"The fish that had wings" By: Dariela Pérez Hernández
México Df. Junio 2013
darielita8@hotmail.com
1. EXT. BEACH. DAY. LUCRECIA (20) long dark hair, kneels down to pick up some sea shells, she puts them in a bag. The waves make her feet wet. Lucrecia looks at the ocean. CUT TO: 2. INT. KITCHEN. LUCRECIA[PLEASEINSERT\PRERENDERUNICODE{¢ A´ Z}INTOPREAMBLE]S HOUSE. DAY LUCRECIA looks at MARIA (25), while she is cooking. LUPE (22) combs Lucrecia’a hair as if she would be a child, and braids her hair. LUCRECIA: I was dreaming of fireworks, those that announce the dead taken by the sea, and suddenly, there he was, his mouth seemed to be filled with something and when he opened it worms came out. I cried and while crying shells came out of my mouth, but then I realized they were no shells, they were crinkled worms. The pieces of the wood used to make coffins for small children were torn apart, but the children were no more, they were swept away by the ocean. LUPE: It must have been merely a child you have seen! LUPE is finished brushing Lucrecia’s hair and leaves the brush on the kitchen table. LUCRECIA: No, I believe it was him. Lucrecia picks up the brush and collects the hair that has been caught in it, she forms them into a ball and puts them away in her bag. Lupe prepares salsa using the traditional molcajete (typical Mexican pot to prepare salsa) LUPE: The last time the tide rose it brought animals nobody ever knew (MORE) (CONTINUED)
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2.
LUPE: (cont’d) existed, something like fish with wings... LUCRECIA sits down on the table and watches her sisters cook, she takes a piece of tortilla and dips it in the salsa Lupe is preparing to try it. LUPE: Everybody told us that those fishes made him mad because papa was the only one that helped to drag the fishes out of the houses. One day the fishes disappeared and along them papa. María looks at Lucrecia. MARÍA: One day he will come back and we will be here waiting for him. Everything should be the way as it was when he left. Lucrecia gets up and picks up some plates. CUT TO: 3. INT. DINNING ROOM. DAY. On the table are the dishes that the sisters prepared in the previous scene. At the head of the table where papa used to sit is an empty plate. María with a sad expression on her face looks at the door and her gaze shifts towards her sisters, in a sad mood and quietly the three sisters finish their plates. CUT TO: 4. INT. BEDROOM OF LUCRECIA’S PARENTS. DAY Lucrecia searches the drawers. Lupe enters. LUPE: What are you doing? LUCRECIA: I am looking for a clue as to where papa might have gone!
(CONTINUED)
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3.
LUPE: It does not matter, he will come back. LUCRECIA: I want to know what happened to him. He might be dead. LUPE: Be quiet, I am not listening to such nonsense, he will come back and we have to be there all three of us like it used to be. Lupe folds the clothes that Lucrecia pulled out of the drawers and puts them carefully back in the drawers. CUT TO: 5. INT. KITCHEN. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE. DAY LUCRECIA, Lupe and María peel cobs of corn, they take off the leaves and the corn. LUCRECIA: Last night I have seen men returning from the ocean and he was not among them. MARÍA: I told you not to look at them. LUCRECIA: How did he look? LUPE: Have you already forgotten? Lucrecia nods with her head. MARÍA: Shame on you, how can a daughter forget her own father. Lucrecia continues to peel the cobs. CUT TO:
4.
6. INT. LUCRECIA’S BEDROOM. NIGHT Lucrecia is sleeping deeply, the curtain moves from the wind coming through the window, the noise of the wind seeps in, Lucrecia opens her eyes and looks warily at the window, which opens and closes. She inspects the ground underneath the bed and looks at the old suitcase. Lucrecia lies down and breathes calmly, closes her eyes, and falls asleep. CUT TO: 7.INT. KITCHEN. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE. DAY María and Lupe prepare the daily dish consisting of eggs in salsa, María prepares the eggs while Lupe cuts the chilies for the salsa. Lucrecia, hides behind the wall. MARIA: Check what the girl is doing. LUPE: She has cramps. MARIA: The same story all the time. LUPE: Don’t be too harsh on her. MARÍA. She is not a child anymore, we have to keep her occupied to keep her from doing stupid things. CUT TO: 8. INT. LUCRECIA’S BEDROOM. DAY Lucrecia combs her hair forcefully so that many hair fall out, she forms them into a ball and puts them carefully in the suitcase, and continues to brush. Somebody knocks on the door. LUCRECIA: Coming! Lupe’s voice from out door. LUPE: It’s time for dinner.
(CONTINUED)
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5.
LUCRECIA: Coming! Lucrecia looks in the mirror her long hair spreading over her bosoms, she opens a drawer, takes out a pair of scissors, she cuts her hair slowly but firmly and puts it in her suitcase. CUT TO: 9. INT. DINNING ROOM. DAY María and Lupe seated at the dinner table look at Lucrecia who enters shaved, with her suitcase in her hand in astonishment. LUCRECIA: The house is full of memories. I have already collected all of them in my suitcase. LUPE: Have you gone mad? You can’t just leave us alone here! Lucrecia puts her suitcase on the floor. MARÍA: Don’t dare to take them with you! LUCRECIA: You have to accept that is not coming back. Lucrecia opens the window and throws the suitcase out which opens and the hair fall out. LUCRECIA: No more waiting, no more hope, No more fishes, papa is dead, We are free! When Lucrecia turns around her sisters are not there anymore, instead she finds an old abandoned house, Lucrecia looks at the hands, they look wrinkly and bony like those of an old lady, Lucrecia is surprised to see her hands and the abandoned house.
6.
10. INT. DINNING ROOM. DAY. The incoming wind from the window moves the curtains. 11. INT. DINNING ROOM. DAY. The house is empty and lonely and underneath the door water streams inside the house. Old Lucrecia is sitting on her chair surrounded by puddles of water. Lucrecia shuts her eyes, the sound of the ocean comes and water comes out of the floor. Lucrecia open her eyes and standing in front of her its her dad and sisters with sweet smile. Lucrecia smiles and shuts her eyes. THE END.