3/22/2018
Script Drowning
DROWNING. Scene 1: Meddling. THE STAGE IS SET AT A WELL KEPT HIGH SCHOOL. THE SCENE OF THE SCHOOL SHOWS KIDS OF ALL RACES; THE CLIQUES IN THE SCHOOL ARE SUBTLELY SEGREGATED WITH INDISTINCT CHATTER. TWO BOYS ARE TALKING ABOUT A NEW VIDEO GAME BECOMING MORE DISTINCT WHILST THE INDISTINCT NOISE BECOMES INAUDIBLE. ACTORS SURROUNDING THE TWO FREEZE IN THEIR POSITION. THE TWO BOYS TALKING ARE DILLON AND LUCAS. DILLON IS A LANKY 16-YEAR-OLD REDHEAD WHO IS NORMALLY QUIET. LUCAS IS A SHORT 17-YEAR-OLD BLONDE WHO IS NORMALLY KNOWN AS OUTSPOKEN AND COURAGEOUS. DILLON: [laughing] I stayed up way too late playing that game. I totally didn't finish my pre-cal homework. LUCAS: [died off laughing] bro tell me about it. That homework was insane I looked at it and said 'nope'. BOYS WALK-OFF STAGE INDISTINCT TALKING IN THE DISTANCE. SPOTLIGHT MOTIONS OFF TO A GROUP OF CHEERLEADERS AND FOOTBALL PLAYERS TALKING QUIETLY, HUSHING EACH OTHER. CHEERLEADER #1: [looking at the fellow students and in a hushed whisper] no one's gonna talk about it. Not like she mattered anyways. FADES TO BLACK AS THE GROUP WALKS OFF STAGE. THE STAGE CHANGES OVER TO DILLONS' SMALL AND WELL-KEPT HOUSE THAT IS SHOWN FROM THE SIDE SHOWING THE LIVING ROOM, A SMALL SIDE VIEW OF A KITCHEN ONLY THING VISIBLE IS THE COUNTER AND THE FRIDGE, AND THEN PAST THE KITCHEN IS A SMALL UNLIGHTED BEDROOM. WHILE KIDS ARE PLAYING BASKETBALL AS HE APPROACHES HIS HOUSE. THE KIDS RUN OFF STAGE. DILLON IS FIDDLING WITH HIS KEY AS HE ENTERS HIS HOUSE. INDISTINCT TV NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND. DILLON: [yelling] Mom! I'm home. [going back to an inside voice] but obviously you're not. DILLON throws his bag on the couch walks off to the kitchen grabbing a snack from the fridge. TV becomes more distinct. TV ANNOUNCER would be an offset pre-recorded character voice that would come over the theater's speakers. TV ANNOUNCER: This just in local high school cheerleader, Asha Jones, was found dead in the city lake. DILLON sits down on his couch apple in hand. TV ANNOUNCER: Cause of death? Police suspect it was drowning. Asha's body was founded earlier this morning by a fisherman doing his daily rounds. Asha's parents are claiming it to be murder. DILLON drops his apple. DILLON: Earlier this morning? Murder? [confused expression his face, faintly whispering to himself] If it was earlier this morning how come no one said anything? The front door opens. DILLON'S MOM walks inside with business attire. Her hair looks a mess and she has heavy lines on her face indicating stress. She walks over beside DILLON and places a hand on his shoulder kissing his head. Looking at the TV she grabs the remote turning it off. DILLON is still looking at the TV with a confused expression. https://www.celtx.com/a/ux/scripteditor?id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celtx.com%2Ffeeds%2Fdefault%2Fprivate%2Ffull%2F9c159493887d233e099737a7df85b3d370… 1/7
3/22/2018
Script Drowning
DILLON'S MOM: You know we shouldn't go meddling in business that isn't ours. You know we don't associate ourselves with predicaments like those. She turns to go to the kitchen standing behind the counter. DILLON is just blankly staring at the TV. He quickly stands up, grabbing his book bag and rushes off to his room.DILLON'S MOM sighs and picks up the telephone and there is indistinct chatter in the background. THE KITCHEN AND LIVING ROOM BECOME UNLIGHTED AS HE WALKS THROUGH THE ROOM DOWN THE HALLWAY. MEANWHILE, A SPOTLIGHT IS SHOWN ON DILLON'S ROOM. DILLON IS HURRIDLY OPENING HIS DOOR AND SITS ON THE BED, AND BEGINS DIGGING THROUGH HIS BAG. DILLON PULLS OUT HIS WALLET VIGOUROUSLY FLIPPING THROUGH THE FOLDS. HE THEN DROPS THE WALLET WITH A SHOCKED EXPRESSION. DILLON TURNS TO THE AUDIENCE. SPEAKING TO THEM. DILLON: I can't believe it. DILLON begins to sob. His words melting together. DILLON: How does someone just die and the high school the kid went to doesn't even mention it? He puts his hands on his face and his words become more spaced out and dragged. DILLON: I should've known. She was always... Always so quiet... she wouldn't laugh at the jokes anyone else would. I should've known she'd be vulnerable... i... I should've...should've known. He begins to grow an angry tone and looking back at the audience stands up, almost shouting. DILLION: You know I think I heard one of the cheerleaders today mention something offsetting. Something like... like... [groans from anger, pulling at his hair] Something like she never mattered anyways or some crap. Heck, I just thought they were talking about someone getting kicked off the squad. He grows quieter and sits back down. DILLON: How was I supposed to know? There were rumors about the girl around school, but rumors are always fake right? Or even if they aren't why would they lead to death? Why would it have to lead to anything like that?
DILLION SHAKES HIS HEAD AND BEGINS TO SOB AGAIN. STAGE FADES TO BLACK WHILE THE SOBS BECOME MUTE. END SCENE. Scene 2: Murder? COP CAR SIRENS COME OVER AS A COP CAR BECOME VISIBLE BY SPOTLIGHT SHOWING TWO COPS INSIDE THE CAR. COP 1: So'd you hear about that girl that lived across the tracks? COP 2 nods in agreement. Leaning back in his chair adjusting his hat over his face. Looking as if he was about to take a nap. COP 2: [sounding exhausted] Sure did. You think it was murder? COP 1 shakes his head with an unsure look on his face. He looks nervously outside his window. COP 1: I'm not sure. No one in the system of suspects seems to have the sort of intentions that her killer did. I mean the beat the crap out of the https://www.celtx.com/a/ux/scripteditor?id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celtx.com%2Ffeeds%2Fdefault%2Fprivate%2Ffull%2F9c159493887d233e099737a7df85b3d370… 2/7
3/22/2018
Script Drowning
poor girl. She was found with fist wounds the sizes of footballs and deep scratch marks. And then on top of all that to just throw her in a lake. COP 2 is heard snoring as COP 1 hits him with a rolled-up newspaper. COP 2 wakes up looking a little lost but mumbles, his words becoming more apparent. COP 2: I'm sorry kid I passed out halfway through what'd you say? COP 1 sighs heavily rolling his eyes. He turns on the car (car engine roars over the theatre speakers.) COP 1: I was just rambling I guess. But a synopsis for you is that she was too beat up to have it just be suicide. Had to be someone or someones to do it.[squints his eyes as if trying to look for something in the distance.] I just can't imagine who. COP 2 readjusts himself in his seat reclining his hat back in place. COP 2: Well I'm sure we can figure it out. Who knows could've been one of her best friends for all we know. COP 2 begins to snore and COP 1 stares off into space and then has a realization look appear on his face. He re-cranks the car again. STAGE FADES TO BLACK. END SCENE. Scene 3: Spotted? THE STAGE IS SET BACK IN THE HIGH SCHOOL. THIS TIME A CLASSROOM DISPLAYING ABOUT 5 TO 6 DESKS. THE BELL RINGS. EVERY SEAT IS FILLED EXCEPT FOR ONE IN THE VERY FRONT AND CENTER OF THE STAGE. THE TEACHER IS STANDING IN THE FRONT OF THE CLASS HITTING HER DESK WITH A POINTER TO SETTLE DOWN THE CHATTY STUDENTS. TEACHER: Settle down you guys. Ok, let me take attendance. JanThe TEACHER is cut off by DILLION who is rushing onto the stage. The TEACHER looks at him with a disapproval look and clears her throat very loudly. He continues to look down and not making eye contact with her. She points to his desk and motions for him to go ahead and sit down. Right as the TEACHER goes to open their mouth, COP 1 and COP 2 walk in. COP 1 approaches the teacher while COP 2 roams around the classroom. COP 1: Sorry to interrupt your class but we need to question some of your students about the incident that happened yesterday. TEACHER makes a confused face. TEACHER: May we speak outside ourselves first? COP 1 looks at her thinking and looks her up and down. He then nods and they both walk off stage where you can only hear faint whispers. TEACHER: You have no right interrogating my students' officer! TEACHER storms on stage and walks to the 'front' of the classroom and crosses her arms disapprovingly. COP 2 who was in the classroom the whole time mosies over by a desk where a cheerleader sits. COP 1 adjust his hat and looks at the cheerleader and then back at the TEACHER. COP 1: May we? TEACHER with a worried look on her face. TEACHER: Yes sir. https://www.celtx.com/a/ux/scripteditor?id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celtx.com%2Ffeeds%2Fdefault%2Fprivate%2Ffull%2F9c159493887d233e099737a7df85b3d370… 3/7
3/22/2018
Script Drowning
