Imagination

“Imagination”


EXT. JUNGLE CLEARING - NOON

A class of ten year old children sit in a circle on the jungle floor. SAFARI JOE wears typical safari clothes and stands in the middle of the circle. Next to Joe is a cage with a massive bright green boa constrictor. The snake’s red tongue shoots in and out of its mouth. The snake writes angrily in its cage.

MRS. BURKHOLDER is wearing a similar safari outfit and carries a whip. She paces slowly around the circle of children. The children are scared and look franticly from Safari Joe to Mrs. Burkholder.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
Ok class, now Mister Joe will let everyone pet the snake.

Mrs. Burkholder nods to Joe who, standing on top of the cage now, smiles nefariously. Joe yanks up the door to the cage and the snake flies out.

The snake wraps itself around two children and starts to squeeze them. The other children attempt to run, but Mrs. Burkholder cracks her whip on everyone that tries to escape. The boa now has a third child in its mouth.

Safari Joe takes a cigar out of his pocket, lights it, and then starts to laugh maniacally.

Mrs.  Burkholder laughs too as she whips the children.

Safari Joe and Mrs. Burkholder stop laughing and look up into the trees. They are afraid. All the children become quiet.

OSCAR, a ten year old boy, stands on top of a tree gripping a vine. He has smeared dirt on his face and wears a bandana. Oscar reaches behind his back and pulls out a machete. He swings down toward the other children.

At the bottom of his swing Oscar cuts off the snake’s head with his machete. A kid wiggles free from the bloody, decapitated head. Oscar lands on the ground and proceeds to cut the other children free from the snake’s death grip.

Safari Joe hops off the cage and stands back to back with Mrs. Burkholder. He pulls a pistol out.

SAFARI JOE
                   So who wants to pet the snake now?

Oscar plants his feet and prepares to fight.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Don’t you want to go pet the snake Oscar?


INT. SCHOOL GYM – DAY

Oscar is sitting on the gym floor looking down at his shoes. He twists his fingers around his shoelaces, oblivious to the world.

A group of children crowd around Safari Joe as he removes a small brown snake from its cage. Safari Joe is wearing a white polo and a faux-safari hat. Mrs. Burkholder, dressed for school, stands behind Oscar.

Mrs. Burkholder bends down next to Oscar.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   If you want to you can go pet it now.

Oscar turns his head to Mrs. Burkholder.

OSCAR
                   Oh.


INT. SPACESHIP COCKPIT

Oscar wears a spacesuit and pushes buttons on control panels. The moon and earth float by in the window.


INT. OSCAR’S ROOM – EVENING

Oscar’s MOM walks into his room and sits on his bed.

MOM
                   Hey Oscar, how was school today?

OSCAR
(from beneath the bed)
                   Fine.

MOM
                   Did you make any new friends?

OSCAR
                   No.

MOM
Mrs. Burkholder called and said you aren’t talking much. . . are you feeling sad honey?


INT. SPACESHIP COCKPIT

Oscar stares out the window where only the earth is suspended in space.

Oscar picks up a walkie-talkie microphone.

OSCAR
                   No.


INT. OSCAR’S ROOM – EVENING

MOM
It’s okay if you feel a little sad Oscar. I know it’s been hard to move away from your friends.

Mom bends down and lifts up the bed skirt. Oscar lies on his back underneath the bed. He has taped lots of electronic toys with buttons to the underside of his bed. He holds the walkie-talkie in his hand.

MOM
                   We’re going to eat soon.

Mom drops the bed skirt and exits.


INT. KITCHEN – EVENING

Mom stands at the stove preparing food. Oscar walks down the stairs into the kitchen.

MOM
                   Go tell your brother and Chris to come down to eat.


INT. HALLWAY – EVENING

Oscar stands outside of JACK’S door. Loud music plays from within. The door has signs that say “Do Not Enter”, “Beware of the Dog”, and an alien poster. Oscar slowly pushes the door open and the music gets louder.

Jack and CHRIS are 13 and sit on Jack’s bed looking at the centerfold of a playboy.

CHRIS
                   Holy shit, where did you get this?

