Family Forever | Teen Ink

Family Forever

March 22, 2015
By JeffBiers SILVER, Georgetown , Pennsylvania
JeffBiers SILVER, Georgetown , Pennsylvania
9 articles 17 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
One thing I learned over all the heartbreak, pain, and suffering is that life goes on.


PROLOGUE

          A Picture of an elderly man and woman are sitting on the
          table.
          Camera dolly's fast in ward toward frame.

          The sound of a semi-trucks horn is heard. A quick flash. and
          the frame is destroyed.

          FADE TO: Out of focus man walks into focus.

          Chris stands on the steps looking at the church a funeral
          was just held in. His tie is untied and he looks like he had
          a long day.

          WIDE SHOT SHOWS HIM ON STEPS AND CHURCH IN FRONT OF HIM.

          He walks into the church grabbing the guest book and walks
          further into the church. He sees Amanda sitting in a pew
          looking at the statues and glass of the church. He walks
          down the isle and sits across from her.

                              CHRIS
                    Are you okay?

          Amanda ignores him and walks away. Chris follows behind.

          CUT TO:

          SCENE 1 - REUNION

          INT. APARTMENT
          camera pans in through apartment as Chris & Amanda enter.

          Chris carries a box labeled "Victor's Things"

          Chris sets the box on the ground and looks around at the
          tight apartment. He turns to Amanda.

                              CHRIS
                    Can you believe mom and dad lived
                    here?

          He looks around the apartment.

                              CHRIS
                    I mean it's mom and dad... they
                    strived to be rich. Yet they
                    started here. We have to live here
                    to get the inheritance they left
                    us.

          He turns to Amanda who stares at Chris.

                              CHRIS
                    Look. I know you aren't used to
                    having me around, but...

          She interrupts him.

                              AMANDA
                    Don't even...

          She walks away.

          SCENE 2 - DINNER CONVERSATION
          Cut to: int. Later, Evening

          Chris is making dinner.

                              CHRIS
                    Hey Amanda it's almost ready!

          He doesn't hear a reply so he turns the burner on low and
          goes into the living room. Amanda sits on the couch holding
          Her mom's wrist watch.

                              CHRIS
                    Dad's gift for her 50th birthday.
                    She still wore it even after the
                    clock stopped ticking...

          Amanda puts the watch in her pocket and turns away from
          Chris.

                              CHRIS
                    Amanda. I know that this is tough
                    for you. It's tough for me to.

                              AMANDA
                    IT WASN'T SO TOUGH FOR YOU TO LEAVE
                    THOUGH WAS IT? NO.

          She pauses and stares at him. Chris doesn't reply.

                              AMANDA
                    I thought so.

          She gets up and goes to walk out of the room. He stops her.

                              CHRIS
                    You're wrong. It was tough for me.
                    Why else do you think I left?

          Amanda walks out of the room.

          SCENE 3 - REMEMBER WHEN?

          EXT. PORCH, NIGHT

          Chris sits on the porch, He drinks out of a cup. Behind
          Chris we see Amanda walking past, She stops and looks out
          the door toward chris. She walks forward to chris sitting on
          the porch. She comes out onto the porch.
          Camera follows Amanda walking to sit in the chair beside
          chris.

                              CHRIS
                    Do you remember the time Dad went
                    out and bought a dog. He came back
                    with the dog that was like 16 years
                    old it practically p***** air.

          Amanda starts to smile and chris smiles as well.

                              CHRIS
                    Or even better the time when we had
                    a house party and he was drunk had
                    to p***. Everyone was in the
                    bathroom so instead of going out
                    into the woods or whatever he
                    p***** out the top window on to our
                    guests...

          Amanda laughs

                              AMANDA
                    and the guy goes "There's not even
                    a cloud in the sky."

          They both bust out with laughter.

                              AMANDA
                    You weren't here when Dad wanted to
                    surprise mom and he wanted to cook
                    dinner and by his definition of
                    cook it meant...

          Chris says the line with her.

                              CHRIS & AMANDA
                    Putting it in the microwave.

                              AMANDA
                    Well he burnt it and almost set the
                    house on fire.

          Chris looks at her with surprise.

                              CHRIS
                    What happened after that?

