EXT. - EARLY MORNING PARK BENCH
FADE IN
PAN:
A young girl, KATELYN HOLMES, sleeps on a park bench. Her
beaten and worn body holds shallow breaths. Another girl,
AMANDA CHRIST, comes up next to her attempting to nudge the
girl awake.
AMANDA
Yo, girl! Get up!
KATELYN wakes with a start.
KATELYN
(sheepishly)
Sorry.
AMANDA
(upon seeing the bruised face)
You a runaway?
KATELYN
Yeah. Please don’t turn me in. I’ll
leave
AMANDA
Don’t worry. I’m a runaway too. My
names Amanda.
KATELYN
Katelyn. Why did you wake me?
AMANDA
’Cause the cops will be round here
soon. Its kinda an understood thing
between us runaways that we don’t
let each other get caught.
KATELYN
Oh. Well thanks.
AMANDA
No problem.
Katelyn gets up and starts to limp away.
AMANDA
You need a place to go?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
KATELYN
(stopping to answer)
Yeah, why?
AMANDA
Come with me.
CUT TO:
EXT. - MORNING TRAIN TRACKS
ZOOM TO: A GROUP OF TEENAGE RUNAWAYS SIT AROUND A MAKESHIFT
CAMPSITE.
FROM THE DISTANCE AMANDA AND KATELYN APPROACH THE GROUP.
AMANDA
Hey all. This is Katelyn. She’s
like us so shut up and don’t
question the new addition or I’ll
beat you.
KATELYN
(wide eyed and sheepishly)
Hey.
JUSTIN MUNRO a tall lanky but handsome boy looks at Katelyn.
Him along with the two other teens wear worn out but
semi-clean clothes.
JUSTIN
Hey. Come and sit. We were just
about to eat some breakfast.
Katelyn joins the group.
KATELYN
So, um why did you guys run away?
JUSTIN
Oh, um. My mother is an alcoholic.
I left so that maybe she wouldn’t
drink so much and start looking for
me. I don’t know if she has or not.
Dad died early on.
POV: KATELYN PANS THE FACES OF THE OTHER TWO TEENS
MATHEW
I ran cause my parents don’t give a
crap about me. I know I’m better
off without them, so don’t even try
to tell me differently.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
The other girl, TIA MICHELLE looks down then screams and
runs away close to the train tracks.
MATHEW
Justin, its your turn.
Justin gets up to run after Tia.
PAN TO JUSTIN THEN BACK TO THE GROUP
KATELYN
Is she okay?
MATHEW
Oh, Tia, yes and no. She isn’t
quite right. Want a sandwich.
KATELYN
(taking the offer)
What do you mean?
AMANDA
She isn’t really a run away. She is
probably just lost and a long way
from home. She can’t remember
anything at times. We all look
after her.
KATELYN
(nodding)
Oh. So Amanda, um why did you
leave.
AMANDA
I wanted to. Plain and simple.
Justin and Tia return.
JUSTIN
Tia, what do you have to say to,
what did you say your name was?
KATELYN
Katelyn.
JUSTIN
Right. Tia what do you say to
Katelyn.
TIA
(scuffing her shoes in the
dirt)
Sorry.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
KATELYN
Its okay.
TIA
(sitting down)
What happened to you.
AMANDA
(glaring at Tia)
Tia, shh!
KATELYN
It’s okay. I was abused by my
mother. Physically as proof of the
scars and emotionally, but those
scars you can’t really see. I
couldn’t take it anymore, so I
left.
They sit in silence eating their sandwiches. Finally, Amanda
gets up.
AMANDA
Okay. We need to get Katelyn here
some of the necessities. We also
gotta show her the ropes of being a
runaway. Ready?
The rest of the groups follows Amanda’s lead.
FADE TO:
EXT. - AFTERNOON OUTSIDE OF A CAFETERRIA
POV: FROM BEHIND THE GROUP
AMANDA
They key is to look like you’re a
homeless girl, not a runaway. They
won’t take in the homeless but they
will take in a runaway. Got it?
KATELYN
I think so.
