Countdown - Part 2

A baby's heartbeat

Jenna plays the tape recording that she has smuggled into the missile command post. Charlie discovers that it is a recording of her baby's heartbeat. He laments that fact that Jenna's pregnancy will require her to be transfered out of hazardous duty.
JENNA
We won't dance to the music I've recorded here.
(she presses the "play" button)
CHARLIE
(skeptical)
Jenna...?
(very faintly, we hear a heart beat)
JENNA
(excited)
You hear that?
CHARLIE
Jenna...?
JENNA
Oh my God.
CHARLIE
Jenna...?
JENNA
It's simply too much to believe!
CHARLIE
(getting caught up)
Jenna, be quiet so that I can hear.
(the noises continue. Jenna can hardly contain herself.
Charlie tries to respond to her excitement but he's baffled)
CHARLIE
Jenna, I don't know what I'm listening to.
Jenna...?
JENNA
(exultant)
That's a baby.
Charlie, that's a baby swimming around in a womb !
Charlie, that's a heartbeat.
And you can hear its heart beating.
You can hear it!
CHARLIE
Where'd you get it?
JENNA
I made it.
CHARLIE
What do you mean you made it?
JENNA
That's inside me, Charlie.
What you're hearing... that's in me !
(they listen for a moment)
CHARLIE
(as the realization hits him)
Damnit, Jenna don't you know what this means...

JENNA
That's a baby.
CHARLIE
...They will transfer you out of hazardous duty.

JENNA
That's a baby.

I wouldn't mind getting out of this hole in the ground.
CHARLIE
You'll be gone.
I can't believe it, Jenna.

Playback Tips: The sound files are in mono format. I am using Sound Machine as a "Helper Application" to play these au format files back on the Macintosh. I have noticed on my system (which is optimized for stereo playback) that unless the volume of the empty channel is disabled or turned all the way down, the empty channel will add hiss to the channel with the sound. If you experience hiss during playback, you should try to disable playback of the empty channel. If you are listening through external amplification as I am, this may merely require panning your balance control all the way to one side.

Graphics, text, sounds, etc.  Copyright  © Christopher Yavelow  1987 and 1994