Fair (short film script)

FAIR

Written by Sean Wu

FADE IN: INT. A HOUSE - AROUND 8:00 PM A YOUNG MAN, maybe around 15, leaves the bathroom of his house, wiping tears from his eyes. Despite no longer crying, he is immensely sad, trying to put a brave face for what is about to come. He passes a TV that is in the living room, and ignores the white noise it is making. Beyond the living room is a staircase leading up to the bedroom of the teenager’s younger brother. This BOY is seen in his bed, with the only thing illuminating the room is a lamp on his nightstand. The young man walks into the room, and sits on the edge of the boy’s bed. YOUNG MAN Wow, you got yourself ready for bed all by yourself! [pauses] Did you brush? The boy breathes in the young man’s face. YOUNG MAN (CONT’D) Okay. BOY Are you going to tell me a story tonight? YOUNG MAN Yes. Which one do you want to hear? BOY Tell me something I don’t know. The young man gets off the bed and examines a line of picture books on a small shelf near the bed. YOUNG MAN Which one haven’t you read? BOY Tell me something I can’t find in a book. The young man turns around and faces his brother. He talks to him jokingly, still trying to hide his sadness. YOUNG MAN You want ME to make something up? The boy laughs at his brother’s expression.

2.

BOY Yeah! YOUNG MAN Well alright, but trust me, it’s not gonna be that good. BOY I don’t care, I just wanna hear a story. YOUNG MAN Hm. A story. Hm. The young man, now sitting back on top of the bed, continues to think. BOY (impatiently) Hurry up! YOUNG MAN Alright. Okay. Have you heard about the time I was on TV? BOY You were on TV? YOUNG MAN Sure was. The three of us, me, mom, and dad were at the fair. This was when mom had you, but you weren’t here yet. She was very big at the time. She couldn’t go any rides, so me and dad had so much fun while she had to watch. The local news guys were at the fair too, and while your dad and I were on the Firebreather, mom waBOY (curiously confused) What’s a firebreather? YOUNG MAN It was the biggest roller coaster at the place. I was two inches too short to board the ride, but somehow Dad snuck me on. It was so odd, how breaking the rules felt so good. BOY But what about the news guys?

3.

YOUNG MAN The news guys were talking to my mom, and my mom said that she had a little boy that would love to be interviewed. I was so dizzy, but the guys found me, and interviewed me. BOY What did you talk about? As he talks, the young man’s voice cracks and he inconsistently shakes. YOUNG MAN I said I was having so much fun. Isn’t it weird, to watch TV? BOY What’s weird about watching TV? YOUNG MAN When I was being interviewed, all I could think about was how the whole world could watch me, even if it was only for a minute. But for the rest of the minutes in my life, I would be watching the world. It was my time to shine, with my fleeting seconds, because I thought it could be the only time the world could ever see me. BOY But bub? YOUNG MAN Yea? BOY One day I want you to be famous. YOUNG MAN Really? BOY I want you to be famous and happy. YOUNG MAN But I am already happy. BOY Then why are you crying?

4.

The young man’s eyes appear very watery. YOUNG MAN But I’m not. BOY Then why are you lying? YOUNG MAN I’m not. The two cease from conversing for a moment. The young man sees a clock nearby the bed reading 8:29 PM. YOUNG MAN (CONT’D) Is your 8:30 your bedtime? BOY Yea. YOUNG MAN Well it’s almost lights out time. Do you want a kiss. BOY Yes. The young man kisses the boy’s forehead. Afterward, the young man starts walking to the door. YOUNG MAN Good night. As the boy pulls the top of his bedsheets to his forehead, he asks a question. BOY When are mom and dad coming home? The young man pauses. YOUNG MAN I don’t know. As the young man leaves, he turns off the lights and shuts the door. He heads downstairs again, and stops as he passes through the living room. He sees the TV, playing the news. It reads of a car crash in which an unknown amount of people died. After this momentary pause, the young man returns upstairs to the door of his brother’s bedroom. He stops at the doorway, leans back, and silently cries.