stricken (pilot) - 20 pages

7/31/2019 Stricken (Pilot) - 20 Pages

1/21

Stricken (Pilot)

By

Ti Alan Chase


2/21

INT.LILYS HOUSE.NIGHT

LILY, a young girl of six is lying in bed, her eyes widewith fight. She has her blanket pulled up to cover most ofher face and her eyes dart around at every little sound inthe room. She is breathing heavily.

She hears the floor-boards creaking, sees shadows movingacross her ceiling. Door hinges creak and sheglances nervously at the closet door, which is open acrack. Then all is deathly silent. Lily catches her breathand listens intently. The silence continues until . . . ascratching sound, like claws against wood, starts from underthe bed.

Lily jumps out of bed and runs out of her room and into thehall. She tries to open her fathers door but it islocked. She shakes the knob desperately.

LILYDad! Let me in! Dad! Hurry!

Inside the fathers bedroom, Lilys father stirsgroggily. The woman sleeping in bed next to him turns overand covers her head with a pillow.

LILYS FATHERGo to bed, Lily!

LILYHelp me! Let me in! Shes under thebed!

Lilys father sits up in bed, starting to awaken. Lily isstill shaking the door handle.

LILYS FATHERWhat?

LILYShes under the bed! Shes underthe bed!

LILYS FATHERWho is?

LILYMum! Shes under the bed!

Lilys father falls back into bed, annoyed.

(CONTINUED)


3/21

CONTINUED: 2.

LILYS FATHERYour mum is dead, you little shit!

LILYShes under the bed!

LILYS FATHERGo to bed!

Lily stops trying to open the door and glances back acrossthe hall to her room.

LILY(Quietly, pleading)

Dad? Please. . . Dad?

There is no response.

Lily cautiously steps towards her room, one slow step at a

time. The floorboards creak under her feet. She finds thather door is mostly closed. She reaches out and gentlypushes it open . . .

. . . and reveals a deathly pale woman in a white gownsmiling lovingly down at her.

Lilys gasps and freezes in fright. ROSE, the woman, raisesa finger to her lips and whispers "shhhhhh". Rose stepstowards Lily, who stares back in panic. Rose lowers herselfto her knees and embraces Lily. She keeps repeating "shh"as she caresses her daughter. Then Rose strokes Lilysface, pulls the girls hair back off of her neck and sinks

her razor-sharp teeth into the girls neck.

CUT TO

INT.LILYS APARTMENT.NIGHT

An adult Lily sits up suddenly in bed, drenched in a coldsweat. She is a gaunt, sickly woman in her early 20s.It is dark outside and the clock shows 2:14 in the morning,although all the lights are on in her bedroom.

She sits frozen breathless with panic.

THERAPIST (VO)Its not unusual that losing bothof your parents at such a young agewould have a traumatic effect onyour psyche. . .

CUT TO


4/21

3.

INT.THERAPISTS OFFICE.DAY

TITLE CARD: "2008"

THERAPISTWhats troubling to me is the

persistence and frequency of thesedreams.

LILYIts not a dream. Its a memory.

THERAPISTA memory that you dream.

LILYIts what happened.

THERAPIST

I know that its how you rememberthings happening-

LILYStop patronizing! Im not crazy;I dont pay you to make me feelcrazy!

THERAPISTIm trying to help you, Lily.

LILYSo help me! Make it stop! Make me

forget!

THERAPISTBefore you can get over thesedreams we need to address theunderlying trauma.

LILYI know what the underlying traumais! Ive been trying my whole lifeto address the underlyingtrauma, but you dont believeme! No one believes me!

THERAPIST(patiently)

Lily, here are the facts: yourmother died of cancer when you werethree. You werent allowed to goto the funeral, so you never hadclosure. You were attacked by a

(MORE)

(CONTINUED)


5/21

CONTINUED: 4.

THERAPIST (contd)dog at the age of five, so you havea fear of being bitten and yourfather was killed in his sleep byhis lover when you were six, so yousee women as threatening. Those are

the things that really happened toyou, Lily.But our memories are imperfect;they are influenced by our state ofmind.Do you understand me, Lily?

Lily stares at the floor, resigned. Suddenly she gets upand walks out the door.

THERAPISTLily! Can you come back, please?

CUT TO

EXT.LONDON.DAY

Lily walks down the sidewalk. As she approaches a crosswalkit changes to "DONT WALK".

She stops and the cars begin to cross in front of her. Shestares at the "DONT WALK" sign, then pans her gaze over toa bus heading towards the intersection.

With no emotion save weariness and resignation she steps out

into the street. The bus blares it horn and slams into her.

