WINTER

Written by Andrew Wertz

EXT. FOREST- DAY ADAM, a young thin boy in his late teens, runs through a heavily wooded patch of forest. He is wearing khaki army fatigues, and a military-issued winter coat. He pants as he runs, but refuses to stop and rest. He stops at a relatively empty part of the woods, surrounded by tall trees. As he exhales, his breath is seen in the air. Adam opens his hand, and a silver chain falls out onto the ground. He picks it up, and examines the chain, where a dogtag dangles from its front. The flat silver pendant reads: PVT. JOSHUA MORGAN 176236014 JUDITH MORGAN 14 KEYSTONE ST. TREMONT, PA Adam throws the chain across his patch of woods, where it sails until it hits a fallen tree. Adam begins to sob. He slows his breathing, and looks around the area. He walks around, looking behind trees and squinting into the heavy wilderness. He sits on the collapsed tree, and stares at the dogtags on the ground. Tears well up, and Adam lets out a scream of frustration, and he puts on the chain. Adam then walks through the area and picks up several loose branches from the ground. He puts them on the ground, and begins breaking off branches from the surrounding trees. While searching, he finds a few small plants that bear red berries. He eats a few immediately, and then begins to put them in his jackets pocket. Adam assembles the branches in a rough pointed shape, with the larger branches forming the external skeleton and smaller ones forming the inside. He takes out a small silver lighter, and lights the pile. The small branches spark and smolder, but soon go out. He tries again, and the fire starts. Adam sits on the fallen tree, next to the fire, and empties his pocket, placing the objects on the tree. He takes out two small boxes of 45 caliber ammunition, and opens the boxes, and seeing they are full, replaces them in his pocket. Then, he opens his chest pocket, and takes out several letters, folded many times each. On several of them, the intended party is visible: PVT. ADAM DAVISON. Adam takes one letter and places it in his left hand, while keeping the others in his right.

2. Adam drops the letters in his right hand into the fire, and opens the letter that was in his left. When fully opened, the letter looks worn, and is translucent in several areas from wetness. His eyes begin to move over the letter, and only reads the opening lines: Dear Adam, Im Sorry... Adam tears the letter in two, then drops it into the flames. Adam drinks from his canteen, and tilts it upside down above his mouth. Only a few drops come out. He drops his canteen on the ground before getting up and leaving the area. EXT. FOREST-DUSK Adam moves through the heavily wooded area, although much slower than earlier. His clothes keep getting entangled in the branches. He looks up at the sky, which is now orange, as the sun is setting. He mumbles something inaudible, and turns around back to his campsite. EXT. FOREST- MORNING Adam lies with his back on the fallen tree, and his jacket covering his face. He begins to stir. A thin coating of snow is spread throughout his camp. He removes the coat, and a faint smile spreads through his face. He moves throughout the camp, eating handfuls of snow. Then, he scoops some into his canteen, and packs it down with a stick. EXT. FOREST-DAY Adam crouches behind the fallen tree, with one of the boxes of shells sitting on the bark. He is holding his gun, balancing it on the fallen tree. A rabbit sits just out of his clear area, staring at Adam. Adam fires his pistol, then hesitates and fires it again. He opens his pistol, and replaces the two shells, and aims again. EXT. FOREST-DUSK Adam sits at the campfire, eating the last of the berries from his jacket. The red juice lightly stains his hands. Adam finishes eating, and lays down on the broken tree, covers his face with the jacket, and goes to sleep.

3. EXT. BATTLEFIED- DAY A small military position is seen, empty and still. Its main feature is a large stone wall. Gunshots and shouts appear in the distance. The stillness is broken by JOSHUA leading almost pulling Adam into frame. Adam is breathing heavily and shaking, with tears streaking down his face, and has a crumpled paper in his hand. Joshua grabs him with one hand on his shoulder, and pushes him into a squat behind the wall. He keeps his hand on the shoulder. JOSHUA Adam? Adam, buddy- You need to calm down. Joshuas dogtags swing back in forth before slowing down as the two regain their stillness. We can clearly see his name and information on the dogtag, which matches the one Adam had earlier.

