Gift Wrapped

A young man has trouble accepting his ability to see the dead, until a young girl passed on shows him how to live again.

Gift Wrapped

By Nathan Weaver

 

BLACK SCREEN. Music plays while white letters appear across the screen. They read:

 

“To see the gift one must open the heart

        with which it is wrapped.”        

                -Anonymous

 

Music continues to play as the letters fade into the darkness. LUKE’S prologue commences amidst the darkness, as credits appear across the lower left hand corner in white.

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

My story is no different from another, the details are merely changed. My life is no more precious than any other, it just appears so. My gift was no greater than any one else’s, it was just...

 

Music continues as camera fades from black to bathroom mirror. LUKE emerges from below, in the mirror, rinsing his face with water.

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

It was just... well, it just was.

 

LUKE turns and grabs bathroom doorknob, as he does camera pans with him. The door swings open quickly with LUKE’S pull and reveals a young man standing in hall.

 

LUKE (startled)

What the... No!

 

MAN

Please, sir, will you deliver a message to my wife?

 

LUKE (darts out door to right)

No, no, no!

 

INT. LIVING ROOM. LUKE enters from hallway, alone. LUKE turns and speaks to edge of hallway.

 

LUKE

Now, please, just go away.

 

CUT TO CLOSE-UP OF MAN. He is at edge of hallway.

 

MAN

Ungrateful.

 

CUT TO WIDE-SHOT NOT CONTAINING EDGE OF HALL. LUKE turns on video game, picks up controller, and sits on sofa all while delivering the following line:

 

LUKE

Yeah, yeah. I know, I know.

 

LUKE looks off-screen towards hallway. CAMERA pans to reveal SAMANTHA at edge of hallway now. SAMANTHA is a seven year old girl, or was at time of death.

 

SAMANTHA

My mother will be arriving shortly, Luke.

 

LUKE

Sure, Kid, sure. Would you send her a vision or something telling her to turn back? She’s wasting her time.

 

SAMANTHA

Luke, you have a gift.

 

LUKE

Yes, how did you know? It’s not the best game console, but it was the best my friend could do for me at the time. That was before he realized I saw ghosts.

 

SAMANTHA

Luke, it’s a gift. Why can’t you see that? Why do you have to be so immature about the whole thing?

LUKE

Uh, thank you, but with my gift, as you will, I matured quite rapidly.

 

SAMANTHA

It’s a shame you had to stop.

 

LUKE

Thanks, again. Don’t you have some paper work to do or something?

 

SAMANTHA

Paper work?

 

LUKE

Yeah, I hear death is quite complicated.

 

SAMANTHA

Not for those who die.

 

LUKE (smiles)

Well, if only life was so simple.

 

SAMANTHA

Isn’t it?

 

LUKE

Wasn’t it?

 

SAMANTHA

Luke...

 

LUKE

How is it you know my name, and I not yours?

 

SAMANTHA

I’m Samantha.

 

LUKE

Well, it was nice to have met you Samantha, but I’m rather busy right now. (POINTS to CONSOLE) I have to save the world from evil spirits.

 

SAMANTHA knocks console on the floor.

 

LUKE (jumping to feet)

Hey!

 

SAMANTHA

Quit being rude.

 

LUKE starts to speak, but stops as he hears a car pulling up in driveway. He turns and looks out the window.

 

CUT TO WINDOW. The shot looks through window at the exterior; car is in driveway with a driver and passenger. The doors open simultaneously.

 

CUT BACK TO LUKE. He is alone in the shot.

 

LUKE

Mother Dearest, I presume?

 

LUKE walks to door, as he does camera pans with him, turning just behind him. From right of screen SAMANTHA walks on and up to the side of LUKE.

 

SAMANTHA

Be nice to her, she’s had a rough time. She doesn’t know I’m dead, either.

LUKE

Ah, mystery.

 

EXT. LUKE’S TRAILER. WIDE-ANGLE of RACHEL, SAMANTHA’S mother and DAVID, her stepfather, as they approach the front door. LUKE opens screen door and stands on ledge of doorsill. CAMERA PANS in turning to right and ending up between RACHEL and LUKE (who is seen through screen door) and DAVID is in middle of two, on far side.

 

RACHEL

(shaking LUKE’S hand) Are you Luke Presley?

 

PAN TO LUKE.

 

LUKE

Guilty am I, but I will not be taking solicitors at this time.

 

PAN TO DAVID-LUKE.

DAVID

See, honey, I told you he wouldn’t be interested.

 

PAN TO RACHEL-DAVID.

 

RACHEL

(ignores DAVID) Please, Mr. Presley, may I have a word with you?

 

LUKE (off-screen)

You’ve had one, thank you, good day.

 

RACHEL

It’s about my daughter--

 

LUKE (off-screen)

Sam... I know.

 

PAN TO RACHEL.

 

RACHEL

How did you know I called her Sam?

 

LUKE (off-screen)

I didn’t.

 

RACHEL

Well, you knew her name was Samantha.

 

PAN TO LUKE.

 

LUKE

(thinks) It was in the newspaper.

 

PAN TO RACHEL-DAVID.

 

RACHEL

(sheepishly) Oh... yeah.

 

LUKE (off-screen)

Look, I would love to chat, but I gave that sort of thing up.

 

RACHEL

Can you tell me anything about Sam’s disappearance?

 

LUKE (off-screen)

Yes.

 

PAN TO RACHEL. Slight PAUSE.

 

RACHEL

Well?

 

LUKE (off-screen)

I’m not going to talk about it.

 

RACHEL

If you’re withholding evidence--

 

PAN TO RACHEL-DAVID.

 

DAVID

(interrupting) Honey, he obviously doesn’t want us here.

 

LUKE (off-screen)

Are you her father?

 

PAN TO DAVID-LUKE.

DAVID

No, I was her stepfather.

 

LUKE

Oh, so you aren’t a father to her?

 

DAVID

Well, yeah, I was a father to her. I just wasn’t her real father.

 

LUKE

Ah.

 

PAN TO RACHEL.

 

RACHEL

Look, if you are withholding evidence or any clue to the whereabouts of my daughter I will have the cops come out here. And, I will personally see to it that they beat it out of you, if necessary.

 

PAN TO LUKE.

 

LUKE

(bitterly) Right, since you definitely have such an influence on cops. Not to mention a psychic’s testimony is always loved in the court room, I assure you. 

 

PAN TO RACHEL-DAVID. Soft music fades in.

 

DAVID

Come on, honey, let’s go.

 

DAVID turns and begins to walks away. CAMERA PANS TO RACHEL, EXTREME CLOSE-UP. RACHEL stands in shock, with tears in her eyes.

 

DAVID (off-screen)

Rachel.

 

PAN TO WIDE-ANGLE. RACHEL walks away with DAVID. LUKE shuts screen door and stands looking through it.

 

INT. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM. LUKE shuts door and turns around, he stops at the sight of something off-screen. CAMERA PANS to reveal SAMANTHA standing in place.

 

SAMANTHA

You weren’t very nice.

 

CUT TO CLOSE-UP ON LUKE.

 

LUKE

Life stinks, you die, and then it’s over, Kid.

 

SHOT fades into next sequence with music.

 

EXT. LUKE’S YARD. LUKE is sitting on bench, alone. CAMERA PANS TO LEFT, a TREE passes in front of camera. On other side of TREE we see that LUKE is sitting next to SAMANTHA. The music slowly fades as the scene picks up.

 

SAMANTHA

What happened to your parents?

 

LUKE

I thought you knew everything about me.

 

SAMANTHA

No.

 

LUKE

So, you don’t have me all figured out. That’s a relief.

 

CLOSE-UP of SAMANTHA.

 

SAMANTHA

What happened?

 

PAN left to LUKE.

 

LUKE

Like everything else, they died.

 

PAN right to SAMANTHA.

 

SAMANTHA

Did they ever visit you?

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

Death imitates life.

 

SAMANTHA

How do you mean?

 

PAN left to LUKE.

