DUPPY BACK HOME

_______________________________________

by
Ashanti Brown
&
Michael-Shane Saddler

Copyright © 2023,
by Ashanti C. Brown,Michael-Shane A. Saddler,Kimeisha A.
Maye,Brianna A. Satchwell,Taniece H. McKenzie
 –1–

Cast Of Characters

Bonnie Peak: The best friend of Julia

Clyde Bar: The boyfriend of Julia

Julia Rose: The single child and dead girl

Junie Rose: A single parent of Julia

Mavis Grant: The aunt of Julia and Junie’s sister

Scene

The home of Junie Rose (living/dining room)

Time

Present
 –2–

Cast

Bonnie Peak, Ashanti Brown

Clyde Bar, Älandre Saddler

Julia Rose, Brianna Satchwell

Junie Rose, Taniece McKenzie

Mavis Grant, Kimeisha Maye

Liaison Officer, Älandre Saddler

Crew

Director, Michael-Shane Saddler

Set Designer, Kimeisha Maye

Sound Designer, Brianna Satchwell

Hair/Makeup/Costumer, Taniece McKenzie

Stage Hands,

Stage Manager, Kimeisha Maye

Sound Director, Brianna Satchwell

Properties Master, Kimeisha Maye

Michael-Shane Saddler

Taniece McKenzie

Ashanti Brown

Brianna Satchwell
 –3–

SCENE I

INT. JUNIE'S HOME LIVING/DINING ROOM — AFTERNOON

[Junie enters the dining room, fixing the table with

delicious food for her annual Saturday feast. Waiting with
excitement for her daughter to come.
The room is filled with the tantalizing aroma of
home-cooked Jamaican cuisine.]

MUSIC: smooth entry of music

JUNIE
(excited tone)
Lawd God you answer mi prayers, you sending mi daughter
home for dinner.

(stop and smile in imagination)

Mi cant wait for her to taste the good good ackee and
saltfish with yam and banana. Mi wonder if she like mash
potato still.

[Continue to fix up table.]

Long long time mi no see my good good daughter you know. Mi

wonder if the school ah treat her good. She get big and
going to big big college ah kingston. Mi proud of her you
see. Mi big ‘ol actress. Yo soon see her pon news and
broadway, maybe pon rising star, to.

Nun ah dirty Navlette, pickney nuh bad like mi daughter.

FX: Knock on the door.

 –4–

JUNIE
(shouts in enjoyment)
Woo, mi juju reach.
Mi happy you see.

[Junie runs and opens the door for Julia opening the door
and pulls her in happily.]

JULIA
(happy)
Good afternoon Mommy.
What's up?

[Julia takes off her jacket, places down her back and sits
at the dining table.]

JUNIE
(happy)
Afternoon baby, I'm good don’t worry bout mi.

You like ackee and saltfish, Juju?

JULIA
(ecstatic tone)
Yh ofcuse. Mashed potato in it though.

[Junie goes to the table with filled plates and cups of

juice.]

JUNIE
Just for u hon.

[Junie then sits beside Julia.]

JUNIE
(in a warm, motherly tone)
So how is school?
 –5–

JULIA
(soft tone)
EMC treating me well, mami. The class nice, and.. I have a
great roommate.

JUNIE
(interesting tone)
Sounds good.

[Julia’s phone then rings and she steps aside to go on a

group call with her boyfriend, Clyde and best friend,
Bonnie.]

FX: Phone rings.

JULIA
Mommy I have to take this.

[Julia steps away from the table.]

JULIA
(happy)
Hey guys, what's up?

CLYDE/BONNIE
O.S Mi good. I'm ok.

CLYDE
(enticingly)
O.S Yo, b. You afi link up ah the thing josh ah through
tonight, enuh.

BONNIE
(excitedly)
O.S Yeah, you can't miss this bash,gyal! It's going to be
legendary!

JULIA
(hesitant)
Guys, I don't know, I want to spend time with Mom.
 –6–

BONNIE
(persuasively)
O.S Oh, come on. Are you a mommy's girl?

