England 'Til I Die
EXT. ALLEYWAY – DAY
Three boys in untidy school uniforms run down an alleyway backing onto a long line of grey houses. JAMIE (13) and EMMET (13) run ahead, kicking a crumpled can of Coke between them as RHYS (12) tries and fails to reach it too.
RHYS
Hey! Pass it here!
EMMET hesitates, but then kicks the can back to him. As RHYS goes forward to kick it, JAMIE steps in front of him and catches on his back foot. RHYS stumbles, missing the can and almost falling to the ground. JAMIE laughs.
RHYS (CONT’D)
Why do you never pass to me?
JAMIE
‘Cus you’re shit.
RHYS
I am not shit. You just never let me play.
EMMET
We do, you just don’t get to play. You’re too slow.
RHYS
Am not! Dare you to take it off me. Look, see? I can—
RHYS kicks the can from one foot to another, but EMMET stops it easily and stands on it.
EMMET
You’re just not that… You’ve just got to practice a bit more, mate.
JAMIE
Yeah. Practice. That’ll do it.
RHYS
What does that mean?
JAMIE
It means you’re just a bit… you know.
RHYS
A bit what?
JAMIE
A bit—
JAMIE bends his wrists and bats his eyelashes; EMMET looks at the ground and giggles.
RHYS
Am not!
EMMET
Well, you are a bit, aren’t you?
RHYS
I am not!
JAMIE mimics RHYS’ voice, making it higher and more effeminate.
JAMIE
Hey, hey, pass it here! Ow! Not that hard!
JAMIE copies the way that RHYS stumbled, mimicking a baby's cry as he makes a show of tripping over his own feet. EMMET doubles over laughing, and RHYS’ face is flushed red. He stands with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.
RHYS
I’m not like that.
JAMIE
Are.
RHYS
Am not. I’ll prove it.
EMMET
How are you gonna prove that?
RHYS
Give me a dare. Go on. Anything, I’ll do it.
JAMIE
Anything?
RHYS
Yeah.
EMMET stands looking unsure, JAMIE looks around and focuses his attention on the houses around them.
JAMIE
Alright. Dare you to hop the fence behind you and bang on one of those windows.
RHYS
Which one?
The boys look toward the houses through gaps in the wooden fencing. JAMIE points to one in particular: an unkempt looking house with yellowing England flags and draped inside the windows.
JAMIE
That one.
RHYS
Easy.
As RHYS climbs over the garden wall, the two boys watch him expectantly through the fence.
The garden is overgrown and littered with rubbish. RHYS runs over to the window facing the garden and knocks on it. RHYS runs back towards the fence, climbing over and standing next to the others.
They look expectantly towards the house, but nothing happens.
EMMET
I don’t think anyone’s in.
RHYS
Could be.
JAMIE
Lights not on.
RHYS
So? Still did it, didn’t I?
JAMIE
Doesn’t prove anything though. Not hard when there’s no one in.
RHYS
So what? I’ll do another house.
JAMIE
No, wait- look at the back door.
EMMET
What about it?
JAMIE
It’s open.
EMMET glances at JAMIE nervously. JAMIE smiles mischievously back at him, then looks to RHYS.
JAMIE (CONT’D)
Alright, double dare you to go in and take one of those flags.
EMMET
I don’t think that’s…
RHYS
Done.
EMMET
Hold on—
RHYS hops the fence once more and runs to the back door. He pulls it open further and it creaks loudly.
INT. WINDOW – DAY
As RHYS slips inside, there’s movement from the upstairs window: the mesh flags are drawn back and a man, DANNY (45) glares out into the garden.
DANNY is dishevelled, with dark circles around his eyes and yellowing stains trailing down his shirt. He sways slightly as he stands, and squints outside. The two boys duck out of sight.
