It's called Adopted. By Vampires. It's the story of two Chinese children adopted by an Indian woman, all living England. It deals with the cultural identities of adopted children and how they are lost when being taken in by a new cultural group. Add the twist of...
Vampires!

Screenplay format.

EXT. HYDE PARK – LONDON, ENGLAND – AFTERNOON

OLD CARIBBEAN WOMAN, CHAUSIKU sits on rustic BENCH. She wears white blouse, covered by NAVY PEACOAT, conservative NAVY SKIRT, WOOL HEAD WRAP, and MITTENS.

SOCCER BALL BOUNCES off BENCH. Chausiku GRABS BALL.

ANNASOPHIA, 13 YR OLD CHINESE GIRL, with SHORT BLACK HAIR, dressed in MIXED STYLES runs over to Chausiku.

ANNASOPHIA
I’m so sorry. My brother, Jess, trying to see
how hard he could kick the ball. Boys, right?

Chausiku holds the ball with one hand and waves at 13 YEAR OLD FRATERNAL TWIN BROTHER of AnnaSophia, JESS.

CHAUSIKU
Oh, a blessing, twins, am I right now?

ANNASOPHIA
Right now and if he’s lucky, tomorrow, too.

CHAUSIKU(LAUGHING)
Adorable girl. What’s your name adorable girl?

ANNASOPHIA
AnnaSophia.

CHAUSIKU
AnnaSophia? Where you from? Texas, girl?

ANNASOPHIA
It’s Chinese for lotus blossom.

CHAUSIKU
Oh, pretty, pretty. A pretty flower.

ANNASOPHIA
Yeah. Pretty.

AnnaSophia stands, looks at the soccer ball. Chausiku hands BALL back to AnnaSophia, who immediately runs away.

JESS
You know Chinese?
2

ANNASOPHIA
Shut up.

AnnaSophia drops the ball on GRASS, sizes up for KICK.

JESS
Teach me. I want to know Chinese. No, Kung Fu.

ANNASOPHIA
I don’t know Chinese. You’re the only Chinese
kid I know and you love Golden Dragon Buffet.

JESS
I’m not English. I’m tired of fish and
chips and all you can eat Chinese.

AnnaSophia taps Jess’s SOCCER JERSERY blazoned chest.

ANNASOPHIA
But not soccer, Beckham-San? Grow up.

JESS
It’s my turn.

ANNASOPHIA
No way, do-over. I got her this time.

Jess and AnnaSophia look around the PARK. Chausiku is gone.

ANNASOPHIA(CONT’D)
Too bad. I’m four people to your one.

JESS
You cheated. I hit two kids.

AnnaSophia picks up the BALL, walks away. Jess FOLLOWS.

ANNASOPHIA
Two kids count as one adult.

JESS
What’s with you today?

She DROP-KICKS BALL at a petrified JESS.

3

ANNASOPHIA
I’m PMS’n.

JESS
What the hell’s that?

ANNASOPHIA
Pretty mean soccer ball. At your head.
I don’t know. I’m bleeding.

JESS
Oh, you mean Period. Wait, holy crap,
are you bleeding right now? Gross.

Jess backs away, comes back, grabs the BALL and backs away.

ANNASOPHIA
Yes. Watch out.

AnnaSophia run towards Jess, leading with her midsection.

JESS
Cut it out. You need help. Tell your mom.

ANNASOPHIA
She’s not my mom, and she was my age like
two hundred years ago. She’s so weird.

JESS
Talk to my mom. She’s a nurse. She’s
around blood all the time. She can
probably give you all kinds of drugs.

ANNASOPHIA
I don’t want your mom, my mom. I want our mom.

Jess and AnnaSophia continue to walk HOME.


EXT. TOWNHOME – RESIDENTIAL STREET – LATE AFTERNOON

Jess stops at TOWNHOME.

JESS
You want to come over later?
4

ANNASOPHIA
I think I’ll be bleeding, then.

JESS
Some people aren’t comfortable talking
about that stuff. I am, I’ve had health
class, but not everyone has.

VERA CHOKALINGAM, 35 yr old INDIAN WOMAN exits TOWNHOUSE.

