Three simple Death Sketches.

These three simple sketches were written to fit a brief on the subject of Death...

SKETCH #1

INT. VICTORIAN BEDROOM.

THE DIMLY LIT ROOM DENOTES A FAMILY OF HIGH STATUS. OPULENCE IS IN ABUNDANCE.

ABOVE THE BED IS A PROUD PORTRAIT OF HENRY, HIS WIFE AND THEIR SON.

HENRY IS LYING IN THE BED, CLEARLY CLOSE TO DEATH.

HENRY'S WIFE IS STANDING BY THE BED HOLDING HENRY'S HAND WITH A CONCERNED BUT PROUD LOOK ON HER FACE, SHE OCCASIONALLY GLANCES AT THE MAN SITTING ON A CHAIR TO HER RIGHT.

THAT MAN IS LOCAL BIOGRAPHER ARNOLD LAYNE, A REASONABLY WELL DRESSED MAN HOLDING A PEN AND NOTEPAD.

HENRY'S SON AND HIS PREGNANT WIFE ARE STANDING BY THE DOOR, FINDING COMFORT IN EACH OTHERS ARMS.

ALL PRESENT ARE WATCHING HENRY CLOSELY.

AFTER A TIME HENRY STIRS, EXCITING THE OBSERVERS. ARNOLD LAYNE GRIPS HIS PEN AND PREPARES TO WRITE.

HENRY: (LABOURED)
Throughout my life I have known many hardships...

ARNOLD BEGINS WRITING HENRY'S WORDS, WITH HENRY'S WIFE OCCASIONALLY GLANCING IN HIS DIRECTION TO ENSURE HE IS NOTING DOWN HER HUSBANDS WISDOM.

HENRY: (CONT'D)
... I have served my queen and country, and lost so many friends along the way. And though now I face my final foe I hold no fear of death, for although I have sinned and I have erred, I have fulfilled the destiny of all men. I have in my heart the love of a beautiful wife, the devotion of a wonderful son, and the knowledge that the name of my ancestors will live on long after I am gone.

HENRY'S SON PLACES HIS HAND ON HIS WIFE'S ROUNDED STOMACH AND HOLDS BACK HIS TEARS.

HENRY: (CONT'D)
And so it is that in these my final moments, I have learned the true meaning of life. That the measure of a man is not in the wealth he has amassed, nor the fear and respect he has instilled in his peers, it is in the hearts and minds of those he has loved, and in that love a man can live forever.

AFTER A MOMENT, HENRY'S WIFE LOOKS PROUDLY AT ARNOLD LAYNE AS HE FINISHES WRITING DOWN HER HUSBANDS WORDS, BUT HER PRIDE QUICKLY TURNS TO FEAR AS HER HUSBAND GRIPS HER HAND TIGHTLY, HIS FACE CONTORTING WITH THE FINAL THROES OF DEATH.

HENRY LETS OUT A LONG LABOURED BREATH, CLOSES HIS EYES THEN MOVES NO MORE.

THE SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW EMBRACE EACH OTHER WITH SORROW. THE WIFE KISSES HENRY'S HAND, STEALS HERSELF THE STANDS AND ADDRESSES THE ROOM.

WIFE:
No finer last words were ever spoken as those uttered by my dear sweet...

THE WIFE'S WORDS ARE SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED AS HENRY SUDDENLY OPENS HIS EYES AND GRIMACES.

HENRY:
I think I just shit myself!

HENRY FALLS DEAD.

WITH A WRY SMILE, ARNOLD LAYNE QUICKLY JOTS DOWN HENRY'S FINAL WORDS.

SEEING THIS, THE WIFE LETS OUT AN ANNOYED SIGH.

WIFE: (TO CAMERA)
Bollocks!

FADE OUT.

END.

SKETCH #2

EXT. HANGMAN'S GALLOWS.

A SMALL CROWD IS GATHERED AROUND THE GALLOWS.

THE PRISONER IS STANDING ON THE GALLOWS WITH HIS HANDS TIED BEHIND HIS BACK AND THE NOOSE AROUND HIS NECK.

HANGMAN:
Do you have any last words?

PRISONER:
Nipple.

THE HANGMAN SIGHS, SHAKES HIS HEAD SLOWLY THEN PULLS THE LEVER.

THE TRAPDOOR OPENS AND THE PRISONER DROPS THROUGH -- THEN BOUNCES BACK UP, LANDING NEATLY BACK UP ON THE GALLOWS WITH HIS FEET ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TRAP DOOR.

THE PRISONER LOOKS AS SURPRISED AS THE HANGMAN.

THE HANGMAN GRABS THE NOOSE AND INSPECTS IT SUSPICIOUSLY.

HANGMAN: (TO CROWD)
Alright! Who's idea was the rubber rope?

ONE OR TWO MEMBERS OF THE CROWD SUPPRESS A GIGGLE.

FADE OUT.

END.

SKETCH #3

INT. BIBLICAL TOMB.

SUNLIGHT FILTERS IN THROUGH THE OPENED TOMB ENTRANCE.

PETER IS STANDING BESIDE A LOW STONE ALTER, UPON WHICH IS THE BODY OF LAZARUS, COVERED BY A MUSLIN SHROUD.

JESUS: (O.O.V.)
Lazarus... come forth!

PETER LOOKS DOWN AT THE UNMOVING BODY EXPECTANTLY, BUT LAZARUS DOES NOT MOVE.

JESUS: (O.O.V)
Lazarus... come forth!!

PETER LOOKS BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE ENTRANCE AND THE BODY. LAZARUS REMAINS UNMOVING.

JESUS ENTERS.

JESUS:
Anything?

PETER SHRUGS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.

JESUS GRUNTS WITH IMPATIENCE THEN RAISES HIS ARMS DRAMATICALLY.

JESUS:
Lazarus! Come forth!!

BOTH MEN LOOK TO THE BODY, BUT STILL LAZARUS DOES NOT MOVE.

JESUS SIGHS AND PONDERS THE PROBLEM.

JESUS:
Give him a kick.

PETER KICKS THE BODY OF LAZARUS.

BOTH MEN WAIT FOR A REACTION THAT DOES NOT COME.

PETER:
It's not working.

JESUS:
Kick him again.

PETER KICKS THE BODY AGAIN, BUT STILL NOTHING HAPPENS.

PETER LOOKS CLOSER AT LAZARUS.

PETER:
I think he's dead.

JESUS:
Of course he's dead! It wouldn't be much of a trick if he wasn't! Kick him again!

PETER AND JESUS EXCHANGE A LOOK, THEN BOTH MEN SUDDENLY JUMP FORWARD AND BEGIN KICKING THE BODY OF LAZARUS UNTIL THEY ARE OUT OF BREATH.

THE TWO MEN TAKE A MOMENT TO CATCH THEIR BREATH. JESUS MASSAGES HIS BEARD, GIVING THOUGHT TO THE PROBLEM.

PETER:
What are we going to do?

JESUS:
I'm thinking!

PETER BEGINS STROKING HIS OWN BEARD, GIVING EQUAL THOUGHT TO THE PROBLEM.

AFTER A MOMENT, A DAWNING REALIZATION CROSSED THEIR FACES AS BOTH MEN REACH THE SAME IDEA AT THE SAME TIME.

JESUS AND PETER: (AS ONE)
Got it!

CUT TO:

EXT. BIBLICAL TOMB.

A CROWD OF PEOPLE ARE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE TOMB, ALL DRESSED IN CLOTHES APPROPRIATE TO THE TIME.

JESUS STEPS OUT OF THE TOMB CONFIDENTLY, TURNS AND DRAMATICALLY HOLDS HIS ARMS UP TOWARDS THE TOMB ENTRANCE.

JESUS:
Lazarus! Come forth!

FOR A FEW MOMENTS NOTHING HAPPENS, THEN SUDDENLY THE ROTTING CORPSE OF LAZARUS MOVES OUT INTO VIEW, CLUMSILY PROPPED UP BY PETER.

PETER, GRIPPING THE BODY BY THE ARMPITS, STARTS SWAYING THE BODY FROM SIDE TO SIDE, MAKING THE ARMS FLAIL WHILE WAILING LIKE A HALLOWEEN GHOST.

THE CROWD GASP.

PETER:
WooooOOOOH! WooooOOOOOOOOH!!!

THE CROWD BEGINS TO CLAP, THEN CHEER.

JESUS PROUDLY RAISES HIS ARMS AND SOAKS UP THE APPLAUSE.

JESUS:
Thank you! Thank you! I'll be here all week!

JESUS DISCREETLY EXCHANGES A RELIEVED SIGH WITH PETER.

FADE OUT.

END.