CUT TO

OPENING CREDITS: STRICKEN

CUT TO

INT.CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH.DAY

TITLE CARD: "2013"

Calvary Baptist Church is a traditional mid-sized church inManchester.

As the congregation sings a song, the focus is on Sophie, amiddle-aged black woman.

(CONTINUED)


6/21

CONTINUED: 5.

After the service, Sophie walks through the hall, greeting afew people along the way. Suddenly Abi, her 12-year olddaughter, bounds down the hall along with a few othergirls.

ABIHi, ma! Are you ready? Are we

going?

SOPHIEJust wait. Is Caleb still here?

ABII think so. Hes cleaning up.

Sophie pokes her head into the 12-year-olds classroom,where Caleb, a white man in his early 30s, is putting awaymaterials.

SOPHIE

Hi, Caleb.

CALEBHi, Sophie. Abi left already.

SOPHIEI know; shes right here.

Abi leaps into the room and throws her arms up dramatically.

ABIHere I am! Did you miss me?

SOPHIE(to Caleb)

Do you have plans for lunchtoday? Im making lamb; I knowits your favorite.

CALEBI would love to, Sophie, buttodays not a good day.

ABIYou always say that!

CALEBI know, but-

ABIWhat do you have to do today?

Caleb hesitates.

(CONTINUED)


7/21

CONTINUED: 6.

CALEBI have a lot of-

ABIPlease come for lunch. Pleeeease.

Abi looks up at him with pleading, puppy-dog eyes. Caleb

cant refuse.

CALEBIll come for lunch, but I reallycant stay long.

CUT TO

INT.CAFE-MANCHESTER.DAY

Kali, a thin, dark beauty sits at a small table in the backcorner of the cafe, working on an iPad. An untouched cup of

tea sits on the table in front of her.

At the same table sits Damaris, a teenage Romanian girlbarely starting to show signs of pregnancy. She is shy andnervous, keeping her eyes downcast. She sips from herteacup and barely pecks at the scone in front of her.

Kali looks up from her work and shakes her head.

KALIYouve no reason to benervous. This is the best thingthat could happen to you, givenyour situation. A lot better thanwhat you were planning.Youre getting paid - a hell of alot better than I do, by the way -to go on holiday at one of thenicest resorts in Britain! Idtake that deal any day! Too bad Icant have kids, huh?

DAMARIS(whispering, in a heavyaccent)

When will I get the money?

KALI(smiles)

Smart girl.Mariah will give it to you when shepicks you up.

Kali turns back to her work.

(CONTINUED)


8/21

CONTINUED: 7.

Damaris takes another small sip of tea.

Beat.

DAMARISI am not nervous.

KALI(scoffing)

You could have fooled me!Drink your tea like a normalperson, then.

Damaris picks up her cup with a shaking hand and takes abigger sip. She sets the cup down and indicates Kalis cup.

DAMARISYou do not drink.

KALII hate fucking tea. Theyd getpissy if I sat here without buyingsomething, though. You can haveit.

DAMARISEngland tea is not so good likeRomanian.

Kali laughs.She then gestures towards the window.

KALIHeres your chariot.

Damaris turns to see a large minibus pull up outside of thecafe. It seems like a normal minibus, but there are nowindows in the back.

Damaris stands up and begins to wrap her scone in aserviette.

KALIYou can leave that. Youll findbetter on the Storkmobile.

Damaris hesitates for a moment and then puts the scone intoher handbag.

Mariah, a thin, healthy woman in her late 20s with luxuriousblack curls, disembarks from the Storkmobile and enters thecafe. She approaches the counter.

(CONTINUED)


9/21

CONTINUED: 8.

MARIAH(to the waiter)

4 muffins: 2 currant, 2 chocolate,and a cuppa to take away.

Mariah then approached Damaris and speaks to her in

Romanian.

MARIAH

Mariah hold her hand out for Damaris to shake.

Damaris is taken back by hearing Romanian, but then shesmiles and shakes Mariahs hand.

DAMARIS

MARIAH

DAMARIS

MARIAH

Damaris picks up her baggage, looks around as if she mayhave forgotten something, then smiles and nods.

DAMARIS

KALI(to Mariah)

Running off already?When are you going to pay us aproper visit?

Mariah shrugs uncertainly.

MARIAHNo rest for the wicked. . .

DAMARIS(to Kali)

Goodbye.

(CONTINUED)


10/21

CONTINUED: 9.

Kali has already turned back to her iPad.She waves, but doesnt look up.

KALIHave fun.

