Souled

an original screenplay by
Eric Vanderpool
Eric Vanderpool
17 Falkland Ave
Pooler GA, 31322
912.398.8092
evande21@student.scad.edu
FADE IN:
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
GREG, an attractive man in his late fifties, sits on a couch.
He stares at his own hands, deep in thought.
SATAN, a bug-eyed man with questionable charm, sits nearby.
He has the aura of Steve Buscemi. Wearing an eager expression
and staring open-mouthed at Greg, his eyes dart over him
several times.
SATAN
I know it's a lot to ask. But, maybe
for the sake of old times?
Greg rolls his tongue in his cheek, swallows, and looks up
at Satan.
GREG
You... want my daughter?
Satan leans back. He breaths in and out, slowly.
SATAN
I'm not asking for you to give her
to me. I just want a date.
Greg looks over him skeptically.
GREG
A date?
SATAN
A dinner.
Greg shakes his head.
GREG
She's sixteen.
Satan grows worried.
SATAN
Don't think of it like that. Look.
I just really need your help. I've
never been good with the ladies.
Greg lets out a quick harsh laugh.
GREG
And what do I get out of this?
SATAN
Umm...
2.
Satan looks around the room for a moment. His eyes light up
with excitement.
SATAN (CONT'D)
I grant you...
Satan flicks his fingers in Greg's direction.
SATAN (CONT'D)
Eternal happiness.
Greg shakes his head.
SATAN (CONT'D)
(flustered)
No?
GREG
No. Give back my soul.
Satan smiles and looks at Greg with obvious disbelief.
SATAN
Your soul?
Greg grows quite stern.
GREG
Satan. It's the least you could do.
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Satan stares straight ahead, an odd smirk and wide-eyes
distorting his face.
SARAH, Greg's daughter, sits across from him. Just 16, she
is a standard American teenager. She's really pretty, but
doesn't come across as cliquey; she's gorgeous, but average.
Over her shoulder, a man sits alone at a table. He is
obscured by a newspaper.
Sarah, looking uncomfortable, nods slightly in hopes of
invoking conversation.
Satan continues staring, not shifting whatsoever.
Sarah lifts up her glass of cola, takes a long sip, sets it
down, and clears her throat.
SARAH
So...
Satan remains staring. Sarah shifts her gaze for a moment.
3.
SARAH (CONT'D)
What do you do?
Satan blinks and rejoins reality.
SATAN
Oh. Uh... I'm the Lord of the
Underworld.
Over Sarah's shoulder, the man pulls down the newspaper and
Greg is revealed. He shakes his head at Satan before covering
his face once more.
Satan sees this, but tries to continue on.
Sarah's lips curl in and she nods, obviously thinking Satan
a total geek.
SARAH
Cool...
Satan smiles at Sarah and winks without subtlety.
SARAH (CONT'D)
You know I'm still in high school,
right?
Satan's smile grows and he shrugs.
SATAN
You could be in grade school for all
I care.
Losing all subtlety, Greg drops the newspaper. His face
shows complete disbelief.
Sarah has a difficult time swallowing this and she looks
around the restaurant, avoiding eye-contact with Satan.
Satan tries to signal Greg but stops when Sarah faces him
once more.
SATAN (CONT'D)
I'm sorry. I know this is probably
a bit weird for you.
Sarah nods slowly.
SARAH
Yeah, I usually don't date my dad's
friends.
Satan smiles kindly.
4.
SATAN
Then stop thinking of me as his
friend.
Sarah forces a weak smile.
SARAH
I can try.
Satan nods reassuringly.
SATAN
Think of me more as... his brother:
an uncle.
Sarah's jaw drops and she waits for a moment. She is
obviously confused.
SARAH
You're... joking?
SATAN
(serious)
Are uncles not cool anymore?
SARAH
You're a... and no offense. You're
a creep.
Satan hops to his feet, shaking the table horribly.
SATAN
Er... Restroom. I'll be right back.
Sarah nods and says nothing. As Satan walks away he taps
his nose and Greg gets up to follow him.
