Cumulonimbus (Excerpt)

By
Melissa Glidden

FADE IN
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
A thunderstorm pummels a cozy, suburban ranch house.
INT. HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT
A window, cracked open. The curtains billow gently in the
breeze.
The bedroom is dark. Classic rock posters are on the wall. A
guitar rests against a desk, where school supplies and
notebooks are scattered.
JAMES SANFORD, 13, shy, bright, and gangly in a white
t-shirt and pajama pants, sits cross-legged on the floor in
front of KATIE, also 13, pretty, in pajamas and a robe.
A flash of lightening.
The kids jump. Giggle.
The slow roll of distant thunder.
JAMES
Okay. Truth or dare.
KATIE
Truth.
JAMES
Have you ever ... kissed someone?
Katie laughs.
KATIE
Well, yeah. My mom.
JAMES
You know what I mean. Someone at
school.
KATIE
No. Not at our school.
JAMES
Well, who?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

2.
KATIE
That wasnt the question! You just
asked if Id ever kissed anyone.
JAMES
Okay, fine. Your turn.
KATIE
Okay. Truth or dare?
JAMES
Truth.

Another flash of lightening. The kids glance out the window.

Thunder rolls. They turn back to each other.
KATIE
Same question.
JAMES
Have I ever kissed anyone?
KATIE
Besides your mom.
James shakes his head no.
KATIE
Oh. Well ... you wanna change that?
James eyes widen. The kids look at each other.
JAMES
Um ... okay.
They close their eyes. He leans in. They press their lips
together tenderly, like a pair of kissing goldfish.
Thunder rolls outside.
The kids pull away, bashful.
And then, a few feet above James head, a glorious, white
hot light begins to swell.
A sun.
Katie gazes up into it. Its about the size of a beach ball.
She shields her eyes, but cant look away.
KATIE
Whoa.
James looks up into the light above him, wincing.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

3.
KATIE (CONTD)
Does ... does that happen a lot?

James blushes, goofy, embarrassed.

JAMES
No. Thats never happened.
KATIE
Oh.
The kids look at each other. Katie writhes awkwardly. She
wipes sweat off her forehead.
KATIE
Can you ... can you turn it off?
Its really hot.
JAMES
I dont ... I dont know.
Suddenly, from outside the bedroom door, a deep, boorish
cough.
The kids scramble at the sound, James jumping into bed and
Katie flying toward the cracked window, which she slides
open and shimmies out of. She looks back, shields her eyes.
KATIE
See you at school tomorrow.
She lands outside and scurries off.
James throws the covers over his body.
The orb of sunlight blazes above his head.
The bedroom door opens. VINCE, late 30s, militant,
disheveled, and groggy, steps in.
VINCE
What the hells going on in ...
The light socks him. He shields his eyes.
James watches his father react.
Vince collects himself, rubs his face, and lets out a long
sigh.
VINCE
Shit.
Vince squints at James. He purses his lips.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

4.

Seeing that the window is open, Vince walks over and slides
it shut, then walks back to the door. Before leaving, he
turns and looks at the sun orb.
VINCE
Go to sleep, James.
He walks out, shutting the door behind him.
James looks up at the orb once. Considers it.
He shrugs, snuggles back into his pillow.
Gently, he touches his lips.
He beams.
INT. MIDDLE SCHOOL - DAY
James stands at his locker in the halls of his middle
school, pulling a few books out and shoving them into his
backpack. He is happy, alight.
The sun-orb from the night before still glows, vibrant and
hot above him. Beads of sweat are on his forehead.
STUDENTS walk by, shielding their eyes from the sun, fanning
themselves, and rolling their sleeves up.
Katie and two of her GIRL FRIENDS walk past James on their
way to class. James sees them, and turns to greet Katie.
JAMES
Katie!
Katie and her girl friends stop. They wince at the orb.
KATIE
Yeah?
Her friends look up into the sun orb, then at each other,
and snicker.
JAMES
Oh, uh. Nothing. Just saying hi.
Katie raises an eyebrow. GIRL FRIEND 1 stares James down.
Shes catty. Proud of herself.
GIRL FRIEND 1
Freak.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

5.

Katies girl friends giggle and walk away. Katie gives James
one last look, a shrug, and follows her friends.
James face sinks.
The sun orb above James dims, dims, dims. Gray clouds form
above him, ominous and pillowy.
INT. HOUSE - FOYER - DAY
James enters his home, backpack draped over his drooping
shoulders. The gray cloud follows him in, settling a few
feet above his head.
He shuts the door behind him, and begins to head up the
stairs, but stops in his tracks at the sound of his parents
raised, angry voices coming from the kitchen.
RITA (O.S.)
He is not a freak, Vince.
VINCE (O.S.)
I didnt say that, Rita. I did not
say that.
RITA (O.S.)
Well, you may as well have.
James sits down on the stairs, leaning his ear in the
direction of the argument.
VINCE (O.S.)
Arent you the least bit concerned?
RITA (O.S.)
Why? Whats there to be concerned
about?
FATHER (O.S.)
Sun damage? Water damage? James
getting beat up, picked on?
RITA (O.S.)
Christs sake, Vince, your sisters
lived with the same condition for
most of her life and-VINCE (O.S.)
--yeah, and guess who stopped
getting invited to Thanksgivings,
Christmases, birthday parties.
Guess whos 40 and still not
married, no kids.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

6.

