People say write about what you know. I woke one night from a nightmare and thought back to the many tragic events in my life. I don’t know if this will be an episodic series or a feature. Either way – It will be therapy and this is just a glimpse into my writing. – Vonti

“FAR ROCK”

Based on the True Story of My Life

SUPERIMPOSE:
“YEAR 1”
EXT. – FAR ROCKAWAY, QUEENS RESIDENTIAL STREET – DAY
A Silver Dodge Caravan rounds the corner and screeches to
a halt in front of a private house.
Police Officer TONY (40s) steps out with a yawn. She’s a
tall woman with round hips, chocolate skin and a slicked
back ponytail hidden underneath her uniform cap. On the
lapels of her navy blue standard issue uniform is years
of service metal bars.
She hauls herself up a short flight of stairs into —
INT. – LIVING ROOM TO BEDROOM – DAY
— the foyer of a sparsely decorated living space.
There’s a glass table with an ashtray and cigarette butts
strewn everywhere. A floor model wooden TV with a little
boy named TYSON (10) glued to the screen. He’s chubby
with dimples and smiles up at his mom Tony.
She pats his head then navigates her way through the room
towards a back bedroom. The uniform is peeled off as Tony
maneuvers around toys on the floor and shakes her head in
disgust at a sink full of dishes.
Inside the bedroom her boyfriend CARL wakes with a start
when Tony plops down on the bed and unties black combat
boots.
CARL
Where the fuck is it?
TONY
(sighs)
I just walked in the door. Don’t
start this shit already.
He JUMPS up and jabs a finger in her face.
CARL
I told you about flushing my shit.
You owe me a hundred for that 8
ball.
TONY
Take your ass to another room
babe. I’m about to go to sleep.
(CONTINUED)
Carl SHOVES her off the bed and an argument ensues.
INT. – VONTI’S BEDROOM – DAY
A plus size caramel skin teenager named Vonti (16) leaps
up from bed dazed and confused. Muffled VOICES from the
next room mingle with the laugh track of the morning
cartoon.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Yep that’s me. Not quite a Queen
or a Princess but I was on my way
to greatness. I just had to put up
with a few more years of this
bullshit before I got there.
Vonti wipes drool from her mouth and attempts to rub
crust from her eyes.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
My mom and stepdad are at it
again. We get woken up like this
at least four times a week. I’m
sure you wonder why the fuck would
a cop put up with a cokehead
right? He wasn’t always that way.
But sometimes when your lady has
it together, you look for ways to
ruin it. That’s my theory anyway.
I’m getting the fuck out of here!
She makes her way to the bathroom and slams the door then
emerges moments later.
The argument escalates to loud bangs and curse words
flying.
Vonti tiptoes past the bedroom wearing a pair of thigh
high shorts and a ripped up t-shirt with bunny slippers
on her feet. She slips out the backdoor into —
EXT. – BACKYARD – DAY
NARRRATOR (V.O.)
I always have to go “incognegro”
to make sure my mama is safe.
Everyday I ask myself why my
Grandma Frances let this woman
take us back. I mean she dropped
us off at 9 months and then had
the nerve—
CONTINUED:
(CONTINUED)
2.
She comes face to face with a young Hispanic boy (15)
standing on the other side of the fence with his eyes
glued to the bedroom window.
HISPANIC BOY
Hola. Uh I mean good morning.
VONTI
How much did you hear?
She wipes tears from her reddened eyes. He blushes beet
red.
HISPANIC BOY
Just making sure everyone is safe.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Pause. Right here is when I
should’ve gone Death CON 1,000 on
his ass! Fake neighborhood watch
over here is more of a Peeping
Tom. HOWEVER he’s also very cute.
Even though I was shy back then I
knew what sexy looked like.
Hispanic Boy eyes Vonti up and down. She hugs herself and
begins to back away.
HISPANIC BOY
Don’t go. You just moved here
right? Where from?
She leans in toward him.
VONTI
East New York by Highland Park.
It’s alot of you around here?
HISPANIC BOY
Alot of who?
VONTI
Puerto Rican dudes. The east is
full of them.
HISPANIC BOY
Nah I’m Ecuadorian.
VONTI
Same thing right?
He GLARES and backs away.
CONTINUED:
(CONTINUED)
3.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Look don’t judge me. I learned
Geography later in life. You know
damn well everyone says “they all
look alike”.
HISPANIC BOY
What are you?
VONTI
Call me Mariah on fire!
HISPANIC BOY
I’m Pedro.
VONTI
No! I’m sorry I was joking about
Mariah Carey the singer. She
apparently has 15 races in her. My
name is Vonti and I’m Black, White
and Native American. Cherokee
Indian to be exact. But my dad is
a bastard so I don’t claim that
side.
He looks off into the distance.
HISPANIC BOY
Uh yeah well. See you around.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
Definitely handsome.
She gives him a thousand watt smile. His jaw drops and he
races off.
VONTI (V.O.)
Years later I found out my smile
makes alot of men nervous. I’m a
cobra like that. Mesmerize you
then hit you with the venom. Fuck
here comes my twin Monti! She just
senses me wherever the hell I go.
Monti (16) her identical twin sister. Their facial
features mirror one another but her skin tone is darker
caramel and she’s an inch shorter.
MONTI
Breakfast is ready!
Monti claps in excitement and gives her own megawatt
grin. Vonti rolls her eyes but follows her inside.
CONTINUED: (2)
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