"SHAME" (2011)

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SHAME

Written by

Steve McQueen and Abi Morgan

See-Saw Films 25 Fouberts Place London W1F 7QF Tel: +44 203 301 6268

BRANDON SULLIVAN [early 30’s] lies staring up caught in a disarray of sheets until-

The PEEP PEEP PEEP of an alarm clock, from deep within a distant apartment.

The MUFFLED PAD of FOOTSTEPS crossing overhead-

BRANDON listens then gets up, pulls blinds and heads out towards the bathroom-

The SOUND of his feet disappearing down a distant corridor.

The MURMUR of an answer phone as we hear BRANDON peeing, in a far off bathroom.

BRANDON stands, looking down, watching until-

A SUDDEN breeze, the subway train oncoming-

BRANDON boards.

The doors GLIDE SHUT-

BRANDON just visible through the window of the train, walking towards a distant seat.

BRANDON sits, eyes casually tracing over the faces in the crowded train. A HOMELESS MAN sits, further along the car, haggard and grey, and sleeping, the seat empty, either side of him. He looks more like a pile of clothes.

BRANDON turns back. The reflection of an PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL caught in the glass opposite.

BRANDON padding naked along a corridor. He flicks on an answer machine in passing-

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE Hey...It’s me?...Pick Up.. Pick Up...

He enters the bathroom.

We hear BRANDON peeing in the bathroom.

The answer machine message drowned by the flushing of the toilet, the shutting of the door and the shower being switched on.

A HOMELESS MAN head lolling, sat alone at the end of a busy car.

BRANDON considers, catching the eye of-

A PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL seated opposite, the whisper of a smile, grazing her lips.

BRANDON’s eyes teasing over-

The fall of the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL’s hair-

The dip in her collarbone-

Her nail polish with French manicure-

BRANDON looks at her. She looks away.

BRANDON resumes staring. She looks back through the bodies of commuters. We see their eyes looking at each other. Their seduction continues through the collage of colors and bodies.

BRANDON, sits in a packed meeting room, a pitch just audible, DAVID FISHER, [early/ late 40’s] BRANDON’s boss, a kind of white noise, and yet-

The IT TECHNICIAN just visible wheeling a cart away, with BRANDON’s computer.

The scratch of a pencil against paper-

BRANDON sits distracted, facing COLLEAGUE #1.MARIANNE [mid/late 20’s] seated further along the table, steals a look at BRANDON.

A glass door opens-

The PRETTY ASSISTANT brings in coffee, sliding down a cup in front of BRANDON.

BRANDON looks across the hall, distracted by the IT TECHNICIAN who is replacing the computer in his office.

BRANDON to the front door and opens it to reveal an ATTRACTIVE WOMAN (ALEXA)

BRANDON

Come in.

BRANDON steps aside to let the ATTRACTIVE WOMAN in. She walks into the apartment as he closes the door.

ALEXA

No thank you.

BRANDON picks up money from the table and give it to ALEXA. She counts it and nods to BRANDON.

ALEXA puts the money in her bag.

BRANDON gestures to his room. ALEXA turns and walks away. BRANDON follows.

A tidy bedroom-

BRANDON lies on the bed watching, waiting. ALEXA starts to take her top off.

ALEXA continues slowly, tosses it aside, and continues taking off her bra and panties. Finally putting her earrings on the bedside table. BRANDON reaches up to pull her onto the bed.

The SOUND of BRANDON getting up-

The SOUND of blinds being raised-

CLOSE UP of a discarded earring on the carpet.

BRANDON padding naked along a corridor.

The SHARP TONE of the answer machine flicked on in passing-

Audible from the corridor-

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE Hey, it’s me..

We hear BRANDON turn on the shower.

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) Pick Up.. Pick Up...

BRANDON walks towards the kitchen and we hear him pour a glass of water.

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) Brandon?

BRANDON crosses the hall and enters the toilet.

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) Brandon?

BRANDON turns on the light, puts down his glass and urinates.

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) (whispers) Brandon Where are you?- Brandon? Brandon? (louder) Brandon... Urghhh!

BRANDON finishes, flushes toilet, steps off screen

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) This is me Calling you.. (SIGHS) Fuck!

DEAD TONE

The CALLER hangs up

BRANDON re-appears and closes the bathroom door

BRANDON in the shower, a sense of movement, his hand, barely visible, moving back and forth.

The fall of the shower-

BRANDON stands, letting the water wash over him.

BRANDON sits, looking over at the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL sitting opposite-

The train moves on, after a while stopping at another platform.

PEOPLE get on, PEOPLE get off.

BRANDON’s eyes travel down over the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL’s legs and up-

She opens them a little, the dip of her skirt, sinking deep between her thighs-

She looks up, senses BRANDON watching. She lets her fingers fall in her lap.

BRANDON shifts a little in his seat to get a better look through the crowd. Suddenly she stands and makes her way to the train door. Hand reaching out and clenching a metal pole for stability, revealing a wedding ring.

BRANDON’s hand reaches for the pole too, touching her as he stands behind her. There is a gentle unison contact. BRANDON’s breath, heavy on her neck. Both are frozen to the spot, caught in a mutual moment.

The train door bolts open and the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL disembarks. BRANDON is blocked by a MALE PASSENGER as he gets out in quick pursuit of the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL.

BRANDON is several paces behind now, pursues. She turns left into a stairwell.

It’s almost like fighting a downward river. People are walking into his path as he struggles to keep pace with the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL.

The tail of her coat vanishes at the top of the stairs. A moment later, BRANDON reaches the summit, to be greeted by a wrought-iron gate.

He looks left at one staircase. People ascend.

He looks right at another staircase. Other passengers ascend.

People come in and out of the turnstiles on the right-hand side. He has lost her. A sudden moment of disappointment crosses his face.

He descends the staircase, dejected.

BRANDON walks into his office and to his desk, stops in his tracks, heart thumping-

A bare space where BRANDON’s computer once was and next to it a replacement computer. A pink fluffy gonk or the like stuck to the screen.

BRANDON walks into a toilet cubicle, shuts and locks the door. He cleans the seat with toilet paper, flushes, stands, and starts to masturbate.

A TAP on the door-

BRANDON enters DAVID’s office, DAVID is lost in paperwork, looking up from his desk.

BRANDON nods, swigs a Red Bull in his hands-

BRANDON exits.

BRANDON is walking with shopping bags. He slows by the revolving doors, spots a mother with buggy about to come out of the other door and hurries over to open the door for her.

