THE FOREST
[The Story begins ... morning light streams down from the tops of trees in a forest to a patch of ground on the forest floor, where an unclothed Girl is laying on her side.]
VOICEOVER
My birth was unconventional at best. My first memory was waking up in the forest. Like a newborn baby, I had no idea who I was or what was happening. My eyes weren't sure what they were seeing.
[The Girl blinks open her eyes and sits up, and she looks wonderingly at the world around her. Above her head, sunlight sparkles in the canopy of trees and the waking birds are singing in the woods.] Every sight, sound and feeling was unfamiliar.
[Gazing downward at her own hand, she turns it over as if she has never seen it before. Her hand, like the rest of her body, shines with a strange, glossy substance that covers her skin.]
[The Girl hears a strange noise. She turns her head and sees a coiled rattlesnake that is poised to strike her. She darts her hand out and grabs the snake at the neck just as it strikes. She stares at the snake until she has it subdued, and then gently releases it to escape through the groundcover.]
Every species is born with instincts that ultimately create a balance with nature.
[The Girl begins walking through the forest.]
Every species except the one I was born into. [Over the treetops we see a large urban city on the horizon.]
[Opening score]
VOICEOVER
I came across a beast with two voices. I was thankful to have found a companion.
[The beast is a tent in the forest. The "voices" are the sounds of a teenaged boy and girl who are inside kissing each other. The Girl sticks her head into an opening in the tent, but instead of finding a companion, she only frightens them and they begin to scream.]
[The Girl has wandered onto a busy street in the city. She is not afraid, but only filled with wonder, even as she looks at her hand held up against the sky. In every direction, there are sights and noises that she has never seen or heard before. People are staring and pointing at her since she is not wearing any clothes. The police show up to find out what is going on with her.]
POLICEMAN
Party's over, kid.
What's your name? [He throws a blanket around the Girl's shoulders]
Who...are...you?
[When she doesn't answer, the policeman grabs the Girl. She is harshly spun around and her hands cuffed behind her back.]
JUEVENILE HOLDING FACILITY, WASHINGTON STATE
Early Morning
VOICEOVER
Soon I was taken to a new place with fences and sad faces.
[Standing in a shower stall, water cascading down on her head startles the Girl. She is clothed, and a uniformed man leads her to a toilet stall where she has no idea what she is supposed to do. At this facility, the Girl is photographed and ID'd as "Jane Doe." ]
THE TRAGER HOUSE 1
NICOLE [climbing stairs]
Lori?
Lori?
Are you getting up?
LORI [rolls over and wakes up]
[whispers] Declan...
[Lori and Declan jump out of his bed]
NICOLE
Like sometime this year?
Let's all have breakfast together for a change. I'm making pancakes. I think you've slept long enough.
[Nicole begins to walk into Lori's bedroom where Lori and Declan are trying to put on (each other's) clothes as fast as they can, but she stops when she hears the phone ring. They are extremely relieved that they didn't just get caught together in her room.]
DECLAN
We, uh...we didn't get to finish what we started.
LORI
You get out of here.
DECLAN [climbing out Lori's bedroom window]
[smiles] Later Trager.
[Lori throws Declan's shoes out of her window]
NICOLE [on phone]
Lou, you're not disturbing me. What's going on?
LOU [at the Shelter, walking with the Girl by his side]
I got someone here I know you're gonna wanna meet. This kid showed up here this morning and she's right up your alley.
NICOLE
In other words, no one else wants to treat her?
LOU
No, no, it's not like that. Nobody knows where she came from exactly. But she seems ...sharp...and she's... look - you've gotta see her for yourself.
NICOLE
I'll stop by at 10:00 tomorrow.
LOU
Um, this afternoon okay?
NICOLE
[pauses] I'm on my way.
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kitchen
[Josh, Lori and Stephen Trager are all in the kitchen to have breakfast]
JOSH [to Lori]
Ah, it's alive!
LORI
Bite me.
JOSH
No thanks. That's Declan's job.
LORI
Shut-up, dweeb.
STEPHEN
Declan? What happened to Mike Suby?
JOSH
Old news. Declan's her new flavor of the month - or the week, in Ms Skanky's case.
STEPHEN
Knock it off. So, who's this Declan guy?
LORI
He's just a friend.
He's having a party this week, can I take the car?
STEPHEN
We'll see.
NICOLE [walking into kitchen]
Sorry guys, I have to go out for a bit.
STEPHEN
Go out?
NICOLE
Lou Daniels just called.
STEPHEN
Nicole, it's Sunday.
NICOLE
I know, but it's urgent and it sounds like a really special case.
