The Lake

“The Lake” is a film about two parents grieving the eighth anniversary of their 15 year old son’s suicide. Anne tries to push down her grief while her husband Arthur encourages her to face it head on.

fade in:

 EXT. LAKE " NIGHT " APRIL 17, 2007

A teenage boy, DONNY, walks with his back turned on a dock. He sighs. CLOSE UP of the teenager’s feet as he walks further along the dock. In the moonlight, the lake and the silhouette of Donny emits a purple glow.

EXT. LAKE " MORNING " APRIL 17, 2015

ANNE, an olive skinned woman in her late 30’s, stands at the lake with her eyes shut. She exhales softly breathing in the salty lake smell. Faint LAUGHTER and SPLASHING coming from a young boy can be heard.

                          

                                      CUT TO: FLASHBACK APRIL 17, 2007

INT. BEDROOM " NIGHT.

Anne enters her son’s bedroom that is adorned with various music and movie posters. His floor is covered with clothes and trash, indicating a teenage boy definitely lives here.

Anne notices a sweatshirt on his desk chair and picks it up. She folds it and sees a white note on his desk that reads, “I’m sorry, Mom and Dad. "Donny.” Anne furrows her brows. She picks up the note.

EXT. LAKE " NIGHT.

The teenage boy is at the edge of the dock and his foot lifts from the ground.

INT. BEDROOM " NIGHT.

Anne drops the sweatshirt. She looks at the note in confusion, but her eyes widen in realization.

ANNE

     Arthur! Where’s Donny?

Anne breathes hard. Faint HUMMING can be heard.

                                 CUT TO:PRESENT

EXT. LAKE " MORNING " APRIL 17, 2015

A young girl HUMS in the distance and Anne opens her eyes in surprise, releasing Anne from her trance. Anne stops in her tracks.

COSIMA

Mommy?

Anne sighs and turns to look at the girl. Her daughter, COSIMA, has short dark hair and large brown eyes that look up at her with confusion.

Anne bends down and smiles at Cosima. She envelops the child in a tight embrace. Anne shuts her eyes tightly. Cosima scrunches her eyebrows in confusion but warmly invites the hug.

ANNE

   Yes, sweetie?

               COSIMA

It’s almost 7:30. Daddy said you’d take me to school.

Anne tucks a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear and caresses the side of Cosima’s face.

      ANNE

Right, right. Let’s go.

EXT. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE " MORNING

A litter of kids LAUGH and run around a large schoolyard. Anne stares blankly at the kids and Cosima notices this. Cosima squeezes her mother’s hand and looks up at her. Anne shuts her eyes. She smiles softly at Cosima. She bends down and kisses her daughter on the forehead.

ANNE

Have a good day at school honey. I’ll pick you up later.

Cosima looks at her mother suspiciously. She hugs her mother tightly.

INT. PEREZ FAMILY’S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON.

Anne holds her daughter’s hand tightly as they enter the kitchen. Anne carries her daughter’s Barbie backpack on her shoulder. She smiles down at her daughter and nods her head, but seems distant and uninterested.

Anne lets go of her daughter’s hand and walks toward the cabinets in their kitchen. She opens up a cabinet, and pulls out a box of Velveeta Mac n Cheese. Cosima follows her mother, places her hands on the counter she can barely reach, and looks up at her mother with her head tilted to the side.

COSIMA

And then, Billy cut off Sandra’s ponytail and Mrs. Walker gave him detention. She looked so red! Mom?

Anne opens up the box of Mac n Cheese, but still has her daughter’s Barbie backpack on her shoulder. Cosima taps her fingers on the counter.

 CUT TO: FLASHBACK, NOV. 3, 2000

INT. PEREZ FAMILY KITCHEN - AFTERNOON

A young boy, DONNY, taps his fingers on the counter as Anne takes out a box of Mac n Cheese. Donny is on his tip-toes as he does this. He groans and runs to the dining room table.

Donny fumbles through his backpack that has been placed on a chair and takes out two action figures. He sits down and plays with them, making LIGHTSABER SOUNDS. He puts them down.

DONNY

Mommy, guess what happened at school today?

Anne has just finished pouring the macaroni shells into the pot. She begins to stir the contents.

ANNE

   What happened, Donny?

Anne is eager to listen to her son’s story.

DONNY

Remember Eduardo, from church? He got detention today!

Anne looks surprised and lowers the flame a notch on the stove.

ANNE

Eduardo is such a sweet boy. I could never imagine him a troublemaker. What did he do?

Donny walks back into the kitchen and stands by the stove. Anne quickly shoos him to back away from it. He stands by the wall and leans on it.

DONNY

He glued Fernanda’s hair to the seat. Mrs. Walker was so mad.

