Heart of Clouds
by Adrienne D. Wilson
Adaptation chapter 4
Apple and Feather
(for Walter Halsey Davis, of the SB Writers Conference, my teacher)
INT. PRESENT TEENIE KITCHEN. DISMAL BLUE LIGHT.
(Teenie sighs in frustration)
Takes apples from the basket one by one, thinking of her father and better times. She rummages through the kitchen trying to find what she needs for the pie. Draws a list up, in her notebook. Close in on her hands with the apples, startling red and green. She shines one on her jeans, it glistens like a ruby.
(in handwriting)
we close in on her handwriting what she needs for the pie
FLASHBACK. JAX. OLD HOUSE KITCHEN. MAGIC HOUR LIGHT
(we see Teenie and Jax baking a pie together, he teaches her to cut the apples, they fall into flower shapes, smiling and laughing. Close in on his face, full of love for his daughter.
TEENIE
Mom do you feel like helping me?
MOM……….
CHRISTINA
No, honey, I don’t
TEENIE
Please?
CHRISTINA
Teenie I am trying to watch the news
TEENIE
But, Mom…
CHRISTINA
(sharply, angrily)
Teenie
CHRISTINA
Another species just went extinct, Teenie
The Wave is on its way now
TEENIE
Mom can we just make this pie together
Mom…….
FLASHBACK. TEENIE’S OLD HOUSE. DAY
Teenie and her parents having to move, throwing everything out, including all her childhood toys, FOR SALE sign on the house
CHRISTINA
What are we going to do, Jax
INT. PRESENT. TEENIE KITCHEN. DISMAL LIGHT
TEENIE
(Teenie whispers to the apples)
I just want to make the pie Mom. I just want things to be normal again.
Teenie begins to cut the apples into flowers, while her mother sits wrapped in grey on the sofa, eyes glued to the television, she makes the pie, rolling out the crust, shaping it for Mr. Honeygarten. The apartment kitchen has such a sad atmosphere she can barely breathe. She touches a golden locket, her father’s picture inside. Close in as her hand opens it, heart shaped. Smiles at his face.
EXT. DRIFTWOOD HUT. MORNING. SATURATED LIGHT.
(Devlin, puzzled, at her note, wonders how he can answer)
FLASHBACK
Devlin and his father, and his grandparents at the funeral for his mother.
*location SB Cemetary at Butterfly Beach
A plain pine coffin, flowers. Close in on all their faces. Devlin’s father with his arm around the boy. Tears. Devin stoic.
EXT. DRIFTWOOD HUT. PRESENT.
DEVLIN
How am I supposed to answer a question like that
Maybe she cries in private like I do
Devlin takes off down the beach running – long shot as we pan, seabirds scattering before him. His arms are outstreched like a birds wings, almost a dance against the waves near his castles, where the red tails roost. We see them against the sky twirling and gliding, riding the currents.
(Devlin finds a feather)
DEVLIN
(screams into the wind)
This is who I am. I’m going to leave this for her.
INT. DRIFTWOOD HUT. BRIGHT SATURATED LIGHT
(Devlin smiling)
He pockets her note, and the origami bird, smooths the sand around the abalone shell, and replaces the stones in a stack. He scoops sand in the shell, and places the feather there for her. We see him walking through the waves, in his jeans pant legs wet to the knees, in the seafoam.
(to page 32, in my book)
Adrienne Wilson 