Caught in the Storm 3 (1)

Caught in the Storm 3 (1)

• 1.
  SCENE 1- PLAYGROUND FADEFROM BLACK Late afternoon, exterior of a playground Mackenzie is on the swing set, swinging as high as possible. She is joyful and thinking of her past. The swing starts to accelerate downwards, blowing her hair back. Mackenzie laughs. MACKENZIE (VO) I’ve always loved the feeling like I was soaring. Like I was a bird or a superhero that was free to fly wherever I desired. When I was a child I would beg my parents to come to this playground everyday just so I could play on the swings. POV of Mackenzie’s husband, Owen, and young daughter, Aubrey playing on the playground. Their laughter travels across the park, making Mackenzie smile. She watches them thoughtfully. MACKENZIE (VO) Now little Aubrey is going to be begging me and Owen to bring her here everyday! The swing begins to slow as Mackenzie drags her feet in the dirt. She rests her head against the metal chain. MACKENZIE (VO) The amount of joy Owen and Aubrey bring to my life is indescribable. Everyday I think back to all the memories we have created, treasuring them with all of my heart. Mackenzie closes her eyes and the film is transported into her mind, showing a glimpse of her fondest memories with Owen and Aubrey. SCENE 2- MEMORY 1 Exterior of a house, at dusk Mackenzie and Owen walk up the driveway to the front porch of Mackenzie’s house holding hands. They look younger, in their mid-teens. (CONTINUED)
• 2.
  CONTINUED: 2. OWEN I hada wonderful time with you today, Mackenzie. MACKENZIE Thank you for a wonderful first date. Mackenzie and Owen look at each other longingly for a few seconds, and then Owen leans in and kisses her. They both smile. Mackenzie opens the door to the house as Owen makes his way back down the porch stairs. As Mackenzie closes the door she leans against it, smiles, and gently touches her lips. She is overjoyed. MACKENZIE My first kiss... SCENE 3- MEMORY 2 Interior house, afternoon Mackenzie is in her early 20s now and is in her house, cleaning. She hears a knock at the door and goes to answer it. When she opens the door she finds Owen, in his military uniform, standing in the doorway smiling. She is taken back, not expecting Owen to be home from Iraq for another couple months. MACKENZIE Oh my god... Owen takes Mackenzie’s hands, pulling her out to the porch. They embrace. OWEN Oh, my love, I have missed you. Everyday, every second I spent in Iraq, there was not a moment that you weren’t on my mind. All I ever think about is how I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You mean the world to me. Mackenzie is beginning to get teary-eyed as Owen gets down on one knee and takes out an engagement ring. OWEN Mackenzie Rose Hudson, will you marry me? (CONTINUED)
• 3.
  CONTINUED: 3. MACKENZIE Yes, ofcourse, yes! Owen slips the ring on her finger, picks her up, spinning her around and kissing her. SCENE 5- PLAYGROUND Mackenzie still sits on the swing with her head against the chain and she opens her eyes, no longer thinking back to her memories. Owen and Aubrey are heard playing and laughing in the distance. Mackenzie gets up from the swing and makes her way over to Owen and Aubrey. AUBREY Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Mackenzie hugs Aubrey lovingly. MACKENZIE Hi there my little munchkin! Are you having fun? AUBREY Yep, yep! Me loves this park thiiiiiiis much! Aubrey extends her arms out to show Mackenzie how much she loves the park. Mackenzie laughs. MACKENZIE That is wonderful Aubrey! AUBREY C’mere! Let me show you what me and daddy do! Aubrey grabs Mackenzie’s hand, pulling her towards the slide where Owen is sitting. Owen stands, embracing Mackenzie. Aubrey plays. OWEN Were you having a good time on the swings, my love? MACKENZIE Of course! I love this playground. Aubrey does too, she told me she loves it thiiiiiis much! Mackenzie extends her arms as Aubrey did. Owen laughs. Aubrey is on top of slide platform. (CONTINUED)
• 4.
  CONTINUED: 4. AUBREY Daddy, canwe show Mommy what we do on the slide? OWEN Of course little munchkin! Here I come! Owen climbs up the slide. OWEN Are you ready? AUBREY Yep, yep! They slide down together, Aubrey on Owen’s lap. She is laughing hysterically. Owen kisses her on the cheek when they reach the bottom. AUBREY Again, again, again!! There are then multiple shots of Mackenzie, Owen, and Aubrey playing together. They are a very loving family, not afraid to show it and are always laughing and having fun. As the sun begins to set they leave the park. Aubrey is riding on Owen’s shoulders and Owen and Mackenzie are holding hands. The color of the shot slowly begins to fade, the camera getting slightly out of focus, the characters seem to be walking almost in slow motion. The only shot is of the three walking away towards a car. There is audio of a car starting and a thunder storm beginning in the background. It is not until the shot has completely faded to black that there is the loud sound of a car crash. There is then a fast replay of the three memories that Mackenzie was thinking about on the swing, as if her life is flashing before her eyes. The screen goes black again and the sound of sirens begins to get louder. Everything goes silent for a few seconds and then all that is heard is Mackenzie’s last breath. SCENE 6- GRIEVING Exterior graveyard, day Mackenzie is sitting on a bench looking at a graveyard. She is dressed in all black and is crying. (CONTINUED)
• 5.
  CONTINUED: 5. MACKENZIE (VO) Owenand Aubrey died that day... Even to this day I can hear the doctor’s words echoing in my head... TODD (VO) There was a bad storm last night and a drunk driver crashed into your car in a head on collision. Mackenzie... I am so sorry, but Owen and Aubrey did not survive the crash. Owen arrived at the hospital with you last night, but as you know Owen had been previously injured in Iraq when he was caught in the middle of a bomb. Those injuries made him weaker and where he was seated in the car, the crash was more abrupt, breaking his neck and spine. We tried everything we could, but our efforts were worthless. Aubrey on the other hand, well Aubrey is so young, it is so tragic. Aubrey died instantly from the impact of the crash... I am so very, very sorry. MACKENZIE (VO) It was not until Owen and Aubrey were being lowered six feet into the ground that I actually believed that they were no longer a part of my life. Every time I close my eyes I see them. Mackenzie closes her eyes. MACKENZIE (VO) I see Owen kissing me for the first time. I see Owen proposing to me after he returned from Iraq. I see them together, running around and laughing at the playground. I see the three of us together, a family that had promises of forever. As Mackenzie explains each memory, it is shown as if it is what she is visualizing in her head. Mackenzie then opens her eyes. (Close up on her eyes) (CONTINUED)
• 6.
  CONTINUED: 6. MACKENZIE (VO) But,when I open my eyes, I see nothing. FADE TO BLACK ROLL CREDITS