INT. - MIDDAY CAFETERIA
FROM END OF TABLE TO VIEW THE GROUP ON BOTH SIDES.
Trays of chili are on the table. JUSTIN, AMANDA, KATELYN,
MATHEW, and TIA are all there.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
JUSTIN
What should we do for the rest of
today? We have time to kill before
the trains will finish their
passes.
TIA
Carnival!
JUSTIN
Tia, what makes you think that
there is a carnival going on?
TIA
(pointing at a poster on the
wall)
Carnival!
PAN: STOP AT CARNIVAL POSTER WITH JUSTIN IN THE SHOT.
Justin looks over his shoulder.
JUSTIN
How does a carnival sound?
AMANDA
Fine by me.
MATHEW
Fine by me.
KATELYN
Fine by me.
TIA
(clapping gleefully)
Carnival!
SMASH TO
EXT- AFTERNOON CARNIVAL
ESTABLISH A CARNIVAL WITH RIDES AND CARNIES.
-KID TOSSING A RING IN A RING TOSS GAME
-JUGGLER BEING WATCHED BY KIDS
-CARNIVAL RIDE
CUT TO:
FOLLOW GROUP AS THE ENTER THROUGH THE CARNIVAL GATES.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
Tia is mesmerized. The rest of the group is just taking in
the surroundings.
KATELYN
Where to first?
TIA
Elephant!
The group looks at Tia and shrugs. They walk until all of a
sudden,
AMANDA
Run!
The group scatters. Katelyn stands there unsure of what to
do. Justin grabs her arm and pulls her with him.
FOLLOW JUSTIN AND KATELYN FROM THE SIDE AS THEY RUN.
They get to a food stand and stop running to catch their
breath.
KATELYN
(breathless)
What was that all about
JUSTIN
(looking around)
Not entirely sure. My guess is
Amanda saw a cop that has been
tailing us for the last year. The
feds want to take us in. We have
yet to get caught. So you better
not screw it up.
Katelyn nods her head sheepishly. Justin sensing her fear
turns back to her.
JUSTIN
(With concern)
Oh Katelyn, I’m sorry. I didn’t
mean to scare you. Shit, I’m so
sorry.
KATELYN
(faking a smile)
It’s fine. Not the first time I’ve
been yelled at.
JUSTIN
(wrapping his arms around her)
It will be the last I promise.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
ZOOM IN:
Katelyn smiling as she hugs him.
ZOOM OUT:
Amanda, Mathew and Tia approaching the two.
AMANDA
That was close. Will that guy ever
give up?
JUSTIN
Lets hope that he does.
FADE TO:
EXT. -EARLY EVENING TRAIN TRACKS
ZOOM FROM ABOVE:
The group of teens are once again sitting campfire style.
All eating sandwiches again.
KATELYN
If you’re all runaways, how do
afford this stuff. Did u get a
bunch pan handling?’
AMANDA
(Offended)
No, Matthew tell her how we got
this money?
MATHEW
I was born to a very wealthy
family. Before I left I stole about
two hundred thousand dollars in
cash.
JUSTIN
We don’t spend it willy-nilly
though. Ten dollars at most a day
if we can help it. Some days we get
by on five.
AMANDA
I hate it, but at the same time I
see the necessity of it. You know
what I mean?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
KATELYN
I guess. Hey Tia sweetie, did you
enjoy the carnival?
TIA
Elephant! I want to see the
Elephant!
KATELYN
We will. Tomorrow. Okay?
TIA
(returning to her sandwhich)
Okay.
JUSTIN
(whispering in Katelyn’s ear)
Good save. Can I take a walk with
you?
Katelyn nods her head and rises.
JUSTIN
(rising as well)
We will be right back.
FOLLOW BY THE SIDE:
The two walk. Justin brushes his hand against Katelyn’s and
she takes a hold of it. Looking down ant their intertwined
fingers she has a faint smile.
KATELYN
Tell me about your mother?
JUSTIN
There isn’t much to say. She drank
after my father died of a heart
attack. The thing I regret most is
leaving my little sister. She is
five now. I hope she is okay.
