Forsaken, not Forgiven

CHARACTER PROFILE
ALEX
She is 16 years old. She is young and naïve. She is conservative yet passionately opinionated, very stubborn and only slightly violent when provoked. She is very much in love with Sara and has been for three years. She is paranoid: of Sara leaving her, cheating on her, hiding things from her. She feels like she is only half of herself without Sara, and her half would not be worth living for.
SARA
She is almost 18. She is beautiful, manipulative, self centred and vengeful. As much as she loves Alex, she is not ready to be tied down to one person for the rest of her life, she needs freedom. She often has no conscience and only thinks of herself. In descending order of importance, there are only three things in life that matter to her: herself, choof and Alex.
JEREMY
He is 23. He is a typical drug dealer: never has and never will give a shit about anyone, no conscience, no guilt, no regret. He deals to Sara occasionally. He likes her and uses drugs to get her to like him. He thinks he’s hot and it shows. Alex and Jeremy have never met.

1. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX
THE SCREEN IS BLACK. ALEX’S HEAVY BREATHING IS HEARD AND A BED CREAKING AS SHE SITS DOWN. SLIPKNOT’S “THE VIRUS OF LIFE” IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND.

ALEX
(SHATTERED VOICE) Oh God...what have I done?

ALEX CONTINUES BREATHING HEAVILY. HER TEAR STAINED FACE APPEARS SUDDENLY ON THE SCREEN. IT IS DARK IN THE BUNGALOW. THERE IS ONLY ONE LIGHT, IN THE LEFT CORNER OPPOSITE THE DOOR. HER EYES DART NERVOUSLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, UP AT THE CEILING THEN STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA. A TEAR RUNS DOWN HER CHEEK AND SHE LEANS FORWARD WITH HER HEAD IN HER HANDS. SHE IS SHAKING.

ALEX

(SOBBING) How...could I? How could she? I- (GROANS)

SHE STOPS MID SENTENCE AND LOOKS UP AND BLINKS AT THE HARSH LIGHT. SHE LOOKS BROKEN AS THE CAMERA ZOOMS OUT TO A MID SHOT OF HER ON THE BED. SHE IS SWEATING, SHAKING, CRYING AND TWITCHING.

ALEX

I...I didn’t...mean to...what are you doing? Why don’t you...oh God...I can’t-

THE CAMERA RAPIDLY ZOOMS IN TO HER FACE AS SHE SUCKS IN HER BREATH QUICKLY AS IF IN SHOCK AND HER BODY JOLTS SUDDENLY.
CUT TO:

2. EXTERIOR, PARK, LATE AFTERNOON, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

ALEX AND SARA STAND FACING EACH OTHER, FOREHEADS TOGETHER, HANDS CLASPED TOGETHER IN FRONT OF THEM. THE DISTILLER’S “THE HUNGER” IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND.

SARA

(WHISPER) Wanna know something?

ALEX

Yes...no, I don’t know. (PAUSE) Okay yes.

ALEX SMILES. SARA SMILES BACK.

SARA

Well, I was gonna tell you anyway.

ALEX

I know.

SARA LOOKS INTO HER EYES. THERE IS A SHORT PAUSE.

SARA

(WHISPER) I love you. I love you. I love you. Do you know?

ALEX

Nope.

ALEX SHAKES HER HEAD SLOWLY, POUTING. SHE DOES KNOW.

SARA

You do! You know I love you!

SARA LOOKS PLAYFULLY OFFENDED. ALEX CLOSES HER EYES, THEN OPENS THEM.

ALEX

I know. (PAUSE) I want to marry you.

SARA

(VERY SURPRISED) What?

ALEX

When we’re older, obviously.

SARA LOOKS INCREDIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE. SHE LOOKS AWAY.

ALEX

What’s wrong?

SARA IS STILL LOOKING AWKWARD. SHE LOOKS INTO ALEX’S EYES.

SARA

Well... (PAUSE) I mean, c’mon, like we’re still gonna be together!

ALEX

What? (SOUNDS HURT) You mean...you don’t want to stay with me forever?

SARA

I...it’s not like that, I just...I mean, we’re so young. I gotta live first. Before, you know, I settle down at 17. You understand that, don’t you?

