A STORY OF INSIGNIFICANCE

Written by Kal Peterson

Draft #1 January 2nd, 2014

EXT. AVERAGE NEIGHBORHOOD - DAY Centered on a dull, seemingly insignificant suburban home. Loud, unsettling MUSIC blares in the background. A VOICE fades up slowly alongside the music. Its a NEWS REPORTER, discussing the investigation of a missing child. NEWS REPORTER ...Police in Lisle continue to search for 7 year old boy, Adrian Turnage, reported missing early on Sunday. Turnage is a 4 foot 1 white male with brown hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information is urged to call the Lisle police department at 630-271-4200. INT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD - DAY As the musics volume increases, a short montage displaying various eerie shots of the Turnage household begins. The house is very minimalist, very neat; its well put together appearance juxtaposes the loud, jarring music. INT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD - ADRIANS ROOM - NIGHT All the noise comes to a halt. In pure silence, an average, insignificant looking man (30-35), RICHARD, stares at a lineup of miniature soldiers in a room filled with toys. His facial expression is clearly one of discontent. A woman, JOAN (30-35), walks behind Richard. JOAN Rich. Richard hesitantly turns around, and we get our first look at Joan. Shes an average woman; insignificant, just like Richard. JOAN (CONTD) You need sleep. Richard takes a moment. Nods subtly.

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INT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD - BEDROOM - NIGHT Joan and Richard lie in bed. Joans on her side, blissfully asleep. Richard, on the other hand, is wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Really -- who could sleep with the knowledge of their kid being missing? Nevertheless, Richard keeps making attempts. EXT. AVERAGE NEIGHBORHOOD - TIMELAPSE We watch the sun rise in Richards dull, insignificant, suburban neighborhood. INT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD - BEDROOM - MORNING Richards in bed, alone. He opens his eyes in a slow, weak fashion. He looks to his left, notices Joans not beside him. Mustve woken up already. INT. KITCHEN Richard takes a groggy stroll into the kitchen. Notices Joan washing dishes. JOAN Morning. RICHARD Morning. A beat passes. JOAN You know, I cannot believe whats been going on with Rebecca. All too often, good people like her let their lives get destroyed by controlling jagoffs like that Sam character. I really think its all a matter of knowing when to leave, you know? We start to see Joan through Richard -- her voice starts becoming less and left audible, with strange ECHOES and NOISE replacing it.

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In the situation Richards in, how can you blame him for not wanting to listen to this garbage? And why the hell is Joan worrying about this if her son just went missing? JOAN (CONTD) I mean, its her choice, I know, but I wish shed listen to me every once in a while given the circumstance. You know what I mean? (a beat) Richard? Richard stares, blankly. RICHARD Whats wrong with you? Joan looks back at Richard. JOAN (the hell?) What? RICHARD You talk about this Rebecca thing-you talk about it like youre fine, and like it actually matters right now. And youre acting like our situation is fine too, when in reality, its fucked. Joan reflects. JOAN You dont think theyre gonna find him. RICHARD No, its not that. I have optimism, I just dont understand your lack of... caring. Your lack of anything, actually. JOAN You dont think I care about Adrian? RICHARD How the hell should I know? A long beat passes.

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JOAN Fuck you. Richard takes it, walks out of the room. Joans odd behavior had to be brought up eventually, right? EXT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD Richard stands on his porch. Smokes a cigarette. He looks out into the distance, taking in the insignificance of each home in his dull, suburban neighborhood. His phone rings. He picks up. RICHARD Hey, dad. (listening) I dont know. Just, Joans been acting so... I dont even know. Just strange. (listening) Yeah. Right, okay. (listening) Well. Im optimistic. (listening) Yeah, thingsll get better. Youre right. Talk to you soon. Richard hangs up. Takes in the conversation. INT. TURNAGE HOUSEHOLD - KITCHEN - NIGHT Joan sits at the dinner table, eats her food. Richard sets down his plate and takes a seat across from her. Silence fills the room for a bit, till Richard decides to break the tension. RICHARD Talked to my dad earlier. Joan hesitates. JOAN Oh yeah? RICHARD Yeah, told him what happened. Between us. A beat passes.

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RICHARD (CONTD) What I said to you was wrong; I get that now. Im sorry. People react to these kinds of things in different ways. JOAN No, Im sorry. Ive been weird lately, I know, I just--Ive had a lot to contend with. We both have. And I try to conceal my emotions... RICHARD You dont have to. I know Ive never been the best to talk to, but Im going through this with you. And we are gonna get through this-because I love you. Joan smiles, just a bit. JOAN I love you too. A few seconds of silence. Off that, we cut to: INT. BEDROOM Joans in bed, nearly asleep. Shes alone. The door opens; Richard interrupts the peace. RICHARD Joan? JOAN Yeah? RICHARD I didnt wake you, did I? JOAN No, youre fine. Whats up? RICHARD Mind if I use your laptop? Mine doesnt wanna start. JOAN Uh, yeah. Sure. RICHARD Thanks, hun.

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Richard closes the door, leaving Joan by herself. She closes her eyes, starts to drift off, until... Suddenly, her eyes open wide -- she looks panicked. INT. LIVING ROOM Richards on the couch, computer in his lap. He opens the laptop. A picture of a boy opens up -- its Adrian, playing with his army guys. Richard smiles. He sifts through a few more images, till he notices something strange. Its a photograph of Adrian, his young, innocent child, with his face bashed in. The amount of blood makes him almost unrecognizable. It doesnt stop there, though -- theres more pictures. All close-ups of Adrians bloody face. Joan walks into the room. Glances at Richard. Richard puts the laptop down, stands up, and walks as fast as he can towards Joan. He grabs her face. JOAN (almost incomprehensible) Im sorry-RICHARD Sorry? You murdered my child and youre sorry? Richard throws the bitch to the ground; she screams. He gets on top of her and puts his hand around her neck. RICHARD (CONTD) Whyd you do it? JOAN Im sorry, I-RICHARD Why!? JOAN I snapped! Im sorry, please--

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Richard cant take it. He puts both hands around her neck, and chokes her. Tears run down his face, but he has to do this. He has to. The jarring music we heard earlier makes a second appearance. Joans struggling stops. Shes dead. Its over. The music loudens, and Richard stands up. He walks backwards, shaken by what hes done. Shaken by what his wife became. Off this image, we SMASH CUT to black. Fade up credits.

THE END