The Double By Leah Bottone
INT. BEDROOM- EARLY MORNING. A soft light shines through a curtain in a very feminine room. YVETTE, 21, is just waking up. She moves slowly as though gravity is pushing her down. She pushes her curtain aside to take a quick look out the window but as soon as the sunshine shoots in she pushes the curtain back. Disappointed, Yvette throws her face into a pillow. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN- LATER THAT MORNING. Yvette is sitting on top of the kitchen counter. She slowly eats her breakfast of cereal. CUT TO: EXT. URBAN SIDEWALK. Yvette leaves her building and walks mindlessly down the street. She looks up to see NATHAN, 22, looking at her through the window. They have never met before. Just as soon as they make eye contact, Yvette nervously looks away, fastens her speed and continues walking. CUT TO: INT. OFFICE BUILDING. Yvette sits at the front desk. A WOMAN, 40’s, and her SON, 7, come up to the desk. YVETTE Would you like to book your next appointment? The Son begins to play with a bowl full of candy on the counter. The Woman does little to stop him, gently placing his hands back but hardly paying attention to him. WOMAN Yes.. What do you have next Monday? Mom!
SON
WOMAN (to her son) Sweetie, you have to wait.
(CONTINUED)
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2. YVETTE Would you preSON (still toying with the bowl) Mom I want the candy! WOMAN I said you have to wait. YVETTE Would you preferMom!
SON
The Son finally knocks over the bowl of candy, leaving little pieces everywhere. Oops..
SON
WOMAN Now what did I tell you about being patient?! I’m sorry, I’ll have to call about an appointment. The Woman drags her Son away from the desk. Yvette is flaberghasted. Next in line is, JONAH, 45, he is an average looking man with a certain twinkle in his eye. JONAH Glad that’s over. YVETTE You’re not the only one. Can I help you? JONAH Yeah, the doctor said I need to come in at the beginning of the next month. Something in the afternoon would be preferable. Yvette begins typing on the computer. Jonah notices Yvette’s nailpolish. Blue.
JONAH
YVETTE (looking at her fingers) Oh yeah. It’s my favorite color.
(CONTINUED)
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3.
JONAH You must be gemini. IVETTE (surprised) Yeah.. You can tell my sign by my nail polish? JONAH No. It’s just your whole.. aura. YVETTE What are you a psychic or something? Jonah laughs. JONAH I’m actually a psychologist. Yvette becomes reserved. YVETTE I didn’t know psychologists believed in all that mystical stuff. JONAH Not usually, no. But I find that the best way to uncover the root of a person’s problem is to find their.. more spiritual side, if you will. I see.
YVETTE
JONAH Is there something youYvette remains silent and looks away. YVETTE No. Thank you. This isn’t really office appropriate anyway. JONAH Very fair. Well, I will leave you my card, just in case you would like to know.
(CONTINUED)
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4.
What?
YVETTE
JONAH More about yourself. Yvette rolls her eyes. YVETTE So how’s next Monday for your appointment? 2 P.M? Jonah nods. YVETTE (looking past him) I can help the next person. Jonah leaves his business card on the desk. JONAH If you change your mind. CUT TO: INT.APARTMENT-EVENING. Yvette opens the door into her apartment. It is dark and she is alone. She walks into her bedroom and turns on the light and her TV which begins blaring loudly. Out of her dresser drawer she pulls out a notebook, laid beneath a bunch of clothes. From the middle of the book she pulls out a photograph of her as a little girl and her father. They are smiling in the picture. Suddenly there are obnoxiously loud voices heard in the background. Yvette sighs, realizing that her roomates are home. She scrambles to put the photo back where she found it as she hears footsteps to her door. Her roommate, ISABELLE, 21, opens Yvette’s door without knocking. ISABELLE Hey you. I see that you’ve unpacked. YVETTE Yeah, it took me a while, but yeah.
(CONTINUED)
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5.
ISABELLE Awesome. I’m gonna have some friends over if you want to hang out. We just picked up beer. YVETTE Thanks, but I think I’m just going to go to sleep. ISABELLE You sure? There will be boys here. Yvette doesn’t respond. ISBALLE I get it. It’s your life! Isabelle leaves and closes her door. YVETTE As if I don’t already know. Yvette takes a seat on her bed and stares blankly at the TV. She then reaches into her bag to find the business card given to her earlier in the day. She grabs her cellphone reluctantly to call the phone number; it rings. CUT TO: INT. LIVING ROOM. SIMULTANEOUSLY. ISABELLE, BILLY, and FRIENDS sit around the coffee table in the living room. They open their beers. BILLY So what’s wrong with your new roommate? Is she like a mole person or something? ISABELLE I’m not sure. CUT TO: INT.BEDROOM. CONT. (V.O)
ISABELLE I think she’s from Alaska or some god forsaken place like that.