ALEX LOOKS HURT. SHE NODS SILENTLY AND LOWERS HER HEAD.
CUT TO:

3. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

TAKING BACK SUNDAY’S “CUTE WITHOUT THE E” IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. ALEX COVERS HER EYES WITH HER HANDS AND ROCKS BACK AND FORTH, WHIMPERING QUIETLY. SHE SITS UP; LEANS FORWARD, HER HANDS PULL A CIGARETTE OUT OF A PACKET ON THE TABLE AND BRINGS IT TO HER LIPS. HER EYES SEARCH FOR A LIGHTER. SHE FLICKS THE FLAME TO LIFE AND INHALES DEEPLY. SHE IS BREATHING QUICKLY AND HEAVILY. HER ELBOWS ON HER KNEES, SHE PUTS HER HANDS ON HER HEAD.

ALEX

Oh God...oh shit! What the hell am I gonna do?

HER BODY TWITCHES VIOLENTLY AND SHE LOOKS TO HER LEFT. HER EYES WIDEN AND SHE QUICKLY LOOKS DOWN AT THE FLOOR. SHE SHUDDERS.
CUT TO:

4. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

THE BUNGALOW IS DARK EXCEPT FOR THE LIGHT OF THE TV.  THE FOO FIGHTER’S “EVERLONG” PLAYS IN THE BACKGROUND. ALEX AND SARA SIT SIDE BY SIDE IN THE CORNER OF THE BED, THEIR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER, WATCHING IT. ALEX LEANS OVER ON HER STOMACH TO REACH FOR HER DRINK ON THE TABLE. SHE DOESN’T QUITE MAKE IT BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS CAUGHT HER EYE. SHE PICKS UP A PHOTOGRAPH WHICH IS UNDER THE TABLE.

ALEX

Who’s this?

SARA LEANS OVER TO LOOK, FROWNING AS SHE SEES IT.

SARA

That’s Jeremy.

ALEX

(SARCASTIC) Oh...Jeremy. Oh yeah, me and him are like this.

ALEX CROSSES HER INDEX AND MIDDLE FINGERS, A “WE’RE TIGHT” GESTURE, THEN LAUGHS.

ALEX

So who is he?

SARA LOOKS NONCHALANTLY AT THE PHOTO AGAIN AND TAKES IT FROM ALEX’S HAND.

SARA

(SHRUGGING) Just a friend.

ALEX

A friend.

SARA

(LOOKING AWAY) Yeah.

ALEX FROWNS AS SARA PUTS THE PHOTO BACK. SHE LOOKS AS THOUGH SHE WANTS TO ASK MORE BUT INSTEAD GOES AGAIN TO REACH FOR THE DRINK ON THE TABLE.
CUT TO:

5. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

ALEX’S SHOULDERS RELAX AS IF SHE’S BEEN TENSING THEM. SHE IS MOTIONLESS FOR A MOMENT, THEN SHE SUDDENLY HITS HERSELF IN THE HEAD AS SHE TALKS TO HERSELF.

ALEX

Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! WHAT HAVE I DONE?

ALEX STARTS MUMBLING TO HERSELF, ALMOST INDECIPHERABLY, SHAKING HER HEAD, TWITCHING AND FIDGETING.

ALEX

Shoulda listened to her, shoulda listened to the bitch from the start. She’s right. Mum, you were right, I shoulda stayed away from her. This never woulda happened. Never.

SHE GASPS INVOLUNTARILY AND HER HEAD SNAPS UP.
CUT TO:

6. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. A FLASH OF SARA KNEELING OVER ALEX, WHO IS LYING DOWN.
CUT TO:

7. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. ALEX EXHALES AND PUTS HER HAND TO HER HEAD.
CUT TO:

8. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. THE CAMERA FINDS TANGLED LEGS AND MOVES UP THE TWO GIRLS BODIES AS SARA, WHO IS LYING ON TOP OF ALEX, TOUCHES HER CHEEK.
CUT TO:

9. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. ALEX SIGHS AND SHUTS HER EYES.
CUT TO:

10. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. A FLASH OF THE TWO GIRLS AS THEY KISS.
CUT TO:

11. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. ALEX IS TRYING TO LIGHT ANOTHER CIGARETTE, BUT TEARS KEEP ROLLING DOWN HER FACE.

ALEX

Shut up, shut up, shut up. Stop thinking, head. STOP!

SHE IS DIGGING HER KNUCKLES INTO HER TEMPLES. SHE SIGHS AND HER HANDS DROP.

ALEX

I’m driving myself insane.

