Fives Miles: Tornado Hits House

PG-13

Content Advisement: Death and Suicide Ideation

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Scene 10: Tornado Hits the Everson House

>CUT TO:

INT. ESMERALDA'S ROOM- LATER

TEXT ON SCREEN: TIME: 4:53 P.M.

Esmeralda notices the lights and electronics flicker before going out. She is confused and concerned.

ESMERALDA: ...What?

She removes her headphones and checks her phone.

She sees an emergency message on her phone: Tornado Emergency. This was issued for a couple of minutes already. She sees a missed call and texts from her father:

A massive tornado is on the ground, take cover now!!!

Esmeralda, are you listening to me?

Please answer me!

Mom and I already left because of how dangerous these storms are getting.

She only sees the pouring rain and the wind gusts outside. It's foggy, but the sky is a greenish hue. The tornado is rain-wrapped, so she can't see the actual wedge. She can see the moving rainbands.

She gets up from her seat, still looking at her window. She feels the vibration from her feet, along with a low rumble getting louder and louder.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (loudly) Dang it! Sassiere!

INT. SECOND STORY CORRIDOR- CONTINUOUS

She flees out of her room, turns left down the second-story narrow hall, and books right to barge into Sassiere's room.

INT. SASSIERE'S ROOM- CONTINUOUS

Sassiere's room is girly-pinkish and decorated like a pre-teen's with the latest trends. Sassiere is on her bed, chilling to music. She instantly sees Esmeralda's worried face. The rumble is louder, and the house is shaking.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): Basement! Now!

Both Sassiere and Esmeralda run out of the room, turn left, and back down the stairs. They can hear the winds getting stronger. Esmeralda is slightly ahead of Sassiere.

SASSIERE: Where is it?

ESMERALDA: I don't know. It's definitely here!

Esmeralda pauses when she reaches the last step and lets Sassiere get ahead.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): Our tornado kit is already down there. Run! I'm following after you.

They hear the windows smashing and heavy things colliding with the house as they speed toward the basement. The winds are bigger than where the funnel is. Esmeralda opens the door, letting Sassiere first. They also hear creaking noise.

SASSIERE: I feel wind!

Before Esmeralda can reply, the roof comes off. The house jolts; the girls lose their balance. Esmeralda watches her sister slip and fall down the stairs. Sassiere screams.

ESMERALDA: Sassiere!

Sassiere cries once she finishes tumbling. She holds her leg.

SASSIERE: (crying) My leg! My ears!

Esmeralda recovers and ushers down the stairs, slamming the door behind her. She picks up Sassiere and takes her behind the stairs, where a mini closet is located.

INT. BASEMENT- CONTINUOUS

Esmeralda closes the closet and covers the both of them. Everything is loud as the tornado rampages above them.

SASSIERE (CONT'D): (crying) Are we gonna die?

ESMERALDA: No.

SASSIERE: What are we gonna do after this? How are we gonna tell our parents this?

ESMERALDA: It's not our fault. They knew. Dad texted and called me about the tornado.

SASSIERE: Are they gonna come home?

ESMERALDA: Yes. They left a little while ago.

SASSIERE: What are we gonna do, Es? How are we gonna get out with my leg? I want Mom!

ESMERALDA: We are gonna get out of here and find some help. We'll check out our neighbors. We have the kit. We'll wait for our parents to get here.

[Beat.]

SASSIERE: When is this going to be over?

ESMERALDA: In a minute or two. It feels long.

They hear some things collapsing. Sassiere screams and covers her ears. She cries.

SASSIERE: Es, I'm scared.

ESMERALDA: You're not alone with that one... I'm scared too. Just hold on. It'll be over soon.

> FADE OUT.

Scene 11: The Destroyed Neighborhood

INT. BASEMENT- LATER

The tornado has passed, and the emergency has been lifted. Esmeralda gets up from the floor.

SASSIERE: Which door are we going to go out of?

Esmeralda is looking around for duct tape and wood to make a splint.

ESMERALDA: The outdoor one.

She finds two shortened wooden planks and duct tape and heads back to Sassiere.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): Come on, extend your leg.

