Common Ground (Short Film Script)

FADE IN:

INT. LIVING ROOM-NIGHT

Family photos decorate the walls. It's an eerie room of eyes.

Old pictures, people in everyday life: prom night, family barbecues, Christmas day.

CONNIE, maybe 37. Her face is bare, no makeup...sitting at the table. Scribbling red lines on papers in-between banging on a calculator.

BERNARD, six-years-old, a diligent worker, places the papers in neat

stacks.

BERNARD

There isn’t one good grade.

CONNIE

No, here’s one.

BERNARD

(excited)

I bet it's Christina.

CONNIE

Yeeup! Once again, she set the

curve. I want to stop curving

exams. What do you think?

BERNARD

I say let them hang out to dry.

Connie smiles and takes a glance at an aging portrait: a woman, brown skin, deep penetrating eyes.

CONNIE

You have so much of your grandma in

you.

A voice rings out, "RAAAAAAAAAAA!"  It rattles the nerves of Bernard yet bounces off Connie’s unyielding concentration.

Connie (CONT'D)

(grading papers)

Please tell Gabriel to get ready.

BERNARD

Okay, Mama.

CUT TO:

INT. BOY’S BEDROOM NIGHT

GABRIEL’S index fingers, curled into hooks, clash. His mouth creates sound effects for the epic battle. BOOM! POW! AHHHH!

He wails, oblivious to the world around him.

The Supervillain, MINUTEMAN, is on the right with the Superhero CUJO on the left. Their Superpowers clash. Gabe's face glows with excitement.

MINUTEMAN

DON’T YOU KNOW YOU IM THE MINUTEMAN!
IN SECONDS I CAN HAVE YOU LOST

IN THE SANDS OF TIME!

CUJO

(black voice)

There ain’t nothing Cujo can’t

handle.

MINUTEMAN

ARRRGHH! You’ll never control the

complexity of time. Resistance is

pointless!

(Doing sound effects with

his mouth)

PISH!

His fingers engage in battle. Bernard stands in the doorway.

BERNARD

Mama says to get ready.

Gabriel, eight-years-old, crinkled face, turns to towards the door, fingers still in hooks.

He’s a mulatto in comparison to Bernards brown skin. His fiery red hair and light eyes makes him the white sheep in this dark family.

GABRIEL

She finish her make up?

BERNARD

She hasn’t started.

GABRIEL

Oh brother. We still got forever.

He stands up, shirt untucked, barefoot.

MINUTEMAN

You don't have no concept of time,

little one. You see, there is a

need to be...Exact...COME HERE!!!

The little boy screams. Connie's voice pauses Gabe-- just

before pouncing his brother.

CONNIE

(very articulate)

You haven’t any concept of time!

Get ready for bible study!

CUJO

I swear, Minute Man, we’ll meet again.

CONNIE

NOW!

Connie fumes in anger...and cut to:

FLASHBACK

Gabe crouches behind the couch spying on his mother, homing in on her telephone conversation.

CONNIE (CONT'D)

(on the phone)

That is so true. You know what they

say. The broken clock is right at

least two times a day.

Gabe repeats the words to himself in a daze.

PRESENT:

CONNIE (CONT'D)

GABRIEL! I am not playing!

GABRIEL

I wasn’t going to hurt him.

CONNIE

Spare me the explanation. We will be

leaving in exactly thirty minutes.

GABRIEL

Yes, Ma'am.

Connie steps out.

GABRIEL (CONT'D)

We'll be waiting till the cows come

home.

Gabe’s mischievous grin forms.
Makes his way to his dresser,

pulling out a bible. There’s a piece of paper inside, doodles of superheroes.

Gabe, flipping pages, notices something outside the window. It must be important, something out there claims all of his attention.

EXT. OUTSIDE CONNIE'S HOUSE-NIGHT

He walks with a hard bop. His eyes buried inside his hoodie. He

has a thin mustache, the rest of his face, smooth. His dry scaly hand digs into his pocket; pulls out a set of keys.

