Screenplay: My Lie

by Montana Epps:

OVER BLACK
An angelic voice sings a Vietnamese hymn.

A man, who we will come to know as MICHAEL DAVIS (20),
speaks over it.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          I want to tell you a story.

In the background, the singing is overshadowed by gunfire
and explosions.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          The story of my lie and how the

         truth came out.

EXT. FRONT LAWN - DAVIS HOUSE - DAY

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          It was the summer of '65. My

         brother was headed off to the war.
          I didn't like the war.

JOHNNY (22) walks out of the front door wearing an
overflowing backpack and carrying a duffle bag in one arm.
A confederate and American flag blow in the wind. His
family follws out the door.

After throwing the bags in his truck, he turns to face his
family. His MOTHER, visibly emotional, wipes her tears and
hugs him. His FATHER, a proud military man, pulls him in
close and pats his back.

                   FATHER
          I'm proud of you, son. You ain't

         gonna let me down.

Johnny looks over at Michael who is purposely looking down
at the ground.

                   JOHNNY
          You sure you don't wanna come? You

         can sign up at the dock.

Michael, a quiet, but very opinionated young man, looks up
at his brother and responds.

                   MICHAEL
          Do I look like I wanna kill myself?

                   JOHNNY
          Okay, your loss.

                   FATHER
          Come on, Mikey. This could be your

         only shot to fight for our country
          with your big bro.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          I don't remember what I was

         thinking. I had so much to lose. I
          just didn't want Johnny to leave.

With hardly any convincing, Michael has a quick change of
heart. He runs in the house and comes back out with a
jacket and a small backpack.

His family looks at him with wonder. He was easier to
convince than they'd expected.

Their mother begins sobbing. Their father's curiosity
breaks into pride; a wide smile painted on his face.

                   JOHNNY
               (joking manner)

         Well, off we go. These Vietnamese
          ain't gonna kill themselves.

Both young men climb into the truck and pull out of the
driveway, their parents waving goodbye.

INT. TRUCK - DAY

The radio is blasting a news broadcast about President
Johnson's decision to increase military involvment in the
war.

                   RADIO HOST
          Looks like the 'Nam bombings

         weren't enough. According to
          Johnson, the monthly draft calls
          will be raised to meet the
          increase in military power. So get
          ready fellas cause you could be
          next!

                   JOHNNY
          That's gonna be us out there,

         buddy. Ain't it great?
Michael turns off the radio.

                   JOHNNY (CONT'D)
          Hey! What'd you do that for?

2.

                   MICHAEL
          You're gonna get killed, Johnny!

                   JOHNNY
          And so what if I do? At least I'm

         not sittin' around waiting for our
          country to fall apart. (pause) You
          gotta be more suportive of the
          place you live, Mikey.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          I was supportive. But what Johnny

         didn't understand is I was
          supportive of everything he
          wasn't. I wanted to fight with
          intellect. He wanted to fight with
          guns.

                   JOHNNY
          Is that the only reason you came?

         To get me to change my mind? Not
          gonna work, kid. So shut up and
          listen to the radio or I'll throw
          your ass out at the corner.

Johnny turns the radio back on. The voice of President
Johnson fills the car.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          If only Johnny knew. I couldn't

         tell him the truth, but I also
          couldn't stand to see him go.

Michael lays his head against the window and closes his
eyes.

INT. HELICOPTER - DAY

The sound of the chopper is deafening. Michael sits next to
Johnny, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Both men
have facial hair growing in, an indicator of time gone by.

                   JOHNNY
               (yelling, excited)

         Mikey, wake up! How can you be
          sleeping? We're here!

Michael jolts awake, clutching his notepad and looks out
over a sea of green trees. In the distance he can see base
camp. He jots down a few words and puts the paper in his
front pocket.

3.

EXT. BASE CAMP - DAY

All the men from the chopper are lined up in front of the
COMMANDING OFFICER.

                   COMMANDING OFFICER
          Attention! Welcome to Station 8.

         In the morning you all ship out to
          Pinkville. I suggest you rest up.

The men wait for the Commanding Officer to say anything
else before they leave.

                   COMMANDING OFFICER (CONT'D)
          Y'all trying to look pretty? Move!

The soldiers each depart their own ways. Michael follows
Johnny into a tent.

