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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

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