Based on a true story.
INT. GIRL’S HOUSE – BEDROOM - 3:00AM
ALARM goes off in darkness. Teenage GIRL turns off alarm. Gets out of BED, changes quickly, puts heavy BOOK into BACKPACK, slings it over one shoulder and leaves room.
INT. GIRL’S HOUSE – HALLWAY
House silent and dark. Girl passes one closed BEDROOM door, hears man SNORING loudly, and walks downstairs.
EXT. GIRL’S HOUSE – STREET
Girl leaves house and locks door behind her. Girl walks down deserted STREET with no movement, no cars, and few streetlights. Girl walks for what seems like a long time.
EXT. HOSPITAL
Girl reaches HOSPITAL non-emergency entrance. There’s a PICKET LINE with several NURSES striking. Nurses see Girl and move out of the way. Girl walks inside.
INT. HOSPITAL – ADMITTING ROOM
Girl walks through admitting room to ELEVATOR. Pushes button for the floor that houses the ICU.
INT. HOSPITAL – ICU HALLWAY
Girl walks out of elevator, and nods to ICU NURSE behind counter.
ICU NURSE
She’s the same as yesterday, hun.
Girl walks to a room, pulls open the sliding GLASS DOOR, walks in, and closes the door behind her.
INT. HOSPITAL – ICU ROOM
Middle-aged, gaunt WOMAN lies in HOSPITAL BED, asleep. Woman has an IV in her right arm, several WIRES coming out of hospital gown that connect to a MONITOR, and the metal sides of the bed pulled up and locked. There’s a CHAIR next to the bed.
GIRL
(Sits down on chair and pulls out textbook
from backpack.)
So, where did we leave off yesterday? Oh yeah,
I was just getting to balancing chemical
equations in chemistry. I know this is boring,
but I’ve got an exam in a few hours.
(Opens textbook and starts reading.)
Balancing Chemical Equations, by Anne
Marie Helmenstine, PhD. A chemical equation
describes what happens in a chemical reaction.
The equation identifies the reactants and products,
the formulas of the participants, the phases of
the participants, and the amount of each substance.
Balancing a chemical equation refers to establishing
the mathematical relationship between the quantity
of reactants and products. The quantities are
expressed as grams or…
Woman slowly wakes up, smiles at Girl as Girl speaks, and falls asleep again.
Middle-aged, Dutch HOSPICE WORKER walks into room wearing a NAME TAG that says HOSPICE VOLUNTEER.
HOSPICE WORKER
(Walks over to Girl.)
Hey. I don’t know if anyone has introduced themselves
yet. I know it’s been hard with the nurses’ strike, and
it’s admirable that you come in here every morning.
You need support too though. This can’t be easy,
and that’s what we’re here for.
So if you need anything, anything at all, I’ll be right in
the hallway, okay?
GIRL
Thank you.
(Starts crying softly.)
HOSPICE WORKER
(Hugs Girl.)
I know honey, I know.
WOMAN
(Starts to wake up.)
Weg uit de hoek! U wilt niet dat eruitziet als een hoer.
GIRL
I don’t understand–
WOMAN
(Sits up, screaming.)
Weg uit de hoek! U wilt niet dat eruitziet als een hoer!
HOSPICE WORKER
She’s speaking Dutch. Does she speak Dutch?
Did she used to speak Dutch?
GIRL
Yes, as a child.
HOSPICE WORKER
I think she’s telling you to get off the corner, because
you look like a prostitute. Why would she say that?
GIRL
(Whispers.)
When she was a kid, she used to wait for the school bus
on the corner. Her Mom would yell that out the window at her.
WOMAN
Weg uit de hoek!! U wilt niet dat eruitziet als een hoer!!
(Has a seizure. Her head makes a rhythmic, empty CLANGING sound
against the metal railings on the bed.)
ICU NURSE
(Runs into room.)
Go! You have to leave now. We’ll take care of your Mother.
Go! Now!
Girl walks toward glass sliding door.
ICU NURSE (O.S.)
She’s coding. Quick, get the paddles!
INT. HOSPITAL – ICU HALLWAY
Girl walks through ICU, slowly moving faster and faster until she’s RUNNING. Sound of rhythmic clanging still heard in the distance.
INT. HOSPITAL – HALLWAY
Girl runs until she finds the MATERNITY WARD. Sound of NEWBORN BABIES drowns out clanging. Girl looks at babies, touches the GLASS separating the babies from hallway. Girl touches forehead to the glass and starts to cry.
FADE OUT.