Thin Ice - Short Film

Short Film

2020

INT. GROCERY STORE-DAY

There is a MAN standing alone in a grocery store in one of the shopping aisles.

He is wearing plain and UNREMARKABLE clothes. Not based on layers, colors, or material, it is simply the lack of feeling behind the person. There is nothing UNIQUE about this person.

He is staring at two identical whole raw chickens side by side and trying to decide between them. The two choices are exactly the same, there is NO DIFFERENCE whatsoever. The man looks back and forth between them, inspecting his two options.

He is PARALYZED by the choices.

He looks down at the TWO GOLD DOLLAR COINS in his hand.

Looks back at both the chickens. His eyes still not finding purchase on either one of the two birds.

A LOUD CHIME is heard overhead, The type that goes off when a door is opened at convenient stores. Followed immediately by the beginnings of a RUMBLING of the store and we——


CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT

The MAN is standing over his kitchen counter with one of those whole raw chickens. He scratches his head as he doesn't remember choosing between the two birds, or even getting home. Not giving it too much thought, he continues unbothered.

He notices the analog wall clock in his kitchen showing the TIME to be stuck at 4:45PM.

The phone rings with a loud chime.

The man a bit startled and confused begins to set down the chicken and answers the phone.

MAN
"Hello?"

The voice of another person comes through the phone. He seems to know our man.

GAMER
Are you ready for tonight?

Our Man does not seem to recognize the voice of this caller, but continues the conversation regardless.

MAN
No. Just got back from the store.

GAMER
(Pause) What'd you get?

MAN
Chicken.

GAMER
What, like some legs and breasts?

MAN
No. Like the whole bird.

GAMER
What the hell do you need a whole chicken for?

The Man is troubled by this question. A low deep rumbling can be heard like the sound of shifting and cracking of thick ice. He takes a moment to breathe and collect his thoughts. As he peers through the fog in his mind he begins to recall something important.

MAN
Uh, I'm having someone over..

It's coming to him now.

MAN
Yeah I'm supposed to be making dinner for tonight.

The rumbling fades away.

GAMER
(sarcastically) What a shock, I would have never imagined this. Who is this "special guest?"

The fog returns and the Man can't recall.

MAN
I don't actually know.

The Man begins to pace within his kitchen and out into the living room.

INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM

Eyes darting around trying to find answers. The calendar on the wall is EMPTY and shows no made plans. He goes through a post office style mailbox (cubicle) and only cobwebs and dust remain.

[The space of this apartment is almost dreamlike or nightmarish, meaning things that normally wouldn't exist in this space are not questioned or even addressed. The laws of normality are not found here.]

He walks paces around his dining table, while oblivious to a small TV further in the darker parts of the living room that is quietly showing a news reporting of an EARTHQUAKE earlier that day which split the earth of a tristate area and destroyed many buildings and took the homes of dozens of people. No casualties reported yet.

GAMER
Of course you don't. Well my clueless friend, you better hope you can whip up a meal so nice that it won't matter who comes through that door. You'd hate to muck it up.

Our Man is scanning for any hints that could lead to any identities. There are no visible indicators of the identities of potential guests for tonight.

MAN
Any good recommendations?

GAMER
Well, I'd start with getting yourself a cookbook. Good recipes on there you can follow. There is a spanish Four sauce chicken recipe which is to die for. Gives clear instruction and measurements of the ingredients needed to be someone.

The Man is stunned. He begins to open his mouth only to fumble out some words before he's interrupted.



GAMER
Right then now tidy up and go find that cookbook. Best of luck with your dinner mate!

Call ends. The Man is left confused by what just happened. He is looking at the space around him. It all looks plain, unattended, and FORGETTABLE.

A sad place fit for nobody. No memorabilia or decorations to give some character to the surroundings. The most noteworthy thing is a small coffee machine in the kitchen.

The Man feels his throat clench and his stomach tighten into knots as he fails to remember this special guest. Overcome by anxiety the borders of his peripheral vision begin to darken and lose focus. He is stumbling on himself trying to keep himself together. He leans on the walls that lead him to the kitchen.

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN

His vision waning even more as he leans on the kitchen counter, he spots a coffee machine in the corner of the counter. Something about the thought and smell of the coffee aids his nerves and lessen the shakiness. He finds himself being DRAWN to the simple coffee machine in his kitchen.

He manages to pour himself some coffee into a small nearby mug.

Hands shaking slightly as he pours.

Black coffee with no sugar.

A BORING default.

The Man sips his coffee eagerly and finds the tension in his muscles fade away. His vision slowly clears away again.

The Man pauses his pacing, calmly looks at the space around him and begins to assess his plan of action.

He begins to make his effort of tidying up the space as INSTRUCTED by his recent caller. He cleans his kitchen counters, dining table and the pathways that connect the two locations.

He has blazed a trail of cleanliness based off his most REPEATED paths. The same paths he falls to when pacing. Avoiding some of the DEEPER regions of this small home. The corners of his floors and walls being the DARKEST.

He moves towards the front door with a spray and cloth to clean it.

He stops dead in his tracks.

Arm extended over the doorknob, frozen in place. Not an inch closer.

The Rumbling returns, louder than before.

There is an eeriness to the door. The Man feels his survival instincts kicking in. This door would be the DEATH of him. A chill travels through his spine and the back of his neck at just the thought of opening that door.

