Alternate Ending Of Mara's Home Day

INT. MARA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - DAY

MARA, 20, sleeps peacefully. Suddenly, MARK,5, bounds through her bedroom door and leaps onto her bed.

MARK

It's 6:30, Mara. Mom said to get up!

Mara grumbles. She is annoyed, but unsurprised. This is routine.

Mark jumps up and down on her bed. Mara does her best to ignore him and fall back asleep.

JULIE (O.S.)

Today, of all days, Mara, you do not want to be lazy.

Mara rolls out of bed and looks to the bed next to hers. It is empty. Mark clings to her leg as she leaves her room.

INT. MARA'S HOUSE - KITCHEN - DAY

Mara and Mark sit at the kitchen table eating breakfast with their mother, JULIE, 40s, and sister, HANNAH, 14.

MARA

Ya know, I'm 20. I really should be able to wake up whenever I want, preferably after

Mara walks over to her and kneels beside her.

HANNAH

What about us?

Mara is taken aback. She had not thought of this. Hannah speaks through her tears.

HANNAH

You can't leave me and Mark behind.

MARA

I wouldn't be leaving for good.

HANNAH

But...but if you leave... If you move away with Ruth, Mom and Dad won't let you come back. And even if they do, it won't be the same. They'll have to make an example of you, like Lot's wife.

Mara realizes that Hannah is right. Her resolve to leave diminishes.

Mara sits next to Hannah on her bed and silently comforts and reassures her as she cries. Mara is conflicted.

INT. MARA'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - LATER

Mara and Hannah lie on Mara's bed. They each have an earbud of a WALKMAN in one ear. Hannah is asleep. A muffled pop song can be heard.

JULIE (O.S.)

Mara! James is here!

Mara peels herself off her bed, gently removes the earbud from Hannah's ear, and brushes the hair off her face.

She stashes the Walkman in a box under her bed. The box is full of CASSETTE TAPES and CANDID PHOTOS of Mara and an UNKNOWN GIRL.

She pauses for a moment and looks at the happy faces in the photos. She turns one over and "Mara and RUTH, Junior Year" is written on the