WOMAN comes out nodding her thanks.

BRANDON looks through his vast record collection and carefully puts a disk on the record player.

The chink of beer bottles, banging up against one another as BRANDON opens the fridge door-

BRANDON peers in, considering the left over take out resting on the shelf. He takes it out, flipping open a bottle of beer in a familiar move and banging the door shut with his back.

A flyer for an fancy take out flaps under a magnet on the fridge door.

A comfortable apartment-

BRANDON spoons Chinese take out into his mouth, sliding down in front a laptop resting on his desk.

Music continues to surround the apartment.

The bright serenade of his laptop opening, BRANDON resumes, fingers absently tapping the keyboard-

A distant whir of a car alarm, far off.

BRANDON, in the dark, watching pornography on his laptop-

BRANDON’s cell phone rings. He ignores it.

And then steady monotonous ring of a telephone close by, BRANDON barely wavers as it clicks onto answer machine-

The HEAVY DEAD TONE of the answer machine as the caller’s message kicks in-

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE OK......Me..again...I’m dying..I have cancer...I have one week to live..

BRANDON smiles-

FEMALE CALLER ON ANSWER MACHINE (CONT’D) It’s the very worse kind of cancer. Of the vulva-

BRANDON switches off the answer machine. Sighs, and returns to his laptop.

A beautiful day-

BRANDON’s face now fresh, passing-

A CUTE NEIGHBOR heading into the building, lost in conversation on her cellphone-

BRANDON juggling cellphone, keys and satchel, heading off to work, watching the sway of her ass.

MARIANNE is on the phone in a busy office

Profile of MARIANNE’s bare back.

BRANDON, seemingly in a trance, looking out across the office, eyes fixed on MARIANNE in her glass cubicle, unaware of BRANDON staring.

STEVEN’s reflection in the window, we see him screw up a piece of paper and throw it at BRANDON.

BRANDON shakes his head.

BRANDON once again looks up toward MARIANNE.

MARIANNE on the phone.

DAVID now appears in front of BRANDON. From afar, nods to him, and greets a group of CLIENTS.

Just visible, in the conference room-

BRANDON inside with the CLIENTS and DAVID. A sense of camaraderie. The meeting at an end. DAVID, slapping BRANDON on the back, the sense of celebration.

The thump of music-

BRANDON, DAVID and OTHERS wedged in a leather booth, several shots and beer down, the table littered with beers. Cheers. Male camaraderie.

ALL chink glasses

ALL Look off-screen at the women.

BRANDON fist bumps with DAVID

BRANDON starts to stand.

DAVID walks up to the bar behind the women.

(TO ELIZABETH) Listen, I don’t want to beat around the bush. I think you’re absolutely gorgeous.

DAVID shakes hands with ELIZABETH

DAVID shakes hands with LOREN and RACHEL

ELIZABETH sips her drink.

ELIZABETH closes her eyes

ELIZABETH turns to DAVID

The SUITED WOMAN closes her eyes, the flutter of her lashes oddly fragile, in waiting until-

They spring open to reveal brown eyes-

DAVID hesitates, throws his arms up, resigned.

BRANDON slides down next to DAVID, back from the washroom.

DAVID puts an arm around BRANDON.

ELIZABETH closes her eyes.

The SUITED WOMAN flicks open her eyes, smiles.

DAVID turns to BRANDON

ELIZABETH passes BRANDON a shot.

ELIZABETH raises her glass.

The others all raise their glasses

ALL down their shots

DAVID mimics karate moves

DAVID holds out his hand to ELIZABETH

DAVID takes ELIZABETH’s hand.

DAVID tugs her arm playfully

DAVID pulls ELIZABETH onto the dance floor.

BRANDON turns to watch them on the dance floor.

The pulsing thump of music, the latest cutting edge sounds-

DAVID pulls ELIZABETH into dancing, at first playful and funny.

DAVID is insistent, pulling her closer, drawing her into a frenzied awkward dance. BRANDON looking on, the SUITED WOMAN’s eyes grazing his, lingering on BRANDON as DAVID stumbles.

BRANDON watches the duo dancing

RACHEL and LOREN walk off to the dance floor

ELIZABETH and DAVID are amongst the dancers on the floor. DAVID is performing enthusiastically. ELIZABETH, slow, glances at BRANDON.

We see BRANDON through the dancers, watching.

DAVID struggling to push his arm through the twisted sleeve of his jacket, pursuing ELIZABETH and her friends up the street.

BRANDON comes out of the club, doing up his coat. Looks away at DAVID haranguing the trio.

DAVID smiles, gently coaxing her in the opposite direction-

BRANDON hails a cab. DAVID continues haranguing ELIZABETH

A cab pulls up.

BRANDON opens the cab door and waits with the taxi. DAVID walks towards BRANDON.

DAVID concedes throwing his arms up, jacket half on. DAVID paws BRANDON affectionately, straightens BRANDON’s jacket, gives him a kiss and stumbles into the cab.

The cab pulls away.

A car glides close to the kerb-

BRANDON head down walking-

BRANDON smiles-

BRANDON gets into the car.

The incessant drone of cars, steady overhead-

Vast concrete supports edging the highway-

BRANDON presses ELIZABETH flat again the grit of the wall

Caught in the scissored half light, they move, with glorious abandon-

The slice of passing headlights casting fractured light across their writhing state until-

ELIZABETH gasps, her body shuddering, leaning into his as they climax together, sweat beading skin.

BRANDON walking along the corridor-

He reaches for his keys, suddenly hesitating on-

The thump of music coming from his apartment-

BRANDON tentatively turns his key and pushes the door open-

BRANDON enters. He looks around, nothing-

The turn of vinyl on the record player-

I Feel Love by Donna Summer steadily rotating-

BRANDON makes his way back to the corridor and notices a light on in the bathroom from the slit under the door.

He opens up an adjacent cupboard and fishes out a baseball bat, and heads toward the bathroom.

BRANDON steadily approaches the bathroom door, considers-

He shoves it open, hard, baseball bat at the ready-

BRANDON running, shrieking like a banshee, blinding waving the baseball bat, slicing air-

SISSY SULLIVAN [mid/late 20’s] leaps out of the bath, naked, screaming and dripping wet-

SISSY holds her hurt elbow

BRANDON stands, shaking staring at his naked startled sister-

BRANDON goes for a towel, shoving it towards her, embarrassed. SISSY dries her face.

SISSY sighs.

SISSY laughs. BRANDON relaxes. She tousles her hair.

BRANDON shakes his head, at a loss.

