DESTITUTE

By
Emily Manning

RUNNING TIME : 7 MINUTES 30 SECONDS

FADE IN:
SCENE ONE
DAYTIME LONDON SUNNY
FX: WE HEAR THE CAR ENGINE RUNNING FOR A WHILE, FOLLOWED BY
DIALOGUE.

MATILDA
Hello? Im sorry I havent been able to
speak to you in a while, but Ive now come
off the pills, I hope everythings okay?
Its been over a month since weve been
together and things have gotten worse. A
lot has gone on that youve missed. To
begin with, Ive changed therapists as the
last one resigned, Its not important why.
Im heading to Dr. Kellys now and Im
really nervous for the first session,
because I dont want her to find out that
Ive stopped taking the anti-psychotic
pills, will she be mad at me? Dont get me
wrong, theyve really been helping, but
the truth is I miss you. No one
understands me, I cant talk to people
about the things we talk about. Ive not
been going to university because
everything felt different on the pills.
Things were more clear and Im just not
used to it. Im really missing Tyler as
well, I dont understand why he had to
leave? Its been 56 days since he left
home and I miss him more and more each
day. Hopefully he will be back soon.

MATILDA ARRIVES AT THE TERAPIST.

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 MATILDA
So here we are, again. Im so bored of
this routine. I feel like Im always here.
Hopefully, I can leave soon. As long as I
lie and pretend to sound like Ive made
progress they might let me go soon. Oh
god, its 11:00, I better go in. Ill try
talk to you whilst Im there but I dont
want to get caught. Wish me luck!

END OF SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO
FX : MATILDA WALKS OUT THE CAR; WE HEAR THE CAR ENGINE TURN
OFF AND SHE WALKS OUT OF THE CAR, WE CAN HEAR HER KEYS AND
THE DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING, FOOTSTEPS AND OUTSIDE
AMBIENCE. HALF WAY THROUGH HER HEART BEAT STARTS TOP RISE.
MATILDA THEN WALKS INTO RECEPTION, WE HEAR THE DOOR OPENING
AND CLOSING, AND A CHANGE IN FOOTSTEP

RECEPTIONIST
Hi can I help you?
MATILDA
Urm, hi, yeah, I have an appointment with
Dr. Kelly at 11.
RECEPTIONIST
Whats your name?
MATILDA
Matilda Jones.
RECEPTIONIST
Okay Matilda, let me just check that for
you.

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WE CAN HEAR THE RECEPTIONIST HUMING AND TYPING

RECEPTIONNIST
Right Matilda, Dr. Kelly is ready for you,
just follow the corridor and its the last
door on the left, make sure you knock
first.
MATILDA
Okay, thanks.

END OF SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE
FX : MATILDA WALKS DOWN THE CORRODOR, HER HEART IS BEATING
FAST AGAIN AND WE CAN HEAR HER BREATING IN AND OUT TRYING TO
STAY CALM. SHE THEN KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. WE CAN HEAR A CLOCK
TICKING.
DR. KELLY
Come in!
MATILDA WALKS IN AND CLOSES THE DOOR BEHIND HER, WE CAN HEAR
FOOTSTEPS WALKING IN
DR. KELLY
Hello, take a seat just there for me
Matilda.
MATILDA SITS DOWN AND IS SLIGHTLY MORE CALM AS WE CAN HEAR
HER HEART BEATING MORE FAINTLY.
DR. KELLY
Can I get you anything, tea, coffee?
MATILDA
No, Im fine thank you

4
WE HEAR DR. KELLY TYPING ON A KEYBOARD AND CLICKING OF A
MOUSE. WE HEAR HER FLICKING THROUGH FILES

DR. KELLY
So it says here that youve been in
therapy for nearly two months now is this
correct?
DR. KELLY
If you feel comfortable doing so, would
you be able to explain your history with
your schizophrenia diagnosis?
MATILDA
I was diagnosed two months ago when my
brother left.
DR. KELLY
Do you feel like Tylers death had an
impact on your development of the illness?
MATILDA
Why do you get to ask all the questions
but I cant ask you any?
DR. KELLY
Im sorry?
MATILDA
You get to ask me things about me but I
cant ask you things about you
DR. KELLY
Well thats because its my job to find
out more about you. *pause* But go ahead,
ask me anything.
MATILDA
Why did you become a therapist?

