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Twinkle
by John A Ortega (kain_40@sbcglobal.net)

Rated: PG   Genre: Drama   User Review: ***1/2
This is a short that follows the death of an eighteen month old little girl. Her father, Robert watches her final moments in a hospital.


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. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Open to hospital room. A small child around nineteen months
lies dying on an uncomfortable hospital bed. The doctors
diagnosed her with a rare blood disorder. She's battled for
months now and the outlook isn't promising. Next to her sits
her father. He watches his little girl sleep. His eyes are
red and swollen from lack of sleep and tears. Nurses enter
and exit every so often to check on the two. Martella, the
head nurse, makes frequent stops. She enters.
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
How's she doing?
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Same.
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
Do you need anything?
                                                            
                       ROBERT
A cure.
                                                            
Martella knows her cue to exit, so she obliges. The
terminally ill little girls stirs in her bed, and Robert
covers her up with her favorite blanket. He places her
teddy, Jack, in her arms. The pink and white flowered
blanket warms the little angel and she settles back to
sleep. Robert kisses her forehead and sits back down in his
seat. An orderly brings a tray of food for Robert and the
little girl. He replaces the breakfast tray with the lunch
tray. The orderly notices that Robert didn't eat his
breakfast. After a brief pause, the orderly smiles and
exits. Robert doesn't budge. He hasn't eaten in several
days, and the hospital staff worried about his health leave
food everyday for him free of charge. Robert, however,
refuses to eat. How can he while his little girl fades away
from him before his eyes? He stares at her sleeping face all
perfect in it's glory.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
What can I do for you, baby? I
know you're hurting. How can I
take the hurt away? What can I do
to make you better? Goddamn me! I
hate you! Why are you hurting my
baby? Take my life instead! I'm
right here you bastard!
                                                            
 

2.

INT. OUTSIDE ROBERT'S HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Jump outside of the room. Martella approaches but doesn't
enter. She can hear Robert's plea for help from above. Dr.
Williams walks up behind her.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
Martella, how are they?
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
I haven't checked her vitals yet.
I was about to go in, but I don't
think that is appropriate right
now.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
Why?
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
Robert's a little emotional.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
I wouldn't expect otherwise. His
little girl, barring a miracle, is
hours from dying. A drunk driver
took his wife and son about a year
ago. The jerk hit a curb, ran off
the road and into them as they
played in tha back yard. He's
raised that little girl ever since
by himself, and now she's dying. I
wish there was something I could
do, but...
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
You're doing everything you can,
Doctor, we all are.
      (Slight pause)
I didn't know about his wife and
son. Wow, that's a lot for one
person to handle.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
That's putting things mildly. He's
all alone in this losing battle. I
don't know how much more loss he
can take.
                                                            
                       MARTELLA
I'm afraid we'll find out soon,
too soon.
                                                            

3.

                       DOCTOR
This is the hardest part...Come
on, let's get this over with.
                                                            
 
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
Martella and Dr. Williams walk in. Robert sits gently
brushing his daughter's curly blonde hair. Martella checks
the machines and Dr. Williams approaches Robert.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
How are you holding up?
                                                            
                       ROBERT
How's my little girl?
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
No change... I'm so sorry, Robert.
There's nothing I can do.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Then leave me be...
                                                            
Martella looks to protest, but Dr. Williams quickly hushes
her.
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
Robert, I'm not scheduled to be
here today. I have no other
patients, so I'll be right outside
at the nurse's desk if you need
me.
                                                            
Robert doesn't acknowledge her comments. Dr. Williams rises
and walks for the door with Martella. Robert's comments stop
them.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Do you know what her favorite song
is?
                                                            
                       DOCTOR
No.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
"Twinkle twinkle little star" she
sings it every night before she
goes to bed. We sing it together
and she claps... You know what she
calls her brother?
                                                            

4.

                       DOCTOR
No.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
She calls him Buddy. Every time
she sees him, "Hey buyee." She
can't say the whole word, but he
is her buddy. My wife and I called
him buddy all of the time, so I
guess she picked up on it. She
misses him the most.
                                                            
As abruptly as he started, Robert stops talking. He returns
his attention back to his daughter. Robert gently strokes
his little girl's hair. Dr. Williams looks at the scene for
a few moments then exits with Martella.
                                                            
 
EXT. BACK YARD - DAY
                                                            
Flash to a sunny day. A mother and son play ball in the
backyard of a modest home. The two laugh as the ball bounces
off the eighteen month old head harmlessly. The boy chases
the ball, grabs it and tosses it back to his mother.
Suddenly, car tires screech and an older sedan jumps the
curb leading to the back yard. The car heads straight for
the young boy and his mother. She tries to cover him up the
best she can, but the out of control automobile collides
with the two.
                                                            
 
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
                                                            
The screams of Robert's nightmare jar him awake. He remains
stunned for a while until he notices his little girl sitting
up. She isn't aware so much as she is awake. Robert looks at
her as she rubs her eyes. She finally notices her father and
smiles. Her eyes aren't normal as the disease begins it's
final act. She grabs her daddy around his neck and hugs him
tightly.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Hey baby, you should be resting.
Do you want some water?
                                                            
She shakes her head no.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
You hungry?
                                                            
Again, no.
                                                            

5.

                       BABY GIRL
Waah?
                                                            
                       ROBERT
You want to rock?
                                                            
She nods her head yes. Robert picks her up and sits her
facing him in his lap. They slowly rock and she smiles.
                                                            
                       BABY GIRL
Weee!
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Yea, weeee! Having fun?
                                                            
She nods yes again. Her eye lids become heavy as the illness
begins to take its victim. Robert understands what is
happening and tears fall down his checks. The little girl
looks at her daddy and places her head on his chest.
                                                            
                       BABY GIRL
It's k daddy...it's k...
                                                            
                       ROBERT
I know baby. Do you want to rock
some more?
                                                            
                       BABY GIRL
Weee...
                                                            
Robert senses his little girl's weakness and rocks gently.
His tears flow as his little girl slowly passes in his arms.
Her eyes become heavy and stressed, so she closes them. She
moans gently as her father rocks her. She suddenly sees a
face she knows and loves, and without opening her eyes she
calls to him.
                                                            
                       BABY GIRL
Hey, Buyee! Hi! Hi Buyee!
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Do you see your brother?
                                                            
                       BABY GIRL
Hey Buyee! It's k daddy... it's
k... Hi Buyee!
                                                            
                       ROBERT
Okay, baby... it's okay... you are
right....
                                                            
She begins to sing the tune "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."
                                                            

6.

                       BABY GIRL
Mehna mehna bigaba nar...
                                                            
                       ROBERT
      (Sings)
Twinkle twinkle little star... how
I wonder what you are. Up above
the world so high. Like a diamond
in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little
star, how I wonder what you are.
                                                            
She claps and then sings the song as best she can. Her words
get shorter and shorter. Robert knows that death isn't far
away. He closes his eyes and listens to his daughter sing.
He claps for her as her words get shorter and shorter. She
arrives at the final line, but she cannot finish. The once
beautiful life behind her eyes vanishes as they open and
close for the last time.
                                                            
                       ROBERT
...Twinkle twinkle little star...
                                                            
He closes his eyes and weeps.
                                                            


THE END


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From Mariana Kerwin Date 6/16/2010 ***
Great job! Work on spelling, though.

From Tabby Date 4/1/2010 ****
This made me cry. Things do not make my cry easily. Nicely done.

From frances small Date 3/17/2010 ***
nicely done. very emotional. Watch the typos though..


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