Suddenly, a set of lights becomes extremely bright, blinding Andrew for a brief moment.
The car in the opposite lane catches the north shoulder. The driver steers to the left to correct, and the car slides sideways into Andrew’s lane. Andrew’s SUV collides with the passenger side rear door, shattering the window.
The collision spins the car 270 degrees until it catches on the gravel on the south shoulder. The car slides down a steep muddy embankment several feet before stopping half way down to a canal with the driver side facing toward the roadway.
Andrew pulls sharply onto the south shoulder past where the car slid off the roadway. He steps out of the SUV, shutting the door and shielding his eyes from the rain. Andrew walks around the back of the SUV and looks down at the car. The driver’s door opens. The car begins to slip in the mud.
ANDREW (CONT'D) Oh, crap.
Andrew runs toward the car, stopping at the driver’s door.
ANDREW (CONT'D) Are you okay?
SHANE
Yeah. I think so.
The front of the car slides a little away from Andrew.
ANDREW
Put the hand brake on.
Shane reaches down and pulls back on the hand brake lever. Andrew looks past Shane and sees Janice reaching to release her seat belt.
ANDREW (CONT'D)
You two need to get out of here.
Janice undoes her belt and turns to look at Chelsea in the back seat immediately behind her.
JANICE
Chelsea, are you okay?
Chelsea is picking glass from her hair.
CHELSEA
I think I’m alright.
Andrew looks at Chelsea, recognizing her. After a moment, he moves to the driver side rear door and opens it. Shane climbs out of the car. Janice follows him, climbing over the console. The car shifts again on the muddy slope.
Andrew leans into the car and grabs Chelsea’s seatbelt at the fastener. Chelsea looks at him, startled.
CHELSEA (CONT'D) Hold on a second.
Andrew detaches the seatbelt and looks at Chelsea.
ANDREW Can you swim?
Chelsea is panicked by the question.
CHELSEA
(yelling) No! I can’t!
ANDREW
Then turn towards me and put your feet on the door panel behind you.
Chelsea turns herself toward Andrew and puts her feet on the inside of the door. Andrew reaches forward and grabs Chelsea under her shoulders.
ANDREW (CONT'D) Now push with your legs.
The car begins a slow, full slide toward the canal.
CHELSEA What?
ANDREW Just do it!
Chelsea pushes off the door with her legs. At the same time,
Andrew pulls her by her arms. The car slides around her and Andrew pulls her clear. He falls back onto the embankment, pulling Chelsea on top of him. The car now rapidly slides sideways into the canal, water rushing through the broken passenger rear window. It settles almost completely submerged in the rain swollen canal.
Janice and Shane run to Chelsea and help her stand up over Andrew. Another car has stopped on the roadway above. A person stands next to the car.
DRIVER
I called the police. They should be here any minute.
Janice helps Chelsea up the embankment. Shane reaches down and helps Andrew get up.
SHANE
(shaking Andrew’s hand) Thanks, man. Thank you.
Andrew nods, and turns to watch Chelsea and Janice climb the embankment. The two of them walk up the embankment behind the women.
Back on the shoulder, Andrew opens the back of the SUV. Chelsea sits down in the cargo area, shaking, and Janice sits next to her. The rain has slowed to a drizzle. Andrew and Shane stand between the SUV and the other car which is sitting behind it.
The driver walks over to Andrew.
DRIVER
Are you guys okay?
ANDREW
Yeah, I think so.
Andrew steps out into the road and sees flashing lights approaching in the distance.
Act II
Scene 1
INT. CHELSEA’S TOWNHOUSE DAY
Camera shot on interior of front door. Rebecca opens the door and enters the entry hall. She hangs her coat on the hook on the wall and walks down the hall into the kitchen.
Chelsea is seated at the breakfast bar, her back to the doorway from the entry hall, her head staring forward and her hands cupping a mug.
REBECCA
Did you sleep any better last night?
CHELSEA
Nope. Sleep is not a pleasant diversion for me right now.
Rebecca continues walking around the breakfast bar to the back counter, her back to Chelsea and the bar, picking up a tea kettle off the adjacent stove and pouring water into a mug.
REBECCA
Maybe you should talk to someone about what happened.
Chelsea sets the mug down on the bar and turns her gaze to Rebecca.
