The Murder Effect

INT. MANCHESTER, TAYLOR RESIDENCE- VINCENT’S BEDROOM, CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT- 1988

A mysterious man looms over the bodies of Lucy and Cecile Taylor, lightening strikes every so often lighting up Vincent’s bedroom. He wields a knife dripping with the blood from Lucy and Cecile. Vincent, a boy of 9 years old, striped red and white pyjamas, thick black wavy hair, quivers in fear under his bed able to fully view the bodies of his parents.

The murderer approaches the bed wielding his pocket wooden handled pocket knife.

MURDERER

Come little boy, I know you’re in

here.

The man has a thick Manchester accent; HE continues to get closer to the bed flipping the knife in his hand.

MURDERER (CONT)

I thirst for your blood child, come

now let’s do this quickly so you

don’t suffer too much.

He cackles wickedly as he stops at the bed, his feet poke under a mere few centimetres from VINCENT, he shakes and quivers with fright. He begins to lean down until the knife peers under the bed.

Suddenly the blue and red lights from a police car blare through the bedroom window accompanied by the droning siren.

MURDERER (CONT) (cont’d)

(Mutters)

Ah s**t!

The MURDERER darts for the door throwing the knife into his jacket and stops.

MURDERER (CONT)

You got lucky kid

A loud clunk sounds as the knife falls from his pocket.

POLICEMAN (OS)

Stop! Backup, we need backup!

VINCENT climbs out from under his bed slowly and drops to his knees sobbing at the sight of his deceased parents. HE looks over to the knife and walks to it taking it into his hand. He studies it and presses a button flicking the knife out. He jumps and forces it back in.

The sound of rushing footsteps come from the hallway, VINCENT hides the knife down the back of his pyjamas as a

policewoman, short brunette hair, comes rushing in. SHE surveys the bedroom quickly and grabs hold of his radio.

OFFICER JONES

Station we have two possible 10-45s

please dispatch so we can seal off

the area thank you.

RADIO

10-4

OFFICER JONES kneels down to VINCENT and smiles gently at him.

OFFICER JONES

Hey there, I’m Officer Jones young

one, and who might you be.

VINCENT steps away from him wiping tears from his eyes.

OFFICER JONES (CONT)

You have no reason to be scared,

I’m not going to hurt you.

VINCENT

(Stutters)

V-Vincent miss

SHE places her hand upon VINCENT’s shoulder.

OFFICER JONES

Tell me Vincent, is there anyone we

can contact for you, a grandmother,

auntie, anyone?

He thinks for a moment.

VINCENT

(Stutters)

I...I don’t know

He begins to cry once more as tears begin rolling down his face.

OFFICER JONES

(Reassuringly)

It’s okay you’re just in shock, but

until then we’ll have to take you

down to the station, you’ll be in

our care, you’ll be safe okay?

VINCENT sniffles.

VINCENT

O-okay

HE grabs hold of OFFICER JONES’s hand gripping tightly, he looks back once more at his parents, their throats slit open, stab wounds covering them, lying in a pool of blood.

EXT. STREET OUTSIDE THE TAYLOR RESIDENCE

OFFICER JONES exits the house accompanied by VINCENT gripping tightly to his hand, rain poured down while the

sound of thunder crashed in the sky, SHE leads him down the pathway to his car parked in front of his house. VINCENT looks around as all his neighbours had gathered in the street muttering between their selves and pointing at him. SHE opens the back door for him and gestures him to sit inside.

OFFICER JONES

I need you to sit here for a moment

for me okay?

SHE strokes his face as he nodded at her.

OFFICER JONES (CONT)

Good boy, we’re just waiting for

another police car to get here,

they won’t be long.

SHE smiles at him and shuts the door leaving him alone.

OFFICER JONES (CONT) 

Dispatch we have a young boy coming

in by the name of VINCENT, the son

of Lucy and Cecile Taylor a

presume. He’s shaken up as you’d

expect so set him up a room for the

night and find out if there is

anyone we can contact, family,

relatives, anyone.

RADIO

Can the boy be considered a witness

to the event?

OFFICER JONES

Unfortunately yes, when I got in

his was stood at the door shaking

badly, he’s in shock so don’t

interrogate him tonight, understand

me?

RADIO

10-4

The lights of a police car finally approach stopping at the crime scene. An old man, balding, grey hair and stubble

beard steps out of the car.

OFFICER JENKINS

Susie, what do we have here?

OFFICER JONES

Two murder victims and a shaken up

child, murder weapon hasn’t been

found and murderer not contained.

OFFICER JENKINS

Dear God can the force not do

anything right anymore.

HE pushes HER aside and walks into the Taylor Residence. SHE steps inside the car finally and starts it up.

VINCENT

That man’s not very nice is he?

OFFICER JONES chuckled and looked back at him.

OFFICER JONES

He’s just a grumpy old man stuck in

the past, nothing more. Come on

let’s get you somewhere safe and

warm.

