Pariah Page #16

78 INT. ALIKE’S LIVING ROOM - MORNING 78

Arthur is frozen in the middle of the living room with a

contractor trash bag. He stoops and piles the shards of a

broken lamp into the bag one by one. Sharonda peeks out at

him from her bedroom door. Arthur looks up at her and

Sharonda pushes the door shut.

79 INT. ALIKE’S PARENT’S BEDROOM - DAY 79

Audrey sits at the edge of her bed in a housecoat. Her hair

is ruffled and flyaway. Her ankles are crossed and her hands

are dead birds in her lap. Her work clothes are laid out in a

neat line beside her: shirt, pants, socks, and shoes on the

floor right underneath. The telephone begins to ring, but

Audrey does not hear it.

80 INT. BINA’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON 80

Bina and a HIGH SCHOOL BOY sit on the floor, their backs

propped against the bed, books spread on the floor. The boy

puts his arm around Bina, launching numerous passionate

advances, but Bina pushes him away.

95.

The clueless boy continues his clumsy attempts. Bina stares

out the window, completely detached.

81 INT. ALIKE’S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON 81

Audrey, still in her housecoat, stares into the refrigerator,

transfixed by the mountain of foil-covered plates. Her eyes

are cried-out buttons. Suddenly she remembers to breathe, and

her breaths come raggedly tearing out fresh tears. She yanks

a foil-covered plate, dumps its contents into the trash can

and tosses the plate into the sink. She dumps another and

another, her composure returning with each plate tossed. By

the time she gets to the last one, her breathing slows and

returns to normal. She disappears into the bedroom and

reappears with the red shopping bag. She calmly lifts out the

pink blouse and stuffs it into the garbage. She wads up the

shopping bag and stuffs it in too. She takes a deep breath

and wipes her sleeve across her nose.

AUDREY:

Okay.

82 INT. ALIKE’S KITCHEN - LATE AFTERNOON 82

Arthur, Audrey and Sharonda are pegged around the dinner

table. Audrey’s make-up fails to cover the dark circles

beneath her eyes and Arthur has a week’s worth of stubble.

There is a jagged hole where Alike usually sits. Noticing

the asymmetry, Audrey bundles up Alike’s place setting and

sweeps it onto the floor. Sharonda looks from Audrey to

Arthur then into her plate.

AUDREY:

You want to say grace?

Arthur clears his throat.

ARTHUR:

Heavenly Father...

Audrey thrusts her hands out to Arthur and Sharonda. They

each take her hand and Arthur begins again.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

Dear Heavenly Father we pray... we

pray thank you for this food and we

pray... we pray for your continued

blessing...

Arthur stops talking but his head remains bowed. An awkward

silence ensues. Audrey and Sharonda look up at him still

holding hands.

96.

AUDREY:

Amen!

ARTHUR:

Amen.

Audrey switches to an overly cheery auto-pilot mode, babbling

to no one in particular.

AUDREY:

I got this recipe from a magazine.

Supposed to be very good. And you

see I made those green beans you

like. Sharonda pass the rice

please.

Sharonda, staring at her father doesn’t reach for the bowl.

SHARONDA:

Dad. You know where she is.

83 EXT. LAURA’S ROOFTOP - WEEKS LATER 83

Alike and Laura sit at the edge of the roof sharing a quart

of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Sunset paints the cityscape

pink and orange. The faint cadence of children playing drifts

in and out on a fickle breeze. Alike’s wounds are healing and

she seems happy. The friends exchange wordless smiles and

soak in the peacefulness around them.

Laura hears a noise at the door and gets up to investigate.

Arthur is standing in the doorway. Laura calls out to Alike.

Alike looks up and the smile fades from her face. Arthur

tries to move around Laura, but Laura stares him down. Laura

looks back at Alike. Alike considers, then carefully nods.

Laura steps out of the way and watches Arthur pass.

Alike rises to face her father. She stands tall, her weight

is centered. Arthur struggles to find her eyes, and she turns

away from him. Distant playground voices fill the pause.

EXT. LAURA’S ROOFTOP - WEEKS LATER

Alike sits at the edge of the roof writing in her notebook.

Laura swings open the door and Alike looks back in greeting,

her smile fading as Arthur appears behind her. Laura motions

to Alike. Alike considers, then carefully nods. Laura steps

aside and watches Arthur pass.

Alike wanders to the edge of the roof, Arthur follows.

Distant playground voices fill the pause.

97.

ALIKE:

Where’s Mom?

ARTHUR:

She...your mother couldn’t make it.

Alike shakes her head and peers into the rusty skyline.

Arthur slumps his hands in his pockets and edges closer.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

Remember our old place? Waaay out

in Queens? It was our first

apartment, we were so proud. Had

all those trees around it? In

October, the whooole block would be

covered with leaves. You remember.

Alike makes no sign.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

You couldnt’ve been more than 2

years old. And when the wind would

blow, all those leaves would come

rushing down the street at us and

you thought they were alive. You’d

get so scared. You’d cry and you’d

scream and beg for us to pick you

up. I would try and tell you

“they’re only leaves, baby” and

make you stay on the ground. But

you were so afraid and you cried so

hard, your mother would always pick

you up. She always picked you up.

Arthur is silent beneath the weight of his memory. He dares a

glance over at Alike.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

‘Member how we used to-

ALIKE:

I’ve been accepted into a early

college program. Starts in the

Spring. Berkeley.

ARTHUR:

California’s a long way away-

ALIKE:

Ten weeks writing boot camp,

workshops. Then I can start summer

semester.

98.

ARTHUR:

We can talk about that. Okay?

ALIKE:

I need you to meet with my guidance

counselor. Sign the paperwork so I

can graduate early.

ARTHUR:

I’m sorry, alright? I’m sorry I let

her hurt you-

ALIKE:

I need to know now if you’ll sign

the papers. Yes or no?

ARTHUR:

Can you forgive me?

ALIKE:

Yes or no?

ARTHUR:

You can always come back home.

Things are gonna be different, I

promise you-

Alike holds Arthur’s hand, stopping him.

ALIKE:

Dad, I’m not running. I’m choosing.

Arthur’s heart breaks, he gasps back a sob.

ALIKE (CONT’D)

I’m not going back home.

ARTHUR:

I know.

(beat)

Okay.

Alike nods, squeezes Arthur’s hand. Arthur breathes deeply,

composing himself. He starts to pull away.

ARTHUR (CONT’D)

I better-

ALIKE:

Tell Mom that she was right.

ARTHUR:

Right about what?

99.

ALIKE:

God doesn’t make mistakes.

ARTHUR:

You should tell her yourself.

Arthur squeezes Alike’s hand and drifts away. Alike inhales

the sunset.

84 INT. HOSPITAL BREAK ROOM - AFTERNOON 84

Audrey is cleaned up, well-dressed and freshly put together.

She sits alone at the lunch table, crunching an apple. A

bible and a daily devotional guide are spread open in front

of her. Alike knocks on the glass, and Audrey looks up

stunned. Alike comes in and sits across from her. Audrey

glances around, concerned about passing coworkers.

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