The Man is overwhelmed with fear and is unable to fight this paralysis. He turns around and returns to the kitchen

The rumbling fades away.

In the kitchen he opens drawers, cabinets, and shelves looking for this cookbook. No recipe book to be found.

The Man continues looking in the same places he already has until he is startled by the LOUD CHIME of the phone ringing.

The Man picks up his phone.

GAMER
So? How's the chicken coming?

MAN
I can't find my cookbook. I have no clue where it is.

GAMER
Well where have you looked?

MAN
In the kitchen.

GAMER
Well there's your problem. Who keeps books in a kitchen? Go check in the library. (absurdity)

The Man looks back out into the living room. The darkness is dense and opaque. He tries to find the quickest path to the door he imagines might be a library. The path requires going through the DARK parts of this place. Fear begins to wash over the Man as he sees no way to avoid the edges of shadow.

The Man's vision is shaky again and the rumbling slowly begins to be heard.

A final sip of his coffee from his mug. He begins to walk towards the edges of the dark room.

The deeper darker floor transitioning from wood to a glass like ICE. The edges of it just appearing from the darkness.

The Man pauses to gather himself.

The Gamer on the phone seeming to know more than what he lets on. His tone changes from playful to DEAD serious.

GAMER
What are you so afraid of? (coldly) Go find that book.

Line clicks and the call ends.

The Man slowly creeps his way out of the well lit and clean path he made out into the darker spaces of the room. On the opposite side of the small room is a single white door.

The Man takes a couple of steps further into the living room, and continues walking.

INT. APARTMENT NO MANS LAND.

and keeps walking. He has walked so deep into the dark uncharted space that the light from kitchen and dining area are not visible, he is in a pitch black space.

His footsteps silent. No light around him and beneath him he can see no ground. The DOOR remains the same distance as before.

The Man frustrated and scared begins to quicken his pace. He begins to make a run for the door.

He slips. The Man falls down on his back to a floor of thin ICE. He sits up looks at the DOOR in front of him and it is so close to him. He shifts his weight to get up and can hear the groaning and loud RUMBLING sounds from the thin ice below him.

The Man slowly gets up.

The ICE is barely holding. Groaning with every weight change.

There is a sound of a single fluttering page above him. He looks up and sees a bright white page shining against the black void of this space as it slowly falls feather like closer to the floor. There are words on the center of the page "'DEPARTURE' A SERIES OF POEMS BY T————." The name at the end looks to be missing.

The single page slowly FALLS all the way down onto the ice between the man and the door. The Man holding his breath.

It lands.

A moment passes.

With a sigh of relief too soon the man reads the page from the ground, not daring to touch it. He walks past the page and for the door.

As he passes the page VIOLENT FISSURES break behind and the ice begins to crack and split beneath him.

The Man bolts for the door, with the ice cracking right at his heels he opens the door and dives in.

INT. SHIP QUARTERS - DAY

Closing the door behind him with a slam, the man slides down the door to catch his breath.

The space around is that of a well lit bedroom with European and nautical decor. Large wooden OARS that hang on the wall, Port windows and pictures of the GONDOLAS in Venice.

In the far corner of this room is a desk holding a computer with large monitors and a printer as a GAMER sits with large over the ear headphones and plays a video game.

Our Man doesn't know this person.

They are wearing a plain black tee shirt and beanie.

The Gamer continues playing their game, unbothered by the disruption of The Man's entrance.

The Man begins to pick himself up from the ground.

The Man collects himself and begins to approach the Gamer.

MAN
(politely)
Excuse me.

No response

MAN (CONT'D)
I'm looking for a cook book.

No response


The Man backs away from the Gamer and quietly sits on the bed eagerly waiting for a chance to be helped.

The Gamer seems to be enthralled by his game. A life simulator, controlling people in their everyday lives.

[Sims like game.]

The Man takes in the room around him, admiring the decor. Mesmerized by the wooden walls. Looking through the port window sees the ocean. Waves splash on the outside of the window.

They appear to be in the inside of a ship.

The Man is quietly thinking to himself. Letting time pass as he dawdles his thumbs. Repeatedly taps his foot. Starts whistling.

The Gamer glares at him for him to stop.

More time passes.

The Man now laying down on the bed. Staring up at the ceiling.

The Gamer sizes up the Man and seems unimpressed by him. He looks at the wall Clock and sees the TIME is 4:45 PM.

He quickly gets up from his chair and starts going to a chest of clothes and starts changing into a uniform. A white shirt with black horizontal stripes, black ascots and a circular flat hat. The one gondoliers in Venice wear.

He leaves the chest open and begins to walk out the same door the Man had previously entered from

The Man extends his arm out trying to stop him

MAN
You don't want to go in there.

The Gamer brushes him off and continues past him.

He opens the door and walks through.

The Man nervously walks behind him to peek through the door and sees him walk up some stairs towards the deck of the ship.

The Man is perplexed at the scene change and wanders back into the room feeling a bit more frazzled.

Not sure what he was doing in this room, He scratches his head trying to remember. Muttering to himself

MAN
(softly muttering) where am I? What am I doing? What is this place? What am I doing? What am I? Dead. What am I doing? What am I doing, What am I doing? ——

Pause a beat


MAN (CONT'D)
—— Looking for something. What is it? What was it? Something important, something urgent. Something "Special." Whats special? Nothing is, Not me. Whats special?

