tc2x01
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. CEMETERY – DAY
It's a breathtakingly glorious day. This is the kind of day
on which you'd give anything to just lie in the grass,
watching the clouds go by. The kind of day on which it's
hard to not be happy...
... Unless you're at a funeral.
Across the field of headstones, one is just ending.
Black-clad MOURNERS make their way back to the road,
walking together in huddled groups. Behind them, a
bulldozer pushes a mound of dirt into a deep hole.
PANNING OVER this scene, we STOP on a row of people, all
dressed in black. They stand at the edge of the cemetery.
Waiting.
MOVING UP, we recognise the first person as ANDREW. Next to
him – KOU, then DIANA, LYNNE and finally VI.
VI
Let's get to work.
DIANA
You call this work?
She smiles, whipping out a black laced handkerchief...
DIANA (CONT'D)
Sweetie, this is fun.
... and heads in the direction of the retreating mourners.
Vi, Andrew, Kou and Lynne move swiftly towards the fresh
grave as the bulldozer rumbles away.
ANDREW
Just stay calm. Try not to
attract attention.
LYNNE
Oh, yeah. Because digging up a
coffin? That's sure not to pull
in a crowd.
KOU
We'll be fine. Diana knows what
to do.
EXT. CEMETERY – DRIVE WAY – DAY
Diana walks stealthily behind a group of WOMEN. The one in
the centre appears to be the MOTHER of the deceased.
MOTHER
I just... I can't leave
without... one more look. Just to
say goodbye.
She starts to turn but Diana leaps forward, taking her arm
and pulling her back around.
DIANA
Hi.
MOTHER
H... hello?
DIANA
Such terrible business, isn't it?
So sad. I am... was his
girlfriend. My name's Diana, by
the way.
MOTHER
Girlfriend? But... but he never
mentioned a - -
DIANA
What are you? His mother?
(beat)
Oh.
(quickly;
sympathetically)
He talked about you all the time.
Great stories. More like yarns,
actually. Around the fireplace.
While we... crocheted and...
baked cookies.
She pauses. The group of women don't seem to be buying
this. Thinking quickly, Diana lets out a sob.
DIANA (CONT'D)
I just miss him so much. He was
like a brother to me!
WOMAN 1
I thought he was your boyfriend?
DIANA
(beat; through tears)
Why?! Why does God have to be so
cruel?
The Mother steps forward and wraps her in an understanding
hug.
MOTHER
There, there. We're all
struggling.
Over the Mother's shoulder, Diana stops crying.
DIANA'S P.O.V
In the distance, Andrew trips comically while going up the
hill.
BACK ON DIANA
She rolls her eyes.
DIANA
(mutters)
Amateurs.
EXT. CEMETERY – FRESH GRAVE – DAY
Our other intrepid heroes arrive at the scene – Andrew
grumbling and rubbing his knee.
They position themselves around the grave.
Lynne places a duffel bag on the ground and rifles through
it. She pulls out digging tools and tosses them to the
others.
ANDREW
I feel like a Hardy Boy. But,
y'know, much older and manlier.
Kou takes out a shovel, previously hidden underneath his
long trench coat.
VI
I knew it was too hot for a
trench coat.
Kou gives her a disapproving look.
LYNNE
Um, hello? I think there's a
little something we should be
doing.
She points to the grave. Vi gently prods it with her foot.
VI
I'm sure this is a sin.
KOU
Are you religious?
He slams the shovel into the dirt.
VI
Not anymore.
Everyone gets to work, moving the dirt quickly – not caring
that it's getting all over them.
Several long beats pass as they dig. Eventually...
ANDREW
Uh-oh.
VI
(still digging)
No. Don't say "uh-oh". "Uh-oh"
sounds bad.
ANDREW
I'll re-phrase. Oh goody - an
angry mob!
Vi stops digging, rests back on her heels, and turns her
head. Her eyes widen.
Diana is running over the soft grass, stumbling.
She pauses to rip off her heeled shoes which she throws
over her shoulder at the...
... FUNERAL PROCESSION which is now plowing down towards
our amateur grave robbers, looking mighty furious.
VI
Uh-oh.
We FREEZE ON HER FACE.
VI (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But I think I'm getting ahead of
myself.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE – DAY
Vi sits in an armchair looking expectantly at...
... A therapist. DR. TURNER (early 40s).
He sits across from her, his legs crossed and a notebook
resting on his knee. He is paused – mid scribble – to stare
at her from behind a mane of stringy hair.
DR. TURNER
What do you mean, Violet?
Vi sighs.
VI
Well, you're probably wondering
what me and these people are
doing. Y'know, interrupting a
funeral to dig up a corpse. Not
really your regular kind of
afternoon activity.
DR. TURNER
Very true. Would you care to
explain?
VI
Sure.
(beat)
But I'll have to start from the
beginning.
She levels him with a ominous expression. A beat.
VI (CONT'D)
I have told you about how I was
shot in a liquor store robbery,
died and then came back to life,
right?
DR. TURNER
I believe we covered that, yes.
VI
Oh.
(beat)
So I'll just tell you what
happened last week.
Off this...
CUT TO BLACK:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. BEACH – DAY
MUSIC CUE: "Toasted Skin (Summer Song)" by The Academy
Is...
It's the height of summer and this is the place to be.
People swarm over the golden sand, plunging into the
shimmering blue water.
We search for someone we know but these people are
strangers.
EXT. PARK – DAY
We jump through barbeques, cricket matches, footie games,
kids on swing sets and people lazing around on picnic
blankets. Again, no one we know.
A CYCLIST whizzes past us - -
EXT. SUBURBAN STREET – DAY
- - Followed by a GROUP OF CYCLISTS, pedaling past a
familiar house.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – VI'S ROOM – DAY
Using the glow of a torch, Vi huddles under the blankets of
her bed, scribbling in a journal.
VI
(muttering; writing)
Hostage, captive, incar... no, I
N-C-A-S... Damn it.
There's movement outside her little cocoon and Vi whips off
the sheet to find CAROLINE throwing open the curtains.
Light floods the room and Vi switches off her torch.
VI (CONT'D)
How do you spell "incarcerated"?
CAROLINE
Don't be so dramatic. Lunch is
ready.
VI
I'm not hungry.
CAROLINE
Suit yourself.
She exits.
Vi, grumbling, closes her journal and tucks it under her
pillow. She stands, moving over to her window.
She looks down at the padlock, still screwed firmly into
the wooden frame. Vi glares at it then drags the curtains
closed again.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – DINING ROOM – DAY
Caroline, PENNY, PETER and CAM sit around a table of food.
Penny, wearing denim shorts and a bikini top studies her
bronzed skin.
PENNY
But it's so blotchy. It doesn't
look real at all.
CAROLINE
Tans shouldn't be real, Penny.
That's why they invented all
those fake ones.
PENNY
No, they invented them for that
God awful season called winter.
Tans are supposed to be natural.
CAM
You know what else is natural?
Skin cancer.
Penny rolls her eyes.
PENNY
No one cares about that anymore.
CAM
Did you know that skin cancer is
the most common form of cancer in
Australia? And that one in two
Australians will develop skin
cancer at some point in their
lives? Some are at a greater
risk, however, such as yourself.
PENNY
(small; growing worried)
Me? But... why me?
CAM
You have fair skin and blue eyes.
That means that you have the
least amount of melanin in your
body.
Melanin is a dark pigment which
protects against sun exposure.
High risk.
A beat.
PENNY
(trying to remain cool)
What are you? A health class
video or something?
Caroline turns to Peter.
CAROLINE
Peter, you've been very quiet.
He looks up at her sheepishly, hiding something under a
napkin.
PETER
Uh, just... good.
He lifts up a carrot stick and grins. Caroline narrows her
eyes, reaches over and moves his napkin away. A second
plate is hidden beneath it, piled with food.
CAROLINE
She's a big girl, Peter. She'll
come down when she's ready.
PETER
But I just... I feel so awful.
She's been up there all holidays.
PENNY
Sulking.
PETER
Penn...
CAROLINE
No, Penny's right. She's sulking.
She puts her hand over Peter's.
CAROLINE (CONT'D)
We just have to be strong. School
starts up in a couple of weeks
and then she'll have a
distraction. She won't be moping
around her room complaining about
how "unfair" her life is because
her parents decided to ground
her.
