HE

J Forrest

Chapter One: 4 weeks ago.

“Where is she!”
The wind was muffling every sound. They heard a window break.
“She’ll be fine. Joya”, reassured Rick.
Something large hit the side of the house.
“Move!” yelled Rick, shoving Joya down the steps.
“Come on Mother” urged Ellis as he clambered up the cellar steps and took Joya’s hand. Sounds like the roofs about to go!”
The three of them battened down the hatch and crouched low.
“Someone will help her”, said Rick.
“She’s a Second” said Ellis matter of factly. “No-one will help her. She’ll die”.
They all sat there as the hurricane devastated their home. They heard the roof rip, the girders fall. The whole town would have to be re-built. Sara was on her way home after the warning. Something had delayed her. She’d had Ellis’ mobile but there was no answer to Joya repeated calls and messages. Now Joya wished she had an auto unit but that was their choice. Ellis was right. Sara was going to die out there if she hadn’t already. If she was a First, everyone would rush to help, provide a shelter for their only girl but she was a wasn’t a First. She was a Second.

Beg had finished loading the cargo onto the vessel. Why they had to use this outdated transport system baffled him. Move with the times. Why they had to pander to these ridiculous people was beyond him. When something was available to you, you took it, that was the obvious choice. They didn’t want help, not even when they were dying. They would actually rather die.
Beg was a HE.

ILLEGAL
A Short 90 second film
by jill forrest

SCENE 1
Shot of a woman’s bare feet. It is quite dark. A pair of male bare feet step next hers, facing her. Close up of Man 1 reaching into a bag. Close up of Man 1 nervously looking around. He pulls out a pair of fluffy pink slippers. Close up of money changing hands Close up of woman’s hands nervously taking slippers and putting in a bag.. Someone shouts ‘Hey!’ or ‘Oy!’ They run.

SCENE 2
Man 1 walking down a street with houses. Pan to feet. He is wearing no shoes. He nods his head to 2 passers by. They also have bare feet.

SCENE 3
A woman is led out of her house by an official. She is making a huge fuss. Both are barefoot. The official carries a sealed plastic bag. He is holding it very carefully. Inside there are a pair of slippers. The woman is clearly troubled.

The woman sees Man 1 walking down the street and points to him.

SCENE 4
Man 1 sees the woman point and runs. Close up of his bare running feet as he runs down the road and jumps into a field.

SCENE 5
The official imprisons the old woman by placing tacks around her in a circle on the floor and jumps in his car. Close up bare feet on the pedals.

SCENE 6
Close up Man 1’s face out of breath, panicked.

SCENE 7
Official sees Man 1 and puts foot down on accelerator.

SCENE 8
Official stops the car. Close up of him getting a shoe out of the glove box. Close up bare foot coming out of car.

SCENE 9
Man 1’s feet running across grass. Official’s feet running across grass. Close up both faces.
Official throws shoe at Man 1. Shoe hits Man 1 on back of the head. He falls to the ground.

SCENE 10
Official’s bare feet walk upto Man 1.

SCENE 11
Man 1 gets up and reaches into his pocket. Official reaches into own pocket and brings out a stiletto and stabs Man 1 with it.

SCENE 12
Man 1 lies apparently dead. Official reaches into mans pocket and removes a notebook/diary. Shot of officials feet next to body pans up to see him reading the notebook. It is a list of and shoes eg. Mr X = clogs, Miss J = flip flops. Official smiles and puts the pad in his pocket. We see his bare feet walk away from the body. Fade to black.

END

Story of my life.
An extract from Sigworths Dust, copyright Jill Forrest 2009