JACKS
Of course we can give you some time. It’s very important that she begin our program as soon as possible.
DAD
We just want time.
GAYNOR
This could be good for her. Independence and all that.
DAD
She’s my little girl.
Mr Jacks holds open his office door and waves them through into another long, white corridor.
MR JACKS
Yes. Your little girl.
CORRIDOR - AFTERNOON - INT
Light is still flickering through the blinds but all in the same moment the light and sound halts and the window blind snaps up. Jodie scrunches her eyes shut and peeks when nobody sees her.
CLASSROOM - CONTINUOUS - INT
It looks just like an ordinary classroom. Children are hunched over books reading and writing in identical handwriting. Only not one of them speaks, moves, passes a notes. There is the teacher standing behind her desk. In front of the class proper are three tall, well-built men watching over them.
CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS - INT
Jodie turns around and runs down the corridor towards the light. It seems longer now, the exit further away but she gets there.
PLAYGROUND - CONTINUOUS - EXT
There are benches just outside the door. Jodie is breathless and confused.
HANNAH (O.S.)
I was told to come and find you.
JODIE
Oh. By who? Why?
HANNAH (O.S.)
You might go somewhere you shouldn’t.
Hannah, dressed in a typical school uniform, sits beside her and starts braiding Jodie’s hair, fingers working quickly and accurately.
JODIE
You’ll make a good hairdresser.
HANNAH
It’s just a hobby. I like doing hair but it’s not the job for me.
JODIE
What are you gonna do when you grow up?
She smiles that smile only children have, the one of joy and certainty and ambition.
HANNAH
Save the world.
JODIE
Big job for one person.
HANNAH
All of us. That’s what they teach here. How to save the world.
JODIE
Great, I can’t even save my pocket money.
Without another word, Hannah up and leaves. There are two thick plaits hanging by Jodie’s ears. She is slowly unravelling them and chewing her lips when her Dad and Gaynor appear and take a seat next to her.
MR JACKS (O.S.)
Just let the secretary know when you’re ready to leave. We’ll see you soon, Jodie.
DAD
Thank you.
JODIE
Dad, what have you done?
DAD
We’ve managed to get you a place here. You’ll finish your schooling here.
JODIE
Until I’m eighteen? The next six years in a boarding school.
GAYNOR
It’s a good school and you’ll do well here.
JODIE
I knew you’d be behind this.
GAYNOR
Sweetie, don’t be angry with us. Your father agrees this is for the best.
DAD
Jodie, no other school will take you. You’re too smart to be home schooled. RISK is our best option.
JODIE
You’re getting rid of me too. It’s so nice to be wanted by my own freaking family.
DAD
I’ll visit whenever I can. We have a week before you start. We’ll talk more at home.
JODIE
No. No more talking.
JODIE (CONT’D)
What kind of a school puts armed guards in its’ classrooms?
There is a silence just a moment too long. The hush is broken by a distant bell chiming. Children break away from the line in groups, coming to life after classes. One boy looks at the trio and Sam runs up towards them.
GAYNOR
One that cares very much about your safety.
Jodie does not look entirely convinced. She opens her mouth to speak again but Sam hurls himself onto the bench beside just then. He grins up at the adults.
SAM
You the proud parents?
DAD
Yes, Bill and Gaynor. Has my Jodie star made friends already?
SAM
Oh, she’s cool. Liven the place up a bit anyway.
GAYNOR
Your head thinks we should look around before we go. So we know we’re not sending her into outer space.
DAD
Or some government base where they perform weird experiments on the kids.
JODIE
God, Dad, can you be any more paranoid?
SAM
Everyone’s on break now so it should be okay. You know, no-one racing past you in the halls. Just follow that door
Sam points to the door leading back to the dining room. Gaynor moves off and Dad turns his feet to follow but his face never leaves Jodie’s. She gestures for him to scram but he looks as though he wants her to go too.
GAYNOR (O.S.)
Well, come on babe. Clock’s ticking.
Jodie puts her hands on his shoulders and pushes him that way.
JODIE
Yeah Dad, go.
Finally he does. Jodie crooks her finger at Sam. He gets up and follows her as they walk across the playground.
JODIE (CONT’D)
Parental embarrassment. At least I’ll be dodging that bullet.
SAM
You’re coming here?
MATTIE (O.S.)
Really?
But the little boy does not look surprised although he sounds happy.
JODIE
So you’re stuck with me for now.
Mattie throws his arms around her waist. Jodie gives him a quick squeeze then peels him off.
MATTIE
Told you so.
SAM
You did. Good job Mattie. You didn’t tell anyone about the other stuff.
MATTIE
Wouldn’t.
Jodie looks at the two of them, then grabs both of their hands and marches them to the far corner of the playground and a small brick outhouse. The building is closed off from the playground by a tall wire gate with chains wrapped around it.. Jodie kicks at it but it just rattles. After a few hearty shoves, the chain begins to stretch almost enough to squeeze through. Just then a supervisor runs over and leans over to slam the gate shut.
SUPERVISOR
You don’t know the rules yet. Learn them. You two, though, you have no excuses.
MATTIE
Just esploring.
SUPERVISOR
No excuses.
The supervisor turns and stomps off to the football pitch.
JODIE
Where do you -?
Sam jerks his thumb up to the sky. Jodie makes an ‘of course’ face, grins, runs back to the main building with the boys in tow. They slip inside when no-one is watching. She crouches and counts 1 2 3 on her fingers first.
STAIRWELL - MOMENTS LATER - INT
The stairwell is dimly lit and unpainted. Everything is quite and the rasp of three kids desperate for oxygen seems to bounce off the walls, though Jodie and Sam start trying to breathe more quietly. It seems as though no-one has been here in a very long time. Only a scribbled on scrap of paper says different. Jodie picks it up and when Sam grabs for it, compares it with the screwed up note he threw away earlier.
