Invisible suffering Short Script
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Mark has been struggling with mental health issues, experiencing voices and anxiety. He tries to hide it by going out with friends, but is withdrawn. After a night out, the voices overwhelm him and he has a panic attack. Later, his roommates find a suicide note and go to check on him, fearing the worst.
Invisible suffering Short Script
- 2. 1 FADE IN: INT. THE ROOM. We begin in an spacious dreamlike dark room. An array of red and blue lights flicker briefly before remaining in a dim state. The room is largely empty, except for a single chair sitting directly in the room’s centre. MARK (22) walks into frame taking a seat on the chair. He sighs. Briefly looking at a piece of paper in his hand before scrunching it up and throwing it to the side. MARK Im not entirely sure how to start this. Pause. MARK (CONT'D) How do you even start something like this? EXT. QUEUE FOR A PUB. NIGHT. Sounds of a Friday night. Outside a pub, Mark queues with his friend/housemate BEN (21) as bouncers check the ID’s of the people in front. Both lads are dressed in causal clothing although Ben has clearly made more of an effort. Ben is visibly excited to get in whilst Mark stands idle staring into the distance in a daydream like state. The sound muffles as Mark continues to stare. Quickly a voice starts to break through. BEN Mark. Mark...Mark Mark snaps out of his trance, turning to Ben who is staring at him with concern. BEN (CONT'D) You good mate? Thought I lost you there. Mark immediately cracks a smile. MARK Yeah, yeah im good. Sorry zoned out a bit. 1
- 3. 2 BEN Haha, I could tell. Come on Becca’s already inside with everyone and you know we’ve gotta catch up on the drinks. Mark lets out a chuckle as the pair walk up to the bouncers showing their IDs. The bouncers give the IDs a quick pass before letting them in. INT. PUB. A FEW MOMENTS LATER. Both Mark and Ben wander around the pub looking for their friends before quickly spotting them at a far table. They walk over. BEN Nah, starting without us then? The table erupts with cheers as the two lads arrive. It is a small group of similar ages. A girl stands up and hugs both Mark and Ben. This is REBECCA, their other housemate. Also dressed casually yet like Ben, she has made more of an effort than Mark. FRIEND 1 Ayy here they are! FRIEND 2 Just in time for the next round! REBECCA I’m so happy you guys made it! BEN Obviously we did, cant miss a night out. MARK Yeah, course not. The two lads find seats and conversations begin all over and morph into the background noise. LATER. The night out is in full swing. Everyone is mostly drunk. Everyone except Mark who is once again staring off into nowhere. His hand begins to tremble in a fit of anxiety. Rebecca nudges him, bringing him back to the present. REBECCA You okay? 2
- 4. 3 Mark smiles softly. The trembling stops. MARK Im fine, yeah REBECCA Did you want another drink? MARK No. That’s okay. INT. THE ROOM. MARK I could just scrap all of this, scrap all of this and say I'm okay. But that would be a lie. A lie I have told everyone... and myself for far too long and I’m done lying. INT. PUB. MONTAGE We flash through series of scenes showing the group downing and enjoying their drinks. During the montage Mark tries to look happy in the moment but he conveys a look of sadness and appears empty. His mind is everywhere but there. Ben gathers everyone's attention. BEN Element? Everyone except MARK cheers. EXT. STREET. We cut to the group walking through a street of well lit clubs and bars, with music and constant stream of noises coming from each. Mark shambles behind the rest of the group. Half intoxicated half lost in his thoughts. INT. THE ROOM. MARK It gets harder and harder to keep the voices out. I am trying I really am. 3
- 5. (MORE) 4 PAUSE. Faint inaudible whispers briefly fill the background. MARK (CONT'D) But no matter how hard I try, they always get in. I cant help it, I cant stop it. The constant noise. It gets worse every day. It’s terrifying. EXT. STREET. REBECCA (O.S.) Come on Mark! Mark jogs to catch up. MARK Coming! Coming! Another MONTAGE. We see the group queuing for a club ‘Element.’ They enter the club and we see glimpses of them ordering drinks, dancing, hanging around in the smoking area. This repeats a couple of times. INT. DANCE FLOOR. ELEMENT. Focusing in on Mark now we find him separated from his group on a completely packed dance floor dancing without a care in the world. He closes his eyes for a moment, soaking in the vibe from the room. SUDDENLY inaudible whispers are heard over the loudness of the club music. They get louder and louder, MARK opens his eyes and everything and everyone around him is in a eerily slow motion. His breathing increases rapidly. INT. THE ROOM. MARK I can hear them right now. I dont know how else I could make everyone understand. How am I supposed to make everyone understand when I dont even understand whats happening to me. (MORE) 4
- 6. MARK (CONT'D) 5 Maybe if I was stronger...Maybe I could of understood. Regardless it’s too late now. INT. DANCE FLOOR. ELEMENT. Back to Mark, his breathing fast and heavy as the lights seem to shut off around him except for one RED light...lingering, The club goers stop dancing and stand stone cold still. Slowly each of them turns their heads to face Mark, staring at him with dead eyes. Mark looking around begins to panic. The whispers increase volume becoming deafening, muffles of reality begin to break through. SUDDENLY someone grabs Mark. As Mark turns to face this person we are brought back to reality, the club goers dancing, music blasting. Mark shakes his head before realising the person that grabbed him is in fact Ben. Ben raises his voice trying to be heard over the music. BEN. You okay man? Mark looking terrified shakes his head. MARK I... I have to go BEN What? I cant hear you! MARK I have... Barely getting any words out Mark breaks away from BEN and heads to the club entrance, pushing past anyone in his way. BEN (O.S.) Mark! Mark! Where you going! EXT. SMALL BRIDGE. LATER. We cut to Mark alone on a small bridge. Still breathing heavily Mark drags his hands across his face and leans on the side of the bridge in an attempt to calm down. MARK (CONT'D) 5
