Stranded by Arianna Meschia

Arianna Meschia London 2012

460 Hornsey Road London N19 4EE

INT. A BEDROOM - AFTERNOON A sick woman, the protagonists MOTHER, is lying on a bed, breathing imperceptibly. A man, JOHN (about 40, slim, with longish, brown hair starting to turn grey near his temples and a straggly beard and moustache) is sitting next to the bed, his eyes lowered. MOTHER (whispering) Remember John, nothing of what you have in life is your merit. God gave it to you, and He can take it back. Trust him, and He will reward you. And John... She suddenly stops talking, her eyes and her mouth open. Shes dead. JOHN (clinging onto her desperately) What? Mother, what? He clasps her to his chest, holding tight onto her, then he surrenders to the evidence: he lets go of her and stares ahead.

INT. A CHURCH - MORNING The audience is in the pews far from the altar, whereas John is sitting next to his mothers coffin. Everyone is absorbed into the words of FR LOUIS giving a sermon from the pulpit. We can see his frantic gesturing from Johns P.O.V. FR LOUIS (emotionally and excitedly) My brothers and sisters, we are here today to commemorate our sister who died recently. The word of God was always in her action! Despite her life-long illness, she led a holy life, dutiful and fearful of God. Let us all be inspired by her great example! Let us accept Gods will, for He is the leader of our souls, He is the plotter of our lives. Let us pray for the soul of our sister and for our own sinful souls!

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Gradually Fr Louiss words become muffled, as they trigger memories of family life in John and the scene FADES TO:

FLASHBACK - INT. A KITCHEN - MORNING A young John, about 8 years of age, is standing in the middle of the room, listening to his FATHER ranting at him. The father is holding a bottle of rum and is clearly drunk. In between them, the shards of a tea-pot lie on the floor. FATHER See what youve done? You idiot! What are you here for, eh? Youll never get anything from life, you useless lazy scumbag! Johns mother is in one corner, helpless, her arms along her sides. She mouths a silent prayer with her eyes closed. END OF FLASHBACK

INT. A FACTORY - MORNING John is at work, assembling toothpaste tubes that parade in front of him on a conveyor belt. Some colleagues offer him their condolences: they slap him on the back, but John thanks them without stopping what he is doing. Bewildered at his reaction, they walk away. John looks up and misses several toothpaste tubes as the scene FADES TO:

FLASHBACK - INT. SAME CHURCH - MORNING John, about 6 years old, and his mother are entering the church. John goes through the big wooden doors, looking around himself and holding onto his mothers hand. Fr Louis welcomes the young boy with a smile and shakes Johns mothers hand in both his, protectively. They sit as Fr Louis starts preaching in his delirious manner. FR LOUIS My brothers and sisters, let me welcome you with most righteous words. Only on the Lords pity, (CONTINUED)

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FR LOUIS (CONTD) only on His mercy shall we base our lives. Nothing is on accounts of our own merits; everything is on account of His great compassion. (dramatic pause, he scans the audience until his gaze falls upon John and rests there for some moments) Let us follow this preaching to lead our lives in sanctity! The young John drinks his words, wide-eyed, impressed by the stunning beauty and vastness of the church and by the charisma of Fr Louis. END OF FLASHBACK

INT. A FACTORY - MORNING John is still absent minded, the voice of Fr Louis still resonating in his ears, when a well dressed man, his BOSS, approaches him. BOSS John? John! Come to my office. I need to talk to you. John startles, notices the toothpaste tubes accumulating in front of him and stops the conveyor belt. He follows his boss who has started to walk away.

INT. THE BOSS OFFICE - MORNING The boss is concerned and speaks slowly, gesticulating, as if John could not understand him otherwise. BOSS John, Im very concerned. Since your... Since the tragedy that hit you, you dont seem to be - in the spirit anymore. I think it would be good if you left - for some time. (he hands him an envelope) Here, take this. You can fly to Garden County, then get a coach to Bridgeport. A change of air will do you good, Im sure.

4. John stares at him for a second, takes the envelope, muttering a word of agreement, then exits.

INT. JOHNS BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING John is packing up a small black suitcase with some clothes, a beauty-case, a book. He checks his watch: its early. He sits down on the bed and looks around his room: the furniture is minimal, the look anonymous. A framed picture of him, his mother and his father is on the chest of drawers. Beside it, the church weekly newsletter. On Johns bedside table, a copy of the Bible. John checks his watch again and stands up.

INT. A PLANE - MORNING Unaware of stewards walking up and down the aisle, John sits looking ahead, lost in thought. In the seat beside him, an OLD LADY is sitting. The noises of the airplane are occasionally overpowered by murmurs in Johns head: his mothers loving voice, his fathers angry rants, Fr Louiss delirious speeches.

