ThE
Regressed
THE REGRESSED
BLACK SCREEN SUPER:
’"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that prisoner was you" - Lewis B. Smedes’
FADE IN: INT. HOUSE - STUDY, NIGHT AMARA’s (29) ginger hair is loosely curled as it sits on her shoulders. Her bright green eyes look intensely towards us. This is interrupted by a male voice. Amara.
JACK
Amara is shabby in appearance: her clothes are faded and oversized, her face looks dull with dark bags under her eyes. JACK (31) fidgets his broad body to get Amara’s attention. His blue eyes meet Amara’s. Am. Am? Huh?
JACK AMARA
JACK Are you there? Jack smiles at her warmly. AMARA Sorry, I was miles away. Amara and Jack sit across each other at the table. The lighting is dim. The room is clean and quite empty. It has a formal style to it, with blinds covering the windows, and a cabinet in the corner. Amara takes the plant from the desk. AMARA Last thing to take. JACK Look, I know you don’t like change, nobody really likes change but (MORE) (CONTINUED)
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2. JACK (cont’d) look, it’s a house with THE potential for a fresh start. AMARA (mumbles) Yeah, it will be good to get out of here, finally. JACK Yeah, it does feel like it’s been a long time coming.
Amara gazes past his shoulder out the window. JACK It’s still Derby, so not that much of a change. Amara takes his hand from across the table and gives him a soft smile. Jack returns the smile but pulls his hand back. EXT. LARGE HOUSE, DAY The house stands alone, towering into the grey dull sky. It is large but decrepit-looking: graffiti covers the old bricks, one of the windows is shattered. Amara and Jack look up at the building. His eyes scan it from left to right, then he puts his arm around Amara as he pulls her in close to him. Amara drops her cases and fiddles in her pocket to find the key, opening the door. Jack lifts her up and carries her in. JACK There you go. He places her back down. INT. HOUSE, DAY AMARA (laughs) I can’t believe you just did that. Both Amara and Jack walk in. He swiftly lifts up the suitcases as Amara follows him into the house. She walks on in past him. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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3. JACK Look, it’s got potential.
Amara shivers. JACK You alright? AMARA Yeah, just cold. JACK It’s probably just that window. Jack points to the shattered window. Amara rubs her hands together, but looks worried. A long spiral staircase winds up the centre of the house. It looks as if it has been abandoned, with creaky floorboards and dingy khaki walls. Their heads are lifted up and spin in circles to take in the new surroundings. It is dark; the only light comes from dim and dusty bare bulbs. JACK Aah, all it needs is a lick of paint, sorted. Amara puts down her plants, inhaling their smell. Then she goes to open the window. AMARA Can you smell that too? Jack shrugs. JACK Look, it’s an improvement. Look at the space you’ve got now, better than that box room. Jack cups her face with both hands, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. AMARA I know, I know. Amara gives him a reassuring smile.
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4. AMARA Shall I put the kettle on? JACK Yeah, I could do with a cuppa.
The door has been left ajar. A light knock is heard. Jack and Amara look at each other. AMARA Urm, come in? Amara hurriedly walks to the door. ALICE (6) looks up at her with big brown eyes. Skinny, with soft black hair, she stands with an excited smile on her face. AMARA Hi sweetie, you ok? ALICE Hi I’m Alice. My mummy said I could visit the new neighbours. Alice points to the house on the right. Amara follows the direction of her finger; she peers out at the house. Come in.
AMARA
Amara leads the way as Alice follows her, her eyes fixed upon Amara. AMARA Well nice to meet you Alice, I’m Amara and that’s Jack. Amara nods her head towards the other end of the room as she pours Alice a drink. ALICE Where’s Jack? Amara looks up and scans the room. AMARA Oh, he’s probably got in the shower now. Amara opens a packet of biscuits and slides it to Alice. A knock is heard at the door. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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5.
Amara goes to get it. Alice’s mum, LINDSEY (38), is chubby with a short bob. She holds a dish of food with foil wrapped over the top. LINDSEY Sorry, she was so eager she ran off ahead of me... Lindsey, Alice’s mum. Lindsey puts out her spare hand to shake Amara’s hand. AMARA Aah, nice to meet you, come in. LINDSEY Sorry, I can’t stop long, maybe later. But I cooked you this. Amara looks down at the dish in her hands. LINDSEY Thought you might be pre-occupied with unpacking. AMARA Aw thanks, you shouldn’t have. Smells lovely. Lindsey hands it over. LINDSEY (shouts) Alice! INT. LIVING ROOM, DAY Jack stands near the door, fiddling with papers and files. One of them has Amara’s name scribbled on it. He turns to Amara. JACK Right, I’m gonna have to let you carry this on, work needs me in. AMARA Aww, already? JACK Yeah, sorry Am, you’ll be ok?