SHE SITS A MOMENT. ALEX GASPS INVOLUNTARILY AGAIN.
CUT TO:

12. EXTERIOR, STREET, AFTERNOON, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX AND SARA

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. ALEX AND SARA WALK WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE CAMERA. WITHOUT LOOKING AT EACH OTHER, ALEX’S HAND FINDS SARA’S AND THEY ENTWINE THEIR FINGERS.
CUT TO:

13. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX

BRAND NEW’S “SIC TRANSIT GLORIA...GLORY FADES” IS PLAYING. ALEX DRAWS HER KNEES UP AND WRAPS HER ARMS AROUND HER LEGS. SHE TAKES A DRAG OF HER CIGARETTE.

ALEX

(GROANING) Please stop...please...

SHE LOOKS PATHETIC. SHE IS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH SLIGHTLY.

ALEX

Shit. (PAUSE) Oh no! No, no, no, NO!

ALEX REALISES HER HEAD IS ABOUT TO RELIVE THE PAST AGAIN. SHE SHAKES HER HEAD TO STOP IT, BUT THE FLASHES ARE BEYOND HER CONTROL.
CUT TO:

14. EXTERIOR, SARA’S BACKYARD, DUSK, B&W, BEFORE
ALEX, SARA AND JEREMY

PAPA ROACH’S “SHE LOVES ME NOT” IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. ALEX IS CLOSING THE BACK DOOR TO THE HOUSE AND WALKING ACROSS THE BACKYARD TO THE BUNGALOW. SHE IS SMILING. SHE KNOCKS ON THE DOOR BUT THERE IS NO ANSWER. SHE OPENS THE DOOR AND WALKS IN.
CUT TO:
INSIDE THE BUNGALOW, ALEX TURNS TO LOOKS AT THE BED. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS HER GAZE AND RESTS FOR A MOMENT ON THE BED, WHERE SARA AND JEREMY LAY ASLEEP NEXT TO EACH OTHER, HIS ARM AROUND HER. HE HAS NO SHIRT ON AND SHE IS IN HER BRA. THE BLANKET IS COVERING THE REST OF THEIR BODIES. ALEX’S FACE DROPS. DISBELIEF, PAIN AND FINALLY ANGER PASS OVER HER FACE IN A MATTER OF SECONDS. SHE STANDS THERE A MOMENT, THEN SUDDENLY KICKS OVER THE LITTLE TABLE SHE IS STANDING NEXT TO. SARA STIRS FROM HER SLEEP, RUBBING HER EYES. JEREMY ROLLS OVER, BUT DOES NOT WAKE UP.

SARA

(RASPY) What the...? What the hell’s going on?

ALEX

(LOUDLY) Funny, I was just about to ask the same thing!

SARA HANDS DROP FROM HER FACE. SHE SEES ALEX, WHO IS SHAKING WITH ANGER NOW. SHE SEES THE TABLE, THEN LOOKS OVER AT JEREMY, THEN WEAKLY BACK AT ALEX.

SARA

Alex! It’s not what it looks like, okay? Umm...I-

ALEX

(YELLING) You what? If it’s not what it looks like, then what the fuck is it? It’s not everyday I turn up here and there’s some naked guy next to you in bed, is it? How could you do this?

SARA

I...I...Shit, Alex, what can I say? I told you I wasn’t ready to spend the rest of my life with one person. He just came over and...um...it just happened!

SHE IS SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING TO SAY, WHILE ALSO TRYING TO GET HER TOP AND BOXERS ON. SHE KNOWS THAT SHE HAS NO EXCUSE. JEREMY IS STILL ASLEEP, THE NOISE HAS NOT WOKEN THE HEAVY SLEEPER. ALEX IS STILL STANDING. SHE IS FUMING.

ALEX

(YELLING) IT JUST HAPPENED! (LAUGHS) That’s original. So what? You tripped while you just happened to be naked and landed on his dick?!? The fucking prick!

WITHOUT WARNING ALEX PICKS UP THE BASEBALL BAT LEANING AGAINST THE COUCH, CLIMBS UP ONTO THE BED AND RAISES IT ABOVE JEREMY’S HEAD. SARA IS TRYING TO GRAB HER LEGS AND JEREMY IS JUST WAKING UP, ROLLING OVER HE SEES HER, PUTS HIS HAND UP AND GOES TO SAY STOP AS SHE BEGINS TO BRING THE BAT DOWN, HARD.