Looks at the open chest.

MAN (CONT'D)
Treasure.

The man walks over towards the large wooden chest. Sitting at the bottom of the chest is just a small red cookbook.

The Man looks at it, doesn't recognize the importance of the book. A moment of staring at the closed book passes and the memory rushes in.

He reaches in the wooden chest excitedly to grab the book. Picks it up. From inside the book two GOLD COINS fall from the book and clatter to floor of the chest.

A low CRACKLING RUMBLE (Ice) and high pitch CHIME (Grocery/ Phone) sound linger from the clattering sound of coins on wood and softly resonate.

The Man with book in hand is now enthralled by the two coins.

Gold coins that look almost Victorian or Elizabethan. Prints of two men sleeping on a tree as the tails side of one coin and two nooses hanging on the tails side of the other. Both coins dated 1603. The head side of both is the profile head of The Man.

He does not connect the resemblance.

Fascinated and fearful of the coins. He slowly reaches back down and picks them up.

The sound of the door behind him closes with a slam.

The Man startled turns around and we ——


CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT HOME OFFICE - DAY

The Man is sitting in a home office desk with envelopes and newspapers sitting on it. There is a typewriter in the center with a stack of manuscript pages.

The Man is wearing different clothing and seems younger, cleaner. More inspired.

He inspects the page at the top of the stack. It was the same title page he saw before, "Departure." The name is still ineligible.

Also in view of his desk are envelopes with RENT DUE stamps on them. Indications of struggling to make bills.

He begins to read the manuscript. As he continues to read his face brightens up and a smile begins to form.

Bills also continue to pile up as they are slid behind him underneath the door into the office.

SWISH as the envelopes slide in

He tries to ignore them as best he can and continues reading.

The more he continues to read the more envelopes are slid underneath the door and they began to cover the floor.

SWISH

He flinches at the noise

SWISH

The smile begins to lessen and fade

SWISH

The Man is now at the end of reading his manuscript and is devoid of happiness. A story that showed promise has been tainted by the presence of these bills.

A final SWISH

The man takes the manuscript and scatters the pages throughout the room and buries his head into the desk.

Sobbing and defeated he notices a job post in the newspaper next to him.

An uninspired post of a job at a Morgue, promising good pay.

The man looks between the title page which landed on the table next to him and the job post. He picks up the title page "Departure" and beneath it sits an envelope of the RENT DUE.

With tears in his eyes. He collects himself. Crumbles the TITLE PAGE and hidden in the sound of crumbling the paper there is the sound of RUMBLING and CRACKING ice resonating with it.

He tosses the crumbled ball of paper in a small waste bin in the corner of this dark office room and gets up from the desk.

He turns around and begins to walk towards the door behind him through the piles of bills and pages.

He opens the door and walks through it.

INT. APARTMENT LIVING ROOM

The Man is now back in his apartment living room. Where the darkness and ice used to be but is now no longer there. Cookbook under his arm instead of the newspaper. His clothes returned to his unremarkable attire from before. Face older and inspiration gone.

He walks across the living room, not realizing the change.

This previous "NO MANS LAND" now a normal living room with a couch and TV that connects to the dining and Kitchen areas.

The TV is on. There is a news report subtlety playing in the background, Our Man is unawares of this. He seems to be DRAWN to the Kitchen.

There is a news reporter on the TV speaking on a the destruction of a grocery store earlier in the day.

NEWS REPORTER
—— Witnesses reporting the building's destruction moments after the initial shockwaves of todays earthquake. The manager of the store commends his team for following the proper emergency procedures to ensure everyone made it out safely. First responders are still at the scene responding to the destruction and will provide updates to the damages and the effect of the surrounding areas ———

The Man walks into his Kitchen and finds the chicken right where he left it.

INT. APARTMENT KITCHEN

Sets the book down and opens it.

He scrolls with his finger through empty and blank pages. Unbothered by this, halfway through it finds a filled in page with the recipe for a dish labeled "Pollo Cuatro Salsa" with its English translation next to it "Four Sauce Chicken."

The Man emphatically stops and points with his finger

MAN
Ah! There it is.

The Man begins to read the recipe and grab the ingredients needed for the dish.

He opens the fridge and grabs the sauces needed.

Ketchup, Mayo, 57 Heines, Mustard and Woreschester. The 5 sauces for the "Four Sauce Chicken"

The man chuckles to himself.

MAN
Cheeky fucks.

He pauses a beat.

There is a ticking of the broken clock. The time still stuck at 4:45PM. The thin seconds hand ticking back and forth on the same spot. Unable to continue. Unable to PASS ON.

Chills run through the Man's spine. He begins to feel sick and look uncomfortable.

He reaches for the counter to hold himself up. There feels to be a weight on him and his legs are shaking trying to stay up.

He struggles to fight gravity.

He catches a look at his basic coffee machine. And begins to make his way there.

He pours himself another cup of simple black coffee.

His arms and hands shaking in the process.

His lips meet the rim of the mug and beings to take a sip as the steam and aroma hit his face and nose.

Warmth and good feeling return. The pale sick look fades and color takes its place. He no longer trembles, his nerves calmed.

He feels comfortable and happy with the coffee. Looks at it the way one looks at someone familiar. The way one looks at HOME.

Staring into the still pool of black coffee. Its image, a peerless black void, looks almost like obsidian or smooth glass.

