EXT. HILLTOP - DAY The hilltop is lined with corn. Golden and brown. Shimmering in the morning heat.
There’s a structure in the distance... EXT. FARMHOUSE - DAY A FARMHOUSE built from old lumber. There’s no cattle or livestock in sight. Unusual for this fertile land.
INT. FARMHOUSE, DEN - DAY APRIL (8) gazes out the window pane. Nervous, eager, sweet.
She has a HEARING AID in one ear.
She’s focused on a TOOL SHED one hundred feet away, isolated under a crooked apple tree.
Her eyes drift from the shed to her older brother WILL (10) who stands outside. He sticks his tongue out. She ignores him. This is their dynamic.
EXT. SHED - DAY April picks weeds outside the shed. She pockets a PURPLE IRIS and wipes dirt on her sweater.
Will plays nearby with a GOLDEN RETRIEVER. It wears a MUZZLE.
EXT. DRIVEWAY - DAY April empties the weeds into a tin TRASH CAN. She places the lid back on the trash slowly, ensuring that it doesn’t make even the slightest sound.
EXT. PORCH - DAY Will approaches the front door. The retriever follows closely behind. He motions for the dog to “stay”.
Then slips a pair of disposable SHOE COVERS over his feet before entering.
2.
INT. FARMHOUSE, BEDROOM - DAY Will’s mother, MIA (30s), holds a RED CRAYON to her lips. She has lovely green eyes and auburn hair. She balances a LAUNDRY BASKET next to her PREGNANT BELLY.
She stands before a CALENDAR on the wall, charting each day of her pregnancy. She crosses off another day and hands the crayon back to - Will, who colors in a NEW DRAWING. His hands dig loudlythrough a tin of crayons.
Mia waves her finger. Will freezes, reprimanded for the hundredth time.
He reaches under his parent’s bed for a pair of oversized WINTER GLOVES. He places the gloves over each hand, then quietly resumes his search.
INT. FARMHOUSE, HALL - DAY Mia walks past April and collects her dirt-stained sweater into the laundry basket.
INT. FARMHOUSE, LAUNDRY ROOM - DAY We follow Mia to the WASHER AND DRYER. The machines have been unplugged.
She empties the basket into the washer. Adds water and soap.
Lightly stirs the clothes with her hands.
Mia stops momentarily. The purple iris floats in the water.
An idea strikes her - she leans over to a MARKER BOARD labeled BABY NAMES and adds IRIS to the list.
A hand cuts the frame, immediately crossing out IRIS.
JOHN (40s), the patriarch of the family, shakes his head. An MP3 PLAYER plays MUSIC in his headphones that wecan’t hear.
John points to another name on the list: HOLLY. Mia playfully purses her lips. He places a comforting hand over her bump.
