Third Life
Second Draft (for more revisions, etc.). Second draft of my first short screenplay.
INT. VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM - DAYTIME
Victor
Bespoke
Are you ready?
JESSICA
BANTLING
I think so. Explain it to me again, how this is
supposed to work.
VICTOR
BESPOKE
It's all about balancing the system. Two plus two is?
JESSICA
BANTLING
Four!
VICTOR
BESPOKE
Right, but if the system sees two plus two on one side and
three on the other, the missing one has to come from somewhere.
JESSICA
BANTLING
And?
VICTOR
BESPOKE
He took the one, so we're helping him keep the system
balanced.
JESSICA
BANTLING
I think I get it. Do these bandages have
to be covering all of me?
VICTOR
BESPOKE
Yes, and no peaking! As long as you can't see him, he can't see you.
INT. SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY - DARKLY
LIT
JESSICA
BANTLING (O.S.)
If you say so. Call me Cleopatra!
VICTOR
BESPOKE
Ok Cleo. His system should be picking me up and
alerting him right. about.
ROBERT
THEIVE (O.S.)
Hey!
int. bare room - darkly lit
VICTOR
BESPOKE
Now.
Robert
Theive
Who are you?
Victor
Bespoke
Why?
Jessica
Bantling
Where is everything? What did you do to me?
Robert
Theive
What am I doing back.?. No. Where am I?
int. Victorian drawing room - daytime
Jessica
Bantling
(O.S.)
Can it be undone?
Victor
Bespoke
If he thinks to give it back. Otherwise, what's done is
done. Care for a drink?
Robert
Theive
Why?
Victor
Bespoke
Because I'm thirsty.
Robert
Theive
Why was I there, and now here?
int. Scottish Castle library - darkly
lit
Victor
Bespoke
Where?
You were the one wearing the dress.
Robert
Theive
Kilt.
Victor
Bespoke
Murder?
Robert
Theive
I'm wearing a kilt.
Victor
Bespoke
I know that
is a kilt.
You were wearing the dress last night.
Jessica
Bantling (O.S.)
What did you do to the dress?
INT. BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Victor
Bespoke
So let me get this straight. The dress you were wearing last night was yours. You didn't steal it from this room?
Robert
Theive
No.
Victor
Bespoke
You were wearing your dress.
Robert
Theive
I was not wearing my dress, or
anyone else's for that matter!
Jessica
Bantling
I didn't think it would fit.
INT. SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY - DARKLY
LIT
Victor
Bespoke
It was hers, you
know.
Robert
Theive
Hers?
Jessica
Bantling (O.S.)
Mine.
Victor
Bespoke
Yes. The dress, the bare room, all aspects of
her.
Robert
Theive
Huh. It's not like she was going to use it or anything.
INT. BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Jessica
Bantling
Not going to use it? In this state? Of course I wasn't
going to...
Robert
Theive
Why do you care?
Victor
Bespoke
It's a package deal. Take one and you take them all.
INT. SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY - DARKLY
LIT
Robert
Theive
Hey! All that time I wasted on her? She owed me.
VICTOR
BESPOKE
So you took it.
ROBERT
THEIVE
It was mine to take!
Victor
Bespoke
Prove it.
Robert
Theive
Why should I have to prove anything to you?
Victor
Bespoke
You don't. I have all I need.
Jessica
Bantling
That's all? Aren't you going to, you know, do something?
INT. BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Robert
Theive
Hey! Who are.?.
VICTOR
BESPOKE
You peeked! No, all that would do is display malicious
intent and void the
terms.
ROBERT
THEIVE
Can't you see this is a private
conversation?
Victor
Bespoke
Did anyone invoke a privacy clause?
Robert
Theive
No, I suppose not.
Victor
Bespoke
For all you know, I might be broadcasting this live, for all
to see. Some cheesy Candid Capture machinema peep-fest...
Robert
Theive
You didn't!?!
Jessica
Bantling
You should have.
INT. VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM - DAYTIME
Victor
Bespoke
No, I didn't. And it wouldn't have been in our best
interests either.
Jessica
Bantling
What do you mean?
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
What?
Victor
Bespoke
You see, when he took the bait...
Jessica
Bantling
The dress.
Victor
Bespoke
Yes, when he stole the dress...
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
I didn't steal the dress.
Victor
Bespoke
Thank you. As I was saying, he chose to take it and as
the saying goes, possession is nine-tenths of the law. As clearly stated
in the dress's embodied End-User License Agreement...
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
Uh oh.
VICTOR
BESPOKE
You did ask the dress what its terms of ownership were,
didn't you?
Jessica
Bantling
So it's viral?
Victor
Bespoke
No, it doesn't replicate. Think of it as a Trojan
horse. It's a digital rights management
loop-hole. He is in fact on
public record, with dozens of witnesses I might add, prancing around town in
what used to be your very unique dress.
Jessica
Bantling
I never figured you for a tranny.
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
I wasn't wearing the dress!
INT. SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY - DARKLY
LIT
Victor
Bespoke
Oh really? What are you wearing right now?
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
I told you before, a kil... GAH!
Victor
Bespoke
Tricky little number, isn't it? What did
you think you were going to do with a designer dress like
that?
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
Sell it.
Jessica
Bantling
Sell it? Hah! You don't just sell a vicky-tech dress on the
street. All you're pushing are polygons without the hardware and wetware
links!
INT. VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM - DAYTIME
Victor
Bespoke
Not too bright, is he? Let him keep the dress.
Jessica
Bantling
But I was so looking forward to...
Victor
Bespoke
Forget the dress. The transfer is complete.
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
Transfer?
Jessica
Bantling
That's all there is to it?
Victor
Bespoke
That's all.
INT. BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Robert
Theive
What transfer?
Victor
Bespoke (O.S.)
You wanted it, you got it. The dress and the
room. It's a package deal. And besides, we wouldn't want you to get
all disembodied-crazy on us.
Jessica
Bantling (O.S.)
I think I can get used to this.
Robert
Theive
Get used to what?
Jessica
Bantling (O.S.)
Can I take the rest of these bandages off
now?
Robert
Theive
Hello?
Victor
Bespoke (O.S.)
Yes, you can take them off. The place is yours, sight
unseen if you'll pardon the pun.
JESSICA
BANTLING (O.S.)
Alright, that's enought. Let's see...
Robert
Theive
How do I take this thing off? Where's my kilt??
Jessica
Bantling (O.S.)
Ah, this
looks good. Care for a glass?
Robert
Theive
I said... Hello? I can't seem to find a
door. Hey! You can't just leave me here! Hello!?!
END.
