Photo by TakuraCOMING ATTRACTION
VALHALLA
From Kennebec Entertainment
(Second Draft in process)
Script Excerpt
ELINOR
(Stern whisper)
Be quiet girl! Don’t make a sound!
Just as Elinor gets herself out of the closet, Jeannette stands in the doorway, a fierce expression on her face. The knife hangs in her grasp by her side.
JEANNETTE
(Saccharine voice)
Elinor, have you seen my daughter?
ELINOR
No, ma’m.
JEANNETTE
Elinor, I hope Daisy does not disturb you. I want you to be happy here. I want a happy environment. Mister Ernest wishes a happy environment.
ELINOR
Yes ma’m.
While speaking with Elinor, Jeannette suspiciously looks around the room, even peeking under the bed.
JEANNETTE
When Mister Ernest returns I wouldn’t want to have to report that Daisy has (looks into Elinor’s eyes): -disturbed-you.
She stops talking and listens to the surroundings.
ELINOR
No ma’m, Daisy doesn’t disturb me.
JEANNETTE
We both love my daughter so much.
She yanks the blankets off Elinor’s bed. Under the blanket lies Daisy’s perky stuffed rabbit.
JEANNETTE
Oh Elinor- do you have one of these, too? (She picks up the rabbit by the ears.) Daisy has one just like it. Do your wabbits play together, yours and Daisy’s?
ELINOR
No ma’m. That rabbit is Daisy’s. I picked it up in the hallway. I was going to return it to Daisy tomorrow.
INSERT:
In the hidden storage space, Daisy huddles, making herself as small as possible, trying to catch the words coming from the other side of the wall. She hears the closet door open. It sounds so close. She shrinks deeper into the blackness of her space.
JEANNETTE
(Peering into the closet)
Oh, really? Daisy’s always leaving her toys lying around..Bad girl. (She turns and faces Elinor again with that imperious look.): We had many rabbits on our estate. Back in France. Many many many. My father and I shot so many. (Sighs.) But, they multiply, you know.
She suddenly stabs Daisy’s rabbit in the head with the knife.
JEANNETTE
I thought this one was multiplying.