The Touch

Creator: David Mills
Age rating: 13 and older
An emotionally fragile young women inherits the "touch of death" from a dying Gypsy, forcing her to decide whether to keep this unwanted power secret, transfer it to the Gypsy's violent son or use it to stop a serial child killer from striking again.
Full synopsis
Synopsis: What would you do if you could kill someone simply by touching them?
Would you use this power? Would you live in constant fear? Continual worry? Would you try to rid yourself of this curse?
Those are the questions faced by Amanda Foster, an emotionally fragile young woman who unwittingly inherits this deadly burden.
Amanda is the central figure in “The Touch,” a compelling tale that contains a series of unexpected turns as well as a stunning twist near the end. It is a fast-moving script spiced with a number of subplots and fascinating characters.
Among the screenplay’s underlying themes are revenge, deceit and compassion. More than anything, “The Touch” is the story of Amanda and her boyfriend and their dedication to each other.
We meet Amanda early in our story. We see a sweet, kind young woman who is jittery, nervous and troubled. She dreams of a young boy screaming “Help!” and pounding on a window as a car drives off. She is easily spooked by loud noises such as chainsaws and screeching automobiles. A person fundamentally shaken by something in her past.
Amanda’s boyfriend, Miles Ketchum, is a quiet young man who cares deeply about his girlfriend. He carefully tends to her whenever she seems to falter.
The saga is set entirely in Los Angeles, mostly in the town of Santa Monica. As the story unfolds, secondary characters are introduced, adding intrigue and mystery.
An old Gypsy woman, Sylvina Schmidt, initially has the deadly touch. She uses it to kill an armed robber who invades the Gypsy’s camp. Her son, Petris Schmidt, is adamant his mother transfer the power to him before she dies. Sylvina steadfastly refuses.
In another part of town, a suspected child killer, Charlie Zucker, is arrested in his home. He is charged with murdering three children. The muscular defendant taunts the spectators in a courtroom as a judge threatens to release him because of improperly obtained evidence.
These lives slowly converge as the plot begins to thicken.
Amanda finds Sylvina laying near death in some bushes, hiding from her son. Amanda grasps Sylvina’s hands in sympathy and inadvertently inherits the deadly touch as the old woman dies. Petris sees the exchange. Amanda is uncertain what has happened, but Petris has no doubts.
The power slowly unveils itself to Amanda. Her hands glow with a faint orange when she is scared or angry. A mouse she picks up is killed seconds later by a pouncing cat. A man who helps retrieve a shopping bag dies in less than a minute after accidentally brushing his hand against Amanda’s fingers.
The young woman visits a mystic, who tells her the legend of a mysterious power held by a tribe of Gypsies. A touch that is activated by flight or fright. A touch that kills almost instantly. A power that can be transferred but cannot be extinguished... except by the death of the holder.
The undercurrents of the plot begin to flow together as Amanda faces a series of dilemmas and challenges.
Petris stalks Amanda, demanding she hand over what rightfully belongs to him. The young woman adamantly refuses.
Amanda confides a portion of her secret to her grandmother. The next day, Gram suffers a debilitating stroke. From her hospital bed, the grandmother begs Amanda in halting, slurred speech to use the mysterious power to end her misery.
Amanda sees a television news report about Zucker’s impending release. She recognizes him as the man who kidnapped and killed her younger brother 12 years ago. Amanda attends a court hearing where a prosecutor emphatically tells the judge Zucker will kill another child if he is set free. She watches Zucker brazenly leave the courthouse after he is released.
Our protagonist is swept along by the rising tide of events. A neighbor dies suddenly. A co-worker is killed in a freak accident. Amanda worries she is inadvertently touching people. She starts to wear gloves to protect Miles and others close to her.
Gram spirals into a coma after another stroke. Late that night, Amanda reluctantly and painfully grants her grandmother’s wish.
Amanda decides to take the law into her glowing hands. She hunts down Zucker and confronts him near a schoolyard where he has been keeping close tabs on a young boy. After a pitched battle, Amanda finally grasps the killer’s bare neck. Zucker pulls a knife but dies of a heart attack before he can cause any more suffering.
Amanda wanders the streets of Venice Beach, lost and confused. Her sweetness has been replaced by a hardened, bitter demeanor. She eyes some of the passers-by, wondering if she should rid society of some of its worthless inhabitants. A massive internal struggle rages inside her.
A cell phone message shakes her back to reality. Petris has called, saying he’s kidnapped Miles and taken him to Santa Monica pier.
On the wooden boardwalk, Amanda and Petris face off once again. Petris tells Amanda her life will be miserable until she is free of this deadly touch. An argument ensues. Petris pulls a gun, forgetting there is a crowd around them. The people nearby scream in fright. In the confusion, Amanda darts away, running toward the hills that straddle the Pacific Coast Highway. Petris sprints after her with Miles in hot pursuit.
The story’s climax occurs in a remote canyon along the railroad tracks. Petris tackles Amanda. He points the gun at her head, demanding she hand over her deadly power. She still refuses. When Miles enters the canyon, Petris shoots him in the knee. Miles tumbles to the ground, clutching his disabled leg. In the chaos, Amanda is able to free her glowing hands and clasp Petris’ cheeks.
Petris is infuriated. He sticks the gun in Amanda’s face. He gives her one last chance to give up the touch. She says she’d rather die. Petris clutches the pistol tighter, but his finger is unable to pull the trigger. Slowly, his hand twists back toward him. He howls as his wrist breaks. The gun is now aimed at him. His finger twitches. It squeezes the trigger. A single shot pierces Petris’ chest. He falls to the ground, blood pouring from his torso.
Amanda stares in disbelief. Her hollow eyes sink back into her head. She cannot take this anymore. She’s desperate. She’s at her wit’s end. She can no longer live like this.
A heavy, slow-moving train rounds the bend. Amanda hears its whistle and watches it approach. She decides to lose the deadly power once and for all. As the locomotive bears down on her, Amanda takes drastic measures. As Miles watches in horror, Amanda rids herself of this curse in a startling and most gruesome manner. She lets the train’s metal wheels skid over her outstretched arms, slicing off her hands. Her severed hands flop under the train as it lumbers to a halt. The glow disappears… forever.
Quick action by the train engineer and a police officer save Amanda’s life. Three days later, Miles visits his girlfriend in her hospital bed. His deep devotion to her overwhelms him. He realizes how close he came to losing her. Miles presents Amanda with a gold necklace. He kneels at her bedside and asks her to marry him. Amanda tearfully accepts.
Six months later, our story ends outside a Los Angeles church on a sunny afternoon. Amanda and Miles emerge to a cheering crowd as husband and wife.
Love has conquered all, even the touch of death.

Latest Work

  • Script 1 - David's Original Draft
    04/09/12
    Creative Notes:
    This is such a unique story I feel it just needs to be made into a feature film. You've got an endearing female protagonist and two unforgettable male antagonists. You've got a fast-moving, unpredictable story. You've got an undercurrent with an overall moral dilemma. And, most of all, you have a compelling love story.
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