1 INT. CHURCH. DAY`
A
match is lit in a dimly lit church vestibule.
A
girl's hand, holding the burning match, lights a votive candle, illuminating 9
year old JASPER.
In
a high wide shot JASPER carries the candle across the vestibule, places it
alongside other burning candles.
A
small congregation watches a PRIEST swinging a smoking incense-filled silver
thurible on either side of a coffin at the other end of the church.
JASPER,
her blonde hair short-cropped, moves her hand back and forth through the candle
flames - caressing them, being caressed by them.
JASPER
looks in the direction of the coffin.
JASPER (VOICE OVER)
'I
just want to be normal', Honey used to say...
DISSOLVE THROUGH TO:
2 INT. CAR. OUTSIDE PUB. LATE
AFTERNOON
HONEY,
late teens, seen through a dirty windscreen. Her face, bathed in late afternoon
sun, glistens with a sheen of sweat.
JASPER
(voice over)
'Just
normal'.
HONEY’S
attention is focused on:
A
family in an outdoors beer garden. The MOTHER sits alongside the FATHER as
their DAUGHTER, 16, tells them an animated story, her words barely audible
above pub chatter.
CLOSE
ON HONEY, watching.
The
MOTHER and FATHER laugh at their DAUGHTER'S story. The MOTHER laughs, looks at
the FATHER lovingly. He smiles, wraps his arm around her shoulder, pulls her
close, kisses her cheek. The DAUGHTER glows with happiness as she registers her
parents’ love of each other; of her. A happy family.
HONEY
watches intently.
The
DAUGHTER finishes her story, takes a theatrical bow. Her MOTHER and FATHER
laugh. THE DAUGHTER walks up. The FATHER
holds out his free arm, embraces his DAUGHTER, pulls her close, kisses her
cheek.
HONEY
lifts her smart phone into frame, takes a photo. The wrist of her hand is bound
with a dirty bandage.
3 EXT. PUB. DAY
HONEY
sits in a battered old blue Holden sedan, outside a pub in a small arid outback
Australian town.
4 INT. CAR. DAY
HONEY,
wearing jeans and an open neck shirt, bundles her hair and ties it in a knot,
her eyes on the family. One arm is bandaged from wrist to elbow.
On
the seat beside her is a tattered blue teddy bear with one eye and one arm
missing. Her journal rests in her lap, the open double page filled with:
Colourful
drawings, inspirational hand-written quotes, snippets of poems, a photo of an
octopus cut from a magazine, an artist's impression of Joan of Arc burning at
the stake, a photo of herself with short blonde hair, a leaf etc.
HONEY
turns to two blank pages. She writes:
How much blood…
She
continues writing for a moment, then looks up to see:
The
MOTHER, FATHER and DAUGHTER, walk out of the beer garden, laughing, past a
table at which THREE MEN sit drinking beer.
HONEY'S
face darkens as focuses on one of the three men:
JOHN,
late 40's, his hair thinning, missing a few front teeth, his flushed red face
sporting a three day beard. He is very drunk as he regales his companions with
a tall story they clearly take with a grain of salt.
HONEY
watches JOHN for a long moment before flicking back through a few pages of her
journal (each one filled to the brim with words, images, photos, press
clippings) to a slightly fire damaged photo of:
Honey,
aged seven, sitting alongside Carol (her mother, we will learn) - her face
broken with an exhilarated happy smile as she looks up at her smiling mother.
HONEY
looks at the photo for a long moment; remembering.
5 INT. YOUNG HONEY'S BEDROOM.
NIGHT
YOUNG
HONEY, aged 7, lies awake in her bed; fear in her eyes. She clings to her blue
teddy bear - both arms and eyes intact. She hears footsteps outside, turns to
face away from the door to her room, closes her eyes.
Honey’s
mother, CAROL (recognizable from the photo seen earlier), wearing a white night
dress, opens the door, walks in, makes her way to Honey’s bed; kneels.
HONEY
facing away from CAROL, opens her eyes; scared.
JOHN (voice off)
Fucken
bullshit!
6 INT. CAR OUTSIDE PUB. LATE
AFTERNOON
HONEY,
asleep in the passenger seat, wakens in shock. JOHN, sitting in the driver's
seat, drunk, reads her journal.
JOHN
Fucken
bitch cunt...
HONEY
reaches out to grab her journal. JOHN throws it out the window, starts the car.
HONEY (screams)
No!
7 EXT. CAR OUTSIDE PUB. LATE
AFTERNOON
HONEY
leaps out of the car in a panic as JOHN starts to drive off. As she starts to pick
up her broken journal - photos, newspaper clippings, pressed flowers etc, -
JOHN stops a little down the road.
HONEY
inspects her damaged journal. JOHN backs up, pulls alongside HONEY crouched at
the side of the road.
JOHN
Get
in.
HONEY
shakes her head. JOHN staggers out of the car, grabs HONEY, pushes her into the
passenger's seat.
8 INT. CAR OUTSIDE PUB. LATE
AFTERNOON
HONEY
flips through her journal as JOHN staggers around the back of the car and falls
into the driver's seat. HONEY looks for something in her journal but can't find
it. She panics as JOHN starts the car,
pulls out onto the road.
