FLANK

PILOT: PART TWO

INT. WAITING ROOM

SUBTITLE: EIGHT HOURS AGO

Fades into:

Doug and Sad Boy in a building, waiting for a job interview. The job is an IT Consultant. They are the last two in the room.

Doug scrubs up well in his freshly-ironed shirt, tie, new trousers and shiny shoes. He has his dreadlocks tied back into a ponytail.

Wearing the same clothes as earlier, Sad Boy looks like a zombie in comparison. His overgrown, blonde buzzcut sticks out like a sore thumb.

Sad Boy sips his coffee, zoning out and staring at the fish tank opposite him.

DOUG:
You look so dead, Mate.

SAD BOY (VO):
I was. Dead inside and out.

... But it seems like Judge Dread wasn't the only one who thought that

Cut to: Flashback of Sad Boy dresssed normally at a halloween party. Sad Boy's standing in the middle of the dancefloor, out of his mind on drugs. A man dressed as a budget version of Dracula approaches him.

MAN:
You have won the best dressed award. Come and claim your prize!

SAD BOY (VO):
I wasn't even dressed up.

SAD BOY:
Sure.

Sad Boy walks over to the bar. He claims his award and grins. He orders a bar tab and goes back to the table with the lads. They're sorted for the night.

INT. WAITING ROOM

DOUG:
(Tightens his tie)
You need to get your act together.

SAD BOY:
And this job will help me. Yeah, I know. I need to get a job to live a fulfilling life and feel any self-worth. And the bonuses are something to look forward to.

DOUG:
You're not trying hard enough.

SAD BOY:
That's the point; if you don't try hard enough, you might lose your payments but if you try too hard, you might actually get the job.

DOUG:
So what's the point in trying then?

SAD BOY:
It's all about moderation.

DOUG:
(Laughing)
... Moderation? I never thought I'd hear you of all people say that.

SAD BOY:
I mean if I am gonna practice moderation what better place to start than a mandatory job interview? There's a lot at stake and the consequences are deadly. I could potentially ruin my life for good here.

DOUG:
But think about it this way... you can earn a heck of a lot more money to fuel your addiction.

SAD BOY:
Doing something I don't like. Working long hours. Becoming a part of the labour system and the hivemind. No time to live. No time to think. No time to enjoy things.

DOUG:
Welcome to the real world, Sunshine.

SAD BOY:
I miss it when you lived a little too. When you worked for your Dad and weren't obsessed with moving up in the world.