bomb shelter
Rod Selin
Summary of Act I: One summer evening, Mr. and Mrs. stockton are celebrating their birthdays. Among the guests are his neighbors: Henderson family, Weiss family and Harlow family. Just as the banquet was going on, the announcement of the President of the United States suddenly came on the radio, announcing that the whole country was in a state of emergency because it was suspected that enemy missiles were approaching. The party was over and the neighbors hurried home.
However, it wasn't long before they returned home to stockton one by one. The reason is simple, that is, they want to live-share the bomb shelter in stockton. This is the only bomb shelter on their street.
Act ii
(abridged version)
Outside stockton's house.
Henderson missile may fall at any time. I know, it's true. Come on, put it down. ...
Mrs Henderson (grabs him) What can we do?
During the above and the following conversations, a child's portable radio has been broadcasting the following announcements:
Announcer's Voice This is Connery Civil Defence Broadcasting, and this is Connery Civil Defence Broadcasting. The alert for air raid preparation has not been lifted. Public officials, government employees and civil defense system personnel who undertake emergency combat readiness tasks, please report to their units immediately. Public officials and government employees who undertake emergency combat readiness tasks ...
Mrs. Harlow, Jerry, please beg again.
Harold, don't waste your breath He won't let anyone in. He said he couldn't make room and he didn't have enough daily necessities. His shelter can only accommodate three people.
Mrs Henderson, what should we do?
Harold, maybe we should pick a basement to clean up and get ready. Let's put everything together. Food, water, all the application objects are gathered together.
Mrs. Harlow, it's not fair. (Pointing to stockton's house) He is safe in the bomb shelter, but our children have to wait for the bomb. ...
Henderson, let's go to his basement and open the door of the bomb shelter. What did you say?/Sorry?
Everyone agreed with one voice.
Henderson ran to the entrance of the basement. Harold caught up with him and said:
Harold, you wait, you wait. How can so many people squeeze in? It's simply stupid to do so.
Wes, why don't we draw lots? Whoever signs at home will be allowed in.
Harold, why bother? He won't let us in.
Henderson, we can walk together and tell him that he has offended everyone in this street. We can tell him.
Harold, what's the use? I've told you many times that even if we break into houses, the bomb shelter can't hold us people. We'll all be crushed to death. There's nothing we can do.
Mrs Henderson, even if only one of these children is saved-as far as I'm concerned, that's a decent reason.
The announcer's voice came again.
Of us, you know him best. You are his best friend. Why don't you go down again? Talk to him. Please him. Let him choose a family-by drawing lots or something-
The Henderson family is your family, Wes, right?
Wes (suddenly turns to him) So what? I only have a three-month-old baby. ...
Mrs Henderson, what's the big deal? Is your child's life worth more than ours?
Wes (yelling at her) I've never said such a thing. If you want to argue about who deserves to live more than who-
Henderson, why don't you shut up, Wes? (Angry and angry) Here comes the gringo, that's all. Aggressive, greedy, unlike a real American, half-baked ...
Wes (turning pale), you complete idiot, you ...
Mrs. Henderson, he's right, Wes! I'm sure you're one of those lame people.
Wes suddenly rushed through the crowd to Henderson, and the two men immediately fought hand to hand. Harlow came running panting and stood among them, separating the two sides.
Harold, you're fighting again. Keep fighting. We don't have to wait for the missile to fly. We all hit it off ourselves.
Mrs Weiss (pleading) Marty, go to Bill's bomb shelter again. Begging him-
Wes, I already begged him. useless
The alarm sounded again, people seemed to get closer, and everyone looked up at the night sky. You can see the searchlight in the distance.
Harlow searchlight. The missile must be closer.
Henderson (suddenly pushes Harold away and walks to the steps leading to the basement) I go down and ask him to open that door. I don't care what you people think. This is the only thing we can do now.
Man A: He's right. Come on, let's get started.
In the bomb shelter
Grace hugged Paul tightly. Stockton stood by the door, listening to the sound coming from outside when the gang approached. Bang, bang, there is a loud knock on the door of the air-raid shelter.
Outside the bomb shelter
Henderson Bill? Bill stockton! A large group of your neighbors who want to live are waiting outside. Now that you have opened the door, let's figure out how many people you can let into the hole. If you don't want to drive, you can continue-but we have to call.
Harold stepped onto the stage, pushed his way through the crowd and walked to the door of the bomb shelter.
Hello, Bill, this is Jerry. These people outside are not joking.
Stockton's voice. I'm not kidding. I already told you, Jerry. You are wasting your time. You are wasting precious time. You can use it to do other things ... for example, you could have tried to escape.
Man a: why don't we find strong thick wood to break down the door?
Henderson, let's go to Bennett Street. There are some big logs in Phil Crane's basement. I've seen it. Let's get one. All we have to do is shut Crane up and keep quiet.
Wes, let's stop, don't argue, think about it. ...
Henderson (turning to Wes) If you want to think about it, it's nobody else's business. Nobody cares about you or anyone who smells like you. I thought these words had been made clear above. In my opinion, the first priority is to kick you out.
As soon as Henderson's voice fell, he suddenly pulled out his fist and waved it in Weiss's face. Wes was caught off guard and knocked down at the foot of the wall. His wife screamed and ran to him, holding the baby in her hand. Several people tried to hold their neighbors, and the scene was in chaos. Harlow quickly walked over to Wes and helped him to his feet. The alarm sounded again.
Henderson (above the alarm and the chaotic noise) Come on, let's find something to break down this door.
Everyone came out of the basement and walked to the steps.
In the bomb shelter
Stockton slowly turned around and faced his wife. The gang is leaving, but even now, Mr. and Mrs. stockton still hear their angry screams.
Grace (looking up) Bill, who were those people just now?
Stockton (turning to stare at the door) "Those people?" They are our neighbors, Grace. Our friends. Someone who has lived on the same street with us for 20 years. (Then he shows a strange stubborn expression and changes his tone at the same time) Come on, Paul. Let's find something to hold the door. Take everything you can.
So, he and his children began to build an obstacle with furniture, generators, books and anything that could be moved.
Outside the bomb shelter
This group of people came along the street, carrying a thick and big log about 15 feet long. Their shouts were mixed with intermittent alarms and the voice of the announcer of Connery Civil Defence Radio.
The announcer's voice, as we have learned, reminds all residents to stay calm again and not to go to the streets. This is an urgent notice. Please don't go to the street. All protective measures have been taken. But we must ensure that military vehicles and important vehicles of civil defense system are unimpeded in the streets. So I remind you again not to go to the streets. Please don't go to the street!
As soon as the gang gathered in front of stockton's house, they rushed in with the big log and walked along the steps to the basement. Just as the wood slammed into the air-raid shelter door, the alarm sounded louder and sharper. Just then, we saw Wes and Harlow join the gang and help with wood.
In the bomb shelter
When the door of the shelter was about to fall down because of the violent impact, stockton and Paul held it hard. There were roars, intermittent alarms and the cries of women and children.
Inside and outside the cavity
The noise was deafening when the door of the air-raid shelter was broken down. Paul and stockton are pushed into the bomb shelter. Just then, the light in the basement came on. The alarm sounded to the extreme. Then it suddenly disappeared, followed by a long silence. Then the announcer's voice came from the portable radio in the corner.
Announcer's Voice This is Connery Civil Defence Broadcasting, and this is Connery Civil Defence Broadcasting. There is an important news broadcast on this station. Please stay tuned. There is an important news broadcast on this station. Please stay tuned. (pause) The President of the United States has just announced that the previously unidentified object has been confirmed as a satellite. Play it again. No enemy missiles flew close. Play it again. No enemy missiles flew close. The object has been identified as a satellite. These objects are harmless and we are not in danger. Play it again. We are not in danger. The state of emergency has been officially lifted. We are not in danger. Play it again. The enemy did not invade. The enemy did not invade.
Mrs Weiss (with tears in her eyes, crying softly) Thank God. Oh, thank God.
Wes (his face is bruised and covered with blood clots. (whispering) Amen.
Henderson: Hi, Marty ... Marty ... I was a little crazy just now. I hope you can understand. I'm just a little crazy. I didn't mean that just now. (He licks his lips, his voice trembles) We're all ... We're all scared ... so flustered. (Holding out his hands and making a gesture) Well, it's nothing strange, is it? (Explain or correct what I just said) I mean ... Well, you will understand why we were a little depressed just now. ...
There was a whisper in the crowd, and several nodded half-heartedly, but at this time everyone had not recovered from the shock.
Harold, I don't think Marty will hold a grudge against you for this. (Then turning to stockton) I hope Bill won't hold a grudge against us for this-(pointing to the things destroyed around him). We'll pay for the loss, Bill. Let's raise money at once.
All eyes were fixed on stockton as he walked through the basement and walked past them to the steps. There was another silence.
Wes (voice trembling, nervous) Let's ... Let's have a neighborhood party tomorrow night or something. Let's celebrate. I think such a celebration is worth holding.
Wes looked around and smiled at everyone, but his smile looked embarrassed, partly because he was worried and partly because he felt that something was attracting everyone at the moment. This matter is very depressing and disturbing. Stockton walked up a step, then stopped and turned to face everyone. There is no expression on his face.
Harold (pretending to smile and trying to calm down the atmosphere) It's a good idea to hold a neighborhood party. (Looking around) Anything will help you get back to normal.
Stockton (looking at his face and shaking his head unhurriedly) is normal? (pause) I don't understand. I don't know what "normal" means. At first I thought I understood, but now I don't.
Harold, didn't I tell you that we would compensate for the loss? ...
Stockton (staring at him) loss? (Nodding) I don't know if we know, what are those losses? (Looking at the face again) Perhaps the biggest loss is to finally understand what we are like under normal circumstances. We used to be like this. You can see through a thin layer. I mean, we all do. They are all naked animals. They value their lives so much that they can kill their neighbors alive in order to survive. He leaned against the wall by the stairs and suddenly felt exhausted. When he turned away from them, he whispered) we weren't bombed tonight ... but I doubt if we would be finished even without the bomb.
He continued to climb the stairs.