A Serialized Work of Fiction
Little Earthquakes
Installment Four
INT. EMERGENCY ROOM — NIGHT
Elena walks up to Adam and Iris, who put down the cell phone and look at their daughter. They can tell that she's agitated.
IRIS
How's Rebecca doing?
ELENA
Great.
Elena sits down.
ELENA
She was interviewed for that Ken Fox thing.
IRIS
We know. We just watched it.
ELENA
And?
IRIS
Mija, Rebecca did nothing but defend you.
ELENA
Why? Why are they dredging this up again?
ADAM
It's an unsolved murder.
IRIS
They have a woman who's finally coming forward with her story of Ken assaulting her.
ELENA
What?! This bitch couldn't come forward at the time?
IRIS
Elena, we know nothing about her story. She deserves some grace.
ELENA
I hate that you're right.
(Standing.)
I'm going to call it a night. I need to get home to my boys.
Elena hugs her parents goodbye.
CUT TO:
INT. NEWSROOM INTERVIEW
Ticker reads "The Unsolved Murder of Kenneth J. Fox". Greg Grant is onscreen.
GREG GRANT
Joining us now in our exclusive is Stacy Jones.
STACY JONES (34), blonde hair and blue eyes. She's pretty in a weathered kind of way.
GREG GRANT
Ms. Jones is here to finally share her story about her experience with Ken Fox.
GREG GRANT
(Continuing.)
Ms. Jones, what prompted you to come forward now?
STACY
I couldn't handle the guilt anymore. I couldn't handle the silence about what happened. If I had come forward, maybe this would've never happened to Elena Markaj.
GREG GRANT
Please tell us how you knew Ken Fox.
STACY
Like Ms. Markaj, I was a scholarship student at Laye University. I had gone on a few dates with Ken when he was a sophomore and I was a senior.
(Nervously.)
One night, he invited me to his off-campus apartment. After a few drinks, he got physically aggressive. I asked him to stop but he became more forceful. I had had a few drinks as well, so I couldn't get him off me.
GREG GRANT
I'm sorry for your ordeal. What happened next? Why didn't you come forward in the wake of your assault?
STACY
I didn't know it at the time, but the Laye University President was a college buddy of Ken's father. Based on the way that the school steered me to take a settlement, the Fox family had an inside track on my case.
GREG GRANT
Ms. Jones, that's quite the inflammatory statement.
STACY
I don't know what to say other than those are the facts. The University President and Linus Fox went to university together and there are public photos of him at the Fox wedding.
GREG GRANT
Are you at liberty to say what the Fox family offered you?
STACY
Money. That's it.
GREG GRANT
Why did you accept that?
STACY
(Looking down.)
I was a poor country girl from Pennsylvania who'd made it to Laye University on a scholarship. I was a senior with one semester left and I didn't want to jeopardize what I'd worked so hard for. The university also committed to barring Ken from taking any classes that were in any building that held one of my classes.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL — NEW HAVEN — NIGHT — 2012
Elena waits with Rebecca, still in teal sweatpants and a purple hoodie. The doors open and her parents walk in in a disheveled frenzy. Iris has clearly been crying. Adam looks pained but is containing his rage.
IRIS
Oh my God, baby. I'm here now. Mama's here.
Iris hugs her daughter and starts audibly crying. Adam looks lost, uncertain what to do or what to say. After a moment, he hugs his daughter and wife as well.
REBECCA
I'll step outside.
ADAM
Thank you for staying with her and for calling us.
REBECCA
She would've done the same for me.
Rebecca walks out.
ELENA
I want to go home. Please.
IRIS
We're going to take you home, baby.
They step out of the room with a bag of Elena's personal effects. Rebecca is outside waiting.
ADAM
Do you need a ride? Do you want us to take you somewhere?
REBECCA
If you can drop me off at school, I'd appreciate it.
ADAM
Do you feel comfortable going back?
REBECCA
Yes, Mr. Markaj. The school doesn't know anything yet. I'm not afraid.
CUT TO:
INT. KAS AND DILLON'S APARTMENT — DAY — 2012
Kas and Dillon are on the couch. Kas is sitting upright with his legs on an ottoman and Dillon is lying flat with his head in Kas's lap. Kas is reading Octavia Butler's "Wild Seed". Dillon is reading Octavia Butler's "Parable of the Sower".
The house phone rings.
KAS
I'll get it.
Kas sets his book aside and Dillon lifts his head to let him get up. Kas picks up the cordless phone.
KAS
Hello.
ADAM
Hey, Kas. I need to tell you something.
KAS
Is everything okay?
ADAM
(His voice is shaky now.)
No, no it's not.
Dillon, hearing the alarm in Kas's voice, stands up.
ADAM
Elena is home with us. She was... raped last night.
KAS
No! No! No!
Dillon comes closer to Kas.
ADAM
I wish it wasn't true, Kas.
KAS
We'll come over now. I want to know exactly what happened.
Kas hangs up the phone without waiting for a response. He looks at Dillon who's nervously waiting.
DILLON
Babe, what happened?
Kas feels like he's about to fall and steadies himself on the stand where the phone sits.
KAS
Adam said Elena was raped last night.
Kas begins crying. Dillon gets closer to hug him but winds up helping him stand. Kas is inconsolable.
FADE TO:
INT. HOSPITAL — KAS'S ROOM — PRESENT DAY
Dillon is helping Kas to his feet from his hospital bed. Kas is mobile but slightly unsteady on his left side while Dillon helps him up.
KAS
(Speech slightly slurred.)
Babe, I don't know if this is a good idea.
DILLON
You will walk with me. You will recover and you will get out of here.
Kas looks at him in acknowledgement, nods, and begins to step forward. Dillon steadies Kas's weaker left side so that he can keep slowly walking out of the room and then in the hall. A nurse spots them and rushes over.
NURSE
Sir, he just had a stroke two days ago. He shouldn't be walking without PT clearance or a gait belt.
DILLON
Do whatever you need to do because I have no intention of letting him rot in bed.
The two partners continue to slowly pace down the hall.
The nurse ducks into Kas's room and emerges to catch up and assist them.
CUT TO:
INT. ADAM AND IRIS'S HOUSE — DAY — 2012
Both factions of the Markaj family are sitting at the kitchen table. Everyone is downtrodden. Kas appears more composed now.
KAS
There's a rape kit, there's a police report, and there's a witness. Have you called a lawyer yet?
IRIS
Kas, this just happened. We're trying to give Elena a minute to breathe.
Elena looks forlorn, staring blankly at her uncle.
KAS
In cases like this, every day matters.
ADAM
I'll call Bill later.
KAS
No, call him NOW.
ADAM
I will but I need you to calm down.
(Clenches his jaw.)
I'm her father and I will take care of this.
FADE OUT.
