Never Can Say Goodbye--a script excerpt


EXT: FOREST: EARLY AFTERNOON
Lynne and Elizabeth are walking down a path, which leads to a rapidly moving river.

ELIZABETH
It’s beautiful.

LYNNE
It’s the last ten acres of virgin forest for five hundred miles. The local Native Americans convinced the loggers that it was haunted.
(Pointing down river)
Another month, there’ll be color no artist could match.

ELIZABETH
Does anybody live here?

LYNNE
It’s state protected land. There are a few public hiking trails. The Bellow’s house is down the road and up the hill. From the front porch you can see the whole valley.

ELIZABETH
It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.
(Walking down to the water’s edge)
It’s so peaceful.

She looks down river. A doe comes to drink from the river. The sun filters through the trees. A large crow flies over head, cawing. In the distance, she hears saws biting into the trees and the trees falling. The sounds becomes clearer, intermixing with men’s voices.

I thought you said this was protected land.

LYNNE
It is.

ELIZABETH
Someone’s cutting down trees. I can hear them
(The sounds become louder and she puts her hands over her ears)
We have to tell the rangers.

LYNNE
(Running to the river’s edge)
I don’t hear anything! Why are you shouting?

Freshly cut trees, stripped of their branches, start floating down the river. A few at first, then the surface is covered. Two men dressed in work clothes are balanced on wide bottomed, shallow boat. Each carried a long pole with a hook on the end, which they used to break up blocks in the river. Further up river, a similar boat followed. The men casually joked with one another.

ELIZABETH
(Pointing)
Do you seem them?

LYNNE
Who?

ELIZABETH
The men in the boat.

The second boat passes in front of her. One of the men is a teenage Randolph. The lumber sounds suddenly stop and the images vanish.

ELIZABETH
(Stunned)
It stopped.

LYNNE
What did you see?

ELIZABETH
There were trees in the river and men in boats.

LYNNE
(Shaking her head)
Has anything like this happened to you before?

ELIZABETH
I’m not crazy! It happened.

LYNNE
I believe you. Other people have seen it too.

ELIZABETH
Have you?

LYNNE
No. But I’ve seen other things. Come on. Michael’s waiting.

INT: HIDDEN BEDROOM: EARLY AFTERNOON
Michael is standing in the doorway. Sara Jane appears in the rocker. She hums while she mends a man’s shirt. She is very pregnant. He walks to the rocker and reaches out to touch her stomach. She looks up at him and smiles. A car is heard pulling up and parking on the outside of the house. .

EXT: OUTSIDE BELLOW’S HOUSE: EARLY AFTERNOON
Lynne and Elizabeth are getting out of the car. They pull cases out of the back seat and walk toward the house.

INT: HIDDEN BEDROOM: EARLY AFTERNOON
Michael turns away from the window. The room is now empty.

INT: FRONT ENTRANCE WAY: EARLY AFTERNOON
Michael opens the front door. Elizabeth and Lynne walk in, carrying the cases.

LYNNE
Sorry we’re late. I wanted to show Elizabeth the trails.

ELIZABETH
Your house is beautiful.

MICHAEL
I wish it were mine. We’re just renting.

ELIZABETH
It’s so big.

MICHAEL
The original house was half as big. The second Mrs. Bellows was responsible for the expansion.

LYNNE
Where’s the room? And when is Shane coming back?

MICHAEL
Upstairs down the main hall first door on the left. I haven’t had a chance to fix the wall yet. Late tonight. She has a gig, but I have to meet her there. I made a light lunch. Just in case you didn’t have time.

ELIZABETH
We ate before we drove out.

MICHAEL
We seemed to have gotten off to a bad start.

ELIZABETH
Whose fault is that?

LYNNE
(Walking toward the stairs)
Children when you decide to be grown ups again. I’ll be pstairs.

She walks upstairs, leaving them behind.

INT: HIDDEN BEDROOM: EARLY AFTERNOON
Lynne walks into the room and set the cases on the bed. She looks around the room, opening the drawers and the closet. She takes out one of the dresses and examines before returning it to the closet. She moves the clothes around. Behind them are several shelves with boxes stacked on them. She pulls one out and opens it. It is filled with letters and mementos. She puts it on the bed and takes out another. It is filled with homemade baby clothes. They are old, but appear to have never been used. She continues around the room, stopping at the window. The nails, which had secured the window, are still embedded. Their points are sticking out of the bottom. She examines the window; the ceil has been splintered.
Elizabeth and Michael are heard talking in the hallway; they are walking toward the room. She turns as they walk in.

