SISTER LILIES

First Act
Screenwriting II Final Assignment

Will Mun

william_mun@fitnyc.edu
 FADE IN:

1 INT. LEE HOUSEHOLD - DAY (PAST) 1

We open on PASTOR LEE'S (42) hand tying a bow around CINDY'S

(7) hair. They're in front a mirror, and in their reflection,
Cindy sees her sisters SYLVIA (10) and EUGENIA/"JEANNIE" (11)
chasing each other around.

PASTOR LEE
Girls, stop running or else!

Reverend Lee is smoking a cigar. Cindy coughs.

PATOR LEE
Stop squirming.

CINDY
Sorry, Papa.

PASTOR LEE (O.S.)

And so God struck humanity, the
sinners, with his graceful wrath time
and time again, and yet it seems as if
we never learn.

2 INT. BLEAK HAVEN CHURCH - DAY (PAST) 2

The congregation packs the room like sheep in a flock, and

Pastor Lee is their shepherd. He stands gripping his podium,
veins visible on his neck like they're about to pop. The
churchgoers cry as the daughters watch in the front. Cindy
pays attention while her sisters whisper to each other.

PASTOR LEE (CONT'D.)

His son died for our wicked souls. Yet
here we are, hypocrites among us,
doing what for our Father? I see
degenerates corrupting our children.
False prophets who lure them away from
the word of God. Leviticus 19:31. "Do
not turn to mediums or seek out
spiritists, for you will be defiled by
them.
(beat)
I am the LORD your God."

As the congregation cheers "AMEN," Cindy sees Jeannie next to

her coughing. Sylvia pats her back.

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PASTOR LEE (CONT'D.)

There is only so much we can do for
our youth. I fear for the souls, the
sanctity, of my dear daughters, for
they are even more vulnerable without
me to the sins of the world-

Jeannie begins to cough violently and Sylvia stops patting in

shock. Jeannie turns to Cindy and gestures for her to look
away. An elderly CHURCHGOER grabs her attention.

CHURCHGOER
Are you alright, sweetheart?

Jeannie suddenly stands upright as the sermon goes quiet. She

tells the entire congregation-

JEANNIE
The devil is behind you.

Jeannie's nose starts bleeding. She collapses, screaming,

JEANNIE
The devil's behind you! The devil's
behind you! The devil's behind you!

The churchgoers surround her, trying to help, but she

violently convulses as if she is possessed. Some get up from
their seat but hesitate.

Pastor Lee nods his head down at the podium.

Cindy and Sylvia are pulled aside from the scene by the
elderly churchgoer. Sylvia protests, reaching for Jeannie.
Cindy stares at her eldest sister's face as she starts
foaming from the mouth on the floor.

3 EXT. LAKE SERENA - NIGHT (PRESENT) 3

Soft laughter breaks the silence of Lake Serena. It's a

peaceful place, nearly untouched by anybody but local
fishermen and teens too wasted to know where they are.

Officer Cindy Lee, now 32, watches a group of drunk teens

setting trash on fire from her police car. Her face looks
weary, yet she holds herself well. She receives a message on
her iPhone from "Jeannie." It reads "Please pick up my
calls." She ignores it.

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CINDY
(speaking into radio)
606 to dispatch, 10-51s by Lake
Serena, suspects are Caucasian teens,
probably 14 to 19.

She pays attention to one particular boy, PATRICK WILKES

(16), sitting on a log watching his friends stupidly laugh.
He sits in silence, occasionally sipping beer.

CINDY
Suspects include Wilkes' kid.

DISPATCHER
Copy, 606. And go easy on him.

CINDY
I always do.

Cindy gets out of the car and strides towards the boys.

TEEN 1
Oh shit it's Cindy! Cindy! Cindy!

ALL
Cindy! Cindy! Cindy!

Cindy irreverently smiles as she walks towards these future

frat bros.

CINDY
C'mon boys, let's get this wrapped up.

TEEN 2
Still don't trust us?

TEEN 1
C'mon, have a swig with us. I bet
you're not as much of a prude as you
let on.

CINDY
And you're as much of a dumbass as I
thought you were. Guess we just love
disappointing each other. Alright,
everyone get outta here.
(to Patrick)
And you, you're coming with me.

As the boys get up and leave, they tease and shoulder punch a
still expressionless Patrick trudging his way to Cindy.

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4 INT. POLICE CAR 606 - NIGHT 4

As Cindy drives down the highway, she shifts her focus

between the road and Patrick in her rear-view mirror.

CINDY
You're really scraping the bottom of
the barrel by hanging out with them.

Patrick just looks down.

CINDY
You know it's not safe to be out this
late... Your uncle's been worried
about you.

