Sojourn

Sojourn

Page 1: View of pale hand, black nail polish, a garden snake tattoo wrapped around the wrist, head with tongue sticking out on the back of the hand, chains dangling, rings on half the fingers, slipping a key into the lock of the door.

Page 2: View of two adults, obviously husband and wife, arguing in the living room.

Mother: Don’t you start up that shit with me again!

Father: Well maybe if you had been around for your children instead of going off and having your stupid career –

Mother: If you call dropping the kids off at your mother’s so you can go play golf all day, which, by the way my stupid career pays for!

View of Jake, a tall lanky punk dressed in torn and patched denim, studded vest, a suicidal tendencies t-shirt, walking past into the hallway, his six inch turquoise mohawk drooping.

Page 3: Jake enters a room littered with dirty laundry, papers, food containers and other detritus. Hendricks, Marly, Sublime . posters cover the walls along with other stoner paraphernalia. Tom, Jake’s brother, sits on his couch staring vapidly at a TV screen, game controller in hand. Tom is slightly overweight, dressed in baggy food stained clothes. His black hair messy and greasy.

Jake: I see they’re at it again.

Tom: This is nothing. You should have heard them last night. They didn’t even have make up sex this time. They’re totally getting divorced.

Jake: Dude, that’s just gross. Why do you think about these things?

View of Jake sitting next to Tom on his couch.

Tom: The way I see it, as long as they still fuck, they’ll stay together. Would you rather mom and dad split?

Jake: It’d be better than coming home to them tearing into each other every night.

Tom: Like you ever come home anymore.

Jake: Our home is a war zone. I prefer the streets.

Page 4:

Jake: You’re wearing a groove into that couch Homer Simpson style. Have you even moved since I left this morning?

Tom: Nope.

Jake: Why don’t you fucking do something with yourself?

Tom: Hey, I’m almost at level 58.

Jake: Wow, you’re right. You’ve accomplished so much.

Tom: Oh shut up. Don’t start with that lecture bullshit. You always say go with what makes you happy. Well this makes me fucking happy.

Jake: Right, what happens when mom and dad get divorced and they find out you haven’t been in school for almost two years? What happens when they don’t want to support your lazy stoned ass.

Tom: That’s not going to happen. Mom and dad will work things out. They’re not getting a divorce.

Page 5:

Jake: Then why are there divorce papers on the coffee table?

Tom: What?!

Jake: You’re living in a dream world. It won’t last forever.

Tom: You’re such an asshole.

Jake: Someone’s got to be.

Tom: Get out of my space.

View of Jake exiting the room, a black flag back patch sewn to his vest.

Page 6: View of Jake’s room. It is cleaner than his brother’s. The floor is visible. His double bed is roughly made. In one corner, an isle and painting supplies are neatly organized. It is the one spot not plastered with posters and flyers. Instead it is painted with abstract swirls of colour. Jake strips off his vest and throws it on the bed.

Page 7: View of Jake sitting at his isle trying to work on an assignment.

VOF: -Just sign the papers, Jane, just sign the god damn papers- - What? And let you win? I don’t think so!-

View of Jake turning up his music.

Jake: I fucking hate this.

Page 8: The phone is ringing, Jake ignores it.

Tom is standing at the door, phone in hand.

Tom: Phone’s for you, dick weed.

Jake: Tell them I’m not here.

Tom: Fuck you. Tell them yourself.

Rolling his eyes, Jake takes the phone.

Page 9:

Jake: Hello?

Allana: Hey buddy, what’s up?

Jake: Nothing. Just working on some homework.

Allana: Turn your music down. I can barely hear you.

Jake: I’d rather not.

Allana: What’s wrong?

Jake: Nothing. Listen Allana, I’ll call you later, I’m kind of busy right now.

Allana: Okay fine. Talk to you later, man.

Phone down, Jake picks up his paintbrush and resumes working.

His stomach growls.

Page 10: View of an almost empty fridge with Jake’s hand on the carton of milk.

View of Jake standing in the kitchen drinking straight from the carton. His mother standing behind him looking disapproving.

Mother: Demonstrating yet another bad habit you learned from your father.

Jake: You’re never around to teach me any of your bad habits.

Mother: I don’t have any.

Jake: Why is there no food in this house? Couldn’t you at least order a pizza or something?

Mother: Take that up with your father.

Dad enters.

Father: Don’t go pinning this on me. It was your responsibility to do the groceries.

Mother: You decided that. Don’t go spouting responsibility as at me. I have more responsibilities than you can count to!

