Main Characters

 

Tansy Eyre 

Mixed girl, five years old 

 

Jonathan Eyre

Tansy's father, British gentleman, businessmen

 

Gretchen Eyre 

Tansy's mother, Chinese lady, Pianist, when she married a businessman Jonathan Eyre, then becoming a housewife. 

 

Woman

devil

 

Fred

Devil boy

 

Richard Black

Poets, writer, friend of Mr. Eyre

 

 

Morning's sunlight 

Blurred a still life painting

A sunshine coming from the window,

the painting gradually clear, dissolve to a breakfast table

 

FADE IN:

INT. EYRE's DINING ROOM - MORNING

 

TANSY sitting at the table

GRETCHEN come in, put a breakfast on her opposite

Opposite empty chair

GRETCHEN sit down and took a vial

and poured the medicine in a teaspoon

 

CLOSE UP

Medicine in teaspoon 

Brown, slightly shaking

 

GRETCHEN 

(Stretched out the medicine to TANSY)

 

Tansy, come, open your mouth

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's face features twisted, disgusted,

and soon covered her mouth, her head desperately twisted

 

The spoon is getting closer.

 

TANSY

The smell so bad!

 

GRETCHEN

 

 Come on, good girl, drink the the medicine,

and then i give you a chocolate.

 

TANSY shook her head hard.

 

CLOSE-UP

 

GRETCHEN's face: very serious

 

JONATHAN come in and siting down the chair opposite GRETCHEN

He looked at the breakfast in front of him

use a fork to take the fried egg, frowned, open the newspaper to read.

 

 

TANSY

(Pleading)

Mom, I'm brave, but, but I got well now

 

See, I don't have cough now, so, I don't need the medicine.

 

TANSY could not help but burst out  cough out, face are turn to red.

 

GRETCHEN

(More serious ) 

Look that you, come on, take this medicine immediately！

Don’t be naughty, do well behave Tansy!

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY face

Slowly change to crying, then coughing

 

JONATHAN

(The eyes move over from the newspaper)

Tansy, this is magic water, you take this,

will be stronger, like the peter Pan

This weekend I'll take you

to the Bolshoi Ballet's nutcracker

 

GRETCHEN

(Anger from the heart burning to the face)

Dear Mr. Eyre, thank you for your kind invitation,

You just to make happy with that woman,

But remember that never let the woman's

dirty hands touch my daughter!

 

JONATHAN

Our quarrel rises from the morning

and fall down at the night.

Do you enjoyed such a life? I'm tired of it.

Like this over fried egg, I tired as well.

I am not a complaint,

Just let you learn to improve,

learn to listen to suggestions.

The British woman will gentle to fry eggs.

 

GRETCHEN

 Mr. Eyre, unfortunately, you mistakenly chosen to

marred a Chinese woman.

 

JONATHAN

If so, I will out for breakfast.

 

GRETCHEN

Tansy, come,take it immediately!

Then have breakfast, and then go to school.

 

JONATHAN

Tansy, just to eat a little bit bread,  

can feel the medicine is not too bitter.

 

TANSY

 I don't like to eat bread

 

JONATHAN

Tansy, you know, when I was a child,

I don't like eat as well.

My mother said: If a child don't eat,

they will be to sent to China.

 

TANSY

Why sent to China?

 

JONATHAN

Because in China, all family are poor,

no food for children to eat.

(Look at GRETCHEN)

Of course, at that time, now is big changed,  

completely different,

China now is a very rich country.

 

GRETCHEN

This is your education, your mother instilled you 

discrimination and ridicule other races

You inculcate to the next generation,  

you, a highly educated.person.

This is the most rude and arrogant.

 

JONATHAN

The Bible said, Be ye angry, and sin not:

let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

and do not give the devil a foothold.

(Sound getting smaller and smaller,

gradually disappear, music start)

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's eyes

 

GRETCHEN silent quarrel

JONATHAN silent quarrel

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's eyes  like watching table tennis

Through her eyes pupil, 

Blue water

Splashed red, mixed into purple

Then into red blood 

Title, Credits list

 

DISSOLVE TO

 

JONATHAN stood up and threw the newspaper on the plate,

where he had not finished breakfast

Hastily wearing a suit, tie didn't well,

bang shut the door away.

Two ladies silently, eyes  following JONATHAN's series of  actions，

their eyes finally stay on the door.

 

CLOSE-UP

Door

The sound of the car from the outside.

TANSY  ran to the window, her father's car is out of the gate door.

 

GRETCHEN

(Endured tears, anger to TANSY, speak Mandarin)

你最近很不乖，媽媽心煩死了，

你就別再添麻煩了！要不，你得不到小紅花。

（You have been very naughty lately，

I'm so upset, you do keep my hands full! 

If you don’t good behave, you are not going to get any red flower!）

 

GRETCHEN walk to the window

That tea spoon straight into the TANSY's mouth.

