Storyline - 2022-2023

Storyline 2022-2023

Highlighting the excellence of Mason student literature through screenwriting!

FADE IN. They make their way over to Jay and embrace him. Caught in the storm cancelled the construction Robyn but I am signing up for the musical When the whistle blows you can’t control me anymore I’m picturing it now Bare-root tree beautiful smile hug Jay A night to remember barely has the chance to ring so she dances Sheri Love over time so sleep painting trees let me go tell him Elle the truth Pandora’s box, that’s okay Painting trees, faith do you board the train? Suddenly, the ground cracks and splits open. Nathan tattered and worn and loved justice Tierra trembling Wanderlust surprise! Hussain can’t have you running off now Elliot Please, night the man becomes surrounded by people that don’t look, or dress, like him. Sofia’s spot, red flapper dress, ties a knot around the apple tree branch graduation, does love not exist without suffering? Elle, 3 years old. 3AM train ticket. Jane might see her, Maura bright future sunsets, navigate the forest the trees love nature darkness illusion pendulum I am. The gardener uses his shovel to dig a hole into the ground. A rotary phone, small desk lamp, miscellaneous items. Unknown killer? Mouth wide open. Robyn clutches the bag of food and she turns her head to look behind her. Can I go to Taliah’s house today? Lit by a single flashlight. Mya screeching tires, a clip board with a petition sheet on it. Sandi grabs Robyn’s hand and steps back from her and the trash Richard, the answer is no. Montage Kourtney holding her soaked clothes under the hand dryer and hangs them on a security guard, Mark. Juniper hands him small box of cereal and they eat in silence. Lauren soon pulls her into a hug. tear rolls down her cheek. She lies on her chair and drifts off to sleep. A tall man with blond hair batteries, creates a bed on the floor. Beam of light flashes in front of him: oversized clothes, soaked clothes, albums. Her eyes follow each stroke paint, mesmerized, dazed. Eve’s mother releases her arm and she locks eyes her father, an unspoken thank you. Long, twisted branches curl along each other, stretch toward her. Something glints beneath a fern - another shell, identical. heart stares back at her. One large, painted heart, with strokes all too familiar. The world closes in. With each step, the path ahead narrows, trees slowly shifting around one another. Soaring over logs and roots and stems. The world quiets. Metal. A necklace, no, a ring. Beside it, paint bottles, and...bones. The parlor is filled with a variety of items: lit candles, statues, crystals, bottles, and posters relating to spirituality and different religions. Crystal ball, Mister Night places the money in his pocket. Their hands hold. The door makes a click as Elliot locks it. Or should I call you Martin James, formerly the head of the Church of Insight in Kansas. Broke Elaine’s poor heart. He grabs it and heads towards the door, taking his umbrella as he prepares to leave. Don’t touch that! What is she talking about? A soft ringing sound followed by a holographic message appears on the window in front of her. I still get teased for how clumsy I was during my first

Our Staff

Sally Deen Copy Editor

Sally is a senior pursuing her BFA in creative writing with a minor in film & media studies. She is the copy editor of Storyline and the former executive editor of Volition literary journal. Sally has assistant directed a Mason Players production, directed a play as part of Players4Change’s For Your Consideration Festival, as well as written and directed a short film entitled Topaz Bracelet. She is the 2021 GMU Black Artist of the Year, as well as the inaugural recipient of Next Wave Initiative’s Lorraine Hansberry Writing Award.

Aleena Ghori Layout and Design Director

Aleena is a freshman majoring in marketing. She served as the layout and design director for Storyline and studied abroad in Greece this semester. Her passion for graphic design has led her through content creation for organizations like Radial Design and Peaceful Families Project. In her free time, she loves watching mystery films, reading romance novels, attending Broadway shows, and catching soccer games.

Chloe “Clo” Smith Social Media & Marketing Director

Clo is originally from Denver, Colorado by way of Dallas, Texas and has come to Mason as a direct-entry, first-year nursing student. In addition to being the social media director for Storyline, Clo is a student ambassador for Mason’s Chapter of the NAACP health and well-being committee and strives to uplift those in her community who are at a disadvantage. In her free time, Clo is also a writer and visual artist — you’re likely to find her sketching or reading a good book! Postgrad, Clo intends to earn her doctorate in midwifery and host her own art shows!

Mangus, Director David Carroll, Associate Director

Hartsel, Assistant Director

Special Thanks to:

Ben Hosig and Tommy Britt for serving as co-advisors, David Carroll for administrative support, and Jason Hartsel for advising the staff on print production.

Advisor’s Note

Spring 2023 marks the fifteenth anniversary of the first graduating class of Film and Video Studies at George Mason University. Reflecting on that first group of six students, I recall five created non-fiction/documentary films for their senior capstone projects. Only one of the seniors I taught that year chose to write and direct a scripted fictional work. While there is still a considerable documentary strand within the Film and Video Studies curriculum, most senior capstones involve scripted fiction films. In fact, screenwriting is one of the official concentrations of the BA in Film and Video Studies.

Having been with Film and Video Studies since the beginning, I have enjoyed seeing the increasing interest in screenwriting and fiction. However, regarding the students in the screenwriting concentration, I am always looking for ways to highlight their work, which is sometimes eclipsed in public perception by the work of directors and other creative roles.

When CJ, an outstanding writer and graduate of Film and Video Studies, approached me with the idea of starting a journal dedicated to the art of screenwriting, I was sure this was just the kind of spotlight Mason screenwriters needed to make their work visible to the community. As a former advisor to Mason Cable Network, I knew Student Media would be an ideal partner to bring CJ’s idea to fruition. This first issue highlights the work of students within the screenwriting concentration and others taking screenwriting classes at Mason. I hope this issue is the first of many.

Thomas Britt Professor, Film and Video Studies

Writing a New Story

Late summer 2017, I began my journey as a screenwriting concentration in the basement of the Art and Design Building. A room full of freshmen, all looking to turn their curiosity and creativity into something more — maybe a degree, maybe a career.

As I watched film after film, I found myself squinting to find the screenwriter, while the director’s name flashed across the frame in bold. “Film is a director’s medium,” I heard. “Screenwriting is just the blueprint,” as if the Taj Mahal and every other architectural beauty didn’t have a blueprint of their own. There’s an idea that unless your script is produced it has no value. Storyline aims to write a new narrative.

Somewhere between late-night movie showings and 15-page deadlines, Film and Video Studies nurtured my curiosity into passion and passion into purpose. Screenplay is more than action and dialogue. It’s more than visual description dependent on direction. Our screenplays are a reflection of ourselves, they reflect all of the passion and purpose infused in us. Screenplay is storytelling, it’s literature. The pages we pen deserve to be shared and honored as pages.

These ideas lead me to question how we could make something at Mason uniquely for screenwriters. The answer is Storyline. Storyline is a labor of love from a screenwriter to screenwriters. As your curiosity begins to change form, may this be your outlet, your celebration, and inspiration.

Keep Writing, CJ Grooms Alumna, Film and Video Studies

Major: Film and Video Studies

Graduating in: 2025

Screenplay(s): Pandora’s Box

Logline: A powerful, young man turns to a psychic to get revenge for a client.

Why do you feel this publication is important?

“I find this publication important because it shows that I do have some talent in screenwriting that others are receptive to. Since when I write my scripts, I write what I want to write, but I also tend to be concerned with reaction to my work (like how I feel most screenwriters are). So seeing my script get some acknowledgment is very encouraging and shows that I am on the right path.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “The inspiration for this script came from my dislike of psychics and my interest in superpowers. So this script serves as a melding between these two interests, in a sort of what-if scenario of a fake psychic meeting a real psychic. But it is also part of a different idea that I’ve been playing around with, and this serves as an example of how that would work.”

Jason Mabry

Pandora’s Box

Written by Jason Mabry

EXT. PANDORA'S BOX - NIGHT

ELLIOT, a bearded, young man, stands with an umbrella outside the psychic parlor called "Pandora's Box" on a rainy New Orleans street. He wears a black suit with a red tie, and a pair of black dress shoes. He looks to a photo of a middle age looking woman and another of a younger woman in his right hand. He checks his watch, it reads 8:59 P.M.

ELLIOT

Any second now.

His watch reads 9:00 P.M.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Ok.

Elliot adjusts his suit.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Let's get started.

Elliot makes his way to the entrance of the building and opens the door.

INT. PANDORA'S BOX - NIGHT

Elliot enters the building, placing the umbrella down and sees an young man, MISTER NIGHT, struggling to place bottles up on a shelf. The parlor is filled with a variety of items: lit candles, statues, crystals, bottles, and posters relating to spirituality and different religions. In the middle of the room there is a table with a crystal ball on it.

ELLIOT

Hello, sir, do you require some assistance?

Mister Night jolts from surprise, not realizing that Elliot was there.

MISTER NIGHT

Woo, you scared me there. Yes I could use a little help.

Elliot makes his way over to Mister Night and grabs a bottle.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D)

Place that one on the third shelf.

Elliot places the bottle on the third shelf.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D)

Thank you, sir.

ELLIOT

No problem, sir.

MISTER NIGHT

Now...

Mister Night makes his way past Elliot to the table.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D) What brings you here tonight?

Elliot moves towards the table and sits.

ELLIOT

Well you see, recently my wife passed on and I just wanted to see if you could possibly reach out to her?

MISTER NIGHT

Yes, you've come to the right place. Let me grab my tools.

Mister Night grabs a pendulum and a bowl of sage.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D)

Before we move forward, I will require one hundred and fifty dollars for my services.

ELLIOT

Yes, no problem.

Elliot hands him a hundred and fifty dollars in cash. Mister Night places the money in his pocket.

MISTER NIGHT

Ok, let us begin.

Mister Night stands up from the table and lights the sage. He walks around the table, spreading the smell of the sage. Elliot's gaze follows him around the room. Mister Night sits back at the table, where he begins holding the pendulum and closes his eyes.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D)

Was there a D or an E in her name?

ELLIOT

Yes, her name was Danielle.

MISTER NIGHT

Danielle, yes. I can hear her a bit. Did she have some pain in her chest area?

ELLIOT

No, she never told me about any chest pains.

MISTER NIGHT

I thought so.

Mister Night opens his eyes and begins moving the pendulum in a circular motion.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D) Was there a condition having to do with her brain perhaps?

ELLIOT

Yes, she had a stroke.

MISTER NIGHT

I see, because I can hear her saying that she had a stroke, and that you had to make decisions related to her passing.

Mister Night stops moving the pendulum.

MISTER NIGHT (CONT'D) She's telling me that she's sorry for leaving you this way, and that she loves you and hopes that you can go on without her.

