Sacrilege

by
Ben Syme

(Final Draft)

Black. Trippy, psychedelic music begins playing. It gets louder and louder
until an abrupt cut to:
Ext. Church- Dawn.
Silence. It's a modest church, surrounded by trees. The sound of birds
chirping, leaves rustling. The sounds of the natural world get louder and
louder.
Insert cut: a vodka bottle smashing on a wall.
The sounds turn into something haunting, distorted.
Insert cut: a joint being stubbed out in a book.
The psychedelic music starts playing again, mixing with the distorted
sound of birds and leaves. Slowly close in on: the church doors...
CUT TO:
Int. Church Sanctuary.
All sound has stopped. The sanctuary is in a state of disarray.
Moving closer over details: rows of pews have been knocked, cushions
cover the floor, a lectern lays scuffed on the floor, small red books have
been thrown around, a table's been tipped, and silverware's scattered
everywhere. A vodka bottle's smashed by the main doors.
Now, close in on: a motionless teenage girl lays at the altar. Her trousers
are pulled down around her knees. Her body's wrapped in a large white
cloth, with yellow staining. Her make-up's smeared. She looks
traumatised.
Pulling backthree stained glass windows, letting in beams of light.
Time lapse photography: time travels backwards. The mess in the church
sanctuary fades, everything in it's place. The sun beams sweep around
the room, then are replaced with darkness.
NowCUT TO:
Int. Church Backroom- Night.
Still. Then- SMASH! Through the small window, part of a headstone. An
arm knocks the rest of the window through. A teenage boy with a

messenger bag climbs through, turns, and helps pull someone else
through: the teenage girl, fully clothed, cautious but not traumatised. Yet.
She breaks the silence:
ALEX
What was the name?..................
HARVEY
What?...............................
ALEX
On the headstone, what was the name?
HARVEY
Fuck knows, Babe....................
Harvey walks to a small door, and slams into it. It swings open, into:
CUT TO:
Int. Church Sanctuary.
Now close in on: Harvey's face. Grinning, eyes red. He walks in. Alex
reluctantly stumbles after him, swaying.
ALEX
Why are we here?...................
HARVEY
'Cause we can be....................
ALEX
That's not really a reason..........
HARVEY
Reason enough.......................
He kicks the front row of pews, knocking subsequent rows out of place.
Alex flinches. He laughs.
HARVEY (cont'd)

Look at this shit hole- it's .......

Babe.............

perfect! All ours,

Now close in on- Alex's face. She's drunk. She stares upwards, at:
The church doors. Slowly close in on: a golden crucifix above the door
frame.
Harvey holds the back of Alex's neck, and rests her head on his chest. He
kisses her head. He's high.
ALEX
We shouldn't be here-..............
HARVEY
Babe, you need to loosen the fuck...
fuck up.............

up, or shut the

He pushes her away, and turns towards the table at the altar. Alex crosses
her arms.
The table is covered by a white cloth and silverware. Harvey rips the cloth
of, the silverware falling to the floor. He sits on the cloth, and indicates for
Alex to sit next to him. She does.
Harvey pulls her hair. Close in on: his mouth talking in her ear.
HARVEY
(sotto).............................
Unfold your arms- and stop..........
You look like you..

fucking pouting.
sat on a lemon, Babe................

Hold on Alex, shallow focus on her. Harvey lets her go. In the background
we see Harvey retrieving vodka from his bag. He forces it between Alex's
crossed legs.
HARVEY
There's your piss. Loosen up........
ALEX
Thanks..............................

Alex gulps it down, while Harvey takes smoking paraphernalia out of his
bag. Now closer over the details: papers, grinders, lighters, a tin
containing cannabis.
HARVEY
Speaking of piss, I'm bursting......
ALEX
Go for one, then....................
HARVEY
It's not as simple as that, is it,..
chain..........

Babe. I'll break the

Close in on: Harvey's now holding the roach with his lips, then begins
grinding some of the cannabis.
ALEX
Aren't people going to wonder where
are?............................

we

He ignores her.
ALEX (cont'd)
I mean, it's your party. But you're.
we tell someone

not there. Shouldn't

where we are?.......................

There's a pause. Harvey doesn't respond. Alex takes another gulp of

vodka. Slowly close in on: her pocket, trying to find her phone. When she
pulls it out, Harvey's hand appears in shot and grabs it from her.
Hold on Harvey, holding the phone. Alex fumbles about for a lighter, and
lights his joint. Pause. Silence broken by:
HARVEY
Why are you so desperate to go on...
phone?.........................
ALEX
What do you-........................
HARVEY

your

Why are you so desperate to go on...

phone?.........................

your

ALEX
I'm not. I just thought maybe we....
where we-.........

should tell people

HARVEY
Right, right. No other guy is.......
right................

expecting you,

ALEX
Harvey-.............................
Harvey lets go of her hand. Close one the bruising.
HARVEY
Tell. Me. The truth. Tell me why you
are so desperate to
go on your......
phone. And if so much as one word...
of a lie comes out of that whore....
mouth of
yours-.....................
Alex takes another gulp of vodka, then Harvey yanks the bottle and hurls
it across the room. Now close in on: the wall the bottle smashes against.
HARVEY (cont'd)
I'm talking!........................
Now, tight framingAlex shaking. Harvey leaning in close, takes hold of half of her face in one
hand, the joint still in his mouth. Smoke fills the shot.
HARVEY

(sotto).............................

