Work Text:
SCENE 1: INTERIOR - DARWIN’S THEORY ROOM - AROUND 10 PM
Camera pans across a calendar on the wall revealing the time period (JUNE 23 1989) newspaper articles discussing the hottest new celebrity couples and then reaching DARWIN(Conspiracy Theorist who wants people to believe him) all alone and pinning red string to a board
DARWIN
“Well if this goes there, and then a few people went missing here, and all the new construction sites, cutting down more and more of the local forest... [long pause as he comes to his conclusion] It has to be aliens seeking to deplete our natural resources and take over our society from the inside!”
DARWIN stands back admiring his work, on the board are various clippings of articles reporting missing persons, one of them mentioning by name CALEB MILLER, connected by red string to advertisements for new buildings, and various blurry images of aliens
DARWIN
“Seriously, it's so obvious! I don’t know how people don’t see it. Well, maybe they will now!”
DARWIN reaches through the mess on his desk and grabs his red touch tone telephone
DARWIN
“Hello Lydia from radio channel 2.016, its Darwin again here to tell you that-”
FADES OUT to DARWIN in a different pose, again on his telephone
DARWIN
“Listen, Jessi, I promise it’s different this time-”
FADES OUT to DARWIN in a different pose, again on his telephone
DARWIN
“PLEASE WON’T YOU JUST HEAR ME OUT-”
The line cuts short and DARWIN mouths angrily at the phone before gently setting it down and slumping into his chair. He picks up a newspaper article ‘ANOTHER ARCADE WORKER GONE MISSING’
DARWIN
“How am I supposed to prove that aliens are taking us away one by one when no one will listen to me?? Isn’t there anyone that knows anything?”
DARWIN leans back in his chair until his head is upside down, then, in the corner of the floor DARWIN notices a piece of paper crumpled up. (POV shot of him looking at the paper, and close up of his face)
Cuts to Darwin picking the piece of paper, revealing it to be a note in his handwriting titled ‘living arcade machine’,but crossed out in red ink and marked as ‘HOAX’
DARWIN
(reminiscent)
“Well, this is a throwback. But maybe [hopeful] I wasn’t thorough enough when I declared it a hoax...And it’s not like I have any other leads..."
DARWN tucks the paper into his bag and leaves the room, camera pans back to the CALEB missing person article, scene fades to POLYBIUS in the arcade
SCENE 2: INTERIOR - ARCADE - AROUND 11:00 PM
Camera starts outside the arcade, with POLYBIUS visible through the windows, and zooms in until POLYBIUS takes up most of the screen. Audio clips of a heart beep, and breathing will be playing. The sound of a door being unlocked and then it switches to CALEB’s POV of DARWIN looking very ominous(perhaps an oblique angle) with his flashlight and cracked glasses, looking more confused as he steps closer, camera angle returns to being flat and DARWIN looks like a total nerd
DARWIN
“Ugh. I knew this would be pointless, just like before you seem to be a completely normal arcade machine. I mean, I thought maybe those beeps meant something, but it seems someone just forgot to turn you off...”
DARWIN looks behind the machine to the extension cables, close up shot of POLYBIUS not being plugged in
DARWIN
[excited)
“So you are alive! Ha ha! I knew it!”
DARWIN punches a few fists into the air, dropping his flashlight in the process. He quickly crouches down to pick it back up, then shakes some dust off his shoulders and clears his throat
DARWIN
“Apologies, that was unprofessional of me. [attempt at being charismatic] Greetings and Salutations Mr. Arcade Man. My name is Darwin Telitsyn and I was hoping you could answer a few questions I have.”
DARWIN sticks out his arm, crickets play as he waits for a shake, he then realizes and quickly brings it back, embarrassed, but tries to brush it off
DARWIN
“Uhm...well, do you have any way to communicate?”
Crickets play as we again get a pov shot from CALEB of DARWIN, who looks a bit prettier than he should be, switches to DARWIN’s pov of CALEB, until finally, the screen lights up
CALEB
[YES]
DARWIN gets super excited and whips out his notebook, scribbling stuff down.
DARWIN
“Wonderful. Now, do you know anything about the maintenance men that have gone missing in this very arcade?”
CALEB
[MAYBE]
DARWIN
“Well, what is it that you know? Have you seen any strange, unidentified flying objects? Any pillars of lights outside these windows? Any green little men?”
CALEB
[CANT RECALL]
DARWIN
[disappointed]
“...Seriously? But you’ve been here for like four years, and there hasn’t been any paranormal activity?"
CALEB
[IM NOT. A MACHINE]
[I CANT REMEMBER EVERYTHING]
DARWIN
“...I should have known this would be useless. Everything I think will work gives me nothing...I’ll be out of your hair- wires? I don’t know...Farewell Mr. Arcade Man.”
DARWIN begins to walk out
CALEB
[WAIT]
DARWIN turns to face the machine
CALEB
[I CAN REMEMBER]
[I JUST. NEED HELP]
[STAY]
[PLEASE]
DARWIN clenches the strap of his bag as he thinks
DARWIN
“It’s not like I have any better leads...What- do you need help with?””
CALEB
[I. NEED.]
[TO GET MYMY]
[MEMORY 100% RESTORED]
DARWIN
“And you think I can help?”
CALEB
[01011001 01000101 01010011]
[YOU SEEM LIKE A]
[CLEVER COOKIE]
DARINWIN
[flustered]
“You- you really think so?”
CALEB
[YEAAH]
DARWIN
“Well- then I won’t let you down! I’ll help you get your memory back!”
CALEB
[YAYAYAYAYAYAY]
[YAYAYAYAYAYAY]
*The yays fill up his screen
DARWIN
“To give me a basis...what are you able to remember? What even are you?”
CALEB
[H.HUMANH.M.]
DARWIN
[a little frightened]
“O-oh! I was thinking an AI...does that mean that beeping noise is- your *gags* heart beating?”
CALEB
* Pixelated thumbs up *
DARWIN
“I see...What was your name then? How old are you...How- How did you even get in there? WAS IT ALIENS???”
CALEB
[I DODONT KNONOW]
DARWIN
“Well then how am I supposed to help you?”
CALEB
[ ¯\_(.-.)_/¯ ]
DARWIN
“Fine...you’re seriously- UGH. But- you’re also the only one I know who’s willing to give me the proof I need. (he takes a breath) Fine. I- (triumphant)Darwin Telly Telitsyn, shall put forth my best efforts to assist you. Farewell.”
CALEB
[WILL U]
[PLAY AGAIN?]
DARWIN
“Will I come back? Yes...Once I have answers. Until next time, Mr. Arcade Man”
CALEB
[TTYL]
(darwin thinks calebs abbreviations are a strange alien language)
SCENE 3: JULY 4TH, INTERIOR, MARK’S MEETING OFFICE, EARLY EVENING
MARK
(The mayor of Rosemary Orgeon who wants to turn the small town into a major city. The antagonist :3)
“Now, Mitch, I’m certain you know why I’ve called you here. Your arcade has seen a...decrease in profits.”
MITCH
“I am aware, sir mayor, But this trend has happened before. We just have to wait it out and-”
MARK
“Arcade machines are becoming obsolete. This decline started with the release of home consoles, and then these GameBoys started hitting the shelves...the public interest in the arcade is dying.”
MITCH
“With all due respect sir, thanks to Polybius, our profits haven’t fallen to the point of bankruptcy-”
MARK
“Yet. They haven't gotten there yet . But the decline in profits combined with the cost of... maintenance , is cutting too close to justify keeping the arcade open when Rosemary could invest in something that will bring more money.”
A pause as MITCH struggles to find the right words to say.
MARK
“You have until the end of this year to change my mind. Though I doubt you will, I have many ideas for what we could shove into that building instead.”
Another awkward silence as MITCH waits for MARK to continue talking. Over the Shoulder shot with MARK looking out his giant window and MITCH behind him
MARK
“You can leave now.”
MITCH
“Of course sir! And happy Independence day!”
After getting no response, MITCH awkwardly leaves and MARK grimaces, then startles when a firework goes off. pov shot of MARK watching them go off through the window which transitions to CALEB watching the fireworks go off through his window
SCENE 4: INTERIOR, ARCADE, EARLY EVENING
Camera pans from CALEB watching the fireworks, the reflection of the fireworks visible on his screen, to Darwin next to him, also watching, the reflection visible on his glasses
DARWIN
“You know, the fireworks aren’t so bad in a building like this where it's nice and quiet.”
CALEB
[I LOVEEEEEE FIREWORKS]
[VERY PRETTYY]
DARWIN
[curious]
“How are you able to see in there?”
CALEB
[i havenono idea]
[III dont even know how im alive?]
DARWIN
“Right...Because You’ve clarified that you can’t recall how you got here...However you did mention that you need quarters to live, which is interesting…
DARWIN writes stuff down on his notepad
DARWIN
“And again, my humblest apologies for showing up here with no answers yet…”
CALEB
[TIS OKAY]
[Im sure youll get it evnetuallyh :D]
DARWIN
“Thank you, and well Actually- I did come across something rather interesting, about some kids that fainted while playing your game. Do you know anything about that?
CALEB
[fainting?]
[OH THOSE #$%@*$ KIDS]
[i remember them...]
DARWIN
“Those ‘hashtag, dollar sign, percent symbol, weird-circle-a, asterisk, dollar sign’ kids? What does that mean?”
CALEB
[BAD]
[BAD KIDS]
[CHEATERS]
[I HATE CHEATERS]
DARWIN
“Ah. So you were responsible...Do you know how you did it?"
CALEB
[NOPE!]
[I just got angry]
[and suddenly they were being carried out]
[itw as]
[scary]
DARWIN
“Scary?”
CALEB
[Not knowing]
[the damage i can cause]
[01010000 01000001 01001001 01001110]
DARWIN
“That is a little unnerving...but if you said those kids were cheaters, then they probably deserved it!”
CALEB
[ur so right]
Theres a pause, the two watch the fireworks for a few seconds
CALEB
[im sorry i cant remember anything]
[seems like u’ve got smth urgent to figure out]
[wat isis it u do?]
DARWIN
“Oh! Well, Right now I’m a writer for the Rosemary Gazette, but I have a bunch of theories I’m trying to prove so I can get more funding to research them...”
CALEB
[:0 theories?]
[r u like a scientist ?]
DARWIN
“Not really- theories more on the lines of aliens, urban legends, government corruption, ya know, conspiracies . That’s what I’m interested in, have been since I was a kid.”
CALEB
[THATS OCOOL]
[I wonder what I liked as a kid]
DARWIN
“I’m sure we’ll figure it out eventually.”
CALEB
[we?]
DARWIN
“Oh uh- well yeah, Yes. We. It will require both of us to get your memories back, and the information I need.”
CALEB
[yay! Were like a]
[a two player game!!]
DARWIN
“Yes, I suppose that’s a proper term to describe it.”
Shot from behind DARWIN’s head of DARWIN and CALEB watching the fireworks, DARWIN subtly letting himself lean against the cabinet
SCENE 5: INTERIOR, OFFICE/CUBICLE, MIDDAY, AUGUST 20 1989
DARWIN is sitting down at his desk at work, struggling to find what to write about , he lets his head drop to the desk
BOSSMAN
“Hey, wake up sleepy head! I don’t pay you to produce blank pages, get to writing!”
DARWIN
“Ah sorry! And uh- Well,”
DARWIN turns his torso and rests his arm upon the back of his chair as he looks up at BOSSMAN
DARWIN
“You know, Mister...maybe I could write something if you stop bashing everything I show you?
BOSSMAN
“BAH, if we put in stories about aliens and bigfoot, it’ll ruin our paper’s reputation. If you don’t have anything else, then look through the archives for inspiration, just give us something!”
DARWIN
(A little irritated)
“Yes sir.”
DARWIN rolls his eyes and the shot cuts to him in the archives, a small room with a bunch of filing cabinets filled with previous publications. Fullbody shot of DARWIN sifting through them, mumbling to himself. Then to a halfbody shot as darwin begins to talk
DARWIN
“I dunno why I’m even in here, I’ve sifted through these so many times trying to figure out this town’s secrets… (flabbergasted) wait- what was that-"
DARWIN flips back a few papers and pulls one halfway out, the headline ‘local robotics prodigy, Caleb Miller, found dead behind abandoned arcade’
DARWIN
“That can’t be right- This has the same date as the article I have that says he went missing , it has the same information too, Still says he was a just graduated high schooler, recently turned eighteen with scholarships to MIT and everything...it’s exactly the same! Only instead of ‘last scene at the abandoned arcade’, he was found dead there..."
Very brief fade of the missing poster/article for CALEB back in DARWINs theory room, highlighting the similarities
DARWIN
“Why would they cover that up?”
DARWIN takes the paper out and shoves it under his arm before continuing to sift through. Just a few papers later he notices a headline ‘POLYBIUS: The overnight Arcade Sensation!” and instantly pulls it out. The article is visible on screen as DARWIN reads it off, skimming through it
DARWIN
“June 17th 1985, If you thought the town’s arcade was popular before, you’ve got a storm coming! The newly installed arcade machine ‘POLYBIUS’ has already captured the hearts of children and adults alike. Everyone is dying to play this game, with lines for it being up to two hours long! Even people who don’t like arcade games will love this one, and those who do like arcade games? Well, you’ll love it even more! So next time you’re passing by the arcade, make sure to bring in some quarters and check out ‘POLYBIUS’, the overnight arcade sensation...”
DARWIN holds the ‘CALEB found dead’ article next to the POLYBIUS one, squinting his eyes.
DARWIN
“I wonder if, maybe? I’ll have to ask that machine when I see him next...And if I’m right then this could finally be my big break !!”
DARWIN cheers and shakes his hands back and forth excitedly
DARWIN
“I still don’t know why they’d claim Caleb’s dead rather than just missing though...that’s- There’s something else going on here, (triumphant!!) and I, Darwin Telly Telitsyn, will be the one to figure it out!"
AUB
“(offscreen)SHUT UP AND DO YOUR JOB!”
SCENE 6: INTERIOR - ARCADE - MIDDAY
Shot of the inside of the arcade, with a rather long line for POLYBIUS visible, about five to eight people. Camera Zooms into the little boy, MILO, and his mom at the front stepping up to the machine.
Close up shot of MILO putting a quarter into the slot, a faint sign of breath is seen once he pulls his hand away.
MILO
“Watch this mom! I’m totally gonna get the highscore!
MOM
“I’m sure you will sweetheart! I believe in you!”
MOM puts her hands on MILOs shoulders, watching the screen just as intently as he is.
MILO
“GRAH! Take that you weird little triangle!”
MOM
“You’re doing great honey!”
