1:45

By

Thien Ngo

FADE IN:

INT. CAFETERIA -- DAY

CHRIS, a young man with short hair,lean build, in his

twenties, wakes up in a barren food court. He stares at his

watch. It reads 1:45.

His hand rests upon someone else’s. His eyes glance up to

notice, EMILY, a young woman in her twenties with long hair.

He smiles slightly and looks off to the side.

CHRIS

I had a dream where everything was

back to normal again.

The woman is unresponsive. A smile sits frozen her face.

A COUPLE sits in the back, frozen in laughter. People stand

idly by.

A TWO GUYS are frozen half seated at a table.

The court has a handful of PEOPLE sitting and standing idly.

Chris stares blankly at his watch with a weak smile on his

face. He shakes his head and grasps his forehead with his

other hand.

CHRIS

I don’t even know how long it’s

been.

After a long pause, he squeezes her hand. Chris looks past

Emily.

CHRIS

(his voice breaks slightly)

Whatever it is, whatever happened..

I’ll fix it.

He lets go of her hand, picks up his bag, and walks out the

doors. A MAN is holding the door open.

EXT. CAFETERIA -- DAY

Chris picks up his bike leaned against the wall and rides

off. PEOPLE stand idly outside the cafeteria.

2.

EXT. STREET -- DAY

Chris bikes down a sub urban street. DRIVERS are frozen

parked in the middle of the road. PEDESTRIANS are frozen on

the sidewalks.

A MAN fumbles with his folders in his car.

A WOMAN chats on her cellphone with one hand on the wheel.

A MAN struggles to hold the steering wheel with his knees

while eating a cup of Ramen.

EXT. LIBRARY -- DAY

Chris rides up to a 2 story brick library and leans his bike

against the wall. Chris heads up the stairs towards the

library. LIBRARY GOERS stand idly outside the Library.

INT. LIBRARY DOWNSTAIRS -- DAY

Lounge chairs, booths and computer terminals decorate the

interior. Two LIBRARIANS sit inanimate at their desk. A

LIBRARIAN stands by a book tray and is frozen holding up a

few books. A LIBRARIAN and a LIBRARY PATRON are frozen in

the middle of a transaction. Chris heads up a flight of

stairs.

INT. LIBRARY UPSTAIRS -- DAY

Chris sets his bag down beside a desk.

Chris takes out "Hamlet" from a shelf.

Chris stands next to the window. He reads an excerpt from

"Hamlet" to himself.

CHRIS

And still your fingers on your lips

,I pray. The time is out of joint:

O cursed spite, that ever I was

born to set it right..

He looks outside the window.

MONTAGE:

Chris pulls out a book glances at it and puts it back.

Chris pulls out a book looks at it and throws it aside.

(CONTINUED)

CONTINUED: 3.

Chris pulls out a book, looks at it, and puts it back.

Chris pulls out a book.

Chris sets the books on the table and sits down.

Chris flips through several pages.

Chris writes down some notes.

Chris goes through another book.

Chris writes down some notes.

Chris goes through another book.

Chris writes down some notes.

After going through several books his eyes get weary. Chris

falls asleep. His wristwatch reads 1:45.

FADE OUT:

INT. LIBRARY UPSTAIRS -- DAY

A sudden FLUTTER of books jolts Chris awake. He notices a

young pale girl standing by a book shelf. She stand

completely still, her eyes fixed on him.

Chris slowly rises out of his chair.

Her image flickers and startles him. He stumbles backwards

knocking over his chair. She walks out of sight. Chris gives

chase.

CHRIS

Wait!

INT. LIBRARY DOWNSTAIRS -- DAY

Chris runs down the stairs out the doors.

EXT. LIBRARY -- DAY

Chris BURSTS out of the library and looks around. She walks

down a back street. He runs after her.

4.

EXT. STREET -- DAY

Chris follows the Girl as she flickers and disappears off in

the distance.

EXT. BUILDING -- DAY

Chris stands outside a large unmarked and seemingly

abandoned building. A shadow passes by the entrance. He

walks in the entrance.

INT. BUILDING CORRIDORS -- DAY

The corridors are dark, he follows the phantom into an empty

room.

INT. BUILDING EMPTY ROOM -- DAY

The Girl vanishes. Electricity flashes in the center. There

is a distortion in the center of the room.

Chris pushes forward and is met with some resistance. His

surrounding begins to warp more and more as he approaches

the distortion.

He outstretches his arm and touches it. Everything stops and

turns black.

INT. BUILDING EMPTY ROOM -- (LATER)

FADE IN:

His watch reads 1:45. He wakes up to some CARS and WALLA

WALLA (:P) outside. The space around him is normal again.

Chris gets up and limps out the doorway.

EXT. BUILDING -- DAY

Chris exits the building shielding his eyes. Everything has

been re-animated. Cars drive down the street. Pedestrians

walk by. He drops his hand to the side speechless. His watch

reads 1:45. After a long pause the watch reads 1:46.