Peace of Mind

Peace of Mind

A Film by

Alex H. Martin

Alex H. Martin ©2009 All Rights Reserved

FADE IN:

INT. RECREATION ROOM – DAY

Rows of round tables are covered with puzzles, board games, and craft supplies. Psychiatric patients wearing white uniforms are spread throughout the room spending time with the numerous supplies. Nurses in blue scrubs walk in between the tables maintaining order.

A man sits alone at a table cutting pictures out of magazines with scissors made for a child. This is MICHAEL, (29). His hair is short and his face reflects dark stubble that has yielded several experiences. He is arranging the cutout pictures in a montage that reveals a house, parents and young boy.

A table away, he eyes a female patient. This is WENDY, (31). Her hair is unkempt and she wears a wedding ring. A patient walks up and sits across from MICHAEL. This is IAN, (26). IAN sports dark-rimmed glasses. He points his head in the direction of WENDY.

IAN Did you hear why the new girl’s here?

MICHAEL Her name’s Wendy.

MICHAEL glances over at WENDY, who returns his stare with a sheepish wave, before sending his attention back to IAN.

IAN I heard her husband ran away.

MICHAEL That’s her business.

MICHAEL gives IAN a long stare and then continues working.

IAN Oh, yeah, I get it, let the crazy tend to themselves.

MICHAEL She’s not crazy.

2.

IAN Yeah, she lives here. She’s crazy.

MICHAEL She’s not crazy. She just has trouble separating reality from her imagination.

IAN Yeah, don’t we all.

IAN swings his arm over the back of his chair as he turns around and shouts loud enough for WENDY and the rest of the room to hear.

IAN (Continuing)

You can hang with us love.

WENDY quickly turns around in her chair.

MICHAEL Her name is Wendy.

IAN leans up on the table and peers at MICHAEL’S picture.

IAN That’s a very nice looking ghost family.

IAN points to the male parent.

IAN (Continuing)

Is that you?

MICHAEL breaks a smile.

MICAHEL I wish.

A nurse pushes an older gentleman in a wheelchair up to the table where MICHAEL and IAN are sitting. This is EMMALEE, (42). She has her hair tied back. The older gentleman is WALTER, (72). He wears a blue cardigan over his white uniform.

3.

EMMALEE Michael, I’ve got dinner duty tonight. Can you keep Walter company?

MICHAEL Yeah. How are his lessons going?

EMMALEE stops WALTER’S wheelchair so it sits in between MICHAEL and IAN.

EMMALEE He’s stubborn. The doctors are all but fed up with trying to teach him anymore.

IAN It would take a miracle for this man to learn sign language.

MICAHEL He’s not deaf, Ian. His fear makes him numb.

IAN Vow of silence? Good man. Stick it to everyone.

EMMALEE You’ll be alright Walter?

WALTER swats his hand at EMMALEE. She sighs and walks away from the group. IAN raises his voice over the noise of the room to help WALTER’S perfectly capable hearing.

IAN Say, what do you think of the new girl?

MICHAEL (V.O.)

This is my home. A hospital that houses a montage of this great countries finest citizens who our society has deemed not fit to live a normal life.

4.

INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAY – DAY

Two nurses help a patient walk by securely holding his upper arms as he carefully steps down a hallway. The patient is wide-eyed and gushes as he looks at one of the nurses.

MICHAEL (Continuing V.O.)

No home is perfect but like everyone else, we do our best to function as a normal family. We eat dinners together.

INT. CAFETERIA – DAY

Patients are lined up and down a lunch table swapping food from their trays. IAN is busy securing a trade.

IAN An apple for your chocolate milk.

IAN lifts the apple up their eye level.

IAN (Continuing)

No sodium, no cholesterol and no fat.


We exercise.