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6. AMARA Yeah course. Go on, go.
Jack exits the house as Amara stands alone. She walks to a wooden door at the end of the room and pushes it. It creaks open. FLASHBACK TO: EXT. CHILD CARE HOME, DAY The young Amara (6), with fiery ginger hair and green eyes, wearing a flowery long dress, looks up at a large building which stands alone. It towers over her and her aunt, MRS. RUSSEL (41), who is wearing a formal dress. AMARA I don’t want to go. Don’t make me. MRS. RUSSEL Stop this nonsense Amara. Mrs. Russel tugs at Amara’s hand sharply. Amara looks up at her, starting to cry. AMARA Pleaaaaseee. MRS. RUSSEL Do not try and change tactics with me young lady. INT. CHILD CARE HOME - HALLWAY, DAY Amara sits at the bottom of a winding wooden staircase. She wraps her hands around her legs, bringing her knees up to her chin, hiding behind them as she listens to her aunt talking with a carer. MRS. RUSSEL (O.S.) So is it all sorted then? Yes, done. Good, ok.
MRS. BAKER (O.S.) MRS. RUSSEL (O.S.)
MRS. BAKER (52), chubby, with her hair in a bun, walks into the corridor and smiles at Amara. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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7.
Mrs. Russel kneels down and pats Amara on the forehead before leaving. BACK TO PRESENT: INT. KITCHEN, DAY Amara has both hands on the counter as she stares down at her own reflection in her cup of tea. Noticing some smudges on the mug, she starts to rub them off, putting slightly too much energy in trying to do so. Then SLAM, the letter plate on the door flings open. Amara jumps slightly before she walks over to get the post. She flicks through them quickly. Envelopes read ’urgent’ in red writing. She flings them onto the counter, but suddenly clenches her arm in pain and falls to the floor. Aaaah!
AMARA
Amara rolls up her sleeve and rubs her birthmark in agony. She goes to the cabinet and takes a tablet with water. Shaking her head, she picks up a tin of paint and starts stirring it with a brush. INT. LIVING ROOM DOORWAY, DAY Alice knocks on the door. Amara answers it in baggy dungarees and holding a paint roller. AMARA Oh, hi sweetheart. ALICE (enthusiastically) Can I help you paint yet? I’m really really good at it. AMARA Right, did your mum say you could paint in that dress? It looks too nice to get paint on it. Yesss.
ALICE
Amara looks sternly at her but moves out of the doorway, allowing Alice to skip in. Alice and Amara begin painting. Alice stops and walks towards Amara. (CONTINUED) 7
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8. ALICE (demanding) I’m hungry.
The lights flicker. Suddenly, blinking, Amara sees another girl’s face: she has blonde hair with green eyes, but half of one eye is burnt and mutilated. Her skull and the veins leading to her half-hollow eye socket can be seen. The lights stop flickering. Amara steps away from Alice. Alice moves a step closer to her. Amara moves another step back. What’s up?
ALICE
Amara feels for her necklace and realises it’s gone. AMARA (shouts) Where is it? Where! Amara searches frantically around the living room and finds a glittering object on the floor. She picks up the ’friend’ necklace and puts it back on her neck as she sighs in relief. Alice stands in the corner, tears welling up in her eyes. AMARA It’s ok, sorry, I shouldn’t have shouted. Amara steps forward to comfort Alice, but hesitates. AMARA Maybe it’s home time? Alice nods her head and leaves. Amara looks down at her half-heart ’friend’ necklace and clenches it tight. FLASHBACK TO: INT. CARE HOME, DAY A child’s hand opens from a clenched fist to reveal the same stone Amara was holding. The young Amara sits on the bottom of the stairs, playing with her doll. She peeps through the wooden stands which make up the banister and sees a group of four children, aged 6 to 8, playing together. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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9.
Their laughter echoes in the room. One of them points to Amara. She quickly looks away, pretending to be absorbed with her doll. A young girl, CONNIE (7), approaches her. She has blonde hair and bright green eyes, resembling the face seen earlier which momentarily replaced Alice’s face. CONNIE I’m Connie. Who are you? Amara.
