Screenplay: Cookie/s

INT. REBECCA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

AVA WILLIAMS (2), a cherubic girl small for her age, stares up at a square clock on a dresser.

The square clock shows 7.59, as the second hand TICKS. The minute and hour hands DISSOLVE as the time nears eight. Each second hand tick becomes louder.

GLOVED CARTOON HANDS HOLDING DRUMSTICKS sprout from the clock’s sides. A SMALL TOY DRUM appears. The clock DRUMROLLS.

The second hand hits 12.

Ava turns and runs. As she runs across the room FIREWORKS explode everywhere, and a few TOYS lying around stir and secretly wink at each other.

Ava stops. She slowly and properly walks up to REBECCA WILLIAMS (29), an attractive woman sitting at a dresser, dressed in an elegant gown and applying make-up.

Ava looks up at the grown-up as

STREAMS OF COLORFUL CLOTH appear and fly around Rebecca’s body, wrapping her up like the way a kid would wrap a Christmas present.

THE POWDER PUFF in her hand becomes A LARGE CIRCULAR STAMP, which she uses to stamp her face again and again.

Rebecca puts down the stamp and picks up her LIPSTICK, which becomes A CRAYON. Rebecca colors inside the lines of her lips as

A HAND appears, and tugs at her elaborate skirt.

AVA
…Mommy?

A face like a drawing not yet finished turns to Ava.

REBECCA
Is it eight already?

Rebecca puts down the crayon and leans down, her weird face inches from Ava’s. She scratches Ava’s cheek affectionately.

REBBECA
(continuing)
Let’s go get your cookie.

The face withdraws. Rebecca stands and walks towards the door, a giant walking away. Ava runs and passes Rebecca.

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT

Ava appears first, running down half the hallway before she realizes Rebecca is missing.

Rebecca appears, walking very very very slowly.

Ava runs back to Rebecca and tugs at her to make her go faster.

After a few steps, Rebecca bends and whooshes Ava up in her arms, hugging Ava to her body. Ava looks over Rebecca’s shoulder. The ground suddenly looks very far away.

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Rebecca enters and walks across rows of drawers at one side of the kitchen. Ava sees the sneaky drawers open a little and close again, all behind Rebecca’s back.

Rebecca stops at the stove on the other side of the kitchen, and sets Ava down.

Ava shakes a finger at the drawers as one of Rebecca’s legs taps behind her. A cupboard CLOSES. Ava turns to see –

A COOKIE JAR in Rebecca’s hands. Rebecca takes the lid off and GOLDEN LIGHT bursts forth. She holds the cookie jar down in front of Ava, who looks into it to see –

COOKIES, COOKIES, AND MORE COOKIES, ALL SHINY AND GLOWING.

REBECCA
Just one.

Ava takes a glowing cookie, her face mesmerized by its light, and runs off to the other door in the kitchen.

REBECCA
(continuing)
Ava?

Ava stops and turns around.

AVA
Thank you, Mommy.

REBECCA
Remember, it’s a privilege, not a right.

Ava nods and runs out the other door into –

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT (continuous)

She zips past a DINNER TABLE WITH TALL CHAIRS, and then a SMALL KIDS’ TABLE AND CHAIR next to it, towards a COUCH in front of the TV. She flops onto the couch.

Ava inspects the glowing cookie carefully. When she lowers the cookie,

BUDDY (3), a boy with long silky locks, stares at her.

Ava and Buddy look at each other, Ava on the couch and Buddy kneeling on the floor, hunched forward and leaning on his closed fists.

Ava shakes her head. Buddy half-rises and puts his fists on her lap. She holds the cookie far away from him, and points with her other hand for him to go away.

Buddy lays his head on her lap, sad. His head slides onto the couch as Ava stands and walks to a corner of the living room. She looks down to see –

A DOG BOWL, INSCRIBED WITH THE WORD ‘BUDDY’, AND FILLED WITH MAGGOTY GRISTLE.

Ava turns to look at Buddy, now curled up on the floor. She looks down at her cookie again. She looks at Buddy. Cookie. Buddy. She SIGHS, and walks towards Buddy.

INT. REBECCA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Rebecca, her face completely colored, spritzes a LARGE CAN at her neck as Ava walks up to her. FLOWER PETALS burst from the nozzle. Ava tugs at Rebecca as she puts the can down.

Ava looks very small as she speaks.

AVA
Mommy?

REBECCA
Mmmhmm?

AVA
Cookie.

REBECCA
You already had one, Ava. You know the rule.

AVA
Bubby take cookie.

