TYRANNY EPISODE SIX
"Missing the X"
Someone starts pounding at his front door.
ALEX- Daniel! Open this door, I know you’re home.
She continues to pound. Daniel walks to the door and opens it slowly to reveal his friend Alex in some sort of panic.
DANIEL - Happy birthday???
ALEX - Daniel, what are you doing!!?
DANIEL - I don’t know. What are you doing?
ALEX - Don’t you realize that when you dont call people back and dont answer the door that makes people nervous and scared and upset?
DANIEL - I’m sorry, the test ran longer than I thought.
Daniel picks up some mail off the floor by the door. Alex notices something off about his appearance - she checks him over with her eyes but doesnt comment directly.
ALEX - But are you OK? Why couldn’t you have just called me and let me know? I mean, I know the holidays can be difficult and I understand why you’d want to be alone. But you have friends that care about...
DANIEL - Alex, calm down I just got home like 3 minutes ago, ok? It’s only seven-thirty, it’ll take me 30 minutes to get ready and then I’ll be there.
ALEX - Be where?
DANIEL - Club Deluxe- wait... why are you here? You didn’t cancel it?
ALEX - Cancel what?
DANIEL - Your party?
ALEX - Hhhhhhhhhhhh.
DANIEL - What?
ALEX - Missing the party is fine. Whatever. I just wish you would be an adult about it instead of being a no show.
DANIEL - I thought the party was tonight?
ALEX - Why would it be tonight?
DANIEL - Because it’s your birthday?
ALEX - Daniel, you know when my birthday is.
DANIEL - Yeeeaah, today, the 22nd, because of JFK, y’know, how am I supposed to forget the Magic Bullet...“back, and to the left. Back, and to the left.”
ALEX -Stop it, just stop it!
DANIEL - Alex, geez, relax. (he holds her to calm her down) Just trying to make you laugh. Did you and what’s his name get in a fight or something?
ALEX - (squirms away from him) You just wont be a man about it, will you?
DANIEL - What!? What is this game Alex!? I don’t get it!
Alex walks to the front door, opens it but doesn’t leave.
ALEX - If there’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you never forget. All the details - the little things. It’s what I loved and still love about you. I can understand that you might still be upset and not want to see me and everyone else during Thanksgiving. But hiding in your cave and avoiding the people that care about you is how you alienate...
DANIEL - What? Thanksgiving? Nobody’s hiding in a cave here, I didn’t...
ALEX - Just listen!!! Would you just listen?!? You want to hurt me, to get me back, fine. Maybe I do deserve it. I’m sorry that I hurt you. But I was honest with you. And you need to know that no matter who I’m with, I will always want you as my friend. You are my dearest friend. But that’s all you will ever be. It takes courage to accept that. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be available.
She walks out the door, leaving it open.
DANIEL - Alex, come on. Alex?
Daniel goes to the door but she is gone. He doesn’t go after her. He looks down and picks up the newspapers from the doorway.
DANIEL -(to himself) Alex, you are one complicated individual.
He takes the papers and dumps them on the kitchen table. He looks to the wall and sighs with frustration. He then sees his reflection and is in shock. His hair is short, very short. His eyes have dark circles under them. He starts noticing all sorts of things that are suddenly off - In his pockets are receipt for a tour at Alcatraz, dated November 27th, 1999.
He goes to the table and sees the front page photo of protestors in Seattle. He opens the newspaper and the headlines read WTO in Seattle. The date reads November 30, 1999. He drops the paper in shock. He’s been gone for eight days.
