Screenplay for 'Shadow'

Nema is sitting against a wall in a dark room, staring unseeingly at the door. (Mid shot). She is in a dreamlike state. Eventually she falls asleep - shown by her eyes closing/leaning against the wall - and we see her thoughts as she is dreaming. She hears a knock at the door, opens it (close up on her hand) and discovers her best friend Azia standing there (two shot). They hug, then have a conversation in which Nema discovers something is wrong.

Nema: (Narration) I sat staring at the door for a long time after she left. I was not aware of the passing of time; minutes melted into hours and I had not moved or broken my trance. Inside my head, my mind was replaying the scene that made me this way, the scene that would or could never repeat itself, because she was not coming back.

Nema: (Apprehensively) What's wrong?

Azia shakes head.

Nema: (Urgently) What's happened?

Azia: (Whispers) I'm sorry...

PAUSE: 3 SECONDS.

(Takes deep breath, gets grip on self) Nema, this is so hard for me to say... I don't know how...

Nema: (Abruptly) Just say it, Azia, please! 

Azia: This will be the last time you ever see me.

PAUSE: 3 SECONDS.

Nema: (Stands as though struggling to breathe; shocked) What?

Azia: (Says nothing. Looks distressed. Two shot.)

Why? What's going on? Please,  tell me what's going on!

Azia: I... (gasps) I have to go!

I'm so sorry, but Nema - remember this: you are never alone.

(Fade to black)

Nema: (Narration - opens eyes, gets up and walks across room. She lights a candle and watches as it casts shadows on the wall.) I awoke to silence. It was familiar to me now, the sound of the emptiness, just as my heart reflected. Somehow, I knew life would go on, but I didn't know how to begin. I didn't even know I was supposed to feel this way - surely it was not possible to get so attached to a friend, someone I had met minimal times in my life, but still had somehow become the centre of my existence. She belonged in my life, and now life without her would be intolerable.

(Shadows break away from wall and run towards her - blows out candle - room goes into darkness.)