Jellwagger decided to use his time off to work on Exit the Danish. He hadn’t written much at this point. What’s more, Connie’s feedback the other night made what he’d done so far seem like trash. Jellwagger threw out the pages he’d written and started over. Yes, he was that committed to his craft.
[Begin Exit the Danish]
FADE IN
[Begin Exit the Danish]
FADE IN
EXT. NUUK - DAY - ESTABLISHING SHOT
A caption reads: NUUK, CAPITAL OF GREENLAND.
It’s a town of not quite twenty thousand which, like the rest of the country’s populated areas, sits along the fjords of southwestern Greenland.
EXT. DOWNTOWN NUUK
It’s the largest city in Greenland, but from an American perspective, Nuuk definitely has a small-town vibe. Most buildings are low lying with steep slanted roofs.
Streetcars clang up and down the main streets.
Most of the people walking around are of Inuit persuasion, although you do have a smattering of white Danish-descended folks and those who are mixed Inuit Danish, with that sort of Michael Jackson-esque off-white color.
As a whole it seems a peaceful little town, set against gorgeous views of the fjords in one direction and snowy mountains in the other. All seems tranquil and ordinary...
...but of course that’s not the case or this story wouldn’t be worth telling.
One of the buildings downtown is...
EXT. HOTEL HANS EGEDE
Although it’s not much more than a Holiday Inn to you and me, the Hotel Hans Egede is the nicest hotel in Nuuk.
It’s a five-story building that takes up most of the block, split into two wings with the main entrance smack in the middle. A whole bunch of country flags adorn the front grounds.
Since it also plays host to business conferences and meetings, some of the people coming in and out are dressed in formal attire.
We follow one such man as he walks to the hotel entrance, a bespectacled Inuit in an impeccable suit carrying a briefcase. His name is JESPER.
He bumps into a woman on her way out but is in too much of a hurry to excuse himself or answer when she asks what his problem is.
INT. HOTEL HANS EGEDE LOBBY
The small line at the front desk doesn’t deter Jesper. He walks right to the front and asks to check in.
The clerk is an attractive blonde named PIA.
PIA
I’m sorry, sir. You have to wait your turn.
JESPER
I’m here for an important meeting.
PIA
Sir, please--
JESPER
Check me in now, or I get you fired.
The other folks in line make sounds of disapproval, but no one’s got the guts to challenge this guy directly.
Pia looks at him for a moment before deciding life’s too short to argue.
She asks for his information and looks him up on the computer.
PIA
And will you need one keycard or two?
JESPER
Just hurry up.
Pia’s manager GREGOR comes out and stands behind her, frowning at Jesper.
GREGOR
Is there a problem?
PIA
No problem, sir.
JESPER
Service is shitty.
PIA
He refused to wait in line.
JESPER
This hotel won’t have my company’s business if I’m late for this meeting.
He holds out his hand for the keycard.
Pia finishes programming the card and very deliberately places it on the counter and slides it to him.
Jesper snatches it and storms off with a:
JESPER (CONT’D)
Bitch.
Pia tries playing it off, but Gregor is obviously miffed.
PIA
May I help the next guest?
Everyone’s watching Jesper march away.
GREGOR
You okay?
She obviously isn’t, but she tries to carry on.
PIA
Next, please? Hi.
GREGOR
Why don’t you take a break?
Pia starts checking in the next guest.
GREGOR (CONT’D)
You’ve been at it nonstop since this morning. I insist. (To the next guest) Hi there, welcome to the Hotel Hans Egede. Are you here for business or pleasure?
Pia finally looks at him.
GREGOR (CONT’D)
Take an hour. Get something to eat.
She looks at him another moment, then nods at the customer and walks away.
EXT. HOTEL HANS EGEDE
Pia stands outside on the sidewalk smoking and looking at nothing in particular. Streetcars, cars, and pedestrians go by, but she doesn’t see any of it.
She finishes off her first cigarette, stamps it out, and lights up another.
Now Pia seems to be focusing on the scenery beyond the town, the snowy landscape and the mountains.
INT. LOBBY
When Pia comes back in, she takes a furtive glance at the front desk. Gregor’s too busy helping guests to notice her hurrying by.
INT. LADIES’ ROOM
Pia is sitting in a stall, but she’s not taking a leak. Very quietly she slips a flask out of her purse and takes a pull.
Oh it’s good. She closes her eyes and savors the burning liquid sliding down her throat. She takes another, much longer, pull.
INT. OUTSIDE LADIES’ ROOM
Pia slips out and looks around. There’s no reason anyone should be paying attention to her, but she obviously thinks otherwise.
INT. HALLWAY
Pia looks behind her toward the lobby as she walks down the hall. She tries not to seem in a hurry but does a bad job of it.
She passes the elevators and rounds a corner to the part of the ground floor that has offices and a...
INT. OUTSIDE FREIGHT ELEVATOR
Pia presses the button several times even though that won’t make the elevator get there any sooner.
When the doors finally open, she hurries in, bumping into two maintenance workers on their way out for a smoke break.
She apologizes. They nod and smile. Pia’s used to people staring and flirting but doesn’t have time for it right now.
They ask if she needs help carrying anything up. She says no while pressing the down button several times.
INT. BASEMENT
Pia hurries off the elevator into a network of corridors. More offices, maintenance closets, stockrooms, workers. If this were your first time down here, you’d easily get lost.
Pia knows exactly where she’s going, though. She heads down several hallways, deep into the heart of the building, paying no mind to those she passes by.
Finally she arrives at a nondescript door and knocks before entering.
INT. STOCK ROOM
This room used to be for supplies, but now it stocks revolutionaries.
About two dozen people are sitting around a large rectangular table. They all turn to Pia when she walks in. Some are white, some are Inuit, others are mixed.
Pia nods to the group and locks the door. She sits in the only empty chair left, at the head of the table.
Among those present are ERIK, SARAH, and BJORN, three high-ups in the cabal.
JESPER (O.S.)
What kept you?
PIA
You did.
Jesper sits near her end of the table. Their little confrontation at the front desk may have been a charade, but the less-than-thrilled look on his face seems real enough.
PIA (CONT’D)
Why do you always make simple things seem so complicated?
JESPER
But why did you dawdle?
BJORN
Two cigarettes?
SARAH
She’s had a lot to drink.
PIA
Look. Need I remind you that I’m in charge of this operation, and what ground we’ve gained is due to me?
JESPER
We are just as committed to Greenland’s independence as you.
PIA
But none of you had the balls to start the revolution. You complain but do nothing. If we ever do break free of Denmark, it will be because I took the initiative. So spy on me all you want, but your paranoia is aimed in the wrong direction. Now...
She looks at Jesper.
PIA (CONT’D)
The royals. Is the date confirmed?
JESPER
They will arrive nine days from now.
PIA
Explosives.
ERIK
We have enough to take out the cars, but I’m still awaiting word on the rest.
PIA
It’s imperative we hit parliament or they won’t take us seriously.
SARAH
Who are these contacts you have, Erik?
ERIK
You don’t need to know.
SARAH
How many? Can you tell us that?
JESPER
You don’t trust him, Sarah?
BJORN
It doesn’t matter. If the royals get word of what’s waiting for them, we know who to blame.
PIA
What about security, Bjorn?
BJORN
Unlike Erik here, I can take care of my end all by my lonesome. I’ve hacked into the Danish government website. You want me to put up pictures of your favorite porn stars on the home page, I can make it happen.
PIA
I’m just worried about the message.
BJORN
I could put your message up in my sleep.
SARAH
What if they spike you?
BJORN
No way. Not with my stealth encryption.
ERIK
Back to the porn, if I gave you the name of a site, could you get me free access?
People laugh. Even Pia manages a smile.
JESPER
Knock it off.
SARAH
What about Connie?
The room goes dead quiet. Pia’s smile vanishes.
PIA
Irrelevant.
SARAH
Are you sure?
ERIK
She’s just got a bug up her ass. It runs in the family.
Smirks and titters around the table.
JESPER
You’ve tried reassuring us about your sister before, but she continues to make plain her disgust with what we’re doing.
PIA
She wants a free and independent Greenland like we do.
SARAH
She has a funny way of showing it.
