AGUALIQUE

Original Screenplay
By

Teresa Aguilera
And
Joseph Cahill
 “Agualique”

FADE IN:

INT. ROOM – NIGHT

Interrupted CLICKS of tiny metal on metal. Someone working

within the darkness. The subtle sound coming from an area
of moonlight falling upon an old WOODEN DESK. The only
thing older within the room is the OLD DOCTOR DAMIEN(70’s)
sitting at it.

The moonlight, coming in from a four-paned, curtainless

window, cuts the small, cube-like room in two. The light
providing the only working illumination for the doctor. It
also giving hints of the room’s bareness.

The doctor tinkers with something in front of him on the

desk. Squints at it to get a better look.

The source of each CLICK, a small worktool against the

metal of an expensive, SILVER WRISTWATCH.

The smallest inkling of sweat forming on the doctor’s

forhead. Evidence of a few hour’s work.

The watch’s insides lay exposed on the desk in front of the

man. Completely gutted.

The doctor grunts in disgust.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
Stupid thing.

Frees his hand of the small tool. Frustration finally

getting the best of him. Sits back into his chair, resting.
Looks out the lone window at the large courtyard just
outside his window.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
If I lose time, everything I’ve worked for
will be lost.

He eyes the ROSEGARDEN situated in the middle before

looking up at the WALL CLOCK, the plain, institutional-type

on the far wall within the room. Its reading obscured by
the darkness. Grabs the small tool and leans back in to
finish what he started. Nervously, prods at the watch.

The CLICKS of the watch’s metal interrupt the silence once

more until...

LAWYER(VO)
You think my father will ever recognize me,
Doctor?

EXT. AGUALIQUE HOSPITAL – COURTYARD – DAY

The same expensive silver watch taking up the field of

view. It’s hands showing just after eight.

Attached to it, the old doctor sits at a park-style bench

and table. He listens carefully to the young LAWYER(30’s),
blonde haired and blue-eyed, sitting across from him.
Searches for words to answer the young man.

Within the courtyard several of the same benches filled

with PATIENTS and VISITORS. Young INTERNISTS walk through
the courtyard with stethescopes draped over their shoulders
conversing about recent patients.

The doctor looks at his watch, his hands. Robust, miner’s

hands. Then back to the young lawyer across from him.

OLD DOCTOR
I’m sorry. Your father is incapable of
realizing the world around him. He can’t,
(pause)
he won’t recognize you.

With that, the young lawyer turns his expecting eyes down.
Tries understanding.

The lawyer then looks back up at the old doctor. A plain,

unsatisfied look.

LAWYER
I’ll be back, then. Next Sunday.

The doctor gives his best sympathetic smile.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
Fine.
The old doctor looks down at his wrist watch. Just past
eight. Readies himself to leave.

The lawyer is already standing.

OLD DOCTOR
I would walk you out. It’s late. I have some
charts to review, still.

The young lawyer holds out a firm hand. The Old doctor
returns his. They shake.

LAWYER
I understand.
(smiles)

The doctor smiles then leaves.

INT. ROOM – DAY

The old doctor’s room. Much larger in the sunlight. It’s

walls no less bare, though. The wall clock reads half past
twelve.

A ceramic crucifixion hangs over the window overlooking the

old doctor sitting at his desk. The doctor studies an open
patient file. Takes handwritten notes on a note pad. Stops.
Flips through a page. Reads.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
You didn’t think I’d ever get out of here,
did you?

The doctor CHUCKLES to himself. His thought. Looks out at

the courtyard through his window. Crowds of PATIENTS
walking here and there until...

EXT. STATE UNIVERSITY OF PSYCHIATRY – GRADUATION – DAY

They become crowds of GRADUATED STUDENTS in cap and gown.

Most visit with family some taking photos to remember the
day. Groups of friends pose for cameras. The graduation
ceremony just ended.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
I so desperately wanted to prove you wrong.
The newly graduated, YOUNG DOCTOR DAMIEN(20’s), takes an
expensive box from his MOTHER(40’s), a woman with at least
ten more years on her face and her clothes too expensive
for her dark complexion.

MOTHER
It was the most expensive one they had.

