Butterflies

by
Max JACOBY

Based on a story
by
Ian McEwan

Draft 1312.12.04

(+352) 021 63 63 60 max@audiris.co.uk

(+44) 7931 541 399
1 INT. HOUSE - PATRICK’S ROOM – DAY 1

A small, dark room. The curtains are drawn half shut, the
daylight from outside doesn’t reach far into the room,
leaving most of it in a twilight where one doesn’t know what
time of day it is.

The dark, blurry shape of a person (PATRICK) appears in the

out-of-focus background. He moves towards what looks like the
shape of a table and picks up a pair of shoes from under it.
Then he exits frame again.

A moment later he comes back into frame and moves towards us,
getting sharper. The back of his head comes into focus as he
sits down in front of us, making the cheap bed squeak. The
hair is cropped short, the simplest of haircuts really. Then
he bends forward and out of frame again.

CLOSE ON:

Chubby fingers struggle to tie shoelaces. A shoelace tears.

A sound escapes from PATRICK’s mouth. He is holding the torn

shoelace in his hand, at a loss of what to do now.

CLOSE ON:

A hand comes into frame, takes a jacket off a hook on the

door. PATRICK puts the jacket on, over his heavyset
shoulders. The door obscures him as he pulls it open and
exits.

2 INT. HOUSE - HALLWAY – CONTINUOUS 2

PATRICK steps into the hallway and locks the door to his
room.

The camera follows PATRICK from behind as he walks through

the dark hallway towards the halo of the entrance door. The
carpeted floor swallows the sound of his footsteps. PATRICK
opens the door and steps outside.

3 EXT. HOUSE – CONTINUOUS 3

PATRICK walks down some stairs and onto the street.

4 EXT. HOUSE - STREET - CONTINUOUS 4

Seemingly out of nowhere comes a voice:

(CONTINUED)
 2.
CONTINUED:
CHARLIE (O.S.)
How’s tricks?

PATRICK winces. He looks over his shoulder and for the first
time we see his face: he is in his mid-thirties and sometimes
he goes for days without speaking to anyone.

PATRICK
(doesn’t quite know what
to answer)
How are you Charlie?

PATRICK turns towards CHARLIE, revealing his neighbour who is

working on his car.

CHARLIE
Where you off to now?

PATRICK
(hesitates)
I’m meeting someone.

CHARLIE's eyes scrutinize PATRICK's face.

CHARLIE
She died then?

PATRICK
(doesn't want to go into
this)
Yes.

CHARLIE
My boy said you saw her last…

PATRICK
I was on the bridge. I saw her
running by the canal.

CHARLIE
You saw her...

PATRICK
I didn't see her fall in.

That surprises CHARLIE.

PATRICK shrugs. His face remains impassive.

CHARLIE
Shame. Great shame.

PATRICK nods.
 3.

5 EXT. STREET - DAY 5

PATRICK is walking down the empty street, looking at his

shoes clicking on the wet pavement. He doesn't take in his
surroundings at all.

MATCH CUT TO:

6 INT. POLICESTATION - CORRIDOR - DAY 6

PATRICK is walking through a corridor, linoleum squeaking
under his footsteps. Sunlight streams in through huge glass
windows on one side, overexposing the faces of people whom he
walks past.

PATRICK avoids looking at them.

7 INT. POLICESTATION - OFFICE - DAY 7

A Policewoman (JANE) is scrutinizing Patrick’s face. She

seems more upset by the whole events than PATRICK himself.

JANE
(almost reproaching)
Why didn’t you try to save her?

PATRICK
I still can’t swim.
(off JANE's look)
That’s why I fetched a policeman.

JANE nods and looks at her notes. She is Patrick’s age and
her interrogation of him is constantly oscillating between
trying to do her job objectively and her personal feelings
connected to the case.

JANE
That was quite a coincidence then,
wasn’t it? I mean her living in the
same street as you.

PATRICK
I suppose.

JANE
But you didn’t know her?

PATRICK
No. Well not really.

JANE
Well which one is it?

(CONTINUED)
 4.
CONTINUED:
PATRICK
I have seen her playing in the
street.

