THE LONG BLACK TRAIN

WRITTEN BY JALEXANDER
INSPIRED BY the novel “SHIPWRECK” by JALEXANDER

Note: Author JAlexander is putting together a team of film professionals to promote and successfully turn his over 30 novels and short stories into films.

For more information, please contact: JAlexander

Click Contact:

ATTENTION: The author JAlexander has provided the first 4 to 6 pages of the script for you to review. If you wish to read the rest of the script, please fill out the form provided.

Script Request form:

ADDRESS:
jimcormier@rogers.com
Mississauga ON Canada

Overview:

This story is about a young woman who has come to her end. She has a child that she can’t look after. Until a man named David comes into her life and convinces her that she should choose life, the woman just wants to commit suicide and end her suffering.

FADE IN

SCENE 1 – EXT. A TRAIN STATION PLATFORM – FRIDAY – 2002

THE OPENING SCENE SHOWS ONE of the main characters David McMasters (who is unconscious and dreaming) is invited to ride on the “Long Black Train”.

THE TRAIN IS sitting at the station. There was nobody around, so David decided to take a closer look. As David goy closer, he could see that the train was very old but in surprisingly good shape. If it hadn’t been long and black it could have passed for the train in the movie “The Orient Express.”

SCENE 2 – INT. INSIDE THE LONG BLACK TRAIN – FRIDAY – 2002

STANDING ON SOME wooden steps, David tried to look inside, but he couldn’t see anything, so, he opened one of the coach doors. After hesitating for a moment, he climbed inside. As he turned and looked out the window, he could see that the platform was filled with people, lots of people, pushing and shoving, all trying to get on board. Panic set in when he realized he couldn’t get off the train. The small compartment he was in had only four seats, but there must have been at least ten people in there with him. People were packed in the small State Room like sardines, so all David could do was use his massive body to push them aside and exit into the hallway. Once outside the room, he took a deep breath, but the air that filled his lungs wasn’t fresh, it was heavy and stale.

AS THE TRAIN STARTED moving, David searched frantically for an exit door, but all he could see were windows on one side and compartment doors on the other. He kept losing his balance as he walked, but he knew he had to get where the cars connected. Once outside he could jump off the train. But he soon realized he had a major problem; the car he was traveling in didn’t come to an end and he found himself walking in a circle. To his shock and amazement, he couldn’t help but see that he continually passed the same doors and windows. He also noticed that the scenery outside never changed.

SCENE 3 – EXT. ON A BRIDGE – FRIDAY – 2002

FEELING FRUSTRATED, he tried looking into some of the compartments, but he couldn’t see through the dark glass doors, so, without thinking, he decided to just open one of them, a move he would soon regret. As he stepped inside the room, he was no longer on the train, but found himself standing on a bridge, a very high bridge. It was so high that he couldn’t see land on either side. He walked about twenty yards and stopped dead in his tracks. There, on the edge of the bridge was a woman holding a small child in her arms. David was horrified, because he knew the only reason she would be standing there, was because, “she was going to end it all!” But why take the child with her? Walking right up to the woman he said,

David (V.O.)
“Hi, do you need to talk to someone?”

WITHOUT LOOKING down at him she replied,

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“Please stay away sir, and don’t try to stop me. Life is too much; I can’t handle another day.”

TAKING A FEW steps forward, David put out his hand pleading,

David (V.O.)
“How may I help you?”

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“You can’t; it’s too late! Just leave us alone.”

DAVID DIDN’T know what to do. He had never seen anyone so desperate that they would be willing to not only take their own life, but the life of a loved one.

THE WOMAN TURNED her head and looked into David’s eyes. He couldn’t see any life in her tired, blank face.

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“Please just leave us alone; there’s nothing that you or anyone else can do.”

WITH HIS HEART breaking and his eyes filling up with tears, David slowly stepped back, but as he did, he found himself being lifted up in the air. The higher he ascended, the more he could see of the bridge. When he reached the top he floated out, enabling him to see the full length of the structure from shore to shore. He tried turning his head away and closing his eyes, because he didn’t like what he was seeing. There on the bridge, about twenty feet apart from one another, were people poised on the edge. He felt sick as he watched each person jump in turn, only to be replaced by someone else.

