Synopsis
This short film script is a fictionalized adaptation from an article that appeared in The Oregonian. It’s about a family who receives a cryptic call from their son in the midst of battle in Afghanistan.
The Work
SOUNDS OF WAR
Written by Mark Anderson
FADE IN:
INT. RANCH HOUSE – NIGHT
BILL PETERSON, 40s, polishes the chrome on his HARLEY in a garage as LED ZEPPELIN blares from a RADIO.
A mounted deer head displayed prominently over the FlatScreen TV, a VIDEO GAME is in progress. On the fireplace mantle are stuffed squirrels positioned for home invasion.DOUGY PETERSON
, 16, slouches in the worn recliner, working a game controller. An EXPLOSION goes off on-screen.WOMAN (O.S.)
Dougy, turn that down!
Before Dougy can reach for the remote,
ROSE PETERSON, 40s,grabs it, points it at the TV until the Game is barely
audible.
Dougy’s about to say something when Bill comes in from the
garage. He sees Dougy and his Game, winces.
BILL
(to Rose)
They’re waitin on us at the Legion.
Rose smooths her polyester shirt, smiles politely at Dougy.
ROSE (WOMAN)
There’s hot pockets in the freezer
if you’re hungry.
(to Bill)
We need to stop at the store first.
BILL
What for?
ROSE
Flowers. It’s customary.
(off Dougy’s look)
We’re meeting Brandon’s parents for
his one year, his one year…
BILL
Jesus Christ, just say it. He died
a year ago, a god-dammed war hero.
Rose looks away, bites her lip. Bill nods to the computer in
the corner of the room.
BILL (CONT’D)
(to Dougy)
Did you get that Skype thing workin
yet?
DOUGY
You’re all set.
Bill smiles for the first time all night. Dougy brightens.
BILL
Good. We’ll call your brother
tomorrow.
(to Rose, smiling even
broader now)
God, I miss that son of a bitch.
EXT. RANCH HOUSE – NIGHT
Dougy waves as his parents back out of the driveway in Bill’s
Ford Ranger. As soon as the truck is out of sight, Dougy
holds his cell phone to his ear.
DOUGY
Where are you?
(beat)
Shit the bed, yeah!
EXT. RANCH HOUSE (BACKYARD) – NIGHT
Dougy and his friend
JAMES, 16, are on lounge chairs near thecheap metal fire pit, drinking long necks.
JAMES
What’d they say about you winning?
DOUGY
I haven’t told em yet.
JAMES
Are you shittin me? My mom nearly
cried. Hell, my dad practically
told me I was a fuck up because I
came in tenth.
2.
DOUGY
A stupid high-school science fair
isn’t exactly on their radar these
days. Nathan’s MP unit moved into
Afghanistan this week.
JAMES
You placed first in the Regionals.
You’re going to State. Don’t you
think they’d wanna know that?
DOUGY
They don’t even know I entered.
INT. RANCH HOUSE – NIGHT
Dougy sleeps on the couch, the TV plays an infinite loop of
GAMING background music as the START image is etched on the
screen.
Bill and Rose walk in from the garage. Bill sees Dougy asleep
on the couch, waves him off, pissed. He stumbles toward the
kitchen.
Rose quickly finds the remote, turns off the TV.
BILL (O.S.)
Caller ID says there was a message
from Nathan!
INT. RANCH HOUSE (KITCKEN) – NIGHT
Rose and a sleepy Dougy walk in the kitchen to join Bill near
the answering machine.
DOUGY
I must’ve slept through it.
Bill shoots Dougy a look, hits the PLAY button.
The answering machine announces in a tinny robotic voice:
“One new message. First message, sent at ten fifty five PM -”
Loud GUN SHOTS are heard. Chaos and screaming echo in the
distance.
NATHAN (O.S.)
I need more ammo!
A piercing scream is heard, almost non-human.
Dougy glances at the deer head on the wall.
3.
NATHAN (O.S.) (CONT’D)
More ammo, god-dammit! Get me
another barrel!
