Lab Journal Entry #25

[matril]

"Romantic"

Int., Clancy’s garage, nighttime.

CREATURE (VO)
My speaking is better. I learn new words every day. I learn much faster than Sophie. She is smart, but I am smarter. They are teaching her to read in English. I did not know what reading was before. Now I understand it very well. I find words everywhere. (Camera pans labels of containers) Paint. G-glue. Toxic.

Sound of people opening door. CREATURE, breathing panicked, hides and crouches with camera in shaking hands. Light comes on. Phillip and Sophie come into frame.

PHILLIP
I don’t think I’ve come in here once since we moved here. It’s a mess, isn’t it? The previous tenants were evicted. I guess they left all this junk behind.

SOHPIE
Tenants? E-victed?

PHILLIP
The ones who lived here before us. They didn’t pay the rent, so they were told to leave.

SOHPIE
I see. (Scans garage) Maybe we look and find something that bring lots of money. Hidden treasure.

PHILLIP
(Pulling her close) You’re the greatest treasure I could ever hope to find.

SOHPIE
(Laughs) You are so – corny.

PHILLIP
Corny?

SOHPIE
That is what your sister say. She have trouble saying what word mean. But I think I understand. You make my eyes roll. But also make me smile.

PHILLIP smiles back. They kiss. CREATURE’S panicked breathing stops momentarily and turns to a sound only audible to the camera, half-curious and half-longing.

PHILLIP
(Pulling tablet out of his coat pocket) So let’s see if there’s any place I can take you out for under ten dollars. Would you find 99 cent tacos horribly unromantic?

SOHPIE
(Peering over his shoulder at the tablet screen) Is that park nearby? We can take food and eat outside in moonlight. That is romantic for me.

PHILLIP
Me too.

Sets tablet down on table to kiss SOPHIE again. They leave, forgetting the tablet. After a long pause, CREATURE ventures to the table, focusing the camera on the tablet for a while before picking it up with a shaking hand