You will listen to me for a change,

God... Tell me. Right
truth, that's all I want to hear,..
you Babe..

or so help me
now. Right now, just tell me the...
that's all I'm saying to
Tell me the truth-.................

ALEX
I am!..............................
Pause.

HARVEY
Babe. I am talking. And when I am...
Answer me, Babe,

talking, you are..?

you are, you are what?..............

ALEX
Quiet..............................
HARVEY
Quiet, that's right! Now, tell me,.
stupid?............

Babe- do I look

ALEX
What?..............................
HARVEY
It's a simple enough question. Do I
no?............

look stupid, yes or

ALEX
No...;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
HARVEY
No, good! Now- do I sound stupid?..
Huh?...............................
ALEX
No. You don't, no..................
HARVEY
All correct so far, you're doing...
well Babe! Now, tell
me, am I- and I
genuinely want to know- stupid? You.
know, retarded?.....................
ALEX
No...;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
HARVEY
No?;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
ALEX

No!................................
HARVEY
Full house! Now, then, I'm well and.
truly stumped. I
don't look stupid..
I don't sound stupid. We both
agreeI'm not stupid. So, I just don't....
know how you think you can get away.
with lying
through your teeth to me.
Now tell me- what guys are you
.to?;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

talking

ALEX
... Nobody. I'm honestly not-.......
Close in on: Harvey shoves Alex's phone into her mouth. Next, close in on:
a small prayer book on the floor. Harvey picks it up, opens it, and stubs his
joint out in it. He tosses it across the room.
Then, he pulls Alex's face towards him by her hair to smear her make-up.
HARVEY
Who's this for? It's not for me,...
whore!......................

is it-

He lets go and smacks Alex across her face. Hold on Alex, holding her face
in shock. Shallow focus on Alex in the foreground again, with Harvey
vandalising the place in the blurred background. Alex cries.
HARVEY
Shit, Babe, I'm sorry! I didn't mean
to make you cry- it's
just I don't..
want there being any secrets between
us!.................................
He wraps his arms around her. Harvey's calmer, but his emotions seem
false.
HARVEY
I've been treated badly in the pastyou know this! Aw,
don't get upset,
Babe! You know this isn't me, I'm...
not like this. It's that green shit,
too! Smoking that
doesn't help. It's
just been a long day!...............
Tightly framed again. He burrows his head into her neck.

HARVEY
(sotto).............................
I'm so sorry.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
He kisses her neck, moves his hands down her back, and squeezes her
HARVEY (cont'd)
(sotto).............................
I just love you so much............
ALEX (sotto)
No... Harvey, no... Harvey, stop-..
Harvey pins Alex down.
ALEX (cont'd)
Harvey..!..........................
Now: cutting from detail to detailAlex's legs tangling in the cloth, Harvey undoing his trousers, Alex's hands
trying to push him away, Harvey pulling her jeans down. Alex stops
struggling. Then, the shot is stationary. Close in on: Alex's face.
CUT TO:
Ext. Church- Nearing Dawn.
CUT TO:
Int. Church Sanctuary.
Now, close in on: Alex lays motionless at the altar. Her trousers are pulled
down around her knees. Her body's still wrapped in the large white cloth,
with urine stains. Her make-up's smeared. She's traumatised.
Pulling backHarvey is packing his items back in his bag, and going through Alex's
phone. He stands.
HARVEY
Babe. Come on.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
ALEX (sotto)

Babe... After what you did to me,..

call me 'Babe'...;

you don't get to

That's not how it works.;;;;;;;;;;;;

Tight framing- Harvey undoes his flies, and starts urinating over her and
the cloth. Alex closes her eyes. He shakes dry, zips up, and exits via the
backroom door. He calls back from the doorway:
HARVEY
That's exactly how it works, Babe.;;
Through the windows, the sun rises- it's dawn.
Alex stands. She unwraps the urine-stained cloth from around her. She
slips out of her jeans and tor knickers.
Now, tracking along the floor as she walks towards the main church doors,
and looks up at:
P.o.v. shot of the crucifix. Hold on the crucifix, and turn towards the alter.
From this angle, the cross looks upside-down.
Now, no longer p.o.v. as Alex walks back through theCUT TO:
Int. Church Backroom.
Alex hauls herself up on the window ledge, then climbs out the other side.
Fade out.
Credits.
End.