LORI
They always do.
NICOLE [kisses Stephen]
Save some pancakes for me, okay?
CHILDREN'S SHELTER
Cafeteria
[The Girl is standing in the cafeteria holding a tray of food. Since she doesn't know whats he's supposed to be doing, she looks around for a place to sit like all of the other children she sees. She finally chooses a table with two other girls, but as soon as she sits down, they get up and leave her there all alone.]
TEENAGE GIRL [leaving table]
Yeah, let's get going.
VOICEOVER
For some reason, the more people I saw, the more alone I felt.
TARA [banging her empty cup; the Girl is watching every move she makes]
Hey yo, let's get some juice down here.
What's taking so long? Everyone forget how to use their brain?
I said juice me!
[Someone fills Tara's cup with juice. As she begins to eat a muffin off of her tray, the Girl is carefully observing her.]
VOICEOVER
Most of our time is spent trying to lessen the pains of life. I was about to learn how to quash hunger.
[Copying Tara, the Girl picks up the muffin on her own tray and begins to eat it. She sticks her fingers into her mouth as if eating was a wonderful discovery.]
TARA [to the Girl]
What you lookin' at honey?
Your gonna see a whole lot if you don't quit staring at me.
TEENAGE GIRL
Go kick her ass, girl.
[The Girl continues to stare, but this is confrontational to Tara and she gets up to go over and teach the newcomer a lesson.]
LOU [intervenes with a hand on Tara's shoulder]
Cool it, Tara. She can't understand a word you say. She ain't dissin' you in anyway shape or form, okay?.
TARA
Fine - but if she doesn't stop staring. I'll have no choice but to teach this bitch a lesson.
VOICEOVER
I had no reason to fear this person. But she reminded me of the snake in the woods just before it struck.
[The Girl continues to eat her lunch ... with crumbs all over her mouth]
An Outside Common Area
[The Girl is staring up at the sky through the links in a fence over her head. When someone accidentally hits her in the back with a basketball, she turns around to see Tara walking toward him. The Girl gives Tara a friendly smile.]
VOICEOVER
I was glad to see a familiar face, but a pressure below my waist was bothering me.
TARA [to the Girl]
Come on, show me what you got.
Come on, put your hands up, put em' up!
You ain't tough, new kid.
Come on, put em' up. Come on! [glares and puts up his fists daring the Girl to fight]
[The Girl tries to make his hands into fists like Tara]
VOICEOVER
I wanted to learn this game she was playing, but my stomach pain was getting more intense. [grimaces]
[At that moment, Tara punches the Girl in the face, giving her a bloody nose and putting her on her rear end.]
LOU [running up and pushing away Tara]
Hey! That's enough.
VOICEOVER
I barely noticed the discomfort on my face because inside me, something had flipped, and I began to feel...wonderful.
[Sitting, legs sprawled open on the cement ground, the Girl pees in his pants]
LOU
Great job, girls. No rec privileges for a week.
Now get outta here.
Now! Everybody out!
[The Girl is left sitting alone]
Arts and Crafts Room
Afternoon
LOU [meeting with Nicole]
Hey Nicole. Thanks for coming to see her.
[While they are talking, the Girl is busy with crayons, creating a picture by rapidly punching the tips of the crayons on a piece of paper.]
NICOLE
"She" wouldn't have a name by any chance?
LOU
Well, the paperwork says Jane Doe for the time being.
NICOLE
Jane Doe. What's a beautiful girl like her doing with a dead woman's name?
LOU
You know, she kind of reminds me of my sister Jenna. She's a real looker.
NICOLE [laughs]
That's perfect. Jenna.
[The Girl looks up as if in response to hearing her name called]
LOU [exchange glances]
Yeah...she can't say a word, but damned if she doesn't know what you're sayin'.
I'll be outside, call if you need me.
NICOLE
Okay. [she walks over to watch Jenna creating her picture]
VOICEOVER
I wanted to show her where I'd come from and what I'd seen.
[Jenna holds up her picture for Nicole to see. It is a photograph-like drawing of one of her first memories, the teenagers she saw in the forest tent. Nicole is amazed and her mouth falls open. Jenna mimics her by opening her mouth as wide as hers. When Nicole looks back up from the drawing to Jenna, she pops her mouth closed. Jenna playfully pops her mouth closed too and gives her a charming smile. Nicole smiles back at her and she is captivated by this child-like girl.]
NICOLE [meeting again with Lou Daniels]
So, let me see if I can understand. The girl has no family that you are aware of, she doesn't communicate, and she was found just wandering alone in the city.
LOU
That's all her Booked-in-the-Shelter folder said.