TANSY looks like drowning

mother followed by the water.

For a while TANSY calm down

She looked at her mother's face

 

CLOSE UP

GRETCHEN Tears

 

TANSY

(Cautious, Chinese)

媽媽，我還是很勇敢是嗎？喝了那麼苦的藥水,

我可以有小紅花嗎？

（Mom, I'm so brave to drink that so bitter medicine.

I'm good right? Can I have the red flowers?）

 

GRETCHEN

(Chinese)

好吧，不過你明天也要乖，知道嗎？

 （Ok, but you have to be good tomorrow as well, you know?）

 

INT. EYRE's HALLWAY - DAY

 

GRETCHEN holding TANSY‘s hand walk to the piano room

 

INT. EYRE's PIANO ROOM

 

GRETCHEN and TANSY come in piano room

they stand to the wall before the bulletin board

There a music stave paper.

 

CLOSE UP

Music paper, the edge a missing, apparently hastily torn

The top a photo there - crying TANSY

 

TANSY

Mom, I don't like this picture

Can you take it off ? I was little kid that time, wasn't it?

 

GRETCHEN

(Could not help but laugh, immediately stop lauthing)

Yeah, you were little kid last week,

and already grow up big enough this week.

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY crying photo

FADE OUT

FADE IN

EXT. Street - DAY

 

 

TANSY crying 

 

GRETCHEN

You want that doll, but your bedroom has been filled with dolls,

 

That Sophia is new, I bought just a few days ago

 

TANSY

But I don't like Sophia now

 

GRETCHEN

Oh, you so soon lost interest that doll,

but she is still almost brand new.

Alright, People always disappoint interested the old one,

and to throw them away like throw the rubbish,

and want to get a new one.

Okay, you're crying here, I'm go home now.

 

GRETCHEN pretend to go,

TANSY standing for a while, also following her mum

 FADE OUT

 

FADE IN

INT. EYRE's PIANO ROOM - DAY

 

CLOSE UP

On the music paper,  under TANSY‘s name,

there are mixed lots of red flowers and black pigs 

 

CLOSE UP

GRETCHEN's hand  

she take a red ballpoint pen, and drawing a five circles to composed a red flower.

 

TANSY

Mom you see, how brave I am today,

Drink that so bitter medicine,

is it supposed to have two red flowers?

 

GRETCHEN

Okay, but you will don't  approaching the swimming pool side，

You promise me that, so, I will give you two flowers, if you don't obedient,

I'll give you a hundred black pig, do you understand?

 

TANSY

I don't want the black pigs, I don't want go to the pool side.

 

GRETCHEN

Good girl! Now mom have something to do,

you go to play with Snowy.

Don't forgot what you promised me.

 

GRETCHEN siting down before the piano and start playing:

Chopin's Ballade No.4 Op.52

 

TANSY

Snowy!

 

SNOWY has shook his tail ran to the garden.

 

TANSY

Snowy! Waiting for me!

 

TANSY followed by running to the garden

 

EXT. EYRE's GARDEN -  DAY

 

Very bright sunny day, just cut the grass like a green blanket, SNOWY rolling on the grass.

 

TANSY

Listen, Snowy, don't do that!,Mom doesn't like the kid rolling on the ground.

 

SNOWY up, barking and then continue to rolling

 

TANSY

You don't listen to me?  You must have three, no, a hundred black pigs today, 

 

SNOWY wagging the tail

 

TANSY

what did you say? How silly you are! Why don't you can't speak?

I'm not like you, I will very clean, look, I'm wearing a white skirt.

 

TANSY running around in the garden for a while,

She standing, cast a sidelong glance to the distant swimming pool

A man working to cleaning the pool.

 

EXT. EYRE's POOL - DAY

 

The man just pouring clean water into the pool

 

 

EXT. EYRE's GARDEN - DAY

 

TANSY watched for a while, she walk to the pool through the garden, 

 

EXT. EYRE's POOL - DAY

 

CLOSE UP

Pool: very blue water

TANSY standing at the poolside

 

TANSY

Wow! blue, what's blue water, like the sea.

 

WORKER

Have you been to the sea?

 

TANSY

Yes, I've been to the sea last summer.

Wow, very blue, lots of blue, so beautiful,

I with my dad and mom together.

 

WORKER

Girl, the sea is beautiful, but also dangerous, if you can't swim.

Here need to fitted with railings.

Go to elsewhere, here is too dangerous.

Stay away from here, go,go!

 

TANSY running quickly to the garden

 

WORKER

Far, more far, to the house front, never back here before has railings here.

 

TANSY  to the front of the house

SNOWY followed

The worker take his tools, put in his car which parked

at the entrance of the garden and drove off.

 

TANSY

Bye bey!

 

WORKER

Bye!

