Overnight (Short Screenplay)

INT. RESEARCH DEPARTMENT - DUSK

Through the panoramic window, the sun sets above the horizon.
From the 17th floor, TRAFFIC is bumper to bumper.

INT. WORLD TRADE CENTER, 17TH FLOOR - DAY

Elevator DING.
FOOTSTEPS exit.

INT. RECEPTION

Smiling, the receptionist nods to his guest.

                                          RECEPTIONIST
                     Good morning, can I help you?

                                          GUEST (O.S.)
                     Good morning, sir. My name is
                     TOMMY. I'm here to see CHARLES from
                     Research Department.

INT. CUBICLE BY THE PANORAMIC WINDOW - NIGHT

A LASER PRINTER.
An iMac screen running A DESKTOP PUBLISHING SOFTWARE.
Picking up the phone, the POINTING FINGER taps the buttons.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Baby, Charles asked me to work
                     overnight-- I know. It's nice to be
                     needed, though. Especially after
                     being out of work for so long. Mmm,
                     I'll be home tomorrow, okay. Good
                     night. I love you.

Picking up an iPhone, a finger presses the 'Home' button.
The screen's wallpaper depicts A WEDDING.
A finger touches the bride's face.
Putting it back down, the right hand holds the mouse.
With left hand on keyboard.

THREE HOURS LATER

Chatting, laughing, printing, walking, clattering fingers on keyboards OUTSIDE the cubicle.
His iPhone VIBRATES.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Hey DRAKE...

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Hey dude, how's life at Jardine?

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     I'm still here... boss gave me an
                     overnight sensation--

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Overnight on your first day?! Wow,
                     the market must be very bullish
                     right now...

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     I must finish reports tonight.
                     Then, email our Singapore printer
                     first thing in the morning before
                     the analysts go on a roadshow.

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Dude, can I have the PDF please?--

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (whispers)
                     Sorry dude, no can do. It's against
                     corporate policy.

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Hey dude, take a walk on the wild
                     side... ha ha ha!

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     It's a lot of fun to work here,
                     though...

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Why?

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Time flies by. Look, it's almost
                     nine but you can still hear people
                     working, right? The stock market
                     works by day, but it loves the
                     night.

                                          DRAKE (V.O.)
                     Don't work too hard, TOM.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Cheers, Drake.

THREE HOURS LATER

Chatting, laughing, dot matrix printing, walking, and typing OUTSIDE the cubicle.
DARK outside the panoramic window.
BEHIND his chair, TOMMY yawns and stretches his arms.
His RIGHT HAND holds the mouse.
With LEFT HAND on keyboard.

THREE HOURS LATER

No more chatting, laughing, dot matrix printing, walking, and typing outside the cubicle.
PAPERS flying out of a laser printer.
BEHIND his chair, TOMMY yawns and stretches his arms.
His HAND scoops up the printouts.

INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

A PAIR OF FEET comes out.
A YAWNING sound.
Through its GLASS WALL, the Research Department looks bright.

INT. MAIN HALLWAY

The FOOTSTEPS turn left.
From the other side, A WOMAN IN A WHITE HIJAB walks slowly.
Walking by, she LOWERS her pale face.

INT. RESTROOM EXTERIOR

A HAND opens its door.

SFX: LOUD DOOR SLAM

A man, 30s, is standing right behind the door.
STARING.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (sighs)
                     You scared me--

                                          THE MAN
                     My bad, I didn't hear. You're new
                     here?

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Yeah. Research Department. I'm
                     TOMMY by the way.
                                 (extends his right hand)

                                          THE MAN
                                 (takes his)
                     EDDIE. Back office.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     You also work overnight?

He nods.

                                          EDDIE
                     Back Office's getting ready for an
                     IPO.

INT. MAIN HALLWAY

TWO PAIRS OF FEET approach the glass wall.
"SALES" and "CORPORATE FINANCE" on the left side.
"RESEARCH" and "ADMINISTRATION" on the right side.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (half-whispers)
                     Why are all departments' lights on
                     except Sales?

                                          EDDIE (O.S.)
                                 (half whispers)
                     Dunno, but I heard Sales is the
                     most haunted room in this office--

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (half-whispers)
                     Seriously?!

                                          EDDIE (O.S.)
                                 (half-whispers)
                     You're scared?

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (half-whispers)
                     Of course not. The Spirit in me is
                     greater than all spirits.

INT. SALES DEPARTMENT

The door's opened from the outside.
FOUR FEET enter.
ROWS of computers along the wall.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                                 (whispers)
                     All computers are asleep. Only the
                     monitors are off.

A PAIR OF FEET continues within.

SFX: LOUD DOOR SLAM

TWO FEET rush back to the door.
It's CLOSED.
A HAND turns the handle. The door won't open.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Eddie...!! Open the door!!

His HAND keeps turning the handle.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Eddie...!!

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

A MIST on the center row computers.
CURLING slowly toward the door.
Growing heavier, the mist shapes into AN OLD MAN.
Walking, FLOATING over computers.

SFX: LOUD DOOR SLAM

INT. CUBICLE BY THE PANORAMIC WINDOW

SUNLIGHT breaks through the panoramic window.
BEHIND his chair, TOMMY stretches his arms.
Raising his head, he JOLTS.
Standing in front of the cubicle, A MAN, 30s, stares at him.
"SIMON", says his motorbike race suit's badge.

                                          SIMON
                     Who are you?!

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     I'm... I'm new here. Charles asked
                     me to work overnight--

                                          SIMON
                     Anyone working overnight must
                     notify security!

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     But didn't the back office also
                     work overnight?--

                                          SIMON
                                 (shows him keys)
                     No one worked last night. I locked
                     the front door at seven. I'm the
                     only one who opens and closes the
                     office--

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     They did! I heard back office
                     working last night. Why would I lie
                     to you?!

His ARM points to the far right.
Toward CORPORATE FINANCE and SALES DEPARTMENT.

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     I also met Eddie in the restroom.
                     We went to Sales--

Simon's no longer standing in front of his cubicle.
Sighing, A PAIR OF FEET storms out.

INT. RECEPTION

Unlocking the glass doors, a security guard, age 24, walks in.
Raising his face, he JOLTS.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                     Whoa! Who're-- how did you get in?--

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Where's Simon?

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                                 (sighs)
                     I didn't know someone's in here.
                     Simon the speed demon? You don't
                     know?--

                                          TOMMY (O.S.)
                     Sorry, I'm TOMMY. My first day in
                     Research Department.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                     Simon was killed in a motorbike
                     crash last week. I'm his stand-in.

Opening the glass door, A WOMAN steps in.
The security guard turns his head.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                                 (to her)
                     Good morning, CATHY.

                                          CATHY
                     Good morning.

He turns his head toward TOMMY.
He's disappeared.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                     Cathy...

Pausing, she turns to him.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                     You're in Research, aren't you?

She nods.

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                     You've met TOMMY, the new staff in
                     Research?

                                          CATHY
                                 (frowns)
                     TOMMY? The new staff in Research?

                                          SECURITY GUARD
                                 (nods)
                     Tall, skinny, with glasses, pale-
                     faced--

                                          CATHY
                     Pale-faced? TOMMY joined Research
                     last year. He worked here two weeks
                     after getting married. The night
                     his first child was born, TOMMY
                     died in a motorbike accident. Our
                     DTP has come and gone since his
                     passing...

SFX: LOUD DOOR SLAM

INT. CUBICLE BY THE PANORAMIC WINDOW - DUSK

QUIET.
EMPTY.
The iMac is OFF.
Turning on by itself, it CHIMES.
The chair TURNS AROUND toward the window by itself.

INT. RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

Through the panoramic window, the sun sets above the horizon.
From the 17th floor, TRAFFIC is bumper to bumper.
On the right edge of the window, there's a reflection.
A TALL AND SKINNY MAN standing.
Through his glasses, staring at the sunset.

SFX: LOUD DOOR SLAM