No AMBER alerts, no missing persons report, nothing.
But there is one more thing you should see.
[Pull up Jenna's t-shirt] No belly button.
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Kitchen - Early Evening
STEPHEN [worried and dumping Chinese food into a bowl for dinner]
They're never gonna go for this.
NICOLE
It's just for a few days.
JOSH
Finally, I'm starving.
LORI
Did you get lo mein?
STEPHEN
Al'right, hold on a minute, your mom's got something to talk to you about.
NICOLE
I have a new patient and the place where she's staying isn't safe, so I'm bringing her here for a little while.
LORI
You mean some crazy person's going to be living in our house?
NICOLE
She's not a crazy person, she's a very sweet, very special girl.
JOSH
I know very special means she'll no doubt drool all over the house.
NICOLE
I must say I have thought, I'd hoped, that you would both show a little compassion.
LORI
You don't even know this chick.
JOSH
I don't want her going through my things.
STEPHEN
Al'right, that's enough! If your mom says she's coming, she's coming and that's final.
[As Lori and Josh huff off to the table with their food, Nicole and Stephen exchange "looks"]
THE TRAGER HOUSE 2
Monday Morning - Bringing Jenna "Home"
NICOLE
This is it. Home. Where you'll be staying for a few days; at least until I can... [She watches Jenna begin to explore her brand new world]
[Jenna is looking around the foyer and sees framed photographs of the family hanging on the wall. She doesn't understand what the pictures are and she lays her cheek against the wall to look behind them. Gazing at the photos from left to right, the children are smaller from one picture to the next.]
VOICEOVER
My thought at first was that flat, tiny people must be living in the walls. But then I understood. Humans grow smaller as they develop, and pretty soon I'd be shrinking myself. [In the last picture she sees, Nicole is cradling a baby in her arms] Maybe one day, this woman would hold me, too. [She turns to look at her with this hope in mind]
[Jenna sees a computer on the desk in the living room. The screensaver intrigues her and she walks over to investigate.]
VOICEOVER
The images made my mind explode with complex mathematical formula.
NICOLE
Would you like to play a game, Jenna? Here.
Lots of kids have tons of fun with this one.
This is called a mouse. When you move it, this arrow- [Jenna takes over the mouse from her. Nicole hears the phone ring and leaves Jenna to play on the computer. "Hello there, I am a bird. I fly high into the sky. Touch the sky and watch me fly." ]
NICOLE [answering phone]
Hello?
STEPHEN [calling from work]
How'd it go, did you bring her home?
NICOLE
Oh she's just great, she's on the computer right now.
STEPHEN
Do you need me there? She could be a lot to handle.
NICOLE
Trust me honey. I'll be fine.
[Lori has just gotten out of the shower and walks into the hallway. She hears the computer game, but doesn't see Jenna and begins to adjust the towel around her body.]
LORI
Getting a little old for Barney, aren't we Josh? [sees Jenna looking at her; shrieks and runs]
VOICEOVER [looking at a picture on the desk, she understands that it is a small Lori with Nicole]
When I saw her, I realized something was horridly wrong. Humans grow larger over time, not smaller. Wasn't I ever small? That thought upset me greatly. [Jenna starts to twirl her hair]
LORI [to mom]
Why didn't you tell me she was in the house? I think she saw my boobs!
STEPHEN
What did she?...did that girl...?
NICOLE
Stephen I promise, we're fine. I've got another call, I've gotta go.
[Stephen sighs, gets up and leaves as a TV reporter introduces an important TOP STORY about an unidentified girl...]
[Lori is sitting on the sofa in the living room doing her homework while Jenna is still playing on the computer at the desk behind her. "Fractions, fractions, all done. Yum yum!"]
NICOLE [on another phone call]
How much blood? Okay, I'm on my way.
[to Lori] Listen, there's an emergency at work. I'm going to need you to watch Jenna for me.
LORI
Sure, mom.
NICOLE
I'm serious. Watch her. I'll be back soon. [She leaves the house]
LORI [answering phone]
Hello? Oh, hi Hillary. No, Declan still hasn't called and if he's with Jessica, he's probably got the clap by now. [Jenna looks over at her in confusion]
Oh you know me, I felt weird when Mike Suby put his hand down my pants.
Coz all I could think about were these warts on his hand.
Hh! That could be him. If I don't click over you'll know why.
Hello? Oh hi, Declan.
No, I wasn't talking to anyone, what's up? [laughs and walks out of room leaving Jenna alone...again]
[Jenna looks up from the computer at the sound of someone playing the piano] 3
VOICEOVER
It was the most beautiful sound I had ever heard since waking up.