 

When the worker left, TANSY once again go to the pool side,

She sit down and shaking her little legs on the water

SNOWY lying beside her.

 

TANSY

Snowy, you know? I definitely not play here,

I just sit for a moment, think about things, that's it.

 

SNOWY shook his tail

 

TANSY

Snowy, you are thinking here as well, do you? 

 

The pool is very blue

 

TANSY

Blue, a lot of blue, this is the sea!

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's eyes reflecting the water, light, very blue

FADE OUT

FADE IN

EXT. SEASIDE - DAY

 

JONATHAN standing in the sea,

he picked TANSY up and put her on his shoulders .

GRETCHEN hugged JONATHAN,

her head lies on JONATHAN's chest.

 

The family all laughing.

They turn and running to the middle of the sea

 

INT. Hotel RESTAURANT - NIGHT

 

Candle

Dining table

EYRE family sitting at the table

Beside a big windows

A pianist playing Beethoven's Moonlight Sonsta

JONATHAN and GRETCHEN gazing lovingly each others.

 

CLOSE UP

Their eyes

TANSY looked her dad, mom

 

They listen the music

TANSY starts weeping

JONATHAN looked TANSY and put his hand stroked TANSY's back

GRETCHEN take a  tissue wipe her tears

TANSY sobs

Some People looked TANSY

 

JONATHAN

I'm sorry, my daughter she just fell touched,

 

A LADY

Oh, this music awakened everyone's sensation.

affecting it is even to a really tiny kid.

What a sensitive girl, she will become a good musician in the future

 

JONATHAN picking TANSY up to sit on his leg,  let her head on his chest.

GRETCHEN and JONATHAN also in tears.

 

JONATHAN

(Console)

Okay, everything should be okay, my crying angel.

 

TANSY

I‘m not crying, I just stomachache.

 

GRETCHEN

Sweetheart, don't be shy, this Beethoven's moonlight sonata really touching,

does this to all of us at some point…

 

TANSY

Is it a story?

 

GRETCHEN

Yes, a story about moonlight, sea and love. Come, look, look there

 

GRETCHEN scooped TANSY up in her arms, and they look out from the window 

Blue, bright moon night, under the moonlight, dark blue sea waves fluctuating.

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's eyes, reflecting the light blue moonlight and dark blue sea, 

 

GRETCHEN

Listen, these sounds tinkling, tinkling,

the composer used the most simple notes

like a very very pure water drips,

lots of little drips drop down , they hugged together ,

converging to the sea.

Music has the rich meaning as this boundless sea.

 

JONATHAN also come together,

they all to look out the beautiful night scene.

Applause sound, this piece finished.

The pianist bow to the audience.

 

GRETCHEN

(To JONATHAN)

I want to play just a piece.

 

JONATHAN nodded with a smile,

GRETCHEN go to the piano

 

GRETCHEN

Bravo! You played so beautiful! Could I play something Just a piece?

 

PIANIST

Sure, please

 

GRETCHEN sitting in front of the piano

 

GRETCHEN

(For everybody)

Good evening everyone,

I'm Gretchen, there are my husband and my daughter.

Now I'll play  Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 in a flat Major.

 For love!

 

JONATHAN and TANSY applause

Everybody applause

 

LADY

(To JONATAN)

Wow, Your wife is a pianist.

(thumb)

 

GRETCHEN plays Liszt's Liebestraum No. 3 in a flat Major.

Everybody enjoyed.

The couple kissing

The music continues

 

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY's eyes, eye black pupil,

Through the black pupil

 

DISSOLVE TO

 

EXT. EYRE'S POOL - DAY

 

Tansy struggle in the pool,

She sinks to the water

 

TANSY

Mom! I can't breathe, mom... mom ...

 

Underwater a black hole

TANSY sinks through the black hole, the water turns black.

TANSY rise to the water surface

Above a overlooking the face of a woman 

 

WOMAN

Ah, you finally come! I'm waiting for you for a long time.

 

EXT. WOMAN's POOL - DAY

 

TANSY has pulled out of the black water by the woman

TANSY rubbed her face's water with her hand back, and coughing

The woman stand under a high tree

 

Slowly from bottom to top

Red shoes, red long dress, hands crossed on her chest

Her face is very white and her eyes are big and very dark

Woman is quite tall.

 

CLOSE UP

Woman's eyes, like two deep caves, 

which each inside have a small spark.

 

TANSY

who are you?

 

WOMAN

I'm your friend

 

TANSY

You look like Sophia

 

WOMAN

Who is Sophia?

 

WOMAN laughing

TANSY scared

She look around, here is not her house's garden,

here is a strange place

TANSY starts crying

 

 TANSY

(In tears)

 I'm Tansy, I’m five years old.

I'm not naughty girl, I want to go home,

can you send me home?

 

WOMAN

Oh, I know you, it's Tansy right? You got a nice name!

