CONTENT: Steel House in the Prairie, comic script, full chapter
It seems that not everyone in the building is very welcoming…
NEW FRIEND!
INT. TRAIN STATION - DAY
April sits down on the waiting bench. She looks outside and it looks likethe sun's still gonna be up for about a couple hours. She then looks at the pouch that Ilekren gifted her. She grabs a single ursémoma treat and examines it.
APRIL: (In her thoughts) I don’t usually eat, but I guess this won’t take up too much space…
April puts the whole thing in her mouth. She chews it. She gets electrocuted.
APRIL: EW, WHAT THE HECK?! Man, that hurts!!!
Pillia enters the room with her bin.
APRIL: Oh, what am I thinking - This a treat for flippin' sennajays - OF COURSE, IT'D ZAP ME--
Pillia sits next to April.
PILLIA: Whoa there April, I didn’t even know you could get so worked up!
APRIL: (Embarrassedly) Pillia! Sorry you saw that...!
PILLIA: Ah, forget it. Anyway, it looks like you’ve been here a while. Did I keep you waiting too long?April puts the pouch inside her knapsack.
APRIL: A little bit,
PILLIA: Hm... Oh yeah, did you ever find Wyra and those missing sennajays?
APRIL: Oh that...! I did, actually... In a way. I didn't exactly get to find everyone.
PILLIA: No way! Can you tell me more?
April explains what happened to Pillia. Their conversation is "inaudible" (Y'know, because this is gonna (hopefully) be in comic form...) Soon enough, the train arrives.
INT. TRAIN - SAME DAY
Matro sits rather relaxedly in the train. The door opens and Pillia energetically walks right in.
MATRO: Good aft-
PILLIA: Matro! You will not believe what April did just then!
MATRO: ?
April walks to a seat. Behind her, Pillia talks enthusiastically to Matro. The train starts moving and April looks out the window for a bit.
PILLIA: Hey April? ...What did the android you saw look like?
APRIL: Well, they sure weren't doctor. I saw they were wearing some utility worker uniform or something, and had these huge twin tails...
MATRO: (In shock) Then... that must've been Wyra!
APRIL: (In her thoughts) So, I was right...
PILLIA: What? (To April) What the heck's she doing going all hostile to you?
APRIL: I dunno... But it looks like she's after me. Like, she wants to capture me. She sent those sennajays to capture me for her, actually.
MATRO: WHAAT?! Why would she ever do that?
APRIL: Dunno.
MATRO: Well, knowing her, it's either she made the decision herself or she was forced to. But Wyra wouldn't easily just give in to doing, well, that...!
APRIL: Forced to...? Well, she was one of the people taken in by that doctor, right? From the sounds of it, Doc seems pretty shady,
MATRO : Right, there's that... ... Hold on a second, do you remember anything Ilekren said about that doctor? Y'know, about who they are? What they looked like?
APRIL: Uh... They work up here, big bunny ears apparently, name started with an "S"...
MATRO: (Disappointedly) It's Sarlife, wasn't it. ...Oh God, I know my entire life I've been hoping for something interesting to happen, but I didn't mean it like this.
APRIL: Yeah, I get that.
April looks out the window again. After a while, the train stops.
PILLIA: April! I’m going to do run some errands here. Do you wanna get off with me again?
APRIL: Yeah sure, why not?
EXT. TRAIN STATION (2) - CONTINUOUS
April and Pillia get off the train.
MATRO: Before you go, I suppose you keep an eye out for any funny business, too. You should already know what I’m talking about.
APRIL/PILLIA: Gotcha.
MATRO: I’ll see you soon.
INT. MARKETPLACE BALCONY - SAME DAY
April and Pillia walk into the room.
PILLIA: Alright April, you got the drill. You can have a look around this area and then I'll come find you, or do you want to come along with me this time?
APRIL: I think I want to do some more exploring on my own, again.
PILLIA: Cool, cool. Meeting place's here.
APRIL: Mhm.
