Finding Her Voice. Jourdin Rachael Revels Fairfax High School

Transcription

1 Finding Her Voice By Jourdin Rachael Revels 2011 Fairfax High School

2 FADE IN: INT. CLASSROOM - DAY, 17, senior at Fairfax High School, is in Mrs. REVELS AP American Literature class reading about the Anglo-Saxon era. She s got a lot on her mind. With her thoughts going in every direction, her focus is quickly drawn to the vibration coming from her right pants pocket. Krystal pulls out her phone to read a shocking message. NO! The class in unison jumps in shock at the scream and turns to Krystal to see what happened. MRS. REVELS Is there a problem Krystal? Krystal sits in disbelief and ignores the teacher s question. MRS. REVELS (to the students) Okay, people, the show is over. Get back to your reading. Krystal s friend Jade notices Krystal s sadness and tries to find out what s going on.. JADE (whispers) Girl, is everything ok? You know Mrs. Revels hates interruptions. I really don t care about that right now, Jade! JADE Well excuse me. You don t have to be so rude, Krystal. I was just trying to prevent you from getting into trouble. My grandmother is in the hospital, okay?

3 CONTINUED: 2. JADE Ohhh...is she alright? I don t know yet. All my mom said in the text was that my grandma was rushed to the hospital an hour ago. JADE Don t worry, Krys, I m sure everything is cool. Cool? I knew you wouldn t understand. JADE Look, I m just trying to keep a good attitude is all. Just calm down girl, you re acting crazy. Just leave me alone, Jade! I never asked for your help. JADE Whatever, Krystal. MRS. REVELS Girls! If you can t control your talking, I will have to excuse you. Sorry. JADE/ Krystal returns to her book, but her troubled mind is clearly elsewhere. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY, 74, long white hair, careworn face, lies comatose in a hospital bed, her arm attached to an IV tube and emergency monitors. Sitting by her side is Krystal, at a loss for words as she stares sadly at her beloved grandmother. Krystal takes Audrey s hand, holds it gently. After a moment, she spills her feelings. Grandma? I hope you can hear me. I need you so bad right now. What (MORE)

4 CONTINUED: 3. (cont d) happened? I thought everything was ok. School is more complicated than ever. There s all these scholarships and financial aid that I need to apply for and mom isn t making things easier for me. She s always breathing down my neck about how I better get into USC or I ll never become a doctor. I m not so sure that s what I want to be. I keep telling her that I want to go into Photography but she says I can t make a career out of that. How would she know? She s just a manager at a bank. That s not what you d call a promising career. Senior year is almost over and I m so stressed and don t know where to turn. I should be enjoying this time. But instead I m constantly thinking about my next move. Please granny, I need you to tell me that every thing is going to be ok. You re the only person who understands me and always knows the right thing to say... (a pause) Granny, please wake up. Audrey just lies there, unconscious. Krystal just stares at her grandma, feeling helpless and alone. CUT TO: INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - LATER The door opens and, 40, beautiful but bitter, peeks in with a nurse by her side. They discover Krystal fast asleep in the chair, still holding the hand of her unconscious grandmother. CUT TO: INT. S CAR - DAY Karen is driving. Krystal is beside her, head resting against the window, still asleep. Karen suddenly brakes at a light and Krystal awakes with a start.

5 CONTINUED: 4. What -- Where am I? How did I get here? Well you fell asleep and visiting hours were over and I didn t want to bother you so I had a nurse put you in a wheelchair and she rolled you out to the car. No! Mom we have to go back to the hospital! I didn t say bye to grandma! Krystal calm down. Tomorrow is Saturday. We ll get up first thing in the morning and head to the hospital. Mom you don t understand! I need to talk to her! She s in a coma Krystal. How are you going to talk to her? Just take me back please mom! She s the only one who understands! Enough Krystal! You re not making any sense. Now I told you I m willing to take you tomorrow morning. You either take it or leave it. Why do you always have to be a Bi- What did you just say? Nothing. That s what I thought.

6 CONTINUED: 5. Krystal rolls her eyes and puts on her ipod tuning her mother out. She stares out the window, forlorn and more alone than ever. CUT TO: INT. S ROOM - NIGHT Moonlight fills the room as Krystal, in her p.j. s, kneels beside her bed in prayer. Dear Lord, please protect my granny. You know how much I need her in my life. She is the only person that can help me with my problems. Mom is always too tough on me. Please Lord Jesus. Bring her to me. I don t know what to do without her. My senior year is too much to handle and I feel like I m losing all of me. Lord God if you let me talk to her one last time, I ll be happy. Please God. Please. In Jesus name, I ask and pray. Amen. Krystal gets into bed and falls asleep. DISSOLVE TO: INT. S ROOM - DEAD OF NIGHT Tossing and turning, Krystal s eyes shoot open. Restless, she throws the covers off, gets out of bed and walks out of the room. INT. KITCHEN - DEAD OF NIGHT Half-asleep, Krystal enters and trudges over to the refrigerator. She opens the door and the light from inside reveals a mysterious figure sitting nearby in a chair. Krystal screams as the light illuminates her face: It s Grandma Audrey... sitting there in her hospital gown! Hush child. You ll wake your mother.

