THE PAST'S FOUNDATION

Written by /u/SleepingJoey

Based on That one article we all read.

FADE IN: INT/EXT. DAVIDS CAR - NIGHT A tan pick-up truck drives along on an isolated country road. It kicks up dust and dirt behind it, some of which flies on the orchard trees on either side of the road. MARCUS, 30s, sits in the passenger seat and gazes out at the orchards. He pulls his sleeves over his hands and rubs them together. He lifts them up to his mouth and exhales on them. MARCUS I dont know why we took a 40 year old truck out into the middle of nowhere on a cold country night. DAVID, late 50s, turns to him and smiles. His wrinkles are well-defined, some are hidden behind his mustache. DAVID Oh, its not that cold. MARCUS Dad, the heater only has one setting and its to cool. Its cold, I stopped believing you were a superhero ages ago. You dont gotta lie to me. David chuckles to himself. He extends his arm over the middle seat and grabs his sons shoulder, letting it shake to the vibration of the car as they roll along. DAVID We parents may lose some superpowers, but we never stop bein superheroes. Marcus joins David in his laughter. He rolls down the window. MARCUS Its warmer outside than it is in here! Are we almost there? David nods his head. MARCUS (CONTD) Im glad were finally getting around to this. Grandmas probably pretty happy, too. How long has she been living at that assisted living place?

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The truck begins to slow down and its left blinker turns on. It turns onto an even more isolated road. DAVID Its called Care Pathways, son. Shes only been there a couple of months. EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT The pick-up stops in front of an old-school country home. The house is pitch black save for the full moon shining down on its roof and reflecting off its windows. Marcus and David get out of the truck. MARCUS Well, Dad. Here we are: home! David locks the truck. DAVID Grandmas home - not ours. Were just here to get something. Marcus rolls his eyes and follows his dad up the porch. Marcus trips on one of the steps and looks down to find it splintered. INT. CHILDHOOD HOME - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT David steps in and turns on a light switch. The whole place lights up - revealing dust and cobwebs. Marcus catches wind of a stale odor. MARCUS Jesus! It smells horrible in here! Did something die? (under his breath) Not like wed know, anyways. Havent been here in months. DAVID Thats how its always smelled when Grandma wasnt cooking anything. Which explains why she was always cooking. David laughs, shakes his head, and moves on through the house. Marcus lingers in the living room - his nose pinched with his fingers - and looks at family photos on the walls. David can be heard rummaging through the house.

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Marcus walks to a bookshelf and picks up a photo album. He flips through the pages and finds one of his father as a young boy standing next to his grandmother - now a young, beautiful woman. David returns and stands over his sons shoulders. DAVID (CONTD) Hmph. That was at my first Sunday school picnic. Grandma pretty much forced me to go, ha. That was, what, fifty years ago? Marcus smiles to himself. Davids hand reaches over his shoulder and grabs the book, shutting it gently. DAVID (CONTD) Seems like yesterday. He puts it in the bookcase. DAVID (CONTD) Cmon. Ive got the stuff your grandmother asked for. We can leave now. He heads towards the door and walks out. Marcus follows suit. EXT. CHILDHOOD HOME - NIGHT David walks to the back of the truck and tosses a grocery bag in. He takes out a portable cooler and sets it on the ground, followed by two chairs. Marcus finishes closing the door to the house and looks over at his father, confused. DAVID Come on, sit. Marcus walks down the steps, careful to avoid the splintered wood, and joins his father. They set up their chairs and David has a seat. So does Marcus. DAVID (CONTD) See, this is why I finally gave in. He points to the sky. He reaches into the cooler and pulls out two beers, handing one to his son. DAVID (CONTD) I know youve been bugging me about getting out here. (MORE)

4. DAVID (CONTD) Cleaning up, getting stuff for grandma, seeing the old house. I thought itd be worth it this time. For this.

Shooting stars light up the night sky. PSH. He opens up his beer. Marcus sets his down while David drinks. MARCUS I dont understand. You only came out here for a meteor shower? Not the fact your mother is asking you for things that she herself cant get? Dad, whats wrong with you? DAVID Excuse me? MARCUS First, you wont pay for or even help pay for grandmas assisted living - she had to do that on her own. Second, you refuse to do anything with the house - you wont sell it, wont live in it because of the location, nothing. Youre leaving it to rot. But you finally decide to come out because of a meteor shower? Ive never seen you so selfish. Davids eyes leave his sons and he looks over to the truck. DAVID You know, that truck has been around almost as long as I have. Marcus throws up his hands in defeat. He picks up the beer, opens it, and starts drinking. Gargling the liquid in his mouth. DAVID (CONTD) Son, just let me finish. That was my dads truck. He loved that thing. He drove it everywhere, took care of it himself, the works. I think it was pretty much his kid before they had me. He laughs, takes a drink. DAVID (CONTD) After his accident... I used to hate driving around in that thing. (MORE)

5. DAVID (CONTD) It just reminded me of him, you know? And not in that Oh, this pendant was my mothers, it reminds me of her way. Every time we started it up - you know how it backfires a bit? - well, it just sounded like him coughing. I would be asleep after a long hospital visit and my mom would put me in the car. As soon as she started it up I would bolt upright in a cold sweat.

Marcus spits out his beer. He takes a real drink this time. David watches the stars zoom across the sky. DAVID (CONTD) I technically owned that car the day he got put in that hospital on intensive care. My mother would tell me to drive to the store pick up this and that - and I would just walk. Marcus rotates the bottle in his hand, studying the label with a blank gaze. David looks at him. DAVID (CONTD) Theres one thing to remember theyre dead, you know? Now, I have no problems driving that thing. I love it, I think I feel the same way he does about it. But... its a totally different thing to remember theyre dying. Thats why I dont want to come back to this house. Hopefully not for a long time. He drops his beer in the cooler and stands up. He takes the cooler and throws it in the back of the truck, walks to the front, and stands at the front of the cab with the door open, his leg resting inside. DAVID (CONTD) (to the house) Till we meet again. He gets inside the truck. Marcus packs up his things and joins his dad in the warmth of the car. FADE TO BLACK.

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