LYNNE
Wouldn’t it have been easier to take out the nails first?

MICHAEL
I didn’t open it.

LYNNE
Who did?

MICHAEL
I don’t know.

ELIZABETH
(Slowly almost reluctantly walks in)
It’s a beautiful room.

LYNNE
Could Shane--

MICHAEL
She is afraid of the room.

LYNNE
Really? Why?

ELIZABETH
That’s silly. This was a room of love.

MICHAEL
She said there was a woman in here, who loves me and hates her.

LYNNE
(Sarcastic)
That’s new! Help me set up the equipment.

Elizabeth looks at herself in the mirror. Sitting in the chair, she picks up the hairbrush. Brushing her hair, she begins to hum quietly to herself the same tune from Michael’s dream.

I would’ve got better readings if I’d been here.

MICHAEL
I’m sorry. I couldn’t help myself. It was like I was possessed. It was all I could think about.

LYNNE
Did you find what you expected?

MICHAEL
Yes and No. It was smaller than I thought. It looked like I imagined.

LYNNE
And?

MICHAEL
I felt disappointed. I was expecting something--someone to be here. But there wasn’t anyone. The dreams started. Sara Jane was here.
(He walks to the rocker)
With her son. But that isn’t possible. The boy was a toddler. Sara Jane died giving birth to their only child. It’s so confusing. Audrey was trying to protect the boy--no, she was angry with him. The women argued. Randolph came in. He still loved Sara Jane. He was married to Audrey. He never loved her. He was going to kill himself to be with Sara Jane. But he couldn’t. Audrey was pregnant.

LYNNE
Why did he marry Audrey?

MICHAEL
He needed a wet nurse for his son. Audrey had given birth to her daughter just a month before. Her husband had been killed in a lumber accident. She wouldn’t move in unless he married her.

ELIZABETH
If he loved Sara Jane so much he wanted to die, how did Audrey come to be with child?

MICHAEL
I was weak.

LYNNE
I?

MICHAEL
Night after night, I lay in our bed missing you. I was alone--our bed was cold. She would come to me, smelling of your perfume. At first I pushed her away. But she was warm and willing. She kept coming back, telling me how much she loved me. I closed my eyes and it was you beside me. You I made love to.

LYNNE
Michael? Elizabeth?

ELIZABETH
How do you think I felt? Watching you in our bed. You wouldn’t let me leave. Why did you do that to me?

MICHAEL
I loved you.

LYNNE
That’s it--Everybody out!

She grabs Michael and pushes him out the door. Going back, she pulls Elizabeth from the chair; the hairbrush falls to the floor. Elizabeth tries to pick it up, but she is hustled from the room. Lynne stops and scans the room, before slamming the door shut.

INT: KITCHEN: AFTERNOON
Michael and Elizabeth sit at the table, eating. Lynne stands at the counter, staring at them.

ELIZABETH
All this is from your garden? It tastes wonderful.

MICHAEL
It always tastes better when you grow it yourself.

LYNNE
Yes. It’s wonderful. It’s also low calorie. Extra special. Everybody agree? Good. Now what the hell happened up there?

MICHAEL
More tea anyone?

LYNNE
No! Sit down!

ELIZABETH
I feel embarrassed.

LYNNE
Why?

ELIZABETH
I don’t know. Part of me didn’t want to go inside. I was afraid I would never be able to leave. Then I didn’t want to leave. It’s not like I thought about it. It’s just how I felt. I was afraid. But it also felt like coming home.
(To Michael)
I saw you. But it wasn’t you. You were someone else. I loved you--and hated you.

MICHAEL
I was finally getting the chance to explain. To make it right.

LYNNE
Make what right?

Off screen a car pulls up and parks. A single car door opens and closes.

Are you expecting anyone?

MICHAEL
I’ll go see who it is.

INT: FRONT ENTRANCE: AFTERNOON
Shane walks in.

SHANE
Mike! What is Lynne doing here?

INT: KITCHEN: AFTERNOON

LYNNE
You said she’d be gone all day!

MICHAEL
Stay here. Both of you. I’ll take care of it.

INT: IN THE HALLWAY AT THE FOOT OF THE STAIRS: AFTERNOON
Shane has gone part way up. Michael runs in.

MICHAEL
You said you were spending the afternoon with you mother..

SHANE
Why is she here?

MICHAEL
Calm down.

SHANE
Don’t tell me to calm down!

MICHAEL
I asked her to check out the hidden room.

