Irrationalities By Guy Shekel

ktrippy97@yahoo.com

INT. BATHROOM - MORNING Just like the beginning of any other day, Arnold Fishwell, 28, began his morning with a slew of pills to treat his severe anxiety and depression. A substitute teacher, Arnold live an unfulfilling life. Today Arnold was subbing at a notoriously rough inner-city middle school. He doubles up on pills thinking the day will go better as a result. He was aware of the dangers of this, but was too depressed to care. He sticks a bottle of xanax in his pocket and is out the door. CUT TO INT. CLASSROOM Though he felt a little dizzy, Arnold managed to make to school safely and on time. Arnold sits at a desk nervously awaiting for the bell to ring. All his life, Arnold had been subject to an irrational fear of Asian people. Arnolds worst nightmare was happening. He faced a classroom full of particularly rough looking Asian children. Though he knew it was wrong to be afraid, he simply couldnt help it. As class was nearing, more and more Asian children filled the classroom, each one giving off the impression that they were angry. No one says a word. The bell rings. Arnold begins taking attendance. ARNOLD Ben Ang? SILENCE (CONTINUED)

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Arnold marks a present Ben Ang absent. Arnold looks up from the attendance sheet to find that every student was staring at him with a blank, chilling expression on each one of there faces. Arnold began sweating profusely. Arnold turns around and reaches into his pocket for the xanax and uncaps the top and empties five or six pills down his throat. THE LOCK ON THE DOOR CLICKS SHUT. Arnold turns around to find that one student has locked the door. The student walks slowly from the door over to Arnold. The student, dressed in a white t shirt and ripped jeans has an extremely noticable black eye. Arnold backs away as the student continues to move closer and closer. In one motion, the student throws Arnold to the ground and puts a foot on his neck. In the blink of an eye, Arnold is surrounded by a classroom of Asian students, all looking down with a deadpan expression. No one in the clasroom, other than Arnold has spoken. The student takes his foot off of Arnolds throat and proceeds to pull one cigarette and a zippo lighter out of his pocket. Arnold remains on the ground, too afraid to move. He begins to feel the effects of the xanax. He finds it difficult to open his eyes. The student lights the cigarette and takes a long puff and blows the smoke into Arnolds sinking face. He puts the cigarette out on Arnolds forehead. Arnold screams in agony. Arnolds heart begins beating faster and faster, the pain of the cigarette is excruciating. Arnold, already extremely discombobulated, passes out. (CONTINUED)

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As Arnold passes out, the faces of every student turn from deadpan to extreme nervous fear. Silence remains. STUDENT Hes dead. Without bothering to check his pulse, for Arnold was still alive, every student assumes that Arnold is dead. A student pulls out a brick of a cell phone, one from the 1990s and dials 911, he is connected with a 911 operator. OPERATOR 911, whats your emergency? OPERATOR Hello? OPERATOR Hello? The student hangs up. The students, still in silence, drag the body into the hallway, making sure not to create a scene and then return to their seats. CUT TO EXT. MIDDLE SCHOOL An ambulance arrives. CUT TO INT. CLASSROOM The students remain seated and silent as scene erupts in the hallway. CUT TO INT. HALLWAY EMTs administer CPR to Arnold. A crowd of teachers and students surround. CUT TO

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INT. CLASSROOM The students remain seated and silent. CUT TO INT. HALLWAY Though he is alive, Arnold remains in a sleep state. EMTs put him on a stretcher. CUT TO EXT. MIDDLE SCHOOL EMTs put Arnold in the back of the ambulance. IN BLACK A HEART MONITOR BEEPS DOCTOR GET ME THE ADRENALINE! The noise of a needle being stabbed into a chest is heard. INT. HOSPITAL ROOM Arnold gasps back to consciousness. He looks around thr room and finds himself surround by several masked Asian doctors. FADE TO BLACK