CLYDE
(persuasively)
You can spend tmr with her.

JULIA
(in agreement)
Okay, fine. See y’all

[Julia entered back the living room and talked to her Mom.]

JULIA
(nervously)
Mom, can I ask you something?

JUNIE
(interestingly)
Anything baby?

JULIA
Can I go out to a party?

JUNIE
(interestingly)
With who?

JULIA
(nervously)
Just Bonnie and Clyde.

JUNIE
(firmly)
Gal pickney, come out of my face you know you can't go out
with then crosses pinckney deh. Bad news.

JULIA
But mami.
 –7–

JUNIE
(educatively)
I tell you, sweet tongue hide bad hearts. But you nuh hear.

JULIA
Anyways it's getting late. I have to go to the hotel to
catch the bus early tmr. Bye, mommy.

JUNIE
Bye mi sweet juju.

[Julia, visibly frustrated, says goodbye and leaves her

mom, determined to attend the party regardless of her
mother's warnings.]

{END OF SCENE}
 –8–

SCENE II

INT. JUNIE'S LIVING ROOM — MORNING

[Junie suddenly wakes up from a fitful sleep, gasping for

breath. She runs into her living room in trembles as she
recalls the vivid nightmare she had of her daughter
drowning in a tub of water.]

JUNIE
(crying and trembling)
Oh lawd God, please protect my baby girl. My one and only
pickney. God I put all my trust in you, you are my refuge
and in you I'll trust. Please cover my daughter under your.
Rebuke any weapon that shall form against her please.

(shouting)
In the blood of jesus, in the blood of jesus. Satan u shall
not prevail today.

Mi afi call Mavis.

[Junie calls her sister, Mavis, who lives next door]

JUNIE
(panicking)
Mavis! Mavis. I have a bad dream, eheh, it nuh nice.

MAVIS
(unexpected shock)
What happened,mi ah come.

JUNIE
(panicking)
Gyall come yah.

MAVIS
What is it sis?

[Junie sits on couch in panic]

 –9–

JUNIE
(panicking)
Mavis, mi just have a bad, bad dream, eheh, it nuh nice.

MAVIS
Gyal, spit it out nuh, mi pot pon fire.

JUNIE
(panicking)
Mi dream seh them find juju, body ina river.

MAVIS
JESUS! Girl pray cause them seh that dream do come true.
And that sound like a likely.

JUNIE
Gyal come gwah out of mi house, mi call u fi get some
positivity and you come with uh foolishness.

MAVIS
Mi jus ah seh.

JUNIE
Gal gwan ‘jus ah seh’, with uh cunny mono outside.

[Junie runs Mavis out of her kitchen and plans to call

Julia to check in on her.]

[Junie paces back and forth, anxiety etched onto her face
as she repeatedly dials Julia's number, only to be met with
silence on the other end.]

[Undeterred, she continues with her daily chores, trying to

push the eerie premonition from her mind.]

[While washing dishes, Junie catches a glimpse of Julia

from the corner of her eye, approaching the house. But as
she rushes to the window, Julia is nowhere in sight. A
shiver runs down her spine.]
 –10–

JUNIE
Wait nuh Julia that. Julia, Julia!

Wait ah weh she gone.

[Throughout the day, Junie experiences strange occurrences,

catching sight of Julia at different moments when she isn't
truly there.]

JUNIE
(give up)
I cant bother, mek mi guh do some work ina deh bedroom.

[Junie wals away and goes into her bedroom to do some

chores, then the house phone rings.]

FX: Phone rings.

JUNIE
(fidgety)
Wooh, mi phone wi mi phone deh.

[Junie picks up phone.]

JUNIE
Unknown number? Hello, Who is this?

LIAISON OFFICER
O.S Hi, Hello is this the legal parent/guardian of Julia
Rose?

JUNIE
Yes, who is this?

LIAISON OFFICER
 –11–

O.S I'm calling from the Hopeview Police Station, to inform

you of the discovery of your daughter’s, Julia, body.