Oscar slowly and quietly closes the door.

He stands in the hall for a few seconds and then knocks.

JACK
(from inside)
                   What?

OSCAR
(yelling)
                   Dinner’s ready.

The door swings open and almost hits Oscar. Jack comes out and stands in front of Oscar while Chris stands behind Oscar.

Jack puts his finger on Oscar’s chest.

JACK
                   Hey, what’s that on your shirt?

OSCAR
                   I’m not stupid.

JACK
                   But you are a little baby.

Jack nods to Chris who puts his foot behind Oscar’s legs.

Jack pushes Oscar over the Chris’s leg and Oscar falls backward. Jack and Chris laugh.

OSCAR
                   I’m going to tell on you.

JACK
                   Yeah, ‘cause you’re a baby.


EXT. BRIDGE – DAY

A bridge spans a deep canyon in a forested landscape. A convoy moves slowly over the top of the bridge. Soldiers are posted all along the sides of the bridge. They grip their guns tightly and look around.

Oscar is dressed in camouflage and hangs from a cliff. He is strapping explosives to the base of the bridge.

Oscar sets a 10 second timer on the explosives and then jumps off the canyon wall toward the rapids below. Just as the bridge erupts into flames Oscar releases his parachute and glides toward the bottom of the canyon.


EXT. PLAYGROUD – NOON

Oscar has dug a hole in the dirt to make a small bridge. Sticks of mulch are lined up the sides of the bridge and a toy car sits on top of. In his hand is a piece of mulch with a candy wrapper tied to it.

Mrs. Burkholder walks up to Oscar. She has three other boys with her.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
Hey Oscar, these boys thought you might want to play with them. They are in our class. This is Pete, George, and Conner.

Oscar looks up and blinks at the three other boys.

GEORGE
                   Hey Oscar.

Mrs. Burkholder smiles and leaves the three boys alone.

PETE
Remember how I was in your group when we did that water cycle experiment?

OSCAR
                   Oh yeah.

GEORGE
                   So do you have any Pokémon cards?

OSCAR
My mom got me some once, but I don’t have them here.

PETE
Yeah well Pokémon cards are dumb anyway. I think we should have a wrestling match. I’m Triple H, George can be Steve Austin, and Conner is The Undertaker. Who do you want to be Oscar?

CONNER
(to Pete)
                   You can be The Undertaker this time.

PETE
                   No I already called it!

CONNER
                   You can’t call it for me.

GEORGE
                   Yeah, no fair!

PETE
                   Fine then, we’ll let Oscar decide who everyone is.

OSCAR
                   I think I’ll just stay here and play.

PETE
                   You mean play in the dirt?

OSCAR
I made this bridge and these are the soldiers and there was a convoy that. . .

GEORGE
                   It looks like a bunch of stupid sticks to me.

PETE
                   Yeah come on, let’s go before recess is over.

Pete and George run off, but Conner stays behind. He bends down to Oscar.

CONNER
I’m not going to wrestle if I have to be The Undertaker. I don’t even like wrestling.

OSCAR
                   Yeah, me neither.

Conner pulls out a Sports Illustrated from his pocket.

CONNER
                   Check out this catch.

Conner flips open the magazine and shows Oscar a picture of a foot ball player catching a ball for a touchdown.

CONNER
He made the catch when there was only five seconds left in the game.

Conner flips though the magazine some more.

CONNER
                   So who is your favorite football team?

OSCAR
                   I don’t have one.

CONNER
                   What about basketball?

OSCAR
                   I don’t know. I don’t watch basketball.

CONNER
Oh. I like the Patriots. They are the best team. Pete likes the Cowboys, but they suck.

Conner rolls his magazine up and kicks the mulch some.

CONNER
                   I’m gonna go. Bye.

Oscar turns back to his bridge.


EXT. FOREST – NIGHT

Oscar is still wearing his camo, but is now deep in the woods. A spot light sweeps through the trees looking for him. A helicopter whirls overhead. Oscar steps on a stick and the spot light shines toward the noise. He crotches down, but they see him.

