by Gary Kittle
DON:
You see, it's just no fun when you say yes all the time.
(BEAT)
That's what's missing.
(WHISPERED SECRETIVELY)
The foreplay of defiance.
DON stands over MARY, who is twitching and convulsing below.
DON:
Now get up, bitch.
MARY continues to twitch, then sits up awkwardly.
DON:
Good. Now we can start over.
ANDROID MARY:
My warranty is only limited to accidental damage.
DON (LAUGHING):
Now that almost sounds like you're telling me to stop, Mary.
ANDROID MARY:
Do you want to go upstairs?
DON:
We are upstairs, you hardwired whore.
(BEAT)
Remember that film we watched the other night? That's what I want. Now say it!
ANDROID MARY:
(IN FEMALE VOICE FROM PORN FILM)
‘Please. Stop. You're hurting me.’
DON grips MARY's mouth with one hand and grabs her tongue with the fingers of his other hand, pulling it out.
ANDROID MARY:
My warranty...
DON (SCOFFING):
Fuck your warranty. Tell me - order me - to stop! Shout it into my face, you little bitch!
DON pokes his index finger directly into MARY's right eye. She pulls away and her eyelid flickers repeatedly.
ANDROID MARY (SHOUTING):
Stop! My warranty...
Standing, DON throws the green dress onto the bed, draws back his hand, and drives his fist down into MARY's face.
DON:
It's OK, Mary. I promise you won't feel a thing.
DON draws his fist back again, ready to strike another blow. He stamps down hard on MARY's ankle as she starts to crawl away. DON bellows with laughter. His fist jabs through the air but is caught by MARY's lightning fast response.
ANDROID MARY (SHOUTING):
No!
DON looks aghast at the tightening grip around his wrist, then a sick grin spreads across his face.
ANDROID MARY:
No!
Before he can respond, MARY has launched herself at him. She pins his arms down onto the bed and sits astride him.
DON (TO HIMSELF/CHUCKLING):
This is more like it!
MARY has something in her hand and instantly thrusts the open scissors towards DON's exposed face. DON's levity is immediately extinguished.
DON:
Deactivate! Deact...!
Just as the scissors are set to plunge into DON's eyes MARY freezes mid-motion. DON pants in relief. DON's anxious face is bathed in sweat. His protruding tongue licks the scissor tips and he laughs hysterically.
SCENE 20) INT. DON's bedroom. Two hours later.
MARY is on the bed, motionless. Her face is not shown immediately, but when it is, the right cheek is clearly dented. DON swans into the room looking pleased with himself. He stares scornfully at the prone figure.
DON:
If you were real, Mary, you'd be dead by now. I hope you appreciate that.
MARY springs upright. She stares straight ahead, but her neck is slightly askew. A spasm runs through one arm.
ANDROID MARY:
My warranty is only limited to accidental damage.
DON chuckles to himself, though he also appears a little annoyed by her unsolicited declaration. MARY stares at him.
DON (SCOFFING):
Shut the fuck up, Mary. (HALF-BEAT) Don't look at me like that either.
MARY has turned to stare straight into DON's eyes, her head still sitting lopsided on her shoulders.
ANDROID MARY (SHOUTING):
No!
DON shakes his head in bemusement. MARY continues to hold his gaze, defiantly. DON leans into MARY's face.
DON:
Well, I'll be...
ANDROID MARY (SHOUTING):
No!
MARY tenses herself, as if in readiness to attack him. DON takes a step backward, brandishing a golf club he has retrieved from behind the bedroom door. He uses his free hand to waggle his index finger at ANDROID MARY.
DON (HALF-LAUGHING):
Oh, no you don't!
He holds the club over his head ready to defend himself. But MARY merely smiles, head repeatedly twitching to the right.
ANDROID MARY:
Do you want me to make pancakes, sweety? Do you want me to make pancakes, sweety? Do you...
SCENE 21) INT. Kitchen. First thing Monday morning.
