SEX ON THE SECOND DATE (Second short of the challenge)

"Failure is not falling down. But refusing to get up" 

I just gave a like to that quote as it spoke to me. Also, I thought that was a nice way to start writing this post since I have already "failed" my challenge of writing on a day to day basis. Figured that was not reason for me to stop this challenge. 

So what? I failed and didn't wake up as early as I planned and therefore ended up having no time to write. That's not going to stop me from doing it. Hopefully, it doesn't happen again and I stick to the plan but wether it happens or not this person on this side of the screen is not giving up and neither should you person on the other side. No matter what your dreams are, please keep going. No matter if you stumble on your way there, please keep going.

SEX ON THE SECOND DATE

​

INT. CENTRAL PARK - NIGHT

AMBER

(Heavily breathing)

Don't blink.... Breath.... Please don't blink please.

The light from a cellphone is seen at a distance. The cellphone has fallen in between some rocks. Someone is calling.

INT. AN APARTMENT IN THE BRONX, NY - DAYS EARLIER

She rushes in with a laundry bag emptying it on the bed while sorting through it looking for something to wear as she tries to fold as many pieces of clothes as possible.  Her phone screen lights up."See you at XXX" it says.

AMBER

Shoot!

AMBER, 34, rushes out of the room. A few seconds later the sound of water falling from the shower is heard.

INT. - MOMENTS LATER

She dries her hair with her towel and dresses as fast as she can.

INT. - TAXI AT THE FDR - MINUTES LATER

AMBER

(As she applies mascara)

Don't blink.

TAXI DRIVER

Excuse me?

AMBER

(Laughs)

Not you, me. I'm trying not to mess up my make up.

TAXI DRIVER

I don't know how you guys do that.

AMBER

We're use to it. We do three things at a time. Having balance and coordination are some of the acquired skills.

TAXI DRIVER

Back to the "Men can't walk and chew gum" thing, Ah?

AMBER

That's not what I implied but you make a good point.

TAXI DRIVER

You seem happy.

AMBER

Anxious!

TAXI DRIVER

Meeting your boyfriend?

AMBER

Going on a date. I'm afraid he's going to turn out to be bald and boring.

TAXI DRIVER

Online dating?

AMBER

(Laughs)

You kidding me? Half the time these guys turn out to be weird and 10 years older than in their pictures.

TAXI DRIVER

Is it worth it?

AMBER

I've faith one of them will.

EXT. - XXX TAVERN ON 29TH STREET 

Amber steps out of the car and texts "Here".

BOUNCER

May I see your ID please?

AMBER

I'm waiting for someone.

BOUNCER

No problem. I'll get your ID and you can wait inside.

INT. - XXX TAVERN ON 29TH STREET 

Patrons walk in and out of the place increasing Amber's anxiety until finally a handsome, tall and very fit JUSTIN, 27, walks in.

JUSTIN

Hi there!

AMBER

Oh thank God! Hi

JUSTIN

(Surprised)

What do you mean?

EXT. - 29TH STREET - HOURS LATER

AMBER

I was afraid you were nothing like your pictures. You turned out to be better.

JUSTIN

(Pulling her over to kiss her)

I'm glad.

EXT. - CENTRAL PARK - DAYS LATER - NIGHT

JUSTIN

I honestly don't care. Go.

AMBER

Fine with me.

Amber starts walking away from him.

JUSTIN

Come back.

AMBER

(Still walking away)

No. I'm going home.

JUSTIN

You were the one who said we were going to have sex the next time we'd meet.

AMBER

(Stopping)

It is our second date. I don't even know you last name and you are pretty much forcing me to have sex with you. So immature!

JUSTIN

No one is forcing no one but you said we will.

AMBER

I know what I said! But come on give me a break. With this attitude I can't possible be attracted to you!

EXT. CENTRAL PARK - MOMENTS LATER

Amber walks alone in the middle of the park. It is dark and the light coming from the lamps are not strong enough to light her way. She pulls out her phone and notices a text from Justin. "Like I said I don't care. Your lost!"

Suddenly she's is violently pulled into the woods. The tree's branches hitting her in the face as she is being dragged.

EXT. CENTRAL PARK

On the floor, her pants being pulled off as she desperately tries to fight her way out of this.

AMBER

I know it is you. Stop it, stop!

But there's no stopping him. Savagely he's on top of her trying to cover her mouth. Not saying a word so that he could not be incriminated.

EXT. - SAME - MINUTES LATER

Barely able to walk she moves around carefully. The light from her phone lighting her way. Falling, standing up, walking again, falling.

AMBER

(Crying from the pain)

MAN

You keep walking. I'm right behind you.

AMBER

Justin?

MAN

I don't know who Justin you keep talking about but he sure missed good.

She raises her phone to light up his face but a sudden punch knocks her down hitting her head with a rock as she falls.

AMBER

(Heavily breathing, slowly loosing consciousness)

Don't blink.... Breath.... Please don't blink please.

The light from a cellphone is seen at a distance. The cellphone has falling in between some rocks. Justin is calling.

THIS IS LIFE (SHORT SHORT)

Ninety-nine percent of all failures come from people who have a habit of making excuses

George Washington Caver

That's how I want to start my second post for this blog. Why? Because yesterday I felt sick and didn't wake up to write and that's was the excuse I was going to start writing with but realized it was a complete BS because today I feel just as I felt yesterday and here I am writing.

