The rec room

Brumby, Roo, Lorna, and a crowd arrive, dragging Mandy along. They let her go and she tries to bolt, they restrain her

Roo- Don't be a fool Slater, I told you there is no escape from this. Now take a seat and make yourself comfortable sweetie

Mandy sits down. The others gather around, some standing some in seats

Brumby lays the file out on the table

Brumby - You can see what it says right here, Slater?

Mandy turns her face away, refuses to look

Roo gets out of her seat and pushes Mandy's face in front of the file

Roo - LOOK AT IT!

Mandy - I DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT IT BITCH! I KNOW WHAT I BLOODY DID WITHOUT NEEDING TO READ IT!

Brumby - I wish I'd never read it I can tell you, it made me feel very unwell

Mandy - All you see there are cold facts, it doesn't tell you the whole story, or my reasons for doing it. It's not as black and white as that

Roo - Well here's your chance to explain. Tell us your side of why you killed your 6-month-old baby niece and cooked her and ate her

Mandy sits in silence

Brumby - Well Slater? we're waiting

Kelly arrives outside the armory with Janice

Kelly - open the door

Janice - What do you intend to get out of there?

Kelly - A gun, of course, I don't think this knife is quite good enough if I want to be taken seriously

Janice - Look don't be a fool Webster, this has really gone far enough

Kelly digs the knife into Janice's neck

Kelly - Open the door now Raymond!

Solitary

Bea and Joan are fighting

Joan - I've waited a long time for this Smith, a very long time

Bea - So have I, Ferguson

Joan - After what you did to Shane you were always going to be living on borrowed time

Bea - you can't beat me, Ferguson! I'm queen Bea, always have been, always will be!

Joan - We'll see about that Smith

Joan lands a vicious blow on Bea

Vicki and Helen exit through reception and are spotted by Meg, Lizzie, and Kath who rush over

Vicki - She needs help fast, she's losing a lot of blood

Meg - I'll go and call for an ambulance

Meg rushes off in the direction of the gate

Lizzie -Gawd Hel what happened?

Helen - That bitch Fergo got me, Lizzie

The rec room

Mandy - My twin sister Sarah was always showing off about how she was better than me. When we were kids it was how she got better grades at school, how she was better at sport, better at everything. Then as we got older it was all about how she got married before me, how she started a family before me. When she got married I wasn't even asked to be a bridesmaid! She was always my mother's favourite too. My mother would join her in tormenting me about how i was always lagging behind, i was a failure. My mother would tell me I was a disappointment and how Sarah and my kid sister Connie were so much better than me. Well, I just got sick of it, I wiped that smug superior smirk off both my mother's and my sister's faces!

Mandy sits back in her seat

Mandy - That's why I killed the little brat, ok, to spite that pair of bitches. Anything else you want to know?

The room is silent tense

Brumby breaks the silence

Brumby - Sure, so you've explained all that. But this doesn't explain why you ate her! Your own niece. You're not only a kid killer but a cannibal to boot!

Lorna - Isn't it incest too?

Roo chuckles

Roo - Lord knows what you'd call it, it deserves a special name that's for sure

Brumby - So Slater, tell us why you ate her?

Mandy has a predatory look in her eyes

Mandy - Ever since I was a teenager I had this fantasy about trying human flesh. Seeing what it tasted like and what it felt like. I'd dream about it. I kept it to myself I mean it's hardly the type of thing you tell people, is it? I was already the outcast of the family enough without them knowing about that! For years I lived with the fantasy, tried to ignore it. I swear I never thought I'd act on it ever, I thought I could just ignore it you know, pretend it didn't exist

Lorna - But you couldn't?

Mandy grins

Mandy - When my bitch sister wanted a babysitter it was always me she'd call upon, I never got a word of thanks. I was just expected to do it. Heaven forbid my sister and her husband shouldn't be allowed nights out, they deserved a life despite having a baby to care for, that's what my mother would say to me. Wouldn't matter if I wanted my own life, I had to drop everything to babysit or I was branded a selfish uncaring aunt!....my god the hypocrisy makes me sick!

Roo - Ok so you were called upon to babysit....and?...

