Choices Act I---- A Screenplay by Ashley Rogers

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Act I


FADE IN:

EXT. HOUSE IN ALEXANDRIA, NORTH CAROLINA – NIGHT                    Scene1

A small, modest home on the outskirts of the city; neighbors are quite use to the screaming that proceeds the night coming from the house.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ALEXANDRIA HOME- LIVING ROOM- NIGHT                          Scene2

A loud physical fight can be heard from off screen coming from another room in the home.

REBECCA EVANS and DAVID EVANS enter the room fighting loudly.

DAVID

Every single day I have to look at your face and hear you complaining.  All I want from you is food on the table when I come home.

REBECCA

I’m tired of this David; I work myself to the bone every day at the bank.  I can’t move up

in any company because we are constantly moving for reasons I don’t even know.  You say for a job that I just found out you don’t even have…..

DAVID, a 6’1, 300 pound African American male walks close to REBECCA’s frail body,  and puts his finger in her face, anger in his eyes.  Her shoulder length blonde hair is wet from the shower she’d been taking up until DAVID had arrived home.

DAVID (interjects Rebecca)

Shutup! Just shutup! (David raises hand a slaps Rebecca across the face)… I told you that we don’t talk about this!  You will not be checking up on me and questioning what I’m doing!

REBECCA, looks up at DAVID and runs from the room crying as LEILA EVANS and LILA EVANS walk down the hallway to enter the living room.

DAVID (yells after Rebecca, following her into the back room )

And go fix some dinner while you’re at it!  I’m starving and you have these brats to feed.

LEILA, protagonist of story and one of the twin girls, 19 years of age, of mixed decent with long black hair to her shoulders comes into the living room with her headphones in.  Her identical twin sister LILA follows close behind her, playing with her hair visibly upset about the fight they’d just walked into.

LEILA

I’m so tired of this fighting.

LILA

At least you have your music to escape to.  I’m leaving. You know where to find me.

( LILA leaves out front door.)

EXT. ALEXANDRIA HOME- NIGHT                                                       Scene3

Picks up in a small grove behind the family home where trees surround a small stream; this place is known as Lila’s personal haven to which she often escapes when her mother and stepfather are fighting.

LILA, sits down near the stream and gazes into the moonlight reflecting off of the water, but begins to think aloud.

LILA (to herself)

The constant fighting between David and my mother is driving me crazy.  I don’t know how much more I can take of this.

LEILA, enters the grove unaware to Lila and frightens her.  Lila quickly stands up to see who or what is trespassing on her personal haven.

LEILA

Lila, it’s just me.

LILA, recognizes the all too familiar voice, but Leila looks shaken and the often calm persona she has is no longer there.

LILA

What are you doing here Le?

LEILA  looks at her sister and shakes her head.  Then looks off in the distance with a troubled gaze.

LEILA

I always loved this place.  But I never had the courage to travel here, in the dark, all alone at night.  It’s beautiful at night.  I know you never thought I liked it here.  I would never come with……. (Voice trails off)

LILA

Has the fighting gotten worse since I left the house?

LEILA

Just the usual Li.

LILA

More than the usual.  You never come down here for the usual.

LEILA

I came down here to tell you that we are leaving.

LILA

Who’s leaving?

LILA, turns from gazing at the moon to stare at her sister, who was walking into the stream, making tiny water sounds as she waded through it.  She never looked at Lila directly, but off into the distance. 

LEILA

Me and you Li.

LILA, becomes visibly impatient with the conversation.  She begins to walk toward Leila and speak in a slightly annoyed tone.

LILA

What are you talking about?

LEILA, looks at Lila and speaks so softly that Lila has to strain to hear her over the calm movement of the stream water.

LEILA

You remember when we were small, when dad was still alive?  I mean do you really remember those times?  Sitting out on the lawn watching the stars?  Before Dad died?  We didn’t have a care in the world.

LILA, wades out of the stream and sits on the grass not too far from Leila.

