BBC Radio 4

Letters in blood
Written by Hannah OConnor

Hannah O'Connor 3/18/2014

Letters in Blood: Original Radio Drama

Scene 1. Night - Old Peoples Home Living Room (The living room small and cosy, it is 1989, there is fire crackling in the fire place, the fire slowly fades into the foreground. There is a distinct rustling of paper being unfolded. We hear the fire start to go more into the background.) 1. Rose Hobbs: (calm) Seventy years after the First World War. I never knew my father; he died when I was a baby in 1916. I only have photos of what he looked like, but my mother never told me how he died. At the time I did not understand the meaning of war and conflict. When my mother died, this letter was given to me from her will. (She rustles the paper.) 2. Rose Hobbs: (calm) Dear mother, it is night time here in the trenches. It is cold and damp, it had been raining the night before I am writing this. (Her voice fades out into the background, as does the fire crackling. The sounds of gunshots and canons then start to go into the foreground, slowly fading in.) SCENE 2 Day Trenches, France 1916. 3.James Hobbs: (Voice shaking) what do we do Oliver? What if we die? All of our friends have, they went over the trench and they havent come back. We could
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be shot, or we could be blown to pieces. I dont think I can do this. We 4. Oliver Hobbs: (reassuring)James. We will be fine, I promise. It is getting late and you need your sleep, we might be going over the trench tomorrow, but we are going to stick together. You do trust me dont you? 5. James Hobbs: Yes, I trust you. 6. Oliver Hobbs: Good. Now sleep. (The canons and gunshots fade out, as the sounds of birds fade in. The sound of paper starts to rustle, and the sound of a fountain pen scratching the parchment.) Scene 3 Night Trenches, Night, 1916. (Fade in Olivers voice, sounds of birds quieten as he speaks, the birds in the background. ) 7. Oliver Hobbs: (thoughtful) Dear mother, it is night time here in the trenches. It is cold and damp; it was raining. I can still smell the wet earth, its sticky from the downpour which isnt a good sign for tomorrow. James and I are to go over the trench at the first light of dawn; and though I can put on a brave face on for James, I am afraid. (fade in the sound of a fountain pen scratching the parchment.) Every day you have the fear of death from either the enemy getting over your trench, and even if we get to the other trench, they might take us. James is frightened too, but do not worry, I will look after him for as long as I can. That is a promise. If I do
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not make it, I want James to make it. When he comes home, look after him like I did as a brother, make sure he gets a good life. (Fade out the sound of a fountain pen scratching the parchment.) I dont know why I am here anymore; I dont know what to do if something goes wrong out there. I havent been able to sleep for the past few nights, even if I do sleep I see the death around me, I hear gunshots every day and canons every day, sometimes even the screams of others as they are shot down, or worse. If I do not make it, let Cecelia know that I love her and even if I am gone, I will still continue loving her, and I hope she does the same. (Fade in the sound of a fountain pen scratching the parchment.) I also want Rose to know what has happened to me, I want her to know that if I die, it is because I was fighting for the country she has to live in, and as for you dear mother, this might be my last letter to you, so if it is, thank you for everything in my short life time, and know (The pen sound of a fountain pen scratching the parchment suddenly stops as he is interrupted.) (Fade out Olivers voice The birds fade out)

Scene 4 Day Trenches, France, 1916. (The birds fade out and transition sounds of gunshots and canons are heard again.) 8. James Hobbs: (authoritive) Oliver come on, we need
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to go. (Before Oliver can finish the letter, we hear him fold the paper back up, put it in an envelope. We then hear him move the rock and with a slight thud, the envelope is secure from blowing away. We hear a click of the bayonet fitting into the rifle, and the sound of the safety being pulled off.) 9. Oliver Hobbs: Ready? Dont worry, I wont leave you. 10. James Hobbs: Ready. Scene 5 Over the trench No Mans Land Day, France, 1916 (We hear the sound of a whistle, in the background. There is the sound of mud squelching as the two soldiers go over the trench. The gunshots get slightly louder as they get closer to no mans land. We then hear wire being moved around, this lasts for a few seconds before.) 11. Oliver Hobbs: (With Worry) Are you alright James? (The sound of light treading is heard as James gets to his feet. The sound of the bayonet hitting against his shoulder.) 12. James Hobbs: (sound alarming) Watch it! (We hear James shoot three times quickly.)

13. Oliver Hobbs: Thanks. 14. James Hobbs: We need to carry on. (They start to run again the footsteps faster than before, one set of footsteps faster than the other) 15. Oliver Hobbs: (shouting) James you need to slow down! Youre going to(A loud gunshot is heard and a crack like a bone is breaking, there is a thud to the ground. Two gunshots are then fired and the footsteps get closer) 16. James Hobbs: (shouting) I told you Id get shot! 17. Oliver Hobbs: (shouting) I have to get you to safety, you need to stay with me James, keep your eyes on the sky, and dont you dare close them. (The sound of dragging is heard and then stopping the sounds of canons and gunfire still in the background.) 18. James Hobbs: (fearful) Im going to die arent I? 19. Oliver Hobbs: (calm) No James you arent that I can promise you. 20. James Hobbs: (shouting) Oliver look out!

(A louder gunshot is heard, there is a brief silence before a loud ringing is heard, as the ringing fades out slightly, all the other sounds, the gunshots and canon sounds alike, are muffled and blurred together before two muffled thuds and then there is complete
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silence.)

Scene 6 - Night - Old Peoples Home Living Room (The sound of fire crackling slowly fades in)
21. Rose Hobbs: (calm) Oliver died in No Mans Land, whereas my uncle James had been returned back to England after being shot in the leg, he had suffered with shellshock and had ended up dying at the age of 30, because I never knew my father, I feel as if I was missing a section in my life that I will never get back.

(As she stops talking the sound of the fire fades

out. The rustling of her duvet is heard and a click of a light is then off. There is a split silence and then the credits start.) END CREDITS Total Runtime: 04:37