Rebecca looks at Ava briefly, and then reaches down and lifts her up, setting her on the dresser. Ava looks around curiously; there are PAINT BOTTLES, CRAYONS, and PLAYING BLOCKS WITH FUNNY NAMES.

REBECCA
Did you give Buddy your cookie?

AVA
Uh-huh.

REBECCA
Yes, Ava. Not uh-huh.

AVA
Yes, Mommy.

REBECCA
Ava, if you decide to give Buddy your cookie, then you can’t come and ask Mommy for another one. Because then I’m the one who’s giving Buddy the cookie, not you. Do you understand that?

Ava’s eyes are big. She nods, but only because she knows she’s supposed to.

REBECCA
(continuing)
When you grow up, and you want to give someone a cookie, you have to remember that if you want another cookie, you’ll have to earn it yourself. No-one is going to give you another cookie for free. Okay? You have to earn it yourself.

Mother and daughter look at each other. A door CLOSES in the distance. Rebecca sets Ava down.

REBECCA
(continuing)
Mommy and Daddy are going out tonight. Mrs. McCluskey will be here, okay?

MICHAEL
Ava? Becky?

REBECCA
Now go say hi to Daddy.

Ava nods, and runs through –

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT (continuous)

Into –

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT (continuous)

Ava runs towards a tired-looking clown removing BIG SHOES. This is MICHAEL WILLIAMS (35). He smiles and sweeps Ava up, walking towards Rebecca’s bedroom.

MICHAEL
How’s my tiger tonight?

Ava grabs Michael’s free hand and pretends to bite his fingers.

MICHAEL
(continuing)
Has Mommy finished painting her face?

Ava nods. They pass by the kitchen door.

AVA
Daddy. Cookie.

Michael stops.

MICHAEL
Didn’t Mommy already give you one?

AVA
…No.

Michael looks surprised. He turns and walks into –

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT (continuous)

Michael goes to the shelf and opens it, taking out the cookie jar with his free hand and setting it on the stove.

REBECCA
Michael?

Rebecca enters just as Michael takes the lid off. The colors on her face darken scarily.

REBECCA
(continuing)
Michael Edward Williams. What exactly do you think you’re doing?

Rebecca’s lips keep moving as she walks towards Michael, but her voice deepens to a GROWL, like the monsters’ on the cartoon network. Her face darkens into blacks and reds.

Michael SQUEAKS as he tries to explain. Eventually he raises both hands in surrender, dropping Ava.

Far below the big grown-ups, Ava watches the cookie jar on the stove become smaller and smaller. Then –

A doorbell RINGS. Michael and Rebecca stop arguing.

REBECCA
(continuing)
That’s Mrs. McCluskey.


Rebecca leaves. Michael stares at Ava. His clown suit slowly disappears, revealing A FORMAL SUIT.

He turns, and keeps the cookie jar. He shakes his head at Ava, and leaves.

Ava stares at the shelf as Buddy joins her. GOLDEN LIGHT seeps out from the cracks.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Rebecca and Michael are talking with MRS. MCCLUSKEY (75), an old lady with a WALKING STICK, near the open front door. Ava peeks from the hallway.

REBECCA
…not allowed to have any more cookies –

Mrs. McCluskey is nodding as Rebecca suddenly turns her head in Ava’s direction. Ava quickly hides.

REBECCA
(continuing)
Ava, come and say hello to Mrs. McCluskey.

Ava appears from around the corner, hands clasped behind her back, the very picture of a nice little girl. She takes a few steps forwards, but stops.

REBECCA
(continuing)
Come on, now.

Ava rubs her THUMBS together nervously behind her back, as the big people loom in front like giants. Rebecca’s eyes narrow.

Mrs. McCluskey lays a reassuring hand on Rebecca’s arm, and then walks towards Ava’s small figure, smiling pleasantly.

Mrs. McCluskey transforms with each step.

She hunches. Her formless dress shrivels into a witch’s outfit, nails lengthen into claws, bumps appear all over her, teeth become crooked and yellow, and her hair bursts loose from the hairnet into a shaggy mess. The walking stick twists into A GNARLY STAFF WITH CARVED SKULLS. This is WITCH MCCLUSKEY (75).

Witch McCluskey stops before Ava, and bends down. The two face each other, Witch McCluskey still smiling pleasantly, and Ava trying not to shake.

Witch McCluskey extends A CLAW, and scratches Ava’s cheek.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
My sweet…

Ava YELPS and runs to Michael, clinging onto his leg. Witch McCluskey stands and turns around.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
Sweetie?

Ava tries to get her father to understand, but she doesn’t have the words to make him understand.

MICHAEL
It’s okay, tiger, it’s okay.

