the amersham chronicles

7/27/2019 The Amersham Chronicles

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THE AMERSHAM CHRONICLES

BY

PATRICIA KEILLER

Copyright 2011 (C) The author retains all rights to the

work, and permission to reproduce it, or use it in any way

can only be obtained with the author's permission.

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2/41

THE AMERSHAM CHRONICLES by Patricia Keiller

______________________________________________

CHARACTERS

NEWSREADER The man who initially breaks the news of

strange sightings in the town of Amersham, and the

subsequent transmissions charting the progress of the alien

invasions, the panic felt by the fleeing population of

London, and the eventual defeat of the aliens.

JACK KOWALSKI Roving reporter sent to Amersham to cover

the story.

MARK LEWISHAM Man of about forty. Local to the area, and a

scientist. Sends his wife and children to stay with her

mother in Wimbledon when the problems begin, but soon

realises they may be in just as much danger there as in

Amersham. Soon he and JACK KOWALSKI set off on a mission to

London to rescue their families.

SARAH LEWISHAM MARK'S wife. She is very reluctant to

leave, and does so grudgingly.

DANIEL LEWISHAM MARK and SARAH'S twelve year old son.

KATE LEWISHAM Their fourteen year old daughter.

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3/41

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Tough army sergeant. With his help

MARK LEWISHAM and JACK KOWALSKI are able to formulate a

plan that will lead to the eventual downfall of the aliens.

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW A man on the brink of total defeat

and disaster. Rather doubtful of the theory amd plan put

forward by MARK LEWISHAM,JACK KOWALSKI and SERGEANT

MATTHEWS, he nevertheless listens, and decides to try out

their plan as a last resort.

COMMANDER IN CHIEF SIR HENTY DRAYTON Top army commander,

and someone with whom SERGEANT MATTHEWS gets on well, as

they are very much cut out of the same cloth.

POLICE OFFICER Stationed outside 10 Downing Street.

GUARD Stationed outside the Cabinet War Rooms

SETTING

Initially the small town of Amersham, situated north west

of London in Buckinghamshire, then London itself.

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4/41

FADE IN:

NEWSREADER Reports have been coming in of strange lights

being seen over the town of Amersham in Buckinghamshire.

The bright, white light has been clearly visible in the sky

above the town for a couple of nights. We go over now to

our reporter on the scene, Jack Kowalski.

JACK KOWALSKI I am here in Amersham with local scientist,

Professor Mark Lewisham. Professor, there has been much

speculation about the strange lights seen in the nightly

sky above the town as being a UFO, but you yourself believe

that the lights have a perfectly simple explanation.

MARK LEWISHAM Yes, I believe that the bright, white lights

seen over Amersham are nothing other than a rather extreme

manifestation of the Aurora Borealis.

JACK KOWALSKI Thank you Professor Lewisham. This is Jack

Kowalski reporting from Amersham.

NEWSREADER The Prime Minister is due to announce a cabinet

reshuffle this afternoon.......

(GRAMS)

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5/41

(IT IS LATE AFTERNOON, AND THE WHOLE LEWISHAM FAMILY ARE AT

HOME.KATE AND DANIEL WHO HAVE JUST RETURNED HOME FROM

SCHOOL, ADDRESS THEIR FATHER.)

KATE LEWISHAM Abosulute chaos has broken out in the town

centre, Dad. All the traffic has come to a complete

standstill...

DANIEL LEWISHAM A man's just been killed by that UFO, Dad!

MARK LEWISHAM I told you before, Daniel, it's no such

thing. It's the Aurora Borealis.

DANIEL LEWISHAM If you don't believe me, ask Kate.

KATE LEWISHAM It's true. This man approached the wooded

area where the bright, white light seems to be coming from,

there was this ear splitting noise, the man fell to the

ground dead, and when the police tried to recover his body,

they found that it had been incinerated. All that was left

of him was a pile of dust, and the shadow of where his body

had once stood.

MARK LEWISHAM I don't believe a word of all this, I'm

going out to check up on the children's story.

SARAH LEWISHAM What if the children are right? What if

those strange lights are something sinister after all?

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6/41

MARK LEWISHAM Oh, come on, Sarah! You don't believe in all

this extraterrestrial nonsense, do you?

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM HAS MADE HIS WAY TO A HILLTOP FROM WHICH A

WOODED AREA BELOW CAN BE SEEN. A SMALL CROWD HAS

CONGREGATED ON THE HILLTOP. THE JOURNALIST, JACK KOWALSKI

IS AMONG THE CROWD. MARK SPOTS HIM, AND GOES OVER TO HIM).

