Ronan P. Betzler - Delay

Ronan P. Betzler 

Delay - The Clock

12/8/20

Elliot - 15

Quentin - 17

Ext. Woods - Afternoon 

The air was light, almost shimmering. ELLIOT, 15, a young man in a crown stepped out from behind a tree, he paces forward. 

The crown slides down his face and he quickly grabs it and places it back on his head.

Elliot

I’m going to find you Q! Where did you run off to? 

Elliot walks around, looking down, looking up, he begins walking backwards. One step at a time. 

He bumps into something and whips around. An old grandfather clock towers over him. There’s a note carved into the clock, it reads: ‘Elliot, gone exploring. I’ll be back before tonight’s Feast of Starlight. If I’m late, save me a piece of the pie.’ 

Ext. Woods - Night

Elliot, 28, sits in a chair in front of the grandfather clock. A piece of pie in his lap and a crown on his head, he tosses stones into the air and they float. He flicks his wrist and they hit the old clock.

Elliot

(whispering)

Q, where did you run off to?

Ext. Woods - Day 

Elliot, 36, a royal crown tops his head and a cape on his shoulders, a piece of pie in his hands. He sits on a picnic blanket, a feast lay before him. He is dozing off. 

We hear a creak and Elliot jolts up. The grandfather clock is opening. QUENTIN, 17, steps out of the clock. He locks eyes with Elliot. 

Quentin

Wow, um, uh, hi. You look just like my friend EL.

Elliot stands up and walks towards Q. 

Elliot

Q, where did you run off to? 

Quentin

Oh my- EL- What? 

Quentin laughs. 

Quentin (cont’d) 

(to himself) 

I suppose I was gone longer than I intended. 

Elliot hugs Quentin. He towers over the now younger boy. 

Elliot Where have you been?

Quentin steps back. 

Quentin

EL, you’ll never believe it. I went through

this manky old clock to a place called

Amer-I-CA. They have these! 

Quentin holds up a sloppy joe.