SISSY throws the towel and BRANDON

BRANDON throws the towel back at her.

BRANDON turns to leave the room

BRANDON closes the door to the bathroom.

We follow BRANDON as he walks through to the living room to the record player I Feel Lovestuck in eternal groove. He gently lifts the needle off the record. He uses the baseball bat to pick up SISSY’s scarf. He sniffs it.

Silence-

BRANDON stands considers-

Later -

BRANDON is watching pornography on his laptop, hears SISSY on the telephone. He listens.

Pause

Pause

BRANDON moves the laptop and starts to get up.

BRANDON is listening at the door.

BRANDON closes his eyes, resigned.

BRANDON sliding whisked eggs into a pan of sizzling butter-

SISSY enters and sits on the kitchen counter, wearing a long- sleeved white t-shirt and holding the earring left by the Pretty Woman [prostitute]. Dangling it in front of BRANDON-

Hiding his surprise, BRANDON gets some juice out of the fridge, passes it to SISSY.

BRANDON gives SISSY a carton of juice. Still sitting on the counter, SISSY grabs it with both hands, almost like a child’s bottle and starts drinking.

BRANDON, irritated, says abruptly-

BRANDON steps away, takes a glass from a cupboard and shoves it towards her.

SISSY pours the juice into the glass and drinks. BRANDON steps back to the cooker, preparing food.

BRANDON doesn’t react.

BRANDON nods in the direction of the table.

She leaps off the counter and makes her way to the table. She slaps BRANDON’s behind. BRANDON’s face is one of despair and irritation.

SISSY slams her glass on an O/S table and throws the earring away.

BRANDON walks towards her with a pan of food.

BRANDON serves the food.

BRANDON hesitates-

BRANDON ignores her question and walks away to the kitchen.

SISSY Stands and walks away, following BRANDON.

SISSY wraps her arms around BRANDON from behind.

BRANDON pushes her arms off, turns and walks to the fridge with the juice.

SISSY leaps on his back smothering him with flat lipped kisses all over his head until-

BRANDON pushes her down as she gives him a big kiss.

SISSY, happy, walks back to sit down at the table.

SISSY sprinkles salt on her breakfast. She smile, playful, resumes eating-

The door slams. SISSY sighs and stares towards the front door, a sadness hanging-

SISSY stands, toes edging over the platform. BRANDON pulls her back.

SISSY stares at BRANDON. Instinctively, BRANDON feels her gaze. He turns and looks. They hold each other’s eyes for more than a beat. BRANDON turns away. SISSY begins picking pieces of fluff off BRANDON’s shoulder. BRANDON, visually irritated.

SISSY goes again.

A quick moment passes. BRANDON picks the fluff off his shoulder and puts it on SISSY’s shoulder - to her amusement.

BRANDON nods at SISSY’s hat.

Sissy smiles-

BRANDON takes off her hat.

SISSY takes the hat and puts it on BRANDON.

BRANDON adjusts the hat.

SISSY gently bumps his shoulder with hers.

SISSY stamps her feet excitedly.

SISSY leans her head on BRANDON’s shoulder and he puts his arm around her.

BRANDON hurries into the office area, unbuckling his coat as he does so. DAVID, phone pressed to his ear, mid way through a conference call clocks him, throws some lewd gesture.

BRANDON smiles, throws up his hands, he’s late. What can you do...

BRANDON continues into his office.

BRANDON puts down his coffee, and takes off his scarf.

BRANDON puts his scarf in the closet and takes off his coat.

BRANDON hangs up his coat.

BRANDON laughs as he sits down at his desk.

BRANDON sips his coffee.

BRANDON stands, in the coffee area making himself a generic filter coffee.

MARIANNE is seated in her glass office in the background at her desk.

DAVID approaches, slapping BRANDON on the ass.

BRANDON pours coffee, glancing at DAVID behind him.

DAVID looks at him, shakes his head in a knowing fashion.

BRANDON watches DAVID walk into his office, shutting his door behind him.

He turns right abruptly, pass the coffee area, and then right again. A COLLEAGUE is coming out of a door. He holds it open for BRANDON as he walks in. The door slowly closes, exposing the MEN’S sign for the bathroom.

BRANDON and DAVID, not knowing what is to await them, walk towards the doors of the beautiful setting of THE BOOM BOOM ROOM.

BRANDON and DAVID take off their scarves and coats.

BRANDON and DAVID give their coats to FEMALE STAFF MEMBER.

DAVID glances back at BRANDON

DAVID and BRANDON walk on towards the bar.

BRANDON and DAVID enter a beautiful bar. A spectacular 180 degree view of Manhattan. The room has the most elegant decor. It is to die for:

Metropolis meets Blade Runner, a glittering New York skyline to the North of the room, the grey endless black of the Hudson River to the South.

It surpasses DAVID’s idea of classy.

The murmur of conversation-

The shake of cocktails mixed-

BRANDON and DAVID follow the HOSTESS to take a seat at a far table.

A stunning leggy COCKTAIL WAITRESS walks up to the table, dressed in silky 1930’s cigarette girl costume.

BRANDON looks down and chuckles to himself.

The COCKTAIL WAITRESS smiles, moving on, she’s heard it all before.

DAVID smiles, clocks BRANDON’s look.

BRANDON shakes his head and looks down.

DAVID and BRANDON look around the room

DAVID and BRANDON are fortunate to be here. The clink of glasses, the noise of laughter waft through the room.

Across the room, a familiar face.

Her wavering a little at first on seeing BRANDON across the room. Their eyes lock.

She smiles, with quiet surprise-

BRANDON looks away, ignoring SISSY’s gaze, not wanting to look at her. SISSY plays on, inwardly crestfallen, her fingers working across the piano keys.

DAVID leans back, eyes grazing over SISSY, a kind of white noise to SISSY’s beautiful music-

The seeping first bars of‘New York New York’ filtering through-

It’s a familiar song but in SISSY’s hands, every word punctures like an emotional fireburst-

SISSY’s voice is oddly haunting underscoring the bubble of conversation,

SISSY’s eyes dart back to BRANDON, seemingly lost in his conversation, but competing now with SISSY and her song-

Suddenly SISSY’s fingers drop from the piano, her whole body curving into the microphone offering a blues vocal acoustic, slowly but quietly captivating-

Even DAVID’s listening now-

SISSY’s up moving now, she is completely lost in the song and the room is coming with her-

BRANDON concedes,looking back at SISSY, now holding the room.