The little gray cloud above James starts to drizzle. He

looks up at it.
RITA (O.S.)
Well get through this. Okay? We
knew this might happen. Its
totally manageable. Umbrellas,
sunscreen. Theres even a support
group, over at First Methodist! We
can-VINCE (O.S.)
Hes going to have to keep his
emotions under control, Rita.
James looks down at his shirt, his backpack. Theyre getting
wet.
RITA (O.S.)
What, like yours? Just bottle them
up, like a real man?
VINCE (O.S.)
Here we go, lets make it about me.
Always comes back to me, the
heartless bastard.
Thunder rolls gently out of James gray little could. He
jumps, startled.
His parents voices grow hushed.
RITA (O.S.)
Jesus, Vince. Hes home. He
probably heard you.
James wipes rain drops off his face.
From the kitchen, RITA appears, late 30s, a warm, modern,
middle-class mother. She leans against the door frame, her
smile like a mask.
RITA
Hi, Jamesy! Will you come here? Dad
and I want to talk to you.
EXT. CHURCH - DAY
A suburban church. The sign out front reads:
FIRST METHODIST CHURCH
TOMORROWS FORECAST: GOD REIGNS

7.
INT. CHURCH - DAY
A dingy coffee maker drips on a small table beside a plate
of sorry-looking sugar cookies. A flyer taped to the wall
behind it reads:
METEOROLOGICAL SUPPORT GROUP
ALL AGES & SYSTEMS WELCOME
SATURDAYS, 11 A.M.
FREE SNACKS
UMBRELLAS NOT PROVIDED
The room is lackluster.
A very small, diverse group of PEOPLE, each with their own
weather system hovering above them, sit in cheap plastic
chairs, arranged in a circle, with a large sheet of plastic
beneath them.
Some group members don umbrellas. Some wear rain coats and
boots. Some hold hand-held fans up to their faces. One MAN,
40s, with a wispy white cloud above him, wears a wet suit
with flip-flops.
James, with his soft, fluffy white cloud, sits quietly
beside ETHAN, mid-30s, a burnt-out working man in an undone
white dress shirt. Ethan sits under an open umbrella while a
storm rages above him. He is lost in thought.
Across the room, snow falls over MIKE, 17, a lascivious
dudebro bundled up in a sweater, scarf, and gloves. He
scoots his chair closer to warm, sunny KENDRA, early 20s, in
a tank-top and jeans, until theyre shoulder-to-shoulder.
Kendra scoots her chair a few inches away from him. Her sun
orb glides along with her.
MIKE
Oh, come on.
Kendra rolls her eyes. A gentle gust of wind moves her
bangs.
The group leader, KEVIN, late 30s, a lovable, camp-counselor
type, frowns. A sun orb hovers above his head, with a soft,
misty cloud in front of it.
Kendra crosses her arms.
KENDRA
(to Kevin)
Isnt this what I was just talking
about?

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

8.

KEVIN
Were listening, Kendra. Mike, what
was Kendra saying?
Mike grunts, pulls his sweater tighter.
MIKE
I didnt do anything wrong!
KENDRA
Im just sick of these guys, only
after one thing.
KEVIN
Warmth?
Kendra throws her arms up.
KENDRA
Yes! Im not a space-heater.
(to Mike)
Im a person.
A gust of wind moves Kendras hair again.
KEVIN
Thats right, Kendra. You are a
person. Everyone?
The group recites in unison.
GROUP
You are a person.
Kendra settles down. Crosses her legs.
KENDRA
Thank you.
Mike writhes in his seat. He glares at JOLENE, late 30s, in
rain boots and a colorful, hippie kimono. Rain spits from
the heavy gray cloud above her. Shes soaking wet.
MIKE
Will someone please give Jolene
here an umbrella?
Jolene jerks upward.
JOLENE
No! Thats bad luck.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

9.

MIKE
Seriously?
Kevin chides Mike gently.
KEVIN
Mike, were all allowed to live and
cope in whatever way feels right,
and most comfortable to us.
(to Jolene)
Granted, there is no scientific
evidence to support the notion that
opening an umbrella indoors will
bring about ... bad luck.
Kevin waits, inviting Jolene to respond. Jolene snorts.
KEVIN (CONTD)
Okay! Moving on.
Kevin turns to Ethan. He is still daydreaming, slouching.
KEVIN (CONTD)
Ethan? Is everything okay?
Ethan returns to Earth.
ETHAN
What? Me?
KEVIN
Yes. I think were all a little
concerned about you.
Mike is trying to catch snowflakes with his tounge.
Kendra texts on her phone.
Jolene is staring off into space while braiding her wet
hair.
James body is tense.
Ethan sits upright. Clears his throat.
ETHAN
Im okay.
Kevin cocks his head, looks at Ethans storm, and back at
Ethan.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

10.

