Work Text:
Respite
INT. CAR - LATE AFTERNOON, SUMMER
1
MEDIUM CLOSE-UP, 2-SHOT, ANGLED
WE are in the car, looking at HERO and MARI from the top left corner of the window. WE are close to HERO's face and eye-level. From our right, we see MARI from waist up. Outside of the car is the blistering heat of the Mojave desert. HERO and MARI are dressed plainly but appropriately for the hot weather. The CAR'S A/C is on lightly, no music plays from the radio.
HERO sits slightly slumped. The side of his head rests lightly on his shoulder. He stares out of the window from the corner of his eyes, looking tired and slightly depressed. MARI looks to the front and is considerably more joyful. She occasionally looks over at HERO. There is silence for the first half a minute. Eventually, MARI breaks the silence.
MARI
(with excitement, no eye contact)
Well, here we are, on the long way home finally. I mean, don't get me wrong, Vegas is pretty beautiful at night. But, I was just starting to get homesick, just a little. Wondering what Sunny and Kel and Basil and Aubrey are all doing back there alone and without us, you know?
HERO
(silence)
MARI
(continuing on, still with energy)
Eh, I'm sure they're doing just fine. Not like we have to worry much now that we're on our way back home. Back home to Faraway. I know, far departure from the lights and sounds of Vegas. ...I really did enjoy myself there, though, it was fun! It's very... what's the word... picturesque? I think so, right?
HERO
(devoid of energy)
...Yeah. It is.
MARI
Mhm. We go from a city of dreams with just the two of us... to some small town again, huh? And there's like what, all the other things we have to worry about once we get back? Your parents are probably worried sick about you like mine are, right? Oh, and don't we have to get ready to move out late summer for med school?
HERO
...Guess so.
MARI
Yeah, that's gonna suck a little bit. But, we'll get through it like we usually do, right?
MEDIUM, 2-SHOT, THROUGH WIND SHIELD
MARI looks over at HERO and places a reassuring hand on his thigh. HERO jolts a little from the contact and slowly turns his head to look at her hand. His breathing starts speeding up. He almost looks a little disgusted.
MARI
(with a smile, jokingly)
Ground Control to Major Hero, come in?
HERO momentarily makes eye contact with MARI. They look away. MARI removes her hand from HERO's thigh.
MARI
(growing concern)
Are you okay, Hero?
HERO
(silence)
MARI
What? Hero, what's wrong? What is it?
HERO
(looking tense)
...Stop the car.
MARI
(from concern to distress)
Wait, why? What happened?
HERO
(antsy, fumbling with seatbelt)
I need to get out.
MARI
Why? Do you need to pee or something?
HERO
No, just stop the car.
MARI
What, are you sick- do you feel sick?
HERO
(increasing impatience)
Yeah.
MARI
Are you gonna throw up or?-
HERO
I might.
MARI
(composing self but still distressed)
Oh we really shouldn't have drank that much last night. I told you those were too many mimosas. Oh geez-
EXT. OUTSIDE CAR, SIDE OF DESOLATE ROAD
2
WE watch as their car slowly comes to a stop on the shoulder of the road. HERO exits the car immediately and walks towards the back of the car.
RETURN TO THROUGH WIND SHIELD
MARI
Though I gotta admit, you're pretty fun when you're tipsy, haha!
HERO
(banging on the trunk)
Open the trunk!
MARI
(surprised)
Huh? What- why do you want me to open the trunk?
HERO
I need to get into my suitcase!
MARI
Hero, you're starting to freak me out a little bit! Is there something you're not telling me? Hero, please!
HERO
Look I just-... I'm gonna be very ill if I don't get into my suitcase. Please just open the trunk.
MARI
Hero, we've been in this for like... one, two years now... you have a lot of explaining to do after. You can't keep things like this from me...
RETURN TO SIDE OF ROAD
MARI complies and opens the trunk for HERO. She sits back, looking peeved and concerned. WE see the vast stretch of empty, hot desert in the background. HERO zips open the suit case and pulls out a set of clothes, putting them to the side. He starts to strip down to his underwear and begins to change into the set of clothes. MARI eventually looks back and sees what he's doing.
MARI
(confusion)
What the... Hero, what are-... huh?
MARI steps out of the car and walks on over to the back of it.
MEDIUM, 2-SHOT, HERO CLOSER TO LEFT
As MARI approaches HERO, we see the clothes HERO retrieved from his suitcase was a clean but wrinkled chef uniform: black pants and white jacket. He is buttoning up the jacket while MARI watches in disbelief. The wind blows stiffly.
MARI
Hero, what on Earth are you doing? Why are you in a... chef's uniform?
HERO
(silent for a moment)
...I'm going for a walk.
RETURN TO SIDE OF ROAD
MARI
A walk? Out here, in the middle of the Mojave desert? What?
HERO
Yeah.
RETURN TO 2-SHOT TRUNK
MARI
Well then why don't we just... go for a walk somewhere else and not... here in the middle of the desert? Because this is kinda creepy, Hero.
HERO
You can leave if you want.