MARK LEWISHAM I see quite a crowd has gathered here, I

suppose you've got quite a good view of those trees from

this spot. Anyway I guessed this was where you would be.

You journalists are never ones to miss a good story, are

you? I hear a man was killed down by the trees earlier,

supposedly by the bright light everyone been going on about

these last few days.

JACK KOWALSKI I shall ignore that rather snide comment

about journalists. The man was killed by that white light

you said was caused by the Aurora Borealis. I saw it

happen, and I can tell you that it was no atmospheric

phenomenon.

MARK LEWISHAM What happened exactly?

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7/41

JACK KOWALSKI The poor man approached the trees, there was

a flash of intense white light, a bit like the flash of a

camera going off, but on a much bigger scale. There was a

whirring noise, and something metallic could be seen

hovering above the treetops.

MARK LEWISHAM You mean like a machine of some sort?

JACK KOWALSKI Yes, I guess.

MARK LEWISHAM I'm going to see if I can borrow that man's

binoculars, and move a bit closer to get a better view.

(PAUSE) Excuse me, can I borrow your binoculars for a few

minutes.

MAN Yes, of course.

JACK KOWALSKI Hey, wait a minute Professor Lewisham. Do

you mind if I come with you?

MARK LEWISHAM It's a free world. I can't stop you coming

with me, I suppose.

JACK KOWALSKI You don't like journalists much, do you? I'd

just like to say I take my job very seriously. I don't do

exploitative journalism. I'm here to report the truth.

MARK LEWISHAM I'm sorry. You're right. I don't like

journalists much as a breed, and I haven't really given you

a fair chance.

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8/41

JACK KOWALSKI Apology accepted. Now let's get a closer

look at what's going on.

(THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS ON GRASS)

MARK LEWISHAM (WHISPERING) My god, it's huge! It's made

from some sort of metal.I've never seen anything like it.

There don't appear to be any windows, portals, or doors,

but it's definately a craft of some kind.

JACK KOWALSKI Let me have a look.(PAUSES AS HE TAKES THE

BINOCULARS) It's amazing. It's some sort of alien craft,

isn't it. I never thought I'd see anything like this.

MARK LEWISHAM It may not be alien.

JACK KOWALSKI Is there any country in the world capable of

such advanced technology?

MARK LEWISHAM No, I don't think so.

JACK KOWALSKI And judging by the death of that man, they

don't seem very friendly either.

MARK LEWISHAM Let's not jump to any conclusions. Perhaps

the death of that man was an accident.

JACK KOWALSKI Do you really think it could have been an

accident?

MARK LEWISHAM I think it's possible, yes.

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9/41

(THEIR CONVERSATION IS INTERRUPTED BY LOUD SHOUTS, AND THE

SOUND OF SOMEONE RUNNING PAST THEM).

JACK KOWALSKI Ahh! That light! It's so intense.

MARK LEWISHAM My eyes! It's like staring into the sun.

JACK KOWALSKI The light is acting like a laser beam now.

It's focusing on that man.

MARK LEWISHAM He's d..dead, dissolved in front of our eyes

to a pile of dust.

JACK KOWALSKI There's another laser beam there. It's

aiming for that building.

MARK LEWISHAM The....the building. It's...it's been turned

into a heap of rubble.

JACK KOWALSKI Do you still think all of this could be an

accident?

MARK LEWISHAM No...no, I don't.

(GRAMS)

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10/41

(MARK LEWISHAM IS AT HOME WITH HIS FAMILY. IT IS LATE

EVENING).

MARK LEWISHAM Sarah, I'd like you and the kids to go and

stay with your mother in Wimbledon for now. There's

something very strange going on here in Amersham. I don't

think it's safe for you and the children to remain here.

SARAH LEWISHAM You've changed your tune somewhat since

this morning.

MARK LEWISHAM That was before I saw what had happened to

those two men who were killed.

DANIEL LEWISHAM So you think it might be aliens then?

MARK LEWISHAM I wouldn't go so far as to say I think it's

aliens for sure, but there is something extremely odd, and

sinister going on, and I would rather all of you were

somewhere a bit safer.

SARAH LEWISHAM Well, if you're staying, I'm staying too.

MARK LEWISHAM I'm staying because I think I should. We

can't all just abandon the town to whatever it is that's

threatening it.

KATE LEWISHAM I don't want to go to Wimbledon. All my

friends are here in Amersham.

DANIEL LEWISHAM I do. Going to Wimbledon might be fun, a

bit like an adventure. I think it'll be cool.

