell mum she’d fucking kill me.

ETHAN

You probably can’t sleep because you believe in spirits and ghosts, that’s why!

[ALICE gets up abruptly and walks to the jar].

FLO

...Mourning is different for everyone. I’m always here for you Alice. Alice?

[Pause]

ETHAN

I think we should call off now, and give the sad talk a rest. Getting everyone too worked up.

FLO

No... I don’t need to leave it Ethan. Alice, will you do something for me?

ALICE

What? [sounds tired and whimpering / crying under her breath]

FLO

Can you take the laptop and put it near you?

[ALICE walks towards the laptop and takes it from the table and places it on top of the chest of drawers].

FLO

Now put your hand out.

ALICE

Why...?

FLO

Put your hand out and clasp it with the other.

[PAUSE waits for ALICE to do it but she deosn’t.]

Please do it Alice.

ALICE

Um… Okay

FLO

So Put your hand out and clasp it with the other, yes that’s it... I’m holding your hand Alice. That’s my hand. I’m here for you, you are not alone! Breathe

ALICE

[Inhales a long deep breath, then exhales]

FLO

Good, now press your hands against your heart and close your eyes. What do you need to do to feel safe? [FLO is whispering].

ALICE

I need to let him go

ETHAN

You what? You can’t do it now what about the ceremony?

ALICE

...Maybe I should wait..

FLO

You just said it’s what you need to do for yourself to feel better. Celebrate his life, you can make your own ritual. Do you have a candle!

ALICE

I do actually!

[ALICE walks away from the screen, FLO hears footsteps and the clicking sound of a lighter. She holds the candle in front of the screen with a smile and then places it on the window sill].

ALICE

I have some printed pictures of him too...

FLO

That’s great, put them around the room.

ETHAN

I really don’t think this is a good idea.

ALICE

You know what, some things can’t be put on hold!

[When ALICE has finished decorating the room, she briefly hesitates in front of the screen to FLO].

I feel that he needs to be released somewhere special...

FLO

Where’s more special than the home? I’ve learnt that recently. Especially in a time like this! I’ll get myself a jar.

[ALICE grabs the stool and stands on it to open the big window in her room. She can hear the birds singing and feel the wind blowing through her hair].

FLO

You can do it Alice! I can do it with you.

[ALICE stretches out her hand]

ALICE

Okay on three!

FLO

One...

[ALICE opens the jar and caresses the edge of the lid].

Two! Close the laptop lid a bit so I can see it happen!

[FLO holds her hand up as if holding something, ALICE standing on the stool bends down to look at her, moves the laptop closer to her and bends the lid down. ALICE picks the jar off the sill, mirroring FLO’S movement. She bites her lip].

THREE!

[As if two arms became one. FLO throws her arm upwards; the camera quickly shifts to ALICE punching the air with her jar. The ashes disperse into the wind scattering down to the grounds below. ALICE stares over the city from her bedroom, that’s at the top of the house. She exhales and relaxes.

FADE TO BLACK

THE END