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There’s a church on every corner, but disclosing dark truths—have no place being said aloud.

DELIA (10; a sensitive, ice-cream eating 4th grader sizable for her age, an “old soul”) bikes home to her grandmother MARIE (55; a simple, God-fearing maternal-figure with secrets), who “cooks” her granddaughter instant mac ‘n’ cheese afterschool. Marie tries to be the best mother figure she can as a low-income widow straddling the lines of communication between Delia and her struggling daughter, Delia’s mother JEANIE (35; a well-meaning alcoholic, chain-smoking disaster determined to change). Meanwhile, Jeanie wakes up with her shitty current boyfriend across town and readies herself for the weekday lunch crowd at her stripping job.

One night, when Delia’s awakened by the haunting sounds of weeping, she investigates—there in Marie’s living room, an apparition of a MAN IN A BROWN SUIT (50s) blows his brains out, frightening her. Her attempt to tell Marie the next morning falls on deaf ears, setting the tone for her quest to confide in someone who will just listen to her.

After a bullying incident where her favorite teacher MRS. RUSH (30s; demure but not emotionally weak) comes to her rescue, Delia eavesdrops on Mrs. Rush and her husband MR. RUSH (30s/white; racist misogynist; evil incarnate), who verbally demeans his wife. In that moment, when Delia gets busted listening to their conversation, she makes eye contact with Mr. Rush—his face, contorting into that of a horrifying demon. Can we help you? He asks. She BOLTS from the school to safety, in fear of what she just witnessed.

A panicked Delia bikes to her only source of comfort: Marie’s old family friend and retired police officer turned ice cream man, SAM (60s; cherubic father figure). Providing a sensitive ear, he lets Delia know that she can talk to him anytime about her empathic and supernatural gifts, and that most importantly—he believes her. One night, before taking Delia home to her grandmother, they’re spooked by a knock on the door. Sam cautiously opens it to reveal a dark-figure demon at the doorstep. But when the porch light flickers, the ‘normal’ face of Mr. Rush comes into clear view. I was just in the area. A long walk clears my mind. Parting ways, on Sam’s drive to drop Delia off at home, Delia asks Sam, You saw it, too, didn’t you?

Meanwhile, Jeanie has a routine parole officer visit, alarming her to step her game up if she wants to win back custody of her daughter. She recalls how she was responsible for burning down her previous home in a cigarette accident, and she’s determined to straighten up and show up more for her daughter.

While out grocery shopping, Delia once again tries to bring up the subject of having ominous visions, for which Marie thwarts the conversation yet again. In another aisle, Delia sees Mrs. Rush again, strongarmed by her husband. When Delia’s forced to shake his hand during a proper introduction, she sees a flash of a younger version of himself at a hospital, buying a bunch of red roses, causing her to recoil.

That very night, Marie is approached by a dark figure in her room—Mr. Rush. He pushes her onto the bed and begins to remove her nightgown, and Marie… lets him, in a consensual passionate moment—Don’t let Delia hear us, Marie tells him.

Delia and Marie have a difficult talk about getting together with Jeanie for a planned visit, while across town, Mr. Rush follows his wife’s every move, driving behind her as she walks to the grocery store. He discovers that she, too, is engaged in an extramarital affair. In a violent rage, he murders the object of her affection, Sam’s young nephew—and beats his wife to a bloody pulp.

Mrs. Rush files a police report on the abuse, and days later, she decides to return to teaching. Unfortunately, on a rampage, fueled by his wife’s infidelity, Mr. Rush decides to take matters into his own hands, showing up armed to school the next morning—concealing his gun in a bunch of roses.

Just before he enters the hallway to murder his cheating wife, Delia has a clearer vision of what the Man in a Brown Suit was showing her—that he was in fact also murdered by Mr. Rush years before—in the very house Delia and Marie live in. Delia tries to warn Mrs. Rush of what’s coming for her, but it’s too late. Mr. Rush shoots his wife right then and there. Chaos ensues. Everyone runs and hides… except Delia, feeling guilty as she runs to Mrs. Rush’s dead body. But when she looks up, Mr. Rush stands there, pointing his gun at the 10-year-old girl.

Unbeknownst to Delia, Jeanie has dropped by the school for a surprise visit. Jeanie GASPS when she turns the corner to see Mr. Rush, aiming at her daughter, and without hesitation, jumps to shield her daughter, and in the tussle, both of them take bullets. Sam, who was listening to his old police scanner in his ice cream truck, intervenes on the scene at that moment. Sam strangles the remaining life out of Mr. Rush, finishing what Jeanie started. Delia, in shock, beside her dying mother, sees a vision from the day of her birth. A vase of familiar red roses. An empty card. An ashamed Jeanie, unable to admit who the father was. Delia realizes Mr. Rush is her biological father.

A week later, funerals and memorials commence with the darkest days in the rearview. Marie, with her own secrets and emotional turmoil to overcome, and Delia, bearing witness to sights no child should experience, are left shredded and exhausted. One day over lunch, they contemplate moving out of their little haunted home to start over, but together, ultimately decide to stay when Delia convinces her that things are gonna be okay now. They love what they have here & now. 

I care deeply about the topic of listening to and believing children—whose words often fall on deaf, adult ears. DELIA takes place in a time when “God-fearing” was a compliment of character, and included stifling uncomfortable discussions. Not being believed or acknowledged, at any age, is a lifelong deep fear that I and many of us carry.