BJORN
I’ve said it before: All Connie needs is to get laid. There’s nothing like a volcanic orgasm to change your point of view.
More laughter.
PIA
I don’t get myself involved in your family affairs.
ERIK
My brother doesn’t like my girlfriend, but that’s not going to compromise the revolution.
BJORN
The problem is she only likes women. She needs a man.
PIA
Our only obstacle is ourselves, our complacency. I need all of you at the top of your game. When the royal family arrives next week, we must greet them with a message they will never forget. Greenland’s days as a province of the Danish kingdom are numbered.
Her confident delivery shuts everyone up. Pia is in charge, and she won’t let them forget it.
EXT. WAL-MART - DAY - ESTABLISHING SHOT
Meanwhile back in the U.S. of A., it’s another workday in the life of a small town not unlike Kuuk if you don’t count the lack of snow, mountains, and Inuit.
INT. WAL-MART - TOILETRIES AISLE
Standing in the empty aisle is our hero, Wal-Mart assistant manager JOHN LANE, to be played by Bruce Willis.
John is taking advantage of the lull in customers to flip through travel brochures.
The ones that might interest you or me (e.g. Hawaii, the Caribbean) don’t faze him.
Then he gets to a brochure about Greenland. Whereas anyone else would recycle it, the pictures of people ice fishing and dog sledding catch our hero’s attention.
JOHN
(fascinated)
Greenland.
He reads from the brochure.
JOHN (CONT’D)
“The best ice fishing in the Atlantic. Come visit this ancient land. Ancient and modern. An autonomous country in the kingdom of Denmark.” Denmark? You’re shitting me.
His boss MERV walks by.
MERV
You still here?
JOHN
Did you know Greenland was part of Denmark?
MERV
Huh?
JOHN
Where’s Denmark?
MERV
What are you talking about, John?
JOHN
Europe, right? It’s a tiny country.
MERV
(confused)
Ooooookayyyyy.
JOHN
But it’s a kingdom.
MERV
You all right?
JOHN
My daughter hates me, my wife won’t talk to me.
MERV
So what’s new?
JOHN
I was thinking we might take a vacation. You wouldn’t mind, right?
MERV
I’ve been trying for years to get you to take time off.
JOHN
I was thinking of Greenland.
MERV
What happened to Denmark?
John gets caught up reading the Greenland brochure.
Merv smiles and shakes his head.
MERV (CONT’D)
I’m outa here. I’ll see you tomorrow, John.
JOHN
(distracted by the brochure)
Sure.
He flips back through the brochure and smiles to himself.
JOHN (CONT’D)
Fuckin’ Greenland. Ice fishing in Greenland. Who can say they’ve done that?
ELDERLY WOMAN (O.S.)
Excuse me, sir.
JOHN
(to himself)
Shit, this would blow Holly away.
ELDERLY WOMAN (O.S.)
Sir!
John turns with a start to the ELDERLY WOMAN holding up an opened package of toilet paper.
ELDERLY WOMAN (CONT’D)
I’d like to return this.
John frowns at the toilet paper.
JOHN
Ma’am?
He stuffs the brochures in his pocket.
ELDERLY WOMAN
I demand a refund!
JOHN
For toilet paper?
ELDERLY WOMAN
This is the worst toilet paper I’ve ever used in my whole life.
JOHN
At least they have toilet paper nowadays. Not like when you were growing up.
ELDERLY WOMAN
I beg your pardon?
JOHN
Ma’am, we don’t give refunds for toilet paper.
ELDERLY WOMAN
For me you will.
JOHN
We don’t make exceptions, not even for those who walked amongst the dinosaurs.
ELDERLY WOMAN
The customer is always right. I should send you the bill for the skin cream I now have to use, but I’m being generous.
John doesn’t have time for this nonsense. Why him?
JOHN
You have your receipt?
ELDERLY WOMAN
‘The fuck would I keep a receipt for toilet paper? Silly me for assuming it wouldn’t make my crack bleed.
JOHN
Ma’am, that language isn’t necessary. Just go to the customer service desk up front and they’ll take care of you.
ELDERLY WOMAN
What about this?
She holds up the toilet paper. John shakes his head and shrugs.
