Inner Peace By Tess Lennon-Dorn
tlennondorn@gmail.com
FADE IN: INT. YOGA STUDIO - DAY ELLA, a twenty-something woman, sits in pretzel pose with her eyes closed. She breathes deeply in meditation. NOISE, a small cartoon girl that resembles Ella, crawls onto her shoulder and sits in a pretzel, matching Ella. NOISE You know, Ella, I think your leggings are a little...should I say...out? ELLA Noise! I have an interview tomorrow at Chicago Reader, my favorite magazine, and I need to get in the zone. Okay? NOISE I’m just saying, look at her leggings. They’re fun, but simple. A beat. NOISE Oh my god. Did you fart? ELLA No! NOISE Really? Because it sure smells like it. Noise pinches her nose. ELLA Well I didn’t. NOISE Uh huh, sure. EXT. PARK - DAY Ella runs in the park while listening to music on her headphones. Noise runs alongside her. NOISE Can we slow down? You’re killing me.
2. ELLA No, Noise, running helps me focus. And, like I already said, I need to relax and prepare for my interview tomorrow. NOISE Are you interviewing with the Olympics? ELLA Very funny. INT. ELLA’S APARTMENT - NIGHT Ella tosses and turns in bed, adjusting her pillow and bed covers. Noise walks around on the bed. NOISE Did you practice that list of commonly asked interview questions? ELLA Yes. NOISE Maybe you should’ve practiced uncommonly asked questions. ELLA Would you just be quiet? NOISE I’m just saying, who’s to say they’re going to stick to common? ELLA They will, Noise. NOISE It would be a real shame not to get your dream job just because you practiced the wrong type of questions. Ella rips her covers off, walks over to her desk, and puts on her noise-cancelling headphones. She gets back into bed and closes her eyes. Noise lifts one of the headphones and speaks right into Ella’s ear. NOISE Which is better, Easy Mac or Rice A Roni?
3.
ELLA I don’t know, why? NOISE I was asking you an uncommonly asked interview question. ELLA Well here’s an interview question, shut up! Ella leaps out of bed and goes over to the closet. She opens a bin and pulls out some string. She walks back over to bed and ties the headphones on with the string. ELLA(CONT’D) Goodnight! Noise tiptoes off of the bed, onto the floor, and under the bed. She crawls back onto the bed with a loudspeaker in her hand. NOISE May the odds be ever in your favor! ELLA Oh my god! Do not quote The Hunger Games right now! NOISE I was just trying to give you a boost of confidence for tomorrow. ELLA I think I’d be confident if I had, like, five minutes of sleep. Ella rips the covers off and goes over to her desk. She comes back with a piece of duct tape, grabs Noise, and puts the tape over her mouth. ELLA(CONT’D) You brought this on yourself. Noise slowly yanks the tape off. She tip toes over to Ella’s desk, pulls out the blow dryer, plugs it in, points it right at Ella’s face, and turns it on full blast. NOISE That’s for the duct tape attack!
4.
ELLA Turn the blow dryer off! NOSIE No! ELLA Fine! Ella grabs the blow dryer out of Noise’s hands, faces the blow dryer at Noise, and blows her off the bed. Noise crashes onto the floor face first. ELLA That’s what you get! Ella rolls over and looks down at Noise, motionless, on the floor. ELLA Noise? Are you okay? Ella leaps out of bed and picks Noise up in her hand. She furiously shakes Noise and tears well up in her eyes. ELLA(CONT’D) Noise? Wake up! Please, please! I’ll do anything. Just wake up. Ella sets Noise down and places her hands together in a prayer position. Noise smiles. ELLA(CONT’D) Dear God, please save Noise. I guess I should start by saying I’m sorry I sped through that stop sign the other day, and yeah I’ve been using my ex-boyfriend’s mom’s Netflix password for at least, like-well I won’t bore you with a specific number of months. But, I’ll do anything to save Noise. I’ll give up my interview at Chicago Reader, I’ll do anything! Ella gets up and slowly gets back into bed. She lays Noise on the pillow next to her. Noise slowly opens her eyes, and stands up. NOISE April Fool’s!
5.
ELLA Oh, thank goodness! NOISE So, what else would you give up for me? ELLA I can’t believe you. Ella places the covers over her head. NOISE Would you give up ice cream for me? ELLA No way. NOISE What about chocolate pudding? ELLA I can’t hear you. Noise curls up under the covers and closes her eyes. NOISE Goodnight, Ella. ELLA Goodnight, Noise. FADE OUT