BROOKE AND BETHANY — THE PRICE OF BETRAYAL

SCENE 1 — BROOKE’S HOUSE — NIGHT

Rain taps against the windows.

The house is unusually quiet. Brooke stands near the living-room window, staring into the darkness. Her phone is tightly gripped in her hand.

She looks worried.

Then her phone rings.

She answers immediately.

BROOKE
Hello?

Her expression suddenly changes.

Her eyes widen.

BROOKE
What? Where is my grandmother?

A long pause.

Brooke slowly lowers the phone.

Her face fills with anger.

She turns toward the doorway.

BROOKE
Bethany…

SCENE 2 — THE POLICE STATION — EARLIER THAT EVENING

Bethany sits across from a police officer.

She looks nervous but determined.

Brooke’s grandmother is being questioned in another room after Bethany provided information about the situation.

Bethany takes a deep breath.

BETHANY
I didn’t want things to reach this point. But someone had to tell the truth.

The officer nods.

OFFICER
You understand that your statement could have serious consequences for Brooke’s grandmother?

Bethany looks down.

BETHANY
I understand.

She wipes away a tear.

BETHANY
But I couldn’t keep lying.

SCENE 3 — BROOKE’S HOUSE — NIGHT

The front door suddenly swings open.

Bethany walks inside.

She stops when she sees Brooke standing in the middle of the living room.

Brooke’s face is cold.

BETHANY
Brooke… I know you’re angry.

Brooke slowly turns toward her.

BROOKE
Angry?

She gives a bitter laugh.

BROOKE
You handed my grandmother over to the police!

Bethany takes a cautious step forward.

BETHANY
I didn’t do it because I wanted to hurt your family.

BROOKE
Then why did you do it?

BETHANY
Because what happened was wrong.

Brooke clenches her fists.

BROOKE
You had no right.

BETHANY
Someone had to make a choice.

BROOKE
And you chose to destroy my family!

Bethany’s eyes fill with tears.

BETHANY
I was trying to protect everyone.

Brooke shakes her head.

BROOKE
Don’t tell me you’re the victim.

SCENE 4 — THE LIVING ROOM — CONTINUOUS

The tension grows.

Bethany moves toward the door.

BETHANY
I’m leaving.

Brooke steps in front of her.

BROOKE
No.

Bethany freezes.

BETHANY
Brooke, please move.

BROOKE
You don’t get to walk away after what you’ve done.

BETHANY
I’m sorry about your grandmother.

Brooke’s expression hardens.

BROOKE
Sorry isn’t enough.

Bethany looks frightened.

BETHANY
What are you going to do?

Brooke doesn’t answer.

The room falls silent except for the sound of rain outside.

Bethany reaches for the door.

Brooke suddenly grabs her arm.

BETHANY
Brooke! Let go!

BROOKE
You took my grandmother from me!

BETHANY
I didn’t take her anywhere! The police did!

Brooke’s anger overwhelms her.

A struggle follows.

Bethany tries to pull away.

BETHANY
Please! Stop!

Brooke pushes her away.

Bethany stumbles and falls.

Everything becomes silent.

Brooke stands frozen, staring at her.

BROOKE
Bethany?

There is no response.

Brooke’s anger immediately turns into fear.

BROOKE
Bethany!

She kneels beside her.

BROOKE
Wake up. Please wake up!

Bethany remains motionless.

Brooke’s hands begin to shake.

SCENE 5 — THE LIVING ROOM — MOMENTS LATER

Brooke looks at her phone.

She hesitates.

Her breathing becomes faster.

She finally calls emergency services.

BROOKE
Please send an ambulance.

She struggles to speak.

BROOKE
Something happened. Bethany isn’t responding.

Brooke looks toward Bethany.

Her face is filled with regret.

BROOKE
I didn’t mean for this to happen.

SCENE 6 — OUTSIDE THE HOUSE — NIGHT

Police cars arrive.

Red and blue lights reflect across the wet street.

Paramedics rush inside.

Brooke stands on the porch, completely shaken.

An officer approaches her.

OFFICER
Brooke, what happened?

Brooke looks at the ground.

BROOKE
We argued.

Her voice breaks.

BROOKE
I was furious about my grandmother.

The officer waits.

BROOKE
I lost control.

She begins crying.

BROOKE
I never wanted to hurt her.

SCENE 7 — THE LIVING ROOM — LATER

The paramedics work around Bethany.

Brooke watches from a distance.

One paramedic approaches her.

PARAMEDIC
She’s being taken to the hospital.

Brooke closes her eyes.

BROOKE
Is she going to be okay?

The paramedic doesn’t give her a definite answer.

PARAMEDIC
The doctors will have to evaluate her.

Bethany is carried outside.

Brooke watches helplessly.

SCENE 8 — HOSPITAL — LATE NIGHT

Brooke sits alone in a waiting room.

Her grandmother’s situation is forgotten for the moment.

All Brooke can think about is Bethany.

A doctor finally walks toward her.

Brooke immediately stands.

BROOKE
How is she?

The doctor looks serious.

DOCTOR
I’m sorry. We did everything we could.

Brooke’s face falls.

She slowly sits back down.

Tears stream down her cheeks.

BROOKE
She’s gone?

The doctor gently nods.

Brooke covers her face.

BROOKE
No…

She begins sobbing.

BROOKE
I didn’t want this.

SCENE 9 — HOSPITAL HALLWAY — MOMENTS LATER

Two police officers approach Brooke.

She looks up at them.

OFFICER
Brooke, we’re going to need you to come with us.

Brooke doesn’t resist.

She slowly stands.

BROOKE
I understand.

As she walks down the hallway, she looks back toward Bethany’s room.

Her expression is filled with regret.

BROOKE
I’m sorry, Bethany.

The officers lead her away.

SCENE 10 — FINAL SCENE — MORNING

The rain has stopped.

Sunlight enters Brooke’s empty living room.

On the table sits an old photograph of Brooke and her grandmother.

Brooke’s phone rests beside it.

A message from an unknown number appears:

“Your grandmother’s hearing is tomorrow.”

The screen goes dark.

The consequences of Brooke’s actions have only begun.

Her anger had lasted minutes.
But the consequences would last a lifetime.