V.O.

This was a screenplay I had first written for a student video project. It was designed to accommodate a minimal budget.

FADE IN:

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY

JAKE, an athletic-looking college student, awakens on a hospital bed.    His cranium is heavily bandaged.    He looks around, apparently confused by his surroundings.

JAKE

Uh, hello?    Someone?

FOOTSTEPS are heard.    In walks the NURSE.

NURSE

I'm glad to see you're awake, Mr. Harris.    But next time, please press the call button on the side of your bed.

JAKE

Oog.    What happened?    I don't remember...

NURSE

I'm afraid you've been in an accident, Mr. Harris.    You hit your head quite severely, so it was definitely a good thing you were wearing a helmet.    The staff and I wish more people your age would follow your example.

JAKE

Why do I feel so light-headed?

NURSE

Undoubtedly the side effect of the medication we had to give you.    Give your body some time to process them and you'll be back to normal.

JAKE

This feels a lot different than what I experienced when I took a lot of other, um, medicines.    It's like I... I'm more conscious of my surroundings.    I have this... weird    rapport with everything around me.

NURSE (V.O.)

My life is just one sad ending after another.    It's as if an editor condensed a thousand tragic novels so that only the deepest tragedies remain, and compounded it into a single volume, and then someone decided to turn it into a movie where I'm the one minor character in each tragedy that strings the plots together.    I've always been exposed to the last parts of people's lives, and when I get to see the beginnings, I can't help but envision the newborns at the end...

Jake reacts as if he can hear the nurse's voiceover.

JAKE

Whoa, hold on.    What?

NURSE

Hmm?    I'm sorry, I didn't say anything.

JAKE

(Pause)

Oh, man.    I must be really out of it.

NURSE

Perhaps you would like to speak to a doctor, Mr. Harris?

JAKE

I guess that'd be good, yeah.

NURSE

I'll go fetch him.    Excuse me.

The nurse exits.    Jake cautiously explores the bandages on his head.    He takes his hand away as soon as the door opens.    In walks DR. GIMMLER.

DR. GIMMLER

Hello, Jake.    I'm Dr. Gimmler.    I must thank you for wearing a helmet -- it's made it a lot easier for my crew.

The doctor smiles, seemingly expecting Jake to follow suit, which doesn't happen.

DR. GIMMLER (CONT'D)

Anyway, I believe the reason you wanted to see me was that you were having an odd reaction to the medication.    Could you describe the sensation you informed the nurse about?

JAKE

Well, um, it's kind of hard to describe.    It's like...

DR. GIMMLER (V.O.)

People always say that they want to be a doctor because they'll make a lot of money... but little do they know that the most green doctors see is when we see our patients grow green with envy for the healthy ones!

Jake is taken slightly aback.

DR. GIMMLER (CONT'D)

Yes, what is it like?

JAKE

(Pause)

...Well, it's like I feel more in tune with things I'm in... in close proximity to... or something...

DR. GIMMLER    (V.O.)

No amount of monetary wealth is worth informing people their life span can be measured in months.    Sometimes it seems that it's equally difficult, trying to find solace as a healer.

JAKE

What?...    I mean... Look, do you know what's causing this, these feelings?

DR. GIMMLER

Well, there is one drug we've used on you that may be the source of these feelings.    It's new -- don't get me wrong, it's been approved by the FDA, of course -- but there have been some questions raised as to different individuals' reaction to it.

JAKE

What's it supposed to do?

DR. GIMMLER

It's designed to help the brain function during operations where the patient needs to remain conscious.    Or they used to, anyway.    Thanks to Helopreme, you didn't need to be awake while we were digging around in your brain.    But there was still some question as to how patients would react to Helopreme when they awoke and it was still in their system.    Some speculated that it would cause the patients to have a heightened sensitivity to their surroundings.

JAKE

Yeah, I guess that's what you could say is happening to me, I suppose.

DR. GIMMLER (V.O.)

Every day on the job is a gamble -- curing one patient, sending another to a hospice.    I can only hope every day is composed mostly of the former, but...

JAKE

(As if interrupting someone talking)

Look.    Is there someone I could see about returning to normal or something?

DR. GIMMLER

Well, I'm sure these feelings will wear off as the drug does.    But I can refer you to a psychiatrist I know of, Dr. Hymes, one well-versed in the whole controversy about Helopreme.