There is a small reflection in the coffee's pool, not of him but of a woman. A young and beautiful girl wearing an apron and a hat. She seems to be working behind a bar, a coffee bar. She's a BARISTA.

There is love in his eyes, he is infatuated in this reflection.

MAN
A "special guest."

The breath of his whispers disrupt the pool of coffee and the image of the girl fades away.

Frantically he stares again at the coffee hoping for the image to return.

The pool finds itself still again and shows no reflection. Not even of him, which by the angle it should be him.

He recovers himself and stands up straight.

Pauses a beat. Looks around at the kitchen and dining room area.

Takes a deep breath. With a face of determination that has not been seen before, he begins to prepare the food.

He grabs a couple of measuring cups. Begins to cook up some white rice in a cooking pot on the stove.

He cuts the chicken into cutlets and legs, nice and thinner strips of meat.

Begins to prepare his cut chicken. Bathing it in the sauces.

Moving with an urgency that has not been demonstrated yet.

He places the pan of chicken in sauce in the oven. Sets the oven temperature at 445 degrees.

Looks at his clock as if to keep track of how long it'll be in the oven. Not bothered or even recognizing the uselessness of the BROKEN CLOCK.

Time passes.

The Man paces around his living room and kitchen in the same pattern he did before. Avoiding certain parts of the floor that appear to be DARKER. Small circular shadows that cover around the BRIGHT path the Man walks.

The PHONE rings with the irregular CHIME resonating in the background.

The Man flinches at the sound of the CHIME as it slowly fades away.

The Man walks to the wall phone and picks it up.

GAMER
Hey bud! How's the chicken coming? Did you find the book?

MAN
Yeah, the bird is in the oven now.

GAMER
You find that Four Sauce Chicken recipe? Isn't that shit amazing, oof the thought of it is making my mouth watery.

MAN
Yeah, looks great. Kinda funny that its made with actually five sauces. I wonder why name it Four Sauce Chicken?

GAMER
Maybe its just a way to mess with people who try making it without the book. Or maybe just do it to be different and remembered. Who's going to forget the Four Sauce Chicken that needs five sauces to make?

MAN
I definitely won't, I have a good memory so maybe that's why it feels silly to me.

GAMER
(chuckles) Right you do. Speaking of which, you remember your guest? Or at least why you're having them over.

The Man pauses for a moment. Memory has left him yet again. He stammers and hesitates to say anything as he tries to remember.

GAMER
Jesus mate, you spend around so many dead people at that morgue you have forgotten how to conversate.

The Man looks around for any indiction, clues of the guest for tonight.

He finds nothing to help him. His calendar still empty but now the bottom half and top right corner is torn off and there are no empty dates showing past todays date February 8th.

Not affected by this he continues to look around and finds his coffee machine.

He eases. The smell of the still hot coffee paints a image in his mind of the Barista he had seen before.

MAN
Sorry. (smiles) Yeah a girl. The girl from the coffee shop.

GAMER
(a long pause) Good to hear. (colder and almost disappointed) Best make sure to have everything tidy for her. Don't forget the chicken. Freshen up and see if that helps you remember.

MAN
Remember what ——?

The line clicks.

The Man confused puts the phone back on the wall.

He looks around at the now revealed living room and the well lit dining area.

Takes another look at his analog wall clock still stuck at 4:45PM and looks down at the watch on his wrist. Also 4:45PM.

MAN
Still got time.

He begins to grab cleaning supplies.

Starts clearing clutter from the dining room table and setting it up with a vase of flowers he just happened to have.

Sets down a nice table cloth.

Lights some long candles for the dinner. He his now showing excitement in this prospect of a date with this girl.

He hesitates briefly in his cleaning when he finishes the dining room area and now looks into the better lit, but still darker living room.

He steps into the space and begins to clear the clutter. Dust the cobwebs. Change the light bulbs in the room to cast away the dark spots of the room.

He straightens out empty picture frames and decor around the room.

As he is cleaning up he notices a white piece of paper slip from underneath the door opposite the dining room, and gently sits on the floor, not too far from the far door that previously lead him to the ship and came back from his office.

He slowly approaches the fallen manuscript. Blank from the top side.

His steps are silent, no loud rumbling or groaning sounds from the floor like before.

The silence is noticed. Unclear if it eases him or nerves him more. He crouches down to pick the page.

Unsteady breaths as he picks up the page. Wondering what he'll find. Though he doesn't know it and as if by conditioning or muscle memory this page represents DANGER/RISK to him.

His body twitches as he holds the page and slowly turns it over.

Very low and muted RUMBLING sounds are heard as he turns the page. It softly crescendos and then it fades away into a silence when he has a clear view of the page.

It's blank. An empty page. No sign of life on this clean page.

His worry fades from his face. Stands up with the page and goes to the door where it came from.

With no sign of fear in his face. He swings open the door and out a stack of empty pages fall out from a very cluttered and small closet space.

A large stack that was propped up against the door. Along with other writing equipment and FORGOTTEN things.

He bends down to pick up the pages from the floor and begins to place them back on the shelf of this small closet alongside an old typewriter.

The Man is not phased by it. Can't be scared of what is dead and forgotten.

(Small detail, There is a bunched up or slightly hidden skeleton in this small dusty closest. To play with the absurdity of the world we are in.)