LUKE

The way people were in life carries on into death. My parents were never there for me when they were alive, death wasn’t any different. The only thing they ever did for me was at the time of their departure I received this lovely piece of artwork. The trailer I was born and raised in.

 

 

SAMANTHA (off-camera)

That has to count for something, right?

 

LUKE

Yeah, the only time they thought of me was when they wrote their will. Touching isn’t it?

 

PAN right to SAMANTHA.

 

SAMANTHA

When I was alive, my mom and I always looked out for each other. I was her best friend and she was mine. When my dad divorced my mom and ran off, we grew even closer. We were always there for each other. And now, now I have this one last chance to look out for her. But, I can’t do it without your help, Luke. Please help me.

 

PAN left to LUKE.

 

LUKE

Kid, I hate myself, but you know who hate me even more? Cops, lawyers, and judges. All I have left are my promises, and I promised myself I’d never take that road again. Just let me be.

 

LUKE rises from the bench and walks away. SAMANTHA sits and watches him walk away. MUSIC plays as he walks away and the scene fades to the next.

 

INT. LUKE’S KITCHEN. LATER THAT DAY. A collage of clips are set to the music. EXTREME CLOSE-UP on a large kitchen knife, in background LUKE pulls a cup from the cabinet, places cup on counter, walks to refrigerator, a hand reaches in front of camera and picks up knife and slides it off-screen, LUKE removes milk, turns around and stops. CUT to WIDE-ANGLE of KITCHEN, MAN is standing with knife in hand. LUKE slowly reaches over and places the milk on counter. MAN walks to LUKE with knife, PAN CLOSE-UP on BOTH, MAN slides the side of the knife across the left cheek of LUKE. LUKE just stands still as MAN then turns and slides the side of the knife across the right side of his face. MAN looks oddly at the knife for a moment, then turns it upside down and stretches it out to LUKE. LUKE slowly reaches out and grabs the handle of the knife. CUT TO WIDE-ANGLE, LUKE stands in kitchen alone with knife in hand; he sets it back on counter and picks up the milk. FADE INTO NEXT clip. LUKE’S BEDROOM. AT NIGHT. LUKE sits on the side of his bed, looking off-camera he nods his head. CUT to WIDE-ANGLE of BATHTUB with MIRRORS around it. MAN is in the reflection of the mirror nodding back to LUKE. CUT to EXTREME CLOSE-UP of LUKE’S pillow, LUKE slowly lays his head on pillow, still looking off-camera. CUT to MIRROR again, MAN is no longer in the reflection. CUT back to LUKE. LUKE closes his eyes for a moment, and then opens them. CUT to see SAMANTHA standing beside bed. She slowly turns her head to match up with the same angle of LUKE’S. CUT back to LUKE, he nods, then rolls over, showing his back to camera. CUT to WIDE-ANGLE of bedroom, LUKE is the only one in room. FADE TO BLACK.

 

EXT. LUKE’S TRAILER. FOLLOWING MORNING.

 

MAN VOICE OVER

I love you with all my heart and I am truly sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you.

 

INT. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM. CLOSE-UP of LUKE sitting on couch.

 

LUKE

He says that he loves you with all his heart and that he is truly sorry for the pain he caused you.

 

PAN out to a WIDE-ANGLE. WOMAN sits on couch near LUKE. WOMAN is in tears.

 

LUKE

He also says that he has a gift for you. It’s placed in a cigar box, inside the vent beneath the kitchen table. He says he was saving it for your fifth anniversary together.

 

WOMAN

Tell him that--

 

LUKE

You tell him. He can hear you.

 

WOMAN

I miss you, darling, and I love you.

 

CUT to CLOSE-UP of MAN.

 

MAN

(crying) Tell her. Tell her that I want her to move on with her life. Tell her I know that she’s sad I’m gone, but she needs to be happy.

 

PAN to WIDE-ANGLE of LUKE and WOMAN.

 

LUKE

He wants you to know that he knows you’re sad, but that you need to be happy. That--

 

PAN EXTREME CLOSE-UP of LUKE. MUSIC plays.

 

LUKE

He wants you to get on with your life.