INT. MANCHESTER POLICE STATION - EARLY MORNING

OFFICER JONES and VINCENT enter the Police station and stop at the reception, LINDA, a young woman, blond hair, green eyes, is busy on the phone taking a call.

LINDA

Okay, yes we will contact you right

away. Okay thank you bye.

She looks up and smiles at OFFICER JONES

LINDA (CONT)

Susie, so is this young VINCENT?

OFFICER JONES

Yes it is, tell me do you have any

messages for me?

She looks over sticky notes until finally she finds what she

is after.

LINDA

Ah yes! We have contacted Vincent’s

family, BRADLEY wants to talk to

you about it in private and to see

him as soon as you can.

OFFICER JONES

Ah

She pauses.

OFFICER JONES (CONT)

Well thank you anyway, I’ll just

take VINCENT to my office, he’ll

stay there for tonight.

LINDA

Well it was a pleasure to meet you

Master Vincent.

VINCENT smiled and clung to OFFICER JONES.

INT. POLICE STATION - OFFICER JONES OFFICE

OFFICER JONES and VINCENT enter her office; it contained a simple wooden desk with a lamp, notepads and files. Whilst the room also contained a small brown leather sofa up against the wall with plants in every corner.

OFFICER JONES

It isn’t much, but you can stay

here tonight.

SHE opened one of the cupboards to the left of the room and pulled out a blue pillow and blanket.

OFFICER JONES (CONT)

I sleep here when I have a lot of

work to do so here you go, you’ve

had a long day so take a rest.

VINCENT

(Quietly)

Okay

SHE smiled at him and approached the door.

OFFICER JONES

I just need to talk to a colleague,

I’ll be right back okay?

HE nodded at her as she left the room quickly.

INT. BRADLEY’S OFFICE

A knock comes at the door stirring BRADLEY, a middle-aged man, dark brown hair, wears glasses, from his work, he looks up from the file he is studying.

BRADLEY

Come on in.

OFFICER JONES enters slowly.

OFFICER JONES

You wanted to see me?

BRADLEY

Yes that is correct, umm come sit

down.

SHE sits down at his desk awaiting him to continue.

BRADLEY (cont’d)

I contacted VINCENT'S family, a lot

of his family in fact...

He pauses.

OFFICER JONES

And? Come on spit it out.

He sighs and puts down his file and removes his glasses cleaning them and puts them back on.

BRADLEY

It appears the TAYLORS weren’t very

much liked in the family.

OFFICER JONES

How do you mean?

BRADLEY

Well I contacted everyone,

grandmother, auntie, from both

sides. They all said pretty much

the same thing, ’I’m sorry, but we

don’t want him’ then they’d hang up

on me.

SHE gasps and sits back.

OFFICER JONES

So that means...

BRADLEY

Yeah, unfortunately with no family

to claim him he’ll have to go into

an orphanage.

OFFICER JONES

Oh poor boy, as if it wasn’t enough

that his parents have been murdered

his own family doesn’t want

anything to do with him? That’s

awful.

BRADLEY looks down to his file and sits back reading.

BRADLEY

He’s a young boy, I’m sure he’ll be

adopted quite quickly. The quicker

we get him into a home the better.

However first I hear he is a

potential witness to the murder, am

I not correct.

OFFICER JONES

Yes that is correct, I hate to do

it to such a young child but we

have to follow procedures.

BRADLEY

That we do, that we do.

SHE begins to leave but stops suddenly.

OFFICER JONES

All he has is pyjamas right now,

what should we do about that?

BRADLEY

I’ll have someone fetch some

clothes for him, they’ll be ready

for him by morning, I promise

OFFICER JONES

Thank you.

BRADLEY

No need to thank me, I’m just doing

my job, nothing more.

SHE leaves the room, HE places down his file and removes his glasses and rubs his eyes.

INT. POLICE STATION - OFFICER JONES OFFICE

SHE enters the room to see VINCENT sleeping soundly on the sofa, she walks over and tucks him in and strokes his hair. SHE sits down at her desk and begins writing down the events of the night into a file logging it down.

Author's Note

I would love any criticism and feedback on this as I am considering turning this in to a proper script for Film or Stage

Reviews

[Tricia O'Brien]

This is rad as hell, I dig your style
Bad a*s
Trish-

[MandaBear]

I just saw this because one of my friends on here had read it so I decided to read it and I am glad I did. I cant wait to find out what happens next. You really drew me in with story! You did a wonderful job on this and I am glad I got the chance to read this fine work!

[Forgotten]

Thank you I hope you enjoy it further in the future :)

[Coyote Poetry]

It is a well written story to me. I wish I had the skill to write a screenplay. Need vision of stage and making words have sense. Hard to do. I like the situation and the action of the characters in the story. My opinions mean little on screenplays. I like it.
Coyote

[Forgotten]

Well your opinion means alot to me nonetheless :) I'm hoping to continue this as it gets alot darker and grim later

[Coyote Poetry]

It held my attention. I hope to read more.