Elliot begins crying.

ELLIOT

I will honey. I'll keep moving on.

Elliot grabs Mister Night's hand and begins to shake it.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Thank you, sir, thank you so very much.

MISTER NIGHT

It is my pleasure sir, I hope this provides you some comfort.

ELLIOT

It does, it truly does.

Elliot wipes his eyes and heads to the door. Mister Night stands up and waves him goodbye.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

But I do wonder...

The door makes a click as Elliot locks it.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Why didn't she mention her daughter?

MISTER NIGHT

What?

Elliot begins walking slowly towards Mister Night.

ELLIOT

Her daughter, Elaine, she's 21 years old now.

MISTER NIGHT

Ah, well...well she wanted to make sure that you were okay.

Mister Night begins to back away from the approaching Elliot, knocking down bottles from the shelf.

ELLIOT

Really, because from what her neighbors told me, she loved her daughter dearly. Sad thing is Elaine was kidnapped when she was 17, and police couldn't find her.

MISTER NIGHT

Oh...well I couldn't hear her that well but I think I do recall hearing something of a daughter.

Mister Night backs up into the shelf. Elliot continues to move towards her.

ELLIOT

Mister Night, you can drop the act.

Elliot stops moving and crouches as he has him cornered against the shelf.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Or should I call you Martin James, formerly the head of the Church of Insight in Kansas.

(MORE)

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

Before getting caught up in a state investigation over 5 years ago. Later fleeing the state and changing your name to Barry Night before opening this dinky place.

Mister Night appears shocked.

MISTER NIGHT

How...how do you know that? Are you with the feds or something?

Elliot laughs and grabs his face.

ELLIOT

Hahaha. No, no, no. I don't work the feds or something. I'm just helping out a client. And what I know is that you thought that "using the sage and pendulum always works on emotional suckers like him", right?

MISTER NIGHT

I...I didn't say that.

Mister Night notices a bottle and tries to hit Elliot with it, but Elliot grabs his hand and forces the bottle out of it. Elliot shakes his head.

ELLIOT

Yes, but you did think it. You thought about a lot of things, like chicken for dinner, if you need more cat food, and how much you could make off of a gullible sucker like me.

Elliot grabs Mister Night's head.

ELLIOT (V.O.)

Am I right or am I right?

Mister Night breaks free of his arm and jolts back.

MISTER NIGHT

What...what are you?

ELLIOT

Just a guy who can hear some voices, that others can't.

Mister Night runs past Elliot and to the door.

ELLIOT (CONT'D)

No, no, no.

Elliot turns towards Mister Night and stares, causing him to stop in his place.

ELLIOT (V.O.)

Can't have you running off now.

Elliot walks over to Mister Night. Mister Night begins shaking.

MISTER NIGHT

Please, please I'll give you whatever you want. The safe's right in the other room, just take it.

ELLIOT

Sorry, I already have a client. You know, the girl whose mother you told was dead when she came to you. She wasn't, cops found her kidnapper a few months back, but by then her mother had passed, not knowing the truth. Broke Elaine's poor heart.

MISTER NIGHT

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, just let me go and I'll...

ELLIOT

Sorry, not what I was paid for. I just came to put a young man to sleep.

Elliot places his hand on Mister Night's cheek.

ELLIOT (V.O.)

So sleep.

Mister Night falls to the floor, unconscious. Elliot dusts himself off and rummages through Mister Night's pockets for his money. He grabs it and heads towards the door, taking his umbrella as he prepares to leave. He looks at Mister Night's body, then turns off the lights as he exits the building.

THE END.

Tyler Means

Major: Film and Video Studies

Concentration: Screenwriting

Graduating in: 2023

Screenplay(s): Painting Trees, When the Train Whistle Blows

Painting Trees Logline: Eve paints forests as an escape… until the forest is what she must escape from.

When the Train Whistle Blows Logline: Jane hears the train whistle throughout her life. When the train arrives, she must decide whether or not to board.

Why do you feel this publication is important? “Storyline is a great opportunity for writers to have their work seen and appreciated. The screenwriting concentrations are generally not included in student film production like the other concentrations, so this publication is a start to highlighting writers’ talent.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “I’m very inspired by nature. The sanctuary in Painting Trees is a real place I’ve found while taking a walk through the forest. It was such an incredible find, I just had to write about it. When the Train Whistle Blows was inspired by the instances when I hear a train in a distance but can’t find the tracks. That feeling, combined with the stress of life and graduation, formed a new story.”

Painting Trees

Written by Tyler Means

INT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY

EVE, eleven or twelve, walks through the halls of her home. The dullest, grayest suburban house, a weak facade of the American dream. Her pinkie finger trails an imaginary path against the blank paint.

YELLS thunder through the walls, harsh and shrill and threatening: Her PARENTS.

Her MOTHER spots her. She grabs Eve's arm and shouts something, but her voice twists, muffles. It doesn't matter what she says. EVE isn't listening anyway.

Her mother strikes her, and her FATHER intervenes, jumping between them.

He locks eyes with Eve, she reads him. Go, run, escape.

BEGIN FLASHBACK

INT. EVE'S BEDROOM - DAY

A much younger Eve and her father sit beside one another in her bedroom, a pure contrast to the rest of her home. Floral sheets rest against yellow walls. Curious. Welcoming.

An array of paints and one blank canvas are displayed before them.

Her father lifts the small tube of red paint, squeezes what's left onto the canvas. There isn't much.

FATHER Paintbrush?

Eve's little hand explores the options, brushes varying in length and condition, tattered and worn and loved.

She picks the brush in the middle, a little too big for her hands, but perfect for her father. He watches her, twisting the ring around his finger.

He accepts the brush with a gentle smile, dips it in the paint, and makes a stroke. It is steady, careful.

He nudges her shoulder, dotting her nose with red.

FATHER (CONT'D) Now you try.

Eve drags a line across the canvas, and another, one that curves and arcs. Her eyes follow each stroke of paint, mesmerized, dazed.

Dad?

She jolts, as if waking from a dream. Her father rests a hand on her shoulder.

FATHER

I'm here.

Eve nods, satisfied. Then she turns back to the canvas, filling the space with red. A huge heart forms in the center.

She becomes so absorbed in the painting, she doesn't notice when her mother bursts in, doesn't hear her mother shouting, doesn't see the strike to her father that follows.

Probably.

END FLASHBACK

INT. SUBURBAN HOME - DAY

Eve's mother releases her arm and she locks eyes with her father, an unspoken thank you.

The YELLS resume as Eve sprints up the stairs.

INT. EVE'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Eve bursts into her bedroom, a room still very much the same, but one that has grown. Paintings now hang above those floral bed sheets. Art supplies still litter the floor.

She sits cross-legged on the carpet. Beside her are cans of paint, a gradient of browns and greens.

She dips a large brush into a can, paints on her bedroom wall one thick stroke of brown. Then another, a thin line sprouting from the trunk, and another.

Her strokes are quick, desperate.

The YELLS build, grow, and follow the rough lines as they form a large tree. Long, twisted branches curl along each other, stretch toward her.

Eve closes her eyes and...

EXT. FOREST - DAY

A vast forest stretches across an island, its leaves casting a curtain over the bright sky. The soft roll of the SEA can be heard just beyond the RUSTLING of branches and BIRD SONGS.

Eve softly HUMS to herself as she wanders through the trees. At her feet hug ferns and soil and sand.

CRUNCH.

Eve lifts her foot and kneels to the floor, where a small white shell lays shattered in tiny pieces.

She examines the ground around her and finds another shell, alike in size and color. She cups it in her palms and traces a finger along its soft ridges.

Something glints beneath a fern - another shell, identical.

Eve brushes its fronds out of the way, revealing a trail of these shells, leading further into the forest.

She ducks under a collapsed tree, grey and peeling, and follows the trail. Curious. Intrigued.

With each step, the brush grows thicker. Thorns grab her ankles and spiderwebs tickle her hair. The sound of the sea surrenders to the call of the woods.

She climbs over a log, careful to avoid the hairy vine wrapping around its dark bark.

She jumps back onto the muddy floor and the shells begin to wither to a veil of leaves.

Eve pushes the leaves out of her path.

EXT. FOREST CLEARING - CONTINUOUS

Tall trees stand in a wide circle. A cliff looms in the grey haze, bursts of color poke through cracks in its rocks: PAPER NOTES.

Eve approaches the cliff and gently unfolds a purple note. The handwriting is that of a child's. Eve's.

I AM HERE...I AM SAFE...I AM OKAY...

She tucks it back into its crevice and reads a yellow note:

THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH ME...THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE...

And the next:

...I PRAY FOR PEACE AND SAFETY...PLEASE...

With each note, the writing matures. Letters aged and preserved.

Hugged by roots at the base of a tree, something glints a vibrant red. She crouches down and peels back the notes and letters that conceal its face.

A heart stares back at her. One large, painted heart, with strokes all too familiar. She reaches toward it, traces her pinkie finger along the old canvas.

She returns to her feet and moves toward the center of the circle, to a little box resting on a fallen tree. She unlatches it. Inside rests blank paper and a small pencil.

She removes a pink note and scribbles:

I LOVE YOU DAD. WE WILL MAKE IT OUT OF HERE.

She folds the note in half and squeezes it through a notch in the stone, becoming one with the rainbow of hope.

Eve closes her eyes, ready to return home, and...

Nothing.

She looks around, frantic, at the trees that still surround her. She grabs her skin between her fingers and pinches, but still, nothing.

EVE

Dad?

Silence answers her call.

Eve spins on her heels, searches for the trail of white shells. They could lead her out of the forest, unless...unless.

Her shoulders tremble as she finds they are no longer in a neat line, but scattered randomly across the sandy floor.

She takes off running, but the thick brush and ferns reach for her ankles. It is as if she were running in a dream, pushing, fighting, but nature holds her back.

A leafy vine twists around her leg and she tumbles to the ground. She digs her fingers under it and pries herself out, jumping back to her feet.

The world closes in. With each step, the path ahead narrows, trees slowly shifting around one another.

Roots curve along her feet, threatening to pull her down again.

But she runs, soaring over logs and roots and stems.

Through the trees, she spots a long bridge, arching over a cascade of water.

EXT. WOODEN BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

Eve races to the bridge, slowing slightly after stepping off the forest floor. Her breathing slows.

She crosses, peering into the water below, when the ground shudders.

She darts across. The wood cracks and crumbles beneath her. She almost reaches solid ground again when the planks fall from under her.

Eve grasps at the remnants of the bridge as she falls, but they too collapse.

Her SCREAMS echo through the trees as she plummets into the freezing water.

EXT. RIVER - CONTINUOUS

The world quiets. RUMBLES and CRIES mute by the rush of the current.

Eve swims upward, only to be dragged back under. Something tickles her ankle below and another SCREAM escapes her throat.

It wraps around her leg, growing tighter and tighter as it pulls her deeper. She claws at it desperately, squinting through the murky darkness.

She sees the slimy weed around her ankle, but something else glints in the depths.

Metal. A necklace, no, a ring. Beside it, paint bottles, and...bones.

Her nail slices through the stem and it loosens its grasp. She spots a bank, overhung with roots, and she grabs it, kicking as hard as she can.

Exhausted, she uses the root to propel herself to the surface and grabs onto the faltering rock and grasses.

Eve gasps as she resurfaces, coughing the river from her lungs. Her arms shake as she pulls herself to shore and collapses onto her back.

EXT. FOREST - CONTINUOUS

She stares into the sky, breathing heavily. The river, the ring. The bones.

She rolls onto her knees and gathers sticks and fallen branches.

INT. EVE'S BEDROOM - DAY

Orange and yellow paint buckets sit open on the floor.

Multiple trees have been painted onto the walls, a forest of chestnut and ochre and emerald.

Eve dips her paintbrush into vibrant orange paint.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Eve's nail beds drip red as she pries off the bark of a tree branch, revealing a dry layer beneath.

Her hands find a rock and she rubs it against a stick, sharpening it to a broad point.

Vines crawl around her. She grasps the stick firmly in her palms and rubs it aggressively against the dry branch.

The GROAN of the trees yell to her.

Charred bark begins to form.

INT. EVE'S BEDROOM - DAY

She touches her brush to the wall, orange contrasting against the dim colors of the leaves and bark.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

A spark, and the dusty floor ignites.

INT. EVE'S BEDROOM - DAY

Eve's paintbrush flies, strokes of curved flame climbing her trees.

She stirs her brush in yellow paint and traces it along the trunk.

With orange and yellow and red, she dots sparks along the wall, setting her forest ablaze.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

The forest SCREAMS.

The ground pulls at her limbs as embers erupt from its heart and ascend, higher and higher.

She has nothing left to do, so she dances.

And she dances.

The trees stretch far above her, dark smoke clouding the sky. Ferns and nuts and shells SNAP and WEEP beneath her feet.

And she spins, her arms outstretched, letting the breeze encircle her open palms and fill her curls and carry her away.

And she moves as the trees stalk toward her and their vines twist and bark CRIES.

The brush wraps around her limbs, pulling her within. She can see the flames as foliage overcomes her.

So she dances, and dances.

And she becomes one with its branches.

When the Train Whistle Blows

Written by Tyler Means

EXT. SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY

Pounding RAIN grays the landscape. What would be an average neighborhood, light, welcoming, is only washed away with gloom.

INT. CAR - DAY

A car wades through pounding rain: packed to the brim with moving boxes and a GIRL maybe 8 or 9, squished in the back seat. This is JANE. Everything about her looks neat, put together. Her hair has been pulled into a tight ponytail, her clothes uniform, probably styled by her mother.

Her cheek presses against the glass as she watches the rain drip, drip down the window.

Her PARENTS, JOHN and DONNA, both in their mid-30's. They sit in silence, her father at the wheel, her mother beside him. The family listens to the rain and the steady beat of the wipers and the hum of the air conditioning.

A TRAIN WHISTLE blows somewhere in the distance.

Jane pulls her gaze from the racing raindrops and peers into the distance, through the downpour to rows of passing houses.

JANE

You didn't tell me there would be a train nearby.

Her voice almost sounds excited. Almost.

Her parents don't take their eyes from the road.

JOHN

Train? What do you mean?

The TRAIN WHISTLE blows again.

JANE

The train whistle. Don't you hear it?

Donna shoots a glance at her husband. What is she talking about? She pulls out a paper map and unfolds it on her lap.

DONNA

I'll check, but I don't think there are any train stations around here, Sweetie.

Jane sighs, returning her attention to the raindrops on glass. Watches them fall. They didn't hear the train. Oh, well.

INT. SCHOOL - DAY

In a high school classroom mid-lecture, one STUDENT scribbles away in her notebook.

Jane, now 15 or 16, her hair still in that perfect ponytail, and writes only notes. A TRIO OF BOYS sit in front of her, snickering and tossing crumpled up paper to each other.

One hits Jane and she looks up to find the boys laughing at her. Her face flushes and she sinks lower in her chair.

The TRAIN WHISTLE blows.

Rows beyond her, a girl looks back in sympathy. MAURA. She meets Jane's eyes and offers a smile.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

Jane watches herself in the mirror, maybe a little too long, a little too close. She's now 17. Her eyes look tired, her brown makeup is smudged around the eyes, her breathing is shallow and quick.

Her fingers tease a pair of scissors on the sink. Her hands tremble just inches above the scissors, hesitating before she grabs them.

The TRAIN WHISTLE blows. It grows louder, drawing nearer, chugging on.

The scissors are brought up to her neck. A tear falls down her cheek, just like a raindrop she knew so long ago.

And she grabs a chunk of her hair and cuts it off. And another, and another, again and again. She gathers hair over her forehead, lines the strands between her fingers, and cuts herself bangs.

In the end, it isn't a bad cut. It's cute, even. But it's different.

It's not perfect.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Maura's bedroom, a haze of fairy lights and funky lamps and everything safe.

Jane lays beside Maura on her bed, tangled between pillows and blankets. Their closeness is comfort, their heads gently pressed together. They stare at the ceiling, watch the colors ripple like a pond.

JANE

I can't wait until graduation. I really need a break.

MAURA

What do you think you'll do?

JANE Sleep. A lot.

They let out soft exhales, gentle laughs in solidarity.

JANE (CONT'D) And then...see you?

Her pinkie finger brushes against Maura's hand.

JANE (CONT'D)

Maybe we can go to the beach or something.

Maura takes Jane's hand and smiles to the ceiling.

MAURA

I'd like that a lot.

EXT. SCHOOL - DAY

Jane, 18, throws a graduation cap into the air among her classmates. She grins at her parents, who stand proud.

She breaks away from her peers, waves at the smiling faces behind her, leaves a chapter behind. She finds Maura in the crowd and rushes to her.

Maura pulls her into an embrace.

JANE

I've already got the tickets, we should be ready to go whene-

DONNA

Jane? What are you talking about?

She's talking to Jane, but her eyes only watch the girl hugging her daughter.

Jane pulls away and grins at her mother.

JANE

For break, we plan to-

DONNA Break? Oh, no.

Donna speaks as if surprised, shocked at her daughter's behavior.

DONNA (CONT'D)

There's no time for that. Remember, you've still got applications and competitions and...

Jane's face falls, her breath increases. The TRAIN WHISTLE blows, drowning out her mother's voice.

She's only on autopilot as she turns and leaves Maura, as she follows her parents out the front doors of the high school, into harsh light.

But what greets her as she exits the school isn't a parking lot.

INT. TRAIN STATION - CONTINUOUS

A vacant, silent TRAIN STATION waits for her. But she still cannot see the train, just a stretch of bare tracks.

Her parents are no longer with her. Jane is alone. She blankly collapses onto a bench and stares down the tunnel where a train should come through.

JANE

It never ends, does it?

A FIGURE appears behind her.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

The tracks always end somewhere, even if there's no real destination.

Jane JUMPS, startled, but upon recognizing the figure as a Train Conductor she settles back down.

JANE

Where am I?

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

At the station, waiting for your train, by the looks of it.

JANE

But I was just at my graduation. How did I get here?

A WHISTLE blows. The train is coming.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

What matters more is whether or not you'll board the train when it arrives.

JANE

Where will it take me?

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

Do you board a train if you don't know where it's going?

JANE

No. That sounds dangerous.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

But what if it took you somewhere safe, to a place where there was no pain, no suffering?

JANE

But pain is a part of life.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

Exactly. This could take you elsewhere. You will feel peace.

JANE

Does such a place exist?

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

If it did, would you board the train?

Jane lets the question float away with the echo of the tunnel.

JANE Maybe. She waits a moment more.

JANE (CONT'D)

But I'd be leaving my life behind.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

But as you said, it’s all just pain.

BEGIN FLASHBACK

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Maura and Jane sit close. Their foreheads touch. Their hands hold.

JANE (V.O.)

No. There’s love too, there’s laughter. There’s families, there’s...friends.

Their giggles float softly between them.

BACK TO PRESENT

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

But does love not exist without suffering? To have love is to have loss. To have love is to have pain.

JANE

But then, this place with no pain, there would be no love either. What is the point of going if there is no love?

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

You would rather have love than peace?

JANE

Peace can only last for some time. Otherwise nothing would happen, be happening.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

That’s the price you pay for no suffering. After all, there is always a price to a train ticket.

The Train Conductor hands a golden boarding ticket to Jane. The TRAIN WHISTLE echoes as the train speeds through the station. It slows, then stops. Its doors open, waiting.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR (CONT'D)

The train has stopped, its doors are open. Do you board the train?

BEGIN FLASHBACK SEQUENCE

INT. KITCHEN - DAY

Jane paces back and forth just outside the kitchen. Inhales, exhales. Her mother cooks something on the stove.

Behind her back, Jane hides a sheet of paper with trembling hands. A chemistry exam with a B circled on top.

EXT. TRACK AND FIELD - DAY

Jane smiles on a podium as she's awarded a first place medal for her race. Her smile couldn't be fake. How could it be?

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

A clock reads 3 AM, ticks on, and on. Eyebags weigh down Jane's cheeks as she buries her nose in her studies. Tears threaten to fall, but she doesn't let them. No time to cry when there's work to do.

INT. SCHOOL - DAY

Jane has just won some academic achievement. Donna and John converse among the crowd, brag to other parents.

DONNA

She's the president of several clubs, a track star.

JOHN

Not to mention an A student. She truly is the perfect daughter.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

More papers, more studying, more stress. The piles of work never end.

INT. BATHROOM - DAY

The cutting of her hair, her tired eyes criticize her body.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Quick, quick scribbles of notes, papers straying from their neat piles. Her movements gradually grow more and more desperate. Quick. Jagged. She buries her head in her arms and allows the cries to escape.

MAURA (V.O.)

Jane?

END FLASHBACK SEQUENCE

INT. TRAIN STATION - DAY

Maura approaches Jane at the bench. But she's not there, not truly.

JANE

If I go...I could be done with everything. I thought after graduation I could rest, but it never ends, does it? Instead of being overworked at school, I'll be overworked at some job I probably won't even like, and I'll have even less time to do the things I enjoy, and then my parents will die and...how are we expected to keep going like this?

