THE NARROWS
Written by
Gary J Rose
Grose1pacbell.net
(530) 613-9232
FADE IN:
WE OPEN WITH A BLACK SCREEN.
Silence.
A faint sound begins to emerge. Not dramatic. Familiar.
Water moving.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAWN – DECEMBER 6, 1917
The harbor wakes.
Cold blue light spreads across still water. Breath rises from
men already at work. Boots on wood. Rope sliding through
gloved hands.
Ships everywhere. Anchored. Moving. Waiting.
This is not chaos.
This is routine.
A steam whistle sounds in the distance. Another answers.
On the docks, a YOUNG DOCKHAND laughs at something we don’t
hear. He adjusts a heavy coat that doesn’t quite fit.
Nearby, a HORSE stamps impatiently, steam pouring from its
nostrils.
Across the harbor, the silhouette of a large ship glides
forward, deliberate and slow. Unremarkable. Just another
morning movement in a crowded lane.
Windows in the city flicker to life.
INT. MODEST BEDROOM – MORNING
A MAN and a WOMAN lie tangled together under heavy blankets.
Warm against the cold.
She stirs first. Smiles at him before opening her eyes.
This is safety. This is ordinary.
She slips from the bed, careful not to wake him.
EXT. HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
The ship advances.
A harbor PILOT studies the traffic ahead. Calm. Confident.
This is his job. He’s done this a thousand times.
Another ship moves in the opposite direction.
Neither alters course yet.
No alarm.
No urgency.
INT. KITCHEN – MORNING
The woman pours hot water into a cup. Steam fogs the window.
Through the glass, the harbor is visible. Beautiful. Busy.
She watches it absently as she stirs.
Outside, church bells begin to ring. Not in warning. In time.
Genres:
["Historical","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
2 -
Tension in the Harbor
EXT. HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
A signal flag goes up. Routine.
Another answers.
A moment of hesitation. Brief. Almost nothing.
The two ships continue toward one another.
Still no one runs.
Still no one shouts.
Still, everything feels under control.
CUT TO BLACK.
TITLE CARD:
THE NARROWS
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – DECK – MORNING
Gray light. Cold air.
CREW move with practiced efficiency, checking lines, securing
cargo. Everything is orderly. Controlled.
CAPTAIN AIMÉ LE MÉDEC, early 40s, composed but new to this
command, stands with FIRST MATE RICHARD LAVOIE, late 50s,
weathered, unhurried.
Lavoie holds a clipboard. He flips a page.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAVOIE
! ! Cargo secured. Holds one through
four.
Le Médec nods, scanning the deck. His eyes settle on a row of
BARRELS lashed near the rail.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! That’s the benzol?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAVOIE
! ! Yes, sir. Thirty-five tons.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! On deck?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAVOIE
! ! Orders from Paris. Too volatile
for the hold.
Le Médec absorbs that. He looks past the barrels, toward the
harbor ahead.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! And below?
Lavoie checks the manifest, matter-of-fact.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAVOIE
! ! Picric acid. Wet and dry.
! ! TNT. Guncotton.
He says it the way another man might list food supplies.
Le Médec lets out a breath.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! How much?
Lavoie finally looks up at him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAVOIE
! ! Enough.
That lands.
A faint CHEMICAL SHEEN glistens on one barrel seam. A CREWMAN
wipes it with a rag, ties the lash tighter. No alarm. No
comment.
The ship moves.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
Tension in The Narrows
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – THE NARROWS – MORNING
Traffic tightens.
Ships converge from every direction, threading through the
channel. Steam whistles trade short, impatient bursts.
SS IMO advances faster than the others.
On her bridge, PILOT WILLIAM HAYES, confident, watches the
water ahead. CAPTAIN HAAKON FROM stands beside him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! HAYES
! ! We’re behind schedule.
From studies the narrowing channel.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! FROM
! ! Plenty of room.
Ahead, another vessel hesitates. Hayes gestures casually.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! HAYES
! ! They’ll move. Starboard rules.
From nods. Engines push on.
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – BRIDGE – SAME
Pilot FRANCIS MACKEY peers through binoculars. He spots the
IMO approaching faster than expected.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MACKEY
! ! She’s carrying speed.
Le Médec joins him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! She’ll yield.
Mackey isn’t so sure. He reaches for the whistle.
A SHORT BLAST echoes.
Across the water, a reply — TWO SHORT BLASTS.
Mackey stiffens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MACKEY
! ! They want starboard-to-starboard.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! That’s not correct.
Mackey watches the distance close.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MACKEY
! ! No. But it’s happening.
The harbor narrows.
The margin for error thins.
Both ships continue forward.
No one shouts.
No one panics.
Everything still feels under control.
INSERT — CONTINUATION
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Morning Promises
INT. MODEST ROW HOUSE – BEDROOM – MORNING
The MAN from earlier is now awake. JAMES O’CONNELL, late 20s,
harbor rail clerk. Solid. Tired in the way men get from
routine.
He buttons his shirt as the WOMAN, ANNA KEATING, early 20s,
sharp-eyed, practical, finishes pinning her hair.
A kettle WHISTLES faintly from the other room.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You’ll be late again.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Only if the yard’s a mess.
She smiles. Not buying it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! It’s always a mess.
James pulls on his coat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Tonight.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You said that yesterday.
He crosses to her, kisses her forehead.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Tonight’s different.
She wants to believe him. She does anyway.
Outside, a STEAM WHISTLE sounds — closer now.
Genres:
["Drama","Romance"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
The Calm Before the Catastrophe
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – WATERFRONT STREET – MORNING
Anna steps out onto the street. Cold air. Brightening sky.
People pause as a COLUMN OF BLACK SMOKE begins to rise in the
distance.
Someone points.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCKHAND
! ! Fire on a ship.
Curiosity spreads faster than concern.
Anna joins the others drifting toward the harbor.
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – DECK – SAME
The COLLISION.
It is not violent. Not dramatic.
A LOW, GRINDING IMPACT as IMO’s prow presses into Mont-
Blanc’s side.
Metal shrieks.
Men stagger but stay upright.
Then — BARRELS TOPPLE.
One SPLITS OPEN.
BENZOL spills across the deck, shimmering, alive.
A spark flashes inside the hull as metal scrapes free.
WHOOMPF.
Fire ignites at the waterline.
Instantly hungry.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CREWMAN
! ! Fire!
Smoke coils upward, thick and black.
Le Médec takes it in — too calm for a half-second too long.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! Abandon ship.
The order snaps the spell.
Men RUN.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – VARIOUS – CONTINUOUS
The fire grows.
The ship drifts.
Across the harbor, people stop walking. Stop working.
Windows fill with faces.
Children climb fences.
No sirens. No panic.
Just watching.
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – LIFEBOATS – CONTINUOUS
Crewmen row hard away from the burning ship.
One man turns back, shouting toward the shore — his words
lost to distance and wind.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CREWMAN
! ! She’s going to explode!
No one hears him.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
The Gathering Storm
EXT. RAIL YARD – MORNING
James exits a rail office and looks up.
The smoke column now towers over the city.
A fellow CLERK shades his eyes.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! That’s no ordinary fire.
James doesn’t answer.
Something in his gut tightens.
EXT. HARBOR – PIER 6 – CONTINUOUS
The unmanned Mont-Blanc drifts closer.
Flames roar higher.
The crowd grows.
A strange stillness settles over the water.
The clock is already running.
No one knows it.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
The fire has changed character.
It’s no longer flickering. It’s feeding.
Flames crawl along the deck of MONT-BLANC, rolling thick
black smoke skyward.
The ship drifts — slow, inexorable — toward the Halifax
shoreline.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
The CROWD is larger now.
Men. Women. Children.
A strange, almost festive curiosity hangs in the air.
Someone laughs nervously.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN IN CROWD
! ! Never seen anything like it.
