DOCTOR: It’s time. We’re going to turn off the life-support.
MOTHER: But there’s nothing wrong with her –
DOCTOR: Of course there is. Can’t you see? She’s gangrenous from head to toe. She has no brain function left at all.
MOTHER: But she’s sitting up –
DOCTOR: An involuntary muscle spasm. Ignore it.
MOTHER: And, look, she’s smiling at me.
DOCTOR: It doesn’t mean anything. I promise you, she’s a vegetable.
MOTHER: My baby.
DOCTOR: We’ll switch her off and give you a new one.
MOTHER: A new baby?
DOCTOR: Oh yes – we have a cupboard filled with spares. All much more modern, user-friendly and cost effective than your old model.
MOTHER: I don’t believe it.
DOCTOR: Here. I’ll show you.
DOCTOR opens cupboard and pulls out a toy robot.
MOTHER: That’s not a baby.
DOCTOR: Of course it is.
MOTHER: It’s not even alive.
DOCTOR: That’s why it’s so much better. It’ll never get sick, never cry. It’ll just sit here, nice and quietly and do what it’s told.
MOTHER: What about smiling?
DOCTOR: Over-rated.
MOTHER: Talking?
DOCTOR: Silence is a virtue.
MOTHER: No thanks.
DOCTOR: What?
MOTHER: I’m happy with the child I’ve got. I want to take her home now.
DOCTOR: You can’t.
MOTHER: Why not?
DOCTOR: Official policy. We don’t let patients go home unless they’ve passed our tests for optimal health.
MOTHER: But she’ll be my responsibility. I’ll look after her. I’ll give her everything she needs, and you’ll never have to see me again.
DOCTOR: Impossible. She’s been in this hospital. If she leaves she could damage our reputation.
MOTHER: So what are you going to do?
DOCTOR: Switch off the life support.
MOTHER: You do realise she isn’t on life support.
DOCTOR: Why on earth not?
MOTHER: Because she’s functioning perfectly.
DOCTOR: We’ll see about that.
DOCTOR picks up a mallet and hits baby repeatedly. MOTHER screams.
DOCTOR: There. Now she needs life support.
MOTHER scoops up baby and cradles her.
MOTHER: Get away from her, you monster.
DOCTOR: Just doing my job. (Holding out robot) Leave her and take one of these instead.
MOTHER: You’re supposed to care. To help people.
DOCTOR: I have a whole team of mechatronic technicians working behind the cupboard there. They rely on me.
MOTHER: You kill perfectly healthy children just to keep your robot makers in business?
DOCTOR: We’re just doing what’s necessary to meet our KPIs. Now give me the baby.
MOTHER: Never!
DOCTOR approaches MOTHER. She grabs a scalpel and stabs him. He deflates. She peels back his suit and there’s a robot beneath his clothes. The robot slowly grinds and whirrs into action.
ROBOT: Give me the baby.
MOTHER goes into a frenzy, stomping on the ROBOT until she’s broken it into tiny pieces. She gives it a last kick for good measure and runs out with her child.
Very interesting. Very short yet sends a powerful message of mechanization of human life.