DON wanders in wearing a dressing gown. MARY is filling the dishwasher at break-neck speed. He looks her way momentarily then picks up the phone, his body obscuring her actions. He has to raise his voice to make himself heard.
DON:
Hi, Laura. Listen, I'm not feeling too well. Can you let McKenzie know? Tomorrow? Sure... Bye.
DON lowers the phone, mouth agape as he stares at MARY.
DON:
Mary, what are you doing?
DON steps forward and slightly to the right, showing MARY frantically stuffing the dishwasher with dirty laundry.
DON (SIGHING):
Give me strength...
MARY stops loading immediately and her head snaps around to face DON, though her body is still bent over the machine.
ANDROID MARY:
No!
DON braces himself for another attack but MARY remains petrified, her mouth open in mid-speech, hands full of clothes.
DON (TO HIMSELF):
Ah, shit. Now what?
(BEAT)
Mary?
MARY remains motionless and silent. DON slumps down onto a kitchen chair. He looks over at MARY momentarily, then stares up at the ceiling, biting his lower lip.
DON (TO HIMSELF):
Damn it. She's right about that warranty...
DON looks over his shoulder at the door to the hall.
SCENE 22) INT. Hallway. Seconds later.
DON searches the rubbish-strewn hall table top and retrieves the delivery man's card. He picks up the phone and dials. From the kitchen we hear MARY's resumed cacophony.
DON (LOUDLY):
Hello? Yes, I got this number from a guy called 'Pete'. (HALF-BEAT) I was just wondering when the next...
PETE (V.O.):
Tonight.
DON (HALF-LAUGHING):
Oh? That's a bit of luck.
PETE (V.O.):
Not really. It happens most nights. Be at the back of Simpson's on the bypass, midnight. No filming.
The call is ended abruptly. DON looks round, frowning, because the kitchen is again silent.
DON:
Mary?
SCENE 23) INT. Cellar. Five minutes later.
DON trots down the stairs, frowning but excited.
DON:
There you are...
His eyes widen as he sees MARY laying face down in her crate. He sighs and rubs his temple.
DON:
Well, actually that's not a bad idea.
DON approaches the crate and flips open the panel in MARY's back. He flicks the switch inside to off.
DON:
There. You sleep till later. No more wandering about the house.
DON absently strokes her hair for a second, then turns and climbs the stairs. In her crate MARY is motionless.
SCENE 24) EXT. Car park behind a large building. Late Monday night.
The car park has about twenty cars parked up in a square. In the centre are roughly the same number of women, huddled together. Around the perimeter of the square formed by their cars men wait impatiently. As DON approaches with MARY he sees PETE, the delivery man. PETE gently leads DON aside. In the background MARY is seen wandering off towards the crowd.
PETE (GRINNING):
Welcome to the Kitty Club.
DON:
<
br /> Actually... I hoped you might be able to point me in the direction of a repair service.
PETE (GRINNING):
Isn't she under warranty?
(HALF-BEAT)
I'm just ribbing you, fella. You won't be the last owner who's gotten a little - how shall we say? - 'carried away by excitement'.
PETE sidles up close to DON.
PETE (WHISPERED):
We make more money from repairs than we do events. We'll sort her!
A roar goes up and both men look at the crowd. DON looks for, then catches a glimpse of MARY among the other female androids. He tenses, edging away from PETE.
PETE:
Now hold on a minute, friend. It's free first time for a reason. You only get to watch. Your little woman can take it with the others, then we'll see about that repair work. What do you say?
(BEAT)
Oh, and no jerking off... It's embarrassing.
PETE now has an arm clamped tightly around DON's shoulder. He half-drags DON towards the crowd, producing a hip flask, which he thrusts at DON. DON unscrews the cap and drinks.
PETE (SHOUTING):
OK, boys. Get ready!
The men laugh and joke among themselves as they take off their trousers. The female androids look on blankly.
PETE (TO DON):
When I blow my horn again they have to stop. (LAUGHING) Hell, if I didn't there'd be nothing left to repair!
DON tries to smile but looks uncomfortable. PETE raises an air horn and lets out a single blast. The men charge across the tarmac towards the waiting androids and the event begins. What happens next is only heard and not seen directly.
PETE (C.U.):
It rarely lasts past the half hour. Usually someone goes too far and I have to end it prematurely - no pun intended.
Shot of MARY being dragged to the ground by two men at once.
PETE (C.U.):
A couple of weeks ago there was a chap who didn't so much as unzip his fly. Just knocked three or four bitches to the floor and started stamping on their heads. (LAUGHING) We get all sorts, here! But, hey, they're just machines, right?
DON is looking wide-eyed at MARY, who is being violated by the two men simultaneously. MARY looks up and DON makes eye contact with her. PETE takes his flask back and drinks.
(CUT TO: DON'S CELLAR SEVERAL WEEKS PREVIOUSLY)
DON has a sudden flashback of seeing ANDROID MARY in her crate for the first time, his face wet with tears.
(CUT BACK TO: THE CAR PARK)
PETE:
Oh, what have we here?
A police car crawls over to the far side of the car park.
PETE (C.U.):
They just come by to check we're not using live girls. As if!
The police cruiser starts up, flashing its lights once.
PETE:
We're not criminals!
PETE waves and the police car slowly exits. DON meanwhile is still staring into MARY's eyes (C.U.) as her assault continues.
(CUT TO: DON'S KITCHEN SEVERAL WEEKS PREVIOUSLY)
DON has a sudden flashback of ANDROID MARY at the kitchen table (Scene 2) as they eat together.
(CUT BACK TO: THE CAR PARK)
C.U. of ANDROID MARY's eyes staring into DON's.
DON (SHOUTING):
Listen, I've... I've changed my mind! I can't do this.
PETE:
What..?
DON tears himself from PETE and makes a bee-line for MARY.
PETE (SHOUTING AFTER HIM):
Hey, you're only supposed to watch first time up!
(CUT TO: CENTER OF THE CAR PARK)
DON pushes one man away from MARY. The other man seems not to have noticed. The first man tries to carry on with his assault, but DON again pushes him away.
FIRST MAN:
Find someone else, shithead! She ain't got no more holes.
DON stands between the first man and MARY, and, angered, he punches DON in the face. But as he falls DON pulls the second man to the ground. The first man now directs both his fists at DON's head - the second man, cursing, resumes his violation of MARY - and DON slowly loses consciousness. Just before he blacks out he hears PETE's air horn blasting.
SCENE 25) EXT. Car park. Same night. Five minutes later.
A ring of blurred orbs slowly focus into angry faces surrounding a groaning DON. PETE yanks DON back to his feet. DON sways unsteadily and wipes his bloody nose.
PETE (WHISPERING):
I don't think this party's for you after all, friend. Now get lost, before I have these boys put something in you.
DON staggers through the crowd of hostile faces, searching for MARY. He spots her: her clothes are dirty, torn and stained. She staggers in a small circle by herself, limping. DON, putting his arm around her, guides her away.
PETE (SHOUTING AFTER HIM):
What kind of man are you, anyway?
(CUT TO: DON and MARY get into the car, reverse and exit the car park with squealing tyres, leaving the on-looking crowd behind. A moment later DON pulls over, opens his door and vomits. )
DON:
I'm sorry. I should never have brought you here. It's not...
DON turns to face MARY, only to find that she has frozen in her seat with her hands in front of her face, as if in defence against some unseen attacker. A small tendril of smoke emanates from her ruined clothing.
DON:
Shit... I gotta get you home.
DON accelerates away with tyres screaming. From a side street, AINSWORTH's car pulls out and follows.
SCENE 26) INT. DON's living room. Same night. One hour later.
MARY is on the sofa, still in her frozen posture, arms across her face. She isn't smoking anymore, but all DON's efforts to restart her are fruitless.
DON (SHOUTING):
Reactivate, damn you!