EXT. FOREST- MORNING Adam wakes up in the same position as before, except the snow is much deeper than earlier and is still falling. He is shivering, but still shovels a handful of snow in his mouth. He breaks off several mid-sized branches, and tucks them into his jacket. EXT. FOREST- DAY Adam kneels behind the tree again, aiming his gun. A rabbit runs by, and he fires his gun three times, missing all three. EXT. FOREST-DUSK Adam removes the sticks from his jacket, and clears off a section of the fallen tree. He sets up a small point of sticks, and brings his lighter to it. After flicking it a few times, and getting a few small sparks, it finally lights. EXT. FOREST- MORNING Adam, now in even thicker snow, collects several branches and puts them in his jacket again

4. EXT.FOREST-DAY Adam kneels behind the tree, but the forest is still. A breeze moves in, rustling a tree. Adam fires his pistol six times. When he sees that nothing was there, he runs his hand backwards through his short hair and groans loudly. EXT. FOREST-DUSK Adam flicks his lighter to the pointed wooden figure, assembled looser than the day before, but nothing happens. He tries two more times, with the same effect. He runs his arm into the wooden formation, sending sticks flying. He paces across the camp site, and throws the dogtags near the pile of firewood. EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Joshuas arm rests on Adams shoulder, as the two remain squatting behind a wall. Adam is regaining his composure. ADAM (weakly) Thank you. Thank you for getting much out of there. Joshua nods, before noticing the paper in Adams hand. JOSHUA What is that? Adam is silent, and just stares ahead, through Joshua. JOSHUA (CONTD) Jesus, I thought you got rid of that? You thought you were going to die, and thats what you took out? Adams hand trembles, and we see the letter clearly, with the same handwriting spelling out Dear Adam. FOREST- MORNING Adam rises, covered in snow. Around him, it is still snowing, and the snow is even thicker. His jacket lays on the ground, and he is shivering. He does not pick up the jacket, but moves towards the firewood sticking out and digs his hands into the snow, clearly out several holes. He moves the snow to the side, and sees the glint of the dog tags, and puts them on neck, whimpering as they go on.

5. EXT. FOREST- DAY Adam walks through the forest, now only wearing an undershirt. He is holding his gun, and pointing it behind trees and at small gusts of wind shaking branches. Adam sits on the fallen tree, and smiles. He takes off his pants and his combat boots, leaving him in an undershirt, boxer shorts, and socks. He lays down on the fallen tree. On his side, a human figure appears. JOSHUA, still sporting a bullet wound to the head, silently stands several feet away from Adam. ADAM What do you want? JOSHUA Do you remember me? ADAM Yes. Of Course. JOSHUA Well then how about a hello? ADAM (laughing) You shouldnt be here. JOSHUA Should you? ADAM It doesnt matter. I made it. Youre back there. Joshua examines his hands, then smirks at Adam. JOSHUA No, Im here. If anything youre there. ADAM (defensively) What does that mean? Joshua moves around, now in front of Adam, but still several feet away. He motions towards the dogtags around Adams neck. JOSHUA Thats me. I dont know where you are, but Im here.

6. Joshua points to wards Adams chest, where the dogtags still hang. JOSHUA (CONTD) What happened to me, Adam? ADAM You know that. JOSHUA What happened? ADAM You were shot. JOSHUA Why are you trying to be me? ADAM You were shot. EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Adam and Joshua are still squatting behind the wall. Adam is holding out the letter from Anne. Joshua reaches out for it, causing his head to bob up slightly above the stone wall. JOSHUA Give that to me. You dont need it. No. ADAM

JOSHUA You cant think about her. Not now. Its a bad deal, to say the least, butJoshua throws his head back slightly to think and take a breath. His head bobs over the wall yet again. JOSHUA (CONTD) Its going to get you killed. ADAM I dont care. You should have left me back there. I was supposed to stay. Joshua seems taken aback, and raises his body a little bit. Jesus... JOSHUA

7. EXT. FOREST- DAY Adam has sat up, while Joshua still stands several feet away in the snow. Jesus. JOSHUA

ADAM Yeah, thats what you said. JOSHUA I guess thats as good as last words come.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Joshua is still in his raised crouch, a look of surprise still in his face. A shot rings out, and Joshua suddenly collapses, a stain of red forming on his temple and under his head. EXT. FOREST- DAY Adam stares at Joshua, his face beginning to tighten and redden. JOSHUA What did you do? ADAM (voice cracking) I ran. Thats all I could do. I couldnt die. You were dead. I couldnt help you. JOSHUA What did you do? ADAM I ran away. From what? JOSHUA

ADAM From the sniper. JOSHUA What did you really run away from.

8. ADAM (hesitaition) From the fight. JOSHUA But why did you need my name? ADAM I ran from the fight. I wanted to live. I had a better chance ere than out there. Im not a coward. I was dead out there. Im not going to die like that.

EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Adam presses up against the wall, breathing loudly and shuddering. He crushes the letter in his fist. Adam, still trembling, removes his dogtags from his neck, and puts them in the hand with the note. He places the letter in his pocket but holds onto the note. Hands shaking, he reaches out towards Joshuas body, and slips the chain on his head, resting uncomfortably. Then, he leaning forward he grabs Joshuas chain around his neck. He pulls up on the chain, causing the connector to pop out, and the chain to fly into his hand. Gunfire is heard, and a bullet causes the ground to explode in from of Adam. Adam runs through the woods. EXT. FOREST- DAY JOSHUA Why did you do it? Why did you need to take my name and then run? ADAM I dont know. JOSHUA What does that mean? Of course you do. No one does something like that without knowing. Adam stands up and paces, before spinning and angrily facing Joshua. ADAM I dont know! It was sudden! Jesus, it was sudden! I wasnt thinking.

9. JOSHUA Yes you were. What did you run away from? ADAM I dont know! Leave me alone! JOSHUA Adam, what was it? ADAM Because Im dead anyway! I cant go back. Anne, it was Anne. She killed me at base when I got the letter. I didnt want to be you. I just wanted to escape. From her. From the army. JOSHUA You didnt need to die. You could have just left once you got back. ADAM Im not dead! You're dead, and you're torturing me. I can go back the way I came. Right through the woods. JOSHUA No you cant. You're here. It got us both. ADAM No it didnt! Im here. I can live. Annes Adam is dead. She can live with that. She killed me anyway JOSHUA What did Anne say? ADAM You know what she said. JOSHUA Tell me what she said. Adam walks towards Joshua, and gets in his face. ADAM You know what she said! She left me, thats all that matters. Joshua takes a step backwards.

10. JOSHUA Tell me what the letter said. ADAM No. I dont remember. Joshua smiles sinisterly. JOSHUA I know you remember. I can make you remember. Adam breathes heavily. Joshua takes another step backwards, and stares at Adam, silently, for several seconds. He begins to speak, but it is not his voice: It is Annes. The voice is trance-like and hypnotic, showing little emotion. JOSHUA (ANNESS VOICE) (CONTD) Adam, I love you. Ill always love you. But notADAM Jesus, no. Please no, you cant do this. JOSHUA You're not going to get it any other way. Im sorry. ADAM What does that mean? Get what? Adam turns to leave, but freezes when Annes voice starts again. JOSHUA (ANNE'S VOICE) Forgive me. I love him. I love him in the way my family expected me to love you. ADAM No you didnt. I came here to make you proud, and this is what you did. You left me. Im alone. JOSHUA (ANNE'S VOICE) I am proud of you and Josh for going there to fight for us. Adam turns around, tears forming at the corners of his eyes and grabs his gun from the fallen tree. Heapproaches Adam, holding it at his head. Tears run down his face.

11. ADAM Josh, Ill kill you. Ill kill you. JOSHUA (ANNE'S VOICE) You cant do it. You wont do it. You love me. Adam fires the pistol pressed up against Joshuas head three times. Nothing happens. Joshua does not even move, and he continues speaking in Annes voice. JOSHUA (ANNE'S VOICE) (CONTD) You know what is happening. Theres a way out. Adam freezes, and raises the gun to his temple. Joshua stares at Adam, and continues. JOSHUA (ANNE'S VOICE) (CONTD) You just need to realize it. Adam fires the gun against his temple, and collapses into the white snow. EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Adam reaches out towards Joshuas body and grabs his dogtags, as seen earlier, and a gunshot rings out, hitting the ground. Joshua runs for several steps before another shot rings out, which hits Adam in the back. Adam remains on his feet and weakly grabs his gun as he turns around. He is shot again, this time in the chest, and falls to the ground EXT.FOREST-DAY Adam lies motionless on the snow, his pistol lying next to his hands, still stained from the berries. Blood dots the snow below him. His temple and face is unwounded. Adam lies on his back, his head turned sideways. Two large bloody wounds are on him: His back and his chest. His nostrils flare, and his eyes flutter open. Joshua stands behind Adam, watching him, and speaks in his own voice. JOSHUA Im sorry too. Im sorry I had to do that to you. You needed to realize on your own. Im just a guide. I cant tell you. Its okay. ADAM

12. Adam rolls over in the snow, and sits up. A smaller wound is visible on his abdomen. JOSHUA Are you ready? ADAM I think I am. Almost. JOSHUA

Joshua points at his dogtags around his neck. Adam takes them off, and hands them to Adam. Joshua takes them, but drops them into the snow. ADAM Lets head out of here, Josh. Adam and Joshua head out of the woods, but now a path has been cleared in the trees, although it is still covered in a few inches of snow. The two walk away. EXT. BATTLEFIELD- DAY Joshua and Adam lie behind the wall, both dead. Joshua is facedown, while Adam lies on his stomach, his head turned to his side. His eyes are closed, and his face is relaxed, almost forming a smile. A snowflake falls on his face.

THE END