ACT I

INT. BATHROOM MIDDAY

Protagonist is getting ready for the day. In his bathroom

there is a mirror, a succulent that looks almost dead, and
a pill bottle. Protagonist is doing his hair with just
water, looks at the bags under his eyes, checks teeth and
walks out.

INT. KITCHEN

Protagonist begins to try to make breakfast, but as he

checks the cupboards, the fridge, and the freezer, he
realizes he's not hungry enough to want to cook in the
first place. Protagonist goes back to the fridge, having
seemed to remember he had something in there. He reaches in
and grabs a bag of pepperonis, and starts eating those.
Protagonist then checks the time and it's 1:40PM. He turns
for the exit.

EXT. FRONT DOOR

Protagonist walks out, he looks left, then right, then

slightly up. He lets out a sigh.

PROTAGONIST
(to himself) Time to wear the mask.

Protagonist demeanor shifts, expressing more light than

dark

PROTAGONIST
Let's get after this money today.
ACT II

INT. RESTAURANT FOH EVENING

Protagonist is working as a server. He is talking to a

table and they are laughing and enjoying their conversation
with Protagonist. He walks away to then and picks up a
check, He opens the check and the table left a 75% tip and
wrote a message thank you Xavier! Good luck with your
photography business, I'll keep you in mind in the future!
and don't forget to look up Anne Gjelstad, I think you'd
love her work! Protagonist walks to the back of house
 2.

INT. RESTAURANT BOH

Protagonist walks in and overhears his coworkers talking

indistinctively, protagonist walks over

COWORKER 1
...And it gets to be so annoying
when they are so pissed off at me
when the chef didn't even look at
the ticket. Like now that's my tip
that suffers because they take 45
minutes to cook

COWORKER 2
I totally understand, I get that
all the time, they never care
either, their making livable wages
we gotta rely on the courtesy of
others and they take that for
granted.

PROTAGONIST
What's going on?

COWORKER 1
Oh, Hey man, yeah this problem
isn't really one that you
experience. But I got a zero tip
because the chef took so long.

PROTAGONIST
Hey man, you just have to shrug
that off. No sense in dwelling on
what cannot be changed. Here's the
thing though, whenever I have to
deal with long waits in the
kitchen, I go to the table and tell
them they are just plating the
food. Then I asked them a question,
nine times out of ten they are
going to give you an answer that
will develop into a story. Next
thing you know you're spending
10-15 minutes talking to them all
the while the chef should be
cooking in the back.
 3.

COWORKER 1
That's not a bad idea but that's
making me put in extra... work...

As Coworker 1 continues on, Protagonist feels a sinking

feeling in his body. Protagonist's world begins to be hazy
and blue as he watches Coworker 1 speak. Protagonist moves
into a corner and collapses into a ball in the corner. he
runs his hand through his hair and begins to sweat
profusely. He holds his chess and breathes heavily. He
passes out and falls onto the ground.

COWORKER 1
But with a natural extroverted
personality like that, you have no
trouble ever talking with people.

Protagonist is snapped back into reality, still standing

there nodding his head along to Coworker 1. He responds

PROTAGONIST
Fair point, but I just developed
this personality, personally I
would much rather lay in bed and
ignore all reality. I just learned
to bullshit really well from
watching movies.

COWORKER 2
Yeah right, you gotta be super
popular, everyone knows you around
town. You're the center of
attention everywhere.

PROTAGONIST
I promise you, that is not by
choice.

Manager is seen in the distance walking over and everyone

scrams.

fade out
 4.

INT. LIVING ROOM NIGHT

Our protagonist is in his living room, around him is a

couch and a TV. He opens up Netflix, and begins to click on
a show that has every episode watch. He hits continue
watching on the TV. His favorite show begins to play. As
the show plays, protagonist is repeating the lines of the
show in realtime, from memory without subtitles.

Several episodes pass

Protagonist is now laying on the couch, watching his show,

with more snack food and a Soda in front of him.
Protagonist eyes begin to shut. He feels his body begin to
slip into sleep. Protagonist feels suffocation, When he is
suddenly jolted awake.

This happens several times, as an analog clock in the

background show the jumps in time. Until dawn.

INT. LIVING ROOM DAWN

Protagonist notices that the sun has come up fully, he can

hear children outside his house heading for school. He
decides to grab his laptop and head over to the nearest
coffee shop.

INT. COFFEE SHOP MORNING

Protagonist sits in the corner of a coffee shop with his

laptop with a word document open. The blinking line sits as
he has no idea what to write about. He sips on his
chamomile tea and stares blankly. The bags under his eyes
have deepened. a woman approaches.

MARIE
Hi, (softly smiles) Do you mind if
I sit here?

Protagonist nods and gestures, Marie sits

MARIE
I'm Marie, what's your name?

Protagonist begins to fake type as he thinks if he should

answer or not. He realizes too much time has past and
doesn't speak
 5.

MARIE
What are you writing?

PROTAGONIST
A poem, I think

MARIE
About what?

PROTAGONIST
I'm still trying to figure that out

Marie giggles

PROTAGONIST
I'm not much of a writer, but my
mom says it'll help me with my
insomnia

Protagonist lies, his expression shows.

MARIE
No worries, my mom always tells me
to write

Marie smiles

MARIE
Well, I should get going

Marie begins to get up

PROTAGONIST
Wait.

Marie pauses. Protagonist closes his laptop

PROTAGONIST
You're welcome to stay, this may
help me in my quest to find
something useful to write about.

