Going Somewhere

A one page excerpt of a full length sci-fi screenplay I am in the early stages of working on.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM. - NIGHT

A MOTHER cradles her baby girl with her left arm as she holds the wrinkled, fragile hand of the GRANDMOTHER, who is lying in the bed, hooked up to a life support ventilator. Her eyes are closed and she does not appear conscious. The mother rubs her thumb back and forth slowly over her mom’s hand while she softly weeps, careful not to alert the baby, who’s hand is in it’s mouth, teething. Mother lets out a deep, shaky breath, leans forward towards head of the bed, where wires hang connected to the back wall. After hesitating for a moment, her hand suspended over the wires, she pulls a plug. A machine begins to beep as the mother lets out a quick, pleading gasp, then retakes her mom’s hand, squeezing it tightly as she lays her head across her chest, no longer holding back her tears. The baby does not notice. The ringing of the heart monitor swells louder and louder until it blends into the pitch of rocket engines warming up as we:

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EXT. ROCKET SHIP LAUNCH PAD- A CLEAR DAY

A United States space ship stands on the launch pad, its engines hissing loudly around an otherwise quiet and barren field. Cars are seen in the distance, gathered on a raised hill. People surround them, watching. An announcer, loudly, yet somewhat distorted, over radio:

NASA ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

T-Minus 10 seconds and counting. 9. Ignition Sequence start. 6. 5. 4.

Smoke and steam start to billow under the rocket. Ice begins to drop off the rocket’s insulated tanks.

NASA ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

3. 2. 1. 0. All engines running. Liftoff!!! We have liftoff!

Smoke, steam, and flames shoot from below the rocket’s engines in all directions. A deafening boom is heard, yet even still the cheers of nearby spectators can be heard in the distance. More ice falls as the rocket shakes, pushing itself into the air. 

NASA ANNOUNCER (V.O.)

Tower clear!

The rocket soars upwards into the sky. At 250,000 feet, two booster rockets are successfully dropped from the ship. As the ship soars higher and higher, the sound is drowned out by a piano, playing slowly as we:

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