Stenham - Tusk Tusk

A further door leads into adjoiningbedrooms. The occupants have only just moved in. Whitemoving boxes take the place of all furniture andfurnishings with the exception of a large wooden table, asofa and a dirty light fixture hanging from the ceiling.There is one mobile phone on the table. The stage is dark. Maggie lets out a piercing scream.The lights go up. We see Maggie, a girl of fourteen, standing petrified onthe table.

She is clutching a sheaf of money. As Eliotenters she stuffs it into her pocket. Eliot charges in, rumpled from sleep. At fifteen he isstill more of a boy then a young man, but only just.Eliot What is it? What happened? Maggie I saw Eliot What? Maggie A mouse. Eliot Is that it? Is that all? Maggie Well, it could have been a rat. Eliot Shut up. Maggie Right at me with its beady little eyes. Ugh. Eliot Dont be such a girl. Maggie I am a girl. Eliot Technically. Maggie What do you mean, technically? That Im pretending? For a laugh? Eliot No, just Maggie Cause let me tell you, its not a laugh. Maggie What do you mean, technically? That Im pretending? For a laugh? Eliot No, just Maggie Cause let me tell you, its not a laugh.

Being a girl is a fucking mission. Eliot Im going back to bed. Maggie Theres a rat, Eliot. Eliot I thought it was a mouse. Maggie Does it matter? Do something. Eliot Like what? Maggie I dont know.

Get rid of it. Please. Eliot Maggie, I cant even see it. Maggie You havent looked. Eliot Im looking now. Eliot Fine. Eliot Fine.

Ill look properly. He pokes around the boxes half-heartedly. While hisback is turned Maggie tries to stuff the money deeperinto her pockets but some escapes and falls to the floor. I cant see a thing. You probably imagined it oh, hello whats that? Maggie tries to hide the money by stepping on it. Eliot Show me. Maggie Your flies are undone. Eliot Show me. Maggie You look like a flasher. Eliot Give it, Maggie. Maggie Like one of those weird people in the park He yanks it from under her foot and backs away,doing up his flies. Ouch. Eliot Fifty quid! Where did you find this? MaggieEliot Where, Maggie? Maggie I um it She looks suspicious, rams her hand further into herpocket. Eliot Whats in your pocket? Maggie shrugs. Eliot Whats in your pocket? Maggie shrugs.

Youve got more, havent you? Maggie No. Eliot Show me your hands. Maggie My hands are cold. He yanks her hand out of her pocket. Money falls tothe floor. He counts. Eliot Two hundred quid! Were loaded. Maggie Give it back. Eliot Where did you find it? Maggie In one of the boxes. Eliot You genius lets get takeaway. Maggie Its eight in the morning. Eliot So? Maggie You cant get takeaway at eight in the morning. Eliot Were in London. Eliot Were in London.

You can get anything at eight in the morning. Come on, lets have a Chinese breakfast Maggie Give it back, Ellie. Eliot Dim sum yum. Maggie Im serious. I want to keep it. Eliot No way.

Were splitting it. Maggie Its bill money, Eliot. Its not for crap. Its for emergencies. Eliot Well, we dont have any bills to pay, do we? We only just got here. Maggie Would you be sensible please.

Just for a second. Im better with money, you know I am, and we have to be careful Eliot Sensible? Youre the one screaming over a pretend mouse. Maggie IT WAS A RAT! Eliot Oh I see. I understand now. Maggie What? Eliot No. Its OK.

Ive read about this. I know what to expect. Maggie What are you talking about? Eliot Its that time, isnt it? Maggie Dont you dare Eliot Its OK. Really. I understand. Things get stressful.

Hormones flapping all over the place. No. Its fine. You dont need to explain your mood. I understand. Maggie Put the money on the table. Eliot Maggie, look, youve dripped on the floor. Eliot Maggie, look, youve dripped on the floor.

A little splodge of blood Maggie Put it there right now. Eliot Its like a Borrowers been murdered. Maggie NOW, ELIOT! Eliot I dont think thats wise, do you? I mean, youre probably not thinking straight. Also, you know what they say Maggie Shut up Eliot You cant trust something that bleeds for five days and doesnt die. She pounces on him, he holds her hands up and shestruggles, feline, but he is too strong. There is a knocking on the door. There is a knocking on the door.

They freeze. Theyglance at each other. Another knock. Their faces lightup. Eliot slowly releases Maggies hands. He puts hisfingers to his lips.

Eliot creeps to the door and peeksthrough the peephole. He shakes his head. Maggiesshoulders sag. Maggie (whispers) Who then? Eliot The guy from upstairs. Maggie Again? Eliot nods. What does he want? Eliot Shhh The knocking stops.

The man appears to have left. Maggie Maybe we should answer next time. We cant avoid him for ever. Eliot We dont have to avoid him for ever, do we? Maggie We could make something up. Eliot Like what? Maggie I dont know, we could say Eliot No way. We agreed. Maggie It might get him off our backs. Eliot On our backs more like. Eliot On our backs more like.

Did you learn nothing from last time? Maggie Its just hes going to see us coming in and out, it just seems more sensible Eliot Its simple, well go out at night. Like bats. Maggie What if we went upstairs and introduced ourselves? We could forge a letter from Eliot No. Maggie I just Eliot I said no. Maggie Dont talk to me like that. Eliot If I let you keep the money, will you shut up? Maggie All of it? Eliot Most of it. Maggie Ninety per cent of it? Eliot Deal. He spits on his hand and holds it out to shakeMaggies. He spits on his hand and holds it out to shake Maggies.

She looks at him with disdain. What? Thats what we always do. Maggie Times have changed. Your spit has become disgusting to me. Eliot Ouch. Pain.

Deep in my heart. Maggie You have become disgusting to me. Eliot Arrows tipped in wit. Im injured. Help me. Eliot Whats the rush about? He flops on the sofa. Eliot Whats the rush about? He flops on the sofa