the lives of war screenplay- excerpt
TRANSCRIPT
RADIO Reports are coming in of large military personnel-
INT. MARSON FAMILY HOME, SOPHIE’S BEDROOM- DAWN
A dim lamp shines on maps and travel photos lining the walls of a bedroom, on open drawers and an emptied closet.
The radio stands on a bedside table, reading 4:45.
RADIO -entering the Hamilton area, southbound, nearing the Garden District. For now power is still-
SOPHIE MARSON, 17, turns the radio OFF.
She lies flat on her made bed BREATHING HEAVILY, eyes closed, fully clothed in worn blue jeans and a grey hoodie. Her dark hair is unkept and unwashed.
Sophie opens her eyes, stares at the ceiling for a moment.
The next moment she jumps off and reaches under her bed, pulling out a tent folded in a bag and a bulky hiking bag.
She throws the tent bag over her shoulder and the hiking bag on the bed. She UNZIPS IT and checks its contents: packaged processed food and several bottles of water. Few clothes.
INT. MARSON FAMILY HOME, UPSTAIRS HALLWAY
Sophie closes her door quietly, only the CLICK SOUNDING. She walks toward another closed door down the hall, light peeking out at the bottom. The carpeted floor silences her steps.
She hears INAUDIBLE MUTTERING on the other side, a man and a woman. The woman momentarily raises her voice.
WOMAN(strained)
-not even a mile away!
Sophie’s head gently falls on the door, eyes shut. After several moments, she straightens, pulls out a small envelope from her pocket, and lays it by the carpet.
She turns, with only one glance back, and walks away.
INT. MARSON FAMILY HOME, DAISY’S BEDROOM
DAISY MARSON, 9, sleeps peacefully on her side over a made bed. A blue nightlight casts shadows over her still body, a dreamcatcher hanging over the bed, and book posters on the wall. She wears jeans and a purple sweater filled with holes.
A DOOR OPENS, a hand reaches over and caresses her face.
SOPHIE(softly)
Daisy. Daisy, wake up.
Daisy shutters and slowly wakes up. She turns over to see Sophie bent over her. Daisy MOANS.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)We gotta go. Come on.
DAISYNow?
SOPHIEYes, now. You’re packed, right?
Daisy rubs her eyes as she nods.
Sophie pulls out another hiking bag from under Daisy’s bed and hefts it over her shoulder as the little girl stands on her bed and pulls down the dreamcatcher.
Daisy then pulls out a tote bag from under the bed, books poking through its fabric. Sophie spots it apprehensively.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)Mom said pack light.
DAISYI did. These are just my favorite.
Daisy stares back, defiant, as she puts the dreamcatcher in the bag. Sophie SIGHS and gestures towards the door.
SOPHIEWhere’s your letter?
DAISYOn the table... Can we say goodbye?
Sophie looks away as her eye twitches.
SOPHIEI think Dad still doesn’t want us to go in there.
2.
She leads Daisy out the door.
INT. MARSON FAMILY HOME, FRONT HALL
Twilight shadows of the girls swerve across the wall as they head downstairs and out the front door just ahead.
Sophie looks back, towards upstairs, before walking out. She stares longingly, then finally closes the door behind her.
EXT. CITY, GARDEN DISTRICT, TWO RIVERS
A cloudy sky makes the rising sunlight grey over the street. Sophie guides Daisy by the hand down the sidewalk. They move further away from the house, not looking back at it.
There are other people carrying large bags and suitcases, a few into parked cars outside their houses, some going on foot. They share a glance with the girls, but nobody speaks.
A large plane LANDS somewhere far, but nobody pays attention to it. It’s only when TWO HELICOPTERS SOAR over the street that people pause and look up, including the girls.
The helicopters continue on, past the cover of trees in a gated park square across the street.
DAISYWere those soldiers?
Sophie stares off at the direction the helicopters went.
SOPHIEI don’t know.
She turns down the street and continues walking.
EXT. CITY, SUSPENSION BRIDGE- LATER
The grey light, brighter now, reflects off the metal coating of a suspension bridge over an opaque river. Sophie and Daisy cross it on a narrow walkway hanging at its side. They keep their distance from other travelers, ahead and behind.
Far to their right is a cluster of skyscrapers. They stay on the street leading off the bridge towards smaller buildings, dark and abandoned.
A LOUD SIREN SOUNDS, causing all the travelers to jump.
3.
Sophie starts running to the other side of an intersection, pulling Daisy with her. They crouch behind a concrete pot of flowers on the walkway. The siren CONTINUES.
One group BREAKS WINDOWS of a building and hide inside.
Only moments later, Sophie sees a tank ROLLING down the intersection, from the bridge’s left. A convoy of green trucks FOLLOWS BEHIND, one of them hoisting the SIREN’S HORN.
The last of the trucks stop in the intersection, unloading armed soldiers in grey uniforms. The soldiers immediately begin setting up a blockade around the intersection.
Sophie and Daisy slowly pull back, head away.
EXT. MUSEUM PARK CAMPUS, HILL- LATER
The girls reach the top of a hill, from which they can see a large museum of classical architecture at the bottom.
