...continuing on from HONEY # 12...
269 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HELEN looks at Honey’s present. She opens it. Inside there is a CD and
four cellophane packets with violin strings in them. HELEN stares at
them for a long moment.
270 INT. STUDIO LOFT. NIGHT
JASPER sits with her back to the wall on Daniel’s futon. DANIEL,
Jasper’s Illustrated Biblical stories in his hands (he has been
reading to her) sits beside her.
JASPER
Mum really does love you.
DANIEL
I know.
JASPER
Almost as much as me.
DANIEL laughs, takes JASPER in his arms, hugs her tight. JASPER’S face
breaks into a radiant smile.
271 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
The room is empty. Violin music plays on the CD deck. Moving into the
room we see half a dozen small goblets of different coloured liqueurs.
The camera moves to the water damaged photo albums spread out on the
white ‘leather’ sofa. Resting on one is an almost empty glass of
Brandy.
HONEY sits on the sofa, picks up a photo album, looks at:
A photo of YOUNG HELEN, (9), violin tucked between her neck shoulder,
smiling happily for the camera.
HONEY looks up, sees HELEN walk into the room.
HONEY
Couldn’t leave without having one last crepe, ay!
HELEN smiles.
HONEY
Perfectly symmetrical, please.
HELEN laughs.
A LITTLE LATER
HELEN drinks a small goblet of red liqueur.
HELEN
Want a green one or a red one?
HONEY looks at the small goblets of liqueur.
HONEY
One of each!
HELEN smiles, unscrews the top of the kerosene bottle, starts to fill
the base of the chafing dish.
272 INT. DANIEL’S ‘LOFT’. NIGHT
DANIEL and JASPER lie together on the futon – JASPER’S head on
DANIEL’S chest. They both have their eyes open.
DANIEL
You thinking the same as me?
JASPER nods.
273 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HELEN, more than a little drunk, dances around the room playing an
imaginary violin in tune with the up tempo violin music playing on the
CD. HONEY dances with her.
HONEY
To beautiful lies!
HONEY and HELEN pick up glasses of liqueur, toss them back.
HELEN
To beautiful crepes! Symmetrical crepes.
HELEN laughs, lights a long match.
274 EXT. OLD FACTORY. NIGHT
DANIEL kick starts his Harley. JASPER puts on a crash helmet.
275 INT. DINING ROOM NIGHT
HELEN splashes Brandy straight from the bottle into the flambé pan.
Flames leap up. HONEY looks on, excited. HELEN splashes more Brandy
into the pan. The flames leap higher. HELEN laughs; HONEY is
mesmerized. HELEN sloshes a large amount of Brandy into the flambé
dish. There is an explosion of flames - the fire backing up to the
bottle itself and igniting the fumes in it in a small explosion. HELEN
drops the bottle. Brandy sprays onto the carpet, the white ‘leather’
couch, igniting as it goes.
276 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
DANIEL drives his motor bike. JASPER clings on the back.
277 INT DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HELEN looks to her photo albums, arranged on the table by the burning
'leather' couch - in the early (and not particularly dangerous) stages
of a fire. She makes her way over to them, piles them on top of each
other and turns to rush from the increasingly smoky room. She bumps
into the edge of the table in her panic and knocks over the bottle of
kerosene. Kerosene spills from the bottle onto the table and then the
floor but does not, at this stage, come into contact with any flame.
278 INT KITCHEN. NIGHT
HONEY stands in the smoky kitchen – mobile phone in hand.
HONEY
Daniel, pick up. Please…
There is a flash of light in the doorway. The kerosene has ignited.
279 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
JASPER smiles happily as the wind whips the hair around her face.
DANIEL is driving fast. He leans the Harley over as he takes a corner.
The foot rest catches the bitumen, sends up a flurry of sparks. JASPER
laughs gleefully.
280 INT DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HONEY rushes into the room. HELEN is sprawled on the floor –photo
albums spread on the carpet in front of her. The fire is serious now.
HONEY helps HELEN to her feet, drags her towards the kitchen door.