PILLI: See ya then,
Pillia waves goodbye as she trots away to a store. April walks along the stores for a while. Suddenly, from somewhere around a corner, there's some commotion!
???: (From around a corner) Hey! What the hell! Get back here!
APRIL: ?! (In her thoughts) Jeez, that’s some attitude coming from a 12 year-old…
April looks over the corner. She sees an android, about a head taller than her, dressed in a long dark coat, bandanna, and outback hat leaning over a balcony.
APRIL: (In her thoughts) Huh? That's probably not a 12 year-old, then...
The android quickly turns around and sees her. April is startled. The android gets startled, too.
???: (Aggressively) HEY.
APRIL: (Slightly provoked) Whoa! What’s with the-
???: The hell’re you? You got business with me?!
APRIL: (Anxiously) N-No! I’m just some ordinary kid and I'm not gonna do anything to you if that’s what you think I’m gonna do…!
The android relaxes their body.
???: Oh. ‘k. Thought you were up to something. Sorry…
APRIL: (Awkwardly) Uh, it’s cool…
???: ...
April walks slowly towards the android. April awkwardly waits for a response.
???: But you saw what happened.
APRIL: Not really; I just got here.
???: Oh.
The android looks back down the balcony.
???: Well, someone threw some things of mine down there. They’re really important to me, so I’m getting them back.
April also looks down the balcony. There's a wall of pipes and bars right below them.
APRIL: It looks like it’s pretty far down. You really think you wanna try?
???: Yeah. But I’ll need help. Hey, you should come help me. …If, you’re not busy, I mean.
APRIL: Oh, uh… sure thing. There are a lotta pipes and stuff we can use to climb down,
???: Nice.
The android climbs down over the balcony.
???: …By the way, you got a name?
April starts climbing down, too.
APRIL: …I’m April.
???: Named after the old Earth month, eh? That’s pretty cool. By the way, the name’s Eyn.
INT. PIPED WALL - CONTINUOUS
April and Eyn climb down the wall.
APRIL: Hey…! just I noticed your outfit.
EYN: Yeah, what about it?
APRIL: You look like that character, Axel Duiti.
EYN: Axel… Duiti…? Uh… Dunno him.
APRIL: Well… He’s the main character of this comic series that I used to love to read as a kid. It’s a rare find, but it’s a gem.
EYN: Axel Duiti…? Sounds pretty cool. Uh… should definitely get into it. Yeah…
April and Eyn climb down, still. They both help each other along the way.
INT. PLATFORM ATTACHED TO THE PIPED WALL - CONTINUOUS
April reaches a pipe close to a safe platform. April waits for Eyn, who's stuck on a pipe and trying to pull themselves out.
APRIL: So… Eyn? I’m pretty lost in this building right now. Is there anything you know about this place?
Eyn's still trying to pull themselves out.
EYN: Hm. …I know there's a lotta exits, but the only safe ones are on the bottom floor. How’d you get lost here, anyway?
April hops on the platform.
APRIL: Well…
Suddenly, something lands on the platform that April's on. It's a group of armoured sennajays! And they're holding the same rope, bag, and metal rods, too! Looks like they're trying to capture April again. She prepares to defend herself with her metal pipe.
APRIL: Ah! Well, it’s a long story! I’ll explain later!
EYN: ?!
The few sennajays with rods charge up their rods with electricity and try poking at her from every direction! April does her best to dodge each of them (which she does pretty successfully.) She then whacks two sennajays away from her, causing them to fall off the edge of the platform.
APRIL: Ah! Not again...!
April looks up. She sees Wyra and another much taller, slender android looking down from an open window. April notices the other android’s appearance: a long white coat, a head mirror, and most memorably, antennae that look like long ears.
APRIL: (In her thoughts) It’s that idiot doctor…! And Wyra?
April resumes defending herself. She walks backwards underneath a low ceiling, where Wyra and the doctor can’t see her. And after finally getting themselves unstuck, Eyn finally lands on the platform! April sprints and hides behind Eyn.
EYN: What’s happening?
APRIL: I dunno!
EYN: It’s fine. I got your back.
