Foxfinder Read online

  11

  The fields.

  WILLIAM is standing in the darkness, notebook in hand.

  Suddenly SAMUEL appears out of the dark. He is carrying a shotgun. He scares WILLIAM.

  WILLIAM. Samuel!

  SAMUEL. Seen anything tonight?

  WILLIAM. What are you doing out here?

  SAMUEL. I need to see.

  WILLIAM. See...?

  SAMUEL. Two people looking. More likely to find what’s there to be found.

  WILLIAM. Absolutely not. No.

  SAMUEL. It’s my land. My responsibility.

  WILLIAM. That’s an admirable attitude, but you can’t help me. My superiors would not accept your findings as the truth.

  SAMUEL. They accept your word?

  WILLIAM. They do.

  SAMUEL. Then we stay together.

  WILLIAM. No. I’m sorry.

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. Where’ve you looked so far?

  WILLIAM. I am working to a grid system. I’ve walked the entire farm in daylight. And I am now working my way across the grid in darkness.

  SAMUEL. You looked in the woods at night?

  WILLIAM. No.

  SAMUEL. Why not? If an animal’s hiding, that’s where it is.

  WILLIAM. I’m working from the south.

  SAMUEL. Wood’s in the north.

  WILLIAM. I know that.

  SAMUEL. No point leaving it till last.

  WILLIAM. I eliminate one square at a time.

  SAMUEL. Huh. What d’you do if you see one?

  WILLIAM. The beast can be deadly. We do not approach him. We retreat and make our report.

  SAMUEL. Can’t make a report if the deadly beast rips you groin to gullet. Can you?

  WILLIAM. The beast is unlikely to attack a fully grown man.

  SAMUEL. You’d think they’d want you fully grown then. Not half-starved.

  WILLIAM. I am perfectly capable of looking after myself!

  SAMUEL. I’ve got this.

  He indicates the shotgun. Pause.

  But you don’t want my help.

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. Will you follow my methods and do as I say?

  SAMUEL. I will.

  WILLIAM. As I said. We eliminate one square at a time.

  12

  SAMUEL and JUDITH’s bedroom, later that night. JUDITH is lying in the bed. SAMUEL enters. He’s trying to be quiet, but JUDITH is already awake.

  JUDITH. Where’ve you been?

  SAMUEL. I went out.

  JUDITH. You can’t just... in the middle of the night! I didn’t know where you’d gone!

  SAMUEL. I’m all right. I heard him go, so I followed. I’m helping him look.

  JUDITH. What?

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. What he said makes sense. No reason for Dan to go out like that.

  JUDITH. Dan went out because he was bored, or because he thought I was outside, or because –

  SAMUEL. Because I didn’t lock the door before I fell asleep.

  Pause.

  JUDITH. I was the one who went out and left the door unlocked! Why don’t you try blaming me, instead of yourself?

  Pause.

  SAMUEL. Could be they did it.

  JUDITH. No, Sam.

  SAMUEL. I heard something that night. I thought it was Dan, but it could have been them.

  JUDITH. No! For God’s sake, we don’t have foxes!

  SAMUEL. He’s going to hear you.

  JUDITH. We don’t have foxes! You know that. You said that to me a week ago.

  SAMUEL. I’ve never looked properly. Another thing I should have done.

  JUDITH. It wasn’t your fault, it wasn’t foxes, it was an accident!

  SAMUEL. If they’re out there, I’ll find them. Then we’ll know.

  13

  SARAH and Abraham’s farmhouse kitchen.

  WILLIAM is sitting at the table. His notebook is in front of him. He is waiting. SARAH enters. She’s shocked and horrified to see WILLIAM.

  SARAH. Mr Bloor?

  WILLIAM. Good afternoon, Sarah. How are you?

  SARAH. I’m... fine. Thank you.

  WILLIAM. There was no one here so I decided to come in.

  SARAH. The door was locked.

  WILLIAM. Yes. You don’t mind, do you?

  SARAH. No, not at all! No point standing outside in the rain. How long have you been waiting?

  WILLIAM. Not long.

  SARAH. If I’d known you were coming... I’ll get you a cup of tea. And I’ve got some –

  WILLIAM. No, thank you. Why don’t you sit down?

  SARAH sits.

  I’ve taken a look at your numbers. In terms of productivity, you have been slightly behind this year. However, with a good winter harvest, you will make your quota.