Anna stands near the front, eyes fixed on the burning ship.
Something about it feels wrong.
She steps back instinctively — just a step.
EXT. SS IMO – DECK – CONTINUOUS
Crew scramble to assess damage.
Captain FROM watches the fire spreading across Mont-Blanc.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! FROM
! ! She’s drifting.
A SAILOR swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SAILOR
! ! Tow her?
From doesn’t answer.
They both know it’s already too late.
EXT. HARBOR – TUG STELLA MARIS – CONTINUOUS
The tug steams toward the burning ship, hose lines being
dragged into position.
CAPTAIN BRANNEN shouts orders.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! BRANNEN
! ! Easy. Don’t get too close.
Water arcs toward the flames — swallowed instantly by heat.
The fire does not slow.
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – DECK – CONTINUOUS
Fire races along the benzol-soaked planks.
Below deck, unseen, explosives wait.
The ship GROANS — a living thing in pain.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
The Calm Before the Catastrophe
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James moves toward the tracks, eyes locked on the harbor.
A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR hurries past him, pale.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! TELEGRAPH OPERATOR
! ! They’re saying it’s an ammunition
ship.
James freezes.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! What?
But the operator is already gone.
James turns back toward the water — fear finally breaking
through routine.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
The Mont-Blanc drifts closer to PIER 6.
Fireboats pull back.
Even the brave are retreating now.
Still — people remain at the windows.
Still — the crowd does not scatter.
EXT. SS MONT-BLANC – LIFeboat – CONTINUOUS
The French crew rows hard toward the Dartmouth shore.
One man looks back — horror etched across his face.
He whispers to himself, in French.
A prayer. Or an apology.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
Anna squints against the glare.
The fire suddenly roars, louder than before.
A LOW RUMBLE vibrates through the ground.
She feels it in her chest.
So does everyone else.
A beat.
Silence presses down.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
The burning ship rests — momentarily — against the pier.
Flames reach higher.
The smoke column thickens.
The world seems to hold its breath.
CUT TO:
WHITE.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
A BLINDING FLASH.
Sound disappears.
For a fraction of a second, the world is white.
Then—
THE EXPLOSION.
A wall of force tears outward from PIER 6, faster than
thought.
The MONT-BLANC CEASES TO EXIST.
Steel, fire, and air collide.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
Windows SHATTER outward.
Glass becomes a weapon.
Anna is thrown backward as the BUILDING BEHIND HER
DISINTEGRATES.
She never hears it.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
Aftermath of Destruction
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James looks up—
IMPACT.
He is lifted off his feet and hurled across the yard.
Railcars flip like toys.
Men vanish in a cloud of brick and iron.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – CONTINUOUS
A PRESSURE WAVE rips through the city.
Roofs peel away
Trees snap
Stone walls collapse inward
Horses are thrown through the air
The harbor DRAINS, water pulled violently away—
Then comes the TSUNAMI, surging back with unimaginable force.
Ships are flung ashore.
The IMO is carried like driftwood.
EXT. SS STELLA MARIS – CONTINUOUS
The tug is engulfed.
Men are erased.
The vessel disappears in flame and water.
EXT. DARTMOUTH SHORE – CONTINUOUS
The wave slams into the coast.
Homes are lifted from their foundations.
A community is swallowed whole.
EXT. HALIFAX – CONTINUOUS
The shockwave races outward.
Miles away, people are knocked flat.
Church bells RING — torn loose by the blast.
INT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – CONTINUOUS
Inside homes, offices, schools —
Glass explodes inward.
Faces at windows are blinded in an instant.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
A MUSHROOMING COLUMN OF WHITE SMOKE climbs skyward.
Debris rains down for miles.
Then —
Silence.
A vast, ringing silence.
EXT. HALIFAX – MOMENTS LATER
The city is gone.
Where streets once stood, there is rubble.
Where buildings stood, there is nothing.
Fires burn unchecked.
Snow begins to fall — settling softly over devastation.
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James stirs in the wreckage.
Deaf. Bleeding.
He tries to stand.
Falls.
He looks toward where the harbor used to be.
It isn’t there anymore.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
Anna lies buried beneath shattered timber and brick.
Her eyes are open.
She sees nothing.
FADE OUT.
EXT. HALIFAX – CONTINUOUS
Silence.
Not peaceful. Damaged.
A high, distant RINGING hangs in the air.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
Aftermath of Desolation
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James lies amid twisted steel and splintered ties.
His ears ring violently.
He opens his mouth to shout — nothing comes out.
He touches his face. His hand comes away BLOODIED.
Around him, men move in slow, broken motions.
One tries to stand. Collapses.
Another stares at his own legs, bent the wrong way.
James finally finds his voice —
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Anna—
No sound reaches him.
He pushes himself up, unsteady, and looks toward the city.
What he sees doesn’t make sense.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
Anna lies buried beneath debris.
Her eyes blink rapidly.
Dust fills the air like fog.
She tries to move — PAIN stops her cold.
She wipes at her eyes.
Nothing changes.
She panics now.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! James?
Her voice is thin, distant. Almost gone.
A SHADOW moves above her.
Hands begin pulling debris away.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – CONTINUOUS
The city emerges in fragments:
– A woman wanders the street, carrying a door like a
stretcher – A horse screams, trapped beneath rubble – A child
sits alone, untouched, crying soundlessly – Fire spreads
unchecked, block to block
Snow settles on open wounds.
EXT. HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
Where the Mont-Blanc was, there is only WATER and SMOKE.
The pier is gone.
The shoreline has been rearranged.
Ships lie where ships should never be.
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James staggers forward.
Every step is effort.
He passes a man pressed into a brick wall — dead, eyes open.
James doesn’t stop.
He can’t.
The ringing in his ears begins to fade — replaced by distant
CRIES.
Real ones.
EXT. WATERFRONT STREET – CONTINUOUS
Anna is pulled free.
Her face is streaked with blood and ash.
She looks at her rescuer — doesn’t react.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RESCUER
! ! Can you see me?
Anna opens her mouth.
Nothing comes.
Her terror lands slowly, fully.
EXT. HALIFAX – CONTINUOUS
Sound returns unevenly.
Cries. Shouting. Fire crackling.
The city realizes what has happened.
EXT. RAIL YARD – CONTINUOUS
James breaks into a run — clumsy, desperate.
He shouts Anna’s name now, loud and raw.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! ANNA!
His voice disappears into the ruined city.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
In the Shadows of Despair
INT. MAKESHIFT AID STATION – DAY
A church. Or what’s left of one.
Pews shoved aside. Bodies everywhere — on floors, on doors
used as stretchers.
Doctors and NURSES move frantically, already overwhelmed.
Snow blows in through shattered windows.
Anna is carried inside, laid down gently.
She blinks rapidly, disoriented.
A NURSE leans close.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Miss? Can you tell me your name?
Anna swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Anna… Anna Keating.
Relief crosses the nurse’s face — a name matters.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Anna, look at me.
Anna tries.
Her eyes don’t focus.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! It’s dark.
The nurse hesitates. Just a fraction too long.
She lifts her hand, waves it slowly in front of Anna’s face.
Nothing.
The nurse masks her reaction.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! You’re safe. You’re inside now.
Anna’s breathing quickens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I can’t see.
The nurse grips her hand firmly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! You’re not alone.
That’s the promise. Not that she’ll see again.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
Desperate Search Amidst Chaos
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – CONTINUOUS
James pushes through wreckage, shouting hoarsely.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! ANNA!
! ! ANNA KEATING!
No response.
He stumbles past a LINE OF BODIES laid out under blankets.
A MAN kneels beside one, rocking silently.
James can’t stop.
INT. MAKESHIFT AID STATION – CONTINUOUS
Doctors work with what they have.
Glass is pulled from flesh.
Bandages run out.
