…continuing…
106 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY
HELEN
fixes photos into a large white faux-leather covered album. A Saint-Saens
Violin Concerto plays in the background.
A
black and white photo of herself and Jasper asleep in bed, cuddling. It is a
beautiful photo. Too beautiful, perhaps, as a result of the photoshop work that
has been done on it.
HELEN'S
many photo albums are spread out on the table in front of her and on the white
leather couch she sits on.
107 EXT. GYMNASIUM. DAY
The
Saint-Saens Violin Concerto continues over SIMMO looking in through the window
at HONEY and DANIEL talking.
DANIEL
(voice off)
…and
I said yes she should and she said no she shouldn’t and I said yes and…
108 INT. GYMNASIUM. DAY
DANIEL
and HONEY sit together on the floor.
DANIEL
…eventually
she got tired of saying 'no'.
HONEY
claps her hands excitedly.
HONEY
Yes,
yes, yes, yes, yes…my favorite word in the whole universe: 'Yes'!
DANIEL
…and
nine months later Jasper was born.
HONEY
No
way!
DANIEL (nods)
Angel
number two.
HONEY
You
want a third angel?
DANIEL
Jasper
keeps hassling us...
DANIEL
realizes that HONEY is referring to herself.
He laughs self-consciously.
HONEY
My
mother never says yes. It's always no. No, no, no…
DANIEL
But
your mother's dead. (A BEAT) Isn't she?
HONEY
Yes,
but…
DANIEL
But?
HONEY
looks away; evasive.
HONEY
Life
is full of 'buts', ay? What ifs. In onlys...
DANIEL
Usually
they’re just an excuse not to do something you want to do.
HONEY
Or
something you're scared to do.
DANIEL
What
are you scared to do?
HONEY
(laughs)
Too
scared to tell you.
DANIEL
nods.
HONEY
If
you’d walked in my shoes... (you’d understand). What size are you? (A BEAT) Is
there anything you're too scared to tell anyone? Even someone you love? (A
BEAT) Especially someone you love?
DANIEL
You’re
full of difficult questions aren’t you?
HONEY
I’ll
take that as a ‘yes’. What?
DANIEL
laughs.
HONEY
You
don’t have to tell me, if you don’t want to.
DANIEL
Very
kind of you, ‘someone’. (A BEAT) You want to tell me what you’re too scared to
tell anyone.
HONEY (shrugs)
You
wouldn’t understand.
DANIEL
Maybe,
maybe not, but you’ll only find out if you...
HONEY
Take
a leap?
DANIEL
nods.
HONEY
Taking
a leap without a safety net is pretty scary...for me.
DANIEL
For
everyone.
HONEY
You
could be my safety net?
DANIEL
stares at HONEY, at a loss for words.
HONEY
Sorry,
sorry, sorry. I’m....just a selfish bitch...always thinking about myself...
DANIEL
No...
He
reaches out to her. HONEY pulls back, a slightly crazed look in her eyes.
HONEY
is silent for along moment, picking at a scab on one of the cut wounds on her
arm.
She
looks at her shoulder, panic in her eyes. She flicks at her shoulder.
HONEY
stares at DANIEL, stares through him; in a zone.
DANIEL (panicking)
Honey,
what is it? What's wrong?
HONEY
looks at her shoulder, panic in her eyes. She flicks at her shoulder, tries to
brush her invisible tormentor away. She turns pale, sweats profusely; looks at
DANIEL
as if she does not know who he is.
She
looks at her hands as if she does know what they are. DANIEL takes her hand,
holds it.
DANIEL
Honey!
HONEY
holds his hand tight - her whole body shaking now. DANIEL'S mobile rings. He
ignores it; looks around, sees SIMMO, in shock, looking in through the window.
He signals to SIMMO to get help.
DANIEL
What
is it, Honey?
HONEY
stares at him blankly, her eyes darting then to one shoulder and then the
other.
109 INT. SHED. NIGHT
As
seen from YOUNG HONEY’S bedroom:
CAROL
pours the contents of the can of petrol over her head.
YOUNG
HONEY runs into frame as CAROL takes out a box of matches, takes out a match
and lifts her hand to light it.
YOUNG
HONEY opens her mouth to scream.
From
a perspective closeby:
The
storage shed bursts into flames.
110 INT. GYMNASIUM. DAY
HONEY,
her mouth open, panic and terror in her eyes - her face white and glistening
with sweat. She mumbles to herself:
HONEY
Selfish
bitch, fuck you, leave me alone...
She
stares at DANIEL, as if he was a stranger.
DANIEL
It’s
me, Honey. Daniel.
He
reaches out, takes her hand. HONEY looks at her hand in his, confused, then
back up at DANIEL, trying to figure out who he is.
When
she figures it out, she snuggles close to him, clinging to him as if her life
depended on it.
A
LITTLE LATER
Seen
from behind, DANIEL sits on the floor with HONEY leaning up against him, her
journal open in front of them.
HONEY (voice off)
...the
Angel Gabriel on my right shoulder and...you’ve got to promise not to laugh.
DANIEL (voice off)
Promise.
REBECCA
stands in the doorway, a bottle of pills and a glass of water in her hands -
watching, listening. On HONEY:
HONEY
The
Green Goblin on my left.
HONEY
turns the page.
