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My Decisions: Bad Deal
by Damian Benitez (dbenitez03@hotmail.com)

Rated: R   Genre: Drama   User Review: ***1/2
Short Film


This screenplay is copyrighted to its author. All rights reserved. This screenplay may not be used or reproduced without the express written permission of the author.



FADE IN:

INT. THE NEWS - DAY
                                                            
A couple is in the kitchen at the breakfast table. The two
are quite as they eat. Looking at each other from time to
time, with a smile back and forth as they continue to eat.
The moment is awkward and some smiles are forced because of
the awkward moment.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
I'm glad to see you Jeremy, we
need to talk.
                                                            
Jeremy is eating his breakfast, he takes a sip of his orange
juice.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Thanks, the same here. So how have
you been?
                                                            
                       SUSAN
I'm good. Oh Jeremy, I miss you so
much and so do the kids. Where did
I ever go wrong?
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Staying else where is what you
suggested, remember? I came home
from the casino late one night
last week and you just fliped out
on me. You do remember right?
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Yes, I do, and I want to apologize
for the way I acted. Sometimes I
just don't know what to do with
your gambling problem anymore. I
miss you and I just, want you to
get better so our family can grow
stronger. I want you to realize
that you have a problem. I'm tired
Jeremy, I'm tired.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Susan, I know I have a problem,
I...
                                                            
Susan interupts Jeremy as she puts her breakfast dish in the
sink. She turns around and says whats really on her mind.
                                                            

2.

                       SUSAN
I want a divorce.
                                                            
Susan has a sign of relief on her face, for telling Jeremy
what she really wanted to say. Jeremy is shocked, she said
that and is just staring at Susan with a face of confusion.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
A divorce? What do you mean a
divorce? I thought we were going
to work this out? I thought we
were taking these steps to improve
our marriage? What's going on with
you Susan, why a divorce?
                                                            
Susan puts her head down in agravation as Jeremy is
speaking. She looks up at him and speaks whats on her mind.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
I know what you did Jeremy, OK! I
know that you took money out of
our children's college savings and
I also know it was ten thousand
dollars! So don't you dare try to
play the innocent role with me.
Don't you dare. I even know it was
with drawn from a bank not to far
from the casino.
                                                            
Jeremy bows his head in shame, looks back at Susan and tries
to explain.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
I was going to tell you about
that. I'm sorry.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
I'm sorry? All you have to say is
I'm sorry after you took years of
our children's saving for college
and spent it in hours, maybe even
minutes!
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Susan please! Let me explain. I
was on a roll and I lost the my
money fast before I made the
withdraw. I just wanted to win my
money back and .....
                                                            
                                         SUSAN FINISHES
JEREMY'S SENTENCE
                                                            

3.

                       SUSAN
You was going to quit and walk
away. Please, correct me if I'm
wrong.
                                                            
The room gets quite, Jeremy is just looking at Susan in
desperation for forgiveness. Susan looks at Jeremy in
discust.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
I'll be back in a hour to get some
of my things, I just have to get
out of here.
                                                            
Susan walks out of the kitchen and leaves the home. Jeremy
sits down at the kitchen table and starts to look around. He
then grins like he's up to something. He gets up and walks
out of the kitchen saying,
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Divorce huh? I'll give you a
divorce...
                                                            
 
INT. RAM PAGE - DAY
                                                            
The bedroom door, swings open wildly. Jeremy then starts
breathing heavy and starts to knock things off of the
dresser in a rage. He opens the dresser drawers and starts
to pull cloths out and throws them behind him as he
continues to search for something.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
You want a divorce? Over my dead
body!
                                                            
Jeremy continues to search through the drawers and some
drawers are falling out of the dresser as he searches for
what he is looking for. Looking around the room, he makes
his way to the bedroom closet, then starts searching some
more. Things are being thrown all around carelessly and he
keeps looking for something.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
      (Frustrated)
Where is it? Come on!
                                                            
Jeremy is now in the closet. He starts pulling boxes down
from the top shelf that are neatly piled on one another.
He's going through boxes and throwing them to the side of
the closet when he doesn't find what he is looking for.
                                                            

4.

                       JEREMY
I'll show you a divorce!
                                                            
Jeremy finally grabs a box from the last stack of boxes on
the closet shelf and finds what he was looking for, a black
9mm hand gun. He quickly grabs the gun, drops the box and
makes his way back into the room. Holding the gun in his
hand, he starts looking into a mirror releasing his
emotions. Tears running down his face, he says...
                                                            
                       JEREMY
I can't. I can't do this, I can't
give you a divorce.
                                                            
