Oscar Glyde Won't Heal Your Pride

29: The Death Star(t)

Chapter 29: The Death Star(t)

[Hallway, Atenamal Regional High, 8:50 AM]

[Enter Elsie]

ELSIE: "Oscar, you have to help me, I think Charity's going to kill herself. I think she already did."

OSCAR: "What?" (takes her by the elbow and pulls her into a nook) "What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

ELSIE: "We haven't seen her in ages, and she sent me this text early this morning:" (shows him the text)

CHARITY - Hi elsie, its charity. I just wanted to thank you for finding me and getting help. You didn't have to. I appreciate it tho.

OSCAR: "Elsie - this doesn't mean she... killed herself. She's just thanking you. We'll find her house after school, okay?"

ELSIE: "But it'll be too late then. We have to go now."

(...)

OSCAR: "Elsie, look behind you."

(Charity is walking down the hall, looking perfectly healthy aside from bruises that are still on her face)

ELSIE: (dumbfounded) "But..."

OSCAR: "I've got to go to class now, Elsie." (gives her a reassuring touch on the arm before slipping past her)

[Enter Basil]

BASIL: "Shrivelnut! Come over here."

OSCAR: "What? I'm going to class."

BASIL: "Not yet you ain't." (Basil takes a deep breath, and looks up at Oscar) "There's something you should know."

OSCAR: "What?"

BASIL: "A few days ago... Emma committed suicide."

OSCAR: "What?"

(...)

(...)

(...)

OSCAR: "You're joking."

BASIL: "I'm sorry, Oscar. People are just hearing about it now."

OSCAR: (his hands push his hair back as his eyes get glassy with tears) "No. There's no way. She has a kid! She was.... She's a kid!"

BASIL: "There's nothing we can do, Oscar."

(...)

(Oscar turns and kicks a plastic trash can with his foot; he sits on the floor and puts his face in his hands)

BASIL: "Oscar."

OSCAR: "There's nothing we can do. There's nothing we can do."

...

[Backyard, Fender's House, 9:21 PM]