HONEY (screams)
Stop.
9 EXT. CAR OUTSIDE PUB. LATE
AFTERNOON
HONEY
leaps from the moving car, runs back, looks for something in a panic but can't
find it. And then she sees it, picks it up. It is:
The
photo of herself and her mother.
10 INT. MOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
JOHN,
in underpants only, sits on a single bed watching TV as he drinks from a
longneck bottle of beer. He is very drunk.
HONEY,
in jeans and shirt, sits on another bed, repairing her journal with sticky
tape. She prepares to secures the photo of herself and her mother on the roller
coaster alongside:
A photo
of an octopus clinging to a rock underwater.
HONEY
becomes aware that JOHN is standing beside her. She closes her journal,
clutches it to her protectively.
JOHN (drunk)
Bedtime.
HONEY
looks at him, scared. She shakes her head.
JOHN
Get
into the fucken bed.
HONEY
shakes her head. JOHN reaches out to grab her journal. HONEY clutches it to her
chest. JOHN grabs her. HONEY breaks away from him, runs into the adjacent
bathroom, stands under the shower recess, clutching her journal to her,
terrified.
JOHN
staggers to the door, a large hunting knife in his hand.
JOHN
Get
into the fucken bed.
HONEY
shakes her head.
HONEY
I
don't care if you kill me.
JOHN
holds the knife to his own throat.
JOHN
It's
me I'll fucken kill!
HONEY
watches, transfixed, as JOHN runs the knife across his scrawny chest, draws
blood. He reaches past HONEY, turns the shower tap on. Water showers down on
HONEY. HONEY clutches her journal close to protect it from the water for a
moment, then walks from the shower, past JOHN, into the bedroom, calmly wiping
water from her journal.
She
places it on the table, moves to JOHN'S bed, lies on her back, stares at the
ceiling.
JOHN,
knife at his side, watches her, drops the knife, staggers to the bed, flops
alongside HONEY.
JOHN
You’re
a fucken mad bitch, Katie!
HONEY
turns to him, grabs him, wraps her arms around him, holds him tight.
HONEY
I'm
sorry.
JOHN
pats her reassuringly: “It's OK”.
11 INT. YOUNG HONEY'S BEDROOM.
NIGHT
YOUNG
HONEY, eyes open, listens. She can hear CAROL’ breathing as she stands staring
at the back of her head.
There
is madness CAROL’S tear-filled eyes as she reaches out, as if to touch HONEY.
HONEY
can see the shadow of CAROL’S out-stretched arm. Her eyes open wide in terror.
CAROLD
turns, walks to the door, closes it quietly behind her.
YOUNG
HONEY turns quickly, stares at the door, puzzled. She sits up; thinking.
12 EXT. YOUNG HONEY'S BEDROOM.
NIGHT
From
outside, framed by a window, YOUNG HONEY, clutching her blue teddy bear is seen
walking from her bed to the window. She looks out of it, puzzled.
When
the significance of what she is looking at dawns on her, YOUNG HONEY'S
puzzlement
turns into fear.
13 INT. MOTEL ROOM. NIGHT
HONEY
wakes in a panic, her face wet with
sweat. She stares at the ceiling for a
long
moment, a 'mad' look in her eyes. JOHN is asleep beside her, snoring.
HONEY
swings her legs off the bed, stands, sees the hunting knife lying on the floor.
She stares at it.
HONEY
walks up to the bed, stares at JOHN. Her breathing is heavy and fast.
HONEY
raises the knife slowly to shoulder level with her right bandaged arm, her
whole body shaking.
14 INT. CHURCH. DAY
CLOSE
ON JASPER as she walks down the aisle of the church, a bunch of flowers in her
hands. The congregation is small.
JASPER (voice over)
When
Honey asked me what I wanted most in my life I said, 'Well, I know one thing
for sure. The last thing I want is to be normal.'
Loud
heavy metal rock and roll.
15 INT. JASPER’S BEDROOM. DAY
Loud
heavy metal rock and roll continues over JASPER, earphones in her ears, hair
tied in a tight pony tail, pencil moustache glued to her upper lip, bopping
along to the music.
JASPER
is skinny, flat-chested and has a silver crucifix hanging from her neck. She
stands in front of a mirror playing air-guitar, imagining herself an
androgynous rock star. She tries out different stock rock-star facial
expressions. When she has found the one she likes most (macho ‘don’t fuck with
me’) she takes a photo of her reflected image with her smart phone.
16 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY
Mendelssohn's
Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64 is heard over: HELEN, mid 30's, pretty, her
blonde streaked hair stylishly groomed, holding a framed photo. She looks at it
for a long moment, sadness in her eyes as she remembers.
A
white leather lounge suite and large aquarium filled with exotic tropical fish
dominate and neat, tidy and spotlessly clean room. The walls are adorned with
framed black and white professionally shot photos.
HELEN
looks at the photo of:
A 9 year
old girl who looks more than a little like Jasper, a violin and bow in one
hand, looking with a happy smile up at the woman by her side. The woman, in her
mid 30s, bears a striking resemblance to Helen.