CHELSEA
This is not a good way to start your morning, suggesting your employer seek psychiatric help.
Rebecca finishes making her tea, turns to Chelsea and walks up to the bar opposite her.
REBECCA
I meant you should talk to Andrew, the man who was there with you. Just talking to someone who can relate to your experience could help you get whatever is bothering you out in the open.
Chelsea picks up her mug and takes a drink before setting it down again. She gets up from the stool she has been sitting on and begins to leave the kitchen through the doorway to the bedroom hall.
CHELSEA
I don’t have time to travel back to the States to have a personal visit with someone I don’t even know.
REBECCA
What if he comes here? Could you make time then? I mean, all he did was save your life.
Chelsea stops in the doorway and turns to Rebecca.
CHELSEA
Why? You act like he did something no one else would have done. You make him out to be my savior or something.
Rebecca walks over to Chelsea, standing face to face with her.
REBECCA
Anyone who risks his or her own injury to prevent harm from coming to my employer, and best friend, is a savior. And, yes, he did something no one else did just because of how quickly he responded.
Chelsea turns back and walks through the doorway.
CHELSEA
Gees..You sound like my mother.
Chelsea stops on the other side of the opening, facing down the hall.
CHELSEA (CONT'D) Do whatever you want? You can have fun making time in my calendar for him...Just don’t get me involved with someone who wants to take advantage of me.
Chelsea starts walking again, out of sight into the hallway. Rebecca turns, walks back to the stool side of the breakfast bar, and sits down, taking a drink from her mug.
REBECCA
Gees..Such a cynic. Its a good thing your mum isn’t here. Mollie would not let you off so easy.
Rebecca picks up a newspaper on the counter and begins to read.
Fade out.
Scene 2
EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET LINED WITH TOWNHOUSES MORNING OVERCAST
A black cab pulls up to the curb. Andrew steps out of the cab with a briefcase hanging on his shoulder. He pulls his phone from his jacket pocket.
Camera shot of phone screen shows open e-mail from Rebecca with the following text:
“If and when it is convenient, Chelsea would very much like you to visit her in London. As per our conversation on the phone yesterday, I will have an open-ended ticket sent to you. Please let me know which dates you wish to travel, and I will ensure Chelsea will be available.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Frost”
Andrew pushes the forward button, opening the next e-mail.
“Those dates should work out fine. Chelsea and I are looking f
orward to meeting you in person. I will arrange transportation from Heathrow to bring you into the city. In case there are any problems with your flight or our communication, hire a cab and have it bring you to 85 Gloucester Place.
Sincerely,
Rebecca Frost”
The cab driver steps out of the cab and walks around to the back of the cab. He opens the boot and removes a suitcase, setting it on the sidewalk next to Andrew. He steps next to Andrew, scanning the townhouses with his eyes.
CAB DRIVER
Is someone expecting you?
The cab driver turns to Andrew. Andrew raises his head from looking at his phone and turns to the driver.
ANDREW
Yes, but just not this early. My flight out of New York was cancelled, but I was able to get on an earlier flight.
CAB DRIVER
Well, I bet they will be surprised.
ANDREW
Pleasantly, I hope. I sent her a text and tried calling her, but it must be too early.
Andrew reaches into his jacket and pulls out his wallet.
From it, he removes two bank notes and hands them to the cab driver.
ANDREW (CONT'D) Keep the change.
CAB DRIVER
Thanks, mate. Good luck.
The cab driver walks back around to the driver’s side of the cab and climbs in. The cab starts up and pulls away from the curb, driving down the street.
Andrew extracts the handle from his suitcase and begins to walk down the sidewalk, pulling the suitcase behind him. After passing a couple of homes, he comes to a stop in front of a short flight of steps to a front door.
Camera shot of the number 85 on the frame above the door.
Andrew sets his briefcase on the top of the suitcase and walks up the steps to the door. He uses the door knocker to knock three times on the door.
A few moments pass, and the door opens. A young man wearing only a pair of boxer shorts stands in the doorway.
DAVID Yeah?
Andrew stands there for a moment. He then steps back and looks at the number above the door again.
David has a puzzled look on his face.
DAVID (CONT'D) Dude, are you lost?
Andrew looks back at David.
ANDREW
No, I don’t think so. Do you know Rebecca Frost?
DAVID
Yeah,