“Cardboard Snowflakes”
by
Jie Lian
Slow Fade In:
EXT. Snow covered metropolis - Morning
A small child is shivering while huddled against a trash container. He hides away from the main sidewalk with his head tucked between his arms. The rags around his small body are torn, his sleeves barely attached.
Xiao Long
Another morning, just another morning.
The silhouette of a teenage girl appears behind him, she reaches outward and gently puts her cold hands on the back of his neck.
Meiling
It's cold out here, why not share my last meat bun with me?
The boy hesitates and slowly peers around his shoulder at her. His face is covered in dirt, scratched and scarred.
Meiling looks down at him and smiles weakly. Her face is pale and frost bitten.
Xiao Long quickly takes half of the meat bun from Meiling's hands, stuffing the food in his mouth.
Xiao Long
-With his mouth full- W-Who are you? Please leave me alone, Don't look at me!
Meiling is shocked that the young boy yelled at her but she calmly kneels down next to him and closes her eyes. The wind blows heavily and rattles the trash container they are hiding behind.
Meiling
My name is Meiling, I want to be your friend. I haven't had any friends since my parents removed me from our house. Since then, no one would even talk to street trash like me.
FAde to black :
EXT : Besides a large trash container - day
Xiao Long is talking to Meiling inaudibly and a smile finally appears on his face.
Meiling
Ok Xiao Long, Let's go see if we can find some food before it gets dark.
Xiao Long doesn't say a word but he nods quickly with a smile. Meiling licks her thumb and rubs off some of the dirt on his cheeks and forehead.
Meiling
There! We're all set to go, I don't see how anyone can refuse to help a handsome boy like you!
Xiao Long runs off towards the street, his small feet sinks deep beneath the thick sheet of snow. Meiling smiles at the sight of the happy child but then winces in pain. Her stomach aches from starvation.
Cut To:
Ext : Busy street corner - Late afternoon
Xiao Long is sitting on Meiling's shoulders are she prance around happily, asking the busy business people if they are able to spare some change.
Both
Excuse me, Excuse me sir?! Can we ..
The man looks at them then snickers, he looks away in disgust and continues walking.
The children sigh in disappointment but continues smiling and trying to stay positive.
Both
Excuse me, Ma'am. Sir? Excuse us.
Random Man
What do you want children?
Both
We are wondering if we can work for food and perhaps shelter? We can do anything! Maybe babysitting?
The man walks away without even saying a word to them, completely ignoring their existence. The sunsets on the scene as Meiling and Xiao Long are looking at each other in sadness and disappointment.
Fade to:
Ext : Cold Empty Metropolis - Night
The children finds a large empty box sitting on the doorstep of a popular restaurant. Excitement ignites in their eyes. Without hesitation, they knock over the box and climb inside.
Xiao Long
I'm hungry ..
The aroma of fried rice and other delicious foods still linger in their cardboard house.
Xiao Long
Maybe, just a small piece of bread. Maybe some chicken left over on the bone?
Xiao Long crawls along the snow covered floor, trying to find an area with the least ice. His eyes begin to tear and he starts to cry.
Xiao Long
I don't understand why, Why when I chased after you in the park, all you did was walk away from me. Mom. Dad. Why?
He curls up, trying to keep warm and eventually cries himself to sleep. Meiling slowly slides her fingers through his knotted hair, humming a quiet melody.
Fade out:
Ext : Blizzard covered Metropolis - day break
The two children are busily tearing a large piece off of their home. Xiao Long sits at one end of the large cardboard so the wind doesn't blow it away. Meiling takes a half bitten marker and writes on it.
Meiling
Let's go Xiao Long, Let us feed our bellies.
The two runs out to the corner again, there are less people walking by now. The blizzard is starting but the children relentlessly keep their post at the street corner. They wave their sign high up in the air as it reads " This maybe your favorite holiday season, I hope you smile all the way through. This is probably going to be our last. From here, Each snowflake looks so pure. As our stomach growls, we ask of you. Please save us. "
Meiling
Help us! Please help us, We are hungry. Maybe your left over's? Please, something will help us.
Meiling screams and yells until her voice begins to fade.
Xiao Long
We can work! We are able to work for cheap!
A small group of children dragging a blue sled pass by, they are bundled up in thick jackets and wool gloves. One of them looks over at Meiling and laughs. They drop their sled and starts packing snowballs between their hands.
Meiling
Ni Hao Hwong! How has your ..
Before she could finish talking, the children throws the snow balls at them. One hits Xiao Long on the side of the head. He slips and falls into the snow.
Meiling angrily throws snowballs back at the children as Xiao Long cries from the ice packed snowball which hit him.
Hwong
This is what you get! Your family should all be homeless. Your father thinks that he's all important being the Major. Well my family hates him!
Hwong and his group of friends laugh as they continue to walk away. The blizzard pick up and Meiling leans over little Xiao Long to protect him from the snow. Slowly they both retreat to their cardboard box and hide away from the storm.
Meiling
Are you ok? I'm sorry, those children used to go to the same school as I did.
Xiao Long doesn't say a single word but instead he starts tearing smaller pieces of the cardboard. His small hands nimbly work and creates miniature origami cranes.
Meiling
Oh that's awesome! But I think we should clean up your wound first.
Meiling starts to rip pieces of cloth off of her sweat shirt, then very carefully cleans Xiao Long's wound.
As more and more cranes are made, the house they created becomes smaller and more fragile. Some of the cranes have taken flight in the heavy winds, blown outside into the blinding snow.
EXT : Blizzard filled street corner - Early Afternoon
Their cardboard house now has become nothing more than a row of cranes. The children now have lost their hope. They sit quietly releasing the cranes into the wind and watching them be blown away.
Suddenly a man appears in the blind snowstorm. He is wearing a tuxedo and along his back is a large Cello.
Stranger
Come children, here take these.
The man reaches in his coat pocket and pulls out a pair of tiny pink wool gloves.
Stranger
These used to belong to my children, you can have them now. If you don't have a place to stay for tonight, You are welcome to join me and my wife for the Holiday dinner.
The man starts to walk away, before he is lost again in the storm, the children start to run to him. A quick flashback appears of Xiao Long running for his parents in the park as they walked away. Then another flashback of Meiling reaching out for the door of her house as her father slams it closed.
Fade to White :
The End
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