The mother finds her cigarette case. Lights a thin

cigarette. Takes a drag.

The young doctor flips open the box’s lid. Eyes the
expensive, SILVER WATCH inside. Runs his finger across its
face.

Interrupting the moment...

STUDENT(OS)
Hey, miner.

Reflexively, the new doctor looks towards the source of the

comment.

The STUDENT(20’s), with a face never bothered by the sweat

of real work, smiles. Looks around at his FRIENDS(20’s) for
approval.

STUDENT
You’ll never leave Agualique, Miner.

The student and his friends LAUGH. Keep moving.

Irritated by the familiar comments though not responding,

the young doctor turns back towards his mother.

MOTHER
Why don’t you say something?

The young doctor looks at his hands. Young, robust, miner’s

hands. The only thing left from his father.

INT. ROOM – NIGHT

YOUNG DAMIEN(VO)
They’re probably right.
The old doctor still sits at his desk. Papers and the
patient’s file covering its top. The doctor struggles to
keep his eyes open. Falling asleep.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
Still, I must solve this one case. To do so
would set me free.

The doctor closes his eyes for just an instant.

Blackness.

The BANG of something heavy hitting wood within the

emptiness.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR(VO)
Blanca, no!

INT. STATE ADMINISTRATOR’S OFFICE – DAY

Once more the BANG of something. That something being a

large AX being swung wildly within the fancy, State Office.

A hysterical, teen girl, BLANCA HIGAREDA(16), lifts the ax

over head readying for another swing.

Her father, the STATE ADMINISTRATOR(40’s), stands back

pointing at his daughter with one hand. A disciplining
glare in his eyes.

The SECRETARY(50’s) stands behind the safety of the office

door. Her face showing from behind the door’s edge.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
Don’t do it, girl. It will be the last...

Before he can finish, Blanca buries the ax’s edge into the
hundred-year old antique desk with a BANG! She SCREAMS with
fury and rage.

The secretary hides behind the door.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
Time.
Again, without hesitation, the young girl readies the ax.
Swings it sideways dumping the desk’s contents onto the
floor. SCREAMS. Everything in pieces.

The Administrator takes a cautious step back.

Hatred mixed with fear shows in the young girl’s eyes.

Someone or something has caused her to break.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
(softer)
Blanca, please.

Huffing with adrenaline, Blanca hesitates for just an

instant.

Just enough time for...

From nowhere, two SECURITY GUARDS(20’s) rush the girl.

Catch her off guard. Force the weapon from her hands.

The girl struggles violently. SCREAMS, again. A continuous

SCREAM this time.

The State Administrator casually walks towards the

struggling girl. Picks up the ax from the floor. Gets right
in front of his daughter.

The guards struggle to hold onto the tiny girl. One on each
side.

The Administrator’s face now solid. Mean. The father SLAPS

the daughter’s face. Turns it sideways. Stops her
struggling for an instant.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
Ungrateful wench.

The daughter stares back defiantly. Then, spits in the

Administrator’s face. Causes him to wince. Wipes his eye.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
Get her out of here.

With that, the guards pull the young girl towards the exit.

Blanca SCREAMS for her life. Struggles Furiously.

The secretary, now from behind the saftey of the office
door, moves to allow enough room for the flailing girl and
her escorts to leave.

The administrator pulls a tissue from his pocket. Wipes his

soaked face.

STATE ADMINISTRATOR
(to secretary)
Make sure she gets to Agualique.
(pause)
And get this office cleaned up.

Slow, but obediente, the secretary leaves to do her boss’s

bidding.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – DAY

PATIENTS sitting, walking, conversing.

A young AUTISTIC BOY(12)rocks rythmically back and forth on

a bench by himself.

Another patient, THE PROPHET(50’s) mumbles something to no

one in particular. No one seen anyways.

Several other patients make up the scenery, including, THE

NUN(50’S), Several DEPRESSIVES, the SELF-MUTILATOR(20’s).
All making obvious the type of hospital Aqualique is.

Young doctor Damien breezes by. Several of the patients

smile and aknowledge the new doctor. Most his patients. The
young doctor responds courteously. Keeps moving.

