***

                This work is registered by
Writers Guild of America West.
Registration ¹ 1310775



Life in a Week
By
Peter Chaialo













Peter Chaialo,
Lesya Ukrainka blvrd 36B,102
Kiev, Ukraine
tel. 80979766726


FADE IN
EXT. HARDING’S HOUSE - EVENING
A porch of the typical house of the American province is filled with lights of the ambulance and the police cars. Clarissa, a fine-looking woman with long chestnut-colored hair, is standing on the porch, crying her heart out. We cannot understand, why she cries, as we cannot understand the reason why her husband Tom stands nearby very upset and being also ready to cry. It is almost like in the Babel: everyone speaks, yells or cries in bustle and confusion, people in uniform pass nearby in hectic, but it seems that no one really understands what happened here.
CUT TO
INT. HARDING’S HOUSE – DAY
ON THE TV
A TV screen with a commercial running on it. A middle-aged and heavyweight man is advertising a grill. He is standing on his porch, holding a bottle of Budweiser. He dresses a cook hat and apron and prepares some sausages. Obviously, he looks very silly.
A MAN IN THE TV
(excited)
Only this month you can buy Bubba’s Hot Grill for only 69.99 dollars! Call now and in addition you’ll get a tableware collection from Bubba!
Now on the TV we can see some of Bubba’s buddies. They look just like him, at least concerning the age and the shape. One of them yells:
BUDDY
Hey, Bubba, are the sausages ready?
BUBBA
Just a sec, and you’ll get your hot wurstels.
(Then he turns to the camera and smiles to us with a silly, artificial smile)
Just as hot as our proposition! Call now: 899-433-99-87, and you’ll get a grill of your dreams, Bubba’s Hot Grill!
CAMERA MOVES BACK, showing the “landscape” of the room in which the TV-set stands. It’s a typical den of the difficult teenager: the belongings scattered all over the room, the basketball players posters, electric guitar standing in the corner…
MORE ABACK, and we see an uncovered bed and Josh’s back. Untidy hair and the T-shirt with the word Sepultura on it may say a lot about their owner…
CAMERA ON Josh’s face. Pretty handsome features, significantly spoiled by the under eye bags and thoughtless, alienated expression.
A phone rings.
Josh comes back to reality. He grabs the phone and answers.
JOSH
Hi
It’s his friend Paul calling.
PAUL
Wazzup, dude! So, are we gonna hang out today?
JOSH
Well, if you’re in, I’m definitely with you.
PAUL
You can count on me! So, what do you say, I’ll come and grab you?
JOSH
Nope, it doesn’t work that way. My mom won’t be very glad to see ya.

PAUL
Damn, have your parents under control, man. My family is pretty retarded too, but I made them know that my personal life belongs only to me. Let’s make it this way: You will come to me.

JOSH
You know, I don’t really want to… I don’t know your parent’s yet, and today I don’t feel to get acquainted with them. Let’s meet at the corner of Saint Vincent and Holliday Street. You know, as usual…

PAUL
That’s ok for me! So, your ass must be there in ten minutes, and don’t be late!

JOSH
(grins sarcastically)
Look who is talking! Don’t think that you are punctual like a god damn count of Monte Pristo.

PAUL
Monte Cristo

JOSH
Hm… Whatever… Well, ok, I’m moving out…

Josh stands up from the bed, moves through the corridor, where his little sister Cindy, a seven years old girl with brown hair and big blue eyes, plays with her dolls (their names are Peter and Jane). As she sees Josh, she looks at him gaily.

CINDY
Peter and Jane are learning how to dance! Do you want to see?

JOSH
(irritated)
I got plans… Besides, I wouldn’t look at this even if I had nothing to do and we had a broken TV-set.

Cindy bursts into tears and runs into their parents bedroom yelling.

CINDY
Mom, Josh is bad to me again!

We hear from the bedroom a voice of their mother, Clarissa:

CLARISSA
(angry)
Josh, you should pay at least a little bit of attention to your sister! You are wandering who knows were all day long, you are not working nor studying. But the worst thing about you is that you are so ill-bred and…

The house front door slams loudly behind Josh, so the last words of Clarissa’s tirade do not reach her son’s ears. Josh stands on the porch.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON an old-fashioned calendar. A page with a number 6, abbreviation SAT and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters.

EXT. CORNVILLE DAY

Josh is walking through the streets of the town, which are pretty deserted even though it’s Sunday.

VIEW OVER. While camera is getting higher and higher, we can see a typical panorama of American province. Josh is walking through the street, where some kids are playing. They say «Hi» to Josh by waving hands, but he doesn’t pay any attention to them. Finally he arrives at the place were Paul is waiting for him.

PAUL
Here, grab this, dude!

He throws a tin beer and Josh doesn’t make his friend wait too long by joining him in drinking. It’s obvious from Paul’s eyes and appearance that this is not his first portion of beer today.

But we can see that Paul does not look like a typical slovenly. He is fine-dressed, has an accurate haircut… It seems that he is from a good family.

PAUL (COUNT’D)
It’s about time to have some fun, don’t you think so? During the last week in the school I just got sick. So boooring… And tomorrow it will start again from the very beginning.

JOSH
Man, you are so right! My last week in the school was also a torture. Well maybe except of Friday…

He looks at Paul, bringing mysterious expression on his face.

PAUL
Aha… I know that expression! And I know it has something to do with the girls! Come on, tell me!

Paul smiles and jokingly starts to punch Josh.

PAUL (COUNT’D)
Come on! Come on! I want to know everything!

JOSH
(gives up and laughs)
Ok-ok! I’m telling you! On the Friday I was walking through the corridor. There was a girl, a very beautiful girl, she was picking a textbook from her locker. It felt down and I helped her to pick it.

Paul is waiting for Josh to continue his story. But it seems that Josh had told already what he wanted to tell.

PAUL
So?

JOSH
So what?

PAUL
You fucked her?

JOSH
No. I supposed to?

PAUL
Damn, what’s so good in picking up once textbook? I can let you pick my textbooks if you want to.

JOSH
You don’t understand. It’s not about picking a textbook, it’s about how he looked at me, smiled at me… It was… marvelous!

PAUL
(Mimicking)
Ooo… Maaarvelous… Come on, be a man! And say to me, are we gonna have fun today?

JOSH
Absolutely

PAUL
Well, it’s all I wanted to hear. No more bullshit.

JOSH
Ok, no more bullshit. But what exactly are you planning for today?

PAUL
(smiles)
Well, we have alcohol. I can get some dope… It means that everything is well-planned. Let’s go to the park. Johnny said to me he’s gonna hang out there with some of his paws. And then… We’ll see. We can pick up some girls, not textbooks (winks to Josh) we can celebrate… Just a little bit of improvisation, man.

They cross the road, obviously going to the park.

JOSH (V.O.)
Typical, isn’t it? We didn’t knew were we are going today, we had no idea were we gonna get in our lives. Everything that we wanted is just to get lost, to forget that tomorrow will come even if we are not ready to face it.


EXT. MORRISON PARK - EVENING

The kaleidoscope of Paul’s and Josh’s «adventures» this evening. We hear «Never Let Me Down Again» by Smashing Pumpkins, a Depeche Mode cover

SLOW MOTION

I'm taking a ride with my best friend
I hope he never lets me down again
He promised me I'm safe in his houses
As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers
I hope he never lets me down again.

The group of young boys and girls. Paul lies on the bench with the open mouth meanwhile one of the guys stands above him, holds a bottle in his hand and «tanks» Paul with whisky.Josh stands nearby, smiling and making a funny face.

Josh is kissing a punk-looking girl in the cheek. Paul stands nearby and makes with a hand a horns sign to his friend.

We're flying high
Watching the world pass us by
We're flying high
Watching the world pass us by
Never want to come down
Never want to come down
Never want to come down
Never want to put my feet back down on the ground

About 7-10 boys and girls, some of them are sitting on the bench and some of them are standing. They smoke weep passing the dope to each other and taking deep puffs.

See the stars, they're shining bright
Everything's all right tonight
See the stars, they're shining bright
Everything's all right tonight

EXT. CORNVILLE - MORRISON PARK - LATE AFTERNOON

It’s almost a night, Josh and Paul, both stiff drunk, are going home after having entertained themselves enough. They are walking through the northern, more isolated part of the park. They can barely walk on their feet, but they have still enough energy to speak very loudly, arguing about something.

