As the camera tracks slowly around the microphone we cut back to JOHN sat in the hallway – mixing past and present – reality and artifice.
INT. KITCHEN NIGHT – FLASHBACK
As JOHN sits in the dark we hear VAL 2’s voice on the other end of the line.
JOHN
Not a lot. Maybe you should take some time off…
VAL 2
I bet they’re enjoying having you to themselves - your mum anyway.
JOHN
Do you want me to come home? VAL 2
And start ordering me around? No thanks. Look - forget I mentioned it. It’s nothing.
INT. BATHROOM NIGHT - FLASHBACK
There is loud groaning sound. The copper pipes vibrate as JOHN turns on the bath taps. Scolding hot water rushes out. He then opens the door to the medicine cabinet and looks inside at the various bottles of pills – each with a label with his father’s name printed on it. He angles the mirror door in line with another, larger, mirror on the wall behind to create an endless number of framed portraits disappearing into infinity. JOHN studies himself, itching his stubbly cheek as steam from the bath begins to fog up mirror – eventually obscuring his own reflection.
INT. CUTTING ROOM NIGHT
Extreme close up of a pen as it marks a line on the dubbing chart – black ink flowing from its nib. Inside the shaded box it then writes the word ‘FLARE’.
As a strip of magnetic tape passes across the sound head of the Compeditor there is a loud bang.
A marine flare shoots up into the sky – an explosion of intense white light in the night sky.
As the camera pulls out to reveal JOHN’s eye, we hear the sound of the turning tide.
INT. HOTEL BATHROOM DAY
Water streaked with toothpaste and blood runs down the plughole as JOHN brushes his teeth in the brightly lit bathroom. He squints as he looks at himself in the mirror; bags under his eyes – hung-over. He then glances at Becky’s reflection as she’s seen changing in the bedroom. She pulls on her jeans and jumper and puts her head round the bathroom door.
BECKY See you there.
JOHN Okay.
We hear the hotel room door close as BECKY leaves. JOHN looks back at himself and closes his eyes in shame. The sound of the station tannoy is heard as the camera moves slowly from the mirror to the open frosted window, through which BECKY is seen in the street below, walking away beside the high concrete wall.
STATION ANNOUNCER Platform 1 for the 8:35 service to Glasgow Central calling at
Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western, Preston…
EXT. HOUSE DAY - FLASHBACK
JOHN looks out of the large plate glass window; the bare branches of a cherry tree, swaying in the breeze, reflect across his face.
INT. KITCHEN DAY - FLASHBACK
JOHN watches MOTHER and FATHER sat together on a bench in the garden. MOTHER fusses with FATHER’s coat, tenderly rearranging his scarf to keep him warm. JOHN takes a plate from the washing up bowl and places it on the rack. Soapsuds slide off onto the wet draining board. A bubble bursts.
INT. STUDIO DAY
Bubbles rise in a glass as CAZ blows through a straw. A green light flashes beside her. SALLY’s voice is heard over the speakers.
SALLY
I think that’s enough of that. Thank you. Okay. Let’s have some running on gravel.
Caz lifts a panel in the floor to reveal a tray of gravel. She puts on a pair of oversized men’s boots and steps onto it.
SALLY
Ready when you are. Just give me a few.
CAZ starts running, stumbling about on the spot.
SALLY Faster. More frantic.
The camera pans slowly across the faders on the mixing desk as the levels are adjusted. Close up on VU meters.
INT. CORRIDOR DAY
Silence. JOHN peers into the studio from the other side of the door. The red ‘RECORDING’ light shines above his head. He watches CAZ’S reflection in the glass partition as she runs faster and faster.
INT. SITTING ROOM NIGHT - FLASHBACK
Celluloid clatters through the projector. JOHN sits with FATHER in the dark – their faces illuminated by the light spilling from the white bulb.
JOHN What about this?
JOHN Yes you do.
FATHER Is it in this country? JOHN Yes. FATHER Cornwall. JOHN No. FATHER
That’s the only place I know. JOHN Think. FATHER Anglesey. JOHN Getting warmer. FATHER Somewhere near Anglesey?
