Orange Belt

Written by Arthur Byrd 9th

Draft

CLOSE UP on YOUNG EYES that have extreme intensity with nonexistent blinking in them.

INT- FINN WANG TAEKWONDO SCHOOL-AFTERNOON

The eyes belong to KINGSTON PERRY, 11, dressed in a traditional Taekwondo uniform known as a DOBOK. There is a YELLOW BELT tied around his waist. He has been studying and practicing TAEKWONDO.

Taekwondo is a Korean form of martial arts that uses punching and kicking techniques, with a focus on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques.

5’6” Kingston is center-stage on the foam cushioned FLOOR of the school. The ROOM is large at 3500 square feet.

STUDENTS of the school ranging from five years old to teenagers are on the right side of the room. All are sitting cross-legged against the wall that has several tall eight-foot sketches of men and women in various karate stances and kicks. Each sketch is separated by a blank Aqua wall.

The left side of the school has folding CHAIRS where PARENTS can watch and wait for their children to finish their classes.

Today, they are more parents than usual because it is BELT TESTING day. In martial arts, Belt Testing is the way to measure a student’s progress. The student is tested on their form and knowledge of Taekwondo. If successful, the student receives a different COLOR BELT to display their progress.

Kingston is going for the ORANGE BELT.

One of the few parents who are at every class for their child is ALLIE PERRY, 31, Kingston’s mother. She is here six days a week. Allie wears the face of a hard life with sad eyes and puffy cheeks. The over sized sweat shirt and pants try to hide her 5’1” plump body. Her hair is in a ponytail.

Allie is nice because she is a CASHIER at The HOUSE DEPOSIT store, a nationally known DIY store. The niceness is fake as it hurts for her to smile. At work, she shares the downs of her life with co-workers whose advice and sympathy doesn’t help and makes her feel worst.

Allie barely gets thirty-six working hours at the store and no health insurance, so it has been a financial strain on her family. An unknown SPONSOR pays for Kingston’s TAEKWONDO lessons.

During the classes, Allie interacts with the other moms with a smile, but she is the queen of the FAKE SMILE.

Right now, Allie is experiencing an up and a real smile day watching Kingston go for his ORANGE BELT.

Kingston stands tall with his arms to the side with his hands formed into FISTS.

SENSEI FINN WANG, 45, a third degree black belt in Taekwondo is sitting at a medium sized table a few feet in front of Kingston. He is the owner of the school and is known as “Striking Tiger” by his peers because of his stealth and fearless fighting techniques. Sensei Wang instills those qualities into his students like Kingston.

Sensei Wang shuffles the testing papers in front of him.

SENSEI WANG Kingston, Yoi.(Ready)

Kingston stands even taller and straighter. His face turns up the degree of intensity which he already had.

KINGSTON Osu.

Osu (pronounced Oss) is used as a sign of respect in various situations.

Kingston bows towards Sensei Wang and resumes his intense stance.

SENSEI WANG Front strike.

Kingston steps forward with his left arm moving under him and strikes with his right arm. He lets out a YELL. Then, he reverses the technique to go back to his original spot.

Montage of Sensei Wang barking out techniques and Kingston executing them with confident. From front and sidekicks to defensive and attacking moves, Kingston is in a good flow. Sensei Wang writing as he looking up and down at Kingston.

With one final move, Kingston does a DOUBLE THRUST with his arms then a kick and ends with a strong yell and a soft controlled bow to Sensei Wang.

SENSEI WANG

Arigato (Thank you),Kingston.

Kingston bows.

He walks proudly over to the other seated students and sits cross-legged.

Kingston’s laser-like glaze is on Allie as he smiles. She proudly smiles back.

Another STUDENT gets up for his belt testing.

INT- FINN WANG TAEKWONDO SCHOOL-LATER

A row of young STUDENTS stand in a horizontal line. Kingston is standing out front of the line. Sensei Wang is in front of him holding an ORANGE BELT. Kingston look straight ahead, the yellow belt is missing from his waist.

The Orange Belt represents the growing strength of the sun, so it is given to a beginner once he or she has mastered karate's ten self-defense moves.

Sensei Wang wraps the Orange Belt around Kingston’s waist into a strong knot in the front. He steps back and bows to Kingston who bows back. They shake hands and Kingston returns to the line. He stands with pride and the acknowledgement of his accomplishment.

Allie is beaming with pride. There is lots of clapping. The line breaks up.

Kingston walks over to Allie’s outstretched arms. She embraces him with so much love and Kingston hugs her back with as much. They release their hug. Allie looks at him with loving eyes.

ALLIE

I’m so proud of you.

KINGSTON (Smiling) Thank you, Mom.

ALLIE

You are moving along for being here only three months.

Kingston surprised at the timeline as he has completely forgot how long he’s been at the school.

ALLIE

You have been working at this six days a week and practicing at home. You’re hard worker.

Kingston loses a little bit of his proudness as if he is holding a secret.

ALLIE

That is why I named you Kingston. You are a king, a warrior. My king.

KINGSTON (calm, yet stern) And you are my Queen, Mom. I would do anything for you.

Softness returns to his eyes as he looks at his mother.

ALLIE

You’re doing so well in school. At home, you do your chores. This karate has changed you for the best.

You are not so angry. You’re doing something for you.

Kingston’s face become serious again. He shakes his head, no.

KINGSTON

No, mom. I’m not doing it for me.

ALLIE (confused) What, what what do you mean?

KINGSTOWN I’m doing this for you.

ALLIE For me, Why?

Kingston’s demeanor changes almost like Jekyll and Hyde. As he looks into his mother’s eyes going deeper into her SOUL.

KINGSTON

If he ever touches you again. I will bury him.

Allie’s face goes into semi-shock. As if a CANDLE blew out and her world suddenly went dark.

FADE DOWN

FLASHBACK:

Allie is sitting on the kitchen floor with her back against the wall. Her face has a bruise under her left eye. She is terrified as she looks up with WIDE OPEN EYES. Two pants LEGS are in front of her. The PERSON above her has a sweaty bloody clinched right FIST.

PERSON (loud)

You are going nowhere. You leave when I say you leave.

No one can save you, not your mother, not your brother. No one saves you. I own you. Don’t forget it.

FRANK PERRY,34, Allie’s husband of eleven years and Kingston’s father at 6’-1” towers over her. He is never held a job for long and has had some criminal dealings such as forging checks and dealing in stolen goods which put him in county JAIL, but not PRISON. These circumstances are enough to make him an angry man who beats up on someone he once confess to love.

Frank is breathing hard as he turns around from Allie. He is heading out of the kitchen. Kingston is standing next to the kitchen FOYER. Frank is coming towards him.

FRANK (looking down) Get out of my way, boy.

He pushes Kingston hard to the left against the kitchen wall. Kingston’s left side hurts, but the pain dissolves as he sees his mother pinned against the wall like a RAT in a trap.

Allie looks at Kingston with hurt and embarrassment. Tears form in her eyes as she begins to sob. Her head goes down as she sobs more. Her head does comes back up as her red eyes meet the angry eyes of her son.

There is LIGHT as we fade back into Allie’s eyes that have become intense as mother and son’s eyes meet. Both are placed in a situation where there will be a thumbs up or down like a GLADIATOR decision on their lives.

Kingston is ready for the decision.

Allie’s eyes pierce right to Kingston’s soul.

ALLIE

(confident)

I will get a shovel.

HARD CUT TO BLACK