You were starting to think it had gone a bit quiet hadn’t you? It’s true to say I don’t write every night, in fact I don’t usually plan when I do and the early stages of a script are the hardest because you haven’t got a foothold yet and nothing is making sense. Luckily I’ve hit the turning point in this one and now have a ‘feel’ for it, it’s mainly due to a last minute plan of adding in another character all together. How exactly would Tony start to doubt his surroundings? Originally I had the TV reports start to talk to him personally but this somehow seemed old hat and a bit one sided. It would just be a screen telling Tony what to do. Enter ‘Michael’ a man who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
Or ‘gob shite’ as they call them from where I’m from.
We’re up to page 14 now and it it certainly has rough patches but this is all draft one stuff.
Tony throws the book towards Andrea who catches it and places it back in her pocket.
ANDREA
Right, I’m going to get moving. Anything else you need?
TONY
Not that I can think of.
ANDREA
Okay, call me if you need me then and try to get some sleep.
Andrea exits the room, leaving Tony flicking through a puzzle book.
-
INT/ TONY’S BEDROOM/ NIGHT
Tony is in bed, not asleep, just resting.
There’s only the bare minimum of light.
He gets up, walks over to the window, pulls back the curtains.
He sees streets, city lights and cars moving.
He quickly closes the curtains again.
There is a knock at the door.
Tony looks shocked and stands perfectly still.
Another knock
Tony creeps towards the door, getting close to it.
TONY
Who’s there?
A male voice responds
VOICE
I’m here to tell you something.
TONY
Then tell me now.
VOICE
Open the door first.
TONY
Do you know what time this is?
VOICE
Yes, I have a watch.
Tony still pauses.
VOICE
Open the door.
Tony opens the door very slowly.
On the other side is a man wearing dark trouser, a shirt and tie. He wanders straight into the room, pushing past Tony.
VOICE
(Offering handshake)
The name’s Michael.
TONY
(Accepting handshake)
Tony
MICHAEL
Yeah I knew that.
TONY
It’s 3am by the way.
MICHAEL
Were you asleep?
TONY
Well, not really.
MICHAEL
I knew that.
TONY
You seem to know a lot.
MICHAEL
I’ve been living opposite for the last few weeks and I started thinking about you.
TONY
Me?
MICHAEL
You never leave the house, you only get one visitor.
TONY
I’m just not that social.
MICHAEL
And that one visitor is a woman. She’s either your Mum who keeps up a good skincare regime or newly qualified hooker.
TONY
Excuse me?
MICHAEL
Well which is it?
TONY
Have you just come round here to offend me?
MICHAEL
No, this is a social visit. I am visiting you, I am greeting you in the warmest possible circumstances.
TONY
At 3am.
MICHAEL
At 3am.
TONY
The time means nothing to you does it?
MICHAEL
Does it mean anything to you? You’re probably awake through most of it right?
TONY
How do you know?
MICHAEL
It’s a lucky guess, you’ve just confirmed it by agreeing.
Michael picks up the box of pills.
MICHAEL
What are these?
TONY
My pills.
MICHAEL
It’s nothing contagious is it? Are you in quarantine?
TONY
No, just vitamins.
MICHAEL
Why?
TONY
Because I’m not exactly walking in sunshine right now.
MICHAEL
You don’t need these, seriously stop taking them. Just eat some food or something y’know.
TONY
Thanks for the great advice, shouldn’t you be going?
MICHAEL
Let me show you something.
TONY
What?
MICHAEL
Just follow me.
Michael moves towards the door.
He stands in the doorway gesturing to Tony
Tony eventually follows him.
They walks down the corridor together.
MICHAEL
Just so you know I live right over there.
He points towards a door.
TONY
Great, fantastic.
MICHAEL
Any time you need somebody to talk to, a shoulder, anything you come round right?
TONY
Why are you doing this?
MICHAEL
Doing what, reaching out to a friend?
TONY
I’m not your friend.
