2. EXT. AIRPORT OF MANAGUA, NICARAGUA. SUNNY DAY. 1980.
Emilina castrillo (63) waits in her half rusted, blue AMC
Gremlin in the arrivals section of the airport, as she takes
the last drags of her cigarette.
Veronica Castrillo (38) exits the airport with a tiny black
luggage and wears brown plaid business attire. She walks
across the street and greets her mother with a long hug.
They get into Emilina’s car and drive off.
INT. EMILINA’S CAR ON THE ROAD
Veronica looks out of the window at the poverty that they
pass by on the streets. Filthy beggars of both genders and
all ages wave their amputated appendages at their car as
they pass by and yell for pesos on the side of the road.
dirty child merchants try to stop and sell them trinkets.
Veronica is not used to the heat anymore and fans her face.
Emilina notices Veronica and chuckles to herself.
EMILINA
(Jokingly)
You’ve grown accustomed to the cold
north weather, eh?
Veronica sracastically smiles at Emilina.
VERONICA
(Cheerfull)
Don’t worry mother, you’ll have a
hard time getting used to the
weather in Toronto as well. And I
will be the one laughing at you
soon. Are your things packed yet?
What of Antonio?
Emilina looks down at her knuckles on the steering wheel.
EMILINA
(Concerned)
I’m all ready my love, but I
haven’t confronted Umberto about
taking Antonio with us. He’s never
allow it.
Veronica stares at Emilina wide eyed.
VERONICA
(Confused, shocked)
You have got to be kidding me mama!
So you’ve been lying to me this
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
3. CONTINUED: 2.
VERONICA (cont’d)
whole time on the phone? Does he
even have his passport!?
Emilina shakes her head silently as she drives.
EMILINA
I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to get it
for him without Umberto noticing.
He’s gotten much worse since the
earthquake took Bertha and won’t
let Antonio do anything without his
say.
Veronica sits sideways on the passenger seat to face
Emilina. She notices and gently thumbs a small, gold picture
locket of her deceased sister, Bertha in her hand, as it
hangs from the rearview mirror with a silver cross.
VERONICA
(Annoyed)
So what? Were gonna steal him from
Umberto and smuggle him through the
U.S. boarder, AND the Canadian
boarder!? You want to be a felon of
child traficking!?
Emilina stops at a red light and stares at young teens with
rifles marching on the side.
EMILINA
(Calm)
I informed Antonio what will
happen. He knows what to do. I’d
rather be charged a criminal than
witness my grandson taken by those
rebel bastards. This will work.
Veronica sits foreword, shakes her head and lights a smoke.
She takes a deep drag and calms down.
VERONICA
(Content)
I hope you have it down for my
sake. The life I made for myself
back home is now on the line. Well
I guess don’t have a choice. So he
knows we will be outside tonight?
EMILINA
Yes, he knows what to look out for.
He will be ready.
4. 3.
INT. UMBERTO’S HOUSE. EVENING.
Antonio (11) walks through the front door after a long day
of work on the plantation. He is coated in dirt and dry
sweat. He sips cola out of a plastic bag through a straw.
The tight spaced house is dimly lit. Newspapers and records
are stacked helter-skelter on the dusty tile floor.
Miscellaneous garbage and empty beer bottles cover the blank
spots. A feint drip is heard from a ceiling pipe into a
bucket. Cracks run throughout the walls. Dusty pictures hang
crooked all over. The bathroom door swings open as Antonio
walks past on the made path to his room. A sweaty, half
drunk Umberto (50) enters in a wife beater and boxers. He
backhands Antonio across his face, who falls and knocks a
pile of newspaper over. His soda bag splashes everywhere.
UMBERTO
(Belligerent, slurs)
Where is the beer I told you to get
after work? Instead you treat
yourself to some soda?
Antonio slowly gets up and holds his face.
ANTONIO
(Weary)
I’m sorry papa. The clerk wouldn’t
give it to me because you still owe
him for the last case. He let me
have the soda for free.
Antonio digs into his pocket and holds the beer money and
his earnings form the plantation to Umberto. Umberto
snatches it out of his hands and counts it aggressively.
UMBERTO
(Angrily)
I swear, if a single peso is
missing, your on the streets for
the night. You don’t know how good
you have it here, while so many
your age must feed themselves from
trash. Go to your room and think
hard about that. Judging from the
soda, you’ve had enough to last
until tomorrow. Get some rest.
Antonio quietly heads into his room and shuts the door.
5. 4.
INT. UMBERTO’S HOUSE. LATE NIGHT TIME. ANTONIO’S ROOM.
Antonio lays in his dirt stained cot and waits under his
ragged sheets. He nibbles on a cracker he received with his
soda. He sees the flickered light signal from Emilina’s car
through his gated window. He quietly gets up, pulls a small
bag of things behind his cot and heads to the door. He
gently creaks the door open and tip toes out.
INT. DARK LIVING ROOM.
Antonio carefully sneaks past Umberto, as he drunkenly snors
in his recliner. He accidentally kicks a bottle of beer on
the ground and wakes Umberto, who realizes immediately he is
running away. Antonio turns white and bolts outside.
ANTONIO
I’m sorry papa!
Umberto springs out of his reckety seat after him.
UMBERTO
You little shit!
EXT. OUTSIDE OF UMBERTO’S HOUSE.
Emilina and Veronica wait in the car. Antonio sprints
towards them, as Umberto stumbles behind. Antonio scurries
into the back seat Veronica opens behind her seat and they
speed off. Umberto throws a bottle at their car and curses
their names in the middle of the street.
INT. EMILINA’S CAR ON THE ROAD. MOMENTS LATER.
Antonio breathes heavily and starts to tear up. Veronica
climbs into the back seat, craddles and clams him.
VERONICA
(Whispers softly)
Don’t worry mijo, you’re going to
be safe. He won’t hurt you anymore.
Your going to be with me and your
abuela in a better place as a
Castrillo now.
Antonio fades of to sleep in Veronica’s arms as she nurtures
him. She wipes a tear from her face and smiles as she
stroked his curly hair. She smells his head and cringes.
(CONTINUED)
6. CONTINUED: 5.
VERONICA
(Quietly, sniffles)
This little trooper needs a bath
more than I need a drag right now.
I hope you know what your doing.
EMILINA
(Confident and joyous)
We’ll clean him on the road.
EXT. DAYS LATER. THE MOXICO/U.S, BOARDER. VERY HOT MORNING
Emilina and Veronica are up next in the car line to pass
customs. Emilina wears a poufy yellow church dress in the
passenger seat. Veronica is in the driver’s seat. The car in
front of them is halted. Border patrol arrests the driver,
as the drug dogs sniff out a brick of drugs under his car.
Emilina and Veronica try to keep their composure. Their
adrenaline runs. Veronica fans ger sweat glistenes face
nervously and stuffs her cigarette butt in the full ashtray.
She light another one. Emilina clutches a pendant around her
neck, lips a prayer, and gently pats her poofy lap.
EMILINA
(Whispers)
Just stay quiet mi amor. It will be
over soon.
Their car squeaks up to customs. The driver in front of them
is moved to the side, slammed onto his car hood and
strip-searched. A stalky, Spanish officer (38) with aviators
and a thick mustache approaches Emilina’s car. He wipes the
sweat beading down his face in his full uniform.
OFFICER GOMEZ
Passports please. Where are you
ladies headed? What’s your reason
for travel?
Veronica tries not to shake as she hands their passports.
VERONICA
I am a psychiatrist in Toronto. I’m
taking my mother to live with me.
Officer Gomez looks at Emilina straight faced.
OFFICER GOMEZ
(Skeptical)
Is this true ma’am? Why didn’t you
fly there, instead of drive all
this way?
(CONTINUED)
7. CONTINUED: 6.
Emilina, unprepared for the question, takes a moment to
respond.
EMILINA
(Stutters)
I, I have a, a fear of flying
officer, a, and I do not trust
myself to drive all this way alone.
I have a very good daughter. No?
Veronica rubs Emilina’s shoulder and smiles at her.
VERONICA
(Sincere)
Anything for you mama.
OFFICER GOMEZ
(Pleased)
Well that’s a keeper you gat there.
Is there anything that your are
bringing over I should know about?
EMILINA AND VERONICA
(Simultaneously)
No sir.
As they answer, a sneeze is heard from under Emilina’s
dress. A moment of silence passes as drug dogs sniff their
car. Officer Gomez calmly walks over to the other side of
the car to Emilina’s window. Veronica turns white and
shakes, as she lights another cigarette. Officer Gomez moves
in closer into the window and stares at Emilina
OFFICER GOMEZ
(Inquisitive)
And who is that under your dress?
A tear streams down Emilina’s face.
EMILINA
(Whimpers)
Please officer, it was nothing.
Nothing at all.
Officer Gomez sighs and readies his radio.
OFFICER GOMEZ
Where are you ladies coming from?
EMILINA
(Afraid)
Managua, Nicaragua sir.
(CONTINUED)
8. CONTINUED: 7.
Antonio tries his best not to be heard as he weeps under
Emilina’s dress. Officer Gomez hears Antonio, takes off his
glasses and glares into Emilina’s Eyes.
OFFICER GOMEZ
(Sympathetic)
That place is a mess right now. I’m
lucky I left before the earthquake.
Officer Gomez takes his hand off of his radio and puts his
aviators back on after a moment of silence. The dogs find no
contraband and leave.
OFFICER GOMEZ
(Stern, serious)
Don’t make any unnecessary stops
and get out of this country as fast
as humanly possible. I better not
regret this decision. Welcome, and
have a safe trip.
Veronica says nothing and stares foreword at the road
petrified. Emilina’s face floods with tears. She takes
office Gomez’s hand and kisses it.
EMILINA
(Happy, tearful)
Bless you officer. We will.
Officer Gomez steps away from the vehicle and they roll
their car slowly through the boarder. Another officer walks
up to Officer Gomez.
OFFICER
(Confused)
What was that kiss on the hand
about Gomez? Get any digits?
Officer Gomez shrugs his shoulders and wipes his forehead.
OFFICER GOMEZ
Eh we’re just from the same town in
Nicaragua, that’s all. Small world.
The officers continue to go about their jobs, as Emilina’s
car fades in the heat waved distance.
FADE TO BLACK