He does not clean the dusty closet, instead places what fell back in and closes the door behind him.

As he claps the dust off his hands and begins to walk back towards the kitchen. There we see sitting in the couch the GAMER playing a board game. The board game "LIFE" as he rolls his dice on the coffee table at the couch and moves his pieces along the board. The Gamer looks bored but is trying to enjoy the game as he plays alone.

He is still wearing his ferryman clothes.

The Man notices him and walks up to him. Notices the game and looks at the Gamer expectantly.

The Gamer does not respond or look up.

The Man clears his throat to get his attention.

Nothing still.

MAN
Can I help you?

GAMER
No you can't.

The Man is annoyed. He looks at the Gamer and slowly peers at him in slight recognition.

MAN
Do I know you from somewhere?

GAMER
Possibly. (still focused on his game.)

MAN
What are you doing here?

GAMER
Playing a game. On a break from work. Killing time till I go back.

The Man nods his head like this makes sense.

MAN
Oh that makes sense. (Pause to look at the game.) How do you play?

GAMER
Just roll some dice, move your piece and then depending on where you land you pick up a card.

MAN
What's on the cards?

GAMER
Could be anything. Events that the players go through. From promotions to bankruptcy.

MAN
Bankruptcy!? Sounds risky.

GAMER
Not enough risk if you ask me. The game's a bit boring in my opinion.

MAN
Well how does it end? How do you win?

GAMER
The winner is whoever goes through "life" first. With all of its events.

MAN
Going through Life? Well who knows of ALL of Life's events to make a game out of them. Seems silly.

GAMER
Maybe. But we all know how it ends.

The Man looks nervously at the Gamer as a pregnant pause fills the air.

The Man's neck and head twitches away from the board and the Gamer and rolls back again. The uncomfortable thought of DEATH and an End motivates this.

The Man feels a chill and there is a slight nervous sweat on his face and brow.

MAN
(shaky) But surely you can go through Life with out that, right?

The Gamer for the first time, looks up from his game in his ferryman clothes with an unsettling curling smile and piercing eyes.

There is loud beeping from the oven timer with a hidden CHIME resonating from the sound.

The Man winces at the higher frequency chime hidden in the sound. Looks back at the Gamer.

The Gamer is looking back down at his game and rolls his dice.

The Man is left catching his breath from the moment

GAMER
You should probably go get that.

The Man without saying anything turns back towards the kitchen and begins to make his way back to the oven.

His heart is pounding and his senses are heightened in a deep rooted fear.

He makes his way to the oven seemingly farther than before, the Gamer still sitting on the couch in the background.

The Man crouches down, looking into the deep black glass of the oven door he sees the Barista again. Still tense in fear the Man opens the oven door and pulls out the chicken.

As he slowly rises up from ground over the kitchen counter we ——


CUT TO:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

The Man rises from the ground and over a counter to find on the other end of it a young and beautiful girl, with freckles, brown hair and enchanting green and brown eyes. She is wearing her hair up in a ponytail while wearing a black hat, a coffee marked apron and a light blue long sleeved button shirt with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows.

The Man's eyes meet hers. The tension in his muscles fades away at the SMELL OF COFFEE and sight of her. He is enamored by her bright smile. A very cute smile with a kindness that is not often shown to him.

The Man is wearing different clothing. A brown jumpsuit and simple black jacket.

BARISTA
You'd get all of them?

The Man is holding something in his hand. He turns over his hand and opens his palm and there sit TWO GOLD COINS.

MAN
(nervously) Uh yeah. Thanks.

BARISTA
(giggles) So what will you be having?

The Man looks at the menu above her and scans the different options. He can't seem to make a CHOICE. He can't seem to get the words out.

The Barista amicably smiles and is patient with the Man as he recollects himself.

MAN
I—I don't know, what do you recommend?

The Barista inspects the Man and his apparel and sizes him up in a bubbly manner.

BARISTA
Hmm... Brown clothes, dark colors. Very plain and simple. I would say you're a black coffee guy. No cream or sugar.

The Man feels a warmth travel through his body as the nerves go away in a final breath.

MAN
(smiles) Black coffee it is. I like it.

The Barista giggles at the Man's smile. It's a nice smile and she seems to enjoy it.

The Man happily extend his hand out with the TWO GOLD COINS to pay for the drink. The Barista shakes her head refusing the coins.

BARISTA
(smiles) No it's ok this one is on me.

MAN
(surprised, blushing) Thank you that's very kind.

The Man begins to turn and walk away from the girl and goes to sit down at a small table in the corner.

The Cafe is fairly busy but the only person he's focused on is this girl. As he admires her dreamingly make his coffee.

The Man catches himself staring and looks elsewhere the moment before she catches him looking. The girl smiles still knowingly of the admiration.

The Man sits at his table and patiently waits. He looks out the large glass window and daydreams of love.

Looking out the window he sees a small canal where there are two lovers enjoying a GONDOLA ride and as their ferryman rows them down under a bridge.

The Man imagines himself with the girl rowing off to happier places. Inspiration and excitement creep on his face.

The Man's view is suddenly obstructed and his daydreaming interrupted at the AROMA of a steamy hot cup of coffee labeled in black sharpie marker "Black Coffee Guy <3" and the Barista bringing it to him.

The Man looks up with a great big smile on his face as he sees her bright smile.

MAN
Thank you. I——

She interrupts him.

