Chapter V: Act I: Dawn

CECIL _is discovered lying behind a wall of sandbags. On one
side are the sandbags, and on the other an idyllic spring scene,
with flowers and orchards seen in the half-light of a spring
morning. The dawn breaks gently, and soon bullets begin to ping
through the air, flattening themselves against the sandbags, or
passing over_ CECIL's _head. He wakes and yawns, and then
composes himself with his eyes open._

_Enter Allegorical personages_: FATHER SUN, MOTHER EARTH, _and
a chorus of_ GRASSES, POPPIES, CORNFLOWERS, RAGGED ROBINS,
DAISIES, BEETLES, BEES, FLIES, _and insects of all kinds._

FATHER SUN.

Wake, children, rub your eyes,
Up and dance and sing and play,
Not a cloud is in the skies;
This is going to be _my_ day.
See the tiny dew-drop glisten
In my glancing golden ray;
See the shadows dancing, listen
To the lark so blithe and gay.
Up, children, dance and play,
This is my own festal day.

FLOWERS, BEETLES, ETC.

Dance and sing
In a ring,
Naughty clouds are chased away;
Oh what fun,
Father Sun
Is going to shine the whole long day.

MOTHER EARTH. That's right, children. This is the day to grow in; but don't forget to come home to dinner; I've got such a nice dinner for you.

(_The children dance away delightedly, while CECIL watches
them, fascinated._)

MOTHER EARTH. What's this absurd young man doing, sitting behind that ugly wall? Why don't he sit under a tree if he must sit?

FATHER SUN. Oh, he's a lunatic! Must be.

(RANDOM BULLET _jumps over the sandbags into the dug-out, and
jibbers impotently at_ CECIL, _who glances up at him with a
look of disgust._)

RANDOM BULLET. Ping! Ping. It's me he's afraid of. He daren't stir a yard from this wall, or I'd tear his brains out. Ping! Ping!

MOTHER EARTH. Who are you, Monster?

RANDOM BULLET. I'm Random Bullet. I _am_ a monster, I am! Ping!

MOTHER EARTH. Who sent you, anyway?

RANDOM BULLET. Why, the idiots behind the other wall, over there! Sometimes I jump at them, and sometimes I jump over here. I don't care which way it is; but I like tearing their brains out, I do. I don't care which lot it is.

MOTHER EARTH. What madness!

FATHER SUN (_indignantly_). On my day too!

RANDOM BULLET. Mad! I should think they were! Never mind, they give me some fun! Ping! So long, I'm off, going to jump at the other fellows, back in a second if you like to wait.

(RANDOM BULLET _jumps out of sight, and_ MOTHER EARTH _and_
FATHER SUN _move disgustedly away._)

CECIL (_getting up_). Mad! By God, we are mad! Curse the war! Curse the fools who started it! Why did I ever come out here? What a way to spend a morning in June!

(_Curtain._)