Distant Star: Episode Two - Far Future

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Distant Star: Episode Two - Far Future Page 5

by W. A. Patterson

PARTMENT - DAY

  Max awakes now to find he is atop a made bed. Out the windows sunlight shines in. His beard is fuller now, and the circles under his eyes are darker. He looks like a mental patient now.

  DOUG (O.S.)

  You might as well enjoy it while it

  lasts. It won't be here long if you

  continue being stubborn.

  Max rises and rubs his face with the tail of his stained and tattered shirt. He looks to Find Doug sitting at a table sipping from a mug of coffee.

  Without comment Max takes his own cup and pours some coffee in it. He takes a sip and enjoys it sitting in the other chair at the table and looks at Doug, saying nothing.

  DOUG

  I take it you'll not change your mind?

  Max only stares, not even bothering to pour hate into the blank look.

  DOUG

  I give you this, you are tough. You've

  lasted far longer than any other person

  I've revived.

  MAX

  Big deal.

  DOUG

  But it is a Big Deal my boy? Don' you

  see! You survived a week in tear gas!

  You survived sleep-deprivation for two

  months now! Hell, you even figured out

  how to sleep when I turned the floor to

  nothing but a bed of nails!

  (laughs)

  I never would have thought of rolling

  around to get to the bathroom but you

  showed me you could do it.

  MAX

  Then that must be why you turned that

  affect off only after two days.

  DOUG

  It was more like two weeks Max. You've

  lost track of time.

  Max takes another sip of coffee, draining the cup and pouring more for himself.

  DOUG

  Alright, Fine. I'll admit it. You win!

  (beat)

  You see, I can't afford to keep this

  up. Keeping you in this torture chamber

  is costing too much energy to make it

  worth while to keep you alive.

  MAX

  Like I care Doug! Like I CARE! Just get

  to the point you are feebly trying to

  make and cut the crap!

  Doug sips his own coffee and pulls a small device from his pocket. He points it at the door and enters a command before putting it back in his pocket.

  DOUG

  There. All done. Now you can leave if

  you want.

  Max looks to the door but only sips more coffee.

  MAX

  That simple huh?

  DOUG

  Of course not, Max. It means you've

  cost me enough in resources so I

  thought I would give you one last

  chance.

  MAX

  A chance for what?

  DOUG

  Well, you can either come work for me

  or you can walk out that door and

  you'll die Max.

  (beat)

  You can't stay here because I'll just

  turn on all the bonging and the tear-

  gas and the nails in the floor and I'll

  add fire-ants and ticks and every other

  thing I can think of until you choose.

  (beat)

  Either way you'll choose to work for me

  or walk out that door. If you walk out

  that door you'll experience a painless

  and instant death. Your body will be

  destroyed and you'll never be bothered

  by me or anyone else as well.

  Max considers it and then looks at the room around him, then to the door and then to Doug.

  DOUG

  But there's one last thing.

  MAX

  Isn't there always?

  DOUG

  If you come to work for me, I'll raise

  the stakes considerably.

  (beat)

  You were correct in surmising that I'd

  go after the energy draining Very Old,

  but only those that didn't pay me... If

  you agree, then you'll share half that

  fortune with me. Contractually

  guaranteed of course.

  Max says nothing but takes one last sip of coffee and stands from his chair.

  After a moment he holds his hand out to Doug and Doug takes it, Smiling.

  MAX

  Congratulations Doug. You win!

  Doug Smiles wider and starts to rise from his chair, but Max places his other hand on his shoulder to hold him down.

  MAX

  You are, by far, the lowest and most

  evil creature I've ever met. I

  wouldn't dream of going along with you

  or with any other plan you had through

  greed or suffering or anything.

  (beat)

  The only reason I've not killed myself

  before is because you removed all the

  methods I might have to do so. Now you

  win. I won't commit to you but I will

  end my life.

  Max spits in Doug's face and then releases his hand and walks to the door. His hand on the knob he looks back to Doug and smiles.

  MAX

  I'm not afraid to die Doug. I'm more

  afraid of living in a world where

  people like you run things.

  (beat)

  Things haven't gotten better in this

  future world. If you're a

  representative of what it has to offer,

  the human race is better off dead.

  Before Doug can respond, Max opens the door and steps out, closing it behind him.

  EXT. CORRIDOR - DAY

  Max stands outside the door and watches as the world around him grows brighter, and brighter until the whiteness washes out everything.

  CUT TO:

  QUICK MONTAGE OF FUTURISTIC FX

  CUT TO:

 

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