Except For Us

By Neitya Chauhan

SCENE 1 CHARACTER 1’S HOUSE - MIDNIGHT 

A movie, Fight Club, is playing in the background, a nail kit ready in between.

CHARACTER 1

(To the camera, happily)

Shh! They’re all upstairs, you might wake them!

CHARACTER 2:

(To the camera)

No, they won’t. You said yourself they’re heavy sleepers.

CHARACTER 1 puts a finger to her lips and shakes her head. She signed languages “no talking”.

CHARACTER 2:

I don’t know sign language, what the hell!

CHARACTER 1:

Then we whisper.

CHARACTER 1 starts doing a manicure on CHARACTER 2, and she starts to bleed.

CHARACTER 2:

Ouch!

CHARACTER 1:

Quit whining.

CHARACTER 2:

No! You hurt me, can’t you see how much it’s bleeding?

CHARACTER 1:

If you’re gonna complain, then just get out.

CHARACTER 2:

(Getting louder, angry)

Can’t you see! It’s your fault for not being careful! You’re never careful! You never do this to anyone but me!

CHARACTER 1 sits in silence while CHARACTER 2 storms out. 

(Cuts to:)

CHARACTER 1 eating from a tub of Nutella, watching Fight Club.

(Cuts to:)

SCENE 2 CHARACTER 1’S ROOM - AFTERNOON

CHARACTER 1 is on a call.

CHARACTER 1:

No, I don’t need - well that’s the whole point, I’m alone… Don’t give me that- I don’t care, just… I’m hanging up now.

(Cuts to:)

CHARACTER 1 is on a walk and sees CHARACTER 2 in an alley, talking on the phone. CHARACTER 1 stops walking and looks at her pacing around

CHARACTER 2:

She doesn’t want to do anything with anyone, and that’s not my fault… Well maybe if she wasn’t so-

CHARACTER 2 sees CHARACTER 1 and stops pacing.

CHARACTER 2:

Maybe if she wasn’t so stubborn, I wouldn’t be talking to you right now. 

CHARACTER 1 looks a little angry and walks away. 

CHARACTER 2:

I gotta go.

CHARACTER 2 hangs up and runs.

CHARACTER 2:

Hey!

CHARACTER 1 stops and slowly turns around, looking at CHARACTER 2 (camera).

CHARACTER 2:

Where are you heading?

CHARACTER 1:

Out.

CHARACTER 2:

Out where?

CHARACTER 1 says nothing and stares at CHARACTER 2 (camera) maliciously.

CHARACTER 2:

Fine. Be like that.

CHARACTER 2 leaves, but keeps on looking back at CHARACTER 

1. CHARACTER 1 pulls out her phone

CHARACTER 1:

Hey sorry about earlier, is it still on?- No, I’d like to be alone, thanks- Don’t worry, I’m going to make it happen.

(Cuts to:)

SCENE 3 CHARACTER 1’S HOUSE - EVENING

CHARACTER 1 is playing the piano, but is interrupted by a call. CHARACTER 1 is unsurprised.

CHARACTER 1:

What do you want?

CHARACTER 2:

Want to go on a ride?

CHARACTER 1 looks out the window and sees CHARACTER 2 in the car, leaning over the head board. CHARACTER 1 leaves the window.

(Cuts to:)

CHARACTER 1 and CHARACTER 2 are in the car, CHARACTER 1 looking out the open window, driving around. No one talks, only listens to music. CHARACTER 1 looks at CHARACTER 2 (camera), and vice versa.

(Cuts to:)

The car pulls up to a park by a forest, and they walk into the forest. CHARACTER 1 turns on a flashlight and flashes it at CHARACTER 2, blinded by the light.

CHARACTER 2:

Keep that out of my face!

CHARACTER 1:

Whoops.

CHARACTER 1 leads them deeper into the forest, and they hear a branch crack. CHARACTER 2 is scared, but CHARACTER 1 is unfazed.

CHARACTER 2:

Why are we here?

CHARACTER 1:

I want to show you something.

(Cuts to:)

FLASHBACK: CHARACTER 1 in her room, broad daylight, smiling at CHARACTER 2 (camera).

(Cuts to:)

PRESENT:

CHARACTER 2:

Show me what?

(Cuts to:)

FLASHBACK:

CHARACTER 1:

I’ve always wondered how loyal you are-

(Cuts to:)

PRESENT:

CHARACTER 1:

I want to show you what I know. What I’ve seen.

(Cuts to:)

FLASHBACK:

CHARACTER 1:

What would you do-

(Cuts to:)

PRESENT:

CHARACTER 1:

It’s deep in the forest. Do you trust me?

(Cuts to:)

SCENE 4, FLASHBACK: CHARACTER 1’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON

CHARACTER 1:

If I killed a body?

CHARACTER 2:

What?

CHARACTER 1:

No like, what if it was my ex, and he cheated on me, and I wanted revenge so I killed him. What would you do?

CHARACTER 2:

Nothing. I would pretend you never even told me.

CHARACTER 1:

Wrong answer. Try again.

CHARACTER 2:

I’m not helping you, that’s for sure.

CHARACTER 1:

Wrong again. I’ll give you one last try.

CHARACTER 2:

What, should I take the blame?

CHARACTER 1 smiles.

(Cuts to:)

There is a body in the middle of the forest. It is CHARACTER 2’s dead body. CHARACTER 2’s body screams.

SCENE 5, THE FOREST - MIDNIGHT

CHARACTER 1 is holding a knife, blood all over her face. She stands over CHARACTER 2’s body, staring at her. She reaches towards her and grabs her face to face her.

CHARACTER 1:

You committed suicide. You took the knife to your throat and cut yourself, and I knew nothing about it.

CHARACTER 1 walks away from the body.  

(Cuts to:)

SCENE 6, FLASHBACK: CHARACTER 1’S BEDROOM - MIDNIGHT

CHARACTER 1 turns around to look up at the camera, blood still on her face, curious and proud. The wall is covered with posters, but it’s incomplete.

Voiceover (CHARACTER 1):

I have one thing to accomplish. To cover up every inch of the wall. To show my passion. What more can I do, you know? After all, all I can do is sit back and let everything happen in front of my eyes, let it all play out. 

CHARACTER 1 puts up another poster, carefully.

VOICEOVER (CHARACTER 2):

What if something happens?

VOICEOVER (CHARACTER 1):

Nothing’s going to happen, but if it does, it’ll be your fault.

CHARACTER 1 steps away from the wall. The poster is CHARACTER 2’s dead body, with the title, ‘Except For Us’.

THE END.

By Neitya Chauhan