DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Summer 1996
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - NIGHT
GIRL (V.O.)
My health was never particularly
good, come to think of it ...
EXT. SCHOOLYARD
There are children running around, playing on the playground
equipment.
GIRL (CONT'D)
But I was able to attend primary
school like anyone else - in the
summer I'd play until I was burned
through and through ...
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM
A GIRL, twelve years of age or so, sits at a desk by the
window, looking out.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was June, just after I had
entered middle school. It was just
before the midterm tests.
EXT. SCHOOLYARD
We see here the GIRL, behind a window, looking longingly
outwards.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was the day after I ordered a
swimsuit for the summer. That was
the first day I'd been admitted to
the hospital.
CLOUDS AND RAIN
Looking UPWARDS at the falling rain.
GIRL (CONT'D)
It was a cold, unpleasant, drizzly
day.
INT. HOSPITAL BED
The same GIRL is lying on top of a HOSPITAL BED clad only in
her pyjamas.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Shrouded by the rainy sky - murky,
white, and damp.
The GIRL turns to look at the DOORWAY, and sits up. Several
GIRLS enter, brandishing boquets, chocolates, etc. They begin
conversing.
GIRL (CONT'D)
At first my classmates came to see
me - almost every day. When I was
out of the hospital, they'd come
and play on the weekends too. But
that was only at first.
EXT. TREES - AUTUMN
It is clearly AUTUMN now and the leaves on the TREES are red
and brown.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Autumn came ...
WIPE TO:
EXT. TREES - WINTER
It is WINTER now - the trees have no leaves and there is a
light dusting of snow on them.
GIRL (CONT'D)
... And passed into winter. I was
admitted and discharged, went in
for tests, was re-admitted ...
There were people in my class that
I had called my friends - but
before I realized what was
happening, they were merely
acquaintances - and then ...
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The GIRL is looking out the window once more, from the
vantage point of her bed.
GIRL'S POV
The GIRL watches a crowd of PEOPLE walking on the street
across from her window.
GIRL (CONT'D)
Then they were strangers. With each
change of the seasons I had faded
from more and more memories.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
GIRL
I suppose they ... don't like
seeing me like this. If you've got
a normal life you wouldn't want
someone like me in it.
GIRL'S POV
GIRL
So they blank me out ...
EXT. HOSPITAL
The camera is looking at the SEVENTH FLOOR.
GIRL
I've passed all these seasons under
that white overcast sky, without
needing to speak to anyone ...
CLOSE UP of a TEXTBOOK on a DESK.
GIRL
My English textbook is untouched
from the first-year midterms ...
PAN UP TO:
INT. BEDROOM
The GIRL, looking at the textbook, sighs as she leaves the
room.
GIRL
As though ... Even time had stopped
for me ...
OPENING CREDITS ROLL
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Early Summer 2004
EXT. CLOUDS
It is sunny.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
It was summer. The season of sweat.
EXT. BUILDING
There is a giant DISPLAY BOARD outside of the BUILDING.
NARRATOR
We were all staring at the display
board intently.
EXT. DISPLAY BOARD
This is a Japanese style test scoring board - rows of numbers
are printed on it, each with a light beside it.
NARRATOR
The test centre was pretty up to
date - the display was
computerized.
The DISPLAY BOARD begins to flicker to life.
NARRATOR
The lights on it - our indicators
of success - began to spring to
life. We were each watching for our
own number.
CLOSE UP: BOY IN CROWD
BOY IN CROWD
237 ... 237 ...
FROM ATOP OF THE DISPLAY BOARD
The CROWD is composed mainly of twentysomething people - all
gazing intently at the DISPLAY BOARD. Some people begin to
leave now, smiles on their faces, and enter the BUILDING.
NARRATOR
About 80% of the lights came on.
Mine was among them.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE - DAY
The TRAIN CARRIAGE is almost empty. The BOY from the CROWD
earlier is sitting on a seat, holding a BOOK.
NARRATOR
I took the train home. It was a
quiet time of day - all you could
hear was the rattling of the train
car as it swayed.
CLOSE UP: BOOK
This BOOK is marked 'HIGHWAY CODE'.
NARRATOR
In my lap there was a brand new
copy of the Highway Code. In my
breast pocket there was a brand new
license.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE
BOY
So now I'm a driver, too ...
It becomes apparent by now that the BOY is the NARRATOR.
BOY (V.O.)
I tried to whisper it as if it were
a profound thing, but it really
didn't excite me all that much. I
hadn't particularly wanted to be
able to drive. I had no other
motive for taking the test - except
maybe peer pressure, I guess.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
BOY (V.O.)
I told my parents I had got my
license.
INT. DINING ROOM
The BOY sits here with his FAMILY - his FATHER, MOTHER, and
younger SISTER.
BOY (V.O.)
All they said was, 'well done.' I
tried to borrow the car - just to
see what would happen - but all I
got was a simple 'no'. I guess
that's just the kind of people my
parents are.
THE NEXT DAY
INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
The BOY lies in bed groaning. He clutches his CHEST.
