MATT

By:VICTORIAMESCALL
FADEIN

MaincharacterVICTORIAissittinginafrostedglasslibrary
studyroomlateonMondaynightwithhertwogirlfriends
HANNAHandNIKI.

NIKI
CanyoupassthePringles?

HANNAH
*Laughs*Sure

HANNAHreachesovertowardthestockpileofjunkfoodinthe
middleofthetable,passingNIKIthechips.

VICTORIA
WevebeenhereforhoursNik,can
wecheckourphonesyet?

Itisalmost1a.m.Thegirlshavebeenworkingsince10
p.m.preppingforfinalsthatstartWednesday.Their3
differentcolorediPhonesitinthemiddleofthetable
untouched.

NIKI
Notyet,*glancesatwristwatch*
wehaveanother5minutesandthen
youcantakeaphonebreak.

VICTORIA
Fine.

Theyreturntotheirnotebooksandlaptops.Timeelapses
andVICTORIAreachestowardthephones.ShehandsHANNAH
hersandNIKIjustrollshereyes.VICTORIAthenopens
Instagramandletsoutaninaudiblegasp.Theimageon
thescreenisagirlinacapandgownandamanina
hospitalgown.Sheimmediatelystartstocry.HANNAHand
NIKIlookalarmed.

NIKI
Vic,whatswrong?

HANNAH
Areyouokay?Whatjusthappened?

Thequestionsarejustmetwithsobbing.VICTORIAhands
HANNAHandNIKIthephoneandtheybothrealizeitsa
pictureofVICTORIAsunclewhoisdying.HANNAHandNIKI
lookateachother.Theyrespectivelygetupfromtheir
chairsandwrapVICTORIAinagrouphug.Theyknow
nothingtheycansaywillmakeitbetter.

FADEOUT

FADEIN

Thecamerafallsonatallblondewomanstandingbya
largeclasswindow.Theresahumandabeepinginthe
background,itsanIVdripandheartratemonitors.She
staresoutthehospitalroomwindowtowardtheBostoncity
skyline.

MATT
*Stuttering*PPPeg

PEGGY(MOM)
*whipsaroundandcrouchesbythe
hospitalbedside*Yeah,hey,hey
MATTImrighthere.

MATT
Peg

PEGGY
YeahMatt?
 MATT
Itstime.

PEGGY
Doyouwantmetogetthenurseor
yourwife?Whatswrong?

MATT
NoPeg,Itstime.Togo.Goget
Victoria.GogetVictoriaat
school.Idontwanthertobe
alone.

PEGGY
*tearsstreamingdownherface,
whilestrokinghishand*Yeahokay,
yeahIknowitstime.

FADEOUT

FADEIN

REGINA
Canyouclosetheseworkorders
beforeyougo?*handsVICTORIAa
stackofcrumpledprinterpapers*

VICTORIA
Yesmaam,Imjustfinishingup
theseMOPSRequestconversionsand
thenafterIclosetheseImdone
fortheday.

REGINA
Thankshoney!Illseeyoutomorrow
afteryourexam!Goodluck!

VICTORIA
Thankyou!Haveagoodrestofyour
Tuesday.
ReginagrabshercoatandbagsandexitstheCampusOps
garage.Victoriafinishesupherworkstudyandlogsoff.
Lockingthedoorbehindhersheexitsthegarageand
headstowardherdorm.Shepullshercellphoneoutofher
pocketandseesnonewtextmessages.Sheunlocksthe
phoneanddialshermom.Thecontinuestowalkacross
campusasthephonerings.Shehangsupwhenshegetsher
voicemail,again,lookingdiscouraged.Sheswipesinto
herbuildingandmakesthetrekuptothe6thfloor.She
greetsherroommatewhoissittingatopherloftedbed,
eatinggelatoandwatchingGossipGirlonNetflixwith
headphonesin.Thenherphonerings,VICTORIAlungesfor
it.ThecamerapansandthecallerIDsayshome.

VICTORIA
Hello?

DAD
HeySweetPea!

VICTORIA
HeyDaddy,*shehalfsighs,having
wisheditwashermom*whatsup?

DAD
Howyadoin?Howsstudyinggoing?

VICTORIA
Imfine.Whatsup?

DAD
Schoolgoinggood?Laundry?

VICTORIA
YeahDaddy,Imfine.Whats
wrong?*sheaskscautiously*

DAD
*pause,thereisdeadaironthe
line*Heyuhwhattimeareyou
examsinthemorning?
 VICTORIA
Mypolisciexamisat8:30a.m.,
Illbedoneby10.

DAD
*moredeadair*Illbeoncampus
at10,okay?Itstimeforyouto
comehome...Youhavetocomesay
goodbye.

FADEOUT

FADEIN

DR.ROSE
Thankyouallforagreatsemester.
Nowthatyouvefinishedyourexam
youarefreetoleave.Haveagreat
summer.

VICTORIA
ThanksDr.Rose,youtoo!

Shegrabsherbackpackandheads
outthedoor.Sheseesshehasone
newtext.Nowordfrommomordad
today,justatextfromherold
friendfromhighschoolREAIAH.

REAIAH
*camerapanstoiPhonemessage
bubble*Imsosorryaboutyour
uncle.

VICTORIAgasps,butdoesntcryyet.Shedials
herfather,whopicksuponthefirstring.

DAD
Heysweetpea,howyoudoingtoday?
 VICTORIA
Ijustgotoutofmytestumare
you,areyoustillcomingtoget
me?

DAD
*realizingshefoundoutMATT
passedawaysighsandquietlysays*
YeahsweetieIllbetherein20
minutes.

VICTORIA
*cryingnowasshewalksthrough
theacademicbuilding*YeahIll
seeyouthen.Icantwaittogo
home.

FADEOUT

FADEIN

VICTORIAwasstandinginacirclewithhercousinsand
unclesmindlesslylisteningtotheirconversation.

UNCLEDAVID
So,Kateywhendoyoustartthat
biggirlnursingjob?

KATEY(MATTSDAUGHTER)
Istartnextweek!SoImsoaking
uptherestofthisvacation
becausetherealworldstartsnext
week.

ItsAugustnow.VICTORIAandherfamilyareonvacationin
Maine.Theyarestandingatoptherocksinfrontoftheir
favoriteplace,NubbleLighthouse.Theyaretryingto
orchestratetheannualfamilypicture,howevermissingone
memberthisyear.The18remainingfamilymembersaredressed
inmatchingblueMATTStrongtshirts.Familiesandkids
wanderalongthecoastaroundthem.Thereisevenawedding
takingplaceonthecliffafewyardsover.Themomslinethe
familyupwiththeirbacksfacingthecameratoshowoffthe
shirts.

UNCLEDAVID
YouknowwhatMATTwouldappreciate
rightnow?Ifsomeonemoonedthe
camera,ohhedgetakickoutof
that.

STEPHEN(MATTSSON)
*ashisfathersson,didjust
that.Droppedtrou*Everybodysay
cheese!

Thefamilyalllaughedrememberingtheirmissingmember.
Thesunbegantosetoverthelighthouseshewasfacing,
remindingVICTORIAthateverydaysend,fulloffamily
andlaughter,marksanewbeginning.

FADEOUT