ESCAPE!

    “And these are what you call the events of ‘Fall Out.”

    “Yes.”

    “Well that’s what you almost caused, by the launching of that rocket. When you go rouge there’s no half measures is there, not with you!”

    “Ask the honourable gentleman in the House of Lords.”

    “Oh yes we will, and he’ll corroborate all of this will he?”

    “Yes.”

    “And the hippie?”

    “We dropped him off somewhere along the M1.”

    “So he could be anywhere now.”

    “The rocket.”

    “What about it?”

    “Where did it come down?”

    “Bennett.”

    “According to reports it crashed into the Irish sea.”

    “There were no survivors?”

    “You mean there were people aboard that rocket?”

    “One person.”

    “The pilot you mean.”

    “There was no-one.”

    “And now you must go back!”

    “I must what?”

    “Go back to this Village.”

    “Wild horses wouldn’t drag me back there, not after all I’ve been put through.”

    “I escaped once before, I risked my life to come back here and......”

    “Yes, yes.........”

    “............And you sent me back then. I want some answers!”

    “Oh I don’t think so....what do you think Bennett?”

    “Wouldn’t be right would it sir.”

    “Listen, Colonel James, Fotheringay, and as for Thorpe he turned out to be Number Two!”

    “Number Two?”

    “Now don’t you start!”

    “You know what you have to do now don’t you?”

    “Find the answers!”

    “Answers?”

    “There are some questions I have, and then there’s the question of compensation.”

    “Can there be a question of compensation, you resigned remember?”

    “I resigned?”

    “See…you admit it. And now you have to go back.”

    “Back, back where?”

    “To The Village of course.”

    “But there’s nothing there, the place is deserted.”

    “According to you Number Six, it had been deserted before, but you still went back.”

    “I didn’t……..and don’t call me Number Six……….”

    “Good morning Number Six, and what a beautiful day it is.”

    “I’ll take your word for it.”

    “My, we did get out of bed the wrong side this morning didn’t we!”

    “Just put the breakfast tray down and go!”

    “I’ve a good mind to report you. You should try and get along.”

    “I’m sure you get along with everyone!”

    “I shall report you!”

    “Go on then, see if I care!”

    {The telephone bleeps impatiently}

    “Yes.”

    “Is that Number Six, you know it is, otherwise you wouldn’t be calling!”

    “I’ve a call for you from Number Two.”

    “And he knows what he can go and do……”

    “I can, can I. Look Number Six you play the game or you become an outsider. You wouldn’t want to become an outsider would you?”

    “Look, I was playing the game long since before you turned up. So you can go and get……..

    {The cottage door opens, a figure stands framed in the doorway}

    “You, it’s you, it’s been you all the time!”

    “You only have yourself to blame!”

Be seeing you