Julian Winter

Coma Dreams

Julian Winter

508-904-8319

julian@julianwinter.com

Note: Due to the nature of a web page some of the standard screenplay formatting is lost.

FADE IN:

EXT. A RAIN-SOAKED PARK JOGGING TRAIL - DAY

Running shoes pound the trail in pouring rain. They run hard, avoiding the worms and snails inching across her path.

CLARE (VO)
Earthworms and snails come out in the
rain. The only time, with reasonable
certainty, they can travel safely while
the birds seek cover.

Still it's a gamble that they'll be
caught short when the rain stops.
Easy prey then for the birds or worse,
slow death in the sun.

CLARE, 37, pleasant looking, gasps for air with hands on her knees. Gaining her breath she steps back to the sickening crunch of a snail shell underfoot.

She looks to her foot, shocked, and slowly lifts her shoe. A snail writhes in agony, bereft of protection. Her tears well.

CLARE
(to the snail)
I'm sorry. I had no idea.

Clare covers her eyes, distraught.

CLARE (VO)
You wish you could step back in time
a moment and prevent the catastrophe.

If we could, I guess, there'd be
nothing to cry over.

She backs up, step by step, eyes fixed to the snail's agony.

CLARE (VO)
It was that Spring day, with a tiny
murder on my mind, that I sought help.

Through the rain, Clare looks to a 3rd story office window and DR. ELIOTT SHERKOVITZ, mid-40's, gazing out.

INT. ELIOTT'S OFFICE - DAY

Eliott sits in an overstuffed chair and counsels a WOMAN lying on a patient couch.

ELIOTT
These feelings of suicide coincide
with your depression.

INT. THE BOTTOM OF A STAIRCASE - DAY

Clare, in wet jogging clothes, puts a foot to the stairs.

BACK TO ELIOTT'S OFFICE

Eliott hands his patient a prescription and escorts her to the top of the stairs. He notices Clare looking up, to ascend.

ELIOTT'S DESK

Eliott sips water and tosses his head back as one swallows a pill. He shuts his desk drawer, a medicine vial visible.

LATER

Eliott sits at his desk and Clare across, studying each other. A loud thump hits the office window, startling Eliott.

CLARE
The rain has stopped. I must be going.

He steps to the window peering out and down to the street.

CLARE
The reflection confuses them. They
fly headlong into what appears to be
clear sky.

Only to crash into this invisible wall.
Oftentimes the impact snaps their
tiny necks.

Finding nothing on the street, he turns, confused.

ELIOTT
How long have we been sitting here?

CLARE
I don't keep track. Shorter for you
than for me, though.

He returns to his chair.

ELIOTT
Are you a patient of mine?

CLARE
I'm here to see about that.

EXT. THE PARK JOGGING TRAIL - DAY

Clare walks to where the snail lies, motionless. Within the shell fragments come movement and a butterfly emerges from the remains. It takes wing and floats off in the sunny breeze.

CLARE (VO)
I took that as a positive sign, but
signs are hard to read.

Clare watches its flight which takes her gaze to Eliott staring directly at her from his office window.

INT. ELIOTT'S OFFICE - DAY

Eliott stares onto the park jogging trail directly across from his office. He sees only the park, not Clare nor the butterfly.

He opens the window and notes a feather stuck in the sill. He drops it, watching it spiral to the ground.

AT HIS DESK

Eliott rummages through patient files.

ELIOTT
Shelly, do you have a new patient
file out there?

SHELLY, late 20's, attractive plump, peeks into his office.

SHELLY
No one new since Wednesday.

He searches, perplexed, then looks to the window.

ELIOTT
A woman, earlier today?

SHELLY
All existing patients.

He opens his drawer and contemplates the vial of pills.

ELIOTT
No matter.