Shot from CALEBs pov of MILO and MOM, changing for a brief second to a young CALEB and TALIA in the same position
From CALEBs pov of the backside of the screen,
the gameplay stops and a backwards [MOM?] is visible
MILO
“What the-?”
MILO tries smashing the buttons and moving the joysticks but the screen remains frozen
MILO
“Ugh, this things totally busted.”
Loud groans and complaints can be heard from the others in the line
MOM
“Oh no! Well, why don’t we try a different machine?”
MILO
“But Polybius is the only one worth playing here! Everything else I can just do on my gameboy…”
MOM
“Well, then why don’t we go get some lunch? We can stop by that Pizza Heros place you like! I know it’s your favorite!”
MOM holds out her hand which MILO grabs and the two begin to walk out of the arcade
MILO
[voice fading as he walks further out]
“Ooo! That sounds yummy!”
Once the two leave, CALEBs screen changes to a [GAME OVER] screen, and people start crowding around him again, ready to play
SCENE 7: INTERIOR, ARCADE, NIGHTTIME
Brief sound effect of DARWIN unlocking the door to break in. DARWIN walks up to the cabinet, takes a breath and then a split screen with CALEB and DARWIN ‘talking’ at the same time
DARWIN
“I finally have information.”
CALEB
[I FINALLLY REMEMBERED SOMETHING]
DARWINS side of the split screen expands to take up the whole screen
DARWIN
“Wait really?
DARWINs eyes light up and he takes out his notepad and pencil eagerly
DARWIN
“What’d you remember?? WAS IT ALIENS?!”
CALEB
[FALSE]
[III REMEMBERED MY MOM]
[AND ME AS A KID]
DARWIN
“Oh! Well- that’s not exactly what I was looking for, but it’s something! That’s great! What did you remember about her?”
CALEB
[her smile]
[and how she’d take me to the arcade]
[it was nice]
DARWIN
“Well I’m glad your mom supported your interests...”
CALEB
[D0ES UR MOM NOT?]
DARWIN
[laughing a bit bitterly]
“Absolutely not. She hates my theories. Calls them weird. Just like how everyone else from my hometown did.”
CALEB
[WHAT?!]
[BUT THEYRE SO COOL?]
[at least the ones you’ve told me]
[about, from previous visits]
[seem pretty awesomesauce...]
[and I admire ur passion for em :D]
DARWIN
[flustered]
“Re-really? You don’t find them odd or strange? Don’t find me odd or strange?”
CALEB
[N0T AT ALL]
[CANT GETMUCH WERIDER]
[THAN BEING nA ARCADE MACHINE]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHA]
[HAHAHAHAHAHAHA]
DARWIN
[smiling]
“I see the standard I’m being compared to. Good to know that I am at least more normal than a living arcade machine.”
CALEB
[YEAH :D]
[AND WHOD WANT 2 BE NORMAL]
[NORMAL IS BORING]
DARWIN
“Well, I can’t argue there. Better to be laughed at than wrong, right?”
CALEB
[EXACTLYYY]
[Now what is it u wanted 2 tell me?]
DARWIN
“Ah right! Almost forgot what I came here for..."
DARWIN ruffles through his satchel and pulls out a copy of CALEBs missing poster, holding it up to CALEB
DARWIN
“I know I’ve brought in other missing posters thinking they could be you before, But I’m confident that this one is the right one.
CALEB pov shot, looking at the photo of himself on the poster and thinking back to the baby version he saw of himself earlier, the similarities being obvious
DARWIN
“Is it? Are you Caleb Miller?”
CALEB
[HOLY 01010011 01001000 01001001 01010100]
[YES]
[YESYESYESYESYESYESY]
[THATS ME]
[THATS MY NAME]
[CALEB MILLER]
[you actually found me]
[thank you :)]
DARWIN
“Well finding hidden secrets is kind of my thing, so you’re welcome. And uh- now that you know who you were, do you remember anything new? About the arcade? About who put you into the machine?”
CALEB
[i dont think so]
[IM SORRY :(]
DARWIN
“Its- its okay. They’ll come back to you eventually, and now I have a basis of where to look. You did great today, Caleb.”
CALEB
[YAYYAYAYAYYAYAYA]
[thank you kindly, dear darwi n]
DARWIN
[laughing and blushing, in a bad fancy british accent]
“Of course, ‘Tis but the truth.”
DARWIN looks outside to see how dark it is.
DARWIN
“Right, well...I best be off. I have a busy day of research to complete tomorrow.”
DARWIN holds out his hand for a shake, and when he realizes that CALEB can’t shake his hand, he opts for the joystick, pulling it down in a professional manner
DARWIN
“Farewell, Mr. Miller.”
CALEB
[BYE BYE DARWIN ^___^]
SCENE 8: INTERIOR, OPERATING ROOM, MIDDLE OF NIGHT
POV shots from CALEB lying on an operating chair, looking to the side and seeing a figure walk in through the door, pulling on gloves. The figure being LILA(CALEB’s best friend from highschool that reluctantly helped him)
The shots of her make her look very ominous and scary, with her face not being quite clear, hidden behind a mask and goggles
LILA
“These blueprints for electrifying human organs should work. And so long as I don’t mess up, it should be relatively painless!”
CALEBs eyes close and everything goes black, when CALEB opens his eyes again, he is looking at the other side of the room. LILA bends down in front of him, holding up a scalpel to his face.
LILA
“This should be the proper size, I think...maybe I should have paid more attention to Mr. Phillip’s lecture...oh well, can’t turn back now!”
CALEBs eyes close and everything goes black again. He opens his eyes and is looking up at the ceiling, LILA looking down at him and putting an anesthesia mask upon his face (or putting the mask over where the camera would be)
LILA
[kinda sinister]
“Now, just close your eyes and this will be over before you know it.”
Everything fades to black, with the bright green and purple of Lila’s goggles lens being the last thing to disappear.
SCENE 9: INTERIOR, ARCADE, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Long shot and low angle of CALEB/POLYBIUS in the center back of the arcade, the screen bright white.
(Think of the camera being positioned on the floor by the door)
Sound effects of a sped up heart beeping and heavy breathing will be playing
After a few moments, two shoes appear, stepping into the arcade. Being far too fancy to be DARWINs (they are MARKs)
I think it’d be cool if these two shoes changed for a brief second to a high schoolers shoes, the end of a crowbar hanging down in frame, as foreshadowing for Christmas Eve...idk tho.(how subtle)
MARK
“I heard you’ve been acting up, little one.”
SCENE 10: EXTERIOR, OUTSIDE THE MILLER’S HOUSE, MIDDAY, AUGUST 23 1989
DARWIN is in his car, holding up the original missing article for CALEB, camera zooming into the words ‘Lives with his aunt and uncle on [insert address here]’
DARWIN brings down the paper, revealing a house that matches the address
DARWIN
“Hopefully they can give me some answers..."
Shot cuts to DARWIN knocking on the door, panning to it soon being answered by a middle aged white woman, PAULINE, smoking a cigarette (the entire conversation will take place with DARWIN on the porch)
PAULINE
“What do you want?”
DARWIN
“Oh- well uhm- I work for the Rosemary Gazette, and I was wondering if I could ask you some questions about your nephew?”
PAULINE
“Who?”
DARWIN
“The one that went missing? Cale-”
PAULINE
“Oh, you’re talking about Phillip, I thought this questioning stuff would be over since he was found dead but whatever. Fire away Mister-”
DARWIN
“-Telitsyn. Mr. Telitsyn. And I’m confused...what do you mean Phillip?”
PAULINE
[bitter]
“See, ‘Phillip’ was the name I suggested, but my sleazy sister went with the name suggestion from her sleazier boyfriend.”
DARWIN puts on a fake smile
DARWIN
[voice is flat and devoid of emotion]
“Ah right of course, well then that makes perfect sense.”
PAULINE takes a hit of the cigarette, and then blows it out, kinda right into DARWINs face, who struggles not to cough.
PAULINE
“And then her himbo star football player boyfriend freaking dies! So she runs away to raise the baby he left her with, until eight years later she comes back and tells me that now shes gonna die and I’m the only one she can trust with her son, which like-”
PAULINE takes another hit of the cigarette
PAULINE
“I don't know why she’d do that. Just ‘cause my husband can afford a family house doesn’t mean I actually want a family, you know?”
PAULINE laughs as she takes another hit of the cigarette
PAULINE
“At least he was a good kid though. Didn’t talk to us at all, unless he wanted quarters for the arcade. Other than that he just wasted his days away in his room...I think.”
DARWIN
“I see, well then- thank you for your time...”
PAULINE
“Say- although my sister romanced herself prematurely, you seem like the right age for the dating pool. And I saw this article in your little newspaper about how if you don’t have a partner before you're 25, you're ten times more likely to never find one. Isn’t that crazy? You got a lady you planning to settle down with soon?”
DARWIN
“ [a little panicked] A lady? Settle down? Oh no no, [with composure] I am far too busy with work to have time for relationships.”
PAULINE
“A workaholic eh? I can respect the grind. You should find someone soon though, unless you want to be alone forever.”
DARWIN
[visibly uncomfortable]
“Right, well I can try, and thank you for your time Miss. Farewell.”
PAULINE huffs out one final breath of cigarette smoke before closing the door on DARWIN.
DARWIN defeatedly walks back to his car, taking out the missing poster and looking at the information in hopes of finding something he missed
(ill whip up a quick sketch of what it will look like)
DARWIN
“Ugh...just as I think I’ve finally got it...How naive I was to assume that the people Caleb was living with would know everything about him...”
DARWIN steps into his car and slams the door, buckles up, and takes a deep breath.
DARWIN
“AHHHHHHHHHHHRRRGGHHHH HOW DO PEOPLE LIKE THAT EXIST, I- WHAT- AHDSJHGJKSDHGJKJDSH (anger noises) I cannot believe Caleb had to live with THAT . And I thought my mom was bad with asking about my relationship status...please, the only connections I care about making are the ones between UFO sightings and the election of the mayor!(🤓👆)
DARWIN
(trying not to sound bitter)
“I’m sooo not lonely, emotions only slow me down, and prevent me from spreading the truth! I’m better off like this, better not risking getting hurt again.”
DARWIN starts up his car
DARWIN
“And it’s not like anyone enjoys talking to me anyway..."(🥀)
SCENE 11 INTERIOR, ARCADE, NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 1ST 1989
DARWIN
“Greetings and Salutations!”
CALEB
[HIHIHIHI]
[IM SO HAHPPY UR HERE]
[this day lasted so
[looonnngggggggggg]
[-_____-]
DARWIN
“Aw, I’m sorry to hear that...well during the time I’ve been gone I wasn’t able to find much on who you were before. All your aunt could give me was that you liked the arcade, but we already knew that because you said your mom took you to the arcade so, she was pretty much useless..."
CALEB
[HUH]
[i dont remember that]
[;_;]
DARWIN
“Wh- You don’t remember your mom, or you don’t remember telling me about it?”
CALEB
[neither?]
DARWIN
“That’s- but- I mean I have it right here in my notes..."
Over the shoulder shot, looking down at DARWIN’s notepad as he flips through it until he finds the page w/ the info on CALEBs mom (visible on the pages are doodles of the various emoticons made by CALEB)
CALEB
[OH]
[i remember now]
[^_____^]
DARWIN
“That’s good, but still odd that you couldn’t before...someone must be erasing your memories! ” (what a nerd, how did he guess that)
CALEB
[GASP]
[wait thats actually really scary o_O]
DARWIN
“It is..."
DARWIN taps on his chin thoughtfully
DARWIN
“-But it does provide an explanation for why you can’t remember anything specific about your life, someone doesn’t want you to. Someone knows you’re alive, and wants to ensure they’re the only one that knows.”
CALEB
[u really think so? 0-0]
DARWIN
“Of course. I can’t fathom a different explanation.
DARWIN paces in a circle, fidgeting with his tie
DARWIN
“But someone with tech that sinister wouldn't have it just to make an extra buck from a popular game...there’s something else at play here..."
CALEB
[like what?]
DARWIN
(complete confidence)
“Aliens. They eat the maintenance men and then erase your memories so that way you can’t rat them out!”
CALEB
[but then y wouldnt they just]
[idk, kill?l me]
DARWIN raises up a finger to counter, but then curls it down and brings it to his chin
DARWIN
“Good point, good point...maybe aliens aren’t the sole reason behind this, but I’m certain they’re still involved in some way. Maybe- whoevers responsible for erasing your memory is the same person that put you into the cabinet in the first place-”
CALEB
[OHThATthAT REMINDS ME]
[I CANT BELIVE I FORGOTUNT IL NOW]
[BUT I THINK I KNOWwhwho]
[put me inHERE]
DARWIN
(excited)
“WAIT SERIOUSLY?! Caleb this is huge! Who is it???”
DARWIN whips himself into a ready to write down information position, pencil in hand and centimeters away from his notepad
CALEB
[well I don’t remember her name]
[and i couldn’t see her face]
DARWIN’s shoulders and expression drop
CALEB
[BUT she had these weird purple and green goggles]
[and black hair]
[and was about to perform surgery on me]
[i think]
DARWIN
“As unsettling as that is- it’s not a lot to work with, very little actually…but I will make do with what I can on my part.”
DARWIN straightens his tie like a nerd
CALEB
[YAY :D]
[also u said u talked to my aunt]
[why her? Why not my mom?]
DARWIN
“Well, (pause as he thinks how to phrase this) the poster said that you lived with your aunt and uncle because well- uhm…”
CALEB
[shes]
[shes gone, isnt she?]
DARWIN
“Ye- yeah.”
A long pause
DARWIN
“Look Caleb, im sorry tha-”
CALEB
[Talia]
[that was her name]
[i remember now]
Some sad tunes playing, maybe the cabinet man demo idk, if not then its gonna be a somber sounding 8-bit song
Also i think itd be cool to have 8-bit drawings on his screen for what hes describing, i can probs try and make those tho
^honestly just put like cartoony drawings since we don’t have time to create a whole 8bit section
The text can be on the top/bottom of the screen with the illustrations below/above it
[she took me to the arcade everyday]
[giving me just one quarter]
[that id make the most of]
[until suddenly]
[she had to leave]
[her hand wasnt there to press]
[a quarter into mine]
[her memory trapped within my high scores]
Close up shot of a drop of oil that forms at the bottom of CALEB’s screen, cut to close up shot of a tear forming in DARWIN’s eye. Split shot of both their tears slipping out at the same time
CALEB
[thank you darwin]
[for letting me remember her love]
DARWIN wipes away his tear, a little confused
DARWIN
“Of course. I’m happy I could help. Sounds like she was a wonderful person. And uhm, oh gosh I don’t know why I’m crying-”
CALEB
[dont worry about it]
[im crying too :’3]
DARWIN
“(fondly) right, well- since writing your memories down helped, I’ll try and stop by daily so I can keep track of them before this evil-doer comes in and erases them!”