CLOSE
on a full page drawing of The Green Goblin tied to a stake, being burnt to
death by bright yellow and orange flames, his face contorted in pain.
DANIEL
smiles, shakes his head.
HONEY
You
promised.
DANIEL
Not
to laugh, not not to smile!
111 INT. DINING ROOM. DAY
HELEN,
lost in her memories as she looks through her photo albums, savours the violin
concerto playing on the CD deck. The fingers on her left hand move deftly, as
if playing an imaginary violin. The music reaches a crescendo. The beginning of
a smile appears on her face.
112 INT. GYMNASIUM. DAY
DANIEL
and HONEY sit facing each other now, neither of them aware of REBECCA standing
in the doorway. Referring to the Green Goblin drawing:
HONEY
He
tells me to do...things.
DANIEL
What
kind of things?
HONEY (shrugs)
You
wouldn’t understand.
DANIEL
Do
you want someone to understand?
HONEY
thinks for a moment, bites her lip; nods tentatively.
DANIEL
You
could help me...understand.
HONEY
I’m
scared. (A BEAT)...that if you understand...
DANIEL
nods.
HONEY
You
understand?
DANIEL
nods.
HONEY
I
want there to be at least one person who understands but...?
DANIEL
...what
if they understand and don’t like...the person they’ve come to understand?
HONEY (nods)
Better
to stay hidden.
DANIEL
smiles, raises his eyebrows questioningly. HONEY smiles shyly, is just about to
say something when REBECCA appears in frame, pills and glass of water in hand.
REBECCA
Well,
I can see I’m not needed.
HONEY
Yes,
you are Bec. I need you. To...to...
HONEY
reaches out to REBECCA.
REBECCA
Fetch
your cigarettes?
HONEY
laughs, nods. REBECCA takes her hand.
HONEY (laughs)
It’s
a pity Daniel’s already taken, Bec, coz he’s just the kind of boyfriend you
need.
REBECCA
laughs shyly, glances at DANIEL, whose mobile phone rings. He ignores it.
REBECCA
What...
(happened)? are you...(OK)?
HONEY
Nothing.
(A BEAT) Just a panic attack.
REBECCA
does not believe her. HONEY can see this.
HONEY
God’s
truth.
REBECCA
still does not believe her, but nods. DANIEL’S phone rings again. He ignores
it.
HONEY
You
should to get back to your angels?
DANIEL
Soon…
HONEY
I'd
better sign your contract, ay?
DANIEL
holds up his hands: ‘No hurry’
HONEY
holds out her hand. DANIEL looks at her for a moment.
HONEY
Give
it to me.
DANIEL
takes the contract from his pocket, reluctantly. HONEY takes it from him.
HONEY
Pen!
DANIEL
takes a pen from his pocket. HONEY takes it, unfolds the contract, signs it,
hands it to REBECCA.
HONEY
Now
you know who I am. Honeysuckle Williams, but you can call me Honey.
REBECCA (laughs)
Hurricane
Honey!
HONEY
hits REBECCA playfully, stands. She is awkward now - reserved; withdrawn.
REBECCA hands the contract to DANIEL.
HONEY
Take
good care of your angels.
DANIEL
nods, stands. HONEY wraps her arms around him, hugs DANIEL tight. DANIEL is
unsure what to do with his own arms. By the time he tentatively places his arms
around HONEY she breaks free, smiles, turns and runs out of the gymnasium.
DANIEL
smiles, shakes his head, looks at REBECCA.
REBECCA
Welcome
to the lion’s den, Daniel.
113 INT. ‘BACHELOR PAD’ DANIEL’S
STUDIO. DAY
JASPER,
in her school uniform, sleeps on a futon - her school backpack and book of
illustrated bible stories at her side.
She
wakes to the sound of music, turns towards colourful Indian cloth curtains,
parts them and looks down into:
Daniel’s
studio. DANIEL sits in front of his computer. TRACY is pottering around,
tidying up after a photo shoot.
JASPER
sits up, rubs the sleep from her eyes. This untidy ‘bachelor pad’, on an
upraised platform in the corner of the studio, is clearly where Daniel sleeps
when he works late into the night. It is sparsely furnished but photos,
artefacts and a variety of cloth drapes from all around the world are
suggestive of youthful world adventuring.
JASPER
takes out her smart phone, positions herself to take a photo of the studio.
TRACY
walks up to DANIEL.
114 INT. STUDIO. DAY
TRACY
walks up to DANIEL, looks over his shoulder at the computer screen at the
‘happy family, whose daughter’s smile he is enhancing with Photoshop.
TRACY
As
happy as a pig in shit!
DANIEL
smiles. JASPER, in the background, looks through the Indian cloth curtains;
takes a photo with her iPhone.
TRACY
You
should go home.
DANIEL
Gotta
get her looking...mmm, I think another 10% happier first.
DANIEL
laughs. TRACY kisses him on the cheek; turns and walks off. Over her shoulder,
a little flirtatiously:
TRACY
All
work and no play...
A
LITTLE LATER
JASPER
walks up behind DANIEL, puts her arms around him.
DANIEL
You
right to go?
JASPER
nods. DANIEL closes files.
JASPER
Dad,
can I ask you a question?
DANIEL
Do
I have a choice?
JASPER
No.
When you were 20 did you think you were young or old?
DANIEL
When
I was your age I thought 20 was old...ancient. Now 20 seems...very young.