Father: I can count past five thank you. It was your idea anyway.

Mother: You didn’t think I was serious, did you?!-

Jake: Ana this is where I make my exit.

Page 11: View of Jake leaning against the door inside his room.

Jake: I gotta get out of this place.

A beaten up and patched back pack is thrown on the bed. Clothes are thrown in. Toiletries, an mp3 player, other miscellanea, a journal.

Page 12: Jake takes one last look around the room before leaving it behind.

Page 13: Jake standing in the doorway to Tom’s room with his bag.

Jake: Tom –

Tom: I’m not fucking talking to you.

Jake: Fine then.

Jake walking through the living room, his parents fighting in the background.

Page 14: Inside view of the front door closed.

Page 15: Jake standing under a street lamp staring up at the sky.

Page 16: View of Jake at a phone booth in seemingly the middle of nowhere making a phone call.

Close up view of Jake’s hand dialing the number.

Side view of him standing waiting for the call to be answered.

Page 17: View of Allana sitting on the floor awkwardly, having fallen off the sofa. Her red hair is disheveled, her make-up smudged. She isn’t wearing any pants. There is a game controller in her hand and she is playing a video game with much determination. Her cell phone rings on the couch near her head.

View of her throwing the phone. The phone screen reads ‘Jake’.

Allana: Shut up!

Page 18: View from behind as Jake listens to the answering machine message.

Phone: Hey this is Allana. I’m not here right now, probably because I don’t feel like answering my phone… So leave me a message or something. What ever. –Beep-

View of Jake staring at the receiver.

View of Jake slamming the phone down.

Jake: Fuck.

Page 19: Jake walking away from the phone booth.

Page 20: Pitch black.

Light comes through the cracks to reveal Jake sitting huddled with his bag in an empty container.

Pitch black.

Light comes through. Jake looking out a hole in the side of the freight train.

Page 21: View of a freight train passing a few miles outside of a larger city. The sun is just coming up.

Jake tumbling through tall grass having just jumped out of the slowly moving train.

Page 22: View of a gang of street punks walking through the park, Nya and her boyfriend Derek are among them.

Punk 1: That’s so messed up!

Punk 2: Where’d you even meet that chick?

Derek: Hey! Check that loser out!

View of Jake crashed out against a tree.

Punk 3: Let’s go wake him up.

Page 23: The gang hovers over Jake. Derek kicks his feet, waking him up.

View of Nya crouching down to examine Jake.

Nya: Jake?

Jake: Hey?

Flash back to 3 years ago, Jake and Nya kissing.

Page 24: Nya in a chair at a small tattoo parlor having a snake tattooed to her forearm. Jake watches.

View of Jake and Nya walking hand in hand.

View of Jake and Nya having sex in Jake’s bed.

Page 25: View of Nya and Jake talking. The background in out of focus.

Nya: Let’s leave this place, leave this city.

Jake: What? I still have things that I need to do here.

Nya: Need to or want to?

Jake: Want to. I want to finish art school.

Nya: Come with me.

Jake: Wait for me.

Nya: I can’t.

View of Nya walking away.

Page 26: Jake rubs his eyes in a way that has the snake eyes tattooed on his hands line up where his eyes should be.

Derek: Hey snake-eyes looks like you had a rough night.

The other punks laugh.

Nya: When did you get into town?

Jake: This morning.

Nya throws her arms around Jake, knocking him off balance.

Jake: Uh… Good to see you too…

Page 27: Derek scowls as Nya pulls Jake to his feet.

Nya: This is my ex. Jake.

Derek circles Jake appraisingly.

Derek: This is him?

Jake: Hi.

View of Derek walking away.

Derek: I thought he’d be bigger.

Nya: Derek, don’t be a dick.

Nya turns to Jake.

Nya: Sorry about him, jealous boyfriend and all.

Jake: That’s unfortunate.

Page 28: View of Nya leading Jake off by the arm.

Nya: I can’t believe you’re here! I didn’t think I’d see you again.

Jake: Yeah…

Nya: So you finally finish school then?

Jake: No… I had to get out of there.

Nya: Oh.

They walk in silence.

Nya: I hope you’re not mad that I didn’t wait for you.

Jake: I didn’t even know where you. I never heard from you after left. I got over it.

Nya: Date anyone since then?

Jake: No…

Nya: I didn’t think so.

Page 29:

Nya: So what’s the plan?

Jake: Plan…?

Nya laughs.

Nya: You’re joking, right? You always have a plan. You’d plan putting on your underwear if you could.