PATRICK
Please. Don't mention him.

CINDY
It's been hard for him too, y'know.
Everyone's been missing them-

PATRICK
You really suck at trying to make
people feel better, so just stop. Just
please.
(beat)
You don't get it anyway.

CINDY
Trust me, kid. I do.

5 EXT. WILKES' HOME - NIGHT 5

The car parks by a modest house. SERGEANT GERRY WILKES (52)

comes out of the house. He is a stout, balding man with a
face even wearier than Cindy's. Patrick rushes in without
acknowledging his uncle. Cindy walks up to Gerry.

CINDY
He wasn't doing anything stupid. He
was probably the smartest one there.

GERRY
(sighing)
Come in, I'll fetch you some coffee.

6 INT. WILKES' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 6

The room is cluttered with files, newspaper articles, and all

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sorts of paperwork about four missing women in Starbourne.

The photos of women are strung up on a wall.

There's LORRAINE BURROWS (39), an elementary school teacher.

JASMINE LINCOLN (32) a mom of two. MIN-HA JUNG (27), a nurse.

Lastly, there's STEPHANIE WILKES (43), Gerry's sister and

Patrick's mom. Around the house are framed pictures of the
Wilkes family altogether. Gerry hands Cindy a mug as they sit
on couches opposite each other.

CINDY
Thanks.

GERRY
Have you heard from Monte what Mrs.
Jung reported today?

CINDY
No.

GERRY
She said she saw her daughter again.
Not like how we found her. She said
she saw her in her white nursing
uniform by her house.

Beat.

GERRY (CONT'D.)
She said she was as real as me or you.
Looked perfectly fine. Jung tried to
reach for her but she ran off. Poor
woman tripped on her cane just trying
to grab her.

CINDY
Well what do you think?

GERRY
I think she's in the deep end. We all
grieve differently. Pat found out
about Jung's girl pretty much right
after us.

CINDY
What?

GERRY
Rumors spread fast in Starborne, Lee.
People love sharing what's none of

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their business.

Gerry takes a deep breath. He looks at a photo of his family

at the Grand Canyon.

GERRY
I shouldn't remind that poor kid of
her. It hurts me enough, I can't
imagine what it's like for him.

CINDY
We'll find her.

GERRY
She's either dead or alive. Barely.
Barely alive.

CINDY
Steph's a fighter. She can handle
anything. I mean, she dealt with you
her entire life, right?

GERRY
(smirking)
Watch it, Lee... I just wish I
remembered what I said to her the last
time. Just in case it's something that
I want to remember. You never
know...you never know what the last
thing you'll say to a person is.

7 INT. MOTHER'S ROOM - DAY (PAST) 7

An arm wrapped by an IV needle dangles off a bedside. It's a

frail arm. Low, intermittent beeping permeates the room that
a younger Cindy and Sylvia stand in.

From outside, Jeannie's muffled screaming gradually grows

louder, rhythmically synching to the beeps.

Cindy turns to Sylvia whom doesn't return the look.

8 INT. WILKES' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT 8

Cindy looks down and grabs Gerry's hand. She gives him a
conflicted smile.

9 INT. POLICE CAR 606 - NIGHT 9

Unit 606 drives down a deserted highway. The speedometer

reads 30mph. Cindy's sipping coffee from a thermos.

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The cop fumbles with her radio, finally landing on a station

playing "Bennie and the Jets." She sighs as the vast
emptiness of the highway consumes the cop car.

From the corner of her eye, she sees her phone tempting her.

Her fixed gaze on the road falters as she lowers the radio
and plays two voicemails left by Jeannie.

JEANNIE (V.O.)
(softly)
I heard you found her! I didn't see
her dead, so. I'm sorry. I got a new
fortune for you. I dreamt that Sylvie
and I were on those old fighter planes
again. Except you were there too. You
were finally flying! Except...you were
a goose, and Sylvie was shooting at
you. I hope this can help you at work,
Cindy, I at least want to do that.
Sylvie doesn't like it when I call
you, but-

Cindy rolls her eyes. She plays the next one, but Sylvia's
faint arguing in the background can be heard.

JEANNIE (V.O.)
...I messed up today, Cindy. I swear I
was doing good, but there was this
fucking client and-

Beat.

A man with an accent can be heard arguing with Sylvia now.

JEANNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D.)

and she...she looked like Mom.

Cindy's eyes focus. The speedometer reads 40mph.

JEANNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D.)

I screamed. I didn't know what to do,
and the rushes started hitting me ,
and the stammering came back. I felt
so hot, Cindy. So, so hot. The client
tried being nice, but her husband just
wasn't having it and the two left. He
told me to get checked out.

