Screenplay

EXT. STREET CORNER

FADE IN
Everything is gray. It’s pouring rain. The scenery, including the sidewalk, has a washed-out look.
LAWRENCE WHITE is kneeling on the ground, breathing hard. He’s soaking wet. As he comes to, he presses a hand against his throat. It comes away bloody. He looks up, catching his breath.

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INT. KITCHEN

The house is plain but clean: worn-out couch, water boiling, TV playing on mute, photos of WHITE couple on a shelf.
SARAH WHITE is chopping vegetables, humming to herself, hair falling out of her bun. She’s wearing a cute button-up, but she’s naturally pretty.
Her wedding photo and Harvard diploma on the wall.
She tosses the vegetables into a pot and moves her cutting board to the other side of the counter, where peeled potatoes are waiting.
Lawrence enters. His suit is soaked through and his hair is dripping wet. He’s still handsome. He drops his briefcase by the door.
LAWRENCE
Hi, honey, I’m home.
Sarah stares at him in shock, then screams and drops everything she’s holding.
SARAH
Oh my god!!
Lawrence stops short, confusion filling his face.
LAWRENCE
Sarah?
SARAH
Oh my god. Oh my god.
She presses her hand to her mouth. She can’t stop staring.
SARAH (cont’d)
What are you - what are you doing here.
LAWRENCE
I’m, uh, I’m home from work.
SARAH
[hushed] What?
LAWRENCE?
Work. My work? I was just working on the Shelley case. You know, the trucking accident ...
[concerned]
What’s wrong?
He takes a step closer, but she backs away.
SARAH
Lawrie, you’re - not supposed to be here.
LAWRENCE
What?
SARAH
You’re de*d.
Shocked silence. Lawrence does something between a frown and a laugh.
LAWRENCE
Okay, very funny. What’re you doing for dinner?
SARAH
You’re de*d. God, you’re de*d. [Then,] Why’re you here? I didn’t do anything while you’ve been - gone. I didn’t find another guy, I didn’t get drunk, I didn’t even get a speeding ticket, I ...
LAWRENCE
I’m just home from work, okay? I’m not accusing you of, I don’t know, laundering money. So why don’t you just sit down and we can talk about this.
Sarah laughs hysterically, clutching the edge of the counter behind her. Lawrence hesitates for a second, then comes over to her and takes her arm. She doesn’t resist as he sits her down.
SARAH
You’re supposed to be de*d ... you di*d in a car crash six months ago.
Lawrence now looks genuinely concerned.
LAWRENCE
Come on, honey, we both know you’re not making any sense. You’re probably just overworked. I’ll get you some water. We’ll have an early dinner and you’ll feel better tomorrow.
Sarah steadies her trembling hands as he fills a glass. Sounds are loud in the otherwise complete silence.
SARAH
Why did you leave me?
LAWRENCE
I didn’t - I didn’t leave you.
SARAH
You can’t be my husband. I saw your body after your accident. I buried you. [Fists clenched] You’re not Lawrence White, so who the -
LAWRENCE
Sit down!
Sarah sits. She sees the fear in his eyes.
LAWRENCE (cont’d)
Look, I don’t know what’s going on, but if this is some kind of joke, you’re not funny. Okay? Okay?! If for some reason you don’t think I’m your real husband, then ask me something only I’d know.
SARAH
Where was the first time you saw me?
LAWRENCE
Jack’s place. Out on the patio. You were drinking a strawberry milkshake. [Beat.] Did something happen at work today?
Sarah takes a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She shakes her head.
SARAH
Let me show you something.

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INT. BEDROOM

A king bed pushed against a wall, unmade. The closet open but neat inside. Floral curtains. Blue/white color scheme.
Sarah unlocks a filing cabinet and pulls out an envelope and a picture. She hands these to Lawrence.
SARAH
This is what they gave me. About the day you had your accident.
Lawrence opens the envelope first and skims it.
LAWRENCE
Dear Sarah White ... fatal accident ... your husband ... etc. etc.
He looks at the picture. It’s an aerial photograph of a car wreck. Sarah points at it.
SARAH
That was your car.
LAWRENCE
Right. I love that car.
SARAH
It’s gone.
LAWRENCE
Sarah, stop this. I took it to the shop this morning for an oil change. You know I took it to the shop.
Sarah smiles faintly and motions for him to follow.

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INT. GARAGE

The garage is meant for two cars, but only a shiny Mazda is parked inside. Sarah turns on a light.
SARAH
I keep it parked there.
She points to what seems to be thin air.
Revealed the front bumper, blackened with soot and partially melted. The license plate lies next to it.
Lawrence is at a loss for words.

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INT. KITCHEN

They’re having dinner together. Neither of them are eating.
Lawrence has changed into dry clothes.
LAWRENCE
I don’t understand. I just came from work.
SARAH
I know. I know. We have to think. Can you remember what you did this afternoon?
LAWRENCE
Yeah, the Shelley case.
SARAH
That was being finalized six months ago.
LAWRENCE
Guess it took longer.
SARAH
What were you doing after that? How did you get home?
LAWRENCE
Well, I picked up the car first ‘cause the oil change was finished.
SARAH
No, you walked. That’s why your clothes were wet, remember?
LAWRENCE
Right. I must have walked.
SARAH
The car’s gone. I showed you all that was left of it already.
LAWRENCE
I know. But I remember driving home.
SARAH
You di*d while driving. And while texting me, technically.
Beat.
LAWRENCE
What about?
SARAH
[quiet] How much you loved me.
[Inhales deeply]
How did you get back here?
LAWRENCE
I wish I could tell you.
A long pause. Sarah sets her fork down.
SARAH
This stuff tastes awful.
LAWRENCE
It’s fine. I mean, I haven’t tried it.
[Seeing her face]
Let’s go out for dinner.