Screams rise and fall.
Anna sits upright suddenly, panicked.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! James—!
She reaches out blindly, grasping air.
The nurse steadies her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Easy. Easy.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! He was at the rail yard.
The nurse nods, already flagging a CLERK.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Write that down.
The clerk hesitates — there are too many names already.
EXT. HALIFAX – CONTINUOUS
Fires burn unchecked.
Men form bucket lines.
Children wander, calling for parents who won’t answer.
Snow thickens, settling over rubble and blood alike.
INT. MAKESHIFT AID STATION – CONTINUOUS
Anna sits still now.
Shock setting in.
The noise fades around her.
All that remains is the sound of her own breathing.
And the darkness.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
Shadows of Despair
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – CONTINUOUS
James reaches the edge of the waterfront.
What was once familiar is unrecognizable.
He drops to his knees.
For the first time, he allows himself to believe she might be
gone.
CUT TO:
EXT. HALIFAX – LATE AFTERNOON
The city burns as snow falls harder.
Rescue has begun.
Too late for many.
Not too late for all.
EXT. HALIFAX – NIGHT
Darkness falls early.
Snow comes down harder now, thick and relentless, swallowing
sound.
Fires still burn — orange wounds against white.
Men move through rubble with lanterns.
Every shadow hides a body.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Chaos, barely controlled.
Doctors shout over one another. Supplies are gone.
Anna lies wrapped in blankets, eyes bandaged.
She listens.
Moans. Prayers. Screams cut short.
A DOCTOR kneels beside her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR
! ! Miss Keating. I need you to hear
me.
She nods, terrified of what’s coming.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR (CONT’D)
! ! The glass… it did severe damage.
He chooses his words carefully.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR (CONT’D)
! ! We don’t know yet what will
return.
Anna absorbs this in silence.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! But you don’t think—
The doctor doesn’t interrupt.
He lets the silence answer.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
Chaos and Resolve in Halifax
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – NIGHT
James works alongside soldiers and civilians.
He lifts debris with bare hands.
Bleeding ignored.
Someone shouts for help — he runs.
A SOLDIER grabs him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! You hurt?
James shakes his head.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I’m fine.
A lie that doesn’t matter anymore.
EXT. RAIL YARD – NIGHT
A TELEGRAPH OFFICE stands damaged but standing.
Inside, OPERATORS work furiously.
A DISPATCHER hesitates, staring at a burning harbor visible
through shattered glass.
He looks at a schedule.
An incoming train.
His jaw tightens.
He sits.
Begins tapping.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Anna’s breathing slows.
Shock settles.
A NURSE sits beside her, exhausted.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! There’s more coming. Doctors.
Supplies.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! From where?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Everywhere.
A pause.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Have you seen a man named James
O’Connell?
The nurse hesitates — again.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! We’ll keep looking.
Anna nods.
It’s all she can do.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – NIGHT
Montage:
– Men pull survivors from wreckage – Bodies are lined up
under tarps – A horse is shot, mercifully – A mother refuses
to leave a collapsed house – Snow covers everything equally
The city works because it must.
INT. TELEGRAPH OFFICE – NIGHT
The DISPATCHER continues tapping.
His message is short. Urgent.
He pauses.
Looks toward the harbor one last time.
Resumes tapping.
Harder now.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
Resilience Amidst Ruins
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – NIGHT
James helps carry a wounded BOY toward the hospital.
The boy’s eyes flutter.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! BOY
! ! Is it over?
James doesn’t know how to answer.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! It will be.
The boy nods, trusting him completely.
That trust breaks James a little.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Anna listens as the wind howls outside.
Snow against broken windows sounds like sand.
She turns her head slightly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I was watching the ship.
The nurse looks at her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! Everyone was.
She swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! No one ran.
The nurse has no answer.
EXT. HALIFAX – PRE-DAWN
Snow buries the worst of the damage.
But not the smell.
Not the silence between cries.
EXT. RAIL YARD – PRE-DAWN
James stands alone now.
Exhausted.
Defeated.
A SOLDIER approaches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! They’re organizing search teams.
! ! Hospitals. Shelters.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER (CONT’D)
! ! We could use you.
James looks toward the city.
Toward where Anna should be.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I’m not leaving.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! Good.
The soldier moves on.
James turns back into the storm.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – PRE-DAWN
Anna sits upright, listening to the building wake around her.
Orders barked. Feet running.
Relief arriving.
She straightens her shoulders.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I can help.
The nurse stops.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! You’re injured.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I can listen.
! ! I can hold hands. ! ! I can tell people where to go.
A beat.
The nurse nods.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAWN
First light.
The city is unrecognizable.
But it’s still standing.
Barely.
FADE OUT.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
Amidst the Ashes: A Night of Loss and Hope
INT. MAKESHIFT MORGUE – NIGHT
A school basement.
Desks pushed aside.
Bodies laid out in rows, tagged.
Men move slowly, deliberately. No one rushes here.
James enters, hesitant.
A CLERK hands him a pencil and paper.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! Names only if you’re certain.
James nods.
He moves down the line.
One face after another.
Friends. Strangers. Too young.
He stops at one — looks longer.
Then shakes his head.
Moves on.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Anna sits beside a YOUNG GIRL, no more than ten.
The girl clutches a doll missing an arm.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! YOUNG GIRL
! ! Will my mother find me?
Anna swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! She will.
A promise Anna cannot verify — but believes must be spoken.
The girl relaxes slightly.
Falls asleep.
Anna stays.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – NIGHT
A line of wagons creaks through snow.
Each carries bodies.
Lanterns sway.
The city moves into mourning without ceremony.
INT. TELEGRAPH OFFICE – NIGHT
The DISPATCHER slumps in his chair.
His hands are raw. Bleeding.
Another OPERATOR takes over the line.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OPERATOR
! ! They stopped the train.
The dispatcher closes his eyes.
A small victory.
A large cost.
EXT. RAIL YARD – NIGHT
James helps guide a rescue train in.
Doors open.
Doctors jump down.
Supplies unloaded fast.
For the first time, help feels real.
James watches — then turns back toward the city.
He still hasn’t found her.
Genres:
["Drama","Tragedy"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
Fragile Recovery
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – NIGHT
Anna overhears two NURSES whispering.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE #1
! ! They say thousands—
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE #2
! ! Don’t say numbers.
Anna flinches.
Numbers make things final.
EXT. HALIFAX – LATE NIGHT
Snow continues to fall.
Fires finally begin to die.
Smoke hangs low, trapped.
The city exhales — shakily.
INT. MAKESHIFT MORGUE – LATE NIGHT
James reaches the end of the line.
Nothing left to search here.
The clerk looks up.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! You can come back tomorrow.
James nods.
But doesn’t leave right away.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – LATE NIGHT
Anna sits alone now.
Exhaustion presses in.
She touches the bandage over her eyes.
Gently. Carefully.
As if afraid to disturb what little remains.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
Dawn of Resolve
EXT. HALIFAX – PRE-DAWN
The storm eases.
The silence changes.
Less shock now. More grief.
EXT. RAIL YARD – PRE-DAWN
James sits on a crate, wrapped in a blanket.
A SOLDIER hands him coffee.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! They’re forming search grids.
James looks up.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I know this city.
The soldier nods.
Hands him a map.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – PRE-DAWN
Anna stands — unsteady — with a CANE improvised from a broom
handle.
The nurse watches her carefully.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! You don’t have to—
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I do.
The nurse steps aside.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAWN
First light breaks through smoke and cloud.
The damage is fully visible now.
Unavoidable.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAWN
James leads a small group into the ruins.
Purpose replaces panic.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAWN
Anna takes her first careful steps into the ward.
Listening.
Learning the geography of sound.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAWN
Two people moving through the same ruined city.
Separated.
Alive.
Changed.
FADE OUT.