Now 50mph.

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JEANNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D.)

Sylvie's not doing so great, Cindy.
She's so angry nowadays and I can't
help but feel like it's my fault. And
the reporters. Don't look up anything
they say nowadays, please.

70mph.

JEANNIE (V.O.) (CONT'D.)

I lost us the fourth client this week
and the bills are too much, Cindy...
Sylvie can't ask, but can you send us
anything, anything? I just want you to
know that I'm trying. I'm sorry.

Cindy's eyes glisten with a tear that won't come out.

Speeding down the highway, the cop shouts as she slams the
car horn.

10 EXT. UNDERWATER - NIGHT (PAST) 10

A rush of bubbles fly toward the surface of the water from

Cindy's mouth. Her cries muffled.

11 INT. PATRICK'S ROOM - NIGHT 11

Gerry cracks the bedroom door slightly open to see Patrick

passed out, sprawled out on his bed. The uncle slightly
smiles and closes the door.

The room is littered with Patrick's clothes and empty bags of

chips. Framed photos of a younger Patrick and Steph rests on
his bed stand.

A gust of air brushes past the window curtains. A humanoid

shadow suddenly looms over Patrick. The boy turns around a
bit in his sleep until his eyes slightly open.

12 INT. CINDY'S ROOM - DAWN 12

Cindy jumps awake. She groggily leans over to see her alarm
clock: 4:44 AM. She turns back and stares at the ceiling.

She walks over to a window and sees an overcast sky and wet
concrete. She turns on a playlist of daily affirmations on
her phone as she begins her morning routine.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
Good morning. It's another beautiful
day. The sun is shining for you. Now

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repeat after me.

13 MONTAGE - VARIOUS 13

A) INT. CINDY'S ROOM - DAWN - Cindy does a stretch routine.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
I respect myself and my body.

B) INT. BATHROOM - DAWN - Cindy looks into her mirror as she

plucks out a couple of gray hairs.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
I have self discipline and self
confidence.

C) INT. KITCHEN - DAWN - Cindy blends an obscene concoction

of vegetables and powders that she gulps down. She wretches
slightly but swallows.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
I am happy, healthy, and secure.

D) INT. DOORWAY - DAWN - Cindy laces up her shoes as she's

about to leave. She's now wearing a track suit and has
earphones on.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
The little things in life bring me
great joy.

She looks at her badge that clutches onto before putting it

in her pocket.

E) EXT. SUBURBAN STREETS - DAWN - Cindy's footsteps are the

audible sounds besides the wind blowing and leaves rustling.
She jogs with concentration, looking at only what's ahead of
her: rows upon rows of similar looking, austere houses.

PLAYLIST (V.O.)
I love helping others. Today I will
make it a goal to help someone in some
way.

The trees down this street become much more lush, a dark,
verdant look against a hazy, blue sky.

END OF MONTAGE.

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14 EXT. JUNG HOUSE - DAWN 14

As Cindy jogs down further, she comes across an elderly woman

gardening outside her house. The elderly woman is planting
white flowers. She's the only other person in the
neighborhood out this early. Cindy recognizes that it's MRS.
JUNG (65).

She's dug random holes across her front yard, a sight for
sore eyes.

Cindy stops in her tracks and looks at Mrs. Jung from afar.
She hesitates but walks up to her.

CINDY
(approaching her)
Hi, Mrs. Jung. Guess it's never too
early for some yard work, huh?

MRS. JUNG
Eh? Go, go. Leave me alone.

CINDY
Sorry... I guess, I just wanted to
give my condolences. I promise that
we'll find-

Cindy sees Mrs. Jung planting already grown flowers of an

unknown species. Their pointed petals are ghostly white with
splotches of pink toward the stem, and they have unusually
long stigma.

CINDY
(hesitant)
Where did you get those flowers?

No reply.

MALE VOICE (O.S.)

She doesn't know much English.

Cindy turns to see JOSHUA JUNG (35) emerging from his house.
He's got bedhead and is dressed in plaid pajama pants, but
that doesn't take away from his handsome face and height.

JOSHUA (CONT'D.)
(in Korean)
Mom, what are you doing?
(to Cindy)
Sorry, hope she wasn't bothering you.

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CINDY
No, not at all. Actually, I think I
might've been bothering her.
(chuckling)
I was just wondering what she was
planting.

JOSHUA
Do I know you?

CINDY
Oh, no. I'm Cynthia Lee. Officer
Cynthia Lee.

JOSHUA
Oh yeah, I heard of you. You're the
rookie who found my sister. Thank you.

CINDY
I'm very sorry for your loss.

JOSHUA
I'm sorry that you're the one who
found her... It's been hard for all of
us, especially her.