A kind of hushed still has descended-

SISSY comes closer, walking between the tables, flirting and laughing and drawing the audience in until they are in the palm of her hand.

SISSY grazes past BRANDON’s table, eyes catching on BRANDON, singing for him now-

BRANDON drinks, not looking at SISSY. She closes her eyes, tears stinging, reeling back into herself-

SISSY draws out the note, bringing the song momentarily to a silence-

SISSY’s misty eyes open as BRANDON at last looks at her, the moment oddly fragile between them, brutal and yet tender. Even DAVID sensing something until-

SISSY turns, makes her way back to the piano, enjoying it now-

Fingers touching the keys once more, masterfully picking up and improvising with the last few bars-

SISSY leans back. She is on fire now, singing with every fibre of her heart and soul, like no other rendition heard.

SISSY holds BRANDON with a voice, a sudden flickering emotion threatening to topple her, somehow in SISSY’s hands this song is heartbreaking...

SISSY strikes one last note, lost deep within herself-

HUSHED SILENCE-

Sudden APPLAUSE, CHEERS, OVERWHELMING-

DAVID turns to BRANDON

BRANDON looks away, eyes filling with tears.

BRANDON puts down his drink, blotting his coaster with the imprint of the deep red rim of his glass-

He’s the only one not applauding.

SISSY is being congratulated by a HIP MEDIA TYPE and his WIFE. The scene is one of congratulations, SISSY is admired.

SISSY confident approaches DAVID and BRANDON. She is bold and self-aware.

DAVID finishes his martini.

Brandon exits.

BRANDON reappears.

BRANDON sits behind them.

DAVID takes SISSY’s hand. BRANDON notices, looking uncomfortable.

One of Sissy’s sleeves rolls down to her elbow, as she casually puts her hand under her chin, charmingly tilting her head - revealing a cross stitch of scars, the trail of self harm laced up her arm. DAVID noticies.

SISSY takes her hand back.

SISSY sips her drink.

DAVID looks at BRANDON. BRANDON looks like he would rather be anywhere than where he is now.

Sissy laughs.

BRANDON looks unenthusiastic

BRANDON wedged in the back of the cab, with DAVID and SISSY as they are lost eating one another’s faces.

Looking uncomfortable, BRANDON frequently takes glimpses in the rear view mirror.

DAVID and SISSY continue making out. It’s almost animal.

A dimly lit street-

A cab is pulling up. DAVID opens the door.

DAVID is wearing SISSY’s hat.

Finally SISSY steps out of the cab, DAVID lifts her over his shoulder.

SISSY starts to enter thru the revolving door. DAVID follows

BRANDON is left alone to pay the driver.

BRANDON waits in the lobby, pressing the button for the elevator. An elevator arrives. He ignores it and sits down.

Darkness-

BRANDON enter his apartment door.

He hears giggling from his bedroom.

SISSY/DAVID (O.S.) (LAUGHTER and chatter)

BRANDON walks to his kitchen.

HE hits the kitchen cabinet in frustration.

He walks into the living area and paces.

BRANDON considers, looking out through the window, he sits on the ledge, wringing his hands.

MORE GIGGLING, hushed now, more breathless-

BRANDON takes off his shoes and starts to undress. We hear SISSY and DAVID making love.

BRANDON doesn’t want to hear. BRANDON stands back against a wall, as if transfixed, as if he cannot take any more. His breathing is irregular. Something of the past has come to the present. All of his distractions have now stopped, and he is at once confronted with himself.

His face bears the pain of something long passed, but visually present. This wound has not healed.

Jolting himself out of his trance, BRANDON hurriedly heads out into the corridor-

BRANDON pulls running gear from the hallway closet an exits, leaving the RISING BREATH of DAVID and SISSY LOST IN FURTIVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE DRIFTING ALONG THE CORRIDOR, JUST AUDIBLE, QUIETLY PROVOKING AS IT UNDERSCORES.

A dimly lit street-

BRANDON just visible in his apartment block steady on the approach. He is dressed in running gear.

Pushing the glass doors open, BRANDON hesitates and presses a button on the iPod Nano on his arm. He stretches, zips his top, pulling his hood up.

BRANDON slips his earphones on, moving off.

BRANDON running past illuminated windows and neon lights. The city is alive. BRANDON stays focused, running, music pumping in his head.

Later

BRANDON enters his apartment checking for noises.

The sound of movement in the bathroom.

He pushes open his bedroom door. It’s like a murder scene. Pale blue sheets in disarray, the mattress nearly coming off the bed, sheets soaked with sweat and the smell of sex.

A lone condom disregarded on the floor.

We see his bedside drawer ajar.

He walks into his bedroom and pushes the drawer shut.

Later -

BRANDON lies on his bed, with clean white sheets, sidelight on.

SISSY enters. BRANDON opens his eyes, inwardly flinches.

SISSY gets into the bed, covering herself with the white sheet. Snuggles up to BRANDON

SISSY inhales through her teeth.

Uncomfortable SILENCE-

SISSY doesn’t move.

All this time, BRANDON has not looked at SISSY, staring up to the blank ceiling. He SCREAMS at the top of his lungs-

SISSY gets up, deliberate, as if rising from the dead, and slowly walks around the bed.

SISSY SLAMS the bedroom door on her exit.

Midday-

The office is in full flow-

BRANDON crosses it, clearly worse for wear.

A TECHNICIAN wheels a computer out of BRANDON’s office.

BRANDON heads towards his desk, stopping on seeing-

STEVEN exits again.

BRANDON observes, his computer is back at his desk.

BRANDON puts his head around the-

DAVID’s SON exits the computer screen. David looks up at BRANDON.

BRANDON turns to leave.

BRANDON turns back.

DAVID finally looks up, holds BRANDON’s gaze, with discreet challenge until-

DAVID nods, resumes working-

BRANDON nods, makes to go.

From beyond-

BRANDON exits.

BRANDON takes this opportunity to leave.

DAVID looks up, watches BRANDON heading back to his desk, quietly considering.

A child’s painting stuck to the wall behind DAVID.

BRANDON, lost in familiar routine, pours sugar into his coffee-

BRANDON looks up, MARIANNE loiters-

MARIANNE is still standing, waiting. They look at each other. Eventually she turns and walks out.

BRANDON stands at the end of a long pier, looking out toward the Hudson River, the LAP of murky water, audible. He hovers for a moment, and considers, then slowly makes his way back to the main road.

The glittering lights of Jersey stretching wide beyond.

Above, the tall, endless glass ofThe Standard Hotel, scored with a honeycomb of windows, randomly illuminated like tiny still lives.