                              AMANDA
                    He had to go out get a new
                    microwave that had to look
                    identical to the first one, get
                    take out, put it on plates and
                    acted like he made it himself.

          Chris starts laughing.

                              AMANDA
                    Oh and he didn't get away with it.

                              CHRIS
                    Why?

                              AMANDA
                    Mom opened the lid of the garbage
                    can.

                              CHRIS
                    Dad left it right on top.

          Amanda and Chris laugh together for the first time in years.
          They pause and stare out into the street.

                              AMANDA
                    Do you remember when Dad found out
                    mom was cheating on him?...

          Chris takes a moment.

                              CHRIS
                    Yeah... Or when dad came home drunk
                    because he couldn't handle the
                    constant fighting so he hit her.

                              AMANDA
                    I stayed in your room that night...

          They look at each other.

                              AMANDA
                    Why did you leave?

                              CHRIS
                    I couldn't handle mom and dad
                    always fighting.

                              AMANDA
                    But you left me.

                              CHRIS
                    I'll never forgive myself for that.
                    And I don't expect you to forgive
                    me either.

                              AMANDA
                    I didn't expect to either. But I
                    just did...

          Chris and Amanda smile at each other.

                              CHRIS
                    I love you sis...

                              AMANDA
                    I love you...

          Chris and Amanda look at the street and take a moment.

          FADE TO:

          SCENE 4 - BACK TO NORMAL

          EXT: DRIVING IN A CAR SINGING SONGS TOGETHER. AS DIFFERENT
          MUSIC PLAYS.

          MONTAGE SCENE OF THEM BONDING & DOING STUFF TOGETHER.

          1. They watch movies - They are watching "With Held" - Funny
          throw in

          2. They play card games, Chess.

          3. They sit talking.

          4. They pick on each other.

          5. They look through old pictures together, Watching home
          movies.

          SCENE 5 - THE LETTER

          CUT: AMANDA SEES MOM'S OLD SUITCASE. SHE OPENS IT SEEING
          NOTHING MUCH.

          Amanda opens the hidden flap and there is a hidden pouch.
          Inside the pouch is a pair of earrings and a letter that
          says "Mom and Dad"

          She opens it and reads the letter. Chris walks in the room.

                              CHRIS
                    Hey what's that?

          He sees the letter.

                              CHRIS
                    Where did you get that?

          Amanda stands up.

                              AMANDA
                    Why the h*** would you ever say
                    this to them...

                              CHRIS
                    I regret what I wrote... I regret
                    ever saying any of that to them.

                              AMANDA
                    YOU TOLD THEM YOU WISHED THEY WOULD
                    JUST DROP DEAD!

          Chris hangs his head in disappointment.

                              CHRIS
                    I made mistakes in my life.

                              AMANDA
                    Yeah... everyone has. But saying
                    stuff like this to the people who
                    put you on this earth? People who
                    raised you. Fed you. Changed your
                    diapers. Clothed you.

                              CHRIS
                    I GET IT! I F***** UP! WHAT ELSE
                    CAN I SAY ABOUT IT AMANDA?

                              AMANDA
                    NOTHING MUCH! THEY DROPPED DEAD
                    JUST LIKE YOU ASKED OF THEM!

                              CHRIS
                    AS SOON AS I SENT THAT I COULDN'T
                    TAKE IT BACK. IT'S NOT LIKE A TEXT
                    WHERE YOU SEND IT AND CAN SAY
                    "OOPS. DIDN'T MEAN TO SEND THAT."

                              AMANDA
                    YOU STILL SENT IT!

                              CHRIS
                    Yeah I did! I sent that. The single
                    worst thing I have ever written.

                              AMANDA
                    but why chris?

          Chris takes a moment. He turns around.

                              AMANDA
                    CHRIS?

                              CHRIS
                    BECAUSE FAMILY IS SUPPOSED TO BE
                    FOREVER!

          There's a moment of silence between the two. Amanda backs
          down a little bit.

                              CHRIS
                    Family is forever. Mom and Dad were
                    supposed to prove that.

                              AMANDA
                    they are dead... Death happens..

                              CHRIS
                    It's not their death! It's their
                    marriage. It's their fighting. It's
                    how they couldn't get along with
                    the rest of the family. They
                    isolated our relationship with our
                    family. We never went anywhere on
                    the holidays or saw grandma or
                    grandpa any of our aunts or uncles.
                    We were the black sheep that
                    followed our parents.