FADE TO BLACK

INT.EDEN - TORPOR BAY.DAY

It is dark and quiet, but slowly we begin to hear the soundsof people talking. Their words are muffled and unclear, butthe voices sound analytical. At the same time, the blacknessfades into a dim blend of colors, like someone seeing brightlight through closed eyelids.

Gradually the speaking becomes clear enough to understand.

PETERS. . . she comes. She should openher eyes any second now.

POV: eyes opening. The light is bright and blinding atfirst, but the eyes adjust quickly and we make out aclinical, sterile setting. Three people are standing overus. Dr. PETERS is on the right and two of his assistants,Willema and Marcus, are on the left.

PETERS(brusquely)

Dont move; dont try to speak.

You need to drink something.

Peters looks over at his assistants impatiently.

WILLEMAIm going to raise you up a little,so you can drink.

Willema bends over us and adjusts the bed so that we aresitting up. Marcus hands us a large plastic cup with astraw.

MARCUSTake this, it will give youstrength.

We begin to sip from the cup, slurping as fast as wecan. We lose patience, though, and rip the top off of thecup and begin gulping it down.

(CONTINUED)


11/21

CONTINUED: 10.

PETERS(angrily)

Howd she get the top off?I told you not to use those cheapcontainers anymore!

MARCUSI couldnt find the new ones!

PETERSFor fuck sake! Youre cleaning itup!

Dr. Peters quickly pulls a protective hood over his head.

THE PERSPECTIVE CHANGES FROM POV TO 3RD PERSON AND FOR THEFIRST TIME WE ARE SEEING THE PATIENT, ALTHOUGH HER FACE ISOBSCURED BY THE CUP.

She is in a hospital bed in a large, open ward, where adozen other beds are curtained off.

We now see that Dr. Peters is a dwarf and that he isstanding on a raised walkway next to the bed, while Willemaand Marcus (both of normal height) stand on the floor on theother side of the bed.

The patient drinks so greedily that the red contents beginto dribble down her cheeks where it is spilling out of thesides of the cup. She quickly finishes gulping down theliquid and chokes on the dregs. She coughs violently,spraying blood all over herself and the others. Blood

covers the whole bottom half of her face, but we recognizeher as Lily.

She immediately begins to panic.

LILY(her voice rough from disuse)

Oh my God, Imbleeding! Help! Help!

WILLEMACalm down; youre alright. Try torelax. Youre not bleeding.

LILYI drank blood? You gave me blood?!

PETERS(to his assistants)

This is your fault! You deal withit.

(CONTINUED)


12/21

CONTINUED: 11.

Peters throws off his bloodied hood and stomps off. Hefollows a raised platform that takes him past a series ofhospital beds, a half dozen of which have lifeless bodieslying on them.

MARCUS

What are we supposed todo? Wheres Mariah!

PETERSI dont know where Mariah is!

Peters slams a door and disappears.

LILYLeave me alone! Get away from me!

Lily struggles to get away from the assistants, who aretrying to restrain her. She squirms back and falls off of

the bed onto Dr. Peters platform.

Willema scrambles over the bed and holds Lily, who thrashesaround trying to break free.

WILLEMASedate her! Now!

Marcus grabs a syringe and plunges it into Lilys chest.

Lily gasps, flails around and quickly slips intounconsciousness.

MARCUSSo where the hell is Mariah?

CUT TO

INT.STORKMOBILE.DAY

Mariah and Damaris ride in the windowless back of theStorkmobile, which has been comfortably furnished. Thereare artistic pictures of children and babies on the sidewall. There are curtained doorways towards both the frontand the back of the vehicle.

The women speak in Romanian.

MARIAH

(CONTINUED)


13/21

CONTINUED: 12.

DAMARIS

MARIAH

DAMARIS

MARIAH

DAMARIS

MARIAH

DAMARIS

Mariahs pager vibrates. She reaches down and shuts it off.

MARIAH

DAMARIS

MARIAH

DAMARIS

MARIAH


14/21

CONTINUED: 13.

MARIAH (contd)you can return to London, or returnto Romania, or go anywhere you wantin the world. You have enoughmoney.>

Mariah hands a thick envelope over to Damaris.

Damaris opens it to reveal a stack of cash.

DAMARIS

MARIAH

Damaris thinks for a moment, then removes half of the moneyand puts it into her handbag. She hands the rest back toMariah.

DAMARIS

MARIAH

Mariah smiles kindly at Damaris and Damaris smiles backtimidly and looks away.

CUT TO

INT.SOPHIES APART.DAY

Caleb, Sophie and Abi are all at the table, finishing theirmeal.

CALEBThank you for a wonderful meal,Sophie. Im glad you convinced meto come.