EXT. BASEBALL FIELD – DAY

Patients and nurses sit in the bleachers around a rugged baseball field. WALTER sits in his wheelchair poised to hit a ball off of a tee with the help of a nurse. MICHAEL stands in the outfield while IAN stands behind him thrusting his fist into his mit. A small rock hits IAN and he turns around to see some neighborhood kids hiding in the bushes. IAN looks around to see if any nurses are in sight and then runs in the direction of the kids. The kids run away screaming. Two nurses run after IAN.

5.


Support capitalism.


Patients sit around a table playing Monopoly arguing over the number on the dice.

IAN Walter, you can’t roll the dice twice. You’re first roll was a seven. Rent!


And use social networks.

A large patient pulls IAN into a bear hug nearly suffocating him. This is BARRY.

BARRY You’re my best friend.

IAN Oh, thanks a lot.


And during the day, the nurses treat us as if we were their own flesh and blood.

INT. BEDROOM – NIGHT

MICHAEL lays tucked in his bed. EMMALEE opens the door just wide enough to peek in. She rests her hand on the light switch.


But once the lights turn out.

EMMALEE Good night, Michael.

6.

EMMALEE flips the switch, turning out the lights and walks out of the room. MICHAEL lays in his bed, peering into ceiling, his eyes wide open.


Everything changes.

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT

EMMALEE punches her timecard, picks up her purse and exchanges a smile with a male nurse clocking in.


The difference between light and dark is that light encourages health and happiness. Darkness only breeds fear. The differences between the day and night shifts are discrete as light and dark.


WALTER sits in the corner of his bed, leaning against the wall. His eyes are wide open with fear. He curls the blankets up to his chin.


IAN hides underneath his bed peeking out into his dark room.


We fear closing our eyes. For when the night falls, Dr. Whicker begins his shift and the staggering terror begins boiling in us that we might be pulled out of our beds and forced to be the punch line of his cruel jokes.

7.

INT. LOBBY – NIGHT

Outside, a man raps his hand against the hospital entrance. This is Mark, (35). A nurse at the reception desk walks toward the entrance waving her hand.

NURSE #1 Sir, no visitors after dark. Come back tomorrow.

MARK Please, I need to see Wendy Morgan.

NURSE #1 Who?

MARK Wendy Morgan. She’s a patient.

NURSE #1 And who are you?

MARK I’m her husband. Please. I just got in. I took a bus from New York. I got a call that Wendy was here. Please.

NURSE #1 I’ll page Dr. Whicker. Wait there.

Mark eagerly waits outside as the nurse picks up a phone at the receptionist’s desk.

INT. OFFICE – NIGHT

A man stands next to his desk on the phone. This is DR. WHICKER, (38). He is dressed in black slacks, a white collared shirt and skinny black tie.

DR. WHICKER Alright, let him into the lobby. I’ll meet him there.

8.


A nurse folds towels on a cart. DR. WHICKER leaves his office and approaches the nurse.

DR. WHICKER Paul, can you get Wendy Morgan. She’s in room 103 and take her to room B. And make sure to hold her down.

The nurse nods and walks way to carry out his task.


MARK sits in a chair, rocking his leg in anticipation. DR. WHICKER enters the lobby adjusting his tie as he nears MARK. When he sees DR. WHICKER, MARK stands. They shake hands.


The nurse leads WENDY down a hospital hallway. She is groggy from just being woken up.

WENDY Where are we going?

INT. ROOM B – NIGHT

The nurse leads WENDY into the room. A glass window looks out into the lobby. At this point, the nurse takes a firm grip of WENDY’S arm. As she enters, WENDY sees DR. WHICKER approach MARK and shake his hand.

WENDY Mark?

She tries to release herself from the nurse but he holds her tightly.

WENDY (Continuing)

What’s going on?

9.


A large glass window sits just to the side of where MARK and DR. WHICKER are talking but only their reflections are seen.

MARK I shouldn’t have left. I got a call from Wendy’s sister saying she was checked into here. I couldn’t believe it. I hopped on the next bus.

DR. WHICKER It’s okay. You don’t have to explain yourself. Wendy has been a patient of ours for a few days now.


WENDY eyes her husband and DR. WHICKER talking.

