Silence. He holds her in his arms. Suddenly she wakes as if from a nightmare. Horrified she realises she has blacked out. She looks at her clothes and wipes away the saliva that has formed around the edges of her mouth. Now that she realises what she’s done she is ashamed. She jumps up and away from him.

BETSHEB: No, no, no…

FRANCIS: It’s alright, it’s over.

She is angry with her body. She starts to tear at it, then motions to her head as if to say she is stupid. She spits on her body because it has betrayed her. FRANCIS comes over to her, but she pushes him away, humiliated.

BETSHEB: Go, go!

Pause.

FRANCIS: You want me to go away? [Motioning] You want me to leave you? It’s nothing to be ashamed of.

BETSHEB: [pushing him away] Go. Go.

FRANCIS: Will you be alright?

BETSHEB: Thee, way! Go! [Picking up a stone and throwing it at him] Go!

FRANCIS reluctantly moves away. She sinks to the ground with her back to him, exhausted. FRANCIS sits also, far away from her, and watches. The thunder comes closer.

FRANCIS: It is going to pour. You should go in.

Silence.

Let’s go in.

Silence.

Talk to me.

Silence. Despondent, BETSHEB lies on the ground. Scattered before her are the three objects she stole from FRANCIS’ knapsack. FRANCIS stares at the violent sky. BETSHEB stares at the objects with distant eyes. As she stares they move towards her, one by one, slowly and firmly, as though by telekinesis. The watch is first to move along the ground, then the compass, then the book. She makes no move to gather them as they stop in front of her. FRANCIS sees none of this.

BETSHEB: [to herself quietly] Francis.

PETER: [off, calling] Francis.

FRANCIS stands up. PETER enters. Close behind him MAC carries MELORNE. BETSHEB retreats apprehensively. MAC puts MELORNE on the ground and lays him out. As he does so, STEF enters and sits down to play with the compass.

He’s dying.

FRANCIS: Why bring him here? A storm’s coming.

PETER: He wants to die outside.

FRANCIS is reluctant to come closer. ANGEL enters with a large, battered box which she puts down.

Come closer. He knows it wasn’t your fault. He wanted to come to you.

FRANCIS moves closer, then drops to his knees.

FRANCIS: Sorry, old man.

MELORNE’s hand suddenly snakes out and grabs FRANCIS’. He squeezes it tightly. FRANCIS is afraid. MELORNE grunts with exertion as if wrestling, then laughs triumphantly. The effort has been too much; he sinks back. ANGEL hurries over to him. AYRE enters slowly and painfully. MELORNE tries to cry out but cannot. ANGEL holds his hand. He smiles at her and dies. ANGEL tries to call to him, but like a baby can only get out the first part of ‘Daddy’.

ANGEL: D-d-d-d-

Silence. ANGEL silently hugs the dead MELORNE.