EXT. ROLLING CLOUDS
A storm is coming.
EXT. CHURCH, PARKING LOT - EVENING
ANNA, a 13 year old, waves goodbye to her parents as they drive off the parking lot.
INT. CHURCH, MAIN ENTRANCE - EVENING
She enters the church to find GEORGE, an older man and CATHERINE, another 13 year old, waiting.
ANNA
Is that it?
GEORGE
It sure is starting to look like it.
Anna takes her phone out.
ANNA
I'll call my parents. They shouldn't be too far.
GEORGE
Well you guys are already here. So...
He looks at both of them, expectantly.
CATHERINE
So, we can start on the project?
GEORGE
What a great idea!
CATHERINE
(fake enthusiasm)
Yeah, isn't?
ANNA
Fun.
CATHERINE
It's gonna be great. You, me! We're gonna get so much done.
Anna gives Catherine an annoyed look.
GEORGE
That's the spirit. Ok listen, I have to go buy a couple of things for the Christmas celebration, but the church is totally safe. Is that okay?
Anna tries to say something, but Catherine interjects.
CATHERINE
Totally, fine.
GEORGE
Ok great. I'll be back in an hour.
George heads out.
EXT. CHURCH, PARKING LOT - EVENING
George heads to his car. He looks at the sky, full of clouds. There is a lighting strike. He shivers in the cold and gets into his car.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - EVENING
Catherine sits at one end of the room, while Anna sits at the other playing on her phone. She gets a warning that there is only 15% of battery left.
CATHERINE
So planning to get some stuff done, or are you going to sit there like a statue.
Anna doesn't respond.
CATHERINE
Look Anna, I think you made it clear that you don't like me that much. But I'd rather get something done and not hear a long speech about loving thy neighbour from George.
ANNA
Look Catherine, it's your fault we're stuck here. So you finish it.
CATHERINE
I get it, you like bossing people around. But that's not gonna work with me.
ANNA
I don't boss people around!
CATHERINE
Oh, no, of course not. Not at all.
ANNA
I can't help it if people like me, loner
CATHERINE
Facebook likes, don't count. Oh look at me.
Catherine immitates Anna taking a selfie.
EXT. CITY UNDER STORM - EVENING
There is a lightning strike and the city goes dark.
A montage of houses going dark.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - EVENING
ANNA
What's going on?
CATHERINE
Looks like a power outage.
ANNA
Thanks for the late breaking news. That's it I'm getting outta here.
Anna tries to use her phone.
ANNA
Why is it not working? Can you reach your parents?
CATHERINE
(a bit embarrased)
I don't have a phone.
ANNA
Of course you don't.
CATHERINE
Well, not every body has parents that spoile them.
ANNA
Well boohoo, too bad for you.
Anna leaves the room annoyed.
INT. CHURCH, CORRIDOR - TWILIGHT
2 HOURS SINCE BLACKOUT
Catherine walks through the corridor. The wind is howling outside which makes her uneasy.
She checks a room, but it's dark. Then the next, and she finds Anna sitting there. She enters.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - EVENING
CATHERINE
There you are. I thought you left.
ANNA
Are you afraid of the dark?
CATHERINE
Me, no.
Catherine turns around.
ANNA
(yell)
BOO
Catherine jumps startled. Anna laughs.
CATHERINE
Very funny.
ANNA
I thought so.
CATHERINE
You know, I'm not jealous of you. In egypt I had everything I wanted.
ANNA
Ok. Then maybe you should go back to Egypt.
CATHERINE
You enjoy this, don't you?
ANNA
I enjoy being stuck here with you. Dream come true.
CATHERINE
I meant you enjoy putting people down?
ANNA
I don't know what you're talking about.
Catherine sits down.
EXT. CITY UNDER STORM - EVENING
Lightning strikes. The sea is raging. The wind is blowing furiously.
INT. CHURCH, GYM
4 HOURS SINCE THE BLACKOUT
Anna and Catherine stand in front of an open door under the stage in the Gymnasium. It's dark, and the only source of light is Anna's phone.
CATHERINE
What's under there?
ANNA
A flashlight. We'll need it. It's gonna get dark soon.