Anne laughs and shakes her head. Her face quickly turns a bit stern.

ANNE

That poor girl! I hope Eduardo’s mom knows about this. But, sweetie, I don’t know if you should hang out with him as much.

Donny groans and runs up to his room. Anne sighs. She notices Donny left his toys on the table and picks them up.

CUT TO: PRESENT

INT. PEREZ FAMILY’S KITCHEN - AFTERNOON

Cosima looks quizzically at the backpack still perched on Anne’s shoulder. Cosima raises her head gesturing to the bag and Anne finally understands. She lets out an uneasy laugh.

COSIMA

      Mom? Are you okay?

Anne tries to smile but all that comes is a sort of grimace. She quickly nods. Cosima furrows her brows.

Anne sets down the backpack on a chair at the dining room table. Cosima curiously looks at her mother as she does this.

The girl stops her mother in her tracks as she grabs her waist tightly. Anne is taken aback, but leans into the touch. Cosima turns her head towards the counter.

Cosima frowns and looks at the opened box of macaroni left idle. She looks up at her mother.

COSIMA

    Mom, what’s wrong?

Anne strokes her daughter’s hair and smiles at her. She clears her throat and goes back to preparing Cosima’s meal.

ANNE

 Nothing, sweetie. You wanted shells instead of regular Mac n Cheese right?

Cosima carefully observes her mother empty the contents of the box into a pot and stir it. Anne looks back at her daughter waiting for her reply. Cosima nods her head. Anne turns back to the food. The doorbell RINGS. Anne breathes a long deep breath.

      ANNE

Sweetheart, did your teachers give you homework to do? Start it and I’ll tell you when your food is ready, okay?

Cosima shrugs her shoulders but nods her head and runs up the stairs to her room. Anne lets out a sigh of relief. She turns off the stove.

Anne walks to the front door and answers it. A young man, EDUARDO, about twenty-one, looks at Anne sadly. Anne looks choked up. She clears her throat. She puts on a large smile and gestures for the young man to come in.

ANNE

Eduardo! I haven’t seen you in years! How are you and your mother doing?

Eduardo looks at Anne cautiously.

EDUARDO

 (Awkwardly)

Yeah it’s been too long. Um we’re fine.

Eduardo is taken aback by Anne’s sudden change. She answered the door with a grim face, but seems too excited and jumpy now. They sit down at the dining room table but he notices her leg is shaking a bit.

ANNE

Are you still working as an altar boy?

EDUARDO

No actually. I quit when I went off to college in Pennsylvania. Um, Mrs. Perez, I really hate to come today of all days--.

Anne’s face hardens. She catches sight of the door somewhat open and leaves Eduardo in the middle of his sentence to close it. He follows her with eyes perplexed. Anne sits back down and smiles again.

ANNE

Sorry about that. Pet peeve of mine. But what’s today, sweetie? Is it a holiday or something?

Eduardo looks surprised but then quickly takes Anne’s hand to show his sympathy. He clears his throat.

EDUARDO

Well, because of Donny.

Anne looks at his hand in hers oddly. She slowly lifts it away from him.

ANNE

Eduardo, are you hungry? Do you want Pan de agua or pan sobao? I had to go two towns over because around here there’s no Puerto Rican delis. Can you believe that?

ANNE (CON'T)

I am in a rush though, so I won’t have it toasted for you, just with butter. I’m making my daughter’s lunch. What did you need?

Eduardo

No thanks, ma’am. I just have something for you.

Eduardo looks through his backpack and takes out an old Star Wars action figure. Anne’s eyes widen at the action figure.

EDUARDO

I was packing up some of my things since I’m moving out and I found this. I really needed it after he, well you know. But I figured you’d want it.

Anne takes the action figure from Eduardo’s hands and looks at it sadly. She sets it down on the table and both of them stand up. Eduardo holds a hand out to shake Anne’s hand goodbye. Anne hugs Eduardo really tight and cries into his chest. He pats her back awkwardly. Then, he hugs her back.

EDUARDO (CON’T)

I miss him too.

EXT. ROCKEFELLER CENTER " AFTERNOON.

A man in his late 40’s, ARTHUR, sits at a bench, head buried in a newspaper with a hot dog set next to him. He flips through the newspaper and sets it down. He smiles to himself sadly.

The page he stops at is the beginning of the comics section including Marmaduke and Dilbert.

CUT TO: FLASHBACK

INT. PEREZ FAMILY DINING ROOM " MORNING 9 YEARS AGO.

Arthur sips coffee from a mug that is in the shape of a monkey, one of its arms as the handle. He is reading a newspaper. Donny, a moppy haired teenager, sits beside him CRUNCHING on Captain Crunch cereal. He looks at his dad’s newspaper longingly.

