Fall Away

A Screenplay by tmb219

This is the latest short script I have written about a married couple whose lives are thrown completely off course one lovely day in a pumpkin patch.

EXT. OHIO - PUMPKIN PATCH - DAY

Delaney Bradley, 35, with short brown hair and brown eyes

strolls through the pumpkin patch with her husband Mike, 38,

and pushes their three-year-old son Sawyer in a stroller.

Delaney wears a cardigan sweater, jeans, and brown shoes.

Mike wears a hooded sweatshirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. Mike

walks next to his wife. He has chestnut brown hair and hazel

eyes and wears a navy blue baseball cap. He pulls a wagon

behind him with two large pumpkins.

Delaney stops with the stroller for a moment. Mike stands

near Sawyer, and Delaney bends to pick up one last pumpkin

and adds it to the wagon. She takes control of the stroller

once more. They begin to walk toward the front of the patch.

As Delaney and Mike walk toward the owner of the pumpkin

patch to pay, Mike stops suddenly with the wagon. He stares

straight ahead, and Delaney stops with the stroller when she

notices Mike.

Mike looks at Delaney, then to a pregnant WOMAN, 36, who

stands in front of him and looks at him with an intense

stare. She has very blonde hair and bright blue eyes, and she

is thin with the exception of her very pregnant stomach.

MIKE

Delaney, are you, uh, sure you

didn't want anything else before we

go?

He glances back toward the pumpkin patch. Delaney watches

him, as he shifts and glances around nervously.

DELANEY

No, hun. I think we're good. Just

hafta pay for this.

Delaney looks at the woman in front of them and hands over

money to the owner for the pumpkins.

WOMAN

Mike. Hello.

Mike acts as if he does not hear the woman who speaks to him.

WOMAN (CONT'D)

Mike?

DELANEY

Mike? Who is that?

Mike glances toward the woman and looks down.

MIKE

Hi, Kathy. How are you?

KATHY

Apparently not as good as you.

Delaney watches the interaction between the two. Her brows

furrow and head tilts in confusion.

DELANEY

Mike, who is that?

MIKE

Uh, just an old friend from

college. Kathy, this is Delaney, my

wife.

Delaney reaches out a hand to shake Kathy's, but Kathy just

stares at Mike. Delaney puts her hand back on the stroller.

DELANEY

Nice to meet you, Kathy. I've never

heard Mike mention you before.

KATHY

No, I can see that. Old college

friends, huh Mike?

Mike nods slowly and looks at Kathy.

MIKE

Uh huh.

He looks to Delaney.

MIKE (CONT'D)

Ready to go, sweetie?

Delaney nods and looks at Kathy, who still stares at Mike

with intense eyes.

DELANEY

Yep.

Mike looks up once more.

MIKE

Good to see you. Take care.

Delaney, Mike, and Sawyer go toward the car in the gravel

parking lot.

INT. BRADLEY HOUSE - KITCHEN - LATE MORNING

Delaney clears Sawyer's empty plate and hears a THUMP outside

and looks through the front window. Delaney see Kathy in the

front window, and she holds a gun. Delaney's eyes widen, and

she drops the plate. It CRASHES to the floor and SHATTERS.

Kathy nods her head and gives an evil smile. She pulls the

gun up, as if she might shoot. Delaney tries to act calm so

remains still and turns to go back toward Sawyer.

DELANEY

(yells)

Mike!

There is no answer.

DELANEY (CONT'D)

(yells)

Mike!

Delaney pulls her cell phone and dials. She talks into the

phone.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)

911. What's your emergency?

DELANEY

Um, yeah. Someone is about to

shoot, and --

Cathy SHOOTS down the front door and walks inside, with her

gun held up.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)

Ma'am? Ma'am? Are you there, ma'am?

Delaney drops her cell phone.

DELANEY

(yells)

Mike! Mike!

Kathy does not move.

KATHY

Yeah, maybe you should get Mike

down here. We have some business to

take care of, Delaney.

DELANEY

Uh, business?

Delaney stands right in front of Sawyer. He begins to WHINE.

KATHY

Yes, Delaney. Mike and I have been

seeing each other for some time

now, and I'll be having his child

soon.

She pauses and looks at Delaney. Delaney blinks several times

and looks at Mike, as he comes down the stairs. He does not

notice Kathy.

MIKE

Were you calling me, hun?

Delaney looks from Mike to Kathy and back to Mike.

DELANEY

Is it true, Mike? Have you been

with her? Are you having a baby

with her?

MIKE

What?