INT. KITCHEN – DAY
RHYS wanders around DANNY’s kitchen, which backs on to a small living room cluttered with England Football Club memorabilia. RHYS looks away from the discoloured flags on the windows to a fresher, more brightly coloured flag draped above the television: it reads “ENGLAND EURO 96”.
Heavy footsteps begin coming down the stairs. Startled, RHYS stumbles on something but does not see what it is: a large dog bowl with the name “Ferguson” printed on it.
EXT. GARDEN – DAY
Standing anxiously behind the fence, the boys look towards the windows and wait. EMMET goes to climb over the fence, but JAMIE grabs his sleeve to stop him.
JAMIE
What are you doing?
EMMET
We can’t just leave him in there.
EMMET climbs into the garden and peers through the window. JAMIE reluctantly follows. They whisper to each other.
JAMIE
Is the guy there?
EMMET
Yeah, he’s there.
JAMIE
Where’s Rhys?
EMMET
I can’t see him.
JAMIE
What?
EMMET
I said I can’t see him.
JAMIE pushes EMMET aside to look through the gap himself, his eyes scan the room, and he frowns.
EMMET (CONT’D)
Do you think he went up the stairs?
The boys watch as DANNY sits on the living room sofa, and it sags beneath him. He turns on the television and reaches for the phone on the coffee table.
JAMIE
No, can’t have done. He would have seen him.
EMMET
Do you reckon he got out?
JAMIE
How would he do that?
EMMET
I don’t know. Out the front maybe?
JAMIE’s eyes catch on something and his breath hitches.
JAMIE
Oh shit, shit, shit—
EMMET
What?
JAMIE
Look.
JAMIE points a finger toward the sofa where DANNY is sat and for a moment, EMMET looks confused. He then sees RHYS lying underneath on his stomach, his head twisted uncomfortably to one side. His head is compressed between the sagging sofa and the wooden floor.
EMMET
Shit, shit, what do we do? Do we go in there?
JAMIE
No. It’s fine. He’s fine. He can just wait it out and come out when the guy’s gone back upstairs.
EMMET
But he’s crushing him.
JAMIE
He’ll be alright. Better than getting his teeth kicked in.
EMMET
I don’t know. Look Jamie, he’s going red.
RHYS’ face is beginning to turn a dark shade of pink. His eyes strain upward as he looks helplessly towards the back door.
INT. LIVING ROOM – DAY
RHYS’ breathing is strained and shallow, his eyes flicker around him as he tries helplessly to move himself. RHYS looks around to the clutter that surrounds him under the sofa and sees that next to his torso there is a red and white ashtray.
He looks at the television, and as the light from the window shines into the room, RHYS can just about see DANNY’s face reflected in the glass. DANNY is on the phone.
DANNY
Yeah. Shearer’s got it in the bag though hasn’t he? England’s gonna knock them out, no problem.
DANNY picks up a pack of cigarettes from the coffee table. He holds one in his mouth and lights it as he listens to the TV:
TV
England’s got a good fighting chance here tonight folks. Home play advantage here at the Euro Semi Finals, and I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling a good patriotic spirit here from the crowd.
DANNY
Come on England! Kick those sausage fuckers out!
The ashes from DANNY’s cigarette fall onto the table and fizzle out on the surface. He takes his eyes off the screen and frowns, scanning the table before ducking to look underneath it. A vein begins to protrude from RHYS’ forehead.
DANNY (CONT’D)
‘Course. Had to put one on an England win, didn’t I? It’s the semi- finals! Yeah. Yeah? You put £200? Mate, you’d cry looking at how much I got on this one. No, no. Trust me. They’ve got this in the bag.
Eyes glued to the screen, DANNY bends down and runs his hand underneath the front of the sofa. RHYS watches as DANNY’s hand is centimetres away from his side.
RHYS moves his arm very slowly and nudges the ashtray towards the front of the sofa. DANNY’S hand brushes against RHYS’ elbow, but then finds the ashtray, picking it up.
DANNY (CONT’D)
No, no, I’m listening.
