VOICES

Written by Malcolm Solomon

Malcolm Solomon
43 Dennekamp
359 Main Road
Kenilworth
Cape Town
South Africa
7708
Tel: ++27724107248
FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - MORNING

We see a digital alarm clock, in a barely lit bedroom the

numbers on the face say 06:59am. The time on the clock
changes to 07:00am and it starts buzzing loudly. A hand raises
up and presses the snooze button. We see two people in the
bed, OUR HERO (30s well built) is on his back, he is staring
at the ceiling above him, THE WOMAN (30s blonde beautiful)
is on her side. She has a look of absolute disappointment
in OUR HERO as she looks at him.

THE WOMAN
(sarcastic)
Well good morning! Today is the big
day. Time to get up and ruin your
life. Do you know how glad I am
that I'm not going to be around to
see it when you do. Damn you're a
loser!

OUR HERO turns to looks at her, a look of hurt rolls over

his face for a brief moment. He sighs, shuts his eyes and
a faint smile manifests on his lips causing his whole face
to light up. He gets up with a sense of purpose and
confidence and proceeds to the bathroom and shuts the door
behind him, leaving THE WOMAN lying in the bed.

INT. BEDROOM - MORNING - MOMENTS LATER

OUR HERO is in front of a full length mirror to start putting

on his tie, THE WOMAN appears behind him.

THE WOMAN
(Contempt)
You know what you not a real man.
My ex now there was a real man.
Real men don't just quit to go and
follow their dreams. You're nothing
You're a zero with the rim knocked
off.

OUR HERO closes his eyes and grits his teeth as if he is

almost trying to wish her away. His eyes open to see her
still there staring at him. He opens his mouth to say
something to her but instead takes a deep breath to calm
himself and he continues to fix his tie.

INT. KITCHEN - MORNING - MOMENTS LATER

OUR HERO is seated at his kitchen table working on his

notebook computer and having a cup of coffee.
 2.

THE WOMAN
That's right just ignore me pretend
I'm not here. You had everything
and you threw it all away to do this.
What a loser!

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO pretends not to hear her anymore. He looks at his

watch and realizes it's time to leave for his appointment.
Packs up his notebook computer, puts on his suit jacket and
heads out the front door. She looks at the coffee cup in her
hand takes a sip, a look of utter disgust comes across her
face.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO is leaving his apartment and closes the door behind
him as he closes the door we hear the following.

THE WOMAN
(Shouting)
And your coffee sucks just as much
as you do!

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO looks back at his apartment a puzzled look on his

face, shrugs his shoulders and as he turns around meets his
MOTHER (late 60s grey hair smallish build) she has an intense
look of worry on her face. He has a look of surprise at her
being there and opens his mouth to say something to her but
she puts her hand to his mouth.

MOTHER
(Worried)
Hush son don't you worry. I'm here
to help. I know you think you doing
the right thing but you're not.
You're throwing your whole life away
on this crazy idea. I love you, I
want the best for you.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO takes her hand away from his mouth, smiles and walks
right past her and heads down the flight of stairs.

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING APARTMENT BUILDING - MOMENTS LATER

OUR HERO walks down the stairs with MOTHER trailing behind
him as he heads towards his car. Her levels of anxiety are
increasing.
 3.

MOTHER
(Begging)
Son, come you can go home. You can
still go back to where you were.
It's not too late. Why can't you be
more like your brother. He always
does what's expected of him.

OUR HERO rolls his eyes at the thought of being like his
brother. The look on his face changes to one of self
assurance as he and MOTHER get into the car. MOTHER gets in
directly behind the driver's seat. He starts the car and
start backing out.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING APPOINTMENT BUILDING - MOMENTS

LATER

As OUR HERO pulls his car into a parking space at the building
of his appointment. He switches off the car. MOTHER is near
tears. She continues to beg and plead with him.

MOTHER
(Pleading)
Please, can't you see what you doing
to me, to us, by going through with
this. If you loved me you would not
be doing this. Can you imagine what
an embarrassment you will be to our
family?

OUR HERO grips the steering wheel tighter and tighter, the
frustration of listening to MOTHER is getting to him. It
all gets too much.

OUR HERO
(Shouting)
AAAAAAAAAAAH!

MOTHER is visibly shocked and taken aback that he would shout

like that.

MOTHER
Now now son there's no need for that
kind of behavior. Come on take us
home and we can forget this stupid
nonsense. I can't believed I raised
such a worthless son.

OUR HERO's eyes begin to well up, he takes a deep breathe,

wipes his eyes and regains his composure.
 4.

A look of complete and utter peace comes over him as he gets

out of the car, he grabs the laptop bag and leaves MOTHER,
who has started crying, behind in the car and heads towards
the lift. She screams one last time.

MOTHER (CONT'D)
Don't do this!

OUR HERO continues walking to the lift with a renewed sense

of purpose.

