A town away

In a hospital in the late 1920’s there was a greedy alcoholic doctor and an abusive nurse. When a young patient comes around and tries to turn them in will she find help? Or will the doctor and nurse make sure she stays quite?

Anne Gooding: Abusive Nurse




Dr. Woodward: Alcoholic Doctor
Susie James: Young Patient that searches for help

Gordon Hill: Janitor

Officer





Anne: (As she jabs needle with medicine into patients arm) SHUT UP! Don’t be a baby! I don’t want to hear you cry!
Susie: (As she cries) you are hurting me! Stop!
Anne: I am only required to give you medicine. No one said it had to be painless (Laughs)
Susie: You are a monster! You will pay for this. (Cries more)
(Dr. Woodward enters stumbling because he is drunk.)
Dr. Woodward: What’s going on in here? Do we have a non compliant patient? (laughs) You know what to do with her.
(Anne laughs as she drags Susie away by her hair and locks her in her room. She tells Susie she will not be fed for three days)

Scene 2:
(Susie is sitting in her room as she discovers a spoon underneath her bed. She starts digging at the tiles by the wall trying to get out. Suddenly the janitor enters)
Gordon: What do you think you’re doing??
Susie: Um I’m just playing sir!
Gordon: Looks to me like you are trying to escape!!
Susie: Please sir don’t tell on me. If Anne or Woodward find out they won’t feed me and may even beat me!
Gordon: I have worked here for 25 years child. I know what they do to patients. If I help you escape you have to go search for help and bring the authorities here. I will bring you some supplies and I will make sure you get out safely tonight. Make sure you are ready by midnight.

(Gordon leaves and Susie starts packing her few belongings)
(At exactly 12:00 Gordon slips in Susie’s room and wakes her carrying a book bag)
Gordon: Wake up, it’s time to go! I have everything you will need for tonight until you get to the police station. You have a biscuit and some meat, a blanket, flashlight, and a rain coat. You must go through the woods and cross the river and you will be at the next town. You must go to police and bring them here. Can you do this?
Susie: (nods) I can do it Gordon.

(Gordon kisses her for head, buttons her sweater, and leads her to the front entrance. She walks outside and he locks the door behind her. Susie is now alone and she starts her to journey to the next town)

Susie: (Talking to herself: “I can do this. I have to help Gordon and the other patients, but what if I get caught? No Susie you just have to keep pushing forward”)

Susie travels through the woods and crosses the river just as the sun comes up. She can see smoke from the chimneys of houses in the town. She immediately starts sprinting. She runs till her chest is heavy and she is out of breathe but she keeps pushing forward until she reaches the doors to the police precinct. She enters.

Officer: What can we do for you young lady?
Susie: (out of breathe) you have to come to the hospital across the river. The patients are in trouble. Please. You have to help them.
Officer: Well what is going on miss? We have to have information so we can investigate.
Susie explains all the things Nurse Anne has done. She told the officer about not getting food, how the patients are beaten and neglected, and how the nurse distributes the medicine.
Susie: Please sir come quick!
Officer: Let me get some other officers and we will take a trip up there, please have a seat in the waiting room.
Susie sits, impatiently.

About fifteen minutes later four policemen rush into the waiting room and grab Susie. They throw her into the back of the cop car and tell her to sit down and be quiet. Susie is confused and scared.

They arrive at the hospital an hour later and they drag Susie out of the car. The officers bring her to Nurse Anne’s office and they slam Susie’s tiny body into the chair.

Scene 3:

Susie: What are you doing?? Why aren’t you helping me and the other patients??
Officer: Well you see child, Anne is my wife and the hospital funds the police department’s needs. ( Anne and officer laugh)
Anne: Haven’t you noticed child? No one is going to help you. The police are on our side. You will never get out of here.

Anne and the officer kiss, and smile at each other


The End