[Jenna leaves the house and walks down the sidewalk, following the sound to the house next door.]
VOICEOVER
It was part mathematics and part...euphoria.
[opening front door and walking in] I felt certain that whatever this was, was a gift to the world meant to fill all that heard it with a flood of emotion. [She watches a young boy playing the piano with his back to her.]
MRS. BLOOM
[striding quickly through front door into the house; she doesn't see Jenna at first] Alex, I'm home.
VOICEOVER
It then struck me that not everyone could appreciate this miracle. The sound increased my sorrow for those who could not hear it. [Jenna starts to cry and whimpers out loud]
[Alex hears her and turns around, causing Jenna to panic, stumble and fall, and run out of the house]
VOICEOVER
[Jenna is hiding, curled up in a fetal position inside a bathtub in the Trager house, twirling her hair through her fingers again]
There was a pounding in my chest, my face felt like it was burning, and more than anything, I wanted the earth to swallow me up.
[Josh comes home, goes into the same bathroom and shuts the door. He sits on the toilet lid and pulls out a Playpen magazine.]
JOSH [sees Jenna's face poking around the shower curtain and watching him]
AGH!
[running out of bathroom towards the stairs, accidentally tossing his magazine over the railing] Run Mom! There's a psycho in the shower!
NICOLE [coming upstairs and picking up the magazine]
It's okay, Josh, it's okay. This is Jenna - the special girl I was telling you about?
JOSH
If she's supposed to be so special, why'd you stick her in the bathtub?
[to Jenna] Nice to meet you - perv.
NICOLE
The reason I am letting that slide is because I have a favor to ask of you. I would like Jenna to bunk down in your room for a couple of nights.
JOSH
What? Why aren't you putting her in Lori's room?
NICOLE [wiggles the magazine at him]
Because I said so, or I'll take this away.
JOSH [conceding]
Fine. But you better bust out the rubber sheets, because this girl has bed-wetter written all over her.
NICOLE
Have you seen Lori? She was supposed to be watching her. [Jenna has tracked mud all over the carpet]
JOSH
Some teacher called with test results - Mrs. Planey Parenthood?
VOICEOVER
I could sense that my very presence in the house was turning these people against each other.
NICOLE [opening door to Lori's bedroom and finding her there]
You and I are gonna have a talk.
LORI [still holding her phone]
Oh no. Did something happen to Jenna?
NICOLE
Oh you mean besides her going outside by herself? [looks down at Jenna's muddy shoes]
You can forget about Declan's party.
Stephen's Workroom 4
[Holding her hand, Nicole leads Jenna to the workroom where Stephen is repairing a piece of computer equipment. Nicole puts her arms around Stephen's waist and kisses him on the neck while Jenna is watching.]
STEPHEN [laughs and smiles]
Hi honey. Hey, something wrong with Lori? She seems upset about something.
NICOLE
She's just having a difficult time understanding what responsibility means.
STEPHEN
Ah...Is this the uh - ?
NICOLE
Jenna, this is my husband, Stephen. Honey, this is Jenna.
STEPHEN [holds out his hand]
Hello Jenna. I'm happy - to - make - your- acquaintance.
Can she understand a word I'm saying?
NICOLE
I don't think so.
STEPHEN
Well, at least she doesn't look dangerous. [Curious, Jenna starts to stick her finger into a stand holding a hot soldering tool.]
Nope, watch it, watch it! It's hot, hot! Ouch! Aaaaaa!
VOICEOVER [Jenna is intrigued by Stephen who is making exaggerated "ouch" gestures and sticking his finger in his mouth]
This being was clearly a superior communicator. I somehow understood everything it said and pondered why others chose to speak so ineffectively.
NICOLE [answers banging at the front door; looks through the curtain and lets Mrs. Bloom and Alex into the foyer]
MRS. BLOOM
You know, when I last checked the neighborhood wasn't zoned for halfway houses. Oh, good evening by the way.
NICOLE [Stephen walks into the dining room behind her]
I'm sorry?
MRS. BLOOM
One of your challenged cases broke into my house -
ALEX
She didn't exactly break in Mom -
MRS. BLOOM [cuts Alex off]
- broke into my house this afternoon and snuck up on Alex while he was alone.
[While she is talking, Jenna walks up to the group in the foyer. Mrs. Bloom clutches his son's arm.]
Who knows what she could've done if I hadn't come home when I did.
NICOLE
I'm so sorry, Carol. Lori was responsible for watching Jenna this afternoon.
CAROL
Look Nicole, I would hate to get the police invovled... [stops talking when Jenna smiles sweetly at Alex and he smiles back. They appear to like each other.]
