the trusted
(extract)4.1 INT KITCHEN DAY
DANIELLE is sitting at the kitchen table. SARAH joins her.
SARAH
Good morning.
DANIELLE
Morning! You’re up early…
SARAH
It’s a habit.
DANIELLE laughs. SARAH starts pouring cornflakes into a bowl.
DANIELLE
It’s a good habit. You should teach your uncle something about getting up on time. He’s still asleep!
SARAH
Doesn’t he have to work?
DANIELLE suddenly looks pensive.
DANIELLE
Well…he lost his job recently.
SARAH
What? How?
DANIELLE
Just the usual, the company was laying off workers… it’s not a big deal, I make enough to support us. It’s been difficult for him to get another job. But don’t worry about that. It works out, especially since you’re here. I don’t have much time because of work, but he can take you around.
SARAH
That’s all right, I don’t mind…
DANIELLE
Nonsense! You’ve come here for a break, you should have some fun.
DANIELLE looks at the clock and jumps up.
DANIELLE
Anyway, I’ve got to go. Take care of yourself, and when Chris wakes up tell him to take you out somewhere, you didn’t come here just to sit around the house all day!
DANIELLE leaves. A door slams. SARAH continues eating her cornflakes. CHRIS walks in. He is unshaven and wearing shorts and a t-shirt.
SARAH
Morning.
CHRIS grunts. He walks over to the fridge and pulls out some juice before sitting down to drink it. There is silence for a while as SARAH finishes her breakfast. She gets up and goes to put her bowl in the sink. Suddenly she feels hands on her shoulders. She turns around to find CHRIS standing right behind her.
SARAH
What… Uncle…
CHRIS
Now, you don’t need to call me that… it makes me feel so old.
SARAH
What? Huh?
SARAH makes to move away but CHRIS grabs her by the arms and traps her against the sink.
SARAH
Ow! Let go of me! You’re hurting me!
CHRIS ignores her.
CHRIS
Come on, you’re a big girl now. And you’re very, very beautiful… so beautiful…
SARAH
Stop it… stop saying that.
CHRIS
But you are… you have no idea, do you? Come on, give me a kiss… let me show you how beautiful you can be…
SARAH is shocked and scared. She drops the bowl she is holding. The sound startles CHRIS and he moves away for a second, long enough for SARAH to duck under his arm and run out of the kitchen
CHRIS
Sarah! Come back!
CUT TO:
SARAH runs through the house and out the door, knocking over things as she goes. She is rubbing her eyes as if she is about to cry.
4.2 EXT CHRIS AND DANIELLE’S HOUSE DAY
SARAH runs out of the house and around the back. She is breathing heavily and she wipes at her face. She runs to the old swing and suddenly trips, scraping her knees. She is in pain but she ignores it, instead dusting off her hands and leaning back against one of the swing supports. She is trembling. She sniffles loudly and draws her knees up to her chest.
Footsteps can be heard. SARAH tenses and looks up as a shadow falls in front of her. CHRIS is standing there.
CHRIS
Sarah…
SARAH
Go away! What do you want?
CHRIS walks over to her and kneels in front of her.
CHRIS
Look, I’m sorry… I just wasn’t thinking… I never should have said those things…
He reaches out and touches her arm where he had gripped it. She flinches.
CHRIS
I’m just going to take a look at that. I hope you’re okay. I don’t know what came over me… come on, let’s go back in…
SARAH shakes her head.
CHRIS
I know you’re mad at me… I’d be pretty angry too. But trust me, Sarah, I didn’t mean it, I wasn’t thinking… I promise it’ll never happen again.
SARAH reluctantly lets CHRIS help her up, but walks a fair bit behind him as they go back to the house. Before going in, CHRIS stops at the door and turns to speak to SARAH.
CHRIS
Oh, and one thing… please don’t tell Danielle what happened. She’s already angry at me for everything else… let’s just keep this as our little secret, okay? Just don’t let her know, and we can forget about it.
SARAH stares at him, nodding very slowly, but her hands balling up into fists by her side. She looks scared.