17 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. DAY
JASPER,
wearing a dress, her lips bright red, stuffs socks into her training bra,
appraises her reflected image, reaches behind her neck, unties her pony tail
and lets her long blonde hair fall around her shoulders. She shakes her head,
flicks her hair with her fingers until she has achieved the desired ‘ruffled’
look, takes a photo with her smart phone.
18 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY
HELEN
finishes hammering a stud into the wall, pauses for a moment to pay full
attention to a much-loved part of the Mendelssohn's violin concerto in E minor.
She
moves across the room, past the dining table set for three, turns up the volume
on state-of-the art music deck; lingers for a moment, eyes closed, savouring
the music.
19 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. DAY
JASPER
stares at her smart phone; at a photo of herself:
A
beautiful young woman with breasts, her face framed by a mane of golden blonde
hair.
20 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY
HELEN
lifts the photo of the girl with the violin and her mother and hangs it from
the stud in the wall. The stud gives way, the photo falls, disappears from
frame. The sound of shattering glass.
21 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. DAY
JASPER
stares at herself in the mirror for a long moment, looks down at:
A
pair of scissors on the dressing table.
22 INT. BATHROOM. DAY
HELEN
stands in front of a three mirrored bathroom cabinet looking at the small cut
on her finger.
As
she lifts her bloody finger to put it in her mouth she looks back at her
reflection in the mirror. Dissatisfied with what she sees, HELEN opens one of
the mirror doors so that she can see a reflection of her profile. She then
reaches out to move the third mirror so that she can see her other profile and
catches, in reflection:
JASPER,
her hair cut crudely short. HELEN reacts with shock.
23 EXT. DESERT LANDSCAPE. DAY
John’s
Blue Holden drives on a deserted highway through a vast desert landscape.
NEWS READER (radio)
…Another
scorcher predicted for today…
24 INT. CAR. DAY
CLOSE
ON Honey’s journal:
A
collage - a pressed flower, a caricature of a smiling octopus, a post card of a
green fern seedling curling up from barren bushfire-burnt soil, a photo of
Honey with red hair.
HONEY,
in the passenger seat, positions the photo of herself and her mother but seems
to be in two minds about sticking it back into her journal.
Her
left arm is bandaged from wrist to elbow with a fresh white bandage. The
bandage on her right arm is dirty and tattered. Her battered blue teddy bear,
one arm missing, sits on the dash.
NEWS READER (radio)
…with
no relief in sight for the heat that…
HONEY
reaches out to change the station. JOHN, driving, sips beer from a bottle,
reaches out to stop her.
NEWS READER (radio)
…saw
temperatures in the high 30s yesterday…
HONEY
withdraws her hand for a moment. When JOHN withdraws his, she reaches out
quickly and changes to a music channel:
RADIO
“One
day a near Selina Lord, I let him slip away…”
JOHN
smiles, hands the bottle of beer to HONEY.
RADIO
“He's
lookin' for that home, and I hope he finds it…”
As
HONEY takes a swig of beer, JOHN turns the music down.
RADIO
“But
I'd trade all of my tomorrows for one single yesterday to be…”
HONEY
reaches out, turns the music up again. JOHN holds his hands up: “OK, you
win.”
HONEY smiles, returns to her journal.
RADIO
“…holdin'
Bobby's body next to mine…”
25 EXT. OUTBACK ROAD. DAY
John's
beat up old blue Holden passes a sign: THANK YOU FOR VISITING SOUTH AUSTRALIA.
Singing over from the radio.
RADIO
“Freedom's
just another word for nothing left to loose…”
26 EXT. ROADSIDE CAFÉ. DAY
HONEY
stands by the driver’s door, rolling the sleeves of her shirt over her bandaged
arms. She is not happy.
JOHN,
in the drivers seat, hands her a cheque book through the window. She glares at
him, turns petulantly and walks towards the café. JOHN watches her, takes out a
cigarette.
27 INT. ROADSIDE CAFE. DAY
HONEY
carries meat pies, a loaf of sliced white bread and assorted junk food to the
counter.
HONEY
places a cheque on the counter. The PROPRIETRESS behind the counter notices the
bandages protruding from her sleeves, points to a sign: SORRY NO CHEQUES
PROPRIETRESS
Sorry
dear!
HONEY
Dad's
wallet got stolen.
The
PROPRIETRESS glances to where JOHN, in the background, fills the car with
petrol. She raises her eyebrows questioningly. HONEY flashes an innocent young
girl's smile.
HONEY
Cross
my heart and hope to die.
PROPRIETRESS (smiles)
Well
I hope you don't die, dear. Not for a long time yet.
A
LITTLE LATER
HONEY
standing in the doorway of the café, clutching her arm full of food. The
PROPRIETRESS looks at bandages protruding from HONEY'S short sleeves.
PROPRIETRESS
Does
your mother know where you are?
In
the background JOHN can be seen leaning against the car, smoking a cigarette,
watching HONEY like a hawk.
HONEY
My
mother's dead.