BRANDON comes to a corner, lights a cigarette and leans. Above him, engraved in stone is “1949.” He looks up toward the tall building, which appears like a Stasi East Berlin building. Stark and authoritative.

A KID slaps his palms against the glass of a fourth floor window, a FILIPINO NANNY ushers him away.

A WOMAN, early 30s, phone to her ear, dressed in black jeans and t-shirt, paces along the window. Catching sight of BRANDON, she PULLS the curtain along the length of the glass.

A MAN stares blankly out, clearly fresh in on a flight and jet lagged, enjoying the view two floors up.

A FEMALE CLEANER just visible lost in the monotony of cleaning, makes large brush strokes with a large pink fluffy duster.

And then BRANDON sees her-

A MIDDLE AGED WOMAN stands, naked her body pressed against the floor to ceiling glass, high up, overlooking the Hudson River. The steady back and forth of the MIDDLE AGED MAN behind her gradually reveals both are lost in a stand up fuck.

BRANDON hesitates, quiet fascination flickering across his face as for a brief flickering moment BRANDON’s eyes lock with the MIDDLE AGED WOMAN’s dead gaze, standing high above-

A CAR HORN LOUD UNREMITTING-

BRANDON turns, his hypnotism broken. It’s as if he comes back to himself.

A distant restaurant illuminating a dimly lit street-

MARIANNE waiting inside the bar, seated, with a drink, clearly there for some time. Her eyes checking the room, with quiet concern.

BRANDON stands watching from a distance-

BRANDON makes to cross, hovering on the edge of the gutter until-

BRANDON enters the restaurant.

BRANDON sits down at the table where MARIANNE is already seated.

A WAITER enters.

WAITER places the wine list in front of BRANDON and hands out menus.

MARIANNE smiles, eyes darting to BRANDON, playful. The WAITER oblivious, clearly on a roll.

BRANDON nods, (CLEARS THROAT)-

BRANDON pulls out a wine menu hidden under his bread plate.

The WAITER hovers, points to a red on the menu-

The GLIDE of a napkin across BRANDON’s lap, the WAITER a constant presence, on the edge of irritating.

The WAITER smiles, at last moves off-

They sit looking at their menus.

BRANDON steals a moment, eyes tracing over-

MARIANNE’s fingers playing with the edge of her menu-

The flutter of her lashes-

Nipples ghosting her dress.

An ring indent around her wedding finger, the shrink of skin.

The WAITER enters again, with water.

WAITER pours water for MARIANNE

BRANDON stares at MARIANNE

MARIANNE smiles, holds his look.

BRANDON shrugs-

MARIANNE shrugs, smiles-

BRANDON laughs-

The WAITER returns-

The WAITER pauses, expectantly.

The WAITER scrawls it down on a pad, barely looking up.

MARIANNE shrugs, closes her menu.

The WAITER waits-

BRANDON looks at MARIANNE, they giggle.

The WAITER takes the menus. MARIANNE stares at BRANDON.

The WAITER exits.

The dip of skin, soft under her chin, a finger grazing over it, nervously.

The WAITER returns.

BRANDON hesitates, on the edge but-

BRANDON scours the wine menu at a loss-

BRANDON looks to MARIANNE, she shrugs-

The WAITER nods, at last moves off-

MARIANNE considers, lips grazing the rim of the glass.

MARIANNE nods, doesn’t look amused-

The WAITER approaches, a bottle of wine in hand.

The WAITER uncorks the wine.

He pours a little into BRANDON’s glass.

BRANDON gestures for the WAITER to pour.

WAITER fills BRANDON’s glass.

WAITER finishes pouring BRANDON’s wine and starts filling MARIANNE’s.

The WAITER slides the bottle down, moving off-

A dirty grey street, brightened by the glow of BRANDON and MARIANNE seated inside the restaurant.

LATER-

BRANDON and MARIANNE stand heady from the wine and a little awkward in the freezing cold-

They walk-

BRANDON sneaks a side glance, MARIANNE smiles. It’s freezing. They’re breath and bodies steaming as they walk.

BRANDON bows, pointing to the back of his head.

MARIANNE turns to touch BRANDON’s head. As she does so, he GROWLS at her, like a little dog.

MARIANNE shrieks.

They BOTH laugh.

She pushes him playfully.

There’s a massive knot on the back of his head.

They both laugh. Marianne laughs hysterically. BRANDON laughs along.

Still walking along, BRANDON thinks for a moment. BRANDON turns and stares at MARIANNE, holding his gaze. MARIANNE blushes. There’s a silence as they walk on. They get to a subway entrance.

BRANDON nods, hovers by the subway, awkward and yet-

They stand heady from the wine and a little awkward.

SILENCE

They loiter on the edge of something more.

SILENCE

BRANDON hovers, momentarily fragile, the sting of uncertainty. MARIANNE descends into the depths of the subway, with a half wave.

The CLICK of the door-

BRANDON enters. The sound of the record player, which had finished hours ago, rotates empty on the turntable.

Pulling off his jacket-

SILENCE-

BRANDON puts the needle back in it’s dock. HE hangs up his jacket, takes his bag, heads towards the living room. He spies all SISSY’s crap spilling out across the floor-

He sighs.

Heads to the kitchen and gets a can out of the fridge.

The lock of the front door rotates. Someone is entering the apartment.

Darkness-

SISSY bursts through the door, in a hurry.

After a moment the bathroom door opens, cutting a slit of light into the darkness.

From the blackness we see BRANDON framed, masturbating in front of the bathroom sink.

SISSY, shocked, stands with her hand still on the door handle, transfixed by a naked BRANDON.

As BRANDON instinctively turns, SISSY runs from view.

SISSY slams the door shut.

BRANDON looks at himself in the mirror, full of shame and bewilderment and deep embarrassment.

Slowly but surely these expressions turn into rage. He hits the wall in frustration.

BRANDON opens the bathroom door, with towel tied around his waist, looking for SISSY.

BRANDON leans over SISSY, pushes her down onto the sofa.

BRANDON climbs onto SISSY, straddling her.

BRANDON’s towel falls down as he forcefully pins her down.

BRANDON shakes SISSY by the shoulders. She reacts, upset now.

BRANDON stands and exits. SISSY shouting after him.

BRANDON locks the bathroom door.

He exhales, letting the moment slowly pass until-

BRANDON lowers himself onto the floow, desperately struggling with his emotions-

He closes his eyes, eyelashes fragile and flickering until-

BRANDON opens them, reaches a hand out, almost mechanically, turns up the shower, the room now swirling in steam, trying to drown SISSY’s voice out.