PETER
But isn't it just a little
unfair?
CAROLINE
Peter, what she did was wrong.
She needs to be punished.
A beat. Peter sighs and nods.
PETER
You're right.
Caroline moves the extra plate away.
We MOVE AROUND the corner...
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – FRONT HALL – CONTINUOUS
... Where Vi perches silently on the middle of the stairs,
listening.
EXT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – NIGHT
Establishing shot.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – LIVING ROOM – NIGHT
Cam and Caroline sit in the darkened room, watching TV.
DR. TURNER (V.O.)
Tell me about your family,
Violet. What have your
interactions with them been like
these past few months?
Vi appears in the doorway, unseen by the others.
VI (V.O.)
Cam's been okay. I mean, he
hasn't really spoken to me about
what happened. I guess I can be
grateful for that.
(beat)
Mum... Well... She's the main
enforcer. The house arrest was
her idea. I tried to get her to
watch The Virgin Suicides but she
didn't bite. She told me that if
I was Kirsten Dunst and made
another Spider-Man movie, I was
allowed to kill myself.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – FRONT HALL – CONTINUOUS
Vi turns to see Penny coming down the stairs. She's dressed
up for a night out.
Penny shoves past Vi as she pops her head into the living
room.
PENNY
See you later, Mum.
CAROLINE (O.S.)
Bye! Have fun.
VI (V.O.)
Penny. I'm working on the theory
that scientists injected her with
some of Satan's DNA. It's really
the only way to explain how much
she enjoys tormenting me over
this.
Penny smirks at Vi before slipping out the front door.
VI (V.O.) (CONT'D)
She goes out every night. Just to
remind me that I can't.
Vi sighs and turns back to the stairs but stops. A SHADOW
moves under the door at the end of the hall. Peter's study.
VI (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Dad... He's been...
(beat)
He hasn't actually looked at me
since...
Blinking away tears, Vi turns and hurries up the stairs.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – VI'S ROOM – MOMENTS LATER
Vi enters and flicks off the room lights. In the dark, she
goes directly to her window. Pulling open the curtains, she
peers into the street - watching for something.
There! A light. A torch light – blinking on and off. It
does this three times. Vi lurches back to her bed and
fumbles for her torch in the blankets.
She flashes the torch three times in the window.
EXT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – BACK PORCH – NIGHT
The back door opens and Vi slips quietly outside. She
glances around the backyard and then steps over to a potted
plant beside the porch railing.
Tucked behind it is a plastic bag. Vi grins.
INT. MORGAN RESIDENCE – VI'S ROOM – NIGHT
Vi presses a button on her CD player and loud ROCK MUSIC
fills the room. She turns the volume up.
Over at the window, she pulls something from the plastic
bag. We can't see what it is until...
... The WHIR of the ELECTRIC DRILL is drowned out by the
MUSIC. Vi unscrews the base of the padlock in moments and
pulls it away.
Turning off the drill, she pauses and looks over her
shoulder – towards her bedroom door.
EXT. MORGAN RESIDENCE / SUBURBAN STREET – NIGHT
SHANE watches Vi as she finishes her climb down the tree.
Her foot gets caught near the bottom and she hits the
ground with a THUMP. He laughs.
Vi approaches and whacks him on the shoulder.
VI
Don't laugh. I'm out of practice.
SHANE
Sorry.
A beat.
VI
So...
SHANE
So...
VI
Can we hug?
SHANE
Yes, please.
They throw their arms around each other, smiling.
VI
I missed you.
SHANE
I missed you, too.
They pull apart and start walking.
SHANE (CONT'D)
Do you know how boring this
summer has been without you? I'd
forgotten what my life was like
before you came along and made
things interesting with all those
crazy assignments.
VI
It can't have been that bad.
SHANE
It was! And I can't believe your
mum won't even let me talk to
you. No phone, no e-mail – I
think she screens your mail, too.
I mean, what is she? A communist?
Vi laughs, the smile lingering on her face.
VI
This is nice.
SHANE
What? Bitching about your mother?
VI
This. Us. Hanging out.
SHANE
Well technically it's not hanging
out as we are on a mission here.
And putting you in danger of
another month's grounding, might
I add.
