01 INT. 50/50 - DAY
ERICA, JULIANNE and RACHEL are busy, moving around and answering phone calls.
ERICA
(Picks up the phone)
50/50 Press!
JULIANNE
(Picks up the phone)
50/50!
RACHEL
(Picks up the phone)
Good morning! 50/50 Press!
ERICA
(Shocked and stressed)
What?! How could that happen?
(Trying to calm down)
You know what? Whatever. We pay more. Just fix the damn lights.
(Hangs down the phone)
Thank you.
JULIANNE
(Rude tone. Stressed)
Are you joking? Red! I said Red!
R-E-D! The roses are red!
Julianne hangs down the phone.
ERICA
(To Julianne)
The sky is blue/ I am panicking/
and so are you.
RACHEL
(Looking for an agenda)
No. They're not available right now. You'll have to schedule a meeting...
Yes... Yes, they're available next week.
But I'll call you tomorrow to confirm that. Okay.
Bye.
Rachel hangs down the phone. Sighs.
JULIANNE
(To Rachel)
Another vampire?
RACHEL
Yes! I've got journalists from all over the world.
This one was from some unknown online newspaper from Quebec.
JULIANNE
Well, at least we're becoming world famous
and 'Tattered Rose' is not even "out and about" yet.
ERICA
Yes, but if something goes wrong...
We'll be known for the worst reasons.
JULIANNE
Erica! Come on! Push that Debbie Downer away from you.
A phone rings.
RACHEL
No, I'm feeling it too.
Rachel shows her arm.
RACHEL
See the skin crawl? It's not good.
I can feel it.
JULIANNE
And do you know what I feel, Ray-Ray?
That if you don't answer that phone, stat, I'll be the one
who'll tatter your rose... "Comprende"?
RACHEL
Sorry!
Rachel picks up the phone.
JULIANNE
And why is Brent taking so long?
ERICA
Julianne, let him take his time. We need him to
confirm whether everything is going as planned.
JULIANNE
I know, I know! You girls are infecting me with stress and negativism.
ERICA
Can you believe they called us here because the
light bulbs were burnt out, instead of...
The phones ring. Erica and Julianne sigh and answer them.
Erica is stressed.
ERICA - V.O
When something you want is finally arriving...
When something that has to be done requires your whole energy,
do you think you're able to do it? Do have the strength to face it
even knowing you're probably not gonna make it?
Erica hangs down the phone. Thoughtful and concerned.
CUT TO:
02 INT. TOM'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
Old home made video. POV shot. Tom's recording. Six year old SARAH is running away, laughing. Tom's going after her.
TOM
I'm gonna catch you!
SARAH
No, you're not!
Sarah gets out of the screen. MARJORIE is in the kitchen,
cooking. Smiles to the camera. Tom goes up the stairs.
TOM
Where are you, Silly Billy?
A door closes. Tom approaches.
TOM
Knock-knock, who's there?
The camera records Tom looking through the door lock.
TOM
I found you! Get ready for the tickle attack!
Tom opens the door. The video ends.
CUT TO:
03 INT. TOM'S LIVING ROOM - DAY
TOM and SARAH are sitting on the sofa, watching the video.
The camera is connected to the TV.
TOM
The end.
SARAH
Aw, that was really sweet. I've never watched this.
Tom prepares to disconnect the camera from the TV.
TOM
Well, I never showed it you before.
SARAH
And you guys seem really... In peace, you know? You and mom.
Tom disconnects the camera without looking at Sarah.
TOM
(Uncomfortable)
Yeah... We were.
SARAH
(Thoughtful)
I wonder... Why did that happen?
The fights... And... Why did you torture yourselves for so long,
living like that?
TOM
Because we were cowards.
SARAH
No, I don't think it's just that.
You guys were thinking about me.
That's why you didn't split, right?
Tom sits again.
TOM
It doesn't matter, Sarah. We hurt you.
And what we did, the way we handled things, was wrong.
SARAH
So what about me? I ran away home,
I robbed mom... I was so lost.
Who's the coward here?
TOM
Don't say that, honey. You...
SARAH
(Switches the subject)
You know what? I miss mom. I really need to talk to her.
TOM
And I think it's a very good idea.
SARAH
Did you told her I was here?
TOM
Yes.
SARAH
And?
TOM
And... I can't tell what she felt. I called her.
