Message In A Bottle by Petra Michelle

FADE IN:

EXT. OCEAN SHORELINE - DAY

Bundled up, carrying a bottle containing a message, a twenty year old WOMAN throws it into the ocean.

YEARS LATER 

EXT. OCEAN SHORELINE. SCOTLAND - DAY

Two MEN in their early to mid-thirties are walking along a windy, cold beach. A bottle protrudes from the sand, grabbing their attention.

JAKE Hmm.

Bending to pick it up, he examines it.

JAKE There's a message.

Plucking its contents, he unfolds what appears to be a letter. His friend picks up an accompanying photograph which falls to the sand.

INSERT MESSAGE

Today is Valentine's Day in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. I believe in destiny, and so, I'm throwing caution and my heart to the wind and will wait for the man who holds this message in his hands. 

My name is Kathleen Donovan. I'm twenty. And have enclosed a photograph. I will be waiting for you. 

Kathleen

BACK TO SCENE

As he studies the photograph,

JAKE (in Scottish brogue) She's lovely.

FRIEND And probably weird or daft with five kids.

JAKE Maybe. The date reads February 14, 2013.

FRIEND Which makes her...

JAKE Twenty eight.

FRIEND C'mon, Jake. Toss it back.

JAKE She's waited eight years.

FRIEND So, what's it to you?

JAKE I dunno.

INT. HOME. CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS - NIGHT

KATHLEEN is listening to light music while clearing dishes. There's a KNOCK on her door.

She straightens her loosely bound hair and shrugs off noted splashes of paint on her arms and farmer jeans. When she opens the door, Jake stands before her in anticipation, holding a package.

JAKE Kathleen?

She nods, knowing instantly the attractive man standing before her was the man she had been waiting for for eight long years. Gently,

KATHLEEN Come in.

Jake doesn't say a word as he excitedly observes the freshly painted canvases. 

JAKE Are they yours?

Kathleen nods.

JAKE (while staring at her) Lovely. (self-consciously) I have something which belongs to you. May I?

Wiping away tears of elation, Kathleen affectionately watches him as he walks to the nearby table and pulls from the package her original bottle. As he hands it to her, 

JAKE There's a message in it.

She carefully removes the message.

INSERT MESSAGE

I'm following my heart and it goes to Kathleen Donovan.

BACK TO SCENE

JAKE I believe in destiny too.

As she falls into his arms,

JAKE Happy Valentine's Day, Kathleen. 

FADE TO BLACK