LEILA

I want to leave Li.  I can’t take this stuff anymore.  We’re all living in a glass house, one built on crushed dreams and what I think will turn into fatal mistakes.

LILA

Leave?  What are you talking about?  There is no way we could leave mom with that man.

LEILA

Li, our mom died a very long time ago.  All I see now is a machine, a replica of her former self.  If we don’t leave, that’s all any of us will ever be.

LILA

This is insane.  Where is his coming from all of a sudden? Where will we go?  We have no place to go! Mom is the only family that we have and I won’t leave her!

LEILA, begins walking back toward their home.  She turns around and gives Lila a look she’d never seen before. 

LEILA

Suit yourself Li, but when you wake up tomorrow I won’t be here.  You’ll never see me again and you’ll stay up each night wondering where I have gone and how I turned out.  But you’ll never know.  You’ll search for me but won’t find me.  I’m walking away from all of this and if you stay, I’m walking away from you too.

LEILA, walks toward the house and only the silhouette of her body can be seen via the moonlight. 

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ALEXANDRIA HOME – NIGHT- FRONT ENTRANCE WAY     Scene4

In the home everything seems to be calm now.  Their mother and my stepfather’s door is closed and nothing seemed to be out of place.  But this wasn’t unusual.  Their Mom must keep up with appearances.  Not appearances for any snooty, rich friends she might have, ----she didn’t have any of those and they weren’t rich---- but for us. 

INT. BEDROOM OF LEILA AND LILA- NIGHT                                                            Scene5

The door is ajar, but the room is dark.  Lila pushes the door open, only to find Leila in her bed, headphones in, fast asleep.  She soon fell into a deep sleep also.  But awakes when she hears something shuffling in the room.  She reaches over and pulls the switch to turn their lamp on.  At the sight of the light, Leila momentarily stops what she is doing and looks up.  Once she sees LILA, she resumes her packing. 

LILA

Leila, it’s two in the morning. What are you doing?

LEILA

Didn’t we already have this discussion Li?  Did you think I was joking? I’m not.  Ian is coming to get me. I’m leaving.

LILA

So that’s what this is about?  You want to run off with that Ian guy, you’re on and off again boyfriend?  This is about nothing more than your selfishness!  The world can’t always revolve around you all the time!

LILA, rolls her eyes at her sister and attempts to head out of their bedroom door.

LEILA

What are you doing?!

LILA

I’m going to wake Mom up and tell her that you’re trying to….oh I don’t know…. Ruin your life!

But before LILA takes three steps toward the door, LEILA grabs her by the arm and swings her back around. 

LILA, falls to the floor.

LEILA

What do you think you’re doing?  I’m not running off with Ian!  He’s taking me to the bus stop, from there I’m going wherever I want to.  You might want to stay here, but you will not destroy my chances of leaving.  You had the opportunity to come with me.

LILA

I can’t believe you’re really doing this.  There’s nothing out there for you in the streets! Are you crazy?!

LEILA

There isn’t anything left for me here Li. We live in this cramped house listening to fighting and glass breaking every single night.  We can’t go to school because we move around every two years so mom’s co-workers won’t get suspicious of the bruises on her face.  We stay locked up in this room, trying to drown out what has become common place to us. 

LILA (interjects, but is stopped)

But!..........

LEILA

I can’t and will not do it anymore.  You can.  Life is all about choices.  I’ve made mine and I’m sticking by it.  Mom made hers and she’s sticking by it.  Now you made yours, so stick by it, go back to bed, and stay out of my way.  I’ll miss you, but like I told you earlier, if you stay here, you’ll become a distant memory; just like this house, that man, and mom.

LEILA, is still packing while she argues with her sister.

LILA still sits on the floor where she’d fallen.  She sits there for a couple of minutes before rising from the floor and sitting in a chair close to where Leila was almost done packing. 

LEILA’s phone rings. Her phone rings. 

IAN (ON PHONE OFF SCRENE)

Hello?  Leila I’m outside.