CUT TO:

INT. CONNIE’S BATHROOM.

A comb melts through silky black hair. Connie eyes, idle, stares down a small photo: It’s the same old woman, same

penetrating eyes.

Two voices resonate through the picture.

RASPY VOICE (V.O)

God is able Connie. You leave your

trouble with him.

CONNIE

Mom, I hate to negate what you're

saying. I hate to. I. Just. Don’t.

Know if...casting my problems away

solves anything.

RASPY VOICE (V.O.)

That’s your problem, girl. You let

those people at that school fill

your head up with all that nonsense

 and come back thinking you're

too good to humble yourself before

him.

CONNIE

Mama, somethings have changed. There's a new way of thinking.

RASPY VOICE (V.O.)

Like that man, you call a husband

and a father? Is this what this new

day is has spawned Connie?

CONNIE

That’s not fair,  Moma.

RASPY VOICE (V.O)

Life’s not fair, Connie. You need

something in your life, you ain't

strong enough to deal on your own.

Gabriel barges in, intruding Connie’s space, bearing urgent news.

GABRIEL

Mama.

Silence.

CONNIE

Why aren’t you ready, Gabriel?

GABRIEL

Clint’s Coming.

INT. HOUSE- DINING ROOM-NIGHT

Bernard pauses to the sound of keys grinding in metal...unsure of what to expect. The latch opens.

CLINTON steps in closes the door. He’s too comfortable

CLINTON

What’s your face turned up for,

playboy?

Bernard engages in a stern stare down with Clinton. Challenging his ego. His fervor, childlike anger, arching his eyebrows.

CLINTON (CONT'D)

(snickers)

I just came to get clothes, little

man. Don’t have a heart attack.

BERNARD

Don’t come back here with your

foolishness.

CLINTON

Little man, you know I missed you.

Connie, walks in makeup half done. She pauses and studies

Clint head to toe.

CONNIE

I’m glad to see you in one piece.

CLINTON

I’m fine, Momma. Been at Rob’s place.

Just came to get some clothes.

Connie blocks the threshold to the hallway. Clinton, approaches and barges his way around, passing by her.

CONNIE

Clint, I’m trying with you. These

doors are always open.

CLINTON

You forgot. You kicked me out.

FLASHBACK:

CUT TO:

EXT. OUTSIDE CONNIE'S HOUSE-NIGHT

Feet tiptoe on the grass. Clinton’s leads a staggering girl towards the door. 
She’s ready to explode with laughter.

Clinton struggles to contain her, a growing disturbance, now gaining attention from neighbors.

Jerky movements towards the front door.
They enter the dark house, peering inside like burglars.

Clinton takes a hard swig from a bottle, they stagger into his room.

Clint lugging her to bed, they plop down, side by side.

GIRL

You gonna take care of me?

CLINTON

I got you.

Rubbing her forehead.

CLINTON (CONT'D)

You shouldn’t have drunk so much.

Whatchu gonna tell your mother?

GIRL

I spent the night.

CLINTON

Where?

GIRL

I don’t know. Somewhere.

He laughs and kisses her on the forehead.

GIRL (CONT'D)

Your mom is going to have your ass.

(Giggles)

CLINTON

It’s cool. She gives me space.

GIRL

Stop playing. She is going to have

your ass.

CONNIE

(speaking from outside the

room)

Tell me that girl isn’t drunk.

GIRL

Hi, Mrs. Connie.

CLINTON

Shut up. (TO GIRL)

Connie steps into the room. Clinton stands up, a bulwark, defending his girlfriend from his moms judging eyes.

CONNIE

She has to leave, Clinton.

GIRL

(in the background)

I told you she didn’t like me.

Where’s my stuff?

CLINTON

(To Connie)

It’s just for tonight.

CONNIE

Then I have to call her parents.

Underage drinking will take not

place here.

CLINTON

I told her I’d take care of her.

Behind them, her body fumbles to the floor, an empty bottle

spills over.

CLINTON (CONT'D)

That’s how you take care of 'em? Get

them drunk. And I bet you think you're in

love. That your undeveloped mind

has the capacity to care someone

other than yourself.

CLINTON (CONT'D)

It’s not like that. I care. How you

going to say that? I care.

CONNIE

About what, Clinton? Do you

care about me? ... You get that fast ass girl out of here.

CLINTON

Why she gotta be all that?

Clinton's lack of comprehension eats Connie patience; the stress wells inside.

She instinctively releases her self, cocking back, quick as lighting, connecting with a jaw pounding slap. 
The impact produces whip-crackling POP!

Clinton hurls whatever touches his eyes, flinging furniture in a daze of embarrassment and anger.

CUT TO...

Gabriel and Bernard, laying in bed, eyes wide open.

CONNIE

(In tears)

I don’t know what else you

understand...I need you to leave.

Clinton, red print staining his face, jerks his girlfriend

by the arm. Rag-dolling her through the dark living room. 
The doors slams.

PRESENT:

The lights come back on, revealing Connie, hands on her hips,

watching Clinton walk pass, lugging a black trash bag full of clothes.

CONNIE (CONT'D)

Clinton, I made a mistake. I'm grown

enough to admit that. Be man enough

to confront me.

CLINTON

I’ll be at Rob’s

CONNIE

(Desperate)

Damn it, Clinton, what are you

trying to prove?

Clinton takes his time, gathering his soundings, the pictures engulfs him, like a shrine of lost memories.

CLINTON

I could never stand this living

room. It was like a bunch of eyes,

judging me all day. It still feels

that way. When I was little I would

always be afraid to move in here.

Afraid I was doing something wrong.

CONNIE

It always reminded me of happier

times-- myself.

We see a picture frame of a man, similar features to Clinton.

Clinton motions towards the door. Connie grabs his arm.

CONNIE

Walking through that door will not

make you a man. You’re only

following footsteps.

Clint’s eyes become soft, his jaw contracts, He pulls his arm

back, and heads for the door

CLINTON

I’m out.

The doors slams.

Gabriel stands, idle, in the living room, fully dressed.

GABRIEL

I’m ready.

She walks towards him and falls to a knee and straightens his clothes.

CONNIE

Go find your brother.

GABRIEL

Are we still going to church?

CONNIE

(Softly)

In just a bit.

She pushes him along, his footsteps trail off, leaving Connie to herself.

She stares at an aging portrait, the woman eyes, fixed, as

though searching for understanding.

Connie walks towards the photo, hands grasping the frame.

Gabriel enters from behind with his brother. Alarmed by their

presence, Connie sets the frame back.

Gabriel is below us; a piece of paper sticking out of his bible. It alarms Connie... a smooth drop down to Gabriel’s eyel level.

Connie’s hands open the bible, pulls out an old church program: Doodles of  Superheroes, On one side, words read CUJO, underneath a pencil drawing.

A Black man, wearing army fatigue paints. Afro, strong build, bare chest carrying what looks like 60 caliber. And some of feature appear similar to Clinton's.

On the other side is Minuteman. He wears a trench coat and derby with a bright gold watch.

There are more doodles on the pages of the bible. Mainly scribbled lines and incoherent shapes.

CONNIE (CONT'D)

What’s that one?

GABRIEL

That’s the Minuteman. He controls

time.

CONNIE

And whose that?

GABRIEL

That’s Cujo. He’s a bad brother. No

one can mess with him.

Connie hugs Gabriel and pulls Bernard in.

GABRIEL (CONT'D)

We still going to Bible study, Mama?

CONNIE

Not tonight, baby. Not Tonight.

We see them embracing in the middle of living room. The eyes from the photo’s bear down on us.

FADE OUT.

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