MICHAEL
I’m hurt, really hurt. You might not be now but you’ll soon be. Consider something for me?
TONY
What?
Michael opens the door to his flat.
MICHAEL
When was the last time you made it as far as the lifts?
Michael closes the door behind him leaving Tony in the corridor alone.
Tony stands looking around, shocked amazement.
He runs back to his own door, shutting it behind him.
-
INT/ TONY’S FLAT/ DAY
Andrea and Tony sit drinking coffee.
ANDREA
You left your flat?
TONY
Yeah, there was this guy here.
ANDREA
Who?
TONY
Called himself Michael, lives down the hall apparently.
ANDREA
And he visited you when?
TONY
3am.
ANDREA
Who visits people at 3am?
TONY
He does it would seem.
ANDREA
Why did you open the door anyway?
TONY
I thought I was dreaming it.
ANDREA
And you had to open it to make sure.
TONY
Pretty much. He showed me where he lives.
ANDREA
What do you mean ‘showed you’?
TONY
We were out in the hall.
ANDREA
What were you doing there? You haven’t went beyond that front door in months.
TONY
It just kinda happened.
ANDREA
Well ignore him, I don’t think anybody should be coming into other people’s homes when they might just be asleep.
TONY
I think he was just one of these crazy guys.
ANDREA
Thin line between crazy and idiot. Where does heE
<p align="CENTER"0D
TONY
Out the door, turn right, last one before the lifts.
ANDREA
If he knocks again let me know, I’ll be knocking on his door when he’s trying to sleep, see how he likes that.
TONY
He sounds like he’d enjoy the company.
ANDREA
Have you taken your pill today?
TONY
Not yet, I’ll take it soon.
ANDREA
You’d better, you’ll look even worse if you don’t.
TONY
Thanks for the uplift in confidence.
Andrea gathers her things.
ANDREA
That’s what I’m here for.
She leaves the room.
-
INT/ TONY’S ROOM/ NIGHT
Tony sits alone.
A knock at the door.
Tony goes straight over and opens it.
Michael wanders in again.
TONY
My friend isn’t happy with you
MICHAEL
Who? Your sister?
TONY
She’s not my sister.
MICHAEL
Then it’s okay for me to fancy her a little bit then.
TONY
You’re not here at your usual hour?
MICHAEL
I can go and come back if you want to?
TONY
No, it’s okay.
Michael looks on the table.
MICHAEL
38.
TONY
Sorry?
MICHAEL
38 pills left in that packet.
TONY
Really?
MICHAEL
38 yesterday too, you didn’t take one today did you.
TONY
I forgot.
MICHAEL
And yet you live, amazing isn’t it?
TONY
If you say so.
Michael tilts his ear towards the ground.
MICHAEL
Did you hear that?
TONY
(looking confused)
What?
MICHAEL
(points at the wall)
That!
There is no obvious noise.
MICHAEL
No wonder you’re not sleeping with that.
TONY
What?
MICHAEL
You seriously can’t heard that?
TONY
No, there’s nothing.
MICHAEL
When I was a kid I always had a thing for being able to pick up high frequency sounds. You have this high pitched buzz coming from your wall.
TONY
Stop being a fool.
MICHAEL
Look I’m trying to help you here, no wonder you’re not sleeping if this is all your hearing. You might not be hearing it but I’m pretty sure your brain will be.
TONY
How is that even possible?
MICHAEL
Get me a spoon or something.
TONY
Why?
MICHAEL
Just do it!
Tony searches around for an implement.
He finds a fork.
TONY
I’ve only got this.
Michael snatches it.
MICHAEL
It’ll do nicely.
TONY
What are you…
Michael starts jabbing part of the wall next to window.
TONY
(Shocked)
Have you gone mental? Why are you doing that?
MICHAEL
It’ll just be a small hole, something’s making this noise.
TONY
The only noise now is you gouging lumps out of my wall!
MICHAEL
It’s minor, a bit of plaster after this and you’ll be fine.
