Screenplay

Fade in.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - AFTERNOON

Adrian(12, a content and untroubled pre-teen) is at the park
with his younger sister Lily (8, happy and excitable). Lily
has a STRING BRACELET on her wrist. He is pushing her on the
swing, when his phone goes off. He walks over to a park
bench and sits down, reading his messages. As Adrian
continues to play on his phone, time passes quickly and the
sun starts to go down.
ADRIAN
(distractedly)
Lily... I wanna go home now.

Several seconds pass and there is no reply.

ADRIAN (CONT’D)
(louder)
Lily...

There is still no reply. Adrian looks up from his phone. As

he glances around the playground, Lily is no where to be
seen.
ADRIAN (CONT’D)
(shouting)
Lily!
He breaks into a frantic run, peering into the slides and
looking underneath climbing frames. As he approaches the
swings, he sees no trace of Lily, as it rocks slightly in
the wind. He looks around, wide-eyed, before sinking to the
ground, looking down at the string bracelet lying on the
ground.

EXT. PLAYGROUND - EVENING

Adrian is sitting on a bench, an empty look in his eyes.

There are adults standing around him, but he is unable to
look at any of them. A siren can be heard in the distance.

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Adrian (early 20’s, jaded) is looking through the shelves at
an antique bookstore. He pulls out a BOOK, and reads the
back, before heading over to the counter to buy it. He takes
out his wallet, and as he opens it we see a STRING BRACELET
resting in one of the pockets. The STORE OWNER looks at the

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

title of the book, before scanning it. Adrian turns and

begins to leave the store.
STORE OWNER
Good choice...

Adrian turns back, looking at the store owner curiously, and

offers a small smile before leaving the store.

INT. ADRIAN’S CAR - DAY

Adrian reaches for the book and opens it to the first page.
There is a BUSINESS CARD resting inside the book with an
ADDRESS printed on it. He stares at the paper for several
moments, reading the information on it, before looking out
the window, conflicted.

EXT. FRONT OF BUILDING

Adrian stands in front of a clean, professional looking
building, holding the business card in his hands. As he
approaches, his eyes are drawn to several people leaving the
building, each holding a small, white BOX tied with a piece
of string.

INT. ADRIAN’S APARTMENT - EVENING

Adrian is sitting on the couch, staring at the small, white

box in his lap. He slowly unties the string holding it
together, revealing a SMALL PILL. He reaches for the box,
indecisive. He looks across the room and sees a PICTURE
FRAME, with a picture of him and Lily. He reaches for the
pill purposefully and takes it with a glass of water, before
slumping over, unconcious.

EXT. PARK - AFTERNOON

Adrian (12) is standing by the park bench, phone in hand.

His eyes are wide as he looks around. He runs over to the
swings, and lets out a sigh of relief when he sees Lily (8)
still on the swing. He grabs her hand and walks her
hurriedly away, looking around, paranoid.
 3.

INT. CAR - EVENING

Adrian and Lily are sitting in the back seat of the car,
their MUM and DAD in the front seats. Adrian looks over at
Lily in disbelief, eyes wide. She turns around and sees him
staring, then pulls a face, sticking her tongue out at him.
He turns away toward the window, embarrased, and attempts to
hide a small smile.

INT. FAMILY HOME - EVENING

Lily (10) is sitting at the head of the dining room table, a

cake with several lit candles in it sitting in front of her.
Adrian (14) and both of their parents are sitting at the
same end of the table, as they sing happy birthday. Lily,
looks down at the cake, beaming, before blowing out all of
the candles in one breath.

INT. FAMILY HOME - MORNING

Adrian yanks on his uniform socks, then races to his bedroom
door. He pauses in the doorframe, looking over to Lily’s
room to see her standing in the same position. They exchange
a competitive glance before both dashing toward the
bathroom. Lily reaches it first, and slams the door in his
face. Her laughter can be heard through the door.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

Adrian and Lily are running across a field as their DOG
chases after them. They sit down on the grass, tired but
laughing. Adrian takes a tennis ball out of his pocket and
throws it, the dog chasing after it. They begin to talk,
lying on the grass as time passes by.

INT. FAMILY HOME - DAY

Adrian (19) is sitting on the couch, reading a book. Lily

(15) is asking him a question, but he doesn’t reply. Lily
begins to get more and more frustrated, finally storming
into her room and slamming the door. Adrian rolls his eyes
and keeps reading the book.
 4.