BRANDON closes his eyes, tears pricking-

SISSY walking back from kitchen, resigned-

BRANDON’s laptop on and open on his desk.

SISSY approaches it, sinking down in front of the illuminated laptop.

She absently taps the mouse, dragging open a series of held windows, the shifting lights of the screen cast across her face, revealing-

Slowly SISSY’s face changes, a blurred smorgasbord of porn sites, graphic and obscene, their colors reflecting across her face and body. An escalating collage of graphic images, obscene sexual messages and a provocative sexual conversation hanging mid sentence addressed to a live sex chatroom. The images haunting, brutal, from the weird to the sadomasochistic. The open windows, an endless stacking of obscene chatroom conversation, emails posted with graphic sexual photos and live webcam images of every combination of fucking disappearing into the screen in infinite form.

SISSY is taken aback and strangely intrigued-

Suddenly a voice from the screen, images briefly glimpsed, a woman legs splayed-

SISSY looks closer, mildly appalled.

BRANDON picks up the laptop and heads towards his bedroom.

SISSY takes her coat and leaves the apartment.

LATER-

The thump of music-

BRANDON sitting on the edge of his bed, the pumping music from a stereo in the apartment seemingly getting louder, hands grasping his hair. Then suddenly he enters the whole contents of his bedside drawer into a black garbage bag.

Then, BRANDON moving like a dervish through the apartment, a black garbage bag in his hand, dumping pieces of paper, post it notes and business cards with hastily written cellphone numbers on the back.

BRANDON moves on, picking up anything he can find. An old jacket, elbows worn. A handful of old t-shirts.

He moves off down the corridor with growing frenzy, grabbing more crap along the way, one of SISSY’s dirty thongs on the floor. He picks it up, moving on.

An open fridge-

BRANDON tipping bowls of old food and long past it sell by date mush into the bag.

Cans of Red Bull, crappy cereals, jam with mould on top, an old joint, magazines all get dumped on route.

BRANDON heads out, picking up more detritus along the way, old pens, an old cellphone, a pair of defunked headphones-

A pile of porn mags, in a cupboard, pulled out as he heads down along the corridor.

BRANDON strips the room, pulling out an old pair of sneakers smelling and cracked from under a chair. He peers up, looks around the room almost bare-

His laptop resting on his desk. BRANDON stops, considers, initially resistant and then something finally compels him to do it-

He picks up the laptop, yanking the plug hard from the wall. Dumping it inside the garbage bag, he moves on picking up an ipod, a gameboy, ipod nano, wires and cables and stuff. Slapping a tangle of wires into the garbage, he drags the heaving bag of crap out into the corridor.

The SLAM of the front door-

BRANDON heading down the steps of his apartment, heaving the swelled and dripping bag into a heaving garbage can parked on the sidewalk. A pile of black garbage bags already piled up along the street in waiting for collection.

Further down the street a YOUNG COUPLE holds hands, walks by the arrangement of trash bags littering the sidewalk.

A SIREN goes past-

The DISTANT banter of a GANG OF KIDS.

BRANDON heads back up to his apartment, shutting the door firmly.

BRANDON, now the voyeur, looks across the room, into MARIANNE’s office. He studies her, almost like prey. The moment seems to last a lifetime. There is much want in BRANDON’s face, but from this distance seems unobtainable.

Suddenly, and without any warning, BRANDON walks into his dream, entering MARIANNE’s office, and pulls her behind a partition, kissing her unapologetically and passionately.

She responds, startled, but happy to be taken. She surrenders.

They pull away, looking at one another. She smiles, laughing, his spirit infectious, drawing her on.

BRANDON leads MARIANNE away.

BRANDON and MARIANNE stepping out of a cab, BRANDON leading MARIANNE, both giggling and tripping.

MARIANNE stops. She smiles, quizzically, allowing herself to be guided and yet-

BRANDON snorts two lines of coke in quick succession on top of the white water tank in the toilet.

Exiting, we see MARIANNE looking out onto the Hudson from the large hotel window.

BRANDON enters the bedroom, stopping to prepare a drink. Watching MARIANNE at the window.

He pours a drink from the mini bar.

BRANDON approaches nervously, standing next to her.

MARIANNE leans up and kisses BRANDON.

MARIANNE takes BRANDON’s hand and leads him to the bed. We see both of them slowly discovering each other through tender touches.

MARIANNE caresses BRANDON’s face and kisses both his eyes. BRANDON attempts to do the same to MARIANNE, slowly but surely. This ritual becomes more aroused, clothes start to fall away, revealing for the first time both each other’s flesh.

BRANDON rolls up her skirt, laughs at her panites. MARIANNE giggles.

The ritual begins to get more passionate, as they feel for each other’s breasts and thighs.

At the height of this passionate encounter, BRANDON’s attention strangely, slowly starts to fade. It’s as if the intimacy that he has discovered starts to frighten him.

He recoils, unable to continue.

Both lie on their backs silently, in frustration, breathing heavily. MARIANNE’s face is one of puzzlement and hurt. She looks at BRANDON for some kind of answer. He gets up. MARIANNE, unsure what to do, sits up and pulls down her skirt, adjusts her hair.

Late afternoon sunlight seeping across the room-

BRANDON sits at the edge of the bath looking out onto the view.

MARIANNE looks at him, the moment fragile. She does up her bra.

Hurt, MARIANNE put on her top, picks up her bag and makes to leave

SILENCE-

BRANDON looks back out over the grey of the Hudson River. BRANDON’s face is one of embarrassment and failure.

The CLICK of the door, MARIANNE gone.

The HUM of the traffic, audible through an ajar window.

BRANDON reaches his hand out, catching the breeze, peering down, a man on the edge.

BRANDON banging the life out of HOTEL LOVER, doggy style, tits pressed up against the glass of the window-

The DISTANT SCREECH of horns.

The trawl of cars-

The grey of the Hudson River-

BRANDON and the HOTEL LOVER just visible high above, caught full frontal in the window-

BRANDON close to climax-

A cold sweat beading BRANDON’s forehead as he comes, face twisted before the slow seep of release.

BRANDON withdraws, laughs. The HOTEL LOVER laughs as well.

BRANDON turns, for a moment she is almost beautiful.

HOTEL LOVER smiles, already pulling on her underwear. BRANDON watches her, pulling on a tiny thong. She looks up, stares at him.

