THE SNAIL

1.

BLACK SCREEN

WHITE TEXT: FRANCE, 1917

EXT. SOLDIERS HOME - NOON

An old decrepit house sits on a hill. Overcast skies, grass

blowing in the air. It feels lonely until a man in a blue
uniform appears on screen.

He’s walking up the hill. The wind gets heavier as he gets

closer to the door of the house.

INT. SOLDIERS HOME - CONTINUOUS

The screen goes to black once again until the door opens and the
silhouette of the man appears. This character will be known as
POILU.

The home has strange arranged furniture and a fireplace. On the

bedside table, There is a lantern and a folded anonymous note.

Poilu sits down on a wooden chair in front of the fireplace. His

face is full of trauma and melancholy.

He looks up at the shelf above the fireplace. Something is there

that he’s never noticed before... A shell?

Poilu gets up and picks up the shell to see that It has a green
and brown coloring and the swirl is upside down. He walks
towards the dining table and places it on the edge.

He turns around and walks back to the fireplace until…

ENGLISH VOICE (O.S)

Hello?
 2.

Poilu turns his head around quickly. His eyes wander around the
room. He slowly turns his head back around and continues to walk
back.

ENGLISH VOICE (O.S)

Can you pay attention to me for a moment?

Poilu quickly turns back around and sees the shell turn into a
mollusk snail. He grabs a dagger out of his boot and points it
at THE SNAIL.

THE SNAIL
Oh please, it’s not like I'm going to attack you.

POILU
Explain yourself this instant.

THE SNAIL
I will if you put the weapon away.

Poilu slowly puts the dagger back in his boot.

POILU
Now talk.

THE SNAIL
I am a slug that shall tell you about yourself.

Poilu stomps his foot.

POILU
You don't know me!

THE SNAIL
May I continue?

Poilu starts to sweat and sits on a wooden chair facing the

snail.
 3.

THE SNAIL (CON’T)

You’re a man that is full of pain and trauma.
Filled with a fog of anger that overcomes your
body. You take out your frustrations on men that
have families too.

Poilu stares at the snail.

POILU
Families?

THE SNAIL
Yes. Haven’t you thought about the men you shoot
down?

Poilu is now confused.

POILU
Who are you exactly?

THE SNAIL
I’m a fortune.

POILU
Just tell me where you're going with this or I’ll
crush you.

The Snail turns and faces the bedroom.

THE SNAIL
What if you died out there and your wife never
got to see you again?

Poilu looks at the bedside table and looks at the folded paper.
He gets up to open the paper to see it’s a letter to his wife.

Poilu looks out the window and down to the note.

 4.

THE SNAIL (CON’T)

You fight this battle just for your country to
lose time and time again. You’ll die and your
sacrifice will be for nothing. So run away. Don’t
look back.

POILU
I’m doing this for her.

THE SNAIL
War is not the answer. It causes more destruction and
rivalries. You don’t want to be part of those amongst
those that died for nothing. Everyone on that field
has someone waiting for them at home.

Poilu walks back over to the snail at the table.

POILU
So... what am I supposed to do? I have to stay here.

THE SNAIL
Like I said... run. Go to her.

POILU
What about you?

THE SNAIL
Don’t worry about me. I’ll wait and see if more men
come in here.

Poilu grasps the letter in his hand. He shoves it in his

satchel, walks over to grab his rifle, and walks to the door.

THE SNAIL
Stay safe, friend.

Poilu nods. He opens the door and closes it behind him.

 5.

The Snail puts its sluggish body back into the shell and the
shell sits there at the table as the fireplace fades to
darkness.

EXT. SOLDIERS HOME - NIGHT

Poilu runs through the open field. Searching for a nearby train
station or a town wanting to get away from this god forsaken
war.

He slows down to catch his breath and sees village lights in the
distance. He sprints down the hill and the camera pans up to the
night sky.

CUT TO BLACK.