Before & After

B E F O R E
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FADE IN:

INT. LAURA’S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
The room is a total mess.
An ashtray filled with cigarette butts sits on the bedside table, next to a a bottle of prescription medication.
The cigarette butts have lipstick strains on them.
A photo of LAURA (29,) elegant, with sadness hiding behind a smile and JOSH (4) full of life, with shiny eyes and a wide, pure smile.

Dressed in a black suit, pale and well groomed, FRANK (30) sits in a chair, holding a toy car.
The phone suddenly RINGS and He scans the room from one side to the other.
He stares at the picture on the bedside table, gets up, sets down the car and retrieves it.
The phone keeps RINGING.
A BEEP as the answering machine picks up.

LAURA
(filtered)
Hi, you’re calling Laura McKenzie.
I’m not home right now, please--

Frank turns the machine off. He looks at the LCD screen on the phone.

“3 MESSAGES; 0 NEW”

Frank takes his finger to the PLAY button. He hesitates.

He opens a drawer of the bedside table and takes out a wedding ring. He then looks at the wedding ring on his finger.
Frank goes back to the answering machine and pushes PLAY.

MACHINE
(filtered)
Message one. November 20th, 1 PM.

FRANK (V.O.)
(filtered)
Hey. I know you probably don’t want to hear from me so soon.
(beat)
Maybe it’s a good thing the machine answered... right?

He puts the new photo on the bedside table, then puts old one in the drawer.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
How’s Josh doing? I miss you both.
I’m trying, Laura.

Frank arranges the messed up bed.
He throws out the ashtray, complete with the cigarette butts, then the pills.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
Lots of resumes, no callbacks...
I feel I’m in a limbo here.

He goes to a big mirror at the dresser and looks at himself.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
I’ll go now. Please call me back...
I miss you.

BEEP.
A noose hangs from the ceiling.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Laura lies on the bed, perfectly still and looking into the camera.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Josh’s toy car sliding slowly on the floor. A faint child’s voice making ENGINE SOUNDS.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Frank stares at the wall. Photos.

MACHINE
(filtered)
Message 2. November 24th, 2:15 PM.

Frank’s hands subtly shake. He leaves the room.

FRANK (V.O.)
(filtered)
Hey.
(beat)
I’m on my way to an interview...
A big company.

Frank returns with a chair.
He looks around.

FRANK (CONT’D)
They said they value a young,
committed man like me.

He sets the chair down on the floor under the noose.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
I will make things right.

Frank sits on the bed and arranges his tie.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
Anyway, I just wanted you to wish me luck.
Call me when you get this.

BEEP.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Laura on the bed, staring straight ahead.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Josh’s toy car. It’s steady on the floor.
The light dims.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Frank Shakes the image from his mind.
He stands and leaves the room again.

MACHINE
(filtered)
Message 3. November 28th, 4 PM.

The room is still and spotless.

FRANK (V.O.)
(filtered)
I need you.

Frank enters the room.
He’s carrying a body completely wrapped in linens.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
You and Josh...

Frank puts it on the bed.
He leaves again.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
I think I can...
I’m ready to look after you.
(beat)
We’re supposed to be together.

A faint CHILD’S LAUGH...

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
I want you to know...

Frank returns, carrying a much smaller body, wrapped in linens.
He carries it to the bed.
The toy car sits alone on the bedside table.

CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Laura on the bed... Dead and bloody.

CUT TO:
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
Frank sets the small body down next to the large one.

FRANK (V.O.)
(filtered)
I love You.

Frank grabs the picture from the bedside table and sets it on top of the bodies.

FRANK (V.O.) (CONT’D)
(filtered)
See you soon.

He stares straight ahead into the camera. Eyes cold and empty, void of life. He blinks.
BEEP--

MACHINE
(filtered)
End of messages.

FADE TO BLACK.

THE END.

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A F T E R
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NOTA:
Se agradecería feedback positivo, negativo, etc. Utilicen los comments de blogger, o los de youtube. Cualquier comentario me ayudaría mucho a crecer como guionista y realizador.

Detour-ish (A Teaser)

INT. HOTEL ROOM - BATHROOM - NIGHT

The ash tray is filled with ashes and two cigarette butts. Laura puts her lit cigarette on the ash tray. She’s looking at herself on the mirror. She grabs her tit and releases it and watches how it hangs down. She looks at her ass, her big ass. She then touches her thigh and blows the smoke on the cellulite. She’s sad.

Eddie is BANGING at the door, telling her that it’s ok, they should go back to the bar and have some more drinks.

INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT

Eddie is sitting on the edge of the bed, in his briefs, having wine. Laura steps out of the bathroom, looking far sexier and “younger.” She grabs her purse, and steps out of the room.

EXT. DOCK - NIGHT

Tomás and Tambor are setting up the little boat to leave the island. They are carefully putting the instruments in the boat. Tomás asks Tambor about Piojo. He answers that he hasn’t seen him in a while, that maybe he had to go jerk it off. Tomás laughs.

Tambor asks him if he saw the beautiful gringa that was sitting near the stage. Tomás nods, and mocks him about his lack of skill to handle a woman like that. Speaking of the devil, Tambor points to the beach. It’s Laura, lighting a cigarette.

EXT. BEACH - NIGHT

Laura shakily lights her cigarette. She SOBS. She represses a deep anger, an old sorrow. She just SOBS. She can’t cry. Tomás gently asks if she’s OK, if he can help her in anyway.

Laura is shocked. She thought she was alone. She’s embarrassed. She flees. Tomás asks her again if everything’s all right.

No answer.

...

Un Tambor Diferente

Cuando regresé del bar de mala muerte al que me metía automáticamente todos los viernes al dar las 4:05 de la tarde, la encontré en el umbral de mi crisis. Todo me parecía contradictorio. Si mi predisposición a cogerme al mundo me indicaba que simplemente me la cogiera, ¿por qué dudé? La conciencia nunca ha jugado un rol importante en mis decisiones impulsivas. Mi cuerpo, en su balance y armonía natural me da señales... ciertos impulsos.

Lo que la mayoría de la gente consideraría acciones impulsivas, acciones sin pensar, yo las considero acciones instintivas. Y es justo darle la razón a tu instinto. No quiero minimizar la importancia que tiene el cerebro, el pensamiento lógico. Pero existen más cosas. El problema es que el hombre insiste en sintetizar: entre menos, mejor. Si entiendo algo, ahí me quedo. Las zonas de confort, que les llaman.

En fin, el chiste es que no me la cogí. No seguí mi instinto, y sí seguí ciertos... lineamientos... ¿morales? Siempre me he quejado de la moral. Me parece una gran mentada de madre a las mentes y percepciones modernas, tener que sentirnos atados a mandamientos de sociedades del pasado. Sociedades que poco o nada tienen que ver conmigo. Pero no importa mi postura intelectual ante ella. Me atacó. Duro.

Le pedí -con esa vaga idea que tengo de lo que es ser un caballero- que se retirara. No tenía interés en tirármela. Había algo muy sucio en la idea de tener sexo con una... muerta... no-- no me juzguen. No es algo literal, a lo que me refiero es que se sentiría muerto, vacío. No sé. Creo que no tiene que ver ni mi cuerpo ni mi mente, ni nada metafísico en mi decisión y cambio. Es una tercera persona.

Se llama Cathy.

Me sacó de mi zona de confort.