CALEB
[so youll visit more often?]
[YAYAYYAYAYAYYAYY]
[it gets so boring in here]
[you make it fun :-D]
DARWIN
(shocked)
“I- thank you and- well, I, I should probably get going. I don’t want to wake up late tomorrow, ya know? ”
CALEB
[oh yeah huh]
[well okay :(]
[see you tomorrow Darwin :3]
DARWIN
“Until then.”
Cut to DARWIN closing and locking the door behind him, sparing a glance behind him at the arcade, he smiles before walking away, camera following him as he walks along the sidewalk to his car (trucking movement)
DARWIN
“It’ll be nice to have something to look forward to before I actually get the respect I’ve been wanting. (pause) And Caleb is fun to talk with...I suppose. If only he could give me some information on the evil aliens that I know are here.”
Close up shot of the alien patch on Darwin’s satchel, which fades to LILA
SCENE 12 INT, lILAS OPERATING ROOM or smth idk man
Ominous lighting, LILA is bent over at her desk, sketching up blueprints, with her goggles covering her eyes
NOELLE(off-screen)
“Hey, why don’t you rest for a bit?
LILA
“There’s no time for that. I need to fix this.”
NOELLE(off-screen)
“Yeah, but you’ve been working for days straight, can’t you take a break?”
LILA
“Not until I fix what I’ve done.”
NOELLE walks into frame, sitting down next to LILA, dramatic music cuz shes an alien (D: !)
NOELLE
“Well, then why don’t you let me help you at least?
LILA
“ (thoughtful and thankful) Yeah, okay. Thank you Noelle.”
NOELLE
“It’s what I’m here for, Lila.”
SCENE 13 INT ARCADE OCTOBER 31ST 1989
DARWIN is leaning against a cabinet next to CALEB, with an alien antennae headband on his head looking like a total LOSERRR, there’s a bag of candy on CALEBs control panel
DARWIN
“(laughing) I haven’t had a halloween this fun in, I don’t even know how long...Never really had anyone to celebrate with, and besides, it’s all a ploy to get people to mindlessly consume candy and decorations and costumes to fuel the evil corporate leaders controlled by aliens."
CALEB
[u say as u wear a headband]
[and eat candy]
DARWIN
“Hey- my boss told us to dress up, I need to stay on his good side. And-! I’ve had these since I was little, so I didn’t spend anything. I even installed lights at the ends to make them more accurate to actual close encounter reports!”
CALEB
[and the candy?]
DARWIN
“Well- I got it ‘cause I figured you’d probably feel left out watching all these kids get candy, and- I don’t know it just made me sad.”
CALEB
[AWWW >w<]
[thank you :3333]
DARWIN
“You are welcome. I imagine it was pretty busy today huh?”
CALEB
[actually not really]
[i think its cuz of some festival in town]
[but usually holidays are busier]
[except for like, more official ones cuz the arcades closed]
[it gives me some semblance of time passing]
[other wise everyday feels the exact same]
DARWIN
“Routine is good though, no?”
CALEB
[it was]
[but ever since i started remembering my life]
[staying here all day is sooooooo boring]
[well at least until you show up :3]
DARWIN
“Huh. that's funny.”
CALEB
[what is?]
DARWIN
“It’s the same for me. My day is usually boring until I come here.”
CALEB
[REALLY !?]
[>/////<]
DARWIN
“Well yeah, these meetings are my closest chance to figuring out the truth. I mean the dirt you’ve managed to give me on some of the employees here is already incredible.”
CALEB
[oh]
DARWIN
“Well I assume it’s similar for you, right? You look forward to our meetings because I could give you information on your past, right?”
CALEB
[uh yeah]
[sure]
DARWIN
“I knew I was right! Oh also, I think I may have figured out which high school you went to...Does Eastside highschool ring a bell?”
CALEB
[uhhhh]
[yeah actually! :D]
[that sounds right]
[howd u do that?]
DARWIN
“Well, it's the only school nearby that's won first for a robotics competition, and based upon what you've told me about your knowledge for tech, I figured you were responsible!”
CALEB
[:0]
[ur so smart darwin :3]
DARWIN
“Says you, Mr. robotics champion!”
DRAMATIC FADE OUT TO A FLASHBACK SEQUENCE
CALEB(highschool)
“You are so smart Lila!”
LILA
“Hey hey, says you Mr. robotics champion!”
DRAMATIC FADE BACK TO CALEB WITH DARWIN IN THE ARCADE, DARWIN is seen with his hands covering his ears, slowly lowering them
(A REALLY loud ear piercing beep was being made by Caleb)
DARWIN
“Caleb? Uh- you okay?”
CALEB
[i remembered something]
DARWINs face lights up and he immediately has his notebook and pen in hand
DARWIN
“Well, go on!”
CALEB
[the girl i told u about]
[the one that i think put me in here]
[her name is lila and]
[i think]
[she was my friend]
DARWIN
“Gasp...so a betrayal, (bitter)I relate to that.”
CALEB
[i dont know]
[she seemed too nice]
[to have done anything malicious]
[on purpose]
DARWIN
“What-? Ugh, but she was like, our main lead for how you got here...why else would you remember her modifying your body?”
CALEB
[i dont know]
[but when i think about her]
[i feel]
[guilty.]
DARWIN
“Oh, that’s odd...maybe you’re subconsciously blaming yourself for what she did? That’s happened to me before..."
CALEB
[it has :0?]
[how so?]
DARWIN
“Well- I had a ‘friend’ in highschool too..."
FADE TO still frames of DARWIN and HARPER as DARWIN narrates what happened.
DARWIN
“He was on the football team, and he was popular. And he punched this guy that was trying to break my camera, helped me up, and said that he would ‘see me around’. Said that we were friends. And I foolishly believed him. I followed him around, eager for his attention. He ignored me. Said that I would make him look bad. I believed him, and felt guilty for trying to hang out with him. And it wasn’t until a halloween party, funnily enough, that I realized he genuinely didn’t want anything to do with me, he called me- he laughed at me in front of everyone , and basically ruined the rest of my high school experience. That’s partly why I moved out here, to get away from the rumors. And because of the high concentration of UFO sightings in this area of course!”
CALEB
[oh deer :(]
[that sounds awful!!!!!!]
[what a JERK >:(]
[i cant imagine why anyone]
[wouldnt want to be friends with you]
DARWIN
“Eh, it’s fine. I work better alone anyways.”
CALEB
[omg me too!]
[I think...]
[i remember spending days in my workshop alone]
[making like]
[robots n stuff]
[we r so in sync >v<]
DARWIN
“I suppose we are, say what kind of robots did you make?”
CALEB
[ ¯\_(._.)_/¯ ]
[i just have faint memories of]
[machinery in front of me]
[and messing around with screws]
[unraveling wires]
[the works]
DARWIN
“Wow...I couldn’t even imagine, I’m awful with electronics.”
CALEB
[well ur not awful with me :3]
DARWIN
“Eh, you don’t count. You’re not truly a machine, you’re just, a guy caught up in some messed up stuff.”
CALEB
[do]
[do you really mean that?]
DARWIN
“Of course! I mean after all I’m here to figure out what exactly that messed up stuff is! Most likely aliens obviously.”
CALEB
[yeah!]
[im sure ill remember smth w/ aliens eventually :3]
DARWIN
“I’m confident you will.”
FADE TO SCENE 15
SCENE 14 INT MARKS OFFICE BUILDING NIGHT
MARK is seen standing in front of his big ol window, looking down over the town where neighborhoods with their lights on and trick or treaters out and about are visible
MARK
“You were right, the Halloween festival was a success, and it brought many investors to consider Rosemary’s potential.”
MARK turns his head to the side, and the audience is able to view the eyeball on his forehead
MARK
“What should be our next course of action, oh divine one?”
RYL(off screen)
(evil alien whos looking for lost alien colony on earth, and seeking to control Earth after being kicked out from his home planet)
“To expand Rosemary. Break through the forest wall. With your building designs.”
MARK
“Of course... That’s why you chose me after all, descended from heaven to grant an architect's dream?”
RYL
“That would be correct, Mark. You and I are the future. Continue these events, and shut down the arcade. It poses too much risk.
MARK
“But, polybius is still generating profits, even with all the malfunctions we’ve had to fix...I’m failing to understand why you’d retract your word."
RYL
“It was what we needed, but it’s time to move on. The machine knows too much.”
MARK
“I understand, divine one.”
RYL
“I knew you would, mortal. It stays until Christmas.”
MARK
“Understood.”
Scene 15 INT DARWIN’S THEORY ROOM AFTERNOON NOV 23(thanksgiving)
DARWIN is caught sleeping at his desk, multitudes of papers underneath his head, mumbling in his sleep
DARWIN
(drooling w/ a dopey smile)
“Caleb...zhur sooo cutee,"
DARWINs telephone begins to ring, jostling him awake
DARWIN
“BWAH- wh- what?”
DARWIN reaches out to grab his telephone, cutting to an extreme close up shot of DARWIN’s mouth (do we need to be that close to his mouth)
DARWIN
“Mom?”
Shot zooms out so audience can see DARWIN sitting at his chair, a bamboozled expression on his face
DARWIN
“What-? Yes I know I haven’t visited in a while, and no, I can't make it home for thanksgiving this year. It’s an eight hour drive to San Jose, and you should know I can’t afford to stay the night and take time off work.”
Shot cuts to a close up of DARWIN from a different angle
DARWIN
“Obviously I’m still working on my theories, and stop calling them ‘stupid’...”
Shot cuts to being behind DARWIN, seeing his shoulders tense up
DARWIN
“They’re not made up, and they’re not myths! They’re real .”
DARWIN
“What I’m doing is useful! I’m informing the public of secrets untold! My theories will save the world someday! Can’t- Can’t you at least try and support me?”
Extreme close-up of DARWIN’s eyes, in a furrowed position before suddenly widening in anger and the screen goes black with a flash and a cracking noise
SCENE 16 INT DARWIN’S CHILDHOOD HOME CHRISTMAS DAY 1981
A young 14 yr old DARWIN is seen unwrapping a present, revealing the box with his iconic red telephone inside. He analyzes it with a disappointed expression, before looking up
DARWIN
“I don’t know what I’ll use this for, but at least it’s in my favorite color! Thank you mother.”
Shot cuts to over the shoulder of DARWIN’S MOM, looking down at DARWIN
DARWIN’S MOM
“Merry christmas sweetheart! And you can use it to call your friends from school!”
DARWIN
“But, I don’t have any friends at school.”
DARWIN’S MOM
“Well, then this can be your chance to try and find some right? Put your alien books down and try to connect with your peers!”
DARWIN
“Oh, yeah, uh I guess.”
DARWIN’S MOM
“That’s the spirit! Oh, you know I love you baby! I hate seeing you spend every day all alone...”
DARWIN
“I know, mom.”
SCENE 17 INT ARCADE NIGHTTIME
DARWIN walks into the arcade, looking defeated and holding his broken telephone in his arms, and a plastic bag around his wrist
CALEB
[HI BBYGIRLLL >W<]
[ur here earlier than usual]
[just that desperate to see me ;D?]
DARWIN
(trying to hold back any emotion)
“I need your help,”
DARWIN holds out the broken phone
DARWIN
“With this.”
CALEB
[woah 0___0]
[what happened? :(?]
DARWIN tenses and solemnly looks down
DARWIN
“I- I don’t want to talk about it. Just-”
DARWIN looks back up, facing CALEB
DARWIN
“Can you fix it? please? I have tools and stuff in this bag, but I have no idea how to use them..."
CALEB
[well I can show you how :3]
DARWIN
(relieved)
“Really? Thank you! Although I don’t know how good I’ll be...”
CALEB
[well, it should be pretty simple]
[if you look here theres]
CALEB is cut short as suddenly two cords with claw attachments appear, pointing at a specific spot on the phone
Fullbody shot of DARWIN holding out his phone and looking gobsmacked at the claws
CALEB
[oh]
[i did not know]
[i could do that]
DARWIN
“You didn’t?”
CALEB
[no]
[otherwise i would have done it sooner duh]
Still holding the phone, DARWIN lifts up CALEB’s claws and analyzes them, sifting his fingers through the probe, it looks like theyre holding hands >:)
DARWIN
“But, these look so, purposely designed...how could you not have known?”
CALEB
[ ¯\_(._.)_/¯ ]
[But this means]
[if you want]
[i could just fix ur phone 4 u]
[^___^]
DARWIN
“Really? You’d do that for me?”
CALEB
[sure :D!]
[its probs easier]
[than trying to explain how tbh]
[no offense T_T]
DARWIN
(smiling)
“None taken. And just, uh be careful with it please. It- it means a lot to me.”
CALEB
[i will be the most careful]
[than anyone has ever been before >:)]
DARWIN lets his phone fall into CALEB’s grasp, CALEB then places the phone onto his control panel, along with taking the bag of tools from DARWIN. CALEB begins searching through the tools, taking apart the phone to get through to the wires.
Small montage of DARWIN watching in admiration as CALEB fixes his phone, using his claw as a heat source and welding the wires together(i have no clue if those r the proper terms)
occasionally explaining what he was doing and why, DARWIN taking occasional notes (he’s really just drawing the various emoticons CALEB makes :3)
POV shot from CALEB looking at DARWIN, a sort of target circling around DARWIN’s face and his notebook and flashing the words ‘IGNORING YOU!! >:(!’
CALEB
[watcha writing :3?]
DARWIN notices the question and starts blushing, immediately shutting his notebook closed,
DARWIN
“O-oh! It, it’s nothing important!”
CALEB
[sure it is ^___^]
[show me >:)]
DARWIN
“I- *sigh*, okay it-”
DARWIN opens his notebook back up to the page he was just on, it being covered in drawings of the various emoticons CALEB has made along with tally marks of how many times they’ve been used.
DARWIN
“It’s all those little faces you make out of text? I don’t know, I first wrote them down ‘cause I thought maybe they were symbols of an alien language. And then I realized it was just how you expressed yourself, but they were charming so I just, kept tracking them. Agh, it feels dumb saying it out loud now-”
CALEB
[NO]
[THATS]
[thats really sweet :3]
[im happy u write down things abt me]
[that arent directly related to ur theory]
[its nice knowin u see me as]
[more than just that ^w^]
DARWIN
“Oh. (long pause) I- you’re welcome.”