 

TANSY

I don't know who you are, I'm afraid of you

 

WOMAN

Don't be afraid, I'm Sophia!

 

TANSY

You are not, Sophia is my doll,

 you are so tall, she doesn't tall.

 

WOMAN

Oh, I'm Sophia, I grow up!

Do you know? All the dolls have their souls,

and they all will grow up.

 

TANSY

(Crying)

I don‘’t want my dolls to grew up, I'm afraid you!

Please send me home, wah ...

 

WOMAN

(Raise her voice)

Fred!

 

A boy quietly out from the tree behind.  

He has wearing a clean, black clothes, 

so that clothes look very black,

And his face is very white, 

this is a good looking little boy.

TANSY is shy

She wiped her tears, and swat her white skirt.

 

WOMAN

Do you like to play with Fred?

Come, come to our house, not far from here.

 

TANSY

My mom said, I can't go to the stranger's house.

 

WOMAN

I'm not a stranger, i'm Sophia, that's what you said,

 

WOMAN

I'm not a stranger, i'm Sophia, that's what you said,

Are we good friends isn't it? 

 

TANSY

Since you are my doll, I can go with you.

 

They walk a while not far

Woman open a door.

 

EXT. WOMAN's GARDEN - DAY

 

The courtyard is full of beautiful flowers

Walk along the middle of the garden path,

through these beautiful flowers,  

to a standstill outside house.

Woman open the door.

 

WOMAN

Please come in, Tansy, here always  welcome you

Fred, take Tansy's hand and lead her in.

 

FRED to take TANSY's hand

 

CLOSE UP

Hands

When FRED cold fingertips touched TANSY's hand,

TANSY instinctively withdraw her hand.

 

CLOSE UP

FRED eyes, 

Big black eyes, watching TANSY

both inside also have a small flames.

 

TANSY take FRED's hand, bravely into the house.

 

INT. WOMAN'S HOUSE - DAY

 

WOMAN

Let we having afternoon tea in this beautiful room

It's a delight to have tea and delicacy refreshment while relaxing.

 

In the room a table covered with a white tablecloth

by an open window.

 

CLOSE UP

A table filled with refreshment

Tea and coffee are steaming.

A a blooming rose sticking in from the window

 

WOMAN

My princess, are you satisfied with all of these?

 

TANSY

Yes, I like here are so many delicious cakes,

and this rose so beautiful.

Are you living here?

Are you our  neighbours?

 

WOMAN

Yes, we are belong here.

You also would be here often

If you come again at next time,

You will have a cake that only for princess.

Are you willing to come again?

 

TANSY

Our neighbour Mary made cake also delicious,

She gave it to us, my mom fried dumplings to them.

I like to come again, thank you! Is it far from my house?

 

WOMAN

No, not far, as long as the thoughts had jumped into your mind.

Ah, you will be here

 

TANSY

Did my mom and dad came here before?

 

WOMAN

They have their own world, and everyone's world is different.

The world is made up of people's senses,

(Woman's hand in TANSY face pointing, eyes, nose, mouth)

you see, you hear and you feel,  all of these composed world!

 

TANSY laughing

 

WOMAN

You laughing, no longer afraid, good girl

Here is the human's home,

But people always forgotten here,

or just they refused to admit it.

 

TANSY

They all come through the pool?

 

WOMAN

Very natural, like a sudden lost.

Have you ever got lost?

 

TANSY

Mom always take my hand,

she said: you don't be straying .

 

WOMAN

Yes, that is it, when you are in a strange place, 

cannot find the destination

Like in a forest, you don't know how to through out

When you are tired, need to relax,

when you don't know how to choose

You suddenly see a path,

you come over, come over, so is here.

 

TANSY

I just went to the pool while thinking about things, so I‘m here.

 

WOMAN 

What a clever girl, exactly,

Just obedient to nature.

My lovely guest, since you came,

We have to treat you well, let we play a game,

do you like to play a game?

 

TANSY

I like to play games very much, but Snowy doesn't know that

He just a doggie, he can't speak, just wow wow.

 

WOMAN

(mysterious)

We don't play games with a doggie, only you and me and Fred

Listen, don't tell anybody, even your mom and dad, it is a secret.

 

TANSY

What is the secret?

 

WOMAN

Is something hiding by somebody, we go to find it, it is very interesting.

For example, your mom hides things, she doesn't let you know.

 

TANSY

What does mom hide?

Oh, I know, my mom hid the chocolates,

She said I eat too much chocolates not good for teeth.

Do you want me to find these chocolates?

 

WOMAN

No, no, the chocolates have meaningless,

We need to find some interesting things,

for example, there is a place in your home,

Mom always in there,

 

but she shut the door, and warned you, never go in!

 

TANSY

The kitchen! Mom said, the kitchen is very dangerous,

kid can't go in.

