SHADOWS OF A WAR IMAGINED

written by

Scott Nelson

1735 Woods Way

Lake Geneva, WI  53147
262-290-6957
scottn7@gmail.com
 
FADE IN:

EXT. WOODS - DAY

Deep, lush woods are illuminated by bring sunlight. At first,
there is no sign of anyone.

A soldier, a SERGEANT, emerges from behind a tree. Tall,

thin, black and in his early twenties. He looks scared as he
surveys the area around him.
SERGEANT
OK. I think it's clear. Let's go.
A PRIVATE lays on the ground behind a log. Shorter and
stocky, white, late teens. He has a gash on his leg that
looks bad.
The Sergeant sholder's his gun and goes to help the other man
up. The private is clearly in pain.
PRIVATE
It's bad, Sarge. You should
probably leave me behind.
SERGEANT
Listen to me Private. I'm not going
to leave you anywhere. We're going
to get out of here, but you have to
work with me.
The Sergeant helps him up and puts his arm around his
shoulder. Together the two start to walk through the woods.
The going is difficult, but the two manage to move along.
They come to a large log and he helps the private to sit.
He takes out a canteen and offers him some. The private
drinks.
PRIVATE
Where do you think we are?
SERGEANT
I can't really tell. I can't find
any landmarks or anything. But I
also don't see the enemy. So I
think we can rest here for a bit.
He sits down next to his man, and looks at his leg.
PRIVATE
I'm losing a lot of blood.
 2.

SERGEANT
Yeah, but I might be able to slow
it down.
He tears off his sleeve and ties it around the leg,
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
That will help. Give us a bit more
time.
PRIVATE
You know the weird thing, Sarge?
SERGEANT
What?
PRIVATE
I can't remember how I did this.
Isn't that weird?
The Sergeant laughs a bit, then stops.
SERGEANT
You know, now that you mention it,
I don't remember either. Weird.
He looks around.
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
In fact, I don't remember anything.
How did we get here?
PRIVATE
Sarge?
SERGEANT
What do you remember? Anything? How
did we get here? What were we doing
before hand?
PRIVATE
We... we must have been in a
battle. Right?
SERGEANT
I guess, but I don't recall.
He thinks about this.
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
Something made me forget
everything. I don't think my head's
been hit or anything.
 3.

PRIVATE
It must have been the enemy. Some
sort of sonic wave maybe? Or gas?
Somehow they made us forget.
SERGEANT
Maybe. Maybe.
He gets up and looks around.
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
I don't hear anything either.
Shouldn't there be sounds of a
battle? Something. I don't hear a
thing.
The private listens too.
PRIVATE
You're right. It's weirdly quiet.
Must just be a trick. You know. To
catch us.
SERGEANT
Yeah, probably.
He goes back to get him.
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
We should keep moving. You strong
enough?
PRIVATE
Yeah, I can move... at least for a
while.
Together they start to move along.
They come to a small lake. The two stand and look at it.
SERGEANT
We need to get past this. The other
side will give us more shelter. I
think night is coming and we need
to find a place to spend the night.
PRIVATE
I can't get across.
SERGEANT
I know. I know.
He looks to each side.
 4.

SERGEANT (CONT’D)
Let me try going around the lake
and see how thick the brush is. You
OK if I leave you here for a couple
minutes.
PRIVATE
Give me a minute before you go. I
need to catch my breath.
Sarge sits down next to him.
SERGEANT
You know, I can't remember your
name.
The private thinks.
PRIVATE
Funny, me either.
SERGEANT
Well, you need a name. Until you
can remember let's call you Chuck.
PRIVATE
OK, Chuck. What should I call you?
SERGEANT
Sarge.
PRIVATE
Sure, Sarge.
The sarge thinks about that.
SERGEANT
Call me Pete. I like that. Pete.
He looks at him.
SERGEANT (CONT’D)
Feeling better?
PRIVATE
Yeah, go ahead. Take a look around
The Sarge leaves his rifle. He sits against a tree as the
Sarge heads out.
While he waits, he hears a branch CRACK. Panic covers his
face.
 5.

PRIVATE (CONT’D)
Sarge? Sarge, is that you?
There is no response.
PRIVATE (CONT’D)
Sarge?
He hears another CRACK. He takes the rifle and points it
toward the noise.
Suddenly, Sarge reappears.
SERGEANT
No luck. The woods are really...
PRIVATE
Someone's coming.
SERGEANT
What? Where?
He points toward the way they came. There is another CRACK.
The two adjust to try to hide.
PRIVATE
Think it's the enemy?
SERGEANT
Can't say. But I don't like it.

He helps the private to move behind a tree. He sets himself

with his rifle to greet whoever comes.
Two people emerge. One is a WOMAN, white, middle aged. The
other is a little BOY, about seven.
The boy bounces around, running behind trees, jumping on
rocks.
BOY
Mom! Mom! Look at me.
WOMAN
I see you. Be careful up there.
They walk along, when the boy sees something. He bends down
to look.
On the ground are two toy plastic soldiers, laying next to a
puddle. One has a rifle. The other has a scratch on the
plastic of it's leg.
 6.

BOY
Mom, look what I found.
He holds up the soldiers.
BOY (CONT’D)
Can I keep them? Can I?
She looks at them.
WOMAN
Looks like someone lost them. We
really should leave them. There
might be a little boy like you
looking for them.
BOY
Please?
She thinks for a moment.
WOMAN
Alright. I guess it won't do any
harm. Go ahead.
The boy is delighted and puts the two in his pocket. Then he
goes back to running in the woods. The two walk along as the
sun goes down.
FADE OUT.
THE END