as of yet untitled

Two strangers meet atop a roof in a busy city, amidst their own hectic lives they discover a sense of calm and perspective.

A rooftop high up somewhere in a large busy city. It’s the middle of the night; while the sky might be black there is no lack of light from the glare of the city lights. Sat on the roof against some pipes or on top of some brickwork or such is a girl. The girl is in her early twenties, she is dressed up in a cocktail dress with a leather jacket over the top for warmth, in one hand she is clutching a large wine glass half full with white wine. Next to her is a phone on vibrate, buzzing and lighting up sporadically.

 

The door to the roof swings open presenting a boy also in his early twenties. He is not dressed up and distinctly more casual (skinny/straight jeans, check shirt layered hoody and jacket kind of style) than the girl we have already briefly taken in. It is quite noticeable these people haven’t come from the same place and probably don’t know each other.

 

The boy takes a few steps before snapping out of his own world and noticing there is someone else on the roof.

He stands there taking in the scene not quite sure how to proceed.

She suddenly becomes aware of someones presence

 

 

Girl

(Without looking round)

You’re not going to jump are you?

 

Boy

Huh?

 

Girl

Well it’s just that I have my own problems and I really can’t be bothered to feel some kind of obligation to talk someone out of a decision that is clearly absolutely none of my business

 

Boy

Well aren’t you just a ray of sunshine?

 

Girl

Fine then what patronising cliché would you like me to start with?

It’s not as bad as it seems…but then maybe it is.

It’ll get better in time… but then maybe it won’t.

It’s not the answer… but then I don’t know what the question was so why would I know what the answer would be?

 

There is a pause while the Boy stares at the Girl who is still yet to even glance at him.

 

Boy

(Clearing his throat a little)

Well it’s probably a good job that’s not why I’m here then isn’t it?

The Boy sits down next to the Girl but with a fair amount of distance between the pair.

Is that why you’re here?

 

Girl

Surely if I was going to jump I wouldn’t be so mindful of my safety and take a seat away from the edge. What gave you that impression?

 

He stares at her disbelievingly

 

Boy

Never mind, forget about it.

(There is a long pause while the pair stare off into the city lights)

 

Girl

(She glances over at him for the first time)

If you really wanna know

(Her manner and voice softens)

I’m running away from my problems

 

Boy

Like all responsible adults?

 

Girl

Exactly, like one of those proper grown ups

 

Boy

(Sarcastic)

So where better to run away to than a rooftop, where you can feel very free and not at all trapped.

 

Girl

Trapped? What do you mean trapped?

 

Boy

Well you’re currently on top of a very tall building with limited options to move around and with limited options for escape, it’s basically as confined a space you can be in, in the open air.

 

Girl

Well, in this expansive city I escaped upwards as opposed to any other direction because it is the only way you can actually see the horizon. Everything here is so built up your brain is constantly overloaded, it gets claustrophobic and loud. Being able to see, well I suppose unable to see how far everything stretches just reminds me how limitless life is. Being somewhere and looking out and not being able to see where it ends, only that it continues beyond perception, is good for the mind, for perspective. We get so wrapped up in our lives we forget how small of a blip our life is on the grand limitless scale of things.

 

 

Boy

Right, well I just like view I suppose. It’s quite a nice place to chill.

 

Girl

Hmmmmm

 

Boy

What?

 

Girl

What?

 

Boy

What?

 

Girl

Nothing. It’s just.

 

Boy

It’s just what?

 

Girl

It’s just, people don’t climb up god knows how many flights of stairs to get to the roof of a really tall building simply to enjoy the view on their own.

 

Boy

Well I’m not on my own am I?

 

Girl

Well you didn’t exactly come here knowing that some annoying bird was going to be sat here did you?

 

Boy

I guess you’re right there

 

Girl

My money is on you being one of those responsible grown up types running away from their problems. You just happened to choose the one rooftop in this whole damn city that was already in use.

 

Boy

So maybe we are all running away from something big f*****g deal.

 

Girl

Okay, clearly touched a nerve there

 

Boy

Oh give it a rest would you!

 

Girl

Whoa easy tiger, I get it you want to talk about it just as much as I want to talk about my problems   

 

Another pause as the pair stare out into the city lights again

 

Girl

You know I think a lot of people find city lights such an inspiring view because it makes them think. In one single glance you can see hundreds upon hundreds of individual lights, and behind each one is a person or people living a life you know nothing about. There are so many possibilities and you conceive of so many in the blink of an eye, all of these possibilities are concentrated into this city and we are living only one of them. How do you know you’ve chosen the right one? How do you know something better isn’t out there? How do you know one of those lights wasn’t meant to be yours?

 

Boy

Has been gazing up at the stars the whole time

It’s kind of like stars isn’t it?

 

Girl

What? Like there are lots of them and they are both lights?

 

Boy

No, I mean people find them pretty but I think it’s because on some subconscious level they remind them that they are just one person amongst many, stood atop one planet in a galaxy filled with amazing things. It’s that perspective again, you look up and see all of these tiny lights that are so far away and we suddenly remember just how small we really are. Instead of scaring us or throwing us into existential crisis, it makes us smile cause we suddenly realise that if the entire universe is that f*****g big then in the words of every recycling advert ever the possibilities are endless.

 

She grins at him cheekily and giggles a little

 

Boy

What? Oh so you’re allowed to get all deep and philosophical but I get judged the moment I do? Is that how it is?

 

Girl

Sighs

It’s not that, I just never would have put you down as a hopeless romantic. The type that looks up at the stars and thinks of all the possibilities in all the worlds.  

   

Author's Note

A work in progress, never written a script before what do you think so far would like any feedback :)

Reviews

[J. D. Moran]

Great scene! A lovely chance meeting.
I feel it's almost as if the Boy only opens up because the Girl does first and then slightly regrets doing so. Maybe he's not as confident as her. I think it's great how you conveyed feelings and reactions through dialogue. It's not easy, I know.

Keep it up.

[Amber]

Thank you! I'm glad that some of those intended feelings seemed to come across especially since I've never attempted to write a script before.

[SleeplessVolcano]

Well, firstly, I haven't written a script before myself, so you are one up on me! :)

Some of the dialogue developed too quickly.....the girls get too philospohical too quickly.....personally, I love getting philospohical, but I have discovered that the world is less so, so somehow if one writes for a more "maknstream" market, the more indepth evaluations should be more subtle.

Two questions are brimming - are either of them, or both, suicidal, and an implied question is, is there any romantic tention developing between the two of them? I would like the girl to say more of why she is not at her party.....and who is the person trying to contact her on her phone?

Then lastly, the boy seems to undergo a bit of character growth.....i.e. His perceived superficiality grows to a deeper expression later on. The girl, though, shows little or no character development. Could you write that in?

I thoroughly enjoyed this. i could see their trivial ramblings gathering speed.....this could be an actual play one day! :). (With trivial I mean not personal.....it is easier to say substantially sounding things with none of them being personal at all)