ACT IV - THE CHOWs

Music Rhythm for Scenes 1-6: "FairyTale" by A. RYBAK

https://youtu.be/WXwgZL4zx9o

SCENE 1 - EXT. TOWNHOUSES - MORNING

A morning sun shines over a row of townhouses in the suburbs. One of them is decorated with Chinese red lanterns on the outside, a yellow Aiways A6 car is parked in the front yard.

A black car, with blacked-out windows, slows down, breaks, and parks across the street. The engine shuts off but nobody comes out.

SCENE 2 - INT. SKY'S BEDROOM - MORNING

Sky's bedroom - Chinese style, extremely tidy with the exception of scattered painted canvas and a huge number of rainbows over the walls.

RAINBOW, Sky's cat, is at the foot of the bed supervising the girl's tormented sleep.

Sky rolls under the sheets finally stopping on her back - her eyes wide open, her eyelids blinking without rest.

The desktop monitor lights on - yellowish.

COMPUTER SCREEN CHARS ON MONITOR: Connecting to Lexa. Connection OK. Acquiring Planet Synth's data.

Note by the Author - for the scenes taking place in this alternative world, The Synth, the scene title is aligned to the right (I normally use a different color to highlight them in my original scripts).

SCENE 3 - EXT. THE SYNTH - DAY

An extremely green environment, lush vegetation of trees, and a wild river.

SUPERIMPOSE: The Synth. A Planet not so far away in the Multiverse.

A bird follows the river upstream. It tilts up over a tumbling waterfall towards a first sun still high in the blue, while a second one, dark orange, stands slightly over the horizon. A giant moon is hanging in the sky nearby the orange sun.

One hundred meters from the waterfall, a raft is struggling in the middle of the water whirlpools.

DOCK (14) and ENGINE (14) are pulling a first rope that makes the raft move through the river. CRASH (14) and BLASTER (14) take care of a second rope. FLAIR (14) handles a long pole downstream as a stabilizer.

The group resembles humans from far. But getting closer, they are shorter and definitely more "tanky" than normal. And their ears -- oh Lord -- their long, sleek, and pointy ears would be the envy even of Elves.

DOCK
So far so good, but now comes the worst part.

ENGINE
We need to carefully pull the rope.

CRASH
Negative, we need to pull it as if there's no tomorrow.

Crash and Blaster start pulling as a locomotive, making the raft move faster but slightly rotate.

FLAIR
Hold on hold on! The damn pole is bowing! Hold on!

CRASH
Push!

BLASTER
Push!

On one of the river's banks, ANIMÉ (14) is riding HAMMER, the soul of a horse trapped in a rhino-shaped body.

ANIMÉ
Hammer, keep it tight. Keep the position.

Hammer snorts, its legs shaking from the immense effort.
On the other bank, GULLY, a mechanical Hulk-like robot, is trying to keep the two ropes steady.

GULLY
Do not rip that hard, kiddos.

Back on the raft.

BLASTER
We're doing it. Come on come on.

ENGINE
The strength is worthless without contr--ol...

FLAIR
Oh my gosh!

The pole produces a dry sound of cracking. And it breaks!
Flair grasps Dock's foot to avoid slipping into the water.

The raft suddenly twists. SNAP!

The rope pulled by Crash and Blaster breaks. Blaster manages to hang on the metal rope ring. Crash poorly dives into the river and is taken away by the current.

SCENE 4 - INT. SKY'S BEDROOM - MORNING

Sky suddenly sits on her bed - she is still sleeping and her eyelids are blinking. Rainbow gets scared and jumps hiding under the desk. Sky lies again on her back.

SKY
(muttering)
Can you see him from there?

SCENE 5 - EXT. THE SYNTH - DAY

Hammer starts stepping back helped by Animé, who promptly gets off from the rhino-horse.

Blaster and Flair join Dock and Engine in pulling their rope.
They finally land on Animé's side of the river. Gully falls on his knees for a second, then starts running to the waterfall.

GULLY
(shouting to Animé)
Run! We must try to catch the squatty boy!

Animé jumps back on Hammer, still with the broken rope in its mouth. They sprint at full gallop until they reach the rocks over the waterfall. Animé gets off but there is no sign of Crash. Gully appears on the other side of the river.

ANIMÉ
(shouting to Gully)
Can you see him from there?

Gully shakes his head - negative.

ANIMÉ
(shouting louder)
We need to check down!

CRASH
Instead of shouting you better just look down...

Animé lays down and leans out of the rocks. Crash is hanging with one hand on a ledge, swinging. She takes the broken rope from Hammer's mouth, tights it to the animal, and finally throws it down. Crash is lifted up till he is safely crawling on the rocks.

The rest of the group, running, join them.