BARISTA
I'm on my lunch right now, would it be ok if I sat here with you?

The Man taken aback nods his head in disbelief

MAN
I'd like that very much.

BARISTA
Great! My name is Rose. What's your name?

She sits down at the table with him, extends her hand out to him for a shake.

He pauses, in disbelief and shakes her hand nervously.

MAN
My name is (muffled)


(MONTAGE:)
Many days of this are repeated, We see the Man meet the Barista for many days in small variations of different outfits. Always them sitting at the table with him always getting the same drink.

Black coffee, no cream and no sugar.

Time passes fast and we see a bond between both of them form. Never extending past dear friendship, but with hints of him wanting more.

Moments of the Man wanting to say something but instead catches himself and AVOIDS the RISK.

He falls into this REPEATED and SAFE pattern. Going through the same motions.

Other moments of the girl laughing with the Man and feeling his arms. Clear signs of attraction. But the man cowardly recoils in nervousness in those moments. Never at her expense, she seems to understand him better than he does himself. Always showing a smile and kindness.

Until.

(MONTAGE ENDS)
INT. COFFEE SHOP - OVERCAST/ RAINY

The Man walks into the coffee shop and we hear the bell CHIME resonate from the sound. The day is gloomy and the rain is hard.

The Cafe is fairly empty only a couple of people scattered out in different tables.

(There is man at the opposite corner of the lovebirds' usual table that looks to be the GAMER playing chess alone.)

The Man walks up to the counter (not noticing the Gamer) and sees the BARISTA at register. He lets out a big smile and waves his hand as he approaches.

She returns a soft smile, not as bright as before, she seems to be troubled by something.

MAN
Hey! How are you?

BARISTA
(softly) Hi.

MAN
A small black coffee please. No cream or sugar.

The girl seems to be distracted by her thoughts as she punches in the order.

MAN
Hey, is something wrong?

The girl looks up and makes eye contact with him

BARISTA
What? Sorry, I'm ok. I had my lunch early today so I can't sit with you right now. Do you mind waiting till I get off my shift.

Thrown off by the disturbance of the familiar pattern and concerned by her sadden tone.

MAN
Yeah of course. I'll wait for you at the table.

BARISTA
Ok great. I'll have your coffee out in a bit.

The Man turns and walks towards the table and sits. He looks at the girl in the bar pour his drink. Close the lid and then as she is getting ready to deliver it she is called in the manager to follow her to the back.

She looks at the Man, grabs another BARISTA (#2), a young teenage hipster kid and points at the Man and hands him the drink as she then disappears into the back room with her manager.

The Man trying not to break line of sight with her through different baristas in the bar area until his sight is completely obscured by the Barista #2 who slides him his small paper coffee cup, no cute name or message on this cup.

The Man can't hear the words the kid is saying as he is in a state of confusion and there is a tension in his belly that that is slowly growing.

Time passes.

There is silence in the air and the only thing that the Man can hear is taps of chess pieces being moved on the wooden board from the opposite corner where the Gamer is.

The Man is disturbed by these taps. Almost winces at some of them.

The sound of rain hitting the roof and glass window is slowly masked over the sound of a hidden RUMBLING and CRACKLING sound resonating from it.

Some more time passes before the girl returns from the back. And with red eyes and wet cheeks. She's no longer wearing her hat and apron. She's holding her belongings and a umbrella.

The Man sees her and almost jumps up from his seat but finds himself still seated. He is PARALYZED in this chair. He can not get up.

The girl approaches the table where the Man is seated and it is clear that she had been crying, wipes any running make up from under her eyes.

As she speaks there is roaring RUMBLE from the twisted rain that the Man is trying to ignore to listen to her words.

BARISTA
Today is my last day.

Chess piece tap. (A soft ringing chime resonates from each tap.)

The Man winces at the piercing interruption.

MAN
What do you mean? You were fired?

BARISTA
(shakes head) No. I'm leaving.

Chess piece tap.

The Man's eyes are wild and his breath shaky as he tries to understand but is overwhelmed by his senses.

MAN
Where are you going? Why?

BARISTA
(crying) Across the country. My father is dying. I just need to be close to family.

Chess piece tap

MAN
You can't leave. Will I ever see you again?

The RUMBLING grows louder.

BARISTA
(breaking up.) I — I don't think so.

Chess piece tap.

MAN
(panicked) I can help, you don't have to be alone.

BARISTA
That's sweet but I can't ask you to do that. You have no reason to.

Chess piece tap. (The next move is checkmate.)

But he does, he LOVES her. The Man opens his mouth getting ready to profess his feelings. Hoping it'll make her stay. Those words are the exact words that would make her stay. They both know this.

MAN
I — I

She waits a pause for him to say the words.

The Man tries and as he fights to break through this PARALYSIS he eventually caves and lowers his head in tears, unable to say the words.

Tears run down his eyes and cheeks. He is fighting the urge to breakdown and sob.

The girl sees this, even in her pain, her kindness radiates as she picks up the Man's head with her hand. Wipes away the tears from his face. As he looks up all he can see is that same bright smile with tears streaming down her face as she cares for him in this moment.

BARISTA
You've been a great friend. I'll never forget you.

Chess piece tap. (Checkmate.)

Her hand pulls away from his wet cheek and chin as she approaches the door with her umbrella open. Tears streaming down her face as she fights to keep the smile up, for his sake.