JASPER
If
you could choose to stay at any one age forever, what would it be?
DANIEL
Nine.
JASPER
Why?
DANIEL
Mmmm...
JASPER
Don’t
think just because I’m nine I wouldn’t understand.
DANIEL
You
wouldn’t. And I would not want you to.
JASPER
Now
you have to tell me.
DANIEL
swings his chair around, wraps his arms around JASPER’S waist. She wraps her
arms around his neck.
DANIEL
When
you’re nine you have no reason to believe that your dreams can’t come true.
JASPER
And
when you are an old fart like you?
DANIEL
When
you are an old fart like me!? (A BEAT) Don’t be in too much of a rush to find
out, sweetheart.
JASPER
Typical
adult answer.
DANIEL
laughs. JASPER tilts her head to one side, raises her eyebrows questioningly.
DANIEL
What?
JASPER
Nothing.
JASPER
smiles, kisses DANIEL, wraps her arms around his neck, hugs him tight.
115 INT. KITCHEN. NIGHT
HELEN
smiles as she looks at the signed contract.
HELEN
Great!
DANIEL
looks far from happy. JASPER stands in the doorway.
DANIEL
She’s
still stuck with John...
HELEN
Yeah,
and that’s sad but...
DANIEL
But?
HELEN
She’s
not your problem?
JASPER
Whose
problem is she?
HELEN
You
keep out of this, Jas. You don't need to know about…
JASPER
I
know what John makes Honey do, mum.
HELEN
looks at DANIEL, angry.
JASPER
I'm
not a baby!
HELEN
Jesus,
you’ve told....(Jasper)
JASPER
I
asked. And dad...what was he supposed to do? Lie? John’s like her step-dad and
he makes her fuck men for money...
HELEN
holds up her hands angrily.
HELEN
That’s
enough, Jasper...You will not use that language in my house.
JASPER
Your
house! (A BEAT) You say ‘fuck’ all the time.
HELEN
I
do not! (A BEAT) You’re 9 years old you don’t need to know... everything!
JASPER
Like
you, you mean!
HELEN
looks to DANIEL for support. He gestures to JASPER to back off. JASPER nods,
infuriates HELEN more.
HELEN
Fuck,
why are you two ganging up on me?
DANIEL
smiles.
HELEN
Sorry.
JASPER
laughs.
DANIEL
She
just needs someone to bail her out and...well, we could...
HELEN
‘We'!
DANIEL
Okay,
I could bail her out.
HELEN
And
do what with her, Daniel?
DANIEL
Get
her away from John, until...
HELEN
Until?
JASPER
She
could stay in the granny flat…?
HELEN
puts her hand up to exclude JASPER from the argument, turns on DANIEL -
realizing that this is his idea.
HELEN
Are
you out of your fucking mind? In mum's flat!
DANIEL
Your
mother's dead.
HELEN
Don't
say that!
DANIEL
It's
true.
HELEN
covers her ears.
DANIEL
If
she goes with John…
HELEN
She's
not my problem, Daniel. And she's not your problem. Stick to taking photos of
them. 'The poor, the lonely, the dispossessed, the mad'.
JASPER'S
eyes flit between HELEN, mad as hell, and DANIEL, frustratingly passive.
HELEN
Stop
trying to pretend that you actually give a shit. Honey's just a photo
opportunity. That's it. There's lots of Honey's out there! Who are you trying
to kid? Me? Yourself? Jasper? Hello!
DANIEL
stares at HELEN for a long moment, turns and walks out the door.
HELEN
regrets what she's just said. She looks at JASPER - who glares back at her
angrily.
116 EXT. NIGHT. CITY STREET
DANIEL
drives dangerously fast. He approaches an orange traffic light. It turns red.
He drives straight through it. A motorist has to brake to avoid a collision.
117 EXT. PARKING LOT. STUDIO.
NIGHT
DANIEL
pulls up close to the front door of his studio, pulls his bike back onto its
stand, lets himself in the front door.
118 INT. STUDIO. NIGHT
DANIEL
sits at a large work desk, splashes straight Bourbon into a glass, gulps it
down, looks at the mock-up of the happy family in the ad.
A
LITTLE LATER
DANIEL,
an unlit cigarette in his mouth, stands and walks towards the stairs at the
rear of the studio that lead to:
119 INT. ‘BACHELOR PAD’ DANIEL’S
STUDIO. DAY
DANIEL
sits on the futon, the unlit cigarette jiggling up and down in his mouth. He
looks at:
A
framed photo of himself as a young man, smiling for the camera as he and his
companions (and some similarly smiling Sherpas) ready themselves to climb Mt
Everest - seen in the background.
120 EXT. DAWN. CLIFF FACE. DAWN
In
the first light of dawn DANIEL pulls up, on his Harley, at the base of a sheer
cliff face.
He
unstraps the blue duffle bag on the back of the Harley, reaches inside, feels
around for his climbing shoes, chalk. They are not there.
DANIEL
Fuck!
DANIEL
moves to get back on his motor bike, stops, thinks for a moment, starts to take
off his riding boots.
121 INT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE ROOM. DAWN
HONEY
sits up in bed, drawing in her journal. Three other girls are still asleep in
their bunks.
HONEY
concentrates on her drawing. It is hard to make out at this point but one of
the figures clearly has angle’s wings.