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11/41

KATE LEWISHAM You little squirt. You wouldn't recognize

cool even if you fell over it.

DANIEL LEWISHAM You just want to stay here because of your

crummy boyfriend.

MARK LEWISHAM Shut up, the pair of you. You are both going

to go to Wimbledon with your mother. It's not safe here.

Most people will leave the town if they've got any sense.

(GRAMS)

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12/41

NEWSREADER Unconfirmed reports from Amersham indicate that

a number of people have now been killed by the bright,

white light which appears to be emanating from a large

metallic object, which is believed to be some sort of

spacecraft. In Amersham, and nearby towns and villages,

people are leaving in droves, heading south or north,

anywhere to escape from the area. The Government is

bringing in troops to the town, in the hope that the

spacecraft can be quickly disarmed, and rendered safe. We

go over to our reporter in Amersham, Jack Kowalski.

JACK KOWALSKI This once quiet and peaceful small town has

been turned into a war zone. Buildings lay damaged, burnt

and ruined. At least twenty people have now been killed by

the laser beam emitted by the spacecraft, and the town of

Amersham is slowly starting to resemble a ghost town as

more and more people leave. The army is due to arrive

shortly, and it is hoped that they will be able to bring an

end to this alien attack on the town.

NEWSREADER Reports have also been coming in of panic

spreading to other parts of the UK, and even other

countries.

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13/41

JACK KOWALSKI Yes, the next twenty four hours will be

crucial if we are to avoid an alien invasion, and

widespread panic and terror taking over our cities and

towns.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM IS BIDDING FAREWELL TO HIS FAMILY BEFORE

THEY LEAVE FOR WIMBLEDON)

MARK LEWISHAM I want you two children to promise not to

argue with each other. Your mother's got a lot on her

plate, and she doesn't need you to be fighting all the time.

SARAH LEWISHAM Are you sure this is what you really want

us to do, Mark? I still think we should be staying together

at a time like this.

MARK LEWISHAM You and the kids must leave, Sarah. Can you

see how dangerous it's become here? I have to stay, at

least for now. I'll join you as soon as I can.

KATE LEWISHAM Oh,Dad!

(THE SOUND OF SOBBING, FOOTSTEPS, A CAR DOOR OPENING, THEN

CLOSING, AND FINALLY DRIVING OFF.)

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14/41

(GRAMS)

NEWSREADER The last twenty four hours has seen the almost

total destruction of this once quaint Buckinghamshire town.

Buildings lie in ruins, and the streets are deserted of

cars or people. Even the army with its tanks and armoury

seem helpless in the face of such a foe. The Government, in

a statement issued this afternoon, urged the public not to

panic, and refused to state categorically whether the

strange craft now attacking Amersham with such ferocity, is

indeed of extraterrestrial origin. Sources close to Prime

Minister Fanshaw reveal that he has already ruled out a

terrorist attack, or an attack from a hostile nation.

Despite the Government's reassurances, there has been

increased looting in many city centres and a general

breakdown in law and order. In many cities such as London

people have taken to the streets and have started

demonstrating, and large numbers of panic stricken people

have started fleeing London....

(THERE IS THE SOUND OF A SWITCH AS THE RADIO IS TURNED OFF.

THEN THE SOUND OF A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.)

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15/41

MARK LEWISHAM Come in!

JACK KOWALSKI Professor Lewisham, I was hoping to find you

here.

MARK LEWISHAM I was just listening to your colleague on

the radio. The situation is looking pretty dire, isn't it?

JACK KOWALSKI I think the situation is about as dire as it

could get.

MARK LEWISHAM What the hell are the army doing?

JACK KOWALSKI They've been rendered as defenceless as the

rest of us confronted with such a technologically superior

enemy. Whenever the army has tried to bombard the

spacecraft, the laser beam it emits has simply turned all

the tanks, and guns into a mound of disintegrated junk.

MARK LEWISHAM We're all done for, aren't we Mr Kowalski?

JACK KOWALSKI Call me Jack.

MARK LEWISHAM Only if you stop calling me Professor

Lewisham, you make me feel like a school teacher

adddressing a pupil. My name's Mark.

JACK KOWALSKI Okay, Mark it is. Listen, I came here to

tell you that I reckon the spacecraft is on the move.

MARK LEWISHAM Are you sure, Jack?

JACK KOWALSKI It's moving very slowly at the moment, but

yes, it is definately moving.

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16/41

MARK LEWISHAM Let's check out which way it's heading.