. 

LEILA (O.S.)

I’m on my way down.

LILA, gets up and grabbed her sister’s arm as she is pulls her duffle bag over her shoulder, looking her straight in the eye.

LILA

Wait….I’m coming.

(BOTH EXIT ROOM AFTER LILA GRABS HER OWN ITEMS AND TURNS OFF LIGHT)

EXT.  INSIDE IAN’S CAR- CLEAR NIGHT-DRIVING                                      Scene6

LEILA, sits in the front seat with Ian, while Lila scrunches up in the back with their two bags.  Their mother and stepfather hadn’t heard them leave.  Lila begins to doze off.

EXT. BUS DEPOT                                                                                                    Scene7

This swanky bus station is filled will people milling around getting on and off various buses.  The big blue bus the twins plan to board, layered with red and black graffiti, can be seen in the distance.

LEILA

Li, wake up.  We’re here.

Ian and Leila get out of the car and hug each other for a few seconds, while LILA walks toward the awaiting bus.  IAN’s long brown hair brushes against his face as the wind blows, coming to a halt on his punk rock t-shirt.

IAN

You really doing this babe?

LEILA

I have no choice.  You know the situation.

IAN

When are you going to tell your sister?

LEILA

Mom wouldn’t listen when I tried to warn her, tell her that we could have all escaped.  She chose him over us.  That’s what I’ll tell her when the time is right.  I love you, always will ya’ know.

IAN

I know.  Maybe one day we’ll……..

LEILA kisses Ian before he can finish his sentence.  Then turns and walks toward her sister, as IAN watches her walk away with tears in his eyes.

LEILA and LILA board the bus, not knowing what their destination would be.  They begin reading the bus schedule as it pulls out of the station.

INT. INSIDE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION BUS                                         Scene8

LILA

Where are we going Le?

LEILA

I told you whichever way we both feel is best.  There is no set destination.  We’ll know when we get there.

LILA

I think you’re starting to go a little looney on me.  Why can’t you answer a simple question?  You brought us out here and have no idea where we are going.  We have little to no money besides what I have been saving which is only like $50.  How far do you expect us to get with that?

LEILA, ignores her sister and looks out the window of the bus. 

Several hours pass.  LILA has fallen asleep, but is awakened by her sister.

.

LEILA

Get up.  This is our stop.

LILA, rises slowly, rolling her eye.  They both got off the bus. 

EXT. NEW ORLEANS, LA- DAY- BUSY STREET                                              Scene9

The girls step out onto a busy New Orleans street with various types of people walking around.  They appear lost in the shuffle.

LEILA, tries to wave down a taxi for them for thirty minutes.  LILA, walks off during this time and begins to explore.

INT. BAGGIE’S COSTUME SHOP- DAY                                                 Scene10

BAGGIE’S is a small corner store.  Hundreds of costumes hung from the store’s walls in various colors, sizes, and shapes. 

LILA, walks through the shop’s glass doors, staring at all of the colorful costumes in the shop.

A woman employee walks toward LILA, with a suspicious facial expression.

WOMAN EMPLOYEE

May I help you?

LILA, is visibly startled by the woman and jumps.

LILA

Yes. I mean no….I’m just looking.

The woman looks at LILA puzzled. 

WOMAN EMPLOYEE

What is your name child?

LILA, just stares at the lady, knowing she’d just run away from home and maybe she shouldn’t be giving out information about herself.  The lady repeated her question more haughtily this time. 

Leila walks up beside her sister quickly, almost out of nowhere.

LEILA

Her name is Leila.  She’s kind of slow.  Please forgive her. I just can’t keep up with her.  C’mon Lila let’s get you back to the institution.

Leila pulls Lila toward the entrance of the store and out of the glass doors before the lady can respond.

EXT. NEW ORLEANS STREET- DAY                                                      Scene11

LEILA, pulls her sister out of the store back to the busy street and begins questioning her angrily.

