Practical Script

Checkmate

FADE IN:
EXT. ALLEY - DAY
Two people sit in an alley with a chess board between them.
MARA, a teenage girl dressed in white/grey clothing is controlling the white chess pieces, while an unidentified FIGURE dressed in black is controlling the black pieces.
The game is nearing the end, with the FIGURE only moving one chess piece to win and put her in checkmate.
When the chess piece hits the table, an upbeat song begins to play.
CUT TO:
INT. TABLE AT COLLEGE
The song continues to the next setting, and is revealed to be MARA’s alarm.
MARA sits up and turns her alarm off. Then, she looks around at the homework she was completing and sees the FIGURE at the top of the staircase next to her.
She gathers her papers and leaves briskly. 
CUT TO:
INT. CLASSROOM
MARA sits at the front left side of the room, with the FIGURE at the back right side.
TEACHER, a strict teacher stands at the front of the class teaching Maths.
The TEACHER is going over the work for the lesson, but MARA is daydreaming instead of paying attention. In the background, there is the sound of the music from the previous scene.
TEACHER
MARA?
MARA is taken out of her daydream when the teacher says her name, causing the music to stop playing.
TEACHER
MARA, you please answer the equation?
MARA is visibly frightened and confused. As MARA’s anxiety grows, the figure draws nearer, moving from the back of the classroom to the middle, moving diagonally like a chess piece.
TEACHER
MARA, I said, could you please answer the equation?
MARA
I-I uhh
TEACHER
Can anyone who was paying attention help MARA?
The FIGURE is now sat right next to MARA, as the TEACHER shifts their focus, MARA lets out a breath of relief, and opens a packet of pills. She takes one pill from the packet and swallows it to calm her nerves. Once she swallows the pill, the same music from the alarm begins to play.
CUT TO:
EXT. BUS STOP
MARA walks to her bus stop, wearing earphones with the upbeat music playing through, and she stands waiting at the stop for her bus. Standing across the road from MARA is the FIGURE. When MARA notices the figure she begins to run away.
BACK TO
EXT. ALLEY
MARA runs into the alley. The FIGURE appears and then they’re both standing in the same place as in MARA’s dream, facing each other. 
There is a cut to the two kings of the chess set in the same place as MARA and the FIGURE, as the black chess piece knocks over the white. 
FADE OUT.

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