Written By Andre Da Silva
Address: Goa, India
Phone: +91-7558780086
E-mail: andredasilva314@gmail.com
EXT. HILLTOP - EVENING
A rope lies on the ground, extending over a distance, past patches of grass and brown-red dust.
Eventually, the rope reaches its end: the ankle of a sitting MAN (early-twenties), and is tied tightly around it.
The man is seated on the ground facing the horizon with a screwdriver held by both hands, the pointed end facing him.
His eye locks its gaze onto the pointed end, refusing to blink.
He slowly places his palm on the head of the screwdriver, cupping it, and in a quick sudden motion his hands push the screwdriver towards his eye, and we..
CUT TO BLACK.
OVER BLACK:
The sound of the man groaning in pain.
EXT. HILLTOP - EVENING
MAN'S POV:
A single-eye opens as he frantically looks around. Finally, amidst grass and mud he sees it: the screwdriver.
He grits his teeth and groans as he holds one hand over his wounded eye, blood dripping down his face and onto his shirt, staining it a dark red. He falls to the ground, right next to the screwdriver.
He grabs it with his hand, rolls over on his back and holds it in the air directly over his other eye.
He closes it as he takes a deep breath.
As he opens it, he turns to the horizon to watch the sunset. He knows this is the last time he ever sees it.
He turns back to face the screwdriver.
He slowly places his other hand on the screwdriver head, and both hands swiftly push down, sending the screwdriver sinking towards his eyeball, as we..
CUT TO BLACK.
EXT. HILLTOP - EVENING
The man's hand grabs onto the rope tied around his ankle, and he uses it to guide him forward, slowly following it across the distance it extends over.
Eventually, it leads him to the other end of the rope: the ankle of a WOMAN (early-twenties).
The woman, seated in a plastic chair, has thick blackened glasses over her eyes and a cane in her hand.
The man, now with a bloody rag around his eyes, gets closer to the woman and an empty plastic chair placed next to her. She isn't very comfortable being here.
WOMAN
How much did it hurt?
The man is charismatic, with a confident salesman-like energy that makes him almost instantly likeable.
MAN
I don't think it hurt.
He feels around for the empty chair and plonks down on it.
MAN (CONT'D)
Was it supposed to?
Both of them are facing the horizon.
MAN (CONT'D)
So this is what it's like.
WOMAN
This is what it's always been like.
MAN
I like it. Very minimalistic.
She slightly turns her head towards him.
WOMAN
I still.. don't completely know why you wanted to do this.
He smiles.
MAN
All my life I knew that there was something missing. On the inside, deep down. I tried to fill that hole for so long but, nobody could. (MORE)
MAN (CONT'D)
Until I met you. Like this, I get to see things like you do. And I like the way you see things.
He reaches for her hand in her lap and takes it in his.
MAN (CONT'D)
Now we're in this together.
He squeezes it tight; perhaps a little too tight. She doesn't squeeze back.
She uses her foot to itch at her ankle where the rope is tied almost tightly enough to cut off circulation. She's restless.
WOMAN
Are we going to take the rope off?
MAN
I don't want us to. I want it to keep us together wherever we go. Always.
She tries loosening the rope with her foot, but to no avail.
WOMAN
I want to go back. To my friends, my parents. I had a life be-..
MAN (stern)
You don't have anything to go back to. You're lying to yourself. He gently rubs her palm with his thumb.
MAN (CONT'D)
You were alone. You always were. But you don't have to be anymore.
He intertwines his fingers with hers and leans back, a smile sprawling itself across his face.
MAN (CONT'D)
Neither of us do.
Her restlessness grows, her breaths becoming deeper and sharper as she faces straight ahead with her face growing more and more helpless, but we...
CUT TO BLACK.
THE END