LEILA

What exactly were you doing back there?  I told you I was trying to get a taxi for us and you decide to walk off?!

LILA

Exactly who made you the boss of everything Leila?  I can go wherever I want and I didn’t need you following me either. Tell you what, since you want to run things go run them on your own.  I’m going my way and you go yours!

LEILA, looks at her sister and begins to laugh uncontrollably.

LEILA

You wouldn’t make it for five minutes out here on your own.

LILA, becomes visibly angry. 

LILA

Listen Leila, you talk about destiny a lot, but destiny can’t happen without a plan.  You brought us out here in the middle of nowhere, with $100 dollars between both of us, knowing nobody, no transportation, no real destination and you have the audacity to talk about me?!!  No! You go that way and I’m going this way.  We have phones for the time being, so we will call each other tomorrow and see who finds a place for us to stay first.

LEILA

Are you trying to turn this into some kind of competition?

LILA

No, I’m trying to find us a place to stay.

LILA, begins walking the opposite way that they’d come, leaving Leila behind.

LILA walks into a grocery store called “My Bills’ Grocery, looking around expectantly. 

INT. MY BILL’S GROCERY STORE- DAY                                             Scene12

My Bill’s Grocery Store is a small family grocery store.  A boy catches Lila’s eye in the store. She begins to follow him, engaged by his dark brown hair, but as she is about to talk to him her phone rings.

LEILA (O.S.)

Where are you?

LILA,  recognizes her sister’s voice on the other end of the phone. 

The boy begins to make his way toward the door.

LILA, holds the phone and starts walking in the direction he is going.

LILA( On screen)

Look, I’ll call you back.

LEILA

No, listen I’ve found us a place to stay.  It’s temporary, but it’ll due for now.

LILA

Gotta go, Le.

LILA, hangs up the phone and follows the cute guy heading toward his car. 

LILA

Hay!!!

LILA, is clearly exasperated from the half jog she’s done to get to him. 

The boy turns around and looks at her startled.

The boy she’d tracked down was tall, thin, of Caucasian decent and had long brown hair. 

JASON

Hay, you scared me.  What’s wrong?

He had an accent that fit his overall appearance, kind of rugged. 

LILA

Hmmm, well I’m not from here and I seem to be a little lost.

JASON

Well, where are you trying to go?  Maybe I can help.

LILA

Well, I don’t know a place exactly.  I mean I’m looking for a place to stay.

JASON, looks at her and laughs.

JASON

You mean like a hotel or are you volunteering to be my new roommate?

LILA (forcing out a giggle)

I meant a hotel.

JASON

Well there are a lot of hotels around here.  Would you like me to take you to one?

LILA

Hmmmm….yes. I mean if that’s cool with you.

LILA gets in JASON’s car and they leave the crowded parking lot.

INT.  INSIDE JASON’S FORD EXPLORER                                             Scene13

LILA

Hay I didn’t catch your name.

JASON

Jason Weaver.  How about yours?

LILA

I go by Li, but my name is Lila.

JASON

Cool name.  Where you from?

LILA, looks at him puzzled because of all the sudden questions.  Her

LILA’s, phone starts ringing again.  She presses the black button on the side of the phone to make it stop.

JASON

Shouldn’t you answer that?

LILA

Nah, just the wrong number.  You’d think they could take a hint.

LILA and JASON, pull up at what looks like a secluded building. 

LILA

Where are we going?

JASON, ignores the question.  He parks and comes around to her side of the car.

JASON’s face had become stern and serious, almost cynical.

JASON

Get out.

LILA

Where are you taking me?! People will be looking for me.  They’ll notice that I’m gone.

JASON ignores Lila’s comments and pulls her by the arm out of the car, into the building and then into a well- lit room. 

INT. BACK WOODS ISOLATED WAREHOUSE                                                Scene14

The warehouse reminds Lila of the interrogation rooms seen on television in which they break the criminals down. 

JASON, puts Lila in a chair within the room and walks out, locking the door behind him.

(END ACT I)