VERA
Hey AnnaSophia.

AnnaSophia throws up a stiff hand and continues walking.

ANNASOPHIA
Hello Ms. Chokalingam.

Jess walks towards the FRONT DOOR and PAST Vera.

VERA
What’s up with your sister? No one
to kick soccer balls at today?

JESS
It’s that time of the month, mom. Women.

Vera, startled, quickly twists around and follows Jess INSIDE.


INT. TOWNHOUSE – BEDROOM - EVENING

Vera picks up telephone and DIALS URGENTLY. Jess stands by.

VERA(ON PHONE)
Hello, Maria. How are you? Fantastic.
Listen, is AnnaSophia available? Oh, asleep?
Already? Wow, congratulations. Please let
her know I’ll pick her up early for school
tomorrow. Jess needs help on a project.
Thank you.

JESS
I have a project due tomorrow? Great.
5

INT. OLD VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE - NIGHT

OLD ROMANIAN MARIA, dresses in FULL BLACK VELVET DRESS, FLOATS through GOTHIC HALLS. DING-DING. Maria answers.

MARIA(ON PHONE)
Oh, Vera, of course. Well, and yourself?
Afraid not, poor thing is fast asleep. She
became a woman today. A healthy bleed. Simon
and I will make sure she’ll be ready. We
understand. Mm-hmm, dear. Okay.

Maria HANGS UP PHONE.


INT. ANNASOPHIA’s BEDROOM

TIRED AnnaSophia waves goodbye with limp fingers through her window at Jess in his neighboring window. OLD ROMANIAN SIMON in THICK BLACK GLASSES and slick WHITE HAIR closes the BLACK BLINDS.


INT. OLD VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE – MORNING

Vera opens UNLOCKED DOOR. Jess hops inside still DRESSING.

VERA
Carpool? Hello? Maria? AnnaSophia? Field trip.

JESS
Car? You walk us. And I would remember a
field trip. You’re acting weird.

Vera frantically scours HALLS and TOWNHOUSE.

VERA
They took her. Last night, we’re too late.
We only have two days, we have to go, now.

JESS
Go where?

VERA
To save AnnaSophia, from vampires.
6

EXT. VICTORIAN TOWNHOUSE – EARLY MORNING

Vera stands ardently at the open front door archway with tanned MESSENGER BAG slung around her beaten green CARGO JACKET.

VERA
Packed? And that means your toothbrush.

JESS(O.S.)
I’m coming, I’m coming, gosh.

Jess bounces down STAIRS and through FRONT DOOR. Vera locks the WHITEWASHED DOOR.

JESS
I’ve never hunted vampires before, I
can only see PG movies still. Man, this
gets creepier and creepier. It’s not even
Halloween and we’ve got pumpkins in our
yard? If Johnny K. did this, he’s so dead.

Vera spins around and pulls back Jess with free hand. She leaps into the grass and football punts and kicks PUMPKINS.

VERA
Goal! Come on, every last one, show me
what you got.

Jess springs from PUMPKIN to PUMPKIN littered in the small GRASS PATCH between TOWNHOUSE and SIDEWALK.

JESS
Okay, sure, you’re the boss. Why are
we doing this?

VERA
They’re vampire babies.

JESS
Eww, gross.

Vera grabs Jess and pulls him away after all PUMPKINS are crushed to pulp and smothered in LAWN. Jess tries to brush off and FLICK away PUMPKIN VAMPIRE bits.
7

INT. SUBWAY UNDERGROUND – SUBWAY CAR – DAY

Vera sits next to RATTLED Jess.

VERA
Pumpkins or melons are left on the doorsteps
of the day, so at night they will hatch into
vampires. It’s a sign, the evil is gathering.

JESS
Melons kidnapped AnnaSophia. I am never
eating fruits and vegetables again. Atkins,
all the way.

VERA
Jess, you have to listen. Maria and Simon
kidnapped Anna and left the melons to stop
us. Every culture has their myths or vampire
legends. Peachwood swords and garlic. In
Malaysia, a vampire’s head could separate
from it’s body, with entrails dangling from
it’s neck. Phillipine folklore says a female
vampire could separate from her lower body,
then fly around with wings, and swoop down to
suck blood.

