Scene Two - Hana

INT. TRAIN. BEFORE DAWN, ITALY 1944

AN ALLIED HOSPITAL TRAIN plows through the night carrying MILITARY WOUNDED back to Naples.

A young French- Canadian nurse, HANA, walks through a long carriage past rows of the injured. She stops at the bunk of A WOUNDED SOLDIER. Hana bends to the boy: He's had shrapnel in his legs and cheek. She speaks softly to him.

HANA: How are you?

BOY: Okay.

HANA: Your leg will be fine. A lot of sharpnel came out-I saved you the pieces.

BOY: You're the prettiest girl I've ever seen.

HANA (she hears this every day): I don't think so.

BOY: Would you kiss me?

HANA: No, I'll get you some tea.

BOY (innocent): It would mean such a lot to me.

HANA (tender, believing him): Would it?

She kisses him, very softly, on the lips.

BOY: Thank you.

EXT. ITALIAN HILL ROAD. DAY

A JEEP pulls out of the line and approaches the Red Cross truck containing Hana and the Patient. The horn blows and Hana looks out to see it contains her friend JAN. TWO YOUNG SOLDIERS sit up front, one driving, both grinning. Jan signals for Hana's attention.

JAN: Hana! Hana! Hana! There's meant to be lace in the next village--the boys are gonna take me.
(mischievously) You don't have any money, do you? Just in case there's silk.

HANA: No! JAN: I know you do. Come on. Oh, come on. (to the soldiers) She's a softy, she loves me

Hana leans under the tarpaulin, holding some DOLLARS. The two hands--hers and Jan's-reach for each other as the vehicles bump along side by side. They laugh at the effort. Jan's GOLD BRACELET catches the sun and glints.

JAN (getting the money): I love you.

The Jeep accelerates away. Hana sighs to the Patient.

Suddenly AN EXPLOSION shatters the calm as the Jeep runs over a MINE. The Jeep is THROWN into the air. The convoy halts and there's chaos as soldiers run back pulling people out of the vehicles.

 

Hana runs the other way, toward the accident, until she is prevented from reaching Jan's mangled body by the consoling arms of Oliver.