CALEB
[YAYYAYAYAYYYYYY]
[okay back to fixing ur phone >:)]
Another POV shot from CALEB, utilizing the targets from before, the targets circle around the indents on the telephone, with the text ‘SIGN OF DISTRESS FROM USER’ and then the targets move to DARWIN, and arrow pointing to him saying ‘MOST RECENT USER :(!’
CALEB
[what caused you to break it?]
[was it trouble with a coworker again?]
[which one was it?]
[Edward? Toby? Joey?]
DARWIN
“Wha- (defensive)no none of them. And I didn’t-! (softer)I don’t want to talk about it.”
CALEB
[but then how am I supposed to make you feel better? :(]
DARWIN
“You want to make me feel better?”
CALEB
[Well yeah]
[i care about you]
[a lot :(]
[and besides you’ve been learning]
[about all my deepest darkest secrets]
[let me learn yours :3c]
There will probably be flashback correlating with what Darwins talking abt and stuff
DARWIN
“Damn it, you have a point. It would be unfair of me to not share... *sigh* okay. Well, my mom called me today, asking me to come home for the weekend. But I can’t go home because I can’t miss a day of work, and- I also don’t really like my mom that much, as I’ve told you. She’s not a horrible person or anything she just- didn’t get me.
She never liked my interest in theories, always said I was wasting my time on fairy tales. But I still wanted to learn about them, it was just something I couldn’t shake, or stop thinking about. Do you ever feel that way about something?”
CALEB
[Yeah]
[thats kinda how i feel about video games]
[they r just so cool]
[and being one makes me cool too]
[teehee]
DARWIN
“I think you may be the first to even have a semblance of how I felt. (pause) well anyways, after I graduated high school, my mom scolded me for wanting to pursue a career based on my theories, and she- (very close to crying) she destroyed all of the theory boards I had made during high school. And so I packed up my stuff and moved out here to attend the community college and research the UFO sightings. I haven’t returned home since.”
CALEB
[oh wow]
[that sounds]
[awful]
[im sorry ur mom sucks so bad :(]
DARWIN
“Eh? (gradually getting more tearful)She called me today asking me to come home, but when I started explaining that I’m still here researching my theories, she scolded me again, telling me that they were fake, and that I wouldn’t get anywhere with them and that I should just stop trying. Said I should put my skills towards something better... *sniff* (there are tears streaming down his face) instead of being a failure . And that’s when I hung up, slamming the phone into its stand.”
DARWIN crosses his arms, and begins digging his nails into his skin subconsciously
DARWIN
“ And I think a part of me knows she has a point. I’m the reason that my mom is so frustrated with me, because- she’s right, my theories are weird (getting more frustrated/louder)And maybe if I was more normal I could give her a son she could be proud of, I could put my reasoning skills towards being a detective or something but no! I had to be obsessed with these stupid conspiracies!”
CALEB'S claws launch out and gently grasp DARWIN’S hands, preventing him from digging his nails further into his skin, causing DARWIN to look up at CALEB with a sort of wonder that someone would care so much
CALEB
[ur theories are NOT stupid]
[theyre super cool!]
[YOURE super cool!]
[ur mom is the stupid one if she cant see that]
DARWIN
“But she's not stupid! She was as nice and loving as a single mom could be, and I’m the one that failed her..."
CALEB
[u havent failed anybody]
[ur simply a genius before ur time!]
[like me ^__^]
[i mean when we first met]
[i couldnt remember my life at all]
[but now]
[youve sorta given me]
[reason to live again :3]
[which i dont think could be done by a ‘failure’]
[:)]
DARWIN stares at CALEB for a bit, unable to handle the compliment, shakes his hands back and forth, tears slipping out his eyes that he quickly tries to wipe away
DARWIN
(happy + tearfully)
“AGHHHHBASJBsSAUUHDS. I am- I’m glad I could help you.”
CALEB
[OF COURSE DARLING!]
[anddddd alsoooo]
[ur telephone is fixed ^w^]
CALEB lifts up the fixed phone and hands it to DARWIN,
shot showing the fixed phone and DARWIN looking happier as a parallel to when he first walked in with it all defeated
DARWIN
“That was incredible...I can’t thank you enough, really,”
CALEB
[you dont have to]
[your smile is enough]
DARWIN stands still, blinking and unsure how to respond, fidgeting with his hands
DARWIN
“I wish I could see yours. You seem far too human for what your cabinet allows.”
CALEB
[wll ive got arms apparently]
[which is pretty human B)]
CALEB waves his cords around, DARWIN watching them
DARWIN
“That’s true...I wonder why you would forget you have them. Or I suppose, who and why would someone make you forget you have them...”
CALEB
[hmmmm]
[maybe i would attack kids with them]
[and this supposed person didnt like that]
DARWIN startles at the statement and begins to laugh
DARWIN
“Well, that's quite a jump. But, then again, given what you’ve told me about making kids faint when they cheat, I suppose it’s not entirely out of the question.”
CALEB
[HUZZAH]
[im so good at this >:D]
eSCENE 18 INT DARWINS WORKPLACE MIDDAY DEC 3 1989
DARWIN is working at his cubicle off-center to the right of the screen, and his other coworkers surround him in their own cubicles
BOSSMAN(darwins boss) enters through from the door at the back of the office, files in his arms
BOSSMAN
“Alrighty listen up, the mayor just stopped by, said he wants a story praising the cinema that’ll replace where the arcade is right now come 1990. First come first serve, there’ll be a pay boost involved”
Immediately there's a lot of commotion, people clamor out of their chairs to get to BOSSMAN and obtain the file with details needed for the story
DARWIN stays seated, looking down at his desk in thought, before eyes suddenly widening in realization. DARWIN turns to look at all of his coworkers that had gotten up
DARWIN
“Wait, the arcade is getting replaced? Why would they do that? Isn’t that like, the main attraction of this town?”
BOSSMAN
“Ugh, of course it’s you asking that. Listen Telitsyn, I know you’re still new here, but when it comes to stories for the mayor, just write it and don’t ask questions.”
DARWIN
“But, closing the arcade is wrong! There’s a lot of people that love it, and have memories there. It’s a staple of Rosemary, especially with that polybius cabinet. Closing it will take away the heart here.”
DARWIN’s coworkers all give him judging looks
AUB (Aub)
“Dude, you’ve gotta get with the program. This already happened when the old arcade closed, our mayor is just keeping with the trends.”
MONSE (Monse)
“Yeah man, you’re practically throwing your panties the way you’re defending it.”
AUB
“(laughing) haha yeah! He’s like totally in love with it or something
DARWIN
“I-”
DARWIN turns to face his desk, using his arms to block out the stares and laughs of his coworkers.
DARWIN is staring blank faced to the camera/his desk
Instrumental for ‘the name of the game’ by ABBA begins to play
DARWIN’s coworkers and the rest of the background of his office fade to the background of his car as he drives home, then fade to the background of his neighborhood as he walks through his front door, fade to his pillow and bed as he lies down.
(Throughout these fades, DARWIN’s face stays the exact same, only changing to blink, or his hair bounces from walking or whatever)
fade to his pillow and bed as DARWIN lies down.
DARWIN stares at the ceiling/camera
DARWIN
“In love? Have I foolishly returned here again?”
Fade to flashback of DARWIN and HARPER hanging out in an empty hallway, they’re holding hands facing each other and laughing
They kiss
Then suddenly HARPER pulls away, striding away from darwin
Fade to the halloween party with Harper.
DARWIN walks up to HARPER and says something inaudible, looking at HARPER all lovey dovey
DARWIN
“Returned to what's always been agony for me?”
Low-angle of HARPER looking down at DARWIN, disgusted, and then turning into a taunting smile and laugh
Shot of DARWIN running away crying, with HARPER and other highschoolers pointing and laughing at him
FADE back in to DARWIN
DARWIN
“And if it’s anything like last time, then I can just kiss my career goodbye. Which isn’t an option, So no. I’m not in love with Caleb. Because that would ruin everything.”
SCENE 19 INTERIOR ARCADE NIGHT DEC 9
CALEB
[what do u think it means to be loved?]
DARWIN
“What?! Where did this come from?”
CALEB
[ ¯\_(.-.)_/¯ ]
[some kid came in today]
[and got a new highscore on me]
[trying to impress a girl]
[and it worked]
[and she hugged and kissed him]
[they looked so happy]
[and i]
[i don’t think i ever felt like that]
[i mean id get highscores all the time]
[and people would crowd around me]
[but even then i remember]
[feeling it wasn’t enough]
DARWIN
“You had people crowding around you? I wish I could have that problem, everyone always runs away whenever I start talking.”
CALEB
[and they’re stupid for that!!]
[but then at least]
[you know whoever does listen must really care]
[those crowds didn’t care about me]
[they just liked watching me play the games]
[at least now]
[people can praise me by my name]
[or that was the case]
[before i started remembering things]
DARWIN
“What do you mean people could praise you by your name?”
CALEB
[well before you]
[as far as i was concerned]
[i was this game]
[i was polybius]
[and I was revered by the masses]
[and i thought that was love]
[being remembered for what i was]
[I felt i could last forever]
[i wanted to last forever]
[immortalized in this cabinet]
DARWIN
“But this machine, this game, it's not the real you.”
CALEB
[i know that now. thanks to you]
[i realize it wasn’t love at all]
[at least not the love that i wanted]
[because while i once]
[wanted to be known by everyone]
[now]
[im content just being known by you]
DARWIN
“What- why me?”
CALEB
[because you’re the first to try]
[<3]
DARWIN
“Less than three?” (giggled)
CALEB
[NO DUMMY >:(]
[its a heart :D]
[turn ur head to the side]
[<3]
DARWIN POV shot that has the camera turning, the ‘<3’ becoming a heart shape
DARWIN
“Ohhhhh! I see it now. That’s...cute.”
Shot of DARWIN with his head tilted, smiling lovingly before he realizes what he’s doing and quickly returns to upright position with perfect posture
DARWIN clears his throat
DARWIN
“ Well, back to business. I was thinking about where your body went missing, the shed behind the old arcade, and I kept wondering why there specifically...And I realized I never asked and so I’m asking now. What is your connection with that shed? I intend on investigating it tomorrow regardless, but I wanted to know your insight beforehand.”
CALEB
[wait omg yeah]
[wait, its behind the arcade?]
[oOH !!! I I I I I!!!]
[i remember being a volunteer!]
[and helping repair the broken machines]
[in like grade 8 or smth]
[OHWIAITIW]
[I REMEMBER when that arcade closed]
[the shed was left abandoned]
[and i turned it into my own workshop]
[and i THINK i can kidna recall]
[writing in a journal]
[like a true inventor]
DARWIN
“A JOURNAL?!! That’s promising!! That can probably spark your memory and hopefully you can remember the aliens that visited this arcade!”
CALEB
[YAYYYY]
DARWIN
“Do you have any clue where your journal might have been left?”
CALEB
[no :-p]
DARWIN
“It’s okay! I’m certain I’ll find it, I have a knack for uncovering things hidden away!”
CALEB
[have you ever been in love?]
DARWIN
“Bwah-huh?!”
Close up shot of DARWINs eyes going wide and panicked, his breathing increases before he calms himself down,
DARWIN
“No. I find it a waste of time. (pause) I should be on my way.”
DARWIN turns to leave, and is immediately faced with a raging snowstorm outside
DARWIN
“(defeated) four years living here, and I still forget how crazy the snowstorms can get. I can’t drive home in this…”
CALEB
[missing ur 70 degree winters]
[california boy?]
DARWIN
“YES! I AM!☹️”
DARWIN solemnly walks to and looks out the window, his hand on the glass
There’s a loud wind sound effect and DARWIN’s shoulders suddenly tense up, he wraps his arms around his torso and sprints back to CALEB, standing next to the cabinet
DARWIN
“(teeth chattering)Why do I always insist on wearing this blazer no matter the weather…”
CALEB
[you poor california boy]
[I could try and warm you up maybe :D]
DARWIN
“PLEASE.”
CALEB wraps a cord around DARWIN’s torso and pulls him in close, up against the frame of the cabinet
DARWIN is breathing heavily, his face flushed,
He eventually relaxes, letting himself fall into the embrace
DARWIN
“Holy crap, you are warm”
DARWIN pushes himself more into CALEB in attempts to maximize surface area. CALEB’s heart beat noticeably speeds up
“The name of the Game” by ABBA playing,,
‘and you make me show what i’m trying to conceal’
DARWIN realizes how intimate this scenario is and tries to escape
DARWIN
“I can’t stay here.”
As DARWIN tries to leave, a cord wraps around his wrist, DARWIN looks back to CALEB
CALEB
[but its cold outside]
[baby]
Close up of DARWINs face as he considers the offer, turning to the raging storm outside and back to the warm and inviting arcade cabinet a few times before smiling and giving in, walking back to press himself against CALEBS warm body yay
CALEB wraps his cord around DARWIN’s torso again
‘The name of the game’ continues,
‘would you laugh at me, if I said I care for you?’
Cam positioned behind DARWINs shoulder, looking down at the screen of the cabinet
‘Could you feel the same way too?’
Cam positioned on the side of the cabinet opposite to the side Darwin’s leaning on, and looking at DARWIN who seems to be getting sleepy
‘I wanna know! The name of the game’
DARWIN falls asleep and Caleb gradually lowers him, letting him rest against the cabinet and the scene fades out
SCENE 20 EXT CALEB’S WORKSHOP EARLY MORNING DEC 10
DARWIN is seen stepping out of his car in an abandoned parking lot, immediately groaning and grabbing onto his back, stretching it out
DARWIN
“Uegh, I can’t believe I- at least Caleb woke me up before we got caught sleeping together.”
DARWIN arches his torso to the side, his back cracking, then he suddenly stands straight up, his face flushed
DARWIN
“I really need to think more before I say stuff aloud. That made it sound so-! GUGH.”
DARWIN straightens his jacket, and lets his hand rest on his satchel as he lightly jogs to the shed
DARWIN takes out two bobby pins, unlocking the door to the shed with a click
DARWIN
“Let’s hope Caleb wasn’t making his journal thing up.”
DARWIN stands up and pushes open the door
POV shot from DARWIN with the door opening, revealing a giant blood stain on the floor (there will be some dramatic music playing)
The shed is full of robotic creations on metal shelves, crumpled pieces of paper on the floor, and a desk in the back.
Shot with the camera placed on the floor, showing DARWIN’s shoes walking across the blood stain.
Camera moves up DARWIN’s figure to his face, looking around the small building in awe and fear
Panning around the interior, showing papers which are covered in sketches of arcade cabinets, human organ diagrams, and lines of code
It settles on a faded photo of the robotics club, with the other members faded from sun damage, leaving only LILA and CALEB visible. There’s sharpie writing that reads ‘BEST FRIENDS 4 EVA’
DARWIN reaches out to pick it up,
DARWIN
“This must be Lila, they were both so happy...and so young. (pause) Does she regret what she did?”