CAROL
Come along, Alex.
ALEX [to Jenna]
I'll see you soon!
Dinner Time
[The Trager family, including Jenna, are sitting at the dining room table. Jenna is eating her dinner like a very small child ... with her mouth open.]
LORI
It's not fair, Dad. I was in the next room; it's not like I left her alone with Michael Jackson.
VOICEOVER [watching everyone's different facial expressions]
There are over 800,000 words in the English language. The eyes, however, speak a more precise code through their narrowing...
JOSH
Not running a retard farm, are we?
STEPHEN
Josh... [winks reassuringly at Jenna]
VOICEOVER
...brow arches, dilations, blinking, or the asymmetrical closure which I hadn't yet deciphered. [tries to wink back at Stephen]
LORI
Don't you think this miracle worker trip's getting out of hand?
STEPHEN
Cool it guys. What did we say about giving your mom some latitude over the next couple of days?
VOICEOVER
I was suffering from thirst, but my language skills were relatively primitive. So I relied on the phrases that I'd memorized at the children's home.
JENNA [mimicking Tara]
Hey yo, let's get some juice down here. [Causing everyone to freeze and gawk at her
What's taking so long? Everyone forget how to use their brain?
I said juice me!
[proudly holds out her empty glass to Nicole]
JOSH
Oh man, sweet! She's like that Indian from Cuckoo's Nest.
LORI
Wait ... did she just learn to talk in one day?
STEPHEN
Noooo, Lori, that's impossible. Right honey?
[Jenna is very thirsty and is guzzling down her whole glass]
NICOLE
Can you understand me Jenna? Go on, do it again.
JOSH
Mom, is that how you talk to a dog? "Go on, do it again"?
Watch this. Jenna... speak.
JENNA
I felt weird when Mike Suby put his hand down my pants, coz all I could think about were these warts on his hand.
[They all turn to look at Lori and Josh laughs at her. Stephen laughs for only a moment...]
NICOLE
It's amazing! Autism typically involves mimicry, but Jenna isn't emotionally withdrawn. Her behaviors aren't fixated.
STEPHEN
So, can she understand us or not?
NICOLE
I can't say. I've never dealt with anyone like her before.
JOSH
Suby! Nice one! [elbows Lori and reaches to high-five Jenna, who just looks confused]
[Lori is looking completely chagrined and stares at the table]
Kitchen - After Dinner
NICOLE [pouring coffee for the two of them]
I can't wait to test her.
STEPHEN
Why haven't the police found anything?
NICOLE
She's full of surprises.
STEPHEN
Somebody has to be missing this kid.
NICOLE
Well, so far no one's filed a report.
STEPHEN [walking outside to a patio table to sit with Nicole]
The whole thing is really strange.
NICOLE
Oh, even stranger? She doesn't have a belly button. No belly button. I saw it for myself. Jenna's stomach is totally smooth.
STEPHEN
Well, how can that be?
NICOLE
She's extraordinary.
STEPHEN
Nicole, you said just a few days.
NICOLE
Well, I'm not sending her back to that facility.
STEPHEN
You are so wrapped up in this kid. She can't stay here indefinitely.
NICOLE
I know. Social Services promised to find a safe spot for her by Monday.
STEPHEN
Monday.
NICOLE
Monday.
TUESDAY MORNING
[Nicole, Josh and Jenna are leaving the house. Jenna stops walking when she sees a man in a pickup truck staring at her. The man knows that Jenna is watching him and drives off.]
NICOLE
Come on, let's get to work. [They all get into her car]
NICOLE'S OFFICE
[Jenna is speeding through her aptitude/IQ tests]
JOSH
Whooooa, slow down Wonder. Haven't even finished grading the last one.
NICOLE
You're kidding. That was an hour long test. How long did it take her, five minutes?
JOSH
Yeah, and she got them all right.
What is this kid seriously?
Freaky, man.
NICOLE [on the phone]
Hello, Dr. Fields please.
MRI CHAMBER AT THE HOSPITAL
[Jenna is laying on the bench of the MRI machine wearing a hospital gown. A tech lowers a mask over her face to secure her head and moves Jenna into the MRI chamber.]
NICOLE [patting her hand to reassure her]
Try not to move, Jenna.
TECH #1 [watching MRI results on a screen]
Oh damn, when's the last time you had this thing calibrated? I go away for a week...
TECH #2
It's fine! I ran two MRIs this morning.
TECH #1
You blind? Look, it's a mess.
JOSH
What is it?
TECH #1
Ah, the equipment's on the fritz. You see this red area here? That's supposed to represent the active part of the brain.