(CONTINUED)


15/21


16/21

CONTINUED: 15.

SOPHIEId be so grateful.

Abi comes bounding back into the dining room.

ABI

Close your eyes!

Caleb closes his eyes and Abi holds a picture out for him.

SOPHIEIll get the trifle. I wont be aminute.

Sophie bustles off to the kitchen.

ABINow open them!

Caleb opens his eyes and takes the picture from Abi. It isa drawing of him holding a Bible and talking to a group ofkids.

CALEBWow, thats great. Thank you.

ABIIts you!

CALEBI could tell.

ABIAnd thats me, there.

CALEBYep.

ABIAnd theres Benny and Mary and Theoand Kitty.

CALEBCan I keep it?

ABIYou have to keep it.

CALEBThank you very much.

Sophie returns with the trifle.

(CONTINUED)


17/21

CONTINUED: 16.

SOPHIEHere we are. Homemade!

She sets the dessert on the table.

ABI

(to Caleb)You want to play a game?

CALEB(shaking his head)

I have go.

ABIWhere do you have to go?

CALEBI have things I need to do.

ABILike what?

CALEBI need to study.

SOPHIEAre you at university?

CALEBNo; I study on my own.

SOPHIE

What do you study?

CALEBEverything.

ABIBut you dont have to do it today.

CALEBI have to do it because I promisedGod - and myself - that Iwould. Tell your mum what welearned in church this morning.

ABIAbout Jesus!

CALEBWhat about Jesus?

(CONTINUED)


18/21

CONTINUED: 17.

ABIWe need to be like him?

CALEBYes! God wants us to be godlypeople, right? But we cant be

godly without first learning whatGod is like. Thats why we studythe Bible. And I study it more thanmost people because I want to beextra-godly.But its not enough to just learnabout God; we have to learn as muchas we can about the world, too, sowe know what kind of dangers wemight encounter.

CUT TO

INT.EDEN - PADDED CELL.DAY

Lily opens her eyes and finds herself lying on the floor ina padded cell. She is still splattered with now-driedblood.

Sitting across from her is Paul, a slight American boy inhis early 20s. He is smiling adoringly at her.

PAULYou dont have to be frighted. Iknow what youre going through.

LILYWhere am I?

PAULYoure in Eden.(he laughs)Funny name right? Its a place ofrebirth. New life.

LILYIt looks like a hospital.

PAULIt is a kind of hospital. Aspecial kind. Do you rememberdying?

LILYI didnt die.

(CONTINUED)


19/21

CONTINUED: 18.

PAULYou did, kind of. Your body did,but it was revived. Youre not aghost or anything like that . . .

LILY

The blood . . .

PAULYeah, that freaked me out a littlebit, too, at first. Youll getused to it.

LILYWhy?

PAULWe need it to live.

LILYThis isnt funny.

PAULIm being serious. We have thisthing that keeps our bodies alive,but it feeds on blood.I killed myself, too.

LILYWhat?

PAUL

I killed myself, just like you did.In London, just like you. And Ididnt know anything aboutyou. Just happened that way. Samedisease, same city, samesuicide. Fate.And I died two years after you, butwere here in Eden together, now.Do you know what I mean?

LILYNo.

PAULWere meant to betogether. Forever.I woke you up. Like a fairytale!

LILYWhat?

(CONTINUED)


20/21

CONTINUED: 19.

PAULWe dont stay in Eden forlong. Once we are used to ourbodies, they send us out into theworld. Im going to live inManchester. Theyre sending me

next week. I stayed as long as Icould, waiting for you to wakeup. But you didnt. You wereasleep for a very longtime. Almost five years. Theywere wondering if you would everwake up. And I knew what I had todo: a kiss.

Lily is growing more and more uncomfortable and has backedup into a corner of the cell with her arms wrapped aroundher legs.

LILYWhat kiss?

Paul moves closer to her as he speaks excitedly.

PAULA True Love Kiss! You didnt wakeup before, because you were waitingfor me. And so I kissed you andtoday you woke up! They say thosestories are only for children, butevery story is based on sometruth. Were like a real-life

Romeo and Juliet, but in reverse:we killed ourselves like them, butthen came back to life to betogether.I dont have to go toManchester. Ill go wherever youwant to go. Just tell them thatyou want to be with me and wellfind a place together!

Lily begins screaming like a high-pitched siren.

PAULNo! Its alright. You dont haveto be scared anymore. Ill takecare of you!

Paul tries to caress Lily, but she starts swatting at himwildly.

(CONTINUED)


21/21

stricken (pilot) - 20 pages

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