MAURA

We surround ourselves with love and hold it as long as we can. We take it one day at a time.

It's as if Maura is speaking behind a glass wall. Jane doesn't see her.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

All tracks end. A choice is made.

The Train Conductor steps forward, still extending the boarding ticket to Jane. The train waits.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR (CONT'D)

Do you board the train?

Jane watches the ticket but does not accept it.

JANE

What about everything I'm leaving behind?

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

Like what?

JANE

My mother says I have so much potential, I have such a bright future ahead. They'd call me selfish.

MAURA

Aren't they the selfish ones, making you live a life that isn't yours? You don't have to be perfect, Jane. You can just be and that's okay.

Jane looks in the direction of Maura, and for a moment Jane just might see her.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR

Do you stay, where everything's wrong? Do you stay to work and to suffer when it's easier to just walk away?

The TRAIN CONDUCTOR takes another step forward. Jane takes the ticket and stands, watching it glimmer in her hands.

Maura appears to be yelling to reach her, but her voice is lost to the silence. She extends her arm to Jane, but her fingers can't quite reach.

The train doors wait open. Jane's eyes meet Maura's.

TRAIN CONDUCTOR (CONT'D)

Do you board the train?

FUN FACT #1

Students working toward a BA in Film and Video Studies (FAVS) have several options for concentrations within the department: Directing, Producing, Cinematography, Screenwriting, Editing, and Sound!

Visit film.gmu.edu to learn more!

Sydnee Jiggetts

Major: Film and Video Studies

Graduating in: 2024

Screenplay(s): Bare-Root Tree

Logline: When a little girl, Elle, plants a tree at a very young age, both Elle and the tree are inseparable as they grow tall and get older together as years go by, but when Elle gets terrible news about the future of her apple tree, will she be able to figure out a way to save the thing that she has called home for so many years?

Why do you feel this publication is important? “I feel like this publication is important because like other journals and magazines that are distributed around campus, that feature poetry, prose, short stories, and different forms of artwork whether it be paintings or photography, it’s good to have a platform for other creators to shine where they can showcase their talents while providing the exposure to a different artform of creativity and storytelling.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “The inspiration behind my screenplay came from the love of animated short films and the way that the creators are able to tell a story in a short amount of time, usually with minimum dialogue almost like a silent film. I wanted to create a heartfelt coming-of-age story that focused on a character growing up and going through changes just by showing it with the use of montages, time jumps, and flashbacks to show and create the atmosphere.”

Bare-Root Tree

Written by Sydnee Jiggetts

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- NIGHT

Strong winds blow through the dark and cloudy neighborhoods of New York, picking up fallen tree branches and throwing them around. Heavy rain circles and falls to the ground flooding the streets and taking debris along with it.

Trees lean over and sway in the wind with branches crashing to the ground and falling on trash cans and benches down below. The swings sway back and forth getting wrapped and intertwined around their chains as lightning strikes through the sky.

In the front of the neighborhood, a very tall tree with its wide trunk gets pushed to the right along with the heavy winds sweeping through. Suddenly, the ground cracks and splits open as the trunk of the tree tugs on the ground surrounding it pulling it up. The roots from under the tree reveal themselves and are pulled from the ground as the tree crashes.

INT. BEDROOM- NIGHT

ELLE, a 20 year old African American girl, looks out her window to watch the storm in her dark room lit by a single flashlight. Tears form in her eyes as she watches her tree fall and rain hit her window. She stares out the window in a daze, a tear falls down her face and onto her sketchbook taped together at the spine with duct tape. She shakes her head and looks down at her paper and uses a flashlight to see the tear on her drawing. Elle wipes it off with her palm as the graphite on her page smears. Holding her head in her palms looking down at the desk, she begins to cry, unable to finish her drawing.

EXT. PARK- DAY

Two days later, Elle wanders through evaluating the hurricanes destruction. Elle and the residents in the neighborhood gather in the center of the park having conversation then disperse into different directions, repeatedly bending over and squatting, picking up and gathering tree limbs from around the park, filling trash bags with debris. Carpenters arrive and load tree limbs and trunks onto their truck and drive off.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- MORNING

A week later, Elle’s friends drive up to the front entrance of the park, opening the back seat and trunk, they begin unloading boxes of supplies. They run around the park taking sheets of paper from the stack holding them up against the tree trunks as they press a staple into them. They take a skinny metal tool and place it under the paint can tops and proceed to press downward to pop open the lids and place them in designated areas. Elle’s friends run frantically around the park tying balloons strings onto tree branches.

Elle smiles and lets out a sigh of relief as MYA, 20 years old girl, blond hair, and Elle’s best friend, walks over to her. Mya grabs her hand, and nods at Elle with reassurance and a smile on her face.

They both jump in surprise at the sound of a truck honking its horn as it pulls up behind them. Turning around, they make their way over to the truck as construction workers start unloading the new benches they made using the trees that have fallen during the storm. In teams of two, they walk around with two hands underneath both sides of the bench as they gently set them down in spots around the park surrounded by paint cans.

FLASHBACK

INT. CHURCH- DAY

Elle, 3 years old, sits next to Mya at a table exchanging papers and crayons to color together. They shyly glance at each other nervously looking back down at their papers once making eye contact. Mya picks up her sheet of paper and slides it across the table to Elle. Elle looks up and smiles as she brings the drawing closer to her.

ELLE (Shyly)

Thank you.

Mya nods and continues to draw on another page.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- DAY

With the sun shining in the sky, Elle and her best friend Mya, now 5, visit the tree in the park. Looking at each other from over the tree as it’s the same height as them with tutus on their waist and fairy wings on their back laughing as they chase each other.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- DAY

Elle and her friends, 8, circle around the now known apple tree, gathering fallen apples placing them into the basket holding each other up on their shoulders to reach the branches that are now towering over their heads.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- EVENING

Elle’s father takes a rope and ties a knot around the apple tree branch. He connects a tire to the end of the rope creating a tire swing.

Elle and Mya, 10, swing back and forth on the swing losing and regaining their momentum repeatedly. They sit under the tree laughing and eating sandwiches.

INT.

Elle, 13 years old, sits at her desk placed in front of her bedroom window finishing up her drawing for the day. She puts down her pencil and alternates from glancing up out the window then back down at her paper. She taps her pencil repeatedly on the table and shakes her leg waiting for a car to pull up.

A silver sedan pulls up next door. Mya opens the door from the back seat and gets out of the car immediately looking up to find Elle’s bedroom window. She waves, gesturing for her to come down with a smile across her face.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- AFTERNOON

Elle runs to Mya who is already swinging on the tire swing attached to the tree. Elle climbs up the trunk and sits on a branch above Mya. She opens her sketchbook as the front cover of her book rips off and falls below. They glance at it then back up to each other and let out a laugh.

Elle, 17 years old, walks down the sidewalk with an umbrella in her hand to keep the rain off her. She stops at her mailbox and reaches inside grabbing the pile of envelopes.

BEDROOM- AFTERNOON

EXT. FRONT YARD- AFTERNOON

EXT. FRONT YARD- AFTERNOON

Standing in front of her house, she stops sifting and skimming through the mail when she comes across a bright orange flyer and begins reading the words typed on it. In bold black letters are the words announcing that construction is to happen across the street in two months.

Elle’s face goes blank and she drops her umbrella letting the rain falling from the grey sky hit her face. She crumbles up the paper and runs up her front porch. She stands still, processing the moment before opening the front door.

INT. BEDROOM- AFTERNOON

Elle sits curled up in her desk chair looking out the window contemplating what she can do with a blank stare on her face. She hears the sound of screeching tires as she jumps in surprise and looks out her bedroom window.

Elle watches Mya’s silver car pull up next door into her driveway. She waits for Mya to get out of the car then bangs on her bedroom window to get her attention.

INT. BEDROOM- AFTERNOON

Elle sits on her bedroom floor with poster boards and a stack of art supplies surrounding her as she hand writes messages on the posters to create signs. Mya enters her room and sits next to Elle on the floor. Elle sighs and smacks her head into the palms of her hands in frustration as Mya wraps her arms around her.

MYA

Don’t worry Elle. We’ll figure out a way to stop them from tearing down our tree. I know how important it is to you.

ELLE (Frustrated)

Well, we are going to need a lot more help then.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- DAY

The next week, Elle stands by her tree with a few others from her neighborhood. A clip board with a petition sheet on it gets passed from one person to the next as they sign their names.

Elle, holding the sign she made in her hands, looks up towards the top of the hill.

She squints to see what’s coming towards her. Mya, followed by a large sum of teenagers from her school come walking towards her holding signs and chanting.

Elle feels the nerves and tenseness of her muscles leave her body. Mya finally reaches Elle and they embrace in a hug. She peeks over Mya’s shoulder and mouths “thank you” to a few other friends as they smile and nod.

MYA

(Still hugging Elle) See, I told you we’ll figure something out.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- EVENING

After a day of protesting, Elle looks down at her phone as a social media alert pops up.

ELLE (Shouting)

Guys, we did it! The county cancelled the construction!

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- NIGHT

Elle and her friends cheer and celebrate with their arms wrapped around each other, jumping up and down. The entire neighborhood celebrates their win by grilling with music playing in the background and people interacting and talking all around. Elle and Mya end the night by sitting under the tree with the moon light shining through the giant branches above them.

End Flashback

EXT.

As the event begins, children, teens, and adults enter the park and look around in amazement as the neighborhood kids group up and run to the benches that have been placed around the park. They take their brushes from the bucket and dip them in the paint cans brushing over the benches with multicolored paint.

EXT.

EVENING

Elle walks through the crowd of people over to her fallen tree and pulls out a pocketknife.

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- DAY

NEIGHBORHOOD PARK-

On the tree stump, Elle squats down and begins carving away at the bark, engraving her initials and the life span of her childhood apple tree into the wood. She smiles and brushes over the new carving to clean it up with a towel and climbs on the stump watching the kids play in the new park.

FLASHBACK

EXT. FARMERS MARKET- DAY

At 1 years old, Elle’s parents drive her to a farmer’s market and allow her to roam around freely. Elle wobbles straight to the plant section as her eyes get big and lets out a laugh. She immediately walks over to this bare-root tree that looks almost dead. Elle’s parents stop and turn to look at each other with a confused look on their faces and then look back at Elle. Elle looks up at her parents and smiles.