AMARA
CONNIE Do you want to play with us? The other children snigger in the background. Urrr-
AMARA
CHARLOTTE (8) looks with a sour face at Amara. Her eyes are dark brown, her lips are wide. She has a sharp distinctive nose. CHARLOTTE No. We won’t have fair teams if she plays. Charlotte storms up to Amara and snatches the doll off her. CHARLOTTE This doll’s mine, you can’t have it. CONNIE Charlotte, don’t be horrible. AMARA But I found itCHARLOTTE Shut up, carrot top. TOM (8) is skinny and pale. He watches Amara intently. TOM (laughs) Carrot top. Amara cries. Connie puts out her hand to Amara. (CONTINUED) 9
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10.
Amara looks at Connie then back again at Charlotte. Getting up quickly she runs back up the stairs. BACK TO PRESENT: INT. BEDROOM, NIGHT Amara wakes up and slowly creeps out of the bed, searching for her mobile phone to use as a light. INT. KITCHEN, NIGHT Only silhouettes of furniture can be seen as the moonlight filters through the window. Amara walks into the kitchen. Her hand fumbles along the wall for the switch. As she goes for the light switch, a small child’s hand reaches for the switch too, both gradually coming together. GIRL’S VOICE (O.S.) (whispers) Amaraaa... Shit!
AMARA
Amara manages to get to the light switch. She turns it on and the other hand disappears. Gasping, Amara breaks into a run. The lights turn off again. Suddenly she looks up and sees a tall slim silhouette. Jack?
AMARA
She shrieks, quickly finding the light switch to reveal a coat stand. Amara shakes her head and gets a glass of water. She gazes at her reflection in the window. Suddenly she sees Connie’s face in the window looking back at her. She blinks hard and finishes her water. She shiftily looks around. Switching all the lights on, she runs back into the bedroom.
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11. INT. BEDROOM, NIGHT Amara opens her eyes. All is dark. She peers over to the window. There is a full moon: eerie shafts of light pierce through the tree branches, dispersing shadows on Jack’s face. When she turns back Connie is sitting on top of her chest. Amara begins panting heavily. Connie’s face is half burnt again, and within inches of Amara’s face. Amara looks down at her hands. Trying to move them she twitches her fingers, but she cannot lift them. She moves her head from left to right but the rest of her body stays down. The smallest movement can be seen as she attempts to get up. Jack touches her and Connie disappears, allowing Amara’s body to move. You ok?
JACK
AMARA Yeah, just a bad dream. Amara puts her arm around Jack, bringing herself closer to him. INT. BEDROOM, DAY Amara wakes up, sunlight now shining through the window. Her arm is still placed across the bed, but Jack is no longer there. Jack?
AMARA
Amara tilts her head up and looks around. AMARA (mumbles) Must have gone to work early. Amara crashes back down on the pillow, pulling the covers over her face. INT. STUDY, DAY Amara sits at the table. Opposite her sits Jack. The plant Amara was holding earlier sits on the table.
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12. JACK So what happened last night? AMARA Nothing, don’t worry about it.
Amara rolls her eyes up and shrugs it off. JACK Come on Am, you can tell me. I feel like you’ve not been yourself lately. AMARA I’m sorry. It was weird, I feel like this place - it’s weird. Jack looks at her, encouraging her as he nods. AMARA I thought I saw some girl. A girl?
JACK
AMARA Yeah she kind of, urm stopped my body from being able to move? JACK What do you mean, controlled your body? AMARA Just forget it, it was a dream. JACK Do you mean you couldn’t move? Yeah.
AMARA
JACK Don’t worry about it. This happens to quite a few people, they call it that urm... sleep paralysis. AMARA Oh yeah, I’ve heard of that too. I probably just need to get some more sleep. Jack smiles at her, takes her hand and squeezes it. She gives him a reassuring but forced smile.