JOSH
Yeah, so?
TECH #1
You and I use maybe 7% of our brains, al'right?, at any given time. Einstein used 9% of his brain. Rupert here uses 2%.
JOSH
So it means she's some super genius?
TECH #1
No, it means mechanical failure. You're gonna have to come back some other time.
JOSH
But what if the machine's right?
TECH #1
Hypothetically speaking, with this type of neuro-hyper activity, she'd be prone to all sorts of seizures, strokes, tumors...
TECH #2 [nodding in agreement]
Tu..tumors...
TECH #1 [nodding in unison]
Yeah...
[Josh has a worried expression on his face]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Josh's Bedroom - That Evening
NICOLE [tucking Jenna into a bed next to Josh's]
Wow, it's been a busy day, huh sweetie? Goodnight, Jenna. Sweet dreams.
[She smiles at Jenna and pats her on the shoulder before leaving and turning out the light. Jenna's expression is happy and secure...she gazes up to the window above her head...]
[Josh has been on the computer downstairs searching the internet for information on seizures. The results appear to upset him.]
JOSH [jumps on his bed and crosses his arms. Jenna copies him and crosses her arms, too.]
Hey Jen, you're not gonna wig out on me right?
I mean if somethin' weird starts to happen - like you foam at the mouth? Don't do it here. Go get my mom.
Damn, I miss Charlotte. [Jenna sits up on the edge of her bed and looks questioningly at him]
Charlotte's Miss Playpen. The magazine? My mom hid her.
JENNA
Where exactly?
JOSH
I don't know, my sister. I know not.
[Jenna sees Josh rolls over onto his side and she rolls over into the same position]
[Later that night, Jenna is still awake and goes downstairs and wanders into the kitchen. She plays with the refrigerator door wondering about the light that comes on inside when she hears someone leaving the house. Lori sees Jenna, but sneaks out the door before she realizes Jenna has seen her, too. Jenna walks down the middle of the street following her and almost gets hit by a car because she doesn't understand that she has to walk out of the way of oncoming cars.]
WILD PARTY AT DECLAN'S HOUSE 5
HILLARY [handing Lori a beer]
Here...you're going to need that.
LORI
What's wrong?
NICK
First drink, then talk. [waves at friends]
[sees Jenna, who is still wearing her pajamas] Whoa!
VOICEOVER [watching teenagers kissing and dancing]
An ancient ceremony was underway that involved spastic gyrations. The heat made me sweat and I needed something to drink.
LORI [turns to look, but Jenna has turned around]
Who's that?
NICK
I don't know, but she's hot.
LORI
So spill it already.
HILLARY
I hope you weren't too set on hooking up with Declan tonight. [Causing Nick to choke on his drink]
[In the background, someone yells "Hey, beer bong!]
LORI
Maybe I don't want to know after all. [someone yells, "Go for it!"]
HILLARY [pointing]
Yeah...then I wouldn't go in there. [Lori does]
[Jenna is on her knees in front of Declan who punctures a beer can and sprays the beer into Jenna's wide open mouth. "Chug, chug, chug!" someone chants. All Lori sees is Declan with a girl draped over his shoulder kissing him. She begins to chug her own brew. Jenna struggles to her feet with her face and shirt covered in beer.]
6
[The party is in full swing. As soon as Lori finishes one cup of beer, Hillary is handing her another, Nick watching her closely because Lori has been keeping an unhappy eye on Declan. Jenna is also feeling the effects of the alcohol - she falls onto her stomach on the floor and throws up.]
VOICEOVER
At the children's home, the other captives referred to a strange place. I finally realized I'd arrived...in hell.
[Lying on the floor in an alcoholic haze, Jenna hears the muffled voices of people laughing at him - and then sirens in the background. Everyone panics and begins running.]
VOICEOVER
The appearance of an unknown enemy had begun to agitate the group.
[The police arrive to break up the party. The teenagers are running outside and the police try to grab a few of them, including Lori.]
POLICE
Party's over! Hold it right there!
[One police officer is near enough to grab Lori and try to hold on to her. Through a large window, Jenna can see the policeman struggling with Lori and she does not like it.]
POLICEMAN [to Lori]
Relax!
LORI [obviously drunk and trying to get away]
I didn't do anything.
POLICEMAN
Yeah...
[Jenna smashes through the window with her whole body to save Lori and lands on her knees. Everyone, including the policeman, stops what they are doing and stare at her. She is a sight. She is wearing her pajamas, soaked in beer and vomit, and she has bloody cuts all over her face.]
TEENAGE BOY [to friend]
Whoa snap! Did you see that?!
