FRIENDLY BOMBS

By
Charlotte Pooley

Running Time: 8 minutes 13

FADE IN:
SCENE ONE
Daisy has just arrived at her hotel room after a day of
travelling to the conference to publish her latest book. She
is having a conversation with her husband over the phone
from her room. He is still at home with their daughter. It
is evening time and she has settled into her room.
FX: The news is on the TV in the room.
TIMOTHY
Hey, how was the journey?
DAISY
Yeah, it was alright, there was quite a
lot of traffic but once I got past
Birmingham it cleared. I guess there was
an accident somewhere.
TIMOTHY
Have you got the TV on? You sound really
quiet.
DAISY
Oh yeah Ive got the news on Ill just
turn it down.
FX: Sounds of movement and click of remote and the news
getting quieter.
TIMOTHY
Anyway hows the hotel, after what
happened last time.
DAISY
*Chuckle* Yeah at least the showers
working this time. Its a really nice
place actually, my rooms huge and Ive got
a good view of the gardens. Izzy would
love to play out there.
TIMOTHY
She was in the garden all afternoon

2
 because the weather was nice. She was
asking where you were the whole time. Ive
tried explaining to her that youre away
on a business trip and will be back at the
end of the week, but I think shes just a
bit too young to understand.
DAISY
*Sadness in voice* I hate leaving her.
TIMOTHY
I know.
DAISY
How is she?
TIMOTHY
Im just about to put her to bed. Ill let
you speak to her before I go. *Away from
phone* Izzy come here mummys on the
phone.
FX: Sounds of movement and the phone being handed over.
DAISY
Goodnight sweetheart, dont let the bed
bugs bite, Ill see you in a couple of
days.
IZZY
Night mummy!
Phone being handed back to Timothy.
DAISY
Anyway, Id better go and finish my
presentation for tomorrow.
TIMOTHY
Okay, good luck with it. Let me know how
it goes tomorrow.

3
 DAISY
Yeah Ill phone you once Im done.
TIMOTHY
Alright, night. I love you.
DAISY
I love you too, night.
FX: Sound of phone being put down.
DAISY
I love what I do. Writings always been a
passion of mine. I remember sitting in my
room writing story after story in a little
pink notebook. They were always based at
home. I would base them off of anything
happening at home, anything happening at
school or just something I saw in the
street. On the walk home from school I
would look at people and make up little
stories about them. My mum mustve got fed
up with those stories very quickly; but
she always listened to them as though it
was the first story I told her. Home has
always been my biggest inspiration. The
places Ive been to and the people Ive
met. Theres always something happening.
People ask me my why Ive never moved out
of my home town. I moved out a couple of
years ago but only a couple of roads down
from where I grew up. I just couldnt
leave it after it played such a big part
in my love of writing. When I moved-
Her monologue is interrupted by the breaking news report.
FX: We hear her turning the volume of the TV go up and
moving her papers.
NEWS ANCHOR
Breaking news. There has been a reported
bomb attack in Slough, Berkshire. It
suspected to be a terrorist attack but
this has not been confirmed. Police have
evacuated the area and have warned

4
 residents not to return until further
notice. Emergency services are dealing
with the incident, but are overwhelmed
with the influx of casualties. Early
reports do not know the amount of
fatalities but it is estimated to be
between 5 and 7 thousand, although this
number is expected to rise in the coming
hours. We will keep you up updated as
receive more information. Anyone concerned
about this issue can call the home office
emergency number on 020 7035 4848.
Daisy takes a deep shaky breath.
DAISY
*under her breath, worried* Izzy. Tim.
FX: She turns down the TV volume and picks up to the phone
and dials a number. Sound effects of her typing and dialing
the number.
DAISY
*sounding worried* Come on Tim, pick up
FX: The phone rings for a while before going to voicemail.
She sighs heavily. We hear sounds of her moving her papers
and standing up and pacing the room and trying the phone
again. It rings and goes straight to voicemail again.
DAISY
Hi Tim its me, Ive just seen the news,
please pick up, are you okay? Is Izzy?
Just please let me know youre okay.
*sounds more panicked and takes a deep
shaky breath* Im sure Im just worrying
for no reason. Youre probably just
putting Izzy to bed thats why you didnt
answer. *Trying to convince herself
talking quickly* Yeah thatll be it.
*Talking softer again* Please be okay.
FX: She hangs up the phone and puts it down and continues
pacing.

5
 DAISY
*chanting to herself* Theyll be okay.
Theyre at home. Maybe he just didnt hear
the phone. Sloughs a big place theyre
probably fine. Hell just be trying to
find out whats wrong himself. *Talking
softly and worried* But what if theyre
not.
She stops walking and talking for a moment.

