六月剧四分钟：《安息日》

The Sabbath Day.pdf

The Sabbath Day
By
Tianli Ma

FADE IN

EXT. – A MIDDLE CLASS HOUSE WITH GARDEN – SUNDAY MORNING

TITLES – MUSIC

INT. – OPEN KITCHEN AND DINNING ROOM — MORNING

Mrs. HANNA MILLSAP (33), in red pajamas, looks tired. Is cooking breakfast: pan
cakes and coffee.
Mr. PAUL MILLSAP (42), a neat man, a bit of a belly, in a business shirt. Walks
into the dining room from bathroom, fixing his tie.

END TITLE SEQUENCE.

Paul
(Kisses the cook on her cheek)
Sorry I have to go to work today.

Hanna
(Smiles back) That’s alright.

SAMUEL (9), curly brown hair, in a white and blue stripe T-shirt. Rubbing his eyes
walks into the dining room.

Samuel
(Sleepy) Morning mom, morning Dad.

Paul
Sorry Samuel, did I wake you?

Samuel
(Still rubbing his eyes).

Hanna
Morning Samuel, have some pancakes and an apple?
Samuel
(Sleepy) I don’t want to eat apple.

EXT. — NEIGHBORHOOD SIDEWALK – MORNING
PETER (36) a tall wiry guy, slightly balding, looks tired. He walks on the sidewalk
holding Lydia (6) a cute little girl in a colorful rainbow dress.

Peter takes out his cell phone, starts to dial.

INT. – DINNING ROOM — MORNING

Paul and Samuel both sit on the table; Paul finishes his pancake, grabs his suit and walks
towards the door.

Paul
Bye Samuel!

Samuel
Bye Dad.

Paul closes the door, Hanna’s cell phone rings on the table. Hanna looks at the number,
hesitated, then pick it up.

Hanna
What do you want?

Man
I want Lydia to meet her brother.

Hanna
Don’t you dare! You can’t ruin my life twice!

EXT. – ROAD IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE – PAUL’S CAR – MORNING

Paul walks out of the door, gets into his car, and drives down the road.
Paul’s POV: A man with a little girl passes by; the man is talking on a cell, looking upset.

Peter
Hello? Hello? (Cell has hung up.)

Peter put the cell back in his pocket; Lydia looks up at the man.  They stop in front of the
garden.

INT. – DINING ROOM – MORNING

Hanna hangs up the phone, put it on the table and looks at it absentmindedly. Hanna’s
POV: Samuel finishes his pancake; Hanna wakes up and walks towards the kitchen, to
cut an apple for Samuel.

Hanna
Apples are good for you Samuel.

Samuel
No, I hate apples.

Hanna is panicked, so she didn’t listen to Samuel; she starts to cut a very beautiful red
apple.
(Samuel really hates apples.) He leaves the table, secretly grabs his school bag, sneaks
and out the door, (Door squeaks shut).

EXT. – IN FRONT OF HANNA’S GARDEN – MORNING

Peter
Wait for Daddy here one second; I will be right back, ok?

Lydia nods her head. Lydia’s POV: Peter stands up and walks over the bench, towards
back door of the house.
Samuel walks out of the door. Samuel’s POV: He sees a little girl standing alone in his
garden, hand walks toward her.

Samuel
Samuel squats by Lydia’s side.  Lydia’s POV: Morning sunrise behind the fence.
Hi, what’s your name?

INT. – OPEN KICHEN AND DINING ROOM – MORNING

When Hanna cuts the apple the third time, she hears the door. (Door squeaks closed.) She
stops.

Hanna
Samuel? Are you there?

No one replies, she turns half way around, sees Peter. He comes in from the back door.
(She’s shocked)  The knife drops onto the table, the blade teeters over the edge of the
table.
Peter’s POV: looks at Hanna, and then starts to look around the kitchen, then towards to
the dining room.

PETER
Where is Samuel?

Suddenly a knock is heard from the front door.

Samuel
Ma, Ma, I forgot, today is Sunday!

Peter wants to go to open the door. Hanna runs to Peter, grabs his arm tightly.

Hanna
Please Peter, don’t do this to me, please.

Hanna stopped Peter.  He gets angry and struggles to get his arm free. Hanna is pushed
away and looses her balance and fails to regain her balance as she lean onto the tabletop.
The knife stabs into her back. Hanna falls on the floor.
Peter sees Hanna’s blood, runs across the floor, and Samuel is still knocking at the door
and yells “Mom”.
Peter runs out of the back door.

EXT. – IN FRONT OF HANNA’S GARDEN – MORNING

Lydia
I’m Lydia; I’m waiting for my dad.
(Pause, sees Samuel, stands there and looks at the road.)
What are you doing here?

Samuel
I am waiting for my school bus.

Lydia
School?  But today is Sunday.

Samuel
(Reminded, hits his own head) Oh my God!

Samuel turns around back to the door, and knocks.

Fade Out.

Credits.