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO reaches the lift and presses the up button. The
lift arrives and the doors open. A look of surprise which
is immediately followed by one of horror crosses his face as
he sees his DAD (60s grey hair a little overweight) waiting
for him in the lift. DAD has a look of smugness on his face
as he stares at his son.

DAD
I thought I would meet you here. I
am just here to see everything I
always knew about you come to pass.
You were born a loser and remain a
loser for the rest of your life.

INT. LIFT - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO remains brave and enters the lift and selects floor
he is going to. The doors to the lift close. He rests
against the back of the lift and closes his eyes as he opens
them he sees DAD right in his face.

DAD
(Bellowing)
Are you really my son because I don't
think any child of mine would do
something this stupid. How do you
just quit and leave everything behind?
Don't bother answering, you're a
loser that's all the answer I need.

OUR HERO cringes in the corner of the lift with fear as if

he was 16 years old again and had smashed the car, and opens
his mouth to answer but is interrupted by DAD

DAD (CONT'D)
(Disgusted)
Never mind, just shut up. You had
such a chance to make something of
your life but like I always knew you
would never amount to anything. You
piss away every good opportunity
that comes your way.
 5.

OUR HERO clenches his fists with rage, yet fear of DAD keeps
him frozen in the corner. The lift stops and the doors open.

INT. HALLWAY - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO exits the lift and enters the hallway in haste trying
to get away from DAD.

A page with a black arrow on it that has been crudely stuck

on the wall is pointing to the left which he takes to the
direction. DAD is following him.

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO enters the office the sign was showing and goes to
the a reception desk where a RECEPTIONIST without looking up
from the latest gossip magazine, preempts his question by
pointing him to a row of empty seats behind him and then to
a door which is where he is meant to go, she then picks up a
phone and says something inaudible into it. He takes a seat
and DAD sits next to him.

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

DAD
(sarcastically gleeful)
I almost can't wait for you to come
out of that room destroyed because
it didn't work out and I can have
the pleasure of being the first to
tell you I told you so. Then you
would have officially flushed your
life down the toilet.

OUR HERO has a strained smile on his face like it is the

only thing still keeping him together. The grip on his
notebook bag gets tighter as he clenches it with rage

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

The closed door that OUR HERO was directed to go to is opened

by unseen hands.

FEMALE
(Impatient and loud)
Enter!

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO stands up takes in a deep breath, closes his eyes,

breathes out opens his eyes, smiles with confidence and walks
into the office closing the door behind him.
 6.

DAD
(sarcastically gleeful)
Have fun!

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

DAD still seated starts looking around the office and starts
tapping his foot with impatience waiting for his son to come
out. DAD makes eye contact with The RECEPTIONIST who gives
him an impertinent look regarding his foot tapping which he
stops.

DAD
(sheepishly)
Sorry!

INT. OFFICE - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - LATER

OUR HERO exits the smaller office a look of triumph on his

face as he looks around the room, he see only the
RECEPTIONIST, who is still engrossed in her book, in the
room and walks out of the office and heads back to the lift.

INT. HALLWAY - APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO still looking very happy presses the button for
down. The lift doors open almost immediately and the lift
is empty, he gets in and presses the button for the
underground parking. The lift doors close and it descends.

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING APPOINTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS

The lift arrives in the underground parking area and the

doors open. OUR HERO walks back to his car and sees no one
inside. He gets in and starts the engine and backs out.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

INT. UNDERGROUND PARKING APARTMENT BUILDING - LATER

OUR HERO pulls the car into his parking space, switches off
the engine, grabs his laptop bag and exits the car and he
heads up the staircase to his apartment. His face is still
beaming from the result of his meeting.

INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO gets to the front of his apartment, opens the door
and walks in.
 7.

INT. LOUNGE - APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

As he sets down his laptop bag, his smart phone rings, he

looks at the caller id and answers.

OUR HERO
(Happy)
Hey, how you doing?

MALE VOICE ON THE OTHER END

MALE VOICE
(Caring)
Doing well, thought I'd call to find
out how your meeting went? You okay?

INT. LOUNGE - APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS

OUR HERO is still beaming from the success of his meeting,

loosens his tie takes off his jacket and takes a seat and
relaxes back into the sofa.

OUR HERO
I'm doing awesome, and the meeting
was a phenomenal success. They agreed
and want to get started as soon as
possible.

MALE VOICE
(Relieved)
I am so happy to hear that. I am
sure there was some nerves before
the meeting.

OUR HERO
There were the usual negative voices
in my head but like they say keeping
moving forward.
MALE VOICE
True, true, well anyway I'm gonna
let you go and enjoy your success
and we can catch up soon okay?

OUR HERO
Sure , you enjoy your day too and
see you soon. Bye!

OUR HERO ends the call and looks out into the distance,
pleased with his performance and the success it has achieved
him.

FADE OUT: