SCRATCH

A SHORT STORY

WRITTEN BY ARTHUR WEI

UPDATE DRAFT: FEBRUARY 2012

FADE IN: 1a.INT. APARTMENT HALLWAY NIGHT CLOSE UP: The front door opens, spilling a beam of light onto dark hardwood floors. A pair of shoes enter. The MAN walks down the long corridor reveal a closed door at the end of the hallway, light creasing out from below the door. The sound of running water echoes through the hollow room. The feet stop at the closed door. The person opens the door, spilling a wave of blinding light into the darkness as we DISSOLVE TO WHITE: INSERT SUPER TITLE: SCRATCH 1. INT. BEDROOM - MORNING A MAN wakes, trying to shake a strange feeling, as if hes just woken from a nightmare. He glances to the other side of the bed a FRAMED PHOTO sits on the nightstand: the MAN and a WOMAN in a warm embrace. The MAN stares at it blankly. He gets up. 2. INT. BATHROOM CLOSE UP: A single toothbrush. A single towel. The MAN takes a deep look at himself in the mirror. He brushes his teeth. He shaves. He combs his hair. He sees a pair of GLASSES on the counter. He puts them on theyre blurry. He glances at himself in the mirror he freezes. Theres something on the underside of his forearm a few SLASHES are freshly scratched into his skin. He washes it over they vanish. 3. INT. APARTMENT - LATER The MAN walks out of the bedroom, buttoning up his shirt. He grabs his wallet and keys and heads to the front door. He stops. On the door handle is a LANYARD on it is a SINGLE KEY. Above it, a hand-written note reads: TAKE ME. He pockets the KEY. 4. EXT. DOWNTOWN The MAN enters a gleaming skyscraper.

5. INT. SKYSCRAPER BUILDING He enters the elevators. 6. INT. ELEVATOR The MAN scratches his arm, through his shirt. He sees a MARKING near his wrist, protruding from under his sleeve. He begins to roll up his sleeve to reveal SLASHES running up his arms. His face twists in confusion. The elevator doors open and he bolts out. 7. INT. OFFICE BATHROOM The MAN rushes to the sink and rolls up his sleeve his entire forearm is covered in grotesque MARKINGS, stretching down his arm in sporadic lines. He turns on the water and feverishly washes, scrubbing his arms with soap. He raises his eyes to the mirror and the REFLECTION is staring back at him, twisted in a SINISTER SMILE. The MAN steps back, aghast. Beat. He stares at himself in the mirror. He moves his arm, the REFLECTION does the same. He comes back to the sink begins to scrub his arm the MARKINGS have disappeared. He looks up the REFLECTION gives him a sly wink as it begins to dig the KEY into his FOREARMS, slashing his skin in grotesque lines. The MAN bolts out of the bathroom. 8. INT. OFFICE - LATER The MAN closes the door to his office. He sits down, takes a few deep breathes. He checks his arm again nothing. He pulls out the KEY from his pocket. He searches through his drawers the top one is LOCKED. He inserts the KEY and opens the drawer. It is empty except for a MANILA envelope. On it is a hand-written note: READ ME. He opens the MANILA envelope. He scratches his arm. Inside is a large stack of documents and photos. Something falls out of the stack of papers. The MAN picks it up: a lock of AUBURN HAIR. He feels it between his fingers; a flash of recognition fills his eyes.

He looks through the documents: various documents detailing maps and locations. He scratches his arm more viciously, almost unknowingly. He pulls out a long-lens PHOTOGRAPH of a WOMAN, walking. This is the same WOMAN from the FRAMED PHOTO by the bedside. The MAN stares at the WOMANs face, trying to remember. He scratches his arm faster and faster until -The MAN looks down a vibrant RED is creeping through his sleeves. He panics. He packs up the MANILA envelope and locks it back into his drawer. 9. EXT. DOWNTOWN LATER The MAN exits the skyscraper, clearly flustered. He walks down the sidewalk he glances back and notices a MAN following him. This MAN wears a FEDORA, skewing his face. The MAN quickens his step, the FEDORA MAN follows. The MAN peers over his shoulder the FEDORA MAN is still following him. The MAN turns a corner and races up the sidewalk the FEDORA MAN follows. The MAN heads out of the city and towards the WATERFRONT. He looks back the FEDORA MAN follows step for step. 10. EXT. WATERFRONT CONTINUED The MAN makes his way down the sidewalk and takes a sharp turn onto a PIER. He heads to the end of the PIER and waits. He turns around to face the FEDORA MAN. The FEDORA MAN stops and shoots an ominous stare from under the shadow of his brim. Beat. The FEDORA MAN walks off. The MAN breathes a sigh of relief. He turns around only to see the FEDORA MAN inches from his face. This FEDORA MAN is a spitting image of himself. The MAN freaks out he tumbles off the PIER and SPLASH falls into the water. FLASH CUT: A pair of GLOVED HANDS exchanges an ENVELOPE with hands inside is the long-lens PHOTO of the WOMAN. FLASH CUT: The MAN embraces this WOMAN the same pose as the FRAMED PHOTO by his bedside.

FLASH CUT: Water splashing violently. FLASH CUT: GLOVED HANDS hand over a duffel bag inside is a pile of crisp $100 bills. FLASH CUT: A WOMAN with AUBURN HAIR, turning around to look straight at us. She wears GLASSES. A faint smile rests on her face. FLASH CUT: Water splashing violently. FLASH CUT: Hands wrapped around flesh, squeezing. Harder and harder. Water splashes everywhere a fight to the death. The water continues to splash faster and faster until we -CUT TO: 11. EXT. WATERFRONT PIER MOMENTS LATER The water splashes. The MAN pops his head out of the water, gasping for air. A look of recognition floods his eyes he remembers something. 12. INT. APARTMENT DUSK [ECHO of 1a PROLOGUE] CLOSE UP: The front door opens, spilling a beam of light onto dark hardwood floors. The MANs feet enter. They walk down the long corridor reveal a door at the end of the hallway, ajar. No light. The feet stop at the closed door. The MAN slowly opens the bathroom door. At this moment, it all becomes clear DISSOLVE TO: 13. INT. APARTMENT YEARS EARLIER [SAME FOOTAGE FROM 1a - PROLOGUE] The feet stop at the closed door. The person opens the door, spilling a wave of blinding light into the darkness as we reveal -A WOMAN with AUBURN HAIR running the bath, she wears a WHITE ROBE, back to us. The MAN stands in the bathroom doorway.

The WOMAN turns around this is the same WOMAN from the FRAMED PHOTO by his bedside. A faint smile is on her face. The MAN approaches the WOMAN, holding her in his arms. He kisses her, a look of regret filling his eyes. THE WOMAN takes off her GLASSES and sets them on the counter. Nearby, we see two toothbrushes. Two towels. Suddenly, the MAN wraps his hands around the WOMANs throat. She instinctively grabs his wrists, trying to free herself. He clenches, throwing her into the bathtub. They wrestle in the water the MANs face melting with sorrow as he clenches tighter. The WOMAN struggles for her life, clawing at him SCRATCHING, CLAWING at his forearms. The MAN holds the WOMAN underwater until her hands fall limp. Through the water, we see her eyes glaze over in a deadly calm as we CUT TO: 14. INT. BATHROOM PRESENT DAY The MAN staggers back from the bathtub, reeling from the memory. He stops in front of the mirror, knowing whats waiting for him he turns to face the mirror. He gazes at his REFLECTION. The REFLECTION pulls up both sleeves, revealing twisted SCRATCHES stretching up and down both forearms, the same markings from the WOMAN. The MAN peers closer into the mirror: within the grotesque markings, he discerns a LETTER. Its reflected. Backwards. He stammers back. The REFLECTION gives him a knowing nod. The MAN looks down, he pulls up both of his sleeves to reveal the same SCRATCHES on his arms. Now, the MARKINGS have become crystal clear. Legible. PAN DOWN to reveal the MARKINGS on his arms: IT WAS THE ONLY WAY. FORGIVE YOURSELF. 15. INT. BEDROOM MAN goes to the other side of the bed. He grabs the FRAMED PHOTO on the nightstand as he slumps down. He runs his fingers over the WOMANs face. PULL BACK: the MAN slumps at the bedside, quietly sobbing.

16. EXT. APARTMENT NIGHT The soft glow from the apartment radiates through the windows. The lights go out. CUT TO BLACK ROLL CREDITS END.