WIP Wednesday

So today you get an excerpt of something I started about three years ago. It's a screenplay based off of a monologue I did during a haunted tour. My character, Catherine was happily engaged to a man and not too long before their wedding, they boarded a trolley to take them across town. The trolley crashed, killing her fiance and leaving Catherine as one of the only survivors. She ends up marrying someone else out of duty (it was the 1800s, after all), and though the man is kind to her, they hardly even ever speak. In addition to that, due to the accident, Catherine can't have any children. She spends her remarkably long life wishing she was with the fiance she loved.

I loved this monologue (though I hated myself doing it) and I wrote a lot of the screenplay branching off of the basics given in the monologue. I changed a few things- Catherine became Caroline and I changed a few of the other names, as well as bumping up the time period a bit. But I remained true to most of the story, and I did a lot of crying as I wrote it. So here, untouched for several years, is a scene that takes place after Caroline agrees to marry her obligation guy.


INT. CAROLINE’S ROOM

Minnie rushes into Caroline’s room, excited as usual. Caroline is startled but happy to see her.

MINNIE
Oh, Caroline, I’ve just heard! It’s so exciting!!!

CAROLINE
(still trying to get over Minnie’s bursting in like that)
What?

MINNIE
That you’re engaged, silly!

CAROLINE
Oh, that… yes. (Puzzled) Wait- how did you hear about it?

MINNIE
Directly from the source- Julia heard it from Margaret who heard it from Sara who overheard it when Victoria told Ellen, and Victoria’s parents heard it from Kel’s parents. So anyway, silly, I heard you were engaged, but I never found out to whom, so I rushed right over here to find out! So who is it?

CAROLINE
(without enthusiasm)
Christopher Chancellor.

MINNIE
(trying out the name)
Christopher Chancellor… Mrs. Christopher Chancellor… Mrs. Caroline Chan- wait. Christopher Chancellor, as in Christine Chancellor’s older brother?

CAROLINE
(still with very little emotion)
‘Chancellor’ is not that common a name.

MINNIE
Christopher Chancellor?!

CAROLINE
(exasperated)
Would you like me to write it down for you?

MINNIE
(for once, realizing what she’s said… maybe)
No… No, I’m sorry. I just- (with a desperate look at Caroline) Christopher Chancellor?

CAROLINE
Minnie, please. If you’re not here to offer you congratulations- or condolences- please leave.

MINNIE
I’m sorry, Carrie. I’m happy for you, really. I mean, this has to be a good sign, doesn’t it?

CAROLINE
(looking at the ceiling)
My parents seem to think so.

MINNIE
Well, that’s good then, I suppose. (Pause) I’d never have predicted you’d end up with him, though.

CAROLINE
(not looking at her, sardonically)
Funny, I had it planned all along.

MINNIE
I mean, not that you’re not a good match. It’s just you’re so- you and he’s so…

CAROLINE
What?

MINNIE
Boring. He’s one of the dullest people I’ve ever met. Never any emotion. He’s just so… placid.

CAROLINE
Minnie, next to you, a firecracker looks placid.

MINNIE
I’m just saying it’s an interesting match, that’s all.

CAROLINE
Thank you, Minnie. Your input is invaluable. Good bye.

MINNIE
(getting up, a bit confused)
All right, well… I’ll be going then…

She leaves, not sure if she’s just been insulted or not. Caroline watches her go, then puts her hands over her face and sighs deeply.