Midland

SUMMARY: "Midland" the place in between Heaven and Hell, where lost souls are kept and left there to wonder about in hopes that someday they'll find a way to get to Heaven. Meet Sam Harris, a grownup-child-star, who recently committed suicide and just became a new resident of Midland. He thought that death would bring him to a better place…he was wrong. Trapped in Midland he for goes a journey with the beautiful and mysterious young soul, Grace and meets other lost souls who are more like him than he thinks… and in the end he finds out that death doesn't bring you to a better place…living does

SCENE 1

PLACE: in a usual suburban house

Marianne 18, walks down stairs to the basement and shuts the door on her parents arguing at each other loudly in the background, she then picks up the remote and turns the TV on showing a movie, close up on the TV

(Mom is in a hospital bed in a comma, her young son sits right besides her)

Son: Please don't die Mom, I need you, don't leave me alone(the son cries) Remember that time when we saw The Wizard of Oz together? We had the greatest time, and remember how you loved that song, and that you always wanted me to sing it to you but I never did because I was too embarrassed (the son sobs and sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to her)

Marianne watches and cries

TV MOVIE

(When the son is finished singing the song her heart monitor beeps as it declines faster) Mom! No! Somebody! Help! (Doctors come in and push the son away while they shock her) No Mom! Don't die! You can't die! (the son gets dragged out of the room by nurses, he kicks and screams and tries to get away from them) No! Mom!!

Zoom in shot to boy's eyes and zoom out to the eyes

Of SAM KLYE 25, sitting in the recliner silently watching TV in his apartment complex, his ROOMMATE comes out of the bathroom all dressed up and ready to go somewhere

ROOMMATE

Whatcha doing tonight Sam?

SAM

I don't know, maybe I'll sleep or something, got another hot date with Gloria?

ROOMMATE

Yeah, I think she could be the one

SAM

Right, that's what you said about Tiffany?

ROOMMATE

Well it's different with Gloria. (Pause) You know Sam, you really should get out, you've been cooped up here for days, are you okay, is there something wrong? Listen, I know how it is to not get the job, but you got to try again instead of giving up and drinking all day

SAM

I'm fine Josh, and I haven't been drinking(There's a bottle by the couch where SAM is sitting in and as he says that he hides the bottle with his foot)

ROOMMATE

Really?

SAM

Yes I'm fine, I swear

(Uncomfortable pause)

You better get going, you don't want to leave her waiting

His ROOMATE heads for the door

SAM

Farewell(SAM murmurs to himself as the ROOMMATE leaves)

SAM goes back to watching the TV he flips a few channels and stops at one playing the movie he was in when he was 11, The Christmas Prayer

fix

SAM

Oh C'mon! It's not even fucking December! And you're playing that!

TV

We'll be right back to The Christmas Prayer, now movie talk with Janice Enders and Sherman Hughes

Janice: That was The Christmas Prayer with the talented Rita Rivers and little Sammy Riley who was nominated for an academy award for this role

Sherman: What ever happened to little Sammy?

SAM

He grew up(he quipped)

TV

Janice: I'm not sure, he was such an adorable boy with great talent

SAM

I'll tell you where little Sammy is, drinking a Jack Daniels wondering what the hell he's done with his life

TV

Sherman: I bet he took a break and is college right now

SAM

Ha! More like flunked out of college

TV

Janice: I don't think so, you know child actors, once they hit puberty they get fat, pimply and once they're start to have arm pit hair their career, hell their life, is pretty much over with, so I guess little Sammy Kyle is out of work, possibly a drunk or drug addict, still into acting because that's all a child actor like himself knows, and wondering what he's done with his life, for all we know he could be watching this right now thinking the same thing

SAM

(SAM's joking grin wipes of his face) Well fuck you, you…fat bitch, what'd you know about me

(SAM turns the TV off and throws the remote)

SAM

That's it, I had enough…

(SAM get up from the couch and gets a pad and pen and scribbles down a suicide note)

SAM

Let's give Jan and Sherman something to talk about on tomorrows show

(A few minutes later SAM climbs over the balcony, he looks up at the sky for a moment. His agent's voice talks in his head)

V.O. AGENT

Like I said nobody's going to take a has been, you're worthless, Face it Sam, nobody wants you. That's life, take it or live it

SAM

I'll take it

(SAM says before he jumps off)

Cut to

SCENE 2

PLACE: Midland

(We get a close up shot of SAM's face then the shot moves out to reveal that SAM is a crowded station, he is sitting on a bench. People all over bustling about, SAM, confused, looks around. SAM gets up from the bench and grabs a random person)

SAM
Excuse me, sir, where is this?

