FADE IN:
SCENE #1 EXT. AQUACULTURE FARM ON THE EASTERN SEABOARD OF
THE U.S. LATE MORNING.
The aquaculture farm consists of 16 large tanks, in excess
of 20,000 gallons each. They are divided in to 12 saltwater
tanks, and four freshwater tanks. About 200 yards away, a
farmhouse can be seen. A rather worn down looking barn is
about 100 yards from the tanks.
Two men, STEVE and DAN, are making their way around from
tank to tank, measuring water temperature, adding food and
other nutrients as needed.
Steve is a man whose build suggests he has spent his life
doing physical labor of one sort or the other. His hairline
is receding slightly, but is cut short to deflect attention
from that deficit. He has on a pair of well-worn
CAT work boots, a faded pair of jeans, and a white t-shirt.
Dan is a more youthful looking man, with an earring in his
right ear, and a pair of 3D glasses hanging around his
neck. His attire suggests he is new to aquaculture, and does
not necessarily "get dirty" in the same way that Steve does.
He is wearing a pair of new (clean, at least) Irish Setter
leather boots, khaki shorts, and a polo shirt. On his head
is a graphite colored Under Armour Air Vent Bucket hat, of
which a few blue hairs fall down toward his face.
DAN
Do you think we should break for lunch soon?
As he says this, Steve is moving from tank to tank, checking
water temperatures, looking in on the health of the various
sea creatures and plant life, feeding them, etc.
After asking his question, Dan pops the 3D glasses on his
face and begins an attempt to count the salmon in the
freshwater tanks.
STEVE
We gotta take our inventory first, Dan. This is your investment that
we're working with, here.
Dan stops his count, and flips the 3D glasses up onto the
brim of his cap.
DAN
Man, the fish look so real when you look at them with these glasses.
They're so lifelike it's like Finding Dory, you know if Dory was a
salmon.
STEVE
This is real life, you dolt. We've got nearly $500,000 of your daddy's
money invested in these tanks, and if we're going to keep growing the
business, you need to learn how to do some of the work.
DAN
I hear you, but I just don't think I could ever be as smart as you.
STEVE
It has nothing to do with being smart it's
about hard work, along with investment capital. I haven't
forgot that we wouldn't have this farm if it wasn't for you, but still,
you need to learn.
DAN
Guilty. I'm still impressed with how you knew that the Fukushima reactor
leak would give us a chance to get in to the aquaculture biz.
STEVE
This is our life, now. Your dad said you're not getting anymore cash until
he's dead, or we've paid back his investment in full. With interest.
Dan puts the 3D glasses back on, and walks toward the
saltwater takes. He is entranced by the seaweed plants in
particular.
DAN
Man, these red seaweeds are trippy through these glasses. They'd
probably be scary around night time.
Steve finishes up his work,
and climbs down out of the last tank to walk towards Dan.
STEVE
Let's just get inside, and grab some lunch, okay.
SCENE #2 INT. LIVING ROOM OF THE FARMHOUSE.
The living room consists of a mismatched sofa and Lazy Boy
style chair. A large flat screen t.v. is hung from the
wall, with a grandfather clock in the corner.
Dan, on the sofa, and Steve, on the Lazy Boy, are playing Minecraft.
Dan's character onscreen is shot off of a cliff by a skeleton. Disheartened,
he flips his controller onto the sofa beside himself.
DAN
You want to take a break?
STEVE
This is my break.
Dan looks at him with a puzzled expression for a moment,
then shakes it off.
DAN
I got some Sweet Lucy. My guy cut it with some 5MeODMT.
STEVE
What?
DAN
He said it's supposed to give a kick like acid, but a lot quicker, with no
after affects.
STEVE
You ever smoked it before?
DAN
(With a mischievous grin on his
face.) Maiden voyage.
STEVE
I think I'll pass.
DAN
Suit yourself. I'm going to head out
to the barn, then.
Dan gets up, puts his 3D glasses back on, and departs.
Steve watches after him for a moment, looks at the
grandfather clock which reads "10:34", and goes back to his
game.
INTERCUT TO DAN AT THE BARN.
INT./EXT. OF THE BARN.
Closer to the entrance there is a trailer with some loose
hay in it, and leaned against the wall next to it, a garden
hoe, a pickaxe, and a shovel.
Dan makes his way back to the trailer, plops down, reaches
in to his pockets and pulls out a joint and a Bic lighter.
He quickly lights the joint, and leans back in the trailer.
DAN
This is living, man.
In Dan's POV, the world now looks like Minecraft graphics.
DAN (cont'd)
Steve is going to be so jealous when I tell him about this world that he
could have mined with me. I gotta get at this.
Dan stands up, picks up the pickaxe and shovel, and heads
out in to the yard. He begins making his way toward the
tanks, alternately striking the ground with the pickaxe and
shovel. As he nears the tanks, flood lights turn on. Dan's
face is immediately struck with terror.
DAN (cont'd)
No! What's going on?! I was just mining, and now there are creepers,
and blazes here. What the hell?
Dan tosses the shovel to the ground in real life, faces the
saltwater tanks with the green and red seaweed, and runs
toward them with both hands clenched around the handle of
the pickaxe.
In his drug induced world, green creepers and red blazes
make their way towards Dan, who deftly dodges them, and on
occasion, strikes out at them.
He appears to be making progress, until he strikes one
creeper that blows up, and this causes a waterfall to
cascade down over Dan.
DAN (cont'd)
Help! (Gurgling) I'm running out of breath, there's too much water.
Dan continues to swing the pickaxe, but the only thing that
happens is he is hit with more water.
Skeletons slowly approach from the periphery, and begin to shoot arrows at
Dan, who is not able to move as quickly. Other creatures,
such as over sized lobsters and clams with teeth begin to
attack, too. Dan fights on, until he is overcome with
exhaustion, and passes out.
INTERCUT TO STEVE
Steve has fallen asleep on the chair, now wakes. He looks
to the clock, it reads "3:47". He shakes his head, and
stands up. Steve looks around, poking his head in and out
of doors, before heading outside. In the distance, he can
see a vast pool of water on the ground.
STEVE
Dan!! Dan!
Steve begins to run towards the pool of water, but stops
short.
Dan is seen lying on his back, 3D glasses still on his face,
pickaxe in his right hand. His left hand is across the
lower portion of his face in a defensive posture.
Steve reaches down and pulls the pickaxe from his hand. He
looks at the carnage that Dan has wrought.
STEVE (cont'd)
(Anger builds with each syllable) You stupid, arrogant, sonofabitch.
You've ruined everything.
Dan wakes to see Minecraft Steve raise the pickaxe above his
head, and begins the long draw down toward his sternum.
DAN
Steve!! No! St--
FADE TO BLACK
THE END