She seemed calm, though. "The pursuit, even of the best things,
ought to be calm and tranquil", Cicero.
SARAH
(Remembers something. Smiles)
You always say those quotes. You seem like my ther...
Sarah realizes something and stops talking, concerned.
TOM
(Suspicious)
Your...
SARAH
Oh... Nothing. Forget it.
Sarah gets up.
SARAH
Well, I'm going to see mom.
Sarah goes away. Tom looks at nowhere, thoughtful. Smiles.
CUT TO:
04 INT. 50/50 PRESS - DAY
JULIANNE, ERICA and RACHEL are putting the office in order,
in a hurry.
JULIANNE
Chop-Chop, girls! Brent is arriving!
(Points to some papers on a desk)
Rachel, don't forget to file those.
Erica notices the papers and approaches to them.
ERICA
Oh, no, it's fine. I'll do it. This is some
stuff for Jana's book, 'All I ever wanted'.
JULIANNE
Well, what I want now is to go home, put my
fancy-schmancy dress on and go to the book launch.
BRENT arrives through the front door.
BRENT
Are you ready, ladies?
JULIANNE
Yes, yes, yes!
ERICA
Brent, please, tell us that everything is good at the runway.
BRENT
What do you think? Brent is a true leader, miss.
ERICA
(Relieved)
Oh, thank God! I'm so nervous!
JULIANNE
Who isn't? Come on! Let's go!
RACHEL
(Talking on the phone)
Okay. Bye!
Rachel disconnects the call.
JULIANNE
Rachel! What are you doing? Go lock the door!
RACHEL
Sorry! My boyfriend is picking me up, so...
JULIANNE
(Screams)
Go!
RACHEL
I'm on it!
Rachel goes close the door.
BRENT
Wow! You girls need to chill out.
JULIANNE
What I need is to go!
Rachel walks in. She holds an envelope. Suspicious.
RACHEL
Erm... Guys...
JULIANNE
What?
ERICA
(Notices the envelope)
What is that?
RACHEL
It's a letter, probably. I don't know who send it.
It has no name. It was on the floor, in front of the door.
Erica opens the envelope. Reads the letter. Gets shocked.
ERICA
Oh my God!
Julianne, Brent and Rachel approach. The letter is a photoshopped image of a gun pointed to Jay Manuel's head.
Below the image we can read 'TONIGHT. PECAULT SQUARE'
ERICA - V.O
And when you know that what you want is impossible to have,
would you still try to have it anyway?
Would you have that strength? And is that even called strength and bravery...
or is it foolishness? Maybe courage is all about giving up, after all?
BEING ERICA 5X03 - A TATTERED ROSE
05 INT. 50/50 PRESS - DAY
ERICA, BRENT and RACHEL are panicking, talking to each other. JULIANNE is holding the letter, concerned and tired of hearing them.
RACHEL
Who would send this?
ERICA
Well, obviously someone that knew that was going
to the mentioned in the book!
BRENT
OMG! Maybe it was that republican politician that had some gay fun with Jay!
ERICA
It can be anyone!
JULIANNE
People, let's calm down!
They don't pay attention to her and keep talking.
JULIANNE
Guys!
(Exclaims)
Would you just shut up?!
They shut up and look at her, surprised.
JULIANNE
Thank you! Jesus!
ERICA
Julianne, this is serious! What are we gonna do?
JULIANNE
Don't be chickens, chickens! This is not the first threat I receive.
'River Rock' has published very chocking and "unpleasant" books for some people.
ERICA
And...?
JULIANNE
(Discouraged)
And Frank Galvin was the one who dealt with that...
(Abandons the discouraged tone)
But... Most often, it was only that. Threats. Nothing else.
BRENT
Is that supposed to make us feel better, Jules?
ERICA
We don't know if this threat is fake. We can't be sure of that!
It's too risky!
JULIANNE
And what do you purpose? Cancel to book launch?
Throw all of that money out of the window again, Erica?
No. We are not going to do that. The book will be launched today.
Secret number 48: Surrender when you're dead.
Erica gets thoughtful.
ERICA
Okay. Okay, you're right. But, we have to tell Jay Manuel.
JULIANNE
What?! No! He would start pa...
ERICA
(Cuts her off)
Julianne! He has the right to know.
Julianne sighs.
END OF CHAPTER 1
