A HERO, A CURSE Written by Tom Bailey

Based on the 3rd Page Prompt: Arsenic, Amnesia, A Message in a Bottle

tmbailey@gmail.com

INT. ELEVATOR - DAY NADIA, 18, stands at the front of the elevator, arms crossed, eyes locked on her feet. Behind her a SMILING WOMAN, 30s, holds a FURRY LEASH, which is being PULLED taut. NADIAS P.O.V. - OUT OF THE CORNER OF HER EYE a CHILD, 5, attached to the other end of the furry leash, REACHING for the elevator buttons. The Child is PULLED BACK by the Woman, only to LUNGE forward again. RETURN TO SCENE Nadia forces a LOUD COUGH, causing the Woman to hastily REEL IN her Child. Nadia smiles, satisfied. DING! Fifth floor. INT. DOCTORS OFFICE - DAY Nadia sits on the exam table in a cramped examination room. NADIA ... Ive been forgetting important things. Like little bouts of temporary amnesia. I have a hard time finishing tasks, organizing things. I just dont think Im living up to my full potential. A DOCTOR, 50s, checks off a few boxes on a clipboard. He looks up at Nadia, dubious. He SIGHS. DOCTOR Its Jodi, right? Joanie. EXT. BACKYARD - DAY A concrete basketball pole, sets top of the patio. A BMX bike is LOCKED to a kid-sized hoop. Nadia LIFTS the hoops backboard off of its it down quietly. Then she LIFTS the bike over the pole and SNEAKS off with it. NADIA

EXT. A FIELD - DAY Nadia leans against a fence covered in graffiti. A church steeple rises on the other side. LUIS, 12, rides the BMX into frame. He stops in front of her.

2. LUIS Its pretty dope. Had to beat up some little girl to get it? NADIA She was bigger than you. Luis laughs. He hops off the bike, admires it. NADIA (CONTD) You need a faster way to get around. A bike is safer, too. Luis nods, grateful. Nadia reaches into her backpack, removes a plastic grocery bag full of PRESCRIPTION BOTTLES. She hands it over to Luis. He takes out a bottle, reads the label. LUIS (laughing) Joanie Stevens. That bitch is all kinds of fucked up. NADIA (laughing) God rest her weary soul. (now sincere) You feeling OK? LUIS Im OK. Yeah. You? Nadia nods, forces a smile that looks more like a grimace. INT. DORM ROOM - DAY A STUDENT, 19, sits at his desk, manically counting a pile of pills. Luis stands awkwardly in the doorway. STUDENT ... Today hes known as the greatest military mind of all time. He basically ruled the entire continent of Europe before they dosed him with arsenic. Or it could have been poison wallpaper that got him. Believe that shit? Anyway, dude wasnt much taller than you, little man. All came down to Waterloo, you know? Have you ever been to Europe? The Student finishes counting the pills. Satisfied, he hands over a couple bills to Luis, who quickly pockets the cash.

3. STUDENT (CONTD) Thats it. Im gonna start calling you Napoleon. INT. MASTER BEDROOM - DAY Nadia, already wearing rubber gloves, pulls a surgical mask over her face. She removes the comforter from the bed, revealing sheets splattered with BLOOD. NADIA Youre leaking again, Mama. Its worse this time... Mama? Nadia goes to the bathroom door, KNOCKS. NADIA (CONTD) Mama? Its me. Nadia. Do you need help with the bandages? An unintelligible MUMBLE from inside. Nadia SIGHS, concerned. INT. NADIAS BEDROOM - DAY Nadia stands deep breath, reflected in BLISTER. She in front of a full removes her shirt. the mirror. On the moves in closer to length mirror. She takes a She turns so her back is back of her arm: a LARGE the mirror, inspecting it...

Nadia lightly scratches the blister, which immediately SPEWS a mixture of BLOOD and PUSS. She collapses, weeping. INT. KITCHEN - DAY Nadia mixes a pot of stew on the stove, lost in thought. She turns to see a SMALL CHILD playing at the kitchen table. Luis pushes their wheelchair-bound MOTHER, 40s and sickly, into the room. Silence, as they all converge on the dinner table. EXT. CITY SIDEWALK - DAY Luis on his new bike. He passes something lying on the sidewalk, then circles around to check it out. Its a DEAD CROW. He glances around, then goes to a fence lining the sidewalk and peers through it. On the other side: a baseball diamond covered with DOZENS of dead birds. Luis HOPS on his bike, pedals away quickly. FADE OUT.