EXT. HALIFAX – MORNING
Daylight brings clarity.
And clarity brings horror.
What was hidden by smoke and snow is now fully exposed.
Entire blocks are gone.
Streets end where buildings once stood.
The city has been rearranged without permission.
EXT. SEARCH GRID – MORNING
Men move in organized lines now.
Soldiers. Dockworkers. Volunteers.
James leads a small group through the ruins, map in hand.
This isn’t panic anymore.
This is work.
A YOUNG VOLUNTEER hesitates at a collapsed house.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! YOUNG VOLUNTEER
! ! What if we—
James cuts him off gently.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! If you hear something, we dig.
! ! If you don’t, we move on.
The volunteer swallows and nods.
James moves forward.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Fragile Hope Amidst Ruins
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – MORNING
Anna stands beside a table covered in papers.
Names. Locations. Notes scribbled fast.
She listens as a DOCTOR gives instructions.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR
! ! North End is worst.
! ! Eye injuries everywhere.
Anna’s hand stills.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I can help with intake.
The doctor studies her — then nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR
! ! We’ll keep you inside.
Anna doesn’t argue.
She knows her limits now.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – MORNING
James kneels beside rubble.
A faint KNOCKING sound.
Everyone freezes.
James listens.
Counts.
Knocks back.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! We hear you.
They dig.
Carefully.
Hope is fragile now.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Resilience Amidst Ruins
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – MORNING
Anna sits with a CLERK, listening as survivors give names.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SURVIVOR
! ! My wife. Mary Doyle.
! ! She was at the window.
Anna winces — but keeps her voice steady.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! We’ll write her down.
She writes slowly, deliberately.
Each name matters.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – MORNING
Montage:
– A survivor pulled free, alive – A body uncovered, carefully
covered again – A house marked with chalk: SEARCHED – Fires
finally extinguished
The city begins to understand the scope.
EXT. SEARCH GRID – MORNING
James wipes sweat and ash from his face.
A SOLDIER approaches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! Rail yard’s asking for you.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I’m busy.
The soldier lowers his voice.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER
! ! They’re compiling names.
James stiffens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SOLDIER (CONT’D)
! ! Hospitals. Morgues. Shelters.
James nods once.
The search pauses.
For him, something else has begun.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – MORNING
Anna pauses mid-note.
A familiar name catches her ear — spoken across the room.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE (O.S.)
! ! James O’Connell?
Anna stands abruptly.
Her chair clatters.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! What did you say?
The nurse turns.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! Rail clerk. Alive.
! ! They’re looking for him.
Anna exhales — shaky, relieved, overwhelmed.
For the first time since the blast, she smiles.
EXT. HALIFAX – MORNING
The city works.
Search. Record. Recover.
Grief is coming.
But first — there is work to do.
FADE OUT.
INT. RAIL YARD OFFICE – DAY
A temporary command center.
Maps tacked to walls. Names scrawled everywhere.
James stands with RAIL OFFICIALS and SOLDIERS as lists are
compared.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! Hospitals first. Then shelters.
James scans the paper.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Some won’t be on any list.
A grim acknowledgment.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! Then we keep looking.
James nods. He’s already moving.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
Whispers of Foreknowledge
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna works beside a DOCTOR now, calm, precise.
She listens to a MAN describe his missing brother.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! He went back inside for his coat.
Anna writes.
Pauses.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! What color was the coat?
The man blinks — surprised by the specificity.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! Brown. Wool.
That detail matters.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James walks past what remains of a school.
A chalkboard stands upright in the debris.
Still covered in arithmetic.
He stops.
Looks at it longer than he should.
Then moves on.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna overhears two DOCTORS arguing quietly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR #1
! ! They knew it was an ammunition
ship.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR #2
! ! No one told the city.
Anna stiffens.
This is the first time she’s heard it framed that way.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – DAY
Montage:
– Soldiers setting up checkpoints – Civilians turned away
from unsafe zones – Clergy offering last rites – A woman
screaming when a sheet is lifted
The city begins to ask questions.
INT. RAIL YARD OFFICE – DAY
A TELEGRAPH OPERATOR hands James a slip of paper.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OPERATOR
! ! This went out before the blast.
James reads it.
His jaw tightens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Someone knew.
The operator nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OPERATOR
! ! Not enough people.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Echoes of Grief
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna sits alone for a moment.
Processing.
She reaches out, finds the edge of the table.
Steadies herself.
Then continues working.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James and a SOLDIER move through a restricted area.
They stop at a collapsed home.
A child’s shoe in the snow.
James bends, picks it up.
Holds it.
Hands it to the soldier.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Mark it.
The soldier does.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna hears raised voices.
A MAN shouting.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN (O.S.)
! ! You let us watch it burn!
Anna flinches.
So does everyone else.
The anger is surfacing now.
Genres:
["Drama","Disaster"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
Aftermath and Acceptance
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
Smoke still rises, but thinner.
Snow melts into ash.
The city transitions from shock to reckoning.
INT. RAIL YARD OFFICE – DAY
James pins a new map to the wall.
Search zones are replaced with something else.
INVESTIGATION ROUTES.
He steps back, studies it.
This isn’t just about survival anymore.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna finishes her shift.
Exhausted.
She gathers her things carefully.
A NURSE approaches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! They have a list of survivors at
City Hall.
Anna nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I’ll go tomorrow.
The nurse hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! It’s… difficult.
Anna smiles faintly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Everything is now.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Tension at City Hall
EXT. HALIFAX – DUSK
The city settles into an uneasy quiet.
Questions hang heavier than smoke.
EXT. CITY HALL – DAY
A crowd gathers.
Not orderly. Not violent.
Yet.
Men and women stand shoulder to shoulder, clutching papers,
lists, scraps of hope.
Names are shouted.
Answers are not.
James stands near the edge, watching.
This is different from the rescue work.
This is anger looking for a target.
INT. CITY HALL – CONTINUOUS
Officials move briskly through hallways.
Too brisk.
A CLERK pins new notices to a board:
INQUIRY PENDING
CAUSES UNDER REVIEW
A MAN steps forward.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! Who allowed the ship in?
The clerk doesn’t answer.
Moves away.
EXT. CITY HALL – CONTINUOUS
The question spreads.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! WOMAN IN CROWD
! ! They knew what it was carrying!
Murmurs turn sharper.
James stiffens.
This isn’t rumor anymore.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
Divided Voices
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna navigates the corridor with practiced steps now.
Counted. Careful.
She stops as raised voices filter in from outside.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE (O.S.)
! ! They’re blaming the French.
! ! The Norwegians. ! ! Anyone who isn’t here to answer.
Anna absorbs that.
Her face hardens — not with anger, but resolve.
EXT. CITY HALL – DAY
A MILITARY OFFICER steps onto the steps.
Raises his hands.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICER
! ! Please. We’re organizing a formal
inquiry.
The crowd reacts badly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN IN CROWD
! ! While we bury our dead?
Applause. Shouts.
James steps forward instinctively.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! He’s right.
The crowd quiets — surprised.
James turns, addresses them.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! But we don’t burn the city down
again
! ! trying to find someone to blame.
Silence.
Some agree. Some don’t.
The fault lines are visible now.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
Shadows of Responsibility
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna sits with a WOMAN whose hands shake uncontrollably.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! WOMAN
! ! They said it was an accident.
Anna considers that word.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Accidents don’t mean no one’s
responsible.
The woman nods, tears spilling.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James walks away from City Hall.
A REPORTER approaches, notebook out.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! REPORTER
! ! You were there.
James stops.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! REPORTER (CONT’D)
! ! Did anyone warn the city?
James looks at him — long, measured.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Some people knew.
The reporter’s pencil freezes.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! REPORTER
! ! Who?
James shakes his head.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Not enough.
He walks on.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
A Tentative Reunion
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna finishes her shift.
