INT. VILLAGE HALL – NIGHT
A HEATED VILLAGE MEETING IS IN PROGRESS. A VILLAGE COUNCILLOR IS TRYING TO MAKE HIMSELF HEARD ABOVE THE RABBLE OF A NOISY CROWD.
COUNCILLOR
Now, I know many of you are upset by this course of action but you have to understand the reasons behind it…
FROM WITHIN THE CROWD A HIGH-PITCHED VOICE PIPES UP.
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE (O.S.)
(Cough) TWAT! (Cough)
THERE IS A SWELL OF MURMURING FROM THE CROWD. THE COUNCILLOR RAISES HIS HANDS TO QUIETEN THEM.
COUNCILLOR
The fields and wildlife that surround our village are important to all of us, I totally appreciate that, but that is why we must initiate this cull.
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE (O.S.)
(Cough) BULLSHIT! (Cough)
THE COUNCILLOR BAULKS AT THE COMMENT. HE'S GETTING A LITTLE ANNOYED. THE CROWD MURMURING SWELLS AGAIN.
COUNCILLOR
Look! The simple fact is this - we have to keep our badger population in check or...
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE (O.S.)
(Cough) ARSEHOLE! (Cough)
COUNCILLOR
Right, who bloody said that?
THE COUNCILLOR SCANS THE CROWD FOR THE CULPRIT.
PAN ACROSS A ROW OF SEATED VILLAGERS – WE SEE AN ELDERLY LADY KNITTING, THEN A RUDDY FACED GENT WITH A PIPE, THEN A BADGER DRESSED LIKE A COUNTRY SQUIRE, THEN A YOUNG MOTHER – EACH LOOKS MORE INNOCENT THAN THE LAST.
THE COUNCILLOR IS NONE THE WISER.
COUNCILLOR
Right, well, anyway, we can't have badgers running amok spreading diseases - they're riddled with TB, you know.
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE (O.S.)
(Cough) NO! YOU'RE RIDDLED WITH... (Hacking cough) ...YOU'RE RID... (Hacking cough)
THE COUNCILLOR STRAINS TO SEE WHO IS COUGHING. ALL HEADS TURN TO THE BADGER AS HE DOUBLES OVER IN A COUGHING FIT.
SLOWLY THE BADGER'S COUGHING SUBSIDES AND HE REGAINS HIS COMPOSURE.
HIGH-PITCHED VOICE /BADGER
It's just a cold.
END
