100% of Steem Dollars Received Will Be Used in the Making of the Film

"Better Left Unsaid"
Story and Screenplay by @brian-rhodes
Original Music by @dan-atstarlite
Working Title by @jrcornel
Scenes 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41

(The following script is formatted for desktop viewing only)

      INT. STOKERS' BACK ROOM - LATER

      Charlie and Jake sitting at table. Drinking beer.

                          JAKE
                You left last night sudden-like.

      Charlie's sussing Jake out.

                          CHARLIE
                Yeah. Well, I figured you were going
                to remember. But last night was no
                time to talk.
                     (Beat)
                I wanted to speak to you in private.
                     (Beat)
                Between you and me, I'm here for
                treatments at the Research Hospital.

      Charlie waits for it to sink in with Jake.

                          JAKE
                Oh.
                     (Beat)
                Sorry to hear that, Charlie.

                          CHARLIE
                Yeah, so ah... obviously, I'd like to
                keep things on the QT. No friends or
                family in town so I was wondering if
                I could hide in the old band loft
                upstairs for a while? I'll pay you,
                of course.

                          JAKE
                Hell no!
                     (Beat)
                You'll be my guest!

      Charlie surprised and pleased. Jake not missing a step.

                          JAKE
                You ever bunked up there?

                          CHARLIE
                A couple of times in the early days.

                          JAKE
                Well I've fixed it up a bit since
                then. It'll be great to have you
                around.

                          CHARLIE
                Thanks Jake.

      Jake goes behind bar. Charlie takes out a couple of pills.
      Jake returns. Sees Charlie take them.

                          CHARLIE
                They help.

      Confronted with seriousness of Charlie's illness, Jake shows
      sympathy. He holds up two keys.

                          JAKE
                Here's the Front door key and the key
                to the loft door top of the stairs.

      Jake places them on the table. Charlie picks them up.

                          CHARLIE
                I won't forget this.

                          JAKE
                I'm a fan. My pleasure. You come and
                go as you like.

                          CHARLIE (CONT'D)
                This really helps.

      Charlie pockets them.

                          CHARLIE (CONT'D)
                Hey, that kid last night? Sounded
                pretty good.

                          JAKE
                Yeah. Boston. Good tunes too. He
                brings in a good crowd that spends as
                well. Solid kid.

                          CHARLIE
                Boston?

                          JAKE
                Boston Southcott. He's local. He's
                got a chance.

                          CHARLIE
                I'm looking forward to meeting him.

                          JAKE
                That'll be easy! He has the run of
                the place too. Rehearses here in the
                off hours.
                     (Beat)
                I'll tell him you're crashing
                upstairs.

      They shake hands.

                          JAKE
                Everything you'll need is up there.
                Linen's in the trunk. Just plug in
                the fridge.

                          CHARLIE
                Thanks again Jake. I'm sure we'll be
                talking a lot over the next few days.

                          JAKE
                And I have a couple of albums for you
                to sign too!

      Jake smiles. Charlie smiles. Charlie exits.

      INT. STOKERS' BACK ROOM - NIGHT

      Rockyard is on stage performing.

      Charlie is sitting alone at the bar, sipping a beer,
      oblivious to the band, keeping an eye on front door, hoping
      to see Boston. He appears to be in pain, takes pills. Jake
      brings another beer, sees Charlie's in pain, reacts.

      EXT. HOSPITAL EMERGENCY HAMILTON- NIGHT

      Charlie pulls up on his motorcycle. Parks it. He enters.

      INT. STOKERS' UPSTAIRS - LATE NIGHT

      Charlie's laying in bed staring at ceiling. Clock reads
      3:45AM. Bar closed. Suddenly music from downstairs. Charlie
      sits up, listens intently, moves closer to hot air register
      to hear better. Boston's rehearsing downstairs. Charlie
      lights up, builds up the courage, exits to staircase.

      INT. STOKERS' STAIRCASE - CONTINUOUS

      He slowly descends stairs, has misgivings, stops halfway.
      Listens, builds the confidence, continues.

