The Sound of Silence By Thomas ODowd

EXT. FIELD. DAY.

The sun beats down on an empty field. A man, Jeff, stands in the centre, he looks content, he breathes in deeply, appreciating the crisp morning air. Birds chirp gently, the sounds of nature lilting though the breeze. A piercing sound breaks the calm. Jeff covers his ears in an attempt to obscure the sound, but alas, cannot, the sound is coming from within his head. He begins to run, as if trying to escape from some unknown entity, but, unsurprisingly, it is to no avail. The screech intensifies, as if to punish his insolence, the quiet sounds of nature have now distorted into hellish screams. He tears at his hair in agony, the sounds scrape at the inside of his head like the most excruciating headache imaginable. The sound stops. Jeff looks around, confused. He notices at his feet that he has crushed a small ant. He sighs, relieved that the sound has subsided. Slowly though, the sound creeps back, gradually drowning out the peaceful sounds that briefly filled his ears. Jeff frantically looks around, trying to find another ant, he, mercifully, does, and crushes it underfoot. We hear the soft crunch of the poor creature underfoot. Silence. Jeff breathes deeply, appreciating the respite which he realises will likely be brief. The sound gradually fades back and Jeff desperately glances around. A small ladybug sidles along a concrete wall, Jeff crushes it with his hand, relishing the pathetic squeltch as its tiny existence is snuffed out. Blissful peace. Jeff goes careening off, searching for more small creatures to destroy. 2 EXT. GARDEN. DAY. Jeff pours bleach down a nest of ants. The sound dies down, he sighs in relief, and wanders off. The respite is longer than previously, but it still doesnt last, the screech fills his ears once more. He picks up his pace looking around, agitated, for more things to murder. 2

2.

EXT. STREETS. DAY. Jeff comes across a small puppy in the street, it looks up at Jeff innocently. He looks down upon it. He hesitates for a moment, but the sound intensifies, Jeff sets upon it.

EXT. STREETS. DAY.

Cut to: Jeff walks down a street, his shirt is drenched with blood, but the sound is gone. He smiles. Slowly, though, the sound creeps back, the smile on Jeffs face fades. 5 EXT. SUBURBS. DAY. 5

Jeff walks down a quiet suburban street, a least, it would be quiet if it werent for the screeching sound invading his every thought. A small child approaches Jeff, it stumbles around, helpless. Jeff looks upon the poor defenceless toddler. He breifly considers the unthinkable, but, instead, continues on his way. 6 EXT. FOREST. DAY. 6

Jeff tumbles through the forest undergrowth, dappled light casts upon his wretched, bloody figure. The canopy distorts, colours bleed and his vision bends. Suddenly, another man, RON, stumbles into the frame; we are greeted with another, slightly lower-pitch screech, but it just as agonising. The man clutches at his ears, clearly experiencing the same horrific syndrome as Jeff. The two men eye eachother up, both look crazed with anguish. Jeff starts running towards Ron, he leaps through the air, and tackles the man to the ground. Cut to black. We hear the sounds of violence as the two men tussle, and with one, final, bone-shattering crunch, everything falls silent.