A CLERK approaches with a folded paper.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! Someone’s been asking for you.
Anna’s breath catches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Who?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! James O’Connell.
Anna closes her eyes.
Just for a second.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James stands alone now.
Exhaustion finally catching up.
A CHILD runs past him, laughing — inappropriate, alive.
James watches, conflicted.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna rises slowly.
Straightens her coat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Where is he?
The clerk gestures toward the door.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
The city hums with tension.
Grief has found its voice.
Truth is beginning to surface.
And two people, moving toward each other, don’t yet know how
much has changed.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
The corridor hums with activity.
Footsteps. Voices. Orders barked.
Anna stands still, cane in hand, listening.
She hears someone stop nearby.
A presence.
She knows it before he speaks.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Anna.
She turns toward his voice.
Smiles — tentative, unsure.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! James?
He steps closer.
Stops himself.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! It’s me.
She reaches out instinctively.
Finds his coat.
Grips it.
Only then does she exhale.
They stand there — too aware of the space between them.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I kept thinking…
! ! I’d hear you.
James swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I was shouting.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! You didn’t answer.
They absorb that together.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Resilience Amidst Recovery
INT. HOSPITAL ALCOVE – MOMENTS LATER
They sit on opposite sides of a narrow bench.
Close. Not touching.
James studies her bandaged eyes.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They told me—
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I know.
She tilts her head slightly, orienting toward him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! I can still hear you.
! ! That’s something.
James nods, unable to speak for a moment.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I thought I lost you.
Anna lets that sit.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! So did I.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
Life pushes forward awkwardly.
Wagons pass.
Hammers strike wood.
Rebuilding begins before grief is finished.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Inquiries and Connections
INT. HOSPITAL ALCOVE – CONTINUOUS
James leans forward now.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’re starting an inquiry.
Anna stiffens slightly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! About the ship?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! About everything.
She nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! People want answers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! People want someone to blame.
Anna considers that.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Sometimes it’s the same thing.
James looks at her — seeing strength where he expected
fragility.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – LATER
A DOCTOR approaches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! DOCTOR
! ! Mr. O’Connell.
! ! We’ll need the room.
James stands.
Anna does too.
Awkward. Careful.
James hesitates — then places his hand gently over hers.
She squeezes back.
No rush.
No promises.
Just presence.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Listening to the Ruins
EXT. HOSPITAL STEPS – DAY
They step outside together.
Cold air.
The city stretched out before them.
Ruined — but working.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Describe it.
James takes a breath.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! It’s… quieter.
He searches for the right words.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! Like it’s listening now.
Anna nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Good.
A pause.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! We’ll need to listen too.
James looks at her.
Realizes this isn’t about surviving anymore.
It’s about what comes next.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
The city stands in pieces.
So do they.
But they’re standing.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Echoes of Duty and Resilience
INT. TEMPORARY INQUIRY ROOM – DAY
A repurposed courtroom.
Bare walls. Folding chairs. A long table at the front.
Officials gather — military, harbor authority, civilian
administrators.
Not villains. Not heroes.
Men already tired of being blamed.
James stands at the back, observing.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – LATER
A HARBOR OFFICIAL testifies.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! HARBOR OFFICIAL ! ! Procedures were followed to the best
of our ability ! ! given wartime conditions.
A MURMUR ripples through the room.
James clenches his jaw.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – CONTINUOUS
A LAWYER rises.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Were you aware of the Mont-
Blanc’s cargo?
A pause.
Too long.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! HARBOR OFFICIAL
! ! We knew she carried munitions.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Did the city?
Silence.
The answer is obvious.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
Anna walks carefully beside James.
Her cane taps rhythmically.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You don’t have to stay for all of
it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Yes, I do.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! Someone has to remember what they
say.
Anna nods.
INT. TEMPORARY SHELTER – DAY
Anna sits with a SMALL GROUP of survivors.
They listen as she reads notices aloud.
Names. Locations. Updates.
Her voice is calm.
Steady.
She has become something new here.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
Tensions at City Hall
EXT. CITY HALL STEPS – DAY
Anger boils over.
A MAN shouts.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! They let us watch it burn!
A rock hits the steps.
Soldiers tense.
James steps between groups instinctively.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! This doesn’t get answers!
Someone shouts back.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! VOICE
! ! Neither does silence!
The tension holds — then breaks apart unevenly.
No riot.
Yet.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – DAY
A PILOT sits in the witness chair.
Older. Shaken.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! PILOT
! ! I gave the signal I was taught to
give.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! And when it was ignored?
The pilot hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! PILOT
! ! I assumed they would yield.
That word hangs in the air.
ASSUMED.
James writes it down.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Silent Comfort and Unresolved Grief
INT. TEMPORARY SHELTER – DAY
Anna pauses mid-sentence.
A woman in the group is crying quietly.
Anna reaches out.
Finds her hand.
Holds it.
No words.
EXT. HALIFAX – LATE AFTERNOON
Rebuilding accelerates.
Lumber hauled. Hammers ring. Life presses forward.
Grief is no longer loud.
It’s constant.
INT. SMALL ROOM – EVENING
James and Anna sit together.
Exhausted.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You keep looking for a single
moment.
James looks at her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! There should have been one.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! There wasn’t.
That lands harder than accusation.
EXT. HALIFAX – EVENING
Lights flicker on across the city.
Not many.
But enough.
INT. SMALL ROOM – CONTINUOUS
Anna turns toward James.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! If they say it was an accident…
James doesn’t answer.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! Will that be enough?
James looks away.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I don’t know.
And that uncertainty becomes the engine.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Testimony Under Fire
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – DAY
CAPTAIN AIMÉ LE MÉDEC sits at the witness table.
Alive. Composed. Exhausted.
The room is packed.
James watches from the back.
A LAWYER steps forward.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Captain, were you aware of the
nature of your cargo?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! Yes.
No hesitation.
A ripple through the room.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Did you believe it posed a danger
to the city?
Le Médec considers the wording carefully.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! Any munitions ship poses danger.
! ! But we were following wartime protocol.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Which allowed you to enter the
harbor—
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LE MÉDEC
! ! Because submarines made open
water more dangerous.
That lands.
A choice between two risks.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
The Inquiry's Fractured Truth
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – LATER
CAPTAIN HAAKON FROM now sits at the table.
His hands tremble slightly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! You were above the harbor speed
limit.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! FROM
! ! We were delayed.
! ! I believed the channel was clear.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! You assumed.
From looks down.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! FROM
! ! Yes.
That word again.
ASSUMED.
James writes it down.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – CONTINUOUS
A PILOT testifies.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! PILOT
! ! Signals were exchanged.
! ! They were answered.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Correctly?
The pilot hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! PILOT
! ! I believed so.
Belief. Assumption. Routine.
The room grows uneasy.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna listens as a CLERK reads a notice aloud nearby.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! “The court finds no single act—”
Anna interrupts.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Then who warned the city?
The clerk freezes.
No answer.
Anna absorbs that.
Quietly furious.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – DAY
James watches as officials whisper among themselves.
He realizes something.
This isn’t about truth.
It’s about distribution of blame.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
The city listens.
Waits.
Learns that no one decision caused this.
And that somehow makes it worse.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
Echoes of Responsibility
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – DAY
The room has thinned.
Some spectators gone. Only the committed remain.
James sits forward now.
Listening harder.
A RAIL OFFICIAL takes the stand.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Was there an attempt to warn
incoming trains?
The official hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! Yes.
A ripple.
James’s head lifts.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Who issued the warning?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! A dispatcher.
! ! Patrick Coleman.
James writes the name down.
Slowly.
INT. INQUIRY ROOM – CONTINUOUS
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Did he evacuate?
The official swallows.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! No.
A pause.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! LAWYER
! ! Why not?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! RAIL OFFICIAL
! ! He stayed to send the message.
