THE BREAK UP

Written by C.W.K.

Coltwkeeney@gmail.com

INT. NIGHT. FERRELLS APT. LIVING ROOM. Ferrell (mid 20s) sit on his couch watching some generic cable channel in his boxers. He sips a beer. He frequently glances at the clock on the wall, its 1:30ish. Laura (mid 20s) eventually comes through the door. Shes dressed like shes been out on the town. Her mascaras a little smeared and she has a slight sway when she walks, shes been drinking. She passes Ferrell without a word and goes to their bedroom bath room. FERRELL (calling out) Where ya been? Laura doesnt answer. Ferrell rises and goes to the bathroom, Laura is washing her face. INT. NIGHT. FERRELLS BATHROOM. FERRELL I just want to know where you were. Laura again doesnt answer. She starts brushing her teeth. FERRELL (CONTD) Laura? Laura? LAURA (sharply) I was out. FERRELL Out? LAURA Yeah. Ferrell watches her finish brushing her teeth, she walks past him into the bed room, Ferrell follows. INT. FERRELS BEDROOM. NIGHT. Laura begins changing into her night cloths, Ferrell sits on the bed watching. FERRELL Well... I havnt seen you since this morning... how was your day? Laura doesnt answer, she digs through their dresser for something to wear.

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FERRELL (CONTD) It was pretty out, huh? Laura doesnt answer, she finds her night clothes, closes the dresser drawer, and lays in bed. The clothes shed dug through are bunched up and hanging out of the top of the drawer, Ferrell notices, pulls them out, and folds them neatly. FERRELL (CONTD) (while folding clothes) Work for me was pretty crazy... Laura lays with her back to him. I got triple sat the second I walked in the door, didnt even have time to eat. Ferrell finishes folding clothes and lays on his side of the bed. FERRELL (CONTD) I filled a tray with a bunch of waters and was walking out of the kitchen when Brian was walking in, you remember Brian dont you? Laura keeps her back to Ferrell. Well.. Ive told you about him. But he was walking into the kitchen and didnt see me and he bumped my arm, I tried to save the waters but I ended up throwing them on this table of old black ladies, they started screamin and hollerin and... Laura turns around. LAURA (interrupting) I dont care, Ferrell. She rolls back over and turns off her bed side night light. Ferrell stares at her a moment, then slowly leans across the bed and tries to hold Laura from behind. LAURA (CONTD) Jesus Christ, can you stop it? FERRELL Im just sayin good night.

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LAURA Dont.

Ferrell stares at Lauras back for a moment then rolls on his side and turns off his night light. They now both have their backs to each other. Ferrell slowly drifts off to sleep, Laura, though, is wide eyed awake. She stares without blinking then suddenly rises from her bed and retrieves a pistol from her bed side table drawer. Ferrell is awaken by her movement, he looks over his shoulder at the closed bathroom door which, in the darkness of the room, has a golden ring of light around its perimeter. A moment passes, then the CRACK of a gun shot is heard, followed by the THUD of a collapsing body. Ferrell flinches at the sound of the gun shot, but stays in bed, staring at the doors golden ring. FERRELL Everything alright in there? Theres no answer. FERRELL (CONTD) Laura? Ferrell gets up and knocks on the door. FERRELL (CONTD) Laura? Ferrell waits a moment, then just before he opens the door Laura speaks. LAURA Im fine, go back to bed. FERRELL You sure? I just.. LAURA (interupting) Im fine, Ferrell. Go back to bed. Ferrell slowly returns to bed. He stares at the doors golden ring of light a moment, then falls asleep. INT. FERRELS LIVING ROOM. DAY. The T.V. is on some generic cable channel, Ferrel blankly stares at it. A few beers are scattered on the floor, he sips on a full one slowly.

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Ferrel watches the show on mute for a bit, but his eyes start glancing toward the bathroom door with the gold perimeter. His glances become more and more frequent until he quits watching the show entirely. FERRELL (to the bathroom door) Are you going to stay in there all day? Theres no answer. Ferrell turns back to the cooking show for a moment. He lights a cigarette, inhales deeply, and blows out a huge plume of smoke. FERRELL (CONTD) (yelling) Im smoking in the house! Ferrell lights up a second cigarette and smokes both of them. FERRELL (CONTD) Im smoking two cigarettes in the house! Ferrell waits for a response then gets up off the couch and walks to the bathroom door. INT. FERRELS BEDROOM, OUTSIDE OF THE BATHROOM DOOR. DAY. Ferrel stands in front of the door, smokes both cigarettes in each hand, and ashes on the floor. FERRELL Youre just gonna sit in there, huh? Theres no answer. FERRELL (CONTD) Alright, Im coming in. Just before he opens the door Laura speaks up from the other side of the door. LAURA I said Im fine. I just need space.

