Salvation

by Alan Cliff

ourselves with sheets from the cupboard.

  She halts, thinks. Then strides over to the cupboard and takes out sheets. She lays the sheets on a slab, all the while Aidan is smiling at her.

  They sit on the slab and hold hands.

  The lights fade slightly.

  DEIRDRE. Have you ever believed in God?

  AIDAN. Mary taught me about God. I did believe. But now…

  DEIRDRE. You should believe, Aidan. He saves everyone.

  Pause.

  Suddenly, Aidan begins to cough.

  DEIRDRE. Your chest, does that scare you?

  He nods.

  AIDAN. Were the stories from the city workhouse true?

  DEIRDRE. Your envy will haunt you your whole life, Aidan.

  AIDAN. I need to know.

  DEIRDRE. You want to know about this but you don’t want to know about your parents?

  AIDAN. My parents?

  DEIRDRE. I assumed history didn’t mean anything to you. I was here. My history shouldn’t have been any of your concern.

  AIDAN. I wanted to know if I was safe being with you.

  DEIRDRE. That woman that takes care of you killed off any freedom you had to take a chance. You should have trusted yourself.

  AIDAN. My parents don't mean as much to me as you do.

  DEIRDRE. You will burn in hell for saying such things.

  AIDAN. I think I am heading for hell anyway.

  Pause.

  DEIRDRE. Your parents are watching you. (Aidan shoots a look at her, she nods) Would you like to know now?

  AIDAN. My father is dead, too?

  DEIRDRE. They brought you here. Saved you. Would you like to know more? Does it scare you?

  AIDAN. Will it prove anything to you if I fight this fear?

  DEIRDRE. (Deciding) It will.

  AIDAN. Then please, tell me.

  DEIRDRE. What Mary told you was the truth, your mother’s death was an unfortunate tragedy. The birth was complicated; too soon. Your father…he worked here for six months fixing broken walls and ceilings. Power had recently been promoted to Guardian and he pushed the male inmates around. During the first winter your father was here, he was ordered to fix a leak in the female dormitory. He protested, as it was dark and very wet. Power threatened him with the hole for disobeying orders so your father gave in and climbed a ladder to the roof. The rain was heavy and unrelenting, he slipped and fell. His injuries were nursed for several days but it was no use. He died in the infirmary.

  Pause.

  Aidan coughs.

  DEIRDRE. I can feel the tightness of your chest. (Pause) Aidan, why didn’t you stop it?

  AIDAN. I didn’t know it was happening.

  DEIRDRE. I must show you something. Lie here.

  He coughs, violently and lies on the slab.

  Paddy enters.

  PADDY. I've been sent to you.

  DEIRDRE. Only to see if you have the fever.

  PADDY. I haven’t the fever, girl.

  Deirdre takes out her stethoscope and goes to lift his shirt.

  PADDY. (Stopping her) Get away out of that.

  DEIRDRE. I need to hear your chest.

  PADDY. I can't be doing with all these new tools. I'm fit, I'm healthy, I’m working. I could beat the fever if I got it.

  She touches his chest, feels the pouch strapped under his shirt.

  DEIRDRE. What's that?

  PADDY. That's nothing now.

  DEIRDRE. It feels as if…

  PADDY. (With determination) It's nothing now, nothing at all.

  DEIRDRE. (Tutting) If you're certain you are well then be off with you, back to work.

  PADDY. Hold on. You're the new nurse, so?

  DEIRDRE. I am, Deirdre Jacob.

  PADDY. Paddy O'Doherty. You're friends with Aidan Kirwan.

  DEIRDRE. I suppose I am.

  PADDY. He tells me you're getting close.

  DEIRDRE. We are friends, I hope that's what you mean.

  PADDY. He is a good lad. He needs a good woman with him.

  DEIRDRE. Are you implying something?

  PADDY. Secrets are safe with me. Sometimes I think this place is making him mad. He drinks and plays the cards with me for a bit of fun. I try and tell him of a life outside these walls but it always seems to fill him with fear. I’d say it's all down to that hag of a mother that looks after him. You know the woman, she's not really his mother. She's the one keeping him here.

  Mary enters.

  She goes to the cupboard to get sheets, finds there isn’t any.

  MARY. Where have my new clean sheets gone?

  DEIRDRE. Peter Doyle was having a fit.

  MARY. They are meant for the dead.

  PADDY. What do ye need them for, so? Nobody's died in a day or two.

  MARY. Mind your own, Patrick.

  PADDY. How right ye are missus, the less I know the less trouble I’ll find. (Beat) Be off with ye then.

  Mary begins to leave.

  DEIRDRE. Mary, as you are on night duty, I need to remind you Margaret Finney needs water every hour tonight.

  Mary huffs and leaves.

  PADDY. Clean sheets me hole. Watch out for her, she’s around every corner.

  Deirdre goes back to Aidan.

  Paddy continues to talk, miming, silent.

  AIDAN. Why show me this?