(CONTINUED)
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6.
YVETTE (to herself) Alaska? I’m from New York. Still on the phone, finally the number goes to the message machine.
Bitc-
YVETTE (cont.)
BEEP. YVETTE Oh hi, Jonah. This is the girl.. I’m not sure if you remember me from earlier today. You came into Dr. Mill’s office and handed me your business cardHello?
JONAH
YVETTE Oh hello, I guess I wasn’t expecting you to answer. JONAH I’m sorry, I was just doing some paperwork. YVETTE Well, if you’re busy.. JONAH No, no, it’s alright. Did you want to talk about something? YVETTE I guess. I’m just, having a hard time is all. And, well, since you’re a psychologist, and, I didn’t really have anyone else to talk to. It just made sense. JONAH Absolutely. Would you like to come to my office so we can talk in person? Yvette looks at her clock, which reads 9:00.
(CONTINUED)
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7.
YVETTE I mean, I guess it’s not too late. JONAH Oh, I didn’t exactly mean tonight.. but if it can’t wait then I’m here for you. YVETTE Wait, this.. You’re not going to abduct me and leave my body in the woods or something, right? JONAH I haven’t been known to. YVETTE Okay, sorry. I just have a hard time trusting people. JONAH Well that’s something we can talk about. Wait, I-
YVETTE
JONAH There’s no pressure, this is up to you. I can only help those who want to be helped. CUT TO: INT. OFFICE ROOM. SOON AFTER. Yvette knocks on the door to Jonah’s office, skeptically. JONAH Why hello there. Yvette slowly walks in. She looks inquisitively around the room, and quickly notices many quirky objects like stones and crystals on shelves. Foreign statuettes and dream catches, etc. YVETTE Interesting space. JONAH No need to be alarmed, just a few items that I use during my (MORE) (CONTINUED)
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8.
JONAH (cont’d) sessions. I find that they help draw out negativety and anxiety. No blair witch stuff, I promise. Yvette sits down on his couch. Jonah sits across from her. They sit in silence for a moment. JONAH Would you like me to start? Yvette nods. JONAH We can make this simple to begin with; my name is Jonah Muldowney. I am 45 years old and my favorite food is spare ribs. YVETTE My name is Yvette, I’m 21. I was born in upstate New York, near Rochester. But now I live in the city, and, I like sidewalks. Sidewalks?
JONAH
YVETTE Yes. Urban architecture and sidewalks. JONAH Good to know. That’s it.
YVETTE
JONAH That’s it? Do you know why you’re here? YVETTE I’ve been trying to figure that one out. JONAH A little too literal I suppose. I’ll tell you what, I have an idea. It might seem outlandish but it’s been known to work on my patients before.
(CONTINUED)
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9.
Jonah walks over to his desk, where he pulls out a white candle. Yvette looks terrified. JONAH Now, I’m just going to light this. Yvette begins to get up from her seat. JONAH Don’t be worried, I know that I have some unorthadox practices but I think that you should trust me on this one. YVETTE Trust. Yvette gingerly sits back down, as well as Jonah. JONAH Now, if you feel comfortable, I want you to close your eyes and imagine yourself in a completely white room. YVETTE You’re going to hypnotize me? JONAH I’m going to help you regress to back to your childhood. I am going to start counting backwards from 10, and with each number I want you to feel your eyelids becoming heavier, your body more relaxed, not a care in the world as we take this journey. Do not be afraid. 10..9..8.. CUT TO: INT.YVETTE’S BEDROOM. MORNING. Yvette wakes up unsteadily, as though something has hit her. She slowly turns over, and finds the most unusual thing in bed next to her. What Yvette is seeing is herself, as a little girl of age 7, in bed next to her, looking at her. Yvette does not move, and within a blink of the eye, Young Yvette is gone. Yvette gets cautiously out of bed. Yvette walks out of the room. She quickly grabs her phone and dials Jonah. His phone goes straight to message. (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
10.