JUNIE
(denial)
Sir, come off my phone, I know u aint talking about my
daughter. Must be another Julia you talking about. Guh find
the Julia you talking about

LIAISON OFFICER
O.S Mame, you have to remain calm.

JUNIE
(angry)
‘Remain calm!’ you call mi ah tell mi seh mi daughter dead.
Sir, come off mi blasted phone.

[Junie hangs up.]

JUNIE
(bargaining)
God, please make sure ah nuh mi daughter, dem talk bout,
I'm begging God ah mi only child.

[In tears, Mavis got a call from the liaison officer and
ran over to Junie’s house to inform her.]

MAVIS
(crying)
Junie! Junie o’.

JUNIE
(unexpected shock)
Mavis ah wah.

MAVIS
(trembling and crying)
 –12–

Woooooooo.Junie them find Julia body. Drown and hanged with

chains. JESUS, JESUS, JESUS

JUNIE
(Depressed)
Mavis mi get the call but mi never believe woooooo, mi baby
dead. JESUS HELP!

{END OF SCENE}
 –13–

SCENE III

EXT. JUNIE’S LIVING ROOM — MORNING

[Mavis goes to live with Junie for a while during her

grieving process. She wakes up early to make Mavis some
tea.]

MAVIS
(worried)
O.S Junie, where u at?

JUNIE
(depressed)
In here.

MAVIS
You want some tea?

JUNIE
(depressed)
Sure.

[Mavis goes in the kitchen to make some tea for Junie,

meanwhile Junie crying in the coach.]

MAVIS
(worried)
Here Sis. Are you o...

FX: Knock on the door.

MAVIS
Ah who that?

BONNIE
It’s Bonnie I’m here with Clyde

[Mavis goes ahead and lets Bonnie and Clyde inside the
house]
 –14–

MAVIS
What uno trouble maker want?

Clyde
Mi hear wah happened to Julia.
Just wanted to check how mommy doing.

MAVIS
Come in
She like this from she hear

BONNIE
(intriguing)
What did the doctors say happen?

[Mavis brings Bonnie to one side so that Junie doesn't hear

and get upset.]

MAVIS
Them seh them find her body, inna riba. And she look like
she dead from the previous night.

But it strange cause she come fi dinner that night and left
fi the hotel.

BONNIE
Ohh.

MAVIS
Wait den anuh three day now.
(in a hurry, shouting)
Day 3, Move fast, we have to get things right.

CLYDE
(curious)
Wah ah happen

MAVIS
She coming back today.
 –15–

[Mavis, starts to cover the mirrors, rearranging furniture,

turning the mattress over, and even stopping the clocks.
While Bonnie and Clyde undo everything Mavis does.]

{END OF SCENE}
 –16–

SCENE IV

EXT. OUTSIDE JUNIE’S HOUSE — NIGHT

*6 days later

[The scene starts out outside of Junie’s home, where a

nine-night celebration is being held for Julia.]

MUSIC: Mento Music, Sankey Hymns, Kumina Music

[Mavis sits with Junie talking about Julia’s growing up.]

MAVIS
(smiling)
Sis remember when the little gyal jump fence from dog when
she guh thief mango, from Master Jim. And chip up a foot
then.

JUNIE
(smile)
Mi when afi carry her go ah doctor. Cause she acting like
her foot broke when ah just two scape.

MAVIS
(laughs)
Suh mi know seh she ago guh ah Edna.

Even that one time when she tell nuff fake story pon the
puppy.

JUNIE
(smile)
Yh. mi when believe that one.

[As Bonnie and Clyde enter the wake hugging, the music
stops unexpectedly]

FX: Rumbling chains approaching.

 –17–

BONNIE
(shocked)
As we reach suh the music stops.

CLYDE
Mi ah wonder to

FX: Rumbling chains approaching.

BONNIE
(scared)
You hear chains.

CLYDE
(worried)
No b.

[Bonnie falls in thin air and cuts her finger.]

BONNIE
(anger, scared)
Who push mi?

CLYDE
B, u good why u just drop suh?

FX: Rumbling chains approaching.