CRASH
Holy knickers of Gertrude! That was a close shave! Shouldn't it be a standard training session?

A burst of liberating laughter - they lay on their backs looking at the two suns.

SCENE 6 - INT. SKY'S BEDROOM - MORNING

Sky wakes up smiling - the dream still alive in her eyes. Rainbow is quietly sleeping under the desk.
The girl starts performing some Aikido techniques stretching her back and waking her bones up.

A red bulb, over the top of the room's window, lights up - it resembles a kind of alarm. Sky opens the curtains.
Eva is staring at her from the window of the neighbor's house - she is sitting on the windowsill.

EVA
Ciao Sky.

SKY
(pointing to the red bulb)
Morning Eva, what's up?

EVA
Nothing. It's just that I had a weird dream --

SKY
-- Then you're not alone.

EVA
I was at school. But all the other students were Bone-grinders!

SKY
Fuck!

EVA
What?

SKY
I dreamt about Bone-grinders too...

EVA
(smiling)
Fuck!

SKY
I told you. You are a fucking good storyteller. Your game campaign was so perfect that it came out in our dreams.

They start laughing. Then they move back to their rooms.

EVA
See you after breakfast.

Sky opens a drawer, gets some clothes, and starts dressing.

COMPUTER SCREEN CHARACTER ON MONITOR: Synth's data acquired.

The monitor shuts down.

SCENE 7 - I/E. CHOW HOUSE KITCHEN - MORNING

Music Rhythm for Scenes 7-8: "Mercy" by SHAWN MENDES.

https://youtu.be/KkGVmN68ByU

Sky is setting the kitchen table - three dishes, three glasses, three forks, and three knives.

MRS. CHOW (42), impeccably dressed, is standing in front of the stove. The meal is ready and she is preparing a tray with some breakfast food, fresh orange juice, and a white rose.

She is smiling, until she turns and spots the table prepared for three people. Her smile stones on her face while her eyes intercept those of the daughter.

SKY
He's again not coming down for eating, right? Is he still sleeping?

MRS CHOW
(looking up)
Coding software on his computer. He's been up all night.

SKY
Mum, years have passed since that -- since that damn day. He should let it go, and forgive himself. I mean -- it wasn't his fault.

MRS CHOW
He can't.

SKY
Seriously, mum. He needs a shrink or a Buddhist priest or -- or whatever. But a good one.

Mrs. Chow hopelessly shrugs her shoulders in a "You know your father". She slowly moves.

SKY
Gimme the tray, mum. I'll bring it. You sit and have your tea, ok?

MRS CHOW
No need, dear.

Sky steps in front of her mother, quickly grasping the silver platter - the white rose vase swaying as a ship on the waves.

MRS CHOW
You'll be late at school.

SKY
It doesn't matter, Mum. It doesn't matter.

Mrs. Chow sits on a chair while Sky vanishes out of the kitchen door.

SCENE 8 - INT. CHOW HOUSE STUDIO - MORNING

Sky knocks on the door and enters her father's studio - a mess of printed papers and diagrams sketched on whiteboards. The curtains are closed, and a yellow light comes from a lamp on the working desk.

MR. CHOW (43) is sitting. He is heavy breathing, kind of snoring, behind the monitor of his computer. Under it, an ashtray full of cigarettes.

SKY
Dad? -- Dad?

Approaching the desk, she realizes her father is actually sleeping - his face looking at the ceiling.

SKY
(louder)
Dad? Breakfast ready.

Mr. Chow wakes up startled and surprised to see his daughter.

MR CHOW
Where's your mother?

SKY
Morning dad. She is sipping her tea downstairs. You should quit smoking.

Sky places the tray in front of a stretching Mr. Chow.

MR CHOW
You are right, cutie pie. Definitely right. First I solve this algorithm and then I quit. Promise.

SKY
Are you still trying to fix your software code?

MR CHOW
It is nearly done. Almost done yes.

SKY
Dad, you've been working on it for years. And anyway you can't fix the past. You can't change what happened - you should see a doctor.

MR CHOW
You are right, cutie pie. Definitely right. I am almost done with it. Nearly done. I solve it and then I see a doctor. Promise.

Mr. Chow does not look at Sky even once. He is typing on his keyboard, staring at the monitor, and now and then eating something from the tray.

Sky sighs taking a look at the walls - old photographs of a happy family, an old world now gone. Then she moves to leave, stopping at the door.

SKY
And dad -- you should take mum out to dinner sometimes.

She goes out, she already knows his answer.

MR CHOW (O.S.)
You are right, cutie pie. Definitely right. I am almost done. Almost done with it. I solve it and then I bring your mother to a restaurant. The best one. Promise.

END OF ACT IV