Class A
By
Ben Hicks & Fin Davis
By
Ben Hicks & Fin Davis
CHARACTERS:
ANTHONY
Protagonist, once successful businessman, became a drug addict due
to stresses of job, which has torn his life apart.
LUCY
Ex wife of ANTHONY, a much more likeable person than ANTHONY, no
problems with drugs, but is forced to leave JESSICA with ANTHONY
due to court settlement which states that they have shared custody
of her after divorce. She split from him because of his drug
addiction.
JESSICA
The 14-year-old daughter of ANTHONY and LUCY.
THERAPIST PRISION INMATES X 6
DRUG DEALER 999 RECEIVER
* * Denotes faded dialogue.
+ + Denotes voice-over from phone
INT. PRISON COMMON ROOM - DAY
PRISON COMMON ROOM
* THERAPIST *
This is the sixth of ten meetings for this particular group of
inmates. As you know here at prison, we operate on the principle
of therapeutic community. That means that this ward is society in
miniature, and since society dictates who is sane and who isn’t,
you must measure up. Our primary aim here is to restore you to the
outside world. So... we’re going to work with this but we don’t need
to stick strictly to it. What are qualities that you think are
important in healing yourself? Getting yourself back in to
society? So, just like with the anger activity we did last week,
just let your ideas flow and then we’ll all share and talk about
it a little. Lets start with... ANTHONY.
THERAPIST
ANTHONY?... ANTHONY?
THERAPIST
“So, what’s your story?” (bluntly)
ANTHONY takes a drag of his cigarette and slowly blows it out in
to camera.
~END OF SCENE~
FADE IN:
FADE IN:
EXT: NARROW ALLEYWAY - NIGHT
A man lent against the wall in the alleyway. A dim street light
glares over him. He has his hood over his head, covering the top-
half of his face. Smoke from his cigarette slowly disintegrates
into the cold air.
ANTHONY comes walking up the alleyway, hood up also.
The man is holding a small bag which looks to contain some sort of
“CLASS A” drug. ANTHONY reaches his hand out to the drug dealer.
Money is exchanged for the package very quickly but subtly.
~END OF SCENE~
FADE IN:
INT. A MESSY FLAT - NIGHT
The flat is unkempt. The lights are dimly lit with the orange
glare of street lights spilling through the curtains.
ANTHONY throws the bag of drugs onto the coffee table along with
his phone and keys. The table is cluttered and among other items,
there is a large kitchen knife that is laid carelessly on the
table.
ANTHONY walks over to a drinks cabinet. Twitching, he then pours
himself some whiskey. The bottle is almost empty. He then walks
back to his seat, glass and bottle clenched in either hand.
ANTHONY takes a small sip of the whiskey - just enough to wet his
lips, placing it on the coffee table. ANTHONY slumps back on a
worn leather sofa; head back looking mindlessly up at the ceiling.
ANTHONY leans forward and carefully opens the small sachet
containing cocaine. He empties a small portion onto the table. The
bag splits open, spilling the contents over the table.
ANTHONY
(weakly)
Ah, shit...
Of the mess created, he splits three lines with the large kitchen knife, he then snorts the middle of the three lines. He resumes his slumped position on his sofa, when his phone, which is placed on his coffee table, lights up vibrating. He looks over at the phone and sees the name ‘LUCY’ flashed on screen. His eyes roll with discontent. He leans over. ANTHONY then picks up the phone reluctantly. Takes a breath. ANTHONY
(Tiredly)
What do you want?
+ LUCY +
(Muffled)
Oh ANTHONY, finally, I’ve been trying to call you all day! (his
eyes role) I’m on my way to drop JESSICA off.
ANTHONY
(Sitting up shocked)
Wait, what! Why?
+ LUCY +
What do you mean why? She’s staying with you this weekend... like we
discussed? Remember the court settlement... We have shared custody
of JESSICA, remember?
Whilst this is being said, ANTHONY goes over and looks at the torn
calendar on his wall.
A red pen has circled around the date ‘7th of July’ with the words
‘JESSICA COMING’ scribbled in black.
ANTHONY puts a hand through his hair in worry. His eyes are shut;
head back, thinking.
ANTHONY
(Worryingly)
Fuck...
Can’t we arrange this for tomorrow? I’m kind of busy now.
As ANTHONY says this, he is looks at the bag of cocaine.
+ LUCY +
(Frustrated)
Oh, you are a joke!
(authoritatively) No, you have to have her tonight. We are two
minutes away. I don’t care who you are with, but get them out
before I drop her off! You have two minutes!
(She hangs the phone up)
A worried expression fills ANTHONY’s face. Muttering profanities.