7 CONTINUED: 6. Gra-Grandma? Is that you? Of course it is, who else would it be? Bu-Bu-But, it can t be you. (Shaking her head) You re in the hospital...right? Well with all that babbling in my ear, I had to check up on you. But Grandma, I don t understand. Am I dreaming? I m scared. Don t worry about that sweetie. Just know I m here for you. Now, come sit on Grandma s lap and tell me everything. Krystal hesitates, still skeptical. But Audrey s smile is so inviting, so comforting, that she can t resist. She comes over and sits in her grandma s lap. Granny, I just don t know what to do. I have all these problems and I can t find any answers. Mom is being tougher than ever. I feel like I have no room to breathe. What should I do? Still in disbelief, Krystal avoids her grandmother s eyes. I want you to listen very well, Krys, okay? Okay. There ain t nothin your teachers, your mother, or myself can do for you that you can t do for yourself. You are a strong and beautiful young lady with a huge heart. You (MORE)

8 CONTINUED: 7. (cont d) got to stop doubting yourself and start believing that anything is possible. You make it sound so easy, Granny. I m so stressed. I can t be like you. I can t make the right decision. I can t- Can you do something for me honey child? Yeah? I want you to take the word "can t" and put it in your hand. Ball your fingers up and make a tight fist. And I want you to toss that word so far, your grandchildren won t find it! (giggles) Granny, you re so silly. You always know the right thing to say. Now listen up, Krys. You re getting older and becoming more independent. You ve got to learn how to think for yourself and use the mind that God gave you and put it to good work. I won t always be here to help you with your problems. Just trust your heart and you ll find your solution with ease. Krystal walks to her grandmother and gives her a big hug. Thank you so much granny. I don t know what I d do without you. You ll do great.

9 CONTINUED: 8. I love you. I love you too sweetie. Do you want some tea? I can make it real yummy for you. Now sweetie, I don t have much time to stay. I just came to talk to you. They ll be calling me back soon. Ignoring Grandma Audrey s response, Krystal walks into the kitchen only to find missing tea-bags. Returning to the living room, Grandma Audrey is no where in sight. Grandma...? Hello? A small smile crosses Krystal s face. Good night granny, I love you. Krystal turns off the light and goes to bed. INT. KITCHEN - DAYZ A cheerful Krystal enters to find her mother cooking pancakes. Karen looks somber, red-eyed from crying. Good morning, Krystal. Good morning. How d you sleep? (smiling) Uhh...great actually. Mmmm pancakes. My favorite and it s not even my birthday.

10 CONTINUED: 9. Look, Krystal, there s something I need to tell you. I wanted to wait till later on today but you need to know now. What is it? Karen begins weeping softly. Mom! What s wrong?! I m so sorry... Sorry for what? You have to believe me, I didn t mean it. Mom, you re not making any sense! I just heard from the hospital. They told me that your granny passed. Krystal is frozen in silence, struggling to comprehend. I m so sorry, Krys. I should have woken you up at the hospital so you could ve said goodbye. It-It s...okay. Okay? You re not mad at me? No... I ve already said goodbye to Granny. I don t understand...

11 CONTINUED: 10. I m at peace with Granny. I know she s in a better place. She s helped me so much... more than you ever did. (hurt, defensive) What s that supposed to mean, young lady? I m sorry mom but it s the truth. Haven t you realized that we can t ever agree on anything? We re always fighting about something. That s because you re hard-headed. No mom! Listen! I respect your opinions but I have a mind of my own. If I want to be successful in life, I ve got to learn to make my own decisions. Karen sits down at the table and listens to Krystal. I-I don t want to go to Medical School. Krystal! Mom, this is my life! I m going to college and I m going to major in Photography. Krystal I told you, you can t- STOP! No more "Krystal you can t." I can, Mom, and I will. I know I can succeed in this. But I won t succeed if I don t have your support. It s only us now and all we have is each other. Don t you think it s time we have peace, like Granny has now?

12 CONTINUED: 11. Karen begins crying again. She stands up and walks towards Krystal. Smiles at her lovingly for the first time in a long while. I just want you to be happy, Krys. Whatever makes you happy... makes me happy too. I love you babygirl. Do you forgive me? I love you too, Mom and... (pause; this comes hard) Yeah, I guess I kind of forgive you. Karen smiles and opens her arms to her daughter. Come give your mommy a hug. Krystal and Karen hug out their differences. As they embrace, Krystal closes her eyes tightly. When she opens them she sees Grandma Audrey standing in the doorway, beaming with love and pride. In a flash, she disappears. (smiles) Thank you, Granny. And as she continues to hold her mother tightly... FADE OUT. THE END