FADE IN:

INT: OFFICE BUILDING, LEVEL 10 RECEPTION – MORNING

The man behind the desk looks more concerned today; he looks beaten, not physically, but emotionally. He wears his uniform, but today it is creased, unwashed and the tie is no longer a restraint around his neck. The same furniture sits in his office, but now, it mocks him. The tribal painting to his left now darker, more foreboding, as if the painting itself is coming alive and warning him of the storm that’s on its way. He turns and looks to his right, a newspaper with an old black and white photo on the cover stares back at him. It’s a picture of a young girl who disappeared nearly 40 years ago. He wonders about her.

The man reaches down into his satchel, the same way he did yesterday, with purpose. He takes out his faithful laptop and eases open the lid, slowly opening it up, almost frightened of what might be lurking under its cover. He pauses, closes his eyes and lifts the screen completely. He gradually peels his eyes open.  Nothing. Black keys with white lettering. He sighs and exhales what feels like could be his last breath, but it isn’t. His fingers hover over the ominous keys, afraid to touch them, as though each tiny button has a small spike attached to it. He stares at his hands, almost willing them to go to work, but they don’t, not yet.

The man stares back at the newspaper. He can’t help but think about the little girl and what might have happened to her. He shakes off the feeling of dread and forcefully instructs his fingers to type. One slow keystroke at a time. No hurry today…

THE MAN

(VOICE OVER)

I’m not a wise man, nor am I an educated one. I haven’t done anything significant to change the world and one day I will die and leave a headstone as a reminder to strangers that I once existed. I have no legacy, no next of kin and no person whose life I have touched. I won’t be remembered on film or page. I will simply disappear into the chronicles of mankind as another human being that once lived and then died. I will simply expire, cease to be and turn to dust. Destined to forever be forgotten. I am not ashamed or saddened by this, for one simple reason…

I have loved. I have loved another human being with everything that I have inside of me. Some people go through their entire lives without ever getting to feel that intoxicating feeling, that feeling of complete happiness you get when you’re in the presence of that one person you adore. It lifts you up, takes you away and carries you on a euphoric high, one from which you never want to come down. It’s a drug, cupids own concoction of pure delight. His arrow dipped and dowsed in this heavenly potion and then fired directly into your heart. You cannot control it, you cannot stop it and not one single part of you wants it to end. It’ a miracle.

I believe, and always will, that there is one person out there for everyone. One person that God himself put on this planet just for them. I cannot be sad when my time comes, I simply can’t. Some people never find their one, or they believe there is no one out there. They continue to wander through life with the belief that true love isn’t real. Well, I can assure you, it is. It’s as real and tangible as the chair you’re sitting on. It’s as noticeable as the stars in the sky. When it hits you, it hits with a physical force. You can actually feel it inside you. Your insides begin to tingle and your legs begin to shake. This is love. Your head spins and your heart races. It’s consuming you, taking control of you. This is love…

The man stops. His hands now shaking above the island of keys beneath his fingers. He wants to turn and look at the painting to his left, but he doesn’t, he doesn’t want to see its prediction of his future. Instead he stares at the photo of the little girl and wonders, ‘What happened to her?’

The man turns his attention back to his computer. He stares at the cursor, blinking autonomously; it will never miss a beat. He has more words to say, he wants to get them out…

But not now, not today.

FADE OUT: