CHARACTER FILM

FADE IN:

EXT. Ithaca - IC Campus - Night

The campus is quiet and dark, the streets dimly lit by occasional street lights. Very few buildings emanate any light and no cars or people can be seen. A voice is faintly heard.

Joe (O.s)

Ow! Wow you suck.

FOOTSTEPS are heard running off into the distance.



INT. Dorm Room - night

The room is pitch black. KEYS JANGLE briefly. There is some banging on the door. The door opens and JOE flicks the lights on.

Joe has a black eye and is bleeding from his arm.

KEVIN lies in bed, he rustles in the sheets.

Kevin

Dude, turn the fucking lights off!

JOE

Yeah, hold on a second.

Kevin throws the pillow off his head and sits up.

KEVIN

Jesus Christ, what the hell happened to you?

JOE

Funny story actually.

Joe walks over to the dresser and opens up a drawer. He looks through it.

KEVIN

So?

JOE

Some guy, like, tried to mug me.

KEVIN

Kinda looks like he succeeded.

JOE

No, not really.

KEVIN

Uh huh... go on..

Joe closes the drawer and opens another one.

JOE

Well, he wanted my wallet, but I don't ever carry it with me.

KEVIN

Are you bleeding from the arm?

Joe looks down at his arm briefly.

JOE

Yes.

KEVIN

So what the hell happened?

JOE

I was walking back here after working on some project that's due in a few days and this guy walks out from behind this building I'm about to pass. He says "Give me your wallet," and I'm like, "I don't have one," so he's like "Empty your pockets," and I did. I had my keys, my ID and my phone. Then he was like, "give me those."

Joe closes the drawer and walks over to his desk. He sits down on the chair and opens a desk drawer.

JOE

So I was like, "You want my ID?" and he was like, "Yeah, hand it over." So I said to him, I said, "this is my ID, what the hell are you gonna do with it?" I mean, it's got my picture on it and all, so unless he's gonna do some James Bond move and slice his picture onto it, it's not gonna do him a whole lot of good. And at that point, is it even worthwhile? Seems like more trouble than its worth.

KEVIN

Uh huh...

JOE

And what's he want with my keys? They're for this room and I told him that Sean would recognize him as not being me. Oh and so would you. And the mailbox never has anything worthwhile either, just old outdated notices about stuff.

KEVIN

I take it you tried to explain all this to him.

JOE

I did.

KEVIN

And then what happened?

JOE

He still demanded I give him my stuff.

KEVIN

Right...

Joe closes the drawer and sighs.

JOE

Hey, do you have any gauze?

KEVIN

Umm, no, I don't think most people keep gauze in their dorm rooms.

JOE

Hmm, I guess you're right. Heh, shame this isn't a medical school, right?

KEVIN

Ya know, we do have a Health Center...

Joe's eyes perk up

JOE

(surprised)

We do?

KEVIN

Uh yeah, most colleges have one.

JOE

Cool.

KEVIN

Anyways, you were talking about the guy who mugged you...

JOE

Yeah, yeah.

Joe turns on his laptop

KEVIN

Well?

JOE

Hmm? Oh.

KEVIN

He wanted your stuff...

JOE

Right, so you know what I did?

KEVIN

What's that?

JOE

I walked right up to him, shoved him in the chest and told him he'd have to take it if he wanted it. And you know what he did?

KEVIN

What?

JOE

He stabbed me! That bastard.

KEVIN

What are you doing?

JOE

What a jerk.

KEVIN

Mmm... yes. Again, what are you doing?

JOE

Wha?

Kevin points to the laptop that Joe has started to use.

JOE

Oh, you said this place had a health center. I'm looking it up on the campus map.

KEVIN

I see..

JOE

Ah there it is! Well, gotta run.

Joe stands up and walks towards the door.

KEVIN

Why didn't you call the cops?

JOE

Guy took my phone.

Joe pauses in the doorway.

Joe

Oh, I guess he did succeed.

Joe walks out the door.



Ext. Ithaca - Public safety office - Day

A POLICE OFFICER taps Joe's shoulder. Joe is lying asleep in front of door to the building. Joe shakes his head a few times and kicks his legs. The officer taps Joe's shoulder again.

POLICE officer

Excuse me, sir?

Joe opens his eyes and sits up.

JOE

Oh, hi.

POLICE OFFICER

What the hell are you doing?

JOE

I would like to file a police report.

The police officer notices Joe's arm is bleeding.

POLICE OFFICER

Why haven't you gone to a hospital?

JOE

Health center was closed. So I came here. Also closed. But I was too tired to walk back to my dorm.

POLICE OFFICER

Okay then. What happened to you?

JOE

Lots of things have happened to me.

The police officer is staring at Joe's wounds.

JOE

Oh right. Some guy stabbed me. And then he took my phone. He also punched me in the face. I don't remember a whole lot after that.

The officer EXHALES loudly and moves a hand down to Joe.

POLICE OFFICER

Let's get you inside, huh?

wide shot - Public safety office and Parking lot

The officer helps Joe up. He opens the door and they begin to walk inside.

JOE

Oh also, he ruined my favorite shirt.

POLICE OFFICER

Yep.

JOE

And did I mention...

The door closes and the conversation cut off.



INT. DORM ROOM - Day

Joe opens the door and walks in, he carries a single piece of paper and has a bandage on his arm.

JOE

Hello friend!

Kevin is still in bed, not quite awake, not quite asleep.

KEVIN

Dude, its like 9 AM. Not so loud for fuck's sake.

JOE

Check out this public safety alert.

Joe hands Kevin the piece of paper. Kevin begins to read it.

KEVIN

A stabbing... outside of some building. Suspect described as a male between the ages of 15 and 30 and wearing a hat.

Kevin looks up from the paper.

KEVIN

That's... that's some description there.

Joe nods rapidly.

JOE

Yes.

KEVIN

15 to 30?

JOE

Indeed.

KEVIN

You couldn't come up with a smaller range?

JOE

I'm a terrible judge of age...

KEVIN

Right... Wearing a hat?

JOE

Well he was!

KEVIN

You think a 15 year old stabbed you?

JOE

Hey, this is New York man.

KEVIN

Yeah, people usually only say that about New York City, not Ithaca.

Joe stares at Kevin for a few seconds.

JOE

I'm going to be late for class.

Joe grabs a backpack and runs out the door.

The door SLAMS shut.

KEVIN

It's Sunday...

FADE OUT.