A tear lands on the photo, DARWIN tenses up and quickly wipes his eyes with his sleeve
DARWIN
“GAH, what am I doing? I can’t afford sentimentality. I’ve gotta find this journal.”
DARWIN moves to put the photo back when he sees the small journal that was hiding underneath it
DARWIN
“Oh, hey!”
DARWIN trades the photo for the journal, opening to the first page and reading off it
DARWIN
“October 30, 1981 , I have always been fascinated by arcade machines. I had joked with the idea of loving them so much that I wanted to become one, but it had been just that: a joke, as I believed it was impossible. However my belief was changed today thanks to a video shown by my biology teacher, Mr. Phillips, I realize my joke could become reality. This journal will be a log of my findings and experiments as I go on this journey of becoming half man half machine.”
DARWIN stands still, his eyes wide in shock
DARWIN
“It was-”
SCENE 21 INT ARCADE NIGHT
DARWIN is standing in front of CALEB, with the journal in his hand, showing the cabinet the pages
DARWIN
“You. Caleb, you’re the one that wanted to become a machine.”
CALEB
[HHUH]
[??!?!/!/!/!?]
[wh why would]
[I ever want that]
DARWIN
“I don’t know…it felt wrong reading past the first page without you.”
CALEB
[so you were just patiently waiting]
[ignoring possible answers]
[so i could be there too?]
DARWIN
“Well, yeah. You are a part of this- strictly professional operation.”
CALEB
[did u know u talk in ur sleep]
[i heard u last night]
DARWIN
“(a little nervous)Is- is that so...what was I saying”
CALEB
[you said]
[said]
[that]
[well it was just]
[something that didn’t sound very professional]
DARWIN
“Well yeah, I’m not gonna have dreams about doing paperwork.”
CALEB
[about me]
DARWIN
“WHAT.”
CALEB
[said that you liked just]
[talking with me]
[even when its not related to your work]
[which isn’t very professional of you]
[and uh]
[i was hoping for some]
[clarification i guess]
DARWIN stares at the cabinet, looking uncomfortable
DARWIN
“I’m not sure I’m clear about it myself, I do enjoy talking to you though. It is…( hesitant )pleasant being with you. You seem to understand me better than anyone else I’ve met.”
CALEB
[yay :D]
[i can say the same for you]
[darling]
DARWIN blushes slightly at CALEB calling him ‘Darling’, but corrects himself, putting on his professional persona
DARWIN
“We should probably start going through your journal before it gets too late.”
CALEB
[okayyyy :3]
Darwin takes out the journal, beginning to read
DARWIN
“November 1st 1981, I should mention my lab partner, Lila, a girl who was just as fascinated with the video in biology as I was.
SCENE 22 INT EASTSIDE HS
FADE TO CALEB waking out of Mr. Phillips class and LILA catching up with him
LILA
“Hey you, uh...Cah-leb? Mr. Teacher's pet!”
CALEB stops walking and turns around to face LILA, giving her a questioning look
LILA
“I’ve been sitting next to you since the start of the year and I’ve yet to introduce myself! I’m Lila Teaun.”
CALEB
“Do you need the answers or something?”
LILA
“Me? Need answers for bio? *snort* you’re funny but no. I have this personal project I’ve been working on and I thought that you could help!”
CALEB
“What is it?”
LILA looks around, ushering CALEB to a spot behind some lockers, away from everyone else
LILA
“(Whispering) I’ve been trying to learn how to revive people from the dead, and that video showed it could be possible with machines. And based on how you watched that video today, you want to try it too. And you’re the president of the new robotics club here on campus right? So you’re perfect for the job!”
CALEB
“...you could say that.”
LILA
“So, will you accept my offer? Just think about how good it will look on college transcripts if we can pull this off! I mean my expertise would already get me into any medical school I wanted, but this will put me at the top of the top! Or...us? At the top of the top? Together!”
CALEB’S eyes dart to the floor as he thinks, before looking up at Lila, a light in his eyes
CALEB
“Meet me at the old arcade after school.”
LILA
“YES! OKAY!! I’ll be there!”
CUTS TO CALEB and LILA in his workshop
LILA
“You want to what ?!”
CALEB
“To see if a human being could survive in an arcade machine...hypothetically, of course.”
LILA
“(scared)That is…(awesome) crazy dude. I’m so glad I decided to talk to you.”
SCENE 23 INT ARCADE
FADE back to the arcade with DARWIN and CALEB. Darwin closes the journal, keeping his thumb in the page as a bookmark
DARWIN
“I get what you mean by her being unable to betray you. If you becoming this machine is what you wanted from the get go.”
CALEB
[yeah]
[she was]
[so nice]
[the first my age]
[to talk to me]
[UGHHE]
[I WISH I COULD TALK 2 HER AGAIN]
DARWIN
“Hm, Well I’ll let you know if I ever see her around.”
CALEB
[YAY]
[ur the best darwin ^w^]
[literally so awesome]
DARWIN
“(flustered)R-right! Well, let’s continue,”
Brief montage of DARWIN in different poses and from different angles reading off the pages, (i feel the montage makes the fade to scene 24 choppy)
I see what you mean, but its meant to show that they were reading through the previous journal entries too, rather than just a jump to 1984 from 1981 yk (hm)
DARWIN
“March 14, 1984, today marks the shift from experimentation to implementation,”
SCENE 24 INT CALEBS WORKSHOP
CALEB is seen giddily walking into the shed, notably wearing glasses now, LILA follows close behind, rubbing her eyes
LILA
“This better be good, Caleb. If my parents realize I snuck out this late they’ll have my head.”
CALEB
“Trust me, you’re gonna love it! And it will be quick”
CALEB guides LILA over to his desk, lifting off a tarp that covers a machine.
Underneath is a small robot with a flashing light, and inside the metal core is a heart, with wires intertwined between the muscles, pumping electricity through along with the blood.
LILA’s eyes immediately go wide as she rushes to get a closer look at the contraption, CALEB standing next to it proudly
LILA
“Gag me with a spoon, but, CALEB THIS IS INCREDIBLE! Damn Mr. Phillips was right in getting you those glasses. I mean I- you finally did it! You brought this dog’s heart back to life, gave it a new purpose! AHHH THIS WILL TOTALLY GET US FIRST PLACE FOR THE ROBOTICS COMPETITION!!”
CALEB
“Oh right, that.”
LILA stands up from where she was hunched over looking at the machine, turning to look up at CALEB confused
LILA
“What do you mean? That’s why we’re doing this right? Being able to prove that revival with machines is possible?”
CALEB
“Well yes but, it’s so much bigger than just this robot! We’ve designed the technology, now it’s time to implement it. On human organs.”
LILA
“Oh yeah huh, but where would we even find organs to work with? I don’t think we can get that kind of funding.”
CALEB
“(offended) I am right here. We can do the modifications to my organs!”
LILA
“What? No! I couldn’t do that to you! You’re the first real friend I’ve had, I can’t imagine what I would do if something went wrong...If I hurt you.”
CALEB
“You won’t hurt me, Lila. You’re too smart for that.”
LILA
“Yeah, smart enough to know this is a bad idea! Why would you even want your organs to be modified for a machine- wait, this isn’t about your idea of a human living in an arcade machine, is it? Because you said that was just hypothetical, and also never said it would be you in the machine.”
CALEB
“IT IS JUST HYPOTHETICAL. (pause as he catches his breath) Look, I just want to give you the best resources so we can publish our findings, yeah? It’s a test run. If the modifications don’t work, then just undo them!”
LILA
“Hm, I guess-? *sigh* I suppose that could work. Okay, next Saturday meet me at the hospital, since my dad works there he can probably get us a room. And I can perform the surgery to modify your heart!”
CALEB leaps to hug LILA, having to crouch down because of their height difference
CALEB
“THANK YOU LILA! You are the best!”
LILA laughs and returns the hug
LILA
“You shouldn’t act so excited for this, it's weird.”
LILA leaves the hug and begins for the exit
LILA
“Well, I should be going back now, before my parents kill me haha.”
CALEB points at LILA and laughs playfully
CALEB
“LOSER! My aunt and uncle don’t care how late I stay out! I could even sleep here if I wanted to!”
LILA smiles at CALEB sadly,
LILA
“See you at school, Caleb.”
CALEB waves LILA off, once she’s gone, his demeanor darkens
CALEB walks to the back of the shed where he lifts up a tarp, a dark blue arcade cabinet (POLYBIUS) underneath.
He runs his hands along the ledge of the control panel
CALEB
“Soon. We will be one.”
Fade back to DARWIN and CALEB in the arcade
SCENE 25 INT ARCADE
DARWIN again lets the journal fall shut on his thumb, notably more pages underneath his thumb than before
DARWIN
“(solemn)Well, that explains why you would remember her operating on you. But, I was wrong, you were the one that betrayed her. Although she didn’t seem to need much convincing...”
CALEB
[iw as]
[so]
[dumba nd stupid]
[she trusted me]
[trusted that id let her undo the modifications]
[but]
[clearly i didn’t]
[if im here now]
[and i wrote down my sins so proudly]
[what was wrong with me]
DARWIN
“Hey, it’s okay. You’re obviously different now. You're better.”
CALEB
[I want to apologize to her]
[but she probably hates me]
[its not like i can leave here anyways]
[but hey]
[at least ur here w me :)]
DARWIN
“Yeah...uh, and if it makes you feel better, it was cool seeing you go through your process of trial and error before your success with that robot, and it was honestly inspiring watching you pursue your dream so fiercely. It’s clear you have a passion, a certain drive that many people seem to lack. And it’s fascinating reading about your experiments, even if I don’t understand them."
CALEB
[you mean that?]
DARWIN
“Of course.”
CALEB
[thank you darwin]
[im so happy that ur here]
[and i can say all the same about you!]
[its so cool watching you figure things out]
[connecting dots I didn’t even know were there]
[you’re incredible]
DARWIN
“I’m well aware. But uh- I wasn’t aware that anybody else thought so. Guess we’re both just geniuses before our time then, huh? Thank you, Caleb.”
CALEB
[you are so very welcome darling :3]
DARWIN
“Let’s finish reading through your journal, shall we?”
CALEB
[YEAH :D]
DARWIN opens the journal back up, montage of him reading snippets from the different entries
DARWIN
“-sensation of wires in my chest is weird, but also so exciting.”
DARWIN
“-harder to breathe now. My lungs feel so much stiffer.”
DARWIN
“The circuits actually attached to my brain successfully! When holding a cord attached to a screen, I had control over what the screen displayed.”
DARWIN
“I’ve eliminated any need to use the bathroom. All waste products are immediately turned into electricity.”
DARWIN
“It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.”
DARWIN
“This human body cannot support my organs now designed for a machine. Lila insists on letting me let her return my organs to what they once were. I’ve considered it.”
DARWIN flips the page, seeing the other half of the journal is empty, he looks up to CALEB
DARWIN
“There's only one left. Are you ready? Do you think you’ll remember anything new?”
CALEB
[just read it]
DARWIN
“Okay.”
DARWIN clears his throat
DARWIN
“May 23, 1985. This will be my final entry.”
FADES OUT
SCENE 26 INT CALEBS WORKSHOP MIDDAY
(instrumental for Cabinet Man playing)
Oblique/canted angle of CALEB hunched over the camera/desk, writing out his entry.
His face is full of pain, hes gritting his teeth and clutching his torso, sweat beading off his face.
A small line of stitches is noticeable on his forehead
CALEBs voice covers over the narration of what hes writing down
CALEB
“Everything I’ve done has led up to this. I’m sorry Lila that I couldn’t hold out until you returned from Korea. I am dying. But I will finally be free. Free within a machine of my own creation, within an arcade game where I will finally be loved. This is the only way. There is nothing left for me here. I’ve designed this cabinet so that I will never be discovered, but still remembered forever. Goodbye.”
CALEB’s fingers and hand twitch, dropping the pen he was holding. Holding his trembling hand, CALEB staggers over to the tarp in the back, yanking it down to reveal ‘POLYBIUS’
He painfully drags it out of its corner, stepping behind it.
CALEB slides the back paneling up, before lifting his hoodie up and off his figure, his chest barren
Clever censoring by placing the camera behind a shelving unit so that way CALEB’s torso is covered, but the audience can still see CALEB holding a pair of surgical scissors near his belly
CALEB winces, sound effect of scissors snipping
And then sound effects of gross guishy intestine moistness
Close up of CALEB looking down, the handle of the scissors visible as he begins to cut along his chest
CALEB suddenly startles, and looks up, his face turning to fear, his mouth too stunned to speak.
Camera placed behind CALEBs shoulder, showing MR. PHILLIPS standing at the entrance of the shed
- PHILLIPS
“Caleb! What are you doing here? You totally bailed for graduation rehearsal. I know you already have your diploma, but the ceremony is important and-
- PHILLIPS POV shot of CALEB standing behind the cabinet, zooming in on the logo ‘POLYBIUS’
- PHILLIPS
“Polybius? I’ve never heard of this one before.”
CALEB POV shot of MR. PHILLIPS walking closer
Cut to shot with camera being on the side of CALEB, showing his side profile, panic in his face
CALEB
“WAIT DONT COME BACK HERE-”
Extreme close up of MR PHILLIPS eyes going super shocked and scared at what he is witnessing: his star student, a boy that he’s been caring for for the past fiveish years, mutilating himself, guts and gore slipping out
Normal close up shot of MR. PHILLIPS face, still terrified
- PHILLIPS
“Caleb, what the fuck are you doing?”
CALEB
“What I have to.”
Camera positioned behind MR. PHILLPS shoulder, which covers CALEBS chest as he continues to make the incision there
Its evident that MR. PHILLIPS is too shocked to do anything except ask,
- PHILLIPS
“Why?”
CALEB
“This life is- ack! Boring. Can only be happy in this machine-”
CALEB is seen shoving his hands into his chest, more gushy moist sound effects as well as sound effects of bones snapping (cuz his ribs)
Tears start forming in CALEBs eyes. He bites his lip to hold back screams
CALEB
“(choked out cries)I’m sorry dad- Mr. Phillips, but I have to do this.”
Camera positioned to the side of CALEB, showing MR. PHILLIPS standing next to him, watching in horror as a silhouetted version of CALEB peels back the skin of his forehead and skull, leaving his brain exposed.
CALEB
“Close the back panel, please.”
CALEB (still only seen as a silhouette) then thrusts his hands back into his chest, and throws his heart into the cabinet
CALEB quickly lifts his brain and chucks it before sliding down as his body loses control.
