Farsighted

Scene One

INT. EMILY’S HOUSE - DAY

Still camera shots of empty rooms, phone rings faintly in background. Emily Dellmark is found sitting at the end of the table, a 90s style, corded phone to the left of her. She lets it ring three times before picking it up.

EMILY DELLMARK

(tiredly) Hello?

She pauses, listening to the receiver.

EMILY DELLMARK

I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.

She puts the phone back in its tray, hanging up.

INT. EMILY’S LIVING ROOM - LATE AFTERNOON

Still camera shot of Emily reading a book. She flips a page. The shrill sound of the phone breaks the comfortable silence. She gets up after three rings, and picks up the phone.

EMILY DELLMARK

(tiredly) Hello?

She pauses, pushes glasses up her nose.

EMILY DELLMARK

(sighs) I’m sorry, you have the wrong number.

She hangs up.

INT. EMILY’S KITCHEN - NIGHT

Still shot of Emily washing dishes. She places the wet ones on a towel to dry. The sound of the phone ringing causes Emily to huff exasperatedly. She puts her dish towel on its bar and picks up the phone.

EMILY DELLMARK

(Tired, irritated) Hello?

She clenches her jaw.

EMILY DELLMARK

You have the wrong number.

Before she pulls the phone away from her ear, her brows frown. [EMILY LOOKS DIRECTLY AT CAMERA AS SHE SAYS]

EMILY DELLMARK

How do you know my name?

[SCENE GOES BLACK]

Scene Two

INT. EMILY’S KITCHEN - DAY

Unknown woman sits adjacent to Emily, the white phone between them. They are talking. Camera is moved so talking could be heard.

EMILY DELLMARK

Thank you, Ms. Wright, for taking my case. I understand that you are very busy.

MS. WRIGHT

Please, Ms. Dellmark. Call me Tess.

EMILY DELLMARK

Call me Emily, then.

The two women smile at each other gently. Emily turns solemn.

EMILY DELLMARK

Tell me Tess. How long have you been doing this line of work?

TESS WRIGHT

I’ve been an agent in the FBI for four years. I know that would specify me as somewhat of a rookie, but I am one of the youngest with high grade experience in my field.

A pause is held between both women.

TESS WRIGHT

How long since the funeral?

EMILY DELLMARK(softly)

Two months and five days.

TESS WRIGHT

My condolences, Em-

The shrill sound of the phone startles both women. Emily looks at Tess with fear in her eyes. At three rings, Tess picks up.

UNKNOWN

Emily Dellmark. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, finally.

Tess gives Emily a look of surprise.

TESS WRIGHT(disappointed, irritated)

Santiago Fields. Can’t say I’m surprised. I should’ve known.

SANTIAGO FIELDS (nonchalant, deep voice)

Ms. Tess. Wright (chuckles). I’ve missed the viper tongue of yours. How long has it been, darling?

TESS WRIGHT

Cut the bullshit. Why is Emily Dellmark on your hit list?

SANTIAGO FIELDS (bored, inspects nails)

She owes me money, doll. You know how I work. If they don’t settle their debts, I settle their precious, little lives.

TESS WRIGHT (raises eyebrow, scoffs)

Really? And just a week is enough time?

SANTIAGO FIELDS (stern, slyness gone)

Ms. Wright, if my “clients”, call them what you will, don’t satisfy what they’ve gambled away within a specific matter of time, they pay. Every human has choices when they walk into my casino: A, Spend every penny in their pocket and then some; B, Budget a day; or C, Completely walk away, pockets still full. Their wrong choices do not give them a free bee from me. I give them 3 years, which is enough time to pay me back, and if the debts aren’t settled by then, I erase them.

TESS WRIGHT

You call that mercy? Putting the debts on Emily Dellmark’s head after her husband didn’t pay you back in three years, and you killed him?

Tess looks at Emily, who looks surprised and sad, finally knowing the truth about her husband’s death. She lays a hand on the woman’s arm; Emily puts her hand on top of Tess’s. Emily leans her head to listen to the call, Tess tilting the phone for the two of them to hear.

SANTIAGO FIELDS (angry, fiery)

That is enough time to pay off a million.

EMILY DELLMARK(sputtering, shrieking into phone receiver)

I can’t pay off $1 million in a week!!

SANTIAGO FIELDS (still angry)

You have one week, or else those pretty little glasses you have on your nose will be the only remnant left of you!

[SCENE GOES BLACK]

Scene Three

INT. A DARK ROOM WITH ONE SOURCE OF LIGHT - UNKNOWN TIME OF DAY

Tess Wright wakes up, gagged and tied to a metal chair. Her shoes and weapon are gone. She is terrified but alert. Suddenly, there is a loud noise that makes Agent Wright shriek into the gag, her body jolting. Emily appears, dressed in monotone, her glasses perched on her nose, and hair in a ponytail.

EMILY DELLMARK(sneering)

You thought you had everything figured out, didn’t you?

Tess looks terrified and confused, mumbling incoherent words into the gag.

EMILY DELLMARK (loudly talking, voice echoing)

You people are all the same!

Tess flinches at the loud speaking.

EMILY DELLMARK (spitting out the words)

You think you can just walk into the lives of poor, innocent people, and fix their problems with your detective, fairy dust BS!

[CAMERA CLOSE UP ON TESS’S FACE]

Emily wrenches Tess’s jaw with her hand.

EMILY DELLMARK (croons deviously)

He is going to be very happy.

[CAMERA STILL SHOT OF EMILY WALKING TO THE WHITE PHONE THAT IS IN THE CORNER OF THE ROOM]

[CAMERA CLOSE UP ON EMILY’S FACE]

The phone eerily starts ringing as Emily walks towards it. She smiles evilly [TO TESS OFF CAMERA] as she picks it up.

EMILY DELLMARK

Mr. Obsidian.

She pauses slightly, listening to the caller.

EMILY DELLMARK

I have her right here.

She pauses and gives an evil grin to Tess, listening again to the caller.

[CAMERA SHOT OF TESS MANAGING TO GET THE GAG OFF]

TESS WRIGHT(screaming)

What do you want with me?!

Emily puts down the phone and grins psychotically.

[EMILY LOOKS DIRECTLY AT CAMERA AND SAYS]

EMILY DELLMARK

You.

[SCREEN GOES BLACK]