Much of the museum’s exterior is destroyed, rubble scattered on the ground. Daisy stares at it in shock.
SOPHIEThat happened months ago. It should be safe now.
DAISYBut why did they bomb the museum?
Daisy hears her sister SEETHING.
SOPHIEBecause they could.
EXT. MUSEUM ENTRANCE
Sophie and Daisy walk between towering columns at the front of the museum, a few only half-standing. The entrance is a crater, broken glass doors lying away from their frames.
INT. MUSEUM ENTRANCE- GREAT HALL
Sophie guides Daisy through safe passages around the rubble, over plastered bones of massive animals, fallen from broken skeletons on stands. They stare at the skeletons incredulously as they pass.
4.
INT. MUSEUM, LOWER FLOOR
The girls climb down stained marble stairs. The basement is dark. Sophie pulls out a flashlight, CLICKING IT ON.
The ray of light guides them through various water puddles, broken pipes that protrude through crumbling walls, and glass cases of taxidermied animals, still intact.
INT. MUSEUM, LOWER FLOOR, OFFICE
Sophie shines the light through a door window into an office. Empty, all furniture and items where they were left, save for fallen pebbles and paint chips from decaying foundation. Sophie OPENS THE DOOR and guides Daisy in.
DAISY(quiet)
Why do we have to camp in here?
SOPHIECuz it’s harder to spot us in here if anyone else comes to the museum.
She closes the door behind them, hands Daisy the flashlight, and starts pulling out the parts of the tent.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)(smiling at Daisy)
Like when we camped in the Dunes, remember? - Keep the light on this.
She gestures to the unbuilt tent, and starts to build. Daisy holds the light firmly and watches, legs together.
DAISYWhat about Mom and Dad?
Sophie DROPS one of the poles and looks up.
SOPHIEWhat about them?
DAISYHow are they supposed to find us in here?
The older girl SIGHS.
SOPHIEI’m gonna check upstairs every morning. I told them we’d meet them in the cafe behind the T-Rex.
5.
She sees Daisy nod and returns to building the tent.
INT. MUSEUM, TENT- NIGHT
Sophie picks up the flashlight from between two thin sleeping bags. The light shows Daisy hanging her dreamcatcher with a knotted string of cloth, then reaching for her bag of books.
SOPHIE(mocking)
Don’t pick one with big words.
DAISYYou love big words.
Sophie points the light at her own face and sticks her tongue out. Daisy GIGGLES. When the girl looks back down at her books, Sophie frowns with anxious eyes.
The light shines on the book Daisy chooses: The Hunger Games.
SOPHIEDaisy, please. I really don’t think that’s a good idea-
DAISYI’m nine! I’m tired of fairy tales. Besides, I don’t get war. Maybe this will help.
SOPHIE(bitingly)
There’s nothing to get.
Daisy gives her another defiant glare. Sophie SIGHS, and takes the book. After settling into her sleeping bag, she pulls Daisy closer and wraps her arms around her.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)‘When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim's warmth.’
Daisy nudges herself tight and rests her head against Sophie’s chest.
INT. MUSEUM, SECOND FLOOR EXHIBIT- 1 WEEK LATER
The Sun shines down over a small exhibit room on the top floor of the museum from a ceiling half-caved in.
6.
Sophie and Daisy, in jeans and t-shirts now, ruffle through artifacts around the ruins of the exhibit. They skip over bits of glass from broken cases.
SOPHIE (V.O.)‘Prim's face is as fresh as a raindrop.’
Daisy picks up a buffalo fish effigy. Sunlight gleams off its copper surface onto the girl’s face. She smiles.
INT. MUSEUM, LOWER FLOOR, OFFICE- HOURS LATER
Sophie and Daisy empty their bags of their contents. Various artifacts, some man-made and some animal remains, are delicately placed next in the space surrounding their tent.
There are other artifacts already collected, lying around.
SOPHIEI’ll go look for some more supplies. Stay put. Promise?
Daisy stands up straight and gives Sophie a firm salute.
When she goes into the tent and zips it closed, Sophie returns to the collection of artifacts they’ve gathered from various exhibits.
There are many items. She takes just one: an old viking axe.
SOPHIE (V.O.) ‘I protect Prim in every way I can.’
INT. MUSEUM, FIRST FLOOR, CAFETERIA- MIDDAY
Piles of spoiled food lie around the floor. A glass display counter stands in the back, the glass mostly shattered.
Sophie stuffs bottles and cans of soda Daisy’s tote bag, the axe poking out at the top. The water is already gone. She searches for what bags of chips are left.
She jolts suddenly at the sound of FOOTSTEPS in the distance. She hides behind a fridge as they come closer, peeking her head to look.
A BEARDED MAN (MICAH) in jumpers comes in through a broken door frame. He LAUGHS JOYOUSLY at the sight of food, starts grabbing what he can fit in a plastic bag and his hands.
7.
Sophie watches patiently. She reaches to touch her axe.
Both perk up at MORE FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING, STOMPING to the door frame. A SCRUFFY MAN (ERIC) in a dirty polo is accompanied by A WOMAN IN A BIKER JACKET (TONI).