PROPRIETRESS
Oh,
I'm sorry dear. So it's just you and your dad?
HONEY
looks back towards JOHN, nods.
28 INT. CAR. OUTBACK ROAD. DAY
JOHN
drives on a deserted outback road. HONEY sweats profusely, her face pale,
looking fearfully at her shoulder, as if there was something frightening
resting there.
JOHN
looks at HONEY with concern.
JOHN
Katie!
HONEY
covers her ears, closes her eyes, opens them, tries to flick away whatever it
is
she sees on her shoulder.
JOHN
takes a vial of pills from his pocket, hands them to HONEY. With shaking hands,
her eyes on her shoulder, HONEY tips out 10 or so pills. JOHN knocks them from
her hand.
JOHN
Three!
HONEY
nods, picks up three tablets, throws them in her mouth. JOHN hands her his can
of beer. HONEY washes the pills down with a swig, looks at her shoulder again -
terrified.
LATER
HONEY,
calm now (the pills have worked) is flicking through photos stored on her smart
phone:
‘Selfies’
of Honey taken over the past couple of years, with a variety of different hair
styles and colours, and eccentric modes of dress.
HONEY
looks at JOHN, at her bandaged arms, at the road ahead; thinking. She looks
back at JOHN again. He turns and smiles at her. HONEY ignores him. HONEY looks
back down at her smart phone, finds the photo she is looking for:
A
wide shot of the beer garden that includes John and his two companions and the
happy family. Using her thumb and fore-finger, Honey zooms in on the family:
mum, dad and daughter laughing together.
29 EXT. DANIEL'S HOUSE. LATE
AFTERNOON
DANIEL,
40ish, pulls up on his Harley Davison, alongside a large white SUV in the driveway
- in front of a large timber home of modern design.
JASPER
runs through the front door and down the path.
As
DANIEL gets off his motor-bike he registers JASPER'S short hair with shock.
HELEN
appears in the front doorway.
JASPER (excited)
Tell
me you like it?
Before
DANIEL has a chance to respond HELEN indicates with a shrug and upheld hands
that she had nothing to do with this.
DANIEL
We
had an agreement.
JASPER
You
and mum had an agreement!
DANIEL
shakes his head. JASPER smiles seductively, holds out her arms. DANIEL holds up
his hands (’No’), walks past her, towards HELEN - who makes an ‘I don’t know
what to say’ gesture. JASPER pouts for a moment, runs after her father.
30 EXT. OUTBACK AUSTRALIA. CLOSE
TO SUNSET
HONEY
crouches close to the edge of a bluff overlooking a vast outback landscape, a
box of matches in her hands. In front of her is a pile of leaves and twigs.
HONEY
strikes a match, places it under the leaves and twigs, watches as the fire
bursts into life.
HONEY,
mesmerized by the flames for a long moment, extracts credit cards with a
variety of names, and throws them into the fire. She extracts a driver's
license with a photo of herself with short hair and throws it in the fire. Then
a Medicare card.
Deep
in the background JOHN paces impatiently up and down beside the blue Holden.
HONEY
takes from her pocket the photo of herself and her mother, Carol, seen earlier,
throws it into the fire. She watches as the edges turn brown and begin to burn.
In
a sudden movement she reaches down and plucks the photo from the fire.
31 INT. DINING ROOM. DUSK
JASPER,
face up close to the aquarium, purses her lips, kisses a tropical fish on the
other side of the glass as DANIEL, in the background, pours kerosene into the
burner at the base of the chafing dish on the dining room table while HELEN
moves first course dishes aside.
DANIEL
You
want to look like a boy?
JASPER
turns to face DANIEL - grins, nods.
JASPER
You
and mum always wanted a boy.
DANIEL
Not
a Tomboy.
DANIEL
lights the burner under the chafing dish.
JASPER
Well,
if you and mum make me a brother I'll grow my hair and act like a girl.
HELEN (smiles)
Will
you now?
HELEN
pours Brandy from the bottle into a measuring cup as JASPER walks up, dips her finger
in a pot of honey, puts her finger in her mouth.
HELEN
You
washed your hands?
JASPER
ignores HELEN as she pours the Brandy into the pan.
JASPER
Anyhow,
it's my hair!
DANIEL
Your
mother just asked you question!
JASPER
Yes,
I've washed my hands… millions of times.
DANIEL
Jas,
you asked if you could cut your hair. We said no. It's…
JASPER
But
it's my hair and…
DANIEL
When
you're an adult you can choose, but…
JASPER
That's
discrimination
DANIEL
Jasper!
How many times…?
JASPER
But
dad…
HELEN
Hey,
you two! I really do not want an argument right now…
The
Brandy in the flambé pan is boiling now.
JASPER
When's
a good time for an argument, mum?
HELEN
smiles, takes a long match from a box.
HELEN
How
about 10.15 tomorrow? I think! Have to
check my diary.
JASPER
laughs. HELEN strikes the match alight.
HELEN
You
want honey or maple syrup?
JASPER
Both.
HELEN
smiles as she lights the Brandy fumes. Flames leap up.
