House (Screenplay)

The assignment that follows is from a screenwriting course that I took as a sophomore. This particular assignment had to be a 6-9 page screenplay on a topic of our choosing. I decided to write a screenplay based on a true story of my own personal life. I learned the fundamentals of storytelling, and how important it is to include details to interest the reader, instead of writing everything that occurred. I found writing a personal story to be difficult because I felt the need to include every single part of the story because of its importance to me. However, I learned that by changing something as simple as the age of a character can help distance the writer from their work which results in a more appealing and interesting screenplay.

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House

EXT. JACKSON HOUSE NIGHT WINTER
REBECCA (30) and JESSICA (32) walk up their long driveway
through the snow with suitcases in their hands after their
Uber drops them off. Jessica pulls out her cellphone and
turns on the flashlight for them to see where they are
walking.
Jessica struggles carrying more suitcases than Rebecca.

JESSICA

Why am I carrying your stuff? You
are an adult.
REBECCA

Hey don’t be rude. You offered.

The women approach the side door and place their heavy
suitcases on their porch. Jessica unlocks the door with her
key and the two take a sigh of relief as they enter the
mudroom.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
It’s so good to be home. I can’t
wait to sleep in my own bed.

The two place their boots in the mudroom and Jessica unlocks
the door to their kitchen. She reaches for the light switch,
noticing that the lights are not turning on.

JESSICA

The power must have gone out from
the storm.

The noise of smoke detectors going off is heard as soon as
the door opens. Jessica turns on her phone flashlight and
shines it in the kitchen.

JESSICA (CONT’D)

Rebecca….. why is there water all
over the floor? OH MY GOD! There is
pieces of ceiling on the ground.

REBECCA

Stop being so dramatic…

JESSICA

REBECCA I’M SERIOUS. The pipes must
have burst..

Rebecca peers her head into the kitchen to notice the pieces
of ceiling that are remaining are covered in water, there is
mold on the cabinets, and the wooden studs of the house
structure are showing. The pink insulation is hanging from
the ceiling.
The two women quickly close the door and sit on the side
porch in darkness.

JESSICA (CONT’D)
We should have never went on
vacation. You were the one who
wanted to go in the first place.

REBECCA

You are not going to seriously
blame this on me, are you?

Rebecca glances at Jessica who rolls her eyes at her. Rebecca
then pulls out her cellphone and decides to call 911, her
hands are shaking with nerves.

911 OPERATOR
911 what is your emergency?

REBECCA
Ma’am we ummm we..

Rebecca freezes. Jessica glances at Rebecca, moving her hand
forward to indicate that she needs to continue to talk.

JESSICA

Gimme it.

Jessica snatches Rebecca’s phone out of her hands.

JESSICA (CONT’D)

Ma’am the pipes in our house burst,
there is water everywhere and we
are not able to make it inside.

911 OPERATOR
Okay hang tight, the fire
department is on their way.

Jessica hangs up the phone and hands it to Rebecca with a
disgusted look on her face.

JESSICA

The fire department is on the way.
If we stayed in the house we would
not be in this situation right now.

(MORE)

JESSICA (CONT’D)

I handle everything, the bills the
plans. The one time I let you
decide…

Rebecca glances up and gives Jessica a look of
disappointment. She walks into the mudroom, closing the door
separating the two of them.

CUT TO:
Fifteen minutes later, the fire department arrives and they
walk confidently into the house in a steady pace, flashlights
in hands. After about twenty minutes, they exit the house and
explain the situation.

FIREFIGHTER

We shut the water off, good luck
though, it’s not going to be easy.
Do not step foot inside that house,
the ceilings can cave in any
second.

They glance at the two women with a look of pity and they
drive away in their truck. As soon as they leave, Rebecca
opens the door to go back inside.

JESSICA

What are you doing? He said not
to…

Rebecca ignores her question and continues walking inside
their home. She runs through the kitchen, dining room, and up
the stairs until she reaches her bedroom. She grabs her
miniature safe underneath her bed.
Adrenaline pumps through her veins and without hesitation she
walks quickly into Jessica’s room. She reaches underneath her
bed and grabs her miniature safe.
She turns her head and notices a picture on the ground and
quickly reaches for it. The glass is broken and shattered to
pieces.
At first, Rebecca fumbles carrying many objects in her hands,
but she continues to move quickly throughout her home. She
sprints through the dining room and kitchen and runs to the
mudroom. She places both of their belongings inside.
Jessica looks up at Rebecca and gives her a dirty look.

JESSICA (CONT’D)
Just gave the Holiday Inn a call,
they told me my card number was
declined.