Mandy - Yeah so I had to look after the screaming brat while its parents went out and had ''fun'' I started to imagine cooking it and eating it, it looked so tasty laying there asleep in its cot. I wanted to know what it tasted like. It seemed to me to be the perfect way to get back at my sister and try my dream at the same time....but I didn't do it right away. I tried to ignore the urge for months

Brumby - And in the end, you decided you couldn't ignore it anymore?

Mandy - That's right...one night the brat was screaming its head off, I mean it wouldn't stop no matter what I did. It was doing my bloody head in. I just smothered it with a pillow and it went quiet, I knew I'd killed it

Mandy chuckles with excitement

Mandy - I thought it would be a waste if I didn't eat it! There is was there ready and waiting So I did, I cooked it in my sister's kitchen and ate it, and it tasted great, better than I ever imagined it would. And I left the remains on the kitchen table! I even gave some of the bones to the dog to play with. And when my sister came home I told her and her husband what I had done

Mandy laughs

Mandy - Their reaction was priceless, sadly I didn't have a camcorder on me or I could have recorded it

Mandy laughs and laughs as the rest of the room sit in stunned silence

Back In solitary, the fight continues. Joan delivers a punch that knocks Bea to the floor and Joan gets the upper hand and slips a knife around Bea's throat

Joan - This is for Shane Smith! It's all for Shane!

The crowd - KILL HER KILL HER KILL HER!

Bea groans

Joan - Goodbye smith!

Reb and Chrissie burst into the room

Chrissie - We ain't gonna let ya kill Bea ya bitch!

They attack Joan

Joan - You two never know when to keep out of things that don't concern you! This is between Smith and me

Reb -Yeah well we have scores to settle with ya too eh Chrissie?

Chrissie - Yeah too bleeding right

The three of them viciously fight

Reb - You're not as tough as you think you are FREAK!

Bea lays badly hurt and barely conscious

Outside Helen is being driven out the gate in an ambulance as Meg, Lizzie, Vicki, and Kath watch it go

Lizzie - Will Hel be ok Mrs M?

Meg - I don't know Lizzie, I hope so

Lizzie - That bloody rotten mongrel Fergo!

Kath comforts Lizzie

Meg - Let's all move away from the gate now

Meg and the gate guard exchange nods and the gate guard is about to shut the gate when Kelly marches up with Janice, she has a gun to Janice's head

Kelly - No don't close the gate just yet! Myself and the governor need to get through don't we

Everyone looks shocked

Roo, Lorna, Brumby, and a couple of others are out in the corridor outside the rec room while the rest guard Mandy

Roo - We have to kill her, she's clearly insane. I mean what's to say she won't decide she can't resist human flesh again and kills one of us?

Lorna nods her head vigorously

Lorna - yes I pity any poor bitch who has to share a cell with her

Roo - So we kill her? Agreed?

They all nod along

Roo re-enters the room grinning evilly

Roo - Sorry Mandy, you have to die sweetheart

Mandy is dragged out of her seat, she thrashes around

Mandy - You bunch of hypocrites! You feel you can judge me when you are all in here for doing wrong too!

Roo - None of us are cannibals Slater!

Lorna - Yeh and had we known about this sooner you'd not be here now! You'd have been dead already!

Brumby is in the doorway smirking

Brumby - Well girls one of us did know didn't she, but she kept it all to herself. She used it to blackmail Mandy into working with her

The women look disgusted

Lorna - Which sick bitch was that Brum? Is she in this room?

Brumby - Yes she is...

Roo looks livid

Roo - Shut up Tucker!

Brumby - Oh don't be shy now Roo...why don't you be brave and own up about it. You knew all about it, didn't you?

Lorna - Is this true?

Roo tries to laugh it off

Roo - Nah course it's not, it's just Tucker stirring as usual

Mandy - It's true...she's as sick as I am

Roo punches Mandy in the face giving her a nose bleed

Roo - SHUT UP BITCH!....I DON'T HAVE TO STAY HERE AND EXPLAIN MYSELF TO YOU LOT!

Roo tries to leave

Brumby - GRAB HER GIRLS!

They grab Roo

Roo struggles around as Brumby gets in her face and grabs hold of her chin

Brumby - You've treated me like dirt for years Roo, beat me when you fancy a laugh. Bullied me into working as your slave. Now at last I feel its time I paid you back for making my life such a misery

Roo (aggressive) - You! Don't make me laugh tucker! You couldn't fight your way out of a paper bag!

Brumby grins and shakes her head

Brumby - Who said anything about me? I reckon we should let Slater and yourself fight it out between you...what you reckon girls?

Lorna - What like a fight to the death?

Brumby - Yeah that's right, the winner kills the loser..... let's face it Roo should have told us about Slater and not used it to her advantage, in my book that makes her just as sick

Lorna - She still ain't paid for her part in the bomb blast either. Tina would still be alive if it wasn't for her

Brumby - Rita too

They all nod in agreement

Outside

Meg - Don't be so silly Webster, put the gun down before someone gets hurt eh

Kelly - Let us through and no one needs to get hurt do they!

Gate guard - Now look her girly...

Kelly fires a shot into the air making everyone jump

Kelly - I'm not here for a chat, I will use this thing!

Everyone steps aside as Kelly marches past with Janice

Janice - You better hope you get away ok Webster cos I'm going to rip your head off if I get a chance!

Kelly - Shut up and keep moving! Take me to your car!

The rec room

Mandy and Roo are fighting as the crowd watch

Brumby (to Lorna) - Go and find the others tell em what's going on

Lorna nods and runs out

Solitary

Reb, Chrissie, and Joan violently fight. The crowd watch cheering them on

Chrissie - I've waited years to get you back for everything you did to me, Ferguson! Remember the time you beat the crap out of me or how you helped Brenda get custody of Elizabeth?

Reb - And i owe you for trying to kill me

Reb and Chrissie appear to be beating Joan until she grabs her knife and stabs Reb in the stomach. Reb collapses on the floor

Joan - And I owe you for what you did to my father Kean

Chrissie kneels beside Reb

Chrissie - Oh christ!

Reb - Finish Ferguson off!

Chrissie - No Reb you need help, I have to get you help

Reb - Stuff that! If I'm going to die so be it! Just get the freak!

Chrissie looks unsure

Chrissie - Well ok

Chrissie stands up and points her weapon at Joan. Joan points hers back

Joan - Don't be a fool Latham, think about it! You know I could kill you easily. Remember the last time you tried to take me on, you didn't come out of that too well

Chrissie - So if I die trying so what? I have nothing left to live for now anyway...I miss my baby so much

Joan - Kean needs help Latham, look at her. She'll die pretty soon unless you help her

Chrissie looks at Reb then at Bea, she is clearly torn. She turns to a few of the crowd

Chrissie - Come on help me get Reb out! She needs help

They carry Reb out

Lorna arrives in the corridor

Lorna - You lot! Come to the rec room, Slater and Morgan are fighting to the death

Unknown prisoner 1 - But we'll miss the action here

Unknown prisoner 2 - It looks like it's pretty much over here I'd say. let's go!

They all rush off leaving Bea and Joan alone

Meg is waiting as a bus full of big beefy men in prison uniform pulls into the grounds and a man gets out

Meg - It's good of you to come over Vince, I know Blackmoor can barely afford to spare officers at the best of times

Vince - Mr Murphy wanted to do all he could to help, he gives his regards by the way

Meg nods her head curtly

Meg - That's nice

The men gather round

Meg - I am unaware of the situation inside but a prisoner has already escaped taking the governor as a hostage, we have to assume there are more hostages inside. None of the other officers are accounted for. There may be casualties too, one prisoner so far has been taken to hospital with stab wounds

Suddenly they spot figures running out, it's Chrissie and a group bringing Reb out

Vince - Looks like there's another casualty

Lizzie, Kath, and Vicki are sitting on the grass watching

Lizzie - Gawd that looks like Reb!

In solitary Joan Kneels beside Bea who is too weak to fight

Joan (whispering) - Just the two of us now, everyone else has gone. Looks like you're finished Smith, all the fight has gone from you. It's pathetic really to see you like this, the once-great Bea Smith reduced to this!

Bea - If you're gonna kill me just get on with it freak!

Joan - Well maybe if you beg I'll change my mind...if you beg and say sorry for Shane!