The room absorbs that.
James stops writing.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James exits the building.
He stands still for a moment.
The noise of the city rushes back in.
He looks down at the name in his notebook.
COLEMAN.
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna listens as a NURSE speaks quietly nearby.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! They say the inquiry won’t charge
anyone.
Anna stiffens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! No one?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! NURSE
! ! They say it was shared
responsibility.
Anna lets out a breath.
Not relief.
Something closer to disbelief.
EXT. RAIL YARD – DAY
James stands where the telegraph office once stood.
Now partially rebuilt.
He runs a hand along the wall.
Imagines the moment.
The choice.
He closes his eyes.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Echoes of Accountability
INT. MAKESHIFT HOSPITAL – DAY
Anna sits with a MAN whose eyes are bandaged like hers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! They told me it was no one’s
fault.
Anna considers that.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Someone chose not to warn us.
The man nods slowly.
That feels truer.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – DAY
Montage:
– A funeral procession moves through snow – Names are read
aloud in a church – Families listen, searching for closure –
Officials avoid eye contact
The city begins to divide.
INT. SMALL ROOM – EVENING
James tells Anna what he learned.
She listens intently.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! He stayed.
! ! Sent the warning anyway.
Anna doesn’t speak for a long moment.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! He knew what it would cost.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Yes.
That changes something between them.
Not comfort.
Direction.
EXT. HALIFAX – NIGHT
Lights burn low.
The city feels older now.
Wiser.
More burdened.
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
Anna turns toward James.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! If no one’s punished…
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Then the story still matters.
She nods.
This is the midpoint truth:
Justice may fail. Memory cannot.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
Echoes of Grief
EXT. HALIFAX CEMETERY – DAY
Rows of fresh graves.
Simple markers. Many without names.
A service is underway — quiet, restrained.
James and Anna stand together, bundled against the cold.
A PRIEST finishes speaking.
Silence lingers.
Too long.
EXT. CEMETERY – CONTINUOUS
Families disperse slowly.
Some linger. Some leave quickly.
Anna kneels, fingers brushing the frozen earth.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! There are too many.
James watches her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’re still counting.
Anna straightens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They always will.
INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE – DAY
Presses clatter.
HEADLINES roll out:
INQUIRY FINDS SHARED BLAME
NO CRIMINAL CHARGES EXPECTED
James stands with a REPORTER.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! REPORTER
! ! That’s the story.
James shakes his head.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! It’s a version.
The reporter doesn’t disagree.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
Echoes of Memory
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
Anna walks alone now, cane steady.
She stops as two WOMEN whisper nearby.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! WOMAN #1
! ! They say it was an accident.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! WOMAN #2
! ! Everything’s an accident after
the fact.
Anna continues on.
That sentence follows her.
INT. SMALL ROOM – EVENING
James paces.
Frustrated.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’ll file it away.
! ! Close the books.
Anna sits, listening.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Then it’s up to the people who
remember.
James stops.
Looks at her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! That’s not justice.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! No.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! But it’s what we have.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
The Weight of Memory
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – DAY
Montage:
– Temporary homes being raised – Children returning to
schoolrooms with no walls – Workers clearing rail lines – A
ship passing carefully through the Narrows
The city adapts.
The memory does not.
INT. CITY HALL – DAY
An OFFICIAL addresses a small group.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! We must move forward.
James listens from the back.
Anna stands beside him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Forward doesn’t mean forgetting.
The official falters — just slightly.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
The water is calm again.
Deceptively so.
James and Anna stand at the edge.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I keep thinking…
! ! If one thing had gone differently—
Anna shakes her head gently.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Then something else would have
failed.
She faces the water.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! That’s the truth they don’t want.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
Acceptance in the Wake of Injustice
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James sits at a table, writing.
Notes. Names. Dates.
Anna listens to the scratch of pencil.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! What are you doing?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Making sure it doesn’t get
simplified.
Anna nods.
That matters.
EXT. HALIFAX – NIGHT
Snow begins again.
Soft.
Unforgiving.
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James sets the pencil down.
Looks at Anna.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! This won’t bring anyone back.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I know.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! But it might stop the next one.
FADE OUT.
INT. CITY HALL – DAY
A public announcement.
Officials stand before microphones.
Reporters crowd the room.
James and Anna stand at the back.
An OFFICIAL clears his throat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! After careful review, the inquiry
concludes
! ! that the disaster was the result of ! ! multiple contributing
factors.
James exhales sharply.
Anna remains still.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL (CONT’D)
! ! No single individual bears sole
responsibility.
Murmurs ripple.
Some relieved. Some furious.
INT. CITY HALL – CONTINUOUS
A REPORTER raises a hand.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! REPORTER
! ! So no charges?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! This was a tragedy of
circumstance.
Anna flinches at the word.
CIRCUMSTANCE.
EXT. CITY HALL STEPS – DAY
The crowd reacts immediately.
Shouting. Crying. Anger finding no outlet.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! VOICE IN CROWD
! ! They’re burying it!
James grips Anna’s arm instinctively.
She steadies him instead.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – LATER
James and Anna walk in silence.
The noise fades behind them.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! That’s it.
Anna nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! For them.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Moving On: A Different Path
INT. SMALL ROOM – EVENING
James slams his notebook shut.
Frustration finally boiling over.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They get to move on.
Anna turns toward him.
Calm. Focused.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! So do we.
He looks at her, confused.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! But not the same way.
She reaches for the notebook.
Runs her fingers over the cover.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! What you wrote down…
! ! That’s the story.
James absorbs that.
EXT. HALIFAX – VARIOUS – EVENING
Montage:
– Notices removed from walls – Inquiry rooms emptied –
Reporters packing up equipment – A city quietly told to move
on
The machinery of accountability shuts down.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
Echoes of Memory
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James sits beside Anna.
Quieter now.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I don’t know what to do with all
of this.
Anna considers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Then don’t let it disappear.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! Tell it.
! ! Teach it. ! ! Remember it.
James looks at her.
This isn’t grief speaking.
It’s purpose.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – NIGHT
The Narrows.
Calm again.
Ships pass slowly now.
Carefully.
James and Anna stand together at the water’s edge.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’ll forget.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Only if we do.
They stand there.
Listening to the water.
FADE OUT.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Quiet Adjustments
EXT. HALIFAX – MORNING
Not the morning after.
Weeks later.
Snow is gone. Debris mostly cleared.
What remains is harder to see.
EXT. TEMPORARY HOUSING ROW – MORNING
Identical wooden structures stretch down a muddy street.
Functional. Efficient. Temporary — though no one says how
temporary.
Families move in quietly.
No celebration.
Just relief edged with uncertainty.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – MORNING
Anna stands at a small table, learning the dimensions of a
new space.
She counts steps.
Touches corners.
Finds the window.
Light warms her face.
She smiles — faintly.
Then her smile fades.
The window glass is thick.
Distorted.
She reaches out.
Stops herself.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
Reflections of Change
EXT. RAIL YARD – MORNING
Trains move again.
Slowly.
Carefully.
James watches from the platform.
New signs posted.
New procedures.
He reads them.
Knows how quickly signs become suggestions.
A SUPERVISOR approaches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SUPERVISOR
! ! We’re back on schedule.
James nods.
That word again.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – MORNING
Anna dresses carefully.
Chooses clothes by memory now.
She ties her shoes — slower than before.
More deliberate.
She pauses.
Listens to children outside.
Laughter.
Normalcy arriving early.
EXT. CITY STREET – MORNING
James walks past a construction site.
A new foundation is being poured.
A sign reads:
REDEVELOPMENT ZONE
No mention of what stood there
before.
James stops.
Looks longer than necessary.
Then keeps walking.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Doubts Over Progress
INT. COMMUNITY OFFICE – DAY
A small meeting.