JASPER
grins at DANIEL. He smiles, shakes his head playfully: ‘What are we going to do
with you?’ JASPER smiles happily.
32 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY
drives. She is happy. JOHN is sound asleep in the passenger seat, unfazed by
the loud disco music.
HONEY
looks at the speedometer:
100
kms per hour.
She
presses hard on the accelerator.
120
kms per hour
HONEY
smiles to herself, turns the music up. Loud.
33 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER
lies in bed. DANIEL stands by the door, his hand on the light switch. JASPER
holds her arms out, beckoning.
JASPER
Kiss!
DANIEL
moves to Jasper's bed, leans in to kiss her on the cheek. JASPER smiles, wraps
her arms around DANIEL'S neck, tries to pull him close. DANIEL resists, tickles
JASPER till she releases him in a gale of laughter. DANIEL pouts his lips,
kisses JASPER on the lips.
JASPER
Not
a fish kiss.
DANIEL
pouts his lips even more - pretends to be a fish - kisses her again. JASPER
laughs.
34 INT. BATHROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL
cleans his teeth in an en suite bathroom. Through the doorway, in the bedroom,
HELEN sits immobile on the edge of the double bed.
35 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
HELEN,
lost in her memories - looking at a leaflet:
IN REQUIEM written above a photo
of her mother. Underneath, the words: “To thine own self be true, and it must
follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
DANIEL
stands in the doorway, looks at HELEN for a long moment, walks forward, puts
his hand affectionately on her shoulder. She makes it clear she does not want
to be touched. DANIEL nods, moves his hand away.
36 INT. JASPER'S ROOM. NIGHT
JASPER
holds her hands in prayer under her chin.
JASPER
Please
take good care of grandma in heaven and tell her I miss her heaps and…well, if
it's not too much to ask, a baby brother would be…awesome…
37 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL
lie apart in the dark. HELEN stares at the ceiling. DANIEL, lying on his side,
reaches out, strokes her hair. She does not respond to his touch but, after a
long moment, turns to look at DANIEL - her eyes glistening with tears.
DANIEL
Hey…!
HELEN
brushes the tears from her eyes, gestures with her hands: “I don't want to talk
about it.” DANIEL nods, stares back up at the ceiling, caught up in some inner
turmoil.
HELEN
turns away, caught up in her own inner turmoil.
38 EXT. SIDE OF HIGHWAY. NIGHT
John’s
car is parked in a culvert at the side of the highway. HONEY finishes
unscrewing the rear number plate, places it in the open trunk, alongside boxes
of electronic equipment. She selects another number plate from a small pile.
39 EXT. GAS STATION. NIGHT
JOHN
finishes filling the tank with petrol.
HONEY
watches him from the driver’s seat, his eyes also on the INDIAN CASHIER
serving
another motorist inside.
JOHN
lingers at the bowser until HONEY nods - the cashier’s attention focused on
swiping the customer’s credit card.
JOHN
gets into the passenger seat. HONEY drives out of the gas station, fast. The
INDIAN CASHIER can be seen in the background running out towards the bowsers.
40 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL
and HELEN lie in bed - DANIEL with his eyes on the ceiling, HELEN turned away
from him. She turns, looks at DANIEL, an intensity in her eyes; a longing that
is driving her crazy. DANIEL pretends not to notice.
HELEN (angry)
Daniel?
(A BEAT) Look at me.
DANIEL
exhales. He does not want to.
HELEN
moves close, takes his head in her hands, forces DANIEL to look at him. He
complies unwillingly. She moves her head close to his, kisses him on the lips.
A passionate kiss. DANIEL allows the kiss to happen but does not reciprocate.
HELEN
Fuck
you.
DANIEL
stares at her with a mixture of hurt and confusion.
HELEN
takes off her nightie sits astride him, reaches down, takes his cock in her
hand.
DANIEL
does nothing to either stop HELEN or encourage her.
They
stare at each other for as long as it takes for HELEN’S HAND to make his cock
erect and herself ready to accept it. HELEN then lowers herself onto it, guides
it inside her.
DANIEL
reaches up, grabs two handfuls of HELEN’S hair, pulls her head down, kisses her
passionately.
HELEN’S
eyes, wide open, are just centimeters from DANIEL’S eyes - resolutely closed.
As
they have wild animal sex DANIEL closes his eyes. HELEN keeps her eyes open.
41 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER
reads an illustrated bible book - the double page spread in front of her:
Above
an illustration of scantily clad women and lecherous men looking up at the
yellow liquid descending upon them from on high, “THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN
BURNING SULPHUR ON SODOM AND GOMORRAGH.”
42 EXT. SYDNEY HARBOUR BRIDGE.
NIGHT
The
blue Holden drives across the Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House in the
background.
43 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY
looks excitedly through the windscreen as she drives over the Harbour Bridge.
JOHN is asleep in the passenger seat, snoring. HONEY nudges him.
HONEY
Wake
up y'old codger!
JOHN
wakes, looks out the window.
JOHN (smiles)
Well
here we be! Good on ya, Katie. You're a good girl.
