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Breaking The Ice

A Script for Short Film. Screenplay

By Kohl YoungerPublished about a year ago 15 min read
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Breaking The Ice
Photo by Holly Wilfong on Unsplash

Break The Ice

Written By

Alton Good Plume

"Guilty Conscious"

INT. REHAB COUNSELOR ROOM/DAY

KANE

“It seems like I do not know how to trust, and my insecurities get the best of me. Then I start accusing my girl of cheating on me…”

Kane was in a one-on-one counseling session with his counselor.

CAMERA STARTS BY SNEAKER AND PULLS BACK AT SAME TIME CLIMBING THE ROOM UPWARDS TO GET THE WHOLE ROOM AND THEN ADJUSTS TO THE LEFT. MAKING A HALF CIRCLE MOTION IF POSSIBLE. BEING TO CAPTURE BOTH CHARACTERS.

He was in inpatient treatment for alcohol.

He was also there for anger management for his assault charge he was convicted on a few months back.

CAMERA SHOT SHOW TREATMENT CENTER THE OUTSIDE BUILDING. ALSO SHOW A DOCUMENT WITH INFORMATION ON CLIENT COURT CASE AND TREATMENT CASE OF ANGER MANAGEMENT.

He decided to go to treatment to cut his jail sentence in half. He also knew he had a problem drinking. He was battling alcoholism since he was a teenager.

SHOW KANE GETTING OUT OF JAIL AND GOING TO AN AA MEETING. WELFARE TO THOSE IN THE PROGRAM.

Alcoholism run in the family was on the questionnaire during the assessment of the evaluation for recommending the level of drug and alcohol treatment.

SHOW COUNSELOR GIVING ASSESSMENT TO KANE.

FACE OUT

INT. REHAB COUNSELOR ROOM/DAY

A couple weeks into rehab. Kane hasn't spoke to Sierra but received a letter and also sent a letter. Kane counselor seen him sitting at a table visiting with others in the program. His counselor made a gesture for phone call. Kane got up and told the others he has to go make a phone call.

KANE

"Be right back guys."

Kane runs over and greets his counselor.

KANE

"Hey Mr. Craig. Good morning."

MR. CRAIG

"Good morning Kane. How you doing this morning?"

KANE

"Good, happy I can call my girlfriend. Been feeling anxious. Been feeling joyous around others in here."

Kane and Mr. Craig proceeded to walk to his office.

MR. CRAIG

"I see, using them feeling words and expressing your self to others is key and opens up for discussion of bringing out them real feelings."

KANE

"Yes Mr. Craig. And thank you for ingraining that within me."

Kane and Mr. Craig enter the offices of the treatment center.

MR. CRAIG

"Your welcome, at the same to thank you for allowing the new way of communicating and thinking.

(he looked inside one of the other cubicles to see if anybody was in there. He then seen one open. computer desk with phone)

"Ah here we go. Right here Kane. Use this phone. Ok?

KANE

"Ok cool. Thanks Mr. Craig."

MR. CRAIG

"Yup. 20 minutes. is that ok."

Kane sat down and started to dial.

KANE

"Yeah that is cool but wanted to call my mom too?"

Kane looked up before hitting the last numbers. He then hung up to pause for a minute.

MR. CRAIG

"Ok. How about 40 minutes. I got to go run group so after your done come to group."

Kane turned in the desk chair back toward the phone and started to dial.

KANE

"Ok cool, thanks again."

MR. CRAIG

"Your welcome."

Kane dialed his mom number first and no answer. He dialed three times and no answer.

A few hours before the one on one session with the counselor, he attempted to get hold of his girlfriend. It was hard being away from her, knowing she was still drinking and partying.

He was having a panic attack because his girlfriend Sierra answered then hung up.

HOMEBOY

"Don't answer it."

SIERRA

"I have too."

KANE

"Babe."

SIERRA

"hey babe, sorry I am busy call me tomorrow."

Sierra hangs up. Kane decides to call back.

SIERRA

"Hello."

(Sierra is buzzed from night before and still partying.)

KANE

"Hello."

(Kane could hear people in the back laughing. Instantly knew she was partyng. He hears a guy in the back ask who she talking to.)

KANE

"Sierra?"

Sierra hung up.

KANE

"What the fuck?"

(Kane is feeling severe anxiety he can feel his heart beating faster)

Kane stands up. Hangs up the phone and dials again. It rings........ He hangs up and dials again.... He hangs up and tries his mom again. Now he is breathing heavy. He sits down and puts his head down. He grips his fists. He wants to cry but holds it in.

It was loud in the background like she was at a party. His anxiety went up. He felt his heart start racing. He stood up and decided to walk the hallway. No one around due to group sessions. The anxiety was overpowering his being and he found it hard to breathe.

He went outside to the smoking area and sat down. He worried that his girlfriend was with someone else at the party. Why couldn’t she talk to him? Why did she say call tomorrow? He heard the echo of people laughing in the background in his head when he called. He replayed in his mind the words that were said.