She throws it at him much harder than you’d expect for a woman of her advanced age and slight stature.
The edge of the package nails John right in the forehead and knocks his glasses off.
ELDERLY WOMAN (CONT’D)
Go fuck yourself, cowboy.
She storms off.
You wouldn’t think getting hit with toilet paper would hurt, but John’s forehead does smart a little. Who was that? Nolan Ryan’s mom?
John massages his forehead as he picks up his specs and the toilet paper.
EXT. LANE RESIDENCE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING SHOT
The Lane family lives in one of those subdivisions where everything looks very ordinary and orderly.
Young parents push strollers, folks walk their dogs, the occasional SUV goes by, almost but not quite obeying the speed limit.
Of course like all subdivisions, the tranquility is an illusion, most of all in the Lane household.
INT. KITCHEN
We meet Mrs. HOLLY LANE just as she throws a plate at her husband.
Unlike with the toilet paper, John’s ready for it and ducks just in time. It smashes into pieces against the wall.
Down the hall the family mutt JOHNSON is barking his mangy head off.
JOHN
I thought you wanted to talk about this constructively.
Holly looks at him incredulously.
HOLLY
I can’t believe you...
She makes to throw another dish.
JOHN
Holly!
She stops.
JOHN (CONT’D)
We need to talk about this. Be reasonable.
HOLLY
I’ve been reasonable for nineteen years.
John laughs.
JOHN
Honey, how could it be nineteen years when we only just celebrated our sixteenth anniversary?
HOLLY
That was three years ago.
JOHN
Oh come on. The camping trip? We ran into that bear, but it just wanted our garbage.
It’s hard to describe the look on Holly’s face: Anger, pity, incredulity.
John’s about to protest again when he thinks about it. Could it really have been three years already?
JOHN (CONT’D)
Son of a bitch.
Holly goes back to the table, which is still messy from dinner: Glasses, plates, bowls, condiment bottles.
Which will be Holly’s next projectile of choice?
She seems to consider the question.
Finally she looks at her husband in resignation.
HOLLY
What are we doing? This marriage is over.
INT. LUCY’S ROOM
Meanwhile, John and Holly’s daughter LUCY, a senior in high school, is making out with her girlfriend ALISSA, a graduate student in her twenties.
John and Holly can be heard SHOUTING downstairs. They SHOUT sporadically throughout the scene.
Lucy and Alissa come up for air. Lucy holds her.
LUCY
Why can’t we just go to your place? I can’t take my douche bag parents anymore.
ALISSA
I told you my roommates have erratic schedules. They could walk in on us at any time.
LUCY
I don’t mind people watching.
ALISSA
You know I’m not like that.
LUCY
And by the way, I’m not talking about just tonight.
Lucy pulls away and looks at her.
LUCY (CONT’D)
I think we’re ready.
Alissa’s confused.
LUCY (CONT’D)
For the next step.
INT. DINING ROOM
John and Holly’s fighting has carried them into the never-used dining room with the never-used oak table.
They face each other from opposite ends of it.
JOHN
It was your idea to keep this family together until Lucy was done with high school.
HOLLY
That was before you slept with the slutty cashier.
John wants to hit back but knows he’d sound like a shithead after Holly’s bringing that up.
JOHN
That was six years ago. And it was just one time.
Holly laughs her head off.
JOHN (CONT’D)
I was drunk. I barely remember it.
Holly can barely contain herself.
INT. LUCY’S ROOM
Lucy’s still looking at Alissa.
LUCY
Come on.
ALISSA
Think about it. Think about the ramifications.
LUCY
We’ve been going steady over a year!
Alissa remains as calm as Lucy is excited.
ALISSA
Lucy Lane. Listen to me. You are not at the right stage of your life to make such a commitment.
LUCY
Oh gawd, you sound worse than my parents.
ALISSA
You start college next year. Keep your eyes on the prize, young star.
LUCY
Jesus. What’s worse? My dad pretending to be smart when we know he isn’t, or you using big words because you really do read books.
ALISSA
Lucy...
LUCY
Oh shut up.
Lucy kisses her.
LUCY (CONT’D)
I don’t wanna fight.
They start making out again.
INT. LIVING ROOM
The lovely couple is now in the living room.
Holly tries to talk but still can’t help laughing.
John finally gets so frustrated that he knocks over a lamp.
JOHN
All I want is to be a family.
He takes out the Greenland brochure and flips through it.
Finally Holly recovers enough to talk.
HOLLY
You must have been rip roaring drunk if you think your affair was six years ago.
JOHN
It wasn’t an affair!
HOLLY
It was three years ago.
John looks back at the brochure.
HOLLY (CONT’D)
She wasn’t even drinking age.
JOHN
Bullshit.
HOLLY
Check her ID, did you?
Holly’s energy is finally spent. She plops herself down on the couch.
HOLLY (CONT’D)
What are we doing, John?
JOHN
I’m keeping...
Oh what’s the point?
HOLLY
Keeping the family together? Lucy knows we hate each other.
JOHN
I don’t hate you.
HOLLY
Separation would make both of us, and her, happier.
He knows she’s right.
HOLLY (CONT’D)
When was the last time we agreed on something?
JOHN
I know plenty of couples with different political views.
HOLLY
I’m talking about everything. I asked you to get nonfat milk at the store, but instead you got two percent because you think it tastes better. Am I not allowed to decide what tastes good to me?
John’s tired of arguing. He just wants to go ice fishing in Greenland with those nice Inuit people.
HOLLY (CONT’D)
You want everyone to be happy, but your daughter will never be happy if you don’t let her get married.
JOHN
Of course she can get married. I’ve always wanted to be a grandfather.
HOLLY
And if her husband’s name is Alissa? And your grandkids are adopted?
JOHN
That’s not a family.
Holly can only shake her head and laugh.
JOHN (CONT’D)
If Lucy’s going to be part of the conversation, she should be here.
He heads for the stairs.
INT. LUCY’S ROOM
Lucy and Alissa are really getting into it now.
Lucy yanks Alissa’s shirt off and pushes her down. Alissa gets situated just right so her head’s on the pillow.
LUCY
Relax and enjoy, bitch.
ALISSA
What about Father and Mother?
Lucy starts kissing her way down Alissa’s body.
She arrives at the belt buckle and gives Alissa an impish little grin as she undoes it.
John STORMS IN.
He not only startles Lucy and Alissa, but also himself.
LUCY
What the fuck!
JOHN
Oh Jesus.
He averts his eyes.
Holly catches up with him and peeks in over his shoulder before glaring at him.
HOLLY
Happy?
LUCY
Close the fucking door!
ALISSA
I should go.
LUCY
No!
Johnson trots in with his tongue happily lolling out. He jumps onto the bed and licks Alissa’s face.
Alissa giggles, but Lucy shoves the pooch off the bed.
JOHN
Hey!
LUCY
Get the fuck out of here!
HOLLY
John!
She tries pulling him out.
JOHN
Your mother and I want to have a talk.
HOLLY
Don’t drag me into this.
Alissa gets up and puts her shirt on.
ALISSA
Mr. and Mrs. Lane, I’m very sorry for the inconvenience.
LUCY
Don’t apologize.
JOHN
I can’t believe you’d fucking do this, Lucy.
HOLLY
John!
Alissa heads out.
Lucy tries to stop her, but John grabs her shoulder.
JOHN
You and I are having a talk.
LUCY
Bitch, let go! Alissa, wait!
JOHN
I’m sure yours isn’t the only cradle she’s robbing, sweetie. She’ll be fine.
Alissa stops in her tracks.
HOLLY
You’re one to talk.
Alissa thinks about responding, but then continues on her way.
Holly’s too embarrassed to look at her as she walks by toward the stairs.
Lucy is in tears.
LUCY
I fucking hate you.
She storms out of the room, into the hallway bathroom, and SLAMS the door.
EXT. HOTEL HANS EGEDE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING SHOT
It’s a quiet night in Kuuk. The atmosphere isn’t unlike the Lanes’ subdivision: Quiet, quaint, very neighborly and friendly.
But like the Lanes, it’s all an illusion, only more so.
EXT. HOTEL HANS EGEDE - ENTRANCE
A woman bundled up in winter wear hurries out of the hotel and down the steps, carrying two coffees.