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13. INT. KITCHEN, NIGHT Amara walks through the house, switching all the lights on. She starts cooking dinner. She chops peppers and slides them into the pan from the chopping board. The knife blade SCRATCHES against the glass surface of the chopping board. Suddenly the lights begin flashing. Flashes of Amara’s face can be seen: her mouth is wide open and an expression of agony possesses her. She screams. The lights stop flashing. Amara is on the floor. She holds out her arms. They are covered with fresh cuts. She starts crying hysterically, tears streaming down her face in despair. Her back slides down the wall, she is now almost lying on the floor. EXT. COBBLED STREET, EVENING The sky is grey and rain is pouring down hard on Amara as she quickly walks through it. Looking up she stops at the local library. INT. LIBRARY, EVENING Amara walks into the library. She walks along the aisle and finds on one shelf a book titled ’Spirits and Voodoo’. Amara opens up the book. The lights flicker. An image on the page shows a black spirit; the faint features of a woman in it resemble the ones she has seen. INT. STUDY, DAY Amara is reading the book. The words on the page can be seen: ’To thwart the one that spawns evil, one must gain a body as retrieval, gather its being of dust and bones, which cease the land of where it roams.’ Jack enters the room. Amara quickly flings the book under the desk. JACK What you doing? Nothing.
AMARA
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14. JACK You’ve been a bit distant lately? AMARA I know, I’m sorry. Just tired that’s all. I’ll be back to my normal self soon.
Amara smiles at him reassuringly but rubs her temples, scrunching up her eyes. JACK So how are you feeling? AMARA Actually, I’ve got a splitting headache. JACK Have you taken any tablets for it? AMARA Nah, it will pass. Jack gets the tablets and picks up the glass of water from the table. Take them.
JACK
AMARA No. Honestly I’m fine. JACK Take them now Amara! Amara hesitantly takes them. FLASHBACK TO: INT. CARE HOME - AMARA’S BEDROOM, DAY Amara sits on her bed, watching the rain fall outside her window. She fiddles with a lighter. Engraved on it are the words, ’Love from J. Baker’. She flicks it on and off, bored. The pitter-patter of the rain hitting the glass can be heard, interspersed with children’s laughter.
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15. CHARLOTTE (O.S.) You’re not allowed to hide outside, it’s cheating.
Amara gets up and opens her door to see Charlotte running down the corridor. She stops when she sees Amara. CHARLOTTE Oh, carrot top, Tom said you can’t play. Charlotte runs down the stairs, laughing to herself. INT. CARE HOME - CORRIDOR, DAY Amara waits and watches Charlotte run to the bottom of the stairs. She then makes her way to Charlotte’s bedroom. The door is covered with different coloured letters spelling out ’Charlotte’. Amara looks around before slowly opening the door. INT. CARE HOME - CHARLOTTE’S BEDROOM, DAY The walls are grey and bare. Some photos are pinned up on the walls. Amara scans the room and sees the doll on the bed. She grabs it and opens the door, but then pauses. She puts her hand into her pocket and finds the lighter. Bringing it up to the doll, she sets fire to the doll’s hair. MRS. BAKER (O.S.) Amara! Amara, dinner’s ready! Amara nervously looks around the room. She looks at the doll and drops it in the bin in the corner of the room. As she stares down at it, a slight orange glimmer reflects in her glazed eyes. BACK TO PRESENT: INT. STUDY, DAY JACK Am-, Amara? AMARA Um, my head... I don’t feel too good, think I’ll get some shut eye. (CONTINUED) 15
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16. JACK You alright?
Amara nods. Slowly she gets up. Looking fragile she slowly walks to the door. Turning around, she gives Jack a reassuring smile. INT. BEDROOM, DAY Amara is on the phone with a friend. AMARA I know, God it’s been ages since we had a catch up. I’m just busy at the moment so... sorry, wa-wait. I can hear something... Amara moves the phone away from her ear. AMARA Alice? Hello? Amara brings the phone back to her ear. AMARA I’ll ring you back. Amara hangs up. She goes into the living room and scans the room slowly, but nothing is there. YOUNG GIRL’S VOICE (O.S.) Five... four... three... two... one... Ready or not here I come! Amara runs to the bathroom and locks herself in. Panting heavily she kisses her heart necklace and closes her eyes. INT. BATHROOM, DAY The bathroom light starts to flicker. Amara locks the door. Amara’s back is to the door. She pants heavily, her eyes darting from one side of the bathroom to the other. The bathroom is empty. A mirror on the wall faces Amara. As she scans the room from left to right, she sees a dash of movement opposite her. As she looks back to the mirror, a greyish face can be seen. Amara turns quickly from it. She tries to unlock the door. After fiddling with it, it finally opens and she scrambles out of the bathroom.
