Black,+Lauren

A Month and a Day SCENE ONE FADE IN: (Close up of a radio. The radio is playing classical music. Camera begins to zoom out. We see a kitchen. Abigail and Thomas are eating breakfast. Abigail has light brown straight hair. She is also tall. Thomas has dark brown short curly hair and is reading the newspaper as he eats. As we zoom further out we see Sarah washing dishes. Sarah has short slightly wavy blonde hair and is wearing an apron over her dress. Once the camera can see both the table and the sink it stops zooming out. The kitchen is small and cluttered. The only furniture is a fairly large table with four chairs, a smaller table that the radio is on, and a fridge. Thomas reaches over to change the channel on the radio [actually turns it off but we don’t know that]). VOICE OVER (radio announcer): Today is December 8th, 1941. Yesterday the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. The U.S. army… (There is a knock on the door and Thomas reaches over to the radio, pretending to press the off button so that it looks to us as if he has turned off the radio.) Sarah: Abby, would you mind getting the door? Abigail: Sure, Mom. (Abigail walks off-screen) FADE OUT SCENE TWO FADE IN: (Claire and Reiko’s point of view, facing the front door of Abigail’s house. The door is maroon. Abigail opens the door. Camera moves to the side so we can see all three people. Claire has long black hair which is partially covering her face. She appears nervous. Reiko has short black hair and is smiling sweetly.) Abigail: Hello… (Sounds uncertain) Reiko: Hello my name is Reiko and this is my daughter Claire. (Puts her arm around Claire) We just moved in next door. Abigail: Oh! My name is Abby, nice to meet you. One moment please. (Abigail leans back into the house) MOM! Our new neighbors are at the door! (Abigail turns back and the three of them wait, smiling awkwardly at each other. Sarah comes walking brusquely down the front hall wiping her hands on her apron. Once she reaches the door she smiles and tucks her hair behind her ear.) Sarah: Hi, I’m Abby’s mother Sarah. It’s wonderful to meet you! What are their names Abby, dear? Abigail: Reiko and Claire. (Gesturing to each of them in turn) (As Abigail gestures to Claire, Reiko brushes the hair out of Claire’s face) Reiko: As you can see Claire here is a bit shy. I was wondering if she could come over to meet Abby sometime. (Claire’s face turns red and she nudges Reiko as if to complain, clearly embarrassed.) Sarah: Oh, of course! We would love that, wouldn’t we Abby? Abigail: Yes. Sarah: We’ve just finished breakfast. You can come in now if you’d like Claire. And Reiko, my husband is in the kitchen, I’m sure he’d love to meet you. FADE OUT SCENE THREE (Screen says February 19th, 1942) FADE IN: (Abigail and Claire are walking down dimly lit cement stairs. When they reach the bottom they walk into the room at the bottom and the camera moves with them so we can now see the room. It is a cluttered basement with boxes all over the place and a dusty, backless, wooden bookshelf against the far wall. They begin walking around the room, looking into boxes, as if searching for something.) Claire: What exactly was it that you mom wanted us to find? (Looks up at Abigail from across the room) Abigail: A recipe book. She wants to make pie tonight but she doesn’t know where the recipe is. (While Abigail is talking she spots the bookshelf and walks over to it. Claire follows Abigail and the two of the begin dusting off book covers, looking for the right one. As Claire puts one book back on the shelf it falls behind the bookshelf. And Claire turns to look nervously at Abigail.) Abigail: Don’t worry. We can just move the shelf a little and grab the book from behind. It’s no problem. (Abigail helps Claire to move the shelf. Claire looks the opposite. Once Abigail and Claire have finished moving the bookshelf they stare at a small square door in the wall that had been behind the shelf. Their expressions are surprised and confused. After a pause Abigail moves toward the door as if to open it and Claire, seeing Abigail, backs away. Abigail pauses in front of the door.) Claire: Are you going to open it…? (Claire sounds nervous and uncertain.) Abigail: Well... (Abigail crouches to open the door halfway revealing a very dark room. It is so dark that we can only see a few feet into it. Dust is floating in the air. What we can see is just dirty floorboards. Abigail opens the door all the way but all