It’s hard to tell who it is because of the thick hood and scarf covering her head and face.
EXT. STREET
She hurries down the street and around the corner to a parked car and gets in the passenger side.
INT. CAR
She takes off the hood and scarf: It’s Pia.
Sitting in the driver’s seat is another woman. She’s got much shorter hair, jet black in stark contrast to Pia’s bright blonde.
Pia hands her a coffee.
The other woman takes it without comment. She doesn’t even look at Pia. Despite their physical differences, they wear the same stony determination in their countenances.
This is Pia’s kid sister CONNIE.
Another thing they have in common is how they drink their coffee. It’s cute how they look so serious as they carefully remove the lids and sip the hot brew in the same exact manner.
PIA
You don’t smell like fish. Did you take the day off?
Connie takes a break from sipping and smacks her lips. Nothing like a hot cup of coffee to soothe a wary soul.
CONNIE
Have you spoken to Mother?
Pia continues sipping.
CONNIE (CONT’D)
When was the last time you spoke to her, bitch?
When Pia comes up for air, she too smacks her lips.
PIA
When was the last time she yelled at me?
Connie sighs. You’d think she was the big sister the way she seems more mature and wary of life.
CONNIE
She’s not in a good way, Pia. Especially since Father died. And now with this revolution nonsense...
Pia doesn’t seem fazed by that remark.
Connie turns to her for the first time.
CONNIE (CONT’D)
At least call her. She thinks you’re losing it.
PIA
I’m not the one with dementia.
CONNIE
This group you’re with... Some of them have been to jail. Pia... How long will it be until the hotel finds out you’re using their property as your headquarters?
PIA
I made a promise that our parents would see a free and completely independent Greenland in their lifetime.
She makes to take another sip, but the emotions are too much.
PIA (CONT’D)
I failed with Father.
She wants to say more but can’t. She resorts to sipping.
CONNIE
And you’ll fail with Mother. What’s worse, you’ll get in trouble. You could even be killed.
PIA
You’re being dramatic, Connie.
CONNIE
Me? What about you? With your talk of revolution, and the Greenlandic soil besmirched by Danish boots.
PIA
I’ve never used the word besmirched. You’re the big reader.
CONNIE
Pia, they know what you’re up to. The Danish government has spies. There’s talk that even General Hans Hogarth himself will lead a force here if things get out of hand.
That stops Pia just as she’s about to sip again.
She thinks for a moment.
PIA
Really?
She resumes sipping and seems more excited than worried.
EXT. CAR
Someone walks by the car, too bundled up even to know the gender, carrying a cup of coffee.
The coffee cup is actually a camera. S/he snaps several photos of Pia and Connie sitting in the car.
EXT. LANE RESIDENCE - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING SHOT
Later that night.
The neighborhood’s dead quiet.
INT. LIVING ROOM
John stands in front of the room with his Greenland travel literature.
He’s very passionate, gesticulating and so on.
JOHN
And they’ve got ice fishing. Greenland’s got a huge fishing industry. It’s what keeps them in business. And, uh, they’ve got...Inuit people. And Danish people. Did you know Greenland is part of the Kingdom of Denmark? Bet you didn’t even know Denmark was a kingdom, did you?
REVEAL HOLLY AND LUCY
Holly sits to one side of the couch with arms folded and legs crossed. She’s looking at her husband at least, but her emotional state is impossible to gauge.
Lucy, meanwhile, is sprawled lengthways along the couch as she paints her nails and listens to her pink iPod Nano. The music’s blasting.
JOHN (CONT’D)
Lucy?
Of course she can’t hear him.
JOHN (CONT’D)
Lucy?
He marches over to his daughter and rips out the earbuds.
Lucy snatches them back and tries to put them back in.
John yanks them away and grabs the iPod itself.
LUCY
Bitch!
JOHN
You’ll get it back after you hear me out.
She tries to grab it, but he holds it behind his back.
They scuffle.
Finally Lucy SLAPS her father.
HOLLY
Lucy!
Holly jumps up and restrains her feral daughter.
LUCY
I hate you!
John straightens up when he’s sure another blow’s not coming.
JOHN
You said that already.