Eyn walks ahead and kicks an armoured sennajay off the edge. A small box appears out of their arm and miraculously unfolds into a wrench, then they strike two sennajays with rods sprinting towards them. April's totally shocked at Eyn’s ruthlessness!
APRIL: (In shock) What the heck…
Eyn shakes April’s shoulders.
EYN: Hey, snap out of it! What's the deal?!
APRIL: …?!
A sennajay attacks Eyn with their rod from behind. April quickly whacks it off Eyn.
EYN: There we go!
April then notices something in the distance... Suddenly, April holds onto Eyn’s arm and runs along the platform.
EYN: Wait- what n’ the?
EXT. EMPTY LODGING - CONTINUOUS
The doctor leans far over the windowsill, along with Wyra.
DOCTOR: You’re joking! I can’t see a thing! Where'd she go?!
WYRA: And I thought you were tall!
DOCTOR: Now’s not the time, Wyra!
INT. PLATFORM ATTACHED TO THE PIPED WALL - CONTINUOUS
April and Eyn run across the platform. Armoured sennajays chase them.
EYN: You got some nerve dragging me along like that!
APRIL: Sorry…!
EYN: Nah, it’s fine.
April sees stairs right ahead! The armoured sennajays catch up to them and cling onto Eyns legs. April falls back with them. April drops her metal pipe, then a sennajay grabs it and charges it with electricity. The sennajay strikes in April'd direction and she dodges it! Meanwhile, Eyn prises off a sennajay that’s clinging onto their legs with their crowbar. Back to April, and she's just dodged another strike from the sennajay with her pipe. To April's surprise, Eyn grabs the pipe and throws it off the edge, along with the sennajay holding it!
APRIL: WHAT--
April tries to pull another sennajay grabbing onto Eyn’s leg. The sennajay emits electricity, zapping her in the process, causing her to fall off the ledge! Luckily, she and lands on the stairs she was after. She gets up, she sees two sennajays running down the stairs right towards her! They're the ones holding the rope and the giant bag to catch her with. When they try attack April, she defends herself with the shank she has and pushes them both off the edge of the stairs! It's now clear for April to climb up the stairs. When she reaches the top, she sees Eyn with seriously hurt sennajays around them.
EYN: You okay?
APRIL: I guess…
April searches the area for any more armoured sennajays.
APRIL: (In relief) *Sigh*
EYN: Oh- uh, sorry about your stick.
APRIL: It’s fine…
A final armoured sennajay runs towards them. April and Eyn steady themselves. The sennajay sees that the rest of their teammates either are seriously injured or totally knocked out. They look at April and Eyn. April looks at the shank in her hand. She looks at the sennajay. The sennajay retreats the area.
APRIL: *Sigh*
EYN: Goddamn... What’s their deal with you?
APRIL: Dunno. I don’t think they like me very much.
EYN: Ah, I’ll do something about that. Let’s just hope it’s as easy as just talking with them.
APRIL: Yeah,
EYN: But hey. You’re pretty kick-ass with your stick. Didn’t even know you had it in you.
APRIL: Thanks…! ... Hold on. Lemme check something.
EYN: Alright. I’ll just be here, then.
Eyn’s left arm opens up and they type on a keyboard. April runs back to check on Wyra and the doctor. She sees Wyra and the doctor look at April.
EXT. EMPTY LODGING - CONTINUOUS
The doctor and Wyra look over the balcony.
WYRA: Oop, there she is. She's back. Don't see any sennajays though...
DOCTOR: And she managed to get through them again?!
WYRA: Do you think the ones that went are alright, still?
DOCTOR: I doubt it.
WYRA: The girl looks like she’s gonna be down there for a while. Guess, we can’t fetch those sennajays right now.
DOCTOR: Yes, that’s right... I don’t think we should have any more go today. I believe we’d be in for a lot more, tomorrow.
WYRA: Yup... *Sigh*
DON’T LOSE IT AGAIN!
INT. PLATFORM ATTACHED TO THE PIPED WALL - DAY
Eyn and April sit against the wall.
