SUNRISE

A film by Sophie Harwood

EXT. BALCONY - DAWN

We see a beautiful sunrise emerging from the hills. We see a few

shots of the light touching some areas around the UK, and we
hear the birds chirping with a light breeze. We see GABE, a guy
in his late teens watching the sunset on a shaded balcony. We
see the sunrise happening over his shoulder. We then see a
close-up of his eyes at the reflection of the sun appearing
above the trees. Suddenly the colour is heavily desaturated. A
dark shadow forms behind Gabe. He keeps looking out at the open
while MABEL, a 123-year-old vampire who looks like a teenage
girl appears behind him. She creeps up on him, stares at him
menacingly, and then grabs his shoulders with both of her hands.
MABEL
Gotcha!
Gabe jumps. He looks at her, breathes a sigh of relief, then
turns back towards the sunrise without saying a word. Mabel’s
smile fades.
MABEL
You know, if you wanted to watch the sunrise without
me, you could’ve at least gone to a balcony that isn’t
vampire-friendly.
GABE
No, it’s not that, I’d rather be on a different
balcony... (Mabel looks at him, confused) ...wait,
what? No! I’d rather be on this balcony, with you,
right now! Just maybe not this specific balcony,
because, I mean, this is a pretty crappy view, right?
(Mabel rolls her eyes and chuckled silently to
herself) I mean I’d rather be with you, watching the
sunrise, on a different balcony with a better view,
that happens to be vampire-proof. Friendly! Vampire-
friendly! I want-
 MABEL
(Taps him on the shoulder) It’s okay honey bear, I
know what you mean.

Gabe breathes another sigh of relief and chuckles nervously as

he and Mabel turn back towards the view.
GABE
Remember our first sunrise?
MABEL

How could I ever forget? Gabey-baby.

GABE
Able-Mabel
The two chuckle. Gabe’s smile slowly disappears as he looks out
at the view. Mabel turns towards him.
I’m really sorry about you’re grandma. If you still
need time to yourself, I totally understand.
GABE
No, it’s fine. Well, I mean, it’s still hurts, but...

He starts to tear up. Mabel hugs him.

GABE
Actually, I’m really glad you’re here, I wanted to
talk to you about something.
MABEL

I’m all ears.

GABE
Mabel, the day I met you was the luckiest day of my
life.
EXT. FOREST PATH - DUSK
FLASHBACK to Gabe running frantically through the woods, as we
can hear leaves rustling behind him ads he’s being chased. He
reaches a dead end and finds himself pinned up against a wall.

GABE(V.O.)
It might seem weird to some that the luckiest day of
my life was the day I was almost killed by a pack of
hungry wolves, but-
EXT. FOREST FLOOR, AGAINST A TREE - DUSK

Gabe gets whisked away by a figure who uses super speed to

rescue him from the wolves. He opens his eyes and relaxes when
he realizes that he’s safe.
MABEL(V.O.)

Well, technically it was the luckiest day of your

life, you were saved from certain death.
GABE(V.O.)
But who was it who saved me from certain death?
He looks around, until Mabel appears out of nowhere sitting in a
tree. He turns around and notices her, and stares at her in awe.
It’s love at first sight.
EXT. SHADED FIELD AREA OF FOREST - DUSK
GABE(V.O.)
I was always suspicious that you might be a vampire,
but my parents always told me that no matter how big
her fangs are, you should never ask a woman if she’s a
vampire or not. But you were never ashamed of it, and
I always appreciate a girl who’s unafraid to be her
authentic self.

We see a montage of clips of Gabe and Mabel doing various

romantic activities while Mabel shows off her impressive vampire
abilities. Super speed, shapeshifting, walking on walls, ect.
EXT. BALCONY – DAWN

MABEL(V.O.)
 Gabe, this was 2 years ago, I still remember it like
it was yesterday.
GABE(V.O.)

Yeah, but I’m always worried you’ll forget. Seeing as

you’re going to live for thousands of years...
MABEL(V.O.)
As long as no-one decapitates me, yes...
GABE(V.O.)

And presumably a lot of things are going to happen in

those thousands of years. With or without me.
Mabel has a worried look on her face.
MABEL

Where is this going?

GABE
I said it once and I’ll say it again, you are the most
incredible person?- no, entity! Thing?- Living
creature I’ve ever met. You’re kind, smart, funny, not
to mention beautiful! I was a nobody from Birmingham,
who survived off of YouTube videos and frequent visits
to Nickelodeon Land at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. Just
when I’d given up on loving anything as much as my pet
chinchilla, you came along.

MABEL
I know.
Gabe chuckles through his nose. He nudges her slightly, and she
elbows him back.
GABE

But Mabel, I am still a human.

MABEL
Gabe, we’ve been through this. Human, vampire,
orangutan, dragon, sloth? It doesn’t matter. I love
you.
 GABE
And I love you. But this whole thing with my grandma
has made me realize that, we can’t control the
universe...
MABEL
(Gasps slightly)This better not be going where I think
it’s going...
GABE

You know it’s inevitable...

MABEL
Don’t say it, don’t say it...
GABE

I am going to die someday.

MABEL
That’s not going to happen for a long time, honey...
GABE
‘A long time’ may sound like forever but in the grand
scheme of things, it’s really not that long. And I
hate the idea of leaving you while you and your aunt
and uncle and grandparents and thingys keep living for
hundreds, maybe thousands of years after I’m gone.
MABEL
(Visibly distraught)I don’t want to think about that
yet. I need you here. For years I was bullied at Camp
Vamp because I wasn’t raised by my parents. You made
me feel like less of a freak. I don’t want you out of
my life.

GABE
You might not have to.
MABEL
Have to what?
 GABE
Have me out of your life.
Mabel looks confused, then she notices a book on vampire
mythology hidden behind Gabe’s foot... Her eyes grow wide and
she opens her mouth, but doesn’t say anything. Horrified, she
points at the book.
MABEL
What’s that?

Gabe kicks the book further behind him and crosses his foot
behind his leg.
GABE
Nothing.

Mabel uses her super speed to grab the book. She reads the
cover.
MABEL
(Reading) Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology? Gabe, I
already told you! I’m a Vourdalak

GABE
I know, but-
MABEL
Well, an evolved one.

GABE
Yeah. But I was thinking, there are many different
potential ways for me to die. Old age, disease,
stabbed, hung, hit by a truck, trapped in a burning
building, drowned, suffocated, crushed, sawed in half,
car crash, plane crash, boat crash, fall into a
pothole, fall from a very large height, fall into a
volcano-
MABEL
 (Angry)Okay, I get it! Can you get to the point?
GABE
Sure. Point is, I will eventually die one way or
another. You will only die if you are decapitated and
subsequently cremated.
MABEL
Appreciate you reminding me of that.
GABE

But I was thinking, what if the only way for me to die

was to be decapitated and subsequently cremated?
MABEL
Huh?

Gabe grabs just below Mabel’s shoulders.

GABE
Mabel, I want you to bite me.
All of the life fades from Mabel’s face. Everything turns black
and white.

MABEL
What?
GABE
I know it sounds weird, but-
MABEL

-No. What? No.

GABE
Mabel, just hear me out.
MABEL
No. What? What? No.

GABE
I was looking at the lore...
MABEL
-No! I’m not doing it!

GABE
Are you going to let me explain?
MABEL
No!
GABE

Okay, anyway, there’s this legend that-

MABEL
-No!
GABE

-Was told to me a bunch growing up-

MABEL
-No!
GABE
That if you’re bitten by a vampire-

MABEL
-Zombie. Also, no!

GABE
You’ll slowly turn into one. So, I was thinking if
you-
MABEL
-No!
GABE
Mabel, let me finish!
 MABEL
No! No, no, no, no, no!
Mabel speeds out of frame. Gabe stares in her direction for a
few seconds, then turns back out towards the view. A few seconds
later, she returns.
GABE
Are you calm now?
Mabel’s eyes turn red and she hisses at him.

GABE
Okay, okay, whatever.
Mabel takes a deep breath and leans on the railing. She breathes
out, then turns towards Gabe.

MABEL
Alright. Continue.
GABE
In ancient vampire mythology, it was said that if a
vampire bites a human without sucking all their blood
out, that human will turn into a vampire themselves.
MABEL
I just told you. That’s for zombies.
Gabe shows her a page in the book. She reads it and raises her
eyebrows in surprise.
MABEL
Oh. But still, even if that was true at some point, we
don’t do that anymore. I don’t even think my Grandpa
Atticus has attempted that.
Gabe scoffs

GABE
(Under his breath)Some 15 th century vampire.
MABEL
What was that?
GABE
Nothing.

MABEL
But Gabe, my family have never been known to be
Aulak’s. What if I hurt you?
GABE
It can’t possibly hurt more than the thought of not
being with you for all eternity.
MABEL
But those stories are just legends. What if it doesn’t
work?

GABE
Well, it’s a win-win situation. If it works, we get to
be together forever. If it doesn’t, then I’ll cherish
the fact that I spent the last 3 years of my life with
the person who makes me happiest.