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK- AFTERNOON

Elle’s parents walk to the park across the street from their house. They reach out their arms and shake the hands of the gardener. The gardener uses his shovel to dig a hole into the ground while taking his bag of fertilizer and pouring it into the hole. Together, they pick up the bare tree and place it into the hole as Elle sits nearby on her blanket coloring in a sketchbook. Elle walks over to the tree as her mom guides her hand over the dirt to pour the water on the tree’s roots.

End Flashback FADE OUT

Jessilee Pollet

Major: Film and Video Studies

Concentration: Directing

Minor: Journalism

Graduating in: 2023

Screenplay(s): A Night to Remember

Logline: Robyn is suspicious of her roommate after she starts making strange phone calls.

Why do you feel this publication is important? “This publication is important to me because this script was very fun to write, and I want to share with others my love for short horror films. Collaboration is a major part of filmmaking and scripts should be shared to make movies a reality. I would love to see students who’d be interested in directing one of the scripts within this publication.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “I love making short horror films and I decided this script was a good way to practice writing one. I was inspired by the Scream film series because I like how the killer is always a fun mystery for the horror/slasher series. I wanted to write this screenplay about a character who became paranoid while having a story that would put the audience in disbelief.”

A Night to Remember

Written by Jessilee Pollet

FADE IN:

EXT. CITY APARTMENT SIDEWALK - NIGHT

The empty street and sidewalk are lit by street lights. ROBYN (20) is a young woman with long hair. She wears a flannel and combat boots. She carries a paper bag of food while she quickly paces down the path.

INT. SANDI/ROBYN’S APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The small apartment is covered in a dark shadow except for a soft desk lamp that shines on a desk from an open bedroom door.

INT. SANDI’S BEDROOM - NIGHT

It is almost silent except for a pencil that scratches against a piece of lined paper. SANDI (21) a young woman with short hair, wears a hoodie with the hood over her head. She hunches over her desk as she writes away on the paper.

A rotary phone sits beside her small desk lamp. The rotary phone barely has the chance to ring once before Sandi picks up the call. Sandi takes the phone with both hands and raises the phone to her ear quickly.

SANDI

Please tell me it worked?

We can’t hear who responds on the other side of the call. Sandi sighs and drops one hand from the phone.

Sandi turns toward her open bedroom door to look in the hallway. Her eyes are wide as she continues to speak.

SANDI (CONT’D)

She didn’t see you right?

EXT. CITY APARTMENT SIDEWALK - NIGHT

Robyn clutches the bag of food and she turns her head to look behind her. She speeds up her pace down the sidewalk and takes a sharp turn into an apartment building entrance.

INT. SANDI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Sandi turns away from the hallway as she hears the doorknob click open.

SANDI

Good. Don’t screw this up like you did last year.

Sandi slams the phone down to end the call.

INT. SANDI/ROBYN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

The front door opens and Robyn walks through the door. She relaxes her hand from clutching the bag of food.

ROBYN

Sandi? I got dinner!

Robyn hears no reply from Sandi as the apartment is still completely dark.

INT. SANDI'S BEDROOM - NIGHT

Sandi rips the phone off of her desk and the desk lamp falls onto the floor. She opens her dresser drawer and shoves the rotary phone inside.

She puts her hood down and walks out of her bedroom.

INT. SANDI/ROBYN'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Sandi smooths her hair down with her hand while she leans against the door frame. Sandi gives Robyn a forced smile.

ROBYN

I got the best outfit for tomorrow night.

Robyn walks into the connecting kitchen. She takes the food out of the bag as she talks. Sandi turns around to look back at her desk and stares at where the rotary phone hides away.

INT. SANDI/ROBYN'S APARTMENT - DAY

The sun shines brightly through the living room. Robyn looks into a small mirror while she puts makeup on her face.

Sandi walks out of her bedroom with a black trash bag that drags behind her. She leaves the trash bag next to the couch as she walks back to her bedroom door to pull the door shut.

Robyn turns around and sets down her makeup brush as stares at the trash bag. A long strand of tinsel hangs out of the bag on the floor.

Robyn stands up and walks up to the trash bag. She reaches for the tinsel to stuff it back into the bag. Sandi runs over and smacks Robyn’s hand.

SANDI

DON’T TOUCH THAT!

Sandi grabs Robyn’s hand and steps back from her and the trash bag.

ROBYN

OW! What are you freaking out about? I was just trying to help.

SANDI

I don’t need help. I can do this myself.

Sandi stuffs the tinsel back into the trash bag and rushes out the door. Silence overcomes the room. Robyn stares at the door while rubbing her smacked hand.

A muffled phone RING fills in the silence of the apartment. The sound is coming from Sandi’s room. Robyn turns toward Sandi’s bedroom door and frowns.

Robyn looks back at the front door one last time and rushes into Sandi’s room.

INT. SANDI’S BEDROOM - DAY

Robyn turns to look at Sandi’s bed and then the desk once she hears the phone RING become louder.

Robyn walks over to the desk and presses her hands against the table. She kneels down and slides her hands down the drawers. She opens them one by one.

Two of the drawers have miscellaneous items inside until Robyn opens the bottom drawer. The rotary phone still RINGS as she pulls it out onto the top of the desk.

Robyn hovers her hand over the phone to hear it RING once more. Then, she answers it without a word.

UNKNOWN VOICE (V.O.)

Sandi? Where are you? Did Robyn leave yet?

Robyn lets out a quiet gasp. She grips the phone tighter in her hand.

UNKNOWN VOICE (V.O)

She must be nearby so I’ll keep it quick. Bring Robyn to the house at 6 o’clock. This will be easy to pull off like you said. She’ll be scared to death.

The phone cuts out. Robyn shakes as she keeps the phone to her ear with a continuous BEEP that blares out the speaker.

ROBYN

This has to be a sick prank.

Robyn stares at the desk when she sees a paper with a list of items: duct tape, tinsel, scissors, masks, gloves, trash bags and a lighter.

ROBYN (CONT’D)

She does want to kill me!

A notification sound DINGS from Robyn’s phone. As she still holds the rotary phone in one hand, she pulls her cell phone out and reads the text from Sandi.

TEXT MESSAGE FROM SANDI:

Here’s the address for tonight.

Robyn drops the rotary phone that continues to BEEP on the desk. She runs out of the bedroom.

INT. SANDI/ROBYN'S APARTMENT - DAY

Robyn runs into the kitchen and grabs a knife from the drawer and grips it tightly.

EXT. UNKNOWN HOUSE - DUSK

Robyn stands alone outside of a house with leaves scattered all over the ground.

Robyn slowly walks up the walkway to the front door. She takes a deep breath in and lets it out slowly. Her free hand raises to the door to knock three times as she pulls the knife out from her purse.

The door opens by itself on the third knock. Robyn raises the knife in front of her and walks into the house.

INT. UNKNOWN HOUSE LIVING ROOM - DUSK

Robyn’s combat boots creek on the wood floor. No lights are on inside. The minimal light that casts from the open door makes it almost pitch black.

Shadows of people are moving around as the lights turn on. Robyn screams as she holds the knife out.

CROWD

SURPRISE AHHHHHHH!

A small group of people stand frozen in the room. There are balloons and other party decorations set up around the room.

Robyn loosens her grip on the knife and her eyes make her way to Sandi, who has her mouth wide open.

SANDI

What the fuck was that!?

ROBYN

I thought you were trying to kill me!

UNKNOWN

She wasn’t. But I am.

Sandi and Robyn stare at the unknown killer at the front door and scream.

FADE OUT.

FUN FACT #2

Student Media is the voice of Mason’s student body and publishes exclusive content in print and online to inform, enrich, and entertain our community. Get involved to gain new skills, explore your passion, and find your niche! Visit

Major: Film and Video Studies

Concentration: Screenwriting

Graduating in: 2023

Screenplay(s): Caught in the Storm

Logline: Two recent graduates with very different lives get trapped together in a store during a hurricane.

Why do you feel this publication is important?

“I feel like Storyline is an important publication because it helps showcase the talented screenwriters at Mason! I don’t think screenwriters get enough recognition for all the work they do so this helps to recognize that!”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “I honestly don’t know what inspired me to write this screenplay. I just wanted to write something about people getting stuck in a store overnight and this is what came out of it!”

Alaejha Thomas

Caught in the Storm

Written by Alaejha Thomas

FADE IN:

INT. JAY’S ROOM - DAY

JAY HOPKINS, 17 years old, short brown hair, and freckles, is in his room shoveling books into his backpack. The gray walls are lined with football trophies and posters of sports teams. After he’s done he rushes out of the room.

INT. JAY’S KITCHEN - DAY

Jay walks into the kitchen to find his mom, LAUREN, a pale looking woman with blonde hair sitting at the table and his dad, NATHAN, an average built man with brown hair and glasses serving breakfast. They sit and eat together.

JAY

Mom, dad, can I talk to you?

LAUREN

Of course sweetie! We were just talking about you and how excited we are for football season to start!

JAY

Oh. Well that’s the thing. I don’t want to play football anymore. I want to audition for the musical.

His parents stay silent for a moment and give each other a look. They make their way over to Jay and embrace him.

NATHAN

We would never force you to do something that you don’t want to do.

JAY

I know. You guys were just so excited and I didn’t want to disappoint you.

NATHAN

Nothing you do could ever make us disappointed.

INT. JUNIPER’S ROOM - DAY

JUNIPER PARKE, 17 years old, brown skin, big curly brown hair, and dark eyes is in her room packing up her backpack. The room is a cream color with nothing on the walls except a calendar above her desk.

INT. JUNIPER’S LIVING ROOM - DAY

Juniper hesitantly walks into the living room. Her mom, KOURTNEY, a short, light brown woman with straight hair, is sitting with her dad, RICHARD, a tall, muscular, bald man on the couch watching the news.

JUNIPER

Hey. Can I go to Taliah’s house today?

KOURTNEY

Honey you know how we feel about Taliyah and her way of life.

JUNIPER

That’s not a fair reason.

RICHARD

Juniper. The answer is no.

JUNIPER

But thats not fai-

KOURTNEY

Juniper. Lets not do this. You’re going to be late.

MONTAGE

Jay and his friend SIMON, a pudgy short boy with black hair, are signing up for the musical.

Juniper and Taliyah, a tall girl with golden curls, are signing up for the Gay-Straight Alliance club.

Jay shows his parents the cast list. They give him a hug.

Juniper’s dad is holding up a GSA flyer, yelling at her.

Jay is graduating. He looks out to see his family cheering from the crowd.

Juniper is graduating. She looks out and doesn’t see anyone.

END MONTAGE

EXT. PARK - AFTERNOON

Jay is sitting on a bench talking to Simon, while ROWAN, Jay’s little brother, plays in the park. There’s a faint thunder in the background. They get his brother and walk to the car. Juniper passes them, bumping into Jay. There’s a welt on her cheek and her eyes look swollen. Jay apologizes but Juniper ignores him and keeps walking. He turns to follow but continues to his car instead. She walks towards a bench and lays down.