DONNY

Hey dad?

Arthur raises an eyebrow indicating Donny proceed with his question. Donny pushes his cereal bowl away.

DONNY (CON’T)

Can I read the funnies section?

Arthur sets his paper down and smiles at his son. He flips to the comics section and hands the papers to Donny. Donny smiles back.

ARTHUR

You know, you’re almost sixteen. You should try to read the more serious sections too.

Donny waves his father’s comment off, eyes still glued to the paper.

DONNY

I am reading a serious section. That’s what Dilbert is for. To mold me into the sarcastic, cynical, office guy just like you.

Arthur rolls his eyes.

ARTHUR

(Laughing)

    Fair enough.

Donny grabs his cereal bowl, holds it close to him, and eats while reading. Arthur picks up his newspaper and crosses a leg over another. He is buried once again behind his paper, but lowers it to look at his son. He shakes his head.

CUT TO: PRESENT

INT. ARTHUR’S OFFICE " AFTERNOON

Arthur takes the comics section, folds it up, and stuffs it in his back pocket. He sniffs and clicks away at his desktop computer.

INT. DINING ROOM " EVENING

Cosima and Anne sit at the table as they go over Cosima’s homework.

ANNE

     Okay, so six times eight is"

Arthur enters the dining room and slams his keys on the table. He runs a hand through his hair and doesn’t even acknowledge his family’s presence when he removes his coat and hangs it up on the coat rack.

Cosima jumps out of her seat and gives her dad a huge hug. Arthur lamely accepts the girl into his arms and picks her up. He grunts as he picks her up, although she isn’t very heavy.

ANNE

Nice to see you too, Arthur. I had a lovely day. Thanks for asking.

Arthur sighs and kisses his wife on the forehead with an apologetic look.

ARTHUR

Sorry.

Arthur looks at his daughter beaming at him. He gives her a pained smile. He blinks his eyes and clears his throat. He sets his daughter down and strokes her hair.

Anne

(To Cosima)

We’ll finish going over your work in a bit. Why don’t you go up and brush your teeth before bed?

Cosima flashes a pleading look at her father who shrugs his shoulders and returns an apologetic look that indicates she better do what her mother asks.

Cosima runs to the staircase and walks up towards the fourth step before stopping. She stomps her feet up and down, feigning walking up the rest of the way, and stays behind to sit on the staircase. Cosima lays on a stair and folds her arms to listen to the grown-ups talk.

Anne crosses a leg in her seat and folds her arms. She puts a hand out gesturing Arthur should sit. He does.

ANNE

What’s up with you?

Arthur shuffles uncomfortably in his seat and clears his throat. He sits up straight, in an attempt to look strong.

Arthur

Nothing. Just a little tired from work, that’s all.

Anne looks at her husband skeptically.

ANNE

     Okay, are you sure?

ARTHUR

What about you? You seem off. Is it because of Donny?

Cosima lifts her head a little as if it would help her hear better but bumps her head against the railing. She audibly YELPS.

Anne and Arthur straighten up in their seats. Anne puts a finger to her mouth so Arthur doesn’t reply. They get up to find the source of the sound.

Anne and Arthur find Cosima rubbing her head on the staircase. She sees her parents scolding looks. She gives them a guilty smile. Anne points her finger upstairs.

Cosima

 But, but"

Arthur shakes his head.

Arthur

Go!

Cosima runs upstairs and tears fill her eyes. She slams her bedroom door.

Anne grabs Cosima’s homework from the table and goes up the opposite stairwell in the kitchen. Arthur slides a hand across his face. Arthur slowly walks up the staircase.

INT. COSIMA’S ROOM " NIGHT.

Cosima lays in bed doodling when she hears a KNOCK on her door.

Arthur (O.S)

Can I come in, sweetie?

Cosima puts her pencil down and opens the door for her father to come in. Arthur ruffles his daughter’s hair and in response she scrunches up her face angrily but only comes off as adorable to him.

Cosima

Daddy, can I ask you something?

Arthur gestures to her bed. She lays under the covers and he sits on the side of her bed. He nods, approving that she ask away.

Cosima

What’s wrong with Mommy? She seemed sad today.

Arthur sighs. He tucks his daughter in bed and kisses her forehead.

Arthur

We’ll talk about it in the morning. It’s late. Don’t worry, though. You’re not in trouble for listening in on Mommy and Daddy.

Cosima slaps her hands down on the bed in frustration.

Cosima

Why can’t you tell me now?

Arthur opens his mouth to say something but stops himself. Instead, he strokes her hair.

Arthur

It’s grown up things, you wouldn’t understand. Just forget about it.

