Radio script:

(Draft)

Junk: Chapter 1

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1. Narrator A boy and a girl were spending the night

together in the back seat of a Volvo estate car.
The car was in a garage. It was pitch black.

2. Gemma I’m hungry.

3. SFX Click of torch turning on

4. SFX Unzip of backpack

5. SFX Bag being moved, rustling

6. Narrator The boy turned on a torch and peered inside a

grey canvas rucksack behind him.

7. Tar There’s an apple.

8. Gemma Nah. Any crisps left?

9. Tar Nope.

10. Narrator Gemma sighed and leaned back in the car. She
pulled a blanket over herself.

11. Gemma It’s cold.

12. Tar Barry’ll be here soon.

13. Narrator He watched her closely in the torchlight,

frowning anxiously.

14. Tar Sorry you came?

15. Narrator Gemma looked over and smiled.

16. Gemma Nah.

17. Narrator Tar snuggled up against her. Gemma stroked
his head.

18. Gemma You better save the batteries.

19. SFX Click of torch turning off

20. Narrator Tar turned off the torch. At once it was so black
you couldn’t see your own hand. Surrounded by
the smell of damp concrete, oil and petrol, they
carried on their conversation cuddling in the
dark.

21. Tar Come with me!

22. Gemma What?

23. Narrator She was amazed, surprised. It had never

occurred to her. He could feel her staring at him
even though it was too dark to see anything. In
the darkness, Tar blushed deeply.

24. Gemma You must be crazy!

25. Tar Why?

26. Gemma What have I got to run away from?

27. Tar Wait till you get home…

28. Narrator The two laughed. Gemma had been banned a

week before from seeing Tar. Her parents had
no idea where she was that night, but they had
a pretty good idea whom she was with.

29. Tar It’d be something to do.

30. Tar You’re always saying how bored you are.

31. Gemma That’s true.

32. Narrator Gemma was the most bored person she knew.
Sitting in class she sometimes felt dizzy with it,
 that she’d pop or faint or something if it didn’t
stop.

33. Gemma What about school?

34. Tar You can go to school anytime.

35. Gemma I can run away anytime in my life.

36. Narrator Gemma would’ve liked to. She wanted to. But,
what for? She didn’t love Tar, she only liked
him. Her parents, and her father in particular,
were totally ghastly but he didn’t knock her
around yet anyhow. Was being bored a reason
for running away to the city at 14 years old?

37. Gemma I don’t think so Tar.

38. Narrator Tar lay still in her lap. She knew what he must
be feeling because she’d seen it on his face so
many times. Tar’s heart was painted on his
face. Gemma bent down close.

39. Gemma I’m sorry.

40. Narrator Tar had a reason, plenty of reasons. The latest

were painted on his face, too. His upper lip
swelled over his teeth like a fat plum. His left
eye was black, blue, yellow and red. Gemma
had to be careful not to touch his wounds when
she stroked his face.

41. SFX Car door being opened

42. Narrator There was a noise at a small door behind them.

Tar and Gemma ducked down out of sight
behind the seats.

43. Barry It’s only me.

44. Gemma Bloody hell - you nearly killed me.

45. Barry Sorry. Here, put that torch on so’s I can see
 where I’m going.

46. Narrator Tar shone the beam over to a plump blonde boy
carrying a plastic bag. He grinned and came
over.

47. SFX Plastic bag rustling

48. Barry I suppose we ought to have a secret knock or

something. Here.

49. Narrator He handed over the bag. Gemma poked inside.

50. Barry It’s only rolls and cheese. They’d have missed
anything else.

51. Gemma Didn’t you get any butter?

52. Barry No. But I got some pickle.

53. Narrator Barry handed over a pot from his coat pocket.

54. Gemma Branston! Brilliant!

55. SFX Pickle jar being popped open

56. Narrator Gemma began tearing up the rolls and chunks

of cheese.

57. Narrator Barry had forgotten a knife: she had to spread

the pickle with her finger. Barry watched Tar’s
face by the torchlight.

58. Barry Christ! He really laid into you this time, didn’t
he?

59. Gemma Looks like a bowl of rotten fruit, doesn’t it?

60. Gemma Not that you’d want to eat it…

61. Barry You haven’t been turning the light on, by the
way, have you? Only…

62. Gemma We said we wouldn’t, didn’t we?

63. Barry Only they might see it through the cracks in the
garage door.

64. Gemma I told you.

65. Barry All right.

66. Narrator Gemma stuffed a roll leaking pickle into her

mouth.

67. Gemma Wan’ one?

68. Tar Yes please…

69. Narrator He beamed. There was a pause while Gemma

pulled another roll in half.

70. Barry When are you going?

71. Tar Tomorrow.

72. Barry Got everything?

73. SFX Body moving against the car seat

74. Narrator Tar leaned over the front seat and patted his
rucksack. It wasn’t that full. Barry nodded. He
watched Tar eating for a second and then he
blurted out:

75. Barry But what about your mum?

76. Narrator Tar looked stricken. Gemma glared.

77. Gemma His mum’s gonna be alright. She’ll probably

clear off herself once Tar’s gone. She’s only
been staying because of him anyway; she’s
said that thousands of times, hasn’t she?

78. Narrator Tar nodded slowly, like a tormented tortoise.

 Gemma glared at barry and mouthed ‘shut up’.

79. Barry Right…

80. Narrator Barry nodded energetically.

81. Barry Best thing you could do for her, clear off. She
won’t have anything to tie her to the old bastard
then.

82. Tar That’s what I’m hoping for.

83. Narrator It got very cold in the garage later on. Gemma
and Tar snuggled up together and wrapped
blankets around them.

84. SFX Kissing sounds

85. Narrator They kissed, Gemma didn’t stop him when his
hand glided under her top, but when she felt his
hand sliding down her tummy she slapped his
fingers lightly.

86. Gemma Naughty!

87. Tar Why not?

88. Gemma Not here...

89. Narrator She didn’t mind him touching her there. But she
was worried about spending the night together.

90. Gemma I just don’t want it to go further.

91. Tar You might never see me again after tonight.

92. Narrator Gemma shook her head.

93. Gemma It won’t go any further then.

94. Tar All right.