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.