Project 15: Part One

EXT. SMALL VILLAGE IN MIDDLE AMERICA - DAY

SUPER: 27 years ago

ELIAS DUCKWORTH: 8, male, slim, fit, friendly, innocent, naive.

ELIAS DUCKWORTH runs out of a small wooden house in a small sparsely populated village. Many of the houses are in need of repair. He hurries down the street - past a middle aged lady (MRS HUMPERDINCK).

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): Morning Mrs Humperdinck

Mrs Humperdinck gives him a look of disapproval.

The boy bounds down a street and across a wooden bridge. He reaches a farm and continues running to a shed where he sits on a bale of straw.

In front of the boy is JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH with a vial of liquid in his hand. Jeremiah converses with MR BARNABLE.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: 37, male, swindler, average build, wearing an old suit in need of cleaning.

MR BARNABLE: 42, male, honest, gullible, overweight.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: Give your wife, two teaspoons of my remedy for five days Mr Barnable and your wife will be right as rain. 

MR BARNABLE: Really?

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: This potion has remarkable healing powers Roy. May I call you Roy?

MR BARNABLE: Most folks call me Tucker.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: Well, Tucker, Cleopatra herself swore by this potion and it’s been in the Duckworth family for generations. It only costs thirty dollars.

MR BARNABLE: Well, Mr Duckworth, some people have their doubts about you but if this potion works I will pay you double.

Mr Barnable exchanges the money for the potion.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: And Mr Barnable, before you go. There is a method that helps the medicine go down. 

Jeremiah demonstrates as he speaks.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: After taking the medicine, she should raise both hands above her head and then lower them quickly while hunching her body over. She should repeat this for each dosage.

MR BARNABLE: Thanks ever so much Mr Duckworth.

Mr Barnable leaves.

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): Father, was that medicine really handed down from Cleopatra?

Jeremiah holds a BASEBALL in his hand.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: Elias, if I told you that this baseball was the one that Babe Ruth struck in his hundredth home run, wouldn’t that make it more interesting than if I was to say that it is just another baseball.

Jeremiah tosses the baseball to his son who catches it.

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): But you told me father. You told me.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: Sometimes added details make the world more interesting. Without them, life would be dull and meaningless.

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): Mother said that lies make everything meaningless.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: She would never have married me in the first place if she thought I was dull now would she? Every time I return, she takes me back. Why is that?

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): But you live in old Mr MacMarden’s barn.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: But son, this is no ordinary barn. It’s magical. Do you want to live in a magical barn or an ordinary one?

Three men (MR HARMON, LESTER & PETE) stand at the entrance to the barn. 

MR HARMON: Male, 40’s, average build

LESTER: Male, 30’s, overweight, tall 

PETE: Male, 50’s, slim, mostly bald

MR HARMON: Duckworth, we’ve come for you.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: Whatever for?

MR HARMON: My child is very sick because of you. The doctor says that it was your potion that did it. Lester, here thought that weight loss potion, you gave him, would work wonders and the less said about Pete the better. He’s fuming.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: It takes time for these potions to work.

MR HARMON: Not as much time as it takes us to tear you apart

CUT TO:

EXT. BRIDGE, SMALL VILLAGE, MIDDLE AMERICA - DAY

The three aggressors hold Jeremiah against railing of a bridge overlooking a river.

MR HARMON: We might go easy on you Duckworth if you tell us where your money is buried.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: You’d have to ask the barman at Big Moe’s. Darned if I know.

LESTER: I say, throw him over

MR HARMON: Yeah, we’re not going to get any truth out of him.

JEREMIAH DUCKWORTH: This is not what it looks like Elias. Below me is a flowing river of gold and pink fluffy marshmallow's. Something good comes of everything.

Mr Harmon gives Jeremiah a gentle push and he is knocked off balance before falling into the river.

There is a worried look on Elias face

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): Is he going to die?

MR HARMON: Knowing him, he might float all the way to Alabama

LESTER: (pointing to Elias): Why don’t we throw him over?

ELIAS (AGED EIGHT): No. No.

MR HARMON: I bet he’s just going to turn out just like his old man. 

Mr Harmon pats him on the shoulder and walks away.

INT. BUS (MOVING) - DAY

SUPER: PRESENT DAY

ELIAS DUCKWORTH sits on a seat in a mostly occupied bus. JANE DOE boards the bus and sits beside him.

ELIAS: 35, male, con artist, ex-convict, shallow, compulsive liar.