WENDY What are they talking about?

Again she tries to release herself from the nurse’s grip.

WENDY (Continuing)

Mark!

WENDY pulls her strength together and pulls away from the nurse. She throws herself against the window.

WENDY (Continuing)

Mark!

The nurse quickly catches WENDY and puts his arm around her mouth.


MARK and DR. WHICKER turn towards the mirror as it rattles from the force that hit it. DR. WHICKER chuckles.

10.

DR. WHICKER One of our patients must of gotten loose. It’s an intense environment to work in.

DR. WHICKER regains a more serious demeanor.

DR. WHICKER (Continuing)

The disheartening fact is though that I have talked to Wendy in several sessions since she has been with us. She told me about your life together but she explained to me that she was very hurt by your sudden disappearance. She has asked not to see you.


The nurse firmly holds WENDY. Her eyes widen with fear.


DR. WHICKER I’m sorry but we need to respect Wendy’s orders.

MARK places his hand on the mirror while he puts his other hand up to his face to rub his eyes. He shakes his head in astonishment.


In the nurse’s grasp, WENDY reaches out her hand as far as she can towards MARK’S hand leaning on the glass. WENDY watches as DR. WHICKER places his own hand on MARK’S shoulder. MARK turns and walks out the entrance of the hospital. WENDY tires to call out to him but the nurse’s hand over her mouth prevents it. DR. WHICKER turns and peers into the glass to look at WENDY.

11.


DR. WHICKER peers into the mirror where he knows WENDY is and then he turns and walks back towards his office.

INT. MICHAEL’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

MICHAEL props himself on his side as he lies in bed.


Whicker knows no one will believe us when we tell them what happens. His actions are kept secret by the basic fact that our personal authority has no power.

INT. HALLWAY – MORNING

EMMALEE punches her timecard, lays down her purse and exchanges a smile with a male nurse clocking out.


But if you can make it through the night. No matter how much humiliation you have suffered. With a flick of a switch.

INT. BEDROOM – MORNING

EMMALEE opens the door to MICHAEL’S bedroom and switches on the light.

EMMALEE Good morning.


It’s over.

12.


MICHAEL, IAN and WALTER stand in a lunch line. The line is long and does not seem to be moving. They are near the back. MICHAEL’S hands are poised on WALTER’S wheelchair in case the line does actually start moving.

IAN So I can’t find where the ticking is coming from. I’m scrambling around looking for something that is about to explode. And then this Eskimo approaches me but he’s talking in German, right. I’m going crazy because I can’t understand and I’m waiting for a bomb to go off.

Walking towards them, a nurse leads WENDY by the arm. She is terribly shaken and is avoiding eye contact with the line of patients she passes.

MICHAEL Wendy’s not doing well.

IAN So I’m searching high and low and then, snap. I open my eyes and there is my clock that has fallen off the wall and it’s right next to my head.

WENDY passes by the spot where they are standing.

IAN (Continuing)

What happened to her?

MICHAEL I think Whicker played with her last night.

IAN Whicker. The nerve of him. You know he’s sitting in all our counseling sessions today?

13.

MICHALE quickly diverts his attention to IAN.

INT. OFFICE – DAY

MICHAEL sits on a couch inside an office. A psychiatrist sits across from him. This is DR. MAYER, (46). DR. WHICKER sits next to her, his eyes glued to a clipboard, writing notes. MICHAEL can’t keep from staring at DR. WHICKER.

DR. MAYER Michael, Dr. Whicker is here today to check on your progress, is this okay?

MICHAEL sends his attention to DR. MAYER. He is hesitant, but nods.

DR. MAYER (Continuing)

Good. Well, the nurses say your behavior has been excellent the past few weeks. Have you been taking your medication?

MICHAEL nods.

DR. MAYER (Continuing)

Eating well?

MICHAEL nods.

DR. MAYER Sleeping well?

MICHAEL looks at DR. WHICKER who keeps writing on his clipboard. He contemplates the act of revealing DR. WHICKER to someone who might listen but then slowly nods.