HELEN looks back at her photo albums.
HELEN
My photos!
HELEN pulls free of HONEY, rushes back to her photo albums.
281 EXT. CITY STREETS. NIGHT
CLOSE ON a footrest scraping the bitumen’; sending up an explosion of sparks.
CLOSE on JASPER laughing as DANIEL leans into yet another curve,
driving fast. Up ahead:
A fire engine. The glow of a fire in the distance
DANIEL overtakes the fire engine – siren blaring, red lights flashing.
Concern shows in is face.
282 EXT. DANIEL AND HELEN’S HOUSE. NIGHT
DANIEL and JASPER arrive a little ahead of the Fire Engine, get off
the motor bike and run towards the house. There is no sign on Helen or
Honey. JASPER screams.
HELEN and HONEY emerge from the front door – coughing and spluttering.
DANIEL and JASPER rush forward, hug them both. DANIEL turns, sees the
Fire Engine pulling up, runs to greet the FIREMEN.
HELEN and JASPER look back at the Fire Engine for a moment also and do
not notice that HONEY is staring at the fire –mesmerized. As FIREMEN
spill from the Fire Engine HONEY starts to walk towards the front door
– picking up pace as she goes. By the time HELEN and JASPER turn back
to the fire HONEY is walking fast now towards the front door.
HELEN
Honey! No.
HELEN runs after HONEY. DANIEL turns, sees HONEY running now to the
front door. He takes off after her.
DANIEL
Honey, stop...
As HONEY disappears in through the front door, HELEN can see that
DANIEL intends to follow her. She intercepts him, grabs hold of him.
HELEN
No.
DANIEL struggles to free himself from HELEN. JASPER screams. TWO
FIREMEN can see what is going on and rush to the front door. They take
one look at the flames and decide not to go inside. DANIEL breaks free
of HELEN, arrives at the front door and tries to get past the FIREMEN.
They block his entrance.
FIREMAN
No, mate…
JASPER runs into HELEN’S arms. HELEN holds JASPER tight – both of them
crying, hysterical.
JASPER (voice over)
There was nothing anyone could do. Honey had gone to meet her angels.
283 INT. CHURCH. DAY
JASPER sits between DANIEL and HELEN in the church. The PRIEST waves
the thurible over the coffin.
JASPER (voice over)
At least that’s what we thought as we stood there,helpless…but God was
in that fire and he had his plans for Honey…
CLOSE ON the coffin.
JASPER (voice over)
Just like he did for Shadrach, Meshach and Abedigo.
The shot of the coffin tilts down to reveal, resting up against it,
Daniel’s portrait of Grant – his eyes blazing.
284 EXT. DANIEL AND HELEN’S HOUSE. NIGHT.
JASPER, clinging tightly to HELEN, watches the house burn – all three
in deep shock. Suddenly JASPER screams:
JASPER
Honey!
Behind an upstairs window, surrounded by fire, is HONEY.
285 INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT
HONEY, clutching something wrapped in a blanket, runs from the window
to the top of the stairs. They are on fire. She is trapped.
286 EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN and JASPER are screaming; hysterical. DANIEL helps the FIREMEN
get a ladder from the side of the Fire Engine.
287 INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT
HONEY, seemingly mesmerized, stares into the flames leaping up the
stairway. She snaps out of it, runs to the window, tries to open it.
She can’t. It is locked. The heat is getting to her. She is surrounded
by flames now. She looks around for some escape route. Her eyes fall
on an antique chair.
288 EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN and JASPER watch in panic as DANIEL and the FIREMEN run towards
the wall with a ladder.
The upstairs window shatters. In slow motion the antique chair flies
through the air. A moment later HONEY climbs onto the window sill,
clutching something wrapped in the blanket.
CLOSE on HONEY, framed by fire. She looks back to the fire, looks
down, closes her eyes and jumps. She falls, in slow motion, into the
arms of DANIEL and a FIREMAN - losing hold of the blanket-wrapped
object in her arms.
HELEN and JASPER greet HONEY with hugs, kisses, tears.
