Unbound

Written by
Sofya Lomaeva

Draft 4 (03/03/2024)

Directed by
Surabhi Warick
1. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

Mathew (20), dressed in streetwear is asleep in an old chair,

in a dingy looking, worn out room with a projector, facing a
white screen. The light on the projector screen starts to
slowlylight up his face. His lip is bleeding, there's blood
on his coat and some is soaking through his beanie.

The screen suddenly flashes into full brightness. Mathew

startles awake. He looks around the room in panic, touches
the wound on his head and hisses.

On the screen, we see the face of a woman. Nina (20),looking

miserable, beaten and cold. She's in tears, holding the
camera as if she's holding somebody's face. It's clearly a
POV shot.

Mathew jumps up, looking around.

MATHEW
Nina!

On screen, Nina, begins to cry.

NINA
Matt...

MATHEW
(panicked)
Nina! Nina, where are you?!

He runs towards the screen.

JAMES
Sit down.

Mathew stops and looks around for the source of the voice.

MATHEW
Who are you and where's Nina?

James's silhouette scoffs.

JAMES
Well, I can guarantee that she's not
anywhere near this place.

James continues to walk towards Mathew, whilst Mathew remains

rooted in his place.

Created using Celtx

 2.

MATHEW
Look, if you don't fucking tell me
what's going on right now, I'm gonna
call up my boys and they'll show you
what it's like to fuck with us.

He says, while looking for ways to escape. James scoffs

again. He pulls out another chair next to the one Mathew was
previously on and takes a seat.

JAMES
If you ever want to see Nina again, I
suggest you come and sit down.

James says nodding towards the seat next to him.

MATHEW
Did you do something to her?

James shakes his head.

JAMES
Of course not. Just sit down for the
love of God, why do you always have to
be so stubborn.

Hesitantly Mathew settles in his seat. He tries to get a good

look at James.

JAMES (CONT'D)
Not now, it's starting.

As if on queue the screen flashes up

in colour.

CUT TO:

TITLE CARD: NANTES 1942

2. INT. A DARK BEDROOM - NIGHT

Marie (Nina) is crouched beside a cot, dressed in a WW2 nurse

outfit. She looks worn out.

In bed is Jacque (Mathew). He's severely wounded and running

a high fever. We see his wrist watch, the time reads
somewhere around midnight, we hear his laboured breath.

Through his bleary eyes we see Marie's worried and flushed

face.

Created using Celtx

 3.

MARIE
(muffled)
Jacque, can you hear me?

Ignoring her, Jacque begins to turn his head slowly to the

side. Myers (James), dressed in military attire walks into
his vision.

JACQUE
Are you death?

Myers gives him a small smile. He shakes his head.

MYERS
That is certainly no way to greet an
old friend.

Marie turns to Myers, She looks desperate.

MARIE
I can't - I can't bring his fever
down. I don't know what to do...

Myers looks at her with a detached expression.

MYERS
Marie...

SCREEN CUTS TO STATIC:

3. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

The screen goes static, illuminating Mathew's confused face.

MATHEW
Wait is that-

He begins to turn his head towards James.

JAMES
Keep watching.

The screen comes back to life.

TITLE CARD: LONDON 1980

4. INT. A PUB - NIGHT

Louise (Nina) and Christopher (Mathew) sit behind a table in

a bar. Across from them is Karl (James). A glass chandelier
hangs above their heads.

Created using Celtx

 4.

KARL
It feels like it's been forever since
we've seen each other.

Karl says, looking at Christopher.

LOUISE
I know!

Louise buts in.

Karl gives her a curt smile. He looks down at Louise and

Christopher's intertwined hands.

Christopher gives Karl a genuine smile. We hear Karl's loud

heartbeat. Louise exhales loudly, breaking Karl out of his
trance. All sounds rush back in at once.

LOUISE (CONT'D)
Actually we have some news.

Louise looks at Christopher with excitement. He looks at her

adoringly.

Karl observes them with an almost grief-like sadness in his

eyes. When they look back at him, his expressions change to
one of fake curiosity.

LOUISE (CONT'D)
We're engaged!

Louise lifts up her hand smiling, showing Karl her ring.

Karl's eyes widen.

KARL
Con-congratulations!

Louise smiles and looks down at her ring.

LOUISE
I can hardly believe it! it's
beautiful isn't it? It's been in
Chris' family for generations.

CHRISTOPHER
Survived the war.

Karl's mouth hangs open in shock.

KARL
Wow...the war...

Created using Celtx

 5.

Karl looks down, looking a bit frazzled. He catches a glance

of Mathew's watch, the time reads sometime close to midnight.

CHRISTOPHER
Karl, are you alright?

Karl looks up at Christopher. Looking more confused than

ever. He composes himself.

KARL
Yes, YES.

He picks up a glass of Champagne.

KARL (CONT'D)
A toast to the beautiful couple!

The crystal's on the chandelier above their head click

together.

SCREEN CUTS TO STATIC

5. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

MATHEW
Are these my past lives?

James gives Mathew a cold stare.

JAMES
Yes.
(Pause)
and mine.

MATHEW
Yeah, I saw you. In the first one you
were-

JAMES
Your best friend. We met in 1933 when
we were just boys. Then, when you came
up with the brilliant plan to lie and
enlist into the army at 16, I followed
you. Hoping I could save you from
dying.
(pause)
I couldn't in the end.

MATHEW
And what about the second one?

Created using Celtx

 6.

JAMES
That was our next reincarnation.

MATHEW
Reincarnation?

JAMES
If there's such a thing as past lives
wouldn't that imply reincarnation?

Mathew takes a second to think.

MATHEW
And Nina? She was in all of these as
well. Is she-

JAMES
Your soulmate? No.

MATHEW
Oh.

He looks down at his undone shoelaces.

MATHEW (CONT'D)
Are you her soulmate then? Is that why
you're keeping me here? showing me
this?

James sighs and turns fully to look at Mathew.

JAMES
I'm your soulmate Mathew. And I was
Jacque's and Christopher's and to all
those who came before and after.

Mathew stares at him in disbelief.

MATHEW
If you were really my soulmate why
aren't we together?

James squares his jaw.

JAMES
Because you always chose her even when
your own life was on the line. You
know Jacque died protecting her? And
Christopher? He won't live to see his
wedding day. Two minutes later the
chandelier will fall into (Cont'd)

Created using Celtx

 7.

Louise and he will shield her with his

body!

MATHEW
And you-

JAMES
(slowly getting angrier)
I have been forced to die with you,
every. Single. Time. Every time you
died, you'd take me with you and
restart the cycle! Not even allowing
me to live out the rest of my
miserable life without you!

Mathew continues to stare at him in shock.

MATHEW
I'm sorry.

James looks straight ahead. He takes some time to gather

himself after his outburst.

JAMES
Doesn't cut it. I'm here because of
you, again.

MATHEW
(Starting to freak out)
Oh God am I dead!

JAMES
Not yet.

MATHEW
What do you mean 'not yet' where the
fuck are we, what is this place?.

James looks up at Mathew, a smirk playing on his face.

JAMES
A place I'm all too familiar with. But
it's your first time here and I
haven't been a good host lately have
I? I'm sorry. Allow me to properly
welcome you to The Rift, between life
and death.

Mathew takes some time to process this. he looks deep in

thought and finally takes James in.

Created using Celtx

 8.

MATHEW
In this life, you killed me didn't
you? You're the reason I'm here. I
know you. We were fighting your gang.
You guys dared to run your game on our
turf-

James sighs in Frustration. Mathew puts both his arms on

James' arm rest.

MATHEW
Did you try to kill me?

His jaw clenched, James stares at him silently.

MATHEW (CONT'D)
Why so quiet all of a sudden huh? it
was you. You killed me didn't you?

James is trembling with Pent up anger.

JAMES
(Through gritted teeth)
You Killed me.

James rises, Mathew stumbles back. Now that James is standing

we can see a dark red spot on his abdomen.

MATHEW
What?

JAMES
You. Killed. Me. And then you tripped
over your stupid, undone laces and hit
your head like a pathetic little
looser that you are.

6. INT. SHADY ROOM - NIGHT - INSERT

A glimpse of their recent life. Mathew runs at James,

swinging his knife.

A knife goes into James' abdomen.

7. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

James continues to approach shell shocked Mathew. He looks

absolutely livid.

JAMES
You have killed me. Over-

Created using Celtx

 9.

8. EXT. IN AN OPEN STREET - NIGHT - INSERT

On a dark night with a victorian building in the background,

Mathew dressed as priest holds up a rock behind James who is
also in a priest's collar.

9. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

James has cornered Mathew into the back of a wall. His finger
is pressing into Mathew's chest.

JAMES (CONT'D)
-and over-

10. EXT. NARROW ALLEYWAY - NIGHT

Mathew dressed as a beggar, chokes James.

11. INT. OLD STORE ROOM - NIGHT

James' face is right next to Mathew. Angry tears streaming

down his face.

JAMES
-again. And I-

James grabs Mathew by the collar of his jacket.

JAMES (CONT'D)
(His tone escalating)
I have had to suffer. Suffer by
falling in love with you, suffer
through realising that you will never
love me back, and finally, oh this one
is my favourite! Because of some cruel
fate, right before you kill us both.
(Screaming)
I remember! I remember everything. And
you never do. And just when I think
that fate won't do this to me again,
you kill me. One way or another.

Mathew's hands grip tightly onto James' who is still holding

Mathew by the collar of his jacket. He glances at Mathew's
watch, the time reads 11:45pm.

James lets go of Mathew, Mathew slides down the wall.

JAMES (CONT'D)
But I guess it was all worth it.
Because, finally. You are here. With

Created using Celtx

 10.

me. Suffering. If God exists, then

this must be what they call his mercy.

James begins to walk towards the door. Then stops, turning

around.

JAMES (CONT'D)
I can't keep doing this anymore.

He opens the door, then looks back at a static Mathew. James

shakes his head, opens the door wider and walks into the
bright light.

Mathew begins to cry. Slowly over time he crawls back into

his seat. His cries turn into a full hysteria now.

The screen flashes back to life, grabbing Mathew's attention.

James dressed differently appears, looking radiant. Then Nina
comes into view. She extends her hand towards James.

We see Mathew's faint silhouette in their background looking

miserable. James and Nina begin walking off into the
distance.

James suddenly stops and turns his head around like he's
about to say something, but just smiles instead looking
straight through the screen at Mathew. His smile turns into a
smirk, he turns around to continue walking with Nina into the
abyss.

CUTS TO: BLACK

Created using Celtx