122 EXT. CLIFF FACE. SUNRISE
DANIEL,
his face up against the cliff face releases one hand from a small edge of
jutting rock, reaches up, his hand searching for something to grab hold of.
DANIEL
is climbing solo in bare feet. His Harley can be seen at the base of the cliff
- 30 feet below.
123 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. DAY
HELEN
hums Vivaldi's “Four Seasons” to herself as she finishes making the bed, walks
to a storage closet, opens the door, takes out the photo that fell to the
floor, the glass shattered. She carries it to the bed, rests it there, sits
beside it, looks at it:
Nine
year old Helen, a violin and bow in one hand, looking with a happy smile up at
her mother.
HELEN
basks in her memories for a moment, walks back to the wardrobe. As she lifts a
battered old red suitcase from a shelf, her attention is caught by a plastic
bag hidden behind the red suitcase.
She
places the suitcase on the ground, takes the plastic bag from the shelf, opens
it, reacts with anger.
124 EXT. CLIFF FACE. DAY
DANIEL’S
bare toes search for a cleft in the rock face. They search in vain.
His
sweating face up against the rock face, DANIEL’S concentration is intense as he
struggles to find a foothold.
HONEY (voice off, reading)
“Saint
Gabriel, Archangel, I venerate you because God specially appointed you to bear
messages concerning the God-Man, Jesus, to Daniel, Zechariah, and the Blessed
Virgin Mary...”
125 EXT. TOP OF CLIFF. DAY
DANIEL
struggles over the edge at the top of the cliff, sits with his legs dangling over
them.
HONEY (voice off, reading)
“I
venerate you, Saint Gabriel, as the giver of God's strength...
DANIEL
looks out over the vast landscape spread before him.
HONEY (voice off, reading)
“...consoler
and comforter chosen to strengthen God's faithful and teach them important
truths.”
At
peace, DANIEL looks up at the bird circling above on an updraft, then down at
his scarred arms.
126 INT. DETENTION CENTRE
RECREATION YARD. DAY
CLOSE
ON HONEY, reading from her journal:
HONEY
“Steady
my resolutions; renew my courage; comfort and console me...”
DANIEL
sits closeby, listening; his eyes on HONEY.
HONEY
“...in
the problems, trials and sufferings of daily living, as you consoled our Savior
in his agony and Mary in her sorrows.”
She
finishes, turns her journal around to show DANIEL the drawing she has done to
accompany the text:
The
Archangel Gabriel, replete with wings, leaning close to a man whose face looks
remarkably like Daniel’s.
DANIEL
smiles.
HONEY
You
chatting with Gabriel, my favourite angel.
DANIEL (laughs)
And
what is Gabriel saying to Daniel?
HONEY
He’s
telling you that you absolutely must come and visit me again. And here you are!
DANIEL
smiles, looks down at Honey’s journal - the Archangel and Daniel drawing
surrounded by drawings and photos.
He
asks HONEY with his eyes if he can flick through the pages. She nods.
As
he flicks back through the diary, three themes dominate - fire, angels and
octpuses. He looks at HONEY quizzically. HONEY smiles, says nothing.
DANIEL
turns another page to reveal:
Honey’s
drawing of the comic book Green Goblin, a knife in the heart, with blood
dripping down his chest.
DANIEL
looks at the drawing, then at HONEY. Distracted, ill at ease, she turns to
another page:
A
drawing of a smiling octopus.
HONEY
Do
you think I’m mad?
DANIEL
shakes his head, smiles.
DANIEL
A
little unusual, perhaps.
HONEY
laughs for a moment, then becomes serious; reflective.
HONEY
I
just want to be normal. (A BEAT) but I don’t know how.
DANIEL
smiles, shakes his head.
127 EXT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. DAY
DANIEL
stands at the front entrance with REBECCA.
REBECCA
This
is not a good place for her to be.
DANIEL
Where
is a good place?
REBECCA
For
a girl with her problems? There is no place. (A BEAT) I know you gave her that
money for bail, but...where is she going to go? (A BEAT) With John?
DANIEL
Shit!
(A BEAT) If there is anything I can do, please...
REBECCA
There
is...
HONEY (voice off)
Daniel!
DANIEL
and REBECCA turn to see HONEY struggling with TWO YOUTH WORKERS in the
entrance.
HONEY
I'm
not going to run off!
REBECCA
nods to the YOUTH WORKERS. They release their grip on HONEY. She walks up to
DANIEL, clutching a small parcel wrapped in newspaper.
HONEY
It's
a present. For you.
She
holds the parcel out to DANIEL. He holds his hands up, shakes his head. A blue
car pulls up in the parking lot.
DANIEL
No,
Honey.
HONEY
lowers the parcel, thinks a moment then suddenly throws it to DANIEL. He
catches it reflexively; laughs. HONEY smiles, spins on her heels, walks back
toward the entrance. DANIEL calls out to her:
DANIEL
I'll
accept it on one condition.
From
JOHN'S POV sitting in the blue Holden:
HONEY
spins around.
HONEY
What's
your condition, Mr Photographer?
DANIEL
No
more chairs through windows. OK?
HONEY
smiles, nods.
DANIEL
Promise?
HONEY
Promise.
The
smile disappears from HONEY'S face as she sees JOHN get out of the blue car.
DANIEL
follows her stare, sees JOHN.
DANIEL
Tell
the police what he's been doing to you? They can charge him.
