Open Hand By Anthony Stracquadanio
Orginal
January 14, 2014
[email protected]
EXT. EARLY MORNING - WOODS Wide shot of woods. Birds chirp in unison. The Sun seeps through the dense trees. Our Protagonist lies motionless in the thick forest floor. MAN (Gasps,Panicking) What the f-fuck The man looks down,breathing heavly . His hand is handcuffed to the wrist of a severed arm. MAN Holy Shyyy- Oh fuck oh fuck. The man gets up and looks around. Woods in every direction. MAN No theres a way gotta be a way. The searches his pockets for anything important. He lifts his shirt for scars. Nothing. Just the arm. MAN There has to be something! He searches the area around him for anything of value. Nothing but dirt and leaves. The sun starts to seep in through the trees. He moves toward another tree. MAN The tree is covered with moss on one side He starts north. MAN Hello!(echos) He hears muffled screaming. MAN HELLO! (running) A man sits tied to a large tree, mouth gagged MAN Oh my- Ive got it your safe.
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2.
MAN 2 Oh my fucking god Im so glad you found me. MAN Who did this? Where are we?! MAN 2 Untie me and Ill explain. The man rubs his hands where the rope left a stinging burn. MAN 2 Thanks for the helping hand. MAN Please tell me what the hell is going on. MAN 2 Why is nobody attached? MAN What? MAN 2 Your arm. Its just an arm. MAN No shit. Please tell me whats going on. MAN 2 Theres bone and veins just there... The man hides severed arm behind him and moves closer to the second man. MAN (Angry) I need you to focus! MAN 2 Okay-Okay I-I dont know much. MAN Tell me what you do know. Where are we? MAN 2 Some-Somewhere between nowhere and no way out.
(CONTINUED)
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3.
MAN Im Done here. MAN 2 No wait! Its lab! A place for research! MAN What is? MAN 2 The place where-where we came from. MAN Where did we come from? MAN 2 They used us. MAN (Angry)Who is they?! MAN 2 The Palmers. MAN Who are the Palmers? MAN 2 I cant tell you. MAN Why the fuck not! MAN 2 I-I have to show you. The Second man proceeds to sketch out the location of the lab in the dirt. MAN So the lab is situated at the bottom of the Mountains to the south. MAN 2 Yes and dense woods to the north. Its how we escaped. MAN What did these Palmers do?
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4.
MAN 2 Medical Research. MAN What did they want with us? MAN 2 We know why. Thats why we ran. MAN Then what is it? MAN 2 I cant remember. MAN Then lets Jog that memory of yours. The man leads the second man south, toward the lab. In hopes of giving him a chance to remember what happened. MAN 2 We Arent headed toward them are we? MAN No. MAN 2 Are you sure because this looks all too familiar. MAN It does? MAN 2 Can you-you hold the arm? MAN What do mean hold it? MAN 2 When you move wiggles around. Its so lifeless... MAN Just Ignore it. What do you remember about where we are? MAN 2 I cant just ignore it. Its even staining your shirt. (CONTINUED)
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5.
The man looks down. The arm has brushed against his side. It leaves a stain of blood on his shirt and pants. MAN Okay you know what? The hands gotta go. MAN 2 Well do you have a key? MAN No. MAN 2 Then how will you remove itHe stopped when the Man picked up a sharp stone. MAN No you-you cant MAN 2 Come on lend me a hand He motions to the second man with the stick. The man places the cuffed hand down for a strike. MAN If you throw it hard enough it should cut clean through. MAN 2 No way I cant, they can reattach them you know. MAN If its been put on ice. This thing is long gone its starting to stink. Please just try your best. MAN 2 Oh my- Okay ugh. The second man lifts the large stone over his head and drops it down. It shreds through the dead tissue and splits the bone. MAN You are so close just one more time!
(CONTINUED)
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6.
MAN 2 I-I cant MAN Come on! Yes you can just do it one more time just like that. The second man tries again. MAN Just watch the cuffs. Done. The hand was successfully split at the wrist. The man pulls the hand from the cuff and tosses it into the woods.
