OPENING SCENE SFX. Constant ticking/beeping of a clock Black screen: the only thing to see is red numbers on what looks like a digital clock. It is counting down: 5:00, 4:59, 4:58... The room is gradually exposed. It is small and dark, very claustrophobic. People are revealed one by one, each sitting around the clock. A is sitting staring at the clock. A WOMAN IN PAJAMAS is fidgeting with the buttons on her top. Two students, male and female, are sitting together holding hands. The female is crying quietly. One man is sitting away from the group, his back to them. His clothes look scruffy and worn. The reaches for the clock and the WOMAN IN PAJAMAS grabs her hand, slapping her away. What are you doing?! The pulls her hand away and rubs anxiously at her mouth. Maybe we can- -what? Can you stop it? The FE stops crying for a moment and looks up, as does the male. The remains still. The looks around nervously. I... No, but maybe we could try to- -maybe you should shut up! The WOMAN IN PAJAMAS stands up and starts to pace the small room. The gets up and points at the woman. I'm trying to fucking help! Oh, really? You're just going to kill us sooner! The FE gasps and moves closer to the MALE Page 1
STUDENT. Well at least I'm trying! What're you doing?! I'm sure pacing around like a lost dog is going to save us all! The WOMAN IN PAJAMAS flops back down onto the floor, defeated. The clock reads 4:02, 4:01... The clock reads 3:33, 3:32... The STUDENTS are sitting together, whispering. We could cut one of the wires inside it, or maybe cut off the electricity supply... FE This isn't a film. I'm not going to hold your hand while you choose between the red and blue wire. FADE TO BLACK The moves closer to the clock and picks it up. What the fuck?! FE What's she doing? Why is she doing that?! Make her stop! The turns his head half way round and then turns back, uninterested. The WOMAN IN PAJAMAS tries to pull the clock away from the. Give me that! No! I bet its not even real! This is some weird test. You hear about them on the news: five people go missing for a week and then turn up with no memory. Government experiments. Are you serious? You think the government has kidnapped us and put us in a room with a fake bomb as an experiment? Why not?! It happens! Does it shite! You're the bloody Page 2
experiment! Proper head case. The WOMAN IN PAJAMAS grabs the clock from the WELL DRESSED GIRL and slams it back down onto the floor. The room goes silent, waiting... The comforts his girlfriend as she begins to sob uncontrollably. She breaks from his grasp, hysterical, and stands up. FE What is wrong with you?! You're going to kill us! Are you thick? The FE stops moving around. What? FE Its going to happen anyway. Do you think just because you're pretty and clever you're not going to die here with the rest of us? You're here, just like us, and there's nothing you can do about it. So stop sniveling and give the rest of us some fucking peace! The FE is shocked into silence. She sits back down and her boyfriend puts his arm around her. She shakes it off. SFX. A loud explosion in the room next door. The FE screams. What the fuck?! Oh christ! Oh shit! We need to get out of here! That's going to happen to us! The clock reads 2:45, 2:44... FADE TO BLACK The group are gathered around the clock, all but the MAN IN THE CORNER, who remains with his back to them. The is holding the clock, she is sweating and shaking. What if it doesn't work? Page 3
What else can we do? It's either this or nothing. The nods and wipes her sweating hands on her trousers, one by one. Okay. The flexes her fingers, ready to dismantle the clock. She picks it up gently. Wait! The pulls her hand away. Jesus! What? What if its not real? Of course its bloody real! Or did you not hear the other room fucking explode?! The shakes his head. Okay... But what if it is real and it only activates if we mess with it like this? The looks around nervously and puts down the clock with shaking hands. The clock reads 0:59, 0:58... WELL DRESSED MAN I'm not going to do it. The FE turns to her boyfriend. FE Maybe we should. We could just cut the wire and it'll stop. Or it'll explode in our faces. What would we use to cut it anyway? A swiss army knife slides across the floor towards them. The picks it up and looks towards the MAN IN THE CORNER, he doesn't seem to have moved. Hey you! What do you think we should do? The doesn't turn around. Page 4
Whatever you think is right. But we don't know what's right. You don't even seem bothered that you might die in the next two minutes. I have nothing to add. You decide what you want to do. The picks up the clock and removes the back. Inside there is a single black wire. She flicks open the knife. I'm going to cut it. FE Oh, God! I shouldn't be here! This is so wrong! Wait! Shit! I don't think you should. This is it! You're going to set it off! The holds the knife to the wire. The clock reads 0:07, 0:06... I'm gonna do it. Is this your decision? What? Do you know something?! I'm doing it now. The WOMAN IN PAJAMAS looks frantically from the MAN IN THE CORNER to the clock. Wait! The pulls the knife against the wire. The clock reads 0:04, 0:03... The jumps to his feet and turns to the group. He closes his eyes. The last tick of the clock is heard... END. BLACK Page 5