5
 DR. KELLY
Well, Ive always found physiology
fascinating, I studied it at university
and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ive always
wanted to help people. Being a therapist
is very rewarding as you change someone
for the better and help them through a
difficult time in their life. Like Id
like to be able to achieve with you,
Matilda.
MATILDA
How long has this been your job?
DR. KELLY
I think were beginning to steer away from
whats important here, dont you?
MATILDA
Right, sorry
DR. KELLY
Do you feel like Tylers death had an
impact on your development of the illness?
MATILDA
Hes not dead. He will be back soon.
DR. KELLY
Matilda, it says on my records that your
brother died 3rd February 2017?
MATILDA
Well that must be a mistake because he
will be back, I know it, hed never leave
me.

DR. KELLY
I know this is hard for you but I need you
to understand that he died 3rd February in
a plane crash. You went to his funeral on

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 the 7th of February, this is when you
decided to start therapy because thats
when you started to see people who arent
really.

*PAUSE*

DR. KELLY
I know this may come across as a shock to
you but I really encourage you to not act
irrational but to talk to me about your
feelings.
MATILDA
Why did he have to go?
DR. KELLY
The most important thing is that you dont
blame yourself, but sometimes the world
can be cruel, in a situation like this. I
think you need to take a moment to process
the information that youve been given. I
know this is difficult for you but the
sooner you start to accept this, the
sooner that you can get better as this is
the cause of your illness.
DR. KELLY
Okay
DR. KELLY
Have you seen Tyler since his death?
MATILDA
No
DR. KELLY
Well thats great progress Matilda! It
says here that youve been on anti-
psychotic pills for a month now. Hows
that been going?

7
 MATILDA
I dont hear voices in my head anymore or
hallucinate so theyre definitely working.
DR. KELLY
Any side effects?
MATILDA
No
DR. KELLY
Okay, well Im going to prescribe you with
another prescription of Amisulpride at the
same strength and see how you get on. Im
going to book you in for an appointment on
Friday so you have some time to process
what we disgust today, but you need to
understand that Tyler isnt coming back.
MATILDA
Okay.
DR. KELLY
If you have any worries please feel free
to give me a call, okay?
MATILDA
Okay thank you

FX: MATILDA GETS UP TO LEAVE, WE HEAR FOOT STEPS

DR. KELLY
Ill see you next week, well done!

Fx: WE HEAR THE DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING. SHE WALKS DOWN THE
CORRODOR AND PASSES RECEPTION

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 RECEPTIONIST
See you later!
MATILDA
Bye

END OF SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR
MATILDA IS WALKING TO HER CAR. WE CAN HEAR FOOTSTEPS AND
OUTSIDE AMBIENCE

MATILDA
I dont want . Maybe we could-
TYLER
Matilda!
MATILDA
Tyler?
TYLER
Ive been looking all over for you we were
supposed to go to the cinema an hour ago?
MALTILDA
Its really you, isnt it!
TYLER
Of course it is?
MATILDA
Everyone said you wouldnt come back, but
I knew they were wrong because they dont
know you like I do.

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 TYLER
Dont listen to anyone else, Im here now
and thats what matters, right?
MATILDA
Right!
TYLER
Then come on, were going. Hopefully we
can make the next screening.

FX : TYLER AND MATILDA BOTH GET IN THE CAR, WE HEAR

THE DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING. THE ENGINE IS TURNED
ON, AND HER KEYS. THE SOUND OF THE CAR THEN FADES
OUT

FADE OUT:

THE END

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