Master Journal

“Pilot Episode” ACT ONE TEASER/ACT ONE TWO KIDS LOOK OUT A BEDROOM WINDOW AT A WINDOW NEXT DOOR COVERED WITH THICK, DARK-COLORED TAN PAPER, THERE’S A PARTIAL DIRTY FACE PEERING AT THEM THROUGH A TORN HOLE IN PAPER. THEY SEE THE EYES OF A SMALL KID. THE SHOCK IS; THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR, THE WHITTLES, NEVER HAD KIDS NONE THAT THE PEOPLE ON LIBERTY STREET CAN REMEMBER. THE NEXT TIME THEY SEE THE DIRTY, HALF-FACE AT THE WINDOW THE KID SMUDGES A MESSAGE IN SPIT THAT LEAVES THEM STAGGERED. INT.CONNOR’S ROOM - DAY CONNOR DOUGLAS, 8, third grade science nerd. Connor has blue eyes and dirty blond hair cut in an Ivy League style. He dresses in basic jeans, T-Shirts with different logos and captions on them. Connor likes to play basketball and baseball. JOEY FETTUCHE, 8, Italian kid, in the third grade. Joeys has large, brown eyes, and a head full of brown, unruly curls thats cut to the top of his shoulders. He and Connor have the same style of clothes jeans and T-Shirts. Joey is over Connor's house after school, he’s standing by the window in Connor's bedroom looking out for no reason when something strange catches his eye. JOEY Yo Crunch Berry!? A name Joey calls Connor since childhood.  Connor is working on a new experiment with his chemistry set. CONNOR What? JOEY Have you ever seen any kids next door? Connor holds up a test tube swirling around the contents. CONNOR You mean at the Whittles? Nah, they been living there as long as us. No kids. JOEY Well dude...there's a kid that keeps peeking at me outta big ole hole.  There's like paper covering the window with a big hole in it. CONNOR Yea, I saw that hole a few days ago. I thought a dog or cat did it. Connor’s attention is still on his experiment. JOEY Did you see...look! Com'mere!! Quick...its looking at me! Connor put down his test tube on the rack and hurries to join Joey ay his bedroom window, he looks across next door at the Whittle’s house window. He and Joey see eyes and part of a forehead. The eyes are peering at them through a torn hole in a window covered with a tan colored, thick paper. The eyes have dark circles underneath and the forehead is very dirty. JOEY (CONT’D) Dude...its a kid! CONNOR Yea!? Wonder where it came from? What it’s doing there like that? Suddenly the face is gone and the hole covered. The boys  look at each other stunned. They walk to sit on the bed. INT. LARRY WHITTLE’S HOUSE - LIVING ROOM - DAY LARRY WHITTLE is 50. He’s a nerdy looking straight laced guy. He wears wire rimmed glasses, and has straight muddy blond hair he keeps in a crew-cut. He usually wears brown kakis with short sleeve dress shirts of different pales colors or stripes. Larry Whittle, he’s sitting in a rocking chair in his living room reading the daily newspaper. Larry hears a muffled voice coming from upstairs. Larry looks up at the ceiling, then frowns. LARRY WHITTLE (mumbles)Is that kid up there taking to hisself or what? Larry looks down at the newspaper. LARRY WHITTLE (CONT’D) (mumbles) Naaah! He can’t escape. He’s locked in tight. Larry relaxes. INT. CONNOR’S ROOM - DAY Joey and Connor are sitting on Connor’s bed discussing what they just witnessed. JOEY Did it's face looks kinda dirty to you? And have sad, creepy, dark eyes. CONNOR Yea? I wonder how long the Whittles had a kid, and why the kid don't come outside? JOEY Maybe the kid is sick or sumpthin!? The eyes kinda look it. CONNOR I just waved at Mr. Whittle yesterday, he didn't mention he had a kid over? Or wave back. Connor face looks confused. Joey jumps to his feet. JOEY Oh mahn! I gotta go, it's dinner time! Mom'll kill me if I'm late! Joey runs out the door with a quick wave. Connor goes back to working with his chemistry set. END OF ACT ONE