He looks at Kathy, as she stands in front of them and still

holds the gun to Delaney. Mike looks back at his wife and

puts his head down.

DELANEY

Well? Tell me now. Is it true?

Mike doesn't look up and nods his head slowly. As he looks up

at Delaney, two POLICE OFFICERS stand near the front doorway

next to where the door had been.

POLICE OFFICER

Ma'am, put the gun down.

Kathy stays in the same position with her gun up.

POLICE OFFICER (CONT'D)

Ma'am. I repeat. Put the gun down,

or we will shoot.

Both officers walk over to Kathy. She stares at them, gun

still in position. One officer places his gun behind her and

the other in front of her. Kathy shoots and misses Delaney

and Sawyer. The bullet goes through the kitchen window.

Delaney ducks and grabs Sawyer. As soon as the bullet is

shot, one officer grabs the gun, while the other grabs Kathy

and restrains her down to the floor and cuffs her. She tries

to break away, but it is too late.

Mike rushes over to Delaney and Sawyer, but she turns away

and ignores him.

MIKE

Delaney, please. Let me explain.

Delaney shakes her head.

DELANEY

There is nothing to explain. I

don't wanna be near you right now.

Please go. Damn it, Mike. Go. Now!

Mike stands up and takes a few steps away from his wife and

son. The police officer takes Kathy through the doorway in

handcuffs to the police car in the driveway. The second

police officer goes over to Delaney, who now holds Sawyer.

POLICE OFFICER

Mr. and Mrs. Bradley, I'm going to

need you both to come down to the

station to answer some questions

for us.

DELANEY

Okay, but can I please pack a bag

quickly? There's no way I'm coming

back here.

She looks intensely at Mike, and he looks back at her with

sad eyes. Delaney, still with Sawyer, begins to walk up the

steps without a response.

MIKE

Delaney, please come back home with

me. We can work this out.

Delaney pauses, turns around on the steps toward Mike, and

looks directly at him.

DELANEY

There is no way.

Delaney continues up the steps with her son. Mike shakes his

head and waits silently in the kitchen for his wife to

return.

Delaney returns after a few minutes with a large bag and

purse on one shoulder and Sawyer in her arms. She ignores her

husband and looks at the officer.

DELANEY (CONT'D)

Sorry, Officer. I'm ready now.

POLICE OFFICER

That's fine. I'm going to need you

both to ride in my squad car. Mrs.

Bradley, you can sit in the front

if that will make you feel better.

Delaney nods her head.

DELANEY

Yes, thank you. I won't have my car

though to go somewhere else after

we're done at the station. What

will I do?

POLICE OFFICER

Ma'am, we'll make sure you get your

car and get somewhere safely. Don't

worry.

The officer gives Delaney a reassuring smile, and she tries

to smile back. Mike still stands silent in the kitchen.

INT. POLICE DEPARTMENT - LOBBY - DAY

Delaney walks through a door to the lobby with her son, and

Mike follows behind her. The police office is close behind.

Delaney stops and turns to the officer.

POLICE OFFICER

Thank you both for your time. You

don't have to worry about Kathy any

longer, and we now have all the

information we need to complete the

case.

They both nod in response.

POLICE OFFICER (CONT'D)

Mrs. Bradley, I can take you back

to your home to get your car now.

MIKE

Delaney, wait. Please come home, at

least for the night. We can talk

about this and figure things out in

the morning.

DELANEY

Mike, go to hell! There is no way I

will ever be living with you again

or letting our son near you. You

lied to me and betrayed our family.

How dare you!

MIKE

I know I messed up, but --

POLICE OFFICER

Sir, maybe you should get a cab,

while I get your wife to her car. I

don't think she'll be staying with

you. Go on now.

Mike turns away and shakes his head, as he walks out the

front door of the station. Delaney looks at the officer. She

forces a smile.

DELANEY

Thank you. Thank you so much. I

can't go back to him or that house.

He will have to understand that.

POLICE OFFICER

I know, Mrs. Bradley. Good for you.

© 2012 tmb219

Author's Note

Please ignore grammatical/formatting errors. This is was done as part of my graduate program for Creative Writing.

My Review

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Featured Review

A.j. Dru

Descent work. Format is good. I think it would be better if you weren't rushing the story, but I understand that it was for a class assignment. The conflict is there. The characters are there. I just felt the story was rushed, making it a bit unbelievable. For example, those cops sure did respond quickly. I could see that scene unfolding in a matter of seconds. Again, I understand that it was done for school, so I won't hold that against you, but if you wanted to seriously persue this story, I would suggest slowing down and letting the story span out. Other than that, good job.