REBECCA
Ava, please. Mrs. McCluskey, I’m sorry, but we really have to leave. Could you…

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
I surely could. Don’t you worry one bit, Mrs. Williams.

Witch McCluskey’s smile widens horrifyingly as she gets nearer to Ava, and plucks her from Michael’s feet. Ava is too terrified to struggle.

Michael nods awkwardly.

MICHAEL
I’ll go start the car.

Michael leaves. Rebecca smiles apologetically.

REBECCA
Ava’s… playful, but it’s been a while since Mr. Williams and I had some time to ourselves, so if it’s not an emergency…

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
Don’t you worry, my dear.

Rebecca nods, and cradles Ava’s face tenderly, before leaving.

Framed by the open front door, Ava reaches out a desperate hand. Witch McCluskey’s smile grows impossibly larger, as she folds Ava’s outstretched hand back to her chest with one hand, and with her other shuts the door.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
Alone at last. Now we can have some fun, you and I.

Witch McCluskey takes Ava away.

The TV in the living room BLARES as a criminal procedural drama unfolds.

Witch McCluskey and Ava sit on the couch side by side. Witch McCluskey, the reflections from the TV shifting on her face like a spell, leans towards Ava.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
Ooooh. That is one naughty young lady who is about to be punished.

Ava looks confused and scared. She sneaks a look at Buddy, who is curled up in the corner.

Buddy smiles sympathetically, and then, with the air of telling a secret, lifts up one leg a bit.

Ava looks confused for a moment, and then gets it. She turns to the entranced Witch McCluskey, and tugs the latter’s sleeve.

AVA
Pee pee.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
You need to go to the toilet? Can’t you wait for a little while more?

Ava shakes her head.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
Well… do you know how to use the potty by yourself?

Ava nods, her head bobbing up and down.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
All right then. Come back quickly.

Ava grins at Buddy, and runs off.

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Ava stares at the cupboard that still seeps golden light. She knows she can’t reach it. She looks around, and the TALL CHAIR in the dining room catches her eye.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Ava looks at the chair and puts a finger to her lips, looking meaningfully at the back of Witch McCluskey’s head poking up from the couch in the background.

The KIDS’ CHAIR rocks, trying to get Ava’s attention, but Ava wags a finger at it to stay put.

Ava grabs one leg of the tall chair, and pulls as quickly and as quietly as she can. The chair stubbornly tilts in the other direction as she drags it into –

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Ava positions the chair in front of the stove. She shakes her head at the chair for being bad, like her daddy did earlier at her.

Ava tries to climb onto the chair, but discovers that she’s too short.

Grabbing one leg of the chair, Ava lifts, trying to put it on its side.

It works, at first, but the chair soon weighs too much on the opposite side. Ava struggles, and then is forced to let go.

The chair starts to topple over.

Ava tries to catch the leg in the air, her body arched forwards and upwards with the effort, but her fingers just miss the leg.

The chair hits the ground with an explosive CRASH.

Ava stares at the chair, and then at the faraway cupboard.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
Ava?

Ava turns to see –

Witch McCluskey standing in the doorway, leaning on her staff, fearsome and mad. The SKULLS on her staff smile evilly.

Witch McCluskey walks to the cupboard and opens it.

She sees the cookie jar. She looks inside, and looks at Ava suspiciously.

Then, on purpose, she puts the cookie jar on the highest shelf in the cupboard.

Ava watches Witch McCluskey right the chair, and bring it back to the dining table.

Then Witch McCluskey returns, staring down at her.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
You, young lady, are in a lot of trouble.

INT. AVA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Witch McCluskey enters with Ava towed behind her.

Her skirt drags across the floor as TOYS everywhere cower in fear.

Witch McCluskey whisks Ava up, and puts her into a CRIB.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
Naughty little girls have to be punished.

Witch McCluskey looks at Ava, and reaches for her. Ava flinches, and then Witch McCluskey’s hand goes upwards instead to the hanging BABY MONITOR, which she switches on.

She gives Ava one last disapproving look, before sweeping out of the dark room, closing the door behind her.

Ava looks out from behind the WOODEN BARS of the crib, as it turns into a METAL CELL.

She stands and presses her face to the bars, arms outreached to the toys, who shrink back fearfully in their places.

AVA
Help.

The toys all shake their heads. Ava looks around in despair, shakes the bars, and then, defeated, sits in the crib. She looks around one last time, for a long moment.

A METAL BAR glimmers back into wood.

Ava reaches out a frightened hand to touch it.

The crib turns, slowly, back into wood. One by one, the toys drift back into lifelessness.

She realizes that she is the only one in the room – and might always have been.