ENEMIES
(yelling)
                   There he is. Go go go.

Three men appear, back-lit by the spotlight. They are running toward Oscar with their guns drawn. Oscar starts sprinting away, but they are gaining on him.

Oscar looks to his right and sees a cave. A voice calls from within the cave.

VOICE
                   Hey, over here.

Oscar dives into the darkness.


EXT. PLAYGROUND – NOON

MATT stands behind Oscar looking down at the bridge. Matt is Oscar’s imaginary friend, but he seems completely real to Oscar and to the viewer.

MATT
                   Behind you. Hello?

OSCAR turns around.

OSCAR
                   Hi.

MATT
                   My name is Matt.

Matt extends his hand for a shake. Oscar shakes it.

MATT
                   Pleased to meet you.

OSCAR
                   I’m Oscar.

MATT
                   Like Oscar the Grouch?

OSCAR
                   Yeah.

Matt sits down next to Oscar’s bridge.

MATT
                   Is this a bridge?

OSCAR
                   Yeah.

MATT
                   A spiky bridge. Cool.

OSCAR
                   Actually they are supposed to be soldiers.

MATT
                   Not any more.

Matt brings his fist down toward the bridge. He stops right before he smashes it and laughs.

MATT
                   Just kidding, I won’t smash it.

Oscar picks up some pieces of mulch and flicks them at the ground.

MATT
Hey I’ve got an idea. Let’s build a bunch of bridges and put these sticks everywhere and then we’ll pretend we’re giant robots and smash all the bridges and people.

Matt starts digging another bridge furiously and after a moment Oscar joins him.

MATT
                   Hold on, I’ve got another idea.

Matt runs off and comes back with a pile of sticks.

MATT
These can be big skyscrapers and we can break the buildings in half.

Oscar picks up a stick.

OSCAR
                   Hey, this one will be my sword.

MATT
                   Oh sweet. My robot will have a sword too.

Oscar and Matt have created about 10 bridges and 20 skyscrapers. Little mulch people populate the ground.


EXT. CITY – DAY

It is a peaceful day in a large city. People mill about the streets and birds sing.

All of a sudden the ground starts to tremble and people are screaming. Off in the distance two giant robots approach.

One looks like Oscar and the other like Matt. They reach the edge of the city.

ROBOT MATT
You murdered our creators and now we will have revenge.

ROBOT OSCAR
                   Prepare to die!

The robots pull out their swords and start to chop down the buildings. Oscar steps on a bridge and Matt snaps a building in half. People get squished under their feet.


INT. COLISEUM – NIGHT

A coliseum is packed with people and noise. Spot lights shine into the center where two animals prepare to fight. One animal is a Flying Uni-bear, a bear with wings and a horn. The other animal is a Veloci-mantis, a giant praying mantis with a Velociraptor’s head.

MOM O.S.
                   Hey honey, how was school?


INT. OSCAR’S BEDROOM – NIGHT

Oscar is sitting at his desk with his Flying Uni-bear and his Veloci-mantis. They are made from different toys glued together. Mom stands in the doorway.

OSCAR
                   I made a friend.

MOM
                   Oh, that’s great.

OSCAR
                   His name is Matt. We played on the playground.

MOM
                   Is he in your class?

OSCAR
                   Yeah.

MOM
Great! If you want you can invite him over to play sometime.

OSCAR
                   Ok.

Oscar’s Mom stands at the door for a few more moments watching Oscar play with his toys.


INT. SHIP BRIDGE – DAY

Oscar is steering a wooden warship through a storm. Matt stands beside him with a sword drawn.

Matt looks out the window and sees a giant spaceship hovering above them.

Hundreds of fish-like aliens leap off the spaceship and into the water. They are all swimming toward the ship.

Matt runs out of the bridge and onto the ship’s deck where he is fighting off the approaching aliens.

OSCAR
                   Hey Matt.


EXT. PLAYGROUND – NOON

Matt stands on the slide with a stick in his hand pretending to fight off aliens. Oscar stands up in the playground fort pretending to steer a ship.

MATT
                   Yeah.