JESS
Mom, okay. You know I’m cool with this vampire
birds and bees talk on the Tube, but others
around me may not be.

VERA
Jess, it’s up to you and me, on the eve of
St. George’s Day to stop these gathering evils.

JESS
Where is that?

VERA
China. Where AnnaSophia is.

JESS
Liar. She does know Chinese.

SUBWAY TRAIN STOPS and Vera pulls Jess by hand and EXIS
8

INT. TRAIN STATION – DAY

Jess navigates through WAITING PASSENGERS and follows Vera.
Vera stops at TICKET WINDOW. BUSINESS MAN in rush BUMPS Jess, opening his backpack, and soccer BALL bounces out.

Jess spins around and BALL rolls to a stop at a pair of familiar GLOVED HANDS. Jess stops dead.

Chausiku picks up ball with a grin.

VERA
Jess, let’ go, we’re boarding.

Jess looks back at Vera then returns eyes to Chausiku.

JESS
My football.

VERA
That’s what you packed? Leave it, I’ll
buy you a new one.

JESS
It’s Anna’s.

Chausiku holds BALL against her NAVY PEACOAT.

CHAUSIKU
Precious ball this is to you. May I
enter your coach to give back to you?

VERA
Jess, now.

Jess stares at Chausiku.

JESS
Okay, I guess, yes, fine.

CHAUSIKU
Babay now, little Jess.

Jess runs towards Vera glancing back. Chausiku waves goodbye, holding the BALL, until covered by the CROWD.
9

INT. TILTING TRAIN – COACH CAR – AFTERNOON

Vera walks to the last COACH COMPARTMENT in the TRAIN. She scours each neighboring compartment and OPENS and SHUTS the REAR EMERGENCY DOOR. LIGHTS adorning CRIMSON walls FLICKER.

VERA
It’s Mandarin. Not Chinese, the language
is called Mandarin.

JESS
I’m the worst Chinese kid, ever.

Vera opens COACH COMPARTMENT PARTITION DOOR and both COVERTLY ENTER.


INT. TILTING TRAIN – COACH COMPARTMENT – DUSK

VERA
No, it’s my fault. I raised you as I saw
every mother raising a child. I never thought
about what your mother could teach you, and
that I couldn’t. Your culture.

Vera pulls out TUPPERWARE container from MESSENGER BAG. She sprinkles a COMBINATION of SAND and RICE along the DOOR.

JESS
Fighting vampires is so food channel.

VERA
Vampires are compelled to count every
grain till dawn. But don’t worry, they
can’t get in unless invited.

Vera puts down TUPPERWARE and sits down next to stunned and confused Jess.

VERA
It’s time I tell you. Everything. You and
AnnaSophia are vampires. You see, a large part
of Chinese culture is based on the notion that
a spiritual world does exist; and often there’s
a blurred line between myth, religion, and -
10

VERA(CONT’D)
the unexplained. Sometimes, they extend
outside that mythology, like vampires. Along
with the belief of evil, there is good, like
your mother. Your mother was a 15th generation
Chinese vampire. Your father was not, he was
my friend. We worked at the same Hong Kong
hospital where he first caught your mother
taking blood packets. They fell in love.

JESS
Back to me, being a vampire.

VERA
That’s how you walk in the day, your mixed
blood, and that’s why they want AnnaSophia.
The day she had her first period, she has
matured, and her blood can now be taken. The
evil forces are together to take what she has,
To walk in the daylight.

JESS
What happened to my mom and dad?

VERA
The vampire is said to have two hearts or two
souls and she gave them to both of you. Your
father disappeared. Twins were left on an
orphanage doorstep. Maria snatched up AnnaSophia
and I adopted you, followed her to London. Now,
we need your father. He’s waiting for us past
the bamboo forest and where the three rivers
meet. Find him and we can save Anna.

Jess drops head back with THUD, exhales, and shuts eyes.


INT. TILTING TRAIN – COACH CAR – LATE NIGHT

Chausiku slithers through the hall and rolls BALL down HALL. She fingers her MITTEN along DOOR NO. 1260. Chausiku unwraps her SCARF, unbuttons PEACOAT, and clothes FALL to floor in a STEAMING HEAP.

