Catfish

By H.Yashnashree

EXT Scene 1: Thunder beaten lake–evening

Screenshot of a weather-beaten lake.

INT Scene 2: Thunder- beaten lake- evening

As the thunder crashes outside the lake. The water ripples inside.

INT Scene 3: Quiet–bright room- evening

A short-haired Yashnashree writes her diary with her newly adopted kitten in hand.

EXT Scene 4: Between roads India- evening

Padma Rao and Priya Patil walk past people. They look very suspicious.

Priya (Welsh accent)

“Why do we look so suspicious?”

Padma (German accent)

“Dunno”

EXT Scene 5: Thunder- beaten lake–evening

Inside, something is happening, and a glow of light flutters outside the water.

INT Scene 6: Quiet bright room–evening

"Yashna", down-stairs a call fades to her room.

EXT Scene 7: Yashna–house gate- evening

Outside Yashna’s house is a van that zooms quickly away from sight.

INT Scene 8: Yashna house- evening

Yashna went down to see and got a shock of life.

INT Scene 9: Yashna house- night

Yashna’s parents were gone, and the house was in darkness.

EXT Scene 10: Garden- night

Yashna went out for fresh air and somebody put a gag on her, and she fainted.

EXT Scene 11: Speed off- night

The van with Yashna took off somewhere.

INT Scene 12: Bare cellar- morning

When Yashna came to, she noticed how long the walls were, a hanging bed, and rigid cellars.

EXT Scene 13: Bare cellar–morning

Outside, Yashna heard voices it was coming from below the window.

Woman -1 (Surprise)

“You got back Priya?”

Priya (yawns)

“Yes! Padma”

She learned the kidnapper's name and brushed her out of the gloomy window to learn more.

EXT Scene 14: Bare cellar–morning

Talking continued….

Padma

“She does not have the merkat?”

Priya

“Yup,”

INT Scene-15: Bare cellar–morning

There came a muffled noise from up.

INT Scene 16: Bare cellar–morning

There was a boy of Yashna’s age and was peeping below a hanging bed beside Yashna.

INT Scene 17: Bare cellar–morning

The boy was unhappy with whipcord as well.

INT Scene 18: Bare cellar–morning

Yashna and the boy’s gag were removed by Padma, who came in to, fed us both, who were hungry.

EXT Scene 19: Forest–morning

The window was finally opened and Yashna quickly jumped out without thinking twice.

EXT Scene 20: Forest–afternoon

Yashna grabbed a vine and slid on the lush tree.

EXT Scene 21: Forest–afternoon

Yashna sat and threw the vine to the window.

EXT Scene 22: Forest–afternoon

The boy swung out, scared.

EXT Scene 23: Ground–afternoon

Yashna swung after him, and they landed.

INT Scene 24: Subway- afternoon

Establishing hot of a metallic subway.

INT Scene 25: Subway–afternoon

Boy (chuckles) (Indian accent)

“You want to know how I am?”

Yashna (thinks) (Indian accent)

“You were so silent, sure."

The boy removed his shaggy bags and revealed a vaguely familiar tone of voice.

EXT Scene 26: Subway station–evening

Boy (Gleefully)

“I am Vivekananda, Yashna,”

Vivek was her classmate at school.

Ext Scene 27: Bare cellar–evening

Padma and Priya were fretting like anything because the children had escaped.

Padma (scowls)

“She has the merkat and doesn’t know what it is."

Priya (groans)

“Blame yourself”

EXT Scene 28: Subway- evening

Yashna never knew that her classmate was so good at disguises.

Vivekananda (yawns)

“After one whole hour, we are going home."

Yashna (growls)

“I can’t believe that we are….”

EXT Scene 29: Station–evening

Before Yashna could finish her sentence, Vivek dragged her out and ….

Vivek (whisper)

“I think that the burly man is Padma’s henchman."

EXT Scene 30: Yashna’s home–night

Vivek walked with Yashna to her house.

EXT Scene 31: Yashna’s house–night

Safely tucked in an aquarium of Yashna’s fish for entertainment, her cat was clawing at it. (the fishes).

INT Scene 32: Yashna’s house–night (while stroking the cat)

Yashna

“I will name him Fishy."

Vivek (curiously)

“What was that merkat they were talking about?”

Yashna

“Dunno”

INT Scene 33: Yashna’s house–night

Suddenly, Fishy turned into a cat with a fishtail.

INT Scene 34: Yashna’s house–night

Fishy (solemnly) (accent none)

“My real name is Catfish”

Yashna(stammer)

“What?”

EXT Scene 35: Weather-beaten lake–dawn

Catfish

“Could you take me to your nearby lake?”

Yashna

“Sure, do you swim in the water?”

Vivek

“So funny”

EXT Scene 36: Weather-beaten lake–dawn

The group came to the old lake.

Catfish

“You can have three wishes, say them."

Yashna

1. Question 2

2. Take Vivek to his home.

3. Yesterday and today, my parents were missing. I need them.

EXT Scene 37: Weather-beaten lake–dawn

Catfish

“What question?”

Yashna

“Why did Padma and Priya kidnap us, forgetting you? How do they know you are a merkat?”

Catfish

Padma was walking and saw your parents and you were playing with me by the window.

Padma and Priya are twins, who got me as a birthday present. After seeing you with me, they

felt jealous and…..

Yashna and Vivek

And…?

Catfish

And I had revealed that I was a merkat.

EXT Scene 38: Weather-beaten lake–dawn

Awkward silence.

EXT Scene 39: Weather beat lake–dawn

Vivek and Yashna

“Bye”

Catfish makes him disappear into his house.

EXT Scene 40: Weather-beaten lake

Yashna (hisses)

It is becoming morning fast

Catfish

Bye!

Yashna

Bye!

As Catfish disappears, Yashna’s parents appear and she went home happy.

The En

By H.Yashnashree