 

WOMAN

Is your mom always in the kitchen?

 

TANSY

No, she is always in the piano room,

she playing the piano,

if my dad not home, she plays at night 

She play that song, make me in tears.

She said those tinkling tinkling,

like a lot of water droplets,

These drops will become a sea.

 

WOMAN

Very interesting, Is your dad not home often?

 

TANSY

Yes, he is not good boy, often play in the street.

 

WOMAN

Oh, yes, go to the piano room,

To see what happens there?

Would be a very interesting story.

 

TANSY

I don't like this game, mom don't like me do that.

a lots of music sheets in piano room, many, many.

There a sheet draw a lot of red flowers.

It was my mom draw for me.

 

WOMAN

What is the red flower?

 

TANSY

Mom draw on the music sheet, if I be good girl,  

mom give me red flowers, but if I make some mistake,

mom give me the black pigs.

 

WOMAN

I'm sure you will love the games, you will love a good story.

And, you will be praised, the human's favorite thing, is be praised.

Especially this modern world,

the Facebook, Twitter and Wechat and so on

People post their private life there, for what? 

Just want some "like"s by others,

even stranger, fictional, doesn't exist. 

For these false, meaningless "like"s,

they can do the most crazy thing. 

That also including you, you want to be praised.

 

TANSY

Yes, I want a lot of red flowers.

I hope my mom and dad love me.

 

 WOMAN

You see, your mom can only gave you her draws red flowers,

and she not draw well.  Good behaviour deserves praise.

Next time, here will be a blaze of colour,

lovely flowers everywhere,

and in the in the middle will here a heart shaped flowerbed

 

TANSY

(Eyes shining )

The game sounds so nice, I'll do it.

 

WOMAN

 

Good girl, Go, go there at the night,

let we find out what the hidden secret behind the piano room,

has a deep significance to us. 

 

TANSY nods

 

WOMAN

I send you home now.

 

They go back to the pool

 

EXT. WOMAN's POOL - DAY, SUDDENLY DARK

 

Woman pick up TANSY suddenly threw her to the pool

 

DISSOLVE TO

 

EXT. EYRE'S POOL  - DAY

 

TANSY struggles in the water

 

TANSY

Mom! Mom!

 

TANSY shouted, struggling, floating in the pool

SNOWY running from afar, 

followed by GRETCHEN and the worker

the worker jumping to the pool and saved TANSY.

GRETCHEN immediately took a thick towel wrapp around TANSY, 

an run to home.

 

INT. TANSY's BEDROOM - EVENING

 

TANSY lying in bed, coughing

A doctor had just finished checking TANSY

JONATHAN and GRETCHEN sit by the bedside

GRETCHEN cover the quilt for TANSY 

 

DOCTOR

Fortunately, not big problem, just a bit cold,

I'll give her some medicine.

Don't worry, she'll get better soon.

 

JONATHAN 

Thank you!  

 

GRETCHEN

Thank you doctor.

 

Doctor gathered up his medicine box and ready to leave

 

JONATHAN 

 I walk you to the door.

 

TANSY

Mom, I didn't went to the pool,

I just been there to thought about things

Snowy also thought things there,

he was rolling on the grass.

 

JONATHAN back

 

JONATHAN

What ' s the stupid thing you ' ve done?

Let Tansy fall in the pool

You, you are unfit mother!

 

GRETCHEN

I told her don't go to the pool 

 

JONATHAN

Hah, you told her, she is only 5 years old little kid,

is need you to take care of her!

 

GRETCHEN

How about you? Did you take care of her?

I told you the pool need to repair the fence

you have time to date a woman,

but you never have time just make a phone call,

call the workers to repair the fence.

 

JONATHAN

Gretchen, I really can ' t stand it any more

Don't waste the time to saying these vicious words

If you want to divorce,

I would be glad to talking about it with you.

 

GRETCHEN

Hah, you finally say that, divorce?

I'm sorry, I have not had this intention, 

I am satisfied with the current ...

 

Jonathan Eyre didn't wait Gretchen finished her words

angry, and open the door to go out.

The air is solidified 

 

GRETCHEN

You assured me,

Why not obey, a hundred black pigs!

 

 TANSY

(Pleading)

Mom no, no mom, I don't want black pigs ...

 

GRETCHEN , go out and close the door

 

TANSY

Mom is so bad ... I don't love you anymore!

 

The room is very quiet

Handmade doll SOPHIA sitting on top of the cupboard

 

CLOSE UP

Rag doll

Red dress, long legs hanging down.

 

The music sound drifted over from the piano room.

TANSY listened to music for a while

She get up, open the door out of the bedroom

 

INT. STAIRS - NIGHT

 

TANSY go down the stairs

 

INT. HALLWAY - NIGHT

 

TANSY  tiptoed to the piano room

The blue light floats from the door

The piano suddenly stopped

TANSY open the door

look inside through a crevice of the door 

The room didn't turn on the light, it is dark.

