Restless

Written By

Gabrielle Gonzales

Based on The Wishing Box

by

Sylvia Plath

2372/4 Haloul St. Dukhan55411894

1

FADE IN

INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING.

THE BIRD'S EYE VIEW - BLACK AND WHITE - ZOOM

AGNES is asleep in bed, having a nightmare. On her bedside table, sits a pile of books, a clock and an unopened bottle of pills.

CUT TO:

BLACK - TITLE

BACK TO

INT. KITCHEN - LATER

Agnes and HAROLD are having breakfast, sat on opposite sides of the table. Agnes does not seem to be in the mood; Harold is acting as normal.

AGNESWell

(she prepares her toast, not looking directly at Harold)

what did you dream last night?

HAROLDI was just remembering... My manuscripts. I was discussing them with William Blake. Hah.

AGNES(looks at Harold briefly)

But(looks away again)

How did you even know it was him?

HAROLDFrom the pictures obviously. Well anyway...

As Harold speaks Agnes does not keep eye contact. The camera closes in on her, and Harold become increasingly inaudible/muffled. The camera follows her eyes to her cup of coffee.

FRACTAL ZOOM:

BLACK. UNKNOWN LOCATION - AGNES' NIGHTMARE

2

Light flickers and Agnes appears onscreen, vignetted by darkness. She is lost and moves around for a bit. At first she seems to be alone but she soon finds a group of faceless figures.

BACK TO

REALITY. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

HAROLD(as if raising his voice, but not aggressively)

Agnes. I said, what did you dream last night?

AGNES(takes a bit of time to respond)

Oh. I've forgotten now.

TWO SHOT - AGNES AND HAROLD IN THE KITCHEN - DOLLY OUT

The camera leaves the two in the kitchen and one-shot tracks to:

INT. LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON

Agnes is alone. The camera closes in to a close-up shot of her, slowly blinking.

POV - AGNES - DEFOCUS - FADING IN AND OUT TO MIMIC HER BLINKING

FADE TO BLACK.

EXT. UNKNOWN PLACE - DAY

CU - AGNES - DOLLY OUT - FLASHBACK IN COLOUR

AGNES(voice-over)

I used to dream...

She briefly wallows in the new environment, until, suddenly, her surroundings become darker, vignetting her once again until she is completely shrouded in darkness. She runs, right through a door which transports her back to reality.

BACK TO

INT. KITCHEN - THE NEXT DAY - BLACK AND WHITE

Agnes walks into the kitchen when Harold already is, cheerful, having had another good dream, to Agnes' chagrin.

3

AGNESSleep well?

HAROLDYeah. I would tell you about what I dreamt this time but lately you seem to not really care. Hah. So

(he looks up at Agnes, who is still stood up, moving slowly trying to prepare her breakfast)

What did you dream last night?

AGNES(quickly looks at him, but avoids eye contact, embarrassed)

I don't dream... not anymore.(looks to Harold again)

HAROLD(continues what he is doing, without looking up to meet her gaze)

Well. Maybe you just don't use your imagination enough? I don't know. You should practise, it can't be that hard

(cheerful, childlike manner)

OK, close your eyes.

Agnes reluctantly does so.

FADE TO BLACK.

HAROLDWell, what do you see?

AGNESNothing.

HAROLDJust imagine something, it's not difficult you know.

AGNESIt's in the back of my mind.

(panicky)Everything's way in the back of my head.

4

BACK TO

POV - AGNES LOOKING AT HAROLD - PAN OUT OF POV

Harold looks at her confused.

AGNESDon't you see it there too?

(agitated)

HAROLD(frowns, apathetically)

No, not really... I see my dreams on my eyelids. You know, like a movie-screen.

(pauses)Like right now,

(he shut his eyes)I can just imagine all the work I have to get started going. Haha.

Harold stands to go. Agnes remains seated, looking blankly.

HAROLDYou'll be alright,

(pats her on the shoulder, while making his way to the door)

Just practise like I've taught you. I gotta go now,

(looking at his watch)See you later OK?

MEDIUM SHOT - HAROLD - TRACKING

INT. LIVING ROOM - LATER

Agnes, alone again, flips through books and magazines to revive her imagination. She watches TV but does not see anything; she remains uninspired. She lies on the floor.

MATCH CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - MORNING

Agnes is lying in bed, an alarm going off. She eventually turns it off and goes to the bathroom to wash up. Her reality becomes distorted as she becomes increasingly depressed. She looks at the mirror only to find a reflection of the back of her head, instead of her face. She panics and runs out into the hallway, unable to escape as she runs back

5

to where she ran from. Sounds become muffled and her surround becomes darker once again.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. KITCHEN

FRACTAL ZOOM OUT - FROM A CUP OF COFFEE

Agnes drinks coffee compulsively, avoiding sleep or, rather, her nightmares. Harold shows some concern but remains unable to empathise and comfort her, urging her to stop drinking coffee and go to sleep.

One day, Harold finds her unconscious having consumed sleeping pills. The opening image mirrors the final image.