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INT. AN AIRPORT (LUGGAGE RECLAIM) - MORNING John approaches the luggage reclaim where other passengers form his flight are already waiting. "Welcome to Garden County Airport" signs surround him. He looks around himself, lost in the vastness of the place: he takes a moment to understand what belt will have his luggage, then moves towards it. When he spots his luggage he does not move, but waits until the suitcase gets to him. He picks it up and walks towards the exit. The old lady looks distractedly at John picking up his small black suitcase. Then she turns her attention to the belt, where her luggage - a small black suitcase identical to Johns - is coming towards her. She easily picks it up and walks away. Neither John nor the old lady know, but they have accidentally swapped luggage.

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INT. A HOTEL ROOM - NOON John walks into his hotel room: a typical one, with flowery wallpapers and curtains. He closes the door and walks to the bed, where he puts his suitcase. He takes his shoes off, aligns them next to the bed, takes a towel and walks to the bathroom.

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INT. A HOTEL RECEPTION - NOON The old lady is checking in a rundown motel, the kind one finds in "small-town America" films. The receptionist looks at the old lady walking away slowly, then shrugs and goes back to his magazine.

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INT. JOHNS ROOM - LATER John comes out of the bathroom wrapped in the towel from his waist down and approaches the bed. He opens the suitcase and stares in disbelief at its content for a long time, his hands still grasping the upper part of the suitcase. Shaking violently, John reaches for the content of the luggage with his left hand: he takes out a thick roll of money. He then reaches with his right hand and takes out another roll of money. Something clicks in his mind and he starts rummaging frantically in the suitcase, throwing countless rolls of money on the floor.

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INT. THE OLD LADYS ROOM - LATER The old lady closes the door of her room and looks around: old furniture and a dirty grey curtain. She steadily walks to the bed, puts the suitcase on it and starts undressing: gradually, it is revealed she is a MAN in disguise. He takes off his wig, fake glasses, shoes and skirt. He is about to take his tights off, when he stops and opens the suitcase. As John before him, he stares in disbelief at its content. He throws out Johns possessions; he lifts the suitcase, looks for a false bottom, eventually throws it on the floor, as he lets out a cry of frustration. He paces the room angrily, kicks the bed, the suitcase and everything within reach. Eventually he reaches for his womans handbag, takes out a mobile phone and dials a number. MAN (breathing heavily) We have a problem. Names and pictures of all the passengers on my flight. Now. No, its all under control. Just do what I say.

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INT. JOHNS ROOM - EARLY AFTERNOON John is pacing the room, restless. He occasionally glances at the money, still scattered on the floor. He eventually goes to the phone on his bedside table and reads the instructions card on the side, which reads "Bridgeport Quality Hotel". He dials one for reception. RECEPTIONIST (O.S.) Reception, how can I help? John breathes heavily in the phone, bites his lower lip, then hangs up. He sprints up, collects all the money and puts it back in the suitcase, which he then hides under the bed. After a moment, he changes his mind and takes it out again. He looks around the room, spots the wardrobe, rushes to it, puts the suitcase inside the wardrobe and shuts the doors violently. He turns around and leans on the wardrobe, breathing heavily. He slides down on the floor. JOHN Oh my God, oh my God. Oh shit... What is this? Whats going on? John is holding his head in his hands, as voices from his past come to haunt him once again. FR LOUIS You know what you have to do, boy. Whose money is it? Is it yours? No, it is not. God is putting you through a test. You know what He wants you to do. You know it. Just do what is right. MOTHER John, my dearest John. God gives and God takes away. Remember, John. Anytime, He can take it all away. FATHER Look at you, you useless animal! Weeping like a little girl, you disgust me. Be a man for once! FR LOUIS God knows what you have to do John. And so do you. As the voices become confused and overlap each other, John swings back and forth, covering his ears to shut them out. He suddenly sits up and dashes to the phone. As he is holding the receiver, he spots the Bible on the bedside

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table. He hangs up, takes the Bible, flips the pages, feels the weight and the surface of the book. JOHN (whispering imperceptibly) God gives, God takes away - God. Gives. John lifts his head up, stares ahead wide-eyed, almost in a trance. He is holding the Bible so tightly his knuckles have gone white. JOHN (CONTD) This is it. This is it. A sign, a sign. Thats what it is. His breathing still irregular, he springs up, takes the suitcase from the wardrobe and opens it on the bed again. He contemplates the money for some seconds, then takes a couple of rolls and puts it in his coat pocket. He talks to himself as he does all this. JOHN (CONTD) God gives, God takes away, you were right mum, you were right. Yes, yes Father, this is the right thing to do, youre right Fr Louis, Saint Louis, youre right. The right thing. Take the money, isnt this what you meant? No? No? Fine, I dont care. (he stops his frantic movements, looks up, a faint smile appears on his face) I dont care. Ha! I dont care! Euphoria gradually unrolls it, throws smells it, strokes back and hides the room. replaces shock, as John takes some money, it in the air, picks it all up again, his face with it, eventually puts it all suitcase. He gets dressed and leaves the

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EXT. A STREET - AFTERNOON John is walking down the high street, looking around himself nervously, keeping his coat tightly closed. He suddenly comes to a halt in front of a barber shop. Before going in, he notices a green truck on the opposite side of the road.