Joshua looks at his mother still gardening.

JOSHUA (CONT'D.)
(in Korean)
Mom, go back to bed. Stop with these
damn flowers!

MRS. JUNG
(in Korean)
Son, it's okay. Your sister must find
these!

Joshua grabs Mrs. Jung and brings her inside. He stands at

the threshold as Cindy is about to leave.

JOSHUA
Wait, Officer! Are you religious?

Beat.

CINDY
No.. Sorry, can't say that I am.

JOSHUA
Well, my mother and I are holding a

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service for her. Sunday at Star

Gospel, it's between Burke and Moon
Street, 17th drive. Reverend Harvey
has been very supportive, everyone
has. Please come. Maybe you could part
some words, advice, anything.

CINDY
...Of course.

JOSHUA
(smiling)
I'll see you then.

As Joshua closes the door, Mrs. Jung slides a white flower

past the threshold. Cindy takes it. As she leaves, she gives
an exasperated sigh.

15 EXT. STARMART LOT - DAY 15

UNIT 606 strolls into a parking space outside Starmart,

Starborne's premiere grocery store. Cindy comes out of the
vehicle dressed in a modest, black button down.

16 INT. STARMART AISLES - DAY 16

Bouquet in hand, Cindy strolls along an aisle of gaudy

magazines and other sensationalist stories on display.

Her eyes lock on a few in a row entitled,

"PSYCHIC SISTERS HELPED ME FIND PEACE,"

"CLAIRVOYANTS OR QUACKS?" and "SEXY OR PSYCHO?"

Each of the tabloids plastered with pictures of Sylvia and

Jeannie, both gaunt women with homely complexions.

Cindy grabs a few and puts them behind other magazines, but
comes across a magazine with Jeannie and Sylvia's eyes
bleeding.

She reacts in fear but looks back at the magazine, and it's
completely normal. Two passersby notice.

PASSERBY 1
Scared of them? I don't blame ya.
Those quacks are on some other level.

PASSERBY 2
I've seen crackheads who look better

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than them.

They laugh as they leave the aisle. Cindy firmly grips her
bouquet but releases.

17 EXT. STAR GOSPEL CHURCH - DUSK 17

Flocks of people are gathering outside the massive church,

holding photographs and flowers.

Cindy stares at the citizens from her car, takes a second to

breathe for herself, and finally gets out bouquet in hand.

As she approaches the building, the large cross on the front

of the edifice seemingly grows bigger, looming over her. She
stops in her tracks, causing a divide in the sea of people
walking behind her.

Cindy hurries off to a nearby tree where people aren't

around. She bends down and breathes heavily.

CINDY
(to herself)
You are strong... You love helping
others.

PATRICK (O.S.)
Jesus, you look worse than usual.

She looks up and sees Patrick smoking a cigarette.

CINDY
What're you-?! Gimme that!

She snatches it out of Patrick's hand. He's unfazed.

CINDY (CONT'D.)
Smoking too, are you actually stupid?
What if Wilkes caught you?

PATRICK
"Wilkes" would go on about his
nicotine addiction and how he got
pressured when he was a stupid teen
like me.

CINDY
Where's your uncle?

PATRICK
Somewhere with the other officers.

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CINDY
Well why aren't you with him?

Patrick gestures at Cindy to look at his cigarette. Cindy

gives him a look and Patrick groans.

PATRICK (CONT'D.)
I really don't need everyone telling
me how "sorry" they are and how "we'll
get through this...together." I hear
it enough at school.

CINDY
Look, your uncle's the only one who
really gets how you feel. And
everyone's gonna say the exact same
stuff to him too. You really gonna let
him suffer alone?

PATRICK
But he doesn't! He doesn't know what I
feel, he doesn't care how I feel-

CINDY
Well, what do you feel?

Patrick waves his index finger around his ear.

CINDY (CONT'D.)
I feel crazy too, kid. Everyone does.
But the things you see, the weird
things you feel, you have to ignore
that to move on. It's hard, and I know
how that feels. But you're smart,
Patrick. Your uncle, the officers, and
I are gonna find Steph. We're gonna
find your mom, okay?

PATRICK
But Cindy, I-

GERRY (O.S.)
There you are!

Gerry comes towards them, and Patrick tosses his cigarette.

GERRY (CONT'D.)
Glad you came, Lee. The reverend's
almost ready. I'm going to issue a
statement after his prayer, and you
could say some things if you want

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after.

CINDY
Oh, I..I don't have anything prepared.

GERRY
You found the body, Lee. You're a
source of hope. Just come up with
anything.

Gerry smiles at Cindy and gestures for her and Patrick to

follow him.

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