EYN: I’m done with what I’m doing. You?
APRIL: Think I’m ready, now.
EYN: 'K, let's go,
INT. PIPED WALL - SAME DAY
April and Eyn climb down the pipes.
INT. PIPE ROOM - SAME DAY
April and Eyn hop off the wall. April sits to rest. She grins when she sees her metal pipe again.
EYN: ? …You know we’re going to go up the same way, right?
APRIL: *Sighh*
April picks up her metal pipe while disappointedly flopping down. Meanwhile, Eyn looks for their dropped devices.
EYN: There they are…
Eyn picks two gadgets up from the ground.
EYN: Shieet… They’re beat up pretty bad right now.
APRIL: Whoa… What are they?
EYN: They’re… Uh… How do I explain…?
Eyn squats next to April and shows her the gadgets.
EYN: Well, I work with computers with these things. They transfer files and whatnot.
APRIL: Oh, okay… And I’m guessing the other one helps it?
EYN: Yeah. ... …I think it’s about time to head back up, now. Let’s go.
INT. MARKETPLACE BALCONY - SAME DAY
At the top, April and Eyn climb over the balcony. April stops to take a breath.
APRIL: *Phew...*
EYN: You’re not an android, are you? Especially if you get exhausted like that.
APRIL: Yeah, I’m a human. Well, kinda. Cyborg, really.
EYN: I figured. By the way, thanks for helping me today. Means a lot.
APRIL: No problem!
EYN: Gosh, I gotta repay you, somehow. ...Hey, I could give some upgrades to your stick. Y’know, make it cooler n’ stuff. Trust me, you're gonna like it.
APRIL: For real?
April gives Eyn her metal pipe.
EYN: Yeah. Might get this back to you tomorrow, though... In the morning! And I swear. Where d'you think I'll meet you?
APRIL: No idea... But I'm just going along the tracks for now.
EYN: Wanna exchange contacts then?
APRIL: Sure thing, ...But I don't have any social media though... Just a number.
April shows Eyn something on the screen on her robotic arm. Eyn opens up the screen on their arm too, and types something on there while looking at April's screen.
EYN: Nice.
APRIL: Man, you’ve gotta be one of the nicest people I’ve ever talked to.
EYN: Thanks…! Oh yeah… Before we split, I just wanted to let you know… Since I think we’re gonna be real good friends n’ all, I feel like it’s about time I told you this ‘cause we’re pretty buddy-buddy now.
APRIL: Okay, what i s it?
EYN: I’m actually a girl, too.
APRIL: Wait, wha--
Cut to a long number of minutes later, April sits and waits at the meeting spot she promised to meet Pillia at.
SUBTITLE: Later...
Pillia shows up from a building corner. She runs to April.
PILLIA: Oh my God, April! Where've you been? I was so worried!
APRIL: I uh... Kinda went down a balcony.
PILLIA: You whaat?!
APRIL: Oh yeah. And I met someone.
PILLIA: YOU WHAAT?!?!
APRIL: D-Don't worry! I think I made a friend and I know I’m not very good with that, so I’m feeling pretty good! She's about our age too.
PILLIA: *Phew* Well, that's pretty awesome. Who is she?
April stands up and she and Pillia start walking.
APRIL: Her name’s Eyn.
PILLIA: Eyn? Oh, I know Eyn! She’s seriously badass.
APRIL: Yeah, I got that. What else’s she like?
PILLIA: To be honest, I’m not sure if I’ve gotten the whole picture, yet...
They reach a door.
INT. TRAIN STATION - NIGHT
The door slides open. April and Pillia enter the room. Through a window, the sun's setting.
PILLIA: (Cont'd) She always seems so uneasy around me, even though we’ve been talking for a pretty long time already. I’m not sure she likes me. Whenever we talk, she either talks really fast or she barely says anything.
APRIL: Oh...
They both sit down on the seat.
PILLIA: Yeah, and when we’re not actually talking, she always looks like she’s glaring at me and when I notice her, she hides away.