[Julia appears across Bonnie as she gets up.]

BONNIE
(scared)
Babe, babe, look.

CLYDE
(worried)
Wha, wha mi look pon?

BONNIE
(scared)
JULIA! JULIA!
 –18–

[Bonnie goes fanatic, protesting that she saw Julia. So,

Clyde pulled her aside to remind her.]

CLYDE
B. Remember Julia dead.

BONNIE
JULIA! JULIA!

[Mavis approaches Bonnie and Clyde in confusion.]

MAVIS
Yo, control her, Julia dead and she shouting not changing
shit.

CLYDE
Ok aunti.

[as Clyde turns to Bonnie she faints]

CLYDE
B.B, u gud get up

BONNIE
(dizzy)
Get me some water, please

[Clyde goes to the table for water, and he starts to hear

chains.]

FX: Rumbling chains approaching.

CLYDE
(scared)
Ah wah that

[Julia appears to him on the other side of the table.]

 –19–

CLYDE
(jumps backwards)
Woooh
Wah you want?

[Wisper of the wind, Julia says ‘admit.’]

[Clyde runs and falls on his face, then Julia appears in

front of him and slaps him in the face and he falls on the
floor foaming from the mouth and crying.]

[Bonnie went to Clyde and decided to go and admit to Junie

about what happened.]

BONNIE
(crying in regret)
Mami, we have to tell u something.

MAVIS
(worried)
Wah wrong with uno

CLYDE
(crying)
Please mami, listen

BONNIE
(crying, to Junie)
The other night Julia come ah di party with us. Sshe
started to dance with Clyde. I got Jealous i Know i
shouldnt have. Im sorry, i wanted to kill her for it. Mi
always want Clyde fi mi self , but she was in the way.

[Junie starts to shake her head]

JUNIE
(crying)
Don't tell me nothing.
 –20–

BONNIE
(cont’d)
She went to the bathroom and i told Clyde that mi ah guh
kill her for him. He said i should try. Suh mi go ah the
bathroom take of the chain of my shoes and and choke her to
death. We then dump her body a river.

[Clyde and Bonnie get on their knees and beg for

forgiveness.]

MAVIS
(shocked)
WAH!

[Junie starts to break down, all Mavis can do is stand

there and cry.]

[Bonnie and Clyde on the ground crying in regret.]

{END OF SCENE}
 –21–

PLOT/SEQUENCE

Exposition: Julia visited her mom, Junie, for their annual

Sunday feast. Later, she stepped aside and went on a group
call with her boyfriend, Clyde, and best friend, Bonnie.
With convincing from them she decided to go to a party the
following day. Telling her mom, she demanded that Julia
didn't go because her friends are bad people. She then left
her mom’s house with the intention of going anyway.

Rising Action: Day 1, The day of the party, Junie woke up

from a horrible dream in which her daughter died by
drowning in a tub of water. She called her sister, Mavis,
from the neighbouring house telling her about her dream.
When she started to call Julia, she didn't get an answer.

On day 2, Junie woke to wonder why she didn't get a

response from Julia since the previous day. She tried
calling her again but still no answer. She ignored and and
went on with her day. While doing chores Junie glimpsed
outside and saw her coming towards the house, when went and
looked outside she disappeared. She was in conflict. During
the day there were a lot of appearances of her daughter
when she wasn't there. Unfortunately, later that day Junie
got a call from the regional hospital informing her of the
discovery of Julia’s body.

Climax: Junie went through all stages of grief. Her sister

Mavis came over and stayed with her during her grieving
process. Day 3, Being superstitious Mavis, called Julia’s
friends, realizing that it was the third day they wanted to
rearrange the future to wear off the ghost.

Falling action: 6 days later, on the day of the night

celebration. Julia appeared again but this time only Bonnie
and Clyde saw her. She kept appearing and disappearing from
them until she attacked. Using all of Julia's ghostly power
she caused them to be fatigued with the ambush.

Resolution: Bonnie and Clyde then tiredly gave a monologue

expressing the truth and the guilt they have.
–22–