Beyond the Page

By: Norma Echeverria

 (Fade In)

***Ext - Outside - Mid Day

It was a cold day. Houses and cars parked on the side can be
seen in the background.

The first scene has no dialogue (add music)

Establishing shot to a WS or aerial shot

Tracking - Side Profile/Front

Laena Drakos, 17 years old, with dark brown eyes, and dark brown
mid-length curly hair, walks down the sidewalk. Laena has her
hands in her jacket; her hair is down.

As she walks, Laena sees a little girl with their mom passing by
(OTS) of the mom and kid walking pass. (MCU) Of Laena smiling to
herself as she walks to her house when she arrives at the white
gates (LS) to (MS) of Laena opening the gates (LS) of her back
going up the stairs opening the door (MS) of her going through
the door.

Cut.

***Int. Inside Her House

Transition to scene 2

(MS) of Laena walking inside her house, a (LS) of her closing

the door behind her and walking into the camera. (LS) of Laena
walking through the door (MS) Laena walks past a family portrait
(CU) of the family portrait; Laena walks back to look at it.
(CU)of Laena admiring the photo, it’s a bittersweet moment.
Laena stares at the picture and doesn’t realize that there is
another person in the room with her until she hears a voice
pulling her out of her trans.

(VO):
 “You ok?”

Laena shakes her head to clear any thoughts (MCU) and looks over
(Pan)to her sister Draya who is leaning against the wall, arms
crossed (FS).

Laena:
“Ya, just looking.”

Laena turns to look back at the photo on the wall. (MS) and
(tracking)of Laena’s sister Draya who is 16 years old, has curly
brown hair and dark brown eyes, and is wearing casual clothing;
she nods and walks towards her sister. (MS) from behind both of
them looking at the picture. There is a height difference
between the two Laena being the eldest, is taller, and Draya
being a year younger, is the shorter of the two.

(TS) Of both siblings looking at a family portrait taken two

years ago.

(TS)
Draya:
“You know, I remember that photo.”

Laena:
“Ya”

Draya:

“Ya! If I remember correctly, mom had just finished yelling at

us for something, but we couldn’t keep a straight face because
dad was right behind her, mimicking everything she was doing. It
wasn’t until she turned around did she notice.”

Both give a slight chuckle.

Laena:
“Oh ya! Those were fun times.”

Draya looks over. Draya: “They were. The family altogether. One.
Last. Time.”
(CU) On Laena's face. Laena: “Do you miss them?”

Draya: “Of course I do. There's not one moment I don’t think of
them. This house used to be so full of life now; it just feels
like a distant memory.”

(OTS) Laena: “Then why don’t you act like it! It seems like I’m
the only one morning them.”

Draya: “Your kidding, right?”

No Reply
Draya: “I have mourned them. But I've had to keep myself
together for you. So that you don’t fall apart.”

Laena: “I don’t need a babysitter! I am perfectly Fin-”

Draya: “What, fine! You have been a reck. You don’t eat; you
don’t sleep; you barely speak! I need my sister, but she is
nowhere to be found. Only the shell of who she once was.”

(CU) of Laenas face before she storms off (LS) up the stairs and
into her room. (Cut).

***INT. Inside Laena’s room

Laena storms into the room (LS). She starts to walk back and
forth when she sees something that reminds her of her mom (CU)
of Laena’s hand,(L/A) of Laena’s face before she throws it to
the ground, and (LS) of Laena destroying her room. She yells in
frustration, anger, and sorrow. (LS) Laena backs onto a wall
behind her (the camera lowers as Laena does) and then brings her
knees to her chest.

(H/A)of Laena on the ground until she lifts her head and sees a
book. (CU) of her grabbing the book and (MCU) admiring it and
bringing it to her chest, almost like hugging it. (MS)of her
opening the book and reading a few pages.
(POV) of Laena turning the pages, then on the last page, turn it
and transition to her finding herself inside the story. (Cut).

***EXT. Outside in the woods (Fake Weapons)

(POV) of clashing of swords.

(Fighting scene).
(H/A) of Daemon Valerian helping Laena off the ground.
Daemon: “You alright, there, miss?” Laena cleaned off her pants.
Laena: “I think so. Where am I?”
Daemon: “The Stormlands,” Laena repeated the name. It sounded
vaguely familiar. There was a snap of a branch (LS).
Daemon: “You're late!” (OTS)
(VO)
“It’s not my fault.”
Pan towards a girl walking up to Daemon and Laena.

Rhea: “Who’s the girl?”

Daemon: “Not sure. Haven’t asked.”
Rhea: “Oh, how kind of you,” she said sarcastically.
Rhea: “Hello, I’m Rhea, and this is Daemon.” (MS)
Laena: “Hi, I’m Laena.
Rhea: “Such a pretty name.”
Laena: “Thank you.” Rhea hummed in response.

After a moment of uncomfortable silence (LS), Daemon speaks up.

Daemon: “Did you get it?”

Rhea: “Ya, it took a while and a lot of bribing but here.”

She hands him a necklace. The tall man with short curly hair
took it from her and brought it up to the light (CU).

Rhea: “How much do you think it’s worth?” (MCU)

Daemon: “Enough. So we don’t have to steal again.”
Rhea: “AAh. It’s not stealing. It’s called surviving.” (MS)

Laena was confused about what was happening. The two people in
front of her, Daemon and Rhae, were like the people back home,
but they weren’t them. Not only that, but when did she leave her
house? So many questions floated about inside Laena that she
failed to notice the two people talking to her.