HONEY
And
you're a bad man.
JOHN
smiles.
HONEY
You
hungry?
JOHN
Could
eat the crotch out of a low flying crow.
HONEY
laughs.
JOHN
Only
problem is...
HONEY
looks at him.
JOHN
We’re
skint. Not a brass razoo...
HONEY
But
you said...
JOHN (angry)
I
know what I fucken said.
HONEY
But...
JOHN
(apoplectic)
Shut
the fuck up...
HONEY
withdraws into herself.
44 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL
looks up at the ceiling. HELEN, asleep, is snuggled up to him, her left hand on
his chest. DANIEL takes her hand and moves if gently from his chest. He then
slips out of bed, careful not to wake her.
DANIEL
finishes dressing, turns and sees HELEN looking at him. She shakes her head,
smiles, holds her arms out to him beckoning him to come back to bed.
DANIEL
I
won't be long.
HELEN
nods, withdraws her arms.
45 INT. JASPER'S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER,
asleep, wakes as she hears a door close. She gets out of bed, walks to the
window, stands in the dark, watching:
DANIEL
push his Harley down the street, kick-start it.
She
returns to her bed, climbs into it, lies in the dark; thinking. With one hand she
reaches up, takes hold of the silver crucifix around her neck, shuts her eyes
and prays silently. She hears a door close, opens her eyes, looks to the door
to her room.
The
crack at the bottom of the door lights up. She hears her mother’s footsteps in
the hallway.
46 EXT. CITY STREET. NIGHT
DANIEL,
on his Harley, drives along a suburban road - a camera hanging around his neck.
He leans into a sharp curve. The footrest grazes the bitumen, sends up red
sparks.
47 INT. HELEN AND DANIEL’S ROOM.
NIGHT
JASPER walks into her parents’ empty bedroom, walks to a window overlooking the
back yard, through which she sees:
HELEN
making her way from the back door, past the swimming pool, to the ‘Granny Flat’
at the rear of the property.
48 EXT. CAR. HARRY’S CAFE DE
WHEELS. WOOLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
The
blue Holden is parked opposite HARRY’S CAFE DE WHEELS. Inside the car
HONEY
and JOHN pool their small change.
HONEY
Enough
for one pie! One fucking pie!
JOHN
OK,
OK, don’t fucken rub it in. I’ll think of something...
49 INT. 'GRANNY FLAT'. DANIEL AND
HELEN'S HOUSE. NIGHT
HELEN,
her cheeks streaked with tears, sits on the bed.
There
are several vases filled with dead and wilting flowers. HELEN stands, takes a
bunch of dead flowers from a vase, holds them for a moment as tears well. She
wills herself not to cry, puts the dead flowers back in the vase.
JASPER (voice off)
Mum.
HELEN
turns. JASPER, in her nightdress, is standing in the doorway. HELEN wipes the
tears from her eyes.
HELEN
Can't
sleep?
JASPER
shakes her head, walks up wraps her arms around HELEN.
50 EXT. KING'S CROSS. NIGHT
DANIEL
drives past night clubs, strip joints and hookers in Sydney's 'red light'
district.
51 INT. ‘GRANNY FLAT’. NIGHT
HELEN
lying in the bed, covers thrown back, opens her arms, beckons JASPER with a
smile. JASPER climbs in beside her mother, places her head on HELEN’S breast.
JASPER
I
can hear your heart going boom boom, boom…really fast.
HELEN
smiles, strokes JASPER'S hair affectionately.
52 EXT. KING'S CROSS BACK STREET.
NIGHT
DANIEL
drives past a mobile 'soup kitchen' from which food is being dispensed to
HOMELESS PEOPLE. He waves. Some wave back.
53 EXT. HARRY’S CAFE DE WHEELS.
WOOLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
DANIEL
drives past the blue Holden, inside which HONEY and JOHN argue, turns left,
drives into darkened back streets.
54 INT. CAR. NIGHT
HONEY,
subdued, her anger held in, sits alongside JOHN.
HONEY
You
promised.
JOHN
You
wanna fucken eat or what?
HONEY
stares at JOHN, open-mouthed in shock.
JOHN
avoids eye-contact, opens a bottle of pills, indicates to HONEY to hold out her
hand. She shakes her head.
JOHN
Hold
out ya fucken hand.
HONEY
winces, holds out her hand. JOHN tips three into HONEY’s outstretched palm. She
throws them into her mouth, swallows them with a grimace. HONEY grabs the pill
bottle out of JOHN’S hands. He doesn’t try to stop her.
JOHN
Just
be careful...
HONEY
glares at him.
55 INT. ‘GRANNY FLAT’. NIGHT
JASPER
lies with her head on HELEN’S breast.
JASPER
Mum?
HELEN
Mmmm?
JASPER
Did
I do something to hurt dad's feelings?
HELEN
What
makes you think that?
JASPER
shrugs, hugs HELEN tight. HELEN strokes JASPER'S hair.
JASPER
He
doesn't dad want to cuddle me anymore.
HELEN
Because
you're a young woman now.
JASPER
But
I haven't even got any boobs yet.