(PAUSE) Just hang on a sec, Jack while I grab my coat.

(PAUSE) Come on let's go!

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM AND JACK KOWALSKI ARE STANDING A FAIR

DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SPACECRAFT).

JACK KOWALSKI We're far away enough from here to see the

spacecraft in its entirety.

MARK LEWISHAM Our first impression was correct, it is

absolutely enormous.

JACK KOWALSKI It's like a huge, seamless, metal disk. The

way it moves reminds me of a stingray.

MARK LEWISHAM I think it's building up speed.

JACK KOWALSKI Look at the fields and hills it's already

travelled over. They look yellow,charred...dead.

MARK LEWISHAM Which way do you think it's heading?

JACK KOWALSKI Towards London, I'd say.

MARK LEWISHAM My wife and kids are in Wimbledon!

JACK KOWALSKI My family lives in Putney. My god, they're

all in danger aren't they?

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17/41

MARK LEWISHAM I don't know about you, Jack. I'm not

staying here.

JACK KOWALSKI Me neither, Mark. We should be with our

families.

MARK LEWISHAM I think we should travel back to London

together, it'll be safer.

JACK KOWALSKI I've seen your car. It's a bit of an old

banger. We'll take mine, it's faster.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM AND JACK KOWALSKI ARE IN JACK'S CAR HEADING

FOR LONDON)

MARK LEWISHAM L..look at all these burnt out cars strewn

all over the motorway. Some of them have been abandoned,

but most of them still have people in them. They died at

the wheel.(PAUSES)Close the window, Jack. There's a stench

of burning and rotting flesh. (PAUSES) Please god, please

let Sarah and the children be all right!

JACK KOWALSKI They left a few days ago, didn't they. I

expect they're okay. They set off towards London before the

spacecraft began advancing.

MARK LEWISHAM I hope you're right.

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18/41

JACK KOWALSKI We have to get off this motorway, Mark.

There's some sort of sticky, mud like substance on it,

which makes it almost impossible for the car to progress

without getting its wheels stuck in the gunge.

MARK LEWISHAM We'll have to use the minor roads.

JACK KOWALSKI It'll take longer to reach London that way,

and I'm pretty certain I don't have enough fuel anyway.

MARK LEWISHAM We can't use this motorway though.

JACK KOWALSKI We'll head for the minor roads then, and

hope that our fuel lasts until we get to London.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM AND JACK KOWALSKI ARE NOW ON A MINOR ROAD

HEADING TOWARDS LONDON)

MARK LEWISHAM I don't think we've seen another car in the

last twenty minutes.

JACK KOWALSKI I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but

our fuel is just about to run out.

MARK LEWISHAM Oh,no! There isn't a petrol station in

sight, and we're stuck in the middle of nowhere!

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19/41

JACK KOWALSKI We'll have to abandon the car, and start

walking.

MARK LEWISHAM But it'll take us days to get to London if

we walk!

JACK KOWALSKI I know, but we don't have any other option

for now, do we?

(THE CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES, FOOTSTEPS MARCHING ALONG

THE ROAD CAN BE HEARD. MARK LEWISHAM AND JACK KOWALSKI ARE

NOW ON FOOT)

JACK KOWALSKI I can see something approaching us up ahead.

It looks like some sort of army vehicle, a jeep or

something.

(THE SOUND OF A VEHICLE APPROACHING, THEN STOPPING)

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Where are you two heading?

MARK LEWISHAM I'm heading for Wimbledon, and he's trying

to get to Putney.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS So south west London then. Hop in,

I'm heading for London too.

JACK KOWALSKI Thanks mate, you don't know how much we

appreciate this.(PAUSE) I'm Jack Kowalski by the way.

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20/41

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I've heard of you. Weren't you the

journalist reporting from Amersham when all this business

with the aliens started to happen?

JACK KOWALSKI The very same.

MARK LEWISHAM I'm Mark Lewisham. Up until a few days ago,

I was a research scientist living a quiet life in Amersham

with my wife and family, and suddenly it's like the end of

the world's come.

JACK KOWALSKI What about you?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS My name's Pete Matthews, Sergeant

Matthews. Just one day ago, I was a sergeant in the army,

and now my whole squadron's dead, every single last one of

them. They were killed by that...that thing back in

Amersham. All the men except me, and most of the vehicles,

tanks and such like, were caught in the death beam that

alien thing emits.

JACK KOWALSKI Everything's changed.

MARK LEWISHAM I reckon we should stick together at a time

like this. If we're going to survive, we're going need all

the resources we can muster.