KATELYN
What is her name, your sister?
JUSTIN
Annabelle. She is just pure light.
Before I left I could feel her
brightness just watching her in her
crib.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.
KATELYN
Well she has an amazing brother.
JUSTIN
She has a brother who abandoned
her.
KATELYN
For her own good. Trust me, you did
the right thing.
JUSTIN
And you? Tell me about your mother.
Besides the fact she seems like a
monster.
Justin turns her to face him. He runs his finger down a scar
on her face.
KATELYN
She wasn’t always one. When she
lost my little brother during the
pregnancy it’s like a switch was
flipped. Sometimes it would be
okay, but some days I had
absolutely nothing to hold onto. I
was drowning and I just couldn’t
get my head above the water.
JUSTIN
And now?
KATELYN
Now? Now, I can breathe.
FADE TO:
EXT. SUNRISE TRAIN TRACKS
PAN:
Birds chirping. A faint whistle blows in the distance. The
teenagers all lie in a group in sleeping bags. Katelyn,
hearing the whistle wakes up?
KATELYN
(shaking Justin)
Justin. I heard a train whistle.
Should we move?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.
JUSTIN
(rubbing his eyes sitting up)
What?
KATELYN
(frantic)
I heard the train whistle.
JUSTIN
Crap, we gotta move or we’ll be
flattened. Wake the rest up. I’ll
grab the stuff.
Katelyn nods and sets about waking the rest up.
KATELYN
Amanda! You need to wake up. The
train is coming.
AMANDA
(somewhat irritated)
Alright, Alright!
Katelyn moves to Mathew.
KATELYN
Mathew! It’s time to get up. The
train is coming right now.
MATHEW
Really? Alright I’ll get up.
KATELYN
Go help Justin with the stuff.
Katelyn finally reaches Tia
KATELYN
Tia honey, you need to get up.
AMANDA
(from the side)
Good luck. Getting her up is half
the battle. She will be a mess when
she wakes.
KATELYN
Shit. Okay, um, Justin! Set down
the stuff I’ll carry it. You carry
Tia. Amanda come help me carry the
stuff.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.
Amanda trudges over as Katelyn and Justin trade spots.
Everything is going fast. Once everything is ready they step
off the track area but stand only a few feet away. Tia wakes
up in Justin’s arms and he sets her down.
TIA
Where am I?
JUSTIN
You’re safe. Hold my hand.
TIA
Okay!
AMANDA
(to Katelyn)
You ready?
KATELYN
For?
AMANDA
When the train passes, scream. Yell
at the top of your lungs. It feels
amazing.
KATELYN
Um, okay.
GO TO BEHIND THE GROUP:
As the train passes they all yell at the top of their lungs.
Even Tia, who turns red as she does it. Eventually the train
leaves.
AMANDA
Told you so.
KATELYN
You are right. But I feel kind of
funny.
Katelyn sways a little. Justin rushes over to catch her.
FLASHBLACK:
INT. - EVENING KITCHEN
FROM ABOVE:
A mother stands over her daughter with a knife. Holding it
to the girls cheek.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.
MOTHER
You are worthless. This face, it’s
mine. You take everything from me.
Pressing hard the knife breaks skin.
YOUNG KATELYN
Please. Don’t do this. I can’t
handle it.
MOTHER
(laughing)
You’re weak. You deserve everything
that is happening to you. You are
worthless.
QUICK FADE TO:
EXT - AFTERNOON FRONT PORCH
STRAIGHT ON:
A mother and daughter sit on the porch bench.
MOTHER
I love you Katelyn. Don’t forget
that
YOUNG KATELYN
Yes mother. I love you too.
QUICK FADE TO:
INT - EARLY EVENING HOSPITAL
FUZZY POV: KATELYN
DOCTOR 1
Multiple lacerations. Broken rib
and arm. Possible skull fracture.
NURSE 1
Will she make it?
DOCTOR 1
It doesn’t look like it. But we
have to try.
YOUNG KATELYN
Tell her I’m sorry.
SMASH TO:
13.
EXT. MORNING TRAIN TRACKS
PULL OUT:
THE GROUP SITS IN A CIRCLE AT THEIR SITE. KATELYN’S HEAD
LIES IN JUSTIN’S LAP.
ZOOM IN:
Katelyn wakes up. The group breathes a sigh of relief.
KATELYN
What happened?
JUSTIN
You fainted.
KATELYN
How long have I been out?
AMANDA
About an hour or two. You okay? I’m
sorry if my idea made you sick.
KATELYN
No. The yelling helped. I am sorry
I fainted on you guys. That hasn’t
happened since-
MATHEW
Since when?
KATELYN
Doesn’t matter. I’m fine now, that
is what matters. What are we doing
today?
JUSTIN
Let’s just rest.
TIA
Sleep?
JUSTIN
Yes, sleep. Katelyn, do you think
you would be up for a walk?
KATELYN
(rising)
Yeah.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.
MATHEW
(under his breath)
They take an awful lot of walks.
FLASH QUICK TO:
EXT. - MORNING TRAIN TRACKS
PAN UP FROM FEET AND FOLLOW BEHIND:
Holding hands again they walk for a while in silence. Then
they stop.
JUSTIN
You were remembering.
KATELYN
How did you know?
JUSTIN
You were screaming. The last thing
you said was to tell her you’re
sorry. Was it your mother?
KATELYN
I don’t want to talk about it?
JUSTIN
Okay. Just know I’m here if you do.
KATELYN
Thanks. Look I have to ask you
something.
JUSTIN
Ask away.
KATELYN
Why are you still running. Wouldn’t
your mother be better by now?
JUSTIN
I don’t know. I suppose so. But I
have a family with them. I can’t
leave them behind while I find my
happiness.
KATELYN
What do you mean find you
happiness.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.
JUSTIN
Well I believe that everyone has a
reason for living. It’s that one
thing, or person, that makes them
happy. Without fail, day or night,
good times or bad, it’s their light
in the darkest of times.
KATELYN
And you think that you can’t have
yours.
JUSTIN
Sometimes I think I’ve found it.
But no, I need to see that those I
love are with their happiness
before I’m with mine.
KATELYN
What do you think your happiness
is?
JUSTIN
(Taking Katelyn’s face in his
hands)
You.
Justin kisses Katelyn. Katelyn responds.
FADE TO:
EXT - AFTERNOON PARK
WIDE:
The group of teens are all lying in the grass.
ZOOM IN FROM ABOVE:
TIA
(reaching up towards the sky)
I wanna catch it!
KATELYN
Catch what Tia?
TIA
The clouds
KATELYN
Then reach out really far.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.
TIA
Okay!
MATHEW
Katelyn, how do you do that?
KATELYN
Do what?
MATHEW
How are you so strong? You’ve been
through hell, I can see it. I hated
living at home, but you, you were
dying being there. How the heck are
you so strong?
KATELYN
I have hope I guess.
AMANDA
I wish I could have that kind of
hope. My parents kicked me out when
I was twelve. How does someone have
hope that anyone will except her
after that?
KATELYN
I don’t know. I have hope because
after everything that happened,
it’s the one thing she could never
take away.
JUSTIN
Tia, how you doing on catching that
cloud?
TIA
(straining her arm just a
little more)
Almost got it?
They all laugh.
FADE TO:
EXT. -EARLY EVENING TRAIN TRACKS
WIDE:
The teens are in their usual positions. However Katelyn is
on Justin’s lap.
ZOOM IN:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 17.
Justin whispers into Katelyn’s ear. She pushes his shoulder
and he falls back, taking her with him. Amanda makes a vomit
motion. Tia is distracted by Mathew.
AMANDA
Get a room.
JUSTIN
We would if we could.
AMANDA
Oh shove it pretty boy.
JUSTIN
(kissing Katelyn)
Where?
AMANDA
(throwing her cards at the
two)
You are disgusting. Come on Mathew
and Tia, lets go for a walk.
The two follow Amanda.
JUSTIN
I thought they would never leave.