David (O.S.)
“I don’t want to see any more; I just want to leave this place!”

SCENE 4 – INT. INSIDE THE LONG BLACK TRAIN – FRIDAY – 2002

AS SOON AS HE said that, he started floating back down. Once his feet hit the ground, he headed for the nearest exit. As soon as he made it through the door, he slammed it shut, putting all his weight against it so no one could follow him. He repeated the number 27 that was on the door, over and over in his head to ensure he didn’t have to deal with that horrible scene again!

Rescuing a Mother and her baby

DAVID WAS VISIBLY shaken by all the events that were happening before his eyes. But he knew his mission now was to return to the bridge and stop the desperate mother from taking not only her life but the life of her baby girl. KNOWING HE DIDN’T have much time, David starting to panic as he rushed to get to cabin 27 and save two precious lives. Once he entered the hallway, something very strange happened. David found himself moving in slow motion and this made him even more anxious, because he knew that if he didn’t get to the bridge soon, he would be too late, and that would mean he was a failure. David just fell to his knees, looked up to Heaven and prayed,

David (O.S.)
“God, if it be your will, please help me save this poor helpless woman from making the biggest mistake of her life!”

AFTER WHAT SEEMED LIKE hours, he finally reached cabin 27, but he didn’t enter, because a voice inside his head was telling him he was too late. David cleared his mind of all negative thoughts, and as he did, the door suddenly opened. All he had to do was walk forward, and he was on the bridge. Off in the distance, he could see the woman standing on the ledge, but he couldn’t see the little girl. His heart was pounding as he got closer, but gave a sigh of relief when he saw the little girl sitting on the far side of her Mom.

SCENE 5 – EXT. ON A BRIDGE – FRIDAY – 2002

DAVID DIDN’T WANT TO scare the mother by calling out to her, so he just walked up to where she was standing. He climbed up on the ledge right next to the little girl. The mother looked at David and said,

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“You’re not going to make me change my mind, so you might as well leave.”

WITHOUT LOOKING AT THE woman, David gave a quick reply,

David (V.O.)
“I didn’t know you owned this bridge; I have as much right to be here as you and your little sweetie. Oh, by the way, you forgot to tell me your names.”

THE YOUNG WOMAN just stared out into the distance and said,

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“Look Mister; I know what you’re trying to do, but it won’t work.”

David (V.O.)
“Alright,” David said with a little smile; “but can I at least tell you my name?”

THE WOMEN answered in a tone that bordered on sarcasm;

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“No, you can’t!”

David (V.O.)
“Okay you win; I’m not going to tell you that it’s David!”

THE LITTLE GIRL spoke up for the first time saying,

Little girl (V.O.)
“You said you weren’t going to tell us your name, and then you did!”

David (V.O.)
“Well, I take it back; you’ll just have to forget that I told you.”

THE LITTLE girl giggled,

Little girl (V.O.)
“How can we do that? It’s already in our memory!”

HER MOTHER pulled her away insisting,

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“Emily stop talking to that man!”

Little girl (V.O.)
“His name is David, Mommy.”

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“I know its David!” “He’s just trying to stop us from… I just want you to pretend he’s not there.”

Little girl (V.O.)
“Okay, Mommy, I’ll try.”

WITH A LUMP IN his throat, David moved closer to the little girl saying,

David (V.O.)
“My wife’s name was Emily, and she was as beautiful as you!”

Little girl (V.O.)
“Where’s your wife now, and how come she’s not with you?”

David (V.O.)
David replied softly; “She died and went Heaven!”

EMILY WAS quick to respond saying,

Little girl (V.O.)
“Mommy said, we’re going to heaven to live with Jesus. Do you want me to say hello to your Emily when we get there?”

ONCE AGAIN, HER MOM pulled on her arm saying,

Woman on bridge (V.O.)
“I told you before, don’t talk to that man, we don’t even know who he is.”

WITH A CUTE LITTLE smile on her face Emily answered,

Little girl (V.O.)
“Oh yes we do; don’t you remember him telling us his name, it’s David!” “David, I would like you to meet my Mommy, her name is Elizabeth, but all the grownups call her Liz.”

David (V.O.)
“Hello, I’m David, how do you do?”

WHEN HE DIDN’T get a reply, he leaned down and whispered to Emily,