(GRAMS)

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21/41

(MARK LEWISHAM,JACK KOWALSKI AND SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS

HAVE REACHED LONDON)

JACK KOWALSKI Well, we've finally reached London.

MARK LEWISHAM I never imagined it would look this bad. I

think this is what London must have looked like in the

Blitz.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I've been to a few war torn places

in my time, this is about as bad as I've seen.

MARK LEWISHAM Usually the enemy is at least human.

JACK KOWALSKI What chance do we have against an adversary

who is technologically far more advanced than us?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS You two sound as if you've already

resigned yourself to your fate. You've already given up.

JACK KOWALSKI What's the point in trying to beat them?

They're stronger than us.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Well, I'm not giving up. There must

be something we can do. Some way that we can fight them.

JACK KOWALSKI My god, look up there in the sky! There's

the spacecraft. It's right above us!

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Oh,no! I think it's seen us. Quick

everybody get out of the jeep, and run for your lives!

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22/41

(THE SOUND OF A CAR DOOR OPENING, FEET RUNNING, THEN A LOUD

WHIRRING NOISE)

MARK LEWISHAM Do you think we'll be safe in this building,

Sergeant Matthews?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I think we'll be safe here for now.

(PAUSE) Did you see what it did to my jeep?

JACK KOWALSKI Yes, it completely disintergrated it.

MARK LEWISHAM Where do you suppose the spacecraft was

heading?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I reckon it might need a place to

land. It's pretty big, so I would think it's heading for a

large open space.

JACK KOWALSKI What is there near here?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Hyde Park is just round the corner

from here.

MARK LEWISHAM Let's head that way too.

JACK KOWALSKI Are you crazy, Mark. They'll kill us if they

spot us.

MARK LEWISHAM Listen, Jack, we need to find out more about

the aliens. What they're up to and so on. If we go into the

park we can get a closer look. It'll be dark in an hour or

two, and there's plenty of tree cover, they won't see us.

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23/41

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I'm with Mark on this one. I think

he's right. We need to find out more about them.

JACK KOWALSKI Okay, let's head towards the park.

(GRAMS)

(THEY HEAD INTO HYDE PARK)

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Look,there's the spaceship over

there!

JACK KOWALSKI Something's happening.(PAUSE) Some sort of

opening has just appeared in the side of the craft. It's

like a door!

MARK LEWISHAM Something's coming out of the craft. I...I

think there are two of them. Urggh, they look like giant

slugs.

JACK KOWALSKI They are just about the most repulsive

creatures I have ever seen.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Well, I must say, I didn't expect

them to look like that.

MARK LEWISHAM Sergeant, do you have slugs in your garden?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Yes, I do.

MARK LEWISHAM How do you get rid of them?

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24/41

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Slug pellets usually. My dad used

to use beer and egg shells.

MARK LEWISHAM Have you ever tried pouring salt on them?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Yes, they shrivel up and die.

JACK KOWALSKI Can you two stop talking about gardening?

MARK LEWISHAM Don't you get it, Jack? Maybe we could try

the same sort of thing on these alien creatures.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS It just might work.

JACK KOWALSKI I don't think we can handle this by

ourselves, though. It's too big a task. We need to get

other people involved.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS The Houses of Parliament, and

Downing Street are not too far from here. If we head out of

the park, past Buckingham Palace, and along Birdcage Walk,

we should be able to get to Downing Street quite quickly.

JACK KOWALSKI Maybe this is going to be a waste of time,

but like you said, Sergeant, it just might work.

(GRAMS)

24


25/41


26/41

JACK KOWALSKI There's no point feeling really bad about

it, Mark. After all we are all pretty much in the same

boat. We all want to get back to our families. I expect

Sergeant Matthews wants to get back to his family as well.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS All of my family are abroad. My

mum, dad, and brother are in Australia, and my ex-wife is

in the States. After we separated she married an American.

MARK LEWISHAM Aren't you worried about them all, Sergeant?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Of course I am, but what can I do

about it. There's currently a news blackout. No news

getting in or out of the country, and we don't know if the

aliens have landed elsewhere in the world.

JACK KOWALSKI They've probably invaded the whole world.

MARK LEWISHAM Put like that what chance do we have against

them?

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS We must'nt give up! It only takes a

few people like us, and maybe we have a small chance of

beating this thing.

MARK LEWISHAM Seriously though, I wonder if there are more

of these alien spacecraft scattered around the world?

JACK KOWALSKI I expect there are. I would think it against

the odds that only this country was unlucky enough to be

singled out by the aliens. Like I said, they've probably

invaded the whole world.

