tc2x18
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
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TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT
MUSIC CUE: "The Rainbow Connection" by Jason Mraz
The empty room is lit dimly, soft squares of light floating
across the dance floor. Then, two figure step into frame.
VI and ERIN, on opposite sides of the dance floor, are
dressed for a formal occasion. Erin in a tux. Vi in a
stunning soft pink dress.
Their eyes locked, they move forward until they are only
inches apart. They smile.
Erin puts a hand on her waist. Vi reaches up and drapes her
hand over his shoulder. Then, carefully and lovingly, they
grasp their free hands together. And they start to dance.
Swaying to the music, they find themselves moving closer
together. Vi rests her head on Erin's chest. She looks
content. Happy. A perfect moment for her little seventeen
year old heart.
BBBRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINGGGG!!!
INT. GARRETON ACADEMY - CLASSROOM - DAY
Vi snaps back to reality. The MUSIC is gone. The ballroom
is gone. She's in school. The class just having finished,
STUDENTS talk loudly as they move out the door.
Vi shuffles the papers in front of her, covered in bored
doodles, and tries to look like she hasn't spent the whole
class daydreaming about her ex-boyfriend.
Speaking of which...
ERIN (O.S.)
Hey.
Vi looks up. Erin stands by her desk, looking down at her.
Vi quickly straightens up and smiles - heartened.
VI
Hey.
Erin pulls something from his pocket. A ticket. He hands it
to her.
ERIN
Here's your ticket for the formal
next week. I sort of... I forgot
I had them both.
Vi's smile drops.
VI
Oh.
(beat)
Thanks.
Erin nods. He turns for the door. Vi stands hurriedly, not
wanting their conversation to end so quickly.
VI (CONT'D)
Do you want me to pay you for it?
Erin turns back.
VI (CONT'D)
I mean... You did buy them both
originally. It's only fair.
ERIN
(beat)
Okay. Sure.
Vi blinks, surprised.
VI
Um. Okay. Uh...
She fumbles in her skirt pocket.
VI (CONT'D)
I only have twenty dollars right
now but --
ERIN
Don't worry about it.
Vi pauses, her earlier assumption coming to pass. Then:
ERIN (CONT'D)
You can just pay me the rest
later.
A beat. Vi hands over a twenty dollar bill. Erin stuffs it
into his pocket.
ERIN (CONT'D)
Thanks.
He exits. Vi watches after him, saddened and confused. She
slumps back behind her desk. Sighs. A few moments pass.
She frowns. Doesn't she have to be somewhere?
VI
Oh, crap! Class!
Vi grabs her books and dashes out of the room. A few loose
sheets float to the floor.
ON PAPER
Vi's absentmindedly drawn a series of love hearts.
We PUSH IN on one, scribbled out - harsh jagged lines of
black running through it.
CUT TO BLACK:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. GARRETON ACADEMY - DAY
With the shrill call of another BELL, Student flock out the
main entrance and scatter off - heading home.
ON VI
walking with SHANE, down the front steps.
VI
It was weird. He was nice enough,
I guess, but... but he had this
look on his face like...
SHANE
Like you two were talking for the
first time since you broke up?
They reach the footpath and move away from the school.
VI
(changing the subject)
Where's Gwen? Thought you guys
were going to hang out today?
SHANE
(shrugs)
I don't know.
VI
You don't know where she is or
you don't know if you're hanging
out?
Shane doesn't answer. Vi frowns.
VI (CONT'D)
Is everything okay with you guys?
This "just friends" thing... Not
such a good idea after all?
SHANE
No, God. Vi, we're fine. Gwen and
I... Being just friends is about
all we can handle, I think. That
wasn't a mistake.
VI
But I'm guessing there is one? A
mistake?
SHANE
(beat; sighs)
She started asking me about the
formal.
VI
Oh.
SHANE
Yeah. Obviously, we're not going
together anymore. But, she got it
outta me.
VI
(cringes)
And?
SHANE
She's not taking no for an
answer.
(beat)
Gwen's going to find me a date.
Vi pats his shoulder sympathetically.
VI
I'm sorry, Shane.