Local officials speak earnestly.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! This plan allows us to modernize.
! ! Wider streets. Better materials.
A map is unrolled.
Lines drawn cleanly.
Anna sits beside James.
She traces the map lightly with her fingers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! What was here?
The official hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! Before?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Yes.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! Older housing.
! ! Unsanitary.
James watches Anna’s face tighten.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
Ships pass through THE NARROWS.
Slower now.
Wider spacing.
New routines layered over old water.
James and Anna stand at the rail.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They say it’s safer.
Anna tilts her head toward the sound of water.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They said that before too.
James has no answer.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
Awakening Resolve
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – NIGHT
Anna sits at the table.
James spreads out his notes.
Pages worn. Corners folded.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They’re already rewriting it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Simplifying.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! That’s worse.
James looks at her.
Sees it now.
EXT. HALIFAX – NIGHT
The city glows softly.
Alive.
Working.
Moving on.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – NIGHT
James closes the notebook.
A decision forming — not yet spoken.
Anna senses it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You don’t stop this by shouting.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! You stop it by making sure
! ! they can’t say they didn’t know.
James meets her eyes.
This is not about grief anymore.
It’s about warning.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – NIGHT
A ship horn sounds.
Measured.
Controlled.
The water absorbs it.
The Narrows remain.
Unchanged.
FADE OUT.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Echoes of Displacement
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – DAY
Anna folds laundry with practiced care.
Each item placed deliberately.
James watches her from the doorway.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! You don’t have to do everything
yourself.
Anna smiles, without humor.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! I do if I want to know where it
is later.
That lands.
James steps inside.
EXT. REDEVELOPMENT ZONE – DAY
Survey stakes mark the ground.
Workers measure, hammer, mark.
A SUPERVISOR gestures to a map.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SUPERVISOR
! ! We’ll widen the road here.
! ! Better traffic flow.
James looks at the space.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! People lived here.
The supervisor shrugs.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! SUPERVISOR
! ! Not anymore.
INT. COMMUNITY MEETING HALL – DAY
A modest crowd.
Not angry. Just tired.
An OFFICIAL addresses them.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! This neighborhood will be safer,
stronger,
! ! and more modern.
A WOMAN raises her hand.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! WOMAN
! ! Will we be able to come back?
The official hesitates.
Just long enough.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! We’re still evaluating
eligibility.
The word hangs in the air.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Documenting Loss and Progress
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James and Anna walk slowly.
Anna’s cane taps rhythmically.
They pass a BOARD where notices are posted.
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
APPLICATION DEADLINE
Anna stops.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Read it.
James does.
His voice tightens.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – NIGHT
James spreads out his notes again.
Now joined by pamphlets, maps, notices.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’re calling it progress.
Anna sits opposite him.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Progress for who?
James doesn’t answer.
Because the answer is obvious.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – NIGHT
Another ship passes through THE NARROWS.
Careful. Compliant.
A harbor OFFICER watches.
Checks his watch.
Routine resumes.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – NIGHT
Anna reaches across the table.
Touches James’s notes.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! You can’t stop them from
rebuilding.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! But you can stop them
! ! from pretending no one was lost.
James looks at her.
Sees the path forward — narrow, difficult.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAWN
Morning again.
The city looks almost normal now.
Almost.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – DAWN
James gathers his papers into a neat stack.
Purpose replaces frustration.
Anna listens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! What are you going to do?
James answers without hesitation.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Write it down.
! ! All of it.
Anna nods.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
A New Beginning Amidst Unresolved Past
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – MORNING
The water moves as it always has.
Unconcerned.
Unchanged.
Ships continue to pass.
EXT. HALIFAX – DAY
Spring.
The city looks different now.
Cleaner. Straighter. Less itself.
EXT. RECONSTRUCTED STREET – DAY
New homes. Fresh paint.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Local OFFICIALS smile for photographs.
A banner reads:
A NEW BEGINNING
James and Anna stand at the edge of the crowd.
Uninvited. Unnoticed.
Applause breaks out.
Anna flinches at the sound.
INT. COMMUNITY HALL – DAY
A small gathering.
Folding chairs.
A modest podium.
James stands before a handful of PEOPLE — dockworkers,
teachers, survivors.
He holds his notes.
Doesn’t read yet.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I’m not here to talk about the
explosion.
That gets their attention.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! I’m here to talk about everything
! ! that happened before it.
A murmur.
Some lean forward.
Some look uncomfortable.
INT. COMMUNITY HALL – CONTINUOUS
James speaks calmly.
Measured.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Nothing went wrong all at once.
! ! Things went wrong one decision at a time.
Anna listens from the front row.
Proud. Worried.
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James and Anna walk afterward.
A MAN catches up to them.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! You shouldn’t stir this up again.
James stops.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! We didn’t stir it up.
! ! We lived through it.
The man doesn’t reply.
Walks away.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING OFFICE – DAY
Anna sits across from a CLERK.
Papers shuffled.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! Your assistance period is ending.
Anna nods.
Prepared for this.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! And after that?
The clerk hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! There are… options.
Anna hears what isn’t said.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
A new harbor OFFICER watches traffic.
Clipboard in hand.
He checks boxes.
Looks satisfied.
Another ship approaches.
Routine restored.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Unspoken Truths
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James and Anna eat quietly.
A newspaper lies folded between them.
The headline visible:
CITY LOOKS AHEAD
James pushes it aside.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They don’t want to hear it
anymore.
Anna takes a sip of tea.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! That’s when it matters most.
EXT. SCHOOLROOM – DAY
Children sit at desks.
A TEACHER gestures to a chalkboard.
Written in careful script:
LOCAL HISTORY
James stands at the back.
Listening.
The teacher hesitates.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! TEACHER
! ! We won’t go into details today.
James exchanges a glance with Anna.
Details are the danger.
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James opens his notebook again.
Adds a new page.
At the top, he writes:
WHAT WAS ASSUMED
Anna listens to the scratch of pencil.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
A Year of Silence
EXT. HALIFAX – DUSK
The city settles.
Rebuilt.
Still carrying ghosts beneath the pavement.
EXT. HALIFAX – MORNING
Late summer.
The city feels settled now.
That’s the problem.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – DAY
Workers erect a small platform.
A banner is unfurled:
ONE YEAR SINCE THE EXPLOSION
The wording is careful.
Neutral.
No mention of cause.
INT. CITY OFFICE – DAY
James stands across from a CITY OFFICIAL.
The tone is polite. Professional.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! We appreciate what you’re trying
to do.
James waits.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL (CONT’D)
! ! But this anniversary needs to be
respectful.
! ! Forward-looking.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Respectful to who?
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! To the city.
That answer says everything.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – DAY
Anna listens as James recounts the meeting.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They don’t want the warning.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They want the closure.
Anna nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Those aren’t the same thing.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Resignation in the Face of Truth
EXT. COMMUNITY HALL – DAY
A smaller meeting now.
Attendance thinner.
Some empty chairs.
James stands again.
This time, a MAN interrupts.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! What good does this do now?
James holds his ground.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! It tells the truth.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! Truth doesn’t rebuild houses.
James doesn’t argue.
Because the man isn’t wrong.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
A ship passes.
Faster than before.
The harbor OFFICER hesitates.
Then allows it.
Routine bends back.
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING OFFICE – DAY
Anna meets with the same CLERK.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! CLERK
! ! Your extension was denied.
Anna absorbs it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! When do I need to be out?
The clerk slides over a paper.
Anna folds it carefully.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
Silent Resolve
EXT. HALIFAX STREET – DAY
James helps Anna navigate a busy crossing.
Traffic flows smoothly.
No memory of rubble.
Anna stops halfway across.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Do you hear that?
James listens.
Nothing unusual.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! What?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Exactly.
They continue.
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
James’s notes are now organized.
Bound.
Intentional.
