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writing sample:
LOVE: A FORM OF SICKNESS. This is just the first 7 pages of the script, and it is registered! If interested in the idea or writing style, please contact Pink Lamb.
EXT. AN ITALIAN RESTRAUNT PATIO NIGHT
Anne Marie, a twenty six year old screenwriter, is out to a romantic dinner, in Marina Del Rey, with her older boyfriend Joel. The lights are dimmed and there are candles at the table. A violinist walks by playing a melody. Anne Marie appears to be a bit overwhelmed and takes a big gulp of her red wine. Joel reaches his hand across the table to hold hers.
JOEL
Anne Marie I am so happy
with “us” right now.
Joel waits for a response.
ANNE MARIE
Yeah, me too Joel.
Anne takes another sip of her wine.
JOEL
I’ve just always wanted a
big family, someone to come
home to and have the dinner
ready, and take nice vacations with.
Anne is now starting to panic.
ANNE MARIE
I can’t believe the long hours
I’ve been working lately. I
feel like I barely have time to eat.
JOEL
It will slow down soon Hun,
It’s just because you’re
starting on a new story.
ANNE MARIE
I don’t know when my life will
slow down. I am happy with how it
is all going right now, which
reminds me I just found out that I am going to Ireland in a feww days. I’m taking Deedra with me.
JOEL
Why can’t I go with you?
ANNE MARIE
Because she is my sister and
I told her when I got the
opportunity to go to Ireland
I would take her.
JOEL
So what you guys are going
to be partying the whole time
over there? Probably have a
bunch of guys picking up on you
the whole time.
Anne starts to drink more, she is very upset and frantic, and her body almost twitches. She starts to get a queasy feeling as it shows in her face.
JOEL
What’s wrong with you now?
Anne Marie is overwhelmed and starts to get up.
ANNE MARIE
I feel like I’m going to get
sick. I think I need to leave.
JOEL
You probably drank too much.
Want me to get you some soda
water sweetie?
ANNE MARIE
No I think I just want to go home.
JOEL
Ok let me take care of it
and I’ll take you.
ANNE MARIE
It’s ok. I live down the street.
She starts to walk away fast.
Sorry, I’ll call you later.
Anne Marie quickly walks out the gate from the patio. Joel is left at the table. Anne slowly starts to run down the street from the restaurant. She stops at the bushes a couple blocks down and throws up in them.
INT. ANNE MARIE’S APARTMENT SAME NIGHT
Anne Marie stumbles into her apartment and picks up her cordless phone in her entryway. She runs into the bathroom to throw up again.
INT. BATHROOM
Anne Marie is done throwing up. She calls her best friend EMMIE.
EMMIE
Hello.
ANNE MARIE
Hey Emmie.
EMMIE
Anne! What’s wrong?
ANNE MARIE
I got sick again.
EMMIE
So no more Joel huh?
ANNE MARIE
Honestly, what’s my problem?
He starts talking about a
family and a white picket fence
and I run.
EMMIE
It’s OK, it just means you’re
not ready yet. At least you
were with this one for six
months, that’s a step in the
right direction.
ANNE MARIE
Yeah but will I ever be
ready?
EMMIE
You will, you just need to
find the right one, your
soul mate.
ANNE MARIE
I think I’m going to come
down to San Diego tomorrow.
I can hang out with my girls a little before Dee and I fly out.
EMMIE
Great. I’ll be sure to get
the girls together. Fun!
It will be just like college
again!
ANNE MARIE (smiling) See you soon!
EMMIE
Peace!
Anne Marie hangs up her phone and walks into her bedroom. She plops on her bed and turns her head to look at all of the pictures on her wall of her friends and the guys she has dated.
ANNE MARIE (VO) Nausea: A feeling that you
get when you’re with someone
and they make you feel sick.
It’s sad because you’ve loved
them and one day you wake up and something’s changed. They make you feel sick.
The sight of them, the touch of them,
and even when they kiss you.
Once you get this feeling you
may figure out how to prevent
it, keep yourself from becoming claustrophobic probably, getting
out of the situation, away from
being smothered by a jealous
or insecure person.
INT. ANNE MARIE’S CAR MORNING
Anne Marie is swerving in and out of traffic, she is in a hurry to get somewhere
ANNE MARIE (CONT’D)
And usually if you are independent,
they become more jealous. Jealousy
is something that can never be
quenched, it just gets deeper
and deeper until that monster
has consumed a body. With one
sight of that, it’s time to
end everything and get out
immediately. And go where?
Well right now I will be lucky
to beat this LA traffic and
get to the train station.
INT. TRAIN
Anne Marie sits at a table looking out at the California coastline. She has her laptop in front of her with a script that is in progress. She stares at the screen. The script reads: “The tour bus drives through the Irish mountains and stops to pick up a hitchhiker.”
ANNE MARIE
(to herself) Oh what kind of guy is
this going to be? Man, the
guys I’ve dated.
Anne looks to the beach and smiles.
FLASH BACK: BEN, a fit guy that has a lot of tattoos and a couple random piercings is sitting on Anne’s couch with a bunch of friends playing drinking games and cards. Ben burps really loud!
BEN
Excuse me! Man I need
another beer. Babe, can you
get me one?
Anne Marie rolls her eyes.
ANNE MARIE
Sure.
She gets up and everyone is really loud and drunk.
EMMIE
Anne get me one too!
FADE INTO: ANDREW, a fit military guy playing the guitar. He is singing HOMEWARD BOUND. Anne likes what she hears.
ANNE
Do you want to go out
tonight?
ANDREW
Lets just stay in, the
base doesn’t give us our pay checks until next week.
We can sit around and drink?
ANNE (VO)
No ambition, military boy!
FADE TO: ANTHONY, a nineteen-year-old boy with his hat on backwards. Him and Anne Marie are making out in Anne’s car over looking Los Angeles. He brushes her hair back.
ANTHONY
You really do mean a lot to
me. Anne just smiles back at him.
ANNE (VO)
He’s only nineteen, a baby,
but I like him. He maybe young
but he’s real.
FLASH FORWARD to present. Anne is smiling and an old lady with a New York accent has been seated next to her.
OLD LADY
You’re in a trans.
Anne notices her there and giggles.