Scene 1
[The camera fades in from black to the sound of a plate smashing, before cutting a generously decorated dining room. The sound of Christmas music fills the air panning around the room to show the well cooked turkey, the crackers and as the camera pans out we see a family. A younger Amber sits with her head in her hands, literally pulling her blonde braids out in frustration, as her mother pours another drink and downs it in one.]
(The camera then moves across the room to show Amber’s father and sister, Solaris, standing arguing. Amber puts her fingers in her ears as she struggles to drown out the noise of the raised voices.)
Amber (whispers to herself): Just shut up… shut up!
(The sound of a mobile phone ringing causes Amber to pull her fingers out of her ears, as she watches her sister answer the phone and walk out of the room. Her dad then throws his arms up in the air in frustration and storms out of the front door.)
(Amber glances towards her mum, who is drinking another drink and is becoming more intoxicated by the minute.)
Mum (slurred): Everything will be okay… you’ll see!
(Amber sighs doubtfully and attempts to eat the rest of her Christmas lunch in peace, even though the turkey has gone cold and she no longer feels in the Christmas mood.)
Amber: Mum… I….
[Amber starts to ask to be excused when she looks up at her mum and watches her turn almost purple. Rushing to get a glass of water, Amber returns and her mother sips it in-between her coughs and gasping for air. She tries to smile reassuringly at Amber, but Amber shakes her head and hugs her mum before the camera fades to black.]
Scene 2
[The camera fades in from the previous scene to show Amber pulling on a new coat and gloves as she slips out of the house, sighing a sigh of relief to be away from the mad house. She walks down the snow covered path and shivers with the cold air, laughing as she tries to make her cool breath into different shapes as she breaths out.]
(Amber hums to herself as she hurries along the path, until she reaches a small playground, smiling as she waves at her best friend. The camera pans around to show that the person waving back at her is Dal.)
(Jumping the wall, Amber reaches Dal and the two hug before she takes a seat on the swing next to him.)
Dal: Good Christmas?
(Amber laughs to herself before she shakes her head.)
Amber: Not really.
Dal: Wanna talk about it?
Amber: Not really. I’d rather hear about how your Christmas has been.
Dal (sighs): Not good. My parents were both working today. They should have been back for dinner this evening, but my dad phoned earlier on to say that they’re both stuck there. All because of this stupid virus. So I’ve been with my nan all day.
Amber: Oh!
Dal: Yeah, Christmas with her is not my idea of fun! It’s boring!
Amber: I’m sorry Dal. I knew how much you were looking forward to spending Christmas with your parents.
(Dal sighs and shrugs)
Dal: Your turn to share.
Amber (sadly): Yeah.
Dal: That bad?
Amber (shrugs): My sister is off in her own world, her and my dad haven’t stopped arguing and my mum is plastered, on the border of being an alcoholic. And me… I’m the only normal one in the house.
(Dal says nothing and raises an eyebrow)
Amber (in a small voice): It’s falling apart Dal.
Dal: What is?
Amber: My family. I think… it’s going to all blow up soon. I… I don’t want to be alone Dal. Not in the world with this virus. It’s scary.
(Dal sighs and hands Amber a small present)
Amber: What’s this? We already exchanged presents.
Dal: Just something I made.
Amber: You made it… oh Dal!
(Amber unwraps the present to reveal a pair of wooden hands attached to keyrings.)
Dal: It’s a friendship thing. You know, so we’ll always be friends.
Amber: It’s great. And this one is yours?
(Amber hands Dal half of the keyring)
Dal (sheepishly): Thanks.
Amber: Friends always!
Dal: Yeah.
(Amber looks around, before glancing at her watch and standing as though she is ready to leave.)
Amber: Snowball fight?
[Dal laughs as he jumps off the swing and the two friends run off, the camera fading to black.]
Scene 3
[The camera cuts in, to a teenagers room, as the camera pans around it comes to rest on Solaris, an older version of Amber, sitting on her bed, pieces of crumpled paper around her. The camera pans to the letter in her lap as she signs the bottom, ‘Your loving sister, Solaris’ and puts it in an envelope, scribbling Amber’s name on the front as she seals the envelope.]
Solaris: That was hard. Hard to write (smiles to herself) but its done now.
(Solaris stands and takes a deep breath as she picks up her bag and opens the door to her room, the camera pans around and we see that her father is standing in the day.)
Dad: Where are you going?
Solaris: I’m leaving.
Dad: I don’t think so!
