Meat My Uncle Page #7

Thanks.

JAMES (CONT’D)

He drinks. His unanswered questions hang like smoke in the SUV.

BEGIN FLASHBACK:

42 INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT 42

YOUNG JAMES (five years old) stands silently outside the kitchen door.

UNCLE JONES (O.S.)

He needs to know his father,

Jaclyn. You...

Mother interrupts.

MOTHER (O.S.)

My name is Jake. Get with the

program. I am a man. Just as much

as you are.

James hears Mother’s footsteps pacing. He shrinks further into the shadows.

UNCLE JONES (O.S.)

Your wife told him he had no dad.

She told him he came from a tube!

MOTHER (O.S.)

What she told him is none of your

business. My son’s your nephew by

MY choice.

UNCLE JONES (O.S.)

His father is my brother Jac...

Mother glares at him.

UNCLE JONES (O.S.) (CONT’D)

...Jake. He has a right to know who

the man is...or was.

MOTHER (O.S.)

If, and I mean IF I decide to tell

him, it’ll be my choice not yours.

James slips away down the hall, getting away from the conflict as quickly and quietly as he can.

47.

END FLASHBACK:

43 INT. SUV - DAY 43

Uncle Jones brings the SUV to a stop. James looks out the window and reads the sign - “EASTLAWN CEMETERY”. Mother quickly gets out of the car and strides towards an overgrown field surrounded with a neglected picket fence.

UNCLE JONES:

You need to go talk to your mother.

JAMES:

What is this place?

UNCLE JONES:

Eastlawn, kid. Go on. Your mother’s

waiting.

Why?

JAMES:

UNCLE JONES:

You’ll see when you get there. Just

go bud.

James slowly gets out of the SUV. Din watches him, but nobody else looks his way.

44 EXT. EASTLAWN CEMETERY - DAY 44

The fence looks even more derelict - paint flecked off, slats missing, rusted iron gate squeals as he pushes it open - as James gets closer. Mother is off in the distance, standing, looking down.

James trudges through the tall grass towards Mother, each step harder than the last.

JAMES:

(to himself)

Drakians are brave.

He squares his shoulders and starts walking confidently towards Mother.

JAMES (CONT’D)

(to himself)

This is what I asked for. I think.

He stands next to Mother.

48.

MOTHER:

You wanted to know.

Mother looks down. James follows her gaze to a gray marker, almost obscured by long grasses. James squats down and moves the grass. The marker is blank.

What?

JAMES MOTHER:

This is where he’s buried. Only a few people know.

He?

JAMES MOTHER:

Your father. Jarrod Jonas gimble. James stands.

JAMES:

Who was he?

No.

MOTHER JAMES:

What do you mean, ‘no’?

MOTHER:

Maybe later James. Not now. I want

us to enjoy this trip, so I’m

asking.

She looks him in the eye.

MOTHER (CONT’D)

Please. Let it go for now.

James breaks eye contact and looks at the marker.

For now.

JAMES:

Mother nods and turns to go.

MOTHER:

Don’t be too long. We’re almost

there and we need to get going.

49.

James opens his mouth - nothing comes out. His hands clench and his face turns red. He looks for a rock - a stick - anything that he can hurl at Mother - but there’s nothing.

45 INT. SUV - DAY 45

The occupants are silent. Din is looking out the window, his game in his lap. James is hunched against the opposite window, eyes closed.

46 EXT. EASTLAWN CEMETERY - NIGHT 46

James stands at his father’s grave, mocked by the blank surface. He looks over at a small plaque to the right of his father’s, the name “Jennifer Jonas Growl” inscribed on it.

Mother appears beside James, crying.

Jane, Titus, Uncle Jones, and Dan stand, arms linked, watching James. Din runs around.

DIN:

My treasure. My treasure.

Let’s go.

MOTHER:

They’re transported to the front of a large tomb-like building at the top of a short flight of stairs. It’s as run down and neglected as the rest of the cemetery.

JAMES:

Is this a church?

The doors creak open. James starts towards the door, but for every step he takes he slips back two.

MOTHER:

What are you waiting for?

JAMES:

I’m trying.

Try.

Mother scoffs.

MOTHER:

MOTHER (CONT’D)

No such thing. I’m going in.

50.

Mother glides through the door. James starts sprinting,

overcoming the inertia from before. As he gets to the steps the door SLAMS in his face. He starts beating on the door.

Uncle Jonas and the rest, arms still linked, stand at the bottom of the steps.

UNCLE JONES:

What are you doing?

James turns and sees Mother standing with the rest, smiling at him.

JAMES:

Who’s Jennifer Jonas Growl?

Nobody speaks.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Who’s Jennifer? Who?

Everyone turns away, leaving James.

47 INT. SUV - DAY 47 James thrashes, eyes still closed.

JAMES:

Who? Who is she?

Din reaches over and nudges him.

DIN:

Hey, wake up.

James stirs and opens his eyes.

What?

JAMES DIN:

You were dreaming I guess. And

shouting some name.

James looks at the back of Mother’s head.

JAMES:

Who is she? Jennifer Jonas Growl? Mother ignores him.

JAMES (CONT’D)

Who. Is. Jennifer. Jonas. Growl?

51.

UNCLE JONES:

She was my wife.

DIN:

Why didn’t she have your last name?

UNCLE JONES:

We weren’t married anymore when she

died.

MOTHER:

Do you really want to keep diving

into this?

JAMES:

I didn’t ask what you didn’t want

me to ask.

Uncle Jones shrugs.

UNCLE JONES:

He’s right.

MOTHER:

Can’t we just not talk about this?

UNCLE JONES:

I think it’s too late for that.

Mother turns and glares at James.

JANE:

If they won’t, I will. Your father

cheated on your mother with

Jennifer.

Jane!

MOTHER JANE:

You’ve been holding onto this for years, Jaclyn. Your husband didn’t accept you and he found a woman who was a woman. God damn it. Why not just say it and get it over with? Rip the tape off.

MOTHER:

Jane, shut up! And my name is Jake.

JANE:

It’s Jaclyn Jones and you’re a woman. (MORE)

52.

JANE (CONT’D)

And your best friend and husband

cheated on you with each other.

Move on.

James sits with his hands over his ears, rocking back and forth.

JAMES:

Stop shouting!

Uncle Jones pulls the SUV over, checks over his shoulder, and pulls a U-turn.

UNCLE JONES:

Road trip’s over.

They drive in silence.

48 EXT. EASTLAWN CEMETERY - DAYBREAK 48

It’s raining, more than a drizzle, less then a downpour. James stands at the gate looking around, rain dripping down his collar.

He sees Jane in the distance waving at him and smiling. It’s not a happy smile.

Suddenly the ground quakes. Small cracks start appearing.

Run!

James stands frozen.

JANE JAMES:

This is like before.

JANE:

No. Help me! Uncle Jones is trying

to eat me.

She points behind her. A T-Rex bursts from the forest, roaring, an eerily high pitched sound that contradicts the imposing figure.

JAMES:

That’s not Uncle Jones.

Jane runs, but gets no closer to James. The T-Rex catches her, swooping her up in his gnashing jaws. She’s gone. The T Rex looks at James and takes a step forward. The ground quakes again - a large crevice opens up and the T-Rex falls in.

53.

James turns and looks toward the tomb. It’s gone.

49 EXT. BUSTER'S HOUSE - DAY 49

Buster’s house stands in place of the tomb. Buster, pale as ever, stands hunched on the porch. The door of the house swings open and the house BELCHES, the foul gas swirling in a green fog towards James.

James instinctively covers his mouth and nose.

Buster grins - horrible, yellow-toothed - throws his head back and laughs.

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