INT. SHIP BRIDGE

OSCAR
                   Wanna come over and play after school?

Matt stabs a few aliens.

MATT
                   Sure. I’ll get a ride over later.


EXT. PLAYGROUND – NOON

Oscar smiles and makes sound effects as he steers the ship.

Pete, George, and Conner all walk up to the playground together. They stand by for a few seconds watching Oscar and whispering to each other.

PETE
                   Hey Oscar, what cha doin’ up there?

Oscar stops and looks over at the boys.

GEORGE
                   We think you’ve been hogging the fort for long enough.

PETE
                   Yeah, it’s time to let us have a turn.

MATT
                   Go away.

OSCAR
                   Yeah, leave us alone.

The three boys laugh and nudge each other.

They all three sprint up the slide pushing Matt off.

They grab Oscar and force him to the ground. Pete pulls Oscar up and then forces him down the slide. The boys laugh at him.


INT. OSCAR’S KITCHEN – EVENING

Mom sits at the table, reading the newspaper. Oscar enters.

OSCAR
                   Hey Mom?

MOM
                   Yeah.

OSCAR
                   I think Matt is going to come over to play tonight.

Mom looks up and notices dirt on Oscar’s coat.

MOM
                   Why are you so dirty?

OSCAR
                   I fell.

MOM
                   Ok, go clean up.

The doorbell rings.

OSCAR
                   I think I heard him.

Mom watches Oscar walk toward the front door. Oscar opens and closes the door. Matt and Oscar walk back into the kitchen. Mom looks up at them then back down at her paper.

OSCAR
                   We’re going up to my room.

They exit and Mom looks toward Oscar with a puzzled expression.


INT. SPACESHIP COCKPIT

Oscar is once again manning his space ship. Out the window we see Matt’s spaceship flying beside Oscar’s.

Oscar picks up the walkie-talkie.

OSCAR
We’ve got to destroy the rest of the spaceships in this asteroid field.

MATT
                   I’ll use my plasma blast bombs.

OSCAR
Good idea. I ran out of bombs, but I have a mega laser.


INT. OSCAR’S ROOM – EVENING

Oscar is under the bed while Matt is under Oscar’s desk. They have taped some of the electronics to the underside of the desk.

Oscar’s brother Jack and his friend Chris walk by Oscar’s bedroom door.

Jack stops for a moment.

JACK
Look at the little baby.

CHRIS
                   The little baby is hiding under his bed.

Jack and Chris laugh hysterically and high five each other then walk off.

Oscar sticks his head out from under his bed and looks at Matt.

OSCAR
                   Sorry about that. My brother is an idiot.

MATT
                   It’s ok. I have an older brother too.

OSCAR
                   I bet he’s not as mean as Jack.

MATT
                   Yeah.

Beat.

OSCAR
                   Let’s get back at him.

Oscar gets out from under his bed and Matt gets out from under the desk. Oscar sits at the desk and gets a marker and piece of paper. He starts writing something.


INT. HALLWAY – EVENING

Oscar and Matt are in front of Jack’s door. A glass of water sits up against the door. A string is tied from the water glass to the door knob.

Matt sneaks around the corner of the hallway and waits while Oscar bangs on the door.

JACK
(from inside)
                   What do you want?

Oscar knocks again even louder

JACK
                   What?

Oscar knocks again.

JACK
                   I’m coming. God.

Jack pulls open the door and the water soaks into the carpet and onto Jack’s feet. Oscar sprints down the hall away from where Matt is hiding.

JACK
                   You little shit. Come on, Chris.

Jack runs down the hall chasing Oscar and Chris follows behind.

Matt sneaks into Jack’s room.


INT. JACK’S ROOM

The room is lit with a black light which illuminates a florescent dragon poster. Posters of bands and women in bikinis also adorn the walls.

Matt holds the piece of paper in his hand as he searches through Jack’s desk drawers.

Matt bends down and pulls a chest out from under Jack’s bed. He opens it and sees a Playboy and a pack of cigarettes. Matt takes both and leaves the piece of paper which reads, “You are in big trouble Jack.” It’s signed “Mom.”