JOSH
(emotionally)
Damn, Paul, you are my fucking friend, that’s why I’m still talking to you instead of kicking your ass. Haven’t you seen that I was trying to run after Jane, why do you always have to mess around when it’s not your business?

PAUL
(speaks in a thick voice)
What the fuck, Josh, we are friends, are not we? I mean that… you know we can not be… we shall not be wrangling because of some stupid bitches.

JOSH
It’s not just about her. You are always doing this shit to me.

PAUL
Hey, you are my friend, no? We had a good time today, that’s everything what really matters.

JOSH
Oh, I know what are you trying to do now. You try to avoid a talk about it. But I want to make you one thing sure: (screams angry) don’t you dare to put your hands on my girl!

PAUL
(laughs sarcastically)
Ok, don’t worry about that. When I’m not drunk I would not even look at this stupid slut who lives in a trailer. She is just perfect for you.

Josh suddenly changes in his face. We see that Paul had touched the right cord.

JOSH
(speaking through the clenched teeth)
What do you want to say, ah?

PAUL
I don’t wanna say nothing. I just did it.

JOSH
I know what you are thinking right now. That I do not have a rich daddy like you, that I do not have a chance to go to the college and mess up with other dickheads!

PAUL
(still smiling)
You know, maybe that’s exactly what I tried to say. So what, isn’t that true?

JOSH
I tell what’s true. You are selfish stupid motherfucker, everything what you have are your money.

PAUL
Haha, maybe… But it this case you do not have nothing at all! I know what makes you angry. In a year, when I’ll be in the college, messing up with other dickheads as you said, you will be still in this shithole, you have no chance to have another life!

JOSH
(screams in the full voice, he has just lost his temper)
Shut up!

PAUL
What will you do in a year! Working at the tank station, selling ice-cream? Or even better, will you apply for benefit so you can stay drunk all day long?

JOSH
I told you to shut the fuck up!

He losses control and hits his friend in the face. Paul, who was walking unsteadily, falls down but in a second he is standsing again on his feet. He is furious, we cannot recognize in him a boy who was smiling some seconds ago

PAUL
Ah you son of a…

With this words he pounces on Josh.  As Paul is taller and bigger, Josh is incapable to repulse his attack, falling down under Paul’s weight.

For some instants they are involved in a struggle, grappling at each other in a rage fight. It’s obvious that the boys are not joking: they are ready to smash each other into pieces. And it seems that it is Paul who’s gonna be a winner. Now he is sitting on Josh’s chest, holding his throat ant trying to suffocate him.

Josh, whose eyes seem to roll out of his head, is unable to breath, his face is red like tomato, but in his final convulsions he manages with his leg to strike Paul in the groin. Very painfully. Paul falls down, breathing heavily as a fish cast ashore. For some seconds Paul and Josh seems to be incapable to continue the fight, but Harding reacts faster. When Paul is about to rise up, standing on her knees, Josh with all his power kicks him in the head. Josh falls down and it seems that he is unable to stand up.

JOSH
(catching his breath for a few seconds and calming down)
Is it enough for you know?!

Paul is not answering, still laying down in unnatural pose, with his eyes wide open and pointed to the sky. Only after looking a little bit closer, Josh notices first a thick jet of blood, coming out of his friend’s mouth, and then a stone under Paul’s head.

JOSH
(with a dead voice)
Oh my god…

For a few seconds he stands stunned, do not knowing what to do, after that he runs rashly, in the panic, across the park. Some times he stumbles and falls down, because he is in a great hurry and still very drunk, but after that he stands up and runs, runs, runs…

INT. HADRING’S HOME – LATE NIGHT

Josh enters the house and, unnoticed, goes to his room and falls in the bed.

SCREEN BLACK

FADE IN

INT. HARDING’S HOME - MORNING

CLOSE on Josh, who is sleeping in his bed. The sunbeams are falling on his dirty face. Yesterday he just fell down in his bed without even taking off his clothes.

CLARISSSA
(knocking on the door, tenderly calling his son)
Josh, the breakfast is ready! Take your clothes on and come down to us!

JOSH
In a minute, ma!

His voice sounds calm and easy, as if Josh does not understand what really happened yesterday with him and his friend Paul. This situation makes a big contrast with Josh’s appearance and his face covered with mud. Only after some minutes Harding comes to realize what really happened: first he sits on the bed calmly, than suddenly he clinches his head in the arms and rumples his hear, as if he is trying to banish away a bad dream. Then he bursts into tears.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 6, abbreviation SAT and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 7 SUN.


CLARISSA
(now calling his son more impatiently)
Josh, the breakfast will get cold!

JOSH
(with the broken voice)
Coming!

Hectically he dries his tears, stands in front of the mirror and can hardly recognize himself. Dirty face with scratches and grazes on it, wounded eyes, hairs sticked together…

Hurrying, Josh takes his clothes off, takes clean one from the wardrobe and runs in the bedroom, where he washes his face and takes himself in order. So, when he gets in the kitchen, he looks almost normally, except for the scratches and the wounded eyes.

INT. HURDING’S HOUSE – KITCHEN - MORNING

Josh’s POV: The whole family is gathered around the square table. Josh’ father Tom sits just in front of his son, Clarissa and Cindy are sitting accordingly on the right and on the left. In a first moment, Clarissa throws an reproachful sight on his son, but then, noticing his pale face, and changes the idea of expostulating with him and changes in her face. Now we see that she is very preoccupied.

CLARISSA
(emotionally, slapping her hands)
Oh my god, darling, what have you done to you, why are you looking so… So exhausted?

JOSH
Everything is ok, ma. It’s only that I have slept not so good tonight…

TOM
I can tell why you have slept not so good! You went on a wild spree yesterday, isn’t it?!

Tom glances gloomily at his son, but Josh just looks aside.

CLARISSA
And what are these scratches on your face? Don’t tell me, something is wrong because of Paul, you got again in a trouble with him, right? How many times I told you that he is a very bad company to you, that shameless rotten boy… And you are not listening to what your parents are saying! Believe me, nothing good will come out of it!

CAMERA ON Josh’s face. These words are cutting him like a blade, as the scenes from the last nights are still very real for him. His lips are twitching nervously, he is about to cry. He speaks to her mother with a broken voice.

JOSH
A second, ma…

He stands up from the table, runs in a bathroom, locks the door and, standing in front of the mirror, bursts into tears. First he stands, clasping a sink with his arms, than gets on the floor and begins to cry, sitting stooped with his eyes pointed down and head lowed on his chest.

CUT TO

HURDING’S HOUSE. INT. KITCHEN – CONTINUOUS

CLARISSA
(speaking with Tom)
I know I am not supposed to tell him how to choose his friends. He is a big boy after all. But with that guy our son doesn’t seem himself anymore.

JOSH’s POV. He goes through the corridor to the kitchen, sees his parents and hears his father’s replic, who is answering Clarissa.

TOM
No, don’t you worry, everything will be alright. He will be just angry for some minutes, after that everything will be ok.

After that Cindy, Clarissa and Tom notice Josh, who enters the kitchen. They look attentively at him, but Josh, without saying any word, sits at the table and begins his breakfast, as nothing happened.

CLARISSA
Josh, do you remember where we have to go today?

JOSH
Hm… No.

CLARISSA
To Steven and Mary-Ann, don’t you remember, I’ve told it to you some days ago?

JOSH
Ah yes… But ma, I don’t want to.

CLARISSA
We shall not discuss it, your aunt have not seen you for a long time.

JOSH
In this case it won’t be a big deal if she will wait a little bit more.

CLARISSA
Young man, you have promised me you shall go, and it’s not a good thing to change your mind every time after you promise something.

TOM
(joking and giving a wink to Josh)
Especially when dealing with women. In this case a man always has to keep his word.

JOSH
(sniffs)
Ok-ok, I know already that it is impossible to argue with you two.

EXT. SOUTH STREET

All the Harding’s family is riding in a car, a silver-colored Chevrolet Aveo. Tom is riding a car, Clarissa is sitting near him, while Josh and Cindy took their place at the backseat of the car. They are just going past Morrison Park. Suddenly they see some police and ambulance cars near the park. There are a lot of gapers nearby, an unseen crowd for such a small and calm town.

CLARISSA
(agitated)
Oh my god, what happened here?!

TOM
I have no idea… Do you think we shall stop and have a look what is wrong here?

JOSH
No, what are you talking about! Don’t you see that someone died here! You want me and Cindy to have a look at the dead body?!