 

EXT. LUKE’S FRONT PORCH. LUKE is seeing WOMAN off.

 

WOMAN

Mr. Presley, I want to thank you again. You’ve been kind. Bless you, Mr. Presley.

 

LUKE

Thank you. Have a-- have a good day.

 

WOMAN

Bless you, Mr. Presley. Bless you for your gift.

 

WOMAN walks away. LUKE watches as MUSIC continues to play. CAR pulls up in LUKE’S DRIVEWAY. LUKE walks back in.

 

INT. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM. LUKE enters door, closes screen, leaves door open. PAN LEFT to see SAMANTHA walking up behind LUKE from KITCHEN.

 

SAMANTHA

Luke.

 

LUKE

(startled) Kid! (turns around) Don’t sneak up behind me. Your mom and step-dad’s here.

 

SAMANTHA

My step-dad is here, too?

 

LUKE

Yeah.

 

SAMANTHA

Oh, great.

 

LUKE

(confused) What?

 

EXT. LUKE’S PORCH. RACHEL and DAVID come up the steps of the porch. LUKE opens the door to greet them.

 

 

LUKE

Hello. Rachel, right? (shakes her hand)

 

RACHEL

Yes, Mr. Presley.

 

LUKE

(nervously) And David, the stepfather. (shakes his hand)

 

DAVID

That’s me.

 

LUKE

Please come inside.

 

INT. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM. THE THREE ENTER the door.

 

LUKE

Please, um, both have a seat. (gestures to couch)

 

DAVID and RACHEL sit.

 

LUKE

Now, I assume you are wondering why I have called you back.

 

LUKE sits on coffee table.

 

LUKE

Well, quite frankly, it’s because your daughter Samantha has been persistent.

 

RACHEL

(excited) You’ve seen my daughter?

 

LUKE

Curb your enthusiasm for a second and let me explain a few things. First, Rachel, I have to tell you that your daughter Samantha is dead.

 

CLOSE-UP on RACHEL.

 

RACHEL

What?

 

LUKE (off-camera)

Samantha’s spirit has been visiting with me these past few days. And, she’s told me a lot.

 

RACHEL

I don’t believe you. My daughter is alive! I don’t believe you!

 

LUKE (off-camera)

Well, I’m telling you--

 

WIDE-ANGLE. RACHEL jumps up from couch. DAVID stands to restrain RACHEL. LUKE just sits.

 

RACHEL

(yells at LUKE) I don’t believe it! Sam is not dead! She is alive! You hear me?

 

DAVID

Calm down, honey. It’s alright.

 

RACHEL

She’s alive!

 

DAVID

Come on, honey, let’s go.

 

DAVID begins to scurry RACHEL towards the door.

 

LUKE

Samantha!

 

A STANDING LAMP behind LUKE on other side of room begins turning on and off, by itself. RACHEL stops as does DAVID, who still has a hold of her arms. RACHEL stares in disbelief.

 

RACHEL

Sam?

 

LUKE

One for yes and two for no. Are you the spirit of Samantha?

 

LAMP goes on and off once, signaling yes.

 

LUKE

Is this woman your mother?

 

LAMP signals yes.

 

LUKE

Is this man your father?

LAMP goes on and off twice, signaling no.

 

LUKE

Is he your stepfather?

 

LAMP signals yes.

 

DAVID

You already knew the answers to those questions.

 

 

LUKE

True. (to SAMANTHA) Is your favorite color pink?

 

LAMP signals yes. RACHEL pulls away and walks into room a couple of steps, gazing upon the LAMP.

 

RACHEL

Sam, I loved you. (cries) I’m sorry.

 

CLOSE-UP of LUKE.

 

LUKE

I can understand why the other psychics you went to would lie. Quite honestly, knowing what I know, I was tempted to lie myself. (looks at DAVID) Rachel, your husband murdered your daughter.

 

EXTREME CLOSE-UP of RACHEL. She looks faint. She slowly turns around to right, PAN right until RACHEL’S face is on left and DAVID is in background on right. DAVID looks at RACHEL speechless.

