8/12/2019 Fair (short film script)

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FAIR

Written by

Sean Wu

8/12/2019 Fair (short film script)

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FADE IN:

INT. A HOUSE - AROUND 8:00 PM

A YOUNG MAN, maybe around 15, leaves the bathroom of hishouse, wiping tears from his eyes. Despite no longer crying,he is immensely sad, trying to put a brave face for what isabout to come. He passes a TV that is in the living room, andignores the white noise it is making. Beyond the living roomis a staircase leading up to the bedroom of the teenagersyounger brother. This BOY is seen in his bed, with the onlything illuminating the room is a lamp on his nightstand. Theyoung man walks into the room, and sits on the edge of theboys bed.

YOUNG MANWow, you got yourself ready for bed

all by yourself! [pauses] Did youbrush?

The boy breathes in the young mans face.

YOUNG MAN (CONTD)Okay.

BOYAre you going to tell me a storytonight?

YOUNG MAN

Yes. Which one do you want to hear?

BOYTell me something I dont know.

The young man gets off the bed and examines a line of picturebooks on a small shelf near the bed.

YOUNG MANWhich one havent you read?

BOYTell me something I cant find in a

book.

The young man turns around and faces his brother. He talks tohim jokingly, still trying to hide his sadness.

YOUNG MANYou want ME to make something up?

The boy laughs at his brothers expression.

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BOYYeah!

YOUNG MANWell alright, but trust me, itsnot gonna be that good.

BOYI dont care, I just wanna hear astory.

YOUNG MANHm. A story. Hm.

The young man, now sitting back on top of the bed, continuesto think.

BOY

(impatiently) Hurry up!

YOUNG MANAlright. Okay. Have you heard aboutthe time I was on TV?

BOYYou were on TV?

YOUNG MANSure was. The three of us, me, mom,and dad were at the fair. This waswhen mom had you, but you werent

here yet. She was very big at thetime. She couldnt go any rides, some and dad had so much fun whileshe had to watch. The local newsguys were at the fair too, andwhile your dad and I were on theFirebreather, mom wa-

BOY

(curiously confused) Whats afirebreather?

YOUNG MANIt was the biggest roller coasterat the place. I was two inches tooshort to board the ride, butsomehow Dad snuck me on. It was soodd, how breaking the rules felt sogood.

BOYBut what about the news guys?

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YOUNG MANThe news guys were talking to mymom, and my mom said that she had alittle boy that would love to beinterviewed. I was so dizzy, butthe guys found me, and interviewedme.

BOYWhat did you talk about?

As he talks, the young mans voice cracks and heinconsistently shakes.

YOUNG MANI said I was having so much fun.Isnt it weird, to watch TV?

BOYWhats weird about watching TV?

YOUNG MANWhen I was being interviewed, all Icould think about was how the wholeworld could watch me, even if itwas only for a minute. But for therest of the minutes in my life, Iwould be watching the world. It wasmy time to shine, with my fleetingseconds, because I thought it couldbe the only time the world could

ever see me.

BOYBut bub?

YOUNG MANYea?

BOYOne day I want you to be famous.

YOUNG MANReally?

BOYI want you to be famous and happy.

YOUNG MANBut I am already happy.

BOYThen why are you crying?

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The young mans eyes appear very watery.

YOUNG MANBut Im not.

BOYThen why are you lying?

YOUNG MANIm not.

The two cease from conversing for a moment. The young mansees a clock nearby the bed reading 8:29 PM.

YOUNG MAN (CONTD)Is your 8:30 your bedtime?

BOY

Yea.

YOUNG MANWell its almost lights out time.Do you want a kiss.

BOYYes.

The young man kisses the boys forehead. Afterward, the youngman starts walking to the door.

YOUNG MAN

Good night.

As the boy pulls the top of his bedsheets to his forehead, heasks a question.

BOYWhen are mom and dad coming home?

The young man pauses.

YOUNG MANI dont know.

As the young man leaves, he turns off the lights and shutsthe door. He heads downstairs again, and stops as he passesthrough the living room. He sees the TV, playing the news. Itreads of a car crash in which an unknown amount of peopledied. After this momentary pause, the young man returnsupstairs to the door of his brothers bedroom. He stops atthe doorway, leans back, and silently cries.

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