Rose covers her mouth in horror as the sounds of metal
clashing metal permeate the midnight silence. No one makes a
move as the sounds of grunting and combat fill the air.
MAN (O.S.)
Incoming RPG!
A loud blast rings out, and then – CLICK. The machine’s robot
voice announces: END OF MESSAGE.
Bill, Rose and Dougy look at one another, confusion mixed
with fear on their faces. Without warning, Bill grabs Dougy
by his shirt.
BILL
Why didn’t you answer the fucking
phone!
ROSE
Please! Stop it!
Dougy tries to pull away but he’s no match for his father,
sober or otherwise. Rose bursts into tears, reaches for the
machine, Bill pushes Dougy away, grabs her hand.
BILL
Don’t!
Wide-eyed Dougy slowly backs out of the room as his dad hits
the play button to listen to the message again. As the
message plays for a second time, Dougy turns and runs out the
door.
EXT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
The morning sun reflects off Bill’s bike helmet as he straps
it on, slowly pulls out of his driveway on his Harley and
drives away.
INT. RANCH HOUSE (KITCKEN) – DAY
Rose sits at the kitchen table, turning Kleenex into coils as
she listens to the tape over and over again. Dougy peeks his
head around the corner.
DOUGY
You goin to work?
4.
She nods, tears brimming, slowly stands. She holds the table
for support.
DOUGY (CONT’D)
You could always call in.
ROSE
And do what, wait?
DOUGY
They’ll find em.
ROSE
(forcing a smile)
You want a ride to school?
DOUGY
Nah, I feel like walkin.
Rose walks mechanically toward the garage door. Suddenly she
looks back at Dougy, at the machine.
ROSE
Don’t –
DOUGY
I’m not gonna touch it.
She smiles gratefully, leaves. Dougy eye the message machine
with curiosity.
INT. RANCH HOUSE (KITCKEN) – DAY
Dougy and James stand at the kitchen counter, crouching in to
hear the message.
JAMES
Holy fuck! Is he okay?
DOUGY
(shrugs)
Nobody’s callin us back.
JAMES
That’s harsh.
(beat)
We better go.
Dougy has the look of a man with an idea.
DOUGY
Can you help me with somethin
first?
5.
INT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
Doug sits at the computer desk while James holds a microphone
next to the answering machine. Dougy takes a drink from a
glass of soda.
DOUGY
Let’s see if we got it.
James tosses down the mic. On the computer monitor is the
YouTube logo. Dougy threads his fingers together, cracks his
knuckles. Hits ENTER.
The YouTube screen plays back the phone message with screechy
background feedback. Dougy quickly shuts it down.
DOUGY (CONT’D)
Shit!
JAMES
(looks at his watch)
We’re about to miss Third.
DOUGY
Wait! I got it.
Dougy types on the keyboard, and hits ENTER. The computer
dials a phone number in rapid fire. Almost immediately the
home phone rings, making James jump.
JAMES
What the –
The answering machine picks up, and the computer screen
illuminates to reveal a MESSAGE being downloaded into an MP3
recording. When the recording stops, the phone disconnects.
A proud Dougy types in several new lines of code and hits
ENTER.
On the YouTube page, to the visual aid of a large, billowing
United States flag, is Nathan’s crystal-clear, cryptic phone
call.
JAMES (CONT’D)
Brilliant! But it needs a title.
DOUGY
(typing)
Brother’s Combat.
He hits the enter key again and sits back.
6.
DOUGY (CONT’D)
That outta get someone’s attention.
He pulls the tape out of the machine, inspects it.
DOUGY (CONT’D)
Who woulda thought when they first
started makin these, we’d be goin
digital. How long have we been usin
tapes –
Before Dougy can finish his question, James accidentally hits
Dougy’s arm, sending the tape flying out of his hands and –
you guessed it – into the soda glass. Dougy watches it fizzle
and sink to the bottom.
JAMES
Your dad’s gonna –
DOUGY
– fuckin kill me.
INT. SCHOOL OFFICE – DAY
Dougy sits in a chair, arms clenching his stomach, waiting.