Jeremy starts slowly walking backwards, releasing a stream
of emotions. He backs up to the bedroom wall and just slides
his back down against the wall until he winds up siting on
the floor. He looks at the gun as he wipes his tears.
grabbing his hair out of frustration, Jeremy looks at the
gun again. He puts the gun to his head and starts breathing
heavy, tears are running down his face like a river. He
tries to find a comfortable spot on his head to put the
barrel of the gun. First he puts the gun against his temple,
his hand is shaking uncontrollably and makes it difficult
for him to pull the trigger. Jeremy then puts the gun in his
mouth. Sweat and tears are running down his face at this
point. His breathing gets heavy, the gun is suddenly pulled
out of his mouth. Holding the gun in his hand, Jeremy starts
looking around the room and starts speaking as if someone
was there with him in the room.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
I can't believe you want a divorce
Susan. I know I have a problem and
I want help. Where are you! Where
are you in my time of need? Where,
are, you!
                                                            
Jeremy suddenly puts the gun back in his mouth, closes his
eyes and pulls the trigger. Only to find out the safety was
on. Removing the gun from his mouth, he looks at the gun and
unlocks the safety. Jeremy puts the gun to his temple and
takes three deep breaths stirring up the guts again to pulls
the trigger. Nothing happens, the gun is not loaded.
Removing the gun from his head, he starts to scream.
                                                            
                       JEREMY
I thought you wanted a divorce!
Well let me divorce you!
                                                            
Jeremy gets up and walks over to the closet. He starts going
through the last stack of boxes again and keeps coming up
empty for what he's looking for. He's now down to the last

5.

box, opens it and finds two clips loaded with bullets in it.
He grabs a clip and drops the box on the floor. he turns
around and walks over to the mirror and says...
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Ha! Now your going to get a
divorce. Do you hear me!
                                                            
Jeremy takes the empty clip out of the gun and replaces it
with a fully loaded clip. He walks over to a table filled
with liquor and grabs a bottle of Southern Comfort and a
pack of playing cards. He then walks back over to where he
was seated at in the room on the floor and puts the gun down
on the left side of him on the floor. Opening the bottle of
liquor, he starts chugging the liquor like it's water, it
starts to spill on him and he continues to drink. He wipes
his mouth off with the sleeve of his shirt when he's done
drinking. He then puts the bottle of liquor next to him on
the floor and starts to open the deck of playing cards.
Jeremy starts to shuffle through the cards, flipping the
cards face up saying...
                                                            
                       JEREMY
Big money! Big money! Come on, big
money!
                                                            
Jeremy puts the cards down in between his legs, grabs the
bottle of Southern Comfort and starts chugging the liquor
again. He takes the bottle away from his mouth and starts to
chuckle and laugh like a wild man. Suddenly grabs the gun,
puts it under his chin, takes a deep breath and pulls the
trigger.
                                                            
 
INT. LETS TALK - DAY
                                                            
The front door opens, it's Susan. She walks onto the porch
and closes the door behind her. When she walks into the
living room and looks around the house, Susan sees no sign
of Jeremy. She starts to call his name but she gets no
answer.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Jeremy, Jeremy where are you!
                                                            
Susan puts her purse down on the couch and starts walking up
the stairs. She makes it to the top step and starts calling
for Jeremy again.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Jeremy? Jeremy.
                                                            

6.

Susan walks down the small hallway and opens the bathroom
door to see if Jeremy was in there. No sign of him there.
When she comes out of the bathroom, Susan starts calling for
Jeremy again.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Jeremy? Jeremy, I know what I said
earlier was crazy. I want to talk.
                                                            
Susan looks at there bedroom door and notices the light on
and the door cracked open. Susan slowly starts to walk over
to the bedroom. The hallway grows darker as she walks closer
to the bedroom door. It's quite as Susan is standing in
front of the door. She pushes the door open ...
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Jeremy please answer me.
                                                            
The bedroom door slowly swings all the way open.
                                                            
 
INT. THE DISCOVERY - DAY
                                                            
Once the door opens all the way, Susan walks into the room
and the camera stays behind her in the hallway, keeping
Susan in frame as she enters the bedroom. Susan makes the
discovery and right away, she runs over to Jeremy's rescue
and she is now out of frame. Susan starts to panic and calls
911.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Yes, hello? Hello? I need an
ambulance at 3421 Gerard Avenue. I
found my husband in a pool of
blood in our home. Please hurry,
hurry!
                                                            
The camera is now angled behind Susan, just catching a
glimpse of her holding Jeremy's body in her arms. Susan is
in a panic trying to get Jeremy to respond.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Oh my God Jeremy, what have you
done? Hold on Babbie, please,
please. I wanted to talk, I want
to work it out. Please Jeremy, Oh
God.
                                                            
The camera is now capturing Susan's reactions from a front
facial angled shot. Emotions are just pouring off of Susan's
face, finding her husbands non responsive body.
                                                            

7.

                       SUSAN
I'm sorry. I want to work it out,
I want to work it out.
                                                            
Susan is rocking back and forth on the floor in shock, as
she holds Jeremy in her arms, hoping he responds.
                                                            
                       SUSAN
Hold on Jeremy, hold on, Oh God
please hold on. No! Help me!
Somebody help me!
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From Paul Nelson Date 11/19/2009 ***1/2
I like it. The story starts off fast and furious with conflict right at the start. It gets the audience sucked in instead of wondering how long it's going to take to get something going. I would add a little more dialog when Jeremy is freaking out, but not much.


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