“The ugly Duckling”

(Jaime Velasquez)

Bogotá – 2021

Version 1
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EXT. DARKNESS - INTRODUCTION

MOTHER
(altered)
Get up now! you are late for
class you have to be on time if
You want to improve your grades.

PATRICK
(sound of discomfort)
(says this sleepily)
I don't want to go today mom, I
don't feel good…

MOTHER
(altered)
Get up I told you! yesterday you
stayed up late playing, you're
not sick, no excuses, you need
to have good grades like your
brothers, that’s why we provide
for you and we had you. You have
to make us proud.

Mom slams the door and Patrick covers his face with the
pillow and screams.

He goes downstairs to eat and his 4 brothers are leaving

the house

MOTHER
(disappointed)
You took too long, you'll have
to eat at school, don't miss the
bus go.

PATRICK
(sad)
But mom...

MOTHER
(altered)
No buts, she you tonight.

PATRICK
(sad)
Goodbye I love you.

Mom doesn't answer and Patrick leaves the house and

thinks.

PATRICK (V.O.)
(sad)
 I think my mom hates me she
prefers my brothers because they
are athletic and do well in
math, they want me to be someone
great in life and that people
Remind me.
(sheds some tears)
(sob)
But tomorrow everything will
change, and everyone

will remember me I'm sure.

He takes the bus and arrives at the school full of

people. In his first class they start throwing papers at
him, and they bother him so much.

PATRICK (V.O.)
(annoyed)
Damn why doesn’t stop?!

Patrick gets so angry that he gets up, grabs his

classmate by the head and frantically slams it against
the table until the teacher stops him and sends him to
the principal’s office.

PATRICK
(annoyed)
But he started!

The teacher drags him out of the room while everyone

makes fun of him.

At lunchtime, Patrick sits alone in the dining room, and

next to him sits James, the boy who always understood,
supported and defended him but unfortunately for the last
2 years they did not share classes.

JAMES
(annoyed)
in trouble again?
(steals a potato chip)
you know that if you let them
see that it affects you, they
will continue bothering, when
You're going to learn?
(smiles and hugs him)
Don't do anything without me.

PATRICK
(annoyed)
You are not my dad.

JAMES

(sarcastic)
 Obviously no, although your mom
is not bad looking… do you want
me to be your dad?

PATRICK
(laughs)
Haha, you are an idiot.

They both laugh and finish eating. In the end they return
to their classes and at the end of the day Patrick sees
James lying on the floor spitting blood and runs to help
him, when Nick approaches him.

NICK
(laughing)
See James! that's what you get
for getting along with weirdos
and sick people like Patrick…
(sarcastic)
Oh! Patrick! You were here?

Patrick asks for help from the teachers who were leaving
but they ignore them so he calls the emergency number to
take James to a hospital.

At night, while Patrick is having dinner with his family,

he receives the news that James is in a coma.

MOTHER
(it mocks)
Ha! finally got what he deserved
to that bum, he deserves it, who
knows what deals or dirty things
he was doing.

PATRICK
(upset and angry)
Mom! you don´t have a heart?!

FATHER
(half angry)
Did I say something hurtful?
what? did you like that boy? are
you gay now?

The whole family makes fun of Patrick, he hits the table

and storms off.

FATHER
(sarcastic)
Ha! how delicate, why he can't
be like his older brother.

Patrick lays back under the blankets and cries as he

thinks his life sucks.
The next morning Patrick gets up very early and takes the
money that his mom keeps in the kitchen and leaves before
everyone wakes up.

If you want to continue reading the story, contact me.