Jump Cut

by Ted Staunton

  I start to get up and she pulls me back. “And this is for Spencer, from Gloria Lorraine.” She kisses me again.

  “Cut,” says AmberLea.

  REEL FOUR

  BLACK SCREEN

  SOUND OF HELICOPTER

  FADE IN:

  EXT.—HIGHWAY 17—AERIAL SHOT—DAY

  Chopper swoops low and follows Jackfish Road. Fall colors dot the landscape. To the south, the gray-blue swell of Lake Superior.

  EXT.—CLEARING—LONG SHOT, FROM GROUND—DAY

  Chopper lands in clearing. TINA, AMBERLEA, JERRY, DEB and MIKE KARPUSKI climb out. SPENCER is not in the group. JERRY carries a shovel, TINA a bag.

  EXT.—FOREST—HAND-HELD TRAVELING SHOT GROUP, FROM BEHIND—DAY

  Group walks through forest along railroad tracks. They turn off into a small clearing, almost overgrown, with wire fencing around.

  SOUND OF FEET CRUNCHING.

  TINA

  It’s too bad your son Bunny can’t be here.

  DEB

  Thanks. I know he wishes he could.

  JERRY

  Yeah. At least he’ll be out in less than a year.

  EXT.—GRAVEYARD—MEDIUM SHOT GROUP—DAY

  TINA, AMBERLEA, JERRY, DEB and MIKE KARPUSKI are in graveyard. Red and orange leaves blaze as sunlight filters through the trees. One wooden cross still leans against wire fence, one has fallen over.

  SOUND OF MURMURING VOICES, WIND RUSTLES LEAVES. A LAST FEW INSECTS BUZZ.

  CLOSE-UP OF WRITING ON STANDING CROSS

  Writing is in a strange language, maybe Latin.

  CLOSE-UP OF WRITING ON FALLEN CROSS

  Writing is too faint to read.

  MIKE (OFFSCREEN)

  Here.

  PAN TO:

  MEDIUM SHOT—MIKE

  MIKE points to the earth at his feet. It has sunk a little. A dead tree has fallen across it and there’s a piece of rotten wood at one end, like the wood of the crosses.

  MIKE lifts away the log and clears the space.

  JERRY digs a small hole near the rotten wood.

  TWO SHOT—TINA AND AMBERLEA

  TINA and AMBERLEA are holding a round metal box. (The kind used to hold a reel of movie film.) TINA opens it.

  AMBERLEA wears a small antique locket hanging over her sweater.

  CLOSE-UP—AMBERLEA’S AND TINA’S HANDS

  AMBERLEA and TINA put a copy of the picture of Danielle and one of Gloria as a movie star in the box. AMBERLEA opens the locket to show the original picture of Danielle. She closes the locket. They close the box.

  MEDIUM SHOT—ALL

  TINA and AMBERLEA put the box in the hole and step back. JERRY fills in the hole. Then DEB hangs a small circular object on a loop of rawhide to the wire fence behind.

  CLOSE-UP—ONE OF GRANDPA’S AIR FORCE IDENTITY DISCS

  MEDIUM SHOT—ALL

  Everyone bows their heads; then everyone hugs.

  SOUND OF VOICES, BREEZE, ETC.

  AMBERLEA walks toward, then off camera.

  SOUND OF HER FEET CRUNCHING ON LEAVES CLOSE BY.

  SOUND STOPS.

  AMBERLEA (OFFSCREEN)

  You know, Spencer, this could be the start of a beautiful friendship…

  TILT UP FROM GROUP TO EXTREME WIDE SHOT— CLEAR BLUE SKY

  A jet’s vapor trail cuts across the sky.

  SONG FROM CASABLANCA, “AS TIME GOES BY ”

  FADE TO BLACK

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  There are a whole bunch of people who deserve most of the credit and none of the blame for this book.

  First, my thanks to Eric Walters, who dreamed up Grandpa David and the whole Seven series, for both a great idea and his generosity in inviting me along for the ride. Also, thanks to Richard Scrimger. It was fun dreaming up Spencer and Bunny’s family and coordinating their adventures.

  Peter Carver kindly gave me the tablecloth trick. As well, I’m indebted to Pat Devereaux and Mike Glover, who pointed me toward Jackfish. My old buddy Frank Rolfe made sure I got the details of his cottage right by inviting me up to visit; I’m grateful.

  I’d also like to thank the folks at Orca for their support of this project, especially editor extraordinaire Sarah Harvey, who kept a firm hand on the steering wheel whenever Spencer’s story started to careen out of control.

  Finally, my gratitude to Margaret and to Will for great advice and for being there.

  When he isn’t writing, TED STAUNTON has a busy schedule as a speaker, workshop leader, storyteller and musical performer for children and adults. His previous books include the well-loved Green Applestreet Gang series, as well as Hope Springs a Leak and Power Chord. Ted lives in Port Hope, Ontario. To learn more about Ted, go to www.tedstauntonbooks.com.

  www.seventheserles.com