INT. JAY’S KITCHEN - MORNING

Jay’s family sits at the bar eating breakfast and listening to the morning weather report talk about the upcoming hurricane.

LAUREN

Sweetie, remember to go get toilet paper from the store before 4:30. Jay nods and continues to eat.

EXT. PARK - DAY

Juniper wakes up on the bench. She shivers, her body dripping wet. She lifts her hand to touch her cheek and begins to cry. She grabs her backpack and starts walking.

INT. JAY’S ROOM - DAY

The clock reads 4:05 and Jay is in his room playing a game. He glances at his clock and curses, rushing out the door.

INT. STORE BATHROOM - DAY

Juniper is in the store’s bathroom. She has on dry oversized clothes. She’s holding her soaked clothes under the hand dryer and hangs them on one of the stalls. Then puts her head under the dryer.

INT. STORE - DAY

Jay is rushing through the aisle with headphones in. The shoppers around him are in chaos. He grabs the toilet paper and heads to the back to browse through the albums, ignoring the intercom announcements. The shoppers rush past him, leaving as they are told.

INT. STORE - DAY

A security guard, MARK, a tall man with blond hair, begins checking the aisles. He approaches the back of the store when another guard, JACKSON, a shorter man, stops him.

JACKSON

Hey are you done? The storm is picking up outside.

Mark briefly looks back then nods. The two turn and leave.

INT. STORE - CONTINUOUS

Jay makes his way to the front. The lights go out. He pulls out his phone’s light while walking to the front store. Another beam of light flashes in front of him, coming closer. The lights come back on and he sees the girl from the park. He jumps with a startled look on his face.

JUNIPER

Don’t bother checking. We’re stuck.

Jay’s mouth falls open as he goes to unlock his phone.

JUNIPER (CONT’D)

I already tried, no service.

A loud clap of thunder shakes the building, and the lights flicker. Juniper slightly jumps and looks up.

JUNIPER (CONT’D)

We should get some supplies, then find somewhere to sleep.

Jay nods and follows Juniper through the store. They each grab a flashlight and batteries then go to the outdoor furniture section, grabbing blankets on the way. Jay takes cushions from the other chairs and creates a bed on the floor.

JUNIPER (CONT’D)

I’m Juniper by the way.

JAY

I’m Jay. I think we went to the same school?

JUNIPER

Yep. I saw you in the spring musical. You were pretty good.

JAY

Pretty good? I am the best damn tin man that school will ever see!

Juniper lets out a laugh.

JUNIPER

Athlete turned theatre kid. You’re quite the cliche.

Jay rolls his eyes and throws a pillow at her.

JAY

Shut up!

Juniper giggles and takes the pillow. She lies on her chair and drifts off to sleep.

INT. STORE - NIGHT

Jay’s eating out of a cereal box. There’s a loud clap of thunder and the lights go out again. Juniper wakes up screaming and hyperventilating. Jay turns on his flashlight and looks in her direction. He rushes over to help her calm down and rubs her back until she falls back asleep.

INT. STORE - MORNING

Juniper wakes up first to see Jay laying with his head on her lawn chair. She smiles at him and then ruffles his hair.

JUNIPER

Get up! How could you even sleep like that?

Jay slowly raises his head and shrugs it off. Juniper hands him a small box of cereal and they eat in silence.

JUNIPER (CONT’D)

I’m bored. We should play a game or something.

JAY

We could play two truths and a lie.

Juniper scoffs.

JUNIPER

That’s boring. We should play tag.

JAY

Tag with two people? That’s even worse.

JUNIPER

Fine.

Juniper sticks out her fist.

JUNIPER (CONT’D)

Rock, paper, scissors?

JAY

You’re on.

Juniper picks rock and Jay chooses scissors. Jay puts his head in his hands while Juniper does a mini victory dance. She stands up and taps him on the shoulder and runs away.

JUNIPER

Tag! You’re it!

Jay feigns a hurt expression and then bolts after her.

INT. STORE - LATER

The two sit across from each other eating cereal and playing tic tac toe on a piece of paper.

JAY

Can I ask you something?

JUNIPER

You just did.

Jay lets out a small laugh and throws a piece of cereal at her.

JAY

No something serious.

Juniper nods.

JAY (CONT’D)

Why were you crying that day in the park?

Juniper looks up from the paper then immediately back down.

FLASHBACK:

INT. JUNIPER’S LIVING ROOM - DAY

Juniper walks into the living room, fidgeting with her fingers. Her parents are watching something on the TV.

JUNIPER

Mom. Dad. We need to talk.

RICHARD

If this is about going to that march you can forget it.

KOURTNEY

Why would you want to hang out with those people anyway honey?

JUNIPER

Because, I’m those people.

KOURTNEY

Oh honey don’t be ridiculous.

JUNIPER

I’m gay, mom.

Her mom lets out a sigh as her father makes her way towards her. He looks at her for a second, his face turning up in disgust. He backhands her.

RICHARD

Get out.

END FLASHBACK.

INT. STORE - DAY

Juniper begins to cry. Jay rushes over and starts wiping her tears, embracing her. They sit like that for a while until Juniper pulls away.

JUNIPER

Let’s do something fun. I’m tired of crying.

Jay chuckles and nods. They make their way to the toy section and grab the lightsabers.

JAY

Loser has to buy dinner?

Juniper nods and they begin their duel. They laugh, hitting each other and running around the toy aisles when they start hearing voices.

They drop their sabers and sprint to the front of the store. They are met by the two security officers.

JUNIPER

Oh thank goodness.

JACKSON

What are you guys doing in here?

JAY

We got locked in! Did you guys even check the back of the store and the bathrooms?

Mark’s face turns red as Jackson turns to him.

MARK

I am so sorry. Were you guys ok?

JUNIPER

We’re fine it was only a couple of days. But we did have to open some cereal and water.

JACKSON

Don’t even worry about that. It’ll be coming out of Mark’s paycheck!

Jackson gives mark a stern look as he pats him on the shoulder. Mark lets out a worried laugh.

MARK

I bet your family is worried sick. You guys should go on home.

JACKSON

We’ll take care of everything here.

Juniper and Jay look at them with wide eyes.

JUNIPER

Thank you so much.

EXT. JUNIPER’S HOUSE - DAY

Thank you!

JAY

They stand at the front door. Juniper lets out a deep breath and rings the doorbell. Richard opens the door, his jaw tightens as soon as he sees Juniper.

JUNIPER

I will not change who I am for anyone. And you can’t control me anymore.

Richard clenches his fist stepping towards her. Juniper doesn’t flinch, looking Richard in the eyes. Richard raises his fist slightly and Jay walks up to stand by Juniper’s side. Richard looks between the two and scoffs slamming the door. Jay slings his arm over Juniper’s shoulder and they head back to the car.

INT. JAY'S KITCHEN - DAY

Jay and Juniper walk into the kitchen immediately bombarded by Jay’s parents and brother. They pull Jay into a tight hug leaving Juniper in the corner. Lauren soon pulls her into a hug. Juniper looks at Jay sending him a silent thank you as a tear rolls down her cheek.

Fade out.

FUN FACT #3

The Mason Film Festival takes place on the Fairfax campus and has been held annually since 2008. Each year, the festival showcases short films from a variety of production classes and concentration capstones, as well as staged readings of scripts written by students in the Screenwriting concentration. Visit

Judia King

Major: Film and Video Studies

Concentration: Post Production, Editing

Graduating in: 2025

Screenplay(s): Wanderlust

Logline: An intergalactic botanist, accompanied by her supervisor, is assigned to study the flora of an uninhabited planet. Shortly after landing, they quickly discover there’s more to the planet than what meets the eye.

Why do you feel this publication is important? “This publication is important because the screenwriters at Mason are rarely heard from or seen by the other film concentrations. Storyline brings a platform to these people so their work and themselves can have a higher outreach. Through Storyline, other screenwriters outside of the department also have the opportunity to connect with others with a passion for storytelling.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay? “I originally wrote this screenplay for one of my film classes a few years ago. I am a fan of all story genres, but sci-fi is easily one of my favorites. I especially love vivid world-building, so I wrote this story intending to immerse the readers into this fictional setting. I kept the plot simple to complement the heavy descriptions of the planet the two main characters are exploring.”

Wanderlust

Written by Judia King

1 INT. THE COCKPIT OF A SPACESHIP

The scene opens up with TIERRA, a woman in her early 20s, with her back facing the camera as she's focused on piloting. Next to her is HUSSAIN, a man in his late 30s, in the copilot seat. A soft ringing sound followed by a holographic message appears on the window in front of her. Tierra pushes a button on the command panel and a video image of a MAN is projected.

TIERRA

Dr. Lopez, hello.

DR. LOPEZ

Hello, Tierra, Hussain. I'm calling to check up on how your travels are going.

TIERRA

They're going well, Doctor. We made it to the Odysseus solar system and should be arriving on Isides soon.

DR. LOPEZ

That's what I like to hear. Even though you're young, your professors speak highly of you. I have no doubts that you will carry out this assignment smoothly.

TIERRA

Thank you, Doctor, I'll do my best.

DR. LOPEZ

As for you Hussain, do you find overseeing Tierra's mission to be nostalgic?

HUSSAIN

A bit. (he chuckles) I'm hoping things go smoother for her than it did for me. 'Till this day, I still get teased for how clumsy I was during my first field mission.

DR. LOPEZ

I'm sure you two will manage alright. I'll leave you alone for the time being. I will be expecting a report later with all of the relevant details.

TIERRA

Will do.

2 EXT. SPACE - CONINUOUS

The ship flies toward a planet in the distance.

TIERRA

So, what happen during your first did mission?

HUSSAIN

I'd prefer not to talk about it. (jokingly) I don't want the mistakes of my youth to affect my otherwise perfect record.

TIERRA

(chuckles) I'll get you to tell me eventually.

3 EXT. OPEN FIELD ON ISIDES - DAY

Isides is a planet with grassy fields and lush forests. The flora, for the most part, is colored in a rich blue hue, save some of the flowers and the trees.

A view of TIERRA and HUSSAIN as they're navigating through Isides on foot after landing. Tierra's hologram device is showing an image of the plant she's looking for. Tierra moves carefully through the terrain as it transitions from the alien grass field to the forest. Hussain, on the other hand, is stumbling his way through, struggling to keep up with Tierra despite his best efforts.

TIERRA

Don't tell me you're getting old on me. At this rate, we won't find anything before the sun sets.