(The man looks at him sadly and shakes his head of disapproval)

PERSON

They just keep on getting younger and younger

SAM

What?

PERSON

Damn kids (he says as he walks away)

SAM

Wait

(SAM gets pushed and shoved by the people walking in all sorts of directions, he sees an "Information" booth and pushes his way to it, a lady is sitting in the booth doing paper work, there is a huge line, SAM waits in it…NEW SHOT many minutes later)

LADY

Next!

SAM

Thank God, there's somebody here who tell me where the hell I am

LADY

I wouldn't go thanking God, son

SAM

Why? Am I dead?

LADY

I suppose you are if you're here

SAM

This isn't hell is it?

LADY

No

SAM

Then I'm in Heaven!(he says with a sigh of relief)

LADY

Nope, not even close

SAM

Then where the hell am I then?

LADY

(she rolls her eyes)

Midland

SAM

Mid What?

LADY

You're in Midland, the place in between Heaven and Hell, where lost souls wonder about until they find way to get to Heaven or Hell, which ever they prefer

SAM

Then how do I get to Heaven?

LADY

That's what you have to find out? Sucks doesn't it? Now can you excuse me and let me help the next person in line, sorry but I don't have enough time to help another self- absorbed suicide victim

SAM

Ouch, what kind of information booth is this?

LADY

One that is done helping you, bub-bye, next!

SAM

Bitch(he mutters as he walks away)

LADY

Oh, and one other thing, (SAM turns) I'd watch your mouth if I were you, every time you swear keeps you farther away from finding Heaven

SAM

Thanks for the great service (he says sarcastically)

(SAM walks away but stop when he sees a pretty girl, GRACE, age unknown, in the crowed looking at him, the only friendly face there, she smiles to herself and goes on walking, Sam, being highly attracted to her, follows her, he pushes through the crowed trying not to lose her to the swarming souls/people, she then stops, and turns around)

GRACE

Why are you following me?

(her beauty leaves SAM speechless and in awe)

SAM

I ah…um I…I don't know

GRACE

Just like you don't know where you're going

SAM

Yeah…um…I'm sort of ah lost

GRACE

Aren't we all…(pause) So what? You want me to show

you around?

SAM

You mean, we can leave this place?

GRACE

(She smiles)

Come with me

(she takes his hand)

SAM

Where are we going?

GRACE

Somewhere, anywhere

SAM

What's you name

GRACE

Grace, come on Sam, quit thinking about how pretty my eyes are and follow me, you did it so well before

SAM

How did you…?

GRACE

Reading minds takes a lot of practice, I'll teach you, now hold on

(she holds on to his hand as they both rush through the crowed, then goes black and cuts into…)

SCENE 3

PLACE: High in the sky

(the scene cuts to what looks to be both of them standing some place)

SAM

Where are we?

GRACE

(she leans forward and whispers in his ears)

Look down

(SAM looks down to see that he's high in the sky floating nearly a thousand feet above the air, then there's a loud noise as a plane flies by)

SAM

Holy shit! I'm flying!!

GRACE

Think happy thoughts

(she says as she lets go of his hand and flies farther away from him)

SAM

I'm flying! This is…

GRACE

Unbelievable?

SAM

Beyond that, this is better than anything I've ever experienced before! This is better than sex!

(GRACE glares, SAM innocently shrugs)

SAM

Figuratively speaking

(uncomfortable pause)

Hey look another plane!

(he says changing the subject)

GRACE

Bet you can't catch me!

SAM

And I bet you I can!

(She flies faster as he tries to catch up, they laugh as they fly)

SAM

I'm Superman!

GRACE

Yeah, but you sure don't fly like him!

(SAM finally catches up ton her but just when he was about to grab her she disappears)

SAM
GRACE? Where did you go?

GRACE

Right here

(He turns the find her right behind him. He reaches for her again and she disappears once again)

SAM

How did you do that?

GRACE
I'm not telling

SAM

Why not?

GRACE

Because it took me years to figure out and if I had to learn the hard way so do you

SAM

That's not fair

GRACE

Why?