 

RACHEL

Well, David? What of it?

 

DAVID

You don’t understand, Rachel. It was an accident. You will recall, you were out working late and it was just the two of us at home. I was working on the taxes and... Samantha was watching some stupid cartoon in the other room. I could hear it and it was driving me nuts. The noise made me forget a figure and I just... I... I snapped.

 

CUT- FLASHBACK. INT. LONG HALLWAY. DAVID walks out of room where a light shines from. He turns and looks towards the camera, he looks furious. He walks towards camera, then off-screen. INT. LIVING ROOM. SAMANTHA is sitting on couch watching TV, laughing. DAVID comes storming in, he walks straight up to SAMANTHA grabs her by the arm and flings her across room and into the wall. She falls on floor, leaning against wall.

 

SAMANTHA

(crying) What? What did I do?

 

 DAVID grabs the remote and turns off the TV, then throws the remote across the room.

 

DAVID
Will you ever shut up?!?

 

 

SAMANTHA

Why, what did I do?

 

A LOW-ANGLE, the view of SAMANTHA. SAMANTHA continues to scream, DAVID grabs a pillow from couch.

 

DAVID

Shut up, you stupid kid!

 

With that DAVID gets on one knee and presses the pillow against the camera, a.k.a. SAMANTHA. SAMANTHA’S screams are now muffled, they fade out. Screen still black as:

 

DAVID VOICE OVER

I just wanted quiet. I just snapped that’s all. Just for one moment. I, I wasn’t me.

 

FADE from black, CLOSE-UP on DAVID, PAN out from face.

 

DAVID

Just for that one moment. That one moment I snapped.

 

WIDE-ANGLE of living room. LUKE sitting on coffee table, RACHEL standing in same place with look of shock, DAVID still standing near door.

 

LUKE

What about when you hid her? What about, what about when you... when you cut her up? What about then? Were you the same man or someone else?

 

DAVID

I didn’t know what to do. I was scared.

 

LUKE

But did you have to... did you have to chop her into little pieces, put her in a trash bag, drive out in the middle of nowhere and cast her remains into the woods?

 

RACHEL

You chopped her up? How? How do you?

 

DAVID

I was scared.

 

RACHEL

And you just throw her all over in the middle of the woods?

 

DAVID

I was thinking maybe... maybe the animals would eat her that way.

 

RACHEL starts balling and collapses onto the floor. DAVID falls back, leaning against the door, he runs his fingers through his hair continually, at a loss, then in a scurry he turns and runs out the door. LUKE just remains sitting on the coffee table, and RACHEL remains on the floor bawling uncontrollably. The sound of a car starting is heard, then the car peeling out and driving away. FADE TO BLACK.

 

JURY MEMBER VOICE OVER

We the jury find David Jeremy Russell guilty on the count of murder.

 

WHITE LETTERS appear across screen, “SIX MONTHS LATER.”

 

INT. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM. EXTREME CLOSE-UP of DOOR-KNOB.

 

JUDGE VOICE OVER

David Russell, may God have mercy on your soul.

 

The sound of a gavel slamming down, then door knob turns and the door opens, PAN away from door. LUKE and RACHEL enter. THEY are both dressed up, they are returning from court. RACHEL walks over and sits on couch; she carries a burden in her face. LUKE shuts door, then turns to RACHEL.

 

LUKE

If you’ll excuse me, I have to use the bathroom.

 

LUKE turns to walk through kitchen.

 

RACHEL

Luke.

 

LUKE stops, keeps back turned. EXTREME CLOSE-UP of LUKE’S FACE on RIGHT, RACHEL in background of LEFT.

 

RACHEL

Thank you. Thank you for helping. You are blessed, truly blessed. I owe you my life.

 

LUKE

You’re welcome. Excuse me.

 

LUKE walks through kitchen.

 

INT. HALLWAY. MOMENTS LATER. LUKE enters at end of hallway, he walks up to back door. PAN towards LUKE at end of hall, PAN to his face as he looks out window on door, a single tear streams down his face. LUKE turns right, sees something off-screen and stops. LONG-SHOT of HALLWAY from LUKE’S direction, SAMANTHA stands halfway down hall.

