Home Screenwriting Products Screenwriter Community Screenwriting Store
ScriptBuddy - Screenwriting Software for the Web

Screenwriter Community

Back to List of Published Screenplays
View/Leave Feedback

THE CONVERSATION
by chris reese (reesechrism@gmail.com)

Rated: R   Genre: Drama   User Review: *1/2
A drama short about a mother that comes to terms about her son.


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.



THE CONVERSATION

FADE IN:

EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
                                                            
Baby music (Brahm's lullaby) plays. The setting is a house
which is the epitome of middle class suburbia.
                                                            
 
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
                                                            
MOTHER sleeps in bed with SON. The mother appears to be
early fourties, and is African-American. The son is about
four years of age, and is of mixed race.
                                                            
                                         JUMP TO:
                                                            
Alarm of cellphone on nightstand goes off. It wakes the
mother. She reaches to turn off the alarm on the cell phone,
sits up in bed, then wakes her child.
                                                            
 
INT. BATHROOM - MORNING
                                                            
Mother is in bathroom crouched near tub. The son is in tub
playfully enjoying a bath. The mother obliges in playful
behavior as she assists with the bathing process.
                                                            
                                         JUMP TO:
                                                            
Mother and son standing in front of the bathroom mirror. The
child brushes his teeth, and the mother observes and
corrects.
                                                            
 
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
                                                            
Son sits at table. Before him, sits a bowl of cereal and a
cartoon character cup. The mother approaches son from
background with milk. She kneels by him, and says some
words to him, as she pours milk on cereal. After pouring
milk, she kisses son on forhead, stands and goes to return
milk to fridge. The child digs into his cereal with
excitement.
                                                            
 
EXT. PARK - DAY
                                                            
A playground bustles with kids at this lively park. Children
delight in slides, jungle gyms, monkey bars, etc. At the
swings, the mother pushes her son in one of the seats.
                                                            
 

2.

INT. KITCHEN - AFTERNOON
                                                            
Mother and son fix sandwiches together. The child stands
upon a small step stool at the kitchen counter. The mother
makes a sandwich, slides it over to the child, and the child
uses a cookie cutter to press a design.
                                                            
 
EXT. BACK PORCH - LATER
                                                            
Son sits just below his mother on stairs. The mother blows
bubbles in the air, and finds her joy in seeing the
wonderment of her son enjoying the bubbles.
                                                            
 
INT. SON'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
The mother lies back in her child's bed with her son. She
is reading a children's book to her son, and giving
animation to the story, as can be seen by the expressions on
her face.
                                                            
                                         JUMP TO:
                                                            
Mother stands over her sleeping child in his bed. She pulls
covers up over him. There is a stuffed spider on the
nightstand which she grabs, and sets it with her son as he
sleeps. She kisses child on face, and turns out the light
on nightstand.
                                                            
BABY MUSIC ENDS.
                                                            
 
EXT. HOUSE - MORNING
                                                            
The next day - the same house.
                                                            
 
INT. CHILD'S BEDROOM - MORNING
                                                            
The son wakes up in his bed. He gets out of bed wearing his
pajamas, and leaves room.
                                                            
 
INT. BEDROOM - MORNING
                                                            
Son stands in his mother's bedroom, leaning against her bed,
watching her for a second as she sleeps. He reaches to
nudge her.
                                                            
                       SON
Mommee?
                                                            

3.

The mother wakes to seeing her child'd face first thing in
the morning. She smiles.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Yes, sweetie?
                                                            
                       SON
It's morning.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Okay.
                                                            
 
INT. KITCHEN - MORNING
                                                            
As son sits at kitchen table, mother sets juice down in
front of her son, who is entertaining himself in his own
world and making gibberish sounds.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
You want some scramble eggs?
                                                            
                       SON
      (excitedly)
YESSS!!
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Ok.
                                                            
Mother goes to refrigerator, opens door, and looks around.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (to self)
Eggs, eggs, where are you?
                                                            
She finds egg container behind other items and goes to pull
them.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
There you are.
                                                            
She grabs the eggs from fridge and shuts the door. As she
turns to head to stove, the carton gives on her, and all the
eggs in carton break on the floor.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Damn it!!
                                                            
                       SON
Uh oh mommy!!
                                                            
Mother goes for paper towels in the kitchen and commences to
cleaning up eggs.
                                                            

4.

                       MOTHER
I'm sorry honey. Looks like we
have to find something else.
                                                            
                                         JUMP TO:
                                                            
Mother sets plate before her son, still seated at kitchen
table. The mother then sits at a chair in the kitchen table
with her son. He starts to dig into his meal.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Good?
                                                            
                       SON
Mmhmm.
                                                            
Mother watches her son eat for a beat. The joy in her face
of looking at her son, after a while, turns to an expression
of worried deliberation.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Honey, I um, wanted to talk to you
about something.
                                                            
                       SON
What mommy?
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Well..mommy has something really
important...to say to you, and
I've been...trying to find a way
to explain what I have...
                                                            
Son continues to eat, oblivious to words of his mother.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (cont)
Sweetie? Honey, I need to say
something and I need you to stop
eating and listen to me for a
moment.
                                                            
After being somewhat prodded to stop, the child comes to
attention, and sets back in his chair.
                                                            
                       SON
What mommy?
                                                            
Mother looks at the face of her son for a beat, then she
leans in with a loving touch to her child.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
I love you...VERY much.
                                                            

5.

                       SON
I know mommy. I love you too.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (carefully)
I know you do, and you are...a
very good son. You're such a good
boy and,...and you're smart
and..you are such...a joy to
me...and...any mother would be
proud to have a son like you.
                                                            
There is a pained look on the face of the mother.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Baby, I don't know if you'll
understand what I have to say to
you, or even why, but...
                                                            
The son returns a confused look, and the mother gives her
son a reassuring squeeze of the hand.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
For a long time, I have wanted to
be a mom...
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
A close up of a caucasian man in a nondescript place. He is
clean cut and smiling.
                                                            
                       MOTHER (v.o.)
And...just when I didn't think it
wouldn't happen for me, I became
your mommy.
                                                            
                                         CUT BACK:
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (cont)
...but I was never prepared
for...how hard this would be for
me.
                                                            
                       SON
I don't know what you're talking
about mommy.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
What I'm saying baby, is...I don't
think I can be your mommy anymore.
                                                            

6.

The last of his mother's words, hits hard with the son. He
starts to be overcome by sadness.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (emotional)
It's not your fault. You didn't
do anything at all. You are a
GREAT boy, and I hope..I hope, one
day you can forgive me. It's
just, I thought that I could do
this - that I would be able to do
this...and I can't. I just can't.
Mommy's not well enough to be a
good mommy to you.
                                                            
Son starts a dry, voiceless cry. Mother, pained by the hurt
she has caused her child, moves child's chair away from
table. She reaches for him, inviting an embrace. Obliging,
the son goes to his mother's arms, now audibly crying. He
has his face buried in her shoulder. She holds him tightly
in her arms.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (tearful)
I know. I know baby.
                                                            
                       SON
No, mommy!
                                                            
                       MOTHER
I know you're hurting. I know
I've hurt you, and I'm sorry. I'm
so, so, so, so, sorry. Mommy is
sorry for everything.
                                                            
                       SON
Please mommy! Don't!
                                                            
                       MOTHER
You go ahead and cry. Let it all
out.
                                                            
                       SON
I love you mommy. Mommy, I love
you.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
I know baby.
                                                            
The son stops his crying, and pulls his buried face away
from his mother's shoulder. He looks his mother straight in
the eye. There is a 'hardened' look in his eyes that catches
his mother by surprise.
                                                            

7.

                       MOTHER
What honey? What is it?
                                                            
At that moment, the son starts to choke his mother. She is
caught entirely by surprise. The child chokes her extremely
hard, and she is struggling equally hard to remove the hands
of her son and gasp for air.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
      (weakly, dryly)
Jayden, no!
                                                            
As the mother chokes, trying tremendously to gasp for air,
terror and fear appear in her eyes, and anger in the face of
her son.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
 
INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Mother propels herself up in bed. She has waken from a
bizarre dream - a nightmare in reality. She is apparently
trying to recall where she is. Disturbed, she throws the
covers off herself, and exits bed.
                                                            
 
INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Mother frantically rushes into bathroom, turns on the
lights, and rushes over to the sink. She turns on the
water, and splashes water on her face in a manic way. She
turns water off and looks herself in the mirror with wet
face.
                                                            
[A visual push to the pupil surface of her eye]
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
[Close up of caucasian man]
                                                            
It is the same man from before, only this time, he is
unkempt - a dark figure with a look of madness in his eyes.
From a longer shot, this man is in a nondescript place,
walking toward camera. He has a knife in one hand by his
side, and raises it as he comes closer. He gives utterances
[slow motion]. He laughs insanely and slashes knife toward
camera.
                                                            
A blackout. A scream.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            

8.

The maniacal man slams mother against a nondecript surface -
thier bodies pressed together. The man holds a knife across
her face with one hand, and covers her mouth with the other.
The man laughs insanely, then licks her face. He sits up,
and forces knife firmly against her neck.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
Mother still standing in front of mirror, peels back
wardrobe at neck line. It reveals a knife scar. [maniacal
laughing]
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
Man sits atop mother. He slaps mother.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
Vividly recalling slap, the mother turns her face almost as
if she is being slapped again. There is emotional
disturbance that can be seen in her eyes. She closes her
eyes. There are screams and cries of 'No!'
                                                            
[white flash]
                                                            
A fierce struggle ensues between mother and man sitting atop
her. She is trying to fight him off using her arms. The man
takes a swing with at her with the knife. He cuts her
across one of her arms.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
Mother grips her arm at a slash wound on her arm. There are
sounds of ripping of fabric, and moaning crying.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
The man lays the entire weight of his body against the
mother and there is less of a struggle. Defiance from the
mother comes mainly from her moving her head side to side,
wanting to scream. She is fighting to release the grip of
the man's hand covering her mouth. Tears are streaming from
her eyes. Her arms effortlessly fight. The man's other
hand can not be seen, but there is ripping of fabric...and
soon after, thrusting movement coming from the mother's
head. The fight in her, and fear in her eyes, is eventually
replaced by absence of soul, as her head continues to
thrust.
                                                            
                                         CUT TO:
                                                            
The mother, still standing in front of bathroom mirror,
continues to look at her reflection. The angle reveals more

9.

light, and a slightly battered face. Her face reveals
trepidation as she brings her hand up to touch her stomach.
                                                            
[White flash]
                                                            
The son stands in a non-descript black place. He reaches his
arm out.
                                                            
                       SON
Mommeeee!!
                                                            
[White flash]
                                                            
A last maniacal laugh where mother touches her stomach.
After a beat, she throws up in the sink. She coughs and
gags, and turns on faucet to take in some water. She turns
the water off, and raises her body up to look at herself in
the mirror - one hand covering her mouth. She is overcome
by emotion and starts to cry, albeit, doing so with the one
hand covering her mouth. She drops her hand from her mouth,
and walks over to the toilet. The seat cover is down, and
she proceeds to sit on top of it. She begins to cry
uncontrollably.
                                                            
                       MOTHER
Oh God!....
                                                            


FADE OUT.


Back to Top of Page
Leave Feedback
Feedback
From Dave Jarman Date 3/7/2013 0 stars
Whilst this is an interesting concept, for me, the dialogue is uninteresting and detracts from the story. I think that this would work better as a silent short.

From Meredith Clark Date 2/3/2013 ***
Super powerful writing. I'd love to read more! Great scene descriptions too btw. Love the possible storyline. Keep writing!


Back to Top of Page
Leave Feedback
You must be logged in to leave feedback.
Home    My Account    Products    Screenwriter Community    Screenwriter's Corner    Help
Forgot Your Password?    Privacy Policy    Copyright 2024, ScriptBuddy LLC.    Email help@scriptbuddy.com