The Jealousy Monster
by
Matt Zurbo

(different take on same theme…!)

Sophie had a problem.
(Small girl, about 4-6, cute, playing.)

There was a jealousy monster growing under her bed.
(Sinewy, creepy little monster in dark under bed. About 6 inches long. Sophie, head upside down, peeking from top of bed.)

Sometimes it would whisper to her at night.
(Monster whispering to sleeping Sophie.)    

Sometimes, during the day.
“You’re baby sister is getting all the attention…” it would croon.
(Monster in Sophie’s ear while she watches baby.)

Well, at first it was only sometimes…
(Sophie playing the ukulele, jealousy monster, still sinewy, growing on her shoulder, also watching, as dancing baby gets all the attention.)

Soon, it was a real problem!
(Foreground, baby farting, startling itself. People gathered around, one or two reeling back, but all smiling or clapping. Background, Sophie standing alone, seething. Monster now taller than her, standing by her side, holding her hand.)

Sophie would feed her jealousy.
(Close up of faces as Sophie spoon-feeds monster in the dark.)

And in return, her jealousy would feed her.
(Sophie standing in shadows, with monster, now tall and creepy, standing behind her, arms over her shoulder, tale wrapped around her. Everyday people, in daylight, walking past/in front, without noticing.)

This was not good.
(Baby on Dad’s shoulders in hall. Sophie is about to slam her door shut on Mum. The monster is in her room, so big we can only make out bits of it, as it has to crouch to fit in room.)

No good at all!
(Sophie standing in middle of street. Her monster behind her, so big we can only see its legs and tail. She is staring angrily at lots of prams with lots of babies, while reluctantly holding her baby sister’s hand.)

Sophie’s jealousy was affecting everyone.
(Outside image of house with monster tail coming out of window, and tentacles out of chimney, etc… Big howl in air above house. Neighbours holding their ears.)

Even the way she looked.

(Sophie looking in mirror, Starting to look like jealousy monster. Monster’s leg behind her. In background we can see she is looking at reflection of baby, nappy being changed.)      

Finally…
(Sophie holding baby’s toy from it, baby crying as monster lunging at it.)

(Monster, enormous, holding baby above mouth with glee. Sophie, hands over mouth, horrified.)

Fortunately, Sophie had more than one type of monster.
(Sophie, lying flat, hands under chin, looking under cupboard at scrawny monster climbing out of empty jam jar, with the hand written label: Guilt.)

(Sophie watching jealousy monster rampaging through baby’s room. Guilt monster now larger than her, curled around her back.)

(Guilt monster huge, cannot see all of it. Putting baby’s toy back in Sophie’s hand, pointing to big pile of monster poo.)

(Guilt monster’s legs standing behind Sophie as she reaches in, pulling something out of poo.)

(Guilt monster now so big we can only see its toes. Baby, covered in poo, is smiling, hugging Sophie’s leg. Sophie standing there, toy in limp hand.)

(Guilt monster, now as big as three story house, throwing smaller 20 foot tall jealousy monster into air. Suburb beneath them.)

“Enough monsters!” Sophie cried.

(Sophie and baby – toy still in hand – waving arms, kicking, chasing both monsters, and smaller ones, all hunched and running away.)

(Baby sitting and watching as Sophie holds scared monsters, now tiny again, up above her open mouth.)

After that, things got better again!
(Sophie and baby having a picnic tea party. Sophie pouring tea for baby who is sitting there, trying to eat its rabbit doll.)

The End