BOY (V.O.)
The next day I woke up with
excruciating chest pain.
EXT. AMBULANCE LIGHTS
BOY (V.O.)
Bad enough that I had to be taken
to the hospital.
EXT. HOSPITAL
This is the same HOSPITAL that the GIRL is in.
BOY (V.O.)
I wasn't particularly fond of the
hospital. There was a long wait.
Longer than I had expected.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM
The BOY sits in a chair. He looks like he's about to fall
asleep.
The BOY'S FATHER is discussing something with the TRIAGE
NURSE. They both look at the BOY.
BOY (V.O.)
When at last they had seemed to
have straightened up - I had been
getting ready to go. But it turned
out that I was going ... being
taken for X-rays and blood tests.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM
The BOY, FATHER and a NURSE enter from one of the doors
leading into the hospital. The NURSE turns and begins talking
to the TRIAGE NURSE, who gradually begins to look more
worried.
The BOY and FATHER sit down. Everyone in the BOY'S FAMILY
looks anxious.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - NIGHT
The BOY and FATHER sit here. The BOY, looking bored, puts
down a magazine.
BOY (V.O.)
I had read almost all of the
magazines in the waiting room that
day. Just as I reached for another
...
MEDIUM SHOT: BOY, FATHER SITTING DOWN
A NURSE comes and says something to the BOY. He rises from
his seat and begins following her through a door leading
deeper to the hospital.
BOY (V.O.)
... They came and took me away.
INT. HOSPITAL HALLWAYS
The BOY walks along with the NURSE.
BOY (V.O.)
My brand new driving licence was
still in my pocket.
The BOY fishes out his LICENSE from his pocket and looks at
it.
BOY
Looks like I'm not going to get a
chance to use this just yet ...
FADE TO:
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Autumn 2004
BOY (V.O.)
It was about the time of year when
the cicadas finally start to shut
up.
EXT. HOSPITAL
BOY (V.O.)
I was in hospital, as usual.
INT. HOSPITAL BED
The BOY sits in a HOSPITAL BED, reading a MAGAZINE. He is
wearing pyjamas and has a BLUE WRISTBAND.
BOY (V.O.)
Oh, I hadn't been in there all
summer.
I'd been in and out, back and
forth. I'd had my first operation
the previous month. They'd
discharged me afterwards but I
still came in a lot. Luckily it's
only a five minute walk.
A NURSE enters, and gives the BOY a glass of water and two
pills.
BOY (V.O.)
And so the cycle continued:
admission, discharge, tests,
readmission, and on, and on ...
Whether it was for PET scans or
Iressa treatment, I don't know -
but before I knew it the cycle had
been going on for months.
The BOY has a drink and swallows both the pills.
He thanks the NURSE, who exits the room.
The BOY gazes out of the window ...
BOY (V.O.)
My appetite shrank, while the
number of medications I'd been
expected to take just kept growing.
I felt like I could see myself
weakening. Even my legs seemed to
wither ...
EXT. HOSPITAL
The camera is on the FOURTH FLOOR. The BOY is looking out ...
BOY (V.O.)
It wasn't my imagination. I could
weigh myself and the scale would
not lie. And yet ... Somehow it
didn't really seem all that
personal.
It was like I was watching it
happen to someone else. Like it was
a scene from a drama on TV.
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM
The BOY resumes reading his MAGAZINE. He looks slightly pale.
BOY (V.O.)
I was unable to understand what was
happening to my body all of a
sudden. I hadn't even grasped the
fact the changes were real. So -
personal as it may be - I still
watched it from my disinterested,
detached position.
DARKNESS
SUPERIMPOSE: Winter 2004
BOY (V.O.)
It was a winter's day. The time of
year when Christmas is just winding
down.
They let me go home for New Year's.
EXT. HOUSE - EVENING
It is pouring rain.
BOY (V.O.)
I arrived home amidst pouring rain.
EXT. ROAD
The ROAD in front of the HOUSE. A SILVER COUPE pulls up. The
FATHER and BOY exit, dashing for the cover of the HOUSE.
INT. DINING ROOM
The BOY and FAMILY are here. The FAMILY seem weary and have
somewhat strained looks on their faces.
BOY (V.O.)
My parents had always seemed quiet
and aloof. Today they greeted me
with smiles and laughter, even if
it seemed forced. Even my sister -
who normally has nothing to do with
me - had made me my favorite stew.
The BOY picks up a tangerine and begins peeling it.
BOY (V.O.)
We sat around the table, peeling
tangerines. I was touched to be
surrounded by such kindness.
The BOY stops peeling his tangerine. A thought has just
struck him.
BOY (V.O.)
Just then I began to realize.
The BOY fishes around in his pockets and pulls out his
LICENSE.
BOY (V.O.)
I probably wasn't going to get much
use out of this.
The BOY stares at it.
BOY (V.O.)
That's what I thought, as the
forced smiles and cheer washed over
me. That's all I thought, in the
same calm, detached way I had been
thinking about this whole affair.