INT. AGUALIQUE – TREATMENT ROOM – DAY

Several hospital beds lined in a neat row. PATIENTS of

varying ages lie quietly, waiting their turn. Most dozing
in and out of sleep. IV BAGS of clear fluids hang nearby.

A LEAD DOCTOR(50’S) and NURSES surround a YOUNG

PATIENT’s(20’s) bed. All moving about. Pulling medicines,
checking charts, taking vital signs.

A NURSE’S ASSISTANT pulls a curtain to, hiding the young

patient from the others in the room.
The young patient looks around wide-eyed. Courious at all
the attention surrounding him. Unaware of what is about to
happen.

The HEAD NURSE(40’s) injects a syringe full of something

into the young patient’s arm. Within seconds, the young
man’s worried face turns to unconciousness.

Reflexively, the doctor places several wire leads to the

young patient’s forehead. Adjusts a knob reading VOLTAGE.

Then, the young doctor enters from the other side of the
curtain.

Everyone looks up for an instant. Then, back to task.

YOUNG DAMIEN
Sir, you wanted to see me.

The head nurse places a MOUTHPIECE into the young patient’s

mouth. Secures it.

LEAD DOCTOR
Clear.

The nurses and staff step a few inches away from the young
patient’s bed.

The lead doctor hits a switch on the machine. Causes the

young patient’s face to grimace, his body tighten.

The young doctor watches the patient.

LEAD DOCTOR
(to Damien)
Yes. I need you to pick up an incoming from
the station.

The lead doctor hits the switch again, causing the young
patient’s body to relax once more. The nursing staff moves
in to attend to him. Removes the mouthpiece.

The lead doctor makes a note on the clipboard in his lap

about the young patient’s condition.

YOUNG DOCTOR
Certainly. When?
 LEAD DOCTOR
(without looking up)
Tonight.

YOUNG DOCTOR
Certainly.

The young doctor turns to leave.

LEAD DOCTOR
Blanca. Blanca Higareda.
(pause)
That’s her name.

The young doctor takes mental note of the name. Leaves.

EXT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT

A newer, mostly wooden train station. Modern for its day.

Several NIGHT TRAVELERS, most dressed warm, wait at the

trainless loading deck for the next train.

The young doctor Damian, in jacket and scarf, sits silently

at a bench. He too waiting for the next train to arrive.

A cold WIND blows through the station.

Then, the light and sound of an approaching train,

following the wind, it seems.

The travelers ready themselves and their luggage.

The young doctor stands.

The train slowly approaches. Finally stops at the loading

deck. A HISS and a bellow of SMOKE from the engine.

After a moment, the passenger cars come alive with people

exiting. PASSENGERS greet waiting RELATIVES.

The young doctor waits patiently for his incoming. Watches

and waits.

After most passengers have debarked, finally, the doctor

sees his newest patient.
Blanca, looking younger and more frightened, steps down
onto the wooden loading deck. Looks around hesitantly.
Pulls the blanket over her shoulders tight.

Two ESCORTS(30’s), accompany her. Lead her off to one side.

The young doctor approaches. Waves. Catches the attention
of the escorts.

The escorts walk to meet the young doctor. Get right in

front of him.

Courteous smiles from the doctor and the escorts.

Blanca looks up at the young doctor. A sense of exhaustion

in her eyes.

The escorts hand the doctor a form. He signs it. Gives it

back.

ESCORT #1
You want us to walk you, Doc?

YOUNG DOCTOR
That won’t be necessary.
(to Blanca)
Are you Blanca?

Blanca doesn’t bother looking up.

ESCORT #1
She’s all yours, Doc.

YOUNG DOCTOR
Thanks.

The escorts leave. Board the waiting train.

Alone with his newest patient, the young doctor gets near.
Tries looking into the young girl’s eyes.

She catches his look. Her soft, child-like eyes peer up at

the young doctor. A tear formed in the corner of her eye,
drops down on her cheek.

Immediately the young doctor gets a sense of her pain.

Smiles. Gently wipes the tear.
Blanca allows it.

YOUNG DOCTOR
Don’t worry, you’ll be safe where you’re
going.