Catherine takes a sneak peak in the opening.
CATHERINE
Oh, looks kinda dark in there. Dirty! Maybe rats. Good luck.
Anna looks at her annoyed.
CATHERINE
What's the matter? Little princess doesn't wanna get her dress all dirty?
Anna looks at her defaiantly and then uses her phone light to go under there. A moment later there is some rattling and a loud bang as some stuff fall.
Catherine hurries under the stage.
CATHERINE
Hold on.
A moment later both of them emerge from the storage area, dirtied up.
ANNA
Thanks.
CATHERINE
Guess somebody had to save the day.
Anna holds a couple of battery powered candles.
CATHERINE
That's it?
Anna's phone makes a beep and shuts down. Plunging the entire place in darkness.
A moment later the candles come on casting a dim light.
ANNA
Let there be light.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - EVENING
5 HOURS SINCE THE BLACKOUT
Catherine is looking outside the window at the wind blowing and the rain hammering the window. She goes and sits down, the candle is the only thing giving off light.
CATHERINE
Do you think our parents are ok?
Anna shrugs. Catherine gets up.
CATHERINE
I'm going home.
ANNA
What? You can't. It's carzy out there.
CATHERINE
I'll figure it out.
ANNA
Ok, I know your tough and all. But the safest bet is to just wait here until they come and get us.
CATHERINE
Do you suddenly care?
Anna staggers with answering.
CATHERINE
Look, I'm worried about my parents.
ANNA
Yeah, but getting yourself killed isn't gonna help.
Catherine hesistates as she thinks it through.
CATHERINE
Well, if we're staying I need to get something to eat.
INT. CHURCH, CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Catherine tries to open the door to the kitchen
CATHERINE
Why do they have to lock every single door in this church?
Catherine takes out a pocket knife and tries to use it to open the door.
ANNA
You carry a knife?
Catherine goes to another parallel door.
CATHERINE
Yeah. So don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.
ANNA
Huh?
CATHERINE
The Incredible Hulk?
ANNA
What?
CATHERINE
You know, he turns green and big... Never mind.
At this point she succeeds in opening the door.
CATHERINE
Voila.
They walk into a room beside the kitchen, and jump through a window separating the room and the kitchen. Jumping was easy for Catherine, not so easy for Anna because of her dress. Catherine helps Anna.
INT. CHURCH, KITCHEN - NIGHT
Catherine goes to the fridge and takes out whatever is inside. Anna looks through the food packets.
ANNA
Umm. This is expired.
CATHERINE
That doesn't matter.
CU OF FOOD PACKET - 6 HOURS SINCE BLACKOUT
Catherine holds her tummy and moans.
CATHERINE
Oh man. This was a bad idea.
Anna walks in holding a couple of candles.
CATHERINE
Where were you? My stomach is killing me.
ANNA
Just hold on. It'll take 10 minutes.
Anna lights the candles and sticks them on the table. Then fills the metal kettle with water and cuts a ginger into small pieces and puts it in the water. She holds the kettle on top of the flame. As she does this, she explains to Catherine.
ANNA
The ginger is good for healing upset stomach.
CU OF CANDLE FLAME - 7 HOURS SINCE BLACKOUT
Catharine finishes drinking a cup of boiled ginger.
CATHERINE
This actually works.
ANNA
Did you ever doubt me?
CATHERINE
Just a little. Joking. How did you know about this?
ANNA
I do read.
CATHERINE
Like facebook posts... Sorry, can't help it.
ANNA
Haha. No. I'm actually interested in natural sciences.
(beat)
So what do you do when you're not stuck here.
CATHERINE
Me? I write.
ANNA
Like stories?
CATHERINE
Short stories, poems, you know that sort of thing.
ANNA
Well, that's kinda cool. Maybe you can send me something to read.
Catherine looks at her in disbelief.
ANNA
What? I'm not going to make fun of it.
Catherine, continues to look at her in disbelief.
ANNA
Fine. The one time I try to be nice.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - NIGHT
10 HOURS SINCE BLACKOUT.
Catherine is asleep in one of the rooms.
ANNA
(yells)
They're here. They're here.
Anna gets up and starts running.
