Fri 31 Jul — Sides
3.01
INT. MAYA'S LIVING ROOM - DAY #1#
SMASH CUT TO: A clean, ordinary wall clock, ticking.
REVEAL WILL on the floor amid half-packed boxes. He sifts through a few items, then lifts a large plushie and stares at it.
IRIS, dry and kind, stands in the doorway.
I see you've found Hugzilla.
Hugzilla? That's its name?
Uh-huh. Maya never told you?
She used to hide this from me.
Because you were competition. I'm sure whenever you weren't sleeping over, Hugzilla here was in bed with her all night. Do you want it?
No. Why would I want the competition?
You're not competing anymore.
Oh, that's dark. I can see why you two were friends.
(looking at the plushie)
What do you say, Mr. Hugzilla? Ready to replace my dead girlfriend?
(the plushie stares back at him, Will looks around the room)
This is crazy.
Which part?
We were gonna move in together. Even when we got the news. It just happened so fast, you know? I mean, two months? I never even had time...
(breaking)
Had time...
I miss her so much.
3.06
INT. MAYA'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING #6#
Will opens his eyes. Evening. The clock ticks. He steps into the empty room. From the bathroom, we hear a voice.
Will? Is that you?
Out of the bathroom steps Maya, her hair wet, covered in a towel. Will is immediately overcome with emotion.
Maya?
She quickly walks towards him and hugs him.
Baby, what's going on? Shh.
I thought I lost you.
I'm right here. I'm right here.
Wide from the back of the room: they hold each other. Fade to black.
**SUPER: TWO YEARS LATER**
3.20
INT. MAYA'S LIVING ROOM - EVENING #20#
It's evening. Will steps into the empty room. From the bathroom, we hear a voice.
Will? Is that you?
Out of the bathroom steps Maya, her hair wet.
Hey.
You're home late.
Yeah. Work.
Maya walks up and holds his head in her hands.
You ever considered a career change?
Many times. Hey, when's the doctor's appointment again?
Tomorrow morning at ten. You seem worried.
Aren't you?
No. I don't think it'll be anything special. This stuff's routine.
Yeah, you're right.
Hey, what's wrong?
She sits down on the couch and pats the space next to her.
Nothing.
You're a terrible liar. Sit.
He sits next to her, takes a deep breath.
I'm worried about the future.
Why?
I'm scared of it.
Why?
I don't know. I was walking today, and I just saw my entire life flashing in front of my eyes. And I couldn't help but wonder... what's next?
You remember what my mother always says?
Que sera, sera.
MAYA & WILL
(vaguely singing)
Whatever will be, will be.
And we'll do it together.
This almost breaks Will. Maya stands up.
She walks off into the kitchen. On Will on the couch. We zoom in, THE HUM builds and he flashes...
6.17
INT. MAYA'S LIVING ROOM - NIGHT #17#
THE HUM cuts. A clean, ordinary wall clock, ticking. Will sits on the carpet, realising where he is. The doorbell rings. He stands, walks into the hallway, opens the door. Hannah stands outside.
Can I come in?
How are you here?
The obituary said she died at home. I'm presuming that's tonight.
He lets her in. She walks into the living room and he trails behind her.
Where is she?
Upstairs.
She removes her coat.
Why did you bring me here?
So you can say goodbye.
(looking around the room)
How many times have you been in this room? Since?
A million times.
And how many times tonight?
Once was enough.
What do you want?
I need to know what happened to me. The first time. Before you changed things.
Will steps into the room. On the dresser: a photograph of him and Maya — happy, careless, mid-laughter.
Was it quick?
Two months. Hard to say whether that's quick. It felt like forever.
When does it happen?
I don't know. I never went up.
Hannah extends her hand. Will doesn’t move. He looks at it like it’s something he doesn’t deserve. The defiance drains out of him — what’s left is small, frightened.
6.18
INT. MAYA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT #18#
The room is dim, lit only by the lamp on the bedside table. Shadows stretch across the walls. Maya lies in bed, pale, breath shallow but steady. A glass of water sits half-full on the nightstand beside a small collection of pills. In the doorway, Hannah stands motionless, not daring to step inside. Will hesitates behind her, eyes fixed on the shape of Maya under the sheets. The sound of the ticking clock carries faintly from the other room. He takes a breath. Then, slowly, he moves forward.
Will moves to the chair beside the bed and sits. The floor creaks. Maya stirs faintly, eyes fluttering open.
Will?
I'm here.
She smiles, closes her eyes. Then sinks away. Will takes her hand, holding on.
Hannah walks up and places a hand on his shoulder.
Will.
He can't stop, overwhelmed by grief.
Will.
He finally looks up.
He looks at Maya, then back at Hannah. Then she speaks a sentence that lands for Will as an immediate, inevitable truth:
You have to let us go.