- 7. 6 Whilst leaning he looks over, catching a glimpse of the moonlight reflecting in the quiet waters below, so simple yet so calming. However this brief moment of calm is interrupted when the VOICES begin to remerge, whispering... VOICES Throw yourself over... you can do it. VOICES (CONT'D) It’s time. Mark shuts his eyes clenching his face, shaking, willing them to stop. VOICES (CONT'D) You want to do it you know you do. MARK FUCK OFF! In a rage Mark slams his head down on the bridge’s metal rail. Lifting his head up we can see BLOOD beginning to run down his face. Wiping the blood as it continues to seep out of his wound Mark focuses on his trembling blood soaked hand. He pauses for a moment. A look of despair? No, realisation. INT. THE ROOM. MARK I tried to carry on. I tried to do everything I’d normally do, but I just couldn’t anymore. I’m sorry I didn’t reach out. I wish things could have been different, but I’m stuck in my head. Stuck with only one way out. INT. SHARED HOUSE. MARK’S ROOM. AN HOUR OR SO LATER. Mark, face still covered in now dried blood sits idle in his room alone in the dark, whispers fill the air. His phone BUZZES casting a small amount of light into the darkness. We see multiple missed calls, messages and voice messages from Rebecca and Ben. Mark lifts the phone to his ear playing on of the messages. AUTOMATED VOICE You have multiple new messages... BEEP. 6
- 8. 7 It’s Rebecca, drunk but trying to be serious and calm. She sounds nervous. REBECCA (Through phone) Mark? Mark where are you? We’ve been looking for you everywhere, we thought you might still be out. Why aren't you answering our calls? Is everything okay? Ben said something weird happened. Look Ben’s still out looking for you, I said you might be home so I'm coming back. If you’re home let me or Ben know so he can come back too. Whatever’s going on its gonna be okay. We can all talk about it when we get back. We’ll have one of those real talk nights...I’ll get Ben to order from that mad pizza place he found a couple of weeks ago...remember that? Ah they were well good. Just let me know you’re safe Mark we are really worried about you. I hope I see you soon. It’s gonna be okay. The message ends. Mark put’s down his phone, staring at it for a few moments. Before being distracted by the whispers growing louder. His eyes shut for a few seconds. Tears begin to stream down his face. He breaks down. INT. THE ROOM. We return to the room, Mark still seated in the chair staring into the floor. The red and blue lights flicker again. Mark looks up facing towards us, an expression of fear covered across his face. We notice something in the background amidst the flickering lights. It’s a BODY suspended from the neck. Slowly swaying side to side. INT. SHARED HOUSE. VERY EARLY MORNING. Rebecca now home sits in the kitchen frozen in shock clutching a piece of paper tightly in her hand. 7
- 9. 8 The sound of someone frantically entering the house can be heard. Rebecca looks up as a worried Ben comes rushing in. BEN I got your message. What’s going on? Where’s Mark? He looks at Rebecca. She is shaken to her core. He sits down opposite her. Rebecca hands him the note. REBECCA This was on the table when I got in. Its... She struggles to finish her sentence. Ben’s anxiety turns to fear as he reads the note. Silence absorbs the room. Finishing reading, Ben tries to remain calm and composed. BEN Okay. I...is Mark upstairs? Tears run down Rebecca’s face. REBECCA Yes, I think so yeah. I dont know...I dont even know if he’s still... Ben interrupts. Holding back tears, trying to prepare for the worst. BEN That’s okay. It’s okay. REBECCA Ben. I...I'm scared to go up there. BEN It’s alright. I...I am too. Ben reaches out and holds Rebecca's hand squeezing it tight. BEN (CONT'D) We’ll go up together. Rebecca nods. REBECCA Okay. 8
- 10. 9 The pair get up and re-join hands as they walk towards the stairs. Reluctant but determined they begin to ascend the stairs. Each step feeling harrowing. INT. LANDING. The pair reach the landing, still in hand they walk slowly over to Mark’s room. The door is shut. Ben calls out. Knocking on the door. BEN Mark? Mark you in there lad? Silence. REBECCA Mark? They both look at each other. No words to describe the despair they both feel. BEN Listen, we...we uh saw your note downstairs man. We’re...we’re very worried about you. Especially after last night you know, we um...we just need to know you’re okay. REBECCA We’re here for you Mark, please I want you to know that. We really are. Silence again. The pair look at each other, they are desperate for any sort of response. Ben tries very slowly twisting the door handle instantly realising the door is unlocked. He stops and looks at Rebecca. Rebecca nods at him and they both take a slow deep breath. BEN Okay Mark. Okay, we’re gonna come in alright? It’s okay. I know you might not want us to...but uh but we just need to okay. It’s going to be fine. (Pause) Okay we are coming in now... 9
- 11. 10 Ben twists the door handle, slowly opening the door with a horrible creak. FADE TO BLACK. END 10