The blue moonlight, from the window, into the room

Two candles on the piano shimmering.

GRETCHEN  powdered her nose, straightened her skirt, 

she wearing a beautiful blue skirt today

She opened the glass door

Someone come in

 

CLOSE UP

TANSY curiously face

 

the stranger cast a shadow on the wall，

quite tall

GRETCHEN's shadow with  stranger's shadow,

hug, kiss,rotate and dance

two shadows ongoing zooming in and zooming out.

 

TANSY

Mom?!

 

The stranger's shadow disappeared.

GRETCHEN run over, closed the door, picked up TANSY

 

GRETCHEN

Sweetheart, why don't you sleep?

 

TANSY

Mom, who came?

 

GRETCHEN

No, nobody came.

 

TANSY

I heard you played that music, you said to me,

they are a lot of water drips into the sea.

 

GRETCHEN

Yes, remember that? You had tears for it?

 

TANSY

Yes I remember that, I'm cried (shy)

 

GRETCHEN

They drop, drop and drop,

This is love, love!

 

TANSY

Is there a lot of water drips in the piano room now?

 

TANSY  point to the closed door

 

GRETCHEN

They are in my heart, full of my heart.

 

TANSY

Can I get in the piano room?

 

 

 GRETCHEN

Good girl, now you must get in your bedroom,

we go back to sleep.

 

INT. WOMAN's GARDEN - DAY

 

WOMAN

Hello, Tansy! I knew that you will come again, welcome!

People will see another world at night,

Especially the children. 

It is called fantasy or dream

Seems never real happened, 

People suppress their unbridled desire

they had been adventure, 

but they deny and smother up the consequences 

Good girl, have you find the story of the piano room yet?

 

TANSY

I went to the piano room,

but my mom doesn't  tell any story to me

 

WOMAN

Fred, please bring the noble princess to our place.

 

FRED out from the tree behind, the pale face smile with excitement

His black eyes, small flames burning 

The door of the house is open,

a blaze of colour,

lovely flowers everywhere,

and in the in the middle a heart shaped flowerbed

 

CLOSE UP

Tansy excited, happy face.

 

TANSY

Wow! So beautiful, so nice!

I've never seen such a beautiful flowers.

 

WOMAN

Thank you for like it! Princess Tansy,

This is the garden, named by your name,

all of these just for you!

Because you completed the goal

bringing the world's most exciting thing,

The most eager to know,

the most happy thing - the story!

 

TANSY

I'm sorry, I don’t understand what you are saying.

I told you that my mom doesn't tell any story to me.

 

WOMAN

It don't  need to understand, you did it,

curiosity drove you into the piano room,

and you spy your mom's secret, isn't it?

It's human being,  don‘’t read stuff into this ,

Haha! Come, come in,

 

the sweetest and most beautiful princess cake for you,

please enjoy it.

 

INT WOMAN'S ROOM - DAY

 

TANSY eating the cake, enjoyable.

WOMAN smiling look at her.

WOMAN and FRED looked at each other

FRED smiling

 

 WOMAN

Tansy, tell me what's interesting thing in the piano room?

 

TANSY

I saw the piano room is blue,

My mum wearing a very beautiful blue skirt,

She plays that blue water drips

then, the garden door opened,

A stranger came in

 

WOMAN

A stranger came in? Who is it?

 

TANSY

He is shady，mum is also shady, they are shadows,

they hug, kiss and dance.

 

WOMAN

It  is really really interesting, good girl!

Come on and eat this piece of cake!

Now go on, my heart beat speeds up,

oh, I can't breathe, it's absolutely exciting!

 

TANSY

Mom said, a lot of love, from her heart flow out.

 

WOMAN 

Oh, a lot of love! How debauchery woman! 

A man who brought love to your mom, 

and obvious he is not your dad.

 

TANSY

Dad is not tall like him.

 

WOMAN

Yes, your dad also dong't need come in secretly

from the garden door at the midnight. 

And then?

 

TANSY

And then, my mom shut the door, I can't get in.

 

WOMAN

Oh, everything is within my expectation.

 

TANSY

I asked my mom: who is it? Mom said: nobody.

 

WOMAN

she lie, she is bad woman.

 

TANSY

I said that mom was bad, but now I forgive her.

 

WOMAN

(Silence for a while, suddenly clap)

 Oh, haha, so nice, it's really the good story!

 

FRED laughing and he look very handsome.

 

WOMAN

You are really capable girl!

We continue this game, looking for the next story. 

See you next time, now I send you back.

 

INT. TANSY'S BEDROOM - MORNING

 

GRETCHEN open the door in

Sitting at bedside, awake TANSY

 

GRETCHEN

(Chinese)

艾菊，快起來，我們去吃早餐，然後去上學

（Get up, we go to breakfast,then go to school.）

 

TANSY wake up and feel tired

 

TANSY

(Chinese)

媽媽，我不舒服

Mom, I feel not well.