Jake: Well actually… No. This whole thing kind of just happened. Yesterday I went to class, today I’m in another city.

Nya: Wow. I didn’t think you had it in you.

Jake: Yeah well, I never planned to stay there forever. The truth is I would be finished with my arts degree by now if you had waited.

Nya: You know I couldn’t have waited.

Jake: Obviously, you left.

Page 30: View Nya looking pissed and intentionally putting distance between them.

Jake: Look, I don’t want to argue about this. You’re happy and you’re with what’s his face –

Nya: Derek.

Jake: Right. So it’s all water under the bridge now.

Nya watches Jake as he stands rubbing his face tiredly.

Nya: Are you okay?

Jake: Yeah, I’m just… Fucking tired.

View from behind of Nya linked arms with Jake leading him away.

Nya: C’mon, I know a place where you can crash for a while, rest. We’re going out tonight.

Page 31: View of the gang sitting at a table at a dingy run down bar sharing a few pitchers and waiting for the show to start. Jake looks out of place with a hoodie on under his vest and his Mohawk down.

Jake is not listening to the conversation around him.

He gets up to get himself something a little stronger than beer.

Page 31: View of Jake standing at the bar.

Nya follows him to the bar.

Nya: Hey, what’s up?

Jake: Nothing, just getting myself something to drink.

Nya: You okay?

Jake: Yeah, it’s just been a while. School and stuff… Didn’t really get out much.

Nya: You always were a nerd.

Jake: Thanks.

He turns to his drink which has just arrived.

Page 32: View of Nya’s hand, holding out a little baggie with one pill in it (the pill has a banana on it).

Nya: Here.

View of Jake taking it from her.

Jake: What is this?

Nya: Just something a friend of mine cooks up, her own special recipe. I was saving it for after the show.

Jake: Why are you giving me this?

Nya: I know you’re not usually into that sort of thing but you look like you’ve been having it rough lately. I thought you could use a nice little break.

Jake: Umm… Thanks.

Nya: It kicks in fast so watch out.

Page 33: View of band playing on stage, a mosh pit in the foreground, with strobe lights and such.

Page 34: View of Jake on the sidelines popping the pill Nya gave him.

View of Jake in the heart of the thrash.

Page 35: View of Jake staggering off out of the crowd…

Staggering out of the main area…

Staggering down the stairs…

Page 36: View of Jake sitting slouch in the metro station, his hood up, a small chunk of turquoise hair visible.

Page 37: View of Jake standing.

The metro is coming but it does not look like a normal metro instead it is headed by a chrome streamlined woman’s face.

Jake boards the metro.

None of the passengers are moving. Jake waves a hand in front of one of them.

Jake: Hello?

Page 38: View of the metro passing into the tunnel.

View of the metro evaporating.

Jake continues to move forward into some kind of empty void.

Page 39: Jake walks forward.

Jake: What is this? Where the hell am I?

View of the giggle fish approaching. ( the giggle fish are large floating gold fish with exaggerating flowy fins with big lips that find everything funny. When they are not speaking they are giggling.)

Giggle fish 1: You’re certainly not in Kansas anymore.

Giggle fish 2: Oh no you didn’t just go there!

Giggle fish 1: What?

Giggle fish 3: That is so clichéd.

Jake: Who are you?

Page 40:

Giggle fish 2: Don’t you mean what are we?

Jake: Fish don’t talk.

Giggle fish 3; George, George! Did you hear that? Fish don’t talk.

View of George close up to Jake’s face mimicking Jake’s Mohawk with his dorsal fin.

George: I like him.

The other fish mimic the Mohawk as well.

Jake: Where am I?

Giggle fish 3: You are here with us.

The fish begin to nuzzle Jake.

Page 41: View of Jake now without his hoodie and vest. He wears a Distillers shirt.

Jake: But where is here?

Giggle fish 1: This is our place.

View of Jake now without his shirt.

Giggle fish 2: We like it here.

Jake now in tighty whities. The fish swim around him.

Giggle fish 3: This is your place.

There is a pop.

Page 42: Jake is now fully clothed.

Jake: No.

Jake starts running.

Giggil fish 2: Come back!

Jake: I need to find my place.

George: Follow the yellow brick road.

A yellow brick road appears under Jake’s feet.

Page 43: Jake walks along the yellow brick road slowly vague scenery develops.

Page 44: Jake stops walking. There is an ominous looking forest on the side of the road.

Jake: Fuck the yellow brick road. This isn’t getting me anywhere.

