242. Unspoken - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• EXT. MAINE BEACH - NIGHT


• JACKIE and RIC sit by the embers of a dying fire on the sand.


• Black waves lap onto the sand, the silver of moonlight tangled within their dark mass.


• The light plays off of the couple's faces.


• Jackie sits cross legged, arms perched on her knees.


• Ric has his head on her shoulder and they watch the embers.


• Jackie's face is strong with delicate features, high cheekbones and an angular face.


• She wears a tank top, which reveals the spirals and bands tattooed around her arms and spilling onto her chest.


• Her dark loose pants ripple in the light breeze.


• Rik has short cropped hair and an earring in his left lobe.


• He wears a tight-fitting t-shirt and jeans, his bare feet partly buried in the sand.


• He takes his head off her shoulder and begins slowly, gently tracing her tattoos with his forefinger.


• He stops and they look at each other; she smiles.


• He follows the spirals up and down, feeling her smooth skin.


• She leans over to kiss him and suddenly he flickers and disappears.


• She lets out a gasp and looks around.


• She stands, spinning backwards and forwards looking for him.


• INT. LAB 31 - DAY


• Jackie's body lies strapped to a hospital bed, wires extending from her body into a bank of computers.


• Bags full of fluid surround the bed, quietly pumping her full of the nutrients she needs.


• DR. O'MARTIN watches a bank of paper-thin monitors along the walls.


• The monitors show Jackie racing around the sand, yelling soundlessly for Rik.


• His colleague DR. MARTINEZ steps into the room, with a guest, MR. HAYDEN.


• Mr. Hayden inspects the monitors.


• DR. MARTINEZ
• As you can see, we can see what our subject is seeing in the virtual world we've crafted for her.


• MR. HAYDEN
• Excellent. Dr. O'Martin, good to meet you.


• O'Martin nods.


• MR. HAYDEN
• And you've run her through the narrative how many times?


• DR. MARTINEZ
• This is her 20th time, sir.


• MR. HAYDEN
• She doesn't remember a thing?


• DR. O'MARTIN
• We do a thorough mind wipe after every session.


• MR. HAYDEN
• And what about...?


• DR. MARTINEZ
• She's held out the longest of our subjects, but she should lose her mind completely in the next several sessions.


• MR. HAYDEN
• Excellent, excellent.


• DR. MARTINEZ
• We'll let you know as soon as she's complete.


• DR. O'MARTIN
• You'll be able to mold her however you wish. You can have her do anything once we finish our process. We aim to provide you with a quality product.


• MR. HAYDEN
• She'll never remember?


• DR. MARTINEZ
• She'll have some fight left, but it'll be instinctual...we can wipe that as well?


• MR. HAYDEN
• No, no, it's fine. I like a little spunk.


• DR. MARTINEZ
• Good, well let me show you out to the receptionist and she'll get the rest of your information for payment.


• She guides Mr. Hayden from the room.


• Dr. O'Martin watches Jackie run around a little longer, then touches a full buttons on the screens.


• Jackie's body twitches.


• EXT. MAINE BEACH - NIGHT


• JACKIE and RIC sit by the embers of a dying fire on the sand.


• Ric has his head on her shoulder and they watch the embers.


• He takes his head off her shoulder and begins slowly, gently tracing her tattoos with his forefinger.


• FADE TO BLACK.