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17. INT. LANDING, DAY On the landing are two ghostly forms of small children. They quickly run across the hallway and disappear. Amara spins around quickly, searching for where they have gone. Her surroundings blur. Amara runs to grab the ’Spirits and Voodoo’ book and runs out of the house. EXT. GARDEN, NIGHT Amara runs to the shed and grabs a torch and shovel. EXT. GRAVEYARD, NIGHT Amara scratches the dirt off a small white tombstone. She shines the torch across it. The name reads ’Connie Davis’. A tear trickles down her cheek. Wiping it off, she picks up the shovel and starts digging. Sweating, she throws the shovel to one side and starts throwing the dug-up soil away. A torchlight can be seen flickering in the distance. Amara turns around and attempts to scramble out of the grave. Hello?
GROUNDSKEEPER (O.S.)
Amara tries to pull herself up with her arms but falls back. Her body weight lands on her ankle as it twists underneath her.
OWW.
AMARA (cries)
Amara slides down and sits in the grave as she sees the torchlight scanning the grave above her. GROUNDSKEEPER Anyone there? The groundskeeper walks closer to the grave; Amara sees his torchlight getting brighter. She closes her eyes tightly and keeps still.
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18. GROUP OF KIDS (O.S.) (laughing) Ah nah man, pass us that.
The light turns in another direction. The sound of footsteps gradually becomes quieter as the groundskeeper walks away. Amara peers out of the grave and sees a group of five teenagers running away, leaving behind litter which blows across the graveyard in the wind. Amara coughs as dust covers her face. She jams the spade into the small coffin, prying it open. She pinches her nose. She looks down at a half-skeleton, half-flesh decaying body which is covered in insects. Reading the book with the torch, she sees the words ’to sacrifice the closest object to you’. She holds the ’friends’ symbol around her neck. AMARA (whispers to herself) But she said it would protect me? She places it carefully on the top of the skull and sets fire to the corpse. After reading the book, she cuts herself and lets her blood drop into the fire. Amara shakes out salt around her in a circle. A gush of wind blows as dark shadows begin to swirl around her. They try and push into her circle but it acts as an invisible barrier; they cannot get near her. Demons and evil spirits can be seen violently circling her, moving so fast they become blurred. They hit the invisible barrier. Amara flinches each time. Amongst them Connie stands as a white spirit, almost leading them. The spell ends and the white spirit turns away, the black ones following. INT. BEDROOM, DAY The alarm sounds. Amara switches it off. It automatically turns to the radio. NEWSREADER (O.S.) Today’s top headlinesThe sound fades down. Amara wakes up in a state of shock. She feels around for her necklace and realises it has gone. She gets out of bed and draws the curtains. The sun is shining through. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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19.
Amara sees the ’Spirits and Voodoo’ book on her bedside cabinet. She takes it and throws it in the bin. She smirks to herself and gets her phone out. AMARA Hi Becca, it’s Am. Yeah, you still up for that coffee? Ok, five’s good, bye hun. Amara exhales sharply as she flops back down on the bed, her arms outspread. NEWSREADER (O.S.) Late last night a presumed gang vandalised a Derby Moore Graveyard. A specific grave was targeted in particularAmara scrambles up and switches the radio off. AMARA (mumbles) It’s ok, they don’t know it’s me. Its over now. Amara shrugs to herself. Getting up, she walks towards the bathroom. INT. STUDY, NIGHT Amara enters the living room. Jack is at the desk working. She approaches him, giving him a hug as she stands over him. AMARA How much work do you have on? It’s late now. JACK Sit down Amara. What?
AMARA
JACK Sorry, I’m slightly stressed today. Jack shakes his head. AMARA Why are you wearing a suit? You’re at home. (CONTINUED) 19
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20. JACK I always wear this suit. Ooh.
AMARA
JACK Yeah, you seem very relaxed today. AMARA Unlike you. You know what would de-stress you? Amara smirks. She pulls her chair into the desk opposite him and strokes his leg with her foot. JACK Look Amara, that’s not appropriate. Fine.
AMARA
Amara sinks into her chair, crossing her arms. JACK Sorry, how’s your headache? Have you taken those tablets for it? AMARA Much better actually, I feel so much better since yesterday. JACK Oh, where’s your necklace? AMARA Urm. Ur, lost it, will be round somewhere. Jack concentrates on his work. Amara shrugs, gets up and exits the room. EXT. HOUSE, DAY The sky is grey and rain patters against the window. Amara fiddles with her keys and unlocks the front door.