They watch the fire for a moment – all in various stages of shock.
HONEY’S hair is singed and she has some minor burns. An AMBULANCE
OFFICER rushes up to attend to HONEY.
A LITTLE LATER
HONEY sits at the back of an ambulance as the AMBULANCE OFFICER
dresses burns on her arm. HONEY looks at
HELEN and JASPER watching the fire as DANIEL talks to a FIREMAN
nearby. JASPER turns, starts to walk back towards HONEY and the
ambulance.
HONEY takes out her mobile phone.
DANIEL rejoins HELEN and for a moment they look at the fire. HELEN
starts crying. DANIEL wraps his arms around her. HELEN looks back to
where HONEY sits behind the ambulance, mobile phone to her ear.
HELEN
She risked her life for my silly photos.
HELEN smiles through her tears. DANIEL brushes them away. HELEN looks
at the house on fire – the FIREMEN now with hoses playing on it.
HELEN
Haven’t got a secret stash of marshmellows, I suppose!
DANIEL smiles, kisses HELEN lightly on the lips. They look at each –
deep into each others eyes. With flames leaping in the background
DANIEL moves to kiss HELEN again – his eyes wide open. They kiss –
their eyes locked on each others.
HONEY, mobile at her ear, waits nervously. In the background JASPER
stops alongside the object wrapped in a blanket.
HONEY
Mum…?
There is no response.
HONEY
I’m coming home, mum. A BEAT) I’m going to take care of you. (A BEAT)
I love you.
There is a long moment’s silence.
HONEY’S MOTHER
I love you too…(A BEAT) what’s your name these days?
HONEY(smiles)
Honey.
HONEY’S MOTHER
Honey.
JASPER finishes unwrapping the blanket. We do not see what is inside
it. She smiles, shakes her head in amazement, looks back to the
ambulance, sees HONEY talking animatedly on her mobile – her face
beaming with the happiest smile.
JASPER looks down at Helen’s battered violin case. She opens it and
takes out Helen’s violin – newly strung.
THE END
HELEN looks at Honey’s present. She opens it. Inside there is a CD and
four cellophane packets with violin strings in them. HELEN stares at
them for a long moment.
270 INT. STUDIO LOFT. NIGHT
JASPER sits with her back to the wall on Daniel’s futon. DANIEL,
Jasper’s Illustrated Biblical stories in his hands (he has been
reading to her) sits beside her.
JASPER
Mum really does love you.
DANIEL
I know.
JASPER
Almost as much as me.
DANIEL laughs, takes JASPER in his arms, hugs her tight. JASPER’S face
breaks into a radiant smile.
271 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
The room is empty. Violin music plays on the CD deck. Moving into the
room we see half a dozen small goblets of different coloured liqueurs.
The camera moves to the water damaged photo albums spread out on the
white ‘leather’ sofa. Resting on one is an almost empty glass of
Brandy.
HONEY sits on the sofa, picks up a photo album, looks at:
A photo of YOUNG HELEN, (9), violin tucked between her neck shoulder,
smiling happily for the camera.
HONEY looks up, sees HELEN walk into the room.
HONEY
Couldn’t leave without having one last crepe, ay!
HELEN smiles.
HONEY
Perfectly symmetrical, please.
HELEN laughs.
A LITTLE LATER
HELEN drinks a small goblet of red liqueur.
HELEN
Want a green one or a red one?
HONEY looks at the small goblets of liqueur.
HONEY
One of each!
HELEN smiles, unscrews the top of the kerosene bottle, starts to fill
the base of the chafing dish.
272 INT. DANIEL’S ‘LOFT’. NIGHT
DANIEL and JASPER lie together on the futon – JASPER’S head on
DANIEL’S chest. They both have their eyes open.
DANIEL
You thinking the same as me?
JASPER nods.
273 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HELEN, more than a little drunk, dances around the room playing an
imaginary violin in tune with the up tempo violin music playing on the
CD. HONEY dances with her.
HONEY
To beautiful lies!
HONEY and HELEN pick up glasses of liqueur, toss them back.