      INT. STOKERS' FRONT ROOM - CONTINUOUS

      Charlie enters front room, it's dark. Boston chording and
      singing echoing from back room.

      Charlie inches towards back room doorway, listening, tears
      up, music stops.

      Charlie looks into back room, trying not to be seen.

      P.O.V Charlie: House lights off, stage lights on, Boston's
      alone, centre stage, making notes on music sheet. Begins
      playing again "TBD" written by Dan atStarLite.

      Charlie watches. Backs off, second thoughts, turns to leave.
      Boston stops playing.

                          BOSTON (O.S.)
                Anyone there?

      Charlie panics, collects himself, inches into back room.

      INT. STOKER'S BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS

      Charlie enters, nervous, awkward.

                          CHARLIE
                Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt.

      Charlie gains composure, still anxious, fearful.

                          CHARLIE
                My name's Charlie.
                     (Hesitant)
                Charlie Leonard.
                     (Beat)
                I'm staying upstairs for a while.
                Heard you singing.
                     (Beat)
                Thought I'd check you out.

      Boston slow to respond, suspicious.

                          BOSTON
                I can practice here any time. Jake
                said. I have a key.

                          CHARLIE
                Yeah, he told me.

      Charlie tries to put Boston at ease.

                          CHARLIE (CONT'D)
                The tune you were playing? I'd like
                to hear more.

      No response, Charlie backs off. Sees Boston is uneasy.

                          CHARLIE (CONT'D)
                Sorry. Didn't mean to break in on you
                like this.

      No response again. An awkward moment.

                          CHARLIE
                OK.
                     (Beat)
                I'll... leave you to your music.

      Charlie turns to exit.

                          BOSTON
                     (Awkwardly)
                You... like the tune?

      Charlie turns back.

                          CHARLIE
                I do.

      Boston loosens up.

                          BOSTON
                I'm Boston.

                          CHARLIE
                I know.

      Boston fires back with concern.

                          BOSTON
                You know?

                          CHARLIE
                Jake told me. And he was going to
                tell you about me.

                          BOSTON (CONT'D)
                He didn't.

      Boston settles. Charlie's groin pain growing. He hides it.

                          BOSTON (CONT'D)
                You look like a musician?

      Charlie struggles to answer.

                          CHARLIE
                     (With regret)
                I was. No more. But I had an OK run.
                     (Beat)
                And you?

                          BOSTON
                Yeah. Nothing yet, but soon. Love
                writing, performing.
                     (Confidently)
                It's in my blood.

      Charlie's breathless at the thought.

                          BOSTON (CONT'D)
                You have an agent?

                          CHARLIE
                Yeah, I do.

      Curtis aggressively

                          CURTIS (CONT'D)
                Contacts in the business?

      Boston sits on the lip of the stage. His interest is piqued.

                          CHARLIE
                A few, yeah.

                          BOSTON
                What kind of contacts?

      Charlie baits hook.

                          CHARLIE
                The good kind.

                          BOSTON
                Is that the kind looking for talent?

      Charlie hiding pain.

                          CHARLIE
                Geez. Is this 20 questions?!
                     (Beat)
                I can't speak for them but... Yeah.
                They might come to a show... if I
                asked them. But I wouldn't do that
                until I'd knew the talent was good.

                          BOSTON
                Well, I won't stop you from checking
                me out, if you like? I play here
                pretty regularly.
                     (Pauses)
                Have we met before?

      Charlie panics, holds composure, thinking his answer through.

                          CHARLIE
                I don't know. Maybe. I wasn't always
                unknown.

                          BOSTON
                Well I got lots of tunes.
                     (Beat)
                You got the time?

      Charlie's pain now intense.

                          CHARLIE
                Some. Here on personal business for a
                bit. But we'll see.

      Needs his pills.

                          CHARLIE (CONT'D)
                Tell you what. Go back to playing.
                I'll listen from upstairs.

      Boston straight faced. Charlie smiles, heads towards exit.

                          BOSTON
                I'm gonna Google you!

      Charlie doesn't turn around, in pain.

                          CHARLIE
                Sounds good!

      Boston watches him exit, ponders, then after a moment,
      resumes singing.

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