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No Escape (A Short)
by Jackson (screenwrita17@yahoo.com)

Rated: PG-13   Genre: Drama   User Review: ****
An old woman terrified of death meets up with the biblical Angel of Death. NOTE: I wrote this script a long time ago, and published it, but it's been taken off. This is a re-publishing with a few changes.


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. KITCHEN - NIGHT
                                                            
CLARA HILTON is making cookies in her small kitchen. She is
old. Maybe in her eighties.
                                                            
She goes over to her oven and takes out a cookie sheet with
fresh baked cookies on it.
                                                            
She pauses.
                                                            
                       CLARA
Who's there?
                                                            
No answer.
                                                            
She puts the cookie sheet down on the counter.
                                                            
3 KNOCKS on the door.
                                                            
She looks at her wrist watch and heads over toward the door.
                                                            
 
EXT. HILTON HOUSE - NIGHT
                                                            
JORDAN HILTON stands on the front porch. Thirty-something.
                                                            
Clara opens the door.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (sweetly)
Hello Jordan. Come on in.
                                                            
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
                                                            
Jordan is sitting in a chair eating a cookie. Clara sits
down on the couch.
                                                            
                       CLARA
I'm so glad you came tonight
Jordan.
                                                            
Jordan nods.
                                                            
                       CLARA
It seems like all my children have
forgotten me except you.
                                                            

2.

                       JORDAN
      (mock surprise)
You mean no one comes to visit you
anymore?
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (sadly)
No one.
                                                            
Jordan reaches for another cookie.
                                                            
                       CLARA
It seems as if they are all
waiting for me to die in this
small house.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
Now mom-
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (interupting)
Just waiting for death to come
knock on my door and take me away.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
That is not true.
                                                            
                       CLARA
I'm afraid it is. Even you don't
want to be here now.
                                                            
Jordan sits up straight in his seat, clearly uncomfortable.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
What would make you think that?
                                                            
                       CLARA
I can tell Jordan. After
thirty-three years of knowing you,
I can just tell.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
      (taking Clara's
       hand)
Mom, you are a healthy and active
woman. You don't have to worry
about dying.
                                                            
She takes her hand away from him.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (Whispering)
You don't understand...
                                                            

3.

She closes her eyes and begins to breath slowly.
                                                            
GLASS BREAKS outside the window then YELLING is heard in the
distance.
                                                            
                       CLARA
They're coming!
                                                            
Clara dives to the floor pulling Jordan with her.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
What is it Mom?
                                                            
                       CLARA
The gangs are coming out.
                                                            
The yelling is closer to the house.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
I don't think it's the gangs.
                                                            
Clara and Jordan get up and look out the window.
                                                            
Two kids are running down the street with a baseball bat and
mitts. A fat man in his underwear is chasing them and
yelling at them.
                                                            
 
INT. BEDROOM - DAY
                                                            
Morning sun shine fills Clara's room. She lays sleeping on
a cot in the corner.
                                                            
She wakes suddenly.
                                                            
INT. KITCHEN - DAY
                                                            
Clara is stiring her oatmeal when the PHONE RINGS.
                                                            
She turns down the heat on the stove hurries over to the
phone.
                                                            
She picks up the receiver.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
Hello?
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (phone)
Is this the Hilton residence?
                                                            

4.

                       CLARA
      (into phone)
Yes.
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (phone)
Yes, well. This is Zagman Funeral
Home, and the funeral for Clara
Hilton will be at 7:30 tomorrow
night.
                                                            
Clara looks around. She's worried.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
There must be some mistake. I am
Clara Hilton.
                                                            
                       MAN (o.s)
      (phone)
Well, you must have died.
                                                            
The man on the phone CHUCKLES.
                                                            
Clara slams down the phone.
                                                            
She takes the pot off the stove and pours the oatmeal into a
bowl.
                                                            
 
INT. PARK - DAY
                                                            
Clara is sitting on a bench feeding the birds.
                                                            
EXT. ANOTHER PART OF PARK - CONTINUOUS
                                                            
TWO LITTLE BOYS are playing in a sand box. One turns his
head to see Clara feeding the birds.
                                                            
                       BOY #1
Hey look!
                                                            
Boy #2 looks up.
                                                            
                       BOY #2
Look at all those birds.
                                                            
                       BOY #1
Let's try to catch one!
                                                            
                       BOY #2
      (excited)
Yeah!
                                                            

5.