SHANE
No doubt she’d have that adventure you wanted. At least you didn’t use our bed.

LYNNE
(Walking in)
Actually we were frolicking on the kitchen table. Miracle Whip isn’t only for sandwiches.

MICHAEL
Lynne, you’re not helping.

SHANE
You’re disgusting!

Zombie-like Elizabeth can be seen walking out of the kitchen.

MICHAEL
Go back in the kitchen.

SHANE
Slut!

LYNNE
Psycho!

MICHAEL
(To Lynne)
You’re not helping.

SHANE
Why are you doing this to me?

Unseen by the others, Elizabeth walks through the dining room, examining the room as she goes. Its appearance seems to confuse her.

You said you loved me.

MICHAEL
I do love you.

SHANE
Then why is she here?

MICHAEL
I wanted to find out about the room.

SHANE
The room. The house. Your work...everything but me!

Lynne notices Elizabeth and joins her in the dining room.

INT: DINING ROOM: AFTERNOON
Elizabeth is looking at the furnishings. Lynne walks up to her.

ELIZABETH
It’s all different.

LYNNE
What’s all different?

ELIZABETH
My house. Who are you? What are you doing in my house?

LYNNE
Elizabeth, what are you talking about?

ELIZABETH
Elizabeth? My name is Sara Jane. Sara Jane Bellows.

LYNNE
OHMYGOODNESS! I don’t have the right equipment for this. Shit!

ELIZABETH
(Calling out to Michael)
Randolph, what did you do to my house?

LYNNE
Sara Jane. Hi. I’m Lynne. Have you been in the house since you died?

ELIZABETH
I’m not dead.
SHANE
(Seeing Elizabeth)
You!

Michael tries to grab her, but she pushes past him and runs into the dining room.

He’s my husband!

MICHAEL
(Following)
Shane!

Lynne intercepts her and they struggle. Elizabeth meets Michael half way into the room.

ELIZABETH
I don’t understand. I waited for you. Why didn’t you come?

MICHAEL
I couldn’t find you.

SHANE
You can’t have him. He’s mine.

ELIZABETH
I know you! I know what you did.

SHANE
Shut up!

Shane shoves Lynne out of the way and lunges at Elizabeth, pushing her backward. Elizabeth hits her head on edge of the table and falls to the floor. Michael grabs Shane and pulls her away. Lynne checks Elizabeth.

MICHAEL
Is she okay?

LYNNE
No! She’s not okay. She’s unconscious!

SHANE
She deserved it!

MICHAEL
You don’t even know her!
(Shoving her away)
Shane, look what you’ve done!

SHANE
Love me. Not her.

LYNNE
We have to get her to the hospital.

SHANE
She was going to ruin everything!

LYNNE
Mike, fight with her later. Help me get her to my car.

MICHAEL
There’s an afghan on the couch.

Lynne runs out of the room.

SHANE
Mike, I did it for us.

MICHAEL
(Gently lifting Elizabeth)
Get out of my way!

SHANE
Mike, please you have to understand.

MICHAEL
Understand what?

SHANE
I can explain.

MICHAEL
(Carrying Elizabeth toward the door)
Stay here.

SHANE
Mike, please!

INT: ENTRANCE WAY: AFTERNOON
Lynne covers Elizabeth with the afghan and opens the door. Michael carries her out. Lynne hesitates at the threshold.

LYNNE
This time you’ll get what you deserve.

She slams the door.

INT: HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM: AFTERNOON
Lynne paces the room, occasionally looking down the hall. Michael sits in the chair, staring at the floor.

MICHAEL
I’ll take care of the bill.

LYNNE
I wish we could take it out of Shane’s hide.

MICHAEL
I’ve never seen her act like that. Could it have something to do with the room?

LYNNE
She was jealous before you moved into the house.

MICHAEL
She had a dream. The woman in the room wanted to hurt her.

LYNNE
Is Shane in that examination room?

MICHAEL
I just thought--

LYNNE
That’d find another way to excuse her. To make it not her fault or yours.

MICHAEL
It’s not my fault!

LYNNE
Isn’t it? What are you going to do if Elizabeth decides to press charges?

A nurse walks in.

NURSE
Your friend’s lucky. She doesn’t have a concussion. But she does have a nasty bump. She can go home. But she shouldn’t be alone for the next few hours.

LYNNE
She can spend the rest of the day and night at my house.

MICHAEL
Where do I pay the bill?

NURSE
At the cashier. She’ll be out in a few minutes.