Wake Me Up : 2016

"ONE"

WAKE ME UP
"ONE"

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
North Philadelphia Streets
10:05 p.m
[ DREAM SEQUENCE ]

Kol is walking up the street with earphones in his ears. He hits play on his cell phone and puts the phone in his pocket. He's walking at a calm pace and appears sad. There are a few cars out, and a few people wandering the neighborhood. There's a sound of basketballs bouncing, girls playing numbers, and kids screaming in the background.

Kol
( Narrating ) My name is Kol. I'm 15 years old. I live here in North Philadelphia. I grew up living in a home with all six of my siblings, and both of my parents. I'm the third child. I have two older brothers; Rashi and Damion. I have only one younger brother, Josh. And I have three younger sisters; Naila, Kaylen, and Nia. While poverty is one of the world's biggest problems, there are more than a million teenagers, including myself, who're drowning themselves in depression. I feel like everything's moving in slow motion. I'm worried about something, and I have no idea what it is... or how to control it.

Kol passes a bar where drunk people are standing. His phone flashes and makes and buzzes causing him to jump. He takes his phone out and sees a message notification from Toby. He smiles while crossing the street, heading toward the park. After putting his phone away, he walks through the dark park. There's no one in sight. He begins looking around and walking slowly.

Kol
( Narrating ) This Summer's going to be my last Summer. The constant fear of not being good enough is aching. I live in a world where being alone labels you a target. It started with me being jumped at the end of my eighth grade year by some teen pothead and his pothead brothers. Following that incident was the potheads' sister, Ali... and she's a... busy, busy girl. She sleeps with the older—that's going to stay between us. After all of her pothead brothers were arrested—and no, I didn't snitch... they were caught up in pothead activities. Anyways, she went downhill. Everything was cool after that until I caught feelings for... another busy, busy girl. She cheated on me and I lost all emotion. What's killing me more than anything now is that a couple weeks ago her brother was let out. I have this undying feeling that this Summer's the end for me. Not necessarily regarding him, but all of the problems he brings.

Kol's eyes fill with tears.

Kol
( Narrating ) It's the principle behind it. Why does everything hit me all at once? Between the two situations, I started having nightmares, or at least that's what it feels like. They have no meaning behind them, and my mom's solution was for me to talk to a psychologist. I won't know how to explain to anyone how I feel. I mean... but the feeling reminds me I'm alive. Sometimes I'm numb, and sometimes I feel everything. At the moment, I don't know what I'm feeling. If it's up to me, I don't know what I wanna feel. I'm afraid to be happy.
—
Kol
( Narrating ) Something's telling me this is more than a dream.

Kol looks over at the basketball court and sees a male who appears his height. The male's facing the opposite direction and is dressed in all black.

Kol
Yo? Look who finally came out.

Kol speed walks over to the basketball court and slows down immediately.

Kol
Alright, the joke's over. I gotta tell you something. Turn around.

The male slowly holds a gun to his own head.

Kol
What the f—

Kol begins gasping for air. He quickly backs up before stumbling over a bench. He hops up and rushes in the opposite direction and out of the park. He runs through the crowd outside of the bar before bumping into Toby who's walking towards the park.

Toby
Yo? You cool?

Kol
( Breathing heavily ) I don't know. What's going on?

Toby
Slow down.