DR. GIMMLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)

...It seems as if the latter rears its ugly head more often than usual.    Perhaps it's not only the patients who are dying, but ourselves, losing tiny pieces of our souls that flake off to accompany the physically dead in their graves.    I must wonder, is there anything left of mine?

JAKE

Great. Look, can I see him, like, as soon as possible?

INT. PSYCHIATRIST'S OFFICE -- DAY

Jake sits as DR. HYMES reviews his notes on a clipboard.

DR. HYMES

So, Mr. Harris, I am to understand you seem to be experiencing a sense of... mental telepathy?

JAKE

Well, sort of.    Telepathy means I can read thoughts, right?    Well, I don't hear other people's thoughts, I hear their -- what do they call them, their voiceovers.

DR. HYMES

I'm sorry, their what?

JAKE

Voiceovers. You know, like in a movie when a character does a narration about their life story, just to get a background for the plot.    Only the voiceovers I hear are all really trite and bathetic, with awkward forced analogies.    They're very... just very annoying.

DR. HYMES (V.O.)

I've listened to so many problems other people have, I'm not sure which problems are my own.    I...

JAKE

Look, I just need to stop hearing these things.    Please.    It has something to do with the Helopreme, right?

DR. HYMES

One would think so, which is why I wouldn't worry too much about it.    From what I know about it, it should simply leave your system in a matter of days.

JAKE

Days?    I can't wait that long!    I'm expecting a call from my sister soon, she's all depressed from a breakup, and Frank -- Oh, god, Frank.    My roommate's a theater major.    A theater major!    Oh god, can you imagine...

(Beat)

Listen, I'd just really appreciate it if you could speed up this recovery process somehow.

DR. HYMES

Hmm. Well, I suppose I could arrange for Dr. Gimmler to give you something to negate the drug's effects.    An antidote, if you will.

JAKE

Yes.    Yes, please do that.

DR. HYMES

Okay then...

Dr. Hymes begins writing a note.

DR. HYMES (V.O.) (CONT'D)

Every problem forms a rough-hewn mosaic of troubles, spread across the population, an open wound across society, and it falls upon me to provide the antiseptic and bandage.    But how can I apply them when it won't stop bleeding?    Could I be forgiven for just trying to cauterize it shut?

He finishes writing the note and hands it to Jake.

DR. HYMES (CONT'D)

This should take care of everything.

Jake takes the note and quickly exits.

INT. HOSPITAL ROOM -- DAY

Jake sits up on the bed with cotton and surgical tape on his inner elbow.    Dr. Gimmler walks in.

DR. GIMMLER

Well, it's been an hour.    The counter-drug should have taken effect by now.    Do you feel any differently?

JAKE

Well, I do feel less lightheaded...    Hey, would you mind doing me a favor?

DR. GIMMLER

Of course not.

JAKE

Could you just think, like, really hard, about your innermost hopes and dreams?

DR. GIMMLER

Uh... Okay, certainly.

JAKE

(Pause)

Just... maybe about your regrets, or outlook on what your place in life, that sort of thing...

Silence.

JAKE (CONT'D)

Thanks, Dr. Gimmler.    That will be all.    Thank you.

INT. EMMA'S APARTMENT -- EVENING

Jake's girlfriend, EMMA, opens the door to find him.    She gives him a big squeeze and a kiss on the cheek.

EMMA

Oh Jake, thank god you're okay... But your head!

JAKE

Shh.    I know.    Everything's fine now, OK?

He kisses Emma on the cheek.

EMMA

I got us some steaks.    They should be medium rare right about now.    C'mon.

They exit for the kitchen.

INT. EMMA'S APARTMENT -- LATER

Jake and Emma sit across from each other, having finished their meals.

JAKE

Very nice way to celebrate my recovery.    Thank you, Emma.

EMMA

I'm glad you liked it, Sweetie... Actually, that wasn't the only reason I brought you here.

(Beat)

Listen, I... there was something I wanted to tell you before the accident.    I guess I should talk to you about it now.    It's about us.

JAKE

(Reproachfully)

Uh... Okay.

EMMA

Jake... There's something you need to realize. On the highway that is my life there are plenty of twists and turns.    The road is littered with the bumps and dips of new adventures, and the only roadkill... is my innocence! Sweetie -- Sweetie?

Emma turns to look at her boyfriend, but he's gone, the door slowly closing in his wake.

FADE OUT