(OTS) Rhea:” You ok? You seem lost.”

Laena: “Yes. No. Wait. Where specifically am I?”
Rhea: “As Daemon here said, you’re in the Stormlands. But
luckily for you (TS), we're heading to Westeros.”
Laena: “Westeros?”
Daemon: “Yes, Westeros. But we must hurry if we don’t want do
want to be caught here at night.”
Laena: “Wait. Your joking, right?” Rhea and Deamon looked at
each other in confusion.
Rhea: “Why would we joke? We don’t want to be caught here at
night. I don’t know what it’s like where you’re from, but here
there are beasts that roam these woods at night. They come when
the moon is at its peak, then…

Daemon: BAM! They get you, and you’re never heard from again. So
can hurry. I don’t want to be anyone's lunch.”

Rhea: “Not like there’s much to eat.”

Daemon: “What?”
Rhea: “Hmm, Nothing.” (WS)

Rhea and Daemon allow Laena to join them on their quest to

Westeros. They talk on their way there and get to learn a bit
more about each other. Laena, on the other hand, is ecstatic. If
this is a dream, she hopes she never wakes. Since the passing of
her mom, she has never felt relief. Until now, she feels free
and can start anew in a story she's read millions of times, one
that keeps her mother alive for her. At one point, they stopped
walking, and Laena noticed a hooded figure walking toward them.
(LS).

Hooded man: “Hey, you ripped me off! I will get what I’m owed!”
Rhea draws her sword: “I can assure you, you’re mistaken!”
Hooded man: “I’m not. That man (He points towards Daemon) paid
me to attack him for 20 silver. There's only 15 in here.”

The man holds up the pouch and lets it drop to the ground. (CU)
of Rhea looking back at Daemon.
Rhea: “What. Have. You. Done.” She says through gritted teeth.
Daemon: “I have done nothing. This man speaks nothing but LIES!”
Hooded man: “Oh, REALLY!”

Everyone drew their swords, and Laena took a dagger from Rhea’s
bag. Everyone was ready, but as the hooded man, Rhea, and
Daemon’s swords clashed together, a fast movement could be heard
from the forest. Growing louder as it came closer.

(Cut).

*** EXT. Outside in the woods

The noise is growing closer and closer. Laena hears this happing
over the fighting and worries more and more. Not knowing where
this new threat is coming from. Did the hooded man bring
reinforcements? Or maybe it’s the beast Rhea and Daemon spoke
about. Laena was so lost in thought she didn’t notice when Rhea
yelled at her to watch out! A woman came dashing out of the
forest, aiding Rhea and Daemon in their fight. As Laena looked
closer, what she saw she couldn’t believe. It was her mother.
She’s alive and here to save her, but right before Laena could
get a chance to speak to her mother, the hooded man came right
for her. Knocking her on the cold hard ground. The last thing
she saw was her mother before everything went black.

***INT. Inside her room

When Laena awoke, she was back in her destroyed room. (LS)
Instead of a beautiful forest, it was a chaotic mess that
surrounded her. It was a dream. A beautiful one at best. Laena
got up and began to clean up. As day turned to night she would
try and dream again. She tried and tried so desperately to
return to that moment, but nothing worked. The one chance she
could have to see her mother and say a proper goodbye. Gone.
From that day, Laena found herself wallowing in the darkest pits
of despair. There was nothing that could save her, for she was
lost in more ways than one.
 Time Jump to a month later.
(Cut).

INT. Inside her house, watching television with Draya.

(LS) Draya and Laena are watching the TV when Draya starts
talking, and Laena starts to doze off. As she did, she felt
someone tugging at her in her sleepy state; she said

*** Laena: “Draya, stop. Let me sleep”. (MS) But the tugging
continued.

Laena: “Draya, I said to sto–”

Laena heard a familiar woman's voice respond to her. Laena

snapped up and the woman’s familiar gaze.
The woman spoke, “Sorry to disturb you; it’s just you really
shouldn’t just fall asleep out here. The woods are dangerous.”
Laena was at a loss for words. She’s back. Without warning,
Laena goes up to the woman and gives her a hug. This hug is
filled with all the words Laena could never say. She poured her
heart and soul into that hug, but after a few moments, Laena let
go and apologized.

Azra: “It’s alright. It looked like you really needed it.”

Laena: “I did.”
Azra: “I’m Azra by the way.”
Laena: “I know.”
Azra: “What”
Laena: “I mean. I’m Laena.”
Azra: “Laena. That’s a beautiful name! You know I actually want
to name my future daughter that.”
Laena: “It is. A beautiful name, you should. I’m sure she’ll
love it.”
Azra: “Hope so.”

There was a comfortable silence between them.

Azra: “Well, I should get going. My husband doesn’t like it when
I’m gone for too long.”

Dad? Is what Laena thought.

Laena: “Really?”
Azra: “Yes, Andreous worries too much. I can take care of
myself. Thank you.”

Both women laugh.

Laena: “Yes, I can tell.” Just as Azra was going to speak once
more, a voice could be heard from the distance calling Azra to
come home.

Azra: “Too late. He found me. I should really get going. Take
care, Laena!” She says, giving Laena one great big hug.

Laena holding back tears: “You too!”

Laena watched as her mother met her father and soon disappeared
into the woods together. Laena whispered a final goodbye into
the air with nothing but the trees could hear. Everything
started to fade to black, and Laena awoke back home with the TV
on and her Draya by her side, all tired out and welcoming sleep.

Laena looks towards their family portrait. So many memories and

many more to come.

Fade to black.