The "United" States of America
The White House looms under a heavy sky. An American flag fights the wind with tired defiance.
Inside the press briefing room: chaos.
An overflowed room. Reporters shouting. Cameras flashing like a caffeinated heartbeat. Tension, thick and unrelenting.
President Brande, 70s, steps up to the lectern—disheveled, tie askew, eyes heavy. He grips the podium like it’s the only thing holding him up.
“My fellow Americans… tonight, I have to speak plainly. While some still argue what the truth even means, this part… is real.”
The room stills.
“Our nation is facing a major crisis. Not because of you.”
He points directly into the camera.
“But because of decades of bad deals, bad faith, and very weak leadership. The debt is out of control. Our so-called allies are walking away. But really, we ‘ve never been stronger. This administration simply will not be pushed around anymore.”
He pauses.
“So… as of tonight, California is no longer part of the United States of America.”
Gasps. Screams. A burst of flashes. Chaos all over again.
“We reached a deal with the Republic of China. And let me tell you… it’s a better deal than anything the ‘experts’ ever came up with.”
A reporter shouts:
“You’re saying you sold California?”
“California stopped acting like part of this country a long time ago. They sold themselves. All they do is riot, sue the government, and burn—year after year… We gave them a chance, and they didn’t want it,” Brande responds.
Another reporter:
“What happens to the people living there?”
“We are working on solutions. Anyone who loves this country will stay a part of it. No one’s being forced out. But if you want to be here, you’ll make the effort.”
Reporter: “Are there other states at risk of…”
“Yes. Some are asking to leave. And I say let them. We don’t need passengers. We need patriots.”
He lets that sink in.
“They’re calling it the ‘Colonial Compact.’ Delaware, Virginia, places that haven’t mattered in years. Many years. They think they can just leave? Please. They're not—”
Suddenly, we cut to a dimly lit broadcast studio.
The newsroom glows only with screen-light and a few flickering bulbs. A red market ticker scrolls steadily downward.
ON SCREEN: A news anchor stares forward, voice shaky.
“This story is rapidly developing.”
They pause to recollect.
“According to top senior officials, this is connected to ongoing investigations into election interference, crypto market manipulation, and unlawful defense contracting.”
“No formal charges have been filed yet, but sources say the Justice Department is under immense political pressure to—”
Suddenly, the power cuts.
Back on. Then, flickers again.
“Oh no, not now,” the anchor pleads.
“Please… please stay with us.”
Darkness threatens to swallow the room.
“I’m so sorry… we- we are losing connection. We will continue—”
FLICKER TO BLACK.
The End
This short narrative piece is based on a screenplay that I wrote at university in 2019, and recently re-worked. It explores the volatile state of our current political climate through a near-future lens, where the “United” States begin to fracture and are slowly auctioned off to the highest bidders around the world.
For the full screenplay in PDF format email me at WishingWhalesMotionPictures@gmail.com