Jake walk into the forest.

Page 45: The forest is a lush green place. Sun light filters through and little balls of light float around, avoiding Jake.

Jake reaches up to touch one of the balls of light. It burns him.

Jake: Shit!

Talking cat: I wouldn’t touch that.

The cat sits on a branch up in a tree smiling in the shadows. Jake turns around in surprise.

Jake: What’re you? The Cheshire Cat?

The cat picks its teeth with a claw. It leaps into the air, landing on another branch in the form of a crow.

Crow: Is this better?

Jake: What’s next? A giant talking lion?

Crow: Don’t be ridiculous.

They stare at each other for a moment.

Page 46:

Jake: So? Any riddles for me?

Crow: Turn back. This is a dead end.

Jake: Thanks.

Jake continues to walk deeper into the woods.

The woods begin to darken. The sunlight fades away. All that’s left is the light of the little sparks to light his path.

Page 47: The branches become more over grown and lower to the ground and the trees grow closer together. It forces Jake to crouch.

Eventually Jake has to crawl to keep going. The greens are almost faded out to black. He crawls for a good thirty meters.

Page 48: Jake sits huddled in the dark, arms around his knees, the sparks dance around him.

Page 49: Jake still sits in the dark.

Nya approaches from far, glowing in a white flowy dress.

Nya kneels down in front of Jake, her tattoos are brightly contrasted colour on her milky which skin.

Nya: Jake, what’re you doing here?

Jake: I’m trying to find my place.

Nya: Is this it?

Jake: No… But I got stuck.

Page 50: Nya pulls Jake up and starts trying to lead him off.

Nya: Come on.

Jake: (laughs) Where are we going?

Nya: I know a better place… Do you trust me?

Jake: Always.

Lights start to strobe in the darkness pulsing out bright colours. Jake looks blissful, childlike.

Page 51: Nya and Jake starts to dance, moving close together. Jake is focused on Nya. Nya has her eyes closed, not focused on anything.

Page 52: People begin to dance around Jake and Nya. As more people join the distance between Nya and Jake grows. The people in the crowd are the punks he met with Nya as well as her boyfriend.

Page 53: Jake becomes aware of what’s happening.

Jake: What’s going on?

Nya opens her eyes.

Nya: I need more than this.

Jake: I need you.

Nya: I’m sorry.

Jake: Nya!

There are too many people between Nya and Jake for him to see her. Jake looks panicked.

Page 54: Jake runs panicked from the dance floor.

Jake does not stop running until he runs into something hard. He falls back onto the ground.

Page 55: Jake looks up and he’s staring at the angry face of a big burley skinhead except the skinhead looks rotted and corpsified.

Jake: Jesus!

Jake scrambles to his feet. The skinhead starts walking, oblivious.

More skinheads appear to form a pack.

Zombie Skinheads: Join us… Join us…

Page 56: Jake backs up but there are skinheads everywhere.

Jake: No.

Some of the skinheads from a slam pit.

Zombie Skinheads: Join us…

Jake: Fuck off.

Collin, Jake’s cousin appears at the front of the pack. His face is more intact, more alive looking than the rest. He has a wicked smile on his face.

Collin: Come on, cousin. Join us.

Jake: Collin, fuck off with this crap.

Page 57: Collin comes closer to Jake.

Collin: Jake… I know you believe. I can see it in you. You need to see it yourself.

Jake: You’re way off. It’s total crap and I still can’t believe you bought into it.

Collin becomes angry.

Collin: Join US!

Jake: No.

Collin: Do you know what it’s like to have your whole family turn on you? I thought you at least would understand. You abandoned me!

Jake: Your grand parents fought against everything you believe in. What did you expect?

Page 58: Collin shoves Jake.

Collin: Fuck you!

Jake: I couldn’t follow you this time. I’m sorry.

Jake hits a wall. Collin grabs hold of the front of Jake’s shirt and shoves him into the wall.

Jake: I’m sorry…

Collin takes a swing at Jake’s head. Jake ducks, Collin hits the wall instead.

Jake: I’m not responsible for your life.

Jake tries to run for it. Collin pulls him back, throwing him into the wall with a sharp crack. Jake falls to the ground.

Page 59: Collin starts to kick Jake in the ribs.

Jake grabs his foot and pulls Collin to the ground. Jake gets on top Collin, puts his hands around his throat and starts to pound his head on the ground.

After several hits Collin is dead. Jake stares in horror.

Disembodied voice: But you are responsible for my death.

