FADE IN:
INT. DINING ROOM #1 – DAY
DAUGHTER is layed down on back. She has tears running down her face
and is laying still as if not daring to move. Her FATHER is stood up away from
where she is laying and has the expression of both shock and guilt on his face.
He leaves the room walking out the front door and is followed around by the
eyeline of his DAUGHTER still unmoved on the floor.
As the door shuts cut
to...
INT. DINING ROOM - DAY
FATHER is sitting next to DAUGHTER, on the table are open homework
books. DAUGHTER is writing and FATHER is pointing to a page in a book.
DAUGHTER
(exasperated)
I'll never finish
this! Only a week for planning!
FATHER
(kindly)
Don't worry, we'll
get it done together, flower.
FATHER smiles as he watches DAUGHTER writing.
INT. BEDROOM #2 - DAY
Tracking through the bedroom, we see the bedside table with the
pictures of the family happy in different places, a flower is beside a picture
of the Wife. The camera tracks round to reveal FATHER in his bedroom smoking,
we see him take up the picture of the Wife and look at it lovingly with tears
in his eyes before he puts it down and taking up his pills, rattles them and
sighs before popping off the cap and taking them.
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
Fixed camera shot, FATHER paces up and down in room as he is unable to
sleep.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
FATHER opens fridge and begins to pile up food.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
DAUGHTER walks into living room with school bag, getting ready for
school. She see's FATHER slumped on sofa asleep, surrounded by wrappers.
Sighing, DAUGHTER drops her school bag and begins to clean up the empty
wrappers; she abandons the task and shakes FATHER awake, he wakes with a jump.
FATHER
(groggily)
Eh? Sorry, I
didn't sleep.
DAUGHTER
(annoyed)
I can see that.
I'm going to school.
DAUGHTER collects her school bag and leaves.
INT. DINING ROOM #3 - DAY
FATHER is sitting by the dining room table in front of two plates of
pasta placed symmetrically on the table with an empty seat opposite him where
someone should be sat. DAUGHTER walks into house through the front door wearing
school bag.
DAUGHTER
Hi dad, I’m
home.
FATHER
(Ecstatically) Hi
flower, I made us dinner, look! Took me a long time. Come on, tuck in! How's
your day been?
DAUGHTER
(Smiles unconvincing)
Well... this is nice. Thanks dad. How are you feeling today? What have you
done? Have you taken your pills?
DAUGHTER takes pills and reaches out to give them to him. He takes
them kindly and puts them next to him.
FATHER
Yes, yeah. Don’t worry
about me flower. I’m more bothered about you.
DAUGHTER
Thanks dad. (Smiles)
It’s nice to see you like this.
They share a smile and carry on eating.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
DAUGHTER brings FATHER a cup of tea, FATHER is sat on sofa beside side
table with vacant expression on face, staring into middle distance. DAUGHTER
tries to offer FATHER the cup of tea but he doesn't respond or acknowledge her
presence so she puts the tea on the side table.
DAUGHTER
(reluctant to bring it up)
It's been a
year…(pause) Shall we go visit mum tomorrow?
FATHER continues to blank DAUGHTER. DAUGHTER leaves, trying to hide
her expression.
CUT TO:
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
Opens with wide shot of kitchen, DAUGHTER is sat on kitchen surface
with head in hands, sobbing is very audible and exaggerated.
I/E. CAR #4 - NIGHT
FATHER is sitting in car staring dreamlessly forward out of the
windscreen. Stays there all evening.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
DAUGHTER is sat reading, FATHER comes in with a bunch of flowers.
FATHER
(happily)
I
bought some flowers to take for mum.
DAUGHTER
(confused)
I
thought you didn't wanna go?
FATHER
Of
course I want to go, flower! Are you coming?
INT. LIVING ROOM/DINING ROOM #5 - DAY
Daughter returns home from school. Her father is sat at the Dining
Room table looking down at the food not eating with a cigarette in his mouth.
DAUGHTER
Dad, I’m
home.
The father looks up
angrily and stands up so fast as to allow his chair to fly back and the table
to move slightly. He marches toward her
FATHER
(Raising voice) Where
have you been? Dinner has been sitting here for 5 minutes now and it's probably
cold, whilst you've been…what? Fucking around outside?!
DAUGHTER
(Trying to cut in) No
dad, I was walking home from school…
FATHER
(interrupting)
Don’t give me that
excuse! You’ve been avoiding coming back because of me haven’t you? You’ve been
trying to keep away from me because you think this condition makes me a freak,
don’t you?
DAUGHTER
No Dad, it's not like
that! I swear, I’m sorry...(Grabs Pills) Look, you need to take your pills.
Father reacts aggressively hitting the pills out of his daughters hand
onto the floor. He pushes forward at her.
FATHER
If you hadn’t of been
so eager to avoid me this wouldn’t have happened you’re just selfish, all you
care about is yourself. You never bothered with anyone else. You'll drive
everyone away from you. Just... (pause) Look at what you did to your mother.
Father pushes his daughter to the ground. She lands in the same
position as described at the start. There is a moment of unfilled silence as
tears stream from her eyes and her father looks at her with a shocked and
guilty face. He then walks from the room and leaves the house through the front
door. She lays still putting her hands to her face and cries. A car is heard
starting and driving off in background.
EXT. BRIDGE #6 - DAY
Father drives up and stops the car. He gets out and walks to the
bridge stepping toward the edge. He lights a cigarette and takes out his wallet
looking at a picture of his daughter and wife together. A tear rolls down his
cheek before he bursts into tears. Shortly after his phone rings, he answers.
DAUGHTER
(Sobbing)
Please come home dad. I'm sorry. I just...
FATHER
(interrupting)
I’m so sorry flower.
(pause) I’m so sorry for everything that's happened…(trails off and hangs up)
Father holds the phone for a moment before putting it away. Still
crying, he puts the picture into his back pocket and flicks his fag over the
side of the bridge. He then steps up to the side of the bridge looking down and
slowly looks up until he is looking directly into the camera.
END
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