I fixed the weird formatting from the last post I made. Hopefully it's easier to read now. Let me know what you guys think.
FADE IN:
INT - MALL - DAY
VANESSA, 22, drags her hands across the store window.
She stops when a big hourglass on display catches her eye.
INT - MALL - STORE - DAY
Vanessa pays THE CASHIER.
THE CASHIER
Have a nice day.
When Vanessa turns around to leave, she bumps into ELLA, 20,
whose scowl turns into smile the second she sees Vanessa.
ELLA
Hey, I didn't even see you there.
VANESSA
Yeah, I didn't either.
Ella laughs uncomfortably.
VANESSA
I mean, I didn't see you there. I knew I
was here obviously. Well, I didn't see
myself...
Ella crosses her arms. Vanessa grimaces.
VANESSA
So what are you doing here?
ELLA
I'm just on my break.
She points to her nametag. ROSA, mid-30's, watches the
conversation from outside the store.
ELLA
I figured I might as well stop by your
brother's favorite store to buy him a
birthday present or whatever.
Ella shows Vanessa a t-shirt then puts it on the counter.
VANESSA
Oh, cool. I just bought Dean's present
too.
THE CASHIER
(to Ella)
Seventeen ninety nine.
Ella puts her card on the counter next to the shirt,
avoiding eye contact with The Cashier.
ELLA
Plus it can double as, like, a
congrats-on-the-promotion gift too.
VANESSA
Dean told me you both were gunning
for the job.
Vanessa pats Ella's back.
ELLA
No, yeah. He totally deserves it.
VANESSA
Well, I'm sure there'll be another
promotion just around the corner for you.
THE CASHIER
(to Ella)
Do you want your receipt--
ELLA
No.
Ella rolls her eyes and motions for Vanessa to look
at The Cashier and share in her contempt.
VANESSA
Hey, I gotta go.
ELLA
Nice seeing you.
VANESSA
Nice to see you too. I'll tell Dean I saw you.
Ella glares intensely as Vanessa exits.
EXT. MALL - DAY
Vanessa gets into her car and puts the gift bag in
the back seat. She takes out her phone.
VANESSA (TEXT)
(to Dean)
See you in a few.
She drives out of the parking lot.
EXT. DEAN'S HOUSE - DAY
Vanessa knocks on the door. She waits, holding the
gift bag.
VANESSA
Dean!
She knocks again then looks through one of the
windows. In the reflection she sees a red car parked
on the side of the road.
VANESSA
Dean, open up. It's Vanessa.
She knocks on the door again, but when there's no
answer she opens the door.
VANESSA
Dean, are you here?
CLOSE ON the door closing.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Vanessa sets her gift bag and jacket on the couch
before checking her phone. It's 2:12 PM and she
has no new messages.
Pictures of Dean, his family, and his boyfriend cover
the walls. A pair of shoes and a jacket lie next to the
front door.
VANESSA (TEXT)
(to Dean)
Got here before you lol
She picks up a piece of paper from the table. It's a
restraining order request form against John Wilcox
signed by Dean.
Vanessa's phone beeps. The battery is a 5%.
VANESSA
Shit.
She opens the door, staring at her phone and exits.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY
Vanessa steps onto the carpet and drops her phone.
She looks back at the door and can see the living room.
Vanessa falters down the hallway and exits to the
living room.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Vanessa stares at the hallway through the front door.
She looks back down the hallway.
VANESSA
What the hell?
Vanessa runs through the front door with her eyes shut.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY
Vanessa runs from the door with her eyes shut and stops
just shy of the wall. She opens her eyes. She opens
another door and it leads to the living room too.
She laughs.
Vanessa turns around to face the bathroom. The door is
off its hinges. She exits to the living room.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Vanessa closes the front door and opens it again. It still
leads to the hallway. She closes the door.
VANESSA
What the fuck is this...
She exits to the kitchen.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY
Pictures of Dean and his boyfriend hang on the fridge.
Vanessa approaches the sliding glass door. A few chairs
sit on the patio but there's no one there.
She pulls on the door, but it doesn't budge. She jiggles
the lock up and down, making sure it isn't locked.
She pulls on the door again. It still won't budge. She
bangs on the glass.
Defeated, she falls to her knees.
Something falls off the counter. It's a notebook.
Vanessa picks it up and thumbs through it quickly. There's
only writing on the first two pages. She flips to the first page.
ON THE PAGE:
VC AD IB AD EC MG GC AD CF JB MG GL
AD EC BA AD EC MG JD CF
VANESSA
What?
She flips to the next page.
ON THE PAGE:
Submerge.
Vanessa closes the book and sets it on the counter.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Vanessa collapses onto the couch.
VANESSA
Happy birthday, Dean.
She lays her head back and nods off.
Rosa approaches, water dripping from her hair. She
smiles wide-eyed at Vanessa.
Vanessa opens her eyes and gasps. She jumps to her
feet.
VANESSA
Who are you?
ROSA
You must submerge.
Rosa nods.
ROSA
Or Dean will be killed.
She looks into the hallway then back to Vanessa.
Vanessa looks at the hallway too, but when she looks
back, Rosa's gone.
VANESSA
Hey! Where'd you go?!
Vanessa exits to the hallway.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - DAY
Vanessa approaches the bathroom cautiously. She peaks
in quickly. There's no one there. She exits to the
bathroom.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - BATHROOM - DAY
Vanessa turns on the light. She reaches for the window,
but stops and balls her fist.
Water drips from the shower faucet.
Vanessa smells her armpits and frowns. She pulls her
shirt up to her belly, but then is reminded that the door
is gone.
She turns the water on anyway and lies in the tub as it
fills with water. Soon she's completely submerged and
holding her breath.
THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE plays in the distance. Vanessa
comes up for a breath and notices the music. She looks
around for the source.
She turns the water off and grabs a towel, still looking
around. She quickly dries off as much as she can and exits.
INT. DEAN'S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY
Vanessa walks from the bathroom, searching for the
source of the music. It seems to be coming from the
front door. She slowly opens the door. The hallway is still
on the other side, but it looks cleaner.
She goes through the door.