Flowers in the Attic

"Cory: [Cathy looks at painting of an action scene] Where's the sun? It's still night? Cathy: [runs over, softly speaking and grabbing his shoulders] Cory, don't! [she turns him around and they are away just in time for Grandmother to come in with the basket of food] Grandmother: [resigning] Your food. [children run] Grandmother: Uh, uh, uh! Get your hands off that. That food has to last you the entire day. [they run back to Cathy and Carrie hugs Cathy] Grandmother: I can't be running up and down the stairs! The servants might get suspicious. There'll be eggs for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, and chicken for dinner. And I want you to eat all of it. Don't waste one bite of it, you understand? And if you're very good, I may bring you some fruit. [Christopher comes behind Cory and puts his hands on his brother's shoulders as Cathy is now doing with Carrie] Christopher: [sincere, serious] Thank you. Grandmother: I've written out a list of other rules. First of all, you'll keep this room neat and tidy. As if nobody lived here. [Cathy nods] Grandmother: No running around or yelling or crying. Christopher: They're good kids, but they need somewhere to play and make noise. Grandmother: [walks away] Ah. Over here, there's a... stairway. Leads up to the attic. [opens the door and shows the stairway] Cathy: [Bewildered next to a only slightly bemused Christopher] You want us to play in an attic? Grandmother: [Walks away] Up there, there will be ample room. And, the last Friday of every month, you're to clean out all of your things and hide up there while the maids are cleaning this room. [Christopher nods] Grandmother: No one must ever see or hear of you. Do you understand? [looks to Cathy and Christopher sternly and all nod] Grandmother: Good, good, 'cause if your grandfather ever discovered that you're here, you'd all be thrown out without a red cent. But not before getting punished for even being alive. [she walks away and Christopher readjusts his arms around Cory]"

"[the children go up to the attic: Christopher leading, then Carrie, then Cory and Cathy heading the rear, who shuts the door a bit and looks around curiously. Each person holds the rail and when they reach the top, Christopher opens the door and flips on the light as piano music plays and they explore, Carrie with Cathy and Cory with Christopher] Cathy: Carrie! [puts hands on her shoulders] Cathy: You can dress up for days in here! Christopher: Hey, Cor', check it out. You finally get your own record player. Cory: But it doesn't have a plug! Christopher: [softly] You just have to crank it. [music crackles on and Cathy and Christopher come upon a cloth-lined adult mannequin, which they stare at next to each other] Christopher: Better hope you inherit from this half of the gene pool. Cathy: [scoffs, somewhat annoyed] Like you know anything! Christopher: [meanwhile, the twins are looking at a photo album and Christopher comes behind them and puts his hands on their shoulders and looks down at the album] Our entire family. Carrie: [looks back at Christopher with a smile] They're all grumpy, like our grandma! Christopher: They're not grumpy. Cathy: [looks back at her siblings] Guys, you gotta come check this out. [Christopher slowly takes his hands off his brother's shoulders and comes over to Cathy] Cathy: Looks we weren't the first kids up here. [she wipes away a table to reveal etchings in a table: Adelaide age 9 1896 and Jonathan Agen 1864] Carrie: [Looking at the older siblings with her brother] It's hot and dusty. Cory: I don't like it. Christopher: It's not so bad. Carrie: I wanna go outside in the garden. This is a bad place. Cory: [agitated] I want Momma! Christopher: [calming with a note of desperation] Okay. We're going to make this a game. Pretend we're outside. The floor can be the garden, and the ceiling can be the sky and I'll even make a swing. [next shot reveals Christopher tugging on the safety rope of a self-made swing with Cathy on the other side. Satisfied, he stands up with Cathy, who is in thought] Cathy: What do you think she meant, grandfather punishing us for even being alive? Christopher: Sh-She's just trying to scare us. Cathy: Then how come she said we'd be here for months? Christopher: [holding onto the rope] Don't worry. Mom's gonna take care of us. [he turns and goes to a ladder and starts climbing and a stair snaps and breaks; Cathy subsequently gasps and gasps the rope tightly in concern] Cathy: Maybe this isn't such a good idea. [he continues climbing and tugs the top of the rope] Christopher: [looks at her] See? It worked. [Cathy laughs nervously and Christopher looks back at the twins] Christopher: Cory, Carrie, come try this out. [the twins obediently come and sit on the hanging chair, hanging onto the rope]"