INT. RESTAURANT BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
Satan stands across from Greg next to the sinks in the men's
room, sweating and visibly shaken.
SATAN
She doesn't like me, Greg. That's
what's wrong.
Greg rubs his eyes with one hand and doesn't respond.
SATAN (CONT'D)
I need your help.
Satan's frustration grows.
5.
SATAN (CONT'D)
It's just, every time I try to do
something right I end up making a
big old fool of myself. I... I
thought this would be easy.
Greg looks up at Satan.
GREG
Look. You're the devil.
Satan turns around and looks into a mirror.
SATAN
Well, I certainly don't feel like it
right about now.
As Satan looks himself over with saddened eyes, Greg
approaches. He places his hand on Satan's shoulder.
GREG
You can do this. Just stop being so
damn weird. Ask her some questions
and don't...
Greg does a gesture with his hand as if groping for the words.
GREG (CONT'D)
Just don't talk about you. Okay?
INT. RESTAURANT - NIGHT
Satan sits back down in his seat, spreading a napkin on his
lap.
Sarah looks up, visibly bored. Greg takes a seat at the
table behind her, lifting the newspaper over his face.
Food now sits on the table.
SARAH
The food came.
Satan smiles weakly.
SATAN
I saw.
Sarah looks down at her plate, grabs her fork, and starts
digging in.
Satan looks at her with worried eyes, ignoring the raw piece
of meat in front of him.
6.
SATAN (CONT'D)
Ummmmm...
Sarah looks up, chewing. Satan swallows.
SATAN (CONT'D)
Uh...
The lights flicker within the restaurant.
Sarah swallows and looks at him with a blank expression.
Satan stands and nods, indiscreetly tapping his nose. He
walks away quickly.
Sarah is obviously confused by the gesture.
INT. RESTAURANT BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
GREG
What. Are. You. Doing?
Satan pulls at his hair.
SATAN
I just... can't. Okay? I can't.
She looks at me all pretty and I
just can't do it.
Greg shakes his head and pulls out a pen.
GREG
God damn it.
Greg gestures to Satan's hand. Satan lifts it and Greg pulls
it forward. He writes for a moment and Satan frowns at
himself in the mirror.
Greg lets go and Satan reads.
GREG (CONT'D)
Ask these. Don't alter them. Go.
INT. RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS
Satan sits down at the table. Sarah is quite far into her
meal.
SATAN
Sorry about that.
Sarah shakes her head and doesn't look at him.
SARAH
It's no problem.
7.
Satan breaths deeply, staring at her for a moment. She looks
up at him.
He diverts his eyes to his hand before speaking.
SATAN
(somewhat robotlike)
How is your food?
Sarah nods and smiles.
SARAH
Really good, actually. I've never
been here before.
Satan nods.
SATAN
Oh.
He looks to his hand.
SATAN (CONT'D)
What do you do outside of school?
Sarah looks longingly to her food but decides to focus on
conversation for the time being.
SARAH
I used to play sports. Tennis mostly.
It got too competitive, you know?
Satan nods. Greg lowers his newspaper and gestures for Satan
to keep going.
SATAN
I love tennis. I used to play with
Legion all the time.
Greg looks extremely annoyed and yanks the newspaper back to
his face.
Sarah nods, not really catching what Satan's meaning.
Satan looks to his hand again.
SATAN (CONT'D)
And, uh... what do you want to do
after you graduate?
Sarah drops her shoulders, looking slightly displeased.
SARAH
Uh... I mean, I don't know.
8.
SATAN
You don't know?
Sarah shakes her head.
SARAH
It's just... I'm expected to go to
college, you know? And my dad is
set on me going to Kent.
Satan nods slowly.
SATAN
But you don't want to?
Greg drops his newspaper with a look of interest.
SARAH
Not really. I kind of want to travel
for now. Maybe go on a mission trip
to some other country.
Satan looks confused.
SATAN
Mission trip? What's that?
Sarah laughs and smiles.
SARAH
A mission trip? You know. Like,
with my youth group?
Satan shakes his head, not understanding.
SARAH (CONT'D)
It's a church thing.
Satan's eyes widen.