26


27/41

MARK LEWISHAM But that means the human race really hasn't

a chance! We might as well just all curl up and die.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Yes, but there are probably lots of

people like us all over the world. People willing to stand

up and fight the aliens. People with guts.

JACK KOWALSKI You're beginning to sound like the

Terminator or something. This isn't an Arnold

Schwarzenegger film. It's real life, and I for one don't

feel much like a hero.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I just want you to believe that we

can defeat this thing.

MARK LEWISHAM Downing Street is just round the corner now.

JACK KOWALSKI What makes you think the Prime Minister is

going to want to see us. I mean they wouldn't normally let

just anybody in to see him. Not under normal circunstances.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Well, these aren't normal

circumstances, are they?

MARK LEWISHAM Excuse me officer, would it be possible for

us to have a meeting with the Prime Minister?

POLICE OFFICER I would let you in to see him if I could,

but he's not here. The Prime Minister, and the whole

Cabinet have gone to the Cabinet War Rooms.

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28/41

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Not the same Cabinet War Rooms

Churchill used during the Second World War? Isn't that a

museum now?

POLICE OOFICER Yes, they are the same Cabinet War Rooms

Churchill used in the war.I think it was felt that the War

Rooms were a lot safer than Downing Street.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Aren't they just round the corner

from here?

POLICE OFFICER Yes,the Cabinet War Rooms are in King

Charles Street in the next road on your left.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM,JACK KOWALSKI AND SERGEANT MATTHEWS HEAD

INTO KING CHARLES STREET)

MARK LEWISHAM Well,here we are.Let's hope this guard is

going to let us through to see the PM. He looks a little

more burly than the the police officer we were just talking

to.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS We must see the Prime Minister. We

must see Mr Fanshaw. It's urgent.

GUARD I can't let you do that.

28


29/41

MARK LEWISHAM Look, I'm a top scientist, my name's

Professor Mark Lewisham. I wrote a controversial paper

recently on climate change, and this is Jack Kowalski, the

first journalist to report from Amersham when the invasion

started. Prime Minister Fanshaw will surely let us in if he

knows who we are.

GUARD If you wait here, I'll just inform the PM of your

arrival.

(THE SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS, DOORS OPENING AND CLOSING. MUFFLED

VOICES, MORE FOOTSTEPS)

GUARD You're lucky, it just so happens the Prime Minister

does recognize your names and says that he is willing to

see you. So if you care to follow me I'll lead you to him.

(THE SOUND OF MANY FOOTSTEPS, A DOOR OPENING, THE SCRAPPING

OF CHAIRS)

GUARD Prime Minister, this is Professor Lewisham, Mr

Kowalski, and Sergeant Matthews.

29


30/41

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW Pleased to meet you. I can only

spare you about ten minutes as this alien invasion is

taking up every last second of my time.

MARK LEWISHAM Prime Minister Fanshaw, we have come

directly from Amersham. We were there when the alien

spaceship first landed, when those first bright lights

appeared in the sky. We have now come to believe that there

is a way in which we can destroy the aliens. We managed to

get a close look at them, they are huge slug like

creatures....

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW Are you absolutely sure about this?

I mean, are you telling me we're being attacked by giant

slugs?

MARK LEWISHAM Well yes, but they're obviously extremely

intelligent creatures, unlike ordinary slugs. Anyhow, my

plan, our plan would be to attack them with salt....

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW (LAUGHING) You mean pour salt over

them like you get rid of slugs in your garden? (PAUSE)

You're serious, aren't you?

JACK KOWALSKI We're deadly serious. Before you dismiss us

out of hand, Prime Minister, remember that we're on the

brink of total destruction here. So anything is worth a

try, isn't it.

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SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS I thought that maybe we could use

some sort of salt canons and jets of salt water. We could

try drowning them in sea water for example.

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW You really think these creatures

might be like giant slugs? And that salt might be the

answer?

MARK LEWISHAM I really think that this just might work, Mr

Fanshaw.

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW Well, we've tried everything else,

and nothing has worked so far. We might as well give this a

shot too.

MARK LEWISHAM You know sometimes the answer can be so

simple, you wonder why you didn't think of it earlier.

(GRAMS)

(THERE IS THE SOUND OF A DOOR OPENING, AND FOOTSTEPS)

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW Sergeant Matthews, Professor

Lewisham, and Mr Kowalski, I would like you all to meet

Commander in Chief Sir Henry Drayton. He is in overall

command of what is left of our armed forces.