Solaris: I do… I’m leaving this hell hole, and I’m leaving you! Now get out of my way!
[Solaris screams at the top of her voice as the camera cuts to her father’s angry face and fades to black.]
Scene 4
[The camera cuts in from the previous scene as we hear the click of the front door and see that Amber has returned from her meeting with Dal. Amber slips off her coat and hangs it up as she walks into the living room and frowns when she sees her mother at the bottom of the stairs.]
(Amber runs over to her mother and kneels down in front of her.)
Amber: Mum, what is it?
(Amber’s mother looks upstairs as we hear muffled voices.)
Amber: Mum. It’s going to be fine!
(Amber hugs her mother before she runs past her and upstairs. At the top of the stairs she sees her dad and sister.)
Amber (quietly): Excuse me.
(Amber is quiet for a long time, speaking slowly, slightly louder each time as she father and sister keeping yelling at each other.)
Amber: Excuse me.
Solaris: It is not a cult. Just because I don’t want to live here…
Amber: Excuse me.
Dad: I will not allow you to leave.
Amber: Excuse me!
Solaris: You can’t stop me. I’m old enough to do what I want.
Amber: Excuse me.
Dad: So long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say.
Amber: Excuse me!
Solaris: That’s why I’m leaving!
Amber: EXCUSE ME!
(Amber yells at the top of her voice, both her father and sister stop arguing to look at her.)
Dad: Amber… there is no need to shout!
Amber: How else am I supposed to be heard!
(Her dad looks down at his feet and shuffles them)
Amber: It’s Christmas day! CHRISTMAS DAY! AND ALL YOU TWO CAN DO IS ARGUE! WHY CAN’T YOU ALL JUST BE NORMAL! IT’S NOT FAIR! (Amber starts to cry) YOU’VE RUINED CHRISTMAS! I HOPE YOU’RE HAPPY!
[Amber storms away from her father and sister and into her room as she slams her door hard and flops on her bed before the camera fades to black.]
Scene 5
[The camera fades in from black and to Amber’s bedside table, the camera watches as the clock changes from 4.05 to 4.06 pm and then there is a knock at the door. The camera pans around as Amber rolls off her bed and opens the door, frowning when she sees that it is her sister.]
Solaris: Can I come in?
Amber (shrugs): If you want!
(Solaris steps in and closes the door behind her as Amber lays back on her bed.)
Solaris: Can we talk?
Amber: If you want.
Solaris (sighs): Amber. You’re my baby sister, my only sister.
Amber: Well d’uh.
(Solaris laughs as she takes a seat on the edge of Amber’s bed.)
Solaris: I’m leaving. And it’s nothing to do with you. It’s something I have to do for myself.
Amber: Is it because of dad?
Solaris (shakes her head): No. It’s what I want to do. I want to go with my friends. Dad just doesn't approve. But he loves me. He loves us all.
Amber: He doesn’t always show it.
Solaris: I know. But he does.
(Amber sighs and brings herself closer to her sister)
Amber: When are you going?
(Solaris looks at the clock)
Solaris: Soon.
Amber: How soon?
Solaris: As soon as I’ve finished here.
Amber: What, today?
(Solaris nods)
Solaris: You have to understand Amber. The world is changing. Nothing is ever going to be the same. Although I’m going now, I’m not going to forget you.
Amber: Will I ever see you again.
Solaris (laughs): of course silly.
Amber: When?
Solaris: Just close your eyes and I’ll be right there.
Amber: But it’s not the same.
(Solaris hugs her baby sister as she plants a kiss on her forehead.)
Solaris: I know… but I have to go, I have to do this for me. And I’ll find you, I’ll try. When this new world is upon us.
(Amber frowns, she doesn’t understand Solaris’s hippy answer but nods anyway.)
Solaris: Can I get a hug?
(Amber hugs her sister tightly as the two embrace and the Solaris pulls out the letter from her pocket, handing it to Amber before she picks up her bag and heads for the door. Amber looks at her expectantly.)
Solaris: Read it when I’m gone.
Amber: Okay.
(Amber looks down at the letter and then at her sister.)
Solaris: Oh, and Amber.
Amber: Yeah.
Solaris: Will you do me a favour?
Amber: What?
Solaris: Think of me sometimes.
[Amber watches as her sister walks down the stairs and out of her life, into the cold and lonely weather outside before she picks up her stuffed dog and holds it to her chin, convinced this is the worse Christmas that she’s ever seen. The camera fades to her tear stained face before fading to black.]