MUTILATION: A Love Story

A Screenplay

The scene opens with a shot of a closed door. Suddenly a terrible scream is heard on the other side of the door. The door swings open. A man comes stumbling out the door holding his eye. Blood is pouring out between his fingers and down his shirt.

Camera fade out.

Camera fade in. Exterior of Hospital. Cut to interior. Cut to Hospital room with a man (Justin) lying in bed with his girlfriend (Brooke) sitting in a chair next to him.

[ Doctor Enters Room]

Doctor: Justin, It looks like you'll be going home today.

Justin: Thank God! Its about time.

Doctor: I've been looking over your records; you've been in here an unusual amount of times over the past year and a half.

Justin: Just clumsy I guess.

Doctor: I don't know if I quite believe that Justin. [Turns to Brooke] Brooke, How is this effecting you?

Brooke: What do you mean?

Doctor: Well, How is this effecting your relationship; Your work. I know you've had to spend a lot of extra time with Justin helping him recover from his injures.

Brooke: Well, actually I haven't even been to work since we met a few years ago. I have to go out of town for a couple of months at a time, I just haven't been able to go. It seems like every time I get work, something happens to Justin.

Doctor: So, you to meet and Justin he just starts having accidents.?!

Justin: {Angry} What are you trying to say doctor?

Doctor: Justin. can I have a word with you. Alone.

Justin: No. I don't hide anything from Brooke. What you have to say to me, you can say to both of us.

[Uneasy pause]

Doctor: {Uncomfortible} Justin. Your showing classic signs of domestic abuse. How can you explain these injures?

Justin: You want me to explain. Fine. what do you need to know?

Doctor: You have quite a list here. You were in for severe stomach poisoning. What happened there?

Justin: I was drinking. I got a little too drunk and mistook a bottle of household cleaner for my drink, and just drank it.

Doctor: The examination report doesn't mention alcohol in your blood. How about your next accident, a severely crushed foot?

Justin: I was doing garden work. I tried to move a big rock and dropped it on my foot.

Doctor: what about the burn on your leg?

Justin: I was cooking. I was planning to surprise Brooke with dinner and I spilled a whole pan of hot grease on my leg.

Doctor: And this last one, your eye?

Justin: I'm done explaining Doctor. If your finished your work here I think you should leave now.

Doctor: Justin, I. ..

Brooke: {Angry} Excuse me, Justin just asked you to leave. And I couldn't agree more.

Fade Out.

Fade in. Ocean side. Brooke and Justin sitting on the rocks together.

Brooke: I still cant believe what Dr. Conelly said.

Justin: Don't worry about it Brooke. He just doesn't understand.

Brooke: What do you mean?

Justin: well. You love me right?

Brooke: Yes. Of course I do Justin.

Justin: I love you too Brooke. Doctor Conelly just dosen't understand how much we love each other. I know you would do anything for me. I would do anything for you too Brooke, anything.

Brooke: That's sweet Justin.

Justin: It's true though. All this stuff that's happened to me. All these injures. It's nothing compared to what I would go through just to have you with me. Just so you'd never leave me.

Fade out.

1 month later. Fade in. Kitchen interioir. Brooke on the telephone.

Brooke: {To person on the telephone} Yes. I cant thank you enough. I'm looking forward to it. OK. Allright, I gotta go now. Ok. talk to you soon. Bye.

Justin enters scene.

Brooke: Hi sweety, I'm making us a salad.

Justin: that was Matt on the phone?

Brooke: Yea. He had some good news. You know that last job I had to leave because of the accident with your eye. It's still available and they still want me to take it.

[Pause]

Brook: What? aren't you going to say anything?

Justin: Like what?

Brooke: Like what you say every time I take a job.

Justin: I just thought you would spend some time at home. Some time with me.

Brooke: Justin. I haven't been able to work since we met. All I've been doing is spending time with you. I love spending time with you, but I have to work. I'm not going to give up my career.

Justin: Brooke. I can't stand being away from you. Not even for a minute. You would be gone, what, 2 or 3 months. I cant handle that, I need you to stay.

Brooke: {Getting angry} 'cmon Justin.

Justin: Don't go.

Brooke: {Still angry} You can't tell me what to do.

Justin: I don't want you to go.

Brooke: {Picks up the cleaver she was using to chop up the carrots. looking crazy. Yelling} That's enough Justin. Stop It. I love you, but I'll hurt you if you keep it up.

Scarry music starts. Brook looks as if she will strike at any second.

[Long pause]

Justin: Laughs

Brooke: Laughs

Justin: Ok. Fine. If it means that much to you it means that much to me. I'd do anything for you, including support you on this no matter how much it hurts me.

Brooke: Thank you

Justin: No problem Brooke.

Brooke: Oh. I've got to run out for some dressing for the salad. Finnish chopping the carrots, I'll be right back.

Justin: Oh. Ok.

Justin: {Alone now, picks up the telephone and dials it} I need an ambulance over at 240 Harvard St. right now.

Justin walks over to where brook was cutting the carrots. He swipes the carrots off the cutting board and picks up the cleaver. He sets his hand on the cutting board and raises the cleaver up high. He slams the cleaver down on his fingers severing two of them.

Flashback: Justin pulling cleaning fluid out from under the sink and drinking a bottle.
Present: {Close up. Justin screaming and holding his hand.}
Flashback: Justin pouring gasoline on his leg and lighting it
Present: {Close up. Justin screaming and holding his hand.}
Flashback: Justin holding a Cinder Block and throwing it down on his foot
Present: {Close up. Justin screaming and holding his hand.}
Flashback: Justin in the bathroom with a fingernail file. He jams it into his eye
Present: {Close up. Justin screaming and holding his hand.}

Fade out.

1 year later. Fade in. Camera on Brook. Camera stays focused on Brooke.

Brooke: I'm leaving Justin. And I'm not coming back.

Justin: What?

Brooke: Look. Justin. After your last accident Dr. Conelly told me that you admitted doing these terrible things to yourself. That you were hurting yourself. Why? Why would you do that to yourself?

Justin: {Very Upset} You don't understand Brooke. I do this for you. To show you how much I love you. To show you how much it hurts me inside when your away from me. Anyone can say they love someone I'm showing you how much I love you. I'm showing you how much it hurts me when your away from me on one of your damn jobs. By hurting myself, it's an outlet for my internal pain, like it's running out of me like water from a tap.

Brooke: I didn't realize you had this many problems. You've gone too far. I need to go.

Justin: No. You said you would never leave me. No matter what.

Brooke: {Very upset} I'm sorry.

Justin: Don't go.

Brooke: You cant tell me what to do.

Justin: I don't want you to go.

Brooke: Goodbye Justin.

Justin: NO. Don't leave. It's not to late to help me through this. Everything can be like it was before. Everything can be normal again. we can be normal again. Don't give up on us Brooke, everything can be like it used to....

The camera moves to show Justin. His is sitting in a weelchair. No Legs. One arm. The ramaining hand bandaged. Scars up the arm. Wearing eye patch. Shaved head with giant stiched up slash across it.

Justin: {Yelling} Don't give up on us Brooke, everything can be like it used to....

Fade out. End.

Note: The above screenplay is being made into a film. See all the production at:
Ultra IndePendent Films