The Laundrette

INT: Laundrette. White walls. Fluorescent lighting. There is a row of washing machines along one wall, only one of which is active.

ADAM, a man in his late-twenties, begins to wake up. He is on the floor in a corner of the room. Disorientated and squinting, he looks around at the surroundings. There are two others in the room with him. BEN, early-forties and smartly dressed, is leaning against the wall of washing machines. ROSA, a teenage girl, is getting up from the floor. We see ADAM beginning to get up.

 

ROSA:

(to BEN)

Okay what just happened? Oi, mate?

 

She looks over at ADAM but still addresses BEN, who is staring into the one working machine.

 

ROSA: (cont.)

Who’s he? What happened to the other guy?

 

ADAM:

What’s going on? Where am I?

 

ADAM and ROSA ask questions simultaneously. BEN faces the washer with eyes closed. A moment later he quickly turns to face them.

 

BEN:

(snaps)
I don’t know!

 

ADAM and ROSA fall silent. BEN slowly turns back to look at the washer. He begins to speak softly to himself, almost sobbing, whilst sliding slowly down the wall, becoming a broken man on the floor.

 

BEN: (cont.)
I don’t know. I don’t know...

 

He repeats himself getting quieter each time. ADAM and ROSA look at him confused, and glance quickly at each other.

 

BEN: (cont.)

I don’t know what’s happening. What’s supposed to happen? Why is this happening?

 

He looks up through watery eyes and shouts towards the ceiling.

 

BEN: (cont.)
(shouts)
Why is this happ-

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime. ADAM’s P.O.V.

 

We see a quick-cut montage of images. The sequence is quick, dizzy, somewhat disorientating. We see images of footsteps, cars on the road, blurred faces of passers-by. After a short time...

CUT TO:

 

INT: Laundrette. Same as before.

 

ADAM wakes up on the floor. ROSA looks forlornly at the only working washing machine. BEN is now gone. AUDREY, an elderly woman, is asleep in the corner. ADAM looks around.

ADAM:

Wha-? Where did he go?

 

ROSA merely glances at him, before looking back to the machine.

ADAM: (cont.)

Look! I’m sorry but, I don’t even know what’s going on and... you’re already here.

 

ROSA:

I don’t even know what’s going on. Neither did he apparently.

 

ADAM:

Why are you... just, staring at the machine?

 

ROSA:

I’m on one. Bet you can see two, can’t you?

 

ADAM looks at the small electronic display on the side of the working machine. It says “2 Minutes.” AUDREY stirs and wakes up. Looking around, she spots ADAM and ROSA and comes towards them.

 

AUDREY:

Ooh ‘eck, silly me must’ve dozed off then! I don’t even remember coming to do my washing!
(chuckles)

 

ADAM:
(almost ignoring AUDREY, to ROSA)
What do you think’s going on?

 

ROSA looks up at him slowly and opens her mouth ready to respond.

 

CUT TO:

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime. ADAM’s P.O.V.

 

We see a similar montage of images to the earlier scene, only this time they are slightly longer and more coherent. Finally, we see traffic lights ahead at a pelican crossing.

 

CUT TO:

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime. (CONT.)

 

No longer ADAM’s P.O.V. ADAM walks along the street, coming up to the pelican crossing we just saw.

 

CUT TO:

 

INT: Laundrette.

 

ADAM, and gets up from the floor, he is still at the wall of machines. ROSA has now gone. GEORGE, about 7 years old, is asleep in the corner. The display on the machine now reads “1 Minute.” AUDREY gets up from the floor, stood next to ADAM, looking at the machine.

 

AUDREY:

Is this your washing, love?

 

ADAM doesn’t know how to respond, he just looks hesitantly at her.

 

AUDREY: (cont.)

What happened to that young girl, by the way? Has she gone?

 

Before ADAM can respond, AUDREY looks around the room and spots GEORGE waking up. She goes over to him. They talk O.S. as we focus on ADAM, staring helplessly into the washer.

 

GEORGE: (O.S.)

Mmm... er... I don’t remember going asleep. Where am I?

 

AUDREY: (O.S.)

Hello love, is you mummy with you? Was that her in here a moment ago? Oh, these young mothers get younger by the min-

 

CUT TO:

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime.

 

We see ADAM walking along the street. It is a normal day. After a short time, he approaches a pelican crossing and presses the button.

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime. ADAM’s P.O.V. (CONT.)

 

He looks left, then right down the road before beginning to cross. We hear a speeding vehicle approach and the camera jolts sideways.

 

CUT TO:

 

EXT: Busy Street. Daytime. (CONT.)

 

ADAM rolls over the top of the car that’s just hit him. As it speeds off, we see ADAM about to land on the road with a thud, as we...

 

CUT TO:

 

INT: Laundrette. Significantly dimmed lighting.

 

ADAM stands in the middle of the room, looking around. AUDREY, GEORGE and another man are asleep in the corner. The single washing machine has now stopped, ADAM approaches it. The display flashes “Finished Cycle.” He goes to open it when a voice comes from behind.

 

THE OWNER: (O.S.)

Hello, Adam.

 

ADAM turns around to see THE OWNER standing in an open doorway. THE OWNER holds out his hand.

 

THE OWNER: (cont.)

Coming?

ADAM looks confused and upset at THE OWNER and his hand. ADAM then speaks as though he already knows the response he’ll get.

 

ADAM:

I’m dead, aren’t I?

 

THE OWNER:

Yes.

 

ADAM:

And this is, what... purgatory?

 

THE OWNER glances around the room, bemused.

 

THE OWNER:

This is a laundrette, Adam. My laundrette to be precise. I’m the owner. And you’ve just been waiting for your cycle to finish, and...

(claps his hands together)

Here you are! Okay, everything cleared up? Ready to go?

 

ADAM looks down at the man’s hand.

 

ADAM:

Where are we going?

 

THE OWNER:
(beaming)

Moving on.

 

With that, he beckons ADAM, who follows THE OWNER through the door and vanishes into the dark. The door closes behind them and the fluorescent lights flicker on again.

 

SMASH CUT TO BLACK.

Author's Note

I wrote this as part of a coursework assignment, but it has inspired me to expand the plot and adapt it into a short story (or maybe even novella! Depends on how into it I get!) Hopefully that should be along sometime soon.