Catherine wakes up startled and falls off her seat.
CATHERINE
What? Who'se here?
But it's too late. Anna is already out of the room. Catherine heads after her, but trips on a chair and falls.
CATHERINE
This better be good.
She gets up and heads out.
INT. CHURCH, MAIN ENTRANCE - NIGHT
Catherine gets to the main entrance just as Anna exits. Catherine exits after her.
EXT. CHURCH, PARKING LOT - NIGHT
It's raining cats and dogs. Anna stands in the middle of the parking lot, getting drenched. She looks around.
CATHERINE
Anna, get in here. What are you doing?
There is a lightning strike close to Anna. It's starting to look dangerous.
CATHERINE
Anna.
But Anna is not listening. She runs to the back parking lot.
CATHERINE
Anna. What's she doing?
Catherine heads inside the church. All the while she's holding the little battery powered candle.
INT. CHURCH, CORRIDOR - NIGHT
Catherine runs to the back of the church, and opens the back door. She sees, Anna standing in the parking lot.
A lightning strikes.
CATHERINE
Anna, get in here before you get hit by lightning.
Anna looks around.
ANNA
But they were here.
Another lightning bolt strikes, too close for comfort.
Catherine keeps the door open and runs after her. She grabs her and practically drags her back in.
Another lightning bolt strikes.
By the time they make it back in, they're both drenched. Catherine closes the door.
CATHERINE
What were you thinking?
ANNA
I saw my parents.
Anna is emotional.
ANNA
I thought they came for me.
CATHERINE
They will come. It's just the storm.
ANNA
No they won't. They won't.
Anna storms away. Catherine stands there puzzled.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - NIGHT
Anna sits there a bit depressed, quiet wet and shivering. Catherine walks in. She has changed into a pharaoh's costume. She has another costume in her hand.
CATHERINE
Here, change into this.
ANNA
I'm not wearing that.
CATHERINE
Look, heat is off. It's really cold. You're going to get like Pnemounia or something. I know it's not a fancy dress, but it'll do.
Anna looks at her.
CATHERINE
(smiles)
Come on, princess!
ANNA
Fine.
She takes the dress.
11 HOURS SINCE BLACKOUT
Catherine and Anna are dressed in their costumes and are sitting separately. They are both very cold and shivering.
CATHERINE
Ok, I can't take this.
Catherine takes a candle and walks out. Anna looks at her, but doesn't move. She's pale and cold.
A moment later Catherine walks in with a thin blanket, and sits beside Anna, as she wraps the blanket around both of them.
ANNA
Why are you doing this?
CATHERINE
Keeping warm.
They huddle together for warmth.
A moment of silence.
CATHERINE
Before we moved from Egypt I had this dream, that I'll come and make new friends and go to new places with them. I thought everday will be a new adventure. But I guess it was just a dream.
(beat)
The truth is everyone already had their own friends and they weren't interested in making new ones. Even here in church. I went from being with friends all the time, to being alone all the time.
ANNA
And I guess I didn't make it easier.
CATHERINE
Nop. You didn't.
ANNA
You know it's not so easy for me either. Yeah, I have nice stuff.
She holds the phone and then chucks it.
ANNA
Stuff that don't even work. This is the stuff that my parents work all the time to get for me. I don't even get anytime to spend with them. I don't think they even care if I'm around or not.
CATHERINE
Sorry.
ANNA
It's not so bad being stuck here with you after all.
CATHERINE
It is a cool adventure, isn't it?
EXT. CITY, SUNNY DAY - DAY
The sun rises and the storm has subsided.
INT. CHURCH, ROOM - DAY
Catherine and Anna are sleeping, when George enters.
GEORGE
Oh God, girls. Are you alright?
Catherine wakes up first.
GEORGE
I'm so sorry. Some roads were flooded and the storm knocked down the trees. Nither your parents nor I could get through. It was an act of God.
Anna is up now.
ANNA
It's okay. It wasn't that bad. Actually, it was kinda fun.
George looks at them and smiles.
GEORGE
Let's get you home.
They getup and start walking out.
GEORGE
What's with the costumes?
CATHERINE
Long story.
They exit the room.
FADE TO BLACK: