What a psycho!

INT. DIEGO'S HOUSE - DAY

(Diego and Taylor are engaged in a fervent dialogue with Anne, who is deeply interested in the prosperity of the enterprise.)

ANNE: what about the business? How is it going?

DIEGO: I am not trying to exaggerate, dear but the business is going down. We have to act fast.

TAYLOR: and we trust you to fix this. You are our reliable business partner.

ANNE: should I speak to Thomas, or do you have any other ideas in mind?

TAYLOR: your choice, honey.

(Anne is looking confused, deep in her own thoughts, but Diego's cell phone ringing brings her back to reality.)

ANNE: who is it, dad?

(Diego picks up his phone and moves away from them to answer the call.)

DIEGO: hello? Yeah, I remember. Okay, I'll be right there in ten minutes. Thank you very much, sir.

(Diego hangs up and walks to his wife and daughter, looking confident again.)

DIEGO: we have to be in a meeting, honey.

TAYLOR: we'll talk when we get back. There's enough time for you to resolve the issue. Goodbye, honey.

(Diego and Taylor exit, closing the door behind them and leaving Anne behind in her own thoughts. The doorbell rings.)

ANNE: did you forget something?

(Anne walks up to the door and opens it, stuns by the person's presence.)

ANNE: Mia? Oh my God, heavens sent you to me. I was actually looking for a shoulder to think on.

MIA: are you going to leave me out here chatting with you?

ANNE: oh, I am so sorry for my manners. Please come in.

(Mia enters while Anne shuts the door, walks up to Mia and sits with her.)

MIA: were you expecting someone else?

ANNE: I thought it was my parents. They left for a meeting a few minutes ago.

MIA: having troubles with the business, huh? Take a break from work, Anne.

ANNE: I wish I could, barbie doll but I can't. Mom and dad put their trust in me. Do you know how it feels? I am scared of breaking their trust.

MIA: you know what? Why don't we get your mind off things? Let's make a hot cocoa.

ANNE: are you pulling my leg or what? I am at the end of a tiny rope... no distractions or else I'll run out of time. I'm sorry, Mia but I can't right now.

MIA: but if you are swamped with work and you don't get a break, then there will be a bigger distraction and you'll eventually run out of time sooner than later. What's it going to be?

(Anna shrugged for sometime before exhaling.)

ANNE: alright, fine, we have five minutes.

MIA: ten minutes.

ANNE: seven minutes.

MIA: fifteen.

ANNE: (Gasps) oh my God, is that how you negotiate, barbie doll? I thought negotiation typically involves times going down, not up.

MIA: my negotiation is different.

(The two friends burst out laughing.)

ANNE: I hear you. Ten minutes.

MIA: gosh, you are such a buzzkill. So, how is Thomas?

ANNE: well, if he isn't working, then he is having meetings. He barely has time for himself.

MIA: that's tough.

ANNE: tell me about it.

MIA: okay, let's pause for a while and talk about the ingredients. Do you have cocoa powder, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, whipped cream, and marshmallows?

ANNE: I have none of those. My kitchen is not like your barbie doll kitchen, Mia. My kitchen is a company, and my ingredients are documents.

MIA: ha ha ha, very funny. What do you want us to do, Anne? I wanted to take your mind off things, but it isn't working as planned.

ANNE: we could order pizza; it's pretty much the only food we eat around here.

MIA: this explains why you are getting thinner by the day. You look like a toothbrush, Anne. You know what? Let's eat pizza and watch TV.

ANNE: we can't do that in ten minutes, Barbie doll. Okay, let's go out and eat.

MIA: this is the fourth reason I love you.

ANNE: umm... sorry for being nosy, but I wanna know. What's the first three reasons you love me?

MIA: how would I know?

(Anne burts out laughing as Mia stared at her with a smile.)

MIA: I wanted to put a smile on your face but it seems I put a laugh on your face. I am glad you are happy now. Shall we?

ANNE: Thanks for the good company, Barbie doll. It's been months since I laughed hard like this. Alright, let's away.

(The friends laugh and chat as they make their way out.)

INT. PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL - DAY

(A doctor walks towards Miss Richard with a frown.)

LAURA: you have a visitor, Miss Richard.

CUT TO:

INT. VISITING ROOM - DAY

(Selina enters with a sad look on her face. She walks to her mother and sits.)

FRANCES: My love, I have missed you so much. (Sobbing) please forgive me, my love but I can't get you out of here. I tried my best to hire a good lawyer to get you out of here, but the judge said it's not safe to have a mentally unstable person amongst people. I know my daughter, you are not crazy, but don't worry, I'll get you out of here one way or another.

(Selina lifts her head up, grins and said in a low tone.)

SELINA: don't bother!

(Frances looks at her daughter in utmost shock.)

FRANCES: huh?

SELINA: you heard me, mom. Don't bother!

FRANCES: love, you have been here for years. Do you like it here? Don't you wanna have a good job, to get married, and have kids? You have a bright future ahead.