we see is more floorboards.) Abigail: I need a flashlight. (Abigail straightens up as she says it.) Claire: Are you going in? Abigail: I don’t know. First I want to see if there’s anything inside. And if I do go in I certainly won’t go without light. (Abigail has begun searching through boxes as she speaks.) (Claire stays put, clearly not wanting Abigail to go in.) Abigail: Here! (Abigail picks up a flashlight. She walks back over to the door and shines the light through into the dark room. It is empty besides a large wooden crate. The ceiling is very low and the room is the shape of a small rectangle, about six feet across and eight feet back. There are no windows. Abigail crawls into the room cautiously. Claire, still scared, runs to the door and peeks in.) Claire: What’s it like in there? Abigail: Just a small, dusty, empty room. (Abigail steps to the side and shines the light around the room so Claire can see. Just then the girls hear footsteps from upstairs. Abigail darts out of the room and shuts the door behind her. She walks to the bookshelf and begins and tries to move it. She can’t on her own and motions for Claire to help her. The two of them get the shelf back and dust off their dresses just as Sarah walks down the basement stairs. Abigail and Claire pretend to be looking through the bookshelf.) Sarah: Claire, your mom needs you to go home. (Sarah’s expression is anxious. Claire and Abigail exchange a confused glance. Claire walks across the room and pauses in front of the stairs.) Claire: Goodbye, Mrs. Johnson. See you later, Abby. (Claire walks up the stairs and exits through the door at the top.) Abigail: What happened? (Abby looks concerned.) Sarah: Come on Abby. I’ll tell you upstairs. FADE OUT SCENE FOUR FADE IN: (Abby and Sarah are sitting in the kitchen. It looks the same as it did in the first scene except the table is cleared besides a decorative bowl of fruit in the center. There is a few seconds of silence. Abby fidgets a bit and is on the verge of saying something when Sarah speaks.) Sarah: The government is worried that Japanese Americans might be spying for Japan. (Pause) So they’re putting them into internment camps. (Another Pause) Abigail: So does that mean that Claire will have to go? Sarah: Well, I think so. I’m not positive but…. (She trails off, looking at Abigail, her expression nervous and sympathetic.) Abigail: But why? How could they think that a twelve year old girl is spying for Japan? It doesn’t make sense! And she’s and American citizen! She was born here! (Throughout the rant Abigail’s voice alternates between anger, sadness, and concern.) Sarah: Well, (sigh) her mother wasn’t born here. (Sarah reaches a hand over to Abigail, trying to soothe her. Abigail starts to cry and then runs out of the kitchen. Note: Abigail **does not** jerk away from her mother’s hand. She runs out of the kitchen a little after Sarah reaches to her.) FADE OUT SCENE FIVE (Screen says March 22nd, 1942) FADE IN: (Side view of Abigail standing on a doorstep. It is night time. The lawn in front of the house is bare besides four trees separating the yard from the neighbors’ yard. Abigail looks around, takes a deep breath, and knocks on the door. A few seconds later we see a light go on in the front hall and then Reiko opens the door.) Reiko: Good evening Abby. (Reiko is confused) Abigail: Hi, um…. May I speak to you and Claire inside? Reiko: Oh. Of course, um, come in. (Reiko is now even more confused. She gestures for Abigail to come in and steps aside from the doorway. Abigail walks in and shuts the door.) FADE OUT SCENE SIX FADE IN: (Abigail is sitting on a red couch in the Ikeuchis’ living room. Claire is on the couch next to her and Reiko is sitting in a big red armchair diagonal from them. In the center of the room there is a wooden coffee table. Across the room from the couch there is a fire place. The floor is white carpet. The whole room is red and white themed. Reiko and Claire are both looking at Abigail and Abigail fidgets awkwardly.) Abigail: So I guess you’re wondering why I asked to talk to you. Claire: Well, we weren’t exactly expecting you. (Abigail’s face turns red.) Abigail: Ok, so, I don’t really know what you’ll think of this. I mean, this might seem crazy, but I just //couldn’t// let Claire be taken away. My idea is….. Well, I think I could hide Claire in my basement. (Abigail rushes to get out the last part and then looks down. Reiko is too shocked to speak.) Claire: Are you talking