HELEN (laughs)
You
don't need boobs to be a woman.
JASPER
Why's
it OK to cuddle you but not dad?
HELEN
When
you're older you'll understand.
JASPER
When
I'm a woman?
HELEN
laughs, holds JASPER tight.
56 EXT. BACK STREET.
WOOLLOOMOOLOO. NIGHT
DANIEL
drives slowly, looking for someone. Up ahead he sees GRANT, late 60s, shuffling along the footpath
pushing a supermarket trolley filled with his worldly possessions.
DANIEL
stops, gets off his motor bike, grabs the camera slung around his neck, slinks
across the road - stalking GRANT, camera at the ready, looking for a good
angle.
As
he prepares to take a photo a police car drives by, siren blaring. GRANT turns
to look at the police car. Click.
DANIEL
has captured the moment. GRANT sees DANIEL, recognizes him, waves.
DANIEL
smiles, raises his hand in greeting.
57 EXT. KINGS CROSS. NIGHT
HONEY,
a small backpack slung over her shoulder, stands at the side of the road in
Kings Cross, keeping her distance from THREE PROSTITUTES who do not appreciate
the youthful competition. HONEY looks miserable.
JOHN
watches her the other side of the road.
A
car pulls up. HONEY walks up to the passenger window, leans in, talks for a
moment to the (unseen) driver. HONEY makes eye contact with JOHN, gets into the
car. It drives off.
58 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL
hands GRANT a supermarket grocery bag, sits with him on a section of pavement
that is Grant's 'home'. GRANT’S hair is matted, unwashed; his clothes dirty.
DANIEL
Tomorrow
night.
GRANT (chuckles)
Have
to check my diary.
DANIEL
smiles, hands GRANT a post card photo of:
Grant,
eyes blazing in his ragged face, staring into the camera in a moment of intense
intimacy. Across the photo are the words GRACE OF GOD.
GRANT
looks at the photo, turns it over, reads what is written there, hands it back
to
DANIEL.
GRANT
I
prefer my memories.
DANIEL
nods.
59 INT. BACK STREET. NIGHT
HONEY
sits in the passenger seat, looking nervously at a YOUNG MAN in the driver's
seat. He is as nervous as she is.
YOUNG MAN
You'll
think I'm totally weird.
HONEY
I
don't do…weird stuff…
YOUNG MAN
It's
not that…
Tears
well in his eyes.
YOUNG MAN
I'm
just…so lonely.
HONEY
reaches out, takes his hand.
The
YOUNG MAN starts to cry. So does HONEY. They look at each other crying and
can't help but laugh.
YOUNG MAN
Told
you I was weird.
HONEY
Hey,
join the club.
YOUNG
MAN
You
wanna drink?
HONEY
nods. The YOUNG MAN reaches into the back seat and produces a cask of wine.
60 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
Seen
through the lens of Daniel's camera:
GRANT
holds a freshly opened packed of cigarettes out to DANIEL - who takes a photo.
Click. DANIEL refuses a cigarette with a shake of his head, lowers the camera.
DANIEL
Trying
to resist temptation.
GRANT
reaches for Daniel's camera.
DANIEL
What?
GRANT
Want
to get a photo of you trying to resist temptation.
DANIEL
laughs hands GRANT his camera.
GRANT
I've
just got to press this button, right?
DANIEL
nods, looks into the lens. He waits and waits.
DANIEL
What
are you waiting for?
GRANT
For
you to look like you're resisting temptation.
DANIEL
laughs. Click. A happy snap!
GRANT
You
a happy man, Daniel?
DANIEL
smiles, looks at GRANT - whose eyes are focused on his. DANIEL is unnerved by
the intensity of his stare.
GRANT
Maybe
that’s not the right question?
61 INT. GRANNY FLAT. NIGHT
JASPER
is asleep on HELEN'S breast. The fingers of one of JASPER'S hands are
intertwined with HELEN'S.
HELEN’S
face is a battle-field of emotions.
62 INT. CAR. KINGS CROSS. NIGHT
HONEY,
quite drunk, the cask of wine resting in her lap, indicates to the YOUNG MAN,
driving, to drop her close to JOHN, standing on the pavement ahead. The YOUNG
MAN slows.
HONEY
No,
keep driving…
HONEY,
plastic cup in hand, slinks low in the seat as they drive past JOHN, a look of
panic in her eyes.
63 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL
and GRANT sit in companionable silence.
GRANT
Question
is, is the ‘pursuit of happiness’ the most important goal to aspire to in life?
DANIEL
laughs, shakes his head.
DANIEL
If
not happiness, what?
GRANT
smiles, shakes his head.
GRANT
Fucked
if I know, Danny Boy, fucked if I know...Hope I can figure it out before I die.
64 INT. YOUNG MAN’S CAR. BACK
STREET. NIGHT
The
YOUNG MAN looks at HONEY with tenderness and concern.
YOUNG MAN
You
gunna be OK?
HONEY (nods)
You?
The
YOUNG MAN nods.
HONEY gets out of the car, walks down the street
towards a building construction site; cask of wine in her hand.