TOM
He’s right, honey, let’s just go our way…

A car rides away from the park and the crowd and Clarissa turns to Josh, wanting to talk with him.

CLARISSA
Why do you think that it’s about someone’s death?

JOSH
I don’t know, but what else it could be?

CLARISSA
Hm… Yes. I hope you and your friends were not passing your time here yesterday?

JOSH
Noo! What are you talking about?! I hate this place…

Clarissa turns back to the windscreen, probably being satisfied with the conversation. The car rides its way…

INT. ST. VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL – HALL - 8.25 a.m.

Josh enters the school building. He is frustrated and does not pay attention to anyone. Here goes one of his bodies, one of those guys who where hanging out with him and Paul yesterday.

THE GUY
Hey, Dude, what’s up?

He waves the hand, but Josh just lowers the head and goes forward.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 7, abbreviation SUN and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 8 MON.



ST VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL – CLASSROOM – 8.40 a.m.

Josh is sitting at the school desk totally frustrated. The teacher is in retard, so there is a great animation in the class: the pupils are chatting, joking, laughing… Only Harding is carried away with his thoughts.

Finally the teacher enters the classroom. It’s obvious that she is greatly preoccupied. Near her we can see a tall man in an unpretentious light-brown coat.

TEACHER
Kids, I must say something to you. I know, it’s really unexpected and it must be a hard blow for all of you… Paul McSheffrey, a boy from our school, died yesterday in the evening. It’s a very tough news for all of us….

For some instants she just stays and stares at the children’s faces without saying a word. After a pause she begins to mutter something.

TEACHER (CONT’D)
Here with me is officer Ashton. He would like to… talk to you for a while.

She sits at her table and the officer stands in front of the class, just near the blackboard.

OFFICER ASHTON
Hallo to everyone. I wish not to say it, but we are not speaking here just about the death, we are speaking about the murder. Presumably in a result of a drunk fight. That’s way I am asking you to share with me some information about what was mister McSheffrey doing yesterday. Perhaps someone of you saw him last night?

Nobody talks. For some seconds officer’s look wanders from one face to another. He cannot leave unnoticed Josh’s expression: when everyone is trying to remember something, Josh is just hiding his eyes, trembling nervously.

OFFICER ASHTON (COUNT’D)
Young man, maybe you are willing to share some information?

JOSH
(he starts and stares with scared eyes at the officer)
Me? No-no, I didn’t saw Paul yesterday

OFFICER ASHTON
(suspiciously screwing up his eyes)
Are you sure?

TEACHER
Mister! Paul was his friend! I suppose that considering his state you cannot interrogate him this way. It’s a big tragedy for Josh. And, after all, it seems that my students have nothing to say about this accident.

OFFICER ASHTON

Well, in this case… Thank you for your collaboration.

Officer exits the class and, except for Josh, the students begin to whisper and smile behind his back. It seems that Paul’s death not such a big tragedy for them after all.

INT. ST VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL - CANTEEN - 12.30 a.m.

Josh is having a lunch, sitting alone in the corner of the canteen. His classmate Michael, holding a tray with his lunch, comes to him. Michael is a corpulent guy, with a short blond hair and a very notable teenage acne on his face.

MICHAEL
Hi, Josh! Don’t you mind if I have a sit here?

We see a look of bewilderment on Harding’s face. He is pretty surprised that Michael, who never was one of his friends, expresses a desire to have a lunch with him. Josh takes a look at the canteen hall, where he sees a lot of untaken places and then shakes his shoulders showing his uncertainty.

JOSH
Yeah, if you want to…

Michael sits in front of Josh and stares at him with a piercing glance, as if he tries to find out some secret.

MICHAEL
(gaily)
How are you, Josh? You seem a little bit tense today.

JOSH
(pretends to be in the good mood)
Sure! You know, the school and the folks… They come from two fronts, trying to kick my ass. I feel like a sausage in a sandwich.

MICHAEL
(smiling sarcastically)
But of course, there are always problem with these things. But what about Paul’s death, I had an impression that this cop has really bothered you today.

JOSH
Oh yeah, he is certain one of a kind. Well, you saw it: we have a talk, than he fucked off. I’m glad it’s over now. Of course, it’s a tragedy, but we cannot do nothing about it.

MICHAEL
Well, who knows… He asked everybody who has some information about this thing to share it with him. And I was wandering… If I’ll tell him that I saw you and McSheffrey going together at the party that day. Maybe this information will be helpful?

Josh changes in his face. It becomes obvious and clearly for him, that Michael certainly knows what really happened.

JOSH
(changing his tone rashly)
What are you talking about, pizza-face?

MICHAEL
Oh-oh-oh! We are angry now! Be careful, Harding, you often loose control lately.

JOSH
I didn’t kill Paul. Do you understand?

MICHAEL
Hey, don’t you flare up, body, I’ve got it. And after all, the question «Who killed McSheffrey?» does not borrows me at all. But you know, our friends from the police might think that you are hiding something. And, to be sincere, they have all the reasons to think that way. And of course the police will suspect you when I’ll show them the trail.

JOSH
What do you want from me, hah? Spell it out.

MICHAEL
Don’t you think that everything in the world has it’s price? And the price for my silence is, let’s say… Two thousand backs.

JOSH
Two pieces?! Are you fucking nuts?!

MICHAEL
Hey, you don’t like – don’t buy. I just named you the price.

JOSH
But where can I get all these money?!

MICHAEL
Well, it’s not my problem. I’m just a seller. And you are a buyer. If you are really not guilty, maybe it’s better not to pay me. But if you are… I think that two pieces is a good price for not to spend the eternity in the cage.

Michael stands up, takes his tray and, without saying nothing more, takes his sit at the another table. Josh is sitting like a stuff dummy, having absolutely forgotten about his lunch.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE – JOSH’S ROOM - 3.25 p.m.

CLOSE ON the hammer in the hand, lifted above a piggy bank. A strike, and the clay pig is broken into pieces.

Josh feverishly picks up the money, which are laying on the table mixed with the pieces of the clay. He wrinkles skeptically, seeing that his financial reserves are truly miserable.

Someone knocks at the door. Then Josh’s mom enters the room.

CLARISSA
Excuse me, Josh. I just got to know… Paul’s death… I really sympathize you, he was not so bad after all. How can just such things happen?

JOSH
(finding out)
Yesterday he was having fun with a bunch of freaks. I don’t wanted to go with him, and now I regret it… Maybe if I was somewhere near, I didn’t allow for such thing to happen.

For some instants there is a silence in the room. Josh does not feel good about how shamelessly he lied. Clarissa thinks that it’s not the best idea to continue speaking with Paul about the death of his best friend, and tries to change the topic.

CLARISSA
(shoots a glance at the broken piggy bank)
Are you raising money on something, if it’s not a secret?

JOSH
Actually I thought that it’s about time to buy a car. Most boys in my school already have their own wheels. For two thousands dollars it’s possible to buy a really good thing.

CLARISSA
(her eyes are rounded with astonishing)
Two thousands dollars? I don’t thing we can allow it to ourselves…

JOSH
Ma, the school-leaving party is in two months and I’m still going on the bicycle.

CLARISSA
Well, at your age there were a lot of things I had to renounce. When I married your father, for a long time we used to live in a trailer.

JOSH
Oh yes, I should be happy and grateful for what I have. Most of my friends will soon go to the college and I will remain here. Maybe still going to the school, only not for studying but for washing the toilets.

These words hurt Clarissa. She narrows her lips in a thin line.

CLARISSA (COUNT’D)
It’s too early for you to give up, the life offers a lot of possibilities.

JOSH
Right now I don’t care. I am just thinking about getting two pieces. Can you help me with that somehow?

CLARISSA
It’s rather difficult for us right now... We are raising two kids and earning not so much. You should just wait a little bit: soon you’ll have a job and allow yourself much more things.

JOSH
(breathing out heavily)
Well, I did not expected nothing else. But maybe you are right: something good will happen to me only when I will earn my own money and move out of here.

Clarissa, almost crying, exits the room and closes the doors.

Josh calls after her

JOSH
Ma, I’m sorry!

No response

JOSH
Fuck!

He takes the hammer and throws it against the wall.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE - MORNING

JOSH’S ROOM

Slowly and unwillingly Josh gets up from the bed. He picks up the clothes, which were laying at the floor, and goes to the bathroom.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 8, abbreviation MON and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 9 TUE.

