Vietnam

A short script I wrote while I was sick with Covid.

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

The house is plain, old, and musky. The living room is mostly bare—just a few pieces of worn-out furniture. There is a black and white television sitting on an end table.

Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

A simple and cheap green kitchen table with only two chairs.

CHARLIE (23) wears a gray tee shirt with holes and has a shabby unkempt beard. He sits in the black recliner and watches the news coverage of the Vietnam War. He is drinking a bottle of whisky. His eyes are red from lack of sleep, and he looks hurt, confused, and lonely.

The television, with a clothes hanger for rabbit ears, comes in fuzzy.

INT. BATHROOM - NIGHT

Charlie brushes his teeth. The shower curtain is pulled back, and a dead VIETNAMESE man is propped up in the corner of the shower.

The Vietnamese’s body is pale and blue. His eyes are slightly open but lifeless.

Photo by Sander Sammy on Unsplash

Charlie continues to brush his teeth like nothing is there. As Charlie continues brushing his teeth, it is revealed that the dead soldier in the bathtub is standing right behind him.

The Vietnamese’s face is covered in blood, and his expression is one of rage. The Vietnamese opens his mouth, and black, slimy goo drips out of his mouth.

He holds up a machete and is about to chop off Charlie’s head, but Charlie just ignores him.

INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT

Charlie dials the rotary phone.

CHARLIE

Hello... Yeah... I’m having thoughts again... Just really bad thoughts. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with this. I... Sure, I’ll hold...

Charlie hangs up the phone.

Photo by Braxton Apana on Unsplash

INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Charlie drinks and watches the news coverage on the small black-and-white television. He falls asleep.

INT. LIVING ROOM (LATER) - NIGHT

Charlie wakes up. He is surprised that he fell asleep. The living room is dark and quiet. An American Flag is shown on the black and white television. The American anthem plays, and then the television goes to static.

The quiet makes Charlie uncomfortable. Charlie looks down the hallway. He sees the shadow of a figure. Someone is watching him.

Charlie looks down and sees a gun lying beside him in the recliner. Charlie grabs the gun. Charlie heavily breathes as drops of sweat run down his face.

The figure becomes clearer. It is the Vietnamese from the bathroom. He is now dressed in a Vietnamese soldier uniform. He moves in closer to Charlie.

Charlie grips his gun as the soldier movies closer... and closer... and closer...

BLAM! BLAM!

Charlie leaps from the chair and shoots. The soldier crumbles to the floor.

Charlie drops the gun and falls to his knees.

Photo by Sergej Spomer on Unsplash

INT. BATHROOM - MORNING

Charlie brushes his teeth. The Vietnamese man is in the shower again. Charlie stops brushing his teeth and looks at the dead body. Will it ever end?

EXT. CHARLIE’S HOUSE - DAY

BUCK (50), a big husky guy wearing camouflage pants knocks on Charlie’s door.

BUCK

Charlie? You okay, buddy? No one has seen you in a few days. I thought I needed to check on you.

Buck knocks on the door again.

BUCK (CONT’D)

You okay?

Buck opens the door. Charlie sits in front of the black-and-white television set while the News coverage of Vietnam plays on the television.

Charlie has a slight grin on his face. His skin is pale and gray and his lips are blue.

There is a needled in Charlie’s arm. Charlie is dead.

BUCK (CONT’D)

Oh, Charlie...

INT. VIETNAM - DAY

Photo by The New York Public Library on Unsplash

A NEWS REPORTER interviews Charlie while Charlie is serving his duty in Vietnam.

REPORTER

How long have you been here?

CHARLIE

I have been here four months.

REPORTER

It’s rough.

CHARLIE

Yeah, it’s rough.

REPORTER

You volunteered for this?

CHARLIE

Yes, I did. I just figured that it was my American duty to be here. All of these other men... drafted. I just wanted to do what was right.

REPORTER

Are you looking forward to going back home?

CHARLIE

Of course, I am. I look forward to kissing my girlfriend and having some R&R.

Charlie smiles, but his face looks distant, like he is thinking of something else. The film then turns to flames.

FADE OUT: