TEASER
ACT 1, SCENE 1 INT: HOSPITAL – ICU
MS. COLE gently caresses JAMAL COLE as he lies in a coma. JAMAL starts to convulse and the heart monitors go crazy. MS. COLE starts screaming for him.
DOCTORS rush in and kick her out the room screaming.
Without sound, the doctors and nurses move to save JAMAL. Defibrillators are used and JAMAL’S body jumps silently and collapses
SMASH CUT TO ACT 1, SCENE 2 INT: BUTLER HOME – DAY
MOHAMED BUTLER is staring emotionally ahead. Then he jumps as his name is called.
REV JOE MAC:
Help me.
AMED reacts like a robot to help REV lift LINDA BUTLER’S body off the kitchen floor.
TITLE CARD: HOURS EARLIER
They carry her into a broom closet. AMED stares at LINDA as the closet door closes. He starts to cry.
REV:
Stop that. Whatever you did to her is in the past. We need to start thinking about the future before we don’t have one. Are you listening to me?
AMED:
No sir. I don’t want to.
REV:
Well you have to! Forget her. She was just an accident. There’s no curse. There’s only us.
AMED:
Then why do I feel like a part of me is dying?
REV:
Shut out those doubts. They’re nothing but the Devil’s whispers.
AMED nods.
REV:
Everything happens for a reason. You have a purpose now. You will keep me alive.
AMED nods.
REV:
You’ll feel no pain as long as you protect me. I don’t want to get in trouble. We can’t get in trouble. Do you understand? We have a purpose.
AMED stares blankly ahead as he nods.
SMASH CUT BACK TO ACT 1, SCENE 3 INT: HOSPITAL(Cont’d) – Present day
Doctors silently look at each other. They stop use of the defibrillator pads.
CLOSE UP OF JAMAL’S SIDE as a DOCTOR raises his arm to look at his watch to call the time of death.
END OF TEASER
END OF ACT 1
Act 2, SCENE 1, INT: BULTER HOME
AMED and REV are walking away from the broom closet where LINDA’s body is kept.
REV:
That will buy us some time before neighbors start asking questions and checking in on us, but we still need to get out of Astro City. We need money. How much do you have?
AMED:
About a $1000 in the bank.
REV:
I can’t do banks. I need to stay clear of cameras and eyes. If they haven’t started already, the cops will start looking for me. I need to be gone fast. Do you have anything else?
AMED:
ATM Card. Credit cards. And $400 in my safe.
REV:
That’ll do.
ACT 2, SCENE 2 INT: GARAGE – CONT’D
REV is overlooking AMED as he keys in a code for his safe. The safe opens and there’s money and a gun.
AMED takes his time collecting the money, but never lifts his eyes off the gun.
REV collects and counts the bills.
Then AMED quickly grabs the gun and puts it to his head.
REV:
STOP!
AMED is crying, but can’t pull the trigger. REV puts his hand over AMED’S hands.
REV:
You sad creature, are you that desperate for freedom? I’m saving you. I need you. Put it down.
AMED nods again as his skin crawls from REV’S touch.
REV:
Suicide is a sin against God. Now, give me the gun.
AMED relinquishes the gun to REV.
REV:
How many bullets are in here?
C.U. of AMED’s face. He has given up.
AMED:
There’s a full clip.
REV nods.
ACT 2, SCENE 3 INT: BUTLER’S CAR
REV hops into the back seat of a car. AMED is in the driver’s seat.
AMED starts the car and the car radio automatically turns on.
RADIO HOST #1 (o.s.):
I mean, it’s unprecedented.
AMED moves to shut it off.
REV:
Hold on.
RADIO HOST #2 (o.s.):
Everyone’s talking about it. I can’t even get it out of my head. For those listeners just tuning in, we’re discussing the late Mayor George Apostolou. You’d have to be living under a rock to not know.
RADIO HOST #1 (o.s.):
To kill yourself in front of everyone? Like some twisted hari-kari but exchange the samurai sword with a gun and the stomach for the head. It was live.
RADIO HOST #2 (o.s.):
Yes. In this new age everything’s viral so imagine the fall out of this. I think its online now.
REV:
The Mayor’s work is finally done. Sister must be happy.
RADIO HOST #2 (o.s.):
We’re gonna open up the lines in a moment to hear what others have to say. The AC is out of control. Church abuse scandals and suicidal mayors. I don’t know.
REV shuts of the radio angrily.
REV:
Trash!
AMED nods.
REV:
Get me out of here.
AMED:
Where are we going?
REV:
I need time to get this together. Your brother’s is a great place to hide for right now. No one will focus on the Heights since the Mayor killed himself downtown.
AMED:
Omar’s apartment is filled with people and cameras. Someone will recognize you.
REV:
Well there’s gotta be someplace I could hide. Call your brother. He’ll know.
AMED picks up his phone.
REV:
Play some gospel, please.
AMED turns on the radio again and changes the station to a gospel alternative.
HOLD ON REV’S face as the song plays.
ACT 2, SCENE 4 INT: REV’S HOME – NIGHT
BANGING on the front door above the play of gospel music. RACHEL MACCABEE runs into frame and down the hall to open it.
RACHEL:
Hold on. I’m coming!
RACHEL looks through the peephole.
RACHEL:
Bettie?
She opens to the front door. A disheveled and intoxicated woman is out there.
RACHEL:
Bettie, what’re you doing here?
BEATRICE “BETTIE” MACCABEE:
Where’s daddy?
RACHEL:
Watching TV. You should go.
BETTIE:
No. It’s time to talk.
RACHEL:
You’ve been drinking again?
BETTIE:
I remember now, mama. I remember what he did to me.
RACHEL is frightened.
HARD CUT TO BLACK SCREEN
TITLE CARD: ONE YEAR AGO
HARD CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 5 INT: REV’S HOME – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
REV:
You need to get out!
BETTIE:
Don’t you ever touch me again!
REV:
You’re drunk! I won’t talk to a drunk. Rachel, get her out of here.
RACHEL is pacing the room with a cigarette in hand, mumbling to herself.
REV:
Look what you’re doing to your mother. Rachel, put that out.
BETTIE:
Don’t be shocked. Addiction runs everywhere in this family.
REV:
Don’t you dare listen to her, Rachel.
BETTIE:
You can’t shut me up anymore!
BETTIE takes RACHEL by the hand and guides her to sit on the couch. She kneels down in front of her mother and looks her in the eye.
BETTIE:
Look what he’s done to you, Mama.
BETTIE looks down at RACHEL’S ARMS. BETTIE’S POV RACHEL’S ARMS is covered in dark marks.
RACHEL:
I fell.
BETTIE:
No Mama. He’s always been like this.
RACHEL looks up tearfully.
BETTIE:
He’d come to my room at night.
RACHEL:
He disappeared at night to pray.
BETTIE:
At first it was praying and then it was something else. Why would you do that to me?
RACHEL:
He was just praying.
BETTIE:
No, he lied to you and me, to his whole church family.
REV:
I won’t have you curse my name.
REV picks up BETTIE by the hair.
RACHEL:
Joe!
REV:
Don’t believe her.
BETTIE:
The truth is out. You can’t stop me. I’ll tell everybody. I’ll tell Melissa. It’ll be in all the papers!
REV:
Why are you doing this to me?
BETTIE:
I want the world to know the truth. You’re not a reverend. You’re sick and disgusting!
REV lets her go.
BETTIE:
Oh that’s where it hurts you? Your precious name? They’ll turn against you. You’ll fall so hard the Devil will cringe.
REV walks away quickly upstairs.
BETTIE:
You can’t run from me!
RACHEL attempts to hold BETTIE back.
CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 6 INT: REV’S HOME – CONT’D
REV enters his office and locks the door in distress. Outside the door are the muffled cries of BETTIE.
INTERCUT SCENES of him falling on his knees to pray and pacing his room.
REV:
Father, forgive me. I’m weak, but thou art strong. Father God, give me strength to fight off this evil.
SCENE REV grabs an extension cord from his closet and tosses it around a beam and ties it around a door knob.
REV (v.o.):
I’m weak, Father. Give me strength. Please. I can’t control myself.
REV tearfully places his head in the noose and drops out of frame.
REV’S POV vision blurs until something casually walks into view it is NEBTHET ENNEAD.
NEB:
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You sad creature, why so desperate?
She cuts the cord with her talon hands and REV falls to the floor coughing. NEB leans down to him as he coughs and caresses his face.
REV:
God?
NEB:
Child, you think too small.
NEB’S WINGS OF METAL EMERGE BEHIND HER.
REV:
Then you’re my Angel of Death. Save me.
NEB:
Salvation was always a choice. Is it freedom you want? Or is it control?
REV reaches up his hand and stops.
NEB:
Your freedom is guaranteed and inevitable.
REV:
I’m scared.
NEB:
Control will usher in the reckoning you seek for all and yourself.
REV:
Spare me this cross.
NEB:
Control or freedom? Choose.
NEB grabs his hands and REV’S EYES turn black as tears roll down his face.
CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 7: REV’S HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – CONT’D
REV comes back downstairs to confront the women.
BETTIE:
You done praying for forgiveness?
REV chokes her, his eyes black, veins swimming under his skin.
REV:
Kneel.
BETTIE falls to her knees. REV now has a hand on her head.
BETTIE:
Don’t touch me!
REV:
You will be silent for the rest of your life. You will walk far away from here until your muscles tear and your heart swells.
BETTIE gets up and turns against her will in silent horror and starts to walk away. RACHEL is speechlessly watching this.
REV follows her to the front door and opens it for BETTIE as she walks out the door. He slams the door on her.
RACHEL sees REV coming back.
RACHEL:
What did you do her?
She turns to run, but REV catches her and wraps her up from behind until his face is pressed against hers in a macabre embrace.
REV:
She walked out on this family, but you have me. Only me. Love me.
END OF ACT 2