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Destiny by Javier Bueno
Destiny by Javier Bueno
by
Javier Bueno
(951) 454-1222
jbueno192@yahoo.com
1 INT. RESTAURANT DINNER TABLE - NIGHT 1
In the same booth, JON (18) sitting next to her reads a text
message to STEVEN (19) who is sitting to his left. Steven
eats his fries as he laughs at Jon’s text.
JON
(reading text message)
Get it girl? Real funny. Ha-ha
STEVEN
What the heck does that even mean?
JON
I don’t know!
They laugh.
HANNAH
Why are you staring at me?
ROB
What? I’m not staring.
HANNAH
Yeah, you are.
ROB
Hannah, I’m not staring! ...okay.
Maybe a little-
JON
Rob? Steven doesn’t believe me
about almost dating Destiny.
ROB
That was like two years ago!
JON
Still counts.
STEVEN
I still don’t believe you.
2.
HANNAH
Why not?
STEVEN
I don’t know. Cuz she was my
neighbor growing up. I just can’t
picture her liking this.
JON
What so wrong about being
interested in me? If Destiny was
still alive, I would definitely be
with her.
HANNAH
Jon, shut up.
JON
No, no. Listen...
ROB
So, uhh, do I need to walk you to
your door or anything?
HANNAH
No. You don’t need to.
ROB
Okay.
(smiles)
Just trying to be a gentleman.
HANNAH
Well, thank you.
HANNAH (CONT’D)
Thanks for driving me home.
ROB
Sure. Anytime.
3.
Hannah takes off her seat belt and opens the door.
ROB (CONT’D)
Hey...
ROB (CONT’D)
...good night.
HANNAH
(false smile)
Good night, Rob.
Rob puts his head on the steering wheel. And exhales loudly.
HANNAH
I forgot to give you your sweater.
ROB
You know, I’ll probably see you
tomorrow. You could’ve just given
it to me then.
HANNAH
(smiles)
Yeah, I guess. But still.
ROB
(smiles back)
Well, thanks. I’ll see you
tomorrow.
HANNAH
Bye.
Hannah leaves and Rob raises the window. He shakes his head
as he puts the car in drive.
4.
FADE TO BLACK.
ROB slowly opens his eyes. It’s extremely dark and the air
around him is still and cold.
ROB
Hello... Hello!?
ROB (CONT’D)
Is someone there?
DESTINY
(astounded)
You’re awake!
ROB
Where am I? I can’t see anything.
DESTINY
It’s a long story. And don’t worry,
your eyes will adjust.
ROB
Why’d you bring me here!? Who Are
you?
DESTINY
I didn’t bring you here. I’m stuck,
just like you.
DESTINY (CONT’D)
(smiles)
My name’s Destiny.
5.
Rob and Destiny sit cross legged as they face each other.
ROB
I still don’t think I understand.
DESTINY
Let me try to explain it like this.
In most religions, in most
churches, they tell you that when
you die, you’ll go to one of two
places. But there’s actually a
third place. Here.
ROB
Well, what is here?
DESTINY
Do you believe in ghosts?
ROB
Yeah, I guess.
DESTINY
Do you ever wonder how they manage
to appear and disappear? How they
have somehow managed to still walk
the earth?
ROB
So, I’m a ghost?
DESTINY
I’m not completely sure. But it’s
the only thing that comes close to
making any sense.
ROB
So, can we like talk with people?
Or go places?
6.
DESTINY
You can actually, but only if you
have a strong, vivid memory of a
certain location. Here, I’ll show
you.
DESTINY (CONT’D)
Close your eyes.
Destiny and Rob are sitting on the park grass. They’re still
cross-legged and holding hands.
ROB
Whoa. How’d you do that?
Rob follows.
ROB (CONT’D)
You okay?
DESTINY
My dad used to bring me here all
the time. But he stopped when I got
older. This was the only place I
ever really felt happy.
ROB
That’s why you can still come here.
You want to be happy?
DESTINY
Can you push me?
May sits at a bench facing the swings and pulls out her
phone. She sees an empty swing gently rocking back and forth.
MAY
Careful on the swings, Valerie.
(she answers her phone)
Hello?
VALERIE
Hi. I’m Valerie.
DESTINY
(smiles)
Hi, Valerie. I’m Destiny. How are
you?
VALERIE
I’m good. I’m here with my mommy.
DESTINY
She looks very nice. Are you gonna
swing?
MAY
Valerie. What are you doing?
VALERIE
Talking to my new friend!
MAY
I’ll meet you there in a few
minutes. Bye.