SARA

(WAILING) ALEX, DON’T!
CUT TO:

15. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX AND JEREMY

ALEX IS SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. HER BREATHING IS CHOKED UP AND BROKEN. ALEX SHIVERS AND COVERS HER FACE WITH HER HANDS. HER SHOULDERS SHAKE AS SHE CRIES FOR A MOMENT. SHE LOOKS OUT FROM BETWEEN HER FINGERS.
CUT TO:

16. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, BEFORE
ALEX, SARA AND JEREMY

ALEX DROPS THE BAT, SHOCKED. SARA IS STARING WIDE EYED AT JEREMY, WHO LAYS STILL. ALEX GIVES HERSELF A MENTAL SHAKE THEN, REMEMBERING HOW ANGRY SHE WAS, TURNS TO SARA WITH A LOOK OF PURE HATE.

ALEX

And YOU!

ALEX GRABS SARA BY THE FRONT OF THE SHIRT AND PULLS HER INTO A STANDING POSITION ON THE BED SO THEY ARE FACE TO FACE. SHE PUSHES HER UP AGAINST THE WALL, HER HANDS FINDING HER THROAT AND BEGINNING TO SQUEEZE, SHAKING HER AND BANGING HER INTO THE WALL AT THE SAME TIME.

ALEX

YOU...YOU...YOU SLUT! How could you? Nearly a year!
We’ve been together nearly a year and this is what you do! You slut, you’re a stupid fucking slut! How could you!? I love you, how could you do it when you know, YOU KNOW, what it’s gonna do? You’re mine, you are not supposed to go round doing random guys when ever you feel like it, do you understand? DO YOU?

ALEX’S GRIP IS UNSTOPPABLE, EVEN THOUGH SARA HAS MADE FEEBLE ATTEMPTS TO RELEASE HERSELF. HER FACE IS TURNING A DARKER SHADE OF RED AND SHE IS GASPING FOR AIR AS ALEX SLAMS HER ONCE AGAIN INTO THE WALL. TEARS ARE RUNNING DOWN ALEX’S FACE BUT SHE IS UNAWARE AS SHE IS SO IRATE.

ALEX

Are you listening to me? I loved you, I love you, and this is what you give me! I hate you, I HATE YOU! I- (STOPS) Sara? What are you doing?

THE SCREEN IS SUDDENLY BLACK. ALEX’S HEAVY BREATHING IS HEARD AND A BED CREAKING AS SHE SITS DOWN.

ALEX

(SHATTERED VOICE) Oh God...what have I done?

ALEX’S HEAVY BREATHING CONTINUES.
CUT TO:

17. INTERIOR, BUNGALOW, EVENING, AFTER
ALEX AND SARA

SLIPKNOT’S “VERMILION PT.2” IS PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND. ALEX STILL SITS, SHUDDERING, CRYING, HER BODY TWITCHING AND SHAKING, HER BREATHING HEAVY, EXACTLY AS SHE WAS AT THE BEGINNING.

ALEX

Oh my God...I can’t...I’m sorry...I love you so much...

SHE CLOSES HER EYES, CRYING.

ALEX

(WHISPERING) I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I love you, I do, please believe me. I didn’t mean for this to happen. I love you.

ALEX LEANS TO HER LEFT AND FOR THE FIRST TIME WE SEE THAT SHE HAS KILLED SARA, WHO IS LYING VERY STILL ON THE BED. ALEX KISSES SARA’S UNMOVING LIPS, A TEAR ESCAPING FROM HER CLOSED EYES.

ALEX

I love you, Sara. I always will.

THE CAMERA FOLLOWS ALEX AS SHE SITS UP. AS SHE GRABS HER CIGARETTES AND LIGHTER FROM THE TABLE THE CAMERA ZOOMS OUT TO SHOW THE WHOLE BED, WHERE JEREMY IS LYING ON HIS BACK. THERE IS BLOOD ON HIS FACE AND ON THE PILLOW BEHIND HIS HEAD. NEXT TO HIM LIES SARA, SO PEACEFUL SHE LOOKS ONLY ASLEEP. ALEX LOOKS AT THEM BOTH.

ALEX

(SIGHING) And they lived happily ever after.

ALEX STANDS UP, WIPES HER EYES AND, WITH HER HEAD UP, WALKS OUT OF THE ROOM, THE CAMERA FOLLOWING HER BACK.


THE END.