INT. CAFE - DAY
LEONA, 22, approaches the counter.
LEONA
Large iced latte, extra cinnamon.
A barista starts the espresso machine. Leona smiles at the sound.
CASHIER
$4.92, please.
Leona hands the cashier six dollars, and motions for her to keep the rest. She
walks over to the hand off plane. PAUL, her friend and barista is making her drink.
LEONA
How's it going, Paul?
PAUL
Living the dream. It's August 4th, isn't it?
Leona picks at a loose thread in her sweater.
LEONA
Three years.
PAUL
Damn. She'd be so proud of you, you know that?
LEONA
And she'll be even more proud when I break my record today.
Leona takes a few more sips, and waves her finger at Paul.
PAUL
You're shooting for how many miles in an hour? Six?
LEONA
Anything less is failure.
PAUL
I've never known you to fail at anything.
LEONA
I'm not starting today.
Leona grabs a napkin and wraps it around her cup to collect condensation.
LEONA (CONT.)
Have a good day, Paul.
PAUL
Same time tomorrow.
Leona exits the cafe and reaches in her purse, pulling out her sunglasses.
EXT. MONROE STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT
SUPER: AUGUST 4, 2015 - 6:19PM - 1.9 MILES
Leona looks down at her iPod. She turns up the volume of her music and adjusts her earbuds.
LEONA (V.O)
I really should have worn different socks. These are slipping so bad. Leona, no... No excuses. Get focused. Two miles down. Four to go. You can do this.
INT. LEONA AND VANESSA'S APARTMENT - DAY
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
SUPER: BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA - AUGUST 4, 2013
Leona is curled up on her bed crying into a vintage, rugged t-shirt. There are boxes all over the room and items scattered across the floor and her bed.
CALENDAR MARKED ON AUGUST 5TH WITH THE WORDS 'MOVE TO WASHINGTON!'
Leona wipes her eyes, and leans over to her nightstand looking at a picture of her and her mom on Halloween when she was ten years old.
END FLASHBACK.
INT. LEONA'S CHILDHOOD ROOM - DAY
BEGIN FLASHBACK:
SUPER: FLOYD COUNTY, VIRGINIA - AUGUST 4, 2003
Leona, 10, is dancing and singing into a hairbrush as the radio plays pop music. As she belts her best notes, her mom knocks on the door and swings it open.
ISABEL, 32, runs a tight ship in the Reynold's household. She looks at Leona with an expression of disappointment and frustration.
ISABEL
Leona, keep it down. You're going to wake up your sister. I just got her down for a nap. Please find something else to do. Something productive.
ISABEL (CONT.)
If you do something productive, we can go trick or treating later and you can have two pieces of candy tonight. How's that sound?
LEONA
Fine.
ISABEL
Don't look so down, buttercup. Now find that something to do, okay?
END FLASHBACK.
eXT. MONROE STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT
SUPER: 6:27PM - 2.4 MILES
Leona
catches a glimpse of a corgi and its elderly owner; she smiles as she passes them.
int. ricky's apartment - night
Leona's phone starts to ring.
LEONA
Can you get that?
Ricky grunts and rolls across the couch to reach Leona's phone.
RICKY
Hello?
On the other end is RACHEL, 18, Leona's younger sister.
RACHEL
(over phone)
Ricky? I need to speak to Leona.
RICKY
Okay. Leona!
Leona dries her hands and runs back into the living room.
RACHEL
Leona, you should be sitting.
LEONA
I've been sitting for the past six hours. I need to stand. What's wrong?
RACHEL
Mom passed about fifteen minutes ago. She was asleep and the hospice tried to resuscitate her, but... Sis, she's gone.
LEONA
Oh my God. Did she...? I mean... was she in pain?
RACHEL
No, she was asleep the whole time. It was really peaceful, the way everyone hopes to go.
LEONA
Wow.
Leona sits in a chair in the dining room. She picks at the paint on the wooden table.
RACHEL
She's not suffering anymore. She wouldn't want us worrying about her.
LEONA
I know, I know. I'll be over tomorrow so we can figure out everything to do next.
RACHEL
Okay. I love you.
LEONA
(hanging up)
Love you too, sis.
EXT. MONROE STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT
SUPER: 6:34PM - 3.2 MILES
Leona grabs her water bottle attached to her armband. She takes big gulps.
Hip hop music plays over her earbuds, and Leona begins to mimic the beat with the pace of her running. The song begins to skip and her iPod glitches. She taps the glass, still running. The song starts back up, playing clearly. She pushes forward.
INT. RICKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
Leona walks over and sits back down next to Ricky.
RICKY
Babe, you missed it! The guy just got completely hammered and puked all over the chick! It was awesome.
LEONA
Ricky, my mom died.
RICKY
Oh.
Leona begins to cry, diving into her boyfriend's chest for comfort. A few minutes pass by as Ricky rubs her back, not sure what to do or say. Leona starts to sit up, rubbing her eyes.
RICKY
You've got mascara all over your face... and on my shirt.
Leona is appalled, and has no words come to her at this moment.
RICKY
What? We knew this was coming, Leona. Get yourself together and I'll pour you another glass of wine. I'll make you forget all of this, okay?
She smacks him across the face and walks out, slamming the door and sprinting to her car.
Leona locks her doors and gets out her phone.
LEONA
It's me. I'm coming home.
VANESSA
(over phone)
Damn. That bad?
LEONA
She's gone, Ness. She's gone.
VANESSA
Shit. Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Focus on driving. We'll talk when you get home. I love you.
LEONA
(hanging up)
Okay. Okay. Love you too.
LEONA
(to herself)
Get yourself together.
SERIES OF SHOTS - LEONA STAYING BUSY
A) Staying up late, drinking coffee and writing
Leona's computer displays a word document entitled "Final Paper"
B) Working at the cafe with Paul
C) Running to catch the bus
D) Teaching a body combat class
E) Filling out paper that reads "Intent to Graduate Early"
F) Receiving graded papers - all A's and B's
G) Graduating college
EXT. MONROE STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT
SUPER: AUGUST 4, 2015 6:48PM - 4.6 MILES
LEONA is sweating profusely at this point in her run. She starts breathing harder and harder, and within seconds, she collapses.
EXT. FUNERAL- DAY
SUPER: AUGUST 4, 2012
Many people are gathered for Isabel's funeral. A portrait of Isabel is near the casket and Leona stands at the podium, gripping at the eulogy.
She stares out into the crowd of people.
LEONA
My mother was an amazing woman, a fighter. Not a second of her time was wasted. She never watched television unless it was educational, and we weren't allowed to listen to music unless the song taught a lesson. She was so serious and taught me so much. She taught me to work until you get what you want. Don't stop for anything or for anyone, that I should be my own person, not like anyone else, to be a fighter.
CUT TO:
LEONA'S CAR
LEONA sits in her car, fumbling through different pieces of paper.
LEONA
Thank you all for coming today. I know that my mom would appreciate you all being here. I actually don't know a lot of you, and for that I apologize on my mother's behalf for not introducing me. There are a couple more things I would like to apologize on her behalf for. She didn't mean to yell at me all the time. She didn't mean to drink like she did. She didn't mean to hit me that one time. She didn't mean any of it. She didn't realize what she was doing. She had a sickness, and we should all remember that. I'm sorry, for her, and for me. Thank you.
INT. HOSPITAL - DAY
SUPER: JULY 24, 2012
ISABEL
Hey, sweetie.
LEONA
Hey, ma, how are you feeling?
ISABEL
Same as I was the last twelve times you asked me this week, Leona.
LEONA
Sorry.
ISABEL
How's school? Will you be graduating on time?
LEONA
A year early, actually.
ISABEL
Just like your mother.
LEONA
Ha, yeah. I'm trying to make you proud. I'm keeping busy, not letting any of my potential or talent go to waste.
ISABEL
Just like your mother.
EXT. MONROE STREET BRIDGE - NIGHT
SUPER: AUGUST 4, 2015 - 6:48PM - 4.6 MILES
Leona lies on the ground.
All at once, pieces from Leona's past come rushing back, pieces she's tried so hard to forget.
RICKY (V.O.)
We knew this was coming. Get yourself together.
RACHEL (V.O.)
She's gone.
RICKY (V.O.)
Get yourself together.
RACHEL (V.O.)
She's gone.
RICKY (V.O.)
Get yourself together.
RACHEL (V.O.)
She's gone.
Leona, tears streaming down her face and dirt on her knees and palms, stands up.
Music similar to what ten year old Leona was listening to in the first flashback begins to play. Leona adjusts her earbuds. She's still crying, and she runs faster than before.
Leona begins to run with more determination now.
SUPER: 6:57PM - 5.98 MILES
LEONA glances at the time, and starts to pick up even more speed. She's becoming winded again, like before. She starts to really struggle, finding it hard to see what's in front of her.
SUPER: 6:59PM - 5.99 MILES
ISABEL (V.O.)
Keep it down.
Leona begins to slow down.
ISABEL (V.O.)
Keep it down.
Leona looks at the time.
ISABEL (V.O.)
Down.
Leona comes to a complete stop, standing upright. She breathes in and out staring at the time on her iPod. She waits for the hour mark.
SUPER: 7:00PM - 5.99 MILES
Leona starts toward the opposite direction, not looking back.
CLOSE UP of Leona, smiling.
FADE OUT:
THE END:
