Sane Man in The Trenches

Scene: In a trench in World War I

Gunfire, four men sit in the trench, one sits alone against a wall of the trench.

JOHNSON, the leader, is trying to boost the morale of his men but, in reality is only trying to reassure himself.

JOHNSON: Alright men, keep it together!

CAIN: Keep it together? I’ve never heard such crap like that in my life.

KARL: (sitting against the wall, mumbling, obviously suffering from shellshock) We’re all gonna die, we’re all gonna die…

CAIN: (mockingly) “We’re all gonna die!”

RONNIE: (low voice) Stop

CAIN: (mockingly) “We’re all gonna die!”

RONNIE: (slightly louder) Stop

CAIN: (mockingly) “We’re all gonna die!”

RONNIE: (yelling) STOP IT! That’s it, I can’t take it anymore!

RONNIE begins to climb up the side of the trench.

JOHNSON: (moving towards RONNIE quickly) No soldier, no!

CAIN: (smugly) Let him!

RONNIE climbs even higher, JOHNSON reaches out and barely grasps RONNIE’S pantleg. RONNIE finally climbs above the trench, and a gunshot is heard. RONNIE falls back into the trench.

JOHNSON: (holding RONNIE) Hang in there soldier!

RONNIE reaches and grasps for the sun, but his arm becomes limp and he coughs up blood and dies. JOHNSON starts pounding his fists on the corpse, tears streaking from his eyes. He continues to try to revive his dead comrade. Karl looks up and changes his mumbling.

KARL: Ronnie’s dead, he’s dead…

JOHNSON: (hysterical, staring at the blood on his hands with a crazed expression) Cain! Get the radio! Call help, call help!

CAIN: You crock, he’s dead!

JOHNSON: That’s an order, soldier!

KARL’S mumbling gets louder and louder, almost drowning out the sound of JOHNSON’S orders. KARL pulls a pistol out, and points it at his head. A shot is heard as his body falls over.

JOHNSON: Cain! We’ve got two men down now! Get the radio!

CAIN: They’re dead, you idiot. Dead!

JOHNSON: (pulling out his pistol) That’s an order, soldier!

CAIN: Have you gone completely mad?

JOHNSON: (walking closer with the gun, mumbling) Order soldier.

CAIN: You lunatic!

JOHNSON: (getting closer, mildly louder) Order soldier

CAIN: (backing up) You madman!

JOHNSON: (even closer, yelling) Order soldier!

CAIN: (against the wall, yelling) You psycho!

A gunshot is heard, and CAIN falls to the ground, dead, killed by JOHNSON’S own hands. JOHNSON stumbles backward, staring at the destruction around him.

JOHNSON: Call for help. Call the… (puts gun in his mouth and fires).

THE END