YVETTE Hi Jonah, um, something really weird happened to me this morning, I kind of need to know what happened last night.. Young Yvette walks out the room into Yvette’s eyeline. Yvette suddenly hangs up the phone and stands up, startled. She watches carefully as Young Yvette walks into the kitchen, pulls up a chair and reaches for a box of cereal. She sloppily pours some into a bowl, with no milk, sits on the counter and eats it with her hands. Yvette walks closer, as if she thinks it’s a mirage, she stares at her skeptically. CUT TO: INT. OFFICE BUILDING. Yvette sits at her desk job, frantically searching online websites about ’hypnotism’ and ’curses.’ Her phone begins to ring, she see’s that it is Jonah calling. Hello.
YVETTE
JONAH Yvette, I got your message but it seems that you got, disconnected? YVETTE No. I’m um, I was seeing things. JONAH What exactly were you seeing? YVETTE It was..me. I saw, myself as a kid, in the flesh. JONAH That’s.. remarkable. What?
YVETTE
JONAH You should consider this a blessing.
(CONTINUED)
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11.
YVETTE A blessing? You knew this was going to happen to me? JONAH Yvette, all I’m saying is this opportunityYVETTE I can’t handle this right now. She hangs up on him in haste. CUT TO: EXT. SIDEWALK. Yvette is walking down the street to her apartment. The man who she made eye contact with before, Nathan, is outside, throwing out the trash. Yvette walks quickly past him. He begins to hurry up to her. Hey! Hello.
NATHAN YVETTE
NATHAN Can I talk to you for a moment? Yvette nods. NATHAN You’re um, my neighbor. Yes.
YVETTE
NATHAN Well, I’ve seen you before. Not in a weird stalkerish way. Just in a..way, you know? Yvette remains silent, and things now come to an awkward tension. Nathan searches to keep the conversation going. He looks at her fingers. NATHAN I like your nailpolish.
(CONTINUED)
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12.
YVETTE God, has no one ever seen the color blue before? NATHAN I’m sorry.. have I said something to offend you? YVETTE No, it’s just, I really can’t talk right now. NATHAN I understand. Maybe I’ll see you around sometime? Yvette nods and walks to her apartment. She rushes up stairs and quickly opens her door. CUT TO: INT.BEDROOM. Upon opening she sees Young Yvette sitting on the floor. She is covered in shaving cream and it is a mess everywhere. Yvette is automatically worried again and quickly closes her door. She stands outside it for a moment in total disbelief. She slowly opens the door again, and Young Yvette has not disappeared this time. YOUNG YVETTE Where’s Dad? Yvette backs away and in desperation goes over to Isabelle’s room and knocks on her door. CUT TO: INT.ISABELLE’S BEDROOM. YVETTE (freaked) Hey Isabelle! How are you? Okay.
ISABELLE
YVETTE I thought about what you said the other night. I’ve been preoccupied (MORE) (CONTINUED)
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13.
YVETTE (cont’d) lately. I thought that maybe I could take you up on your offer? ISABELLE Are you feeling well? YVETTE Sorry, I just would really like some company right now. ISABELLE I don’t know, you’re acting kinda strange. You’re not manic are you? YVETTE I’m not sure. Listen, you ever feel like there’s someone you can’t get rid of? ISABELLE Like ex boyfriend that won’t stop messaging you on facebook? YVETTE Possibly like that. ISABELLE Yeah, I know that well. I guess I could invite some people over. YVETTE Great. I’ll be ready as soon as possible. Yvette rushes out of the room. Isabelle shakes her head, confused. CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM. Yvette looks at Young Yvette through a small opening in her bedroom door. Young Yvette is looking curiously backs at her. Yvette stays idle for a moment, not knowing whether or not to engage her. Finally, she reluctantly speaks. YVETTE I have to go.
(CONTINUED)
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14.
But-
YOUNG YVETTE
YVETTE Just don’t break anything. Yvette coldly closes the door. Young Yvette stands there, as if waiting to be retrieved. INT. LIVING ROOM. LATER THAT NIGHT. The living room is filled with people. The lights are dimmed and there is music playing. People are drinking out of red cups. Yvette is talking to some people with a cup in her hand, obviously tipsy. She turns and see’s that Young Yvette is coming down the hall towards her, she becomes nervous. Young Yvette comes and stands right next to Yvette, it appears that no one else can see her. Everyone continues talking, Yvette quiets down. PERSON (asking Yvette) I don’t know, what do you think? YVETTE Think? I’m sorry, I must have spaced out for a moment. Um, I forgot something in my room. I’ll be right out. Yvette walks away from the conversation and Young Yvette follows. Just then, Nathan, walks through the front door with a few friends. You.