INT. RESTAURANT BATHROOM - CONTINUOUS
SATAN
(angry)
Church group?
Greg stares silently.
SATAN (CONT'D)
Church. Group. You sold your soul
to the devil but still raised your
daughter a Christian?
Greg thinks this over and nods.
9.
GREG
I guess it is fairly ironic.
Satan grows in anger.
SATAN
No! It's plain stupid. I can't--
Satan grabs his head and covers his eyes, taking a second to
cool down.
His anger slowly turns to a heavy breathing.
Greg stares with worry in his eyes.
GREG
Uh... Satan?
Satan's breathing slows and he becomes silent.
Several moments pass as Greg waits, unnerved.
Satan begins whimpering softly.
GREG (CONT'D)
Satan. Are you, uh...?
SATAN
Just... go away.
Satan is crying.
Greg begins to move, but stays. He is obviously uncertain
of what to do.
GREG
I'm sorry. I guess I really didn't
think about it.
Satan lowers his hands and looks at Greg with teary eyes.
SATAN
I loved her.
Unsure of how to respond, Greg licks his lips and looks at
Satan for a few moments.
GREG
Okay.
Satan walks over to the bathroom wall and crumples down.
Greg follows, sitting next to him.
10.
A man walks in the bathroom and see the two. He nods slightly
and Greg nods as Satan continues to cry. The man enters a
stall.
GREG (CONT'D)
Look. I really don't think she's
the one for you.
Satan broods, not responding.
GREG (CONT'D)
And I'm not just saying that because
she's my daughter. You've got a lot
of years on her.
Satan looks up at Greg.
GREG (CONT'D)
You need someone who's more on your
level.
Satan wipes up his tears and looks up at Greg.
SATAN
I've been alone for so long.
Greg looks down at his feet. The statement hit him on a
personal level.
GREG
I know... I know.
SATAN
At least you have a daughter.
Greg looks back up and smiles weakly.
GREG
You have Legion, right?
Satan shakes his head.
SATAN
Legion's an ass.
A few moments pass and both men laugh. Their laughter fades
into quiet contemplation.
SATAN (CONT'D)
Can I tell you something, Greg?
GREG
Of course.
Satan breaths in deeply before speaking.
11.
SATAN
I've been doing this whole "Lord of
the Underworld" thing since before I
was Hades.
Greg nods.
SATAN (CONT'D)
If I don't find someone to share
hell with soon, I plan on stepping
down.
GREG
Nah. Don't talk like that, Satan.
Satan places a hand on Greg's shoulder.
SATAN
Now, now. Hear me out. I know it's
a lot to stomach. But I just can't
face the rest of eternity alone.
Greg sits for several seconds, thinking this over.
Pause.
He slowly nods and looks back up at Satan.
GREG
I know this is a stretch. But, have
you considered online dating?
Satan squints.
SATAN
On Line? What is "On Line"?
Greg laughs.
GREG
Online? The internet?
Satan shakes his head.
GREG (CONT'D)
You just... go to a computer, find a
good dating site and tell it a little
bit about yourself.
Satan chuckles and shakes his head.
SATAN
You're a good friend, Greg. But I
don't want to date a computer.
12.
A big smile forms on Greg's face.
GREG
Not at all! They match you up with
real people from all over. People
just like you.
Satan's eyes grow wide as he contemplates this.
SATAN
This... This is real love?
Greg places a hand on Satan's shoulder.
GREG
It's as real as you or me.
A smile slowly forms on Satan's reddened face.
INT. RESTAURANT - CONTINUOUS
The two men walk out into the restaurant. From afar, they
can plainly see by the empty table that Sarah has left her
date.
The two men walk over to the abandoned table and sit down
across from one another.
Satan looks at his untouched meat.
GREG
So, you're gonna okay?
Satan nods.
GREG (CONT'D)
And, I don't mean to push this right
now... but I do still get my soul
back, right?
Satan laughs.
SATAN
Of course. But you will still visit,
won't you?
GREG
As often as I can manage.
Greg smiles and Satan digs into his meat at last.
FADE OUT.