BATHROOM
With a faraway look, Josh stands in front of the mirror. He brushes his teeth, leaning on a sink.

KITCHEN
At the breakfast Josh is thinking about something, picking his bacon and eggs with the fork.

Then Clarissa’s voice sounds above him.

CLARISSA
(categorically)
Today we will make a visit to the McSHeffrey’s.

Josh turns around. CAMERA MOVES BACK and we see that the Harding’s family haves a breakfest in it’s usual cast: Cindy and Tom are sitting at the table with Josh, and Clarissa is standing near the stove.

JOSH
(worried, but trying not to show it)
Wait a minute. Do you at least know them? Cause as for me, I don’t. I haven’t even saw them. And I am not willing to get acquainted right now.

CLARISSA
Young man, very often we use to do something regardless whether we like it or not. And it’s about that kind of a situation.

JOSH
I think that the last thing they need right now is to meet us.

CLARISSA
It’s only your opinion. You was Paul’s best friend, we HAVE TO present them our condolence.

Paul is shaking his head, showing that he does not like the idea. But anyway he founds no objections.

CLARISSA
(an order)
Today we pay a visit to McSheffrey’s. It’s my last word. So do not detain after your classes.

CUT TO

EXT. McSheffreys’s HOUSE

CAMERA CLOSE ON the hand of Clarissa, who presses the button of the door bell.

ZOOM OUT and we see Clarissa and Josh who are standing in front of the door.

JOSH
(shrugging his shoulders)
It seams that nobody’s there

He tries to go away looking back at his mother and hoping that she would follow him. But Clarissa is just spectically looking at him, explaining Josh with no words that his attempt was just pathetic.

In this moment the door opens and we see Paul’s mother, Joan, a woman about 40 years old, which still looks rather attractive. Of course she would be looking much better without under eye bags, which are the result of these hard days.

JOAN
May I help you?

CLARISSA
Hello, my name is Clarissa, we came to say we are very sorry for what happened to Paul.

It’s obvious that Joan has no idea who these people are. Clarissa notices this fact.

CLASRISSA (CONT’D)
I’m Josh’s mother

JOSH
(insecurely)
Hi…

No reaction. Clarissa and Josh begin to feel very uncomfortable. Finally Joan starts to speak

JOAN
Paul never told me nothing about his life. But please, be my guests, I would eagerly speak with you. I think Josh will tell me many things about my son I didn’t knew before.

Clarissa and Josh enter the house.

INT. MCSHEFFREY’S HOUSE

Clarissa, Josh and Joan are gathered around the coffee table. The Hardings are sitting on the sofa while Mrs. McSheffrey took her place on a chair. We are about in the high point of the chat.

JOSH
(speaking slowly and faltering)
Well, me and Paul, we spent our free time in different ways… We didn’t liked school, so after the classes we went somewhere away from the school building, walking in the park or somewhere else. We were talking, having fun…

JOAN
(devouring every world)
And did Paul have a girlfriend? At least somebody he liked?

JOSH
Well, he liked some girls, but in a really serious way… I don’t think so.

JOAN
But the girls liked him, hah?

JOSH
Yes, he was a stately guy, the girls were always running after him.

JOAN
I knew it. He was just too young, with time he would have find a right girl for him… And was he respected from the other guys?

JOSH
Oh yes, he was a leader, everyone wanted to be a friend of him.

For some instants Joan sits in a silence not knowing what to ask. Finally he speaks

JOAN (COUNT’D)
Tell me please something else about my boy! I want to know more…

Then the tears, which Joan kept inside, applying every effort, began to run out of his eyes. He smiles to Josh and Clarissa, as if she tries to say: «Don’t worry, everything is ok», and shields his eyes with the hand. Clarissa and Josh are looking at each other not knowing what to do and being sure that Joan will soon burst into tears.

Suddenly the situation changes.

Josh’s attention is drawn by a girl who is going down the stairs from the second floor. Harding can not take his eyes away from her. She is really very pretty: chestnut-colored hair, expressive blue eyes and a slender figure.

CLOSE ON Josh's face, who seem to be stroke by a lightning.

SMASH CUT TO

INT. ST. VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL

SLOW MOTION

Josh is walking through the corridor between the rows of the school lockers. He sees from behind a girl who seems to be very beautiful. At least we can think so from the slender figure and long silky hair. She is searching for something in her locker. Then she drops down some kind of a textbook. Josh picks it up, stands up, his eyes meets hers… It’s Sylvia.

CUT BACK TO

INT. MCSHEFFREY’S HOUSE

Sylvia gets down from the stairs and now she stands in front of Josh and Clarissa.

JOAN
You probably know Sylvia, it’s my daughter. Paul’s sister.

SYLVIA
Hello.

JOSH AND CLARISSA
Hi.

Josh turns to Joan and shakes his head saying «No».

JOAN
Has not Paul introduced you to each other? Well, probably it’s no wonder. Me and my ex-husband are divorced for several years. Sylvia came to live with us only short time ago. Due to her fathers problems.

JOSH
Paul never told me he has a sister.

SYLVIA
Well, it would be strange even if he said that he has mom and dad. And after all, me and Paul never were at odds.

For some instants an awkward silence fell into the room. Only Josh and Sylvia exchange glances with each other. She recognized him too.

JOAN
(finally)
Someone wants some coffee?

CUT TO

EXT. St. Vincent High School

A school bell rings. Everybody who was in the courtyard are hurrying back to the classes. Only Josh seems to be fully uninterested. He sits under the tree and looks with apathy at the boys and girls entering the school building. Then he stairs back on the ground, picking the grass with a thin wooden stick.

SYLVIA
(V.O.)
Ehm…

Josh raises his head. First he is very surprised, than he smiles warmly.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 9, abbreviation TUE and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 10 WED.

SYLVIA
(looking at the stick)
It’s more interesting than algebra, isn’t it?

JOSH
No, I was just thinking over. I will go to the classes now.

SYLVIA
Really? Because personally me, I wanted to cut them today.

JOSH
Oh, so you are a bad girl now?

SYLVIA
No, I just don’t like physical education. And it’s impossible to explain to our couch that I have terrible headaches today.

JOSH
Why so?

SYLVIA
I’m just too tense in these days, you know… I need to take a nice walk in the fresh air.

JOSH
I can make you a company

SYLVIA
Oh, I’ve got to the bottom of you! You, shirker! Well, ok, you can go with me.

JOSH
Nice! Now you will teach me how to cut the classes in the right way.

SYLVIA
I’ll teach you. And in exchange I want you to show me some beautiful places in this down. I still had not looked round in a  right way.

EXT. RIVERSIDE. UNDER THE BRIDGE

Josh and Sylvia are looking at the gently flowing river. There is no one around, besides, they are sitting under the bridge, away from everybody’s eyes. We hear them talking and laughing.

JOSH
It was also very cool when me and Paul went here once for fishing about three years ago. Actually it’s impossible to catch something down here, the water is to polluted… But we took our fishing rods, came here, but when I was making my first throw, the fish hook stuck into this (shows with his hand) tree. So we spent the whole day trying to get up there and trying to pluck out expensive spinner I took from my father.

SYLVIA
(smiling)
I think you have not missed much. The best thing you could catch here is a shoe or a rusty car numberplate.

JOSH
The weirdest thing is that I understood this fact when we went fishing. I tried to dissuade Paul, but you know, he is… was so enthusiastic.

SYLVIA
No, actually I don’t.

JOSH
(with a puzzled look)
What do you mean?

SYLVIA
I almost don’t know him. Just some very distant memories from the childhood. After that we saw each other only periodically. And when I went to live with him, he almost didn’t spoke to me.

JOSH
Ah yes, you told me. You didn’t liked hem.

SYLVIA
No, I literally said that «me and Paul never were at odds». I meant that we were not talking much, but not because we didn’t liked each other. We just didn’t care. We were like strangers.

JOSH
You know, Paul was not so bad. He just had like a thorn in his side, which did not allowed him to be a normal guy. A difficult character…

SYLVIA
And you? You should also be not so… so normal. It had to be a reason why you and Paul were such inseparable friends.

JOSH
(after a while)
Uf… It’s difficult to name a reason. Maybe it’s because he hated school as much as me. Only that he had all the possibilities to become a popular there: rich, clever… And the girls liked him too.

SYLVIA
Why, I think the girls like you too.

JOSH
(shy)
Noo… I’m not like Paul, for sure.

SYLVIA
(smiles and looks at him tenderly)
I don’t think so. All the girls in your school probably have a bad taste.

Josh looks at her, embarrassed and surprised. When she takes a look into her eyes, she sees that Sylvia is not joking. She leans her head to him, Josh hugs and kisses her.

CAMERA MOVES BACK. As in the beginning of the scene, we can only see a silhouette of a couple under the bridge.

EXT. FORREST STREET

Josh accompanies Sylvia to her home. They stop just in front of McSheffrey’s house, Sylvia turns to Josh, he takes her hands into his. They are looking into each other eyes with tenderness.

SYLVIA
Well.. See ya!

JOSH
I hope we will meet in the school tomorrow. And if not, I’ll call you for sure.

SYLVIA
(smiles)
Heh, I understand what are you trying to say. Just a sec.

Sylvia takes a pen out of her school-bag, takes Josh’s hand and puts her telephone number on it. Harding kisses her. Then Sylvia goes to her home, turns to Harding at the porch and waves his hand. After that she opens the door with the key and disappears behind it.

JOSH
(lifting his hands in the air)
YYYYES!

He turns back and goes to his home, walking in a dancing gait and humming something.

EXT. HARDING’S - HOUSE EVENING

Josh returns home and, coming close enough, sees through the window that there is light in the hall and his parents have a lively conversation with someone. But he cannot see that person because of the curtain. Josh comes at the door and rings the bell.

CLARISSA
(opening the door)
Here are you, at last! You are pretty late today, come in, we are expecting you.

INT. HARDING’S HOME - HALL

For a second Josh seem to calm down, he didn’t noticed no agitation in his mother’s voice, but then he was taken aback: officer Ashton was sitting in the sofa.

OFFICER ASHTON
Hello Josh!

JOSH
What are you doing here? I’ve told you everything I know.

OFFICER ASHTON
Don’t be nervous. First of all I wanted to speak to you parents. I’ve been told that you and Paul were best friends. Every single detail can be fundamental in finding the clue, that’s why I have to try out everything.

JOSH
Mister, I just don’t know how can I…

OFFICER ASHTON
Me neither. But soon everything will come out, believe me. What would you say about having now a conversation in private, tete-a-tete? It seems that you feel much better as during our first meeting.

TOM
Come on, Josh, you must help the investigation as much as you can. He was your best friend, now you have to help in finding these bastards! We will leave you now for some minutes (turns to Clarissa) right, darling?

Clarissa shakes his head in agreement. Then turns to Josh and mister Ashton.

CLARISSA
Would you like something to drink?

OFFICER ASHTON
Oh no, as for me I enjoyed your tasteful cake with tee and now I feel myself just perfectly.

JOSH
I’ll go and take me a cola.

Clarissa and Tom look at the officer while Josh goes in the kitchen trying to play for time and gain few minutes to calm down and think about what will he say to the officer.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE - KITCHEN

Josh enters the kitchen and opens the refrigerator. He picks a tin cola, twiddles it for some instants in his hands.

JOSH
(desperately)
Shit…

He smashes the refrigerator door, opens the tin, breathes out heavily and goes back to mom, dad and officer Ashton.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE HALL

Josh and mister Ashton are sitting face to face. For some seconds officer is sitting without saying a word, just examining Josh with his glance and tapping the sofa armrest with his fingers.

OFFICER ASHTON
You know, Josh, I am a good guy, your friend in this situation, so say it to me frankly.

JOSH
What shall I say?

OFFICER ASHTON
Just everything you know. And my intuition, cultivated with the years spent on this job, says that you have to know something. And the logic too. So if you’ll say to me now, that you do not know nothing about what happened that evening, I just won’t believe you.

JOSH
Listen… Me and Paul, we were good friends indeed. But on that Sunday I had to learn literature and French… I have many problems in the school, anyone can confirm it.

OFFICER ASHTON
Oh… You call it problems!
(then speaks aggressively, lowing his voice for not to yell)
Now you listen to me. Speaking openly, I think that you have something to do with this murder. Even more, I think that it is you who killed Paul, alone or with some accomplices.

JOSH
(his lips begin to tremble)
It’s… It’s not so…

OFFICER ASHTON
So prove it, ah? If you are really not guilty, you have a perfect opportunity to tell me everything, or I’ll expose you by myself. I’ll be your shadow, I promise you that, sooner or later it will end for you. But if you say it now, you’ll have less torments. And, of course, an open-hearted confession will impress the court.

First Josh sits in his armchair trembling and ready to disclose the truth, but then he manages to pull himself together.

JOSH
I don’t know what are you talking about.

OFFICER ASHTON
(frowning his forehead)
Oh, you’re a hard one. Well, it’s bad for you… Anyway, I’ll give you my visit card (outstretches his arm holding a card). Maybe if you’ll decide to talk to me during these days, it won’t be late for you. Otherwise… You know.

Officer stands up.

OFFICER ASHTON (COUNT’D)
Say to your mom and dead, the conversation is over.

Josh walks up the stairs

JOSH
(yells)
Ma! Dad! Mister wants to leave now!

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE - 2ND FLOOR - CORRIDOR

VIEW ON THE CORRIDOR. Josh, after calling his parents, turns into his room and closes the door. After a second, a sleeping-room door opens and Tom with Clarissa are hurrying to the hall.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE - HALL

Officer Ashton has again his coat and his radiant smile on. He stands at the door.

OFFICER ASHTON
Well, I think now I know anything I’ve needed. Excuse me for the troubles and once more thank you for a cake.

CLARISSA
Don’t think bad about Josh. He is a good boy. It’s only a difficult period in his life, and a difficult age…

TOM
And the lack of responsibility and respect.

Officer and Josh’s parents smile once again to each other, after that mister Ashton exits the house.

CLARISSA
What a nice young man! And he said he likes my cake!

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE JOSH’S ROOM

We are looking down at Josh who is lying on the bed, with his hands covering the face. He must be thinking about the situation he got into. Than Josh takes his hands off the face, looks at the palm of his left hand and sees Sylvia’s telephone number on it.

INTECUT with officer Ashton who takes his cellular and dials one of his colleagues.

JOSH
Sylvia? Hi, it’s Josh.

OFFICER ASTHON
Hello, Sean. It’s Derrick.

JOSH
I’m about that murdered schoolboy, Paul McSheffrey. I was just interrogating a kid who was a friend of a victim.

JOSH
Yes, it’s about Paul. About his death. I know how the things really are and I want to… I have to tell everything to you. But it’s not a phone talk.

OFFICER ASHTON
I’ll better tell you everything tomorrow, in all the details. I have some ideas about what happened, but for now all I can tell you is that Paul Harding, - that’s the friend’s name, - can be very helpful for us. The boy is calm, he cannot be referred to the murder directly, but he definitely knows something about his friend’s death. And hides it from us.

JOSH
I don’t want to hide it from you no more, I have to tell you everything as soon as possible. Tomorrow, at the stadium, after the classes. I’ll be waiting for you.

OFFICER ASHTON
I’ll just be waiting till he reveals the truth. I gave him a push telling that I presume he is a murderer, and now the time will be our best friend, I’ll be just waiting for him to come and to tell everything he knows. (after a short pause) Yeah-yeah, it’s a rough method, of course, but in our situation we have to use every stick in the book to find the murderer. Though I’m feeling bad about the boy, he suffered a lot lately and surely deserves a better treatment.

JOSH
No, don’t you worry. I’m fine. Just be there at the stadium tomorrow.

OFFICER ASHTON
Well, ok, so good-bye now, I’ll tell you everything tomorrow.

JOSH
(whispers tenderly)
Bye…

INT. ST VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL – CORRIDOR - BREAK

Josh bends over a drinking fountain, quenching his thirst. Drinking, he looks down at the glancing big-sized ceramic tile on the floor. He notices a shadow over him. Josh raises his head and looks back – the silhouette he saw belonged to Michael.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 10, abbreviation WED and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 11 THU.

MICHAEL
Hi, Josh! Excuse me for hurrying you, but I urgently need money. And two pieces will satisfy my needs. But if you will hesitate, I will ask more.

Michael smiles confidently being sure that Josh won’t say «No». But Harding reacts in an unpredictable way. He turns his head, checking if someone can see them. Seeing that everyone must be in the yard, he looks at Michael, smiles and him, then rashly grabs him and leans towards the wall.

MICHAEL
(panicking)
Hey, what’s wrong with you, dude?!

JOSH
Bad news for you, pizza-face! Remember you told me about the eternity in the jail? Well, it seems that I can’t avoid it. And considering the fact I am not afraid of hell anymore, I can smash you right now against this wall.

MICHAEL
Stop, don’t do it. What have I done to you?

JOSH
And you even ask?!

For a second Josh takes his hands off Michael. Put then Harding punches him, and Michael hits with his head against the wall.

Josh looks at Michael, who is twisting his face in pain, and changes in his face.

CUT TO

CENTRAL PARK – LATE AFTERNOON

Josh kicks Paul in the head. Paul falls down and it seems that he is unable to stand up. He is laying down in unnatural pose, with his eyes wide open and pointed to the sky. A thick jet of blood comes out of his eyes.

CUT BACK TO

INT. ST VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL - CORRIDOR

Josh’s face twisted in pain, as if it is him, not Michael, who hit his head painfully against the wall.

JOSH
Excuse me, Mike, I don’t wanted to hit you so heavily.

MICHAEL
You are a freak, for sure. I’m going out of here.

Michael is going through the corridor, holding his palm on the place were he was hit. Josh is standing still and looking at Michael.

JOSH
(calls after Michael)
Hey, I already said excuse me! Don’t take it too serious!

EXT. ST VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL - THE STADIUM

The high school football team has the training. The player in the red sleeve and white shorts receives the ball and is going to cut his way through the flank, but in a second he is taken down in a real nasty way by two players of the opposite team.

CAMERA CLOSE ON JOSH who is sitting alone on the deserted tribune. He wrinkles his face and shakes his head showing his sympathize with this player.

IN THE FRAME appears Sylvia who comes between the rows of the sits to Josh and takes her place next to him. Harding does not even turn his head, looking at the field. Sylvia takes Josh’s hand into hers and only then Harding shows some reaction, taking a deep breath.

SYLVIA
Did you wanted to tell me something?

JOSH
Yes.

After a short pause.

SYLVIA
So?

Still the only response is silence.

SILVIA
Well are you speaking or not?

JOSH
I... I have killed your brother.

Harding told it with an absolutely dead voice, with no emotions. That’s why Sylvia turned to him and looked at Josh attentively, trying to find out if he is joking or not and not knowing how to react.

SYLVIA
What do you mean?

JOSH
(first speaking slowly but then gradually raising his voice)
I’ve already told you. It was an accident, we just had a confrontation and began a fight. I didn’t wanted it to end this way but now it doesn’t matter. I’ve killed Paul! The police shall arrest me and send me to the jail!

Josh almost begins to yell. Sylvia puts her hand on Paul’s mouth and the other – on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.

SYLVIA
Shut up! Someone could hear you.

Josh makes round eyes and looks surprised at Sylvia. He expected another reaction, but it seems that Sylvia is more worried about Josh’s safety as about what happened with her brother.

SYLVIA (CONT’D)
Are you crazy?! Do you want the whole school to hear it? I want to know, how did it happened, but you shall tell it to me in some other place.

JOSH
(calming a little bit down and even smiling)
Yeah, you’re right. I really acted like a fool. Let’s go somewhere else.

CUT TO

INT. MCSHEFFREY’S HOUSE – SYLVIA’S ROOM

A post-sex scene. Josh and Sylvia are laying on the bed, hugging each other. They are both laying on the side, face to face. Josh passes his hand over Sylvia’s face, it seams that he wonders how the features of her face can be so beautiful. Sylvia smiles to him, Josh smiles to her in response, and they kiss each other with a long and passionate kiss.

JOSH
I am glad I can have some perfect moments of happiness here with you before they’ll come and get me. It’s so sad to think that I won’t see you anymore.

SYLVIA
Don’t speak so. You are not a murderer. It was an accident. Of course, you’ll be punished, but not in a very rigorous way. After all, you’re a teenager.

JOSH
Maybe you’re right. But anyway, my life won't be the same. You see, I didn’t even realized how happy I was: I have a family, my friends, my opportunities… I had to enjoy every instant, every moment instead of being angry and desperate. But now I have no chance to make everything right. In a week… Or in two weeks... Well, even in two days everything will be over for me. I’ll be vanished, like a ghost for everyone.

SYLVIA
But not for me.

JOSH
(smiling sadly)
You know what, I can tell you your future.

SYLVIA
What?

JOSH
I can say what life you’re gonna live. I am a sort of Nostradamus. You’ll join the college, you’ll probably pick up something from the humanities like sociology, psychology or journalism. You’ll fall in love with some handsome guy who is clever and sporty. Maybe you’ll marry him after the college or you shall choose someone even better in one or two years. A happy life in a beautiful house in a small town. A good life.

SYLVIA
(smiling)
Wow… But I really wanted to become an engineer.

JOSH
It’s ok. But another thing is important: there is no place for a person like me in your life. I mean for the future me. Very-very near future. You do not even imagine how rash and quickly the things are going to change soon.

SYLVIA
I don’t want no changes.

JOSH
But there will BE changes. And it’s better for us to be prepared

SYLVIA
I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to let someone take you away from me. I will try everything for not to let it happen.

JOSH
No, it’s not a way out. Everything must go in its normal course. I made a mistake and I shall pay for it.

SYLVIA
But I will always love you.

JOSH
No, you SHALL. NOT. LOVE. ME. Promise me you’ll forget me as soon as I will be sent to the prison.

SYLVIA
I can’t…

JOSH
You have to. I know that you do understand: there is no other choice. Promise me you’ll never try to get in touch with me after I’ll become a criminal. Please. I ask you for it only because I love you.

SYLVIA
(after a pause)
I promise. I promise not to visit you. But don’t even ask to forget you, it’s impossible.

Josh looks at her with tenderness and sadness. Sylvia’s eyes are wet, one single tear runs over her cheek. Josh kisses her and hugs warmly as if he fears to loose her.

FADE OUT

SCREEN BLACK

FADE IN

INT. JOSH’S ROOM MORNING

The sunlight passes through the shut curtains. Josh gets up, stretches himself gaily, quickly puts his clothes on and runs
out of his room.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON the calendar. A page with a number 11, abbreviation THU and a word APRIL printed on it in a very bold type in large letters. A page turns, now it’s APRIL 12 FRI.

EXT. FORREST STREET

There is a bright sunny day outside. Josh is riding his bicycle, having a schoolbag on his back. Right now he feels very happy: he makes difficult tricks on his bicycle, tries to go faster and faster…

Finally Josh arrives to McSheffrey’s house, takes his bicycle to the porch hand and rings the doorbell.

EXT. McSHEFFREY’S HOUSE

Paul’s father opens the door. It’s the first time Josh sees this man. And we can see from Harding’s face, that he is astonished by the Mr. McSheffrey’s appearance: it’s obvious that once he was a handsome man, but now his eyes are lusterless, his face is pale and wrinkled. It seems that he is suffering a lot.

JOSH
Hello. Is Sylvia at home?

Mr. McSheffrey, without vouchsafing Josh no answer, just turns around and calls after his daughter.

Mr. McSheffrey
Sylvia! Come down, the boy here wants to see you.

Only after that he turns back to Josh and, forcing a smile without a great success, speaks with an emotionless voice.

Mr. McSheffrey (COUNT’D)
She is gonna come in a second.

He does not invite Josh to come in, instead he just turns around and disappears in the room. Josh looks inside and sees his wife, who sits in the hall with a frustrated look on her face. She sits at the same coffee table were she, Josh and Clarissa were sitting some days ago. She changed a lot during these days, Paul’s mom looks even more depressed right now. There is a glass in front of her, a brown-colored, probably alcoholic drink with some ice cubes inside of it. It seems that she is trying to drown his sorrow in alcohol.

Finally we can see Sylvia, who is going down the stairs from the second floor of the house. She notices Josh, smiles and quickly runs to him.

SYLVIA
Bye, mom! Bye dad! I’m going to the school.

Mrs. McSheffrey
Bye.

She closes the front door and kisses Josh. Then she takes a look in his eyes and notices at once that something is not alright.

SYLVIA
What’s wrong? You look so sad…

JOSH
Your parents. I made them suffer a lot.

SYLVIA
(speaks quickly and confused, trying to find out a reason for Josh not to be sad)
No, it’s not about that. They had a confrontation in the morning. It’s a usual thing for them, after all that’s why they are divorced, it’s an eternal conflict…

She does not finish her tirade catching Josh’s look and seeing that he does not believe her.

SYLVIA (COUNT’D)
You’re right, they are suffering… But it’s not your fault, we’ve already discussed it. We better go to the school now, or we’ll be late for the classes.

Josh takes his bicycle, Sylvia takes hers, which is also standing near the porch, and they ride to the school together.

INT. St Vincent High School 8.30 a.m. ÑÎRRIDOR

The school bell rings and the classes are about to begin.

INT. Literature class

The teacher enters the class, it’s a rather low, corpulent man, 37-38 years old who just began to loose his hair.

Mr. Keane
Good morning, class.

CLASS
Good morning, Mr. Keane.

Mr. Keane
I would like to begin today’s lesson analyzing your works on John Fowles’ novel The Collector. I must admit that I really enjoyed reading them. First of all I have to make a special mention of Christina Connelli’s work. Very impressive. Christina (looks at the blond girl sitting in the first row), I especially enjoyed how finely you have drawn the borderline between the main personage and the victim. You showed really well a contrast between their conceptions of the world. And also very good on my opinion is Josh Harding’s work.

When Mr. Keane said the compliments in the address of Christina, it was not a big deal. She is a good student and everyone knows that. But hearing Hsrding’s name was almost a shock for the class.

Mr. Keane
Saying frankly, I’m very impressed just by the fact that this book happened somehow to get into your hands (laughs in the class). But I am sure that you wrote this work without no foreign help – too much grammar mistakes… (now the laughs are even louder). But I don’t want to laugh over you (looks at the class asking with his glance to stop laughing at Josh), you deserve some praises. Especially I liked the part of your work, where you analyses the character of the main hero. I liked the idea that Ferdinand Clegg is doing evil things trying to be closer to the beauty. First he collects butterflies, then he passes to the women… He knows he is ugly, he knows he is silly, but he enjoys to think that he has a full control over all of these beautiful creatures. Bravo, Josh, I am really impressed.

The classmate sitting behind Josh
(derisively clapping Josh’s shoulder)
Nice job, Shakespeare!

Everyone laughs, Josh is embarassed, but he smiles victoriously. It’s one of the biggest triumphs in his life.


EXT. ST. VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL

Sylvia is sitting on the bench in the schoolyard. She is totally absorbed in reading of a textbook. Suddenly she felt that someone sat on the bench next to her. She turns her head and sees Michael.

MICHAEL
Hi!

Sylvia makes round eyes. She has no idea, who is this guy and what he wants from her.

SYLVA
Hi. Do we know each other?

MICHAEL
No, personally we are not acquainted. But you do know Josh, isn’t that true?

SYLVIA
Well yes, I know him.

MICHAEL
Don’t be so shy, I see that you are always walking arm in arm with him. You know, you are a very pretty girl and I find very strange the fact that I have not noticed you in our school before. Are you new here?

Sylvia is not answering.

MICHAEL (CONT’D)
Anyway, I think that Josh is a lucky guy. I don’t now why but such dorks always have a good luck.

SYLVIA
Ehm… I think I have to go now…

Michael’s words made her feel uncomfortable. She closes her textbook, picks her schoolbag and wants to leave, but Michael grabs her hand and almost forces her to stay sitted.

MICHAEL
Hey, don’t hurry. Me and Josh are good friends, and as a good friends we share some secrets with each other. I was wondering if he shares his secrets with you too.

Sylvia gets nervous and looks frightened on Michael.

SYLVIA
What do you mean?

For a while Michael attentively studies the expressions of Sylvia’s face. Than she smiles: he saw the answer in her eyes.

MICHAEL
You know everything. And I wanted to surprise you. So you are going out with that asshole even despite that lately he became not only a dork but also a murderer?

SYLVIA
I’m going out with whom I want to go out. It’s not your business.

MICHAEL
Hallo there! He is going to go to the jail soon! And what will you do than? Pay him visits once in a month and write him a letter every Friday? You are so young and pretty! And I will do everything for you if you just will go out with me.

SYLVIA
(disgusted)
No way! And after all, he is still not in jail. It means that the fact he is the culpable is still not proven.

MICHAEL
(thoughtfully)
Hm… Guess what, maybe you’re right. Josh told me that police already knows everything but considering that he is still not arrested, he was bluffing. But it can be fixed… Easy…

Michael smiles with the spiteful smile. He puts his hand on Sylvia’s shoulder, leans on her and whispers in her ear with a tenderly-mocking voice.

MICHAEL (COUNT’D)
Three of us know the secret: me, you and, of course, Josh. I think that if I’ll go to the police station and tell that I know who is the Paul McSheffrey’s murder, they might be interested, do you agree? If these guys will find the trace, they’ll probably find what they are searching for. How far is the police station from our school? 10’15 minutes by feet. I think I can go there after the classes.

Sylvia listens to him shocked. When she becomes fully convicted of the fact that Michael is not joking, she puts her hand on his knee. Her face is convulsed with loathing, but she finds the forces even to show some sort of a smile on her face.

SYLVIA
Please, don’t do it.

MICHAEL
(gets even closer to her)
Maybe I won’t. But what will you do for me in exchange?

SYLVIA
We will find out something. But for now, please, keep your mouth shut.

MICHAEL
Ok. And I think I just found out something.

He gets even closer and closer. He rounds her lips for a kiss and closes his eyes.

CUT TO

INT. St. Vincent High School

Josh exits the chemistry lab. He walks through the corridor and seems to be very happy. Obviously he is proud of himself after the literature lesson. He carries a textbook in his hands and smiles. It seems that in the moment he enjoys his life and even the school which he once hated with all of his heart. He opens the front door in the end of the corridor and exits the school building.

EXT. St. Vincent High School

Josh is about to walk down the stairs but suddenly he just gets into a stupor.

JOSH
What the fuck…

He notices Michael and Sylvia sitting on the bench side to side. And it seems that Sylvia enjoys it. Michael is whispering some sweet words into her ear, than she puts a hand on her shoulder. Josh is getting mad, he is very intense, he still hopes that Sylvia will give this guy a nice slap in the face and walk away. But when he sees that they are about to have a kiss, he can not look at this no longer. He just turns away from the expression of the great pain and runs back into the school building.

CUT TO

CAMERA ON Michael’s face in the moment when hi is about to kiss Sylvia. His puffy lips are rounded, his face is all in the ugly acne. Sylvia’s patience is over, she cannot bear this situation no longer. Disgusted, she pushes Michael away and jumps up from the bench. Michael falls down.

SYLVIA
(yells almost hysterically)
You bastard! Don’t even dare to come close to me! Want to blackmail us, huh?! Just try to do it, an we’ll show you, piece of a shit!

She sobs and runs away, having fully forgotten about her textbook, which she was studying with such a big interest just few minutes ago. It felt down and now lies on the ground next to the bench.

MICHAEL
Run, stupid bitch! You and your friend will get what you deserve!

CUT TO

INT. St. VINCENT HIGH SCHOOL

Josh runs into the boy’s room, closing the door by slapping it with all his power. Seeing that he is alone here, he lets his rage go out, hitting the doors of the toilet cabins with his legs.

JOSH
(hisses angry, trying not to yell)
Idiot! Fucking idiot! You really thought she will fall in live with you?! You think you are Don Juan and a fucking Einstein? You are searching for a romance, studying all these stupid textbook! You’re a murder, you place is in the jail…

Takes a short breath out…

JOSH (COUNT’D)

But with whom, with that pizza-face! How could it happen!

A new wave of rage covers Josh. He begins to hit the doors with a new force. Suddenly the door in the boy’s room opens and Josh sees a guy, maybe a little bit younger than him. The boy is surely surprised: he sees a long-haired guy with a face in tears.

THE BOY
Excuse me

He closes the door and hurries to get away from here.

INT. HARDING’S HOUSE JOSH’S ROOM

It seems that we are in the beginning of the movie. We are looking down at Josh who is lying on the bed. He is depressed and frustrated, he does not move, there is no expression in his eyes. He sees no hope.

The telephone rings. It must be Sylvia, who else could call him? First Josh gets up, reflectively wanting to pick up the phone. But than for a second his hand hovers above the phone, but Josh quickly changes his mind and hit the phone which falls down the bedside table so the wire is stuck out of the wall outlet.

Josh sits on the bed. He thinks for a while, then he puts his hand in his trousers socket and gets out of there a sheet of paper. The words OFFICER ASHTON and a telephone number are written on it.