MUM!
FX: Then walks across the room and picks up her phone again
and dials the number for her mum. This also rings and then
goes to voicemail.
DAISY
Mum? Are you okay? Whats going on? Ive
seen the news and Tims not answering his
phone and neither are you. Please just let
me know whats happening. *Talking softly*
Mum, I love you.
FX: She hangs up and puts the phone down. She speaks to
herself.
I need to get home. Okay, my keys,
FX: She walks across the room and picks up her keys.
My phone.
She grabs her phone and hurries across the room and out of
the room. Sounds of her walking and the door slamming.
FX: We hear sounds of her running down the stairs and the
sounds of her opening and closing the main door of the
hotel. Once outside the footsteps change to footsteps on
concrete and there is background noise of cars, birds and
wind. We hear the sounds of her getting in, starting the car
and driving off.
*speaking to the audience* I need to get
home. I need to see for myself that
theyre okay. Im sure Im just being
paranoid. I just need to calm down and get

6
 home and see them. They need to be okay.
If theyre not then No, I cant think
about that they will be fine. Ill get
home Tim will be a bit shaken up, Ill
check on Mum, shell be worried about me,
but safe. And Izzy *deep breath* Ill be
tucking her into bed and she probably
wont even understand what all the fuss
was about.
FX: The sounds of the car can be heard as well as the
background sounds of the other cars on the road.
Sounds fade out to nothing.
FADE IN:
SCENE TWO
Daisy is still driving home and is a lot closer but is
getting increasingly more panicked.
FX: We hear the sounds of the car pulling over and stopping.
The sound of the handbrake can be heard and the sounds of
the car stop as she stops the car. She picks up her phone
and dials again. Again it goes to voicemail.
DAISY
*Nearly in tears* Come on Tim, just answer
your phone. Please. Please.
FX: She hangs up the phone and takes a deep breath before
driving away again. Sounds of sirens and helicopters can be
heard in the background getting louder as she gets closer to
home.
DAISY
If I can just get home then I can see Izzy
and Tim for myself. I cant wait to hold
them. I shouldnt have gone on the trip.
Izzy doesnt even understand why Im
always leaving. Every time I go I hate
missing her but I just think to myself,
itll be worth in the end; Ill be able to
give her so much more. But is it worth it
when I miss out on so much time with her.
What good is the money when I miss out on
so much time with my daughter. *Gasps* Oh

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 my god. Theres so much smoke. The
chimneys. Theyre gone. They cant be. I
can see them from my house. They cant be
gone. Izzys gonna be so scared. I need to
see her. *Quietly* Please let my baby be
safe. *Pauses* Im not gonna be able to
get near going this way. Maybe if I go the
back way therell be less traffic.
Sounds of driving and sirens getting louder.
No, every wheres blocked. But I need to
get home. No. I cant get stuck out here.
Sounds of the car slowing and stopping.
Why arent we moving I need to see my
daughter. *Nearly crying* I need to get
through. Please, please just let me
through.
Sounds of her hitting the wheel in frustration.
I cant just sit here.
FX: Sounds of her get out of the car and slamming the door.
As she gets out the car the sounds of the road and the
helicopter get louder now that she is not in her car. She
begins to run so we hear her footsteps, crying and the
sirens get louder as she gets closer.
Scene 3
POLICE
*Sounds calm* Excuse me miss I cant let
you past this point, the area has been
closed off.
DAISY
*Panicked and upset* I need to get past.
My familys here. I need to see them.
POLICE
I appreciate that, but this area has been
closed to the public and evacuated. I
cant let you through.

8
 DAISY
But my daughters in there. Shes only
little. Shell be so scared. She needs her
mum.
POLICE
*More insistent voice* I understand and we
will let you through as soon as it is safe
to do so. Until then if you follow my
colleague then he can escort you to a safe
area for the meantime.
DAISY
*sounding desperate* No, I cant do that.
I need to see her. Shes my baby. I need
to see shes okay. Please, you have to
understand.
POLICE
*Insistent firm voice* Look miss it is not
safe for you to be here, we do not know
what is going to happen. You need to go
with my colleague.
DAISY
*pleading and desperate* PLEASE! I need
know if shes safe.
POLICE
*Getting increasingly angry* I cannot tell
you how many people were affected in the
blast, but the paramedics are doing the
best they can for everybody involved. But
it is not safe for you to be here.
DAISY
I know, but please just-
FX: Sound of a second bomb, then silence.

THE END