HONEY
He's
all I've got.
128 INT. KITCHEN. DAY
DANIEL
sits with JASPER at the kitchen table, Honey's parcel in front of them.
HELEN
prepares dinner. DANIEL tears off the newspaper to reveal Honey's journal,
smiles, shakes his head.
JASPER (excited)
What
is it?
DANIEL
Honey's
journal.
HELEN
Why
would she… (give you her journal)?
DANIEL
shrugs (“God knows!”), opens the parcel. CLOSE ON:
A
double page filled with a collage: three photos of Honey, in each of which she
has different coloured and styled hair, a photo of a giant squid, a caricature
of a smiling octopus, poems enclosed in hand drawn multi-coloured boxes.
JASPER
looks on entranced. HELEN places her hands on JASPER'S shoulders, looks on.
DANIEL turns the page. Another collage:
A
panel cut from a comic: Spiderman doing battle with the 'Green Goblin'
dominates. There is also a photo of a raging bush fire, a trio of hand drawn
angels, a pressed flower, the photo with the burnt edges - which we recognize
as young Honey (aged 9) and her mother, the post card photo of a green fern
seedling curling up from barren bushfire-burnt soil.
JASPER
Wow!
HELEN
is not pleased with JASPER'S excitement as they flip through more pages. Fire,
octopuses and photos of Honey (in each which she looks very different) are
recurring themes.
JASPER
stops the turning of pages to look at:
A
strip of three photo-booth photos of a happy mother, father and young daughter.
It is stuck into the journal at one edge only. JASPER points to the young girl
in the photo.
JASPER
Is
that Honey?
DANIEL
I
don’t think so.
HELEN
flips it over. There is writing on the other side of it. HELEN pays little
attention to it.
JASPER
She's
awesome…
HELEN
She's
not 'awesome', Jas, she's (A BEAT) a fruitloop!
JASPER
Mum!
DANIEL
Helen,
don't…
HELEN
Don't
tell me 'don't', Daniel…Hello! She hears angels singing! She's…
JASPER
Mum!
HELEN
(exasperated)
I
do feel sorry for her, Jas, but…(to Daniel) she’s got a thing about octopuses,
death, knives…and its obvious she's trying to manipulate…
DANIEL
holds his hand up. He does not want to have this conversation.
JASPER
turns another page, sees an envelope alongside a drawing of Joan of Arc. JASPER
reads what is written on it.
JASPER
'I
don't want to be a charity case.'
As
JASPER holds the envelope out to DANIEL, HELEN picks up Honey's journal. DANIEL
opens the envelope, looks inside, shakes his head; sighs. HELEN looks at the
journal. CLOSE ON:
Joan
of Arc burning at the stake - the page filled with red, yellow and orange texta
flames.
The
phone rings. JASPER picks up the hands-free receiver.
JASPER
Hello,
this is Jasper speaking.
HONEY (telephone)
Hi
Jasper, this is Honey speaking.
JASPER'S
eyes light up. HELEN reaches for the phone.
HONEY (telephone)
Do
you know who I am?
JASPER
holds her hand up, does not give HELEN the phone.
129 INT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. NIGHT
HONEY,
smiling radiantly, stands in a phone booth close to an office where YOUTH
WORKERS sit watching TV.
JASPER (telephone)
Yes,
We're looking at your journal - me, mum'n dad. It is awesome!
130 JUVENILE DETENTION CENTRE /
INT. KITCHEN NIGHT
DANIEL
gestures to JASPER to give him the phone. As she does so she presses a button
to put it in speaker mode - ignoring HELEN'S 'no' gesture. Intercut between two locations.
DANIEL
Honey,
I don't know what to say. (A BEAT) Your journal!
HONEY
You
don't have to say anything.
HELEN
takes $100 bills out of the envelope, looks at DANIEL
DANIEL
I'll
bring it back…but the money was for you to bail yourself out?
HONEY
I’m
going to stay here.
DANIEL
But...!
HONEY
Hey,
three meals a day...
HELEN
Hi,
Honey. I'm Helen. Daniel might have told you…
HONEY
Hi,
Helen. Angel number one.
HELEN
Angel
number one!?
HONEY
Daniel
told me he had two angels.
HELEN
smiles, looks to DANIEL (covering his face in mock embarrassment) and then to
JASPER - who is beaming.
HELEN
He
did!
JASPER
Two
angels!
HONEY
One
he fell in love with on the phone from her voice…
JASPER (excited)
No
way!
JASPER
looks at her parents with a mixture of surprise and delight. HELEN frowns at
DANIEL playfully.
DANIEL
I
didn't really intend that to be broadcast to the world, Honey.
HONEY
So
I can't put it on the internet?
JASPER
is loving this, her eyes flicking between her mother and father as she learns
some family secrets.
JASPER
And
what about the second angel?
HONEY
He
met her nine months later.
JASPER
Nine
months! (A BEAT) I was an accident!
DANIEL/HELEN
No…
HELEN
Is
there anything you and Daniel didn't talk about, Honey?
(A
BEAT) JASPER'S eyes flit between her mother and father.
HONEY
You
do have a beautiful voice, Helen.
HELEN
Thank
you, Honey.
HONEY
You
can tell so much from someone's voice.
JASPER
What
can you tell? From mum's voice?
HELEN
frowns at JASPER, shakes her head. HONEY bites her lip.