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21. INT. LIVING ROOM, DAY The room is empty and dim. The disembodied laughs of a young girl can be heard. They get louder, turning into CACKLES. Amara leaves the door open as she rushes into the bedroom. INT. BEDROOM, DAY Getting into the bedroom Amara sees nothing. She stands in front of the mirror for a moment looking at herself. In the mirror she sees a small toy train, a child’s toy, moving by itself. It goes under the bed. Amara turns around immediately but the train has gone. She kneels down and looks under the bed. Nothing is there. Amara gets back up and turns around to see Connie standing in front of her, their feet almost touching. Amara screams. Amara blinks hard. Shaking her head, she opens her eyes again to see Alice. AMARA How did you get in here? ALICE You left the front door open. I was bored. Amara walks her back to the door. AMARA Sorry, I’m kind of busy now darling, I’ll see you later ok. Bye. ALICE (Disappointed) Bye then. EXT. ROOFTOP, NIGHT Amara stands on the edge of the roof with a bottle of vodka in one hand. YOUNG GIRL (O.S.) I don’t deserve to live, I don’t deserve a second chance. (CONTINUED) 21
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22.
Amara slips slightly. The bottle of vodka leaves her hand, smashes on the concrete and shatters into tiny pieces. She gasps and steps back. Black shadows can be seen on the concrete. They circle Amara. YOUNG GIRL (O.S.) Do it. She doesn’t deserve to be aliveRevenge.
BOY’S VOICE (O.S.)
JACK (O.S.) Come on, come back in. Look, we can talk about it. Amara quickly turns around. AMARA No, you don’t understand, you don’t know what I’ve done. It’s come back to me. JACK You’re stronger than this. Come on now. Let’s not act hastily. Jack takes a step forward. Amara too takes a step forward. JACK Ok, I’m not moving. Look I love you, I’m sorry I don’t show you enough. I know - you can’t do this, you can’t do this to me. AMARA No, it’s not you. Thank you for making me happy, you really have, butJACK Come Am, just come back to me. AMARA There’s something wrong, bad, I can’t handle it anymore.
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23. JACK Look. We can move back home, we don’t have to stay if that’s what it is? AMARA I want to go back home now. JACK Ok, come here.
Amara moves back slightly. Before she is aware of what’s happening, Jack grabs her as soon as she is close enough, taking her back inside. INT. KITCHEN, NIGHT Jack makes a cup of tea and hands it to Amara who sits in her nightgown. JACK I bumped into Alice’s mum today, she said something about you being scared of Alice or something? AMARA What? I don’t know what she’s talking about. JACK Are you gonna tell me what’s happened yet? AMARA I just want to go back. JACK I know. Give me a day to tie up loose ends at work, ok? A day?
AMARA
Jack nods. AMARA Ok. I’m sorry. JACK You’ve got nothing to be sorry about. (CONTINUED) 23
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24.
Jack walks over to her. Holding her face in his hands he kisses her. She wraps her arms around him. Love you.
AMARA
INT. LIVING ROOM, NIGHT Amara sits in the dark, drinking a glass of wine alone. It is silent, only her sipping can be heard. There is a knock at the door. Amara goes to open it. Alice and Lindsey stand outside. LINDSEY Hi Am, sorry to be a pain. I need to pop out for a while, any chance you could take care of Alice for me? AMARA Oh, urm. Urr, I kindaLINDSEY Please? If it wasn’t urgent I wouldn’t ask. Alice emerges from behind Lindsey. Her eyes, big and black, stare up at Amara, and a sadistic smile crosses her face. AMARA Ok, but try not to be long please. LINDSEY You’re a star. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Lindsey runs away, leaving Alice. INT. LIVING ROOM, NIGHT Amara switches the television on for Alice. She can just see the back of Alice’s head emerging from the sofa. Nervously she paces up and down the room. It’s her.
GIRL’S VOICE (O.S.)
The lights all turn off. Amara is surrounded by complete darkness. Using the light from her mobile she gets candles on the table and lights them. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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25.
Alice turns around. Her eyes are completely black, no iris can be seen. Amara runs to the bedroom and locks herself in. INT. BEDROOM, NIGHT Amara runs to the bin in the the corner of the room. She rummages through it and retrieves the book. Flicking through it hurriedly she starts reading how to get rid of the spirits. The page reads: ’One must defeat the spirit only when in the body of a physical human’. As Amara closes the book the lights start to flicker. Noooo...
ALICE (O.S.)