HELEN
To beautiful crepes! Symmetrical crepes.
HELEN laughs, lights a long match.
274 EXT. OLD FACTORY. NIGHT
DANIEL kick starts his Harley. JASPER puts on a crash helmet.
275 INT. DINING ROOM NIGHT
HELEN splashes Brandy straight from the bottle into the flambé pan.
Flames leap up. HONEY looks on, excited. HELEN splashes more Brandy
into the pan. The flames leap higher. HELEN laughs; HONEY is
mesmerized. HELEN sloshes a large amount of Brandy into the flambé
dish. There is an explosion of flames - the fire backing up to the
bottle itself and igniting the fumes in it in a small explosion. HELEN
drops the bottle. Brandy sprays onto the carpet, the white ‘leather’
couch, igniting as it goes.
276 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
DANIEL drives his motor bike. JASPER clings on the back.
277 INT DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HELEN looks to her photo albums, arranged on the table by the burning
'leather' couch - in the early (and not particularly dangerous) stages
of a fire. She makes her way over to them, piles them on top of each
other and turns to rush from the increasingly smoky room. She bumps
into the edge of the table in her panic and knocks over the bottle of
kerosene. Kerosene spills from the bottle onto the table and then the
floor but does not, at this stage, come into contact with any flame.
278 INT KITCHEN. NIGHT
HONEY stands in the smoky kitchen – mobile phone in hand.
HONEY
Daniel, pick up. Please…
There is a flash of light in the doorway. The kerosene has ignited.
279 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
JASPER smiles happily as the wind whips the hair around her face.
DANIEL is driving fast. He leans the Harley over as he takes a corner.
The foot rest catches the bitumen, sends up a flurry of sparks. JASPER
laughs gleefully.
280 INT DINING ROOM. NIGHT
HONEY rushes into the room. HELEN is sprawled on the floor –photo
albums spread on the carpet in front of her. The fire is serious now.
HONEY helps HELEN to her feet, drags her towards the kitchen door.
HELEN looks back at her photo albums.
HELEN
My photos!
HELEN pulls free of HONEY, rushes back to her photo albums.
281 EXT. CITY STREETS. NIGHT
CLOSE ON a footrest scraping the bitumen’; sending up an explosion of sparks.
CLOSE on JASPER laughing as DANIEL leans into yet another curve,
driving fast. Up ahead:
A fire engine. The glow of a fire in the distance
DANIEL overtakes the fire engine – siren blaring, red lights flashing.
Concern shows in is face.
282 EXT. DANIEL AND HELEN’S HOUSE. NIGHT
DANIEL and JASPER arrive a little ahead of the Fire Engine, get off
the motor bike and run towards the house. There is no sign on Helen or
Honey. JASPER screams.
HELEN and HONEY emerge from the front door – coughing and spluttering.
DANIEL and JASPER rush forward, hug them both. DANIEL turns, sees the
Fire Engine pulling up, runs to greet the FIREMEN.
HELEN and JASPER look back at the Fire Engine for a moment also and do
not notice that HONEY is staring at the fire –mesmerized. As FIREMEN
spill from the Fire Engine HONEY starts to walk towards the front door
– picking up pace as she goes. By the time HELEN and JASPER turn back
to the fire HONEY is walking fast now towards the front door.
HELEN
Honey! No.
HELEN runs after HONEY. DANIEL turns, sees HONEY running now to the
front door. He takes off after her.
DANIEL
Honey, stop...
As HONEY disappears in through the front door, HELEN can see that
DANIEL intends to follow her. She intercepts him, grabs hold of him.
HELEN
No.
DANIEL struggles to free himself from HELEN. JASPER screams. TWO
FIREMEN can see what is going on and rush to the front door. They take
one look at the flames and decide not to go inside. DANIEL breaks free
of HELEN, arrives at the front door and tries to get past the FIREMEN.
They block his entrance.
FIREMAN
No, mate…
JASPER runs into HELEN’S arms. HELEN holds JASPER tight – both of them
crying, hysterical.