HELEN
Honey?
HONEY
I
can't tell you on the telephone.(A BEAT) But if you and Jasper come and visit
me?
JASPER (excited)
Yeah!
HELEN
shakes her head, makes a 'no' gesture. DANIEL holds his hands out: “Why?” HELEN
holds her hands up: “I don't want to talk about it!” This all happens in a
second or two. HONEY 'reads' the silence correctly, comes to their rescue.
HONEY
Hey
angel number two, if olive oil is made from olives what is baby oil made from?
JASPER (laughs)
And
how come boxing rings are square?
HONEY
plays nervously with the telephone cord. JASPER looks at a photo of an octopus
in Honey's journal.
JASPER
I
figured out the octopus, Honey.
HONEY
Easy,
eh!
JASPER
smiles, nods. DANIEL and HELEN exchange bemused looks.
131 INT. JASPER’S BEDROOM. NIGHT
JASPER
lies in her bed in the dark listening to the muffled argument between her mum
and dad - the words barely audible.
HELEN
It’s
not that I don’t care...it’s just...it’s everything...we have our own...I’ve
had enough...
132 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN’S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
HELEN
stands, hands on hips, in the middle of the room.
DANIEL
Of
what? (A BEAT) OK, what is it?
HELEN
strides to the storage closet takes the plastic bag from behind the red
suitcase, dumps its contents on the bed: Daniel's climbing shoes and bag of
climbing chalk.
HELEN
You
told us you'd stopped.
DANIEL
I
don't want you to worry. Or Jas.
HELEN
You
lied.
DANIEL
I
was not totally forthcoming with the truth!
HELEN
How
can you joke about this?
DANIEL
How
can you take it so seriously?
HELEN
Have
you seen what Jasper’s been reading? The bible!
DANIEL
God
forbid!
HELEN
About
death and...hell..and...she’s become obsessed with death…
DANIEL
Interested.
It is an interesting topic...
HELEN
Not
the way she is...
DANIEL
That's
why I...
HELEN
Lied.
(A BEAT) You want to kill yourself and break her heart?
133 INT. ACTIVITIES ROOM. NIGHT
HONEY
is playing pool with SIMMO. As she lines up a shot.
HONEY
Simmo,
make me a durri.
SIMMO
nods, takes out his roll-your-own, starts to make a cigarette as a YOUTH WORKER
enters and calls out to HONEY.
YOUTH WORKER
Phone.
134 INT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. NIGHT
HONEY
rushes into the booth, picks up the phone excitedly.
HONEY
Daniel?
JOHN (phone)
It's
dad.
135 INT. CHEAP BOARDING HOUSE
ROOM. NIGHT
JOHN
sits on the edge of the bed, long neck beer in one hand, mobile phone in the
other.
JOHN
Don't
hang up. Your mother's dead.
136 INT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. NIGHT
HONEY
is in shock, her face white.
137 INT. SHED. NIGHT
HONEY’S
MOTHER, her hair and upper body wet with petrol, lights a match.
138 INT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. NIGHT
HONEY
opens her mouth but no words come.
JOHN'S VOICE
I'm
the only one loves you. Remember that. You tell 'em anything and I'll fucken
kill ya. (A BEAT) You hear what I just said Catherine? You've only got me now to
take care of you…
HONEY
drops the phone, stares with unseeing eyes at the YOUTH WORKERS in the adjacent
room. They are watching TV and paying no attention to HONEY. She looks at the
telephone on the ground for a long moment, as if trying to figure out what it
is. She remembers, leans down, picks it up.
HONEY
John?
The
phone is dead. HONEY dials a number, gets a long monotonous tone, hangs up,
tries again, gets the tone, flings open the door, shouts at the YOUTH
WORKERS.
HONEY
The
fucking phone's not working!
YOUTH WORKER
It's
for incoming calls only, Honey.
HONEY
I
have to make a call.
YOUTH WORKER
Not
at this hour, sweetheart.
The
YOUTH WORKER doesn't take her eyes from the television.
HONEY
I
have to make a call now.
YOUTH WORKER
In
the morning.
HONEY
picks up a chair and throws it through the window.
HONEY (screams)
Now!
139 EXT. JUVENILE DETENTION
CENTRE. NIGHT
TWO
POLICEMEN and YOUTH WORKERS wrestle with HONEY as they force her into the back
of a Paddy Wagon.
HONEY (crying)
I
want to call my mother.
140 INT. PADDY WAGON. NIGHT
HONEY,
sitting in the back of the paddy wagon, reaches into her pocket, takes out a
sliver of glass.
141 EXT. WOMEN'S PRISON. NIGHT
The
Paddy Wagon stops outside Reception.
The
TWO POLICEMEN open the back of the Paddy Wagon, see:
HONEY,
staring at them, her arms hanging limply beside her, both dripping blood.
142 DANIEL'S STUDIO. NIGHT
Music
over DANIEL, an unlit cigarette in his mouth, a bottle of Bourbon and a near empty
glass at his side, looking at:
A
10 x 8 photo of Honey, in the clutches of the police, her arms held out towards
him: a plea for help.
He
refills his glass, uses the ‘remote’ to turn up the music.
143 INT. PRISON INFIRMARY. NIGHT
HONEY,
arms bandaged, telephone receiver in her hands, face wet with tears, waits as
the phone rings. And rings. The phone is
answered. Honey's mother’s grumpy voice is heard.
