[ CW ] Short film set in a desert


 SCENE: Middle of a desert. A man sits in the dirt, a small box beside him. A woman approaches. As she nears, the man turns to acknowledge her. They converse with little emotion. 
 
 Jack: Martha. 
 
 
 Martha: Jack. 
 
 
 Jack: You came. 
 
 
 Martha: Of course. 
 
 
 Jack: Want to sit? 
 
 
 Martha: No. I'll stand, thank you. 
 
 
 *Jack turns away from Martha, and looks out into the distance again. After a few moments of silence, she sits, with the box between herself and Jack. * 
 
 
 Martha: Why here? 
 
 
 Jack: We met here. June 2008. 6 of us came out and camped for a couple of nights. You do n't remember? 
 
 
 Martha: I never knew. 
 
 
 Jack: Oh... he really did n't tell you anything about me, did he? 
 
 
 Martha *with a little venom in her voice*: I never wanted to know anything about you. 
 
 
 Jack *softly*: I'm sorry you feel that way. 
 
 
 *There is a longer pause. Martha looks into the distance. Jack looks down to the box. * 
 
 
 Jack: I know that this was never going to be easy for you to accept. My family was the same. 
 
 
 Martha *speaking angrily at first, but more quietly and sadly as she goes on*: I do n't want to know about your family, Jack. You tore ours apart. You, and him, and what... what you did. You took him away from us, made him turn his back on everything we were taught, all for lust. My parents acted like he had... like he had gone. I lost my brother. 
 
 
 Jack *firmly*: Love, Martha. Not lust. I love him. 
 
 
 *Jack pauses, and looks straight at Martha. She slowly looks back. * 
 
 
 Jack *softly again*: We came back here, every year. June 13th. We would lay out on a blanket, and look at the stars. We would plan for the future. And you were always in his. He was always going to fight for your love, no matter what. He was going to fight for a chance to be in your life, to speak at your wedding, and meet your kids, and be your closest friend until you were old. He never lost his sister. 
 
 
 *Martha looks down and quietly begins to tear up. Jack leans over and softly takes her hands, placing one on the box between them, and holding the other in both of his. * 
 
 
 Jack: I do n't think I can change how you feel about me. But he loves you, and that will never change. This is what he wanted. 
 
 
 Martha: I love him, too. 
 
 
 *Both stand. Jack takes the box, removes the lid and drops it to the floor, handing the box to Martha. She takes a deep breath, takes Jack's hand again, and gently tips the ashes out into the breeze. * 
 
 
 END 
 
 
 