He heard, “don’t answer it.” “I have to.” And she answered and said, “hey babe, sorry I’m busy call me tomorrow.” The only word he could get in was ‘Sierra’ and she hung up. He tried call her three more times to no avail.

He looked up and seen his staff.

EDDIE

“Hey Kane, you going to group?”

Kane took a deep breath.

KANE

“Yeah, that’s what I’m here for right?”

He got up and thought he would express what happened in group.

He got to group and sat down. Someone was sharing about how there morning had gone and the lesson they learned.

STEVE

“Yesterday when we were talking about giving our power away to people, places, and things. Yeah, so ah, I was going about my morning as usual, go out smoke come back use the bathroom. Well today, I came back to use the bathroom and the toilet got plugged up. So, I’m like, oh shit it’s not going to stop filling up! And this toilet is fucking pink. Okay. So, I’m like damn, I need to go find a plunger before it starts overflowing right. Hahaha. (Other people in the group kind of laugh.). So, I hurry downstairs and go to the boiler room and ask the janitors and they can’t find a plunger, right? Haha so I check the storage rooms downstairs upstairs still no fucking plunger. And the toilet starts overflowing because I go back to check on it quick. Now I am getting mad at this pink fucking toilet, right!? Haha and then I and walking around saying good morning to others and I’m pissed inside myself, right. Going around fake smiling hahaha. And finally, I realized that this pink fucking toilet was my higher power taking all my energy for half the mornin! Hahaha. Like I literally gave this pink toilet my energy. Hahaha. Oh, and the plunger was in another room in their bathroom. I just wanted to share that story with you all this morning because it was funny shit.”

Laughter filled the room. Echoing in the dining area and gym floor. Kane smiled and realized his smile was fake as well. Because he was hurting inside. An emotional pain that causes the heart to somewhat throb.

MR. CRAIG

“That’s a good story to remember, take note everyone when you give your energy away to people, places, and things. Remember the pink toilet story. Hahaha.”

Mr. Craig seen Kane was upset. He seen his body language.

MR. CRAIG

"Kane would you like to share?"

KANE

"Not right now."

Kane just kept replaying that brief conversation inside his head. Analyzing every detailed sound as if he was there witnessing her hanging out with friends, drinking her favorite drink, smoking weed and hanging around guys. Ouch, the possibilities of that faithfulness being withered down to betrayal. How could she do this to him he thought. She said she wasn’t going to party. She said she be more supportive. He couldn’t hear what others were sharing. From time to time, he would hear something relate to him but he just focused on that last call.

Group ended. His counselor could tell he something was bothering him. He called his name.

MR. CRAIG

“Hey Kane. Want to go have that one on one?”

KANE

“Sure.”

Mr. Craig started to walk away and glanced back motioned Kane to follow him.

Kane started to question the way he thinks and how thoughts keep looping in his mind and how it’s hard for him to stop the loop. He wondered why he thinks differently about Sierra when she isn’t around. He remembers his ex-girlfriend played him when he was at his first treatment center. That was a while ago.

They entered the counselor’s office. The counselor put his files away in a drawer and sat down.

MR. CRAIG

“So, how is it going?”

Kane put his hands together on his table.

Kane and his counselor made eye contact. Kane had the look of someone who was very uneasy and wanted to break through the ice.

Kane closed his eyes and redirected them to a angled down focus and faded into his thoughts and emotion.

KANE

“It seems like I do not know how to trust, and my insecurities get the best of me. Then I start accusing my girl of cheating on me…”.

Kane sat there staring at the bookshelf.

The counselor sat there. Kane resumed to speak,

KANE

“I don’t know why I’m so attached. Like, I get easily jealous when we are around people, the slightest look sometimes, I’ll whisper, ‘you know him?’, but when I think of it I know she wouldn’t cheat on me

But then I go back to thinking she is because why would she be faithful? I then don’t know how to let it go and ruin the night by asking questions. I don’t know. What you think it is?”

Mr. Craig has his fingers interlaced leaning back in his seat.

MR. CRAIG

“Kane. Have you ever cheated?”

Kane was silent for a minute.

KANE

“I mean, to be honest. Yeah.”

Kane put his hands on his head. His right leg was moving indicating he knew he had to be honest with himself.

The counselor made the same gesture and kicked back in his office seat and put his hands on his head.

MR. CRAIG

“You know, well, guilty conscious can be a major factor, maybe abandonment issues, learned behavior from parents, many things can lead to jealousy and insecurities. Low self-esteem, prolong alcohol use. Since you been here you have spoken about your girlfriend and concerned about her using when you get out. I think that in your early recovery if you do not want to break up with her and stay with her because you hear you say you really love her and she is good to you, I think best thing is to accept her using or drinking if it doesn’t put you at risk. Because we must remember you are here for you, no one else.”