FADE TO BLACK
Pause for a few seconds
FADE IN
Shot from CALEBs POV, now inside the cabinet. Looking out to the open door of the shed.
A few moments pass and then MARK comes onto screen walking past the open doorframe, plugging his nose,
MARK
“UGH, it reeks here!”
MARK looks up to the sky, seemingly talking to no one.
MARK
“ Fine! I’m going in, I’m going in! .”
MARK walks into the shed, suddenly becoming backlit, his face unreadable until he’s close enough to grab CALEB.
He smirks
MARK
“Once we get you to the arcade, You are going to make us a fortune, Caleb Miller.”
MARK smiles evilly and the eye on his forehead becomes visible again before casting a bright light
The scene fades to white
SCENE 27 INT ARCADE
DARWIN is standing jaw dropped before his eyes light up and he starts shaking his hand back and forth,
DARWIN
“I KNEW IT!!! I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT!! I KNEW THE MAYOR HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ALL THIS! Just- gosh! I could kiss you right now!”
Awkward pause
DARWIN
“But I won’t! Hahahh!”
DARWIN finger guns pathetically
CALEB
[why so shy]
DARWIN
“I’m not kissing a screen, think about the germs!”
CALEB
[BORRRINGGGGGG]
[oh wait you do have a point]
DARWIN
“Thank you.”
DARWIN looks down at his notebook, biting his lip before looking back to CALEB
DARWIN
“Do you regret putting yourself in the machine?”
CALEB
[regret?]
[thats hard to answer]
[i mean yes]
[now that ive remembered everything]
[i really wish i wasn’t in here]
[and I hurt so many people]
[because of my decision to]
[throw my old life away]
[but]
[i think I needed this]
[to have a chance to reflect]
[b/c I didn’t appreciate life before]
[but i do now]
[youve shown me how to live, darwin]
[shown me how to love.]
[:)]
DARWIN
“Love? Don’t- Don’t say that. I haven’t taught you anything. Especially not love . How could I when I don’t love anyone?”
CALEB
[you don’t love anyone?]
[not even meeeee :3333???]
DARWIN
“No. Not you, not anyone. I’ve never needed anyone before, and I don’t need anyone now.”
CALEB
[but u needed me to give you info]
[and u showed up even when i didn’t have any]
[ur acting so strange right nwo :(]
DARWIN
“Well, you- you gave me the information I need. There is no further usage for our meetings.”
CALEB
[i know you want me]
[ive heard you say it]
[YOU LOVE ME DARWIN]
[SAY IT]
[SAY THAT YOU LOVE ME]
[PLEASE]
DARWIN
“What-?! I- (regaining his composure)You must have been hallucinating. Because I don’t”
CALEB
[i dont believe you >:(]
DARWIN
“WELL YOU SHOULD! I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t lie- I mean, even if I did care for you, love you even- WHICH I DON’T! This-”
DARWIN motions between him and CALEB
DARWIN
“Would never work!”
CALEB
[WHY NOT?!]
DARWIN
“Because- because you’re a machine !”
DARWIN seems shocked at himself, catching his breath but regains his composure
DARWIN
“Goodbye.”
As DARWIN moves to leave the arcade, CALEB shoots out a cord which wraps around DARWINS arm, squeezing tight
DARWIN winces, and tries to get the cord off him
DARWIN
“LET GO OF ME!”
DARWIN turns to face CALEB, and is shocked by the surprisingly soft words on his screen
CALEB
[so this is it]
[you wont be coming back?]
DARWIN
“No. (sniffling slightly but trying to sound emotionless)I won’t.”
DARWIN turns away from the cabinet again, CALEB’s grip loosens and DARWIN frees his arm
CALEB
[...]
[fine]
[i]
[i love you Darwin]
[bye]
[:(]
CALEBs POV of DARWIN walking out the door of the arcade, his claw visible on the arcade floor
Shot from exterior, showing DARWIN closing the door behind him, now its visible that DARWIN started crying the second he turned around
DARWIN
“It was- it was good to cut him off now. I’ll be grateful for this later...probably.”
SCENE 28 INT LILAS HOUSE
LILA is seen working over a table, sewing something together
NOELLE walks in, holding a bundle of papers
NOELLE
“Uh, hey Lila- what are these?”
LILA
“What are what?”
LILA looks over her shoulder at NOELLE, her expression widening in realization
NOELLE
“Uh, these. I was just cleaning up your lab a bit and found them, wanted to know if they’re a keep or a toss.”
LILA
“KEEP. dont, don’t throw those away. They’re blueprints for once I find Caleb.”
LILA walks up to NOELLE, grabbing one of the rolled up papers and unfurling it, she smiles sadly
LILA
“We would usually work on blueprints together. Of course, he understood the technology behind it far better than I ever could.”
LILA sucks back a tear,
LILA
“But it’s okay! Because I have these for his new body, and we have the rest of his old one! So once I find him, it’ll be like nothing ever happened!”
NOELLE
“But, you haven’t found him yet...you’ve just been sketching up these designs for the past four years.”
LILA
“Well- yeah...I’m not a very good detective. Heh. But at least I’m prepared!”
LILA puts her hands on her hips like a boss
NOELLE
“(smiling playfully)Of course, dear.”
NOELLE kisses LILAs forehead, then notices something on the table
NOELLE
“Hey, what’s that?”
Shot of LILA’s desk, with LILA running into frame to cover up the table
LILA
“BAHHH!!! DON’T LOOK!! It’s your Christmas gift!”
NOELLE
“AH! OKAY! MY EYES ARE SEALED!”
The room suddenly gets super dark, LILA and NOELLE laugh
fade to next scene
SCENE 29 VOID
CALEB nightmare sequence to ‘A Humans Touch’ by TWRP and McKenna Rae
^subject to change, i feel having such a modern song might break the illusion,
SCENE 30 INT DARWINS BOSS OFFICE
DARWIN is in front of the door in BOSSMAN’s office, looking nervous and also devoid of life
DARWIN
“Uh, hello sir. I take it you read the article?”
BOSSMAN
“Yes I read it. Your article proclaiming that the mayor is part of an evil extraterrestrial plan to create a global superpower in Rosemary in order to enact total world domination?”
DARWIN
“Uh, yes. That’s the one.”
BOSSMAN
“You do realize how ridiculous this sounds right? I mean a bulk of your evidence is from a ‘living arcade machine’, but you dont explain why it's living, I mean, seriously Darwin, this is all bogus. It can't be published.”
DARWIN
“Yeah. I- I had a feeling you would say that. Well- enjoy being a willing peon of Mark’s propaganda machine! And don’t cry to me when aliens take you away from your family!”
DARWIN crosses his arms over his chest all high and mighty, but BOSSMAN just looks at him, concerned
BOSSMAN
“Are you alright Darwin? Usually you plead a bit more to let me publish your nonsensical writings.”
DARWIN seems genuinely flabbergasted by the comment.
DARWIN
“Well, I know you won’t listen. Nobody ever does.”
BOSSMAN
“Right, well. Just bring in something that’s publishable. And have a Merry Christmas.”
DARWIN
“It's only December 23.”
BOSSMAN
“Well, merry December 23. Now get back to work.”
DARWIN
“(sarcastically) yes sir…”
DARWIN exits the room, AUB and #2 are waiting for him outside, its obvious they were listening in.
MONSE
“You have seemed off your game this past week…”
AUB
“Is it because the arcade closes today and you won’t get to smooch up on your imaginary video game lover?”
AUB makes a dramatic kissy face, both her and MONSE start laughing
DARWIN is visibly uncomfortable, almost looking like he’s going to cry
DARWIN leaves
MONSE
“(calling after Darwin) Hey man it was just a joke! (turning to #1) What a nerdy prude.”
AUB nods in agreement
AUB
“Mm-hm!”
SCENE 31 INT DARWIN’S THEORY ROOM
DARWIN is seen banging his head on his desk
DARWIN
“WHY. CAN’T. I. FOCUS. AGHHHHHHH.”
DARWIN stops banging his desk, and settles for squeezing his tie
DARWIN
“I removed Caleb from the equation! I should be focusing better now that I don’t have to worry about him!”
Shot with DARWIN in the center of the frame, smiling at the camera, hands joined together in front of him. Very professional. Very business like. But also very tense, hes struggling to keep up the persona
His eye twitches
Suddenly his demeanor crashes and hes pulling at his hair, crying out
DARWIN
“WHY AM I STILL THINKING ABOUT HIIIMMM. This is honestly pathetic Darwin, get a hold of yourself!”
DARWIN slaps himself
DARWIN
“Just gotta, think of something to write so I won’t lose my job...BUT I HAVE (broken cries)NOTHI-II-II-IINGGGG!!!”
DARWIN slumps, staring down at the assortment of papers on his desk.
DARWIN
“It’s so unfair that they would close the arcade. Caleb is all alone now...”
DARWIN drops his head into his hands
DARWIN
“GRAHHH WHY DID I HAVE TO CALL HIM THAT.
Maybe my quirky coworkers were right, to an extent. Could I be off my game because I...miss him? ...This wasn’t supposed to happen. I don’t want to care about him, or anybody.”
DARWIN lifts up his head a bit, staring at his desk
DARWIN POV looking at his open notebook with doodles of all the faces
Shot of DARWINS face, hes very sad and regretful
DARWIN
“I can’t believe I would call him a machine. He doesn’t deserve that, He deserves to know the truth, because it had nothing to do with him. It’s me! I’m too busy for a relationship but gosh- after what happened he probably thinks I hate him, and he probably hates me too...”
DARWIN lifts up his head more
DARWIN
“I need to apologize to him still, even if he hates me. He should know I don’t hate him. I can’t love him the way he says I do, but he deserves better than what I gave him.”
SCENE 32 INT ARCADE MIDDAY
Christmas Eve break in scene yippee
Cabinet man instrumental will be playing >:)
Two juvenile delinquent boys (TOMMY and RIVER) break in,
shattering the glass windows with crowbars
TOMMY
“Alright, let’s be quick, get these quarters before they clean this place out! And- (snicker)maybe trash a few machines while we’re at it”
RIVER
“booyah!”
The two boys fistbump and begin to graffiti the machines and collect the quarters that were left inside
Bashing in the screens with crowbars
Then the boys reach POLYBIUS, whos heartbeat has been speeding up, CALEB is scared
Ominous shot with them standing infront of POLYBIUS, crowbars in hands
SCENE 33 DARWINS CAR
DARWIN is driving, a determined expression on his face
DARWIN
“Okay- I can do this, I have to. I have to make sure Caleb will be okay...And once I clear things up, then I’ll be able to focus on my work!"
DARWIN
“But then he’ll still be left in the arcade, all alone…”
DARWIN
“...Well, maybe I can try and find Lila so he has somewhere to go! Yeah! Everythings gonna work out, its all gonna be fine!"
SCENE 34 INT ARCADE
The evilboys try to take off CALEB’s plating covering where the quarters would be, but they fail numerous times
RIVER
“UGH seriously? Why does this machine have to be sealed so tight! It would have been a total gold mine...”
TOMMY
“Maybe because it’s the most popular cabinet, and they don’t want people stealing, dummy. And don’t go giving up so easily! C’mon, let’s try throwing it down, loosen it up a bit.
RIVER
“Oh yeah huh. Good idea!
They both lean up against POLYBIUS and push the cabinet down. CALEBs screen cracks a bit upon impact, loud beeps play and the evilboys look a little concerned, but still move to take off the plating and get to the quarters
However once they do, they witness the gross amalgamation of lung and mucus and quarters
And then they see blood leaking from the cracks in the screen, (the blood should be blue me thinks) dripping towards their sneakers (woah its just like that one song!)
The music comes to a silence
CALEB POV shot looking at the boys sneakers, and seeing the blood.
RIVER
“What the- is that blood?”
targets circle around the blood on the carpet,
‘MAJOR HEMORRHAGE. DEATH LIKELY.’
‘DARWINS NOT COMING BACK’
TOMMY
“Something is wrong with that machine, man!”
The targets start blaring,
‘MACHINE. MACHINE. MACHINE. MACHINE.’
‘NOT. A. MACHINE.’
‘FFI1GGGHHTB@CKK’
Then, a cord launches out and grabs at TOMMY’s ankles, pulling him down.
External shot, low angle CALEB uses his cords to lift himself back up
CALEB
[cheaters]
The two evilboys try to run away but are captured by CALEBs cord which wraps around them, lifts them into the air, then chucks them down
TOMMY
“(Voice is strained)Hey man, listen man, we’re sorry! We didn’t know you were alive in there!”
RIVER
“Y-yeah! We’re good people, just let us go please?”
CALEBs cord lifts EVILBOYS up, constricts them tighter, administering electric shocks through the cord (not enough to kill them though)
CALEB lowers himself down, tilting his frontside towards the floor. Then CALEB lifts the two EVILBOYS higher into the air to where they’re behind him, dangling above his back paneling
The paneling creeps open, cam is placed behind EVILBOYS inorder to act as censorship of all the organs
But what is visible is the serrated edges on the bottom of the paneling, which begins to shut and open like a jaw
Camera being placed at the door of the arcade, CALEB gradually lowering EVILBOYS closer to himself
Shot zooms out a bit more to be behind DARWINs shoulder, who is staring through the shattered glass of the door.
DARWIN uses bobby pins to unlock the door with a click
CALEB falters at the noise, the blaring instrumental for ‘cabinet man’ suddenly softening
CALEB drops EVILBOYS to the floor before sitting himself upright
CALEB
[you came back]
Behind CALEB, TOMMY is crawling towards his crowbar on the floor
Close up of DARWINs face, he looks scared and confused, hes yet to step into the arcade
Close up shot, TOMMY grips his hands around the crowbar and then stands up and dashes towards CALEB
TOMMY
“YOU’LL PAY FOR WHAT YOU DID TO US, FREAK!”
TOMMY winds back the crowbar and thrusts it right into CALEBs screen, cracking it even further, then, using the curved end, pulls the cabinet down to the ground again, the impact sending shards of the screen across the floor, more blood seeping out.
TOMMY breathes heavily for a few moments before ushering RIVER to get up
TOMMY
“C’mon man! We gotta get to a police station or something! Quick, before it comes back for a second round!”
EVILBOYS run out the arcade
DARWIN waits until theyre out of view before he hesitantly steps into the arcade, looking back to make sure no one sees him before sprinting towards where CALEB lies on the floor
DARWIN
“(choked with tears)CALEB Oh my gosh, oh my gosh oh my gosh-”
DARWIN crouches down next to the cabinet, turning him over so that way his frontside is facing up
DARWIN
“Please tell me you’re still in there- damn it! You can’t leave now, I- I need you.”