YVETTE
NATHAN Hey there. Thought I’d stop by. Your roommate mentioned a party to my friend. YVETTE Oh, she’s great like that. NATHAN Well, I’m glad to see you. Yvette looks down at Young Yvette, standing next to her like a puppy.
(CONTINUED)
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15.
YVETTE Would you, um, like to come sit with me? I have a backyard. NATHAN I would like that. As they walk, Young Yvette is side by side to Yvette. Yvette does her best to ignore her. YOUNG YVETTE Where are we going? CUT TO: EXT. ROOFTOP OR BACKYARD. LATE NIGHT. Nathan sits next to Yvette. Red cups are piled up next to them so it’s obvious that those two have been drinking this whole time. He is chugging down a drink. NATHAN And that’s how to chug rubbing alcohol. Probably not the smartest idea. In fact, I think my stomach is churning already. YVETTE (laughing) You’re such a character. NATHAN (smiling) And you’re not? YVETTE Me? I’m just regular. NATHAN I bet you’re far from regular. You seem like you’ve got the crazy in you. Yvette gets caught in thought. YVETTE You sure do know how to compliment a girl. NATHAN Oh no, not like that. I really shouldn’t talk, should I? What I (MORE) (CONTINUED)
CONTINUED:
16.
NATHAN (cont’d) meant was, why would you want to be like everyone else? Crazy means you’ve got spirit, you’re different and you’re not afraid. Nathan touches Yvette’s hand. Her body jumps and she pulls her hand away from his. I’m sorry.
NATHAN
YVETTE It’s fine. It’s just, been a while. Nathan nods. YVETTE I’m going to use the bathroom. I’ll be back. CUT TO: INT. BATHROOM. Yvette is washing her hands in the sink. She looks in the mirror with a sense of uncertainty. We can see Nathan walk by, the door is open ajar, so he stares at Yvette looking at herself in the mirror. Suddenly she catches him. YVETTE (startled) Nathan. NATHAN Didn’t mean to startle you. She walks out and makes eye contact. CUT TO: INT. KITCHEN. HOURS LATER. Everyone from the party has gone home. Yvette and Nathan stand in the kitchen, taking shots. Yvette winces from the alcohol. Nathan takes his hand and gently touches her hair, Yvette remains still. He then boldly kisses her. Yvette is surprised, and a little intimidated. They are both very intoxicated now. Nathan kisses her again, even harder.
(CONTINUED)
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17.
YVETTE Nathan, I don’t know. I’m drunk. NATHAN So am I. This is why it’s perfect. Nathan tries to kiss her again. Yvette pushes him away. YVETTE This isn’t what I wanted to happen. NATHAN Why don’t you relax a little. Nathan grabs her face with his hands. YVETTE Stop. NATHAN What is wrong with you? Nathan gets himself together and stumbles away. NATHAN (under his breath) Bitch. Nathan leaves, Yvette falls to the ground and begins to sob. She pulls her head up and Young Yvette is standing there. YOUNG YVETTE I’m scared. YVETTE So am I. CUT TO: INT. BEDROOM. SOON AFTER. In the darkness we see that Young Yvette is sleeping in the bed. Yvette is awake, sitting on the edge of the bed. She calls Jonah. Hello?
JONAH
YVETTE Hey, it’s me.
(CONTINUED)
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18.
JONAH Yvette? Are you alright? YVETTE I’ve had a..rough night. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. There was a guy, and, I pushed him away. JONAH There is nothing wrong with you Yvette. Maybe it’s just, not the right time. Maybe.
YVETTE
JONAH Are you still seeing the young girl? Yvette looks over at Young Yvette, she sees her clearly still sleeping there. No.
YVETTE
JONAH Good, you must have resolved some things. CUT TO: INT.KITCHEN. Yvette and Young Yvette are sitting next to each other on the counter, eating breakfast. YOUNG YVETTE Why is Dad still not here? YVETTE He lives out in California now. He’s been there for about 4 years. YOUNG YVETTE So we’re alone? YVETTE Yes. Well, I guess not entirely.
(CONTINUED)
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19.
YOUNG YVETTE Do we have friends at least? YVETTE Here and there. YOUNG YVETTE I don’t want to grow up. Young Yvette places her head on Yvette’s shoulder. Yvette see’s the worry in her eyes. CUT TO: EXT. STREET. DAY Yvette walks hand in hand with Young Yvette down the street. END.