This 3-scene summary covers the key events and progression in the short story "Brown Sugar": 1) The story introduces friends Rachel, Mel, and Aster who go to a party at Stan's house, where Aster meets Billy. They bond over smoking outside. 2) One year later, Aster and Billy have begun a relationship and do drugs regularly with their friends. They increasingly isolate themselves, using more often just the two of them. 3) The story culminates with Billy introducing heroin to Aster. After they inject, she passes out and does not wake up, leaving Billy distraught by her death from an overdose.

1. “BROWN SUGAR”
By
Phoebe-Annelies Jones
Parsonage Barn Ln,
Ringwood BH24 1SE
01425 475000
jonesp@ringwood.hants.sch.uk

2. 2
FADE IN:
SCENE 1 – INT, RACHEL’S HOUSE - BEDROOM, NIGHT
1
MEL
(To Rachel, slightly teasing)
Are you looking forward
to seeing Stan?
RACHEL
Shut up Mel! (Laughing)
He invited all of us round.
Not just me!
ASTER
Yeah right Rach, (laughing)
he invited us so he could
see you!
2 MEL
Yeah let’s be real
We won’t see you all night.
RACHEL
3 Shut up! (Smiling)
SCENE 2 – INT/EXT, RACHEL’S HOUSE, NIGHT
4
5
The Rachel puts o some lip gloss while Aster and Mel finish
their mascara. They all leave the room walk down the stairs
and out of the house. All three pile into a car on the
street. The car drives of.
SCENE 3 – EXT, STAN’S HOUSE, NIGHT

3. 3
6
The girls drive up to a really big house in the forest. The
lights are on but no music can be heard. All three girls
get out of the car.
7
8 MEL
Doesn’t seem like a party’s
happening.
9 ASTER
You sure this is his house?
10 Rachel
Yeah… I’m sure.
The girls walk up to the front door and ring the doorbell.
11 A Blonde Boy (Stan) answers the door.
STAN
You alright? Come in. Were just
through there. (Points to his right)
12
SCENE 4 – INT, STANS’S LIVING AREA, NIGHT
Mel and Aster walk through Stan and Rachel following close
behind, talking indistinctively. They walk into a room
where 2 other guys are hanging out.
13
STAN
Make yourself at home guys
MEL
James!
Mel runs over to James and sits next to him Aster
stands by herself, gripping her rose wine

4. 4
14
ASTER
Where’s the kitchen?
(lifting up the bottle)
Glass (smiles awkwardly)
STAN
Just down the hall.
15
Aster stands behind the counter in the kitchen looking
16 out into the dark garden pouring a glass of wine. Billy
stands in the door way looking at Aster.
17
BILLY
Not the massive
Party you were expecting huh?
18 Aster jumps slightly.
Aster
No not really (one sided smile)
19 Billy
(Walks down the steps. Pulls a box
out of his top pocket) You smoke?
20 Aster
Um… Sure
Scene 5 – EXT, STAN’S PATIO,NIGHT
21
Billy and Aster walk out the patio doors and stand to the
left of the room where everyone is.
22 You can see Rachel and Stan flirting and Mel and James
laughing. Billy Lights his cig and smiles at Aster. Aster

5. 5
looks down at the ground smiling. Time jump- “1 year later”
will come on the bottom of the screen.
SCENE 6 – EXT, FIELD, DAYTIME
23
Aster and Billy are seen lying on the ground. Smoking a
spliff. Billy lights a sliff in his mouth.
24 He smokes it for a bit then passes it to Aster.
25 Aster takes a toke. Billy’s phone rings.
Billy
(Pics up phone answers it)
26 You alright Stan? Yeah… sure.
Yeah mate be there in about 30 mins.
27
SCENE 7 – EXT, PUB GARDEN, AFTERNOON
28
29
Stan, Billy, James, Cam, Aster, Mel are all at the pub
drinking pints.
30
James
I want coke
Billy
Yeah right
James
Wanna go halves?
Stan
I’ve already got some mate
(Laughing)

6. 6
Billy
How much?
Stan
(Laughing) enough!
BILLY
Is there enough for…?
(Tilting his head towards Aster)
While all this is happening Aster and Mel are just chatting
indistinctively between them.
31
Billy
Aster come with us.
Aster Follows the boys.
SCENE 8 – INT, TOILET VARIOS LOCATIONS, NIGHT
32
Time laps of Billy and Aster doing drugs with their mates.
In Party situations. In quieter situations. Including
Asters 19th and Billie’s 22nd. Slowly one by one mates just
start disappearing around the circle. Until the last shot
of the laps is just aster and Billy snorting lines off of a
coffee table in a quiet apartment.
SCENE 9 – EXT, OUTSIDE A PUB, NIGHT
33
Billy coming out of his work. He then bumps into his
dealer.
Ben
You alright Bill?
Billy
Yeah mate you alright?
Ben

7. 7
Yeah Yeah… Look I’ve got
Something in that you’ve got to try.
Billy
(With slight excitement)
Oh right. What’s that?
Ben
You free now?
Billy
Yeah
Ben
Come with me.
SCENE 10 – INT/EXT, BARN, NIGHT
34
We see the two walk up to an abandoned barn three other
guys sat on sleeping sacks and bags. Water bottles
scattered about. Each of them looking ill and slow.
35
Ben
That’s Harry (pointing to his left)
Jack (pointing behind)
David (pointing to a dark corner)
Billy
(Nods slightly)
36
37
Billy and Ben sit on a sleeping sac Billy Slightly above
Ben. Ben pulls out a needle, spoon lighter and baggy out of
his bag. He places the baggy on his knee.

8. 8
SCENE 11 – INT, APPARTMENT, MORNING
38
We hear a door slam and thudding up stairs. We see Billy
rushing into the bedroom.
Billy
(Shouting)Aster!
39
Aster walks out of the bedroom door tired Wiping the sleep
from her eyes.
Billy
Come here
40
Billy takes her arm and leads her to the kitchen. Billy
lifts her up onto the Kitchen side. Alt-J Starts Playing in
the background.
Aster
You haven’t been home
Billy
I know.
(Kisses her on the cheek)
But I’ve got
something for you to try.
41
42
We see a detailed display of Billy cooking the heroin in a
bent spoon. Lighting it with a zippo. He finally brings up
the liquid in a hypodermic needle.
43
Billy
Do your Trust Me?

9. 9
Aster
(Nodding her head) yes
44
Billy Slowly puts the needle in Aster’s Arm. And then into
his. Pushing the liquid deep into their veins. He then
Kisses Aster on Her forehead
SCENE 12 – INT, LOUNGE, DAYTIME
45
46
Aster and Billy gradually walk to the lounge where they
pass out on the sofas.
SCENE 13 – INT, LOUNGE, DAYTIME
47
48
Billy wakes up. He slowly crawls over to Aster. We see
Aster lying still on the sofa beside him. White on her lips
and her eyes wide and empty.
Billy
Aster. (Shaking her gently)
Aster? (Shakes more viscously)
49 Aster!
FADE OUT:
THE END