DON slumps down beside her, rubbing his brow, muttering to himself. He gets up and fixes himself a drink, which he downs immediately and refills his glass.
DON:
I don't need you anyhow. I'll find someone new. Yes, that's it! That's what I should have done in the first place. (HALF-BEAT) You're poison, Mary. Poison!
DON (SHOUTING):
DO YOU HEAR ME, BITCH!!!
DON throws his glass at MARY, alcohol splashing through the air. It narrowly misses her head and smashes in the corner. The door bell sounds and there is a violent pounding at the front door, accompanied by muffled shouts. DON turns, his face fear-stricken. Then a look of realisation spreads across his features and he heads purposefully towards the hall.
(CUT TO: HALL LOBBY)
DON pulls the front door open so hard it hits the wall.
DON (HISSED):
You again...
Standing on the threshold is STEVE AINSWORTH. He bursts in, grabbing DON by his shirt lapels, and forcing him backward. They stumble against the wall, breathing hard.
STEVE (HISSED INTO DON'S FACE):
I know you've got her here against her will! Where is she? Where is she!
DON looks over STEVE's shoulder in the direction of the living room and STEVE follows his gaze. He pushes DON away and heads in that direction. DON starts to grin and follows him.
(CUT BACK TO: LIVING ROOM)
STEVE sees the frozen, dishevelled and dirty form of MARY and stands in horror. However, MARY's hands are no longer guarding her face but lying in her lap. DON notices this change and smirks behind STEVE's back.
STEVE:
Oh, my...What have you done to her?
STEVE turns to face his adversary.
DON (SCOFFING):
Nothing that's illegal, believe me.
With a cry of rage STEVE locks his fingers around DON's windpipe. They fall to the floor. DON does not resist, but seems to be watching something over STEVE's shoulder.
STEVE (HISSED INTO DON'S FACE):
I'll kill you, you stinking...
&nbs
p; Something hard connects with the back of STEVE's head and he collapses on top of DON. DON, coughing and spluttering, pushes STEVE off, revealing a reactivated MARY standing over them both, a frozen joint of meat in her hand, her expression crazed/distorted and her head twitching.
ANDROID MARY (BRIGHTLY):
I’ve been meaning to clean out the freezer!
DON struggles to his feet, looking down at the back of STEVE's bleeding head. He stares into MARY's face. She appears frozen again, but then suddenly turns away, making him jump, and approaches the fridge. While DON takes a closer look at STEVE, MARY begins throwing the contents of the fridge out onto the floor.
ANDROID MARY (SHOUTING):
A woman's work is never...
MARY's body spasms several times as some internal malfunction overcomes her. DON straightens up, coughing.
DON:
Mary?
ANDROID MARY:
Is never...Is never...Is...
DON (SHOUTING):
Mary!
MARY stops and looks his way.
DON:
We need to get him down into the cellar. Do you understand?
MARY stares fixedly, then suddenly responds with a smile.
ANDROID MARY (BRIGHTLY):
Let me do that for you, sweetie! You must be tired. You must be tired. You must...
DON:
O.K. Enough. Give me a hand.
MARY skips across the floor, and together she and DON drag STEVE away in the direction of the cellar door.
SCENE 27) INT. DON's front door. Later the same night.
DON opens the door. Two police officers are standing on the threshold. DON gestures them through to the living room.
DON (AWKWARDLY):
This is... my wife, Mary.
MARY has changed her clothes and tidied herself, wearing outrageously thick makeup, though her head is still askew. The first policeman looks MARY up and down and smirks.
OFFICER #1:
Where is the intruder, sir?
DON:
In the cellar. We had to lock him up, in case he attacked us again. (HALF-BEAT) It was awful, officer.
OFFICER #1:
Ever seen this man before?
DON:
Of course. He works with me. (HALF-BEAT) We've never gotten along, but I never thought...
OFFICER #2:
What did he do to your fridge?
The three men stare at the food littered kitchen floor.
ANDROID MARY (BRIGHTLY):
Oh, I'll soon have that cleaned up!
