BLACK SCREEN

Setting up sounds, occasional spoken words...

GATEWAY STUDIOS PRESENTS...

UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

INT. At a Table

Everything looks neat and professional. The camera is stationed behind a man, peering over his shoulder at another man who sits at the other end of the table.

INTERVIEWER

So, Mr. Anderson---

MARK

Call me Mark.

INTERVIEWER

Okay. Mark. So, if it's alright with you, I'm just going to ask you a few questions about the incident that occurred last night.

MARK

(half-smiles)

Why is everyone referring to it as "the incident"? Why don't we just address it as what it is?

INTERVIEWER

Fair enough. I'm going to ask you a few questions about the murder of your wife. Just a few, simple questions that I need you to answer. Can you do that for me, Mr. Anderson?

MARK

Mark---and, yes I can.

INTERVIEWER

Good. So, what happened last night?

MARK

You know what happened last night. My wife was murdered. What else do you want to know?

INTERVIEWER

Who killed her?

MARK

I don't know who killed her. But isn't it your job to figure that out?

INTERVIEWER

Well, actually, sir, I'm only conducting this interview. It isn't really my job to---

MARK

Why am I being interviewed anyway? I already explained what happened.

INTERVIEWER

Refresh my memory.

MARK sighs and folds his arms.

MARK

Fine. Last night my wife and I were cuddling comfortably on the couch, watching a movie. Then---

INTERVIEWER

What movie?

MARK

Does it matter?

INTERVIEWER

Answer the question.

MARK

(annoyed)

We were watching an old action movie.

INTERVIEWER

Which one?

MARK

(very annoyed)

We were watching "The Terminator".

INTERVIEWER

Is it still in the DVD Player?

MARK

Should be. Unless one of the cops stole it.

INTERVIEWER

Mr. Anderson---

MARK

For the last time, it's Mark.

INTERVIEWER

Right. Mark. You're being a little hostile towards me right now. Why is that?

MARK

My wife was shot to death last night. I think that I have the right to be a little "hostile".

INTERVIEWER

(suspicious)

Fair enough.

MARK

Anyway, we were watching that old action movie---

INTERVIEWER

Which one, again?

MARK

(slightly angry)

Are you trying my patience?

INTERVIEWER

Which one?

MARK

(irritated)

The Terminator.

INTERVIEWER

Continue.

MARK

Of course. We were watching the old movie---The Terminator, in case you forgot---when suddenly I heard a loud crashing sound---you know, the sound that glass makes when it shatters.

INTERVIEWER

I'm familiar with that sound.

MARK

I'm sure you are.......well, my wife screamed. Right into my ear and I can remember the pain that shot through my body at the sound of that high-pitched shriek of terror, and I was thinking to myself, "All hell is about to break loose." And guess what? I was right.

INTERVIEWER

Then what happened?

MARK

I'm not quite sure. I jumped up to see what happened, and next thing I knew my wife had three bullets in her chest. When she hit the ground, I turned and saw a man wearing a black mask and a black coat. He was holding out a silenced pistol of some kind. It looked like a classic 9mm. Anyway, I rushed at the guy, and he shot at me and missed, that's why the lamp is broken. I tackled him to the ground and was able to throw away the gun. I can remember the cracking sound of his fist hitting me across the face. I fell off of him and laid flat on my back. He jumped to his feet and darted out the door---and---when I finally got the strength to push myself up...my eyes fell on my wife. She was...dead. And then I called you.

INTERVIEWER stares blankly at him for a moment.

INTERVIEWER

Mark, I'm sorry for your loss.

MARK says nothing.

INTERVIEWER

Do you remember anything else about your attacker?

MARK

Not really...

INTERVIEWER

Were you and your wife close?

MARK

(suddenly interested)

Yes. Yes we were.

INTERVIEWER looks down and jots something down in his notebook.

MARK

(frowning)

Yes, we were. Very close.

INTERVIEWER

I see.

MARK

(relaxing slightly, but still frowning)

Yeah.