SHANE
Now, if that isn't humiliating
enough, my mum's taking me to
rent a tux this afternoon.
VI
Have you considered, I don't
know, just not going? It's only
the year eleven formal. It's not
like it's our last one.
SHANE
Yeah, I guess.
(beat)
What are you up to this arvo?
They pause at a street corner. Vi takes a piece of paper
out of her pocket.
VI
Assignment. Lucky me. I've got to
be at this address in...
She checks her watch.
VI (CONT'D)
... Fifteen minutes.
SHANE
Any idea what it's about?
Vi shakes her head.
VI
Nope. But for all the excitement
I've had lately, I'm hoping it's
something really laid back.
She smiles, thinly.
EXT. HOUSE - DAY
A small, well-kept house. The garden's full of flowers.
Vi's already at the door. She rings the BELL. Waits
patiently.
After a few moments, the door opens to reveal EDITH (50s).
She clutches a pair of sharp looking scissors in one hand.
VI
Um... Hi.
She eyes the scissors warily.
EDITH
Hello, dear. Can I help you?
Deciding that Edith is not a threat, Vi turns her attention
to, y'know, her job. However, her mind's gone blank.
VI
I... Uh... My name's Vi.
EDITH
Hello, Vi. I'm Edith. It's nice
to meet you.
Long beat.
EDITH (CONT'D)
Was there anything else, dear?
Vi, getting a tad desperate, does a quick scan of her
surroundings. She spots a bed of roses by the door, the tag
still attached to the stake in the dirt.
VI
(off tag)
Brindabella Roses?
EDITH
Oh, you like my flowers? They are
beautiful.
Vi sighs.
VI
No, um... I kinda thought that it
might have been a Sign, er, or...
I don't...
(quiet)
Brindabella's a weird word.
Edith frowns in confusion. Then, from inside the house:
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Who's at the door, Edith?
EDITH
A girl. Vi.
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Is she here for the meeting?
EDITH
I don't think --
VI
(quick)
Yes.
(smiles)
I'm here for the meeting.
Off this, CUT TO:
INT. EDITH'S HOUSE - DAY
Just to one side of the front door is a LIVING ROOM. It's
almost looks like a some sort of work shop for the amount
of activity going on.
As Vi and Edith enter, Vi tries her best to take this all
in.
Three other WOMEN are seated around the room. There are two
sewing machines, huge thick rolls of material and three
clothes mannequins among other things.
EDITH
Welcome to the "Ladies of
Garreton Sewing and Dress-Making
Social Club".
CARIS (late 30s) is the woman who spoke earlier. She hops
up and hurries over to Vi, holding out her hand. Vi shakes
it.
CARIS
I'm Caris. And I really think we
need a name change, don't you?
The "Ladies of Garreton Sewing
and Dress-Making Social Club" is
so... dull. It drives the young
people away.
An ELEGANT WOMAN "huffs" from her own work station.
ELEGANT WOMAN
I thought that was the point.
Caris takes Vi around the shoulders and guides her to an
empty spot at a large table.
CARIS
That's Hestia. Don't mind her.
HESTIA (60s) eyes Vi with disdain.
Edith takes her own seat at the table where, using the
scissors, she starts to cut out a pattern from a roll of
material.
EDITH
And that --
She looks to an elderly woman, asleep in an armchair.
EDITH (CONT'D)
-- Is Pearl.
PEARL (70s) lets out a SNORE. A half finished skirt slips
from her lap and onto the floor. Caris shakes her head
sadly.
CARIS
She's been working on that skirt
for eight months.
Suddenly cheerful again, Caris looks to Vi.
CARIS (CONT'D)
So, what made you want to join
our social club?
VI
I like, um, making things?
HESTIA
(slightly accusing)
What have you made before?
VI
I made a scarf once.
(beat)
At least, it was supposed to be a
scarf.
HESTIA
We don't knit here. This a sewing
and dress-making club. That means
we sew and make dresses.
VI
What if a boy wants to join?
HESTIA
He has to make a dress.
EDITH
(intervening)
You don't have to make a dress.
It's just a name.
CARIS
That needs to be changed.
EDITH
We had a boy in the group for
awhile. Randall.
