Setting: Kandahar Province, Afghanistan – 2013.
Dust blows across a rugged outpost. The sound of distant gunfire pops like static against the wind. Willow Harris (23), a tough but quietly thoughtful U.S. Army specialist, crouches behind a Humvee, her rifle pressed to her shoulder.
[EXT. OUTPOST – NIGHT]
The desert wind carries sand that grinds against Willow’s face mask. She adjusts her helmet, eyes focused downrange. Her squad leader, SGT. RYAN MASON (30s), leans beside her, scanning the horizon through his night-vision goggles.
MASON
(low voice)
You’ve got eyes on that ridge, Harris?
WILLOW
(steady, calm)
Yeah. Heat signatures at 2 o’clock… three of ’em. They’re not just wandering.
Mason grunts, checking his comms.
MASON
(into radio)
Bravo-2, we’ve got movement. Stay sharp.
Willow wipes sweat from her temple with a gloved hand, eyes never leaving her scope.
PRIVATE JENKINS (early 20s, nervous, behind them)
You think it’s another probing run?
WILLOW
(flat but reassuring)
If it was, they wouldn’t be this patient. They’re waiting on something.
A distant crack of a rifle shot. Willow instinctively ducks, scanning for the flash.
MASON
Contact, north ridge!
(he gestures)
Harris, flank left. Cut them off before they circle behind us.
Willow nods and sprints low through the dust, boots pounding against gravel. As she moves, her radio crackles.
RADIO OPERATOR (V.O.)
Eagle Nest, this is Bravo-2. We’re taking small-arms fire. Requesting overwatch support, over.
[CLOSE – WILLOW]
She slides into a shallow trench, exhales, steadies her breathing. Her eyes harden — the cool precision of someone used to danger.
WILLOW
(muttering to herself)
Come on… show me what you’re up to.
A muzzle flash flickers on the ridge. She squeezes the trigger — one controlled shot. A figure drops.
MASON (V.O. on radio)
Good hit, Harris. Hold that angle.
As the gunfire slows, Willow presses her back to the dirt wall, a brief moment of quiet between shots. She glances at a small laminated photo taped to her dog tag — her parents: Kamala in a blazer, Bobby in his pastor’s robes. She tucks it back into her vest.
PRIVATE JENKINS (V.O. on radio)
Harris… how do you stay so calm?
WILLOW
(with a faint, wry smile)
Spent my whole life between my mama the attorney and my daddy the preacher.
(shakes her head)
A couple of gunmen on a ridge ain’t gonna shake me.
A helicopter’s rotors thunder overhead, and the incoming fire dies down as the insurgents retreat. Willow exhales, letting her shoulders drop.
MASON
(calling out)
Harris, good work. You just saved our left flank.
Willow looks up at the fading night sky, expression unreadable — determined, but somewhere deep down, tired.
The desert sky is washed with a dusty orange. The squad’s Humvees are parked in a loose circle. Soldiers strip their gear, tired but alive after the day’s firefight. Willow Harris sits on an ammo crate, wiping down her rifle.
MASON
(coming by, clapping her on the shoulder)
Good work today, Harris.
(half-smiles)
You never miss.
WILLOW
(grinning faintly)
Guess growing up between Sunday school and debate club had its perks.
Mason chuckles and moves on. Willow finishes cleaning her rifle and stores it carefully.
[INT. BARRACKS – NIGHT]
The barracks hum with a kind of end-of-day energy. Some soldiers play cards, some write letters. A corkboard near the door has a handwritten sign: “FAMILY CALL NIGHT – 60 MINUTES EACH.”
Willow changes out of her combat gear into a clean Army T-shirt, runs a comb through her hair, and checks the time. She can’t help smiling.
[INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM – NIGHT]
Rows of laptops and tablets line folding tables. Soldiers take turns sitting down, their faces lighting up as screens connect. Laughter, tears, chatter fill the room.
Willow sets her tablet on the table, takes a deep breath, and taps the screen.
Scene 1: Call to the Greenleafs
[SPLIT-SCREEN – WILLOW & THE GREENLEAF LIVING ROOM (MEMPHIS)]
The call rings a few times before the Greenleaf family appears on screen: LADY MAE, GRACE, SOPHIA, JACOB, and CHARITY squeeze together in front of the camera.
GRACE
(excited)
Willow! Oh my goodness, look at you!
SOPHIA
(leaning in)
You look so… army-official. Are you okay? You’re safe?
WILLOW
(smiling)
I’m good. Tired, but good. We wrapped up a mission today.
Everyone asks questions at once — about food, about the weather, about her friends there. Willow answers warmly, her voice softening. But as the screen pans a little, Willow’s smile dims slightly.
WILLOW
(trying to keep it light)
Where’s Dad?
An awkward silence. Lady Mae clears her throat.
LADY MAE
He had… church business. You know your father.
WILLOW
(nods, forces a smile)
Yeah. I know.
They talk for a few more minutes — Sophia promises to send cookies, Jacob tells her to keep her head down. They exchange love and encouragement.
The call ends. Willow sits for a moment, staring at the blank screen. She draws in a breath, shakes it off, and clicks on the next number.
Scene 2: Call to the Harris Side
[SPLIT-SCREEN – WILLOW & KAMALA’S HOME (CALIFORNIA)]
The call connects. KAMALA HARRIS appears first, smiling wide. DOUG EMHOFF leans in behind her, and in the background are his kids, ELLA and COLE.
KAMALA
Oh, my baby girl! Look at you, soldier!
WILLOW
(grinning)
Hey, Mama. You look great. And hi, Doug… hi Ella, hi Cole.
DOUG
(cheerful)
You’re looking sharp, Willow. Stay safe out there.
ELLA
Hi! We’ve heard so much about you.
COLE
(grinning)
You’re like a real-life superhero.
Willow laughs, relaxing a little.
KAMALA waves someone closer — MAYA HARRIS and her husband TONY squeeze into the frame, followed by MEENA and NIKOLAS holding a tiny baby.
WILLOW
(lighting up)
Meena! And… oh my gosh, that must be little Amara!
MEENA
She’s finally big enough to say hi… well, kind of.
KAMALA
Did you get the package we sent? The birthday card… and the bracelet?
WILLOW
(holds up her wrist, showing the bracelet)
Got it. And I read every signature on that card.
They all beam. For a while it’s just warm family chatter — Kamala asks about the food, Maya tells a funny story about the baby, Ella and Cole ask if Willow gets to drive tanks.
A clock in the corner of the screen counts down the minutes. Kamala’s expression softens.
KAMALA
We’re proud of you, honey. Just keep your head down and come home safe.
WILLOW
(quietly)
I will. Love you all.
MAYA
We’ll talk again soon. Three weeks goes by fast.
They wave. Willow waves back until the screen goes black.
She swallows hard, blinking fast, and wipes away a tear with the back of her hand.
Scene 3: Night Routine
[INT. BARRACKS – LATER]
The lights are dimmed. Soldiers settle into their bunks. Willow sits cross-legged on her cot with a small, worn Bible in her lap. She reads a few lines silently, then bows her head.
WILLOW
(softly)
Thank You for keeping us safe today… and please, keep them safe too.
She closes the Bible, sets it carefully on the small shelf beside her bed, and lies down. The last thing we see before lights-out is Willow staring up at the dark ceiling — strong but still just a daughter far from home.
The barracks go dark. The low hum of the desert night fills the silence.