The walls have changed to those of the care home. They are covered with children’s scribbles and drawings. Stick men and strange faces peer down at Amara as the walls start closing in on her. Amara starts to scratch at the walls. The room gets smaller as she scratches faster. The lights stop flickering. She looks down at her nails which are all bleeding, then sees the bloodstains on the walls. She gets up and runs out of the room, gasping for air. INT. HALLWAY, DAY Amara opens the door into the hallway to find that it has changed. The banister has transformed into a brown wooden one; the lights, flickering, merge into old lampshades. The floor beneath her has become one of concrete. A black shadow creeps around her feet, nearly touching them but not quite. She starts running to get out of the house. She runs down the stairs but trips over her own feet, stumbling to her knees at the bottom. She looks at the cut on her knee and starts staggering away slowly. The shadow creeps quicker towards her as she tries to get away. She looks around her unfamiliar surroundings. The rooms are changing, the old orphanage is breaking in.
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26. AMARA (O.S.) Please stop, pleaseee! Why?!
More shadows start appearing on the walls trying to grab her; silhouettes of claws can be seen on the walls. As Amara runs she knocks down a candle. Flames start spreading rapidly, licking up the curtains. The shadows can be seen flinching from them. INT. HALLWAY, DAY Bright flames are spreading through the house. Amara closes her eyes and shakes her head. Her hands massage her temples as an expression of concentration flashes across her face. AMARA One must defeat the spirit, only when in the body of a physical human. Amara stops and looks around. AMARA (shouts) Alice? A young girl emerges in Alice’s clothes but with Connie’s face. Her head is tilted to one side, all burnt and mangled. Alice runs up the stairs. The fire in the house is spreading, Amara can see flames flickering from downstairs. Alice moves towards Amara. Amara takes a step back. GIRL’S VOICE (O.S.) You have to do this. It’s the only way. Suddenly Connie, still in Alice’s clothes and body, jumps towards Amara aggressively. Amara holds out her hands, instinctively gripping Alice’s neck. AMARA (gasps) I’m sorry. (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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27.
Amara’s grip gets tighter. She stares straight into Alice’s eyes as Alice’s face starts to become more strained. Do it.
GIRL’S VOICE (O.S.)
Amara’s fingers tighten. As they do, Connie’s features start turning slowly back to Alice’s. Flames are flickering amongst the shadows around Amara. Smoke engulfs her. Amara coughs. FLASHBACK TO: INT. CARE HOME - AMARA’S BEDROOM, NIGHT Amara is fast asleep in her bed. She starts coughing. Smoke can be seen swirling up from under her door. Amara dashes out of her bed and to the window, which is covered with vertical black bars on the outside. She looks through them and sees children running out of the home with the carers who line them up outside. Amara runs to the door. The hallway is alight with flames, but they have not yet travelled to her side. Near the stairs she sees a route by which she can escape. The flames quickly spread up the curtains and to the walls. CONNIE (O.S.) Amara, Amara! Amara looks around. In the distance she sees Connie’s door is ajar. Connie’s face, with tears streaming down it, is visible through the small gap in the door. She cries for Amara, holding out her hand. CONNIE Help me. Please! Amara looks at her then back at the rising flames. Sorry.
AMARA
Amara turns around and runs down the stairs to the open door at the bottom.
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28. EXT. STREET OUTSIDE CARE HOME, NIGHT Amara runs outside. Three other children are holding on to Mrs. Baker who is crying. Two firefighters approach Amara. One wraps a silver blanket over Amara, handing her water. FIREMAN #1 Are you ok? Amara ignores him as she intently watches the other fireman talking to Mrs. Baker. FIREMAN #2 We can’t save the others, it’s too dangerous to send the guys inMRS. BAKER (hysterically) But Tom, Charlotte, Co- they’re all still in there! FIREMAN Sorry, I have to follow orders. Connie’s face is up against the window. Amara stares into Connie’s eyes as they slowly close. Connie’s hands slide down the window. Bright flames lick at the window. BACK TO PRESENT: INT. HALLWAY, DAY Amara has her hands around Alice’s neck. AMARA (panicking) No, no. What am I doing? Amara quickly drops her hands and backs away. She backs into the wall and slides down it into a ball on the floor, tears coming down her face. The flames coming from downstairs are reflected in her eyes. A silvery spirit emerges from Alice’s body, which moves again. Connie’s face is seen, no longer half-burnt. She wears the other half of the heart necklace which says ’Best’. CONNIE Am, whats wrong?
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29.
You?
