Act 2: Part 3

BACH

It's very calming, similar to Goh's

tea but much more potent and

intoxicating. Want to try it?

Bach opens the window and his hand holding the blunt peaks

through it. Franklin pushes it away and closes the window,

fanning away the smoke that seeped through.

FRANKLIN

Nope. I don't trust Goh's products

anymore.

Franklin finishes his glass as he looks up at the glass

painting of the angel wrestling Jacob through the wooden mesh

window above him.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Do you think his wife knew?

BACH

Oh I'm sure of it... although, I

shouldn't be gossiping others

confessions in this booth.

FRANKLIN

You were rattling off about him

earlier when I woke up.

BACH

We weren't in the box.

FRANKLIN

What was he like before he sold

this stuff?

There is a moment of a brief pause where Bach refuses to

answer but he's too stoned to fight off his mind filter.

BACH

Well... let's see... how far should

I go back? The earliest part of his

life he shared with me was his

years as a kamikaze pilot.

Franklin has a shocked expression and leans closer to the

window to hear Bach. We see a split shot of the smoky hotbox

where Bach is sweating and rambling, and Franklin is blushed

drunk.

42.

BACH (CONT'D)

On his last flight in Europe, when

the time finally came for him to

execute his mission, he bailed and

landed in the meadows near this

church.

Franklin lets out a drunken giggle and abruptly stops when a

hiccup interrupts it.

BACH (CONT'D)

I helped him hide his plane under

some brush in the woods. He was a

deserter and lived being paranoid

that he would be hunted down.

Bach lets out a weed cough and lights up another joint.

Several close ups of him sweating, the hotbox getting denser,

and his bloodshot eyes.

BACH (CONT'D)

It was his wife that helped him

start a new life here in France.

She taught him our language, helped

him start his business, raised

Sumi... she was an angel.

FRANKLIN

(drunk mumble)

My wife wanted me to learn her

language...French sounded

so...distant. I never bothered.

BACH

I often think about why he's turned

out to be so different than what he

was when she was around.

Perhaps it was because she was so

angelic that when she disappeared

he turned into a demon.

Beat passes.

FRANKLIN

I'm actually well acquainted with

an angel.

BACH

Your wife?

FRANKLIN

No, she's gone.

43.

BACH

Oh... are you referring to the

being you talk to?

FRANKLIN

Wait, do you see him too? Is it

like a priest special privilege to

be able to witness other's guardian

angels?

BACH

Guardian you say? I'm not too

familiar but I know enough to say

your relationship to yours is

unusual.

FRANKLIN

I mean that guy up there gets it. I

think I'm in the same boat.

BACH

Jacob? That's not an angel. He

wrestled with God.

FRANKLIN

Whoa, that's badass. Did he win?

BACH

In a way... Once he realized it was

God, he clung to Him until day

break, begging to be blessed.

FRANKLIN

That doesn't sound like a

victory... You got any advice on

defeating one? I'm trying to get

rid of mine.

BACH

God placed that angel over you to

protect you.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Yeah buddy, I saved your life.

Franklin jumps as the angel appears abruptly sitting beside

him.

FRANKLIN

Yeah... well this angel is clinging

onto me, and I'm losing this battle

father. Goh was supposed to lead me

to the doctor; him and his daughter

was supposed to be crippled.

(MORE)

44.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Everything fell apart. I'm back to

square one and this annoying angel

is still here, reminding me I can't

leave without finishing our

bargain.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

Awwww don't make such a fuss, look

at all the cool people you've met.

Don't give up on them yet, I still

believe in you.

The angel pats Franklin on the shoulder.

FRANKLIN

I swear... You can't be an angel,

you've only resembled a demon this

entire time.

You want me to part out pieces of

me to those in need? That's the

most absurd thing... no angel would

come up with something like that.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

I didn't come up with that. You

did. You want this just as much as

I do Franklin.

Franklin becomes furious and raises a fist.

FRANKLIN

Father, please tell me how to harm

an angel, there's got to be

something in that thick holy book

of yours that's of value...

We hear Bach's snore.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Father?

Franklin turns to the window and opens it to check on Bach.

The smelly smoke spills in and Franklin quickly shuts it. He

leans in close to hear Bach's snores and shakes his head in

disappointment.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Just when I start to open up, he

doesn't want to listen.

Franklin turns to face the angel again but is met with Sumi

instead. He flinches back, startled at her sudden appearance

replacing the angel.

45.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Ah! What are you- How did you get

here?

SUMI

I... opened the door.

She holds up the photo of Franklin's wife.

SUMI (CONT'D)

You dropped this earlier.

Franklin reaches up slowly to grab it off of her hands. He

looks intently at his wife.

SUMI (CONT'D)

She's very pretty. Reminds me of

mother. Was she French too?

Franklin flips over the photo and looks at the writing on the

back of it. It is written in French.

SUMI (CONT'D)

I'm sorry... I didn't mean to look.

FRANKLIN

Read it to me.

Sumi looks up, surprised.

FRANKLIN (CONT'D)

Please...

Sumi hesitantly approaches Franklin who carefully turns the

photo so that the writing faces Sumi.

SUMI

To my dearest husband, How much

longer will you be away? I'm

getting lonely, but that won't be

for much longer... I am with child.

By the time this letter reaches

you, both your daughter and I will

be waiting for your return. Don't

die in this forsaken war. Love,

Colette.

Sumi covers her mouth and looks up expectedly to Franklin.

His eyes are lost, his posture sunken, and a broken hiccup

escapes his mouth.