Behind PATRICK the shapes of people are floating past a milky

window that separates Jane's office from the rest of the
station.

JANE
(beat)
So you know her parents?

PATRICK
No.

JANE
Really?

PATRICK
Yes.

JANE
Do you remember Cindy?
(beat)
From our class?

A smile appears on PATRICK's face.

PATRICK
Of course.

JANE
The little girl is her daughter.

TRACK IN TO PATRICK'S FACE:

That's a shock. A breath escapes him. For the fist time we

got a glimpse at his emotions.

PATRICK
Really?

JANE
And you tell me that you don’t know
that Cindy lives in your street.

PATRICK is looking for words.

PATRICK
I really don’t.
(off JANE's look)
I just moved there two months ago.
(admitting)
I don't go out lot.

(CONTINUED)
 5.
CONTINUED: (2)
JANE
Do you live by yourself?

PATRICK
I’m renting a room.

JANE
Do you have a job?

PATRICK
No.

JANE
If you don’t mind, I’d like to come
take a look at your place, Patrick.

PATRICK is surprised by that request.

JANE (CONT'D)
Please?

PATRICK thinks it over, then shrugs in approval.

JANE writes down a note on a piece of paper.

PATRICK
(clears his throat)
Did..., did Cindy see her?

JANE
She had to identify her.

CLOSE ON PATRICK:

That's horrible.

8 EXT. STREET - DAY 8

PATRICK and JANE come walking down Patrick’s street.

Patrick is living in an old, residential street with near

identical two storied houses on each side of the road that
have seen much better days.

PATRICK is hoping that his neighbors won't see him now.

9 EXT. HOUSE - STREET - DAY 9

PATRICK and JANE walk up to Patrick’s house. CHARLIE is back
working on his car. He eyes them suspiciously.

(CONTINUED)
 6.
CONTINUED:
PATRICK
(tries to save face)
Hi Charlie.

CHARLIE just nods. He watches as PATRICK lets the Policewoman

with the stern look on her face into the house.

10 OMITTED 10

11 INT. HOUSE - PATRICK’S ROOM – DAY 11

PATRICK pushes the door open and JANE enters. PATRICK stands
back as she looks around and takes in his small, lonely
place.

PATRICK watches her, a bit embarrassed. His dirty clothes are

lying in a corner.

The phone starts RINGING.

PATRICK looks for the phone. It is hidden under a crumbled T-

shirt. He throws the T-shirt away and picks up the phone.

PATRICK
Hello?

JANE tries to look somewhere else while PATRICK is talking on

the phone.

JANE’S POV:

The room Patrick is renting is square, with a carpeted floor.

The furniture is old and came with the room, so he couldn’t
get rid of it, even if he wanted to. A fridge is humming in a
corner and on the table are two portable cooking plates.

PATRICK (CONT'D)
I know.
(long pause)
I can pay you next week.
(beat)
Yes, for next month as well.

PATRICK nods.

PATRICK (CONT'D)
I know.

The person on the other line hangs up on him. PATRICK stands

there with the telephone in his hand. Then he puts the
receiver down again.

(CONTINUED)
 7.
CONTINUED:
JANE shakes her head and looks at PATRICK:

JANE
What have you been up to all these
years?

PATRICK shrugs.

JANE (CONT'D)
I always thought you’d become a
writer.

PATRICK
I tried that.

JANE
And?

PATRICK
I’m not good enough.

JANE
What you wrote to me on my birthday
was beautiful.

PATRICK
(blushes)
I was twelve then.

JANE
(re: Cindy's daughter)
Life never turns out how one hoped
it would, does it?

After a while:

JANE (CONT'D)
Look, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to
invade your privacy like this. But
we found a bruise on the girl's
forehead and you know how that is.

PATRICK nods.

JANE (CONT'D)
There’s something I have to ask you
though. When Cindy came by
yesterday to eh... Since you were
the last one to see her little girl
alive, she…, she’d like to talk to
you.

PATRICK
(afraid)
What does she want from me?

(CONTINUED)
 8.
CONTINUED: (2)
JANE
She was nice. She always tied your
shoelaces.

PATRICK nods.

JANE (CONT'D)
So I said you'd be along. You're
almost next door to them.