8. 17 INT. A CLOTHING SHOP - AFTERNOON John is walking in the shop, completely shaven and with a very short hair cut. He takes some casual clothes: jeans, a t-shirt, a jumper, a coat. He talks for a few moments with the cashier, takes out a map and asks him to point something on it. Through the shop window, a green truck can be seen in the background.

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EXT. IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL - LATE AFTERNOON John is approaching the hotel with a shopping bag in one hand and a large backpack in the other. Before going in, he distractedly glances around and spots the green truck; he slows down for a fraction of a second, then gets in, chuckling to himself.

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INT. JOHNS ROOM - EVENING John walks out of the bathroom in his new clothes. He packs the backpack with his old clothes, some magazines he found in the room and the Bible, and packs the black suitcase with the money. He sits down and writes a note on the hotel notepad. The note reads: "For you are dust, and to dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19) To this world, I leave nothing of myself. Water shall cleanse my wrongs and water shall cleanse me." He takes the black suitcase and the backpack and leaves the room.

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EXT. A BRIDGE - NIGHT The lights of Bridgeport are visible far away in the background. Leaning against the railing, John looks at the water flowing away calmly. He takes out his wallet: a credit card, driver licence and a picture of his mother are visible. He takes the picture and leaves the rest in, then throws the wallet in the water followed by the suitcase, with a light smile on his face. JOHN God gives. God takes away. Look mother, look what He gave me.

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John looks at the suitcase drifting off in the strong currents, then starts hitchhiking. He has almost got to the end of the bridge, when the green truck previously seen slows down. John sees it and smiles to himself. As he gets on, the driver is revealed to be the man who was previously disguised as an old lady. MAN A bit late for hitchhiking, isnt it? John shrugs and jumps on.

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INT. THE TRUCK - NIGHT The driver and John ride in silence for a few moments along the deserted highway, John resting his head against the seat, his eyes closed. MAN So what do you think youre doing exactly? JOHN Excuse me? MAN Come on John, youre not really that dumb are you? JOHN (startled at the man knowing his name) Who are you? (the man just laughs lightheartedly) Who the hell are you? MAN Does is matter? Im just interested in your bag. Its rather heavy, isnt it? JOHN What - what has my bag got to do with anything? MAN (sighs) John, John. I really was hoping for something better than this. Life (CONTINUED)

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MAN (CONTD) gives you the most amazing chance what most people, including me, would kill for... And you blow it like this? (abandoning the jokey tone) Like a complete idiot! JOHN I - What? Who are you? MAN Dont you ever watch TV? You really thought youd get away with that much money without being tracked down? (looks at Johns shocked expression and speaks in a matter-of-fact tone) Now, its really easy. Im gonna pull over, youre gonna get off and youre gonna leave the bag here. Then Ill drive off as if nothing ever happened. Itll be our little secret, wont it? How about that John? John is staring in horror at the street, without daring to look at the man or the bag. He slowly nods. MAN (CONTD) Aaah, see? I knew you were a wise man! The truck, now on another bridge, pulls over. John opens the door. He gets off, leaving the backpack on the passenger seat. MAN What were you going to do with the money anyway? JOHN (turning around and looking at the man blankly) I - I havent thought about it. MAN Amazing. Youd think people like you only exist in movies. Go home John.

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The man laughs and reaches for the passenger door. But as he does so, John quickly grabs the backpack, runs to the bridge and jumps off. The man gasps and rushes out, but all he can see is Johns body being slowly dragged away by the current, and the backpack floating away from it.

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EXT. A RIVER SHORE - NIGHT Led by the current, Johns seemingly dead body approaches a hidden bay. Suddenly John breathes again and swims to the shore, coughing. He rests on his back for a few seconds, breathing heavily and coughing. He then stands and looks up: in the darkness, he can only just make out the silhouette of the bridge. He looks around: a group of big rocks is forming a natural ditch just off the shore, and the black suitcase is stuck there. John walks to it, drags it onto the shore and opens it. Although soaked, the money is still inside. John smiles and walks away with the suitcase.

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EXT. ANOTHER RIVER SHORE - NIGHT The man is frantically swimming towards the shore, holding tightly on to the backpack. He drags himself onto the shore, sits up, opens the backpack and, again, stares in disbelief at its content: Johns possessions. MAN Shit! THE END