          Amanda realizes this.

                              CHRIS
                    I left because I needed to get
                    away. I'm sorry I left you. I had
                    to get the f*** away from them. I
                    needed to go and do the things I
                    wanted to do. I don't regret that.
                    I wanted to take you with me but
                    mom and dad would never have that
                    happen.

          Amanda sits down.

                              CHRIS
                    I understand how hard it was for
                    you to stay with them.

                              AMANDA
                    Did you leave because you didn't
                    love me?

                              CHRIS
                    Are you kidding?

          Amanda looks up to him.

                              CHRIS
                    Amanda, you're my sister. I will
                    love you unconditionally forever.
                    whether I am 600,000 miles away or
                    standing right in front of you like
                    I am now. I will always love you.
                    We may have lost mom and dad. But
                    in the course of losing them we
                    found each other. I never want to
                    lose you again.

          Amanda takes a moment and looks back up at Chris.

                              AMANDA
                    You won't.

          Chris looks at her.

                              AMANDA
                    Like you said. Family's forever.

          She gets up and they hug.

          FADE TO:

          SCENE 6 - BEGIN AGAIN

          INT. BOXES ARE PACKED AND THEY ARE GETTING READY TO LEAVE.

          Chris walks into the room.

                              CHRIS
                    Are you ready?

                              AMANDA
                    I was starting to like it here.

                              CHRIS
                    Yeah, Me too.

          They get the last box and go to walk out of the Apartment.

                              CHRIS
                    So I got a question for you.

                              AMANDA
                    Yeah?

                              CHRIS
                    Would you want to live with me out
                    in LA?

          Amanda is shocked but happy.

                              AMANDA
                    Chris! Yes! Of Course!

          She Hugs him. She lets go.

                              CHRIS
                    I figured you'd get a new start. I
                    have plenty of room. You can find a
                    really good college to go to.

          Amanda smiles.

                              AMANDA
                    I would love to.

          Chris smiles. They walk out of the house together.
          Over Top: Camera Pans over as Chris & Amanda get in the car
          and drive off.

          Music Plays and Chris's voice comes over the screen.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    Dear mom and Dad. I know I haven't
                    been the best kid in the world and
                    I accept that.

          As he speaks we see Chris and Amanda Pull up to a cemetery.
          Chris Gets out.
          S.M. - Chris walks toward the Cemetery.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    But I am writing to tell you both
                    that I am sorry for what I have
                    ever done to the both of you. I can
                    never take back what I said, that I
                    regret.

          S.M. - HE PULLS OUT A LETTER FROM HIS POCKET AS HE WALKS.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    I regret that you both died without
                    us being as close as we should of
                    been. I however don't regret that
                    in your death I found something I
                    once lost.

          S.M. - AMANDA ROLLS DOWN THE WINDOW OF THE CAR AND LOOKS
          OUT.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    Amanda. We have regained what we
                    both had lost. I'm just sorry it
                    didn't happen when you two were
                    alive.

          S.M. - CHRIS GETS TO THE GRAVE AND SETS THE LETTER DOWN.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    I hope you two will be able to read
                    this wherever you are. Amanda is
                    moving to L.A. with me, and for the
                    first time in my life, I'm excited
                    about change. You two are the
                    reason I'm on this earth, and I can
                    never thank you enough.

          S.M. - PAN UP TO CHRIS WHO IS CROUCHED. IN THE BACKGROUND WE
          SEE AMANDA.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    We all know that sometimes life
                    hurts a lot worse than death.

          Chris stands up and walks toward the edge of the cemetery
          overlooking the city. Amanda walks up to him.

                              AMANDA
                    We have to get going, We might miss
                    the flight.

          Chris nods his head to Amanda who starts to walk away.

          CAMERA PANS TO HIS FACE AS SHE WALKS AWAY FROM HIM.

                              CHRIS (V.O.)
                    But maybe that's a good thing.

          Chris smiles and turns away walking toward the car.

          FADE TO BLACK.

          END.

         
                   


 


The author's comments:

This story is about an estranged brother and sister who try to reconnect after their parents tragic death. This has been filmed and is will be released to an audience on May 2nd 2015.


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