The
YOUNG MAN watches her with concern, reaches for his mobile phone.
65 EXT. BUILDING SITE. BACK
STREET. NIGHT
HONEY
sits in the gutter drinking wine from a plastic cup, the wine cask on the
pavement beside her. She wipes tears dismissively from her eyes, opens her
backpack, extracts John's knife, stares at it, takes another big slug of wine.
HONEY
carrying the wine cask, scales a wire mesh fence, walks to stairs of the
building under construction.
66 EXT. BUILDING SITE. 10TH
FLOOR. NIGHT
HONEY
arrives at the 10th floor, walks to within a few feet of the edge. There is no
wall. She moves closer to the edge. Police sirens are heard.
67 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
GRANT
puffs on a cigarette. He holds it out to DANIEL, who shakes his head. The
police sirens grow louder.
GRANT
You’ve
got to die of something.
DANIEL
smiles, shakes his head, his attention focused on the loud sound of an
approaching Fire Engine.
68 EXT. BUILDING SITE. 10TH
FLOOR. NIGHT
HONEY
stands at the edge of the building, looking down. A police car pulls up. She
upends the cask of wine, opens the spigot, drinks from it, picks up the knife,
runs the tip of its blade across her heavily scarred arm.
Close
to the edge, knife in hand, HONEY looks down to where two police cars are
parked, lights flashing.
69 EXT. GRANT'S 'HOME'. NIGHT
DANIEL
listens to the Fire Engine siren. It stops. It has pulled up out of sight
closeby but it's flashing lights reflect in the windows of a building at the
end of the street.
DANIEL
grabs his camera from GRANT, stands.
70 EXT. 10TH FLOOR/STREET. NIGHT
Standing
dangerously close to the edge, more than a little drunk, HONEY'S attention is
focused on the flashing red light of the fire engine. DANIEL runs into the
frame.
The
rest of this sequence is split between what takes place on 10th floor and what DANIEL
sees through his lens and records in a succession of photos.
HONEY
looks from the fire engine lights to the unseen but terrifying tormentor
resting on her shoulder. She tries to flick it away. There is a 'mad' look in
her eyes.
She
does not notice young CONSTABLE DAVID (early 20s) who has joined her on the
10th floor.
CONSTABLE DAVID (voice off)
Hey…
HONEY
swings around, stares at the POLICEMAN. Her balance at the edge is precarious.
CONSTABLE DAVID (kindly)
I'm
David. And you?
HONEY
ignores the question.
DANIEL,
in the street, looks up, takes photos as CONSTABLE DAVID moves closer to HONEY.
He speaks gently but we do not hear what he says.
CONSTABLE
DAVID takes a step forwards. HONEY edges back, perilously close to the edge,
moving the tip of the knife to a point midway between her breasts.
CONSTABLE
DAVID stops, holds his arms up to indicate that he will move no closer.
HONEY
looks down, sees:
Crowd
in the street, including DANIEL, looking up.
CONSTABLE DAVID
You
know if you stab yourself right there you'll hit your sternum and it'll hurt
like hell but you won't get your heart.
HONEY
shifts the tip of the knife.
CONSTABLE DAVID
A
bit more to the left and make sure you find a gap between the ribs…
HONEY
stares at him. This is not the script she had in mind.
HONEY
Aren't
you…like…supposed to…talk me out of killing myself.
CONSTABLE DAVID
Nah,
I just want to make sure you do it properly and don't make too much of a mess.
Coz you know who has to clean it up!?
HONEY
drops the hand with the knife in it to her side.
HONEY
But…
CONSTABLE DAVID
Life
sucks and then you die, ay?
HONEY
I
want more than that.
CONSTABLE DAVID
Join
the club.
HONEY
Is
there a joining fee?
DAVID
smiles, steps forward, reaches out and takes the knife from her hand.
HONEY
falls into his arms, holds him tight.
71 EXT. STREET OUTSIDE BUILDING
SITE. NIGHT
As
CONSTABLE DAVID leads HONEY out into the street a SECOND POLICEMAN joins him -
a pair of handcuffs in his hands. HONEY sees the handcuffs.
HONEY (screams)
No
CONSTABLE
DAVID gestures to the SECOND POLICEMAN to back off, put the hand-cuffs away,
but it is too late - HONEY bolts down the street, straight towards where DANIEL
stands taking photos. The SECOND POLICEMAN catches HONEY quickly and roughly.
HONEY puts up a fight, screams like a banchee.
HONEY
Let
me go…fucking arsehole…
HONEY
screams as she kicks and scratches the SECOND POLICEMAN.
CONSTABLE
DAVID steps between them, pushing the SECOND POLICEMAN away. DANIEL keeps
taking photos.
HONEY
holds her arms out towards DANIEL: a plea for help. DANIEL takes a photo.
Click.
A
LITTLE LATER
CONSTABLE
DAVID opens the back door to the paddy wagon for HONEY as the Fire Engine
drives off.
HONEY
I
want to sit up the front with you?
CONSTABLE DAVID
You
can't.
HONEY (grins)
That's
not a nice thing to call a lady!
…to
be continued…
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