She immediately raises a machete at Micah. The man raises his hands, holding bags of chips.
Sophie covers her nose and mouth.
ERIC(calm)
Who the fuck do you think you are?
MICAH... Micah.
ERICAnd what are you doing here, Micah?
MICAHI need- food, food. I need food.
ERICBut that’s our food.
He gestures at the chips a slight gesture of his head.
MICAHI didn’t steal it. I found it here.
Toni SIGHS IMPATIENTLY.
ERICYes, and we claimed it, last night.
MICAH‘We?’
ERICYes, ‘we.’ Our group. New tenants. So you are stealing from us.
Micah’s PANTING GETS LOUDER.
MICAHBut- but it was just laying here-
TONIOh, fuck off!! We CLAIMED IT!
ERICDoritos are a scarcity these days.
8.
Micah’s eyes look at them with pleading desperation.
MICAHPlease... I have kids to feed.
Toni SCOFFS. She and Eric both grin slightly.
ERICNot mine.
MICAHNO! PLEA-
He’s cut off as Toni rushes at him and SLAMS THE MACHETE INTO HIS SKULL.
Sophie’s WHIMPERING CRIES are muffled by REPEATED CHOPS as Toni slams the machete down. When she’s finished, it drips blood onto larger puddles spreading from Micah’s sliced body.
TONIPHEW! Hehe. You know, the siege life ain’t as bad as I thought.
Eric CHUCKLES, then turns to her with a serious look.
ERICYou and Pad scope the place, make sure no one else is here.
TONI(nodding)
Yeah.
They both walk out, unfazed by the blood. After a few moments Sophie stops covering her mouth and EXHALES. She runs out through a back kitchen.
INT. TENT
Daisy is reading ‘The Hunger Games’ on her own when Sophie returns, PANTING and RUSHING.
SOPHIEWe’re leaving now. It’s not safe here. Pack your stuff.
As she says this, Sophie is already stuffing what food and drink they have into their hiker bags, then starts rolling up the sleeping bags.
DAISYWhat’s wrong?
9.
SOPHIEJust pack your stuff!
The first thing Daisy grabs is the dreamcatcher. Then she grabs her clothes: one other pair of jeans, a single long sleeve shirt, and her purple sweater which she puts on over her white, grimy t-shirt. Sophie puts on her hooded sweater.
Daisy is careful in packing her books.
INT. MUSEUM, LOWER FLOOR
Sophie emerges from the door, shining the flashlight in the distance towards the marble stairs. Seeing no one, she moves to allow Daisy to exit the office. She has to stop the girl from walking towards the stairs.
SOPHIE(whispering)
No, not that way. I know another exit.
DAISY(whispering)
Why are you whispering?
Their whispers ECHO with the sound of WATER DRIPPING in the open hall. Then they hear RAISED VOICES AND STOMPS from the stairs.
Sophie shuts off the flashlight, leads them through darkness. The light from up the stairs reveals two figures, one of them TONI, a flashlight in one hand and her machete in the other.
Daisy stares off at them as Sophie pulls her in the other direction.
EXT. MUSEUM, ARTIFACT ENTRANCE- DAY
A massive metal door slides open, letting dim sunlight beam into the blackness of the museum’s basement.
Sophie BREATHES HEAVILY, winded from prying the door open, as she checks that the coast is clear before letting Daisy out.
Both girls’ backs are hunched over with the hiker bags. The bottom hilt of Sophie’s viking axe pokes out through a hole in the zipper of her bag.
The grey sunlight blinds Daisy momentarily.
10.
EXT. MUSEUM PARK CAMPUS, WALKWAY
A small bicycle lies abandoned in the ruined grass. Daisy glances at it as they stride past.
DAISYWhere are we going?
She struggles to keep up with Sophie’s brisk pace.
SOPHIEI don’t know. Away from here.
DAISYWhy? And why did we leave the tent?
SOPHIEWe had to.
Daisy pulls back on their held hands and Sophie has to stop.
DAISYDon’t be- ‘cryptic’- with me. I’m not a kid anymore.
Frustrated, Sophie kneels to meet Daisy eye to eye.
SOPHIEListen to me. I promised Mom and Dad I would protect you. I found very bad people in the museum who would’ve hurt us if we stayed.
DAISYFrom the war?
SOPHIE(head shaking)
Not soldiers. Not militia either I don’t think. Just bad people.
DAISYMom and Dad can’t meet us if they think we’re at the museum.
SOPHIEI know.
Sophie clams herself down and looks around, spotting a bus sign. She turns back to Daisy.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)Did you bring your sharpie?
11.
Daisy nods and is already pulling a black sharpie out of her tote bag, handing it to Sophie, who UTTERS THANKS. She walks to the sign and writes on it in big letters: STAY AWAY FROM MUSEUM! DANGEROUS! Meet us where we celebrated my birthday last year. -CARMEN SANDIEGO.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)Okay, let’s go.
DAISYWho’s Carmen Sandiego?
SOPHIEThey’ll know what it means.
GUNFIRE SOUNDS in the distance. Both girls turn their heads in the direction of the skyscrapers. It’s far away.
SOPHIE (CONT’D)Come on.
12.