CARIS
He's competing in "Project
Runaway Australia", now.
VI
Oh, interesting.
As the women continue to TALK about Randall and his skills
(or lack thereof, according to Hestia) in dress-making,
their voices begin to FADE into the background.
We focus on Vi as she puts her elbows up onto the table -
and jolts back.
VI (CONT'D)
Ow!
She removes a pin from her elbow and leans back in her
chair, already looking bored out of her head.
JENNA (PRE-LAP)
Just give it some time.
INT. THE COMPANY - HALLWAY - LATER
JENNA walks quickly down the hall and, as usual, she
carries files - looking super busy. Vi, still in her school
uniform, hurries along beside her, trying to keep up.
VI
But it's so boring. I think
there's been some mistake.
JENNA
Not all assignments involve car
crashes and explosions. I think
your last few have made you a bit
jaded, Vi.
VI
It's not even about that.
(beat)
Well, it is a little bit.
(then)
But I talked to these women for
hours. I've got nothing. Their
lives are fine. More than fine if
Hestia's love life is as...
exuberant as it sounds.
JENNA
Maybe you should be speaking to
your mentor about this.
VI
I would but he's not answering
his phone.
(thinks)
Although, I think he did one time
but he pretended to be his own
voice mail message.
Jenna smiles at that. Then quickly frowns, serious again.
JENNA
He can't be shirking his
responsibilities as a mentor but
maybe something's going on. Maybe
he's busy.
VI
Doing what? This is Andrew we're
talking about. He's probably
trying to see how long he can
microwave a banana before it
blows up.
They slow as they reach the doors to the control centre.
JENNA
He could be doing any number of
things. I'm not his wife, I don't
know where he is every second of
every day.
VI
(confused)
Wife?
JENNA
(flustered)
Look, I have work to do and so do
you.
She ducks inside the control centre, leaving Vi in the
hallway. Vi calls after her.
VI
Can't I switch with someone?
JENNA (O.S.)
(calls back)
No!
Vi bites her lip and turns away from the door, just as
HANNAH passes by. Vi's eyes light up.
VI
Ooh, Hannah! Wait up!
INT. THE COMPANY - RECEPTION - MOMENTS LATER
Hannah emerges from the hallway. Headphones on, she hasn't
heard Vi calling her name. She presses the button for the
elevator and the doors open.
Vi dashes after her, slipping through the elevator doors
just as they're about to close behind Hannah.
INT. THE COMPANY - ELEVATOR - NEXT
Hannah pulls off her headphones.
HANNAH
Oh, hey, Vi. Were you calling me?
Vi struggles to catch her breath. Hannah grimaces.
HANNAH (CONT'D)
Sorry. I just got the new "Brand
New" album. Heh. Isn't that
funny? New "Brand New". It was
kind of awkward asking for it at
the shop. Do you like them?
VI
(nods)
Shane's fault.
HANNAH
Shane's a fan, too?
VI
You guys have a lot in common.
You should hang out more.
HANNAH
I'd like to. I just... I dunno.
He's got his normal life and
I'm... not exactly normal.
The elevator CHIMES and the doors slide open into:
INT. SHOPPING COMPLEX - DAY
Hannah and Vi step out of the elevator.
VI
Have you got an assignment?
HANNAH
Yeah. I'm helping this girl
propose to her boyfriend today.
VI
How progressive of you.
Hannah grins.
HANNAH
You've gotta get with the times,
Vi. Us girls are stepping it up.
(beat)
Did you need help with something?
VI
Oh, um... No. Just wanted to say
hey. So, um, "hey".
(beat)
I've got an assignment, too.
(dull)
Mine's about sewing.
A beat. Hannah feigns a supportive smile.
HANNAH
That's... great.
Vi laughs, shaking her head. Hannah cracks a real smile,
now. The girls walk off screen together.
EXT. GARRETON HERALD - DAY
Establishing shot.
INT. GARRETON HERALD - SAM'S OFFICE - DAY
SAM lies on the couch. There's a KNOCK at the door.
SAM
Enter, lowly peasant.
PETER slips inside, closing the door after him.
PETER
(looking around)
Sam? You busy?