INT. HALLWAY

Matt sneaks out of Jack’s room and back down the hall just as Jack and Chris return.

JACK
He can only hide for so long. Once I see him again he’s going to get it.


EXT. OSCAR’S BACKYARD

Matt runs into a wooded area. He comes to the base of a tree and looks up to see Oscar perched in the top.

MATT
(whispering)
                   I’ve got it.

Oscar climbs down and looks at the Playboy and cigarettes.

OSCAR
                   This worked even better than I imagined.

Oscar and Matt bend down at the base of the tree and start digging. They bury the Playboy and cigarettes and then sit in the pine needles.


INT. CLASSROOM – DAY

Oscar and Matt sit in the back row. Mrs. Burkholder is up at the front of the class trying to teach the kids about the Preamble of the Constitution.

Matt is folding up paper into little paper footballs. Pete, George, and Conner all sit together a few rows ahead. Matt points at Pete then hands a few footballs to Oscar.


EXT. RICE PADDY, VIETNAM – DAY

Oscar and Matt are dressed in Vietnam War attire. Matt opens a mortar gun and places it in front of Oscar. He hands Oscar a mortar round.

Out in the paddy Pete, George, and Conner are dressed as Vietcong soldiers. They slog toward Oscar and Matt.

Oscar loads the mortar then ducks as it fires. Oscar and Matt look up to see the mortar land directly on George. A huge water explosion erupts in the middle of the paddy. When the smoke clears only Pete and Conner are still running.


INT. CLASSROOM – DAY

Oscar flicks a paper football at the back of Conner’s head. It hits Conner, but he doesn’t move.


EXT. RICE PADDY, VIETNAM – DAY

Only Pete is left and he’s now gaining on Oscar and Matt.

Oscar loads the round and ducks. The shell lands right on Pete who disappears into the explosion.

Oscar and Matt cheer and high five.


INT. CLASSROOM – DAY

Oscar laughs and smiles. He does an arm pump and looks over at Matt who is also celebrating.


INT. CLASSROOM – END OF CLASS

The kids are talking and leaving class. Oscar and Matt get their backpacks and are about to leave.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Hey Oscar, can you wait a minute?

OSCAR
                   Yeah, sure.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Ok just wait right here and I’ll be back.

Oscar sits down in a desk at the front of class. Matt stays with him.

MATT
She must have seen us.

OSCAR
                   Yeah, I hope she doesn’t tell my Mom.

Mrs. Burkholder walks back in the classroom with Mom following her.

MOM
                   Hey, honey.

Mom walks over and puts her hand on Oscar’s back.

MOM
Mrs. Burkholder told me that you’ve been acting a little strange lately.

OSCAR
I’m sorry I hit them with the paper footballs, but they kicked Matt and me off the fort at recess.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Who is Matt?

OSCAR
                   My friend, Matt.

Oscar points at Matt who is looking around confused.

MOM
Oscar there isn’t any one there. Mrs. Burkholder tells me you’ve been talking to yourself a lot.

OSCAR
You don’t see him? He’s right there. Say something Matt.

MATT
                   Right here guys. Why can’t they see me Oscar?

OSCAR
                   See?

Mrs. Burkholder looks at Mom.

Mom hugs Oscar.

MOM
                   It’s Ok, Oscar.


INT. OSCAR’S CAR – DAY

Oscar rides in the passenger seat with Mom. Matt is in the back playing a Gameboy. Oscar looks sadly out the window.

MOM
Oscar, mommy thinks you might be sick. The doctor is just going to ask you a few questions. No needles or anything. I promise.

OSCAR
                   You want to make Matt go away, but he’s my friend.

Matt puts down his Gameboy and leans toward the front of the car.

MATT
Oscar, we need to come up with a plan. Like when we tricked your brother.

Oscar looks back at Matt. Oscar’s mother looks at Oscar suspiciously.


INT. INTERROGRATION ROOM – NIGHT

The room is dark except for a light that hangs over Oscar and Matt’s heads. They are tied to chairs which are tied to each other, back-to-back. They are beat up and hardly able to breathe.