about that room……..? (Claire looks and sounds uncertain and a little scared. Abigail lifts her head to meet Claire’s eyes.) Abigail: Yes. I could put some pillows and blankets in there, and a lantern. I could sneak you food at night, and keep a lot of water in there in a jug. It could work. (Abigail sounds hopeful) Reiko: Why would you have to sneak her food? Are you saying your parents wouldn’t know? (Reiko sounds skeptical.) Abigail: Well….. They wouldn’t exactly approve……. (Nervous) Claire: How can you possibly hide me without your parents knowing? Abigail: I have a plan, if you agree to it. FADE OUT SCENE SEVEN FADE IN: (Johnsons’ kitchen. Same as scene five. Thomas is sitting at the table reading the newspaper. Abigail enters.) Abigail: Dad, Claire is coming over (Pause) for the last time. Is that alright with you? Thomas: We shouldn’t have people seeing the Ikeuchis at our house right before they leave. People will get suspicious. Abigail: But Dad! I might never see her again! Please? (Sounding almost upset now.) Thomas: Fine, but not for more than a half hour. (Sounds stern.) Abigail: Thank you! (She runs over and hugs him. There is a knock on the door and Abigail quickly goes to answer it.) FADE OUT SCENE EIGHT FADE IN: (Abigail and Claire are in the basement. They are crouched in front of the small door. Abigail turns on a lantern and hands it to Claire.) Abigail: Go on. I fixed it up a little. (Claire slowly crawls into the room. Abigail goes in behind them. The camera then follows them so it is just inside the door and we can see the room. It has a makeshift bed of pillows and blankets, and the lantern has been placed on top of the crate. Beside the lantern there a few pieces of bread. There is a large jug of water next to the bed.) Abigail: What do you think? (She sounds and appears proud.) Claire: Well it’s a lot better than it was, definitely less dusty. (Evidently trying to find good things to say) I’m a little claustrophobic, but I could get used to this. How long do you think I’ll have to stay in here? Abigail: I have no idea. I wish I knew. Claire: Yeah. (Sigh) (They move to sit on the bed and lean against the wall. They stay that way for a few seconds.) Abigail: Well, I’m sorry, but I have to go upstairs and pretend you left. I’ll come back down as soon as I can. (Abigail then crawls over to and out the door. The camera backs up as she approaches. Once she is outside of the room she turns back to Claire.) Abigail: Bye. (Abigail shuts the door.) FADE OUT SCENE NINE (Screen says One Month Later) FADE IN: (Sarah, Thomas, and Henry [The Soldier] are standing in the kitchen beside the table. Sarah looks confused. Thomas looks impatient. Henry looks serious. Abigail walks into the kitchen and then stops in her tracks staring at Henry.) Thomas: So why did you come to us? Henry: It has come to my attention that Claire Ikeuchi never went to her internment camp. Her mother and father were taken to camps, but Claire remains missing. I was informed by the Ikeuchis’ other neighbors that you are they good friends and I am required to conduct a search of the premises. Thomas: Are you implying that we are hiding her?! (Becoming angry) Sarah: Now, Tom. Henry: I’m sure that you are wonderful, law abiding citizens. However, we are searching for Claire so if you could simply allow me to take a look around your home I’ll be done as soon as possible. (Henry is becoming impatient. Thomas is about to speak but Sarah cuts in before he can continue yelling at Henry.) Sarah: Of course. I’m sure you’ll find everything as it should be. If you’ll just excuse us for a moment. Henry: I’ll just begin searching in another room. (Henry walks through the door into a different room. Sarah waits until Henry is out of earshot and is about to say something when Abigail walks further into the room to make herself known.) Sarah: Oh, hello darling. There is a soldier here, but just to take a look around the house. Nothing to worry about. (Abigail swallows nervously.) Thomas: You’re not hiding that Claire girl are you? (To Abigail) Sarah: Tom! Of course she isn’t! How could you accuse her of that? Besides, she wouldn’t be able to do it without us knowing. (Thomas takes a few deep breaths and calms down.) Thomas: You’re right. I just overreacted. With our house being searched it’s hard to think straight. Sarah: Maybe we should go out while he’s here. Just to distract ourselves until it’s over. Thomas: No. I won’t leave a soldier alone in our house. You