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INT. RESTAURANT

A classic American diner, well-lit in the growing darkness. Loud music plays. Sarah and Lawrence seated at a table for two. Looking into each other’s eyes. Holding hands across the table. Soon, a WAITRESS comes over.
WAITRESS
Anything to drink?
SARAH
Um, yeah, I’ll have a water. Sparkling, please. He’ll have the same.
She gestures across the table.
There’s nothing there.
She looks like she’s holding hands with thin air.
WAITRESS
If you’re waiting on someone, we can -
SARAH
No, no, it’s just us. You do have sparkling, right? I mean, still is fine too, if you don’t.
WAITRESS.
Um. Yes. Yes, we do.
Sarah looks after the Waitress, frowning.
INT. RESTAURANT - A FEW MINUTES LATER
Food has arrived - casseroles, steaming hot. Hers is half-eaten. His is untouched.
SARAH
You’re not eating.
LAWRENCE
I’m not hungry.
SARAH
You’re really pale ...
LAWRENCE
I’m fine. This is all just a bit over my head.
SARAH
Mine, too.
LAWRENCE
Maybe we’re both dreaming. At the same time. In the same dream.
Sarah manages a strained laugh.
SARAH
You’re not supposed to feel pain in a dream.
LAWRENCE
Are you hurting anywhere?
Sarah drops her voice, then puts her hand over her heart.
SARAH
Right here. Every second of every day.
Her eyes glisten with tears. She’s trying not to cry in public.
SARAH (cont’d)
I just don’t understand why you had to leave.
LAWRENCE
I never left.
She gives him a half-smile and squeezes his hand.
SARAH
Did you hear, Maggie’s getting married ...

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EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT

Soft piano music.
Lawrence and Sarah stand together, looking over the water. It’s drizzling. Everything is foggy.
Their reflections in the river.
He puts his arm around her.
She leans into him.
He starts to say something but kisses her instead. She holds the kiss for several seconds. We don’t see her let go.
An older couple watching them because it looks like Sarah’s kissing the sky.

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INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

Sarah is tidying up while Lawrence lays on the bed. He hasn’t even taken off his shoes.
LAWRENCE
You know you can always wake up from a dream.
SARAH
I don’t want to wake up.
LAWRENCE
Why not?
SARAH
Cause I’ll know you’re de*d for sure.
LAWRENCE
We talked about this, honey. I’m right here.
SARAH
I wish. I wish you were.

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INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING

Sarah reaches over and pulls the blanket over Lawrence.
SARAH
I love you.
LAWRENCE
[half-asleep] Mm.
SARAH
I said I’d give anything to have you back. Even if it was just for five minutes. Even if I had to give my life to do it. But I didn’t count on trading my sanity.
She flips through a stack of business cards on her nightstand, then dials the number for her doctor.

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INT./EXT. TIME PASSING

FADE IN/FADE OUT each scene
Days, months, and years go by.
Sarah finishes school. Has a kid. Takes a new job. Gets older, but only a little bit older.
Shots of the city, on vacation, at work, at home, with Lawrence, with the baby, with friends, etc. etc.
Lawrence doesn’t change, but as time goes by, he becomes paler. His eyes darken. He looks more like a ghost than he did.
Sarah notices. He’s no longer the flush-cheeked handsome young man she married.
He’s gone.

Comments for this chapter

• Ok again this is a novel kind of story. DESCRIBE IT SO THAT THE DIRECTOR CAN MAKE A MOVIE, YOU HAVE TO DESCRIBE EVERY SCENE AND SHOW HOW "he's gone" OTHERWISE IT WONT WORK

  Comment by raob9 on January 15, 2026

  Liked by 0

• thats if yo uwant it to be a movie, but if you are just jotitng it down for fun its fine.

  Comment by raob9 on January 15, 2026

  Liked by 0

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INT. LIVING ROOM

It’s very nice for a living room. Glass swans on a table. White carpeting. Untouched white couch. Wall-to-wall mirror.
They stand there together. Close. Not touching.
SARAH
I - I can’t do this anymore.
LAWRENCE
What do you mean?
SARAH
I have to let you go.
LAWRENCE
No ... no. You don’t have to.
SARAH
I want to ... keep you here. I want to so much. But I can’t. You’re de*d.
LAWRENCE
I can’t be de*d. Look. I’m standing right in front of you.
He gently touches her cheek. Sarah shakes her head, her face twisting as she fights back tears.
SARAH
You’re not real.
LAWRENCE
But I am real.
SARAH
I have to let you go.
Lawrence shakes his head. He’s on the verge of crying too.
LAWRENCE
Please, Sarah. Don’t do this. We can work this out.
SARAH
You have to let me go.
[Pause]
You have to let me go.
LAWRENCE
Okay. Okay.
Sarah buries her face in his shirt. He closes his eyes, his arms around her. A tear slips out from under her eyelid.

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INT. CLOSET

Soft piano music.
Lawrence opens a safe and pulls something out. We can’t see what it is. Closes the safe. Goes outside.

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EXT. STREET CORNER

It’s pouring rain. Lawrence stands with his back to us. Pulls something out of his pocket and holds it in his mouth.
G*nshot.
FADE TO BLACK.

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