 

GRETCHEN

(Chinese)

哎呀，頭這麼燙，你發燒了寶貝。

我馬上帶你去醫院！

 

（Your forehead's burning, have you got a fever? 

I'll take you to the hospital right now） 

 

GRETCHEN Call JONATHAN

 

GRETCHEN

Tansy got a fever，

forehead's burning,

Now I take her to the hospital,

you come as soon as you can.

 

INT. TOY STORE - DAY

 

JONATHAN, ELENA and TANSY 

in front of the toy shop counter

TANSY makeup of the kitten's face, 

 

ELENA

Tansy, whIch doll you like? Come on here

 

ELENA to take TANSY's hand

 

TANSY

No, your hands are dirty, you didn't wash your hands.

 

ELENA

(Strange)

I washed my hand, you see my hand is very clean,

why do you say that Tansy?

 

TANSY

Mom told me, your hand is dirty,

so don't touch me.

 

JONATHAN

Tansy! This is very rude! say sorry to Elena!

 

TANSY

I'm sorry Elena, but still don't touch me, I can come by myself.

 

JONATHAN

Listen, Tansy, this is the problem between me and your mother, 

Mom is wrong because of jealousy.

We will solve the problem, 

but, isn't relevant to Elena.

Mom doesn't take care of you 

and let you fall into the pool.

You have been fever two days ago, 

Dad pick you up to the Elena's home,

Elena takes care of you so well,

that you are got well now.

You should to thank Elena, 

next week we go to see her fashion show.

You and she should be a good friend, 

can you do that for dad?

 

TANSY

Elena thank you! I'll be good friend with you.

Because I don't like to be friend with Sophia.

I want that doll, that one, there is, right ...

 

INT. EYRE'S LIVING ROOM - DAY

 

The phone rings, GRETCHEN and JONATHAN sit on sofa

TANSY at the side, she carried a new doll on her lap .

JONATHAN go to listen to the phone

 

JONATHAN

Darling, your friend Mary.

 

GRETCHEN

(whispering）

Tell her I'm not at home.

 

JONATHAN

But you are home! If you don't want to talk to her now,

you can just let her knows directly.

 

GRETCHEN

Tansy, to tell Mary mom is not at home.

 

TANSY run to the phone

 

TANSY

Mary, my mom is not at home, yes, she says she is not at home.

 

GRETCHEN ran over and hung up the phone

JONATHAN looked surprised and shook his head.

 

JONATHAN

You lie, and also teach TANSY to lie.

 

GRETCHEN

Sometimes we are need to tell white lies,

isn ' t going to hurt anyone

Rather than as you directly hurt people.

 

 GRETCHEN go out and come back bring a set of princess costume

 

GRETCHEN

Come on Tansy, let wearing this fancy dress,

 and then we go to the chestnut park.

 

GRETCHEN to TANSY put on the newly bought fancy dress

 

GRETCHEN

Her Royal Highness, my little Tansy.

 

GRETCHEN is drop a curtsy to TANSY

 

JONATHAN

You are the queen, Tansy is the princess, 

you Chinese, everyone likes to be a prince, princess,

Let others to obedience, it is not fair, 

everybody must get along to be fair,

Family members as well, everybody should be fair.

 

GRETCHEN

British Empire is strict hierarchy, the most rigidly stratified .

Her Royal Highness, we are ready to go to the chestnut park.

 

TANSY

I want dad to go with us.

 

JONATHAN

Tansy go with mom, dad got some business things to do.

 

GRETCHEN

We go, let dad stay at home,

for thinking about what is "lies", "hurt" and "fair" .

 

EXT. CHESTNUT PARK - DAY

 

GRETCHEN and TANSY walk in the park.

TANSY walked slowly, she is a long way behind.

 

GRETCHEN

Tansy, why are you drag along like this?

Please walk quickly.

 

TANSY

Dad said, Chinese walking so fast!

 

GRETCHEN

Did dad say that?  Is this wrong？

 

TANSY nod

 

TANSY

He told me don't walk like that, that's Chinese walking.

 

GRETCHEN

Dad said very bad words, I'm a Chinese,

Tansy is half of the Chinese girl, he is a frequent remarks

about fair and hurt?

Just ignore his nonsense!

 

TANSY

So, mom, look at me

 

TANSY exaggerate twisting the bum,

quickly walked up

GRETCHEN also twisted up,

they walking, and then run up

The squirrel scared them, and climbing the tree

They laughing

They feeling tired and sit down on a bench

 

GRETCHEN

Hey, is that bench, I remember this bench!

 

CLOSE UP

Bench

Engraved with some words

In Loving Memory

Of

Margaret Johns

 

TANSY

Mom, look,  a heart is here. 

