Feature script inspired by Ann E Imbrie Spoken In Darkness A Friendship beyond death

It’s one of those family stories significant enough to have earned a name a title

Lee’s younger brothers laughed about this for years

Feature script inspired by Ann E Imbrie Spoken In Darkness

Lee has memorised Twas the night before christmas because it was

and is trying to get someone to hear her recite it

the family are gathered and variously occupied with drinks, the tree, the lights,

Then the father says something sharp to Lee, brushed her aside, tells her to be quiet

And Lee answers back..

And then the father takes off his shoe and throws it right at Lee’s face

Now they say this is the funny part

Lee doesn’t cry she stares straight back, 6 yr old Lee clenches her fists, she pounds at the air in front of her and slipping out of her slippers she storms out of the house.

I’ll show you she shouts as she disappears a furious little ghost in her white nightgown bare foot, punching the air and blending into the snowyscape.

She’ll be back and they close the curtains.

Her brothers call this one twas the night daddy hit Lee with his shoe

maybe all family stories the one’s we disguise as jokes betray some form of violence

it’s casual thoughtless.  

SPOKEN IN DARKNESS ANN E IMBRIE

But why do you have to look at what is so private?

Because I can because I finally can

My Mother’s voice sounds in my head, what is this fascination? Why do you want to look?

And I think of Lee, who did so much and saw so little, who, trapped by anger or sorrow or blame, blinded, finally, to her own possibilities, couldn’t imagine herself out of the life imposed on her……