Both COP 1 and COP 2 go off stage along with the student. TEACHER shakes their head and all the students are looking at the part of the stage from where the cops took the student. TEACHER grabs her phone and hurridly types. She then claps her hands to grab the classes attention. Bell rings and the teacher dismisses them with her hands looking flustered and flabbergasted. STAGE FADES TO BLACK AS THE STUDENTS LEAVE. THE TEACHER IS SPOTLIGHTED WHILE SHE GETS A PHONE CALL AND RUSHES HERSELF OUT OF THE CLASSROOM. END SCENE. Scene 4: Betrayal. THE STAGE IS SET TO DILLIONS HOUSE AGAIN.DILLION IS IN HIS ROOM WHICH IS NOT NEARLY AS TIDY AS IT WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS SHOWN. DILLION IS ON HIS BED LOOKING THROUGH A NEWSPAPER. DILLION PAUSES HIS READING AND LOOKS BACK UP AT THE AUDIENCE. DILLION speaking to the audience. DILLION: It's been about a week now. [his voice lowers slowly breaking and becoming more spacious with his words] No one... in the whole school even... even bats an eye that anything has happened... no one even seems to notice that she... she's gone. DILLON grows louder with his voice standing up. DILLON: Was she just nobody?! Why hasn't anyone asked little miss perfect Katie Walters! Why was she pulled out of class? Why of all people interview her! Is that not suspicious to anyone else! He throws his newspaper down on the ground. DILLON: Why is everyone acting like this never happened! A girl was killed and now their just saying she drowned? What kind of crap is that! People are saying that she probably killed herself. She was never the kind of person who would just one day go and kill herself! He looks down at his newspaper and picks it up pointing to the picture of her and her father. DILLON: She looks so happy in this photo. Some people are saying her father did it. But why would he do it? They're so happy in this photo. You know she had a name. Do you see her name on here? Pointing to the picture no name is present. He grows quiet but there's still an angry tone in his voice. DILLON: No. There's no name. Instead, they just say she was some black girl. Not even enough respect to say her name much less, African-American girl. No respect for her or her father. They're calling him an alcoholic. Which he probably is drinking now because guess what! His only child died! Why should her color matter? Why should anything like that matter!? A girl was killed. Now I can't tell which is worse, them saying that she killed herself or her father killed her in some drunken rage! He roars and hits his wall. He stops and spaces out. His face growing deep with thought and then becomes a look of acquisition. DILLON: You want to know what I think? She was always quiet when any of the other cheerleaders were around. They always seemed to be the ones who'd start stupid rumors to get themselves out of trouble. There used to be rumors that she and some drama techie kissed probably started by them. Though the 'bad' part of it was the techie was another girl. Obviously, that shouldn't have mattered, but a week before she was killed, yes killed not by her father or herself, she got kicked off the cheerleading squad. He chuckles out of pain and tears begin to go down his face. https://www.celtx.com/a/ux/scripteditor?id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.celtx.com%2Ffeeds%2Fdefault%2Fprivate%2Ffull%2F9c159493887d233e099737a7df85b3d370… 4/7
3/22/2018
Script Drowning
DILLON: Oh my god you should've seen it. She was so hysterical about it. There were rumors going around that her father beat her because she was gay. Again probably started by the homophobic Christian clique. Claiming they were good Christians when we all knew what they did after football games. He shakes his head and sets himself down on his bed again. DILLON: I'm so tired of everyone treating it like its nothing! I don't even want to think about what was said to her before she died. Is everyone's high school like this? Is this how it really is now. You know I really... I really do, think that Katie Walters and some other damn football players killed her. He looks down at a photo on his desk beside him and he sits down. He grabs the photo looking at it sadly and then violently throwing it down on the ground. He begins to sob. DILLON: Oh and to make it all sprinkles on top of a cake, my best friend, Lucas, is calling me insane! Insane for what? Insane for knowing that this girl didn't only drown but is drowning in hate and disrespect afterward? Insane because I'm repeatedly trying to find the truth? Listen to this conversation we had. He pulls out his phone hitting some buttons and then laughs angrily. Looking through some texts he sighs and begins. DILLON: [clears throat] hey Lucas isn't all this stuff happening crazy. THE SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STAGE. STANDING THERE IS LUCAS. LUCAS IS SEATED IN AN OFFICE CHAIR WITH HIS HEADPHONES ON. LUCAS HAS HIS PHONE IN HAND READING THE MESSAGES TOO. LUCAS: What stuff...? You mean