FADE IN:

EXT.  THEATRE . NIGHT

INT.  SCREENING HALL. NIGHT

The screening hall is dark. Larry ( 45 ) sits, his head
down. A large cardboard box of popcorn on his lap. On the
screen: Day. A park in summer. Children's are playing
around. The camera comes ot rest on a bench. Flora ( 22 )
and Ed ( 27 ) sit. They are dressed in the 30's clothing.
They hug.

ED
Will you marry me Flora dear?

FLORA
Yes. Oh yes.Ed.

ED
I will always love you.

Ed and Flora kiss. The words THE END appear at the bottom of
the screen and start to move up. Flora breaks the kiss and
looks down.

FLORA
Ed.

ED
What?

FLORA
THE END is here.

ED
It is?

FLORA
Yeah. It's right there.

Flora points to THE END.

ED
I guess it's THE END of the movie.

FLORA
No way. Much too soon.

Flora puts her foot on top of THE END and pushes it down.

ED
What you doing honey ? Leave it alone.

FLORA
It's not time yet.

ED
It's not up to us.

FLORA
But our life is just starting.

ED
It's in the script Flora. There is nothing we can do.

FLORAY
You said you will always love me.

ED
I did

FLORA
But the " always " stops with THE END. Here and now. What
kind of an " always " is it?

ED
It says so...

FLORA
...in the script. I know.
(beat)
You lied to me Ed and we are not yet married.

ED
I didn't. The words were created by the scriptwriter and
approved by the director.

FLORA
They cheated.

ED
Who?

FLORA
Us.Me.You.

ED
No. We are fiction, make believe, a story that is
imaginative.

FLORA
We are?

ED
Didn't they tell you when you signed the contract?

FLORA
Maybe they did.
(beat)
Anyway no one told me that I will live 93 minutes. Any
fucking thing in the world lives more than me.

ED
Let THE END go Flora.

FLORA
The audience does not mind being cheated ?

ED
I guess not.

FLORA
Bullshit. How do you know?

ED
I know.
beatBesides I don't think anyone ever asked them.

Flora looks at Larry.

FLORA
Let's find out if he knows anything about it.

The lights go up in the theatre. Brad ( 60 ) walks in. He
walks over to Larry. Puts a hand on his shoulder.

BRAD
Larry. Larry.

Larry lifts his head and looks at Brad.

LARRY
What is it Brad?

BRAD
The movie is over. Go home.

Larry looks up and looks at the screen.

LARRY
It's not over. It does not say " THE END "

BRAD
That's because the film is stuck in the projector.
(beat)
but it's there. See.

LARRY
Why is it crooked?

BRAD
Because it's stuck under that girl's foot. The maintanance
guy will be here in half hour to fix the projector. Go home
Larry.

LARRY
Like hell I will.  I paid to see the movie to the end and I
aim to stay right here until THE END is in its proper
place.

BRAD
OK OK.
(beat)
I'm going across the street to " Mama " to have a bite. Call
me if the guy gets here.

LARRY
Sure.

Brad goes out.

FLORA
(to Ed)
He called me " that girl ". How many times did we play in
this fucking town Ed ?

ED
46.

FLORA
46 shows and he doesn't know my name.
(shouts)
I'm Flora. Flora Greengrass.

ED
(whisper)
Shhh. The audience'll hear you.

FLORA
(whisper)
This isn't an audience Ed. It's a bum.

ED
You heard the guy. He paid so he's an audience.

LARRY
I heard the "bum " part Flora.

ED
(to Flora)
See what you did ? Now the audience is insulted.

FLORA
He slept through half the movie but still knows my name.

LARRY
Soon the maintnance guy will unstuck THE END from under your
foot.

FLORA
There is nothing to unstuck. I'm holding it back.

LARRY
You do? Why ?

FLORA
Because the scriptwriter had Ed say " I will alwys love you
" just before the movie is over. " always " is a fucking lie
because there will not be " always " once THE END goes up.

LARRY
You mean the movie can not end because of one fucking word
that Ed said?

FLORA
" Always " isn't just a word . It's a kind of promise. A
whole future.

LARRY
Maybe the scriptwriter will include your " always " in a
sequel ?

ED
No chance. This one lost plenty of money.

FLORA
See? No sequel no wedding.No future.
(beat)
A man should keep his promise.

Silence

FLORA
Do something audience.

LARRY
What do you want me to do ?

ED
Leave the audience alone Flora. He got what he came for
and...

LARRY
I didn't and I'm not moving from this here chair unless I
see THE END in its place.

FLORA
It seems you are more bothered by THE END than by what will
happen to Ed and me.

LARRY
Sure. I came in here to see a whole movie including THE
END.

FLORA
(shouts)
And you don't care what happens to us once it's over ? Where
do we go, how do we live, are we happy or sad or angry ?

LARRY
No. Why should I ?

Ed bends down and tries to free THE END. Flora kicks his
hand with her other foot. He cries and holds his injured
hand. Flora bends down and picks THE END with her hand.  She
gets up and goes behind the bushes.  Ed looks after her.

LARRY
Go after her Ed or you and I will never leave this theatre.

ED
It's not in my union contract.

LARRY
What?

ED
Running to get back my co-character in the scene.

LARRY
Bullshit.

ED
I'm sure she'll be right back.

LARRY
Got an idea.

ED
What?

LARRY
Go tell her.

Ed goes up and goes behind the bushes. Larry looks at the
popcorn and then eats a few. He makes a face. Ed comes back.
Flora behind him. She doesn't have THE END.