Ava looks at the wooden bars, and the lifeless toys, and the creatures in the wallpaper that do not run, laugh, and cry.

She lies down, eyes wide and sad.

She begins to cry in this room that gleams only with dead light.

And then, very quietly at first, a SCRATCHING SOUND at the door.

Ava wipes her eyes, and sits up. The sound GROWS.

AVA
Bubby?

A small WOOF.

AVA
(continuing)
Bubby!

Ava grabs the bars and shakes them as they turn back into metal. The WOOFS are joined by sounds of a FIST PAWING AT THE DOOR. She looks around frantically, and sees the baby monitor. WOOF.

She smiles, and wipes the tear streaks off.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Witch McCluskey is enjoying her criminal procedural drama when –

A PIERCING SCREAM, that only a child of two can scream, explodes from the baby monitor beside her on the couch.

Witch McCluskey looks very annoyed. The scream stops. She looks relieved for about a second, before –

A DEEP BREATH, followed by another PIERCING SCREAM.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
Aurrgh!

Another DEEP BREATH, and another PIERCING SCREAM, as Witch McCluskey gets up.

INT. AVA’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

The door slams open, revealing Witch McCluskey, with Buddy beside her, winking, both fists on the ground.

Buddy secretly lifts up one fist, to reveal under it a FRAGMENT OF GLOWING COOKIE that he saved from earlier. He quickly covers it again and nods at Ava.

Ava smiles.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
I will call your mother and tell her that you’re being very naughty.

AVA
Play toys.

Witch McCluskey looks at her suspiciously.

AVA
(continuing)
Play toys.

INT. DINING ROOM AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Annoyed, Witch McCluskey watches both the criminal procedural drama and, in the corner, Ava. A CORDLESS PHONE lies beside her on the couch.

Ava plays with her toys innocently, Buddy by her side.

Buddy suddenly bites a TOY and runs off with it. Ava SQUEALS and runs after him.

Witch McCluskey grips the cordless phone tightly for a long moment, and then eventually releases it.

She picks up the TV REMOTE CONTROL, turns up the volume, and then gets up and goes after Ava.

INT. HALLWAY – NIGHT

As SOUNDS OF POLICE GOING AFTER A RUNAWAY SUSPECT play –

Buddy, with a toy in his mouth, running gleefully.

Behind him, Ava, grinning, chasing at top speed.

Behind her, Witch McCluskey, determinedly PUFFING, walking as quickly as she can, the skulls on the staff wincing with every stab of the staff on the ground.

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

As SOUNDS OF THE POLICE GOING AFTER A RUNAWAY SUSPECT play –

The open doorway to the hallway is empty.

Buddy runs past the doorway along the hallway to the living room, a DIFFERENT TOY in his mouth.

Ava zips by, GIGGLING.

A few seconds later, Witch McCluskey hobbles quickly by.

The doorway is empty again.

Buddy zooms past from the direction of the living room, a DIFFERENT TOY in his mouth.

Ava follows, SQUEALING.

A longer wait than before, before Witch McCluskey hobbles more slowly by, clearly tiring.

Buddy, to the living room.

Ava.

A wait, and then, from somewhere in the hallway near Rebecca’s room –

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
I’ll. I’ll. I’ll just. Wait. Here.

Buddy appears in the hallway, framed by the doorway, looking towards the direction of Rebecca’s room.

Ava appears beside him, looking in the same direction.

Ava takes a small sideways step towards the door to the kitchen.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
No…

Ava takes another step, halfway through the door.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
(continuing)
Ava…

Ava GIGGLES and runs into the kitchen, Buddy following. They disappear from view as they head for the stove.

COP
Damn it! We lost him!

A few seconds later, Witch McCluskey enters the kitchen, breathing heavily. She pauses as soon as she enters, to catch her breath, and to point an unsteady finger.

WITCH MCCLUSKEY
You… You…

Ava appears, followed by Buddy. Ava grabs Witch McCluskey’s finger, and shakes it.

AVA
TV?

Witch McCluskey breathes, and glares.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Witch McCluskey and Ava watch a TV SHOW together, Buddy lying on the couch beside Ava, his head on her lap.

Witch McCluskey’s eyes keep fluttering close.

They eventually close, and do not open. She begins to SNORE.

Ava looks at Buddy, and they grin at each other.

Ava looks at Witch McCluskey. Witch McCluskey transforms back into Mrs. McCluskey.

Ava turns to Buddy.

AVA
(whispers)
Just like Mommy.

Ava puts a finger on her lips, and the two quietly sneak off towards the kitchen.

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

Ava, with Buddy beside her, looks up at the cupboard that still leaks golden light.

She looks around.

