Chapter 12. ‘’Something Has Changed Within Me’’/ ‘’Before All of This Began’’

Note: Featured here is Draft 9 of the third part of the Wendy/Junior goodbye scene. Mistakenly, there is actually another fourth part in which follows up after this scene so truthfully, the Wendy/Junior scene is really made up of four parts, not three as the next chapter may be the finale.

INT. JUNIOR’S WARD. NIGHT.

Wendy alas comes back to reality, though the memory remains within her mind.

WENDY (CONT’D): The first time we ever had a casual conversation despite all the years we’ve been living together.

JUNIOR: Remember I asked you if I could cook for you on your real birthday, but then you turned down the favor?

Wendy nods as she and Junior remember…

INT. DINING ROOM. FLASHBACK. NIGHT.

Wendy and Junior are sitting at the table, eating the delectable meal.

WENDY: What if I cook something for you on your birthday.

JUNIOR: Actually, I don’t know when my birthday is.

Wendy seems sickened by this.

WENDY: I’ll find out.

The VOICE of Junior breaks in.

JUNIOR (V.O.): You never did find out, did you?

INT. JUNIOR’S WARD. NIGHT.

Junior’s VOICE brings us back to the present. He angrily looks up into Wendy’s gleaming eyes.

JUNIOR (CONT’D): I bet you didn’t even bother to look. You just said that to make me feel better.

A burden of guilt comes across on Wendy’s face. She lowers her head towards the ground, ashamed. She loosens her grip around Junior’s hand, however, Junior desperately tightens his hold as though afraid to let go of the one thing he can’t lose. He gently closes his eyes as he remembers…

INT. LIVING AREA. FLASHBACK. NIGHT.

CLOSE on a miniature clock as it strikes two o’ clock. TRACK OUT. Junior makes his way through the living room and enters…

INT. KITCHEN. FLASHBACK. NIGHT.

…the kitchen.

He swings open the door of the fridge and reaches for a half-filled bottle of milk. He gulps it down quickly and sets the now empty bottle in a recycle bin on the counter. He glances over at the sink and sees the cake dish from the birthday dinner, empty stained with crumbs and frosting. Junior makes his way over to the sink and picking up the dish examines it carefully, baffled.

He then sees a trail of crumbs on the floor. Setting the cake dish back into place, he follows the trail which leads him to…

…the trash can. Slowly, he peers inside only to discover a heartbreaking sight: the very cake he had made for Wendy that very night is now smashed, crushed, destroyed. Junior gasps. For him, it’s as though his heart had been torn from his very chest, left discarded, abandoned, and forgotten.

INT. JUNIOR’S WARD. NIGHT.

JUNIOR: I remember you said something to me a long while ago. It had something to do with changes. You said something like when people change, so do their colors like the leaves of autumn. In order to know that, a reflection’s gaze will reveal the truth.

WENDY: You still remember that? That’s right…Mirrors…Only truth lies in them. They show us who we truly are—who we really are as human beings. Whether good or evil, mirrors accept everyone’s color. They don’t judge like the prejudice of human nature.

JUNIOR: I never knew what you meant by that. I saw no colors. Now, I understand. You were right. I feel as though something has changed within me…Something’s just not the same…I don’t even know who I am anymore.

WENDY: I wish this would’ve have never happened. Everything was just fine the way it was before…Before ‘’that night’’—that night you didn’t return home…I remember the last time I saw you…Before all of this began…

We move in on Wendy’s tear-filled eyes as she remembers…

INT. JOKER’S OFFICE. FLASHBACK. NIGHT.

Wendy is standing in front of the small mirror hanging above the fireplace, brushing out her blonde, silky hair.

Junior enters.

JUNIOR: Miss Wendy, I want to tell you something.

He waits anxiously for a response. Wendy ignores him and continues to brush her hair.

JUNIOR (CONT’D): It’s about Mr. Joker. I mean, I know this may sound a bit strange, but every time I’m standing in his presence—

The ringing of a phone interrupts. Wendy brushes past the small child to pick up the phone as he continues:

JUNIOR (CONT’D): —I get these strange feelings, like ‘’bad feelings’’…

Wendy answers the phone.

WENDY: Oh, Mr. Carpenter, sir. Hello.

Junior steps forward, resuming his thoughts.

JUNIOR: Miss Wendy, listen to me, please.

Wendy ignores him and continues talking on the phone while Junior resumes with his explanation.

WENDY: -What? Are you serious?

JUNIOR: -I don’t know what these feelings are exactly but—

WENDY: -They’ve escaped? Do you know where they’re headed…You found both of them…Yes?

JUNIOR: -I know that these feelings mean something. I mean, this whole idea with those books and the New World, they give me a creepy feeling.

WENDY: -Should we send a containment team to capture them, sir? Uh-huh…Okay.

JUNIOR: -I don’t really want to believe that Mr. Joker is evil, but what if—

WENDY: Yes, sir. Uh-huh…Hang on. (To Junior) Junior, please don’t talk to me right now. I am on the phone.

JUNIOR: But—

Wendy returns to the phone.

WENDY: -Yes…Copy that…Proceed with operation Fahrenheit 451…Yes, sir.

JUNIOR: -I feel something really, really bad is going to happen. What if Mr. Joker hurts—

WENDY: -Bye, sir.

Wendy hangs up the phone and turns to Junior, furious.

WENDY (CONT’D): What did I tell you? I said not to talk to talk to me while I’m on the phone.

JUNIOR: I know but—

WENDY: Mr. Joker and I were discussing some very important business. I could hardly hear him with you rambling on like that.

JUNIOR: I know but, did you listen to a word I said?

WENDY: Don’t do that again. It’s extremely rude.

JUNIOR: Miss Wendy, about the bad feelings I was telling you about—

Wendy brushes past him and strides towards the door.

WENDY: Junior, not now.

JUNIOR: But—

WENDY: You have another mission to carry out. I’ll inform you of the details later. When I signal you, you know what to do.

JUNIOR: But, Miss Wendy—

She exits out the door leaving Junior stranded in the office.

JUNIOR (CONT’D): Miss Wendy, please.

Angered, Junior clutches his fists. He reaches for WENDY’S LIPSTICK from his coat pocket and creates a SMILEY-FACE on the mirror. He contemplates into his reflection fro a long while before smashing the mirror to pieces.

The shattering of glass tears us into the next scene…

To Be Continued…