JOHN
I’ll give you a clue. It’s in Wales. FATHER Wales. JOHN A place in Wales. FATHER Oh. JOHN Do you know where?
FATHER Not a clue.
JOHN Little Haven.
FATHER Little Haven.
JOHN looks at FATHER, searching for a flicker of recognition in his eyes, as he stares at the images on the screen.
INT. CUTTING ROOM NIGHT
The camera pans down the dubbing chart.
FX Track 2 – Footsteps. The sound of a person running cuts in hard.
Feet pounding across shingle fill the screen – stumbling – sliding - in the pouring rain.
Dubbing chart. FX Track 3 – Dialing. Dialogue Track 1 - Operator.
OPERATOR
Which service do you require? Police, ambulance, fire brigade or coast guard?
Sounds merge. Words are repeated, building to a crescendo. As the motorised Compeditor advances the magnetic tape suddenly jumps out of the gang. Metal teeth perforate the soundtrack.
A splicer blade slams down cutting the chewed up tape in two.
Strips of film of differing lengths hang in the trim bin – each one labeled – ‘Beach’ – ‘Road’ – ‘Point’…
JOHN (O/S) Do you remember?
Neurons, seen magnified thousands of times, flood with chemicals as they transmit signals from one to the other. Electrical pulses spark as they travel across synapses.
INT. SITTING ROOM NIGHT - FLASHBACK
FATHER sits beside JOHN looking through a family photograph album – snapshots of the beach, people sunbathing on the rocks, eating ice-cream on The Point.
JOHN
We used to buy mackerel from the fisherman and barbecue them on the beach.
The sudden flash of a knife is seen as it slits open the stomach of a fish. Guts spill onto a bloody newspaper.
INT. BBC CORRIDOR DAY
Bubbles rise inside a water cooler as JOHN fills a plastic cup. He picks it up and takes a sip as he talks on his mobile.
JOHN
Just come to reception and someone will be down to collect you. Well it might be me – probably will be – depends what we’re doing.
Becky brushes past in the corridor carrying a pile of scripts. JOHN glances up. She doesn’t acknowledge him.
JOHN (CONT.)
The hotel’s all booked. Yeah it’s fine. Next to the station. Is Dad alright? I mean he’s not working himself up?
SALLY emerges from the control room.
JOHN (CONT.)
Okay. Look I’ve got to go. I’ll see you later.
SALLY Good night?
JOHN
I don’t remember much about it. SALLY
The dangers of the mini-bar. JOHN
Something like that.
BECKY glances back at JOHN before disappearing into the control room.
SALLY
I thought we’d make a start with some wild tracks while we’re waiting for everyone. Apparently the central line’s up the spout. How are your parents getting here?
JOHN Taxi.
SALLY
Oh that’s fine then. We might as well get the narration out the way as well.
JOHN Okay.
SALLY We’re in the dead room.
INT. STUDIO DEAD ROOM – DAY
Grey foam wedge-shaped acoustic tiles line the walls of the dead room killing any ambient sound. JOHN 2 sits at a table whilst CAZ resets the height of his microphone.
JOHN 2
How close do you want this, Sally? I mean is this all internal, or am I actually speaking to him – to Matthew?
SALLY
Umm…That’s how I’d imagined it. John?
JOHN
Yes. That’s what I was thinking originally.
JOHN 2
Okay. So as if he were still alive?
SALLY
Obviously he knows he’s not. JOHN 2
JOHN
But I imagine it’s just something he does. Has done for years.
SALLY
Okay then – let’s give it a go. JOHN
I might stay in here if that’s okay?
SALLY
So long as your tummy doesn’t start rumbling.
SALLY smiles and leaves. JOHN 2 whispers as they wait for the green light.
JOHN 2
So you live up in the Lakes, I hear?
JOHN That’s right.
JOHN 2
Gorgeous part of the world. My wife’s from Perth.
JOHN Scotland? JOHN 2 Australia. JOHN Oh right. JOHN 2 You married? JOHN Yes. JOHN 2 Kids?
JOHN No.
JOHN 2