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FERRELL Why? Its not like were ever around each other. You make sure of that. LAURA Dont do this, Ferrell. Youre the one at work all the time. FERRELL Yea... so we can keep all this. (referring to their house) Youre selfish, ya know. You dont appreciate me. LAURA Whats there to appreciate? I feel like Im in jail. You want me to be this stay at home wife, look around, Im terrible at it. Ferrell looks around the room, theres empty glasses every where and dirty clothes on the floor. LAURA (CONTD) Youre better at it than I am. Ferrell lights another cigarette. FERRELL Well, why dont you leave? You can go anytime. LAURA Where, Ferrell? Youve made it so youre the only thing I can rely on. You pushed my friends away, made me choose between you and family. I got no where else. Ferrell pushes his head on the door and points his finger at it. FERRELL Well, maybe its finally time you found someplace to go. Lauras voice still comes from behind the bathroom door. LAURA What are you talking about. FERRELL Me and you.

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LAURA What about it. FERRELL Were both obviously unhappy. Lets just end it. Theres a beat. LAURA End it? FERRELL Yea. End it. Ferrell goes to the dirty clothes hamper, which is overflowing, and begins rigidly sorting clothes. FERRELL (CONTD) Theres just no point, ya know... doing this if youre unhappy. I dont know why it took this long, of what I did... LAURA (interrupting) You lied. Ferrell stops folding and looks at the door. LAURA (CONTD) You pretended to be something you werent. And by the time I saw it, it was 4 years down the road. Ferrell walks to the door. FERRELL I never lied. What do you mean? Explain. LAURA You pretended to be what I wanted. You wore the right clothes, drove the right car. But we had nothing in common, you were just an idea. FERRELL Alright! Finall! Its out! Ferrell goes to the closet, pulls out a girls suitcase, and begins packing Lauras clothes, he throws them in sloppy.

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LAURA What are you doing? FERRELL Packing your things. Laura sighs from the other side of the bathroom door. LAURA Ok. Neither speak while Ferrells packing. After he zips up the last of her clothes in the suit case he lights another cigarette and looks at the ember. FERRELL Ya know, you said smoke messed with your allergies. LAURA It does. FERRELL Well... anytime some dude offered you one at the bar you always suck on it... didnt ya? LAURA What are you trying to say? FERRELL Oh... I dont know. Just how you think I never noticed. LAURA Noticed what? FERRELL You think Im that naive? That I never had an idea of what was going on? LAURA No, I... FERRELL (interrupting) Late nights comin home...stinkin of booze and sweat. LAURA Ferrell I was...

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FERRELL (impersinating Laura) I was just hangin out with the girls. What girls? In 6 years I never met any of the girls. LAURA (tearing up) Ferrell, I told you, they were... FERRELL Feminists. And they hated men. Do you hear how ridiculous that sounds? Im not dumb, Ive known for years. Just admit it before you leave. LAURA Ok, Im sorry. Its somthing that just kind of started happening and... Im sorry. FERRELL Sure. Didnt care as long as I didnt know, right? LAURA I cared. I did. Hated myself for it. Im just lonely, Ferrell. Thats not an excuse... but its true. FERRELL I know Im not around much. LAURA Youre never around. Its me here alone. Constantly. FERRELL I just wanted us to be comfortable. LAURA I understand that. But you sacrificed us both to get it. LAURA (CONTD) Baby, I know. I know I was terrible to you, I was just so tired and worn out. I couldnt... I couldnt help it.

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FERRELL Tired? Tired of what? Of being with somebody that gave you every god damn thing you asked for. You didnt have to work, you never cleaned, you never cooked, you never did a single dish, you never did anything. You just sat there waitin for me to throw you money. LAURA Ferrel, think about what youre doing. Think about us. FERRELL Oh, I have been thinking, been thinking a long time. And finally, now, Ive got the nerve to tell you what I think. I cant believe it took this long. For 6 years Ive had to stare at your cold whore face. But not any more. I want freedom. Freedom from you and your negative stench. For too long I swallowed it, the same way you swallowed for all those men at the bars. LAURA (whimpering) Please dont do this. Please, Ferrel, I love you. I can make it better, Ill change. Your the best thing thats happened to me, I cant live without you. I need you, my soul needs you. Your my whole world, my everything. FERRELL Oh, dont beg for me now, now that you have no place to go... your a selfish bitch. (screaming) GOD IVE ALWAYS WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT! Ferrel lights another cigarette. Laura which is Ferrel, lays on the floor crying uncontrollably. Real Ferrel looks down at Laura obviously happy with what he is seeing. He lets her/him cry and beg a little longer till hes satisfied.

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FERRELL (CONTD) Stop crying. Stop it! STOP FUCKING CRYING! Theres nothing you can do. This is happening. Ferrel walks to the bathroom door and hesitates with his hand on the knob. FERRELL (CONTD) Laura. Its over, I want to break..

Ferrel opens the door but doesnt finish his sentence. Lauras body isnt seen but Ferrels face is. His gaze is blank and he doesnt blink. Then, very slow, Ferrels face begins to contort and his eyes well up with tears, he begins to SCREAM. FERRELL (CONTD) (frantic) Oh god, oh god, no please, god, no! Ferrel slams the door, gets his cell phone and dials 911. DISPATCH 911 emergency. FERRELL (crying hysterically) This is Ferrel Hillman... my girlfriend... she... shot herself... send somebody, please... my girl friends dead. FADE TO BLACK. END