BEHIND THE GREY TAPE

written by

Tyler Washburn

A Drawing Apples Production REVISION 381

ZHURA December 11, 2008

18 Tremont St, Suite 310 Copyright © 2008
Boston, MA 02108 Tyler Washburn
www.zhura.com All Rights Reserved
 INT.KARENS APARTMENT - DAY

25 year-old philosophy major, CHANCE, ponders calmly in an

old wooden kitchen chair. He pulls a lighter from his coat
pocket and brings a flame to the end of a cigarette. He
smokes. He thinks. He wonders...

CHANCE (V.O.)
A German man by the name of Baron
d'Holbach once said, "If we go
back to the beginning we shall
find that ignorance and fear
created the gods."....Brave
fucking words for an eighteenth
century man wouldn't you say? I
mean today you can say whatever
you want. Out loud, to yourself.
Blog it, post it. Fuck, make of
video of yourself picking your
nose and you'll probably get ten
thousand hits in a half hour. All
that and no one bats an eye.
Church. State. Nothing. But back
then? Challenging the church? And
not just some commonor either.
d'Holbach was a wealthy, educated
well respected man. I mean, he
wrote parts of the fucking
Encyclopedia. Okay..he wrote this
book titled "Le Systeme De La
Nature." Which means "The System
of Nature." He lived in France.
This book was so controversial
that the Catholic church
threatened to stop funding the
crown if it wasn't pulled from
circulation. Imagine that. Its
insane. And why was the church so
riled? 'Cause a country of free
thinkers is insubordination. I
gotta say though, my favorite
quote of his is this."It would be
useless and almost unjust to
insist upon a man's being virtuous
if he cannot be so without being
unhappy. So long as vice renders
him happy, he should love
vice.".... Words to live by if you
ask me..
 2.

INT. COFFEE SHOP

Chance sits at a corner table in dark-lit coffee shop. Books

of philosophy are piled up next to his notebook in which he
pens relentlessly. A waitress approaches bearing a fresh,
steaming pot of thick black coffee.

WAITRESS
Can I top you up?

CHANCE
(breaking
concentration)
Ah...please.

She fills his mug with piping hot java.

CHANCE
Thanks.

WAITRESS
Have you read all of those?

CHANCE
..Sorry?

WAITRESS
Have you read all of those?

CHANCE
Read them? No. I study them.
Reading is for magazines and
newspapers. Texts such as these
require consumption and digestion
similar to a holiday feast. Only
once you have devoured every
morsel can you begin to describe
the taste.

WAITRESS
Oh..okay..well...let me know if
you need another warmer.

She leaves his table. He gazes off in her direction,

lingering in the wake of his arrogance.

CHANCE (V.O.)
I've always been awkward around
women. I love women. I want to end
up with one. You know, wife, kids,
that sort of thing. I don't know,
maybe because I grew up in a
orphanage full of boys, it set me
back. Or maybe I'm awkward with
everyone and I simply recognize it
(MORE)
 3.

CHANCE (CONT'D)
more because of the potential with
a women. I don't know but I hear
myself talking and I'm thinking,
"Give her the short version
asshole, shut the fuck up." But
before I know it I've drenched her
in verbal diarhea. I pity the next
to ask me about my day.

INT. BENS PLACE- EVENING

Chance is reciting the finer points of his philosophy

project while binding BEN'S arms and legs with duct tape.
All Ben can do is scream inside his own mouth.

BEN
(behind the
tape)
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

CHANCE
So what are you anyways? A
compatibilist? No..and you can't
be metaphysical libertarianist.
Your an incompatibilist aren't
you?

Chance scans the room in search of evidence to back is

theory about BEN. He settles on a crucifix hanging by the
door.

CHANCE
(smiling)
Yeah, you know what gave you away?

Chance peels the tape over BENS mouth back.

BEN
HEL.....!

CHANCE
(retaping Bens
mouth)
The cross. That makes you a
theological determinist right? You
know god determines your fate by
some sort of advanced omniscience
right? Me, I have no clue where I
fit? I mean under the
circumstances I've been given a
rare approach to the debate. Fresh
eyes. New angles. See I thought I
might be a compatibilist. You know
the idea that determinism and free
(MORE)
 4.

CHANCE (CONT'D)
will can co-exist. But I'm not
convinced yet,..are you?

Chance peels back the tape again to hear BENS answer.

BEN
(breathing
heavy)
W-what?..

INT. JACKIES PLACE - DAY

Chance is filling up the tub with cold water while JACKIE

lay bound on the bathroom floor next to him. He elaborates.

CHANCE
Determinism. The theory that all
current and future events are
causally necessitated by past
events combined with the laws of
nature.

JACKIE
...I-I ag-gree...?

CHANCE
Really? See thats what I'm talking
about. When did theory become a
dirty word?

JACKIE
..We are a-a p-product of our en-
environment...are you gonna kill
me...?

CHANCE
(taping JACKIES
mouth)
Soon as the tubs full be
patient.(CONT.)

JACKIE
(behind the
tape)
MMMMMMMMMM!

CHANCE
..See I have a different view. I
think...my environment is a
product of me..Case in point.
 5.