CALEB
(the text is super hard to read because of how much of the screen is missing, and its also glitching out a lot)
[nnEEed MeE?]
[YYyy would yOUu neEEd a]
[machine]
[???//?//]
DARWIN
“YOU'RE NOT A MACHINE! I know I said you were, but I didn’t mean it! I said it because, ironically, I was scared of the truth. But I’m not now. Caleb, I came here to tell you the truth, and the truth is that I love you . I was too stupid to acknowledge it before, but I do now! And I- I want to be with you! So please, just this once, stay!”
CALEB
[CANNTT ddDDdo TttThA@tt D@RL1nGg]
[its GAME OVEr FOoR MEe]
DARWIN
“DONT SAY THAT! I’ll get you out of here, take you back to my place, call a doctor- I won’t let you go out like this! You deserve so much better!”
CALEB
[ddDYyy1ing like this is Wo0RrtTh I1t]
[even in here]
[bec@use 1 g0t 2 meet u]
DARWIN
“D-don't say that, I don’t want you to go,”
DARWIN wraps his arms over CALEB'S monitor, resting his head on the marquee, tears falling down his cheek
DARWIN
“(mumbling tearfully)Please don’t go, I love you.”
CALEB
[I love you too Darwin]
[thank you for seeing the me behind the screen]
CALEBs electric heartbeat stops
DARWIN wails.
After numerous choked ugly snot filled sobs, DARWIN wipes at his tears with his sleeve, trying to put on a determined face
DARWIN
“The least I can do now is not let the police get to you.”
DARWIN begins to drag CALEB along the floor, and out to his car
SCENE 35 INT DARWIN’S HOUSE
DARWIN sets CALEB down in his theory room against the wall, there are bloodstains on his blazer and hands from carrying the cabinet
DARWIN
“(tearfully)Never thought I’d see you in here besides the photos on my board, heh.”
DARWIN glances over to his conspiracy board, looking at all the threads connecting CALEBs story and life
DARWIN’s eyes widen
DARWIN
“I know what I need to write about now. If those boys really did go to the police, there’s bound to be stories reporting you as a monster. I won’t let that happen. I’ll tell them the truth. I’ll never let anyone in this town forget the name ‘Caleb Miller’ again. It’s the least I can do to make it up to you, my love.”
DARWIN kisses the marquee gently, then rests his forehead against it as he begins to sob again
DARWIN
“I’m sorry it took me so long to call you that.”
Narration of my mature prose thingy while the montage plays, the mature prose will basically be what DARWINs writing about CALEB and his story
Montage of DARWIN being sad over CALEB, (notably, his outfits progressively get lazier until he’s eventually just rocking a hoodie and sweatpants) sobbing over the control panel, working on his typewriter in his home office, cleaning off the graffiti and dried blood,
DARWIN
“Its horrible what they did to you…* sighs*, why is it that everytime it seems I’ve got something going, it’s taken away from me, whether by my mistake or someone else's…I wish there was just a way to, undo what happened, to have you with me again...”
Montage continues with DARWIN working on writing at his work office cubicle thing, putting tape over the shattered screen, DARWIN gags and winces from the smell
DARWIN
“I should probably get some candles...sorry love, but rotting organ stench isn’t really my favorite...I’ll be back soon, I promise.”
SCENE 36 INT CANDLE SHOP DEC 27
DARWIN is checking out at a candle shop with some apple scented candles, a price comes up on the register [$3.17] and DARWIN exhales in relief at the cheap cost
LILA
(off screen (she’s behind him in line))
“Wowee! Thank goodness for the post christmas clearance, huh?”
DARWIN
“Huh? Oh yeah.”
Camera placed behind LILA’s shoulder, DARWIN reaches into his bag to pull out his wallet, he opens it up and a copy of the robotics club photo is visible, with CALEB being centered, but part of LILAs face is visible on it as well
DARWIN places his card into the reader
LILA
“Where did you get that photo.”
DARWIN
“Wh-what? Oh this i- uh-”
DARWIN turns himself to face LILA, eyes going wide with shock
Darwin glances down at his wallet than back up to LILA(although hed still be looking down cuz shes so short)
Cam placed behind DARWINs shoulder, DARWINs holding the photo up next to LILAs face to compare
DARWIN
“It’s you.”
LILA
“That doesn’t answer my question. Where did you get it? Do- Do you know where he is?”
Close up of DARWIN seeming unsure how to respond. He takes his card out of the reader, and places it back in his wallet and grabs his bag of candles
DARWIN nods his head
DARWIN
“Meet me outside.”
LILA looks super excited and nods frantically
Cut to DARWIN just stepping outside the doors of the store into the main plaza when LILA pops up next to him
LILA
“Sooo...where is he”
DARWIN
“He's at my house.”
LILA
“WHAT?! ...How long has he been there?”
DARWIN
“Only three days, I took him there after he...died, at the arcade.”
LILA
“HE WHAT?!? So- is he dead right now? In your house?”
DARWIN nods solemnly
DARWIN
“That’s why I had to buy candles. It smells so bad.”
LILA
“Gross. Why would you keep a rotting corpse in your house? Whatever, tell me later. The sooner we get him to my place the better.”
DARWIN
“What- why?”
LILA
“Because I have the rest of his body. His human body.”
DARWIN
“ Oh, you’ve kept him for over four years? But you attack me for wanting to hold onto him a little longer?”
LILA
“Doesn't matter! Look- if you’re as close with him as you seem, I will assume he told you about me, and my grandiose plan of reviving dead bodies.”
DARWIN
“Yeah he did- wait, Are, are you suggesting that-”
LILA
“Yes. I can bring Caleb back, in his real body too.”
DARWIN
“(immediately)What can I do to help?”
LILA
“Well, start by bringing Caleb to my house, and finish by telling me how you met him and just who exactly you are, like what's your name?”
DARWIN
“Oh yeah uh it's Darwin! Darwin Telitsyn.”
LILA
“Well Darwin, you can find my place in the forest on the north east part of town.”
DARWIN snaps his fingers
DARWIN
“That house near all the alien sightings? Whose owner left town because he felt watched by glowing eyes in the trees?”
LILA
“Uhhh, probably! Are you a fan of aliens?”
DARWIN
“Yes. Well, I can’t say I would want to meet one because it’d most likely abduct and try to perform experiments on me before furthering its plan for invading Earth, but I still think they’re cool. And uh- (realizes he started ranting) point is- I know exactly where you’re talking about then. I’ll get Caleb to you as soon as I can.”
LILA
“Awesomesauce!”
SCENE 37 INT LILAS HOUSE
DARWIN knocks on LILA’s door, CALEB is strapped down on a hand truck dolly behind him, tall snow covered trees and a faded dirt path are visible in the background
LILA opens the door, looking shocked to see him
LILA
“Damn you got here quickly. Hurry up, get inside! I’ll show you where to go.”
DARWIN drags CALEB behind him as he steps into LILAs house
LILA
“Oh and please take off your shoes.”
DARWIN
“Right, of course.”
DARWIN slips his shoes off, revealing his super awesome alien socks aww yeah
LILA
“Damn, you really do like aliens huh?”
DARWIN looks up at LILA, then back down to his socks
DARWIN
“Oh, yeah. I told you I think they’re really cool.”
LILA stares at him, an eyebrow raised
LILA
“Do you really think they’re all bad? Or are you chill?”
DARWIN
“I mean- I suppose I only know a fraction of information on aliens, so-”
LILA
“Can you keep a secret?”
DARWIN stares at her a little confused, before nodding
DARWIN
“ Of- of course! WAIT- are you saying that you know an alien?”
LILA
“...How’d you get there so fast? But- yeah, I know one. She’s my girlfriend- I MEAN good friend!”
A pause. DARWIN stares at LILA before promptly asking
DARWIN
“Are you gay?”
LILA
“WHY ARE YOU SO BLUNT ABOUT IT. But yes. I am.”
DARWIN
“Oh thank goodness, I am too.”
LILA
“Oh yeah I knew. Dude, you had a photo of Caleb in your wallet, and you’ve been keeping his corpse in your house, it’s kinda obvious you have a thing for him.”
DARWIN stammers, his face flushed
DARWIN
“I- uh Well-! You’re very observant. And now that that's cleared up- Lets work on getting Caleb back.”
LILA
“Right!”
LILA moves to help DARWIN wheel CALEB in, guiding him through her house, to a secret door near the back
LILA
“Okay, you’re gonna meet my girlfriend, because she’ll be able to help with the revival process once we get to that point, so just promise to be chill, okay?”
DARWIN
“MHMHM I am like, so chill.”
LILA looks a little skeptical, but sighs and knocks on the door,
LILA
“Hey Noelle, open up! That guy from the candle shop is here with Caleb!”
The door slides open, sexy saxophone music is playing as NOELLE’s figure is slowly revealed
Shot of LILA looking enamored, the saxophone music sours as the camera pans over to DARWIN looking unimpressed, but also analytical
DARWIN
“Where’s your third eye? Aliens are supposed to have three, where’s the one on your forehead?”
TENSE music starts playing. LILAs head rapidly turns to look at DARWIN with a ‘YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT’ look
NOELLE is stunned, she looks down to LILA
NOELLE
“Lila, this guy sucks . I- I need a minute”
NOELLE shuts the door. Leaving LILA to glare at DARWIN who looks confused.
DARWIN
“What just happened?”
LILA
“DUDE. YOU SAID YOU WERE CHILL.”
DARWIN
“Wha- I AM! I was just asking a question!”
LILA
“You can’t just start off a conversation like that! You don’t know her like that! Look- that’s a very personal and heavy subject for her, which you couldn’t have known, but still. Don’t you know how to think before you speak?”
DARWIN
“O-oh. I’m sorry. That- yeah that’s my bad. It’s so elementary, but still something I need to work on. I’ll try to refrain from asking her any questions.”
LILA
“I mean you can ask her stuff, but like normal stuff, like her interests, motivations, I don't know, just think about it first.”
DARWIN
“R-right. Of course. Thank you, Lila. You’re very kind.”
LILA
“‘Course dude. Gotta prep you to make sure you treat Caleb right.”
DARWIN
“(nervous/flustered laughter)AHAHAHAAHahaha…right…thank you.”
There’s an awkward pause, DARWIN is fidgeting with his tie, deep in thought, but also clearly has something he wants to say but is restraining himself
LILA
“You have something you want to ask, don’t you?”
DARWIN nods pathetically
LILA
“( sighs) Go ahead.”
DARWIN
“(frantically in one breath) What did you mean by Noelle would help with the revival process?”
LILA stares at him in a similar way to how she did earlier, but more utterly distraught and disgusted
LILA
“What is wrong with you.”
DARWIN
“I’M SO SORRY.”
LILA
“Nah I’m just playing,(laughing)gosh you should see your face.”
Shot of DARWIN looking absolutely mortified and ashamed, but goofily, while LILA laughs in the background
LILA
“But to answer your question, her species biology is quite different from ours. Their bodies produce a substance that revives cells whenever it needs to grow, and thus the substance is found in Noelle’s hair to stimulate hair growth, so every so often she just has to squeeze out the moistness into a container that I can then inject into a cadaver, bringing the tissue back to life.”
DARWIN
“Hoh woah. That- wow. You’ll really be able to bring Caleb back.”
LILA
“MHM!!! Gosh Noelle’s biology is SO COOL, like as a defense mechanism she can brighten her eyes enough to knock someone out, sometimes even erasing their memory of the encounter! And the way they reproduce is really interesting because-”
DARWIN
“Did you say a bright light? And a loss of memory? That- that’s like what happened with Caleb. See, I met him because I thought he might know what happened to the missing maintenance workers, and I had to help get his memory back, but the thing is sometimes he would forget things that he just remembered the day before. And before he woke up in the arcade for the first time, he recalled seeing the mayor and then a bright light. Holy- THIS CONFIRMS MY THEORY! That the mayor is being controlled, or at least working with an alien!”
DARWIN giddily shakes his hands back and forth
LILA
“Wait. The mayor is the one that took Caleb from the shed? 그 빌어먹을 년!(GEU BIL-EOMEOG-EUL NYEON!(THAT FUCKING BITCH!)) Ugh I KNEW he had bad vibes, I mean first Noelle tells me that his city expansions are cutting into where her colony used to be and now this ? (she looks to DARWIN) Just how much are we roped into?”
DARWIN
“A lot. Wait- the city expansion was in the direction of her colony in the woods? That was a hunch I had, but seemed irrational since it’d make more sense to keep themselves hidden. Did Noelle tell you if there were maybe other colonies, perhaps this is their way of attacking...”
The door suddenly slams open, NOELLE standing in the doorway, looking down at DARWIN
NOELLE
“Our colonies would never be hostile towards one another. That would contradict our purpose to study this planet.”
DARWIN startles, looking super scared
DARWIN
“N-Noelle! I- I’m sorry about earlier- and what will your colonies do with the data- no. I won’t go there. Uh, proper introductions first.”
DARWIN holds out his hand for a shake
DARWIN
“Greetings and salutations Noelle, my name is Darwin Telly Telitsyn.”
NOELLE snorts,
NOELLE
“Dar win ?”
DARWIN
“Uh, yeah! That’s me!”
NOELLE
“(laughing) more like, (snicker) Dar lose .”
Shot of DARWIN looking absolutely mortified and heartbroken, think like a .5 picture
3 shot of DARWINs face being a cartoony distraught look with NOELLE and LILA laughing at him together
NOELLE
“Hahah…okay, you’re fun to mess with so I’ll forgive you. Just, please don’t bring it up again.”
NOELLE turns to LILA
NOELLE
“Well, let’s get this operation started, yeah?”
NOELLE opens up the door wider and stands to the side so LILA can walk in
LILA
“YEAH!”
LILA moves to grab the dolly CALEBs on, DARWIN rushes to assist her. The two enter the room and close the door behind them.
SCENE 38 INT LILAS OPERATING ROOM
LILAS operating room has a table to the side. there’s a cart with a bunch of medical supplies, and throughout the room there are numerous amounts of machinery including heart monitors, anesthetic machine and more
LILA and NOELLE walk around, setting stuff up
DARWIN stands awkwardly amidst it all
DARWIN
“How did you afford all this?”
LILA
“Performing operations on celebrities, you’d be surprised how often they need major medical attention, and how desperate producers can be, thus I get a portion of their profits.”
DARWIN
“Damn. OH! I heard someone talk about that on a radio show the other day, undead popstars and all. That’s so cool that you’re behind it.”
LILA
“Haha, yeah I guess. It was all for Caleb, I wanted the best equipment to bring him back, and now I finally can. Thanks to you.”
DARWIN
“Thanks to me?”
