Novels2Search
Catharsis
Chapter 1

Chapter 1

EXT. BRIDGE - NIGHT

A light snow covers the bridge in a thin, soft layer. A tranquility hovers in the air, the streets strangely quiet. Everybody is home, enjoying a peaceful Saturday. A man in a large, black fur coat leans his arms on the railing of the bridge. He looks out into the river below, a foggy mist drifts across the water. His breath clouds float into the air, dissipating into nothingness. The coldness doesn't seem to bother him. He is in own world, somewhere far away in the recesses of his mind. His brief case lays beside him, slowly but surely collecting snow. Even though he is as still as a statue, his bright-pink hands shake in the coldness.

EDRIC "Fuck"

He utters a singular word, breaking out of his elusive trance. The creases of his face along his eyebrows fold into almost a small frown. His eyes are filled with weariness, dark lines hanging under his eyelids. He swiftly grabs his bag, looking onto the street ahead. Putting one hand into his oversized pocket and burying the lower half of his face into the sleeve of his coat, he prepares himself for the journey ahead. He walks along the bridge, his footprints left behind in the snow. For a long while, he trudges through the frigidness, only looking ahead into the endless road. The snow and wind becomes more aggressive, howling in his ears. He tries to bury his head deeper into his coat, but he can only go so far. In the distance, a dull,pink light shines like a star. As he approaches it, a shadowy building reveals itself. The only source of light is a bright, neon sign named "Bunny Bar." He lets out a sigh of relief, rushing inside the dark building to get out of the uncomfortable cold.

EXT. BACKYARD ON A SUNNY DAY

MOTHER "Time to come in Honey"                                                                                            

A figure stands in the glass doorway. She is wearing a plain, black shirt, and baggy sweatpants. She is leaning her head on the doorway, almost looking like she is in a daze.

The darkness of the room behind her almost shrouds her face in darkness. Edric is a little boy, playing with the afternoon fireflies. He looks up into the sky in wonderment, raising his hand ups to follow the pulsing yellow lights of the fireflies.

EDRIC "GIVE ME ONE SEC MOM!!"                                                                                           

MOTHER "Don't take too long."

Mother tiredly sighs, closing the door in front of her and walking deeper into their dark house. Edric doesn't seem to hear her, too invested in catching a firefly. He's desperate now, waving his arms around frantically and jumping with his two little legs. The Fireflies are scared, and fly away deeper into the backyard and past their white picket fence. Beyond the white picket fence is another garden, untouched and overgrowing with weeds. Edric is desperate at this point. He looks back one more time, expecting his mother to be their watching him, but she is nowhere to be found. He turns back, defiance and courage filled in his eyes. He walks to the white picket fence separating the two gardens. Using his arms, he lifts himself over the fence, swinging his legs forward to gain a footing on the ground. His legs are too weak though , making him trip and uncomfortably fall face first. He hits his head and a jagged pain pierces his skull. He cries out, picking himself off of the ground. No pain will stop him from catching the fireflies. They are flying farther and farther away from him, too far in the sky for even his mother to reach them. He lets out a disappointed cry, swinging his arms around in anger.

WOMAN'S VOICE "Stop Whining! My god."

Edric is startled. The voice comes from the back door of the house in front of him. A figure sits at the entrance, staring at him. He never even noticed somebody was there.

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EDRIC "Who is it?"

WOMAN'S VOICE "Who else? Its your neighbor."

Edric starts to back away in fear.

WOMAN'S VOICE "Hey! I'm not here to scare you."

She gets up, smoothing out her unruly dress. With the sun almost asleep, only a semi-circle in the sky, it is hard to tell what she looks like. She approaches him.

WOMAN'S VOICE I'm Clara. Bout you?

She raises her hand, Edric getting a clear view of her face. He is enchanted and at a loss for words. She is stunning, almost to the point where she looks like an angel from the heavens. She stares back, a questioning look on her face. Her arm is still awkwardly raised in the middle of the air, waiting for Edric to shake her hand back.

CLARA "You gonna shake my hand or what weirdo?"

Edric nods his head and shakes her hand, feeling her soft skin against his.

EDRIC I'm Edric.

CLARA "Edric huh? I like it."

She gives him another smile, which makes Edric blush.

CLARA "Watcha doing out here?"

EDRIC "Tryna catch some fireflies."

Edric is timid now, looking down at his feet.

EDRIC "But I couldn't, they flew too far away"

Clara looks up at the sky, letting out a long and exaggerated sigh.

CLARA "I don't see them anymore."

Suddenly, an overwhelming sadness overpowers Edric, and his eyes start to water. A single tear drops onto the dirt-covered ground.

CLARA "Hey kid. Don't cry."

Worry is hung in her voice, spreading warmth throughout Edric. He never felt like this before. It was a new feeling, that made him all fuzzy and cozy inside. Another tear drops, but it isn't because of the fireflies anymore.

CLARA "Edric, What Happened?"

EDRIC "Its the fireflies."

CLARA "This can't be about no damn firefly."

She looks back at Edric's house, a sense of sadness plastered on her face.

CLARA "You want to get out of here?"

EDRIC "Huh? What do you mean?"

CLARA "We can go far away. I've always hated this town anyway."

Edric looks at his house, a chillness spreads throughout his heart, taking away the warmth that he once had. In that moment, he realized he didn't want to go back. Through the his glass back door, he can see the darkness of his house. Clara sets her hand on Edric shoulder, like she is trying to comfort him.

EDRIC "I don't want to go back."

Clara sighs in relief, taking her hand into his and leads him to the front yard. On the street, an old, scratched up red cadillac is parked on the side of the street.

CLARA "Its nothing special, but at least it works."

To Edric, it doesn't matter. He is relieved and excited that he doesn't have to go back. But also a twinge of fear twirls through his stomach. She swings the creaky door open, inviting him into the shotgun.

CLARA "Let the journey begin."

She jokingly quips

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