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Mental

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INT. RACHEL’S APARTMENT- DAY

The door opens and RACHEL enters looking somewhat distracted 
and a little on edge.  She is average looking, not a 
knockout but not hideous either.  She is a twenty-year-
old, jeans and T-shirt type of girl.  

In Rachel’s hand are a couple pieces of mail.  As she 
walks in she separates the mail- a single envelope in one 
hand, three in the other.  She places them down on a 
dresser behind the couch, which a 5-gallon tropical fish 
tank is also stationed on.  The tank would be considered 
eerie by some, complete with skeleton pirate bopping 
around at the helm.

She continues into the room to the computer desk to get a 
pen.  The desk, as well as the whole back wall, is 
covered with pictures.  They are mostly of Rachel and her 
friends (ALLY, FRED, MIKE, and JAY), though there are a 
few of her and her family.

Rachel quickly gazes with a reminiscent half-smile and a 
look of hurt in her eyes at one picture in particular, 
which has her and ALLY laughing with their arms around 
each other like the good friends they were.

Ally is about the same height with dirty blond hair, and 
a little more attractive than Rachel.  She wears jeans 
too but what some would call “slutty” shirts- skin tight, 
belly exposed.

Rachel returns with the pen.  The single envelope is 
addressed to “Allison Katz,” the other three to “Rachel 
Mason.”  Rachel circles Allison’s name and crosses out 
the address.

			RACHEL
		(irritated)
	How many times am I going to have to
	tell the mailman?

Rachel writes “Return to Sender” at the top left and 
“Moved Out” in the middle with and arrow pointing to the 
circled name.

Rachel puts down the pen and picks up a container of fish food.  
She begins to feed the fish with a smile on her face.
Across the room, there is a SCRATCHING NOISE at the fire-escape 
window.  Outside is a dirty TOM CAT pawing at the window.

Rachel makes her way through the living room to the window.  
There is an unsettling air in the apartment.  In some areas it 
seems cluttered and somewhat messy (Rachel’s stuff), in others 
it is just empty and void of life (from Ally’s abrupt 
departure).

Rachel opens the window.

			RACHEL
		(sadly)
	I told you, Ally’s gone Stinky.

STINKY doesn’t seem to mind.  He jumps in on to Rachel’s lap, 
rubs his head against her, and then licks the little remaining 
fish food off of her hands.  She pets him a few times and he 
begins to PURR.

Suddenly there is an IM SOUND at the computer.

			RACHEL
	Alright, off you go.

Rachel places Stinky back outside and closes the window.  She 
then goes to the computer where there is a message from 
"FunFunFun1987."

"FunFunFun1987:  Dad told you im going to court?"

Rachel types back (her screenname is "DazedAndConfused").

"DazedAndConfused:  What? No"

"FunFunFun1987:  for drug charges, and speeding. they want to 
give me jail time..but im gonna ask for a public defender, hope-
fully everything will be okay."

"DazedAndConfused:  uh-huh"

"FunFunFun1987:  im serious"
"FunFunFun1987:  fine ask dad when you talk to him."

Rachel picks up the cordless and dials.  While it is RINGING, 
she picks up a small-framed photo off the desk.  In it, Rachel 
is playfully choking her sister KARYN, both smiling.  Karyn is 
three years younger than Rachel, and she is very pretty (she 
inherited the good looks in the family).

Karyn answers the phone.

			KARYN (V.O.)
	Hello?

			RACHEL
		(concerned)
	Drug charges?

			KARYN (V.O.)
	Yeah. I was carrying weed when they
	pulled me over... And cuz it’s my car, 
	I got blamed.

			RACHEL
		(a little relieved)
	Oh, so it wasn’t your’s?

			KARYN (V.O.)
	No.

			RACHEL
	Nice friends you’ve got there.

			KARYN (V.O.)
	It was a kid from school... We’re
	kids.  Shit happens.  You missed the
	whole fun part of your life.

			RACHEL
	Yeah, like JAIL.

			KARYN (V.O.)
	I’m hot. I hope they won’t try any-
	thing... The most will be like three 
	months though.

			RACHEL
		(sarcastic)
	Oh, only three months.