INTERVIEWER

Do you know of anyone who may have wanted to hurt you or your wife?

MARK

No, no, not really.

Pause.

MARK

Why did you ask me that question?

INTERVIEWER

What question?

MARK

You asked me if my wife and I were close. Why did you ask me that?

INTERVIEWER

Out of curiosity.

MARK

(something dawns on him and he starts to feel very irritated)

Out of curiosity? Right.

INTERVIEWER

Did your wife and you have a fight recently?

MARK

No. Why are you asking me these questions?

INTERVIEWER

Are you sure you didn't have a fight recently?

MARK

(angry)

Why are you asking me these questions?

INTERVIEWER

Mr. Anderson---

MARK

(screaming)

It's Mark!!

INTERVIEWER

Calm down, sir---

MARK

(furious)

CALM DOWN!?! My wife was just killed and now you're accusing me of shooting her to death! You can't just tell me to calm down!!!

INTERVIEWER

Sir, I'm not accusing you of anything---

MARK

(even more angry)

I DIDN'T KILL MY WIFE!!

INTERVIEWER

You do own a gun Mr. Anderson. The same make and model that was used to kill your wife. Don't you find that a little suspect?

MARK

Don't you see that I loved her?! I'd never hurt her in a million years!!

INTERVIEWER

Never?

MARK

NEVER!

INTERVIEWER

We talked to your neighbors, and they don't agree.

MARK

What are you talking about?

INTERVIEWER

We interviewed the people next door, and they said that they have seen you, quote, "strike Mrs. Anderson in the neck".

MARK

They're lying! I don't know why but they're lying! I never hurt her. I never hurt her!

INTERVIEWER

You aren't very convincing, Mr. Anderson.

MARK

You have no evidence!! No proof!

INTERVIEWER

Her blood was all over you when we first arrived. While you showered and cleaned yourself up, we looked under her finger nails and found skin. From the way you tell the story, she never even touched your "attacker". So this begs the question, where did that skin come from?

MARK

She scratched my back earlier last night---

INTERVIEWER

You own a gun, and you had it out when we arrived. The shells matched the gun. You don't seem very sad about her death. And---

MARK

Wait, wait, wait. What was that last part?

INTERVIEWER

The shells matched the gun.

MARK

After that.

INTERVIEWER

You don't seem very sad about her death.

MARK leans forward, anger burning in his eyes.

MARK

You know the quiet sound that a body makes when life leaves it? Are you familiar with that sound?

INTERVIEWER

No, can't say I am.

MARK

I am familiar with that sound. I stood over my wife's body and watched life leave it. I saw the blood, and I knew right then that I would never be able to tell my wife goodnight ever again. I knew that I would never be able to talk to her. I knew all of that. I felt the pain. I still feel the pain. Have you ever felt that pain?

INTERVIEWER

...can't say I have.

MARK

Exactly.

MARK

(angrily)

So don't pretend that you know how I should be reacting. I am broken on the inside, but I am trying to control myself for the sake of the interview. I was trying to be considerate, but apparently kindness will bring you nothing but accusations and a half-baked interrogation. Now, do me a favor, and get out of my house.

INTERVIEWER

Mr. Anderson, the evidence is overwhelming.

MARK

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE!!

INTERVIEWER

There's enough. Mark Anderson, I'm charging you with the murder of Michelle Anderson.

MARK

(anger vanishes, and is replaced with shock)

What?

INTERVIEWER

I'm sorry, sir.

INTERVIEWER closes his notebook and stands. MARK looks as though he's in a trance. INTERVIEWER stares blankly at him, then promptly leaves. MARK continues to stare blankly at the table.

fade to black

credits

Did Mark Anderson really kill his wife?

two beats

fade in from black

MARK is still sitting at the table. He looks emotionless. It is difficult to figure out what he's thinking. Suddenly, a little bit of sadness creeps onto his face. Just before you can see him begin to sob...

fade to black

the end

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