POLICEMAN [grabs Lori as she tries to run away]
Get back here!
TEENAGE GIRLS [yelling at policeman]
Leave her alone!
She didn't do anything!
POLICEMAN [to Jenna who is confronting him]
Cool it kid. You're fried.
VOICEOVER
I remembered how the snake had tried to frighten me in the woods. [Jenna hisses like the snake at the policeman]
[The policeman releases Lori. She looks at Jenna with bleary eyes and doesn't recognize her, but she smiles at Lori.]
[The police officer is going to have none of this kid. He takes out his handcuffs, but Jenna has seen these before. Two times the officer tries to cuff Jenna, and both times Jenna's hands are too fast for him. In a lightening-quick move, Jenna snatches the handcuffs from the officer's hands, then holds them up to the officer's face as if giving them back. The police officer pulls out his baton and tries several times to swing it at Jenna and beat her into submission. As his attempts become more vicious, Jenna grabs the baton out of his hand, spins around and points it into the officer's face. Instead of using the baton on the officer, Jenna throws it on the ground. Everyone is seriously impressed, including Nick who is watching from a balcony.]
VOICEOVER
I hoped this creature would have as much sense as the snake.
[The police officer fingers the gun on his hip for moment as if he is considering using it. But as he and Jenna stare down one another, like the snake, he realizes he is outmatched and, thinking better of it, turns and leaves. Everyone claps.]
[Jenna is walking down the middle of the road under the street lamps, carrying Lori in her arms. Lori looks up at her just before her head falls back, unconscious.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Nicole and Stephen's Bedroom
[Jenna is standing over Nicole while she is sleeping. Hearing the floorboard squeak, she wakes up and sees her.]
JENNA [she is whimpering and her face is bleeding]
I...am...leaking.
NICOLE
God, what happened to you?
Kitchen
[Nicole is caring for Jenna; she has cleaned her face and is wiping off Jenna's hands]
JOSH
I don't know, Mom. There's no blood on any of the doors and the windows ain't broken or nothin'.
NICOLE
That's okay, hon. We'll figure it out tomorrow. Go back to bed... [she kisses him on the forehead]
VOICEOVER [looking at more pictures of Lori and Josh as small children]
The images reminded me - I had no memory of ever being small and it made me upset.
JENNA [to Nicole]
What...am I?
NICOLE
Well, Jenna, that's a difficult question to answer. You're a girl...a special girl. And girls are human beings-
VOICEOVER [looking very sad]
Even with years of historical research, the more humans try to define themselves, the more they drown in their own confusion.
NICOLE
- that's the evolutionist's point of view.
JENNA
You...know not. [begins to cry]
JOJO'S JUICE BAR 7
Wednesday
HILLARY [handing Lori another juice]
Now this one...they'll help you detox.
LORI
Forget it. One more sip and this place becomes a barfatorium.
NICK
Focus on something else, like say your princess in shining armor.
LORI
What?
NICK
Don't give me that.
The girl who saved your ass last night?
The girl with all the Jackie Chan moves?
HILLARY [getting exasperated with the lack of answers]
The girl who carried you home? The girl my twin brother has been thinking about ever since last night.
LORI [standing up]
Oh, my God. Jenna. I thought I dreamt that.
NICK
So...does your dream have digits?
LORI
Yep, mine. Remember that short bus kid I told you about? [Hillary and Nick makes a face]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Patio
[Nicole is watering the plants. As she had seen her greet Stephen, Jenna comes up behind her, puts her arms around her waist and kisses her neck. Nicole thinks it is Stephen.]
NICOLE
Hi babe.
VOICEOVER
Apparently, not all forms of greetings are appropriate.
[She realizes that it is NOT Stephen, but Jenna, and jumps back startled. This bothers Jenna who realizes she has done something wrong and starts to twirl her hair again.]
NICOLE
Oh, Jenna! You scared me.
JENNA
What is scared?
NICOLE
Oh, scared is fear. Like...ah!
JENNA
I get...scared.
NICOLE
What? What are you scared of?
JENNA [sees in her mind all of the people and things that have threatened her in the last three days]
Everything.
NICOLE
I don't know what - Jenna, I can't imagine how strange and scary the world must feel to you right now. But it will get better. I swear.
JENNA [pleads with her eyes]
Help...me...Mom.
NICOLE [she puts her arms around Jenna's neck and hugs her close]
I'm gonna take care of you Jenna. I promise. [speaks to her with tears in her voice]
Workshop
STEPHEN [to Nicole as she walks in]
Hey. Can't believe I offered to fix their computer. Their hard drive is fried and their family photos are on it. I think Tim's mug scared it.