SAM

I can understand you're a bit mad at the fact, but in my opinion the best kind of vengeance is preventing, you should share you're knowledge with other people, I mean, spirits so they won't have to go what you've gone through, treat everyone as you would want to be treated

GRACE
Thanks for the Brady lecture, but nice try, I'm still not telling

SAM

Oh come on! If you tell me I'll…uh…

GRACE

You'll what? You can't give me anything since you have nothing, and besides nothing's valuable here

SAM
I'm sure something is, there's always something of value somewhere

GRACE

How did you die?

(SAM stops flying)

SAM

That's a great way to change the subject

GRACE

I mean it, how?

SAM

Long story

(GRACE laughs)

GRACE
You think that's a problem, haven't you noticed, we have plenty of time! More time than we need!

SAM

If only life had that…sorry I forgot for a moment. Listen I really don't want to talk about it

GRACE

Why?

SAM

It's just…

GRACE
You think I won't understand, well try me, I promise I won't laugh

SAM

I'll tell you later

GRACE

Tell me now

SAM

No! What about you, huh?

GRACE

What about me?

SAM

Why are you here?

GRACE

Tell me how you died and I'll tell you how to teleport

SAM

Deal

(Silence)

GRACE

So…

SAM

Oh yeah, um, it's kind of, you know funny, you see I was all depressed because I couldn't find a gig and I started drinking, not heavily, and then one night I had enough and so I wrote a note to my mother and sister telling them I love them and then I jumped off the balcony, end of story, so how do you teleport?

(He said all in a rush)

GRACE

Wait a minute! You killed yourself?!

SAM

Yeah…

GRACE

You idiotic-selfish- bastard! What were you thinking?! Or did you think before you jumped? Your poor mother! To come home one night to find her only son dead, not by accident or murder, but from suicide, and to live with that for the rest of her life! Knowing that no one is responsible for her son's death but her son himself, and leaving her no one to blame but the one she loved and herself

SAM

I never really though of it that way…

(he says sheepishly)

GRACE

You should have! You deserve to be here! And did you think that you were actually going to heaven for this?! Oh yeah, that's right you didn't think, see later Sam

SAM

Wait! Where are you going?!

GRACE

Don't follow me this time

(SAM follows her anyways, she head down and more down to land, then suddenly there's a thick cloud in between the both of them and when it clears GRACE isn't there, he heads to land

SCENE 4

PLACE: Beach

SETTING: beach, dusk, deserted

(SAM is alone walking along the shoreline. He stops walking when he sees a bonfire up ahead and he runs to it to find GRACE with three other spirits TONY an 20s gangster, ADAM a young WWII soldier, and a middle aged man DARRYL)

GRACE

Well, well, well, look who followed me again

TONY

Has he been troubling you, Grace?

GRACE
In a way

DARRYL
I haven't seen you around before, you new?

GRACE

He's new, he just committed suicide

TONY

Swell, another suicide victim, so what drove you to end your life my friend? Please take a seat, stay awhile

(SAM sits down)

SAM

It's complicated, I don't really want to talk about it

TONY

That's fine, you'll come around one of theses years. I'm Tony, this here is Darryl, and here's Adam and like you he also committed suicide

ADAM

I didn't commit suicide (he grumbled)

SAM

Then what happened?

DARRYL

Don't tell me I have to hear his story again

TONY

Go ahead and tell him Adam

ADAM

When I was 18 I fell in love with this girl, she was a beauty, as beautiful as Grace here, I was in love, (he smiled) all I cared about was her, after going out with her for a year (his smile left his face) she broke up with me, it turned out she didn't love me, I wasn't rich enough for her and other shit like that, and all along she was already engaged to some 40 year old moron whose father was an oil tycoon. After that, I wanted to end my life, but I wasn't able to. Then suddenly Pearl Harbor was attacked and America was at war, I thought to myself that this was a good opportunity, so I enlisted, and after grueling boot camp I was shipped off to battle and I was shot four times in the chest in the first day

SAM

That's not suicide

TONY

Well according to the big man upstairs, it is

SAM

But still, you didn't physically kill yourself, so it wasn't suicide, you went to war and got shot, that's not suicide

GRACE

It's suicide, even though he didn't physically kill himself, he did. He went to battle to be killed, if he went to battle to fight for his country it would have been different. He died for selfish reason, he didn't get killed saving someone, he didn't get killed for a purpose, he got killed because he wanted to get killed, and that is suicide

ADAM

I didn't think of it that way

SAM

That doesn't make any sense though, suicide is when you kill yourself, getting killed shouldn't count

GRACE

It does

SAM
Says who?