JOSH
(desperately)
Ok, let’s finish it, once and for all.

He stands up from the bed, stuck the wire back in the wall outlet. We hear a continuous tone in the phone. He dials Officer’s Ashton number and hears at the long beeps. Than the deep men’s voice answers.

OFFICER ASHTON
Hello. Officer Ashton listening.

JOSH
Hello. It’s Josh.

OFFICER ASHTON
(surprised in a good way)
Josh? Hi, I’m glad you’ve decided to call me. I hope you want to tell me something about Paul’s murder? Don’t worry, spell it out.

JOSH
I wanted to say that I’m sick with this comedy.

OFFICER ASHTON
What?

JOSH
Hey, enough now! You want the murderer and you know it’s me! So come here, but don’t hope that I’ll make you get me.

OFFICER ASHTON
(his voice is not calm anymore)
Damn it! So it was you! Oh my god, Josh, how could you?!

JOSH
Don’t fuck my brain! You still keep on pretending but I’m already sick with this shit. It’s enough for me, do you understand?! I want to make it over.

OFFICER ASHTON
Josh, you’re wrong, I didn’t know, I had no idea! Listen to me, I do not know how it happened, but wait for me, I’ll com to you and we will talk about it. Just talk, I promise! Just don’t do no foolishness. Maybe we can still find a wait out.

JOSH
Will you just shut up?! I know that all of you are against me. But I won’t run away no more, do you understand?! Go to hell!

OFFICER
Josh, wait, just calm down.

JOSH
Fuck you, damn cop!

OFFICER ASHTON
Josh! Josh!

But the only response are short beeps.

CUT TO

INT. POLICE STATION

Officer Ashton is sitting at his table, holding a cellular.

OFFICER ASHTON
Josh! Josh!

He hears the beeps: Josh put the telephone down.

OFFICER ASHTON
Oh my god…

It does not take him a second to think it over. He is very preoccupied but in the same tome determined. He knows what can happen if he won’t react as fast as possible.

INT. Hardings’ House Josh’s room

Josh rummages in his clothes. It seems that he tries chaotically to find something to get dressed. He finds a pair of trousers and throws them at the carpet near his bed. Here are already laying some pair of his trousers. Now Josh is choosing between them the type he needs. He picks canvas trousers, tears them be stepping on one trouser leg and pulling with all his power another. Now he has two trousers legs, which he ties together and makes after that a loop.

Suddenly he hears a sound of a car, parking near his house. Someone is in a great hurry, stepping hard on a break pedal. Josh looks out of the window and sees what he has already expected: officer Ashton.

EXT. Hardings’ House

Officer Ashton jumps out of his Ford Explorer. He is really in a great hurry. He runs to the front door, rings the doorbell and in addition hit the door with his hands. Josh’s mom opens the door.

CLARISSA
Oh. Hello!  What are you…

She even has no time to finish her phrase. Officer just pushes her aside and runs inside the house.

OFFICER ASHTON
We have no time. Where is Josh?

CLARISSA
(astonished and frightened)
In his room, upstairs…

INT. Harding’s HOUSE JOSH’S ROOM

The telephone rings one more time. Josh understands that this is Sylvia and fights the desire to pick the phone. But his doubts are over when he hears the officer, calling for him from the stairs.

OFFICER ASHTON
Josh! Are you alright?!

JOSH
Yeah, I’m alright.

With these words he climbs up the Swedish wall and puts his head in a loop.

JOSH
(hisses)
You won’t get me, motherfuckers.

With these words he jumps down the Swedish wall.

CUT TO

INT. Hardings’ House Corridor

SLOW MOTION

Officer stands in front of the door to the Josh’s room. In the backstage we see Clarissa, running after the officer with round and frightened eyes. Officer tries to open the locked door, yells, asking Josh to open it and finally, hearing no response, slams it down.

He runs inside and sees Josh, writhing in agony.

JOSH’S VIEW The door is still closed. The room seem to jump in front of his eyes, while Josh is twitching, desperately trying to get out of the loop.

The room is getting even more and more blurred into Josh’s eyes.

CUT TO

CLOSE ON an old-fashioned calendar. THE END OF THE WEEK is printed in bold and large letters.


FADE TO BLACK

FADE IN

INT. Hospital ward

White ceiling, the image is first blurred, than it becomes clearer. Josh comes to the sense, he sees officer Ashton who seats next to him in the chair.

JOSH
Am I already in the prison?

OFFICER ASHTON
(smiles, noticing that Josh is conscious)
No, just in the hospital. So far.

A short pause. Josh looks around, checking the place where he found himself.

JOSH
Do my parents already know?

OFFICER ASHTON
No, I haven’t told them yet. They are waiting in the hall. They are crying and wondering, why you have done such thing. They even had not enough time to think the situation all over and ask me, why have I burst into their house yesterday.

JOSH
Yesterday? Wow, I remained unconscious for such a long time? I was almost dying, wasn’t I?

OFFICER ASHTON
No, it was not a big life threat.

One more pause. Only know Josh knows exactly what he wants to say, he is just taking time to pluck up his courage.

JOSH
And what’s going to happen with me now?

OFFICER ASHTON
(with unaffected pity)
You are going to the jail, Josh. I’m sorry.

JOSH
You say that you are sorry. So don’t send me there, you are the only one in the police who knows what happened. And you know, I didn’t want to kill Paul. Do you really want to ruin my life?

OFFICER ASHTON
It’s not about I want it or not. It’s about one have to take responsibility of what he had done.

JOSH
But my parents? And Sylvia? What about them?

OFFICER ASHTON
I think that if they really love you, and it’s really so, they will love you regardless of what you did.

JOSH
But please, can you talk with them now. And tell them that I didn’t wanted all this to happen.

OFFICER ASHTON
Ok, Josh, I will. After all, it’s a part of my job.

JOSH
Thank you… I feel really-really bad right now. I think that maybe it would be much better if you let me finish what I was trying to do yesterday.

OFFICER ASHTON
(worried)
Will you try to do it once more?

JOSH
(sees the agitation in the eyes of officer and smiles)
No, I won’t. I planned to depart in a beautiful way, but I didn’t managed to do it.

OFFICER ASTHON
Bullshit. There is nothing beautiful in death, only life can be beautiful.

JOSH
Really? Even a life in the jail?

OFFICER ASHTON
Yes, but you will get your second chance. And it’s up to you if you will take it or not.

JOSH
I still don’t see no fucking hope for me.

OFFICER ASHTON
Well, you’re the only one who makes a decision.

A bit of silence

JOSH
Ok, now I’ll try to sleep a little bit. Maybe I will feel better. Or maybe I will found out that it all was just a bad dream. But I don’t really count on it.

He turns his head to the wall. Officer Ashton stands up and leaves the room.

INT. COURTROOM

Josh is taken into the courtroom.

CAMERA ON advocate sitting next to Josh, a shy guy with the glasses. It seems that Harding’s family had not enough money to hire a good advocate, so they had to be satisfied with the advocate appointed by the court.

CAMERA ON procurer speaking. He possesses much more charisma than Josh’s advocate. He speaks and it seems that the procurer is talking loudly and eloquently.

CAMERA ON a tall man with the moustaches stands upm fron the bench of the jurors. He holds a sheet of a paper in his hands, even if he perfectly what is written there.

JUDGE
Have you made your decision?

JUROR
Yes

JUDGE
Will the defendant please rise and approach the bench?

Both Josh and his advocate stand up and go to the judge tribune.

JUDGE
(turns back to the juror)
Now please read your decision

JUROR
We unanimously find the defendant guilty.

CLOSE ON Josh’s parents. Tom with the dead expression on his face hugs Clarissa, who cries desperately.

CLOSE ON Sylvia who is sitting in a state of shock, unable even to cry.

CLOSE ON JOSH, he is calm, almost indifferent.

JUDGE
Mr. Josh Harding, you are sentenced to 5 to 15 years in the jail.

Strike of a judge’s mallet and…

CUT TO

INT. PRISON

Josh is in the orange clothes. He is taken to his camera by two guards. We see only his back with a number 795 printed on the uniform. Harding steps into his camera and turns around. His long hair is completely shaved off, we cannot recognize behind his pale face and wounded red eyes the guy we once knew. The grated door is smashingly shut, and Josh continues to stand still, looking at us. It might seem strange, but his eyes are calm and serene.