EXT. GARDEN – DAY
EMMET stands still staring helplessly at RHYS through the window. JAMIE paces nervously behind him, biting his nails.
EMMET
What if we just bang on the door? We get him to get up to open it and then he can make a run for it.
JAMIE
Euro Semi Final’s on. Look at him, he’s not getting up for anything, is he?
EMMET
We can– we’ll break the window. Yeah. We’ll throw something really heavy at it and get the guy to come out here. Rhys can get out the front.
JAMIE
And what happens if he can’t get out the front door?
EMMET
What do you mean?
JAMIE
What if he’s stuck and we’ve just made the guy angrier?
EMMET begins biting the skin around his thumb, looking wide-eyed through the window.
JAMIE (CONT’D)
I mean it. The game will be over soon, and the guy will go to bed. He’s just got to wait it out, alright? Better than risking it.
EMMET
So what do we do? Do we just wait here until it’s over?
JAMIE
I don’t see why we should stay.
EMMET
No. We’re not leaving him, Jamie.
JAMIE
What’s the point in staying? Trust me, he’ll be fine.
RHYS’ face is now a concerning shade of red and his eyes are beginning to slowly droop closed. JAMIE turns to leave, pulling at EMMET’s sleeve, but EMMET stays, staring at RHYS from between the flags.
INT. LIVING ROOM – DUSK
Very little daylight remains, the only light source in the room now comes from the TV. The screen reads: ‘EXTRA TIME’ — England 1, Germany 1.
TV
Now we all know how this goes. England’s hopes of reaching the final depends on a penalty shoot-out. Hold your breath ladies and gents as we now go into the crucial extra time.
DANNY
Come on, lads. Come on. Show ‘em how it’s done.
As DANNY speaks to the TV, he perches himself on the edge of the sofa. RHYS takes a deep breath and tries to steady his breathing. With DANNY’s weight no longer directly on top of him, he begins to shuffle himself towards the back of the sofa.
DANNY sits back down, and RHYS’ expression is pained once again. He looks desperately at the back door.
TV
And Shearer scores! Germany 1, England 2.
DANNY
COME ON ENGLAND!
DANNY stands abruptly as he shouts at the television, raising his fists above his head. As he stands, he knocks the sofa backwards, frightening RHYS, who wraps his arms around his head defensively.
DANNY sits down and stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray, where it sits there amongst a few others.
INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
The ash tray is now significantly more populated with cigarette butts, and it is dark outside. DANNY is leaning back on the sofa, tapping his hands on his knees.
TV
And a goal from Gascoigne! Making the score Germany 3, England 4. A beautiful penalty there from Gascoigne, who boots it right into that top corner. He celebrates with a peacock pose and the crowd is going wild!
DANNY moves himself to the edge of his seat again. RHYS takes another deep breath. He moves a shoulder, then a leg, then slowly tries to move himself out from underneath the back of the sofa.
TV (CONT’D)
Ziege scores! Germany 4 England 4, another impressive penalty from Germany there. You can hear the England fans biting their nails now, the atmosphere here is truly incredible!
The sound of a low, rumbling growl begins, but RHYS does not seem to hear it.
DANNY
Stop it, Fergie.
TV
Sheringham scores! Germany 4, England 5.
DANNY
Get in!
The growling continues.
DANNY (CONT’D)
Ferguson! Stop it!
TV
Kuntz scores! Germany and England tied with 5 all. All to play for still, and let’s see who’s lined up next for the next kick.
The growling gets louder.
TV (CONT’D)
And here he is. It’s Gareth Southgate.
DANNY
Come on lad. Bring it home.
RHYS’s torso is now fully out of the back of the sofa, he props himself up on his elbows and looks up to find a large Boxer dog with a studded collar decorated with the name “FERGUSON”. RHYS stops moving.
FERGIE begins to bark, and DANNY looks towards him.
