TSAR'S DAUGHTER MARIE（4）

EXT. VICTOR'S HOUSE -- SLUM AREA --  PETROGRAD -- NIGHT

Victor stops before a shabby house among other collapsing buildings in an environment of squalor and poverty.

INT. VICTOR'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

LEO PETROV, Victor' father, a physically strong worker of fifties, prepares a meal.  He smells and tastes the soup while cooking. Seeing Victor come in, Leo lays soup and bread on the table.

VICTOR

Hey, Papa, I'm back.

LEO

Hey, Son, you look great. Dinner is ready.

VICTOR

Thanks, Papa. The soup smells so delicious.

Sitting opposite at the table, Victor and Leo have their Supper. Leo spoons up the soup slowly, watching Victor devour. Leo breaks his slice of bread into two and puts the one half on Victor's plate.

LEO

Eat more, Son. You look hungry.

VICTOR

Papa, eat up your bread. Don't share with me. I'm full.

LEO

Son, there will be a general strike tomorrow. I'm gonna take part in the parade with my co-workers. We're to assemble in front of the Winter Palace. We'll petition to the Tsar, telling him we're hungry, we ask for a wage increase, we need bread, more bread.

Leo becomes agitated and stands up, waving is arms in the air.

VICTOR

Papa, I'm so proud of you and your comrades. Because of your bravery and dedication, the majority of our poor people will have sufficient bread, sooner or later. But, you'd be cautious. I saw more guards on duty near the palaces and more policemen patrolling on the streets. Will something dangerous happen?

LEO

I don't mind, even shedding my own blood.         

Leo feels the NECKLACE with a silvery CROSS on his neck. Leo takes the necklace off his neck and hands it to Victor.

LEO (CONT'D)

Son, I'd like you to have it.  This necklace is from your Mother. Before she died of giving birth to you, your Mother asked me to send it to you when you grew up. Now, it's time to...

VICTOR

Papa, I don't know what to say. Thank you, Papa, for raising me so well.

Victor takes the necklace and scrutinizes it. Leo pats his son on the shoulder.

EXT. WINTER PALACE -- PETROGRAD -- DAY

The wind whistles through the frozen and snowy streets. Leo joins the other STRIKERS who trudge through the snow toward the Winter Palace, with red flags and banners declaring "Down with the Tsar."

WORKERS

(Shouting)

More wages and better living conditions. We need bread. We need bread. We need bread...

All of a sudden, the heavily armed POLICEMEN and the imperial SOLDIERS dash through the concerted demonstrating workers and break up the parade.

The soldiers level their guns and open fire at the workers. The policemen beat the workers up and stab them to suppress the strike. In the midst of confusion and uproar, the crowds shriek and disperse.

One BULLET hits Leo on the head and kills him immediately. Leo lies dead among other mutilated bodies littered in the pools of BLOOD.

EXT. BAKERY -- DAY

CUSTOMERS huddle in front of the bare window of a BAKERY and queue for bread.

INT. BAKERY -- DAY

Craning their necks before the empty counters, the customers rivet their eyes on the last loaf of BREAD in Victor's hand. Victor sells the last loaf of bread to a little BOY and waves his hands to the crowd of customers waiting for their turns to get bread.

VICTOR

No more bread. No more bread for today.

SENIOR CUSTOMER

Hey, kiddo, we've queued for hours.

MALE CUSTOMER

We're so hungry.

FEMALE CUSTOMER

We're starving to death.

VICTOR

I know, Sir. I know, Madam. But we've sold up.

A BABUSHKA rushes into the bakery and grabs Victor's arm.

BABUSHKA

Victor, hurry up. Your father is dying. He has been shot.

EXT. STREETS -- DAY

Victor runs across the street and wriggles his way among the crowds. He stoops to look at his dead father and shakes his body, wailing and trying to wake him up in vain.

VICTOR

(yelling)

Oh, no, Papa, no. Wake up, please wake up. I'm your son. I'll revenge you. The Tsar's army killed you. I'll kill the Tsar. I'll take vengeance for my father. I swear, I'll kill the Tsar.