  SARAH. Yes.

  WILLIAM. I walked your land today. You are suffering from significant flooding in low-lying areas.

  SARAH. It’ll dry out, in the spring.

  WILLIAM. Perhaps, but from my observations today I’d hypothesise that your winter harvest has been ruined. You won’t make your quota.

  SARAH. There’s still time. We’re hoping for the best.

  WILLIAM makes a note.

  WILLIAM. Nathanial and Rebecca. How are they?

  SARAH. Happy. Healthy.

  WILLIAM. Excellent. And your husband. Abraham... he’s fifty this year. Is that right?

  SARAH. Fifty. Yes.

  WILLIAM. That’s quite an age gap.

  SARAH. You can’t help who you fall in love with.

  WILLIAM. How is his health?

  SARAH. He’s an ox.

  WILLIAM. An ox with a weak chest.

  SARAH. No...

  WILLIAM. I have a doctor’s report here. Bronchitis.

  SARAH. That was years ago! And it’s not come back.

  WILLIAM. Abraham was hospitalised.

  SARAH. Only for a few days.

  WILLIAM. A week.

  SARAH. He’s healthy now. I’ll go and get him. He can tell you about it himself.

  WILLIAM. That won’t be necessary. You have a wonderful family.

  SARAH. I do.

  WILLIAM. Many people would view your life here as one of almost unimaginable good fortune.

  SARAH. I know that.

  WILLIAM. You have access to fresh vegetables, meat, eggs, dairy products...

  SARAH. Yes.

  WILLIAM. City dwellers have one egg a week on their ration, and three ounces of cheese. A factory worker... well... they live on what they get. A factory worker would think you very, very lucky.

  SARAH shifts uncomfortably in her chair. She’s not sure what WILLIAM is getting at.

  A man like your husband. A strong man with a weak chest... how long do you think he’d last in the factories?

  SARAH. I don’t know.

  WILLIAM. The current life expectancy is three years. How long do you think Abraham would last?

  SARAH. I don’t know.

  WILLIAM. Guess.

  SARAH. Three. Three years.

  WILLIAM. If we took your farm, and sent you and your husband to work in the factories, you’d never see your children again.

  Pause. SARAH is frozen with fear.

  They would go to an orphanage. Perhaps Rebecca would be adopted. She’s the younger... isn’t she? Would you like your children to be raised by strangers?

  Pause.

  I have something to show you.

  WILLIAM takes the fox leaflet out of his pocket. He puts it on the table.

  Pause.

  I found this at Judith’s house. In the pocket of the dress she was wearing when she saw you last week. You gave it to her. Didn’t you?

  SARAH. No.

  WILLIAM. I had hours to search your house before you came back. I found a stack of these leaflets, hidden under a floorboard.

  Pause.

  SARAH. They’re not mine. I’m keeping them safe for someone.

  WILLIAM. Who?

  Pause.

 
; You gave this... poison to Judith. Didn’t you?

  SARAH. People need to know the truth.

  WILLIAM. Oh yes. Very clever. Convince England that her enemy is defeated. And when we lower our defences... you and your kind rise up and destroy us all! Who gave you the leaflets?

  Pause.

  If you force me to report your farm as the source of this propaganda, you and Abe will swiftly find yourselves working in the factories.

  SARAH. Abe doesn’t know about it! I only gave one to Jude... no one else.

  WILLIAM. Then protect yourself. Tell me who made the leaflets.

  SARAH. I’ll tell you if you give me your word as a foxfinder that you’ll keep me and mine out of it.

  WILLIAM. Are you trying to bribe me?

  SARAH. I’m trying to make a trade.

  WILLIAM. A foxfinder can’t be bought. If you won’t tell me, we have nothing more to say to each other.

  WILLIAM gets up to leave.

  SARAH. I’ll give you the name, and something else. Information.

  WILLIAM. I said I can’t be bought.

  SARAH. It’s about Jude and Sam. Two things.

  Pause. SARAH has got WILLIAM’s interest. He frowns.

  WILLIAM. I thought you and Judith were friends.

  SARAH. We are.

  WILLIAM. And yet you’d betray her?

  SARAH. Do you want to know, or not?

  WILLIAM thinks.

  WILLIAM. Yes.

  SARAH. Give me your word.