NICOLE [laughs]
You'll figure it out; you always do.
STEPHEN
Yuh...
NICOLE
Stephen...
STEPHEN
Yeah...
NICOLE
I can't do it. I can't send Jenna away.
STEPHEN
Nicole...
NICOLE
Not the way she is now.
STEPHEN
We talked about this, we agreed.
NICOLE
She's just so vulnerable. I mean, even the best facilities can't give Jenna enough individual care and attention.
STEPHEN
What are you gonna do, drop all your other cases? You're already consumed by your work. And now you want to treat your patients at home?
NICOLE
Just this one. There's something remarkable about her.
STEPHEN
I feel for the kid, you know I do. But we have enough going on with our own kids. Our own family.
NICOLE
It's just until we figure out who she is and where she belongs.
STEPHEN
But we may never know.
NICOLE
I know it's asking a lot.
STEPHEN
Yeah - too much. [he turns away from her]
[disappointed, Nicole starts to walk out] Check with Lou Daniels, maybe Social Services has something good for him.
CHILDREN'S SHELTER
Lou Daniel's Office - Afternoon
LOU [to Nicole]
We can't seem to find her file. I've got nothin' for her, Nicole. I'm sorry.
NICOLE [discouraged]
Thank you Lou.
[A guard unlocks a gate so that she can leave the facility. The mysterious man in the pickup truck is watching her; he is holding open Jenna's folder from the shelter.]
THE TRAGER HOUSE
Workshop
STEPHEN [working on computer while Jenna is exploring the workshop]
Come on now, where are you?
[sees Jenna reaching to touch a mousetrap on the floor] Don't touch that! Those are for killing rats.
JENNA
Rats are your enemy?
STEPHEN
No, but when they start paying rent, they can put down people traps.
[Jenna looks at him confused] No Jenna, we don't want them in the house.
JENNA
So...you exterminate them?
STEPHEN
[sighs] Yeah...I guess.
Hah! There it is! [laughs] Ah man!
[Spills his coffee on the keyboard, frying it] Oh...dammit!
[Stephen walks away from the keyboard for a moment. Jenna comes over to investigate and sees computer data scrolling on the screen.]
VOICEOVER
Whereas verbal communication was so random and contradictory, this language was a logical math-based shorthand that made perfect - [the keyboard sparks and appears to short circuit.]
STEPHEN
Oh, come on!
[While Stephen is trying to wipe up the spilled coffee, Jenna walks over to another keyboard connected to the first one and begins typing. She seems to know exactly what she is doing. Stephen walks over and watches her. After a few moments, the picture Stephen has been trying to recover from the hard drive appears on the screen in front of Jenna.]
STEPHEN
Wow, that's it. That's the one! How did you...? [looks at Jenna with amazement; Jenna smiles, happy to do something good for him.]
Josh's Bedroom
[Josh walks into his bedroom. He notices that someone has cleaned up his room and then he sees his Playpen magazine sticking out from under a pillow. He goes to look for Jenna.]
Basketball Court
[Jenna is standing there by herself, rolling a basketball around under her foot]
JOSH [holds out his magazine]
You find this? [Jenna looks at him]
Why'd you do that?
JENNA
You said you missed her.
JOSH
Take a shot. [Jenna looks up at the basketball hoop with a confused expression]
Shoot some hoops?
Al'right, lemme show you. [moves Jenna's foot off of the ball and shoots. Stephen looks around the back gate at them playing basketball together, smiles and sneaks away.]
Now you.
[Jenna shoots and makes the basket]
JOSH
Nice!
[Josh takes a turn, shoots and makes the basket]
JENNA
Nice!
[They continue to play basketball together until dinner time]
At Dinner
NICOLE
Okay, Jenna's gonna be down in a sec. Look, I have a favor to ask each of you And before you all jump down my throat, I'd like ya to think about it. I was thinking...I was hoping...that you wouldn't mind if Jenna stayed with us a while longer.
[Everyone looks at each other. Jenna comes downstairs and sits in her place at the table. Josh has thought about it. He reaches for Jenna's glass across the table and fills it. Lori puts food on Jenna's plate and smiles at her. In turn, Stephen does the same thing. Their gestures show that, for a while longer, they don't mind if Jenna is a part of their family.]
I should probably explain a few things:
1. She twirls her hair on her right side when she's emotional. When she lies she twirls her hair on her left side.
2. I kinda sorta needed to create a few extra characters, but don't worry I have a way to write them out. Nick for one he shall be sent to a boarding school after season 1.
3. There are some parts that won't make much sense because the show is centered around Kyle being a boy not a girl.