INT. TENT - NIGHT

Johnny is laying asleep in his bed. Covers thrown on the
floor. Michael writes on paper with a flashlight in hand.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          My dearest KATHERINE, words cannot

         express how much I miss your
          beautiful face. We made it to base
          camp today. Tomorrow Johnny ships
          out to My Lai and I'll stay here
          doing what I usually do. How have
          you been, my darling? I miss you
          terribly. I know I said it before,
          but I am truly sorry for leaving
          without sayin' goodbye. I just
          can't stand the thought of Johnny
          bein' out here all alone. He's so
          agressive and too prideful. He
          loves this war, ya know? He likes
          fighting. I'm afraid it'll get him
          in trouble one day. But I promise
          I will come home to you soon. And
          when I do, we will tell the world
          about us and little JOEY. I want
          to shout it from the rooftop. I
          love you both, Katherine, and I
          always will.

Johnny restles in his sleep. Michael looks over at him and
back at his paper.

4.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          I am not sure when we will go, so

         please write back soon, my dear. I
          will look for your letter. Yours
          forever, Michael.

Michael folds the paper, puts it in an envelope, and seals
it with a stamp. He turns off the light and goes to sleep.

INT. TENT - DAY

Johnny gets dressed. Michael slowly rises from his sleep.
He sits on the cot, starring at Johnny.

                   JOHNNY
               (laughing)

         You get a good look?

                   MICHAEL
          When are we going home? (pause) I

         wanna go home.

                   JOHNNY
               (mocking Michael)

         I wanna go home.
               (aggitated tone)

         Look, you signed up for this. If
          you wanna go home, go. Ain't
          nobody makin' you stay.

                   MICHAEL
          You heard the man yesterday! Nixon

         is comin' in. He's gettin' us out
          of here anyway. Why not just leave
          now before somethin' bad happens?

Johnny tucks in his shirt and fastens his belt. His eyes
spot the letter on the floor.

                   JOHNNY
          I don't give up, Mikey. You can,

         but I won't. (pause) You write
          another letter to Mom?

Michael hesitates and then looks down at the envelope.

                   MICHAEL
          Yeah. I wanted her to know we made it safe.

Johnny steps toward Michael and rubs his head, messing his
hair up. He smiles at hime and walks out of the tent.

5.

EXT. BASE CAMP - DAY

Johnny is talking to one of the captains. Michael walks
toward the small group of men.

COMMANDING OFFICER

Davis!

Both Johnny and Michael turn around. Johnny realizes he was
calling for Michael and not him.

                   MICHAEL
          Yes, Sir?

                   COMMANDING OFFICER
          You're going in the field. Gear up.

Johnny watches as the Commanding Officer talks to Michael
and then walks away. Michael stands in the middle of the
camp, shocked and confused. Johnny walks over.

                   JOHNNY
          What was that about?

                   MICHAEL
          He wants me in the field.

                   JOHNNY
          You're funny.

                   MICHAEL
          Packer and Thompson were

         discharged. They need men.

                   JOHNNY
          Wait, are you serious?

Michael, still in shock, turns and walks toward the
chopper.

                   JOHNNY (CONT'D)
          Wait, where you going?

                   MICHAEL
               (yelling)

         I'm gonna die out there, Johnny! I
          don't know how to fight.

Johnny gives Michael a heavy pat on the back and squeezes
his shoulder. Both men walk toward the chopper, grab their
gear and suit up.

6.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          I somehow knew what was bound to

         happen, but at the same time, I
          knew nothing.

EXT. MY LAI - DAY
Huddled in a group together, the men listen for command.

                   COMMANDING OFFICER
          You shoot anything that moves.

         Don't waste a bullet on the air.
          You find the target, you kill it.

The men break off into their small groups and aim their
guns toward the huts and rice paddies.

Michael stays close to Johnny. They lead a group of men
toward a building. They kick open the door, revealing
villagers of all ages.

Men run toward the soldiers, the women grab the children.
Gunfire drowns out the cries.

Out of fear, Michael begins shooting. He misses every time.

The group left him. He stands over a body of a young girl.
A pool of blood surrounds his feet. He's shocked. Scared.
Stunned.

Michael runs after his group, then croutches behind a large
stone. Gunfire continues. Michael begins to cry.

He sits croutched with his hands over his ears. Crying.

He decides to make a run for it and follows the sound of
soldiers yelling.

He leaps out from behind the rock and a look of horror
fills his face. He grabs his stomach and looks down at his
hands, covered in blood. He's been shot.

He falls to the ground and looks up at the sky. Johnny,
standing accross from Michael on the other side of the
field, puts his gun down and rushes over.

                   JOHNNY
               (yelling, sobbing)

         Mikey! Mikey! No! I'm sorry Mikey!
          Stay with me, buddy. You're gonna
          be okay.