  DEIRDRE. There was no link between myself and Patrick

  O'Doherty.

  Paddy mimes a laugh, waves and exits.

  AIDAN. Deirdre, can you forgive what happened?

  DEIRDRE. I am with God. You should seek His eternal glory too. There is hope. Always hope. Close your eyes and sleep some more. Let God immerse your soul with His love. I must leave you.

  AIDAN. Deirdre, please, do you forgive me?

  Deirdre smiles at him, rises, touches his face and exits.

  Aidan watches her leave then coughs, violently.

  He closes his eyes and then opens them with a jolt.

  Paddy enters with sheets.

  AIDAN. (Smiling, whispering) I am forgiven. (Then, to Paddy) What's in your pouch?

  PADDY. I am not in possession of any pouch. Your mother has it.

  AIDAN. Mary?

  PADDY. She found me pouch and is using it against me. She'll give it me back when I'm no longer friends with ye.

  AIDAN. Are we friends?

  PADDY. Can ye believe me when I say I had nothing to do with your nurse?

  AIDAN. Of course I believe ye. I was acting such a fool.

  PADDY. We have been a pair of fools. You gettin' into a nurse’s drawers and me with Guardian Power’s money, that's what's in me pouch.

  AIDAN. Money? How much?

  PADDY. Enough to get me out of here.

  Aidan wheezes with laughter, Paddy smiles at him.

  PADDY. 'Tis a rare sound, the laughter. (Taking out rum) Here.

  AIDAN. Ye seem to have an endless supply of the rum.

  PADDY. Courtesy of our leader and protector.

  AIDAN. This is Power’s rum?

  PADDY. He has a cabinet full of it. Doesn’t recognise when one or two of them go missing.

  AIDAN. One or two? Ye have a new one by the day!

  PADDY. There is that much. Sure, Power drinks three bottles of that a day! If I were a Guardian I'd be needin’ ten bottles a day runnin’ this place.

  They laugh.

  Aidan drinks to Peter Doyle.

  AIDAN. Ye little scamp! Ye were me favourite inmate.

  PADDY. Ye ran rings round that mad bitch of a missus!

  They laugh. Aidan passes the bottle back to Paddy.

  PADDY. (Refusing the bottle) Ye drink it, I can find meself more later.

  Beat. Aidan drinks.

  AIDAN. I wouldn’t even know what to do with a bit of money, now. I've never used it.

  PADDY. I can give ye some. Not much; enough for a week or two on the outside.

  Pause.

  AIDAN. I'm dyin' Paddy.

  PADDY. Ye are, boy.
>
  AIDAN. I’m glad I’m dyin’ at home.

  Aidan coughs.

  PADDY. There is somethin’ I should give you. But I must warn you, this could hurt more than any fever or broken heart.

  Paddy goes to a corner of the stage.

  PADDY. There is a chance that Deirdre's passing did not come from the fever.

  Lights lower in the mortuary.

  Lights up in the chapel.

  Deirdre enters the chapel.

  She kneels.

  DEIRDRE. (Praying) Dear Lord, the stories from the city workhouse have somehow made their way here. Why have You allowed my history to catch up with me? I cannot seem to leave the past behind. I love Aidan. I love him dearly. But others have found out about our love and they are prepared to use it against us. I am in danger. I am certain of it. Why did he attack me like that? (Beat) We will take in Your love and remove ourselves from these walls. Please give me strength to survive this.

  Mary enters the chapel.

  MARY. Six new victims, you are needed over.

  DEIRDRE. Yes, Mary.

  Deirdre gets up and goes to exit, Mary stops her.

  MARY. How are you feeling?

  DEIRDRE. I am well.

  MARY. It's not uncommon that nurses become victims too. You sound a little tired, have you been coughing?

  DEIRDRE. No…

  MARY. Your cheeks are blood red. Oh girl, this could be the end of ye…

  Mary harshly slaps the back of her hand to Deirdre's forehead.

  MARY. You're burning!

  DEIRDRE. I…I didn’t sleep well…

  MARY. No? Nurses need to look after themselves first before even thinking about helping others.

  DEIRDRE. Winter is coming, it's getting cold.

  MARY. Quiet now girl. Maybe you should get more sheets or blankets, or maybe my boy Aidan wasn’t keeping you warm enough?

  Deirdre steps back, astonished.

  MARY. Listen to me girl, God puts everyone in their place. And you sin against Him and the world when you put yourself elsewhere. You've no right to come down to us.

  DEIRDRE. There is no connection between myself and Aidan Kirwan.

  MARY. It is also a sin to lie.

  DEIRDRE. This is a serious allegation, Mary.

  MARY. Myself and God have witnessed it!

  DEIRDRE. I should report you to Guardian Power!

  MARY. How he would like to be informed of such. I've seen the way he looks at you. The devil gets inside his head whenever you're around. (Beat) Stay away from my son, you harlot.

  DEIRDRE. He is