Wearing Their Skin

FADE IN: DREAM

PURPLE TINTS OF LIGHT

WILLOW wakes up in a field under the stars

WILLOW
Wow

LEVI is standing a few feet away looking up

LEVI
[Turns to WILLOW]
Pretty, isn't it? Wanna drag? [holds out joint]

WILLOW
[jumps up] Oh my god! Levi? Is that you? When did you get out of the hospital? Omg, there's so much to tell you---wait. You're too young to smoke and weed is a depressant for your central nervous system so it will only worsen your depression!

WILLOW storms over and tears the joint away and starts smoking it herself.

LEVI
Why do you always have to "mom" me? [pouts]..anyway..it's been so long. How long have I been in the hospital..a year?

[laughs and stops abruptly, leaning forward towards Willow]

Damn, Willow..you look so sad..is everything okay? Is it Ryn? [Willow scrunches nose] Ugh sorry about him, sometimes he can be such an asshole..well to me but I'll beat him up if he's making you sad too.

LEVI scrunches her nose and begins to playfully punch her fists into the air in front of her

WILLOW
Actually, it is Ryn..but not in that way..well you see...Ryn

LEVI
Go on, you can tell me

WILLOW
He's gone and there's a murder investigation open...

WILLOW starts to tear up while Levi begins to pace.

LEVI
No..that's my older brother..who's going to beat up all the boys who hit on me or try to cheer me up by doing our silly dance? And give me piggyback rides and torment me when I eat the last piece of pie..he's supposed to see me get out of the hospital..he's supposed to see me get better!

LEVI stops and turns on WILLOW

Who did this to him?! Who, Willow, who! Tell me! [crying and still screaming] They took him away from me! How could they?! Why! He was so happy and he wanted everyone to be as happy as he was! [Willow looks down] Willow, look at me! Tell me who did this!

WILLOW
You need to calm down okay? We are all grieving but we can't act out like this, so let's talk about this before you work yourself--[Levi cuts in]

LEVI
Don't fucking tell me what to do! You guys have had time to process that he's dead! I just found out! Tell me how you reacted Willow, huh? Were you screaming, were you crying? Or were you just secretly happy that he was gone?!

WILLOW
Okay, that's enough! You know damn well how much I loved Ryn. So don't even start with that bullshit, okay? I understand that you're angry and confused and lost, but you can't take it out on me! You know I love you and Ryn loves you too, so we have to work together to keep him happy. We need to keep ourselves together..okay?

LEVI sits down and starts playing with the tall grass.

LEVI
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lose my cool and I shouldn't have accused you like that...

WILLOW
[laughs] I know where you're coming from...I really don't believe he was murdered

LEVI
Willow..you're in denial..the first stage..how long has it been?

WILLOW
[bitterly laughs] You sound like Journey, Jupiter, Luna, Mercury, Styx, and Azlyn. [counts on fingers]

LEVI
For the last time..how long has it been?

WILLOW
Two weeks.

LEVI clenches her fist and gets up.

LEVI
Why haven't you come to see me? To tell me? [crying] Why, Willow? Why won't you try to find the murderer? Don't you want to find justice for Ryn? That sick bastard murdered Ryn. He was a brother, a boyfriend, a son, a friend, he was someone. He meant so much to all of us...I couldn't be at the funeral and that kills me, [voice crack] Please, Willow?

SUN STARTS TO COME UP

LEVI and WILLOW and see the sunrise.

LEVI throws herself at WILLOW's feet and grasps her legs.

LEVI
Please...call the detective. Do this for Ryn, do this for me. [gets up] Please...[looks over shoulder] I have to go now, goodbye Riles.

WILLOW
You make it sound so formal [goes to hug LEVI]...we'll see each other again...right?

LEVI
[LEVI moves back towards the sunrise] Will you be able to look me in the eye and tell me you didn't find his murderer when you didn't even try?

WILLOW
[long pause] No.

LEVI
That's your answer. [sunrise engulfs LEVI]

CUT TO:

WILLOW is by herself, in a hall of broken mirrors

WILLOW
Why does everyone leave me? Why are there so many of me and not one of them is whole?

WILLOW'S REFLECTION
Look at you, if I could, I'd leave you too.