Johnny is packing the wound with a cloth from Michael's
uniform.

7.

                   JOHNNY (CONT'D)
          Please, Mikey, no! I didn't

         realize. I thought it was them.
          No! You got up so fast. Mikey!

Michael grabs Johnny's hand and pulls him closer.

                   MICHAEL
               (faint of breath)

         I lied to you, Johnny.
               (coughs up blood)

         I've been writing to Katherine.

                   JOHNNY
               (crying) 

         Katherine?

                   MICHAEL
          I need you to give her my letter.

         Give her both letters.
Johnny continues crying and tries to hush Michael.

                   MICHAEL (CONT'D)
          She's my girl, back home. We have a son.

                   JOHNNY
          Mikey, just relax. I'm gonna help you.

                   MICHAEL
          No. Promise me you'll tell her I love her?

                   JOHNNY
          Who is she, Mikey?

                   MICHAEL
          She's my girl. I love her. My

         son's name is Joseph. Tell him I
          love him, too.

Johnny cries through the confusion.

                   JOHNNY
          Joseph? Why don't I know her?

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          Because you'd hate her.

Johnny presses down on the wound, looking around for help.
Michael winces with discomfort.

8.

                   MICHAEL
          You can't tell Mom or Pop. (pause)

         God knows what they'll do. (long
          pause) The letter is in my bag.

                   JOHNNY
          Wait, why?

Michael closes his eyes and starts losing consciousness.
Johnny presses harder on the wound. Blood spills out.

                   JOHNNY (CONT'D)
          Mikey, stay with me! Keep talking.

         Why can't I tell them?

Michael loses consciousness and Johnny releases pressure.
He looks around and sees dead bodies everywhere. Just like
his brother. Guilt falls over him. He did that. He falls
back, sobbing.

EXT. FRONT PORCH - DAY

Johnny looks down at the envelope addressed to the house in
front of him. He walks up to the door. He knocks.

An African American woman looks through the side window.
She opens the door.

                   JOHNNY
          Oh, sorry. I think I have the

         wrong house. I'm looking for a
          Katherine?

                   KATHERINE
          I'm Katherine. How can I help you?

Johnny's face goes blank. He now understands why he never
knew Katherine.

                   JOHNNY
               (clears throat)

         Hi. I'm Johnny, Michael's brother.

Katherine looks confused. Then she sees the letter. Johnny
hands it to her.

                   JOHNNY (CONT'D)
          This is for you.

Johnny is about to leave when he hears a small voice from
behind the door.

                   JOSEPH
          Mommy.

9.

Johnny peers in through the door to see Michael's son,
Joseph, tugging at his mother's dress. Johnny looks at the
young boy with slight displeasure. The little boy,
oblivious to his glance, smiles up at him. He looks like
Michael.

During this interaction, Katherine reads the letter.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.)
          My dearest Katherine, if you are

         reading this letter it is because
          I am gone. I have died fighting
          and I am not even sure what for.
          We entered this war to help
          others, but what we really need is
          to help ourselves. Our country may
          forbid our love, but not anymore,
          I am done lying and hiding from
          the hateful. I am proud to be your
          lover and father to our child. And
          it pains me to have to write such
          an unpleasant letter, but I want
          you to have some of my last words.
          I love you darling and our little
          Joey, too. I can tell from the
          pictures you've sent that he is
          going to be perfect, just like
          you. Please tell him about me
          someday. I want him to know he's
          special. And for you my dear, I
          wish you happiness, but above all,
          love. You are worthy of nothing
          less. Each day we have been apart,
          I have grown more and more in love
          with you. Katherine, you are my
          forever. Love, your Mikey.

Katherine is sobbing and stands in the doorway with Joseph
by her side.

She swoops him up and runs after Johnny who is getting into
his car.

She embraces him. He turns around, stiff and hesitant, but
then leans in and hugs her back. They both cry.

                   MICHAEL (V.O.) (CONT'D)
          Ironic. It wasn't my lie, but my

         death that brought them together.
                            END

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Photo Source and Description:

At the end of the Vietnam War six Australian servicemen were still listed as “Missing in Action”. Between 2007 and 2009 Unrecovered War Casualties – Army successfully recovered four Soldiers and two Airmen. The remains were repatriated to Australia and laid to rest by their families, there are now no Australian Servicemen missing in Vietnam.Source: https://www.army.gov.au/our-work/unrecovered-war-casualties/vietnam