MICHAEL Yeah.

DR. MAYER Good. Well, I think your behavior has shown...

14.

MICHAEL Actually...I’ve been waking up several times during the night.

DR. WHICKER looks up to meet MICHAEL’S gaze. MICHAEL takes advantage of this quick sliver of confidence.

MICHAEL (Continuing)

And my friends. They don’t sleep well either.

DR. MAYER Yes, I’ve heard. Several patients have been complaining of sleepless nights. But you have to remember Michael, that most patients here can’t separate reality from their imagination. Anything they fear is going to be exaggerated during the night. It’s a symptom of their disease.

MICHAEL My friends and I don’t think so. It’s real to us. Doesn’t anyone think it’s suspicious that every night patients...

DR. MAYER Michael, that’s enough. We are in an environment that encourages healing and I refuse to support...

DR. WHICKER Dr. Mayer, if I may.

DR. MAYER is slightly shocked at being interrupted but allows it.

DR. WHICKER (Continuing)

Michael here has shown incredible strength and optimism the last few months.

15.

DR. MAYER Yes. Yes he has.

DR. WHICKER My reports here show he hasn’t had a violent outburst in over six months.

DR. MAYER What are you suggesting Dr. Whicker?

DR. WHICKER I believe in my professional opinion that Michael here would benefit from a new environment.

DR. MAYER A new environment? Michael has made great strides, yes, but while functioning in this environment.

DR. WHICKER Exactly, and that is why we should give him more responsibility, more freedom. A new challenge would allow us to see if his progress is real.

DR. MAYER And what did you have in mind?

DR. WHICKER takes a moment to clearly think through his proposal.

DR. WHICKER A nursing home.

DR. MAYER And where in the textbook did you find this solution?

16.

DR. WHICKER It would give Michael here more freedom, allow him to meet new people while still being under the care of nurses who could watch his progress. I whole heartily believe this is the next plausible step for him.

DR. MAYER contemplates this proposal.

DR. MAYER Well, a bit unorthodox but. Michael, what do you think?

MICHAEL I like it here.

DR. MAYER But you don’t want to be here forever do you? Don’t you want to start living on your own someday?

DR. WHICKER This would be a great opportunity for you Michael.

MICHAEL, helpless against the intelligence and persuasion of two medical degrees nods his head.

INT. MICHAEL’S BEDROOM – DAY

MICHAEL sits on the edge of his bed.

DR. MAYER (V.O.)

Okay then, I’ll set up the paperwork. Michael, you’re making wonderful strides.

IAN (V.O.)

You’re leaving!

17.

INT. COURTYARD – DAY

MICHAEL and IAN walk along the edge of the chain link fence.

IAN But what about Dr. Mayer? She all of a sudden decides you’re cured?

MICHAEL It wasn’t her idea, it was Whicker’s.

IAN There you go, he sees you’re a threat. He knows the nurses trust you, sees that you might actually be able to turn him in. Why didn’t you resist?

MICHAEL I tried. I’m hopeless against them.

IAN Have an outburst. Go crazy. They’ll have to keep you here then.

MICHAEL stops and looks out beyond the fence into the distance.

MICHAEL I’ve been thinking though.

IAN leans against the fence next to facing in towards the courtyard.

IAN Thinking what?

MICHAEL Thinking maybe I want to go.

IAN Want to go? Why would you want to go out there? Those people are miserable.

18.

MICHAEL It’s miserable here half the time and maybe its best I get out.

IAN But what about the rest of us? We’re probably stuck here forever. We have to forge hell until we die?

MICHAEL I have a chance to heal myself.

IAN But we’re a family. Look around you. Wendy’s lovesick, Walter wont’ talk. We need you. Doesn’t that mean anything?

MICHAEL meets his gaze but doesn’t say anything. WENDY approaches.

WENDY Michael?

IAN I guess only the sick need a doctor.

IAN wraps his hand around WENDY.

IAN (Continuing)

Come on love.