Anyway, on to the challenge as the day ahead will be a long one. Opening night! I'm part of a short play festival "Big Apple Slices" presented by Chelsea Rep Lab.

THIS IS LIFE

INT. -  PRE-WAR APARTMENT BATHROOM - EARLY MORNING

The room is lit only by the early morning light coming from the window in front of which is a number of personal care products. A continued number of pumps from a hair condition bottle. 

AIDA, 55, rubs the product on her head and proceeds to untangle her hair as hot water falls from the shower head. A self-help podcast plays. We listen to the host as he talks about the power of believing in oneself. After a few moments we move to...

INT. - PRE-WAR APARTMENT KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER

Aida peels an egg an places it on a plate next to an already peeled one. She takes the salt dispenser and pours a bit too much salt on the eggs. Disgusted after the first bite she washes as much salt off as possible.

INT. - PRE-WAR APARTMENT LIVING ROOM - 

Emptiness, the morning light becoming stronger.  The tick-tack of an old wall clock is head as the self-help podcast plays. The host and co-host are engaged in a discussion, continuing the day's subject "Believing In Oneself". 

Aida walks in and sits. Carefully. First she sits at the edge of the couch and then comfortably against it. The podcast stops playing.

AIDA

I didn't hear you arrive.

DAVE

That's a first. 

Dave, 34, places a bag on the coffee table and sits next to her. Then he proceeds to take the items out. He brought coffee and breakfast.

AIDA

(Proud)

I boiled two eggs.

DAVE

You kidding, and you didn't burn the apartment? 

AIDA

(Laughs)

Not this time -- I put too much salt in my eggs.

DAVE

(Jokingly)

See, you can't be perfect. There's gotta be at least one thing wrong with you.

AIDA

Now we know what is.

DAVE

Yup, we now know that you can't just put the right amount of salt on your eggs.

AIDA

Specially when I was trying to put pepper on them.

DAVE

Where you?

They share a laugh.

DAVE (CON'T)

So, how about you take some coffee and we leave this for later?

AIDA

Can we work as I drink it? I always enjoyed reading and drinking my coffee. There's a sort of I don't know what to it.

DAVE

(Hesitates)

We can always try. 

AIDA

There's nothing wrong with trying. 

DAVE

Nay, Nay

He stands and gets a book on a bookshelf somewhere in the room and comes to sit next to her.

DAVE (CON'T)

Ok Aida here we go. We left on..

AIDA
(Interrupting him)

Act four.

DAVE

That's right. Act four.

Gradually she grabs the coffee from the table with her left hand. Dave then places the book on her lap. She slides her right hand over it and slowly reads.

AIDA

Two years later. A parlor in Sorin's house that Konstantin has converted into a study. Doors right and left, leading to the rest of the house. Upstage center, a pair of French doors that open onto the veranda. The usual collection of parlor furniture, plus a desk in the right corner..........

We leave them there. A long day ahead for both teacher and student as she learns to read again.

FIN

If anyone is reading this. Thanks! Please leave any comments that will help me improve. Have a great day everyone and remember that while there's life, there's hope. 

Always, the best!

I won't use the word: Fuck! (Unless strictly necessary)

It has been a while. Life has been my excuse as usual. Work, being tired, not having time, lacking inspiration, the place not being clean, having to do something else. Let's face it, we are olympic medallists making excuses. We make excuses for making excuses which at least I have a very good reason to.

Anyway, the thing is that I haven't been writing. There was a time when I was producing good work and production was good. Inspiration was constantly in the air. I was taking constant notes, had great ideas for films. Now, even those old ideas do not inspire me to write anymore.

Here's where this blog comes in handy. I have challenged myself to write short stories online, to write scripts and share them online, to write anything and share it online. Yes, I have an annoying friend who have been telling me to do this for the longest time, and yes, I'll have to admit that he was "right" if something good comes out of this and blah!

My purpose is to re-start the writing engine and wake up my muses. Improve my grammar, practice, drill the skills and hopefully enough readers will see this and help me improve. Give me feedbacks on the stories and motivate me to develop them further. If no a single soul reads it, well who cares, I have many loose pieces of papers around the apartment with film ideas that maybe no one ever is going to read. Heck, at least I'm typing.

One thing though, I'm tired of all the violence and guns and negativity that we find nowadays in films. I think that as writers or filmmakers we have a great influence in society and in those who follow our work and that for many years we have been contributing to the negativity, anger and ignorance that is overtaking the world we live in today. Therefore aside from writing on a consistent basis, so help me the universe, I challenge myself to:

• Although writing about negative events or concepts I will write stories that have a positive message within them without making them preachy or cliche.
• Not use weapons to get out of though situations.
• Fuck! won't use bad words unless strictly necessary. 
• Improve my grammar.
• I will write for at least an hour a day.
• Will write stories for every freaking one as I extremely dislike the fact that our industry thinks that only models and drop dead gorgeous people have a story to tell.
• Since there's no endless challenge I give myself 120 days (or 120 posts) which is an average feature film page count. (This post being the title page doesn't count of course)

Time's up. Off we go, to the challenge!