KANE

“Sometimes I feel cold with my words. I say hurtful things and I say them without even thinking sometimes.”

MR. CRAIG

“I want to share a story with you. It’s metaphoric but take it how you want. And this might help with you thinking before you speak as well. It’s called the frozen pond thought process. When we first become sober and start detoxing, we have this feeling of thawing out from being cold. Especially if we came from a life of crime, deceit, and things that go against our morals at times. So, in this thought process and how we come out of these realms. From scheming and manipulating we learn real fast that on our surface we must freeze over to protect the warmth inside ourselves. So, next time you speak to Sierra think about unfreezing your emotion, thoughts or what have you. Think about that, before every sentence you speak to her. And be honest with her as well, even if it makes you break up. Honesty is much appreciated. She will appreciate it and you will too. It releases us from our own prisons. We hold our selves’ captives and lash out because then we think others are doing what we are doing behind their backs.”

Mr. Craig then gave Kane a workbook packet about the frozen pond thought process.

KANE

“How do I stop the looping on thinking though?”

MR. CRAIG

“That information is in there in that packet. I will be in, in the morning and give you another phone call in the morning but before we do, we will discuss about this packet. So, try and do this section right here.”

He motioned to have Kane hand the workbook to him. He skipped to a chapter that said,

MR. CRAIG

“The Frozen Pond Thought Process. “Do this chapter tonight and it will also show you how to stop the looped thoughts."

KANE

“Ok, Thank you Mr. Craig. I appreciate it.”

( Kane said with some glimmer of hope inside himself.)

MR. CRAIG

“Your welcome Kane, and don’t thank me, thank Creator, I am only the messenger.”

(Gary said with a smile on his face.)

Kane went back to his room to look at the workbook. He skipped to the chapter. He stayed up most of the night reading the chapter. He was able to process the information and the metaphor behind the story.

Writing things down was like chiseling at the occasion, situation, or business meetings. To chisel the frozen pond down so we can be fluent like water among our peers, spouse, co-workers, and ourselves. When we talk to ourselves, are we slowing down enough to ask where that thought is coming from. And help us chisel down the ice so we can break water. There was also a metaphor on how the fisher man makes a hole in the pond to fish. He thanks the fish for bringing itself to this dimension to feed our families. This is a healthy network for thought processes as in for the fisherman. We must dig a hole to break water. We prepare our tools to catch the fish. The tools and the fish are like our emotion and thought. We connect the right emotion and thoughts together allows us to connect. To use logic and to speak to the fish which is the thought and ask what is real and what is not. The tools are the references. So, what are the references or circumstances that led to this fishing hole?

Dilogue

Kane stayed up all night writing down the sentences and repeating them to himself. Some of his roommates were tossing and turning as he would pace and sit back down as the night started to pass. Eventually he laid down and fell asleep.

INT. HALLWAY MORNING

Eddie is heading down the hall and starts knocking on the doors. Eddie gets to Kane's door and knocks and slightly opens it.

EDDIE

"time to get up breakfast time. Get up."

Kane woke up and knew he was going to be tired today. Kane got up and wiped his face. Got up and went to the bathroom.

Next scene we see Kane walking to the coffee in sweat pants and a wind breaker. A patient comes up to him.

PATIENT

Hey bro, missed ya this morning run."

KANE

"Ah yeah I was up all night studying."

Kane grabbed a cup and then grabbed the coffee pot and poured some coffee. Another patient female purposely bumped into him.

FEMALE PATIENT

"OOpps. Sorry"

Female patient remains close to Kane and looks at him in a very flirty way.

KANE

"Its Ok."

FEMALE PATIENT

"I know."

(she said in a flirty voice)

Kane could comprehend this structure of thinking and he happened to practice it that night. He broke the loop from his mind.

SIERRA

“Hello?”

KANE

“Hey. How are you?”

SIERRA

“Hungover?”

Kane first thought was to say, ‘did you cheat on me?’ But he reminded himself of the frozen pond. It allowed the water to flow through. He said,

KANE

“You have fun."

SIERRA

"yeah."

why couldn’t you take my call last night?” Kane asked.

SIERRA

“Kane, I love you and I am not going to lie to you. I cheated on you last night.” Sierra said.

The pain hit. Think of the frozen pond. Can’t, wait. Think, I felt that I felt that. I knew.

KANE

Oh yeah, is that why you couldn't talk?

There was a slight silence.

Sierra remained silent looking at the window.

KANE

Who you cheat on me with?

Kane could feel his heart beat faster. He decided to stand up but then decided to sit down and told himself to calm down. (told himself inside his head)

SIERRA

KANE

“Yeah, hey it happens. I been had a guilty conscious too.”

SIERRA

“What you mean?’

( She sounded sad.)

KANE

“I cheated on you too. I never told you.”

ScriptShort Story
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About the Creator

Kohl Younger

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