SELINA: I don't like repeating myself, mother. I said, do not bother!

FRANCES: okay, you are starting to scare me now, love. Please talk to me! Are you okay? Are they hurting you?

(Selina doesn't respond. Laura enters interrupting the mother - daughter moment.)

LAURA: sorry to interrupt but times up. Visiting hours are over.

FRANCES: please give us a minute, I need to talk to my daughter properly.

LAURA: ma'am, you have to cooperate with us. She is dangerous.

(Frances gets up, furious at the doctor.)

FRANCES: news flash, lady. She is my daughter.

LAURA: (nonchalantly) I am sorry, ma'am, but I can't do anything for you now.

(Laura turns to Selina.)

LAURA: Walk to your room, Miss Richard.

FRANCES: I'll come back, love. Mom loves you.

(Selina gets up, walks out, stops, and grins at her mother. Then she exits. Frances couldn't piece together what the smile means.)

FRANCES: wait, I saw something. She... did Selina grin at me? She...

LAURA: you have to leave now, ma'am. We want to lock the building for safety.

FRANCES: she never grins, I know my daughter, I promise. Something is going on, something is definitely wrong with my love.

LAURA: ma'am...

FRANCES: what are you guys doing to my daughter? Are you guys hurting her? Tell me something! Speak!

LAURA: ma'am, do not trigger the call of securities.

(Frances yells nonchalantly.)

FRANCES: call them for all I care. I am coming back for my daughter, and that's a promise from a mother to her daughter.

(Frances walks out in rage.)

INT. PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL- SELINA'S ROOM - DAY

(Selina is mumbling to herself, Laura enters in anger.)

LAURA: what did you tell your mother, wench? I hope you didn't open your stupid mouth. I am asking a question.

SELINA: (nonchalantly) I told her I loved her.

(Selina's words annoy Laura, prompting an angry slap to her face.)

LAURA: who are you trying to fool? You can fool your mother, not me. Now, for the last time, what did you tell your foolish mother?

SELINA: mom isn't foolish; you are.

(Laura, shocked by Selina's words, grabs her hand forcefully.)

LAURA: what did you say? You'll be electrocuted for that. Come with me, now!

(Laura holds Selina and drags her out forcefully.)

CUT TO:

INT. PSYCHIATRIC LABORATORY - DAY

(The laboratory is filled with harmful tools and machinery. Laura drags Selina in, and Selina begins to beg for mercy.)

SELINA: I am sorry for what I said earlier, please forgive me. I can't go through this torture again. Please don't electrocute me; I might die this time.

LAURA: that's what I've always wished for.

SELINA: what? You... how could you? Alright, let's forget about that. Please forgive me, I am so sorry.

LAURA: too late.

SELINA: indeed.

LAURA: what?

(Laura, shocked by Selina's words, is struck in the stomach before she can figure out what is happening.)

LAURA: (screaming) you... ungrateful bitch.

SELINA: ouch, that's harsh. I thought you warned us against harsh language. (Laughing) rot in hell, Laura.

(Selina cackles malevolently while Laura struggles to catch her breath.)

LAURA: (choking) you... are... s-s-sick.

(Laura dies. Selina checks her pulse, confirms she is dead, and then puts on a charade.)

SELINA: you don't have to tell me twice, I know I am sick, I am also crazy. (Grinning) step two, I have to get out of this hell.

(Selina turns on a fire alarm and screams for help.)

SELINA: help, please help me.

(Selina is shedding fake tears, prompting other doctors to check up on her.)

DOCTOR 2: what happened here?

SELINA: I don't know, she... she was about to punish me when she started acting off. I think she was possessed. She stabbed herself.

DOCTOR 3: but how come? This has never happened before.

SELINA: I.. I.. I don't know. I am scared, I don't want to end up like her. Please, I can't stay here anymore, I hate blood. I... this can't happen to me.

DOCTOR 4: where did she get the knife from?

SELINA: please, don't ask me anything, I am anxious right now. Can I.. can I be alone with the female doctor for some minutes?

DOCTOR 4: take the corpse out guys, I'll speak with Miss Richard.

(The doctors carried Laura's corpse out. The female doctor walks towards Selina, who was sobbing falsely.)

DOCTOR 4: it's alright, Miss Richard, you can talk to me.

SELINA: don't make it hard for yourself or else you'll end up like Laura. Just do what I say...

DOCTOR 4: (stunned) what?

SELINA: I want to escape and I need your help. You have to give me your uniform.

DOCTOR 4: you... you murdered Doctor Laura? Who are you?

SELINA: I am the crazy girl everyone turned me into. I am not crazy but everyone believed I was, even Doctor Laura. She treated me like trash, like I was some orphan begging for a penny. When I get out of here, I'll make sure everyone who played a part in my torture, gets a chilling served dish. Unfortunately, you aren't on my list. Lucky you, huh?

DOCTOR 4: what do you want?

SELINA: It's simple.

(Selina explains everything to the female doctor. She agrees to help Selina for her safety.)

FADE OUT