BRANDON looks away, fighting back the cold flutter of shame.

HOTEL LOVER hesitates, smile, shakes her head.

BRANDON nods. HOTEL LOVER fingers fastening a cheap nylon bra.

BRANDON sits on the bed, now alone, caught in the half light of dusk-

The rise and fall of a distant lift.

BRANDON is sitting on the couch, watching a cartoon. SISSY enters the apartment, on her cell phone. BRANDON ignores her

SISSY hangs up.

SISSY Sits down next to BRANDON on the couch.

BRANDON puts him arm around her. She snuggles up to him.

Pause.

BRANDON removes his arm from around SISSY.

BRANDON grips SISSY’s face in his hand.

SISSY pulls BRANDON’s hand away.

BRANDON makes his way to the closet, taking his coat.

BRANDON exits the apartment.

BRANDON’s reflection in the window as the train travels.

We see that BRANDON has a nasty cut on his cheek.

Earlier that night-

BRANDON sits, drinks alone at the bar-

An OLDER GUY paws a GAUNT YOUNG WOMAN plying her with drinks, knocking them back much to his delight.

BRANDON watches, catching the eye of a girl (CARLY) walking towards the bar, her friends playing pool-

CARLY smiles, as she leans against the bar, her breasts spilling out of her T-shirt.

CARLY giggles-

CARLY looks over at her MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND just visible across the bar talking to a couple of GUYS.

CARLY looks at him, sobering and yet-

BRANDON’s hand discreetly reaches down, up and under the girl’s skirt, shocking her a little and yet-

CARLY leans in closer, her lips blotting the edge of a glass overfilled with beer.

CARLY hesitates, the moment hangs dangerous between them. BRANDON sucks his fingers.

BRANDON strokes her chin-

From behind, CARLY’s MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND approaches, quizzical-

CARLY nods, deflects-

CARLY gently bars her MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND, trying to diffuse lead him away.

BRANDON turns, smiles provocatively, knows what’s coming next.

The MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND reacts as BRANDON shoves his fingers under his nose.

The MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND shoves BRANDON.

BRANDON laughs, sips his drink-

BRANDON is rounding a corner, doing up his jacket. The MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND runs out after him.

He spins BRANDON around and punches him.

The slip and slide of BRANDON’s shoes, his face smashed against the sidewalk. The MUSCULAR BOYFRIEND comes in hard again, kicking him, sharp in the ribs. BRANDON recoils yet almost seems to want more as he struggles to stand. He spits on BRANDON.

BRANDON walking, aimless and bleeding-

The DRONE of taxi’s streaking past-

TWO WOMEN seated outside a bar, drinking and smoking, lost in their laughing conversation oblivious-

BRANDON walks on-

A YOUNG MAN with a satchel roughly brushes past him-

The YOUNG MAN wavers on seeing BRANDON is crying, moving on-

BRANDON’s face head down wanting to get away.

A rush of TEENAGERS and MIDDLE AGED COUPLES spilling out of a cinema-

BRANDON walking, disorientated, jaywalking through the traffic.

The SCREECH of horns-

BRANDON ignores them, he crosses streets, traffic, darting off the sidewalk into the road, when human, dog or stroller gets in his way until-

BRANDON walking past a blur of yellow Neon and glow of shop signs-

Across the street, a snaking queue of MEN wait in line outside a club.

He keeps walking, eyes scouring-

TEENAGERS loiter, in oversized clothes, sunk under caps and hoods.

A lively bar; a couple of HOT GIRLS entering-

BRANDON considers, goes to enter, barred by BOUNCERS, who point him back along the cue-

He stands in line-

Across the street, a THICK SET GUY eyes him. He stands smoking outside a heaving bar. BRANDON looks away-

A GANG OF GIRLS pass, The BOUNCERS let them in with ease. BRANDON reaches for his iPhone, tries to cover his face with his phone to get into the club-

BRANDON ties to get in again. The BOUNCER stops him a second time.

The THICK SET GUY over the street, flicks out his cigarette, eyes grazing over BRANDON as he re-enters the heaving bar opposite.

BRANDON considers, hands sunk deep in his pockets.

Through the glass a heaving bar. BRANDON considers, on the edge until-

He suddenly crosses the street, narrowly avoiding a taxi streaking past.

Fluorescent light skimming the thick black darkness like a beam on a lighthouse-

A heaving dance floor of BUTCH BEARS, SKINNY BOYS, and TWIGS, arms raised, dancing to the pulse of music.

The THICK SET GUY, walks away, waiting for BRANDON to follow.

BRANDON follows.

Passing through a low hung door, BRANDON moves along a dark labyrinth of corridors, eyes grazing over-

Dimly lit crevices, MEN caught briefly in light, lost in fellatio and stand up fucking-

BRANDON keeps walking, drawn towards a dark doorway-

An endless darkness, punctured with groans from dark cubicles-

BRANDON hesitates, foot slipping on the moist floor.

Suddenly a hand reaches out, drawing him into the dark cubicle-

The THICK SET GUY presses BRANDON up against the wall, kissing him, tongue searching his mouth, rubbing along its roof, hungry and urgent.

BRANDON pulls away, hands gently yet forcefully pushing the THICK SET GUY down on his knees.

BRANDON looks beyond-

A THIN BOY down on his knees sucking a cock through a hole between walls.

BRANDON stands, legs splayed letting the THICK SET GUY take him in his mouth. He is beautiful.

The palm of BRANDON’s hand pressed against the side of the cubicle. He stands, fucking the THICK SET GUY in the mouth-

The PULSE of music heaving, the club rocking, punctured by groans and grunts of rough sex from deep within.

BRANDON throws his head back, gripping the cubicle wall.

The early hours-

BRANDON, heading away. He clocks his phone, several messages from SISSY logged.

BRANDON listens to his voicemail-

BRANDON pockets his phone.

BRANDON stops and knocks on an apartment door. A woman opens and BRANDON steps in.

A threesome. BRANDON has sex with a BLONDE and BRUNETTE.

Throughout the images of the threesome, we hear more of SISSY’s Voicemail.

BRANDON, at climax, his animalistic grimace turns to pain and anguish.

The grey snake of a subway coming up from under ground-

BRANDON stands on a platform. It’s not the rush hour yet.

The RATTLE of the subway pulling in-

BRANDON boards the train.

A virtually empty car-

BRANDON sits-

A COLUMBIAN WOMAN across the car, head lent against the window, half asleep, clearly at the end of a long shift.