CAROL (phone)
Who’s
that?
HONEY
Mum?
(A BEAT) Is that you?
CAROL (phone)
What
do you want?
HONEY
You’re
alive.
CAROL (phone)
Why
are you doing calling me!? I can’t speak to the devil.
HONEY
John
said… Mum…I love you…I want…
CAROL (phone)
I
don't love you. You are a wicked bitch…The Wicked Bitch from the West.
HONEY
I'm
sorry…
CAROL (phone)
Don’t
tell me. Tell Jesus. Tell him everything. He'll listen. Or you can tell the
Pope too but its better if you tell Jesus. I've got to go now. I'm very busy.
HONEY
I
love you.
Honey's
mother hangs up. HONEY is relieved that her mother is alive. She dials another
number.
144 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
HELEN
is asleep in her bed. The phone rings. HELEN wakes, answers it, sits bolt
upright.
HELEN
Hello.
145 INT. PRISON INFIRMARY. NIGHT
A
NURSE walks in carrying a glass of water and a small plastic container of
pills.
HONEY
Helen,
please help me…
The
NURSE wags her finger ('Naughty girl'), reaches out to take the receiver from
HONEY'S hand.
146 INT. DANIEL AND HELEN'S
BEDROOM. NIGHT
HELEN
swings her legs out of the bed.
HELEN
Honey,
where are you?
The
phone goes dead.
147 INT. PRISON RECEPTION AREA.
NIGHT
HONEY
stands in front of TWO FEMALE PRISON GUARDS.
PRISON GUARD
Strip.
As
she starts to undress, HONEY turns her back on the TWO PRISON GUARDS, slips
something into her mouth.
HONEY
stands in front of the guards in her bra and knickers.
PRISON GUARD
Take
them off.
HONEY
panics, shakes her head.
PRISON GUARD
Regulations…
HONEY
removes her bra and knickers.
PRISON GUARD
Squat.
HONEY
squats.
PRISON GUARD
Cough.
HONEY
coughs.
148 INT. DANIEL'S STUDIO. NIGHT
DANIEL
sits in the dark, sipping on his bourbon - the photos of Honey spread out in
front of him. The music is loud. A door opens. HELEN and JASPER (in her
pajamas) walk in.
149 INT. PRISON CELL. NIGHT
HONEY,
in a white prison uniform, clutching a packet of roll-your-own tobacco and a
booklet of matches, stands at the door leading into her sparse prison cell. The
door clangs shut. HONEY takes the sliver of glass from under her tongue,
slashes at the cotton cover of the foam rubber mattress.
LATER
Honey
has built a small pyramid of cotton and rubber on the floor. She strikes a
match, sets it alight. Within seconds the small fire begins to emit clouds of
dark noxious smoke. HONEY stares at the fire, mesmerized.
150 INT. SHED. NIGHT
YOUNG
HONEY’S POV: Her MOTHER, hair and upper body wet with petrol, a lit match in
her hand, turns to look at YOUNG HONEY - madness in her eyes.
151 INT. PRISON CELL. NIGHT
Two
PRISON GUARDS with fire extinguishers open the cell door and see, through the
clouds of smoke:
HONEY,
in bra and knickers, sitting on the edge of her trashed bed - legs and chest
bleeding, coughing and as the fire smolders in front of her. The Guards turn
their fire extinguishers on both the fire and on HONEY and her bed.
LATER
HONEY,
in her wet bra and knickers, her hair wet, sits on the floor, her back up
against the wall, her knees tucked up to her chest. She is crying.
HONEY
Mummy...
HONEY
brushes the tears from her eyes dismissively.
152 EXT. ROCKS. LATE AFTERNOON
HELEN,
a nervous wreck, sits on a rock by the ocean, trying to control her breathing.
She has a paper bag in her hand.
153 INT. DINING ROOM. NIGHT
DANIEL,
HONEY, HELEN and JASPER have finished their main course. A bowl of crepe mix
sits by the chafing dish - along with a bottle of Brandy and several bottles of
liqueurs.
HONEY
holds up her mobile phone, takes ‘selfies’ of herself and JASPER pulling funny
faces.
DANIEL
is happy to see HONEY and JASPER together. HELEN, in good spirits, unscrews the
cap of a bottle of Brandy.
HELEN
Either
of you clowns want a crepe?
JASPER
turns to HONEY, excited
JASPER
Mum
is famous for her crepes.
HELEN (laughs)
And
Jasper is famous for exaggerating!
HONEY (happy)
Yes
please.
HELEN
gestures to the array of liqueurs.
HELEN
Cooked
in...?
JASPER
reads the labels of the bottles.
JASPER
Brandy,
Curacao, Cointreau, Grand Marnier...?
HONEY
You
choose.
JASPER
picks up the bottle of Grand Marnier, grins.
JASPER
Mmmmm....I
think Grand Marnier would be grand.
HONEY
lifts her iPhone to take a photo. JASPER hams it up, pretending to be a drunk,
drinking from the bottle.
HELEN
takes the bottle from JASPER, unscrews the cap, pours Grand Marnier into a
jug. HONEY points her iPhone at HELEN.
HONEY
Helen?
HELEN
looks at HONEY. She takes a photo.
HONEY
And
one of you and Jasper.