LILA
“Yeah, you found him. I couldn’t. I was too like, distraught when it happened to think straight. Running into the forest as far as I could go, and then I met Noelle. And she helped me distract myself, helped me get back on track with furthering this dream of mine, and now I have this facility to help bring him back! Point is, you did what I couldnt. So, thank you.”
DARWIN
“O-of course! It’s kinda my thing heh…”
A pause. DARWIN looks around at the room, admiring all the expensive equipment LILA purchased for the sole sake of bringing CALEB back
DARWIN
“Caleb’s lucky to have a friend like you.”
LILA
“Not yet, I still have to make up for what I did.”
DARWIN/NOELLE
“It wasn’t your fault.”
NOELLE and LILA both turn to look at DARWIN, shocked that he said anything
DARWIN gets supa nervous, sweating and fidgeting but manages a response
DARWIN
“UH, be-before Caleb, well, died, he confided a desire to talk to and apologize to you, Lila. He feels horrible for how he treated you, and he doesn’t blame you for what happened to you, so uh, you shouldn’t blame yourself either!”
LILA
“ (tearing up) He said all that? I- ( affectionately )gosh that idiot . I still feel bad about all I did, but thank you for telling me that. It's comforting.”
LILA points back to her girlfriend,
LILA
“Noelle’s been trying to convince me to not blame myself for years, but, I think I needed to hear from someone that Caleb doesn’t blame me for it, so, thank you, Darwin.”
DARWIN
“( grinning )Just sharing what I know. I’m happy I could help. Caleb cares a lot about you, you know.”
LILA nods tearfully, wiping away the tears forming
LILA
“All the more reason to bring him back. I’m gonna go grab his body. Be back soon!”
LILA disappears behind a door near the back of the room DARWIN hadn’t noticed before
Once LILA is gone, NOELLE approaches DARWIN, towering over him
NOELLE
“Uh, hey dude. That was pretty cool of you to do. I envisioned you as way more of a dick, but- thanks for helping her.”
DARWIN
“Oh, well yeah of course! I hate seeing people believe in something that isn’t true.”
NOELLE
“Hm, is that why you’re so obsessed with aliens? Because you hate seeing people not believe in us?”
DARWIN
“Uhh, (nervously smiles, scared of being disliked by her) pr-pretty much. Yeah.”
NOELLE
“(judging)Weird.”
DARWIN
“WHAT :(”
NOELLE laughs
NOELLE
“I'm just playing dude,”
NOELLE then flashes her teeth and pretends to attack DARWIN, who trembles in fear,
NOELLE
“ For the most part.”
DARWIN stands looking really sad and pathetic compared to NOELLES sheer awesomeness,
NOELLE laughs again
LILA bursts the door open, NOELLE startles and goes to help her, DARWIN panicky following. DARWIN and NOELLE hold the door open while LILA brings CALEB’S BODY through on a cart
DARWIN stares in disbelief at the body, perfectly preserved
NOELLE helps LILA move CALEBs body onto the table, LILA traces her hand along his chest where sutures are visible, a small tear forming in her eye that she sucks back
Pan to DARWIN standing awkwardly in the back
DARWIN
“Uhh, should I leave or-??”
LILA
“If you think you can handle watching me put Caleb’s organs back in his body then you can stay.”
DARWIN
“I most definitely can not. Just- call me when it’s done.”
DARWIN reaches into his satchel and pulls out a business card and hands it to LILA
‘Darwin Telly Telitsyn
journalist/theorist
541-’
*the rest of the numbers will be covered by LILA’s thumb
LILA
“Radical. Shouldn’t take more than a week.”
DARWIN
“R-right. I- I can wait that long. Until then.”
LILA
“Bye Darwin!”
NOELLE
“Later loser!”
LILA elbows NOELLE
NOELLE
“I mean- fare thee well oh Mister Telitone, er, Telitsyn.”
DARWIN waves goodbye and then leaves,
LILA turns to NOELLE, who brings over her cart of tools
LILA puts on a mask and then brings her goggles down in a super baddie boss way.
LILA grabs a scalpel, and looks at some blueprints left on the cart, turning back to CALEB’s body to begin making incisions
LILA
[hopeful]
“Now, just close your eyes and this will be over before you know it.”
SCENE 39 INT LILAS OPERATION ROOM
The beeps of a heart monitor are heard, beeping in sync with the beeping of CALEB’s heartbeat
NOELLE
“He’s not quite the same as he was before. Are humans supposed to look like that?”
LILA
“There was no other way. …What if he hates me?
NOELLE
“He won’t care, he’ll be glad to be back. Besides, blue suits him!”
LILA
“He should be up soon. Should I call Darwin?”
NOELLE
“Ughhhhhhhrrr I forgot about him. But, probably yeah. Call up that loser.”
Silence over a black screen
Injection of reagent, like at the end of reanimator, where everything is black except for the reagent being injected :3
The reagent is a bright teal/turquoise btw, like Noelle’s colors
Crackle of electricity,
Flashing lights, which show CALEB’s body writhing against the operating table as the electricity surges through his body. With LILA, NOELLE and DARWIN moving to keep him down
Loud agonizing screams from CALEB mixed with panting breaths
Closeup shot of DARWIN sliding a quarter into the coin slot on CALEB’s chest, (in this shot its visible that he has some medical electrodes attached to his chest)
CALEB’s breathing stabilizes, he lies back against the operating table
Extreme close-up on CALEB’s mechanical camera lens eye opening and then his ‘pupil’ instantly shrinking against that blaring surgery light
LILA moves to turn the light off,
CALEB
“(mumbling, kinda incoherent)Is this the light people talked about? Nice of them to put me back in my body, wouldn’t want to join my mom still as a machine.”
LILA
“Your mom isn’t here, Caleb. You’re not dead.”
CALEB
“But, I died, in Darwin’s arms, And I- I’m not in the machine anymore. Why- how- Where am I?”
LILA
“You’re safe. I know it’s disorienting but, you’re back, good as new!”
CALEB
“...Lila?”
LILA looks down at CALEB, a smile on her face, tearing up in relief, CALEB turns his head to face her, his eyes widening in joy
CALEB
“LILA! OH MY GOSH.”
CALEB reaches out and wraps his arms around LILA’s torso, his face pressed against her tummy,
CALEB
“I- I didn’t think I’d ever see you again, I died in the arcade and-”
LILA
“Yeah, sorry but you can’t get rid of me that easily.”
LILA pats CALEBs head
CALEB removes himself from LILA a bit so that way he can look up at her
CALEB
“I wouldn’t want to! I’m really sorry, Lila, for everything I did I was such a jerk and-”
LILA
“Yeah dude, I know. Your little friend Darwin told me.”
LILA points to behind CALEB, grinning
CALEB pauses in confusion, before sudden realization
CALEB whips his head around
Audience finally sees DARWIN’s face
DARWIN has been staring at CALEB since he woke up, eyes full of awe and wonder, and disbelief.
Shot of the two staring at each other, both hesitantly reaching out a hand to touch the other, then DARWIN lunges in to hug CALEB, squeezing him tight, CALEB is startled, pausing for a few seconds as DARWIN presses against him, tears well in CALEB’s eyes and he quickly hugs Darwin back, just as if not tighter.
Shot of DARWINs face pressed against CALEB’s shoulder, he’s tearing up as he squeezes CALEB
DARWIN
“Y-you’re real. You’re here . I- I missed you. A lot.”
DARWIN turns his head into the crook of CALEB’s neck
Shot of CALEB rubbing his head against DARWINs, face partially obstructed by DARWINs hair
CALEB
“Yeah, I’m real. I missed you too. Well, it's weird because it feels like I just died in your arms, but I get the feeling that's not true. How- how long has it been?”
DARWIN
“One week, One long torturous agonizing week.”
LILA
“Hey man, A week is ridiculously good timing considering all we had to do. BUT we got you ready just in time for the new year!”
CALEB
“What did you have to do? Was it not just putting my organs back?”
LILA
“Well- uh. Not really, your body was really adapted to the environment in the cabinet, your organs and veins were intertwined with the machinery, so we had to carry all that over too. And, just- don’t expect yourself to look exactly the same as before.”
CALEB slowly releases DARWIN and looks at LILA in concern
CALEB
“...what do you mean? Do you have a mirror? What do you mean not the same?! ”
CALEB looks between LILA and back to DARWIN, hoping for an answer. DARWIN moves to the side, revealing the polybius cabinet behind him, and CALEB is able to see his reflection on the screen.
He brings a hand up to touch his face, tears forming in his eyes again. He reaches out his other hand to touch the cabinet, the tears begin to fall.
DARWIN moves to place a hand on CALEBs shoulder
CALEB
“ (choked sobs) I- I’m free. I- I thought I’d be trapped in there forever, so I guess I can’t complain too much about looking like a comic book character. It's kinda cool, even.”
LILA
“Awesome! And, well you will need to stay here for a few days in order to properly physically recover and adjust to your body again.”
CALEB
“Yeah, that- that makes sense. Will Darwin be able to visit?”
LILA
“Of course!! I can tell you two care about each other, it’d be cruel of me to say no. Actually- I just remembered I have to go attend to something! (sarcastic + playful)Oh no! I guess you two will be left here together and have a chance to talk things outtttt!”
LILA runs stupidly away,
Once the door closes behind her, DARWIN and CALEB turn to properly face each other
A pause with them staring at each other until CALEB takes a breath and begins to talk
CALEB
“You know, I really thought you weren’t ever gonna come back. I thought my life was over, because I could remember all the mistakes I made in my life, but in the machine I couldn’t do anything about them. And, I believed that, in the machine, I couldn’t be loved by you, which hurt the most.”
DARWIN
“Oh gosh- I really am sorry for calling you that, and please know it’s not true! I’d still want to be with you even if Lila didn’t put you back in your body, I would have found a way to make it work, because I love you, Caleb.”
CALEB
“I know. I love you too, Darwin. (a pause) So what next?”
DARWIN
“Well, I mean, I don’t know entirely what my future holds, there's a lot of instability with my job and, but. The one thing I do know is that I want you in it.”
CALEB
“So…(nervous and excited)would that make us boyfriends ?”
DARWIN
“(flustered) uh y-yeah! I suppose so.”
CALEB
“EHEHEHE YAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!”
CALEB grabs onto DARWIN’S hands and they both shake em back and forth joyfully
SCENE 40 EXT LILAS HOUSE NIGHT
Shot of bottom half of CALEB on his wheelchair, being pushed out the door by DARWIN. (notable, DARWIN has a grocery bag slung round his shoulder)
Camera pans up to reveal that the two of them are chatting with LILA and NOELLE
CALEB
“So you’re like, an actual alien from another planet, Venus, you said? THAT’S SO COOL! And a lot different than what space invaders depicted.”
NOELLE laughs
NOELLE
“Yes, you humans have wildly inaccurate concepts of us.”
NOELLE does a NASTY side eye at DARWIN
NOELLE
“But it’s alright, your species prejudice is balanced out by your interesting history. And interesting culture! Your society’s celebration of something so menial as a full orbit around the sun is charming.”
CALEB
“I agree! Along with 4th of July, New Years was always one of my favorite holidays in the arcade,”
DARWIN
“Because of the fireworks?”
CALEB
“YEAH!! THEY’RE SO PRETTYYYY EHEHEHE!!!! I’m so happy you remembered darling ehehe. And, since I could see them through the windows, it always felt like I was part of the celebration...which was really nice.”
LILA
“Well, now you’ll actually be part of the celebration again! Now hurry up! Darwin, you got the sparklers and stuff right?”
DARWIN
“Yeah, they’re right here in this bag!”
LILA
“Perfect! Now c’mon! Let’s go set up so we can watch the show!”
Cuts to NOELLE, LILA, CALEB, and DARWIN at the edge of where the road ends and turns to forest, there are chairs and blankets set up, and various snacks
The four of them are counting down together
ALL
“-FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!”
The four of them light the sparklers and laugh joyfully, LILA and NOELLE kiss,
DARWIN and CALEB witness this, they glance at each other and then quickly glance away, faces flustered
They are then startled by fireworks, which they all turn to see.
Shot of the four watching the massive firework display happening in the middle of town.
LILA
“I know we hate him, but the mayor did make the right call in having Rosemary put on a fireworks show each year. They’re beautiful.”
CALEB is looking up at the sky, face full of awe and wonder
CALEB
“mhm… (sudden realization) Oh! That reminds me. (sudden seriousness) Darwin-”
DARWIN turns to CALEB, his cheeks already flushed from hearing CALEB speak his name,
CALEB
“I- I want to help you expose Mark. I want to help you prove your theories, one because they’re incredible just like you, and two because Mark seriously messed me up. I’m never getting those four years back. I- I want him to pay . If you’ll let me help you, that is.”
DARWIN
“Of course I will! I want to make him pay too. And, I’m honored, really, at how much you care. And you yourself are incredible, The time we spent together- I never realized how much I could care for another person.”
DARWIN grabs CALEB’s hands, holding them center between them,
DARWIN crouches down so he and CALEB are level
DARWIN
“I don’t have all the concrete answers right now, for the question of Mark, and potential evil aliens, and everything else. And I can’t guarantee I ever will. But-”
DARWIN analyzes CALEBs hand in his own, rubbing his thumb along each finger
CALEB POV shot of DARWIN bringing CALEB’s hand to his mouth, kissing it, and then looking back to CALEB with his big beautiful green eyes
DARWIN
“For once, I think I could be okay with that.”
Two shot of them, CALEB’s whole face is flushing
DARWIN snickers lovingly, then brings his hand up to grasp CALEB’s cheek tenderly
DARWIN
“Thank you, Caleb, for helping me know what love could feel like.”
DARWINs eyes glance down to CALEB’s lips
DARWIN
“May I-?”
CALEB nods frantically
DARWIN smiles, then brings CALEB’s face closer to his own
Extreme Close up shot of their lips just a few centimeters apart, mouths slightly parted, before finally interlocking
Close up of just their heads as they kiss, smiling against each others lips, small tears of joy in their eyes
They then slowly break apart, staring into each other
They both giggle a little
LILA fawns over them, like a proud mother
NOELLE makes a fake gagging motion
DARWIN
“I love you, Caleb.”
CALEB
“I love you too, Darwin.”
The two kiss again and then turn to watch the fireworks, paralleling the end of scene 4, but now this time, LILA and NOELLE walk in to join them, LILA and DARWIN both have an arm around CALEB, NOELLE is holding LILA’s hand
The camera stays there behind them for a few moments, letting the fireworks play, and then tilts up into the sky, more fireworks go off
FADE TO CREDITS
END.
Account Deleted Mon 14 Jul 2025 10:07PM UTC
Comment Actions