Blanca looks away. Pulls the throw blanket tight around her
thin shoulders to keep out the cold wind.

The young doctor gently leads the young girl away.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – DAY

The same patients in their usually spots, The Prophet, The

Autistic, everyone doing their habitual things. Mostly
talking to themselves and avoiding the others.

From a distance, Blanca sits on a bench, directly in front

of the rose garden. Stares at nothing. Searching for
something. That lone, permanent tear stuck to the side of
her cheek. Never seeming to go anywhere. Just there.

The young doctor sits next to her. Speaks gently to her

every now and then. Blanca not responding. Not sure if she
even hears him.

INT. AGUALIQUE – SOLITARY ROOM – DAY

A fury of SCREAMS fills the white-walled room.

Blanca struggles against several MALE ATTENDANTS(30’s).

INT. AGUALIQUE – HALLWAY – DAY

Blanca’s SCREAM echoes through the hallway.

INT. AGUALIQUE – SOLITARY ROOM – DAY

The Attendants attempt to restrain the out of control

Blanca. For her size she puts up a pretty good fight.

The young doctor stands at the door watching, worried.

YOUNG DOCTOR
Don’t hurt her.
Soon, though, the young girl is restrained. Continues to
struggle beneath the wieght of the Attendants. The OLDEST
ATTENDANT finally gets a shot of medicine in her arm.

INT. AGUALIQUE – HALLWAY – DAY

A NUN(40’s) walks the pristine hallway. The screams from

Blanca gone now.

The rythmic FOOTSTEPS of the nun the only sound.

INT. AGUALIQUE – SOLITARY ROOM – DAY

Blanca lies quietly on the white-sheeted bed. Her lethargic

eyes look at the far wall. The tear still there.

The young doctor sits on the floor besides her bed, near
her head. Gently brushes her hair from her eyes, wipes the
tear from her cheek.

YOUNG DAMIEN
What did they do to you, Blanca?

Blanca doesn’t respond. Continues her medicated stare.

INT. ROOM – DAY

The young doctor, now with a few months worth of facial

hair, stands at the window. Watches the courtyard. PATIENTS
going here and there.

In particular, across the courtyard, The doctor watches

Blanca standing near the rose garden.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – DAY

At the rose garden, Blanca waters the blooming plants with

a water can.

The Autistic sits in the grass nearby. Counts the marbles

in his marble bag. Occasionally watches Blanca.

BLANCA
Watering the crazy, dead-ones. Wonder why
they plant such beautiful things atop such
dreadful lives?
Within the garden, several, small metal markers indicating
several people buried beneath. Names and kinds words.

Blanca looks down at the quiet Autistic. He doesn’t

respond. Concentrating on his own task.

BLANCA
Don’t let them bury me here, boy. You hear?
I’d rather them turn me into ashes. Put
them in the sea. Never been to the sea.

Again, Blanca looks at the Autistic. Waits for a reply.

Nothing.

BLANCA
You promise? Good.
(smiles)

Finishing the watering, Blanca turns, stops for an instant

when she sees the young doctor watching from the window.
Even from the distance, their eyes meet. Both finding
something.

INT. ROOM – NIGHT

Sitting at the wooden desk, the young doctor goes over

patient files. Makes notes in several. A desk lamp provides
a soft glow to the room. The full moon visible through the
window.

The young doctor leans back. Looks at the time on his

watch. Rubs his weary eyes.

Quietly, the door to the office opens. Blanca steps

silently in, closes the door behind her.

Immediately the doctor sees her.

YOUNG DAMIAN
Blanca, you can’t be in here.

Without speaking, begging with a silent, long look, she

approaches the young doctor.

The young doctor stands.

Directly in front of one another, the doctor reaches up to
wipe the lone tear from Blanca’s cheek, reflecting in the
light.

YOUNG DAMIAN
(gentle)
What did they do to you, Blanca?

Blanca looks at the young doctor’s hand. Takes it in her

own. Places it againts her cheek. Closes her eyes.

BLANCA
Nobody ever loved me. Nobody.

Blanca opens her eyes. Slowly, she leans in to kiss the

young doctor.

Young Damian allows it. A gentle, single kiss.

