Rushbrooke - Tomcat

She is a tiny twelve-year-old girl with long dark hair. She is expressive, playful and seemingly much younger than a normal girl of her age. She wears baggy clothes. TOM enters. He is her key worker. A giant bear of a man; his giant frame entirely offset by a soft disposition and gentle voice.

JESSIE registers that TOM has arrived; she picks up one of her pictures and rips it into tiny pieces. TOM. That one not good enough? JESSIE. No. (Suddenly brightening.) Hello, Tom. TOM. TOM.

None of that. JESSIE. What? TOM. You know exactly what. JESSIE laughs. JESSIE.

Am I allowed pencils yet? TOM. I dont think so. JESSIE. I want pencils. TOM. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Please? Look at this JESSIE begins to move all the pieces from the floor back into a picture. I cant really draw with wax crayons. They dont work. TOM. What did you draw? JESSIE. (Points out towards the audience.) TOM. (Points out towards the audience.) TOM.

Them? JESSIE. The people that watch. TOM. What people? JESSIE. The people behind the mirror. TOM.

I dont think there are people behind the mirror. JESSIE. Shhhhh. Listen. TOM. TOM. TOM.

Im JESSIE. Shhh. TOM. JESSIE. There! If you listen carefully you can hear them breathing. TOM.

I think that mightve been me. JESSIE. It wasnt you. You breathe heavy like a dog. TOM. JESSIE. Wait TOM. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Theyve gone now. They always go just after I hear them. Can I show you my drawings from last night before you take them away? TOM. Sure. JESSIE. TOM. TOM.

You know Im not allowed to keep your pictures. JESSIE reaches into her pocket and extracts a tiny piece of paper. JESSIE. Its really small. You can keep it, cant you, Tom? Because if you cant I will rip it up. TOM. Ill ask. Lights come up to reveal CHARLIE and CAROLINE standing the other side of the glass. CAROLINE. CAROLINE.

Shes all yours from Monday. Think you can handle her? CHARLIE. Im nervous; to actually be in the room with her, I mean. CAROLINE. Being a bit nervous is a good thing, hold on to that, dont let her get the upper hand; certainly not in the early stages at least. CHARLIE.

I still cant believe its going to happen. Ive read pretty much everything thats been written about her but its still, to talk to her to interact. CAROLINE (laughing). There she is. CHARLIE. Unsettled. Unsettled.

Ive avoided talking about you with her. She knows someone is taking over but I wanted you to go in as a blank slate; so she cant project her anger at me leaving onto you. Tom has marked some behavioural changes in the notes. (Pause.) Dont watch her for too long, it gets addictive. CHARLIE. Another half-hour max.

I feel like I should get to know her, study some of the idiosyncrasies youve outlined. CAROLINE. What time are you in on Monday? CHARLIE. Early. CAROLINE. Enjoy your weekend off; and try not to get too nervous.

And its not like Im going anywhere for a few months, youve got my support. CHARLIE. I know. Thank you. CAROLINE. Im sure youll be fine.

CAROLINE exits. CHARLIE continues to stare at JESSIE. Scene Two TOM has helped JESSIE get ready for bed. He is brushing her hair. JESSIE sits and thinks for a while. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Can I TOM. No. JESSIE. You dont know what I was going to say. TOM. JESSIE. JESSIE.

No I wasnt. TOM. Yes you were. JESSIE. How do you know? TOM. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Maybe I wasnt. TOM. You were, and I always say no. JESSIE. Maybe I wanted a cat. TOM.

Youre not allowed pets. JESSIE. I dont want pets. TOM. You / JESSIE. TOM. Yes it is. Yes it is.

Cats and dogs and / JESSIE. Cats dont do anything you tell them. Pets have to do what you tell them. TOM. No. JESSIE. JESSIE.

But they dont have to do what you say? TOM. No. JESSIE. But you have to give them food and make sure their house is all clean and stuff. TOM. Yes.

Thats part of being a responsible pet owner. Pause. JESSIE. Am I a pet? TOM. What? JESSIE. Am I a pet? Am I your pet? TOM.

Dont be silly. JESSIE. Im not being silly, you have to keep me clean, and look after me and make sure that my room is nice. (Pause.) Im your pet. TOM. JESSIE. Miaow. ( Begins nudging TOM with her head. ) TOM. ) TOM.

Stop being silly. JESSIE. Stroke me. TOM. No. Stroke me. TOM. No. No.

Dr Caroline has talked to you about this. Move away, please. JESSIE. I want you to stroke me. (Tries to climb on him.) TOM. Now. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Youre no fun. I was only playing. Isnt that what people do with their pets? TOM. You were being silly. JESSIE. No. (Pause.) Dont you / JESSIE. (Pause.) Dont you / JESSIE.

Im not going to. But if I did you would have to clean it up, wouldnt you? Because youre my owner and Im. Your. Pet. TOM. Youre. Not. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Give me three good reasons why Im not a pet. TOM. Im not playing this game. JESSIE. You cant, can you? You cant because Im a pet. TOM.

You are not a pet. JESSIE. Then give me three good reasons. TOM. Im not going to JESSIE (suddenly lunging). TOM. TOM.

You dont scare me. You never have, and you never will, Jessica that sort of behaviour might work on other staff but it doesnt work on me. So be quiet and behave yourself. If you dont behave then theres very little chance that I will be able to get your pencils. JESSIE stares at TOM intently, there is a moment. JESSIE. JESSIE.

Fine, but Im still a pet. (Takes his hand and runs it through her hair.) Prrrrrrrrrrr. Can I show you the rest of my drawings? TOM. Sure. JESSIE. TOM. TOM.

What is it? JESSIE. Miaow. Its a cat. This one is for you to keep. TOM. Im not JESSIE.

Youre not allowed to have a drawing of a cat? Even though its my best drawing ever and I did it especially for you. TOM. No, you know the rules. JESSIE (suddenly upset). But, Tom, I worked really hard on it. TOM.

Dont be silly. JESSIE. I wanted you to keep it so that even when youre not here, you still know Im here. TOM. I dont think Id forget you. JESSIE.