Busy is becoming the story of my life. I can't even watch the last ER tomorrow night because I'm shooting, again. I applied this week for internships with the Chicago Film Festival and The A.V. Club. CIFF said no, but The A.V. Club said they'd keep my in mind for summer. I'm going to a job fair on Wednesday to try and land an internship or job for the summer. Fingers crossed.
But, I do finally have something to show for all of my work. My first real script, for an eight minute short, is done for the moment. It isn't all in proper format, but Blogger won't let me import it from my screenwriting software.
Ladies and gents, "This is Not a Test"
INT. Laboratory - Day - 1964
INSERT - CONFIDENTIAL LAB REPORT - DESK
Substance "813" has caused violent hallucinations in subjects when awake. When subjects are asleep, vivid dreams occur. Tests are ongoing.
BACK TO SCENE
INT. Living Room - Day - 1964
The living room door opens to reveal John, a handsome, dark-haired man in a navy blue suit.
A pig-tailed blond girl in a yellow dress, AMY, jumps into his arms before he can take a step inside.
Amy
Daddy! Daddy! You're home! I missed you.
John
I missed you too sweetheart. Where is your mother?
From the kitchen, JUNE, a pale blond woman in a mint-green dress walks into the living room, holding a martini.
June
Hello dear.
She hands him the martini as John leans in to kiss her on the cheek. June grimaces.
JOHN
Just fine. Dinner time?
JUNE
It is 6 o'clock.
June gives a fake smile, exposing her teeth as John gulps his martini.
Int. Kitchen - NIGHT
John sits at the kitchen table and takes small sips of his second martini.
June washes dishes and stares blankly out the kitchen window.
JOHN
So another bad one last night? Did she wake up screaming?
JUNE
Yes, yes she did. Screaming her damned head off and talking about monsters again. I can't believe she didn't wake you.
Looking down at the table, John sighs.
JOHN
I didn't hear a thing. Say, will you get me my slippers?
JUNE
Of course, dear.
June leaves the kitchen dragging her feet.
John approaches the three milk glasses on the counter. He removes a packet of white powder from his pocket and dumps it into a red glass with apples on it.
Amy enters the kitchen, startling John.
AMY
Can I take the milk in Daddy?
JOHN
Sure.
John hands Amy the three glasses, and she struggles to balance them in her hands as she walks to the dining room.
AMY
Red glasses for Mommy and Amy. Blue glass for Daddy.
Amy's foot catches on the carpet and she drops all but the drugged glass. June appears.
JUNE
Why would you let her carry all of those John? Look at this mess...(she begins to scrub at the carpet with her apron)...Can you just pour some more milk?
John stares out the kitchen window, martini in hand, and is slow to react to June's command.
JUNE
It just had to be my new glasses. And the one with the darling little cherries on it. Damnit, John.
He hesitates to get another glass from the cabinet, then shakes his head, as if in affirmation.
Amy sets the apple-painted glass at her mother's place.
Int. Dining Room - Night
The family eats ketchup-covered meatloaf in silence.
AMY
Daddy, what did you do at work today?
JOHN
Well, I'm working on a new medicine to help people. But we're trying to make sure it won't hurt anyone either, so we're testing it.
June glares at him and saws her meatloaf into tiny bits.
AMY
Why would medicine hurt you? Bactine hurts when Mommy puts it on cuts, but then it gets all better.
JOHN
Some medicines can hurt people. I'm making sure this medicine doesn't hurt anyone.
AMY
Maybe then it won't hurt like Bactine...
John makes a funny face at Amy, and ruffles her hair.
The two begin to cackle at each other as June pushes her plate away.
JUNE
John, did you notice these new tumblers? They're the ones the Montgomery's got for us.
John shoots June a bothered look and stops giggling with Amy.
JOHN
No, dear. I didn't.
JUNE
Well look how lovely they are. Mine has a pattern with apples. Amy's has strawberries. Yours has blueberries.
JOHN
That's just swell.
John goes back to laughing with Amy.
JUNE
Who wants dessert, I made lemon meringue pie.
AMY
Ooh, me, me!
JOHN
You have to finish all of your milk first, honey.
Amy gulps down the milk. June's glass is already empty.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
June stares out the kitchen window and sighs.
She does not notice the white residue she washes out of her milk glass.
JOHN(V.O.)
Now Amy, I've checked all the corners and all the closets. No monsters here. The only real monsters, they aren't in your dreams, they're people. But I made sure - you're safe tonight.
AMY (V.O.)
Okay Daddy. I love you whole big bunches.
JOHN (V.O.)
I love you whole big bunches too.
June removes her pruned hands from the dish water and wipes them on a flowered towel.
Hearing laughter from Amy's bedroom, she looks down the hallway towards it and purses her lips.
Int. Living Room - night
June stares blankly at the television, her fingers working quickly at knitting.
John enters and kisses her on the forehead.
JOHN
Good night love, don't stay up too late.
JUNE
I won't.
June does not look up from her knitting.
int. living room - late night
June sits on the couch, eyes wide.
She begins to clang her knitting needles together and laughs hysterically in the glow of the television.
She gets up from the couch, thrusting her arms out for balance.
June blinks at the television for a moment before looking towards the kitchen.
June walks toward the kitchen, arms around her chest to protect her from the darkness.
June's head tilts around the room rapidly, her eyes scanning every corner of the room.
JUNE
So...dark. Where is...why do I feel like this...
Entering the kitchen, June begins hyperventilating and drops to her knees. She crawls around, trying to breath normally.
June crawls over to a cabinet and pulls open a drawer. She rummages through it, face grimaced, eyes wide.
She finds what she is looking for and huddles beneath the stove light.
Int. Bedroom - Late Night
Amy awakes calmly, and smiles as she looks around the dark bedroom. She rubs sleep from her eyes.
AMY
Thirsty.
Int. Kitchen - Late Night
Amy walks into the kitchen and hesitates as she sees her mother's limp hand in the kitchen doorway.
AMY
Mommy?
June lays against the stove in a pool of blood, eyes open. Long, deep scratches run up and down her arms. They have been made by the grill skewers that now stick out of the top of each thigh.
AMY
Oh, I must be dreaming...
Amy turns from her mother, face contorted in confusion, and walks out of the kitchen.
Int. Bedroom - Dawn
John awakes with a start; sits all the way up.
He looks at the gathering light outside and runs his hand over the place where his wife should be sleeping.
He frowns, and gets out of bed.
JOHN
June, honey, where are you?
Int. Kitchen - Dawn
John walks into the kitchen, first past the stove, not noticing June.
He turns around as he notices the stove light still on.
John finds his wife, eyes still open, in the dawn. He is totally still for a moment.
Looking at his wife the whole time, John mechanically begins to dial the rotary telephone.
JOHN
Yes, I need an ambulance. My wife has had...an accident. 50 Eagle Lane. Please hurry.
John cannot remove his eyes from the dead gaze of his wife.
JOHN
Oh, dear.
Int. Kitchen - morning
Amy walks into the kitchen and looks first to her father at the stove cooking breakfast, then to her plate set on the table. She sits down. John sets down a glass of orange juice.
AMY
Why did YOU make breakfast, Daddy? I only had one bad dream last night. It was about Mommy. Where is she?
John stands at the sink and notices the residue in June's apple-painted milk glass.
He looks out the kitchen window, and holds back tears.
JOHN
It worked...
John puts his face on his hands and walks quickly out of the kitchen.
Amy watches her father walk out of the room, looking surprised for only a moment.
She shrugs, looks down at her plate, and begins to eat her breakfast.
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