Sassiere's hesitantly extends her leg, cringing in pain. Esmeralda puts the wood at the sides of Sassiere's leg.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): You'll be slow and unable to bend your leg. This is my first time, so it will be crap, but better than nothing.

[Beat.]

SASSIERE: Did you receive any warning?

Esmeralda looks at Sassiere. A moment goes by.

ESMERALDA: (humiliated) I have, but my Emergency Alerts were on silent. (pause) I should've taken you to the basement the moment we heard the siren ending. I could've checked my phone more often.

Esmeralda starts taping the two planks around Sassiere's leg together. She looks at her sister again.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): Human creations sometimes cannot handle fury from nature.

Sassiere groans as Esmeralda moves her leg to tape it together.

SASSIERE: I gotta admit, I have the alert as well right when it happened. Mine was on silent as well.

Esmeralda becomes shocked and upset.

ESMERALDA: Why didn't you alert me?

SASSIERE: It was still sunny. I thought it was going to miss us.

[Beat.]

ESMERALDA: Sassiere, your window only catches if storms come from the south. I noticed my room gotten darker minutes before it hit. We would've been dead if it didn't knock out our power. Mom told me to go directly to the basement once alerted. I forgot the EAS message had a sound since it was muted for so long. We're both stupid here...

[Beat.]

SASSIERE: We should've grabbed the camera and filmed it-

ESMERALDA: No cameraman jokes here.

SASSIERE: I didn't mean that, Es. (pause) Maybe.

[Beat.]

SASSIERE (CONT'D): Imagine how many views we will get for posting online.

ESMERALDA: Not everything should be posted online. If people don't want to believe your encounters, they can take their hemorrhoids elsewhere.

[Beat.]

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): This is a bad memory I want to forget. It's etched into our minds forever. No need for a camera.

SASSIERE: When you're eighteen, you can take us storm spotting.

ESMERALDA: If I only get a car instead of borrowing Mom's car for work, then fine. If Dad's car was still operational and not scrapped, I could use that one as well.

When she finishes splinting it, she helps Sassiere up. Her sister still flinches.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): Go to the outside basement exit. I'll catch up to you.

Sassiere nods in understanding.

>CUT TO:

EXT. EVERSON'S HOUSE- MOMENTS LATER

Esmeralda and Sassiere come out of the basement from the back of the house. Sassiere gasps by the amount of damage. The second floor has been torn off, and the base floor has almost been destroyed. There are holes in the floor, showing the basement down below.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (mumbling) Oh my gosh...

Esmeralda takes out her phone and texts her dad about the situation. She gets an automated response saying he's driving. She puts her phone back into her pocket. The sky is partly cloudy. Any minute, it'll be sunny again.

SASSIERE: We can literally see the front of the house.

ESMERALDA: Yeah. I agree.

[Beat.]

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (gently nudges) Let's go check on the neighbors.

Esmeralda and Sassiere walk around the neighborhood. The homes east and west of them received damage, but they see people with minor scratches and bruises or bleeding down the head. To the north of them, the tornado moved down trees on top of a house like a quarter of a mile away. The house is severely damaged too--caved in.

Esmeralda and Sassiere look at each other before rushing to the house.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (shouting) Is anyone okay?!

Esmeralda picks up speed, leaving Sassiere a bit behind. She is very close to the house now.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (louder and waving) Hey! Anyone here?!

Finally, a MUFFLED GIRL VOICE comes up from the rubble.

MUFFLED GIRL VOICE: I'm in here! I'm trapped in the basement!

Esmeralda stops close to where the voice is located.

ESMERALDA: I'm here! I'm going to get you out!

She starts removing the debris that she can carry. Her sister manages to catch up, only able to pick up small pieces.

It is revealed to be ELAINE. Her hair is blonde but short. She is all bruised up and covered in minor scratches, but okay. Both of them stare at each other awkwardly. Esmeralda looks more humiliated, while Elaine almost seems baffled and angry.

SASSIERE: It seems you have already met my sister. By the looks of it, she's an a-hole.

Only Elaine's eyes move to her sister and back at Esmeralda.

ESMERALDA: (awkwardly) ...I'm not going to-

Elaine turns back to her house.

ELAINE: Mom! Oscar!

ESMERALDA: Who's Oscar?

Elaine stops and glares at Esmeralda again.

ELAINE: My dog. Both of them were on the second floor when the tornado hit.

ESMERALDA: Oh, God!

Both of them search through the rubble, calling out to them. Esmeralda keeps Sassiere away. She looks around, trying to find Mom and Dad.

When they get into the area that used to be the kitchen area, stifled limbs resembling a dog and a human are beneath the rubble. There is no breathing, whimpering, or crying to those who are buried.

Elaine's face goes blank for a moment as their deaths register.

ELAINE: (crying) Mom... Oscar...

Elaine clasps her heart and lets out a mourning low wail. She lowers her height, breaking down into a sob.

Esmeralda feels horrible about the state Elaine is in.

ESMERALDA (CONT'D): (puts her hand on Elaine's shoulder) Elaine, I'm so sorry...

Elaine spins around and slaps her hand away, launching back up. Esmeralda looks shocked at this response.

ELAINE: Why now, Esmeralda? Why now? (she gestures to the rubble) Is it because you just saw my mother and dog dead? What about my father?!

ESMERALDA: ...I didn't know.

ELAINE: (scoffs) You didn't know?! Are you bad at reading expressions, or you don't care?

Esmeralda gulps. She doesn't reply, letting Elaine vent. Sassiere is not smiling upon seeing Elaine's current state.

ELAINE (CONT'D): (angrily) All I wanted was peace and some safe space after my father died! Yet, you continued.

SASSIERE: Her words- she figured out until recently.

Esmeralda whips her head around to Sassiere.

ESMERALDA: Stay out of this!

[Beat.]

ELAINE: Why did you keep on going? What have I done to hurt you, Esmeralda?!

[Beat.]

ESMERALDA: ...Nothing.

ELAINE: (snapping) That was rhetorical. Not any single day I don't miss my father! It was already rough, and you made it worse! It's hard to keep living when I want to die and join them. I'd rather be crushed by the tornado than see your face again.

[Beat.]

ELAINE (CONT'D): If making me miserable is your motive, congratulations, you did. You can boil in Hell now, Scrooge.

Esmeralda shakes her head. Elaine looks at her up and down.

ELAINE (CONT'D): (gestures to Esmeralda) Take a look at yourself-- dyed blonde hair and covering your body with long, loose-fitted clothing despite a heatwave. You were always quiet in class and never hung out with friends. Usually, a quiet girl is either nice, weird, or both. You. Are. A. Bitch. You look in the cliche of a mirror and realize you don't like yourself, so you put it on others. Put it on those that worsen your self-loathing. I don't deserve to be your punching bag. I don't know you anymore!

[Beat.]

ELAINE (CONT'D): You better figure your crap out before you're desolate. If you think you're lonely and a loser now, what a joke. You're hurting yourself by doing this, and it's infectious. I don't need that.

[Beat.]

ELAINE (CONT'D): Now, you know how I felt when I took your crap in. You became one of them.

There is a slight nod from Esmeralda, an acceptance of how she became.

[Beat.]

ELAINE (CONT'D): (tearing up) Here you are, standing beside my destroyed home, wanting to help me. I could hurt you for all the things you said, scream at you until I have no voice left, but I won't, not for your sake. I want my voice to still be here because knowing you, yours would be drowned out and forgotten. If you never raised a fist, just clawed at me with your verbal abuse. You came after me when I was alone... Pathetic. My friends and I know what you did. I suggest you go back to your lonely and 'quiet' self before things get more ugly for you. This is your last warning.

Esmeralda can't even look at Elaine in the eyes, sobbing. There are more moments of her just sobbing before slowly nodding her head at her.

ESMERALDA: (sobbing) You're right. I hate myself.

ELAINE: I don't wanna hear your sob story.

Sassiere reaches out and holds Esmeralda's hand while looking sorrowfully at Elaine. Esmeralda whips her hand away from her. Esmeralda inhaled through her nose heavily.