HUSSAIN

(out of breath) There's a reason why I work in labs now and not on expedition trips. I'm just not cut out for this kinda stuff anymore.

They both stop moving so Hussain can catch his breath.

HUSSAIN (CONTD) Also, did you just call me old? 4

Tierra gives him a playful smile instead of an answer before continuing on.

EXT. FOREST

Tierra and Hussain enter a forest filled with dark blue trees. The area eventually opens up to a pond accessorized by a small waterfall. The pair moves toward the water's edge

where they immediately spot a plant resembling the reference photo from the holographic device.

The plant in question resembles a lily, but with a flower the size of a human head. The petals are an icy, silver color and its obsidian stem curls around each other as well as into the pond's water. It gives off an illusion of reflecting the light in a way that makes it appear to be glowing.

TIERRA

Oh, wow...

HUSSAIN

The picture doesn't do it justice, huh?

TIERRA shakes her head.

TIERRA

Not even close.

Tierra takes off her backpack and pulls out the tools she needs in order to analyze the plant. Hussain just watches her work, taking notes on her performance.

There's some movement beginning to stir in the water that catches Hussain's eye and causes him to go rigid. He immediately reaches for a gun holstered on his side with a trembling hand.

HUSSAIN

(whispering) Tierra, don't make any sudden movements. I think I saw something move in the water.

On edge, Tierra does as she's told and slowly looks up at the pond. At that moment, a creature begins to emerge from the surface and make its way to the area next to them.

The creature resembles a red eel, but with the face and legs of a frog. It half-slithers and half-walks to a patch of flowers adjacent to where the pair are. Tierra and Hussain watch it cautiously, but the creature doesn't spare them more than a fleeting glance.

TIERRA

(whispering) What should we do?

HUSSAIN

You're the one leading the mission. You tell me.

Tierra thinks to herself for a moment.

TIERRA

Let's see what it does.

5

The creature nuzzles each of the flowers before moving on to the next. When it's satisfied, it returns to the water and Tierra and Hussain visibly relax.

HUSSAIN

It seems friendly enough, thankfully.

TIERRA

Yeah, it does. Let me get this sample ready so we can start heading back before it changes its mind and decides it wants to eat us.

Tierra extracts a sample and the two of them head toward the ship.

EXT. FOREST - DUSK

The sun begins to set as Tierra and Hussain navigate the forest.

HUSSAIN

It looks like it'll get dark soon.

TIERRA

Already? The day seemed to pass by so quickly. Do you have the lantern?

HUSSAIN

Yeah.

Hussain unclips his lantern from his backpack. Shortly after the sun fades into the sky, the pair becomes surrounded by darkness.

TIERRA

Let's hurry back. I don't want to find out what lurks around here in the dark.

HUSSAIN

Me neither.

6

EXT. GRASSY FIELD - NIGHT

When the pair gets back to the field, they're instantly hit by a slight, sickly-sweet smell in the air accompanied by little balls of light rising up from the grass.

TIERRA

Hussain, do you smell that?

HUSSAIN

Yeah, it's faint and it smells floral, but also kinda like... sugar?

7

Tierra and Hussain begin to feel affected by the scent in the air. The plant pheromones cause their vision to waiver and they sway with every step.

TIERRA

(slowed speech) It must be coming from the grass. I didn't even think to bring my mask since the air here should've been fine to breathe without one.

HUSSAIN

I brought mine, here take it.

TIERRA

(shakes her head) No, keep it. If one of us passes out from this it'll be easier for you to carry me than the other way around.

Hussain puts on the mask as Tierra nearly falls to the ground, catching herself at the last second. Hussain supports her as they trek the rest of the way through the field until they arrive at the ship.

INT. SHIP

Tierra and Hussain enter the loading area of the ship.

TIERRA

I've never been so thankful to be inside this thing than right at this moment.

HUSSAIN

I'm just glad we didn't faint out there. Who knows what would've happened if we did?

8 INT. SHIP - COCKPIT

The two of them walk into the cockpit and take a seat at the control panel.

HUSSAIN

How are you feeling?

TIERRA

Still kind of dizzy, but I think the effects of the grass are starting to fade.

HUSSAIN

Good to hear.

They sit in silence for a moment while Hussain updates his

9

notes.

TIERRA

It's strange that the grass seemed completely harmless until night fell. I'm now highly suspicious of this flower on our hands.

Tierra stands up and puts on a face mask and her backpack.

HUSSAIN

Where are you going?

TIERRA

I wanna get a sample of the grass and compare it to the flower.

Tierra leaves the ship before Hussain can say anything else.

EXT. SHIP

Tierra exits the ship and stays nearby as she's collecting some grass. She heads back inside shortly after.

10 INT. SHIP

Tierra takes the materials she collected to a table in the middle of the ship. Hussain heads over to where Tierra is just as she starts up a hologram using the table. The hologram shows the components of both plants and both of their eyes widen at what they see.

TIERRA

Both of these plants show high levels of a chemical that has narcotic properties.

HUSSAIN

Just how hardcore of a narcotic are we talking about?

TIERRA

The type that is strong enough to get someone addicted from the smallest dosage and shorten their lifespan by decades from short-term use. (she sighs, frustrated) What is Lopez thinking in requesting this flower...?

HUSSAIN

I don't know what he's planning, but it can't be anything good.

Tierra shuts down the holograms and heads back to the cockpit.

TIERRA

I can't give this stuff to him in good conscience without an explanation. What am I supposed to say when I report what we've found?

Hussain heads over to her.

HUSSAIN

Just tell him the truth for now. We'll confront him when he calls tomorrow.

Tierra pulls up a messaging software and Hussain watches as she types. Tierra sends the messages and clears the hologram from her view.

HUSSAIN

I want to have faith that Dr. Lopez doesn't have any ulterior motives.

TIERRA

Me too, but something in my gut tells me to think otherwise.

11 EXT. SHIP

Moment of silence as the ship sitting in the middle of Isides's grassy field slowly zooms out.

TIERRA (V.O.)

I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Fades to Black.

FUN FACT #4

Student Media offers a wide variety of hands-on experiential learning opportunities for all Mason students. Sharpen your resume, become a campus leader, and meet new people by getting involved today!

Visit

Aqwia “Aqua” Harris

Major: Film and Video Studies

Graduating in: 2023

Screenplay(s): Love Over Time

Logline: A man, lost in time, is teleported to modern day New York with one motive in mind: finding his wife.

Why do you feel this publication is important? “I think this publication is important because it gives the spotlight to upcoming writers in the Mason community.”

What are the inspirations/motivations behind your screenplay?

“The inspiration behind my screenplay was a FAVS 280 assignment where we had to create a script based off a headline from a newspaper. I took one of the headlines and put a supernatural/sci-fi twist to it. I then wanted to have a story with Black characters that weren’t portrayed as a negative stereotype.”

Love Over Time

Written by Aqua Harris

The sun blazes down as people enjoy a nice, hot June afternoon. Abruptly, dark clouds start to form. The ground starts to shake heavy as a bright, white orb appears.

Some block the light while others record the phenomenon on their phones. The orb disappears and it becomes sunny again. People look around, questioning the event that occurred.

A KID continues to play in the waves until they hear splashing in front of them. They glance to see a MAN in a suit and tie, soaking wet, looking confused. The kid points to the man excitedly, and looks at his MOTHER.

KID

Mommy, mommy! Look!

The mother turns around, confused. Her eyes go wide and she hits her HUSBAND on the arm to get his attention.

HUSBAND

What is it-

Her husband turns and sees the suited man.

HUSBAND (cont'd)

Hey man, what are you doing in there?

The suited man doesn’t speak. He stops looking and starts to walk around in the water.

HUSBAND (cont'd)

Hey? Hey!

He begins to follow the man, asking questions. The commotion brings onlookers to the man and they start to ask questions. The man becomes surrounded by people that don’t look, or dress, like him.

Military trucks suddenly arrive and exit the vehicles. They walk into the water and block off the scene from onlookers. Among them, Lieutenant General EDGAR makes his way through the crowd and turns to them.

EDGAR

Everyone, do not worry. We will figure this out shortly. In the meantime, go on back to your activities and let us handle it.

The crowd groans in disapproval as Edgar speaks, but follow Edgar’s orders and leave. Edgar turns to one of his comrades.

EDGAR (cont'd)

Take this-

Edgar looks at the suited man up and down.

EDGAR (cont'd)

-man back to base. We need to know where he came from.

The comrade salutes Edgar and nods.

COMRADE

Yes, sir.

The comrade turns to the soaking suited man and motions to his men. They obey and roughly grab the man’s arms. The suited man doesn’t resist, he just looks around confused.

The base is filled with cars, tanks, and soldiers as everyone scrambles around for answers. A large crowd of people stand at the gates as the suited man is carried into the base.

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM - AFTERNOON

The suited man, now wearing a plain red t-shirt and dark blue denim jeans, sits in the room. Edgar and a private sit in the room, looking down at him.

He zones out, hearing nothing but white noise. His attention is brought back when he hears the Lieutenant say something.

EDGAR

Do you hear me, boy?

The quiet man looks at Edgar, angered by the “nickname”. Edgar sighs and brings out a TV with a video of the arrival of the orb and man.

EDGAR (cont'd)

That orb you came from? Caused a 5.6 magnitude earthquake that went as far as Philadelphia. You know anything about that?

The man looks at the Lieutenant for a moment, then looks forward.

Edgar sighs and leaves the room, and the private, giving the silent man a once over, follows behind the Lieutenant.

Once they leave, the man takes out a silver locket and opens it. A black and white picture of a woman smiling is carefully placed. Tears form in his eyes as he thinks about her...

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

INT. SOFIA’S SPOT - NIGHT 4 4

SUPER: NEW YORK, 1920

Jazz music and laughter fill Sofia’s Spot with people drinking and dancing provocatively. Playing the music is NATHAN -- African American, wearing slacks and a sweater vest-on the piano, the same man from the beach.

As he plays the piano, a women walks into Sofia’s Spot. This is SHERI -- African American, black Marcel waves, wearing a red flapper dress. As he looks at Sheri, he starts to stumble over the notes. He gains his momentum back and continues playing, but glances back at her.

Sheri walks over to the bar and orders a drink. She turns in her seat, eyeing everyone dancing. She looks over to Nathan and she smiles a little.

Once the song ends, Nathan walks over to the bar and orders a drink. He turns to see Sheri glancing at him. The bartender gives Nathan his drink as he nods to the woman.

NATHAN

Having fun?

Sheri smiles at Nathan.

SHERI

Oh yeah. It’s really great. Especially since you’re here talking to little ol’ me.