you're girl problems lol? DILLON: No! [voice grows angry as he reads] The stuff with Asha. LUCAS grows a confused look on his face. LUCAS: Asha who? DILLON: The girl who got murdered. LUCAS: oh you mean the gay one? Though, you know she killed herself. DILLON: yeah the 'gay' one. But she didn't kill herself. LUCAS laughs to himself. While DILLON becomes obviously enraged. LUCAS: yeah sure she didn't. Haven't you heard the rumors about her depression? Especially if her dad beats her every night. I mean that's common for fags right? DILLON throws his phone down. He picks it back up furiously. DILLON: Don't you ever say that word about her again Lucas. LUCAS: Hey calm down bro, I'm just stating facts. DILLON pauses and looks back up to the audience speaking to them. DILLON: "Just stating facts," he said. I'm sorry I would read the rest of the conversation to you, but I think you get the point. Apparently, all she ever was... was some gay... someone who wasn't cared about and was just a target for hate.
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3/22/2018
Script Drowning
DILLON THROWS HIS PHONE AT THE WALL. HE STORMS OUT THE ROOM WALKING INTO THE BLACK STAGE AS IT FADES TO BLACK. END SCENE.
Scene 5: Drowning. THE STAGE IS SET WITH DIM BLUE LIGHTS. SAND AND ROCKS ARE ON THE GROUND, OLD WEATHERED WOOD BORDER THE STAGE, TO MAKE A LAKE APPEARANCE. DILLON is shown walking on stage with dark clothing on. He stands at the edge of the stage and talks directly to the audience. His hands are in his pockets. His face becomes lit up with the spotlight at a dim level just enough to tell that it's him. DILLON: You know what. I'm so done. I'm done with people just not caring people just acting like nothing happened. His face becomes more visible as the spotlight shines on him but still at a dim level. There are tears on his face and he looks sleep deprived. DILLION: It's been three whole months since it happened. Three months. No one has been pulled out of class after Katie was. Three months and not a single one of those guys have been pulled out of class! What did she do to deserve this? Why hasn't there been any more interrogations? Did the cops get tipped off?! He falls on his knees. Sobbing and his voice rising to a yell now. DILLON: I'm tired of it all! I can't sleep! I can't eat! She's defenseless! No one is defending her but some guy she never bothered to talk to! I feel like it's my fault like maybe I could've done something. Some dumb magic trick to make it all figure itself out. But look at me. I'm a nobody trying to stand up for a girl who wasn't even my friend, not even a real acquaintance. I'm defending a nobody that thought I was a nobody. [ his voice quiets almost to a whisper] Did you know they arrested her dad? They believed those dumb rumors that float around our school. The poor man never saw it coming. I heard they ambushed his house and put him at gunpoint. People got it on camera as he was walking out the house. People are saying his hands were up.Though the police took the footage away from everyone who took any so there's no way to tell. Do you think they would've done that to a white guy? [laughs sarcasticly] Probably not. [voice raises] "He was an alcoholic!", they say! "He gets what he deserves that black ******", they chant! That's whats wrong with this world!Just because someone doesn't look just like you means you can use historic racist words and treat them less than you. All because they aren't as high and mighty as you! People are being killed over this bull crap! These ideals that are drilled into young white rich kids minds in school and home. No more... no more... He stands back up. Takes his hands out of his pockets one of them holding a gun. He paces back and forth. DILLON: You know, I've never seen the lake this beautiful before. I wonder if it was as mesmerizing when she died.[he begins to choke on his own words] Imagine all of the things she could've done. [he waves the gun around] and now imagine all the things I could do. Things like this make someone really lose all hope in the world. He throws the gun off stage and a water splash comes over the theatre speakers. DILLON crumbles to the ground and begins to sob. CURTAIN CLOSES AND LIGHT FADES. END SCENE.
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3/22/2018
Script Drowning
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