JANE DOE: 22, female, African American, sceptical, intelligent.

Elias plays with a BASEBALL in his hand.

ELIAS: Did you know that this here baseball was used by Babe Ruth himself. He shot his hundredth home run with it.

The woman doesn’t respond

ELIAS: I reckon, it must be worth at least ten thousand bucks. Even if you don’t like baseball, I’m sure you know somebody that does.

JANE DOE: Are you playing me Mr...

ELIAS: Elias

JANE DOE: Those trousers are prison issue Mr Elias. I should know. My daddy spent eighteen months inside for something he didn’t do.

ELIAS: Well..

JANE DOE: Jane, Jane Doe.

ELIAS: Well, Jane I spent two years inside for something I didn’t do. Perhaps me and your daddy could get together and exchange stories.

JANE DOE: Something tells me your stories would be a lot taller than his.

ELIAS: I’m sure Mr Doe and me would get along just fine.

JANE DOE: You may know him already. His name is Bloggs. Joe Bloggs.

EXT. FRONT PORCH OF ELIAS HOME - DAY

ISABELLE KAJINSKA RINGS the doorbell of a neglected house. She carries a cherry pie. Elias answers

ISABELLE: 76, female, thin, wrinkled, good natured, honest

ELIAS: Hello

ISABELLE: I’d just like to welcome you to the neighbourhood, Mr..

ELIAS: Elias

ISABELLE: I’m Isabelle, and this pie is for you.

Isabelle hands over the pie, which Elias accepts.

ELIAS: I’d invite you in only, I’m still cleaning up

ISABELLE: What is it you do, Elias?

ELIAS: I’m a police officer. And you?

ISABELLE: I’m long since retired. My husband died a few years back I have one daughter and one...

ELIAS: Well, I really must be going. A lot of work to do.

Elias closes the door.

INT. ELIAS HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY

Clothes and dust scattered around the living room. Furniture worn and in need of replacement.

The phone RINGS and Elias answers it.

ELIAS: Officer Goodbody

OFFICER GOODBODY (O.S.) Mr Duckworth, I’m just ringing to check in with you. It’s been a few days now since you got out. How are you doing?

ELIAS: Ready to turn over a new leaf Mr Goodbody. 

OFFICER GOODBODY (O.C.) So you’re at Sherrington Avenue now.

ELIAS: Yes. My Uncle left me this house in his will a few years back.

OFFICER GOODBODY (O.S.): I see. Well, Mr Duckworth stay out of trouble. A third conviction and you’d be looking at a long stretch.

ELIAS: Good as gold officer. 

OFFICER GOODBODY (O.S.): See you on Thursday Mr Duckworth.

INT. ISABELLE KAJINSKA’S HOME - NIGHT

The phone rings in the middle of the night. Isabelle get’s up to answer it.

ISABELLE: Hello

There is little or no sound on the other end of the line.

ISABELLE: Josh, is that you?

She pauses

ISABELLE: Josh?

The person on the other end of the line hangs up.

INT. LOCAL POLICE STATION - DAY

Isabelle sits across the desk from OFFICER PATTON. His desk contains a pile of paperwork, a CUP OF COFFEE and a

PASTRY.

OFFICER PATTON: 36, male, Caucasian, overweight, apathetic

OFFICER PATTON: Mrs Kajinska, your son has been missing for seven years now. Don’t you think it’s time to throw in the towel? If he was out there we would know by now.

Officer Patton takes a sip of coffee.

ISABELLE: As long as you haven’t found him, I will keep searching and pestering you, officer Patton. He has to be out there somewhere.

OFFICER PATTON: Well Mrs Kajinska, if he is out there, maybe you have to face up to the fact that he doesn’t want to know you anymore.

Officer Patton munches on the pastry

ISABELLE: I know my own son Officer Patton. If you and your colleagues did your job, you would find him.

INT. ELIAS HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY

Elias phone RINGS and he answers it.

ELIAS: Rick, long time no see.

RICK THOMPSON (O.S.): Too long brother. I heard you were out. Waste of time if you ask me. I’d like to get my hands on the guy who ratted you out.

Elias walks around the room before fiddling with a pile of bills.

ELIAS: I spent the first few years thinking about it. Wondering who the snitch was. 

RICK THOMPSON (O.S.): I hear, you got your own place.

ELIAS: Well it’s not much but it’s somewhere to crash.

RICK THOMPSON (O.S.): There’s a sure thing going down in Reno. Are you interested?