Both close their eyes to take in the experience fully.

For an instant, the anger in Blanca’s face disappears.

INT. RODRIGUEZ RESIDENCE – DAY

An old cement, two-roomed house with dirt flooring.

A view of the closed front door then...

Interrupting the silence, the door pushes open. Damian’s

MOTHER(20’s) hurries inside, tears running from her eyes
from an hour’s worth of crying. In her hands a large stack
of MONEY.

CHILD DAMIAN(OS)
What’s wrong, mom? What happened?

CHILD DAMIEN(12) meet his mother in the main hallway of the

house.

MOTHER
(through sobs)
I just told them what they asked me to say.

With that, young Damian’s mother throws one of the stacks

of BILLS on the kitchen table.
Damian looks on wide-eyed.

CHILD DAMIAN
What about dad?

Guilty, his mother turns away from her young son.

MOTHER
(stern)
I condemned him to be remembered as an
imbecile. A man who killed seven other
miners.
(pause)
I just told them what they wanted me to.

The mother leaves the room crying, embarrased to see her

own son.

With his mouth open in disbelief, Damian, stares. Looks

down at the large sum of money on the table.

INT. SOCIAL HOSPITAL – MATERNITY WARD – DAY

A single hospital bed with a lone patient, obscured by the

blanket.

Machines and hanging intruments surround the bed. A window

allowing in the full intensity of the sunlight making the
room look welcoming almost.

A close inspection of the bed reveals its occupant.

Blanca lies on her side facing the window. Her face empty
again, unsure. The white, hospital blanket pulled up to her
neck.

Then, the WARD NURSE(40’s) enters. Sets down a tray of food

next to the bed. Grabs the hanging clipboard. Makes some
notes.

WARD NURSE
You should eat something.

Blanca doesn’t respond. Maintains her position, unmoving.

The ward nurse finishes her documentation. Takes a long

look at her patient beneath the covers. Turns to leave.
 BLANCA
How is he?

This stops the nurse. She turns around.

WARD NURSE
Beautiful. Blonde hair, blue eyes.
(smiles)

Blanca turns to see the nurse. She manages a weak smile.

Turns back to staring out the window.

WARD NURSE
Get some rest.

The nurse turns and leaves.

A close look at Blanca’s face shows that same tear. Both in

her eyes and stuck to her cheek again. This time no one
there to wipe it away.

INT. SOCIAL HOSPITAL – NURSERY – DAY

Rows of days old infants in comfortably wrapped blankets.

Some wriggle around, others stare at the ceiling. Others
sleep.

Movement through the neat rows stops at a few days old BABY
BOY. Blonde haired, blue eyed. A face just like his mother.

A few meters away, a young WEALTHY COUPLE(20’s), peer in at

the infants. In particular, the blonde, baby boy. Smiling
radiantly, waving childishly.

INT. SOCIAL HOSPITAL – MATERNITY WARD – DAY

A close long look at Blanca’s teary-eyed face until...

INT. AGUALIQUE – ISOLATION ROOM – DAY

The teary-eye continues.

Then, the familiar SCREAMS fill the room. Blanca grabs

anything and everything in sight throwing it about.
Mattress and sheets on the floor.
Blood from her knuckes leave red stains on everthing she
touches. Blood stains in the form of fists spot the walls.

Blanca continues SCREAMING out of control again.

After a moment, the door to the room opens. Young doctor

Damian enters. His hands in front of him, toward Blanca.

YOUNG DAMIAN
Blanca, please.

The young doctor moves closer to the still screaming girl.

Closer.

Until, he touches her arm, gently.

YOUNG DAMIAN
Blanca.

Then as suddenly as it started, the screaming stops. Blanca

falls into the young doctor’s arms.

Young Damian holds the girl tight, gently. Comforts her.

Strokes her head.

YOUNG DAMIAN
Easy. There you are.

SOBS from the girl, muffled by the doctor’s chest.

YOUNG DAMIAN
There, there. Shhh.
(pause)
There, there.

The doctor gently rocks the young girl in his arms.

INT. ROOM – DAY

The young doctor, alone and quiet, watches the coutyard

from the window.

Same patients, same repetitive happenings.