Above a poster of a sunny shiny family advertising LIFE INSURANCE-

BRANDON’s eyes graze over the poster-

He stands his reflection mirrored back at him, preparing for his stop-

The train SCREECHES to a sudden halt-

Wheels SCREECHING along the track-

The COLUMBIAN WOMAN wakes-

A YOUNG STUDENT plugged headphone on, looks up from reading her book.

BRANDON inwardly curses.

The train sits in the station. Doors not opening.

The silence at last punctured by the SHRILL hum of the intercom-

The long low PING of the intercom fading out-

They wait. And wait in silence.

BRANDON leans his head against the glass, closes his eyes, a hangover kicking in.

The other few commuters in the carriage sit awkwardly, wondering why the doors aren’t opening in the station. Details of the carriage appear.

Half-drunken cup of coffee.

An old New York POST.

Graffiti on all the car windows.

They wait.

Suddenly passengers from other carriages are making their way through the carriage that BRANDON’s in, with the CONDUCTOR ushering the passengers to make their way down to the end.

Passengers asking, “What’s going on?”

BRANDON finally makes his way down with the other passengers to the last carriage. As he steps out, he looks down to his far left and sees a POLICE CAUTION LINE being unraveled, and ENGINEERS and FIREMEN making their way to the far front of the train.

A LARGE BLACK WOMAN, face bowed, sits talking to a POLICE OFFICER giving a statement-

Several ENGINEERS stand further down the platform surrounding a TRAUMATISED DRIVER-

Two PLATFORM ATTENDANTS talk to POLICE OFFICERS.

BRANDON makes his way past the wrought-iron gate with other passengers, going up the stairwell.

BRANDON climbs the stairs, filing out of the subway, eyes catching on-

A WOMAN’s shoes, like Sissy’s earlier at the Boom Boom Room, discarded. BRANDON picks up his pace.

The intermittent WHIR of sirens-

BRANDON emerging from the subway, already reaching for his cellphone-

Beyond the glow of an ambulance-

BRANDON keeps walking, heading off up the road quietly distracted. He taps the keys pressing the cellphone to his ear.

The PULSE of a distant phone ringing-

The answer machine kicks in-

BRANDON flicks it off, slips it back in his pocket. BRANDON picks up his pace.

He flicks out his phone again. Tries again-

BRANDON is running now, heart beating fast now, breath quickening, a seeping panic threatening to unleash-

SUDDENLY he makes a dash for it, weaving through the sidewalk at pace.

His finger repeatedly presses the elevator button as if by doing so will make it arrive quicker.

BRANDON enters into the elevator. The door shuts immediately behind him.

Exiting, BRANDON heads along the faceless corridor, reaching his front door.

He is already pulling out his keys and pushing them into the door with growing dread-

The sound of running water from the bathroom. BRANDON stops with relief, leaning his forehead against the bathroom door, letting himself exhale-

SILENCE-

BRANDON hesitates, a seeping concern pricking his skin-

BRANDON walks into the bathroom, freezing on seeing-

SISSY sunk on the floor wedged between the bathroom and the toilet-

The pump of blood seeping from her wrists, already pooled across the floor-

BRANDON reaches for SISSY gripping her wrists, deep slashes scissoring the veins, the flap of skin, flaying-

BRANDON pushes the fat of his thumb on each slash, blood seeping between his fingers-

BRANDON looks at her wrist, every time he moves his fingers, he releases the pressure the blood flows.

BRANDON grips them tighter, a quiet determination to stop the bleeding-

The skid of blood underfoot, BRANDON cradles her in his arms, grappling with his phone, desperately calling 911.

BRANDON desperately holds her, cradled between his legs, his fingers pressing her wrists, temporarily stemming the flow of blood, the phone wedged between shoulder and chin.

The slip of SISSY’s wrist through BRANDON’s fingers. He slams down the phone, struggling to hold her in his grasp. She slips again.

BRANDON head bowed. Sitting by Sissy’s bedside-

SISSY lies, sleeping, skin white, strapped to a drip. The gentle rise and fall of her breath.

BRANDON’s gaze falling on SISSY lying in the hospital bed, her wrists bandaged.

BRANDON, eyes falling on the scars covering her arms. He reaches out a hand, on the edge of touching them, letting his fingers hover over them until finally-

A FINGER lightly outlines a snaking scar seeping up her arm. She stirs a little but-

SISSY’s eyes just opening, focusing on him until-

Relief overwhelming BRANDON, he laughs, exhales on the edge. BRANDON turns to stroke SISSY’s hair, rests his head next to hers. She sleeps again.

BRANDON now walking along the side of the river, railings seemingly speeding up his journey.

Beyond, the shadowy black figures of a broken jetty stretch out toward the open river.

The endless grey of the Hudson River, close now-

BRANDON walking along a concrete jetty-

A rusting building, oxidized and stained salt green, edging along the jetty until-

BRANDON reaches the edge of the jetty, looking out-

The LAP of grey water beneath.

BRANDON stands, a hangover kicking in-

And at once BRANDON is crying, the tears flowing slow at first until they rush, like floodgates opening. He reaches for breath, trying to stifle the howls emanating from his body, inconsolable now, flooded with emotion-

BRANDON sinks squat to the ground, buckled in two, body shuddering.

The LAP of the water steady now-

BRANDON sobs and sobs and sobs, a mess of snot and tears as he looks out over the wide sweep of the Hudson River.

Far off the drone of the freeway, the early evening trawl of traffic kicking in-

The froth of the tide back and forth, rising and breaking, back and forth.

BRANDON stands in his familiar spot on the platform, waiting for the train that will take him to work. Wearing a vacant face, the train pulls into the station. BRANDON boards.

He takes a seat automatically, as if pre-programmed. The train leaves the platform.

Looking into no man’s land, BRANDON feels the heat of someone’s gaze. As he instinctively looks up to respond, a mixture of surprise, fear, excitement and doubt across his face.

The PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL who we met at the beginning of our story is staring down at BRANDON, this time in a more engaging fashion. She looks because she wants to be looked at.

Again, a dance begins. This time, she leads. Engaged, active, decisive.

BRANDON’s face is fractured into many conflicting emotions. It’s as if a magnet is drawing him in, but at the same time he’s trying to resist.

At this moment, the PRETTY SUBWAY GIRL stands up, eyeing BRANDON as she makes her way to the door, blocking BRANDON as the train pulls in to her stop.

The train pulls away from the station and disappears into the tunnel. We do not know if BRANDON is still aboard or has succumbed to his urges.

115 THE END 115