Room 7
A woman returns to a place she swore she would never visit again in order to take back what is hers.
Chapter 1
INT. LONDON INN - EVENING
Wind howls as a MYSTERIOUS WOMAN steps into the inn. The door slams as she closes it, blocking the sound of the storm.
Her hooded head is turned toward her boots as she wipes her feet onto the doormat. Her long, dark hair curls at the end as it pushes through her hood and dangles to her chest in wet knots.
Her thin, navy windbreaker drips water loudly as she slides her messenger bag out from under it.
The woman’s eyes never leave her shoes and her face stays shrouded in hair and hood.
The INN KEEPER stares curiously at the woman, her head cocking to one side.
The woman keeps wiping her shoes loudly while searching for something in her bag using her left hand, her right hand stiffly inside her raincoat pocket.
The Inn Keeper softens her stare and smiles warmly.
The rain drips outside.
The fireplace on the right wall crackles.
The woman continues shuffling and scuffling.
When the woman doesn’t look up, the Inn Keeper lets her eyes wander past the woman to the wall where her family tree is displayed.
The wall is filled with painted portraits of older British women.
Each portrait is adorned with a thin and delicate frame.
Painted between each frame are the branches of a strong tree.
Reaching up, up, up to a picture of the Inn Keeper herself.
The mysterious woman still shuffles and scuffles.
Finally the Inn Keeper speaks, annoyance edging into her voice.
INN KEEPER: ‘Ello love, what’ll it be?
The woman stops cold as if she’s just heard a ghost speaking to her.
She stays still for a long moment before inching toward the front desk, her hooded head facing the dark, hardwood floor.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: A room for one night, please.
Her voice is firm and aged, but lacks accent, sounding American.
The Inn Keeper’s eyebrow raises, but she keeps her tone steady.
INN KEEPER: ‘Course madam. Just ‘eed a credit card and ID.
The woman stays utterly still for a beat.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: Can’t I just pay in cash? And we skip the ID.
Her voice sounds younger than before, mid-30s maybe.
The Inn Keeper furrows her eyebrows, her face tightening.
Then she glances to her old, square computer which shows the inn’s ten rooms to be full, except Room 7.
The mysterious woman speaks quickly.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN (CONT’D): I must’ve lost my ID when I was traveling. The rain really took me off guard.
The Inn Keeper looks the woman up and down.
INN KEEPER: I’ll have to charge yuh extra for it.
The woman is quiet for a beat.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: That’s fine.
Her voice is firm and aged again.
The Inn Keeper turns to her computer, keys clicking away as she puts in the request for the one-night stay.
The keys echo into the crackling of the fireplace.
The storm outside grows louder, rain battering against the walls and threatening to break the windows.
The mysterious woman starts tapping her foot uncomfortably.
Neither woman speaks for a long beat.
INN KEEPER: That’ll be 250 pounds, love.
The woman opens her bag and rifles through. She takes out the bills and places them gently onto the counter with her right hand.
The back of her hand reveals a tattoo of an intricate rose.
The Inn Keeper stares curiously, her head tilting to one side.
The woman notices the Inn Keeper staring and quickly pulls her hand away and shoves it back into her pocket.
The Inn Keeper takes the cash, counts it, and gets a key for the woman.
INN KEEPER (CONT’D): Room 7 then, love.
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: Thank you.
She takes the key with her left hand this time.
INN KEEPER: Breakfast is at eight. Check out at ten--
The woman starts up the stairs to her room confidently and calls back:
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: I know.
The Inn Keeper’s mouth falls open.
Chapter 2
INT. LONDON INN - ROOM 7 - EVENING - CONTINUOUS
The mysterious woman quickly lets herself into Room 7, firmly shutting the door and locking it behind her.
Her shoulders relax and her back slides down the door as she sinks onto the floor, her body a shadow in the dark room.
She blinks her eyes into the heavy darkness of the space, seeing a shadow of someone sitting on the bed.
Lightning strikes and a nervous 18-year-old GIRL glows in the light.
The woman’s face reveals dark eyes and long, dark hair curling at the end.
The girl’s appearance has a striking resemblance to the mysterious woman’s.
The girl’s quivering voice is heavy with a London accent as she speaks.
GIRL: Mum? Is that you?
MYSTERIOUS WOMAN: Yes, honey. It’s me.
The daughter runs and falls into a hug with her mother.
DAUGHTER: You got my letter? I knew you would come back for me!
Both women begin to cry tears of joy.
DAUGHTER (CONT’D): I know I’m not supposed to know you or find you, but I had to. I just had to. She was going to make me take over this inn and mum... it’s not what it seems... I--
MOTHER: --Shh, shh. Sweetie, I know... I tried to disguise my voice, but, well... I’ll explain everything soon--
The stairs squeak, footsteps following.
MOTHER (CONT’D): Let’s go, okay? Out the window now.
Chapter 3
INT. LONDON INN - TOP OF STAIRCASE - EVENING - CONTINUOUS
The Inn Keeper stares at a framed photograph at the top of the staircase.
It shows herself and the mysterious woman with a rose tattoo on the back of her right hand.
A note at the bottom reads: "Loving mother and daughter".
The Inn Keeper stomps angrily to Room 7
--Room 1, 2, 3...--
But opens the door to find the room empty and the window wide open.
She looks out the window to find only the storm.
That is the end of Room 7. Thanks for reading.
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