(she hangs up)
C’mon, Val. We’re gonna go eat with
daddy, then we’ll come back okay.
VALERIE
Okay.
(to Destiny)
Bye!
8.
DESTINY
(smiles)
Bye! It was nice to meet you.
Valerie turns and smiles at Rob too. She waves to him and
runs back to her mom.
They leave.
ROB
So... she can see us.
DESTINY
Yeah.
ROB
How?
DESTINY
A child’s mind isn’t yet clouded
with all the thoughts of religion
and afterlife. They just don’t
know. Their mind is open to
anything.
ROB
Why don’t you leave something here
for your dad?
DESTINY
What?
ROB
Well, that girl just gave you a
candy. Can’t you leave something
here for your dad to find?
DESTINY
I guess I can.
ROB
Then lets do it! Look, you can
leave a note here on the swing.
DESTINY
No.
ROB
No? Why not? Don’t you want to talk
to your parents?
DESTINY
Are you kidding? Of course I do.
ROB
Then do it.
DESTINY
I can’t!
ROB
Why!
DESTINY
(stands from swing)
Because they moved okay! I don’t
know where they went. I don’t know
where I was buried. There’s no way
for me to be somewhere where I can
see them. And even if I do see
them, they probably won’t see me.
Destiny sits back down. Rob sits on the swing next to her.
Destiny avoids eye contact with Rob.
ROB
Sorry.
DESTINY
It’s fine.
Rob puts his hand on Destiny’s hand and smiles at her when
she looks up.
ROB
Can I give this location thing a
shot?
DESTINY
Go ahead.
Destiny and Rob are facing each other on the grass again,
cross-legged, holding hands.
ROB
(to himself)
A vivid memory. A place you really
remember.
10.
Rob opens his eyes and sees that he’s back in the dark place.
He looks at Destiny in confusion.
DESTINY
You didn’t focus hard enough.
ROB
You said a vivid memory, right?
DESTINY
It has to be more than just a
memory. Choose a place that’s
special to you. Somewhere you know
you’ll never forget.
ROB
Okay. Let me try again.
DESTINY
Where are we?
ROB
This is my old school.
Rob stands and helps Destiny up. They walk over and sit on a
bench.
DESTINY
What happened here?
ROB
I met this girl here. She tripped
on the steps over there and I
helped her up. She was new here so
I stayed with her. We sat right
here.
DESTINY
What’s her name?
ROB
Hannah.
ROB (CONT’D)
You know, I’ve liked this girl for
the longest time. But I never did
anything about it. I just figured,
you know, I’ve still got tomorrow.
DESTINY
...why don’t you leave her a note.
ROB
You think she’ll get it?
DESTINY
I’m sure she will.
ROB
I don’t know what I’ll say.
DESTINY
Tell her how you feel. This is
really your last chance to tell her
anything.
Rob searches his pockets and pulls out the diner receipt.
Destiny looks around on the floor and finds a pen. She hands
it to Rob.
DESTINY (CONT’D)
Here.
ROB
Thanks.
DESTINY
You can’t stay there forever.
ROB
Why not?
DESTINY
You just can’t. I’ve tried.
ROB
How do I know if she gets my note?
12.
DESTINY
You don’t. You just have to wait
and hope she gets it.
ROB
I don’t want to wait! I want to
talk to her!
DESTINY
You can’t! You’re dead!
DESTINY (CONT’D)
You had all the time in the world
to let her know how you felt. You
need to realize that that
opportunity is gone.
ROB
Was it easy for you?
DESTINY
(shakes her head)
It’s been over a year and I still
don’t think I’ve really moved on. I
would give anything to have just
one more conversation with my
family.
DESTINY (CONT’D)
I’d tell each of them how much I
love them.
ROB
Moving on isn’t gonna be easy.
(looks at Destiny)
You think maybe that’s why we’re
still here?
DESTINY
Maybe.
FADE TO BLACK.
13 OVER BLACK: 13
HANNAH (V.O.)
Hello?
JON (V.O.)
Hey, Hannah?
HANNAH (V.O.)
Yeah.
JON (V.O.)
(hesitant)
Umm... Rob’s in the hospital.
The note Rob left for Hannah slowly moves due to the wind.
HANNAH (V.O.)
What?! ...what happened.
JON (V.O.)
He was in a car accident. It was
bad. A drunk driver hit him.
HANNAH (V.O.)
How bad?
JON (V.O.)
...they did all they could.
The note on the bench flies away, leaving the bench empty.
FADE TO BLACK.
14.
15 OVER BLACK: 15
JON (V.O.)
(about to cry)
I’m sorry.
END.