The boys get up and begin walking toward the bench where
Clara is.
                                                            
EXT. BENCH - DAY
                                                            
Clara is smiling at the PIGEONS surrounding her.
                                                            
The boys come running at the birds shouting and laughing.
                                                            
The birds all fly away. The boys fall down laughing.
                                                            
Clara stands up. The boys stop laughing.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (angry)
What do you boys think you're
doing?
                                                            
The boys look at each other uneasily.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (angry)
You ought to be ashamed.
                                                            
The boys run away.
                                                            
We see a YOUNG COUPLE walking toward Clara.
                                                            
It's Jordan and another GIRL.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (calling)
Jordan! Yoo-hoo!
                                                            
Jordan looks up. He whispers something into her ear and
they turn around.
                                                            
Clara's smile diappears.
                                                            
 
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
                                                            
Clara is sitting at her table, staring at a bowl of vegies.
                                                            
Her phone RINGS.
                                                            
Clara stands up and answers the phone.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
Hello?
                                                            

6.

                       JORDAN (o.s)
      (phone)
Mom, everyone is waiting for you.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
Jordan? What do you mean?
                                                            
                       JORDAN (o.s)
      (phone)
Were at Zagman Funeral Home. We're
all waiting for you.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (screams into
       phone)
Stop calling me!
                                                            
                       JORDAN (o.s)
      (voive becomes
       deeper)
Why mother! Why be so cross? It's
your funeral.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
I know who you are. You can't
make me!
                                                            
                       JORDAN (o.s)
      (voice totaly
       different)
Okay, okay you got me. It is me.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
I don't want to die yet. You
can't make me!
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
      (phone)
I'm the Angle of Death and I take
direct orders from the Man
Upstairs.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (into phone)
No!
                                                            
She slams the phone down.
                                                            

7.

                       CLARA
      (to herself)
He couldn't, He wouldn't!
                                                            
She goes over to the table.
                                                            
Before she can sit down, there is a KNOCK at the door.
                                                            
She heads toward the door GRUMBLING to herself.
                                                            
INT. LIVING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
                                                            
Clara is just about to open the door when she pauses.
                                                            
                       CLARA
Who is it?
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
It's me.
                                                            
Clara backs away from the door.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
Let me in Clara.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (whispers shaking
       head)
No.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
It's your time Clara. Can you
please just accept it?
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (screaming)
No! No it isn't!
                                                            
She goes to the side of her couch and tries to push it in
front of the door. It's to heavy.
                                                            
The door handle begins to turn.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (cinfident)
The door is locked. You can't get
in.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
If you don't let me in, I'll have
to let myself in.
                                                            
She hurries out of the living room.
                                                            
 

8.

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Clara comes into the room and slams the door behind her.
                                                            
She goes over to her cot and pushes it in front of the door.
                                                            
We hear someone out side of the room.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
You can't hide forever Clara.
                                                            
The door knob begins to turn. Clara gabs it.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
Please let me in Clara.
                                                            
                       CLARA
No.
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
Clara, you can come with me now
painless, or tomorrow night with
in way that's, well, not so
painless.
                                                            
                       CLARA
I will never come! Never!
                                                            
                       DEATH (o.s)
Everyone is born and everyone
dies. That's the way it is.
                                                            
Tears spill down Clara's face as the FOOTSTEPS outside fade
away.
                                                            
 
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
                                                            
Jordan and Clara are sitting down on the couch.
                                                            
                       CLARA
...and then he left.
                                                            
There is silence.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
Mom, I don't think there really is
an angel of death anymore. Just
in the Bible times.
                                                            
                       CLARA
But he was here! In this house!
                                                            

9.

                       JORDAN
Well, it could have been a dream.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (sobbing)
I've never had a dream that real.
                                                            
There is silence again. It is broken up by some commotion
out side.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
What's that?
                                                            
Clara looks toward the window.
                                                            
                       CLARA
It's the gangs. They're probably
just meeting that car again.
                                                            
We hear a GUNSHOT.
                                                            
Clara and Jordan both jump.
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (Surprised)
Oh dear Lord!
                                                            
BANG.
                                                            
The window SHATTERS and Clara clutches her shoulder and
SCREAMS.
                                                            
She falls to the floor.
                                                            
Jordan stands up.
                                                            
                       JORDAN
Mother!
                                                            
Antoher BANG and Jordan falls to the floor.
                                                            
A flaming bottle comes flying through the window as an
all-out gang war wages outside.
                                                            
INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER
                                                            
The room is a blaze of fire and smoke. Clara lays on the
floor breathing hard.
                                                            
The door opens and a FIGURE comes in. We can't see what he
looks like because of the smoke.
                                                            

10.

                       DEATH
Clara, are you ready now?
                                                            
                       CLARA
      (coughing)
Yes! Yes! You win.
                                                            
                       DEATH
It wasn't a game.
                                                            
He begins to move toward Clara.
                                                            


FADE OUT.


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From cody Date 5/13/2008 ****
I thought this was a really god screenplay. If I was you i would make it a little longer somehow. This is the best one i have read so far.


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