 

SAMANTHA

I came to say goodbye.

 

CLOSE-UP of LUKE.

 

LUKE

Goodbye?

 

CLOSE-UP of SAMANTHA.

 

SAMANTHA

I’m done. They say I have to go now.

 

LUKE (off-camera)

Where?

 

SAMANTHA

Call my mother please.

 

CLOSE-UP of LUKE.

 

LUKE

(to RACHEL) Rachel, come here!

 

RACHEL enters moments later.

 

RACHEL

Yes?

 

LUKE

Your... Samantha wants to say goodbye. She’s leaving.

RACHEL

Leaving? Why?

 

LUKE

She has no reason to stay. She says her spirit must move on, as do you.

 

RACHEL

Sam, don’t leave me! I already lost you once.

 

CLOSE-UP of SAMANTHA, she cries.

 

SAMANTHA

I love you, mom!

 

SHOT of LUKE and RACHEL.

 

LUKE

She says she loves you.

 

RACHEL’S knees give and she collapses to floor, in tears, LUKE attempts to catch her but falls with her, she reaches her hand out to something she cannot touch.

 

RACHEL

No! No, Sam! Don’t leave me, baby! I love you! I love you!

 

PAN around to view SAMANTHA.

 

SAMANTHA

(crying) I must go. I love you.

 

SAMANTHA turns and begins to walk towards open door at end of hall. PAN back to LUKE and RACHEL, they sit with their backs against wall, embracing.

 

LUKE

She says she has to go and that she loves you. She’s walking away.

 

PAN in to CLOSE-UP of RACHEL.

 

 

RACHEL

(crying) Tell it to me. Describe it to me.

 

LUKE (off-camera)

I can’t.

 

PAN right for CLOSE-UP of LUKE.

 

LUKE

(with tears in eyes) It’s beautiful. It’s... I can’t describe it.

 

PAN in for EXTREME CLOSE-UP.

 

LUKE

(crying, he smirks) It’s... It’s a gift. It’s a gift.

 

PAN away down hall, in slow-motion, FADE TO WHITE.

 

INT. LUKE’S BEDROOM. MORNING. LUKE is lying in bed.

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

A wise man once said, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”

 

LUKE rises from bed.

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

“A time to be born, and a time to die.”

 

LUKE opens bedroom door. LUKE’S LIVING ROOM is swarming with dead guests; they have all come for one reason or another. LUKE looks around at them.

 

LUKE VOICE OVER

He also said, “I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life. And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.”

 

CUT to WIDE-ANGLE of LIVING ROOM, the room is empty except for LUKE. SONG, “METAMORPHOSIS”, begins to play. LUKE begins to greet his invisible guests, shaking their hands, and acknowledging them with words as we PAN out and fade to black.

 

THE END

 

“METAMORPHOSIS” plays through credits.

Author's Note

I wrote this a few years ago and I'm not 100% satisfied with it, so any feedback is very much appreciated. I really like the piece or the concept thereof, and will probably rewrite it at some point.

Reviews

[Captain Ugly]

I really like this. I think maybe if David struggled more with his confession it would be more believable. Also, if Luke struggled a bit more with his sanity dealing with all of it. I do like his outlook though. It reminds me of the Type O Negative song Everthing Dies. Good piece, though. I was drawn in. I've been working on my own first for a few years, and I keep changing details. I'll post it up soon as a work in progress. Maybe you could give me a few ideas.

Just ME.
Captain Ugly

[Fear Corrupts!]

X-cellent.
This is great...
this is the first screenplay that I have ever read, so I have no frame of reference, but nontheless.
You managed to tell such a complex tale with so few words...
You captured such emotion, sorrow (although the content couldn't seem to possibly contain any enlightenment, you still seemed to capture some in the end)
You're very clear with your messages, concise, powerful.
I reallly don't believe in any kind of after life, but this really makes the whole ghost thing seem believable.

I will be adding this to my library.
Great Write,

{ Fear Corrupts}