FLAMES FLASH and disappear under partition DOOR.
11

INT. TILTING TRAIN – COACH COMPARTMENT – LATE NIGHT
JESS(V.O.)
It’s hot in here. Can we open a window?

Jess removes WOOL BLANKET from over his HEAD and finds himself in OVERHEAD LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT. He looks down to see empty COACH ROOM and an open window.

Singed SAND and RICE are in neatly stacked in separate piles along door. Jess clumsily drops down to SEAT below. He reaches up and grabs his backup. Jess steps toward door about to reach the handle, BANG BANG BANG.

STRANGER(O.S.)
Jess? Hello? Your guardian said for us to
take you the rest of the way. You just have
to tell us where you’re headed. Jess?

Jess backs away from DOOR with soft, deliberate steps. He grips the TRAIN window. PAUSES and without looking, crawls over edge and DROPS.


EXT. TRAIN STATION – GUANGDONG – CHINA

Jess rolls along concrete landing and rests on FOOT. Jess looks up to see GAUNT MAN with ONE NOSTRIL and LEFT EYE OPEN looking directly at him. Gaunt Man’s hands crossed on lap with THUMBS linked.

KERALA(O.S. whispering)
Back away and don’t make a smell.

Jess crawls backwards. Beautiful Indian woman KERALA dressed in WOVEN DRESS and SILK BELT tied around the waist leads Jess by her slender nails.

KERALA(whispering)
Around the corner.


EXT. GUANGDONG – CITY STREET – EARLY MORNING

Jess and Kerala slide along BRICK WALL, out of the light and into dark shadows.
12

KERALA
Bulgarian vampire. He was sleeping.

JESS
That eye was looking right at me. Who are
you?

Jess backs away from Kerala. TWO WOMEN covered in SHROUDS float down NEON-LIT CITY STREET.

JESS(CONT’D)
Who are they?

KERALA
Jess, there is a lot you don’t know, but
right now is not the time.

Jess looks between the two women in SHROUDS and Kerala.

JESS
You are the hottest girl I’ve ever seen.
But if you try to suck my blood, I will
kill you. Even if you try to like hold
hands and make out, then I’ll kill you.

KERALA
Okay, no third base, now go.

Jess sprints towards Kerala, then CRASH! Jeff slaps face first to the damp ground, trips over PLUSH lump.

JESS
Where’d that cat come from?

Jess looks back to see RED PLUSH feet and follows it up to a ZOOT SUITED MAN.

KERALA
Brazilian vampire. Word of you has reached
the globe.

Kerala grabs Jess by his backpack straps and they run away.

JESS
This is the coolest field trip ever.
13

Kerala pulls Jess along through narrow, damp, and dim lit ALLEYS and STREETS.

KERALA
Moravian vampires. They cover you in their
shrouds and attack you in the nude.

Jess stops and pulls back towards the SHROUDS for a BEAT.

JESS
Almost the best field trip ever.

Kerala pulls Jess down ALLEY STAIRS and through a WOODEN DOOR with a SMALL WINDOW and CURTAINS. DOOR SHUTS.


INT. KERALA’S HIDEOUT – DUSK

DARK APARTMENT with SCATTERED WOODEN FURNITURE. Kerala locks DOOR and sits down, revealing her LONG LEGS.

JESS
Who am I kidding, the best ever.

KERALA
Tomorrow, when the sun goes down, we’ll
sneak out so they can’t follow us.

JESS
Follow us? Aren’t we going to them? They
have AnnaSophia, my mom, and everyone.

KERALA
Not everyone. Your father, Jess. Where is
he? We need to help him.

JESS
Why am I trusting you, again?

Kerala presents AnnaSophia’s soccer BALL that Jess lost.

KERALA
I tried to help your mom. I was just too
late. I couldn’t find you and I got scared
they took you, as well.
14

Jess rolls soccer BALL around in his hands.

JESS
Where the bamboo forest ends and the three
rivers meet. That’s all my mom told me.