Page 60: Jake staggers to his feet. He vomits against the wall. He takes off at a dead run.

Page 61: Jake running. He passes by things like fire hydrants, benches, bus stops and street signs but is not actually on a street.

Page 62: Jake runs into a bathroom.

View of him washing his hands.

Close up of his hands under water. The blood does not want to come off.

View of Jake looking at his reflection in the cracked and spotted mirror. His face is pale there are block circles under his eyes. His face and shirt are speckled with blood.

Page 63: Jake backs away from the sink. He hits the wall, sinks to the floor.

Knees to his chest, face buried in arms, he starts to sob.

Allana sits down beside him, she is wearing a white lab coat.

Allana: Don’t be a sissy.

Jake looks up.

Jake: What?

Allana: This isn’t real.

Jake: I don’t understand.

Allana: The lysergic acid diethylamide has artificially induced a psychotic episode. The coma is not a standard effect. Somebody fucked up cutting it, playing with their junior chemistry set. Amateurs.

Jake: What?!

Page 64: Nya dancing on the dance floor. Nya’s friend, Jana comes up to her.

Jana: Hey! I’ve been trying to reach you!

Nya: What’s up?

Jana: Did you take it already? The shit I gave you?

Nya: Why?

Jana: Don’t take it. Get rid of it. The batch was fucked. Bad.

Nya: I was saving it for after the show. Oh no…

Jana: What?

Nya: I have to find someone.

Page 65: Nya comes up to where Derek and a few others are sitting at the table.

Nya: Have you seen Jake?

Derek: What do you care?

Nya: I need to find him. I gave him some bad shit.

Derek: We haven’t seen snake-eyes in a while.

Punk 1: We lost him in the pit.

Girl Punk: I think I saw him leaving. What a shame. I didn’t get to introduce myself.

Nya: Shit!

Nya runs off.

Page 66: Allana and Jake sitting on the bathroom’s dingy floor.

Jake: So what does that mean?

Allana: To you? Not much.

Jake: What do I do?

Allana: Ride it out.

Jake: I’m trying to find my place.

Allana: Unless you think your place is cleaning toilets for the rest of your life, you might want to get out of here.

Jake: Right.

Page 67: Jake walking out of the bathroom with Allana in tow.

He walks aimlessly, the scenery is not notable.

He stops walking.

Jake: Where am I going?

Allana: It’s your head.

Jake: That was rhetorical.

Page 68: Jake comes to a fork in the road and stops. There are signs that should label where the roads go but they have no writing on them.

Jake: This is wonderful.

Allana laughs.

Jake: There is no writing on any of the signs.

Allana: All roads lead to Rome.

Jake: What does that even mean?

Allana laughs.

Jake: Is it sad that you make more sense in my head than you do most of the time in real life?

Jake starts walking down the left fork.

Page 69: Jake walks along the road, the background shifts vaguely. They are everywhere and nowhere in particular.

Allana: I hate transitions.

Jake: What are you talking about?

Allana: You know, those transition periods in stories. They take for ever and are incredibly boring.

Jake: I’m sorry this is taking too long for taste. But we’re in my head and I have no fucking clue where we’re going.

Allana: Well go somewhere.

Jake: Shut up.

Page 70: Allana pointing at a figure coming towards them from the other direction.

Allana: Hey look, it’s your brother.

Jake: That doesn’t look like him… He’s not the camping type.

Tom stops to talk to them. He has slimmed down. He looks tanned and healthy, clean.

Tom: Hey, baby brother. What’s up?

Jake: You tell me.

Tom: I’m going rock climbing.

Jake: No video games?

Tom: God no. After you left, mom and dad went into counseling and worked things out. I got off the couch finally. Realized that maybe there were other things out there that I might like. Once I stopped having someone over my shoulder lecturing me all the time.

Jake: What?

Page 71:

Tom: After you left, everything just seemed to be better. Life is good. You could never be happy with anything. You brought us all down with you. But you left. We moved on.

Jake: I don’t understand…

Tom: Later, bro.

Tom walks off.

Jake looks stricken. Allana stands by but does nothing to comfort him.

Jake runs off. Allana follows.

Allana: Jake!

Page 72: Jake running.

Allana: Where are you going?

Jake hits into a wall.

Allana stops behind him.

Jake slides down the wall.

Allana crouches beside Jake, reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder.

Jake turns angrily to Allana.

Jake: This whole thing has gotten me –

Page 73: Jake is slumped over on the bench in the metro station. He’s unconscious.

A caption in angry letters writes: - Nowhere.a