EXT. INTERIOR OF CAR – DAY

DR. MAYER sits next to MICHAEL in a black car as it drives out of the hospital driveway. MICHAEL peers out the window at patients play in the courtyard.

EXT. COURTYARD – DAY

IAN leans against the fence and peers out to see the black car leaving. He turns around in disgust and focuses back on the activities inside the fence.

19.

INT. NURSING HOME WAITING ROOM – DAY

MICAHEL and DR. MAYER walk in through double doors that open up the world of the nursing home. DR. MAYER points to a seat.

DR. MAYER Wait here.

MICHAEL sits down as DR. MAYER goes to the front desk to chat with the receptionist. An older lady, a patient, sits next to MICHAEL. This is MARY BETH, (83). She reads a magazine. She speaks with out looking up.

MARY BETH Are you visiting someone?

MICHAEL No. I’m being admitted.

MARY BETH Admitted? You’re a little young, don’t you think?

MICHAEL Age is relative.

MARY BETH looks up from her magazine. MICHAEL is still wearing his white patient’s uniform.

MARY BETH You look like a nurse.

MICHAEL I was a patient.

MARY BETH A patient? What kind of patient were you?

MICHAEL One that lived in a cage.

MARY BETH I’m Mary Beth.

MICAHEL Michael.

20.

MARY BETH Do you have any family, Michael?

MICHAEL I used to.

A nurse approaches MARY BETH and puts a hand on her shoulder.

NURSE #2 Mary Beth, it’s two.

MARY BETH places the magazine on the table in front of her.

MARY BETH It’s time for my physical therapy.

The nurse leads MARY BETH away.

DR. MAYER and a nurse approach MICHAEL.

DR. MAYER Are you ready Michael? Everything is worked out. He’ll show you to your room. Good luck and we’ll check up on you.

DR. MAYER watches as the nurse leads MICHAEL away.

INT. HALLWAY – DAY

MICAHEL walks along side the nurse as they approach his room.

NURSE #3 This is you.

The nurse takes a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. He pushes it open.

INT. MICAHEL’S BEDROOM – DAY

MICHAEL walks in until he stands just inside the door. The nurse stays in the doorway.

21.

NURSE #3 Any questions?

MICHAEL shakes his head.

NURSE #3 (Continuing)

Alright then. If you need anything, just ask. Dinner is at four.


Michael holds a tray full of food as he nervously walks around looking for a table to sit at. The nursing home patients sit in stereotyped groups. (Veterans, Knitters and Bingo) MICHAEL spots MARY BETH sitting alone at a table. She looks up as he comes near her. She pushes out a chair with her hand.

MARY BETH All yours.

MICHAEL It’s chaotic in here.

MARY BETH It’s Tuesday.

MARY BETH picks up her pork chop.

MARY BETH (Continuing)

Pork chops.

MARY BETH lowers her pork chop and takes a sip of her iced tea.

MICHAEL Do you have any tips?

MARY BETH Well, don’t ask the veterans about their war days unless you have an extra two hours to sit and listen without interruption.

22.

A group of veterans wearing tan hats with their division on them sit around a round dinner table.


Take only your own medication and don’t judge anyone based on what they take. Oh, and half of us can’t remember what happened yesterday, so if you do happen to make someone angry, there’s a good chance they won’t remember.

MARY BETH smiles.


You’ll fit in fine here.

INT. POOL – DAY

MICHAEL does aerobic exercises with a group of older patients as a young instructor leads the group in stretches

MICHAEL (V.O.)

This was my home now. I was given a place to heal.


MICHAEL sits along a long table. Patients sit along side him down the both sides as long as he can see. A man in a black suit retrieves a piece of paper from a nurse.

MAN #1 B3!

INT. MAKESHIFT THEATRE – DAY

MICHAEL sits with a group of patients who are watching a black and white film.

23.


A place to start over.

INT. HALLWAY – DAY

MICAHEL walks down a hallway and approaches a nurse sorting through pillboxes.

MICHAEL Have you seen Mary Beth today?