She catches the ROWS OF DRAWERS just as they close completely.

Ava has a good idea.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

As Mrs. McCluskey SNORES peacefully on the couch –

Ava appears in the background from the kitchen door, and drags the tall chair, who is still not helping, into the kitchen.

She reappears, Buddy following this time, and drags another tall chair, who is no more helpful.

INT. KITCHEN – NIGHT

A LOOSE BRIDGE of chairs connects the drawers on one side of the kitchen to the stove on the other. Ava stands behind it, near the drawers. She turns to the drawers and

OPENS the third drawer from the chairs on the bottom row. It is empty.

Ava steps into the drawer carefully, and opens the drawer diagonally above it, forming another step towards the bridge. It is filled with PLATES.

Ava looks at Buddy, who is waiting patiently on the ground. He smiles at her.

Ava hands the plates one by one down to Buddy, who bites them and puts them gently on the ground.

She steps into the now empty drawer, and opens the next one. Immediately an ARMY OF FORKS, KNIVES, AND SPOONS stands up, pointing their sharp bits at Ava.

The formation of cutlery shines dangerously. Ava smiles down at them as her hand secretly creeps up on them from the side.

A FORK hops a little, and swivels to meet her hand, angling itself for a good stab if the hand dares to come any closer.

The hand withdraws.

Ava folds her arms angrily, stuck.

A small WOOF, followed by a soft GROWL.

Ava and the cutlery turn to Buddy.

Half of the cutlery turns back to watch Ava, while the other half hops over to the railing of the drawer, leaning over to get a better look at Buddy.

Buddy GROWLS, and makes SNAPPING sounds. Then he smiles and takes a step closer to the cutlery.

They hop a step backwards.

They turn to face Ava, who now smiles.

Ava hands the cutlery down to Buddy, who lays them on the more and more messy floor.

Ava climbs onto the last step, and gets from there onto the first chair.

She looks at Buddy and smiles excitedly. Buddy nods.

The floor looks very very far below.

Ava takes a DEEP BREATH and EXHALES, and stretches both arms outwards to balance as she crosses a little wobblily over to the next chair.

Ava crosses the entire bridge.

She climbs on top of the stove.

She opens the cupboard.

She can’t reach the cookie jar on the top shelf. Ava tiptoes and reaches as high as she can reach, but her hands just barely brush the shelf.

She stops trying, and thinks.

An idea hits her.

She goes to the edge of the stove.

AVA
Bubby!

Buddy looks at her expectantly.

Ava gestures for Buddy to join her.

Buddy climbs the drawers and crosses the bridge.

Ava helps Buddy onto the stove.

Buddy semi-lifts Ava, who grabs the cookie jar.

Ava puts the cookie jar down in between them. They look at each other excitedly, as the plates and cutlery on the ground look on at their triumph.

Ava slowly takes off the lid. Golden light bursts forth.

Ava and Buddy smile at each other, very excited.

Ava takes a GLOWING COOKIE out, and gives it to Buddy, who bites it happily.

She watches Buddy chew it.

Then, Ava reaches into the cookie jar.

But she pauses. She looks down at her hand in the jar, and suddenly she’s not so sure.

She looks at Buddy, who smiles at her, nodding at her to take a cookie for herself.

Still the hand doesn’t move.

The plates and cutlery lean forward, waiting.

Ava slowly takes her hand out…

Her hand is empty.

Buddy tries to reach into the cookie jar to get a cookie for her, but Ava takes his fist and puts it away from the jar, shaking her head.

AVA
(grown-up-like)
No. One cookie only. I give you.

She puts the lid back on. Buddy looks at her. Ava looks unsurely self-satisfied, like she knows she’s done something important and good, but she’s not quite sure what it is exactly and why. But it still makes her feel important and good.

Ava smiles at Buddy, and ruffles his hair. Then she smiles again as an idea hits her.

She sweeps the CRUMBS from Buddy’s cookie into her other hand.

INT. DINING AND LIVING ROOM – NIGHT

Crumbs, on Mrs. McCluskey’s blouse. Mrs. McCluskey, Ava, and Buddy are napping, Ava curled up on the couch with a hand on Buddy’s body as if in mid-stroke.

A door OPENS.

REBECCA
Mrs. McCluskey? Ava?

Mrs. McCluskey stirs, and shakes her head rapidly to wake up.

She gets up and goes to meet Rebecca and Michael.

Ava’s eyes flutter open, as does Buddy’s.

REBECCA
Mrs. McCluskey! Really.

MRS. MCCLUSKEY
I can assure you, Mrs. Williams…

Ava and Buddy smile sleepily at each other, slowly at first, and then with gigantic grins.