Nick McGinty

A Warriors Rite script

EXT: A river located in Bainbridge, PA. Day one

A young man named Nick is meditating on a rock and pondering his own existence. Its
an unusually warm spring day and the trees are regaining their color after a long, cold
winter. A lot has been happening in his life and hes conflicted on what to do. After
awakening from a peaceful state, he picks up a flat rock and throws it into the river.

NICK
(voice over)
The world is a chaotic and evil place. Turn on your TV or scroll through social media and youll

see it immediately. While others turn a blind eye and try to ignore that reality as much as

possible or scream to the heavens for answers that go unheard, I dont need technology to

know evil and pain exists in this world.

End of scene one

INT: Photo album Day two

Nick was extremely energetic and friendly as a child, but struggled to overcome his
shyness. The camera zooms in on photos depicting his family and what his childhood
was like he only shows the surface of the mysteries surrounding his past, and the painful
truths that lie ahead.

NICK
(voice over)
I was a young boy when I first witnessed the forces of good and evil fight in a great cosmic

battle over the mind of tormented little girl. That girl was a child my parents adopted in 1993

after her biological parents got drunk one night and took their hidden rage out on her infant

body. If you know anything about the human brain, its a very fragile and impressionable thing

during the earliest stages of infancy. The smallest rupture in the natural process may have

severe consequences later in life if the abuse, neglect or violence continues.

INT: More from photo album

NICK
(voice over)
My sister was not like you and I were as kids. Her mind never allowed her to understand the

concept of friendship, love, respect or discipline. At the age of three or four she was diagnosed

with having a condition called Reactive Attachment Disorder (or RAD for short). RAD is a very

serious but rare disorder that can develop when an infant or child doesnt have the necessary

means to establish healthy attachments to their parents or caregivers. Researchers and

psychologists are still baffled as to why some develop it while many go on to live healthy and

normal lives despite being victims of abuse and neglect.

INT: Specifically photos of Nicks sister.

The camera does another pan, but only close up photos of Nicks sister are shown. Shes
playing with toys, running and doing things ordinary children do.

NICK
(voice over)
Her disorder caused her to act out in extremely violent and uncontrollable rages that

often resulted in someone going to the hospital. Although she never physically harmed me, I

watched her do things you wouldnt believe a child was capable of. At times, I thought she was

capable of murder from how soulless she looked during her outbursts, but thankfully she never

took it that far.

End of scene two

EXT: Philhaven (mental institution)

Nick is standing next to the institutions entrance sign and feels a sense of closure
brewing. The air feels crisp and theres not a cloud in sight. He stands there frozen as
memories pulsate like lightning in the back of his mind. Once he regains consciousness,
he turns to walk away and the camera follows behind him.

NICK
 (voice over)
As she got older she became more violent, more aggressive and more hateful despite getting

years of treatment. At the age of 14 my mom pressed charges against her for assaulting my

younger brother and was sent away to an institution for troubled teenagers. That was the last

time I saw her.

End of scene three

INT: Nicks house/bedroom Day 3

Nick wakes up early one morning and desires a new type of direction. He stumbles out of
bed, opens his bedroom door, goes downstairs to his kitchen and makes breakfast. Once
he is done with breakfast, he gets a text from his step-dad to meet him at the gym. Nick
gets dressed and drives off to the gym.
NICK
(voice over)
Ten years have gone by now and despite the trauma I endured as a child, I somehow

survived it all. Did I ever hate her? Yes. Did I ever fear her? Yes. But as I grew older and wiser I

realized her condition was something she didnt have the ability to control. Roughly two years

ago I made the choice to forgive her. It wasnt probably one of the hardest choices I ever had to

make, but I knew in the end it would eventually free me.

INT: Enters gym.

Nick goes to free weight area where his step-dad is already there and ready to train him.

NICK
(voice over)
The world may be a scary place filled with hurting and sick people, but everyday I

choose to fight in a war that I know will never be won. Still, I refuse to abandon the position that

theres good in everyone, even for those whose minds have traveled far into the abyss of

madness. Every human being possesses the ability to write their own endings to a story thats

still being written. The question is, how will you choose to end yours before you leave this

world?
 End of scene four

Color Codes

Yellow = EXT

Blue = INT

Red = Main character

Orange = voice over

Locations:
 1. River

2. House

3. Philhaven (mental institution)

4. Gym

Special props:

1. Photo album

How many times main character appears:

1. Nick is shown four times

2. Wears typical, relaxed clothes