The Warehouse

A Screenplay by hoopscoop3000

FADE IN:

INT. WAREHOUSE

JARED sits in a chair. His arms are handcuffed behind his back. JARED looks weak, blood trickles down his nose, and he has as a visibly swollen left eye. JARED wakes up.

JARED

(Muttering)

Huh? Where the f**k am I?

Out from the shadows emerges Larrick Pontinu dressed in pompous robes so elaborate it made all other beautiful things that JARED had ever seen pale in comparison.

Larrick

(Silently)

Are we rolling?

From a small headset in LARRICK'S ear.

Voice

We are rolling.

LARRICK

Fantastic!

LARRICK begins a healthy stride around the vast warehouse all within a close proximity to JARED. LARRICK stops in front of JARED.

LARRICK

Jared! May I call you Jared? You have been chosen for a project that is decades in the making. I wonder, have you ever wanted to be a god? An unstoppable power of force that even the jaws of eternity shy away because of the fantastical power that radiates from your very pores!

JARED is shocked. Fear runs through his body. The only images he clings to are of his wife and son.

JARED

(Softly)

Please, let me go home.

LARRICK

What was that? Please, speak up boy!

JARED

(Louder)

Let me go home.

LARRICK

LOUDER! From your diaphragm!

JARED

(Louder)

Just let me f*****g go home! I want to see my wife and son! Let me go you f*****g psychopath! Do you understand me you f*****g lunatic?

LARRICK pats JARED on the shoulder.

LARRICK

That! Now that is what I wished to hear!

LARRICK reaches behind his back and pulls out a knife. He stabs JARED in the right knee.

LARRICK

Now understand ME. You were chosen for a reason, you will NOT leave. Understand this... You exist in time, but you belong to me now I will do with you what I please.

LARRICK twists the knife, slowly.

LARRICK

And by the stars that shine above me, do not call me a lunatic. I hear that word so often that it has begun to lose it's very meaning, yet when I hear it from a pathetic little s**t like you...

The voice from the headset says something.

LARRICK

(Clears throat)

My, um, apologies for that outburst.

LARRICK grabs the knife and pulls it out. He proceeds to stab JARED'S other leg.

LARRICK

Dearest apologies it must have slipped.

LARRICK pulls the knife out again. He stares at the blood soaked knife in fascination.

LARRICK

Do you have Hepatitus C?

JARED stares at him in shock.

JARED

(MUTTERS SOFTLY)

No.

LARRICK looks at JARED in utter disbelief.

LARRICK

What, in all that is good and holy, did you just f*****g say? I swear to god, I feel like someone should give you a microphone! I don't understand what the f**k you just said!

JARED

(Softly)

No, I don't.

LARRICK

You must have a f*****g speaking problem, huh?

LARRICK punches JARED several times in the face. LARRICK looks at his blood coated knuckles. He licks his right knuckle.

LARRICK

Scrumptious!

JARED'S face is now a bloody, pulpy mass. Completely unrecognizable.

LARRICK

Well, now that this lolly-gagging business is done with, let's begin.

LARRICK clapped his hands and two men emerged from the shadows. Both wore bags over their faces to maintain secrecy. One man wheeled in a surgical table with a single syringe. One man holds JARED'S right arm as the other masked man injects him with the substance. Screen begins fading out.

LARRICK

Fantastic, I hope to see you again real soon.

LARRICK waves to JARED. POV shot.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

INT: The Cell

Screen fades into a cell with JARED waking up on the floor. The room contains nothing more than four walls, a ceiling, a floor, and a small table in the center of the room. JARED begins to sob uncontrollably.

LARRICK

(From intercom)

Wake up Mr. Jared! The true test has begun. On the table in the center of the room you will find two items. Please, go to them.

JARED stands up and proceeds to the table. He stares at its contents: a handgun and a syringe.

JARED

What is this?

LARRICK

Since you are apparently completely inept. The two items on the table ar-

JARED

I know what they are. But, why are they here?

LARRICK

Why are they here? Why are you here? Why am I HERE? Why are we all here? Those are incredibly thought provoking questions Mr. Jared. It's quite sad that you, like the vast majority of the population are to materialistic. Having lost touch with your spirituality, your greater human essence. This essence of deeper spirituality flowed from the very fingertips of our ancestors, yet that was eons ago. Now we are driven by a greedier force which has now taken root in the very foundations of our earth. The idea of spirituality is nowadays mocked as an antediluvian notion. How are we different from the animals? Hell, people are called consumers. We are being steered away from the beautiful thing that makes us human, our ability to ponder the deeper meanings, to ask thought-provoking questions. An animal’s thoughts cannot be provoked. We, as a society, are steering away from our greater capacity and instead reverting back to our primal instincts. I am here to set us back on course, to helm this Hindenburg to safety before we all crash, and burn, and die. So, what is your choice?

JARED

What did I do to deserve this?

LARRICK

Oh me, oh my, oh may. Mr. Jared, you are on of the worst offenders possible. You're a consumer. Now make your choice.

JARED

If I take the syringe, will you let me see my family?

LARRICK

Oh, of course not! We killed them just hours ago, I think we have a recording of it somewhere.

JARED begins a hard sob, filled with empty tears, the tears of a broken man.

LARRICK

Make your choice.

JARED stood up and walked to the table. He stared at both items, pondering. For this was the most thought provoking question.

The End

Epilogue

LARRICK

(Voice recording)

Sadly, subject 38 proved to be a fruitless endeavor resulting in his... Termination. We hope that his widow, or now subject 39, proves to be a tad more successful. I only want to enlighten people as YOU enlightened me. Nevertheless, I will report back with my findings. Au revoir, my friend.

The End?