A Monster Calls

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InT. conoR’S BEDROOM - night - conTINUOUS 1

Conor (12, small, on the border of puberty) sits up in bed,

frightened, sweaty, panting.

He looks at the clock. 11.58.

It’s a messy but homey bedroom. Posters at the borders of

manhood on the wall: rugby teams but also cartoons. Old

stuffed toys in corners; framed PHOTOS of Conor and his MUM;

of Conor and friend LILY in a school play; a laptop; handheld

games; scattered DRAWINGS he’s made. Conor lays back down to

sleep but:

A heavy COUGHING from offscreen. Conor listens, concerned.

The coughing doesn’t come again. He sits up.

3.

2 InT. conor’s hallway/ MUM’S BEDROOM - night - conTINUOUS 2

Conor pads quietly down the hallway until he gets to his

Mum’s bedroom door. It’s open slightly. He looks in.

In the moonlight, Mum is asleep, alone in her bed. Her head

is obscured by pillows.

CONOR:

Mum, are you asleep?

Mum

Yes.

CONOR:

Are you sure?

Mum

(opens one eye to him)

Yes, I'm sure.

4.

2A InT. mum’s bedroom - night - conTINUOUS 2A

Conor quietly slips into the bed.

Mum

What are you doing?

CONOR:

Shush. You’re asleep.

Mum

Conor...

CONOR:

Just five minutes, I promise...

Mum puts his arm around Conor who instantly fells asleep.

CuT TO:

5.

4NEW InT. mum’s bedroom - the next morning 4NEW

Conor is VERY deep asleep, having obviously stayed there all

night. His mum is asleep, too, gently snoring.

In the dawn light we now see a LINE OF MEDICINE BOTTLES on

Mum’s DRESSER. A wig on its stand on the dressing table.

Conor wakes, sits up. Mum doesn’t wake. He pulls the covers

over her. He doesn’t glance at the medicine bottles. They’re

obviously part of his daily life.

Very slowly making sure he is not making any noise, Conor

gets up and heads out into the day by himself.

6.

8 INT. conOR’S BEDROOM - MomenTS LATER 8

Conor begins what is obviously a familiar routine.

He puts on his school uniform, trying for the untucked

rebellious look that he’s still just slightly too young for.

(he tries to make his hair look cool in the mirror and puts

it up but he looks funny and puts it down again, etc).

He opens a drawer. No clean socks left.

7.

8A EXT. CONOR'S BACKGARDEN - MOMENTS LATER 8A

Conor gets out to the backgarden to where the clothes are

hanging to look for a clean pair of socks but all the clothes

are wet. He takes a wet pair of socks and goes back into the

house.

8.

9 INT. CONOR’S Kitchen - MomenTS LATER 9

Conor stuffs the WASHING MACHINE with LAUNDRY, over-filling

it, but shutting it all in the door.

9.

10 InT. conor’S BEDROOM - momeNTS LATER 10

Conor pulls the duvet over his bed so it’s made, if quite

messy. (Clumsily hiding the wrinkles of the duvet under the

cushions)

10.

11 Int. conor’s house upstairs hallway - momENTS LATER 11

Conor looks at his Mum’s bedroom (the door is closed) and

then over the top of the stairs. Down in the kitchen, we can

hear the faint sounds of a WOMAN on her phone. This is

GRANDMA (mid-50s, crisp, professional, VERY ungrandmotherly).

Conor only sees the top of her head as she exits, still in

her coat, still on her phone, scolding someone sternly. We

don’t see her face in these scenes. She also is clearly

making an attempt to keep her voice down.

GrANDMA

(into phone)

Because I’ve got three showings

today, that’s why. I’m not

responsible for your sick

Weimaraner-

He steps back so she won’t see him. We only catch a glimpse

of her as she leaves.

He waits a beat, then starts down the stairs, but she reenters,

carrying bags of groceries, still on the phone. Conor

freezes. Grandma stops in the hall, angry at something that’s

been said.

GranDMA (CONT’D)

(into phone)

How dare you throw that in my face?

Do you have any idea what-?

(beat, listens, gathers

self, still angry,

whispers fiercely)

Now, you listen to me, Marcus, I

know full well you’ve covered for

me-

Storms into kitchen. We hear her still talking. Conor waits,

nervous. She exits the kitchen again, still whispering.

GRANDMA (CONT’D)

(into phone)

Fine. Fine. I’ll call her myself.

(hangs up)

Lazy bastard.

She exits again. Conor waits a beat, then goes downstairs.

11.

11A InT. conor’s downstairs hallway - seconDS LATER 11A

Conor, deeply curious, heads towards the kitchen. Then he

HEARS THE FRONT DOOR again and steps quickly into

12.

12 InT. conor’s sittING ROOM - conTINUOUS 12

...where he hides behind the door. His Grandma, on the phone

again, enters, looking for a pen and paper.

GRANDMA:

(into phone)

If you do my afternoons today, I

can take your open house on

Saturday.

(rolls eyes)

Of course, I’ll give you your

commission...

She looks around the warmly messy sitting room, lifting

things, and looking for and finding a bit of paper. She keeps

looking.

GraNDMA (CONT’D)

(to herself)

Pen, pen, pen... This house(

into phone)

Yes, I’m here right now.

(almost snapping)

She’s fine.

Conor watches, waiting to be discovered, but his grandma

never even turns around. She finds a pen.

GRANDMA (CONT’D)

(into phone, coldly,

finding it hard to say

thanks)

Yes. Thank you. I... appreciate it.

Hangs up as the caller is mid-sentence. Leaves. By sound,

Conor follows her movements into the kitchen, out again and

out of the house. He waits until her car starts before he

feels safe to move again.

13.

13 InT. conor’s kitCHEN - momentS LATER 13

On the counter, there are now BAGS OF GROCERIES and a closed

CARDBOARD BOX with a POST-IT NOTE on it. Conor reads it,

doesn’t react.

Opens the groceries. They’re FULL OF MEDICINAL-LOOKING HEALTH

FOOD. Conor makes a face.

CuT TO:

Conor prepares himself breakfast. The toast is burnt. Conor

scratches the burnt stuff off with a knife. The black dust

falls on the white plate. He makes a couple of strokes on the

dust with his finger and creates a drawing.

14.

14 InT. conOR’S KITCHEN - MomenTS LATER 14

Conor throws away his leftovers (there’s a lot he didn’t

eat), and washes the breakfast dishes on the sink. He stays

there for a moment absentminded staring out the window.

15.

14A

EXT. CHURCHYARD HILLTOP/ CONOR’S HOUSE- MomenTS LATER 14A

CONOR’S POV - A yew tree stands in the churchyard at the top

of the hill in front of the house.

16.

15 Int. conoR’S KITCHEN - mornING - MomenTS LATER 15

He finishes packing his school bag with books and papers.

Looks at the clock again. There is something he needs to

check.

He opens a drawer of the kitchen table and slams it shut

making a loud dry noise. He waits there.

MUM (o.S.)

(faint)

Con? Is everything alright?

Finally.

Conor

Yes Mum! It slipped from my hands!

I gotta go or iI'll be late!

MUM:

Ok! Rush!

17.

15B Int. conoR’S KITCHEN - mornING - MomenTS LATER 15B

CONOR’S MUM leans against the kitchen counter with a cup of

tea, scarf tied around her head. She’s clearly undergoing

CHEMO-THERAPY:
thin, pale, bald. Exhausted, but facing it

well. Conor SWEEPS up the glass.

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