KATELYN
(kissing his cheek and sitting
up)
I’m sure you did. Now that they’re
gone there is something I need to
tell you.
JUSTIN
(concerned)
What?
KATELYN
(nervous)
I’m going back. Please I know that
you won’t like it, but I have to.
JUSTIN
You can’t. That woman is a monster.
How could you even consider-
KATELYN
(rising)
She’s my mother. She needs me. I
shouldn’t have left.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18.
JUSTIN
(rising)
You would have died if you stayed.
KATELYN
You don’t know that.
JUSTIN
I saw it. When you came to us, when
I met you, you were nothing but a
hollow shell of a girl. There
wasn’t an ounce of life left in
you. But now, now you beam with it.
It overflows.
KATELYN
But what if you’re wrong. What if
this is all an act.
JUSTIN
Then you are no more fit to go back
than you were before. Like I said,
you were dying right before my very
eyes, but we brought you back. We
gave you the love she will never
give.
KATELYN
But she can. She can love! I’ve
seen it.
JUSTIN
(laughing)
When? When you’re on the brink of
death. Lying in a hospital bed,
having to fight to survive because
of what she has done to you.
Katelyn, listen to me. You can’t go
back, not now, not ever.
Katelyn tries to walk away. Justin grabs her to stop her.
JUSTIN
(cont’d)
Please. Don’t leave us. Don’t leave
me.
KATELYN
What if that’s my happiness. What
if the one thing that could bring
me joy is my final surrender. It
would be the one thing that I
myself could control.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19.
JUSTIN
(tears in his eyes)
Please don’t say that. Anything but
that.
KATELYN
But its the truth. Now let me go.
I’m not leaving tonight.
Justin lets go and Katelyn goes over to the pile of stuff
the group has. The rest return.
TIA
Justin! I found a pretty rock.
JUSTIN
(looking over to Katelyn)
Good Job sweetie.
FADE TO WHITE:
EXT. - EARLY MORNING TRAIN TRACKS
WIDE:
Everybody but Katelyn is lying asleep. She stands there
alone and awake above them all.
KATELYN
I love you all.
She drops a paper and runs away.
CUT TO:
EXT. - MORNING TRAIN TRACKS
OVER THE SHOULDER:
Justin holds a note written by Katelyn.
AMANDA
Where’s Katelyn.
JUSTIN
She left.
AMANDA
What do you mean she left?
TURN WITH JUSTIN:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20.
JUSTIN
She left. She went back home. She
said she wanted to go back. I
begged her not to go, but she left.
AMANDA
(covering her mouth)
We need to find her.
Justin nods his head. They set off leaving MATHEW and TIA
behind.
CUT TO:
INT. - AFTERNOON LIVING ROOM
OVER THE SHOULDER:
Katelyn’s mother stands in the kitchen.
MOTHER
Your back.
KATELYN
Yes. I’m sorry for leaving.
MOTHER
(Picking up knife)
I’m sure you are. You still have to
be punished though.
KATELYN
Yes mother.
PAN OUT TO WIDE:
Mother steps toward Katelyn holding the knife.
MOTHER
What can I do to make sure you
never leave again.
With one more step the mother drives the knife into
Katelyn’s chest.
MOTHER
There, now you will never leave.
SMASH TO BLACK:
21.
EXT - EVENING FRONT OF THE HOUSE.
WIDE:
Cop cars and an ambulance surround Katelyn’s house. Justin
and Amanda run up to the scene. They go up to a nearby
officer.
ZOOM IN:
JUSTIN
What happened?
COP
Who are you?
JUSTIN
I’m Katelyn’s friend. Please tell
us what happened.
COP
I’m sorry. Your friend was killed
this afternoon. Do you know who
could have done it? There was no
one around when we found her.
AMANDA
(tearfully)
Her mother. Her mother, she abused
her. Oh god.
COP
Thank you. Again my sincere
apologies.
The cop leaves. Justin wraps Amanda in his arms.
JUSTIN
She found her happiness now. I just
hope it was really what she wanted.
FADE TO BLACK
Points: 475
Reviews: 16
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