 

GRETCHEN

Yes, there is a girl want to let people remember her, 

remember her love,

She bought this bench, 

and carved her name and her heart.

 

TANSY

Mom, mom, I want to buy a bench, and to carve a heart.

 

GRETCHEN

You are too young for do it, 

so when you grow up, and have your lover 

and then engraved it.

Do you know? There is a lovely girl,

She has had been sitting on this bench.

 

TANSY

She sat here and played with squirrel?

 

GRETCHEN

No, she is looking for someone, a man who loves her.

 

TANSY

Did she find that man? Who loves her?

 

GRETCHEN

I don't know,  it is found or not.

 

GRETCHEN closes her eyes, deep in meditation

 

EXT. MUSIC ACADEMY OUT DOOR - DAY

 

GRETCHEN wearing a long black dress, 

one hand holding the skirt angle, from a distance

She into the music school, 

many graduates wearing a dress and suits

They cross the hallway and go to the college concert hall

 

INT. MUSIC COLLEGE CONCERT HALL - DAY

 

GRETCHEN in the stage entrance, 

nervously waiting for perform, 

a score turner behind her.

The staff stand at the curtain back

 

STAFF

Gretchen Ge, please enter to stage, your time is up

 

GRETCHEN take a deep breathing and go ahead.

 

INT. STAGE 

 

GRETCHEN enters the stage, applause sound

She plays "Enrique Granados Op 46"

Start and ... the last part, she bow down, applause

 

INT. DRESSING ROOM

 

The students are excited to talk about concert

GRETCHEN coming in

 

STUDENT A

(A Chinese student)

I looked down, oh my God,

there are professors their grey hair and serious face

My hand was shaking, can't steady.

 

STUDENT B

It's all up！I played very bad,

I couldn't imagine the professors

will give me what judgements.

 

GRETCHEN

I’m going to pub, who come with me?

 

STUDENT C

Cool! I'll go!

 

Some students response

 

INT. PUB - NIGHT

 

The students sit around a big round table and chatted about the concert.

 

GRETCHEN

(Stand up) 

However, we graduated, cheers! For our future!

 

Everybody toast to congratulate

A waiter come over and whispered something

to GRETCHEN, and handing her a card

 

GRETCHEN

( puzzled surprise and whispering to the waiter)

What is this? Who? Who gave me this?

 

WAITER

(Whispering)

I can't tell you, that customer wants to keep it mysterious.

 

GRETCHEN looking around

Other customer are self-conversation，

The nearest table, only a glass has a bit red wine slightly shaking.

 

GRETCHEN

Are you sure this is for me?

 

WAITER

Yes, that customer pointed you.

 

CLOSE UP

Card

White, without name, only a sentence:

“Young lady, you full of youth and vitality!”

 

Students curious to look over here

GRETCHEN quickly put the card Into her pocket.

 

STUDENT B

Something happens

 

GRETCHEN

Oh, no, nothing

 

STUDENT A

I'll  back to China, when finished the graduation ceremony,

I'm bought the air ticket already, are you?

 

GRETCHEN trance, didn't hear

 

STUDENT A

(Speak Chinese, and hand in front of GRETCHEN eyes)

Hi 葛琴

（Hi Gretchen）

 

GRETCHEN

Please say again, I didn't catch it.

 

STUDENT A

I'll bak to China, how about you? 

 

GRETCHEN

Oh, oh, I still not decided,

maybe back or stay here to find a job

accumulate some experience.

 

STUDENT C

I have to go back, my sister said: if I stay here,

she will put my room to rent out.

Look, the advertised already on Facebook

There is a room for rent, this room suitable for sleep, 

and sometimes can practicing viola as well. 

The kitchen offers ice cream and sweets at midnight

In the garden, you can sit on sofa, as siting in living room.

there some other furniture available.

 

STUDENT C show other students some pictures on the phone

 

CLOSE UP

Phone

Three photos

1 Very small chaotic bedroom

2 Full of sweets at the refrige

3 Throwed old furniture in the garden.

The students are laughing

GRETCHEN in thought.

 

INT. GRETCHEN'S BEDROOM  - NIGHT

 

GRETCHEN lying in bed and watching the card

Her eyes are dilated in a kind of swoon of memories.

 

INT. PUB - NIGHT

(Imagine scene, not true)

 

Forward

Into the door, At left an elderly couple

The gentleman's eyes straight look at here

His wife dissatisfied looked at the him a glance, despise looking here.

A group of football fans singing loudly, 

there is a bald man turn back face to giggle.

A man wearing a suit, typing on a laptop, curious looking up 

A couple before the counter,just see their back

The man gently hugged the woman's waist, the woman wearing a tight red skirt

beautiful butt，long legs, high heels.

Several drunk young people are going out, a young man passing by

 

DISSOLVE TO