Just before she opens the door and walks out, she looks back at him and smiles one last time.

BARISTA
Don't go changing my dear Black Coffee Guy.

Chess piece tap. (The Fallen king clatters on the board.)

The RUMBLING takes over the Man's senses. As tears fall heavier down his face he can't think of any reason keeping him from her. There is nothing here for him more important than her.

And yet, he's PARALYZED. Unable to take that chance at love and happiness.

As she opens the door out of the cafe, the now louder sound of rain hitting the pavement and building is still overpowered by a door's piercing CHIME.

The Man winces and grabs his shirt over his heart. He is in terrible pain. As he watches her walk away into the blurry rain he feels the emotion over power his effort to keep it together. To keep it all BURIED.

The Man's head falls to the table as he cries almost hysterically. A deep and painful sob.

The space around him begins to morph as his head is down. And after a couple of beats, when he rises his head we ——


CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT

The Man rises over his kitchen counter, back to his unremarkable clothes with his chicken in hand.

The body still tense from what he's just experienced. His breathing staggered.

He sets the chicken down and recollects himself.

A beat passes as he slowly picks his head up and there is an excitement in his eyes.

He looks down at his attire and realizes he needs to change. He KNOWS his special guest and he wants to be prepared for her.

He begins to make his way out of the kitchen and past the dining room area towards the hall until he is stopped dead in his tracks

The Phone rings with a resonating CHIME.

The Man frustratingly turns back and answers the phone.

MAN
Yes what is it? (frustrated)

GAMER
Woah! It's just me. What's got you riled up?

MAN
I'm running out of time. I still need to get ready for this dinner.

GAMER
(excitedly) Have you figured it out?

MAN
Figured out what?

GAMER
Why you're running out of time? Why your special guest is coming?

MAN
Yes! She's going to be here any minute and this my chance to tell her how I feel.

GAMER
(sighs) Still don't get it mate.

MAN
What?

GAMER
Look at the time. It's already too late. That ship has sailed.

The Man looks at his watch and his clock both still at 4:45PM.

MAN
What the fuck are you talking about?

GAMER
Go freshen up like I told you and see if you remember.

MAN
(Angrily) Fuck That! I need some answers——

Line clicks.

MAN (CONT'D)
Hello? Hello! FUCK!

The Man slams the phone repeatedly into the wall and it breaks at the end.

The Man angrily tosses the broken piece in his hand and continues down the hall to his bedroom. As he goes to open the door we ——


CUT TO:

INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY

Bells CHIME overhead as the Man walks into the coffee shop. Wearing his brown jumpsuit and black jacket he walks into the empty cafe.

He is gloomy and depressed as he searches lazily with his eyes for Rose and finds yet again, she is not there.

It's just him as he walks up to the register to order his coffee. Greeting him is the younger hipster barista from before.

BARISTA #2
Hey Welcome in! What can I get for you today?

MAN
Uh– just a small coffee. Black.

BARISTA #2
Alright man one black coffee anything else?

MAN
(shakes head.) No that's fine. Thank you.

The Man begins to walk away and the Barista calls him back

BARISTA #2
Sir! You forgot to pay!

The Man turns around and embarrassingly pulls out some money from his pocket.

MAN
Sorry about that. How much I owe you?

BARISTA #2
That'll be two dollars.

The Man shuffles in his pockets and hears the clinking of TWO GOLD DOLLAR COINS.

He opens his palm and looks at the coins for a moment of recognition. He extends his arm out and pays for the coffee. Then he goes to sit at his usual table.

Thinking of the girl and what she could be doing, justifying it to himself that there was nothing he could've done.

He looks toward the bar and sees the Barista pour his drink. As he watches this kid pour the coffee into the cup, he sees he begins to reach for some sugar packets.

The Man doesn't react to it at first thinking that it's not for his drink. He did order a black coffee. He's the black coffee guy. But as the kid begins to bring the packets over the open cup, the Man's eyes widen.

He's going to say something, He HAS TO say something. He opens his mouth but can't manage to get anything more other than a simple

MAN
(soft and polite.) Excuse me

The kid doesn't hear him. He begins to tear open the packets. The Man is visually anxious, last chance.

MAN
(louder) Excuse me!

The Barista turns around as he pours the sugar packets into the cup.

BARISTA #2
Yes sir? Was there something else you needed?

The Man watches the kid without missing a beat stir the sugar and coffee.

The Man looks at the cup and the kid. All he needs to do is ask for it to be remade. But the morale is low and the will weak. He tries to fight through his paralysis and ask for his drink, but simply can't.

He looks at the barista and the coffee and shakes his head.

MAN
Nothing. It's fine.

The door opens and the LOUD CHIME rings. As the barista comes with the sugar coffee and hands it to the Man.

He grabs it and simply lets out a final breath.

Sips on the coffee. No warmth is followed by it. A drink asked by no one and given to no one.

The Man drags his feet as he walks out of the coffee shop through another LOUD CHIME and as he does, we ——


CUT TO:

INT. APARTMENT

The Man walks through the door and is back at the door in the living room.

Across from him is the GAMER sitting at the dinner table playing another board game (Risk.) The Man looks at him and is filled with anger.

He marches over to him. A low rumble resonating with every step.

MAN
It's time I had some fucking answers!