APRIL: Well, uh… Maybe she’s still just shy or something. I think she likes keeping this tough, mysterious attitude, so maybe…?
PILLIA: I hope...?
April and Pillia wait. After some time, the train arrives.
INT. TRAIN - SAME NIGHT
April and Pillia sit down. April looks out of the window. On one of the corners of the train, there's a radio speaker.
RADIO: 🎵🎵🎵-- CHHHHH
RADIO VOICE 1: (Through the speaker) It’s 18:30. This is On the Erlu…
APRIL: Wait- There’s news here?!
SUBTITLE: "Limun" - The Imesian equivalent to an hour. From what we've learnt about limuns, it's longer than an Earthean hour.
RADIO VOICE 2: (Through the speaker) Good evening! The main stories tonight: There has been a sudden degradation in… things.
PILLIA: (To April) Yeah, just basic stuff that happens in the building.
RADIO VOICE 1: I’m Auna Louge and that over there is Nuese Shanole.
PILLIA: It’s nothing much. Most of it’s pretty useless.
APRIL: *Phew*
NUESE: But first, the news.
PILLIA: Don’t like the news, don’t you?
APRIL: It’s… eh… I just hate it, y’know...
April covers where her ears would be over her hat, as if to rest her head on her hands.
NUESE: A sudden degradation in both the quality and quantity of our resources has been evident in these past few weeks…
More views.
AUNA: Blah, blah, blah, and there have been search groups held across multiple floors. Apparently, they’re searching for robots, but how do you lose something that big? Which provokes the question: are living organisms slowly devolving or are robots getting better at hiding? Blah, blah…
More views. More passengers are on the train, now.
NUESE: …Blah, blah, and stolen and unreturned tools. Solution? Clone them and give them back. Blah, blah, blah, and faulty machinery, and misbehaving robots. Auna and I, of course, not included. Blah, blah, blah, and our garden plants are garbage, now. The reason is explainable, but we do not have the information, yet. Our next topic, blah blah blah…
More views. April looks bored, now. The train is empiter than before.
APRIL: *Sigh*
AUNA: …And our fisher-bot crew have also still not yet returned. They have sent us pictures of their trip to the waters and it appears that they are unsuccessfully hiding the fact that they’ve been on vacation. I have printed and stuck those images on various walls around the building, so you know what the team looks like. When will they return? You figure that out. That’s all. I’m Auna Loque, you’re listening to the news, this is “On the E…”
RADIO: BEEP
NUESE: Also, we forgot to mention: One of the rooftop doc’s completely gone nuts. Nuese out.
RADIO: Click! ... ... .. 🎵🎵🎵~
APRIL: …
PILLIA: Jeez…! If that wasn’t the biggest news update we’ve had so far, then I dunno what is.
MATRO: But then again, they tend to go on about useless such-and-such, since hardly anything exciting happens around here. It’s hard to tell what’s relevant or not.
PILLIA: But don’t you remember about Doc and Wyra? Something weird’s definitely up.
MATRO: Oh, right… That…
APRIL: Actually, about those guys… I think I saw both of them when I was out exploring…
MATRO: Really? What about Wyra? Is she...
APRIL: She didn't seem too bothered around Doc, after all. In fact, I don't even think she's doing anything against her will.
MATRO: ...
PILLIA: And about Doc - He looked like a bunny, right?
APRIL: More like a bilby, to be honest… But yeah, those guys attacked me, again...
MATRO: This is insane. Why can’t things just be normal?
PILLIA: Heck, if anything, I really just feel bad for April… She just had to come visit at such a bad time, huh.
APRIL: No kidding... I know Wyra and that doctor are after me for something, but I dunno what.
PILLIA: Yeah. What's wrong with you? Nothing! (Jokingly) That is... Unless you're hiding something,
APRIL: Heyy, cut the crap!
PILLIA: I'm only kidding! Haha!
After some time, the train stops. Out the window, there's a giant garden.
APRIL: Whoa...