CLOSE ON PATRICK:

Jane's got him cornered here. He nods in agreement.

12 INT. HOUSE - PATRICK’S ROOM - DAY 12

The old wardrobe opens with a squeak and PATRICK takes out
his lone suit. He lays it onto the bed and looks at it. With
the legs of the trousers sticking out, the suit has the shape
of a small person.

CUT TO:

PATRICK is trying to tie his tie. But he is hopeless.

CUT TO:

PATRICK picks up the telephone.

PATRICK
Hello?

JANE (O.S.)
Hi Patrick, it's Jane.

PATRICK
Oh hi.

JANE (O.S.)
Are you busy?

PATRICK
I'm just about to go out, yeah.

JANE
In that case I won't keep you then.
I just wanted to let you know that
the funeral is tomorrow. The
coroner didn't find anything
suspicious so case is closed now
and we've given the... body back to
Cindy and her family.

(CONTINUED)
 9.
CONTINUED:
PATRICK
I'm on my way there now.

JANE
Thank you Patrick.

13 EXT. CINDY'S HOUSE - STREET - DAY 13

PATRICK walks up the road, towards Cindy’s house. He is

wearing his suit and badly fixed tie.

CLOSE ON PATRICK’S FACE:

He is dreading the encounter ahead.

PATRICK arrives at Cindy’s house. A child's bicycle is lying

in the garden.

Long shot:

PATRICK walks up to the door and stands in front of it. He

summons his courage and rings the bell.

After a while the door opens. PATRICK enters.

HOLD on the house.

14 INT. CINDY’S HOUSE - DAY 14

PATRICK is sitting on a couch. He doesn’t know what to say or
even do with his hands.

PATRICK’S POV:

CINDY and her HUSBAND are sitting opposite him. CINDY is

sobbing, her HUSBAND has put his arm around her. But even in
her sadness, she still looks as beautiful and friendly as
PATRICK remembered her.

The bright, friendly house is ready for the funeral tomorrow.

Flowers with condolences everywhere.

PATRICK rubs his hands. He should never have come here.

Behind CINDY and her HUSBAND the silhouette of a girl (EMILY)

appears in the doorway, the sunlight hitting the back of her
blonde hair, making it glow.

CLOSE ON PATRICK:

Is his mind playing tricks on him? Is that the dead girl he

is seeing there?

(CONTINUED)
 10.
CONTINUED:
But the HUSBAND notices EMILY as well. He gets up and walks
towards EMILY. He puts a hand on her shoulder and leads her
away.

PATRICK looks after him, then his eyes go back to CINDY.

CINDY
That's our Emily.

PATRICK nods.

PATRICK
How old is she?

CINDY
Seven.
(beat)
She now goes to the same school
that we went to.
(beat)
For the life of me I can't figure
out what she was doing at that
canal. She would never have gone
there by herself, she was afraid of
that place.

CINDY is looking at PATRICK for an explanation.

CINDY (CONT'D)
What was she doing there?

PATRICK
I don't know.

PATRICK is feeling more and more guilty by the minute.

CINDY
You must have seen something.
(beat)
Please?

PATRICK can't answer that. Finally he blurts out:

PATRICK
I'm sorry.
(beat)
I didn't know she was your
daughter.

PATRICK can't endure CINDY's look any longer.

CINDY
It's not your fault.

CLOSE ON PATRICK:

(CONTINUED)
 11.
CONTINUED: (2)
But it is.

CINDY wants to move over to the couch where PATRICK is

sitting, but as soon as he notices that, he gets up and grabs
his coat.

CINDY realizes that he wants to leave.

CINDY (CONT'D)
(almost pleading)
Are you going to come to the
funeral tomorrow?

PATRICK once again avoids Cindy's eyes.

PATRICK
I'll try.

15 INT. HOUSE - PATRICK'S ROOM - NIGHT 15

PATRICK is sitting on his bed, still in his suit, in his tie.
He is surrounded by darkness.

Next door someone starts playing classical music which

filters through the walls into Patrick's room.

REVEAL:

Sitting next to him on the bed is the out-of-focus figure of

a GIRL.

She is watching him.

FADE OUT.