M.D. Pearce, Druggist

So The Winslow Museum in Winslow, Arkansas (run by my mother) has decided to put on a couple of short plays (and I do mean short) in the spring about one of Winslow's most prominent citizens in its history: Maud Dunlap (Pearce) Duncan. The plays will be centered around Maud's becoming the second woman in Arkansas history to pass the Pharmacy exam in 1906, and with Maud becoming one of the first female mayors in the United States and the head of the first female municipal government in the country, aptly named The Petticoat Government, who ran Winslow from 1925 through 1927. Since I'm a burgeoning writer trying to get as much on my rather thin (nonexistent, really) resume, and I'm also not above trying to play off my mother's nepotism, I've been commissioned to write said plays. The first one, as you could probably tell, is titled "M.D. Pearce, Druggist". It is short little drabble about what I think it might have been like for Maud to get her Pharmacy license in 1906, when women weren't treated as equals, and Maud herself had gone through many trials in her life. The second play, which I'll be posting in the coming days, is titled "The First Meeting of the Petticoat Government". Kind of went straight to the point on that one. The museum will also be filming these productions when they are performed, so be looking for the videos in a few months (who am I kidding, no one reads this blog). 


So, without further ado, I present "M.D. Pearce, Druggist"...

NEW Untitled Project

So, I've started a new screenplay. It does not have a title yet, but suggestions are welcome. I will dance for comments if it will garner them.

The Return 2

Second scene from Man: The Return.

The Return

INT. DARK ROOM - NIGHT


A man, DR KYLE MILLER, stands facing a window, the night sky shining through it.


SMOKE slowly rises above his head, most likely from a cigarette.
He stands there staring at the night sky.
The silence is broken by a question from an unseen person.


INTERVIEWER (OS)
Dr Miller?


KYLE slowly turns his head to the left, stopping at what looks like it being half-cocked.


Smoke BELLOWS from his mouth.  ZOOM IN on mouth.


INTERVIEWER (OS)
Would you like to start from the beginning?


KYLE smirks slightly.


KYLE
Which beginning?


INTERVIEWER (OS)
Whichever makes you more comfortable.


KYLE brings a CIGARETTE to his mouth and takes another drag.


He turns his face back to the window, staring at the night sky.


Smoke RISES agins above his silhouette.


KYLE
It's not about comfort. It's about what
you want the people to know.


INTERVIEWER (OS)
What do you mean?


KYLE
I mean there's more to this story than
the war we just fought.
   (beat)
More to the story about who we are as
humans... as people.


INTERVIEWER (OS)
Start with recent events. We can fill in
from there.


KYLE
As you wish.


KYLE takes one more dragging, letting the smoke rises above him again.


KYLE
On a cold night in December, the fate of mankind, the world, changed.

The Dead (update 1) *Warning: Disturbing Images*

EXT. TOWN - DAY

A MAN runs at a sprint through the streets of a desolate town, gun in hand. Low, constant groans and moans can be heard in the background. He turns off the street onto a sidewalk and bolts up the porch steps of a simple craftsman house. He starts frantically searching through the rooms. He yells out names.

MAN

Jamie? Kevin?

He continues searching through the rooms, heading upstairs after finding the first floor empty. He stops outside of a door, 'KEVIN' painted on a plank hanging from it. He slowly opens it, hearing growls and what sounds like chewing coming from behind it. With the door open, he sees a young boy, about 5, on the floor eating the intestines of a now dead woman. The man stares in shock.

MAN
(whisper)

No. Kevin. Jamie. No.

The boy hears him and turns his head. His pupils are gray and dull, and his skin is ashen. He has the look of THE DEAD. Blood smeared across his face and shirt. He lets out a feral growl, and slowly starts to turn to the man. The boy leaps at the man and the loud report of gunfire can be heard.

INT. BEDROOM - MORNING

The same man awakes in a sweating mess, sheets piled around him. His breathing is heavy and tears are forming in his eyes. He grabs a glass of water that is sitting on the bedside table and drinks it slowly. He stops and runs quickly to the bathroom, the sound of vomiting emanating throughout the room.

INT. BATHROOM - SAME TIME

The man stands in front of the sink. He rinses his mouth and then grabs some toothpaste and begins brushing. The bathrooms is simple, an eggshell in color. An ID badge hangs on a hook next to the mirror. A picture of the man is visible on it. The name reads 'RICHARD BONNER'. Underneath his name it reads 'Head of Chemistry' with 'Turner Industries' underneath that. Rick rinses his mouth with water and heads out of the bathroom.

INT. KITCHEN - SAME TIME

Rick grabs a kettle and begins heating water over a small propane stove. He reaches into a pantry and pulls out some instant coffee. The kettle whistles and he pours himself the water into a mug, mixing in the coffee.

Rick walks over to a table he has on the other side of the large kitchen and takes a seat. He turns on a large CB radio and slowly searches through the frequencies, trying to find any sort of contact. He stops when he hears a voice broadcasting on the 'Truckers Channel'.

VOICE

...are about 30 miles west of Williams on HWY 20. We're headed to Clear Lake. Is there anyone in the area to know how bad things are?

Rick smiles to himself and pushes down the button on his CB microphone.

RICK

My friend, you are in luck. I'm on the northeast side of Clear Lake. Things have been relatively quiet here the last few months.

VOICE

Oh thank God. We've been trying to find someone on here for weeks. The name's Kevin, by the way.

RICK

Nice to hear a voice, Kevin. I'm Rick. I take it you guys are in vehicles.

Kevin

Yeah, Rick. We're in an RV. You said things have been quiet?

RICK

The last few months, yes. Pretty sparsely populated area to begin with, so it hasn't really ever been too bad.

KEVIN

That's good. So... what kind of set up you got?

Rick heard a voice in the background admonishing Kevin.

RICK

I've been up here for...

Rick hesitates, not wanting to let them know just how long he has been in his compound.

RICK (cont'd)

...well, since the beginning. I haven't even made a dent in my supplies.

KEVIN
(shocked)

You have supplies?

RICK

Yep. If you take a right onto 220, a left onto 227, then a right at the first drive past the forks, you'll be here. Just follow the drive to the end. Your crew can hole up here for a while, if you want. Um... how many are with you?

KEVIN

Nine. Six adults and three kids. Is that gonna be a problem?

RICK

Nope.

KEVIN

Thank you. Thank you so much. You have no idea how much you are helping.

Rick gets a very solemn look on his face, one that looks laced with guilt.

RICK

Just doing my part. I'll see you in about ten.

KEVIN

OK Rick.

Rick lowers his head and runs his hands through his brunette hair, the look of guilt still stretched across his face.