Cosima groans. Arthur kisses her forehead again. She huffs sending her bangs upward and then they fall flat to her forehead again. Arthur turns off the light and stands by the doorway.

Arthur

   Good night.

Arthur closes the door and is out of sight. Cosima stares up at her ceiling light, unblinking. She yawns and closes her eyes.

INT. LIVING ROOM " NIGHT.

Anne sits on a recliner watching TV, where a Spanish soap opera is playing on the screen. Arthur sits at a computer desk and is now wearing dark thick framed glasses. He squints at the screen where a PDF of some legal document is on the screen. 

Fed up with working, he sighs and gets up from his desk to sit on the recliner opposite his wife. He turns to her.

ARTHUR

Annie?

Anne lowers the volume on the TV and turns to her husband. She smiles at him.

ANNE

You haven’t called me Annie since high school.

Arthur looks worried.

ARTHUR

You know what today is right?

Anne turns back to her program. She looks very intrigued.

ARTHUR

 Anne?

Anne lifts a finger and continues watching. Arthur looks defeated. A commercial shows on the screen now.

Anne

What’s today?

Arthur takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes.

Arthur

Don’t pretend like you don’t know. You don’t have to put on a brave face. That’s my job.

Anne rolls her eyes at him.

ANNE

I’m not having this conversation tonight.

Arthur gets up from the recliner and looks down at his wife. Anne looks up at his pleading gaze. She bites her lip in uncertainty but sighs loudly. She gets up from the recliner and leaves the room.

Arthur trails after her. He turns Anne so they can face each other.

ARTHUR

You can’t avoid it. Don’t you think we should at least visit Donny’s grave?

ANNE

I’m tired Arthur.

ARTHUR

You don’t have to be like this, Anne. Please. Even Cosima knows how hard you’re taking it.

Anne turns away from her husband and walks away. As he attempts to grab her hand, she shakes his grip off and runs upstairs.

He reaches in his back pocket and takes out the folded up comics section. He sighs then goes back to the living room. He sits on a recliner and reads the Dilbert comic.

INT. ANNE’S ROOM " NIGHT.

Anne sits at the edge of her bed and shuts her eyes tightly. She holds the action figure. She clutches it to her chest and begins to cry.

EXT. LAKE " MONTAGE " SMALL FLASHES OF EACH

-Donny around Cosima’s age plays in the lake as Anne looks at him fondly. Donny turns around and smiles at the camera indicating that it’s towards Anne.

-Anne pushes a strand of Donny’s hair out of his face and caresses his cheek as they both sit on the dock looking at the water. He is a teenager at this point.

 

-The water crashes calmly along the land. CLOSE UP of Donny’s hand grazing along the water.

-Donny stands with his back turned facing the dock. He looks back with a small smirk. He turns towards the water. He begins to walk.

END OF MONTAGE

INT. ANNE’S ROOM " NIGHT

She hears FOOTSTEPS approach and she places the toy behind her. Anne wipes her tears frantically and exhales to gain composure.  

Cosima knocks on her door then slowly opens it. She notices her mother SNIFFLING, and sees that her eyes are all puffy.

Cosima

Mommy, are you sick?

Anne motions for her daughter to join her on the bed. The girl smiles and joins her mother.

 

Anne

I think I’m coming down with something. Did you have a bad dream?

Cosima shakes her head and rests her head in her mother’s lap. Anne strokes her daughter’s hair and Cosima leans into the touch. Anne bites her lip as a tear rolls down her cheek.

Cosima

It’s okay, mommy.

Cosima looks up at her mother wide-eyed. Anne smiles at her fondly. She takes the action figure out from behind her back. Anne gives it to Cosima and the girl takes it into her hands confused.

Anne

You know who really liked Star Wars?

Cosima squints her eyes, thinking hard. She giggles.

       COSIMA

         Hmm. Daddy?

Anne laughs. She caresses her daughter’s cheek gently.

Anne

Yes. But your…brother did too.

Anne exhales loudly and Cosima has a sudden look of realization. Anne sets her hand down on the bed.

COSIMA

Mom, can you tell me about Donny?

Anne smirks and tucks a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear. She clears her throat.

EXT. LAKE " MORNING

Anne stands at the lake. She squints at the rising sun, deep in thought.

Anne holds a piece of paper in her hands and she looks down at it, hands shaking slightly. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply. She walks further down the dock.

FADE OUT:

 

    THE END

 

 

 

Author's Note

Disregard formatting issues. Since this website does not allow for uploading the files and converting automatically, I had to copy and paste. Since this is already underway in production, please do not share as your own on other sites etc. If referencing a line, etc. properly give attribution to me: Amanda Pabon

Some of this has been put into production but the production has been held to a stop due to timing issues and actor's schedules.