GAMER
You're back so soon, just in time for a quick game, this ones fun cause of how much——

The Man sweeps his arms across the table and knocks over the game and all of its pieces.

GAMER
—— Risk there is.

MAN
No more games! I want answers! Who are you and what do you want?

The Gamer is surprised at the emotion of the Man.

GAMER
Well isn't a little late to be this lively?

The Man grabs the Gamer by the scruff of his ascot.

MAN
I'll show you fucking lively!

The Gamer not intimidated by this aggression grabs his wrist and pulls away from his grasp quite easily.

GAMER
So many questions not enough time. How about this? Let's play a game, if you beat me I'll tell you everything you want to know. How's that sound?

MAN
I already told you no more games!

GAMER
Really honestly this is getting quite boring. I'm throwing you a bone here. A game of questions and you'll find your answers. Want to play?

MAN
Are games all you can think about!?

GAMER
What else is there to think about?

MAN
Anything else! Like Lo——

GAMER
Statement. One - love. Would you like to try again?

The RUMBLING grows louder.

MAN
I said I wasn't playing!

GAMER
Statement again. Two - love.

The Man is angrily pacing in frustration.

MAN
How is this meant to help me find answers?

GAMER
Where do answers come from?

MAN
Asking questions?

GAMER
What questions?

MAN
The right questions.

GAMER
Foul. Statement. Three - love and game.

The Man and the Gamer circle around each other and physically switch sides. Similar to tennis.

GAMER
What are you scared of?

The man intentionally decides to play.

MAN
Uh——

GAMER
Foul. Hesitation. One - Love.

MAN
What is there to be scared off?

GAMER
Are you scared of me?

MAN
Who are you?

GAMER
Who do you think I am?

MAN
Foul! No Rhetoric. One all.

The Gamer lets out a curled smile, delighted that the game has now begun.

The RUMBLING grows louder

GAMER
What are you doing here?

MAN
Where is here?

GAMER
Can't you remember?

MAN
What?

GAMER
Are you deaf?

MAN
Am I Dead?

GAMER
Can't you tell?

MAN
Am I Dead?

GAMER
Foul! No repetition. Two - One.

The Man was stunned at the idea of him being dead. He recovers himself.

MAN
Do you know who is coming?

GAMER
Don't you?

MAN
How could you know?

GAMER
Can't you remember?

MAN
Remember what?

GAMER
You've forgotten already?

MAN
Foul! No Synonyms. Two all, Game point.

GAMER
What's your name?

MAN
What's yours?

GAMER
Do you believe in a Afterlife?

MAN
Foul! No non-sequiturs. Three - Two. One Game all.

Both men are dialed into the match.

MAN
Are you Death?

GAMER
Who's asking?

MAN
Is this fun for you?

GAMER
Is what?

MAN
Is this!

GAMER
Foul. Statement. One - love.

The Man is beginning to piece everything together.

GAMER CONT'D
Are you catching on?

MAN
Have you come to warn me?

GAMER
Warn you from what?

MAN
Dying.

GAMER
Statement. Two - Love. Match Point.

The Man's adrenaline is high and is almost at full realization.

The RUMBLING is loud enough to make the room shake.

MAN
What can I do stop it?

GAMER
What choices do you have?

MAN
Does it matter?

GAMER
Isn't that what defines us?

MAN
Does it?

GAMER
How would you define death?

MAN
Paralysis.

The RUMBLING stops dead.

GAMER.
Game, Set and Match.

The Man at sits down at the table, exhausted from his bout of wits.

The Gamer wipes the sweat from his brow and approaches the man with his arm extended.

GAMER
Good Game.

The Man meets his arm and shakes his hand. Speechless he just nods to the Gamer. As he pulls his hand away he palmed something into the Man's hand.

He opens his palm with the TWO GOLD COINS from the chest.

The Gamer's watch beeps as he checks the time.

GAMER
That time already? Time for me to be heading out. They got me for the graveyard shift.

He begins to gather his things and walk across the living room to the far door. As he walks there he waves his hand over his head...

GAMER
Thanks for the Game. See you around.

He opens the door and all that can be heard is the sound of oars rowing against the river water. He walks through and closes the door behind him.

The Man still sitting slowly gets up. Looks at the clock, still on 4:45PM. He quietly and peacefully gets the table ready, brings the food over, sets the table. Finally goes down the hall to grab some nice dinner clothes.

The Man washes his face, shaves his beard, sprays cologne on, freshens up for this important occasion.

Comes out in very dapper attire, black suit and clean shoes. He sits at the dinner table. Turns on the Tv. Patiently waiting.

He has a face of concern and shock. Thinking quietly to himself his face begins to change to one excitement and purpose.

MAN
I still have time. It'll be different this time.

The doorbell rings with the same LOUD CHIME.

This time the Man doesn't flinch. His excitement fades. There is a somber and disappointing look briefly.

Pause for a Beat.

He looks at the TWO GOLD COINS in his hand.

He smiles. He's been expecting someone.

MAN
Coming!

He walks over to the front door. No hesitation or fear towards it. Just peace.

He opens the door. The sound of moving water and oars rowing against it.

He jingles the coins in his hand and goes out the front door. Door closes behind him.

All the clocks continue to tick normally. No longer stuck at 4:45PM.

Life Goes On.

Dinner left unattended as the TV reports a news update of a body found under the rubble of the local supermarket. The only casualty.



END.