KERALA
Surrounded by water. Vampires can’t cross
the water. Pearl River. Where the Xi-Jiang,
Bei-Jiang, and Dong Jiang converge into the
Pearl River delta.

JESS
I know the loo, the lift, lickle, and wanker.
You give me Xi-Jiang and if it’s not next to
the eggrolls then I don’t know what it is.

KERALA
Time to discover the homeland with your father.


EXT. GUANGDONG – COUNTRYSIDE – NIGHT

Jess plods along as Kerala tries to urge him faster.

JESS
Isn’t this the time when vampires would be
out looking for me? I’m so freaking tired.

KERALA
Would this body lie to you?

JESS
I don’t even know what that body can do, and
I feel funny and gross even thinking about it.
So stop it. But, I don’t even really care.
I’m in the middle of China –

KERALA
South.

JESS
Middle of south China and it looks like the
same freaking green grass Welsh dogs pee on.
Which is what I need to do when I see bamboo.
15

KERALA
Sshh. Look up Jess.

EXT. GUANGDONG – BAMBOO FOREST

Jess and Kerala are passing through BAMBOO FOREST. Jess looks up to see ABORIGINIES lurking in the trees. Their fingers SUCK on the BAMBOO and AIMED towards Jess.

JESS
Kerala. Shake like a tree and leave!

Jess leaps bounds over and through the forest in hysteria.


EXT. GUANGDONG – PEARL RIVER DELTA – NIGHT

Jess runs as THREE RIVERS CONVERGE into PEARL RIVER, slips down in the muddy banks at the edge. Jess sees two gravesites across RIVER. He turns around to see Kerala.

Kerala has her FANGS EXPOSED. Jess pulls her HEELS from under her on the slick MUD. Kerala CRASHES backwards. Jess takes her HIGH-HEELED SHOE as a WEAPON. He gets up and LAUNCHES over the RIVER and narrowly lands on other side.

Kerala stands back up pacing along the water’s edge.

JESS
Stay back.

Jess throws the MUD-FILLED SHOE, SPLASHING into the river.

KERALA
No!

Kerala leaps into the river after her shoe. She flails and flounders in RIVER, gasping for air before drowning.

JESS
Vampires.

Jess sees the TWO GRAVESITES. One marked in tied PEACHWOOD SWORDS, second with inscribed MOSS-COVERED STONE. “Mother of Little Jiang Shi Treasures, Wife of Dead Mortal Man.”
16

JESS
Dad?

Jess looks at PEACHWOOD SWORDS next to STONE MARKER. He rubs his hands along the weak binding of the TWO SWORDS.

JESS(CONT’D)
Not again. I never knew how bad I needed
you, until I lost you the second time.
You were supposed to help me get back the
last blood relative I have left.

MARIA(O.S.)
It won’t be her blood for long.

Jess gets up from his knees. Maria is holding AnnaSophia’s shoulders. Simon shuffles along side. Vera is held by MARIACHI’s with fleshless SKULLS.

MARIA(CONT’D)
It will be all of ours. You will be a
member of our family now.

JESS
I have a family.

MARIA
Tis’ a shame about your father. See how
he easily he gave up his little Jiang Shi,
his Chinese vampires. He was so disgusted
with what he done he killed himself.

VERA
That’s not true, Jess. Don’t listen to her.

JESS
Why did you bring me here? Why Vera?

VERA
Jess, to protect you. To save you both.

Chausiku grabs Jess’s flexed arms from behind. She stands with a smirk in her HUMAN FORM.


17

Maria walks AnnaSophia over to MOTHER’S GRAVE.

MARIA
Would you wanted to have missed this? To
say goodbye to little AnnaSophia.

VERA
No.

MARIACHI’s knock Vera down to her knees.

ANNASOPHIA
You were my mother.

MARIA
I was never your mother.

Maria drops AnnaSophia on top of Anna’s parents gravesites.

ANNASOPHIA
You fed me, clothed me, and Simon even
read me stories till I fell asleep. He
held me through lightning and rain.

Maria shoots a SHARP STARE at Simon, who slowly backs away from the scene. Maria removes and ornate silver KNIFE. She raises it high in the air. She recites a PRAYER. Anna looks over at Vera.