MARI
(even more confused, gawked at his audacity)
What the-... what did you just say?
HERO
I said you can leave if you want.
MARI
I-... Hero, I'm not just gonna leave you out in the middle of the desert!
MEDIUM, MARI SLIGHTLY OFF-CENTRE
MARI
Not even like a few hours ago you were fine and cheerful and talking about how life would be together at uni and... I don't even know what you're doing now! Hero, please... let's just get back in the car...
MEDIUM, HERO IN CENTRE
HERO
...I'm going... for a walk.
HERO turns around and starts walking off into the desert. MARI looks on with disbelief. She is confused, disturbed, and panicked.
RETURN TO OFF-CENTRE MARI
MARI
Hero! Hero, come back!
...
...Hero!
RETURN TO SIDE OF ROAD
WE watch as HERO walks off into the distance. MARI throws her hands up in the air in frustration and slams them back down on the trunk, shutting it. She marches back over to the front of the car and gets in the drive's seat, slamming the door.
RETURN TO THROUGH WIND SHIELD
MARI frantically digs into her purse for her phone. She pulls out a small flip phone and starts punching numbers in. She brings the phone up to her ear and waits impatiently. After a bit, the voice message system responds to her.
VM VOICE
(through phone)
You have reached the voice mailbox of...
HERO'S PHONE
(through phone)
Hero? Hero is this thing on? I can't tell- is this how you do it?-
HERO'S MOTHER is abruptly cut by a beep, signalling to MARI to speak her message.
MARI
(frantic, distressed)
Hi, it's Mari. Look I-... we're out here in the desert right now somewhere near the I15 and... Hero is kind of freaking me out here...! I don't know what's up with him but he's just... outside walking right now and I... I feel like he's hiding something from me, I don't know. If... if there's anything you need to tell me, please do!
MARI hangs up and chucks the phone away. Hands on the steering wheel, she sighs and looks down for a while before looking back up and out the window, watching Hero continuing through the desert. The sun ever-so-slowly sets a bit. After enough waiting, MARI decides to get out of the car.
EXT. MOJAVE DESERT - EARLY EVENING
3
LONG SHOT, PAN AS MARI WALKS TO HERO
WE watch as MARI walks over to HERO. HERO is now standing still, looking towards the peaks as the wind makes his clothes and his hair flap in the wind.
MEDIUM, 2-SHOT, HERO UP FRONT & MARI OFF-CENTRE BACK
MARI eventually gets close enough to HERO. Fidgeting in front of her chest, she speaks up.
MARI
Hero... why are you... doing this...?
HERO
...You know, I always wanted to be a chef.
MARI
...Is-... is this what, made you go on a walk in a chef's uniform?
HERO
Now... I'm gonna be a... pre-med student against my will.
MARI
Well then... why are you still doing it then? Shouldn't you do something you enjoy and not-
HERO
(cutting her off, emotional)
I don't want to fail again! ...Not again.
MARI
Fail... fail who? If this is about your parents... I mean I, know they can be pretty strict and helicopter-ey sometimes but, I'm sure they would understand your decision in due time, right?-
HERO
(cutting again, teary-eyed)
Mari! I... I don't want to fail her again... I-... I failed her once... and...
MARI
(more solemn and gentle)
Hero...
MARI walks up closer to HERO until she is by his side.
MARI
...Sometimes... the hardest thing to do is to let things go, Hero.
HERO
(silence)
CLOSE-UP, MARI, SIDE OF HER HEAD
MARI
...It's never someone else's fault for these kinds of things... you couldn't have known...
...Yet you feel... obligated, don't you...? You feel trapped...
CLOSE-UP, HERO, SIDE OF HIS HEAD
HERO
(silence)
RETURN TO MARI CLOSE-UP
MARI
...That's why you came out all the way here, right?
...You want to feel free.
RETURN TO MEDIUM 2-SHOT
A tear rolls down HERO's cheek.
HERO
...Yes.
MARI
...Then you have to let go, Hero.
...You have to let go.
HERO
(silence)
MARI
...You've been through so much, Hero. And for that, I'm sorry.
...It's hard, watching you from up there. But... just know that...
...I'm proud of how tough you are. How much you're roughing through it... without me.
HERO
...
...I miss you.
MARI
...I'm always by your side.
...
...Get some rest, Hero. You deserve a break.
RETURN TO HERO CLOSE-UP
HERO
Mari I-
As HERO turns his head to the side, WE see that there was no one by his side to begin with.
LONG SHOT
WE see that HERO is left alone in the middle of the windy desert as the sun begins to set. He stands there for a while, looking down at his side, quietly sobbing.
RETURN TO MEDIUM 2-SHOT (W/O MARI)
HERO eventually lifts his head up and wipes the tears off from his face. He stares towards the peaks and the horizon. Slowly, he recomposes himself and catches his breath through shaky, tearful gasps and sighs.
HERO finally pulls himself together and lets out one last big sigh. He turns around and starts walking back towards the car alone.
KEEP ANGLE, CREDITS FADING IN