JASPER
links her arm in HELEN’S, leans up against her, makes a V sign and a funny
face. HELEN smiles. HONEY takes a photo.
HONEY
And
one of me and Helen.
HONEY
hands the iPhone to JASPER, stands alongside HELEN, leans up against her, makes
a V sign, smiles.
LATER
CLOSE
ON THE flambé pan - in which a close-to-perfectly round crepe, with a small cleft
in it, is enveloped in blue flames.
HELEN
flips the crepe onto a plate, hands it to DANIEL.
DANIEL
Perfect
HELEN
No
its not!
HONEY
What's
wrong with it?
DANIEL
and JASPER exchange smiles.
HELEN
Ideally,
the perfect crepe...
DANIEL
cuts a piece of crepe, skewers it with a fork.
HELEN
...should
be...perfectly symmetrical.
HONEY
grabs the fork from DANIEL, puts it in her mouth.
HONEY
Mmmm!
Tastes symmetrical to me. Very symmetrical. In fact it's the most perfectly
symmetrical crepe I've ever tasted.
HELEN
laughs.
A
LITTLE LATER
HONEY
sits on a white leather couch, a plate with crepe on it resting in her lap.
JASPER
sits beside her, an empty plate on her lap. A violin concerto playing on the
sound system plays as HONEY runs one hand over the soft white upholstery.
HONEY
How
do they get leather so soft?
JASPER
By
making it out of plastic.
HONEY
No
way!
JASPER
Way…
HONEY
It
feels like...real!
HONEY’s
mood undergoes a sudden change. She glances at her shoulder, plays nervously
with the crepe on her plate.
HONEY
If
something feels real does that make it real?
There
is a long moment of silence as DANIEL, HELEN and JASPER try to ‘read’ HONEY’S
sudden mood swing.
HONEY
I
guess you know I’m kind of crazy.
JASPER
What
kind of crazy?
HELEN
Jasper!
HELEN
gestures 'no' to JASPER. DANIEL gestures 'It's OK.' HONEY, unsure, takes her
cue from DANIEL.
HONEY
Bi-polar,
schizo, personality disorder, disassociative disorder… you name it, I've got it
- depending on which shrink you talk to.
HONEY
registers HELEN'S unease.
HONEY
But
I'm not dangerous, Helen. Except to myself.
HONEY
indicates her bandaged arms.
JASPER
How
are you dangerous...(to yourself?)
HELEN
Jasper!
HONEY
You
know when you are on a roller coaster and scared...
JASPER
Shitless...
HELEN
Jasper!
HONEY
...but
you don’t die and when the roller coaster stops you feel...so alive. So, so
alive you just want to sing?
HONEY
turns to DANIEL.
HONEY
Like
you and climbing cliffs. You could die like that...
HONEY,
animated, on a roll, clicks her fingers.
HONEY
But
then you get to the top and you’re more alive than...
HONEY
registers the look of horror on HELEN’S face, the panic in DANIEL’S and
JASPER’S eyes flitting back and forth between her parents, intrigued by their
reactions.
HONEY
My
life is a roller-coaster.
HONEY
‘reads’ HELEN accurately, leaps to her feet, scans the photos on the wall. Most
of them include Helen - as a young woman in her late teens and as a young
mother.
HONEY
You
were so beautiful when you were young, Helen. (A BEAT) But even more beautiful
now. Now that you're…
HELEN
What
am I now?
HONEY
Beautiful
inside too.
HELEN
I
wish…
HONEY
Granted!
You have two more wishes!
HELEN
laughs. JASPER, excitedly to HONEY:
JASPER
If
you had just one wish, one wish in the whole wide world, what would it be?
HONEY
To
have a sister just like you.
JASPER
Yes,
yes, yes…
JASPER'S
glee at the prospect is cut short when she sees the frozen smile on HELEN'S
face.
HELEN
So
tell us about the octopus?
JASPER
and HONEY exchange glances, laugh; shake their heads.
JASPER
Our
secret.
DANIEL
Come
on!
JASPER
You
have your secrets, we have ours.
DANIEL
and HELEN exchange glances.
HELEN
Anyone
for another crepe?
HONEY
Can
I make one?
A
LITTLE LATER
HELEN
picks up a box of long-stemmed matches, takes out a match, looks at it.
CLOSE
ON: The red head of the match bursting into flame.
CLOSE
ON HONEY, staring at the match. All natural sounds drain away.
CLOSE
ON the alcohol in the flambe dish, being lit with the long-stemmed match. A
light blue flame appears.
HONEY
stares at the flame, picks up the brandy bottle and splashes a large slug of it
into the flambe dish as HELEN returns from the kitchen.
An
explosion of flame leaps into the air. Brandy on the table cloth catches fire.
HELEN
Honey,
no!
DANIEL
covers the burning table cloth with a napkin, puts the small fire out easily.
HONEY (in shock)
I’m
sorry.
DANIEL
It’s
nothing.
HONEY
looks to HELEN. She hides her panic, her distress.
HELEN
Nothing,
Honey...Don’t worry about it. (A BEAT) Brandy in jug first, OK? Then pour
carefully into pan.
HONEY
nods.
JASPER
looks at HONEY'S scarred arms, opens her mouth as if to ask a question; stops
as she sees HELEN shake her head.
DANIEL
notices this interchange. His eyes meet HELEN'S for a moment: “Relax, it's OK.”
…to
be continued…
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