and Abby can go out, I’ll stay here. Sarah: Alright, Tom, but try not to lose your temper with him. Come on Abby. Let’s go. (Thomas sits down as Sarah and Abby leave the room.) FADE OUT SCENE TEN FADE IN: (Abigail’s bedroom. It has a single bed with a couple of stuffed animals on it. There is and old dollhouse in one corner of the room and next to her bed is a nightstand with a few books and a lamp. There is one window with white curtains. Abigail is in the bed, and Sarah is sitting on the end of the bed. Abigail is looking nervously and guiltily at the covers.) Abigail: Mom. (She begins to cry.) I thought I could handle it but…… When the soldier came I could hardly keep it in. I’m hiding Claire. (Abigail mumbles the last sentence and then starts really crying.) Sarah: Oh, Abby! Abigail: I’m sorry mom! I had to do something! Sarah: But how? Where? (Sarah clearly disapproves, but is trying very hard not to be mad at Abigail.) Abigail: In the basement, behind the bookshelf. There’s a small hidden room. I brought her food every night. She would’ve made it but I couldn’t hide it from you! (Then almost whimpering) You’re not going to take her to them are you? They won’t search again, and now that I’ve made it this far it would seem like such a waste to give her away! Sarah: Well, Abby, it would be against the law to continue hiding her. Abigail: Please Mom! She’s my best friend. Sarah: I’ll have to talk to your father. Abigail: Oh no please, he’ll be so mad at me! Sarah: You thought I would hide this from Tom? I can’t! I don’t want to either! Abigail: Okay. Goodnight, Mom. Sarah: Goodnight, Abby. (Sarah gets up, walks out, and just before shutting Abigail’s bedroom door she turns off the light.) FADE OUT SCENE ELEVEN FADE IN: (Abigail walks into the kitchen. It looks the like it did in the first scene. Thomas and Sarah are doing what they were doing in the first scene but when Abigail walks in there is noticeable tension as Thomas and Sarah stop what they are doing. Sarah turns around and Thomas folds up his newspaper. Abigail hesitates nervously in front of her chair and then sits down. Sarah walks over to join Thomas and Abigail. Once all three of them are sitting Thomas speaks.) Thomas: Your mother and I have been discussing the matter and we have come to a decision. Sarah: I know you won’t like it, honey, but please be calm. (Abigail nodded.) Thomas: We are going to bring Claire to Henry, the soldier that was here yesterday. We are going to tell him that after hearing that Claire was missing we decided to send you to search around the Ikeuchi house. That way if she was hiding we thought she might come out to the sound of your voice, since she trusts you. We were right and we found her. We all agreed that it is best for her to be in the care of the army rather than hiding in an abandoned house. Will you be able to remember that story? Sarah: Well, Tom. We agreed that she didn’t have to come if she didn’t want to. Abigail: No. I can remember that. I want to come, to be with Claire. Sarah: Alright, but remember. No one is making you. Abigail: I guess I should get Claire then. (Abigail unwillingly got up and went to go get Claire from her hiding spot.) FADE OUT SCENE TWELVE (Screen says January 16th, 1945) FADE IN: (Abigail is looking out of a window nearby her front door. A car pulls up in front of the Ikeuchis’ house. Abigail sees it and runs to the door excitedly. View switches to outside facing the car and the Ikeuchis’ house. Claire gets out of the car. Abigail runs on screen. They hug each other enthusiastically.) Abigail: Claire! Claire: I thought I’d never see you again! (Suddenly Claire’s face falls.) Abigail: What is it? Claire: Well, it’s almost true. I won’t see you after this one time. Abigail: What? Why? (Abigail is now confused and sad.) Claire: My dad died. Abigail: How does that…….? I mean! Oh, I’m so sorry Claire. (They hug again.) Claire: And to explain what you were about to ask, my mom barely has any money. We have to go back to Japan. (At this point Reiko has gotten out of the car with her one bag of things and the car is driving away.) Abigail: I can’t believe it. I was so happy that you were getting out and now….. Reiko: (Putting her hand on Claire’s shoulder.) Come on Claire, I know you girls want to spend some time together, but we need to pack whatever is left in there and leave. Abby can help you. (Abigail and Claire put their arms around each other and walk into the house behind Reiko.) FADE OUT