"INOCULUM" (WORKING TITLE)19TH OCTOBER 2015 DRAFT

Written by

Mark Cooper

Flat 15, Room D, Sedgemore House, Rochester, ME1 1HH07787697290

INT. A DOCTOR’S OFFICE. DAYTIME

The face of DOCTOR HUGHES. He is gray haired, around mid-40s. He has an expression of bewilderment on his face, a prominent frown, his eyes squinting slightly behind his thick spectacles. We see he is examining the arm of a young girl ABIGAIL, which is covered in a deep-red rash. DOUGLAS and DELANEY REED are also sat in the Doctor’s Office, both with a look of concern on their faces as they survey HUGHES as he examines the festering rash on ABIGAIL’s arm. ABIGAIL sits between the couple.

DOUGLASSo it’s definitely not eczema?

HUGHES rolls ABIGAIL’s sleeve down and takes his spectacles off before wiping his brow and flipping through ABIGAIL’s medical file.

DOCTOR HUGHESI’m afraid not. I’ve never seen anything like Abigail’s rash before. It’s advancing far faster than anything I’ve ever seen.

HUGHES produces two more medical files from his desk. They are the files belonging to DELANEY and DOUGLAS.

DOCTOR HUGHES (CONT’D)I’ve also checked your medical history, Douglas, as well as your wife- Delaney, and I cannot see any way that this could be a hereditary affliction.

He is interrupted abruptly by Delaney.

DELANEYSo what does this mean? Is it contagious?

HUGHES glances at ABIGAIL before standing. Both DELANEY and DOUGLAS abruptly stand too.

DOCTOR HUGHESI’m afraid I cannot give a definitive answer right now- Unless either of you have had any similar symptoms?

HUGHES leads DOUGLAS and DELANEY away from ABIGAIL and begins to speak in a much more hushed tone in order to keep ABIGAIL from hearing.

DOCTOR HUGHES (CONT’D)In all honesty I think we are pretty limited to how we can treat this kind of condition on the NHS.

(MORE)

I’d strongly consider private healthcare.

DOUGLAS and DELANEY’s expressions suddenly change to a look of panic, like deers caught in the headlights.

DOUGLASLook, we’re struggling as it is. I got laid off just last week, and Delaney’s work...

He glances at DELANEY.

DOUGLAS (CONT’D)Well, it doesn’t pay so great, ya know?

HUGHES frowns and nods.

DOCTOR HUGHESI understand. The recession is biting hard everywhere.

DELANEYWell, surely there’s some kind of financing or system in place for this kind of thing?

HUGHES turns back to ABIGAIL who is still sat across the room staring intently at the three adults.

DOCTOR HUGHESI’m afraid there is no financing available at this time.

2.

DOCTOR HUGHES (CONT’D)