THE SACRED HEART

by Elisabeth Dubois

Short Film
Email: [email protected]

Genre: Drama/ fantasy Logline: Ever carved your initials on a tree?

THE SACRED HEART
BY
ELISABETH DUBOIS
©ELISABETH DUBOIS
AUSTRALIA
[email protected]
AWG REGISTERED
I/E. FRONT DOOR - WOODEN COTTAGE IN WOODS - MORNING
A pale JULIET, 66, hunched over with a cane in each hand
stands by the open front door of the wooden cottage
situated in the woods.
SAM,, well toned for 68 wears, dresses in woodcutters gear,
stands on the porch. He takes an axe off a nearby rack and
kisses Juliet.
SAM
you rest now. Be back before you
know it.
Juliet faintly smiles through her pain.
JULIET
Invite John for dinner, Sam. I am
sure he’s missing his home cooked
meals.
SAM
you’re not up to it, Juliet.
JULIET
Nonsense.
SAM
OK pumpkin. If you say so.
Juliet smiles. Sam walks off, axe over his shoulder.
EXT. CLEARING
JOHN, late 60’s, wears brace type overalls. He and Sam
cross a small clearing and head for the denser part of the
woods. Axes over their shoulders.
SAM
Last job for me! I’m hangin’ my
axe after this lot!
JOHN
Why? You have heaps of good years
left in you.
SAM
Need to spend more time with
Juliet. She’s getting weaker. The
doc thinks a change of scenery
might do her good. A sea change.
you know.
JOHN
Yeah, should have done that with
ROSE.
SAM
Sorry mate, didn’t mean to stir
ol’ memories.
JOHN
Nuh it’s OK! Is getting easier.
It’s been two years now. Miss her
heaps though.
John stops in his tracks and looks around then ponders.
They stand at the end of the clearing.
JOHN (CONT'D)
you know...
John looks and point to the stumps that remain in the
clearing.
JOHN (CONT'D)
Rose and me carved our initials
around ‘ere many years ago.
SAM
We did too.
Sam point to the denser part of the woods.
SAM (CONT'D)
It’s in here somewhere. Did it on
our first date you know.
JOHN
Guess us country fellas are just
foolish romantics.
They CHUCKLE and enter the woods.
EXT. DENSE WOOD
Five trees are marked with a yellow cross. They near one of
them.
SAM
Wonder what this damn disease is.
I thought we had eradicated it
two years ago in that clearing!
John drops his axe and pulls out a pair of gloves from his
deep pockets. He puts them on, takes the axe and swings at
the tree.
JOHN
Might as well start with this
one.
Sam wonders off. After a few swings John looks around.
2.
JOHN (CONT'D)
hoy? What are you doin’? easier
if we tackle this giant together
you know.
(Beat)
you hear me?
SAM
It’s around here somewhere. These
babies have grown heaps in 50
years.
John laughs.
JOHN
you’ll never find it.
John swings his axe. Sam keeps looking.
Sam clears moss of a tree with his flick knife.
SAM
I found it!
John looks up and smiles.
JOHN
Great! Now get over here and
help!
Sam, elated, heads back and helps John.
SAM
I’ll have to show Juliet.
John glances over towards the tree.
JOHN
Doubt it. It’s marked.
CHARLIE and PETER, two woodsmen in their 40’s, dressed in
overalls, approach carrying axes and a long two man saw.
Sam and John stop chopping and exchange handshakes.
CHARLIE
Hi fellas! how many diseased ones
today?
Sam takes a quick glance at his tree.
SAM
Four.
JOHN
Five!
(looks to Sam)
3.
(MORE)
It needs to come down Sam.
PETER
Well which is it? Four or five?
JOHN
Five! But Sam’s sacred love heart
is on that tree.
CHARLIE
(jovially)
Shit hey. What a shame.
All look to each other holding back laughter.
Charlie and Peter walk to the tree. Sam has a last look,
shaking his head in dismay he continues chopping.
All falls quiet except the sounds of the axes and manual
saw.
EXT. CLEARING - LATE AFTERNOON
Sam with John by his side proudly walk through the clearing
holding a small slab in his arms. A heart surrounds the
initials S.P Loves J.D..
SAM
Juliet will love this.
(To John)
you know, father use to say that
trees were magical. Carve your
loved ones initial on it and
they would be forever protected
from harm.
JOHN
Sounds like an old wives tale
mate.
SAM
Yeah. Oh, almost forgot! Juliet
wants you over for dinner
tonight. Insisted she did. Said
you were in need of a home cooked
meal.
JOHN
She’s a treasure. Certainly won’t
pass up that offer. I’ll get
cleaned up and be right over.
Sam and John walk off in different directions.
4.
JOHN (CONT'D)
EXT. PORCH - WOODEN CABIN IN WOODS
John walks up to the cabin. Sam sits on the Porch’s steps
the slab placed on his lap. He carves deeper into the
letter “S” with a small flick knife.
JOHN
Hey? What you doin’?
Sam continues.
JOHN (CONT'D)
Sam?
Sam looks up, eyes swollen with tears.
SAM
Juliet’s dead!
JOHN
What you on about!?
SAM
Dad was right “a tree falls in
the wood” and the magic dies.
Sam stops carving.
SAM (CONT'D)
She’s dead.
John speechless and shocked, places his hand on Sam’s arm.
Sam is in tears. Johns eyes well.
SAM (CONT'D)
Can’t you see. It’s the same
thing that happened to Rose. She
died because your tree was
chopped down and was ill ‘cause
it was diseased.
Sam tosses the slab in frustration.
Both look to the slab.
5.

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©ELISABETH DUBOIS

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