JASPER (voice over)
There was nothing anyone could do. Honey had gone to meet her angels.
283 INT. CHURCH. DAY
JASPER sits between DANIEL and HELEN in the church. The PRIEST waves
the thurible over the coffin.
JASPER (voice over)
At least that’s what we thought as we stood there,helpless…but God was
in that fire and he had his plans for Honey…
CLOSE ON the coffin.
JASPER (voice over)
Just like he did for Shadrach, Meshach and Abedigo.
The shot of the coffin tilts down to reveal, resting up against it,
Daniel’s portrait of Grant – his eyes blazing.
284 EXT. DANIEL AND HELEN’S HOUSE. NIGHT.
JASPER, clinging tightly to HELEN, watches the house burn – all three
in deep shock. Suddenly JASPER screams:
JASPER
Honey!
Behind an upstairs window, surrounded by fire, is HONEY.
285 INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT
HONEY, clutching something wrapped in a blanket, runs from the window
to the top of the stairs. They are on fire. She is trapped.
286 EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN and JASPER are screaming; hysterical. DANIEL helps the FIREMEN
get a ladder from the side of the Fire Engine.
287 INT. HALLWAY. NIGHT
HONEY, seemingly mesmerized, stares into the flames leaping up the
stairway. She snaps out of it, runs to the window, tries to open it.
She can’t. It is locked. The heat is getting to her. She is surrounded
by flames now. She looks around for some escape route. Her eyes fall
on an antique chair.
288 EXT. HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN and JASPER watch in panic as DANIEL and the FIREMEN run towards
the wall with a ladder.
The upstairs window shatters. In slow motion the antique chair flies
through the air. A moment later HONEY climbs onto the window sill,
clutching something wrapped in the blanket.
CLOSE on HONEY, framed by fire. She looks back to the fire, looks
down, closes her eyes and jumps. She falls, in slow motion, into the
arms of DANIEL and a FIREMAN - losing hold of the blanket-wrapped
object in her arms.
HELEN and JASPER greet HONEY with hugs, kisses, tears.
They watch the fire for a moment – all in various stages of shock.
HONEY’S hair is singed and she has some minor burns. An AMBULANCE
OFFICER rushes up to attend to HONEY.
A LITTLE LATER
HONEY sits at the back of an ambulance as the AMBULANCE OFFICER
dresses burns on her arm. HONEY looks at
HELEN and JASPER watching the fire as DANIEL talks to a FIREMAN
nearby. JASPER turns, starts to walk back towards HONEY and the
ambulance.
HONEY takes out her mobile phone.
DANIEL rejoins HELEN and for a moment they look at the fire. HELEN
starts crying. DANIEL wraps his arms around her. HELEN looks back to
where HONEY sits behind the ambulance, mobile phone to her ear.
HELEN
She risked her life for my silly photos.
HELEN smiles through her tears. DANIEL brushes them away. HELEN looks
at the house on fire – the FIREMEN now with hoses playing on it.
HELEN
Haven’t got a secret stash of marshmellows, I suppose!
DANIEL smiles, kisses HELEN lightly on the lips. They look at each –
deep into each others eyes. With flames leaping in the background
DANIEL moves to kiss HELEN again – his eyes wide open. They kiss –
their eyes locked on each others.
HONEY, mobile at her ear, waits nervously. In the background JASPER
stops alongside the object wrapped in a blanket.
HONEY
Mum…?
There is no response.
HONEY
I’m coming home, mum. A BEAT) I’m going to take care of you. (A BEAT)
I love you.
There is a long moment’s silence.
HONEY’S MOTHER
I love you too…(A BEAT) what’s your name these days?
HONEY(smiles)
Honey.
HONEY’S MOTHER
Honey.
JASPER finishes unwrapping the blanket. We do not see what is inside
it. She smiles, shakes her head in amazement, looks back to the
ambulance, sees HONEY talking animatedly on her mobile – her face
beaming with the happiest smile.
JASPER looks down at Helen’s battered violin case. She opens it and
takes out Helen’s violin – newly strung.
THE END
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