HELPLESS
Written by Jafei Pollitt
Auburn - A young woman
Pastel - the guide.
INT. AUBURNS ROOM - NIGHT
AUBURN lays on the hardwood floor of her room. Her eyes are closed and she’s trying to take deep breaths in between hiccups from crying. The kind where you can’t catch your breath.
She has earbuds in. Listening to Ratatat’s “Loud Pipes.”
AUBURN
(Wiping away tears)
Fucking hell.
PASTEL emerges next to her like a ghost. She empathy cries alongside AUBURN. AUBURN looks over at her.
AUBURN
Shut up.
PASTEL stops crying on cue. She looks at AUBURN with intensity.
PASTEL
Nothing?
AUBURN
Yes, nothing.
PASTEL
Must be something.
AUBURN
I’m sure it is something.
(hiccup)
Just something I can’t get my finger latched onto.
PASTEL
Mmm. I always know.
AUBURN
I know you do. Good for you.
PASTEL takes a deep, empathetic breath. She stares at AUBURN.
PASTEL
This is the first.
AUBURN
The first without knowing why?
(hiccup)
Yes.
PASTEL
We need to find why.
AUBURN
Go for it - I’m going to just cry. Get it out like a bad virus.
PASTEL
Uncontrollable.
AUBURN
You wouldn't know what that is.
PASTEL
No. I wouldn’t.
AUBURN
Right.
Beat.
PASTEL
Let's list out things.
AUBURN
I don’t know. Truly, I’m racking my brain. I have no idea - I think it’s - I think I’ve reached that climax in life where I finally don’t know why.
PASTEL
Kids also don’t know why they cry.
AUBURN
Kids are stupid.
PASTEL
Maybe you are stupid too.
AUBURN
Thanks.
PASTEL
You’re welcome.
AUBURN
I need to let it run its course. Like a period.
PASTEL
A cry period.
AUBURN
(laughing)
Yeah, like a period for your eyes.
PASTEL
Sounds unpleasant.
AUBURN
You can go. I just need to breathe a little.
PASTEL stares at AUBURN.
PASTEL
No. I will stay. Best if I stay now.
AUBURN
(Rolling her eyes)
Jesus.
AUBURN and PASTEL look at the ceiling of her bedroom. AUBURN takes deep breathe and with each one she gets a little better and then tumbles into another episode. PASTEL lies beside her taking empathetic deep breathes. PASTEL tries to empathy cry again, but AUBURN puts her hand over PASTEL’s mouth to quiet her.
END