HARD HOME
Hard Home
written by
Diégo Malik
( a story by Ahmed Awad and Diégo Malik)
H.O.S PRODUCTIONS & ARAMA STUDIOS
Al Jadaf, Dubai, UAE
hisownspaceprod@gmail.com
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - BEDROOM - MORNING
A young man, average height and build, scruffy beard, freckled, in his early 20s, reluctantly rolls out of bed and slowly turns his head to hear the loud and belligerent conversation his father was having with himself just outside the bedroom door.
SON
I'm getting sick of this...
He mutters to himself as he's still seated at the edge of the bed, rubbing his eyes and trying to wake himself up.
SON
I'm getting sick of this!
He bellowed. He could be as loud as he wished and he, the father, still wouldn't hear him. He gets off the bed and walks to the bathroom to wash his face, brush his teeth, and shower all while trying to drown out the noise that was just a few feet away from his room.
The young man gets dressed. His outfit is most relaxed, as always. He never liked restrictions or anything in his way.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LIVING ROOM - MORNING
Now fully dressed, except for his shoes, the son opens his bedroom door and walks past his yelling father, completely ignoring him. This makes the older man even more furious.
FATHER
The least you could do when you're in this house all day is do what I asked you to do!
The son continues to not pay attention to him as he puts his shoes on and gets himself ready to leave the house.
FATHER
Where are you going? Huh? To smoke your life away?! You're a waste of time and space!
The son ignores the older man and starts looking for any crumbs of food he can get his hands on from the fridge and cupboard but he decides to leave everything as it is. Instead, he decides to gather his keys, his phone and slides his shoes on before storming out the house.
2.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - ELEVATOR
As he's walking to the elevator he chucks his keys and phone into his pocket before getting in and riding 4 floors down to get out of the building. He walks out of the elevator and nods his head to the security guards in the building before walking outside into the scorching heat.
EXT. WATERFRONT - MORNING
He's outside now and the heat is on but it doesn't bother him, though. He gingerly walks to the steps leading down to the waterfront with his hands on his head and just "shaking it off". Now at the bottom of the steps, the young man exhales deeply and takes in all that's around him, he's aware now, his mind is clear.
He walks for about a minute or so before bumping into a group of boys huddled in a shady corner of the path, he's drawn to them. The smoke emitting from their lips and nostrils, the nonchalant demeanour, the relaxed outfits, and the drawn looks on their faces all intrigue him - they were like him. He approached them and nodded his head to whom appeared to be the ring leader, he was passed what they were smoking and the euphoria set in almost right away - he was at peace.
EXT. WATERFRONT - EVENING
Hours had passed and it was now late evening, it was colder now. The stars slowly came out, the moon began to peak, and the stray cats came out to assume their positions for the dinner they'd receive from any passing pedestrians with a giving heart.
The boy woke up, brushing the settled dust off of himself as he slowly got to his feet trying to figure out where he was. The earlier high apparently took him just a mile or so away from where he was earlier in the day but he quickly caught himself and started the walk home. He then, in a panic, took his phone out of his pocket to check the time and then started running home after seeing how late it was. He was anxious now awaiting his father's impending fury.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - ELEVATOR
The young man had burst through the building door and darted to the elevator, he was becoming more and more afraid, anticipating his wrath. The elevator seemed like an hour when it was really not even 2 minutes. He quickly exited the elevator and took out his keys, fumbling them in anxiety, but manages to open the door and get inside.
3.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The room was hauntingly quiet, lights were dim, curtains shut, and his father was on the floor in the corner of the room where all the alcohol was usually kept. He had passed out, he was drunk.
SON
Get up. Get up, get up!
The son was now furious, enraged.
SON
I'm sick of this! GET UP!
The father wakes up suddenly and manages to make it to his feet with minimal effort. The son looks directly at him and begins to scold him.
FATHER
Where have you been? Huh? You think you're a big man now, huh? You're a waste of time!
The father pushes the son a bit and snickers in his face as he admonishes him.
SON
I'm sick and tired of you, I'm done. You either leave here on your own or I'm calling the police. You know what'll happen to you if they come back here. So leave...GO!
The father looks at him up and down, mutters to himself, scrambles some things together and then just before he leaves he turns around and scoffs at his son.
FATHER
I hate you.
FADE OUT.
EXT. WATERFRONT - EVENING
A few days have passed, it's just after 5 and there's a warm breeze. It's slightly comforting given what had happened a few days prior. As he was sitting and just looking into the sky he starts to hear his mother's voice.
MOTHER
It's alright, my son. It's all over now. You can live, you can finally live. Go, live. Do it for you, do it for me...
4.
After a few moments he gets up and begins walking briskly, almost running. The grief was too much now and all he could think of was to keep walking, keep moving, run!
- TRANSITION -
EXT. WATERFRONT - MORNING
It's now morning and the sun is out. It's big, it's bright, it's beautiful, and it's shining on him. He's running down the waterfront with a most satisfied look on his face as he takes in the air and the scenes of the early morning as he heads in the direction of his home.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - BEDROOM
He has had a shower and is now dressed and in a white shirt, a tie, black trousers and shoes, and his hair is also well groomed. As he's straightening his tie just before he leaves the house for work he looks just to the left of the mirror at the picture of his mother, he then smiles and rests a finger on the picture.
SON
I miss you, I really do. I'm stronger now, though, because of you.
FADE OUT.
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