Nathan chuckles and sips his drink. They talk for a bit until a small White man comes running in.

MAN

It’s the coppers! Run!

Patrons scramble to escape as the bartender starts hiding alcohol under the floorboards.

Nathan grabs Sheri's hand and leads her toward a secret hideout.

INT. HIDEOUT - CONTINUOUS

As they get situated, the cops arrive in the building. Nathan holds a finger to his lips, shushing Sheri. He looks through a small peephole, while the police tear apart the building.

COP #1

You think that negro that owns this place hid the alcohol?

COP #2

Probably, but they think we’re stupid. Everyone usually hides that stuff underground.

COP #1

Let’s let em off with a warning this time. 5 5

The cops nod, smashing a few more tables, and leave the building. Nathan peeks his head out of the hideout and leaves, Sheri’s hand in his.

EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT

Sheri laughs once they're far away from the building.

SHERI

I haven't had this much fun in a while.

Nathan smiles at her.

NATHAN

What’s your name, little lady?

SHERI

Sheri.

NATHAN

That’s a beautiful name for a beautiful broad like you. I’m Nathan.

Nathan raises his hand to shake hers. Sheri smiles and shakes Nathan’s hand as they continue walking. They stop at a dark brown cobblestone house.

SHERI

This is my stop.

NATHAN

Well, I hope you come back to Sofia’s.

NATHAN (cont'd)

Some nights aren't as eventful as tonight, but it's still fun.

Sheri walks up to Nathan and kisses his cheek.

SHERI

I would like that.

She turns and walks up the stairs. Nathan is paralyzed after the kiss, but still looks at Sheri as she is about to walk through the door.

Sheri turns back and waves to Nathan. As he waves back absently, she laughs and closes the door. He starts to walk away from Sheri’s building and whistles a little tune.

MONTAGE:

Sheri walks up to Nathan as he talks to the owner, SOFIA, and hugs him from behind. He stands and gives her a big hug and kisses her on both of her cheeks.

Sheri and Nathan walk in the park talking and laughing at each other’s jokes. They stop and he shows her a silver locket. She turns, her back facing him, and he puts the locket around her neck.

Sheri and Nathan watch a fireworks display in the park. She gets close to Nathan as they watch and looks at him. He turns his head to look at her, and smiles.

They look in each other’s eyes as they lean in. When they kiss, fireworks go off into the sky, but they don’t pay attention to them...

(1921)

...Nathan and Sheri continue the kiss as a flash goes off. A preacher smiles and claps for the now married couple. They smile at each other before turning to their families.

Nathan carries Sheri bridal style in the doorway of their new house as their family cheers for them outside. Her white dress drags through the door and the door closes.

END MONTAGE.

INT. NATHAN & SHERI’S HOUSE - AFTERNOON (1921)

Sheri stands in the kitchen cutting onions. She looks out at the neighborhood kids playing through her window and contemplates.

She brushes the thought and continues to cut the onions. Suddenly, the front door opens and Nathan, wearing the suit from earlier, walks in.

NATHAN

Sheri stops her cutting and smiles.

INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

She walks out of the kitchen and over to Nathan to give him a loving kiss on the lips.

SHERI

How was work?

Nathan takes an exhausted breath.

NATHAN

Tough. But, they let us out early so that’s a good thing.

Nathan sits on the couch as Sheri walks back into the kitchen. He takes off his hat, gets up from the couch and walks over to the radio, turning it on.

Nathan turns the dials until, He comes across a station talking about the news. Satisfied, he sits back down and listens.

NEWSCASTER (O.S.)

...in other news Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti have been found guilty of first degree murder...

NATHAN & SHERI’S HOUSE - MORNING (1921)

Nathan nods his head at the news.

NATHAN

I told you. I told you they’d convict them!

Sheri chuckles in the kitchen.

SHERI (O.S.)

Harlem's very own Harry Houdini over here.

NATHAN Ha ha.

Nathan closes his eyes, listening to the radio. The light in the room dims and becomes grey, but Nathan doesn’t notice.

NEWSCASTER (O.S.)

...hold on, folks. We have just been told that there is now a Category 5 hurricane on the New York coast...

Nathan perks up and looks out of the window to see the clouds in a dark blueish, grey color.

NEWSCASTER (cont'd) (O.S.)

...please lock all doors and windows, and, if you can, please sit in a windowless room...

Nathan stands and runs to the kitchen.

Nathan looks out of the window to see the wind picking up rapidly.

NATHAN

Sheri, we need to go. Now.

Sheri scoffs and looks up at Nathan.

SHERI

Nathan, what are you getting on about-

Nathan grabs Sheri’s shoulders and turns her to the window.

NATHAN Look!

Sheri sees the sky and notices the rain pouring down HARD. She drops the knife on the cutting board as Nathan grabs her hand.

INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS

He takes her to the living room, and she starts to pace.

NEWSCASTER (O.S.)

...we are receiving word that a large tsunami has hit the coast. Wherever you are, you need to find shelter now!

The room becomes darker and darker as the tsunami closes in. Nathan pulls Sheri behind him and backs them into a wall. He turns around to see Sheri's nervous face, and squeezes her hand.

NATHAN

I love you.

Sheri looks at him and gives him a long, passionate kiss.

SHERI

I love you, too.

Just as the end the kiss, the tsunami hits their house, breaking the windows. It begins to flood as Sheri cries in Nathan’s arms. He whispers in her ears to keep her calm, but the water is already up to their waists.

NATHAN

You’re gonna have to take a deep breath, okay?

Sheri nods and follows Nathan’s instructions. Nathan also takes a deep breath before the water completely covers the house. Nathan grabs Sheri’s hand and they swim to the front door.

Once Nathan opens the door, he goes through it first, but gets hit by a large tidal wave. He then realizes that he's not holding his wife’s hand anymore.

He rises up from the waves, water filling his lungs. Coughing out, he tries to look for her.

NATHAN (cont'd)

Sheri! Where are you?!

Nathan is tossed back into the water. He starts sinking when the orb emerges from the sky and drops down in the water. Nathan begins to close his eyes as the orb becomes brighter and brighter.

Nathan hears the Lieutenant and private walk back into the room. He quickly wipes his tears away. Lieutenant Edgar looks at the man and sighs.

EDGAR

Look, we know you have something to do with those earthquakes. All you need to do is just tell us how ya did it.

Nathan looks at Edgar and remains quiet. Edgar walks over to Nathan calmly. Nathan looks down at the smiling picture of his wife in the locket in his hands.

NATHAN

Do you know if my wife came here too? (then) This is her.

Nathan raises his hand to show Edgar the picture of his wife. The Lieutenant looks uninterested at the picture then meets Nathan’s eyes.

EDGAR

No, you were the only one. (then)

You know, you can go to jail for causing this. No one, not even your wife-

Edgar points to the picture.

EDGAR (cont'd)

-Can get you out of this, freak show.

Nathan looks at Edgar with hatred in his eyes, launches himself, and punches him. The private runs over to Nathan and pries him off of Edgar, now with a bloodied nose.

EDGAR (cont'd)

Take his ass to solitary. (then) I’ll deal with you later.

Nathan smirks as he is hauled out of the room.

INT. SOLITARY CONFINEMENT - NIGHT 20

Nathan gets pushed into the bare room by two soldiers. As the door closes, he slides down the wall in defeat.

NATHAN (V.O.)

My dear, sweet Sheri. As I recite this letter in my head, I sit in a different world than ours.

Nathan sits alone in the dark, the only light is the moon through the window.

NATHAN (V.O.)

They put me in “solitary confinement” for assaulting an officer. He had it coming though. He said some nasty things. I should have done more, but I don’t know what they would've done to me if I did.

Nathan starts to hum the tune he whistled after first meeting Sheri.

NATHAN (V.O.)

I don’t know if you survived that hurricane. Hell, I don’t even know how I did. Maybe when I get out of this dreaded place, we’ll see each other again. I’m picturing it now, you running up to see me with that beautiful smile on your face as I hug you. Yeah, I’d like that.

As he continues to hum, we see the large military base. Everyone carrying on as if nothing happened. Suddenly, a bright light comes from Nathan's cell.

FADE TO BLACK

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slowly looks up at the pond. We made it to the Odysseus solar system and should be arriving on Isides soon. Caught in the storm. Who knows what would’ve happened if we did? Love over time. Through the trees, she spots a long bridge, arching over a cascade of water. A car wades through pounding rain. The family listens to the rain and the steady beat of the wipers and the hum of the air conditioning. Rock, paper, scissors? Nathan looks down at the smiling picture his wife in the locket in his hands. Donna shoots a glance at her husband. When the whistle blows. 17 years old. Tierra gives him a playful smile instead of an answer before continuing on. A night to remember. Her pinkie finger brushes against Maura’s hand. She blankly collapses onto a bench and stares down the tunnel where a train should come through. A whistle blows. The train doors wait open. Her husband turns and sees the suited man. As he plays the piano, a woman walks into Sofia’s Spot. Marcel waves, wearing a red flapper dress. Pandora’s box. Orange and yellow paint buckets sit open on the floor. Shortly after the sun fades into the sky, the pair becomes surrounded by darkness. Let’s let em off with a warning this time. Her strokes are quick, desperate. Painting trees. Rows beyond her, a girl looks back in sympathy. They stop at a dark brown cobblestone house. When they kiss, fireworks go off into the sky, but they don’t pay attention to them...Nathan takes an exhausted breath. He whispers in her ears to keep her calm, but the water is already up to their waists. And she grabs a chunk of her hair and cuts it off. She wasn’t. His watch reads 9:00 P.M. Sorry, not what was paid for. They each grab a flashlight and batteries then go to the outdoor furniture section, grabbing blankets on the way. It is almost silent except for pencil that scratches against a piece of lined paper. He looks at her for a second, his face turning up in disgust. Good. Wanderlust. Oh...well I couldn’t hear her that well but I think I do recall hearing something of a daughter. Don’t screw up like you did last year. Bare-root tree. I got the best outfit for tomorrow night. Mark’s face turns red as Jackson turns to him. Did Robyn leave yet? The two across from each other eating cereal and playing tic tac toe on a piece of paper. chemistry exam with a B circled on top. I just came to put a young man to sleep. Robyn raises the knife in front of her and walks into the house. Place that one on the third shelf. I will honey. I’ll keep moving on. I...I didn’t say that. Sorry, what I was paid for. Eve spins on her heels, searches for the trail of white shells. A necklace, no, a ring. Her screams echo through the trees as she plummets into freezing water. A silver sedan pulls up next door. Mya opens the door. FADE OUT..