Bea - Get stuffed!

Joan - Oh dear...in that case I'm gonna have to kill ya

Bea - So stop talking about it and do it! What's stopping you? Finish me off like you wanted....c'mon Ferguson you've beaten me! I'm too tired and weak to fight now

Joan chuckles

Joan - I'll finish you off Smith, don't worry. I'm just surprised at how easily you're giving up...

Bea - Yeah well maybe I don't want to fight anymore and why should I want to live anymore? I have nothing on the outside and I'll be in here for the rest of my life......I know when its time to give up

Joan smirks sadly

Joan - Ah yes the self-pity speech! I remember that only too well from back in 82, the fire when we were trapped together and you had the keys. You decided you were ready to die then too, only that time you wanted to take me with you!.... I have to hand it to you, for that one sick moment in time you were in complete control! You had all the power Smith and I was terrified....I really was...you did a good job there smith. How different this is, now I have total control

Bea - You have nothing left either Ferguson...nothing and no one. And if you died tomorrow no one would care, they all hate you

Joan - True, but I did have someone until you took him away...I've loved Shane since he was a small, scared, skinny child trying to escape his abusive father. I watched him grow into a fine young man, he was going to go somewhere, he had his whole life ahead of him and you took him away from me! You took my Shane

Bea - Yeah well I didn't mean to do that, I wanted you not him

Joan - I know, but you were happy enough anyway right?... I mean I just don't understand why you came after me after all this time. I had moved on, it was over years ago what went on here between us, I had pretty much forgotten it...I thought you were dead for christ's sake! I served time on remand and I was ready to put prison behind me for good. But you are so full of hate you just couldn't let it be, could you!

Bea - It was you who started it all those years ago, you who came to Wentworth and made my life hell, mine, and my friends! We never liked any screws but if you played it fair by us we'd be fair to you too. But you just wanted to make our lives hell right from the start. It's hard enough in a dump like that, without bent screws making it worse....so don't lecture me about hate! It was your hate that started this! And yeah sure it was years ago but I never forget! Never!

Joan - I hated you because scum like you killed my Audrey! I hated you all!

Bea - Yeah well not every prisoner was like the ones who killed her!

Joan sneers

Joan - Most were! Scum like you! that little sewer rat Daniels! Latham! Gaffney!.. All of you were scum just like the scum who killed Audrey!

Bea - And Lizzie too? She is a kind, gentle, harmless old lady and you treated her like filth!... And what about Lawson? she saved your life if I remember correctly, that was bloody nice of her after what you did to her, that sick late night body search!

Joan - Well all this is very nice, our little trip down memory lane but you're boring me now. I think it's time we ended this

Bea - Yes go ahead...oh I forgot to tell you the other reason why I'm happy to die now. There was one more thing I wanted to do in my life and that was to get you, I was never going to rest until I had done that. It turned out so much better than I could ever imagine. Once I am dead I will live on inside you forever, every time you think of Shane, you will think of me. Now that is power Ferguson, true power. I can die knowing that you have to live with what I did for the rest of your life

Bea chuckles

Joan - Shut up Smith!

Bea sneers

Bea - I'll shut up when you kill me like you keep saying you will. The thing is you don't seem to be hurrying here Joanie, what's the matter? Lost your nerve have you?

Joan - Absolutely not Smith!

Joan puts the knife around her throat

GATESLAM

PART 2

Vince and the blackmoor officers have gathered around in the trashed reception area

Vince - We must be stealthy here, we have to take them by surprise and avoid casualties if possible

They all listen intently

Vince - Now fella's here's what we do

Outside Reb is driven off in an ambulance as Chrissie and Meg watch them go

Chrissie - I hope she'll be alright

Kath, Lizzie, and Vicki join them

Lizzie - What's going on in there Chris?

Chrissie - Its madness Lizzie, Bea, and the Freak were killing each other

Lizzie - Is Bea ok?

Chrissie - I don't know Lizzie, I'm sorry

Lizzie looks worried

Meg - Did you see Marty anywhere?

Chrissie - No, I'm sorry Mrs Morris, I can't say I did

Meg looks towards the building

Meg - Oh god....I hope he's ok