Holly gets her daughter to sit back down, albeit barely.
JOHN (CONT’D)
I won’t let this family fall apart. Now it’s been a long time since we went on vacation together.
LUCY
I can’t miss school.
JOHN
And I thought Greenland looked kinda cool. Not so obvious. Out of the way. Peaceful. Did you know their capital city, Kuuk, has a population of less than twenty thousand? That’s not a city, it’s a small town, but it's a city to them. And the scenery, look at this!
He hurries over to the couch and makes to sit down. They don’t bother making room for him.
So John gets on his knee in front of them and holds open the brochure so they can see the photos. Lucy won’t look.
JOHN (CONT’D)
Lucy, don’t you remember when we went fishing? You caught that huge catfish. Remember that, baby? And the hook got in its eye, and we tried to get it out, but it just ripped the eye out and blood and juice got everywhere--
HOLLY
John!
John calms a bit as he gets back to his feet and looks at the brochure.
LUCY
I want to live with Alissa.
JOHN
Oh Jesus.
LUCY
I love her.
JOHN
You don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not natural.
HOLLY
You need to finish school first.
JOHN
And find a man first.
HOLLY
Shut up, John.
John’s about to say something else, but his wife stops him with a look.
She puts her arm around her daughter and holds her close.
It’s just the two of them. John’s invisible.
John throws the brochure against the wall and storms out of the house.
EXT. KUUK - NIGHT - ESTABLISHING SHOT
The village is asleep.
EXT. PIA’S HOUSE
Pia’s house is a small one-room affair with small windows, warmly lit from within and dusted with snow. Very cozy and inviting.
INT. PIA’S HOUSE
Pia’s sitting on the edge of her bed brushing her teeth while watching the local news.
She gets up and heads to the sink in the far corner to rinse.
The local newscaster, a well-dressed and well-spoken man of Inuit descent, is talking about the Danish royal family’s upcoming visit.
He then starts talking about “unsubstantiated reports” of unrest in anticipation of the visit, that there may be protests and that local law enforcement has received threats of violence.
As if on cue, Pia’s Crackberry vibrates on her bed.
She wipes her mouth and goes over to pick it up.
INSERT SCREEN: Caller ID says Jesper.
She answers and jumps down his throat.
PIA
Was it you who leaked?
We can clearly hear Jesper’s clipped officious tone through the Crackberry speaker.
JESPER (O.S.)
I was going to ask you the same question.
PIA
Sarah called earlier. One of the cops is her brother-in-law. He and two other cops are in.
JESPER (O.S.)
Are you sure?
PIA
They were cheap too.
JESPER (O.S.)
That bothers me.
PIA
Everything bothers you. Get back to me when you’ve done something useful. If you’re just going to complain, you’ve got your cute Danish therapist for that.
Pia hangs up and chucks the Crackberry back onto the bed.
The news has now moved on to a report about the declining seal population.
Pia walks back over to the sink. She grips the sides of it and glares at herself in the mirror.
Anxiety creeps into her determined, hardened look.
EXT. WAL-MART - DAY - ESTABLISHING SHOT
It’s another parking-lot-full day at everyone’s favorite empire.
INT. WAL-MART - TOILETRIES AISLE
John is ticketing items.
He doesn’t stamp the items with the ticket gun so much as stab them, obviously still worked up from last night’s brouhaha.
He moves to the next shelf and makes to grab another item when something catches his attention at the end of the aisle.
Holly and Lucy are standing there.
John forgets all about the ticketing. He’s never seen them in the store before.
Holly, with Lucy right behind her, takes a few steps into the aisle with a grave look.
JOHN
Babe?
HOLLY
When Lucy graduates, it’s up to her who she lives with.
JOHN
Holly, I--
HOLLY
John. We’ll go to Greenland.
JOHN
What?
HOLLY
Under the condition you let her live wherever she wants next year.
John’s obviously reluctant.
JOHN
Holly...
He looks at her a long moment.
HOLLY
Sooner or later, John.
His look softens. It’s obvious she’s not going to back down.
He looks at Lucy, who glares right back at him.
John nods slightly, a gesture of grudging respect for his opponent.
To be continued...