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SIR HENRY DRAYTON I would like to launch an attack on

these creatures when they are at their most vulnerable. It

would appear from observations that the aliens tend to

leave their craft at dawn and dusk to search for food. They

have been seen gathering certain plants, and it appears

that this is what they eat.(PAUSE) The Prime Minister has

briefed me on your salt theory, and on the basis of what I

have been told. I intend to launch a surprise attack on the

aliens, by flying over their craft, and dropping hundreds

of salt bombs on it. We will then fire jets of sea water at

the spacecraft. We will continue this bombardment for as

long as possible.

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Do you think our plan will work,

Sir Henry?

SIR HENRY DRAYTON I honestly don't know. It's worth a try.

(GRAMS)

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(MARK LEWISHAM, JACK KOWALSKI, AND SERGEANT MATTHEWS AS

WELL AS SIR HENRY DRAYTON, ARE ALL IN AN OPEN CLEARING NEAR

THE ALIEN SPACESHIP)

SIR HENRY DRAYTON (IN A HUSHED WHISPER) There you are, you

see. The spacecraft is there in the clearing. Those door

like things are opening, and the creatures are coming out.

They're starting to collect plants with their mouths, and

putting them in that sort of pouch thing they have. I am

going to send my signal now for the attack to begin via my

mobile phone.(PAUSE) There, now you three men had better

run for cover because all hell will break loose in a

minute.

(THERE IS THE SOUND OF RUNNING FEET,JETS FLYING OVERHEAD,

BOMBS LANDING WITH A SWOOSH, THEN A THUD, AND THEN A HISS

AS THE METAL DISSOLVES)

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS Look, you see, our theory was

right. When the salt bombs hit the spacecraft, the metal

dissolves. Holes are beginning to appear in the spacecraft.

MARK LEWISHAM Sir Henry has given the command for the salt

water jets to be fired at the spacecraft now. He's going to

drown them out!

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(THE SOUND OF JETS OF WATER BEING FIRED AT THE SPACECRAFT.

THERE IS A VERY LOUD HISSING NOISE AS EVEN MORE OF THE

METAL DISSOLVES)

JACK KOWALSKI Hey, look! The aliens are starting to come

out of their ship. My god! They're shrivelling up, and

dissolving just like slugs in the garden do! It's amazing!

(THERE IS THE SOUND OF THE ALIENS IN THEIR DEATH

THROES.THERE ARE LOUD CHEERS AS THE ALIENS ARE DEFEATED)

SIR HENRY DRAYTON You three men should be extremely proud

of yourselves. Without you we would still be struggling to

defeat those monstrous creatures. Prime Minister Fanshaw is

contacting other world leaders as we speak,and similar

plans of action are being set up all over the world to

defeat the aliens. This alien invasion has united all our

political leaders in the way that nothing else could.

There's certainly going to be an awful lot of rebuilding to

do. Most of our world cities have been reduced to rubble.

JACK KOWALSKI Sir Henry, I think what we would like to

know most of all is if our families are safe.

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SIR HENRY DRAYTON Yes, of course. We will arrange

transport for you all straight away.

(AN ARMY JEEP ARRIVES, JACK KOWALSKI, AND MARK LEWISHAM GET

IN)

SERGEANT PETE MATTHEWS You two guys get on home to your

families. I'm staying here with Sir Henry. My place is with

the army anyway.

SIR HENRY DRAYTON I should just like to say that soldiers

of Sergeant Matthews' calibre are rare, I would be honoured

if he remained with us here to serve under my command as my

right hand man. The Prime Minister will be in touch with

all three of you shortly. I wouldn't be surprised if there

wasn't a knighthood at the very least in this for all of

you. First things first though you had better get back to

your families.

(GRAMS)

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(MARK LEWISHAM IS BACK WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY IN

WIMBLEDON)

SARAH LEWISHAM Oh,Mark! We thought you were dead until we

heard the news this morning.

KATE LEWISHAM Yeah, there was a big report on the news

about how it was thanks to you, that reporter, Jack

Kowalski, and some other bloke that the aliens were

defeated.

MARK LEWISHAM We just had an idea, it was Sir Henry

Drayton who really saved the day.

DANIEL LEWISHAM Don't be so modest, Dad!

SARAH LEWISHAM Anyway,we're just so very glad you're back.

MARK LEWISHAM (HOLDING BACK TEARS, SOUNDING CHOKED) I'm

glad to be back too.

SARAH LEWISHAM What about the two men you were with,Jack

Kowalski,and that sergeant chap? Are they okay?