He looks out the window and sees his dad’s Ford Ranger
screech to a halt in front of the school.
Dougy slowly gets to his feet, tries to walk toward the door
on his watery legs.
INT. FORD RANGER – DAY
Bill stares straight ahead as Dougy gets in the truck.
EXT. FORD RANGER – DAY
The truck squeals away from under the School Marquee that
reads: CONGRATS STATE FINALIST, DOUGY STEPHENS!
INT. FORD RANGER – DAY
Bill continues to drive in silence as Dougy tries to make
himself as small as possible in the passenger seat.
DOUGY
I’m really sorry.
(beat)
Have you heard anything?
7.
Bill shakes his head.
BILL
I told you not to touch it.
DOUGY
It was an accident. Again, I’m –
BILL
Save it.
(under his breath)
Useless piece –
EXT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
The truck makes its way slowly past a NEWS truck on the
street, past a few
MEDIA CREW on the sidewalk, and up intothe driveway.
Bill rolls down his window.
BILL
(stricken, to the Media)
What happened?
INT. FORD RANGER – DAY
Dougy braces for the worst. More Media Crew approach the
truck. One of the
CAMERA MEN says something to his dad.Bill finally turns to Dougy.
DOUGY
(to Bill)
Did they find him? Is he okay?
BILL
Somethin about a postin on YouTube.
EXT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
The Men exit the car and make their way to the front door. On
the steps are flowers. Before they can open the door, Rose
opens it and steps out.
ROSE
(nodding to the flowers)
Oh my god, there’s more! You should
see inside!
8.
She ushers Bill and Dougy into the house as two more TV
trucks arrive.
INT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
On the fireplace mantle the squirrels look buried alive among
the bouquets and wreathes of flowers. Pages of typed paper
line the kitchen counter. Rose picks up one of the sheets of
paper.
ROSE
These are all the posts from
Dougy’s YouTube video.
BILL
(to Dougy)
What’s she talkin about?
DOUGY
I tried to tell ya –
ROSE
(reads)
I am so glad that you are okay,
posts JERSEY28. Even though I am
against the war, I will always
admire our soldiers. Thank you for
protecting us.
Bill picks up the pages, reads, looks to Rose, to Dougy.
BILL
Who are these people?
ROSE
Dougy’s message on YouTube got all
kinds of attention and the next
thing you know people are
everywhere, offering their support.
In the background, a KNOCK on the door.
MAN (O.S.)
Can anyone inside comment on the
Brother’s Combat video?
BILL
(to Dougy)
That’s our personal business! You
had no right –
On the computer, the odd ring tones announce a SKYPE call is
coming through. The family makes a mad dash for –
9.
INT. RANCH HOUSE – DAY
– the family room. The computer screen illuminates the still
image of a MAN IN FATIGUES. With his parents crowding behind
Dougy, he clicks ANSWER in the Skype dialogue box.
A grainy live-stream video of NATHAN, 20s, fills the monitor
screen.
DOUGY
Dude!
Rose breaks into sobs.
BILL
You okay, Son?
NATHAN
Sorry for callin like that. It
must’ve gone off on its own.
(embarrassed)
Don’t let Grandma hear it.
ROSE
How’s Steve? And Ben?
NATHAN
They’re all okay. Everyone’s fine.
Please tell the others if you can.
ROSE
Of course!
NATHAN
Figured I better call since
everyone’s been talkin about
Dougy’s posting.
BILL
Yeah, well, I hope he didn’t
compromise anything by doin that.
That was one hell of a stunt he
pulled.
NATHAN
Doesn’t surprise me –
(to Dougy)
Future State Champ.
Bill and Rose look at each other, baffled. Dougy laughs.
DOUGY
Where’d you hear that?
10.
NATHAN
I keep up on the local news. Have
you Googled yourself lately? I got
a lotta money ridin on you, Bro.
Don’t make me look bad.
The brothers smile at each other in equal admiration.
DOUGY
I won’t, Dude. I won’t.
FADE OUT.
11.
EXT. BLUE COLLAR NEIGHBORHOOD – NIGHT