Marie laughs, their conversation begins to go on

indistinctively.
 6.

MARIE
Hey, a few friends of mine are
heading to this speakeasy place we
frequent tonight, they have karaoke
every Thursday. You should come if
you have no other plans.

PROTAGONIST
Uh, yeah sure.

Marie writes on a piece of paper.

MARIE
Here's the time and place and
here's my number in case you are
having trouble getting in.

Protagonist takes the piece of paper, He recognizes the

place and nods in understanding.

PROTAGONIST
I'll meet you there

Marie leaves.

INT. BATHROOM EVENING

Protagonists gets ready, on the tablet he has propped up in

his bathroom a video of top karaoke songs is playing. There
is a noticable change in how he gets ready, as if he is
taking extra care in himself. Protagonist contemplates
taking a pill with him but decides not to. He leaves out.

INT. SPEAKEASY EVENING

Protagonist enters the bar. He sees Marie, who waves him

down and approaches him

MARIE
C'mon, you have to meet the crew.

Marie takes the protagonist over to the rest of her

friends.
 7.

MARIE
This is everyone, Zach, Ann,
Dwyane, Sarah and Sidney

ALL
Hey

PROTAGONIST
Hey, How's it going?

SIDNEY
Good, What's your name?

PROTAGONIST
It's-

ZACH
Wanna drink? It's on me tonight

PROTAGONIST
You don't have to, I'll open a tab

Zach buys Protagonist a drink.

SIDNEY
Zach's a trust fund baby and loves
to spend money like crazy, we don't
usually make him buy but he's
adamant whenever a newcomer tags
along, I say don't fight it. Free
booze is free booze.

ZACH
Oh whatever Sid, I'm just a nice
guy giving back whatever way I can.

Zach hands Protagonist a drink

PROTAGONIST
Thanks. I appreciate it.

ZACH
Anyways I'm up.

Zach knocks back his drink and begins to walk over to the
DJ booth
 8.

ZACH
Carpe Diem, right?

Zach gets up on stage and begins to sing. He 's very off-

key. The entire group is loving it though and Marie stands
up and faces protagonist

MARIE
Come on, let's dance

Marie grabs protagonist and pull him on the dance floor.

The rest of the group follows.

Protagonist is enjoying himself. He starts dancing with the

group.

Protagonist has another attack. He feels like he's having a

heart attack. Though he knows how to deal with it
internally. The majority of the crew doesn't notice. Except
Marie.

MARIE
(to Protagonist, whispers) want to
step outside for a second.

Protagonist is shocked at the question, but nods in

agreement. Marie takes him outside.

EXT. SPEAKEASY ENTRANCE NIGHT

Protagonist goes outside and looks for his medicine but

cannot find any.

Marie grabs and hugs protagonist. She squeezes him the

exact right amount and Protagonist becomes more stable.

MARIE
Are you okay?

PROTAGONIST
I'm alright, but I should head home
now.
 9.

MARIE
I can join you.

Protagonist looks at Marie, he pauses as he questions

whether he's comfortable with that. Then he nods

PROTAGONIST
If you're okay with that then it's
fine with me.

MARIE
Okay gimme a second

Marie disappears back into the speakeasy. Then she pops

back out with her coat, protagonist coat and Sidney.

SIDNEY
Be safe, we'll see you tomorrow!

MARIE
Goodnight!

Protagonist and Marie step into the car and drive off.

INT. LIVING ROOM NIGHT

Marie and Protagonist walk into the house. He sits on the

couch and turns on the TV. Marie sits next to him and
joins.

MARIE
You have it too, right?

Protagonist looks at Marie in confusion

MARIE
That beast, the one that closes
your throat and squeezes your
heart.

PROTAGONIST
uhm.
 10.

MARIE
I have it too. Anxiety and
Depression, A simple two worded
diagnosis they give us when we have
to fight everyday to enjoy the time
we have on this earth. There isn't
a way to get rid of it, they just
fill us with drugs and hope for the
best. We have to find our own ways
to keep it at bay throughout our
days, and when it squeezes our
heart and blocks our airway, we
have to wear the mask and smile. It
attacks us at our weakest moments.
there's nothing we can do but
endure the pain until it's had its
filling for the day. It's a greedy
monster, if he didn't get his toll
paid in the day, he will attack us
at night.

PROTAGONIST
(defeated) I fight it everyday.
it's like an unlockable character
in life. Once it's there, it never
goes away.

MARIE
All we can do is endure.

PROTAGONIST
How can we do that?

MARIE
There is no universal answer.
(smiles) But let's just try to keep
it at bay for tonight.

PROTAGONIST
(nods)

Marie grabs the remote. She pulls up Netflix. She opens

protagonist's comfort show and hits play. She is mouthing
the words under her breath.

Protagonist notices.
 11.

A few episodes go by.

Marie and Protagonist are shown completely asleep. The

analog clock behind them shows the time. Until dawn.

INT. LIVING ROOM DAWN

MARIE
Hey, sleepyhead.

Protagonist slowly gets up as he sees a reflection of

himself in the TV. It's indistinct. He gets up and walks
over to a mirror on the wall at the entrance.

Protagonist is shocked, as the bags under his eyes have

faded.

PROTAGONIST
Marie, want to go grab some Tea?

MARIE
Sure, hang on though, what's your
name?

PROTAGONIST
My name huh?

The title card appears saying Anshin, with the definition

below.

Endscene