TONY

Say kid, you look familiar(He says changing the subject) I have seen you around, somewhere…

DARRYL

Hey you're that kid in that one movie! That Christmas movie with the dying mother!

SAM

Guilty

DARRYL

A child actor, no need to explain

TONY

I remember that movie! You sure grew up kid

SAM

Unfortunately

DARRLY

Or what about that other movie, that musical you did, that movie was hysterical

SAM

It was a musical drama

TONY

Or what about that one where he's a teenaged space commander; that was a good show.

DARRYL

Wasn't that the show you quit, why did you quit that? It was a great show

SAM

I had no choice, my mom wanted me to go to college

TONY

You quit a show that made you millions to go to school?!

SAM
I was 17, still a minor, I had no say in the matter

DARRYL

Yeah the boy that replaced you, he's big right now, huge, he's in everything these days

SAM

Thanks for reminding me

DARRYL

Didn't he win an Academy Award?

SAM

I wouldn't know

DARRYL
Sure you would, everybody always keeps track of their rivals

SAM

I told you, I don't want to talk about it! And he was just nominated for your imformation!

TONY
Quit it Darryl, the kid's been through enough.

DARRYL

We've been through more

TONY

No I've been through more

DARRYL

Not this again

TONY

I've been here for almost eighty years, you only been here for four, so I'll shut up if I were you!

DARRYL

Just because you've been here for eighty years and had a hard life in the mafia doesn't make you better than us

SAM

You were in the mafia?

(SAM asks amazed)

TONY

Yeah I was

SAM

Tell me about it

TONY

We don't tell here…we show

(TONY snaps)

Scene 5

PLACE: New York 1922

SETTING: City- urban, dirty, dark, load, colorful

SAM

What the- where are we?

TONY

My past

SAM

Not only can we go anywhere in the world, we can go to anytime?!

TONY

Yeah kiddo

DARRYL

This is my fifth time here

TONY

Then leave Darryl

DARRYL

Like I have something better to do

ADAM

Disturbing the living getting too boring for you?

SAM

Wait a minute! We can go to anytime, anywhere?

TONY

Yeah

SAM

So I can go back in time and warn my past self

TONY

No, it's not as easy as that

DARRYL

You think no one's tried that before?

TONY

Technically you could, that's how psychics get their premonitions. But it's pointless, no matter what you do, go to a psychic in your past to warn you or what not, the same thing will happen one way or another, that's fate for you. So you can try all you want, it just won't happen.

SAM

I bet I can find a way around it…

TONY

That's what I said, look where I am

DARRYL

You can't stop fate, Tony found that out the hard way

SAM

You've been her sixty years Adam, have you tried?

ADAM

Why bother, fate hates me

TONY

Anyways back to my past!

SAM

Where's Grace?

DARRYL

She has a knack for disappearing and reappearing

TONY

Stop changing the subject!

SAM

Sorry

TONY

This is where I lived, my apartment, let's go inside shall we

(TONY snaps again)

SCENE 6

PLACE: Tony's apartment

SETTING: Antique furniture, warm, spacious, homely

SAM

Nice place

TONY

A Mob boss's place has to be

DARRYL

I wonder how you bought all of this…hey is that a carton of whiskey?

TONY

Shut up Darryl!

DARRYL

And what are you going to, hire a hitman?

TONY

(Ignores him)

Shh…I hear my Anna

SAM

Anna?

TONY

My eldest daughter, shh…

AN: Hello, let me just thank you for reading this, I hope you somewhat enjoy it and feel free to ask any questions and please review and let me know what you think. Sorry if the screenplay format is hard to read or annoying, I'm an aspiring screenwriter, I prefer writing this story in this format(and I wouldn't know how to write this in story format for I'd spend countless time on deciding on doing it in first person or third lol) I really want to finish this story soon, it's sad, the first and only story I ever completed on page was a fan fic(200 pages wasted , I'll never forgive myself lol) and I'm desperate to complete anything original on page asap(I'm a daydreamer and huge procrastinator) so if you like this so far push me to continue(pretty please!)