VI
I think we'll be safe. I've
trained the 'rents to bypass my
room when they hear any form of
emo rock.
SHANE
Your parents know what emo is?
Man, my mum still thinks emo
lives on Sesame Street.
Silence settles between them.
SHANE (CONT'D)
So they haven't called you?
Vi shakes her head.
VI
Nope.
SHANE
Not even Andrew?
VI
Considering that my mother
confiscated my phone, I think
that's probably a good thing.
I snuck into her room and found
it one day, though. Nothing.
Nada. No missed calls, no text
messages. And did you... ?
SHANE
Checked your e-mail account like
you asked. Nothing from super
magic-dead-people. But
surprisingly several messages
from Neopets.com.
Vi blushes.
VI
It's from when I was, like, ten,
okay? I just keep forgetting to
cancel my account.
SHANE
It's okay. I logged in as you and
fed your little unicorn-seahorse
thing.
A beat.
VI
(quiet; embarrassed)
Thanks.
(beat)
I just need to know what I did
wrong.
SHANE
Vi, you sacrificed a lot for
those jerks and if they can't see
that then they're just...
VI
Jerks?
SHANE
Exactly.
(beat)
Hey, speaking of jerks – what's
Erin up to nowadays?
Vi rolls her eyes and shoves him away, moving o.s. Shane
slows.
SHANE (CONT'D)
What'd I say?
After a beat, he follows.
EXT. SHOPPING CENTRE – PARKING LOT – NIGHT
The duo walk across the half full lot towards the building
and the pair of shiny elevators by the entrance.
SHANE
Can I come too?
VI
It doesn't work that way. The
elevator will only take an
employee.
SHANE
But I know about you guys now so
doesn't that make me like an...
honorary employee?
VI
Actually it makes you a high
level security risk.
SHANE
But I want to help.
VI
I know you do.
They reach the elevators and Shane grabs Vi's arm, forcing
her to stop.
SHANE
Then let me.
VI
It's not that simple. There's
nothing you can do.
SHANE
Yes there is. I can... or I
could... There's always...
(beat)
Starting a petition?
Vi gives him a small smile and gently steps away.
VI
See? I need to do this one on my
own, Shane.
SHANE
Yeah, you always need to do this
one on your own.
VI
What is that supposed to mean?
SHANE
It means...
He sighs.
SHANE (CONT'D)
It doesn't matter what it means.
Just... just go. I'll see you
later.
He walks away.
VI
Shane! Come on, don't be like
that!
He doesn't respond and keeps on walking. Vi sighs in
frustration and slowly turns back to the elevators.
VI (CONT'D)
Let's just get this over with.
She steps forward and waits. A long few moments pass. Still
nothing.
Vi hesitantly reaches out, her finger inching for the
elevator button when - -
- - DING!
The elevator doors slide open. Vi smiles but it melts when
two SHOPPERS step out, heading into the parking lot.
Vi ducks into the elevator and, once again, waits. The
doors remain open.
Finally, she presses a button. Any button, really. It
doesn't matter.
The doors close. The machine WHIRS and GRINDS as it travels
up... and up... and up.
DING!
The doors slide open.
EXT. SHOPPING CENTRE – UPPER LEVEL – NIGHT
Vi stares out of the elevator doors at a long walkway,
shops on one side – most are closing up now – and MORE
SHOPPERS heading home with their purchases.
She couldn't look more disappointed.
VI (PRE-LAP)
They hate me.
INT. THERAPIST'S OFFICE – DAY (PRESENT)
Vi hasn't moved from her spot in the lumpy armchair.
DR. TURNER
Why would you say that?
VI
Why wouldn't I say that? I worked
for these people for, what, a
year? I put my life in danger
more than once – I did tell you
about the old guy with the shot
gun, right?
DR. TURNER
Er...
VI
And I practically ruined my
father's mental state – not to
mention his career – and they
like... change my security
clearance or something? I'm not
allowed in the club house any
more, apparently. I just...
She takes a deep, shaky breath.
VI (CONT'D)
I didn't know what to do.
DR. TURNER
What happened when you went home?
VI
What do you mean?
DR. TURNER
Were you caught sneaking back in?
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Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.