The young doctor watches Blanca watering the full-blooming

rose garden. The Autistic sits nearby.
Then, the doctor looks at his watch, turns and gathers his
packed, office belongings.

A typed paper on his desk has the headline: TRANSFER

NOTICE. A paragraph of instructions following.

The young doctor takes the paper and places it inside the
small box of belongings. Turns and quietly leaves. Takes
one last look at his office, Blanca outside, before closing
the door behind him.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – DAY

Blanca sits across from her father’s secretary at a

visitor’s table.

Several other PATIENTS have their own visit with family

members in adjacent tables.

The Autistic sits next to Blanca. Consumed in his own

world, the boy counts the marbles in his marble bag.

The secretary looks at the boy then Blanca.

BLANCA
A pleasure to see you, mother.

Blanca’s face unable to hide the sarcasm. Her disgust.

BLANCA
What do you want?

Hesitantly, the secretary responds.

SECRETARY
Your father’s dead.

With that, Blanca’s face actually lights up. Almost happy.

She smiles, shakes her head.

SECRETARY
They are allowing you time to go to the
funeral. Tomorrow.
(pause)
If you want, that is.
The woman reflexively turns her stare away from Blanca,
looks elsewhere. Back to Blanca. After a moment, reaches
across and covers the girl’s hand with her own.

SECRETARY
I’m so sorry, Blanca. For evertying.

Blanca looks directly into her mother’s eyes. Then, pulls

her hands out from beneath hers.

Gets up to leave. Leaves the woman sitting with the

Autistic. The woman cries, ashamed.

The autistic gets up to follow Blanca.

INT. CATHOLIC CHURCH – DAY

At least a hundred MOURNERS dressed in different shades and

styles of expensive black.

A PRIEST(50’S) delivers the wake just behind and above the

casket.

Movement towards the front, past all those people, stops at

the immediate family sitting in the front row. Blanca sits
on the end. She too is dressed in expensive black, like her
BROTHER and mother, the secretary, sitting next to her.

The State Administrator’s dead, painted profile sits just

above the rim of the open casket.

Blanca stares at her father’s face. She looks over at her

mother, her brother. Both staring ahead.

While the priest is talking, Blanca slowly stands, walks to

the front of the church, everyone watching curiously. No
one stopping her.

The priest attempts to continue, ignoring the girl.

Blanca, gets right over her father’s casket. Looks directly

at his dead, cold face. Those tears again, the one falling
on her cheek. This time, she quickly wipes it away with her
own arm. Then, she spits at the dead man’s face. One last
action from her to her father.

Everyone GASPS. The priest stops speaking.

The mother stands, goes to Blanca. Pulls at her shoulders.

Blanca pushes her mother away.

BLANCA
(to corpse)
I’m so glad your dead, you bastard!

Again, the embarrassed mother tries pulling Blanca away.

Blanca refuses. Continues speaking to her dead father.

BLANCA
So glad they killed you with so many
bullets! It just makes me sad...

A curious MURMUR from the crowd of mourners.

Finally, the brother quickly stands, goes to his sister.

BLANCA
I didn’t help those murdering rats!

Confused, the priest hesitates. Makes a move toward the

girl.

The brother pulls at Blanca. Forcing her away from the

casket. Blanca struggles.

BLANCA
I hope it hurt like hell before you died!

Forcefull, the brother pulls Blanca away, past the gasping

onlookers.

BLANCA
Cause that’s the way you made me feel my
whole life!

Again, she attempts to spit on her father’s dead face.

Misses short. Lands on the church floor.

This produces bigger GASPS from the mourners. Some

standing, others still sitting. Most in awe at the
spectacle.

BROTHER
Crazy freak.
The brother pulls her towards the rear of the church.

EXT. CATHOLIC CHURCH – DAY

The brother pushes Blanca. Forces her outside. Just outside

the door, pushes her to the ground.

BROTHER
Crazy freak.

Defiantly, blanca looks up at her brother.

BLANCA
You piece of shit! Why didn’t they shoot you
as well in that car, fucking bastard?! What
a fucking coincidence!

Blanca pulls herself from the ground.

A small crowd of ONLOOKERS has gathered just outside the

church.

Blanca’s mother rushes to aid her daughter.

Again, Blanca refuses, pulls herself away from her mother’s

grasp.

Embarrased, the mother lets go.

BLANCA
Get away from me.

BROTHER
You’ll never leave that place. Crazy freak.
(to mother)
Get her back to Agualique.

MOTHER
You do it yourself.

With that, the mother leaves. Looks angrily at her son.

The brother storms back inside also. Leaves Blanca, and the
onlookers to figure things out.
INT. AGUALIQUE – ISOLATION ROOM – DAY

Quiet this time. In the corner, Blanca sits on the ground

in the corner in her sleeping gown. Her hair disheveled,
her eyes glassed over and dark. Black circles outlining
them and her stupored state.

The door to the room opens. A MEDICATION NURSE(20’s)

enters. Carries a small medicine cup with several,
different-colored pills.

MEDICATION NURSE
Time for your medicine, Blanca.

Blanca doesn’t respond. Either she doesn’t care or can’t

hear.

INT. AGUALIQUE – CONFERENCE ROOM – DAY

A large, intimidating room. The kind where the heads of the

hospital meet.

Blanca sits in a chair facing several sitting

ADMINISTRATORS(50’s). Her head slightly down, avoiding
their gaze. Lethargic.

A long, uncomfortable moment before...

LEAD DOCTOR(OS)
The boy was taken by a good couple.

This causes Blanca to look up.

LEAD DOCTOR(OS)
They promised to make the boy a good man.

BLANCA
Julian.

LEAD DOCTOR(OS)
Pardon?

BLANCA
His name is Julian.

The Lead Doctor begins speaking again. This time the words
are mumbled. Nothing coherent. It’s what Blanca hears.
The lecturing doctor continues. Mouth moving, nothing
sensible exiting.

Banca just stares. Her eyes without life. Already dead.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – NIGHT

A silent, empty courtyard. Quite different without patients

and visitors.

Sitting on the bench, in front of of the rose garden,

Blanca watches the ground in front of her.

Then...

NURSE(OS)
Time to come in, Blanca.

Blanca doesn’t move.

The Nurse walks over near Blanca.

NURSE
Blanca? Time for bed.

Again, Blanca remains silent. She looks up at the rose

garden.

NURSE
Blanca?

Suddenly, Blanca stands and hurries over to the rose

garden, steps over the low fence.

The nurse watches, unsure of what to do.

Without hesitation, Blanca begins pulling at the stems.

Immediately her hands bleed from the sharp thorns. Blanca
ingnores it. Keep pulling at them. GRUNTS. A silent fury.

The only sound coming from the rustling of greenery being

tossed and torn.

Each pull creates a new gash in her hand, the blood

dripping on the green leaves of the stems. The roots of the
first rose stem covered in dirt. The dirt falling away.
Blanca throws the uprooted plant to the side.

Horrified, the nurse hurries off. Quickly goes inside.

INT. AGUALIQUE – RECEPTION – DAY

The nurse has the phone to her ear. Waits.

Finally...

NURSE
(breathless)
Doctor. It’s Blanca.
(listens)
Not good. She needs you here.
(listens)
No one else can help her now.
(listens)
The boy? The boy is gone. With another
family.
(listens)
Okay. Bye.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – NIGHT

Blanca lays in the silence of the evening. The full moon

directly overhead now. Quiet, in the yard of the “crazy
dead-ones”, nothing but upturned dirt and destroyed rose
bushes.

Blanca ignores the cold wind and her bleeding hands.

YOUNG DAMIAN(OS)
(soft)
Blanca?

Blanca ignores the familiar voice.

The young doctor, in overcoat and carrying a small piece of

luggage, sets the luggage down. Approaches slowly.

YOUNG DAMIAN
What’s wrong, Blanca?

Blanca responds with a glare. A “how could you even ask”

look.
The young doctor is just outside the rose garden.

YOUNG DAMIAN
What? What happened?

BLANCA
No one ever loved me. No one. Neither did
you.
(cries)
Niether did you.

