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ANYA
By
Matthew Simpson

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EXT. SIDE OF THE ROAD – NIGHT
Open on wide shot with Chris silhouetted by car headlights
behind him. Slow push in. Lots of steady shots. Maybe him
taking a swig of a drink?

THERAPIST (V.O)
(Spoken over shots in and around car)
Why are you here today, Chris?

CHRIS (V.O)
I-I just needed someone to talk to.

THERAPIST (V.O)
I thought that “therapy wasn’t worth your time”. At least
that’s what you said in our last session.
Beat
So, why the change of heart?

CHRIS (V.O)
(More adamantly – a tinge of annoyance)
I just need someone to talk to.

THERAPIST
But my question is, why? Has something happened? At work?

CHRIS (V.O)
No.

THERAPIST (V.O)
At home perhaps?
After a few moments silence.

THERAPIST (V.O CONT.)

(Taking the silence as confirmation)
Did something happen with your girlfriend? Anya?
TITLE – ANYA

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INT. LOUNGE – NIGHT
Wide shot of Chris sat across from the therapist who has a
notebook on her knee. Chris shifts a bit in his seat but does
not respond. Shot of the therapist surveying Chris over her
glasses and Chris sat back, not meeting her eyes.

THERAPIST
Would you like to talk about what happened between you?

CHRIS
No.

THERAPIST
So something did happen between you?

CHRIS
I didn’t say that.

THERAPIST
I’m here to help you Chris.

CHRIS
I don’t want to talk about it because there’s nothing to talk
about. We’re fine.

THERAPIST
Fine. But not happy?

CHRIS
I didn’t realise I had to be happy all the time.

THERAPIST
I never said you did. But it’s clear there’s something on your
mind.
Chris sits for a moment in silence, biting his lip slightly.

CHRIS
Look, we had a row last week. Nothing serious just…
Looking down

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stupid stuff.

THERAPIST
(Writing on her notepad)
How have things been since the row?

CHRIS
(Looking down – after a few moments silence)

I… I haven’t seen her since.

THERAPIST
(Noting down then tilting her head slightly)
And why’s that?

CHRIS
She’s been staying with her mum.

THERAPIST
The row must have been pretty serious then.

CHRIS
I told you, it was nothing.
The therapist stares back at him, not convinced. Chris sighs.
She went out the other day with some bloke she’d met at uni.

THERAPIST
(After a few moments silence)
And did that upset you?

CHRIS
(Defensively - snapped)
Of course it didn’t.
The therapist stares at him again. Chris takes his time to
speak, with it clearly causing him pain to say.
What annoyed me was when she snogged the bloke.

THERAPIST
She kissed her uni friend?

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 CHRIS
Yep. But she felt guilty about it. Told me when she got home.
That’s… that’s why we fought.

THERAPIST
That must have been quite a shock for you.

CHRIS
You know it wasn’t! I’ve told you about what she’s done
before. The number of times I’ve forgiven her. And for stuff
worse than this.
Beat
Well not this time. I told her she needed to leave.

THERAPIST
I thought she chose to leave because of the fight?

CHRIS
(Shaking his head)
I told her I needed some space just to… to clear my head. I
couldn’t forgive her again. Not right away at least. I needed
some time to… to think.

THERAPIST
So she went to her mums?

CHRIS
Yeah.
Beat
She came by the house for some stuff today.

THERAPIST
You saw her today?

CHRIS
Briefly.

THERAPIST
I thought you hadn’t seen her since the row?

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 CHRIS
(Hesitates for a moment)
I… forgot. There’s been a lot going on in my head lately.

THERAPIST
(Noting down)
Did you talk when she came by today?

CHRIS
Not much. I didn’t really want her to stick around for too
long. Seeing her was just reminding me of the things she’d
done.

THERAPIST
So she gathered her things and left quickly?

CHRIS
(Not looking at therapist)
Yeah, she left pretty quick.
Silence for a few moments. Cut to wide shot of them sat across
from each other.

THERAPIST
(Eyeing him closely)
Have you thought about what you’ll say? When you see her
again?

CHRIS
(Waits for a few moments, eyes unfocused)
Not really. But I don’t think I can bring myself to give her
another chance this time.

