Screenplay / The Jungle
ADE IN:
EXT. JUNGLE—DAY
Soaked to the skin LEONARD looks up into the darkened sky. He breathes heavily as the rain pours down upon him. He turns to look behind him. Bright sunshine peeks through the trees near the edge of the jungle.
Leonard looks longingly in the direction of the sun. He takes a step towards it when he hears a MAN’s VOICE.
MAN’S VOICE
You can’t go back.
Leonard whips around toward the sound of the voice coming face to face, with himself-a physical manifestation of his subconscious that looks exactly like him. Leonard’s subconscious LEON nudges Leonard on.
LEON
You have to go forward.
LEONARD
I know.
LEON
When you get to the other side…
LEONARD
(cuts him off)
I know. I know. I just have to get through it.
LEON
Just do it.
LEONARD
I am! Damn it just leave me alone.
Leonard’s conscience suddenly disappears.
Pears and Leonard is alone just like he wanted. There’s a large boulder in his way. There’s no way around it. He has to go over it. Leonard uses the vines attached to it to steady himself.
Once at the top Leonard doesn’t stop. He powers through the overgrown foliage pushing over giant leaves and jumping over fallen trees and branches.
EXT. JUNGLE—LATER
The rain has stopped but Leonard is still soaked. Sweat beads from his forehead. Leonard stops to catch his breath. He bends over panting. His breathing comes under control. He smiles to himself. He nods his head in satisfaction.
LEON
Don’t pat yourself on the back yet.
Leonard looks up to see his conscience looking back at him.
LEON
You’ve hardly gone fifty feet.
LEONARD
What?
LEON
Fifty feet.
LEONARD
Impossible
LEON
See for yourself.
Leonard looks in the direction that his conscience is looking. The thick foliage fades away revealing the giant boulder that marks Leonard’s starting point. It is less than fifty feet away. Leonard looks as though he’s going to cry.
LEONARD
No.
(collapses)
I’ve been working so hard.
LEON
It took you a while to get on the right track but now that you know where you’re going it’ll be a piece of cake.
LEONARD
(perks up)
Cake!
LEON
No cake yet. It’s too early for a reward.
Leon offers Leonard his hand. Leonard takes it. As Leonard comes to a standing position Leon disappears.
Leonard brushes himself off and continues on.
EXT. JUNGLE—LATER
Leonard is in a particularly dark and scary part of the jungle. He looks around, goes left then doubles back and goes right. He stops.
LEONARD
Where am I?
LEON
Hopelessly lost.
Leonard turns to see his conscience.
LEONARD
But how?
LEON
I don’t know. One minute you were headed in the right direction and the next…
(motions to the surrounding area)
...this.
LEONARD
I need a break. How about that cake now?
Leon hands Leonard a package of cupcakes. Leonard rips into them and hungrily wolfs them down. After he finishes the cakes he licks the icing stuck to the packaging.
A BIRD CRIES loudly in the distance. Leonard snaps toward the sound. Once satisfied that he’s not in danger he turns attention back to his cupcake wrapping but its no longer in his hand.
LEONARD
(looks around confused)
Huh?
LEON
Break time is over.
LEONARD
But I don’t know where I am.
LEON
Back track to the beginning.
LEONARD
Start over?!
LEON
Do you want to get out of here or not?
LEONARD
Of course I do but that’s ridiculous. Can’t I just…
Leonard turns to his conscience but Leon is long gone.
EXT. JUNGLE—LATER
Leonard reaches the big boulder where his adventure began. He climbs to the top of the boulder. He surveys the area.
Leonard squints as he concentrates.
LEONARD
Now I remember!
Leonard jumps off the boulder and moves quickly and deliberately through the underbrush. As his confidence builds he starts to run. He covers a lot of ground quickly.
EXT. JUNGLE—LATER
Leonard continues to run at a fast pace. He pushes through the leaves, and then, out of nowhere, a brick wall. The wall is so unexpected that Leonard runs right into it and falls dumbstruck to the ground. A hickey immediately rises from the top of Leonard’s forehead. He gingerly touches it.
LEONARD
Owwww!
(looks up at the wall)
What the hell is a brick wall doing in the jungle?
Leonard climbs to his feet. As he looks around he realizes there’s no way around the wall. He looks up and its impossible to climb it.
LEON
It’s a dead end.
LEONARD
Where did it come from?
LEON
How should I know?
LEONARD
(holds his fingers an inch apart)
I’m this close to the end and now this.
Leonard points to the wall. He throws his hands up.
LEONARD
I quit.
LEON
If you quit now you’ll beat yourself up for months. I can’t live with the guilt.
LEONARD
But there’s no way out of here!
LEON
What do you mean? This is your creation. If anyone can get out of here you can.
Leonard closes his eyes and concentrates. Leon watches him. Suddenly Leonard’s eyes pop open. He dashes to the wall.
LEONARD
I think I remember…
Leonard walks along the wall feeling the bricks.
LEONARD
There should be…
Suddenly Leonard pushes through a weak point in the wall. He falls through to the other side and is immediately blinded by bright sunlight. Leonard holds his hand up blocking the light from his eyes. As his eyes adjust he can make out a clearing in the distance. Leon looks down at Leonard.
LEON
Aren’t you glad you didn’t give up?
Leonard smiles humbly at his conscience. He gets up and dusts himself off. Together they walk towards the clearing. As they walk Leon gets closer and closer to Leonard until they fuse seamlessly into one. The sun shines on Leonard’s face as he makes his way to the clearing.
INT. LIVING ROOM—DAY
Leonard sits on the couch typing excitedly on his lap top computer. With a flourish he types “The End”
LEONARD
The end!
He jumps off the couch.
LEONARD
Finally!
He runs around the couch, pumping his hands in victory.
LEONARD
Yes Yes!
He races through the house.
INT. KITCHEN—MOMENTS LATER
Leonard enters his kitchen. On the counter is a package of cupcakes. He makes his way over to them.
He catches his reflection in the microwave. The reflection winks at him. Leonard holds the cupcake up as though it is a toast to his reflection and then bites into it.
FADE OUT
The End.
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Very good! I would love to see how this appears on screen. Flows well, believeable, very professional. The words you have chosen make it easy for the mind’s eye to envision the jungle, and I feel is if I myself ran into that wall. Nice touch on the ending…would make a great Twilight Zone episode! Great work and thanks for sharing….
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