PARTMENT - NIGHT
Max lays on the floor, fitfully asleep. On the side of his head we can see where blood has run from his damaged ear drums down his face. He is still unwashed but now the slovenliness looks more like a prisoner of war than as a compu-slob.
The door begins to knock quietly, but soon grows more insistent as It continues. Max stirs from his place on the floor and we can see from his beard that it has been some time since we saw him last.
As he moves toward the door it becomes painfully obvious that Max has suffered and carries this weariness in his bones from the way he walks.
He opens the door to see only a black area outside with a young woman, GAIL, standing outside patiently.
GAIL
Max Deil?
MAX
(slurred)
Yes.
GAIL
Good to meet you Max. Doug asked me to
step in and come talk to you.... I
imagine that you may have some
questions and I am sure I have some
things to tell you that you may find
important.
Max does not close the door but grabs Gail by the arm as she enters the apartment and forces her back out the door.
MAX
I won't do it! I won't kill all those
people! I WON'T DO IT!
With that he slams the door in Gail's astonished face and then leans his head against the door for a moment. Soon the clicking of shoes on the floor make him spin around to look behind him.
There in the once empty apartment is now a small table with cool drinks waiting in between two lounge chairs. Gail takes and seat, and sipping from a drink waves for Max to take up the vacant one on the other side of the table.
GAIL
Come on now Max. I'm sure you've
figured out by now that you can't get
rid of me that easily. you might as
well enjoy a little break.
Max drops his shoulders resigning himself to the intrusion and shuffles emptily to the vacant chair, taking a small sip of the drink beside him.
MAX
What do you want?
GAIL
Oh, now. There's no need to be so rude.
MAX
I don't care. Just say what you have to
and get out.
Gail stares at Max and then opens the small folder she carries and hands a sheet of paper to Max.
GAIL
This is my own record. I died
originally in 2150 and Doug revived me
two centuries ago at some considerable
expense. Feel free to look over it and
see who I am.
Max examines the paper for a minute and then looks at her.
MAX
You were a house-wife?
GAIL
A Home-maker actually but I'm sure not
the same thing you are thinking of. ...
I was hired to monitor people's lives
and then improve their quality of life
by making suggestions and working with
them to make those changes.
(beat)
But that's beside the point. Doug asked
me to stop by and explain exactly what
he wants you to do and why.
MAX
I've figured out what he wants. I won't
do it. I can't kill those people.
Gail smiles and shakes her head, taking a lock of hair and twirling it, looking at Max in a flirting way.
MAX
And you an cut that crap out too! I
don't give two damns about what you
think of me or why!
Gail stops and then returns to a more proper, analytical position. After a moment's consideration, she speaks.
GAIL
Do you have any idea how hard it is to
live in our world in this age? We spend
all our time making sure we have enough
to eat and have very little chance to
actually enjoy life.
(beat)
My job is obsolete now! Not because
people don't care, but because no one
has the time or resources to devote to
their quality of life! everything is
dedicated to supporting the invalid and
the frozen-dreamers that diddle away
precious energy daily in their little
fantasy worlds!
MAX
That's no reason to kill them! I don't
care what your reasons are, I can't
support the idea!
GAIL
Then look at the results! Look at the
results of Doug's plan and look at the
benefits! Look at them!
Gail hands Max another piece of paper but Max bats it away!
MAX
I've already figured it out, Gail! No
Sale! If the "frozen dreamers" were
eliminated then over four billion units
of energy would be freed for use by the
populous at large per day!
GAIL
Plus all the effort to produce and
deliver that energy.
MAX
And then Doug will go after the very
old that are still alive, wouldn't he?
Gail looks at Max, confused, ... stunned.
GAIL
What are you-
MAX
Come on Gail, you can't be that stupid!
You're over 200 years old! How much
medical attention does it take to keep
you alive now? How much energy do you
spend keeping yourself alive?
Gail doesn't answer.
MAX
Think about it Gail. How much energy
will be saved if all those over 400
years old, or 300 years old were
eliminated? How much space would it
make in the Real World?
GAIL
But Doug wouldn't dream of doing
anything like that?
MAX
Why not? He wants me to kill over a 4
billion sleeping human beings!
GAIL
He just wants you to turn them off, let
them stay frozen!
MAX
But they'll be dead Gail! don't you get
that!? In here! In this Fake Reality
this is the only place they are alive!
GAIL
But, they wouldn't even know it
happened! And-
MAX
I WOULD KNOW! I WOULD KNOW IT! I WOULD
KNOW THAT THEY ARE ALL DEAD AND
UNLIKELY TO BE REVIVED EVER!
Max GRABS Gail by the arm, forcing them to their feet and to the door. She is now afraid for her own safety now as Max rages on!
THINK ABOUT IT GAIL! THEY'LL BE DEAD!
PROBABLY FOREVER! AND IT WOULD BE MY
FAULT!
Max tries to open the door but finds it locked. In his anger he throws gail away from him and Pounds his fists on the door for a few moments! Once he stops he turns to face Gail and takes a deep breath.
MAX
What's the difference between the
sleeping and they very old Gail. The
Very Old use less energy but they use
more than the average. How much more do
you use each day than someone half your
age?
Gail doesn't answer but only sits where she landed looking at Max in shock.
MAX
Get out. Get out and tell Doug to drop-
dead! That's the only energy I'll go so
far to save the world now.
Gail rises to her feet and then makes her way to the door. It opens for her with no trouble. Before she step out she steps quickly to Max;s side and leans in closely to him.
GAIL
(whispering)
Listen close Max. You can't escape
this! Doug kept me in this torture cell
for over a year before I gave in. He'll
keep you in here forever if he has to!
He doesn't have to even think about you
in here. Just save yourself the
trouble, and your sanity and give up
now.
MAX
I can outlast him.
GAIL
This has only been two weeks Max! You
can't outlast this, and it will get
worse!
With that, Gail is out the door and the clock on the wall starts to tick again.
Before we know it, the Clock bongs again, and Max Laughs manically at it, taking off a shoe and throwing it at the clock to no effect!
Now the light goes dim and we have an added element of torture as a gray fog starts to fill the room. We hear Doug's voice come in as Max begins to cough and wheeze, his eyes watering.
DOUG (V.O.)
You like this Max? This is a taste of
the past. From about your time I
believe. I think you might tire of
living in a room full of tear gas.
Max falls to the floor as he can make no escape and Doug laughs as we:
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. MAX'S A