1. “Just Drive”
[SOCIAL REALISM]
Epsom Downs, early evening. Charlie, 17, and five friends (four also aged 17
and one aged 18) sit on the field smoking cannabis. The group chats and they
laugh as the joint is being passed round. Smoke slowly fills the air around
them. Yas, the only girl of the group, sits opposite Charlie. There is an
exchange of looks between them as their eyes meet across the group. Shyly,
Charlie looks away. Yas is passed the joint. She stands up, walks over and
sits down next to Charlie. She takes a toke and holds it out for him to take.
Charlie tells her that he does not want to as he is driving. Yas persuades him
to do some and so he does. The London sky line is picked out by the setting
sun. “Dude, have you seen that thing that they’re building over there by
London Bridge… it’s ridiculous, such a waste of money!” says one member of
the group. “Naa man, it’s so cool. It actually looks like a shard.” comments
another member. Relaxed, Charlie’s friend, Jay, leans back on his hands.
Landing on broken glass, he quickly moves his hand and looks at it to find
blood oozing from the wound. Panic fills the faces of the others. Yas, his
sister, is worried and wants to get him home. A member of the group asks
Charlie to drive them, and another person also begins to put pressure on him
to drive. Charlie refuses to drive as he is stoned and does not want to lose his
licence. Jay assures everyone that he is fine as he puts a tissue on it. Yas
tells him that he needs to get it checked out as it may be infected. She says
that she will walk with him to the hospital. Jay reluctantly gets up. Someone
else in the group says: “You’re not gonna let her walk, are you Charlie?”
Charlie decides he should walk with them to the hospital. Yas walks on one
side of Jay, linking arms with him, whilst Charlie walks on the other. Jay’s
head drops. Looking faint, he begins to stare at the ground and walks with a
slower pace. Yas looks anxiously at him and then looks intently at Charlie.
Charlie looks back and then looks at Jay. Looking once again at Yas he says:
“Come on, I’ll drive.” The three of them make their way to the car. Now on the
road, Charlie drives slowly and carefully. Yas sits in the front seat and Jay in
the back with his head rested against the window. Charlie’s eyes are fixed on
the road ahead of him. His eyes are wide and panicked. Sounds around him
become muffled and distant. Driving through the main high street, he slowly
looks to the left to see police officers in an unmarked vehicle. He watches
them in his rear view mirror. Yas assures him that they have not been seen
and she tells him to speed up. He turns his attention back to the road and
slams on the brakes. Tires screech. A small child picks up their ball from in
front of the car and walks back to the path. He looks at Charlie. The three are
left staring at the road.