Mildred's Angel

MILDRED’S ANGEL
By Andy Jackson



FADE FROM BLACK TO:
1.INT:FLAT:BEDROOM:NIGHT
Digital alarm clock reading 3:12am. Pan out to reveal old lady (Mildred) tossing and turning in her bed. Sound of party raging above her. She stares at the ceiling, and mutters to herself.
She gets out of the bed and goes to her telephone. She dials a number and we hear the ringing, it rings for a long time before there is an answer.

SARAH (V.O)
Hello ?

MILDRED
Sarah ? It’s Mildred.

SARAH (V.O)
What’s wrong?

MILDRED
It’s those bloody kids upstairs again, they are having another party and it’s keeping me awake. I have an important hair appointment to get to tomorrow at lunchtime and I don’t need this right now.

SARAH (V.O)
Go and ask them to turn it down.

MILDRED
What kind of advice is that? You know that they won’t listen to me, no one ever listens to me. I think I’ll call the police and get them to come and sort it out. It is so inconsiderate of them boys, I have a good mind to play my music really loud first thing in the morning, see how they like it.

SARAH (V.O)
Mildred, I have to sleep, I’ve got the grandkids in the morning and I was up late…

MILDRED
You see, no one listens, even you don’t listen to me. What kind of sister would not listen ? You need to start acting more like a real sister to me or I’ll write you out of my will.

SARAH (V.O)
Please Mildred.

MILDRED
This is how you thank me for all the things I did for you when we were young? I wish I had never helped you with your mortgage if I knew you were going to abandon me when we got older.

SARAH (V.O)
I’m sorry Mildred but I really must go.


Sarah puts the phone down. Mildred hears the click and shouts at the handset.

MILDRED
You bitch.

Mildred climbs back into bed and starts tossing and turning again. Suddenly there is a knock at the door.

MILDRED
Who could that be at this time, god, the nerve of some people.

Mildred gets up and leaves the bedroom.

CUT TO:
2.INT:FLAT:LIVING ROOM:NIGHT

Mildred walks to the door and undoes the locks. She slowly pulls open the door. A man in a game show host suite pushes his way in.

MILDRED
What are you doing ? Get out of my flat NOW.



HARVEY
I will leave very shortly. First, I have something to offer you sweet Mildred.

MILDRED
How do you know my name?

HARVEY
I know a great many things my dear. I know for example, that you are having trouble sleeping because of the party upstairs.

MILDRED
Are you one of those boys? Go back upstairs and turn that awful racket off.

HARVEY
I am not one of them, I am your guardian angel. Please, call me Harvey.

MILDRED
Are you on drugs ? What is going on ?

HARVEY
Oh dear Mildred, I come with an offer. I shall put a stop to the noise for you, if you will sign this piece of paper.

Harvey produces a contract from his pocket.

MILDRED
How will you stop them ?

HARVEY
With nothing more then a gentle breeze.
Please, sign here.

Harvey hands Mildred a pen and the paper. She looks it up and down and then signs.

MILDRED
Now go and make them stop, I have…

HARVEY
An important hair appointment tomorrow, I know.

Harvey turns and leaves. Mildred closes the door and locks it. She stumbles back to her bed.

CUT TO:
3.INT:FLAT:BEDROOM:NIGHT

Mildred climbs into her bed. The party is still raging upstairs. We hear the sound of four silent bullets being fired, followed by four thumps as the bodies hit the floor above Mildred. The music stops and an eerie silence fills the air.

MILDRED
Good, now I can get some sleep.

CUT TO:
4.INT:FLAT:LIVING ROOM:MORNING

Mildred sits eating her breakfast and talking on the phone to Sarah.

MILDRED
And that shut them up. You see Sarah, I didn’t need to get the police involved, I sorted it all out on my own, no thanks to you.

SARAH (V.O)
Who was this man?

MILDRED
I don’t know. He said his name was Henry or something and he is my angel. He must have been watching me from the clouds last night. Thank god that someone was, no one else seems to care about me, not since Donald died. Not even you care do you Sarah? You never ring me, it’s always me ringing you.

SARAH (V.O)
Please Tommy, gandma is trying to talk to your great Auntie.



MILDRED
How can you stand looking after those brats all the time. I’m glad I never had any kids, horrid things. You need to discipline them better you know, they need to learn some manners.

There is a knock at the door.

MILDRED
I’ve got to go now Sarah. Someone is at the door. I’ll ring you later.

Mildred puts the phone down and goes to answer the door. She undoes the locks and the door swings open. Harvey enters and closes the door behind him.

MILDRED
What are you doing here again? I’ll be late for my hair appointment if you don’t hurry up.

HARVEY
I won’t take long sweet Mildred. You must now do a little favour for me. Can you please dispose of this.

Harvey hands Mildred a plastic bag with something in.

MILDRED
What is it? I don’t want anything criminal in my flat.

HARVEY
Oh lovely Mildred, it is nothing. Please just throw it away for me.

MILDRED
As long as you don’t want anything else from me.

HARVEY
Not yet no. I shall see you again soon.

Harvey turns and leaves. Mildred again locks the door. She opens the bag and closes it again, gasping in shock. She drops the bag and lets out a little scream. She regains her composure and picks the bag up again, rushing to the kitchen and throwing it behind the bin. She returns to the living room and starts franticly hoovering.

CUT TO:
4.INT:FLAT:LIVING ROOM:MORNING

Mildred sits looking at the phone. She picks it up and presses redial. It rings and rings until finally Sarah answers.