INT. KYLES PLACE - DAY

Chance has KYLE tied to his kitchen table. A variety of

knives are spread across the seat of a kitchen chair. Chance
paces back and forth while engaging Kyle in his debate.

CHANCE
Now, you see I never knew my
parents. I don't have any
siblings, relatives or friends.
But I am not sad or depressed. I'm
not bitter or afflicted. I'm
indifferent. Like the Omish or
some bush tribe. I have an edge.

KYLE
...W-What's th-that...?

CHANCE
(smiling)
Love. Love is a state in which
people are most prone to see
things the way they are not. I
don't have love. I don't know
love.

KYLE
I-I'm...s-sorry...I..

CHANCE
(sealing Kyle's
mouth)
It's not you fault silly. That's
just how it shook out. But the
point is that I'm the perfect test
pilot...

INT. BENS PLACE - NIGHT

Chance has a firm grip around Ben's neck. While articulating

his theory, Chance strangles Ben. Not with anger, not with
passion, not with aggression but with a desire for
understanding.

CHANCE
I mean uninfluenced by the,..by
the binding properties of love.
How rare is that? Most love
something. Someone.

BEN
(beyond the
tape)
ugghuhg....
 6.

CHANCE
You know what I mean?

Ben is limp. He is dead.

INT. JACKIES PLACE - DAY

The tub is full. Chance turns off the faucet and submerges
Jackie's head in the water.

JACKIE
MMMMMMMMM.......!

CHANCE
My professor says I should choose
an easier topic for my assignment
but he doesn't realize my resolve.
I still have to research a few
other aspects of course. Such as
the concept of biological
determinism. You know what that
is?

Jackie's body turns limp and falls to the floor motionless.

She is dead.

INT. KYLES PLACE - DAY

Chance continues. Kyle has a large knife sticking into his

chest.

KYLE
MMMMMMM...!

CHANCE
Well basically it means that you,
your actions, decisions and
feelings are a result of genetics.
You believe that?

KYLE
MMMMMMMM!

Chance leans in close and turns the blades handle 90

degrees.

CHANCE
No, I don't buy it either.
 7.

INT. KARENS APARTMENT - DAY

Chance extinguishes his cigarette and continues his

discussion. Sitting across from him is Karen who is tied to
her chair.

CHANCE
You see I am constructing a new
theory. You want to hear my
thesis?

KAREN
Okay.

CHANCE
Freewill. Freewill exists but can
only be possessed by those who are
not possessed by love.

KAREN
So you love nothing?

CHANCE
And nothing loves me right back.

KAREN
I think your a coward.

CHANCE
Its a delicate balance.

KAREN
So what?.. So you think that
justifies you to commit murder?
Thats sick..

CHANCE
It's science to me. I told you I
am not restricted by any outside
forces. I am free.

KAREN
You think your the only orphan you
fucking..megalomaniac..?

CHANCE
No bu-

KAREN
Fucking philosophy martyr? ..are
you out of your mind-

CHANCE
Hey-
 8.

KAREN
You know what?...I grew up in..in
foster care. And it hurt. But I
grew up Chance. I stood up, went
to school and earned a
degree...I've made something of
myself now. And now you want to
take it all away for some sick
class project? Thats bullshit
Chance! Its not fair!

CHANCE
It's bigger than that Karen. It's
bigger than me, you the world.
It's seeing freewill. Living
it....Look...I'm sorry. It's all
random. That's the idea. I picked
names from the phonebook. Your
number four. The last one I need.
Then it's over. You want some
water?

Karens shoulders sink while warm salty tears breach her

lashes and rush down her pale trembling face.

KAREN
..Okay..

Chance walks to the kitchen where he pours Karen a glass of

tap water. He dumps a vile of powder into the water a stirs
it vigorously. He casually walks back to Karen and serves
his concoction. She swallows every fateful drop like a
parched camel.

KAREN
T-thanks....you know what I did
the other day? I called this
company called "Family Finder."
...They help you find long lost
relatives.

CHANCE
Really?

KAREN
Aren't you ever curious who's out
there?

CHANCE
Not really,..No, how do you feel?

KAREN
Alright..you don't want to know
your family?
 9.

CHANCE
They chose a long time ago.
Freewill. How do you feel now.

KAREN
Dizzy..why..

Phone rings.

CHANCE
Just relax,...I spiked the water.
The sedative will take the edge
off of the cyanide. You will
simply go to sleep.

KAREN
...Y-you..you...coward...

CHANCE
(whispering)
Shhh. It's okay, sleep.

Answering machine

KAREN (V.O.)
This is Karen's phone leave a good
one.

BEEP!

LEANNE
Hi Karen, this is LEANNE ROGERS
from Family Finder. I'm calling to
let you know that we have some
good news. Let me be the first to
congratulate you, you have a
brother-

KAREN
(breathing slowly barely
conscious)ugh...mmm..

CHANCE
It's okay...

LEANNE(CONT'D)
-He is a 25 year-old philosophy
major with a really neat
name...Chance, call me when you
get home Bye!

BEEP! "End of Messages"

The loudest silence ever heard fills the room. Chance and
Karen lock eyes for the first time as family. As brother and
sister. Not a creature stirs besides the twin lone tears
 10.

bleeding down each of their cheeks.

Karens head rolls back limp with her dead eyes.

THE END