NURSE #2 She’s outside.

The nurse nods towards a door. MICHAEL walks out a back door and sees MARY BETH sitting in a chair overlooking the grounds. MICAHEL grabs a nearby wheelchair and pushes it out to MARY BETH.

EXT. NURSING HOME GROUNDS – DAY

MICAHEL Up for a walk?

MARY BETH looks at the wheelchair.

MARY BETH Are you trying to insult me?

MICHAEL thinks quickly.

MICAHEL It’s for me.

EXT. NURSING HOME GROUNDS – DAY

MARY BETH pushes MICHAEL in the wheelchair around the nursing home.

MICHAEL How long have you lived here?

24.

MARY BETH Well, I moved in here after my husband passed away. So, about three years I’d say.

MICHAEL And before that?

MARY BETH I taught. Seventh and eighth grade.

MICHAEL I bet you were a kind teacher.

MARY BETH Quite the opposite, I was fierce. I made sure those kids worked hard, respected authority. But I loved them. And it’s where I met Frank.

MICHAEL Your husband?

MARY BETH Yeah. Every weekend I would catch a matinee to unwind from the week. Frank worked the projector. If I looked behind me during the movie, I could catch his face in the flickering light. We would catch each other’s gaze and then I would quickly look away, just to tease him.

MICHAEL You devil.

MARY BETH But I remember one weekend, it was pouring. I entered the theatre soaking wet. Frank saw me and before the movie started, he invited me up and offered me a towel.

25.

MICAHEL He had a towel up there?

MARY BETH The poor boy lived in that room. I couldn’t believe it. He had a sleeping bag and his clothes were spread out all over the floor in that tiny room. Well, every Saturday afternoon after that, he invited me up before the start of the picture. He would get the projector going and then we would talk till the credits rolled. And the rest was history.

MICAHEL You’ve lived quite a life.

MARY BETH It’s had its ups and downs.

MARY BETH pushes MICHAEL in silence for a few moments.


What happened to your family?

MICHAEL is silent.


Were you married?

MICHAEL Yeah.

MARY BETH Is she still in the picture?

MICHAEL No. Not anymore.

MARY BETH senses this conversation is taboo.

26.

MARY BETH You know Michael, my granddaughter is picking me up tomorrow evening. She’s taking me out to dinner. You should come.

INT. LOBBY – EVENING

MICHAEL adjusts his tie.

MARY BETH stands next to a young woman dressed as if she just came from a business meeting. MICHAEL can hear bits of their conversation as he approaches. Before he gets there, the young woman leans in and kisses MARY BETH on the cheek then leaves.

MICHAEL What happened?

MARY BETH She became busy. Come, I’ll make some tea.

INT. MARY BETH’S ROOM – EVENING

A teapot sings to let MARY BETH know her tea is ready. She picks up the teapot and pours two mugs full to the brim. She hands one to MICHAEL, who sits in a rocking chair near the window.

MICHAEL I’m sorry things didn’t work out.

MARY BETH sits in a rocking chair next to him.

MARY BETH It’s not your fault, dear. Children these days are just going so fast. It’s a disease if you ask me. Her father was never like this. He was adamant about slowing down. Enjoying every minute of the day.

27.

MICHAEL How long were you married?

MARY BETH Forty-seven years. He passed away unexpectedly.

MARY BETH points towards her mirror. The mirror has newspaper clippings taped along the edge. MICHAEL makes his way over to the mirror and reads the headlines. “12 Killed in Rampage” reads one. Below it, cutout reads, “Shooter had Mental Illness.” Below that, an obituary is cut out that gives a picture and a bio.

MARY BETH (Continuing O.S.)

He was a good man, never angry. But. I don’t know what got into him that morning.

MICAHEL Your husband...

MARY BETH The police said he borrowed a gun from a friend. He walked into the doctor’s office, just walked in, and... The soul that fired that gun was not my husband. It shakes me to core to know that such evil could come from someone I love.

MICAHEL returns to his chair. His hands tremble and his focus is not with the conversation.