DANNY (CONT’D)
What did I say Fergie? Shut it, I’m trying to—
TV
And Kopke saves it! Germany now tied 5-5 with England as Southgate has his penalty kick saved!
DANNY
WHAT?
DANNY abruptly stands up and clambers over the coffee table. He grips his television set with both hands and holds it in front of his face.
DANNY (CONT’D)
No, no, no, NO, NO!
RHYS is free of the sofa and shrinking away from the growling dog.
DANNY (CONT’D)
Don’t do this to me, come on. No, DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE.
Crouched behind the sofa, RHYS looks from DANNY, to FERGIE, and then to the back door. FERGIE is crouched low with his teeth bared.
TV
And Moller scores! With the score resting on England 5, Germany 6, England are officially out of the Euros.
DANNY
NO! NO! NO!
DANNY grabs hold of the coffee table and flips it over, he then turns his back to the sofa and starts to scream and kick at the TV set.
DANNY (CONT’D)
USELESS. USELESS. FUCKING. BASTARDS!
TV
And just like that, it’s over. Moller saves the penalty and mimics Gascoigne’s peacock celebration – truly kicking them while they’re down.
FERGIE’s head turns toward DANNY and RHYS leaps towards the back door. As he stands, FERGIE lunges toward him and clamps his teeth on the back of RHYS’ ankle. He falls to the floor and cries out in pain.
DANNY turns around.
DANNY
What in the fuck?
RHYS kicks his foot hard enough for FERGIE to let go. He dodges DANNY, runs ahead of FERGIE, and stumbles out the back door. As he runs past them, EMMET and JAMIE follow after him.
TV
And just like that, it’s gone. England are officially out.
DANNY
OI! GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE SHIT!
RHYS reaches the fence and tries to pull himself over. As he goes to swing his feet up, he falters and winces in pain. JAMIE and EMMET vault the fence and their hands reach back to grab at his arms, pulling him to the other side.
JAMIE
COME ON!
EMMET
GET HIM, GET HIM!
RHYS is pulled up and is dragged away from the fence.
EXT. ALLEYWAY – NIGHT
JAMIE AND EMMET each have one of RHYS’ arms over their shoulders. They carry him down the alleyway. Eventually, they come to the main street and set RHYS down gently on the curb.
EMMET
Here! Put him down here!
RHYS
It’s alright. It’s alright.
EMMET
Yeah. Yeah, we’re fine. We’re fine.
EMMET sits down next to RHYS but JAMIE stays standing. He watches down the alley the direction they came from. The sound of barking can still be heard.
EMMET (CONT’D)
It’s not coming any closer, Jamie. We’re okay.
There are a few seconds before JAMIE takes his eyes off the alleyway and looks at RHYS. He swallows and winces as he sees RHYS’ ankle: it’s badly torn and covered in blood.
EMMET (CONT’D)
Jesus, that thing really did all that?
RHYS
‘Course it did. Did you see that dog?
EMMET and JAMIE shake their heads. RHYS smiles.
RHYS (CONT’D)
You should have seen it. It was like the biggest dog I’ve ever seen.
JAMIE
Really? What type was it?
RHYS
Have you ever seen Cujo?
JAMIE
Yeah.
RHYS
Well, it was kind of like that.
EMMET
No way...
The sound of barking can still be heard echoing from down the alleyway. The two boys look fearfully in the sound’s direction.
JAMIE
And you got out with that thing right behind you?
RHYS
Well yeah. When it had me, I was like BAM and I like, kicked it, right? And then- and then I got it like right in the eye and I just bolted for it.
EMMET
Damn.
JAMIE
Fuck...
RHYS
Yeah. Lucky I was as fast as I was, I swear that thing would have torn me to shreds.
The three boys sit on the curb, JAMIE and EMMET looking anxiously toward the sound of the barking. RHYS leans back where he sits and looks proudly from his ankle to the fearful expressions of the boys sat next to him.