ETHAN (CONTD)
What? Im fine. Honestly.
KEVIN
Three weeks, Ethan. Same storm,
every week. Are you sure theres
nothing you want to talk about?
Ethan sighs.
ETHAN
Yes. Im sure. Im fine.
Everythings great. I already told
you, Im just here because I
promised my wife Id come, okay?
Im fine.
Thunder rolls above Ethan.
ETHAN (CONTD)
Im probably just tired.
Kevin raises an eyebrow.
ETHAN (CONTD)
I said Im fine, good Christ.
KEVIN
Fair enough. On that note, Ethan,
can you please remind the group of
the three most common, and most
dangerous meteorological symptoms
of severe emotional repression?
Ethan sighs.
ETHAN
Cyclones, blizzards, floods.
KEVIN
Great! Very good.
Ethan shifts his umbrella from one tired hand to the other,
and nods toward James.
ETHAN
Why dont you talk to the new kid?
Kevin nods.
KEVIN
Certainly. Thank you, Ethan.
(to the group)
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

11.

KEVIN (contd)
Well, everyone, this is James.
GROUP
Hi, James.
James waves, shyly.
JAMES
Hi.
KEVIN
James, is there anything on your
mind? Any questions?
James looks around the room, at the diversity of the
members.
JAMES
Um, I guess ... how have I not
noticed more of you around town?
Kevin leans back in his seat.
KEVIN
Good question, James. You know,
this is a really rare, complicated
condition. Lends itself to a lot of
isolation. But thats something we
seek to change here. Right? Getting
together. Sharing experiences.
Mike leans toward Kendra and whispers.
MIKE
I got some experiences Id like to
share.
Kendra gags.
James points at Mike.
JAMES
Why is he snowing?
KEVIN
Who, Mike?
Mike chortles.
MIKE
Im cool, kid.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

12.

KENDRA
Oh, please.
KEVIN
Believe it or not, snow is actually
an indicator of a deeply sensitive,
passionate temperament.
Kendra laughs, hard.
KEVIN (CONTD)
On average, anyway. Theres still a
lot we dont know. The systems ...
theyre as complex as the people
theyre attached to.
JAMES
So, sun isnt always happy, and
rain isnt always sad?
KEVIN
Right. And onset of the
condition isnt always at puberty.
Kevin gestures to Jolene.
KEVIN
Jolenes here just showed up about
six months ago.
(to Jolene)
Isnt that right?
JOLENE
Right after my pet rat, Mister
Moose died.
KEVIN
(to James)
Right after Mister Moose died.
Mike and Kendra laugh. Kevin shoots them a look.
KEVIN (CONTD)
On the bright side-Ethan actually cracks a smile.
ETHAN
--pun intended?
Kevin smiles, humoring Ethan.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

13.

KEVIN
On the bright side, theres an
almost 100% survival rate!
JAMES
Almost?
MIKE
Lightening.
James looks over at Ethan, whose storm cloud flickers.
KEVIN
Now, hold on. Death by lightening
is extremely rare, and in every
case the patient has either been
suffering from severe, accute
mental illness, or there was some
other extraordinary circumstance.
(to Mike)
Dont get our new friend here
worked up.
James frowns.
JAMES
But what if youre feeling
something ... sad, angry ... and
you dont want anyone to know?
Kevin smiles, leans forward on his knees.
KEVIN
Its important for people like us
to get comfortable with being
honest.
Mike, who has pulled his gloves off and put them over his
ears, huffs.
MIKE
Im honestly bored.
Kevin looks at Mike, pitifully.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
James, now 16, sits leaning up against an autumn tree
outside his high school reading Moby Dick, a soft white
cloud above his head.
He peers over the book.
(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

14.

Several yards away, HANNAH, 16, with thick-rimmed glasses

and a knock-out smile, stands chatting with a small group of
FRIENDS, all in sweaters and scarves.
Hannah notices James gazing at her. She smiles at him, then
turns to say goodbye to her friends, and walks toward him.
Her arms are crossed in front of her to shield her from the
autumn chill.
James quickly looks back at his book.
HANNAH
James?
James looks up, feigning surprise.
JAMES
Oh, hey. Hannah. I didnt ... I was
just ...
HANNAH
Did you already finish reading the
chapters in that for tomorrow?
JAMES
Oh, yeah. Im about half-way
through.
Hannah plops down beside him.
HANNAH
Care to brief me? Im crazy lost
and Ive got rehearsals tonight,
for drama. Theres no way Im going
to be able to catch up.
The clouds begin clearing above James head. The sun swells
to life.
Hannah looks up at it. She blushes.
JAMES
Sorry.
HANNAH
No! Its fine. No big deal.
Whatever.
She pushes her sweater sleeves up, unfurls the scarf from
around her neck, and begins putting her hair up into a
ponytail.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED:

15.

HANNAH
Its nice. I mean, I was cold, so
thats nice.
James blushes.