ESMERALDA: ...I never hated you, Elaine. (pause) I was nasty to you. (mumbling to herself) Why did I do this to you? (pause) It's all my fault. I knew. (pause) I-I'm sorry, E-Elaine. (looks away from her, sobbing) I don't wanna do this anymore! You need someone to help you. Please, let me turn things around! Let me help you!

Elaine looks conflicted between coldness and empathy. Esmeralda verbally bullied her for over a year. Seeing this girl in a low state makes her feel bad for her, yet satisfied.

SASSIERE: Elaine, our house is destroyed too. Our parents are on our way home now. They were not too pleased when they found out what Esmeralda had done. You're not going to go through this by yourself. Mom won't take no for an answer.

[Beat.]

SASSIERE (CONT'D): (gesturing to Esmeralda) Has this slimy dredge ever given you a break?

Long pause.

ELAINE: On average, every other day intervals. She never bothered me for the last four days. (glares at Esmeralda) I guess you finally found out my father died. ...That still doesn't give you a pardon from me. It was only a matter of time before you started doing it again, ain't it?

[Beat.]

ELAINE (CONT'D): Remembering what you were like in the old days has given me hope that you'll turn around. (threatening) Bless your heart. Don't mess it up.

Esmeralda furiously nods.

Not far off, Treck and Maria enter the driveway of their destroyed home. They start searching. Treck is inside the 'home' while Maria goes inside the basement.

TRECK: Es! Sas!

[Beat.]

TRECK (CONT'D): Esmeralda! Sassiere!

Meanwhile, Maria comes up from the basement.

MARIA: They're not down there!

Elaine, Sassiere, and Esmeralda hear Treck and Maria from where they are at.

ELAINE: Is that your parents?

Dual Dialogue

ESMERALDA: (raspy) Yeah.

SASSIERE: Yep.

Dual Dialogue Ending

Sassiere starts waving.

SASSIERE: (screaming) Mom! Dad! We're over here!

Treck and Maria hear Sassiere's shouting. They don't hesitate to run over.

Esmeralda and Sassiere run over while Elaine follows in a jog. Treck and Maria hug their kids.

ESMERALDA: We're all right, Mom.

Maria notices a splint on Sassiere's leg.

MARIA: Sas, what happened to your leg?

SASSIERE: I fell down the basement stairs before the tornado hit. (pause) Esmeralda splinted it.

Maria also notices the dry tears from Esmeralda.

MARIA: Why were you crying, Esmeralda?

Sassiere points to Elaine.

SASSIERE: Elaine had a heart-to-heart with her convo before you got here.

Maria looks at Elaine calmly. She's not mad because of what Esmeralda has been doing to her.

MARIA: Hi, Elaine. Are you okay?

Elaine nods. Her face tells a different story.

MARIA (CONT'D): Was there anyone else inside the house?

ELAINE: My mom and dog... They're buried in the rubble.

Elaine starts tearing up again. Her emotions towards Esmeralda and losing her house and family become too much. She starts to have an anxiety attack.

MARIA: Oh, honey!

Elaine can't hear her as she drops to her knees, panting.

She hugs Elaine. Esmeralda feels horrible again. Sassiere notices that her sister is undecided to hug Elaine out of sympathy and regret, but Sassiere extends in front of her to stop her.

Emeralda looks at Sassiere. Sassiere shakes her head.

SASSIERE: (mouthing) Not yet.

TRECK: We need to drive to a public storm shelter.

Maria, Elaine, Sassiere, and Esmeralda look at him.

TRECK (CONT'D): (looking at his phone) There's another storm on its way, bigger than the last one.

ESMERALDA: (little annoyed) Again?!

TRECK: Looks like a serial derecho. It's dropping tornadoes.

ELAINE: (a little panicked) Oh no...

ESMERALDA: When is it going to be here?

MARIA: About seven. It can probably die when it hits us, but I doubt it.

Maria turns to Elaine.

MARIA (CONT'D): I understand you don't know us as Esmeralda's parents. We're offering to help you out. You can ride with us, Elaine. We have a spot in our vehicle. We're not going to leave you here...alone...

Elaine, still having an anxiety attack, just nods.

Sassiere starts grinning and winking at Elaine.

SASSIERE: You can roast Esmeralda on the way there. She can't escape. You might as well get back on her. I'll join you.