ANTHONY paces around tidying the floor up, he then spots the
cocaine on the table. He paces over, sits down on the sofa looks
around and tries to put the cocaine back in the bag, however he's
just making more mess as its missing the small opening. He then
scrunches the bag into his pocket and then quickly begins to
scrape the cocaine into the glass of whiskey using the knife. In
his carelessness, he cuts his finger open with the knife. The
doorbell rings and there are three knocks at the door.
ANTHONY’s head jerks up. He places the glass back onto the coffee
table. He then reveals a white handkerchief from his pocket and he
uses it as a make-shift dressing for his wound and proceeds to
hide the knife under a magazine. He then rushes over to the door
and opens it. JESSICA walks in and stands, hands on hips, with a
luggage bag, chewing gum. Anthony goes in to hug her and she
brushes it off.
ANTHONY
(Smiling)
Hey beautiful... how are you?
JESSICA
(Bored)
Fine... JESSICA strides in, bag slung over shoulder. She walks over to the
living room, effortlessly sliding her sports bag to the floor. She
sits on the sofa as her smartphone lights up her face.
ANTHONY
So... (awkward silence) How’s school going? (Smiles)
JESSICA
(bluntly, chewing gum)
Yeah, fine.
ANTHONY
(awkward silence)
Good... Good. That’s great news.
Look, JESSICA. I know you feel like I don’t care about spending
time with you... but honestly I do. I mean, your mum and I have had
our issues but that changes nothing between us. She’s probably
said stuff about me. But I’m your dad and you are my little
princess! Nothing is going to change that... nothing.
JESSICA looks up at ANTHONY, she smiles.
JESSICA
Do you really mean that? ANTHONY
Oh, come on JESSICA! Look, I love you! You won’t understand until
you have kids of your own. Look, I know I've been busy with work
and what not but... I’m going to start spending more time with you.
JESSICA
Okay, well I’ve got two words for you. Prove it.
ANTHONY
Okay, how about tomorrow we go to the cinema, remember when we
used to go, all three of us? (smiles)
JESSICA
Yes, okay. Sounds alright. What are we gonna watch?
ANTHONY gets up and walks over to the door of the living room.
ANTHONY
Have a little think about it.
ANTHONY has a brightened look on his face. He quickly walks to the
kitchen, with a grin on his face. He goes to the sink and turns
the tap on. Meanwhile, JESSICA gets up to look around the door to
check where ANTHONY is, she then goes back to the sofa.
In the kitchen, ANTHONY is seen rummaging through the bottom
draw, he takes out a first aid box and places it next to the sink,
pushing items out of the way. ANTHONY then removes the
handkerchief and washes his cut finger. He then dresses his finger
with a plaster.
MEANWHILE...
The tap is running in the background.
JESSICA sits on the sofa, still searching through her phone. As
she looks up from her phone, she sees the glass of whiskey
previously poured by ANTHONY and the bottle next to it. She takes
her gum out of her mouth and places it on the table. She slowly
reaches out to the glass. Clenching the ‘whiskey’, she looks in
the glass. She takes her phone out and opens the snapchat app and
begins to record herself. She then proceeds to drink all of the
whiskey. She the shudders due to the bitter taste.
JESSICA places the empty glass down on the table, and goes back to
her phone and types a caption for her snapchat. “Havin’ my fav
Friday drink” She slowly starts to feel dizzy. Her eyes roll
trying to keep them straight. She places her phone on the table
facing up along with the glass, snapchat video still playing and
then, JESSICA falls back in a slumped position in the chair.
INT: KITCHEN - NIGHT
ANTHONY, still in the kitchen goes to the kettle and fills it up.
Places two cups on the side by the kettle and puts it on.
ANTHONY
Jess darling, would you like a cuppa?
No reply, inquisitively ANTHONY then exits the kitchen and walks
through the hallway. Just before he gets to the door he calls
softly one more time whilst still in motion.
INT: LIVING ROOM
ANTHONY
Jess?
He gets to the door and pokes his head through and sees JESSICA
slumped on the sofa with a milky substance gathering at the sides
of her mouth and a small trickle down her pale colourless face.
ANTHONY No! ANTHONY runs over to the sofa
ANTHONY
(running over to JESSICA)
Oh fuck no, no!
(panicking)
JESSICA! JESSICA!
ANTHONY, panicking and breathing heavily, ANTHONY lays her down
flat on the sofa and begins pounding his hands down on her chest
frantically.
ANTHONY
(panicking frantically, crying now)
Jesus, fuck! (screaming) JESSICA! Pleas, don’t do this, don’t do
this! JESSICA!
ANTHONY still trying his best to resuscitate her slowly starts to
give up. His eyes are red and swollen from crying. He slowly sits
back on his knees, head looking up, eyes shut. ANTHONY sits there
crying.
ANTHONY
(crying)
Jesus Christ!
(Cut to black)
~END OF SCENE~
INT: LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The living room is still dimly lit. JESSICA’s body is still there.
ANTHONY sits in the corner of the living room, sobbing. He isn't
visible. Anthony’s silhouette is visible and smoke is seen slowly
blowing out of his mouth. His phone begins to ring, looks over but
can’t see the name. He leaves it until it eventually goes to
voicemail.
+ LUCY +
(FROM THE ANSWER MACHINE)
Hey, it’s me. I’m coming over to drop JESSICA’s homework off...
(laughing) that girl tries to get out of everything. Anyway, I’ll
be there in a minute.
While this message is playing, ANTHONY carefully listens. Still
dazed and blurry-eyed. When LUCY mentions she’s going to “Drop
JESSICA’s homework over” he tries to stagger himself to his feet
and get to the phone. When he picks the phone up, he is met with a
dull tone that signifies that LUCY has already left.
ANTHONY
No, no, no, no, no, no!
ANTHONY, panics as he tries to think about what he is to do next.
He stands up, hands on head, looking at JESSICA’s motionless body.
He begins to pace around frantically. He stops. He begins to
slowly drag JESSICA’s body to the back of the sofa. As he’s doing
this, two thunderous knocks rattle the door like an earthquake.
LUCY, without thought opens the door and walks in.
LUCY
(calmly/jokingly)
Hey, why’s it so dark.
JESS darling, you forgot you bloody home work... You’d forget your
head if it wasn’t...
With this line, LUCY turns on the living room light. She looks
over to see Anthony with JESSICA’s lifeless, pale corpse in his
arms. Her face is in shock... His face is in shock.
She screams a piercing shrill
ANTHONY walks over to her and stands there with a look of utter
despair and resignation on his face. Speechless. LUCY runs past
him and takes JESSICA’s hand.
LUCY
(crying with panic in her voice)
JESSICA! Can you hear me?
LUCY puts one hand covering her mouth and the other holding
JESSICA’s hand. LUCY starts crying frantically. ANTHONY walks over
to LUCY and JESSICA.
ANTHONY
(Quietly)
LUCY, I can explain.
As ANTHONY reaches his hand out onto her shoulder, LUCY quickly
swats his hand away, standing up in anger now.
LUCY(With great vengeance and FURIOUS anger)
Don’t you fucking come near me! Explain? How could you, explain this? You absolute lowlife!
ANTHONY puts his head in his hands.
ANTHONY
She’s taken my coke... I was out in the kitchen and she took it!
LUCY
How could you leave drugs lying around the house? You knew I was
dropping her off!
LUCY pushes ANTHONY back and reaches into her bag and pulls out
her mobile phone. She begins to dial 999.
ANTHONY
(worryingly)
Hey! What are you doing!
LUCY
(crying)
Don’t you fucking come near me! – (Talking on the phone) Yes, I
need the police and the ambulance. Quickly!
ANTHONY tries to grab her mobile phone but LUCY lunges away.
ANTHONY has a panicked and angry look in his face. He takes a step
back and franticly looks around.
* LUCY * Yes, hello, I need the police and paramedics! (crying) My daughter
has overdosed and my husband let it happen! He’s now shouting. I’m
at 52 Church Street. Please, hurry he’s here in the house! My
husband is still in the house! Please, Hurry! Plea-
ANTHONY spots the knife handle on the table protruding from under
a magazine. He picks it up. Looks down at it and then, without
thought he lunges towards LUCY and stabs her in the abdomen.
ANTHONY
I’m not your fucking husband.
As he plunges the knife into her stomach, his face turns from
anger to shock. LUCY drops the phone to the ground and holds on to
ANTHONY’s arm. She looks at ANTHONY in the eyes with a look of
overwhelming sadness she collapses to the ground.
The 999 receiver is still audible on LUCY’s phone in the
background.
ANTHONY stands there motionless in pure terror. His face pale as
if he was already being sentenced to death.
As ANTHONY stands and stares at the scene he's just created in
disbelief. He walks over to the phone, turns it off and throws it
back to the ground. He takes a step backwards and continues to
look at his ex-wife and daughter both on the sofa.
ANTHONY drops to the ground on his knees.
The camera slowly dollies in on to ANTHONY’s face until its an
extreme close up of his eyes looking down the lens.
A loud tapping can be heard... possibly the door? Then a female
voice...
O/S THERAPIST
ANTHONY... ANTHONY... ANTHONY?
~END OF SCENE~
MATCH CUT IN (Anthony’s eyes):
INT. PRISON THERAPY ROOM - DAY
ANTHONY’s eyes open. Pokerfaced, he sits there staring down the
lens.
THERAPIST (tapping on her folder)
Anthony?
There is an eerie silence. Anthony sits there, face still
pokerfaced. His tired eyes look straight at the camera lens again.
ANTHONY
(roughly)
I don’t want to talk about it...
CUT TO BLACK/CREDITS
~END~ 
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