232. Requiem - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. CAFETERIA KITCHEN - DAY


• ALEX wipes his hands on his apron and grabs a stack of plates from the conveyor belt and rinses them off before sticking them into the industrial dish washer.


• The small room is cramped and muggy; steam rises from the dish washer.


• Alex looks across the room.


• SAMANTHA stands by a stack of clean dishes waiting to be placed in their plastic containers but she isn't doing anything, her head tilted to the side, her eyes far away.


• Alex digs into his pocket and finds a penny.


• He walk up to her and places the coin next to the stack of plates.


• ALEX
• Thoughts.


• Samantha blinks, then looks over at him.


• SAMANTHA
• If I got to pick a piece of music to die to, I'd pick the soundtrack for "Lady in the Water."


• Alex backs away slowly, jokingly.


• ALEX
• Ok, then.


• SAMANTHA
• Close your eyes.


• Alex rolls his eyes, but obeys.


• SAMANTHA
• Listen, the voices come in, wordless chant. The gentle xylophone. And then the strings with the theme; it's quiet, swelling just so...


• Alex opens his eyes just a bit.


• Samantha's eyes are closed shut as she spins slowly around the room, conducting an invisible orchestra.


• Alex winces as she spins dangerously close to a stack of dishes.


• SAMANTHA
• Do you see it, there, the violins, louder and louder...oh and then they pull back, it's a simple theme again, just a single thread. Can you hear it Alex?


• Alex opens his mouth.


• SAMANTHA
• It's music that breaks your heart while you fall in love with it. Now it's a rumble, turmoil. And then the simple piano. It makes me feel a thousand inexpressible things. And very quietly, under the piano, the theme, softly, softly.


• She moves her fingers slowly.


• SAMANTHA
• Ah and there it is, coming to full bloom. And it disappears, weaving into variations and then appearing again.


• She tilts her head back, swaying, exhaling.


• SAMANTHA
• It's music that makes me feel heroic and melancholy all in a ball; music that is unbelievably beautiful, calling me to be some tragic figure in a great myth...and now! The theme with the full orchestra swelling, filling every part of you.


• She opens her eyes slowly, savoring the moment.


• SAMANTHA
• How could you not want to die to music like that? Overlooking the water as the sun sets, surrounded by thousands of butterflies.


• Alex shakes his head.


• ALEX
• Dude, I can't even remember what the music sounded like, I was just so irritated at that film.


• Samantha stares at him in disbelief, her perfect moment ruined.


• ALEX
• I'm just saying.


• She shakes her head and turns back, grabbing dishes from the dish washer on her side of the room.


• Alex returns to work, then turns slightly to watch her.


• She works steadily and then, slowly, she tilts her head and her right hand reaches into the air; and she begins directing the invisible orchestra again.


• Alex smiles and shakes his head, returning to his work.


• FADE TO BLACK.