AnnaSophia mouths “THANK YOU” to Vera. Jess smiles at Anna.

JESS
The menstrual cycle is when hormones are
released from different parts of the body
to help prepare becoming a woman. A young
woman may only have three or four a year.
It’s a beautiful thing.

ANNASOPHIA
You did have health class. Thank you, Jess.

MARIA
And let the blood and daylight be shared by
all.

18

Maria, with both hands, raises the KNIFE. Chausiku and MARIACHI’s are slurping through their FANGS.

JESS
Mom!

Maria swings down with great force, CRUNCH, CRACK, THUD, THUD. MOTHER’s GRAVESITE begins to BULGE and QUAKE. Maria falls backward. AnnaSophia rolls free from Maria’s grasp.

VERA
I’m sorry, Jess. But I knew your father was
buried next to your mother. And I knew her
soul could not leave her body. She could not
fail to protect her little treasures. She
could not fail as a mother.

MOTHER HOPS high through the air out from GRAVE and lands on FATHER’S GRAVE. MOTHER’s FANGS are LONG and SEETHING. Her eyes are BLOOD RED.

JESS and ANNASOPHIA
Mom? Cool.

MARIA
We removed your head. Your supposed to be
dead.

ANNASOPHIA
How can a vampire say that with a straight
face?

MOTHER HOPS at a retreating Maria, and swipes at Maria cutting her arm and knocking away KNIFE. Simon shuffles to protect Maria.

AnnaSophia grows her FANGS and runs fingers along the new teeth.

ANNASOPHIA
No way.

AnnaSophia runs and launches herself onto MARIACHI’s. She begins to CLAW and BITE into their NECKS, blood spurting everywhere along Anna’s dress and body. Vera ESCAPES grasp.
19

Jess bites into Chausiku’s arms.

JESS
Hot, hot, hot.

Jess tastes the BLOOD.

JESS(CONT’D)
Gross.

CHAUSIKU
You have to be a man first, child.

JESS
I’m all man.

Vera CRASHES into Chausiku, sending her flyig into the RIVER. Chausiku STEAMS and BOILS in the river as she struggles to stay afloat. She drowns until FLAMING HAND dips below RIVER SURFACE.

VERA
Of course you are, honey. She just means
you know, when you’ve matured.

AnnaSophia releases BITE from lifeless and decapitated SIMON.

ANNASOPHIA
She means puberty.

AnnaSophia and MOTHER smother Maria.

MARIA
No, no, I’m your mother.

ANNASOPHIA
You were never my mother. My mother is
right here with me.

AnnaSophia and MOTHER share a look and BITE and TEAR viciously into Maria, removing her head and tossing it into the river.

MARIACHI’s lurch toward AnnaSophia and MOTHER.
20

RIP, CRUNCH and PEACHWOOD SWORDS TWIST around MARIACHI’s NECKS til FLESHLESS SKULLS drop off. MARIACHI bodies drop.

Jess and Vera slap swords together.

JESS
Thanks, moms.

Jess waves SWORD toward FATHER’s GRAVE.

JESS
And dad.

Jess takes SWORDS, plants them back into GRAVE. MOTHER hops until reaches FATHER’s GRAVE, lies down, sinks into EARTH.

VERA
A mother’s job is done.

Jess and AnnaSophia walk over to MOTHER and FATHER’s GRAVE.

ANNASOPHIA
You can sleep now, mom.

JESS
I don’t think I can. But, thank you. Mom.
Jess and AnnaSophia kiss the GRAVE.

Vera, Jess, and AnnaSophia walk down PEARL RIVER edge.

ANNASOPHIA
I feel strange.

JESS
Oh, that’s the ovaries releasing the egg.

VERA and ANNASOPHIA
Jess.


INT. VERA’S TOWNHOUSE – DAY

AnnaSophia getting ready for school, Vera cooks BREAKFAST. Jess sits at table, VOICE CRACKS, and FANGS APPEAR.

Want to comment on this Short Stories? Sign up to Edit Red and you will be able to comment on Short Stories and get access to: Upload your own stories and poems, get readers and their feedback, promote your work...