Iron & Ivy
- Peter K F Cheung SBS
- Jun 25, 2025
- 3 min read
FADE IN
Act 1
INT. BEDROOM - 04:30
Darkness. PETER lies awake in bed, tossing and turning.
PETER (V.O.): Why can't I sleep? I'm very tired.
Peter gets up to turn on the bedside light, grabs the mobile and opens the Duolingo app.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Koean it is...
Peter starts tapping on screen, focused yet restless.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Is it the tea? Or the coffee?
Peter rubs his eyes, trying to absorb the lessons.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The original objective of returning to Mui Yuen yesterday was to search for the hidden gold bars.
Peter takes a sharp breath.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): The incidental garden clean up has become a metaphor for unearthing the past.
Act 2
FLASHBACK
EXT/INT. MUI YUEN - 10:30 (Yesterday)
As Peter clears the overgrown garden, he uncovers a skeletal iron swing, entangled and choked by ivy.
PETER (V.O.): Freeing it is more important than searching for the hidden gold bars.
After Peter releases the swing from the ivy, the swing begins to sway once more.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our Dad designed and built it during his time as a welder at an iron foundry in the early1960s.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My siblings, our children, and I all played on it.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Our Grandma worried it would collapse from heavy use. It never did.
FLASHBACK UPON FLASHBACK
EXT. PO KOK BRANCH SCHOOL, HUNG SHUI KIU - DAY (1960)
Playground. Peter (6) 's eyes are fixed on the PUPILS playing on the swings, captivated by their joy.
PETER (V.O.): I've never tried it before.
Moments after Peter hops on, he's thrown from the swing, landing hard on his backside.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Oh, the impact knocks the breath out of me.
We hear the pupils laughing at Peter, but no one comes to help.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): After a while. I managed to get back on my feet; and I learned to rely on myself.
EXT. MUI YUEN - DAY (1991)
Peter (36) and SHARON (35) hold their toddler SON's hands as he sits on the swing. Their son smiles.
EXT. DUSIT THANI BEACH, HUIZHOU -17:30 (April 25, 2025)
Hotel beach swings. GUESTS pose photos smilingly with them. Peter notices an empty one at the far end.
PETER (V.O.): I've the urge to swing.
Recalling.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In DH Lawrence's "Sons and Lovers", the swing is a metaphor for repressed desire.
Facing the waves of Daya Bay, Peter swings higher than a man of his age should.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): I still remember how to swing high while maintaining perfect balance.
EXT. NAKAJIMA PARK, MURORAN - 18:45 (May 6, 2025)
Peter's WIFE is leaving as Peter continues to swing, lost in the moment.
WIFE: We came here just to see the cherry blossoms.
EXT. SAMSUNG RAEMIAN ESTATE, ANYANG - DAY (June 7, 2025)
Park. Peter and his wife stroll past a row of swings.
PETER: There're swings...
WIFE: Why do you like swings so much?
PETER (V.O.): Our future grandchildren would enjoy them.
END FLASHBACK UPON FLASHBACK
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): My Dad didn't build it to last forever - he built it to outlast him.
RETURN TO PRESENT
Act 3
INT. BEDROOM - 21:30
Peter adds an image depicting the swing in Mui Yuen to a draft on his laptop.
PETER (V.O.): Iron symbolises strength and rigiidity, representing resilence and stability.
Pausing
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): In contrast, ivy embodies flexibility and persistence, illustrating the ability to adapt and thrive in various conditions.
Thinking.
PETER (V.O.) (Cont'd): Together, they highlight the balance between strength and adaptability in overcoming challenges.
FADE OUT
END
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