REBECCA
What’s their number?

Jessica presses call and hands over her cellphone to Rebecca.

RECEPTIONIST

Thank you for calling the Holiday
Inn, how may I help you?
REBECCA

Hi, my name is Rebecca Jackson I
would like to make a reservation
for two tonight.
RECEPTIONIST

Okay Rebecca what kind of room
would you like? We have special
suites…

REBECCA

The cheapest room you have with two
beds please.

RECEPTIONIST

Umm okay.. How long will you be
staying with us?

Rebecca glances at Jessica and cuts her off as she begins to
speak.

JESSICA
Get it for…

Rebecca turns around and glances at the house. She hears the
receptionist begin to speak.

RECEPTIONIST
Ma’am are you still there?

REBECCA

Yes. Yes, I am sorry for one week.

RECEPTIONIST
Okay all I need is your card
information.

Rebecca pulls out her credit card from her pocket and reads
her numbers.

RECEPTIONIST (CONT’D)
All set, your room will be ready in
about an hour. Have a nice night.

REBECCA
Thank you, you too.

Rebecca hangs up the phone. She looks up at Jessica.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
It’s ready in an hour.
JESSICA

One hour? What the heck are we
supposed to do until then?

Rebecca grabs her keys from her purse and shines her phone
light in the direction of her car.

REBECCA

Well we are gonna need to get out
here eventually. Where did you put
the shovels?
JESSICA
Where they always are.

Rebecca opens the garage door and flashes her light to walk
up to the attic. She finds two shovels and slowly walks down
the steps.
She walks back outside and hands one to Jessica. The two
sisters begin to shovel as much as they can, using their
cellphones to show a path of light. Jessica stops shoveling.

REBECCA

Hey are you okay? You don’t look
too good.

Jessica glances up and gives Rebecca a look of terror. She
stares at the house and does not say a word.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
Go sit in my car, I’ll finish up.

Once the driveway is clear, Rebecca dusts off her car.
Jessica opens the door and sits in the passenger’s seat.
Rebecca grabs their belongings from the porch and places them
inside her trunk. She then gets inside the driver’s seat and
drives them to the hotel. Rebecca tries to get Jessica to
talk.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
Hey, are you okay? Talk to me.

Jessica turns her head in the opposite direction as she looks
out her window.

INT. HOLIDAY INN NIGHT CONTINUOUS
Rebecca checks in with the receptionist.

REBECCA

Hi, I just called. Rebecca Jackson
room for two.

RECEPTIONIST

Oh yes. Room 345 here is your key.
Enjoy your stay!
REBECCA
We’ll try, thank you.

Rebecca grabs the hotel keys and hands them to Jessica.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
Hold on. I have to grab something
from my car.

Jessica has a blank face. She does not say a word and waits
in the lobby for Rebecca.
INT./EXT. HOLIDAY INN CONTINUOUS
Rebecca walks outside, opens her car trunk and grabs the
picture and two miniature safes.
INT. HOLIDAY INN NIGHT CONTINUOUS
She walks inside and notices Jessica giving her a confused
look staring at both of their safes.

REBECCA

You left it in the same spot as
mine. We ARE sisters remember?

Jessica holds out a hand to help carry a safe from Rebecca.

REBECCA (CONT’D)

No, no I got it.

The two women walk into the elevator and walk down the
hallway to room 345. Jessica unlocks the door as the two
women walk inside. She immediately takes a seat on the bed
and looks upset.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
Pretty sad, we will never be able
to sleep on our own beds again.

Rebecca places the safes and picture on the table.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
One good thing is that I know I
have a little bit of extra cash in
my safe, my social security card,
and birth certificate is in here.
Mom was always forcing us to keep
all that stuff organized.

Rebecca glances up at Jessica with a look of sorrow.

REBECCA (CONT’D)
I really miss her and Dad.

JESSICA

Same. I think about them everyday.

They both look at each other, tears swelling up in Jessica’s
eyes. Rebecca sits down on the bed next to Jessica and hugs
her.

REBECCA

I also grabbed this. I found it on
your floor. I didn’t even know you
had it.

Rebecca gets up from the bed and walks over to the table to
grab the photo of her parents’ on their wedding day.

JESSICA

I couldn’t find that photo for the
longest time.

Rebecca smiles as she picks off the glass and shakes the
picture over the trash can until there is no more glass on
it.
She places the photo in the center of the table.

REBECCA

Guess this is our new home for now
Jess.

The two women glance at the photo and then at each other.
Rebecca walks over to the light switch and turns off the
lights.

THE END