MATT
                   Rock the chair ‘til it falls over.

OSCAR
                   What? Why?

MATT
                   I’ve got a plan.

A door opens somewhere in the room then closes. A beast is lurking in the shadows. It is snarling and seems to be getting closer.

MATT
                   Hurry!

They rock the chair until it falls. Matt picks up a shard of glass and saws through the rope that binds his hands. He helps Oscar free.

MATT
                   Over here.

They run into the darkness. An air duct hangs from the ceiling.

MATT
                   Give me a boost.

Oscar helps Matt into the air duct and then Matt pulls Oscar up with him.

Oscar and Matt look down at the darkness and hear the beast below the air duct. They start crawling down the duct.

They reach a vent and look down into another room.

MATT
I knew it. Oscar, look. They told them about us. They told them that I wasn’t real. They tried to torture you until you admitted I wasn’t real.

Oscar climbs to the vent and sees Pete, Conner, and George sitting around a group of video surveillance camera screens. They are pointing to a screen and whispering.

MATT
                   We have to stop them.

The three boys turn and look up in the vent. Pete points up at Oscar.

PETE
                   Oscar.


INT. PSYCHIATRIST’S OFFICE – DAY

Oscar sits on a couch and Matt sits next to him. The DOCTOR sits on a chair in front of Oscar. Mom sits in another chair next to Oscar.

DOCTOR
                   Oscar. Tell me, what’s your friend’s name?

Oscar sits silently.

DOCTOR
Did he come with you today to see me? Can you show me where he is right now?

Oscar points to where Matt is on the couch.

DOCTOR
                   Does he come to school with you every day?

Oscar nods.

The Doctor nods and looks at Mom.


INT. OSCAR’S KITCHEN – NIGHT

Mom hands Oscar some pills and watches him take them.

MOM
                   Good job. Ok, it’s bedtime now.

OSCAR
                   I left my backpack in your car, can I go get it?

MOM
                   Why do you need your backpack?

OSCAR
I just want to get a book from it so I can read in bed.

MOM
Ok, but you can only read for fifteen minutes.

Oscar goes out into the garage.


EXT. BACKYARD – NIGHT

Oscar comes out from a door in the garage and into the backyard. Matt is waiting for him by the door.

MATT
                   Did you take the pills?

Oscar takes the pills out from his cheeks.

OSCAR
                   They taste really gross. Come on let’s hurry.

They run into the woods and find the tree where they buried the Playboy and cigarettes. Matt digs them up.

OSCAR
                   Ok let’s go.

They run back to the door. Oscar is holding the Playboy and Cigarettes.

OSCAR
                   I’ll see you tomorrow.


INT. GARAGE

Oscar hides the Playboy and cigarettes behind some chemicals on a shelf.

Mom opens the door just as Oscar finishes. He puts his dirty hands behind his back.

MOM
                   Come on Oscar. What are you doing out here?

OSCAR
                   I couldn’t find my book. I think I left it at school.

Mom looks at Oscar suspiciously.

MOM
                   It’s bedtime.


INT. CLASSROOM – DAY

Mrs. Burkholder is teaching and all the kids appear bored. Matt sits next to Oscar as usual and smiles at him.

MATT
(whispering)
                   Now.

Oscar raises his hand.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Yes, Oscar?

OSCAR
                   I really need to go to the bathroom.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Ok, but hurry up.


INT. BOYS BATHROOM – DAY

Oscar and Matt stand in a stall. Oscar looks at his watch.

MATT
                   Is it time?

OSCAR
                   Two more minutes.


INT. CLASSROOM – DAY

The classroom is empty now. Outside the window kids are playing on the playground. Oscar runs over to his desk. Matt keeps watch at the door.

Oscar gets the Playboy and cigarettes. He puts the Playboy in Pete’s desk and buries it under all the other books. He takes three cigarettes out of the pack and hides them in the back Conner’s desk. He hides the pack in George’s desk.


INT. AIRPLANE – DAY

Oscar is flying a WW2 fighter plane. Matt flies next to him in another plane.

Oscar picks up the radio.