  WILLIAM. You have my word. I’ll keep you and Abraham out of my report.

  SARAH. James Cross. The baker. He’s the one.

  WILLIAM makes a note of this.

  WILLIAM. And the information?

  SARAH. Did you know Sam was ill?

  WILLIAM. I did. Judith told me it was the flu.

  SARAH. She lied.

  WILLIAM. I already knew that. It was obvious.

  SARAH. But do you know what was really wrong with him?

  WILLIAM. Go on.

  SARAH. When Dan died in March, Sam got into bed. And he didn’t get out until June.

  WILLIAM. He was ill?

  SARAH. He just lay there. Barely ate, barely spoke. Jude had to take charge of everything, and she was grieving too. That’s why they’re so behind.

  WILLIAM. I see.

  WILLIAM makes a note.

  And the second piece of information? Sarah? If you won’t tell me I’ll have to cancel our trade.

  SARAH. Jude told you they’re trying for another baby.

  WILLIAM. Yes?

  SARAH. But they’re not. They haven’t had sex since Dan died.

  WILLIAM is shocked.

  WILLIAM. This is a decision they’ve made?

  SARAH. No. Jude wants to. But Sam... he can’t.

  WILLIAM. Do you mean that he’s physically incapable?

  SARAH. They haven’t tried. He won’t. That’s what I mean.

  Pause.

  It’s not Jude’s fault. And Sam’s better. They’ll get back on their feet in no time. They’re good farmers. You’re not going to take their farm, are you?

  WILLIAM. I think it’s a little late for you to worry about that. Goodnight, Sarah.

  WILLIAM gets up and takes his coat.

  SARAH. Can I ask you a question?

  WILLIAM. What is it?

  SARAH. Have you ever seen a fox?

  WILLIAM. Not yet.

  SARAH. Has anyone you know ever seen a fox?

  WILLIAM. Of course.

  SARAH. Who?

  WILLIAM. My teachers at The Institute told me countless stories of coming face to face with the beast.

  SARAH. Stories. Old stories.

  WILLIAM. Not so old.

  SARAH. What about the young foxfinders, the ones like you?

  WILLIAM. In the past six months alone, my colleagues have discovered several contaminated properties.

  SARAH. But did they see any foxes?

  WILLIAM. No.

  SARAH. Don’t you think that’s... incredible?

  WILLIAM. The fox is sly. Everyone knows that.

  SARAH. They tell us that to explain why we never see one.

  WILLIAM. I know what you’re trying to do, but –

  SARAH. We never see one because they’re all gone, and killing them didn’t make things better, because they were never our enemy!

  WILLIAM. You might as well save your breath. Your filthy propaganda will have no effect on me.

  SARAH. They taught you to believe in a pack of lies, and they’re using you to keep the rest of us believing. You’ve been played for a bloody fool, can’t you see that?

  WILLIAM. I see nothing but a diseased collaborator.

  SARAH. We have to find the real reasons for our problems, or things’ll just go on, getting worse and worse!

  WILLIAM. Our trade is cancelled. Peddle this misinformation in the factories, if you can.

  SARAH. You gave your word as a foxfinder that you’d keep me and mine safe.

  WILLIAM. You just tried to convince me that my mission, and therefore my word, is meaningless.

  SARAH. If you break it, I’ll know I’m right.

  Seething with rage, WILLIAM turns to leave.

  WILLIAM. Stay away from Judith and Samuel.

  SARAH. Will you keep your word to me? Mr Bloor?

  WILLIAM has gone. The door slams shut behind him. SARAH blows out a long breath.

  14

  WILLIAM’s bedroom, later that night.

  WILLIAM is in bed, restless.

  After a moment he throws himself out of the bed, pulls off his nightshirt and reaches under the bed for his bag. He brings out the whip.

  He brings it down on his back. Almost instantaneously, someone bangs on the door. WILLIAM jumps.

  SAMUEL (off). William!

  WILLIAM. Wait! Don’t come in.

  WILLIAM’s barely had time to push the whip back into his travelling bag before SAMUEL opens the door. He strides straight over to the window and looks outside. WILLIAM frantically pulls a shirt on.

  What in God’s name –

  SAMUEL. Did you hear it?

  WILLIAM. What?

  SAMUEL. A fox. I heard a fox!

  WILLIAM. When?

  SAMUEL. Just now! You must of heard it.

  JUDITH comes into the room. She’s wearing her nightgown. WILLIAM pulls his trousers on.

  JUDITH. What is it? What happened?

  WILLIAM. Samuel heard a fox.

  SAMUEL. Did you hear it?

  JUDITH. I heard you shouting, that’s all.

  SAMUEL. She was asleep. I’m going down. Might still catch it.

  WILLIAM. Hold on, hold on.

  WILLIAM opens the leather-bound book.

  JUDITH. What did you hear, Sam?

  SAMUEL. A fox! A bloody fox!

  JUDITH. Yes, but –

  WILLIAM. Fox call. Here it is... dog-like barks and yelps... and the fox mating cry, a sound not unlike a human screaming.

  SAMUEL. Aye. The scream. That’s it. Didn’t you hear it?

  WILLIAM. No.

  JUDITH. Nor did I.

  SAMUEL. You were both asleep, then.

  WILLIAM. I was... awake. But this room and your room are on opposite sides of the house. It must have been outside your room calling up. That’s why I didn’t hear anything.

  SAMUEL. Aye, that’ll be it.

  WILLIAM. Incredible. This is proof, Samuel. Proof!

  SAMUEL. I’m going to look.

  WILLIAM. We can’t go rushing off unprepared.

  SAMUEL. Aye. Could be a trap. I’ll take the gun.

  WILLIAM. That’s not what I meant. We should stay calm, stick to the grid and continue our search as planned tomorrow night.

  SAMUEL. Huh. I’ll look in the garden. There might be prints.

  WILLIAM. Oh, yes, I’ll come with you, just let me put my...

  SAMUEL goes out.

  SAMUEL! Wait!

  WILLIAM pulls on his boots.

  JUDITH. W
illiam...

  WILLIAM. Excuse me.

  WILLIAM rushes out.

  15

  JUDITH and SAMUEL’s farmhouse kitchen. Half an hour later.

  JUDITH is in the kitchen. SAMUEL and WILLIAM enter from outside. WILLIAM looks disappointed.

  JUDITH. Did you find any prints?

  WILLIAM. No.

  JUDITH. Nothing?

  SAMUEL. Just means he’s too smart to walk in the mud.

  JUDITH. The whole garden’s muddy. How could a fox get underneath our window to call up without leaving prints?

  WILLIAM. Uh...

  JUDITH. Sam, maybe you were dreaming.

  SAMUEL. I heard it, I tell you!

  JUDITH. It could have been a rabbit caught in a snare. Or an owl.

  SAMUEL. I know what an owl sounds like! He believes me, don’t you?

  Pause.

  WILLIAM. Yes. Tomorrow we’ll redouble our efforts. I feel certain that we will find something.

  SAMUEL. Aye. I’m going to bed.

  SAMUEL walks off upstairs. JUDITH looks at WILLIAM.

  JUDITH. I didn’t hear a scream, and I’m a light sleeper. You didn’t hear it, and you were awake.

  WILLIAM. As I said, the rooms are on opposite sides of the house.

  JUDITH. A scream would have carried through.

  WILLIAM. Not necessarily.

  JUDITH. I think Sam might have... imagined it.

  Pause. WILLIAM thinks.

  WILLIAM. The fox can manipulate people’s dreams. Did you know that?

  JUDITH. No.

  WILLIAM. Perhaps he called to Samuel in his dream. That would explain why neither of us heard it and why there are no prints outside the house.

  JUDITH. I’m sure you know what you’re talking about, but... Sam didn’t even know what a fox call sounded like until you read that description out of your book.

  Pause. WILLIAM looks at JUDITH, doubt on his face.

  WILLIAM. That’s not important.

  JUDITH. Right. Well, goodnight then.

  WILLIAM. Yes. Goodnight.

  JUDITH goes upstairs. WILLIAM sinks down into a chair, frowning.

  16

  JUDITH and SAMUEL’s farmhouse kitchen, very early morning. JUDITH is talking to a nervous SARAH.

  SARAH. He’s not here?

  JUDITH. No.

  SARAH. Where is he?

  JUDITH. He went out with Sam last night and they’re not back yet.

  SARAH. Are you sure?

  JUDITH. William! William!

  SARAH cringes, but there is no response to JUDITH’s call.

  I went to your house to see you. Three times. Nobody came to the door.