Author's Notes: PLEASE READ. This is my first written screenplay. I wrote it to be an idea for a TV show. Something I would seriously like to pursue in the future. Please be kind with your reviews, and remember I've never written anything like this before.
SOULHOUSE
MY FICTIONAL CAST
DANNY-Ashley Green
ROSALIND-Jane Krakowski
TERRY-Ryan Kwanten
GABRIEL-Sean Hayes
FADE IN
EXT. SKY-GREY -DAY
DANNY(VOICEOVER)
It started out like any other day. I woke up, skipped classes, had a fight with my sister. Went downtown to get a sandwich. And that's when it happened.
(GUNSHOT)
How was I supposed to know? And then…and then I don't know. And then I was….here.
EXT. SKY-BLUE-DAY
Danny looks around at her strange surroundings. The light is so bright it's almost blinding, and she struggles to see. An attractive woman in a white gown is walking towards her.
ROSALIND
Are you Danny Evermore?
DANNY
Yes.
ROSALIND
Hello Danny. We've been expecting you.
DANNY
We? What are you talking about? Who are you? What is this place?
ROSALIND
Oh my, didn't you get the memo? You're dead my dear. Welcome to heaven.
DANNY
Aw, shit
(OPENING CREDITS PLAY TO JESSICA RIDDLES "EVEN ANGELS FALL")
EXT. HEAVEN-DAYTIME
Rosalind stands silent, peering into a swirling mass of clouds that open to reveal a scene on earth. Police cars, sirens, and people gathered along the street.
ROSALIND
It's a shame. You were so young. But we all have to go sometime, and when the time is right, that's when we go.
DANNY
Are all the dead people as chipper as you?
ROSALIND
Oh no my dear. I'm the gatekeeper. I have to be cheerful, it's part of my job. Now how would people feel if they just found out they died, and they first thing they see in the afterlife is some grouchy old fuddy-duddy? That's why they called me to take over for Peter. I'm much more pleasant to look at.
DANNY
Peter? Like, as in Saint Peter
ROSALIND
Do you know another? Now, let's see where you go. (Looking at a clipboard) We did have a place for you, but that's not going to work out.
DANNY
Why not?
ROSALIND
Well, we thought you were a boy. You could go here, but that's mostly for families. No. Or…(she flips a page over on her clipboard and gasps) Oh my goodness! Why didn't I see this before?
DANNY
What?! What's wrong?!
ROSALIND
Well…well, I'm afraid you can't go anywhere. My dear, I'm sorry, but it looks like you have too many demerits to get into heaven.
-SCENE BREAK-
EXT. HEAVEN-CONTINUOUS
DANNY
Demerits? What are you talking about?
ROSALIND
Demerits. It's a system. You do something bad or immoral, you get a demerit. The worse the act, the more demerits you get. Murder, like one-hundred demerits. Littering, that's like five.
DANNY
How many do I have?
ROSALIND
A hundred and seventeen
DANNY
What?! What for? What did I do? (She tries to grab the clipboard away)
ROSALIND
That, is classified information. I can't tell you that. But it looks like you've been racking up demerits since you were twelve.
DANNY
I had a rough childhood
(ROSALIND gives DANNY a look)
DANNY-CONTINUED
Never mind, just how do I get rid of them? What do I need to do?
ROSALIND
You have to go back to earth. Work them off. Do good deeds. You can't get into heaven with more than 25 demerits. You go back, redeem yourself so to speak, return and ta-da. The afterlife of the rich and famous.
DANNY
It doesn't look that great
ROSALIND
Oh honey, this is just the front door. You haven't even seen the inside. Now, you'll need a place to go.
DANNY
Can't I just go back to where I came from?
ROSALIND
Yes, let's send the dead girl back to traipse around her hometown. Good idea!
DANNY
Ok, I get it. I wasn't thinking. So then what? Where do I go?
ROSALIND
I've got it! Los Angeles! We'll make you a student at UCLA!
DANNY
UCLA? More school?
ROSALIND
It's the perfect place. You'll fit right in
DANNY
I've never been to L.A. in my life. Don't they have like…gangs there?
ROSALIND
You're dead, remember?