SARAH (V.O)
Hello, Sarah speaking.

MILDRED
Oh Sarah, something terrible has happened.

SARAH (V.O)
Hello Mildred. What is it now?

MILDRED
Well, I think that man killed the boys upstairs. He looks like a monster, the sort that would do such a thing. Oh this is terrible, why do these things always happen to me? Why does all the bad in the world come knocking at my door? I’ll tell you why, because no one loves me, not since Donald.

SARAH (V.O)
Mildred, if you think this man killed the boys you should call the police.

MILDRED
No way, they might think that I did it. I can’t call them, what kind of suggestion is that? Please Sarah, you must learn to listen. I don’t think that man is an angel you know, he might be a devil of some kind. I’m in danger Sarah, I need to come and stay with you for a few weeks, just until this devil goes away.


SARAH (V.O)
You can’t stay here Mildred. There isn’t enough room for you as well.

MILDRED
You aren’t listening to me you silly bitch. There is a devil coming to get me, he must be planning something awful to do to me. I am scared out of my skin and you haven’t been anything but a burden to me. Oh how could this happen? I wish Donald was still here.

SARAH (V.O)
Calm down Mildred. You are in shock.

MILDRED
I don’t think I can go to my hair appointment, this has really ruined my day. I don’t have any biscuits left either, and I’m not going out to get any just in case that devil is out there. He is out there Sarah, he is.

SARAH (V.O)
I really think you should call the police.

MILDRED
You need to stop thinking so much Sarah and start listening to me.

There is a knock at the door. Mildred freezes and stares at the door. There is another knock. Mildred puts the phone down and stands up.

MILDRED
Who, who, who is it?

SILVIA (through the door)
Police.

Mildred panics and starts moving the things on the table.

MILDRED
Just a minute.

Mildred moves about, looking for anything suspect. She moves slowly to the door, picking a knife up off of the table. She slowly undoes the lock and steps back away from the door, letting it swing open. Standing there are two police officers, one male (Ian) and one female (Silvia). The police walk in and up to Mildred who drops the knife and holds her mouth.

IAN
Good morning. May we ask you a few questions Mrs?

MILDRED
Mildred.

SILVIA
Okay, shall we sit down?

Mildred moves to the sofa and sits down. Silvia goes and sits besides her while Ian stands in front.

MILDRED
What is this about?

SILVIA
Last night there were four people murdered in the flat above yours Mrs Mildred.

MILDRED
Mildred is my first name.

IAN
Did you hear or see anything that would be helpful to us in solving these murders?

MILDRED
Last night ? Oh nothing officers. I went to bed early because I have a hair appointment today. Sometimes they are very noisy up there but I didn’t know who they were.

SILVIA
So you didn’t hear anything unusual?

MILDRED
No, nothing unusual.

IAN
You did hear the party though.

MILDRED
Party?

SILVIA
Well, your other neighbours have told us that there was a party going on in there that didn’t stop till sometime after 3 in the morning.

MILDRED
Oh, I didn’t hear anything like that.

IAN
Did you see anyone unusual around the building in the last few days?

MILDRED
No, no one.

IAN
So, nothing unusual at all then.

MILDRED
Nothing at all.

Silvia gets up and Mildred follows.

SILVIA
Thank you for your time Mildred. We will be off now, we may come to ask you some more questions when we have more information.

MILDRED
Okay, but I don’t know anything that could be helpful to you.

Silvia and Ian move towards the door. Mildred follows. Ian opens the door and standing there with a smile on his face is Harvey, this time dressed in normal street clothes.
Mildred moves back in shock and screams. Ian and Silvia turn to see why.

MILDRED
That’s the man. He killed the boys upstairs.

Silvia and Ian look at each other puzzled and then at Harvey who shrugs.

MILDRED
He killed them with a gun, and then he gave the gun to me in a bag.

IAN
Okay, calm down Mrs…Mildred. Talk slower.

MILDRED
That man, Henry. He killed them and gave me the gun.

Ian and Silvia turn to Harvey.

SILVIA
Is this true?

HARVEY
No. But I know the truth.

MILDRED
I can prove it. I have the gun, I’ll go get it.

Mildred rushes off to the kitchen. She fumbles about getting the bag from behind the bin. She walks back into the living room and Silvia puts handcuffs on her.

MILDRED
What are you doing, this is the gun I was talking about.

SILVIA
You are under arrest for the murders of four boys last night with a pistol. You have the right to remain silent, anything you do say can be used against you in a court of law.
MILDRED
But it wasn’t me. It’s his gun.

IAN
We have the permit here with your signature on. Mr. Walters has told us all about how it happened.

Ian holds up the piece of paper with Mildred’s signature on, it is clearly a gun permit.

MILDRED
But, it’s not true.

Silvia leads Mildred out the front door, with Ian closely behind. Harvey stays in the flat listening to Mildred moan on her way down the stairs. Harvey sits on the sofa. Sarah walks in and over to Harvey.

SARAH
Well done, here’s your money.

Sarah hands Harvey a wad of cash.

SARAH
It is such a relief to finally have that annoying woman off my back. She said that I was an unfit sister, can you believe that? She has rung me everyday at least three times for the last year. My husband will be pleased that‘s she‘s gone.

HARVEY
Not a problem. Just one question, how did you know I could use my real name and she would get it wrong?

SARAH
Easy, she never listens.

THE END