Not just grief anymore.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! If they won’t say it…
Anna finishes the sentence.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! We will.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – NIGHT
The platform stands empty.
Lanterns strung overhead.
Waiting.
INT. SMALL ROOM – NIGHT
Anna sits on the bed.
James kneels in front of her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! This might make things harder.
Anna reaches out.
Finds his face.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They already are.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! But silence would be worse.
James nods.
Decision made.
EXT. HALIFAX – NIGHT
The city sleeps.
Unaware.
Unprotected by memory alone.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
A Moment of Disruption
EXT. CITY SQUARE – MORNING
The platform is finished now.
Simple. Respectable.
A SMALL CROWD gathers — fewer than expected.
Officials. Survivors. Curious onlookers.
Most people pass by without stopping.
Life keeps its appointments.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
James and Anna stand off to the side.
Not part of the program.
Anna listens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! There are gaps.
James looks around.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They didn’t come.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! No.
She means something else.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – MOMENTS LATER
An OFFICIAL steps to the podium.
Clears his throat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! Today we remember those lost
! ! and honor the resilience of our city.
Carefully chosen words.
Safe words.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
The official continues.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! We look forward now —
! ! committed to progress and renewal.
James shifts.
Anna hears it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! He’s done.
James nods.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
A moment of silence is called.
Heads bow.
Some sincerely. Some performatively.
The city pauses.
Then exhales.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
The official steps back.
Applause begins.
Polite. Brief.
James steps forward.
Not invited.
Not announced.
A MURMUR ripples.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
The OFFICIAL stiffens.
Moves toward James.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! Sir—
James doesn’t raise his voice.
Doesn’t shout.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! My name is James O’Connell.
The crowd quiets.
Not out of respect.
Out of surprise.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
Confronting Silence
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I worked the rail yard.
! ! I watched the harbor every day.
He holds up his notebook.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! This isn’t about blame.
A pause.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! It’s about how nothing stopped
it.
Uncomfortable shifting.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Everyone followed procedure.
! ! Everyone assumed someone else knew more.
He looks out over the crowd.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! That’s why it happened.
A beat.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES (CONT’D)
! ! Not because of war.
! ! Not because of fate.
Silence now.
Real silence.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
The OFFICIAL steps forward again.
Tense.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! This isn’t appropriate—
Anna speaks.
Clear. Calm.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Neither was watching a burning
ship
! ! without warning the city.
Heads turn.
Her blindness is visible now.
Impossible to ignore.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
Anna steps beside James.
Faces the sound of the crowd.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! We were told it was safe.
! ! That it was routine.
She pauses.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! That’s what scares me.
The official steps back.
He has no response.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
A MAN in the crowd speaks.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! MAN
! ! Could it happen again?
No one answers.
James and Anna don’t need to.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – CONTINUOUS
The crowd begins to disperse.
Not angry.
Not satisfied.
Uneasy.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
Aftermath and Confrontation
EXT. CITY SQUARE – LATER
The platform is empty again.
A wreath remains.
Unattended.
EXT. CITY SQUARE – LATER
The crowd has thinned.
The platform stands unused.
A CITY WORKER begins dismantling decorations.
Efficient. Unceremonious.
James and Anna watch from across the street.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They’ll say it was disruptive.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They’ll say a lot of things.
INT. CITY OFFICE – DAY
James sits across from a DIFFERENT OFFICIAL now.
Colder. More precise.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL
! ! Your comments were unauthorized.
James doesn’t argue.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! OFFICIAL (CONT’D)
! ! You embarrassed the city.
James finally looks up.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Good.
The official stiffens.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Acceptance on the Train
INT. TEMPORARY HOUSING UNIT – DAY
Anna packs a small bag.
Careful. Methodical.
James watches.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! We can fight this.
Anna shakes her head.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! They’ve already decided.
She zips the bag.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA (CONT’D)
! ! That doesn’t mean we were wrong.
EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM – DAY
A train idles.
Steam hisses.
James and Anna stand with their bags.
Not fleeing.
Relocating.
A CONDUCTOR checks tickets.
Nods them forward.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
The train lurches into motion.
Anna sits by the window.
James beside her.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Do you think anyone listened?
James considers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Enough.
That’s the most honest answer he has.
EXT. HALIFAX – MOVING – DAY
The city slides past the window.
Rebuilt streets. New facades. Old ground underneath.
Anna presses her fingers to the glass.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
James opens his notebook one last time.
Adds a final line.
Closes it.
Doesn’t need to read it anymore.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
58 -
Echoes of the Past
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
A new ship approaches THE NARROWS.
Larger. Faster.
A HARBOR OFFICER watches from his post.
Checks his watch.
Checks the water.
He hesitates.
Just for a moment.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – CONTINUOUS
The officer raises a hand.
Signals.
The ship slows.
Barely.
Enough.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
Anna tilts her head.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Did you feel that?
James listens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! Yes.
They don’t explain it.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
The ship passes through.
Safely.
This time.
EXT. THE NARROWS – DAY
The water closes behind it.
Calm again.
Unchanged.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
James looks at Anna.
Not relieved.
Resolved.
EXT. HALIFAX – DISTANCE – DAY
The city recedes.
The harbor remains.
FADE OUT.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
The train hums steadily.
Anna sits upright now, composed.
James watches her, searching for something — relief, closure.
He doesn’t find it.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA ! ! People will say it was a long time ago.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! They already are.
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
A clipboard is handed from one HARBOR OFFICER to another.
Shift change.
Routine.
No ceremony.
The water looks no different than it did before 1917.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
Anna turns slightly toward James.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Do you think they understand
! ! how small the mistakes were?
James considers.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I think they’d rather believe
! ! it was something bigger.
Anna nods.
That makes sense.
EXT. THE NARROWS – DAY
Another vessel approaches.
Not dramatic. Not urgent.
Just working.
The channel narrows.
Margins tighten.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
James rests his hand on the closed notebook.
He doesn’t open it.
Doesn’t need to.
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
59 -
Echoes of Warning
EXT. HALIFAX HARBOR – DAY
The ship’s horn sounds.
Measured.
Professional.
The harbor OFFICER checks the manifest.
Skims it.
Signs off.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
Anna listens.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! That sound still means something.
James doesn’t answer.
Because he knows she’s right.
EXT. THE NARROWS – DAY
The ship passes through.
Clear.
Orderly.
The water closes behind it.
EXT. HALIFAX – DISTANT – DAY
The city continues.
Built on lessons half-learned.
INT. TRAIN CAR – DAY
Anna faces forward.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! Promise me something.
James turns.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! What?
! ! ! ! ! ! ! ANNA
! ! If it happens again…
! ! they won’t be able to say ! ! no one warned them.
James nods.
! ! ! ! ! ! ! JAMES
! ! I promise.
EXT. THE NARROWS – DAY
The water moves.
Indifferent.
Patient.
CUT TO BLACK.
SUPER:
Genres:
["Drama","Mystery"]
Ratings
Scene
60 -
Reflections on December 6, 1917
EXT. THE NARROWS – DAY
The water moves.
Indifferent.
Patient.
CUT TO BLACK.
No music.
No release.
OVER BLACK — ARCHIVAL IMAGES BEGIN
Silent.
Measured.
Unadorned.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPH — HALIFAX, BEFORE 1917
A normal harbor. Ships docked. Daily life.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPH — HALIFAX, DECEMBER 6, 1917
Devastation. Same streets. Unrecognizable.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPH — HALIFAX, MONTHS AFTER
Rebuilding underway. Order returning.
ARCHIVAL PHOTOGRAPH — HALIFAX, PRESENT DAY
Busy harbor. Modern city. Routine restored.
No captions explaining resilience. No praise. No commentary.
Just continuity.
OVER IMAGES — SIMPLE TITLE CARD
December 6, 1917.
Nearly 2,000 people were killed.