ELIAS: I’m not allowed outside the state, Rick.

RICK THOMPSON (O.S.): Who’s going to know?

ELIAS: Casino’s have things called cameras, besides, they may know who I am before I even step inside.

RICK THOMPSON (O.S.): Come on man, it’s a sure thing. We’ve got croupiers in the bag. It won’t be an obscene amount of money but enough to tie you over for a few months. It beats welfare.

INT. LOCAL BAR - EVENING

Elias strolls into a mostly empty bar and approaches the BARMAN.

CHUCK HUMPHREY: 36, African American, overweight, diligent, friendly.

BARMAN: 32, male, mostly bald, tall, slim

ELIAS: A pint of your most popular beer please.

Chuck Humphrey occupies a seat in the middle of the bar with a pint of BEER in front of him.

CHUCK HUMPHREY: You look like you’ve had a bad day.

ELIAS: Nothing like a beer to take the edge off.

CHUCK HUMPHREY: I haven’t seen you around much before now.

The barman puts a Beer on the counter and Elias hands him some money.

ELIAS: I’m not local. I just inherited a shack a few blocks away.

CHUCK HUMPHREY: What do you do?

ELIAS: I’m a detective.

CHUCK HUMPHREY: Oh, I’m a police officer. What kind of detective are you?

ELIAS: The independent kind. And you?

CHUCK HUMPHREY: Behind a desk most of the time. All of the time. The Captain doesn’t want me on the street.

ELIAS: Why not?

CHUCK HUMPHREY: Damned if I know.

INT. WELFARE OFFICE - MORNING

Elias positions himself in front of a desk. A WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE, addresses him from the other side of the neat and tidy desk. 

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: 40, female, average height, overweight, dark hair, glasses, world weary.

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: You’re in luck, Mr Duckworth. This city happens to be the best place to find a job in the state.

ELIAS: What line of work are we talking about?

She looks at her computer screen.

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: We have an opening for a janitor at the local hospital.

ELIAS: Well, I have a condition that means I’m alergic..

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: To hard work?

ELIAS: Is there anything else?

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: Carpenter, Plumber, bookkeeper, but I don’t think you’d be accepted with your background.

ELIAS: And if I don’t take one of these jobs? 

She leans her head forward and addresses him while looking directly at him through her glasses.

WELFARE OFFICE EMPLOYEE: We’d be forced to give you a reduced rate of welfare.

ELIAS: Let me think about it.

INT. ELIAS HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY

Isabelle stands in the open doorway to Elias home. She knocks on the door out of courtesy. Papers and dust are strewn across the floor. Elias is trying to fix a forty year old, flickering television by rattling it. He looks up at Isablele. 

ELIAS: Isabelle, that pie was delicious. 

ISABELLE: I can see, you’ve a lot of work on your hands to spruce up this place. If you need a hand Elias, please let me know. 

ELIAS: Don’t worry about me. The next time you set foot inside it’ll be sparkling.

ISABELLE: Elias, you being a police officer and all, I thought you might be able to help me.

ELIAS: You can ask me anything Isabelle. 

ISABELLE: My son disappeared seven years ago and has never been found. I thought you might be able to help.

ELIAS: The work of a police officer is a long and thankless one.

ISABELLE: I will pay you Elias for your time.

ELIAS: For you, Isabelle I could...

ISABELLE: Shall we say eighty dollars an hour?

ELIAS: Mrs Kajinska, at that rate I’ll have your son home by Christmas.

INT. ISABELLE’S HOME, JOSH’S ROOM - DAY

Isabelle leads Elias into her son’s room. Pictures of his youth line the wall. Several awards positioned neatly on bookcases.

ISABELLE: He was a writer. A good one. I’ve kept his stories from when he was so high...

She gestures with her hand to indicate four feet tall.

ISABELLE: He worked for the local paper.

Elias looks around.

ELIAS: I see he won a few awards

ISABELLE: The police were no help whatsoever.

ELIAS: We’re not all bad.

ISABELLE: I have a good feeling about you.

ELIAS: There might be something to go on in Josh’s belongings. I may as well take them with me if that’s alright.

ISABELLE: Anything that may be of help to you.

ELIAS: But first, you better tell me about his last days.

ISABELLE: Well, it all happened sort of suddenly. There were no warning signs. One moment he’s there. The next moment he’s gone.

ELIAS: Do you remember his last words to you?

ISABELLE: Nothing out of the ordinary. You might call it small talk. He wasn’t much of a worrier.