The young doctor just looks. For the first time, tears form
in his own eyes.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
I wanted to hug her and say it wasn’t true.
I wanted to make her better. Heal her.
(pause)
There was still time. This had to be that
case. That one case that would get me out of
here for good.

INT. AGUALIQUE – ISOLATION ROOM – DAY

The cold bare, silent room.

The bed unmade. Several tiny red spots covering the white
blanket.

Just above and to the side of the bed, from the ceiling, a
young girl’s feet dangle. The blood from rose bush torn
hands. Blanca’s hands.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
There was still time. If I could just
control the time. I could control the
events.

INT. ROOM – DAY

The sun shines onto the old doctor’s desk.

A patient’s file, reading “Higareda”, rests closed on one
corner of the old, worn-out desk.

A wide view of the room shows its contents fully, the desk,
an unmade, patient’s bed and side table.
Just outside, PATIENTS walk and visit with family. A close
look at one of the outside table shows the young lawyer
sitting across from the old doctor once more.

EXT. AGUALIQUE – COURTYARD – DAY

The lawyer and doctor sit in the early morning sunshine.

Visiting hours.

YOUNG LAWYER
Do you think my father will recognize me
today?

The old doctor hesitates. Looks down at his hands, old,

damaged, miners hands. Searches.

Finally, the old doctor looks up at the young, blonde

haired, blue-eyed lawyer until...

OLD DOCTOR
Julian?

For that instant, the young lawyers blue eyes light up.

YOUNG LAWYER
Dad?

The young lawyer tears up. His eyes becoming obscured by

them. He reaches over to grab the old doctor’s hand.

Old doctor Damian looks acrossed confused. Then, he

suddenly remembers, looks at his wrist watch. Just past
eight.

OLD DOCTOR
Your father. Your father can’t recognize
you. The pain, you know, won’t let him see.

The doctor looks across at the young lawyer. The pain in

the face of the lawyer apparent.

The old doctor’s face stoic. Like any good doctor. Old
Damian looked down at his hands. Young robust, miner’s
hands this time.
INT. AGUALIQUE – RECEPTION – NIGHT

Two Nurses, NURSE #1(20’S) and NURSE #2(50’S) sit

conversing. A CLEANER(50’s) mops the already clean entrance
floor.

INT. ROOM – NIGHT

The CLICKING of the doctor tinkering with his watch. The

same CLICKING as before.

The moonlight the same. Cutting the small, patient’s room

in two. The light falling partially on old Damian’s desk.

Finally, the doctor gets the back of the watch’s case on.
Places it on his wrist. The hands still reading just after
eight. The same time as always. The second hand unmoving.

The doctor smiles to himself satisfied.

Gets up and puts an overcoat on. Gets his best hat. Leaves.

INT. AGUALIQUE – RECEPTION – NIGHT

The same nurses conversing behind the reception desk. The

older nurse, giving the younger, inexperienced one some
advice about something.

Old doctor Damian enters. Looks at the nurses.

They stop and watch the old doctor curiously.

The doctor gets to the entrance door and places his hat on
his head.

OLD DOCTOR
(to nurses)
I’ll return shortly.
(smiles)

The old doctor leaves. Nurse #2 waves courteously.

NURSE #1
You just let him leave?
 NURSE #2
He’s been a patient here for over 30 years.
He’ll come back. He always does.

NURSE #1
Where does he go?

NURSE #2
I don’t know. He’s been doing it the same
day every year since I’ve been here.

EXT. TRAIN STATION – NIGHT

The familiar train station except this time delapidated and

empty. Not a passeger in sight. From the look of it, hasn’t
been one in years.

The cold evening wind blows in from the north over the
cracked metal rails.

At one end, the faint hint of someone sitting.

The old doctor sits in that exact spot he sat when he first
saw Blanca. Alone on the bench. He checks his watch then
looks towards the dead end of the empty darkness of the
railway.

Then, like the first time, young Blanca walks out of the
shadows. Alone this time. Straight for the doctor.

The doctor stands to greet his love for the hundreth time.

Still, this time like all those others, his looks is one of
astonishment.

OLD DOCTOR(VO)
You will be fine here, Blanca, I promise.

The doctor smiles. Blanca returns it.

FADE OUT.

FIN