PILLIA: Oh, you just wait 'til Spring comes around. This entire place has honestly some of the best hangout spots here. You wanna get off and explore for a bit? I'll stay with you, this time.
APRIL: Sure thing,
MATRO: Are you sure, April? I'm worried you might run into more trouble again.
PILLIA: I'll look out for her,
MATRO: Hm... ... ... Alright. Just be careful out there...
SOMEONE'S NOT BACK TO WORK!
EXT. ROOFTOP GARDENS - NIGHT
April and Pillia walk through the garden. The sun's completely set, now. Garden patches full of fruit and vegetable plants spread all across the ground. Upon a closer inspection, April notices that the plants look like they hadn’t been treated very well. A few stolluks, four-legged, two-armed beings with mostly heart-shaped heads, tend to the plants and monitor the artificial weather conditioners. Some of them just sit around.
PILLIA: The news really was serious, huh. That’s a rarity.
April watches the stolluks work. They look totally exhausted. A bell makes a single ring and a large electric sign that reads “18:45” blinks. Some of the stolluks begin to exit the garden.
STOLLUK 1: That’s his time off, right? This is driving me nuts.
STOLLUK 2: Dunno. Wanna bet?
One of the stolluks notice Pillia and wave at her.
???: ‘Eyy, evening, Pillia!
PILLIA: Evening, Chavel!
APRIL: (Whispering) Who's that?
PILLIA: A family-friend,
Chavel walks up to Pillia and April. Chavel looks at April.
CHAVEL: And who’s this young fella?
PILLIA: This is April. She’s a cyborg kid from the city and she’s on her way to get home.
April awkwardly waves.
CHAVEL: So, you’re April, huh? I got a friend who told me all about ya. Ya remember Ilekren, yeah?
April nods. Chavel smiles.
PILLIA: Anyways, I heard about the gardens in the news earlier. What’s up with that?
CHAVEL: Oh yeah. That.
April looks at the garden again while Pillia and Chavel talk.
CHAVEL: Lately, we’ve been finding it a lil hard to manage the weather systems n’ gardens n’ whatnot. Farqua’s been here a lot less often now, so some of us’ve just organised ourselves to do some of his work for him.
PILLIA: Huh. I also noticed Farqua hasn’t been around much lately whenever I come up here.
April's attention is back to Pillia and Chavel.
CHAVEL: Think ya got time to help find him? No pressure, though! I ain’t forcing ya or anythin’!
PILLIA: I think I can,
CHAVEL: Gosh, thanks!
APRIL: (Whispering) Pillia… who’s Farqua?
PILLIA: Farqua? He’s the android that works up here in the rooftop gardens.
APRIL: (Whispering) What does… What’s he look like?
PILLIA: Mostly red, got apple for a head, and got a couple baskets hanging off his waist. His antennae looks a bit like bulls horns, too. And also, he’s one of the weirder ones from the early X600s so he doesn’t wear clothes like Matro, Wyra, and Doc do. Sorry if that sounds weird, haha!
APRIL: No, that’s fine… At least he's hard to miss.
CHAVEL: Not to mention, but he's got quite a pretty face for a robot, too.
APRIL: Mhm, got it.
PILLIA: You’re saying you wanna try find him, too?
CHAVEL: Well, it wouldn’t hurt to get a lil more help. Say April, would ya like a small tour around the gardens? We can cover a lotta area by doing that, too.
APRIL: For real? Sure thing,
CHAVEL: Alright, let's get started
INT. GREENHOUSE - SAME NIGHT
Pillia and April look around.
PILLIA: This is Farqua's favourite greenhouse, as he claims. Nice, isn't it?
APRIL: Guess, he's got good taste.
PILLIA: Now, we've gotta find some clue around here somewhere...
CHAVEL: I looked all over this place and not a single footprint.
PILLIA: You sure they're that easy to spot?
CHAVEL: I mean, like all adroids, he's pretty heavy. It gotta show up on the dirt at some point. Guess he hasn't been here in a while. Let's keep lookin.