Sam sits up, startling Peter.
SAM
Always. What's up?
PETER
Most of the office has cleared
out but I've still got some, er,
work to do and I was wondering...
(beat)
We don't have a microfilm archive
do we? With all of the back
issues of the paper?
Sam laughs. As he stands:
SAM
Ah, Pete, you make me feel young
again.
PETER
You're thirty-one.
Sam sits down at his computer. Beckons Peter over. Sam logs
onto the Garreton Herald's intranet system.
SAM
(as he types)
Everything's in the computer,
now. You just type in what you're
looking for. And... Voila!
A page of search results have come up.
SAM (CONT'D)
(re: results)
Mrs. Henderson and Barnacle the
Tabby won the Garreton Cat Show
in 1991. Interesting.
Sam looks to Peter.
SAM (CONT'D)
What were you looking for?
PETER
Um... If you type in someone's
name, will it --
SAM
Any reference in any article will
come up. Closest match.
PETER
Try "Violet Morgan".
A beat. Sam complies. A couple of results appear.
Sam clicks on the first one. A scan of a newspaper article
appears on the screen. A large picture of Vi underneath the
headline: "LOCAL GIRL RISES FROM DEAD".
Peter reacts to this - bad memories flooding back. But he
steels himself. He scans the page. Points to something.
PETER (CONT'D)
What's that?
He's pointing to an option on the screen, "SEARCH FOR
SIMILAR".
SAM
It'll bring up articles that have
similar elements like the
reporter or topic or...
PETER
Do that.
Sam does. A beat.
SAM
Whoa...
Dozens upon dozens of search results have appeared on the
screen - all of them with words like "dead", "miracle",
"reanimated", "mysterious circumstances" in their
descriptions.
SAM (CONT'D)
This is... weird.
Peter, focused intently on the screen, absentmindedly
pushes Sam's chair aside. He leans closer.
He takes the mouse and hovers it over the link to one
article in particular. The name is familiar to us: "ANDREW
FRIAR".
INT. ANDREW'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - DAY
ON MOBILE PHONE
as it buzzes. "JENNA CALLING", says the screen.
A hand swoops down on top of it, lifts it up to...
ANDREW, still in bed.
ANDREW
(into phone)
You've reached Andrew. I'm not
here right now so leave a message
after --
JENNA (V.O.)
(filtered)
Nice try, Andrew.
INTERCUT WITH:
INT. THE COMPANY - JENNA'S OFFICE - SAME
Jenna swings around in her chair to face the camera. She
smirks into her mobile phone.
JENNA
But Vi told me about your
answering machine scam.
Andrew props himself up against the headboard.
ANDREW
Bloody Vi. Always ruining my fun.
JENNA
So where are you?
ANDREW
(yawns)
Working.
JENNA
(in disbelief)
Are you... Are you still in bed?
ANDREW
(beat)
No.
JENNA
Andrew, it's after six. It's
getting dark!
ANDREW
I had a late night.
JENNA
Really? Because I left yours at
ten and you said you were off to
bed.
ANDREW
Took a detour through Liberty
City.
JENNA
You were playing "Grand Theft
Auto" all night?
Andrew smiles, pleased.
ANDREW
You do pay attention when I talk
about video games. I'm impressed.
Jenna bites her lip, a bit nervous.
JENNA
When Vi told me she couldn't
reach you I kind of thought...
ANDREW
What?
JENNA
I don't know. That you were
planning something.
ANDREW
Planning something?
A beat. Jenna realises he's not.
JENNA
Oh. I... Um...
(weak laugh)
Guess you spoilt me with that
whole "first date" scenario.
Andrew cringes.
ANDREW
Man, Jenna, I'm sorry. I... I do
have... something planned. I was
just kidding about being asleep.
I --
JENNA
(embarrassed;
apologetic)
No, it's fine. I shouldn't have
assumed... It's my mistake. Um...
Just... just forget I said
anything, okay?
(beat)
You go back to sleep.
She quickly hangs up. Closes her eyes and presses a hand to
her forehead, mentally berating herself.
At the same time, in Andrew's bedroom, he slowly lowers the
phone - and THUNKS his head back into the headboard.
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