LARRY
Where is THE END?

FLORA
Well hidden.
(beat)
What's the idea audience ?

LARRY
There is a priest. He lives next door.

FLORA
So?

LARRY
He'll marry you.

ED
No way.

LARRY
Come on. You too wish to put an END to the movie.

ED
It's not in the script.

LARRY
SO what?

ED
The union will give me hell.

LARRY
There's no one to tell them.

FLORA
I like it.
(beat)
What about the kids?

LARRY
No one is going to sit in here for 9 months waiting for your
kid.

FLORA
Still wedding is better than nothing. Ed?

ED
What?

FLORA
Don't you " what " me. You want to ?

ED
I guess so.
(to Larry)
I'll do it just for you so that you see THE END.

Larry takes out a cell phone and dials.

FLORA
It's abut time the audience did something for us
characters.

ED
They pay to see us.

LARRY
(on the phone)
Hey Albert.It's Larry.
(listens)
I know its kind of late but there is a couple I know who
wants to get married right now.
(listens)
Wait. I'll ask her.
(to Flora)
Are you pregnant?

FLORA
You watched the movie ?

LARRY
Sure.

FLORA
Remember what year it took place?

LARRY
In the 30s. Why?

FLORA
Because a decent girl just didn't do such things before her
marriage.

LARRY
Oh.
(on the phone)
No Albert. She isn't.
(beat)
You'll have to come over because they can't get out of the
screen... screen like in a movie...Movie is where we are
right now but THE END is missing...You'll set a record
Albert... Sure Guiness Book of Records... I'll tell you when
you get to the Amber Cinema... OK.

Larry closes the cell phone.

FLORA
Well?

LARRY
He's coming.

ED
Is he a real priest?

LARRY
If you mean is he an actor playing the part of a priest the
answear is no. He's real.

FLORA
OK.

Silence. Flora looks down. Ed looks bored. Larry eats
popcorn.

FLORA
Better save a few popcorns.

LARRY
Why?

FLORA
To throw it all over us once your Albert marries us.

ED
Next thing you'll want a white dress and flowers?

FLORA
Sure. A girl gets married only once.

LARRY
Not any more. Maybe in the 30's.

FLORA
Is that so ?

LARRY
Sure. Getting a divorve is easy these days and you know
why?

FLORA
Why?

LARRY
Because for a marriage to last people got to care, got to
fix things if the marriage does not work, understand,
respect and trust each other.

FLORA
And they don't?

LARRY
Nowadays no one fixes anything. Something breaks you buy new
one. If your marriage fails you just  get divorced.
(chuckles)
Funny. Somethimes the couple is more friendly after the
divorce.

ED
So you mean that there is no more  " always "' or " Happy
ever after "?

LARRY
Nope. all gone. The only after we have right now is " after
shave " and it wears off in 12 hours just like marriage.

The door opens and a Albert ( 50 ) walks in. He spots Larry
and walks over to him.Sits and reaches for the popcorn. He
takes a few and eats them.

ALBERT
So where is the happy couple?

LARRY
Up there.

Larry points to the screen. Albert looks up.

ALBERT
Not funny. Where are they?

LARRY
Told you.
(beat)
Speak up Flora.

FLORA
You don't look like a priest Albert.

ALBERT
(to Larry)
What is it Larry ? Another one of your supposed-to-be funny
tricks?

LARRY
No. Swear to God.

ALBERT
God never meant anything to you.

LARRY
No tricks. Honest Albert.
(beat)
These are Flora nd Ed. Talk to them.

ALBERT
But they are movie characters. They're fiction. They're on
film.

LARRY
I thought so too until Flora here stole THE END and as you
very well know the movie isn't over until THE END comes up
on the screen.

Flora gets up and leaves the screen. Ed looks after her.

LARRY
Now where the hell is she going now?

ED
Don't look at me audience.

Flora comes back dragging THE END after her. She sits and
puts her leg on THE END.

FLORA
Is it true what the audience just said?

ALBERT
Who the hell is audience?

FLORA
The man who sits next to you. He paid to see us so he is an
audience.
(beat)
He said that people don't take marriage seriously anymore
and they do not care about fixing it or anything else if it
goes wrong. That there is no " always " or " happy ever
after "? Is it true ?

ALBERT
I wouldn't say that all...

FLORA
Is it ?

ALBERT
I guess. But from the look of your clothes your story takes
place some 60 years ago so why do you care what married
people do in 2001 ?

FLORA
Because our grandchildren are going to get married in 2001
and I don't think we want any of my family to live in your
kind of world. Right Ed ?

ED
Right. I'm with you.

FLORA
And I release you from the " I will always love you Flora
".

ED
Thanks.

FLORA
I changed my mind audieance.
(beat)
Go on. You can eat them popcorn now. We aren't getting
married after all. Sorry Albert.

She goes away and returns with  THE END.  She places it in
the center of the screen..

FLORA
Now you can go home audience. The movie is over.

LARRY
See you in the sequele Flora and Ed.

THE END reaches the middle of the screen and rests there. A
man ( 27 ) enters. Titles roll on the screen.

MAN
Where is Brad?

LARRY
Who're you?

MAN
Maintenance. Brad called. He said the film was stuck in the
projector.

LARRY
It somehow got unstuck.
(points to the screen)
See? Flora let THE END go.

BRAD
Who the hell is Flora? No one's supposed to touch the
projector but me.

LARRY
She decided that her kind of END was just fine.
(to Albert)
Come Albert. I'll buy you coffee.

They walk to the door. Brad looks after them.