			KARYN (V.O.)
	Well, that’s not bad.  It could be
	a lot worse.  Dad is flippin though.
	I’m surprised he hasn’t told you...
	Guess he wanted to save me embar-
	rassment.

			RACHEL
	Well you know how often I talk with
	him... Not surprised though.  Jail is 
	jail...  Three months or three years.

			KARYN (V.O).
	True.  But I can’t think of it like
	that... I gotta go dry my hair.  Hear-
	ing is at the end of the week.
	You’ll hear from me or dad soon 
	enough.  Bye.

Rachel presses the off button on the phone and hangs it up.  
Rachel looks at the picture as she places it back on the desk 
and shakes her head in the "no" fashion.

			RACHEL
	How stupid can you be?

Rachel grabs her jean jacket off the back of the computer 
chair, flings it over her shoulder, and leaves the apartment.

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EXT. PARK POND- DAY

It’s a nice sunny afternoon, one of the last days of summer.  
CHILDREN can be HEARD playing.  Rachel sits on a bench 
overlooking the pond with a loaf of bread at her side.  People 
of all ages are all around.  Some are flying kites, some are 
walking the path that passes in front of her, others are doing 
as she is- feeding the ducks.

Rachel takes a slice of bread, breaks it into four pieces, and 
crumples those pieces into balls.  She then delightfully throws 
them to a family of mallards swimming in front of her.  She 
watches and smiles as they eat.

A cute YOUNG BOY, no older than four, approaches Rachel.  He 
looks at the mallards she is feeding.  Then he thoughtfully 
puts his index finger in his mouth and looks at the bag of 
bread, and finally makes eye contact with Rachel.

Rachel smiles and holds out a slice of bread.

			RACHEL
	Here you go.

The Young Boy’s face brightens up as he accepts the bread and 
begins to feed the ducks too.  The BOY’S MOTHER, late twenties, 
comes over.

			BOY’S MOTHER
	There you are.  I’ve been looking
	all over for you.

The Boy’s Mother turns to Rachel.

			BOY’S MOTHER
	Thank you.

			RACHEL
	No problem.

The Boy’s Mother takes his hand.

			BOY’S MOTHER
	Come on.  Let’s go.

The Boy and his mother leave.  Rachel continues feeding the 
ducks.  A goose flies over and, as it lands in front of her, a 
few feathers fall before her eyes.

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FLASHBACK- INT. BEDROOM- DAY

A rather healthy looking WOMAN, early forties, is sitting up in 
bed in swan-printed pajamas.  She has just a hint of tiredness 
about her.  FIVE YEAR OLD KARYN is sitting under the covers 
beside her watching TV.  EIGHT YEAR OLD RACHEL grabs a brush 
off the dresser and sits on her mother’s other side on the edge 
of the bed.

RACHEL begins to stroke her mother’s beautiful long auburn hair 
with the brush.  After a few strokes, a big chunk of hair comes 
out.  Rachel’s eyes widen, she drops the brush on the bed, 
stands up and takes a few steps back.

THIRTEEN YEAR OLD ANDY, who entered the room with a breakfast 
tray as Rachel began brushing her mother’s hair, puts it down 
at the bottom of the bed and hugs Rachel as their mother jumps 
out of bed and runs to the bathroom.

Karyn, who didn’t see what happened, looks at her brother and 
sister puzzled.

			KARYN
	What’s the matter?

Both Rachel and Andy’s eyes drop down to the brush with the big 
chunk of hair left in it on the bed.  Karyn follows their eyes 
and sees the brush.  She GASPS and then begins to SOB.
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FLASHBACK- INT. FUNERAL PARLOR- NIGHT

The WOMAN no longer appears healthy.  She is wearing a dew rag 
with swans wrapped around her head.  Her eyes are closed, her 
face drawn (appearing many years older) with a lot of make-up.  
She is wearing a pretty blouse.  She is lying in a coffin.

SIX YEAR OLD KARYN is wearing a nice dress and hovering over 
the coffin.  She begins SOBBING uncontrollably.  The parlor is 
crowded for the wake and all eyes turn on her.

NINE YEAR OLD RACHEL, dressed all in black, is the closest and 
she reaches Karyn quickest as her FATHER, mid-forties, and 
FOURTEEN YEAR OLD ANDY make their way from the door where they 
were greeting people.

Rachel’s efforts to console Karyn are to no avail.  Karyn 
places one hand on her mother’s forehead and one on her chin.

			KARYN
		(wailing)
	Mommy! Mommy!

Father puts his hands on the side of Karyn’s stomach.

			FATHER
		(distressed but gently)
	Come on, Sweat Heart.

He picks her up but her hand was clenched on her mom’s dew rag 
and it remains in her hand as she hugs her Father and he 
carries her away.

Rachel looks at her mother’s bare, bald head, only a thin 
strand here and there.  Tears begin to roll down Rachel’s 
cheek.  Andy puts his arm around her and begins to lead her 
away.

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EXT. PARK POND- DAY

Feathers continue to fall before Rachel’s eyes.

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EXT. UNKNOWN- NIGHT

Rachel is lying on the grass looking up into the night sky.  
Lying beside her (on her right) is twenty-year-old FRED, about 
a 7 on a scale from 1 to 10, wearing average clothes.  He turns 
his head to look at her face, with just a slight gleam in his 
eyes.

			FRED
	So, how’s Karyn?  Still wreaking 
	havoc?

Rachel continues to silently stare at the stars.  After waiting 
a few seconds for an answer, he attempts to get her attention 
again.

			FRED
		(exaggerated)
	Hello?

Still no response.  Fred takes his right hand and waves it in 
front of her face.  She promptly shakes out of it, tightly 
blinking her eyes, and looks at Fred.

			RACHEL
	What were you saying?

She turns her head back towards the sky.

			FRED
	Karyn.  How is she?

			RACHEL
		(blankly, still elsewhere)
	Who?

			FRED
		(laughing)
	Uh, your sister.

			RACHEL
		(Finally snapping out of it)
	Ohhhh, Karyn.

She looks at Fred and smiles.

			RACHEL
	Shut up.

She looks back up at the sky and all is silent.

			FRED
	Well?  How’s she doing?

			RACHEL
		(snidely)
	She’s doing.  She’s still breathing.

Suddenly, out of no where, a scary, menacing STRANGE FACE pops 
out inches away from Rachel’s and SHOUTS.

			STRANGE FACE
		(deep, probing voice)
	BOOOO!!!

Both Fred and Rachel jump.  Rachel then starts LAUGHING and 
Fred smiles.

			FRED
	Asshole!

The strange face emits a HEARTY LAUGH.  The strange face 
belongs to JAY, now squatting next to Rachel.  He is wearing 
all black, a trench coat concealing his large figure- he is a 
menacing 6’5" and twenty-four-years-old.  He is average 
looking, clean cut.

			RACHEL
	Where’s Mike?

			JAY
	C’mon, he’s setting up.

Jay begins to stand up, offers his hand to Rachel, and helps 
her up as well.  For the first time the CAMERA reveals that 
Fred and Rachel were laying in front of a TOMBSTONE engraved 
"Devoted wife & loving mother, Rachel Mason.  September 8, 
1951- December 27, 1993."  The stone is a pinkish marble and 
swans are chiseled into it.  (This is where Jay jumped out from 
behind).  The CAMERA pulls out further to reveal that they are 
in the middle of a rather large CEMETERY.

Jay leads the way as Fred and Rachel follow, all careful not to 
disturb anyone’s eternal resting places.

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EXT. MAUSOLEUM- NIGHT

The mausoleum is old and creepy.  It’s dark with years of dirt, 
dust, and death.  There are many cracks, and the tarnished 
metal gate on the door is green in spots.  Despite all this, it 
still looks elegantly distinguished.

The door swings open and MIKE takes a step out before looking 
up and halting.  Mike is twenty-one, average looking but 
muscular, with 5 o’clock shadow.

			MIKE
	There you are.

Jay, Rachel, and Fred just arrived.  Mike hugs Rachel.

			JAY
	I told you I’d find them.

Jay starts to go inside as Mike shakes Fred’s hand.

			MIKE
		(like he owns the place)
	Come in, come in.

Rachel follows Jay in, followed by Fred, and finally Mike who 
shuts the door behind them.

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