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MARK LEWISHAM Jack's gone home to his wife and son in

Putney. He was really worried about them, but they're both

fine. Sergeant Matthews doesn't have any family in this

country, I know that his parents and brother in Australia

are all okay. His ex-wife in America was injured, not

seriously,though.

SARAH LEWISHAM Sergeant Matthews sounds a bit lonely.

MARK LEWISHAM No,I don't think he is. He's an army man

through and through.He's married to the army.(PAUSE) Jack

and Sergeant Matthews are good, decent men. I'd trust both

of them with my life. I didn't like Jack Kowalski all that

much to begin with. I thought he was going to be a typical

media type. You know, shallow and rather superficial, but

he turned out to be nothing like I thought he was.

DANIEL LEWISHAM You're all heroes.

MARK LEWISHAM No, we're not, Daniel. We're just ordinary

people forced to deal with extraordinary circumstances.

SARAH LEWISHAM There's a phone call for you.

MARK LEWISHAM Who is it?

SARAH LEWISHAM It's the Prime Minister!

MARK LEWISHAM Yes...Good evening Prime Minister.

Yes..Yes...I'll see you tomorrow morning at nine o'clock.

SARAH LEWISHAM What did he want?

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MARK LEWISHAM He wants to see me tomorrow morning.He has

something he wishes to discuss with me.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM IS AT 10 DOWNING STREET WITH THE PRIME

MINISTER)

PRIME MINISTER FANSHAW Do take a seat Professor Lewisham.

The reason I've asked you to come to see me this morning is

firstly, I'd just like to say that Sergeant Matthews, Mr

Kowalski and you will all be receiving a knighthood.

Secondly, I have a proposition to make. I was wondering

whether you might like to be an independent scientific

advisor to the Government? The events of the last few days

have made me realise several things. The main thing being

that in the face of a seemingly invincible foe, all

differences between men were forgotten and humanity acted

as one. We need to keep up this spirit of unity, and use it

as a springboard to rebuild our devasted cities around the

world. Maybe something positive can come out of the

negative. We can use this moment as a chance to build

better cities,cleaner,and greener,and more suited to the

needs of mankind in the 21st century. That's why I want you

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(CONTINUED)

as my scientific advisor. I've read your research on

climate change, and I think you're just the sort of person

we need to make a difference. Will you help us to rebuild

this country Professor Lewisham?

MARK LEWISHAM I..I don't know what to say.(PAUSE) It would

be an honour, Mr Fanshaw.

(GRAMS)

(MARK LEWISHAM IS WITH HIS WIFE AND FAMILY IN WIMBLEDON)

SARAH LEWISHAM Well, what did the Prime Minister want to

see you about?

MARK LEWISHAM Oh, nothing much really. He just wanted to

tell me about my knighthood.

SARAH LEWISHAM That's great, Mark! You're going to be Sir

Mark Lewisham from now on.

MARK LEWISHAM I haven't told you the best bit yet. The

Prime Minister wants me to be his independent scientific

advisor.

SARAH LEWISHAM That means you'll get a real chance to

influence decisions that are made in Government.

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MARK LEWISHAM I think the Prime Minister put it well. He

said maybe something positive can come out of the negative.

(PAUSE) Look out of the window, Sarah. It's such a

beautiful,starry night.

SARAH LEWISHAM So calm and peaceful.

MARK LEWISHAM It does look peaceful, doesn't it? I don't

think I'll ever be able to look up into the night sky again

without thinking of the day those aliens invaded Amersham,

and almost ended up wiping out the human race.

(GRAMS)

NEWSREADER The biggest crowds since the end of the Second

World War have congregated in the world's major cities to

celebrate the defeat of the aliens, and the end of the

alien invasion. Huge crowds have been reported in London,

Paris, Rome, New York as well as many other capital

cities.The devasted cities are slowly returning to a kind

of normality. However, world leaders were keen to point out

that now was the time for cooperation and unity as our

cities and countries faced the daunting prospect of

rebuilding.

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(V/O) We hope you enjoyed the afternoon play,The Amersham

Chronicles,and it's now over to our newsreader for a news

update.

NEWSREADER The Chancellor of the Exchequer will be

revealing his new budget this afternoon.It is believed that

there will not be large tax increases in light of a

possible general election in the spring. Scientists are

cautiously optimistic about a new drug,which they believe

may hold a cure for breast cancer. Finally, on a lighter

note inhabitants of Abingdon,near Oxford have reported

seeing strange lights in the sky. It is believed the UFO's

are nothing more threatening than a new kind of weather

balloon.....

FADE OUT:

41

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