Nobody Gets Used to Hell

Act One. Scene 1

INT. SPRING HILL MENTAL HOSPITAL-MORNING 

(NARRATOR, BRENT, JACK, MRS.SCARLETT)

(The scene opens with the camera over BRENT.)

NARRATOR (V.O)

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to die? Have you ever wanted to shoot the gun, pull the trigger, curious about the pain? I have, but that’s not the only reason I shot the gun. Many factors played a role in my attempt at suicide. My parents are rich, and I’m popular. People ask themselves, why would the captain of the football team kill himself? My answer to that is I’m more troubled than people see me as. About a month ago, I shot myself in the chest in my room. Why not in the head, you ask? I wanted to suffer, to feel the blood drain from my body. My parents were at work, and I thought that would be the perfect time. Nobody would be there to save me. However, one minor detail changed the whole course of my life. I forgot about our house cleaner, Ms.Murllo that one mistake is the reason I am still alive today. 

JACK

(Standing at the door and unlocking it.)

Brent, time for therapy.

(BRENT gets up and follows JACK down the hall.)

NARRATOR (V.O)

After my suicide attempt a month ago, I’ve been placed in Spring Hill Mental Hospital. I’ve been here for about three weeks. Jack is a member of the staff here. He takes me to and from therapy, group, and lunch. That’s the only time I have out of my room.

(JACK leads him to MRS. Scarlett’s office and closes the door behind him. BRENT sits down and looks at the floor.)

MRS.SCARLETT

(Energetic.)

So, how have you been?

BRENT

(Sarcastically.)

As good as anyone can be in a prison.

MRS.SCARLETT

Brent you will adjust soon. You only had been here for three weeks.

BRENT

(Rolls eyes.)

MRS.SCARLETT 

Therefore, I thought we would talk about why you tried to kill yourself. 

BRENT

Sigh…I already told you why.

MRS.SCARLETT

Yes, but I believe there is more to it that what you say.

NARRATOR (V.O)

Mrs. Scarlett is good. There is way more to why I tried to kill myself than just being stressed about football season and schoolwork. My parents play a huge roll in my wanting to be dead.

BRENT

Sig, you’re very smart, you know that?

MRS.SCARLETT

Thank you Brent. But back to the issue. I need to know why you tried to kill yourself. The only way for you to get better is to open up to me, let me inside your head.

BRENT

You really want inside my head?

(MRS.SCARLETT nods.)

Okay, well everyday I think about how I tried to kill myself. Ha, and every day I yell at myself because I wasn’t successful. It’s like in football, when I throw a pass and the ball gets intercepted, my parents would cuss me out for not doing it right. That’s what I do.

MRS.SCARLETT

And why do you feel like you need to be yelled at?

BRENT

(Lowers his voice)

Because I’m still alive.

(MRS.SCARLETT shakes her head in disapproval)

MRS.SCARLETT

Okay, well that’s all for today

JACK! 

(JACK takes BRENT back to his room, while taking a glimpse of another patient going getting in trouble.)

INT. BRENT’S HOSPITAL ROOM

NARRATOR

One thing about this place that I actually like is we get to wear our own cloths. No white outfits classifying us as psycho. 

(BRENT GETS UP AND WALKS TOWARD THE WINDOW)

This is a prison to me. It will never be home to any of us. I’m waiting for the day that I can be set free. But does anyone forget hell? I won’t, because I live in it.