MABEL
Or, neither of those things happen because I don’t
bite you. What about the kids?

GABE
We don’t have any kids.
MABEL
Not yet.
GABE
Seriously Mabel, I don’t see why you’re so against
this.
MABEL
You won’t even drink cranberry juice because you think
it looks like blood! I also don’t want to kill you!
GABE

No one does.
MABEL
My dad would if he didn’t abandon me after my mother
died.
GABE

We don’t need to worry about him. It’s his fault he

missed out on 87 years of your life. You’re 123 now,
you’re practically an adult! It’s your decision, and
no one else's.

MABEL
And my decision is that I’m not going to bite you!
GABE
Let me finish my argument, please.
MABEL

You just said it was my decision!

GABE
And it is. The final decision is yours to make. But I
still deserve a say in the matter.
MABEL
(Sighs)I guess you’re right. Even though I’m pretty
sure I’ve already made my choice, I love you and I’m
willing to listen to you even though it’s nonsense.
GABE
Thank you. Do you have any idea how lame it is to be a
human? No flight, no super speed, no hypnotism...
MABEL
Hypnotism? That’s it!
Mabel turns to Gabe and stares at him, only to find that he’s
put on sunglasses.
GABE

Don’t even think about it.

Mabel continues to stare at him, and the sunglasses start to
float off his face. Gabe grabs the glasses.
GABE
Hey!

MABEL
Oh well, I tried.
GABE
Not to mention that being a vampire would also give me
a good reason to avoid garlic.
MABEL
No one’s forcing you to eat garlic.
GABE
And now they can’t.

MABEL
Gabe. Do you seriously want to spend every night
sleeping in a coffin?
GABE
Yep.

MABEL
But what about the sun? Do you want to miss out on fun
beach trips with your family?
GABE
Yep. Also, people won’t judge us so much for our age
difference!
MABEL
 How would that work? I’m still over a century older
than you, even if you become a vampire.
GABE

That’s besides the point.

MABEL
But you just- oh, whatever.
GABE
It’s not fair. Why are my kind given such a short life
span. There’s so much out there just waiting for us.
The average life expectancy of a human man is around
73 years. 18 of those years, you’re trapped under your
parents’ supervision, around a third of our life span
is spent sleeping, plus all the time we spend at work
every day. If I join the undead, that gives me more
time to do the things I want to do. To find my
destiny.
MABEL

I thought I was your destiny.

GABE
Oh crap. You are my destiny, but I mean my undead
destiny.

MABEL
I am undead.
GABE
Yeah but- no, no, as in what do I want to do in my
very long life. With you. We can get married in that
very specific graveyard in Iowa that you’re obsessed
with for some reason.
MABEL
That would be nice.

Gabe smiles. Mabel then realizes he heard her.

 MABEL
But the answers still no. Why does it have to be now?
Why can’t it be when you’re old and on your deathbed?
You know, when your fate is definitely inescapable?
GABE
My death is already definitely inescapable.
MABEL
Stop it!

GABE
Stop what?
MABEL
That!

GABE
I’m confused.
MABEL
You keep doing this thing where I say something and
then you’re like ‘well it’s going to happen anyway if
you don’t give me a hickey’!

GABE
You can’t say I’m lying.
MABEL

Shut up!
GABE
Alright! Alright! You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll only
worry about death when I’m actually facing it. For
now, I’ll just live. Unless...

MABEL
No!
 GABE
Okay, chillax.
Mabel’s eyes turn red again.

GABE
Forget it.
Mabel stays frozen in anger. Gabe sighs and turns to leave the
balcony. He turns back to her.
GABE

I do love you. You know that, right?

Eyes still red, Mabel nods slightly.
GABE
I get why you’re mad at me. I’d do anything for you,
and I know you’d do anything for me. Heck, you almost
burned to death in the sun for me last year. Ever
since I met you, every night you appear in my dreams.
We were always so happy. In a world where we can spend
forever and a day in each other’s company. I hoped
you’d be willing to take such a risk if our forever
could actually be forever. But I was wrong.
Gabe starts leaving again. Just before he goes through the door,
he turns back to Mabel one more time.
GABE

Would you do it if I paid you?

Mabel snaps. She lunges at Gabe, and we cut to black. A few
seconds later, we cut back to a close-up of her face. Her eyes
slowly return to their normal colour and we then see Gabe lying
down, blood spilling from his neck. She panics, runs to his side
and cradles him in her arms. The saturation returns as she cries
as Gabe bleeds out on the balcony as the sun continues to rise.
THE END