JODIE
Clever.
She pushes them both through the door then follows.
ROOF - CONTINUOUS - INT
Sam is already striding over the large flat roof, moving so fast the air moves his hand. Mattie slides his hand through Jodie’s when she comes out. She spends a few seconds looking around and breathing deep.
JOD
IE
Even the air’s less schooly up here.
SAM
JODIE
This won’t take long.
MATTIE
It’ll be over soon.
JODIE
Wait, Mattie. And let go, I’m not going anywhere.
He looks happier and looses her hand.
JODIE (CONT’D)
This.
Jodie holds out both scribbled on pages and shoves them at Sam when he does not take them.
JODIE (CONT’D)
Bad move. Pages of books go missing. Arouses suspicion. Teachers go looking and hidey place go bye bye.
MATTIE
We don’t hide up here. It’s just nice.
SAM
Nobody comes here but us.
Then the door creaks up and Hannah pokes her head up, sees the others and heaves herself up.
MATTIE
Hannie. Come sit with me.
JODIE
Funny looking no-one.
HANNAH
Hey. What’re you doing up here?
MATTIE
Jodie’s coming here. She’s making this our hiding place.
HANNAH
Oh. I’m not great at keeping secrets.
JODIE
It won’t be for long. I’m not great at not getting expelled.
HANNAH
Not from here. Mr Jacks has ways of keeping hold of things he wants. You must be pretty special.
JODIE
I’m not.
HANNAH
So. What’re you doing up here?
JODIE
I can’t spend 7 hours at school without cracking. All day every day... not even.
SAM
Escape route.
MATTIE
Scape route.
JODIE
I saw you in class this afternoon, Sam. I called you and you didn’t even look. Then the bell goes and you’re a completely different kid.
SAM
I was in class.
HANNAH
Lessons are important.
The bell rings inside and the three in uniform start towards the trapdoor.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
You’ll learn.
MATTIE
And you’ll teach.
SAM
Mattie!
MATTIE
We can tell her. I know we can.
SAM
Go downstairs.
Mattie waves and slides through the door.
HANNAH
I’ll see you soon. And don’t worry.
JODIE
That just means there’s something worth stressing over. Comforting.
The older girl smiles then slides away too. Sam dangles his legs over the trapdoor and shouts over to Jodie on the roof edge.
SAM
RISK is a tough school. But there are ways to survive it. You have to find ways or it’ll kill you.
There is a long pause. Too long.
SAM (CONT’D)
I come up here at night, I think. I don’t remember it but I dream it.
JODIE
I’m going home now. Don’t forget me while I’m gone.
CAR - AFTERNOON - INT
The back of Gaynor and Dads head bob over their seats as the family car grumbles past streets of idling traffic, buildings and dawdling school children. In the back seat the baby is whining and working his way up to a cry.
GAYNOR
Give Joe his dummy, sweetie.
Jodie sends her a salute in the rear view mirror, finds a dummy in the baby bag and holds it in the baby’s mouth until he takes it.
GAYNOR (CONT’D)
Thanks.
JODIE
You know, he’s your brat. Maybe you could try looking after him.
DAD
Jodie. Can’t we just have one week of niceness?
JODIE
Joe’s my step brother. Step. No legal requirement to care.
DAD
How do you feel about your new school?
JODIE
It looks like a prison. The TAs carry assault rifles. The kids just aren’t real. You’re watched, like, everywhere. The school dinners are good though.
DAD
There’s my girl. Bright side to everything.
JODIE
Yes Dad. I’m vibrating with excitement.
GAYNOR
Since you’ll be leaving soon -
JODIE
Speaking of positives.
GAYNOR
Anywhere special you’d like to go? Early tea at Mario’s.
JODIE
Graveyard.
Gaynor stares at her in the mirror for a second, fishing in the glove box for a Mario’s loyalty card. Fake nails drum a rhythm on it. The car passes a sign with TRANQUILITY CEMETERY and an arrow to the right. Dad steers the car that way and plucks the card from Gaynor’s hand and shuts it away. She looks a little put out but says nothing.
DAD
Jodie-star, is this what you want?
JODIE
I didn’t go to Mom’s funeral. I thought I’d start crying and not be able to stop. This week, I’ve got to say goodbye to everyone. I owe it to her to make her first.
DAD
You know she’ll watch over you at RISK.
GAYNOR
Surely the girl’s too old for Heaven and guardian angels.
JODIE
Oh don’t tell me the tooth fairy’s a story too.
DAD
Gaynor, my daughter believes in those things. And so do I.
The car crunches to a stop on the gravel car park, a handful of cars around. Jodie pushes the door open and her dad turns off the engine and gets out too.
CEMETERY - CONTINUOUS - EXT
Gaynor starts to get out to join them but Jodie shoots such a look back that she ducks back in. Father and daughter are soon onto the grass and the scattered headstones and memorial.
DAD
You don’t have to go to that school if you really don’t want to.
JODIE
I kinda do.
DAD
You want to, or you think you have to?
JODIE
Both. I don’t know but the kids I met... I think they’ve been waiting for me.
About the author
Wendy Maddocks lives in Birmingham, England, with her slightly crazy family. She blames them for her twisted imagination. Sanity is not her friend. She enjoys reading and studying, working out and eating cake, which makes her fat and in need of yet another gym session. (Yes, I’m a masochist!) After graduating from university, Wendy began publishing her own work online and is always working on new writing projects. What will happen when she runs out of ideas?
Connect with her on Facebook, Tumblr or on Twitter @writerwenz84