INT. FAMILY HOME - DAY

Adrian is standing on the doorstep with several bags and
suitcases. He hugs his parents goodbye, then briefly looks
behind them to see if Lily is there to see him off, but she
isn’t there. He turns around and goes through the front
door.

INT. ADRIAN’S APARTMENT - DAY

Adrian opens his door and Lily is standing there in front of
him, eyes wet.
LILY
(silent)
I’m sorry.

EXT. FIELD - EVENING

Adrian and Lily are lying on the field, talking. Their dog
lies next to them.

INT. BOOKSTORE - DAY

Adrian (20) is browsing through the bookstore, Lily (16)

standing next to him, playing with the STRING BRACELET on
her wrist. He pulls out a BOOK and reads the back. He
reaches the counter, and pulls out his wallet to pay, but
then notices a STRING BRACELET tucked into a pocket, nearly
hidden from sight. He pulls it out, then looks to the same
bracelet on his sister’s wrist, confused and visibly shaken.
He looks directly ahead.
ADRIAN
(quietly)
This isn’t real.
Adrian reaches out to grab Lily by the shoulders as she
looks at him, concerned. Lily opens her mouth to speak, but
before she can say anything, she suddenly disappears,
Adrian’s hands grasping nothing but air. His eyes well up
with tears. He runs out of the shop.

EXT. FIELD - EVENING

Adrian (20) runs toward Lily, who is standing on the other
side of the field. She looks toward him as he sprints, a
hopeful expression on her face. As he gets closer the
distance between them doesn’t seem to get any smaller. He
stops, panting for breath.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

ADRIAN
This wasn’t meant to happen...
He starts running again, but just as he reaches her, she
disappears again. He looks down at the STRING BRACELET
clenched in his fist.

INT. ADRIAN’S APARTMENT - DAY

Adrian (20) is standing at his front door, staring at the
STRING BRACELET in his hand. He looks up to see Lily (15) at
the front door, tears in her eyes. His eyes widen and he
reaches for her to pull her into a hug, only to stumble as
she disappears yet again.

INT. FAMILY HOME - DAY

Adrian (20) drops the book he suddenly has in his hands and
jumps off the couch, running after Lily (15) as she storms
away. She slams her bedroom door in his face. Adrian yanks
it open, but her room is empty. He sinks to the ground.

EXT. FIELD - DAY

Adrian (20) is sitting on the field, when he looks over to
see Lily (10) sitting only metres away, playing with their
family dog. She looks over at him, happy and oblivious. He
offers a small smile before holding the STRING BRACELET out
to her. Lily looks at it strangely, staring, before looking
back up at Adrian. The smile drops from his face as she
disappears. He sits on the field for a moment longer and
closes his eyes, acceptant.

INT. FAMILY HOME - EVENING

Adrian (20) sits at the dining room table alone, staring at
the empty space at the head where Lily once sat. The still
intact birthday cake is sitting on the table, candles
extinguished, the remnants of the Happy Birthday song still
ringing in his ears.

INT. CAR - DAY

Adrian (20) is sitting in the car, his parents in the front.
He catches a glimpse of Lily (8) out of the corner of his
eye, but when he looks around, she isn’t there. He slumps
into the seat and closes his eyes.
 6.

EXT. PARK - DAY

Adrian (20) is sitting on a park bench. He suddenly spots
himself (12) standing next to the swing set, looking at
something on the ground. He begins to walk towards himself,
and sees what his younger self was looking at- the string
bracelet, laying limply on the ground. He comes up behind
himself and reaches out, sympathetic, before pulling his
hand away. He turns his back, and closes his eyes.

INT. ADRIAN’S APARTMENT - DAY

Adrian opens his eyes and finds himself slumped over on his
couch. He looks to his hand, and in the place of the
bracelet, is the small, white box. He opens it to see
several more pills identical to the first sitting inside. He
runs to the sink and pours himself a glass of water before
quickly drinking it. He grasps the kitchen counter to
stabilise himself, eyes wet, and hands shaking. Suddenly, he
looks up to see the PICTURE FRAME of him and Lily. He walks
back toward the couch, grabbing the white box, before
walking slowly back to the kitchen, before tossing the pills
down the sink.
Fade out.