Are you okay?

MICHAEL Thank you for the tea.

MICAHEL places his mug on the windowsill and leaves the room hastily.

28.

INT. HALLWAY – EVENING

MICAHEL hastily walks towards his room.

INT. MICAHEL’S BEDROOM – EVENING

MICHAEL enters his room and leans against the door as he closes it. Tears begin to flow as he stands there. Regaining himself, MICHAEL walks to his window and leans out. He pulls his wallet out. From a pocket of it, he retrieves a picture. It shows a woman in her mid twenties and pregnant. She is wearing a white tank top and long pants. A roller in her hand, a half painted wall lies behind her. The woman has paint on her clothes and face. Light blue. A smile reveals her admiration for the person behind the camera.

MICHAEL stares at the picture and then pulls a folded piece of paper from behind it. He unfolds it. It is the same newspaper clipping that MARY BETH had in her room. It reads, “12 Killed in Rampage.”

A knock is heard on the door. MARY BETH approaches MICHAEL and places her hand on his shoulder.

MICHAEL We had just found out the sex of the baby. We were so excited. On the way home from the doctor’s, we bought some paint and half of the nursery was done before we went to bed. Then that night, Megan said she wasn’t feeling well. She went back to the doctors the next morning. I wasn’t able to go with her because of work. She never came back home.

MICHAEL pauses.

MICHAEL (Continuing)

29.

After Megan’s death, I kept waiting for someone to show me what to do. To give me direction, but after the funeral, everyone seemed to disappear. When no one came, I decided it wasn’t worth it. I’m not crazy, Mary Beth.

MARY BETH I know your not.

MICHAEL I checked myself into the hospital. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. I gave up. For good measure, I would fake a few violent outbursts just so I knew they would keep me there. The last three years, I’ve been my own prisoner, letting other people take care of me.

MARY BETH My husband ended more lives then just the ones he killed that day. He put too many people through severe pain. I think all of us are waiting for someone to conduct life for us.

MICHAEL I gave up on life.

MARY BETH My husband gave up on life. You still have hope. Tomorrow doesn’t have to be the same as today. I always knew you weren’t crazy, you were just grieving. I just didn’t know about what, but we all felt pain on that day.

MICHAEL curls into MARY BETH’S grasp. Tears slowly roll down his cheeks.

30.

MICAHEL But even if I go home. And I’m not sick. What good can come out of all of this?

MARY BETH Help those around you. If you have experienced tragedy and pain and lived through it, then you are stronger then you were before. There are people around us that are crying out for help. They are looking for someone to give them direction, just like you were. You can help them find it.

INT. PSYCHIATIRIC HOSTPIAL RECREATIOIN ROOM – DAY

MICAHEL walks between two long tables full of patients. IAN, WALTER and WENDY sit in a row as MICAHEL walks by.

INT. OFFICE – DAY

DR. MAYER sits in her office with a patient. MICHAEL walks to the doorway where he boldly stands.

DR. MAYER Michael?

EXT. NEWS CONFERENCE – DAY

DR. MAYER stands behind a platform full of microphones as news reporters look on, flashbulbs lighting her up.

DR. MAYER It has come to my attention that...


Patients watch the news conference on a television. There eyes light up.

31.

DR. MAYER (Continuing on TV)

...patients have been abused and harassed by some of staff over the past few years. The hospital has taken immediate action...

The sound of the television slowly fades out. MICHAEL eyes IAN sitting on a couch, looking out a window. He passes WENDY sitting next to WALTER. She smiles as he passes and WALTER feasibly signs “Thank You.”

MICHAEL reaches IAN and sits on the couch next to him.

MICHAEL I never meant to abandon you.

Both men sit in silence peace for a few moments as they stare out into the horizon.

IAN Michael, do you think we'll ever get better?

MICHAEL Yeah. I think we will.

The camera slowly trucks away from MICHAEL and IAN as they sit there.

FADE OUT:

Date post:	24-Mar-2016
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