DANNY
Oh yeah
ROSALIND
Now let's see. Ah (she makes a bag appear out of mid-air) This has everything you'll need. ID, cell phone, you know, the normal stuff. I'll take care of everything you'll need down there. Oh, except living arrangements, that you have to find on your own. And there are only three rules. Rule number one. Never ever, under any circumstances reveal what you are, to anyone.
DANNY
Like anyone would believe me?
ROSALIND
Rule number two. Don't get wet.
DANNY
Don't get wet? Why?
ROSALIND
Angels can't get wet. We turn to stone.
DANNY
I'll make a note. And rule three?
ROSALIND
Rule three is, if you break rule one you lose all accumulated points and you start all over. That's everything.
DANNY
That's it
ROSALIND
Yeah. So you better go.
DANNY
How do I….
(The sky opens up beneath her and DANNY begins to tumble to earth.)
ROSALIND (shouting after her)
Don't worry, you won't be all alone! I'm sending someone to look after you! You'll know when you see him!
EXT. UCLA-DAYTIME-OUTSIDE
A young man (TERRY) sits beneath a shady tree, looking through a textbook. College students are walking all around campus. DANNY comes crashing through the branches, landing on top of TERRY.
TERRY
Hey! What the hell?!
DANNY
Ow! Crap! I'm sorry! Ow!
TERRY
Did you just fall out of the tree?
DANNY
What? No, why on earth would I be in a…..ok, yeah, maybe I did fall out of a tree? But, so what? People fall out trees all the time. If you fell out of a tree I wouldn't judge you.
TERRY
Are you an elf?
DANNY
Very funny. Where'd my bag go? (She begins to look around the ground for her satchel)
TERRY
Do you go here?
DANNY
Um…yeah, I go here.
TERRY
I've never seen you
DANNY
It's a big campus
TERRY
You come to this tree often?
DANNY
Sometimes. What's it to you?
TERRY
I'm Terry
DANNY
Danny
TERRY
You live on campus?
DANNY
Actually I just transferred here from…where I used to live, and I was wondering, who do we see about student housing?
TERRY
You're a little late for that. Student housing filled up weeks ago. Why did you transfer in the middle of the semester?
DANNY
I have my reasons, ok?
TERRY
Ok
DANNY
Well then, do you know any cheap apartments? Really cheap? Like free?
TERRY
Well, it just so happens that I have a spare bedroom at my place. It's about five blocks away, little house, not much, but it serves its purpose. You interested?
DANNY
Ex-girlfriend move out?
TERRY
We ended on good terms, it's just, living together wasn't healthy for us
DANNY
Ok. But let me tell you, I will not be your little sex monkey
TERRY
What makes you think I would want you to be?
DANNY
I saw the way you were looking at me when I fell out of the tree.
INT. TERRY'S HOUSE-DANNY'S BEDROOM-THE NEXT DAY-MORNING
DANNY awakes to a bright light shining through her window, and a knock at her door.
TERRY
Rise and shine!
DANNY
I'll rise, but I can't guarantee the shine part. What time is it?
TERRY
7:30
DANNY
In the morning?
TERRY
I've got class in 40 minutes. When is your first class?
DANNY
Um…Tuesday?
TERRY
I mean, what time?
DANNY
Oh, I have to go and uh…sign up for my classes, still.
TERRY
Wow, you really did move here on the spur of the moment. You didn't prepare for anything.
DANNY
Nope. So uh, why don't you get going? No need to wait for me.
(At that moment, a large shadow flashes past DANNY'S window. She and TERRY both see it)
TERRY
What the hell was that?
DANNY
A bird?
TERRY
What kind of bird?
DANNY
Albatross?
TERRY
In California?
DANNY
Don't they migrate?
TERRY
That thing was huge. (He runs to look out her window)
DANNY
Yes well, whatever it was I'm sure it's gone now. You should go, because…I need to get dressed. So, get out.
TERRY
Ok. I'll be by the tree at lunch. If you're up there again.
DANNY
Right. Ok. Get out.
(DANNY shoves TERRY out the door, and hurries to her window. She looks out and sees nothing. She opens the window and sticks her head out)
DANNY
Am I crazy?
GABRIEL
You must be Danny
(Danny turns and looks up into a nearby tree. An attractive man stands non-chalantly in the tree)
GABRIEL
Rosalind told me you were interesting
DANNY
And you are?
GABRIEL
I'm the one sent to keep an eye on you. My name's Gabriel.