THERAPIST
Does it make you sad? That you’ll be parting ways?

CHRIS
(Stares for a few moments – then shakes his head slowly)
No.

THERAPIST
Why not?

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 CHRIS
Because she’s hurt me.
Looks up at therapist
And now I know that she won’t hurt me anymore.
Chris looks away. There’s a few moments silence.

THERAPIST
(After a few moments silence)
Chris. What else is bothering you?
Chris looks away, tears welling in his eyes, shaking his head
slightly.
You can talk to me Chris.
A long silence. Chris is struggling with whether he should say
what’s on his mind or not.

CHRIS
(Croaking voice – whisper)
I… I did something…

THERAPIST
(Leaning in)
What did you do?

CHRIS
I… I… You don’t understand… the pain… she tormented me… I
couldn’t… go through it again…

THERAPIST
What did you do Chris? Was it during the row?
Chris shakes his head.
Was it when she came to pick up her things?
Chris starts to breath heavier, looking anywhere but at the
therapist.

CHRIS
(Almost to himself – breathy – almost incomprehensible)
I never meant… don’t know what came over me.

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 THERAPIST
(Leaning closer – speaking clearly)
Chris. You need to tell me what happened.

CHRIS
(Looking up)
She… I…
Fidgeting and heavy breathing comes to an end. His face
slackens and comprehension of what he has done spreads across
his face.
I killed her.

THERAPIST
(Takes a moment – breathing in and out and pursing her lips –
but remains calm)
Tell me what happened.

CHRIS
(Intercut with flashbacks)
She came over… about 5 maybe. She just wanted to pick up a few
things, then she was gonna head back to her mums. I stayed out
of her way. Didn’t want to see her. She went into the
lounge/dining room? (at Nans), and I stayed in the kitchen.
That’s when I started having these… these thoughts.
Beat.
I didn’t really know what I was doing. My body sort of moved
of its own accord. I went over to a kitchen draw and… and took
out a knife. Kitchen drawer I wanted to make her pay for what
she’d put me through. Knife reflection shot + maybe looking
down knife shot
Beat
I crept to the lounge, making sure she didn’t hear me. (“He’s
behind you” shot) She was sorting through a box of things.
Just as I was about to do it she heard me and… and she turned.
Beat
I didn’t know what to do so I hit her… with the butt of the
knife. She fell to the ground… I stood over her and…and…
Trails off, unable to finish sentence.

THERAPIST

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And you killed her.
Chris nods, solemnly.

CHRIS
(Audio over window silhouette shot)
I didn’t know what to do after that. I couldn’t believe what
I’d done. I managed to come to my senses long enough to know
that I didn’t want to be there anymore. So I… I took the body
and the knife and… put them in my car. Then I just started
driving. I didn’t know where I was going… and I didn’t care.
Shots we saw at the start. Maybe show him grabbing a bottle of
drink (if that is seen at the start) before he leaves house.
Eventually I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I pulled over.
I took the knife and threw it into the night. Then I… I took
her… out of the car. I left her…
Eyes welling – hardly able to say it.
I left her on the side of the road.
Silence for a few moments.

THERAPIST
And then you came here?
Chris nods, not looking at her. The therapist sits back in her
chair.

CHRIS
(After a long silence)
No one can know.

THERAPIST
I won’t tell anyone.
Chris looks up at her suddenly.

CHRIS
I-

THERAPIST
(Cutting him off - Starting determinedly into his eyes)
You can trust me.

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They stare at one another for a few seconds. Hold for an
eerily long time on Chris. The audio of a car engine fades in
over this shot. Then cut to inside Chris’ car.
INT. CAR – NIGHT
Chris is driving away from the therapy session. He looks in
his rear-view mirror worriedly. A fleck of blood on his shirt?
– something to signify what he’s done. Cut back to the therapy
office.

INT. THERAPY OFFICE – NIGHT

Slow pan down through the office. Move past the sofa where
Chris was sat, down to the floor where the therapist’s notepad
is covered in blood. A drop of blood falls on it. Maybe audio
of outgoing call to the police playing over the scene.

999 OPERATOR
Emergency, which service do you require? Fire, Police or
Ambulance? Hello? Hello?
Drop of blood
Cut to black

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