INT. BALCONY OF GARDEN LODGINGS FRONT - SAME NIGHT
April, Pillia and Chavel look down a balony. In front of them is a pretty wide view of some of the rooftop gardens.
APRIL: This place is pretty devoid of people. Or is it because lots of people go to bed early around here?
CHAVEL: Well, while this building's a giant, there actually ain't that many dwellers here. At least that makes it easier for us to spot Farqua wanderin' about, eh?
APRIL: That's true.
CHAVEL: But... It does seem a lil emptier than usual... Ah, what the heck? Big day for everyone, coverin' up for some slackin' robots. Makes sense.
INT. FARQUA'S ROOM - SAME NIGHT
April stands by the door. Chavel and Pillia are already searching for clues.
APRIL: Are you sure this isn't rude?
CHAVEL: This was a last resort.
April walks in and searches.
PILLIA: Well, this looks like Farqua hasn't been here in a while.
CHAVEL: Yeah, seems like it. This ain't lookin' too good.
April looks at the charging bed.
CHAVEL: Ya know how to work that thing?
APRIL: Uh... Sorta. I kinda have something similar for me back at home.
CHAVEL: Any clues from it?
APRIL: Well, this thing hasn't been last used in like... A couple days? But definitely less than a week. How far back is this date?
CHAVEL: *Sigh* This search is takin' a while. You kids wanna head for some snacks or what?
EXT. FOOD STALL ON A LARGE BALCONY - SAME NIGHT
The sun's down completely, now. April, Pillia and Chavel break at a garden food stall. April sips a drink and immediately coughs.
CHAVEL: A bit bitter, ain’t it?
APRIL: Yeah. (Mumbling) It’s not alcohol, right…?
CHAVEL: Wh-what?! God no, ya don’t gotta worry about that, haha!
APRIL: Still better than the "popping candy" that Ilekren gave me…
CHAVEL: It was the ursémoma, eh?
April nods. Chavel laughs.
PILLIA: C'mon, bitter isn't that bad! Here, I'll have the rest if you want,
APRIL: Take it,
Chavel yawns.
CHAVEL: Looks like I should be I’ll be headin' off, now. Shame we couldn't find Farqua today. Catch ya kids later.
Pillia and April wave Chavel goodbye. They stay at the food stall some more.
EXT. LARGE BALCONY - SAME NIGHT
April and Pillia walk right next to the balcony railings.
APRIL: So apparently, there've been stuff about misbehaving robots and stuff? Do you think Farqua’s one of them?
PILLIA: I’m gonna bet you’re right.
APRIL: What about... Actually no, Doc and Wyra's kind of obvious, for this one.
PILLIA: Mhm,
APRIL: What about... Ida?
PILLIA: Oh... Why do you say that? I really hope not, though...
Pillia grabs out her phone and text messages show up on the screen. From the messages she sent to Ida earlier, ("ida where u at, i kno u have aprils jacket") Pillia's been left on read.
PILLIA: ...
April looks over the railing into the vast distance. She frowns a little.
APRIL: How far away are we, anyway? Like, how far away are we from the, I dunno… Nearest city?
PILLIA: Ohh… Niatheia’s the closest major one from here, if that's what you're talking about. Unless you mean smaller ones. That's Quonez.
APRIL: Niatheia? I live there, actually.
PILLIA: Whoa… Well, if you’re asking how far away we are, I dunno really. Ida’s gone over there on foot before, but she says it’s still really, really far.
APRIL: Aw man…
Pillia looks over the balcony, too. The sky is clear and starry, and two moons show.
PILLIA: Look on the bright side, though. The sky's pretty up here, isn’t it? And both Pons and Fina are up tonight!
APRIL: I guess yeah, that’s true...
EXT. TRAIN STATION (2) - SAME EVENING
April and Pillia sit at the bench and wait. Pillia takes another tomato out of her sack. April and Pillia wait some more. After some time, a mysterious android sits next to Pillia. The light is low, so their identity is hardly visible. Pillia notices the android.
PILLIA: Oh, you gotta be kidding me...!
END.
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