AMARA
CONNIE What? I’ve been the one protecting you all along. Amara turns around and sees the evil shadows. Connie gives off a radiance which they can’t pass through. Faces emerge from the spirits; still black, they resemble the other children in the care home. One stares at her. It has a sharp nose and wide lips: Charlotte’s face. AMARA I thought you hated me for what I did? CONNIE You were a child. AMARA I was stupid, so stupid! CONNIE No one could have done anything. AMARA But it was me who started it. CONNIE I understand why. AMARA I was scared. I’m sorry, so sorry. CONNIE It’s ok. I forgive you. Connie starts fading into the dark, her voice turning into a whisper. As Amara looks around she sees the flames have made their way upstairs. Smoke starts to swirl in the room, becoming thicker and thicker. It starts to block her vision. Amara runs over to Alice, scooping her up in her arms. She looks around and sees the spirits still around her. AMARA (shouts towards them) It wasn’t my fault! The blacks spirits start to disappear.
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30. INT. BATHROOM, NIGHT Amara opens the door to the bathroom. Wetting a towel, she places it around her and Alice, protecting them both. She finds a gap taking her down the stairs. Her footing slips and the floorboard cracks. Alice screams and clings on tighter to Amara. AMARA (coughs) It will be ok hunny. God I’m so sorry. Amara manages to crawl to the door dragging Alice, covering her face with a towel. Finally getting to the front door, she pushes it open. INT. PSYCHIATRIST OFFICE, DAY Amara sits at a desk with Jack opposite her. He takes down notes while he speaks to her. The desk, plant and window behind him all resemble the study. Now the cabinet can be seen, and a long psychiatrist’s chair is on one side of the room. On the desk is a file with the name Amara Lawrence written across it. At the front of the table a metal sign reads Dr. Jack Stewart. AMARA I don’t understand? JACK You’ve not been well. AMARA I’ve been fine, I’m fine now. It was the house, and now that’s gone I can live a normal life again. JACK What about the spirits, did they exist? Yes.
AMARA
JACK No. Last time we talked, you admitted to me they weren’t real. AMARA Why would I lie? Why would I make this up? (CONTINUED) THE REGRESSED
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31. JACK They’re manifestations of your guilt. You saw your guilt in the spirits. You created them in your head for not being able to save Connie. AMARA But they came from the house? It’s not me, it’s that house! JACK Amara, I know this is hard for you to acknowledge, but take a look at your arms.
Jack nods towards her arms. Amara rolls up her sleeves to reveal cuts and scars across them. AMARA This wasn’t me, it was the spirits, they did it to me I’m telling you! How could I do this to myself! How? JACK No Amara. You self-harm, you have done this to yourself. Jack pulls out a newspaper cutting from her file. The headline reads, ’CHILDREN BURN TO DEATH IN HOME’. Images of Charlotte, Connie, Tom and other children are shown on the front page. Amara takes the newspaper clipping from him. A tear lands on Connie’s picture. JACK Such a tragic event. Jack shakes his head. JACK You repressed the memory. AMARA But I’ve remembered it now, surely that means I’m better, I can go. Please let me go, pl-
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CONTINUED:
32. JACK You are not ready yet. We made that mistake already, thinking we could have regular sessions with you living independently.
Amara shakes her head and inhales deeply. AMARA I didn’t. I lived with you? No.
JACK
AMARA But Jack. Us? Weren’t you and meJACK No Amara, I’m not your partner, I’m your psychiatrist. You seemed to have developed an obsession. We thought if we distanced our relationship, you know, thinking that yourAMARA No, no, this is not right! JACK That your thoughts of me would subside. Amara looks at Jack longingly. She takes out her hand to go for his but reflexively pulls it back as he looks at her sternly. JACK No, you weren’t mentally ready for a move. They can be stressful and it’s a big adjustment to move house. AMARA Why did you release me if you thought I was better? JACK You had shown significant improvement. Jack shrugs his shoulders.
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33. JACK You had gained some you knew Connie was That’s why you knew grave. But you seem partially repressed
memories back, already dead. to go to her to have them again.
Amara buries her head in her hands and starts to sob into them. INT. HOUSE, DAY SUBTITLE: ’3 YEARS LATER’ Amara walks into the house. She is wearing a pretty dress, her hair is up in a bun. Her face is radiant as she smiles walking in. She goes into her bedroom, which has been refurbished, opens the curtains to let the sun shine in and smiles. FADE OUT.
THE END
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