OSCAR
                   Dive, dive, dive!

The plane dives and intercepts a swarm of enemy planes. Oscar and Matt open fire.


EXT. PLAYGROUND – DAY

Oscar and Matt lie on their stomachs on the swings. They both hold their arms out to look like planes. They make shooting noises.

Pete, George, and Conner are playing on the jungle gym across the playground.

Matt points at them.

MATT
                   Fire your missiles.


INT. CLASSROOM – END OF CLASS

Mrs. Burkholder does math equations on the board when the bell rings. Oscar and Matt walk to the front where Mrs. Burkholder is erasing the board. They wait until the class is empty.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   Hey Oscar, do you need anything?

Oscar looks down at the ground then to Matt, who nods.

OSCAR
Well, Pete and Conner and George told me that they brought bad things to school. They told me not to tell on them, but my mom always tells me how bad cigarettes are.

Mrs. Burkholder looks surprised.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   So they brought cigarettes to school?

OSCAR
                   Pete told me he brought bad pictures of girls too.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
                   I’ll talk to them about it.

OSCAR
They showed me how they kept it in their desks. . . will I get in trouble Mrs. B? Don’t tell my Mom. Please.

MRS. BURKHOLDER
Don’t worry Oscar. You did the right thing. You won’t get in trouble. I promise.


INT. OSCAR’S CAR – EVENING

Mom drives Oscar home from school. She is angry, but doesn’t say anything. Matt rides in the back.


INT. OSCAR’S HOUSE – EVENING

Oscar, Matt, and Mom walk into the kitchen. Oscar and Matt start to walk upstairs.

MOM
                   Oscar, wait. Sit down at the table.

Oscar goes and sits down. Matt stands on the stairs and watches.

Mom takes a baggy full of pills out of her purse and places it on the table in front of Oscar.

MOM
I found these in the trash in your room. Oscar, you need to take these pills. You are sick, honey. You need to get better.

OSCAR
                   I’m not sick. I don’t feel sick.

MOM
I know. Just take the pills and see how it makes you feel. If you don’t like it you can stop.

Matt stares at Oscar. He’s sad.

OSCAR
You just don’t like Matt. I don’t want you to take him.

MOM
                   Oscar, Matt isn’t real. You can have real friends.

OSCAR
                   He is real! Come on Matt.

Oscar runs out of the house with Matt.


EXT. OSCAR’S YARD – EVENING

Oscar and Matt run into the trees. They run in deeper and deeper away from the house. It becomes darker and transforms into a jungle the further they run.

There is a watch tower with a spotlight in a small clearing in the jungle. Oscar and Matt dive down as the spotlight sweeps over them.

The spotlight moves away and they rush to the bottom of the tower.

MATT
(whispering)
                   When we get to the top push the guard off.

OSCAR
                   Ok.

Oscar climbs into the tower. An armed guard starts to pull his gun out to shoot Oscar, but Oscar checks him over the rail. The man screams as he falls.

Matt hands Oscar a rock.

MATT
                   Hold this.

The beast has returned and is heard somewhere growling in the darkness.

Matt grabs the spot light and searches the surrounding jungle for the beast.

The spot light sparks and goes out.

MATT
                   It must have broke.

OSCAR
                   But the beast is coming.

The growls increase and the beast seems to be running toward the tower. The outline of some animal can be made out below.

The beast shrieks franticly.

MATT
                   Oscar the rock. Kill it with the rock.

Oscar looks down unsure of himself.

MATT
Oscar do it! The beast wants to kill me. Hit it with the rock, then no one will be in our way.

Oscar squints into the darkness at the beast.

THE BEAST
(in beast-like voice)
                   Oscar! Oscar, where are you honey?

Oscar looks at Matt angrily.

OSCAR
                   You want me to kill her? No Matt, I hate you!

Oscar bashes Matt on the head with the rock. Matt falls out of the tree.

Oscar is in the woods in his backyard again. It is almost completely dark. Mom stands at the base of the tree.

MOM
                   Oscar is that you? Please come down.

OSCAR
                   Ok, Mom.



END