PHYFF 2021: ‘Don’t Come Near Me’ by Christian Lee

Don’t Come Near Me

by Christian Lee

INT. SCHOOLYARD - MORNING A group of junior high boys are huddled in a circle. They are watching a funny compilation video. An Asian American teenager, JEREMY (14-15, GENTLE, SENSITIVE), approaches them, sets his backpack down, and tries to insert himself into the group.

JEREMY Hey, what are you guys watching?

TRAVIS (14-15, PASSIVE) speaks up.

TRAVIS A video of the biggest skateboard fails.

As a man in the video falls down, his body slamming on the concrete, the boys burst with laughter.

Another kid, LUKE (14-15, RACIST, CONNIVING) speaks to the group.

LUKE (suspiciously) Did you hear what happened in China? There’s apparently some huge virus outbreak. It’s supposed to be contagious.

The group remains silent as LUKE turns to JEREMY. LUKE You know what I’m talking about Jeremy? Right?

JEREMY (hesitant) Um... Yeah, I heard about it.

LUKE (convinctingly) Do you have it?

Some of the boys laugh, continuing to watch the video.

While others look at JEREMY with stern, serious eyes.

2.

JEREMY What?

LUKE (conniving) Hey, I’m just saying, you are Chinese, so there’s a chance you might have it.

JEREMY I don’t...

SCOTT (14-15, HOSTILE, UNWELCOMING) speaks up.

SCOTT Maybe you shouldn’t hang out with us today.

JEREMY looks puzzled.

SCOTT (CONT’D) Just in case.

JEREMY Guys, I don’t have the virus...

LUKE interrupts JEREMY. LUKE Scott’s right, dude. You should go somewhere else.

JEREMY looks pleadingly at his close friend, TRAVIS, who remains silent.

With a huge sigh, JEREMY slumps his backpack over his shoulder and walks away. The group stares as he leaves them.

TRAVIS continues to stare with visible regret as the rest of the boys continue watching the video, as if nothing happened.

3.

INT. CLASSROOM - NOON JEREMY is sitting in class, paying attention to MS. ANDERSON (EARLY 60’s, AUSTERE, STERN) she speaks about a project.

A couple kids cough throughout MS. ANDERSON’s talk.

During the talk, JEREMY picks up his water bottle, unscrews the cap, and begins to drink. Suddenly, water goes down the wrong pipe and he begins to cough. All the students pause, including MS. ANDERSON, who turns to stare at him.

MS. ANDERSON For the project this semester, I’m having you all type a two page research report in MLA format about the book you chose. You can discuss various things like the plot and why it interested you or the characters...

After his short coughing fit ends, he clears his throat and stares at all the disgusted facial expressions of his classmates.

MS. ANDERSON backs up and speaks in a calm but firm manner.

MS. ANDERSON Jeremy, I’m going to have to ask you to go to the nurse’s office.

JEREMY blurts out in panic, realizing how shocked everyone is by his cough.

JEREMY But I’m fine Ms. Anderson, really.

I was just drinking my water and it went down the wrong pipe...

MS. ANDERSON cuts JEREMY off.

MS. ANDERSON Jeremy, please. Don’t make this difficult. Just go see the nurse and tell her I sent you because of a bad cough.

4.

JEREMY It wasn’t a bad cough...

MS. ANDERSON Jeremy!

JEREMY flinches and after a short while, stands up, hanging his head in shame. He walks through the rows of desks filled with accusatory faces and exits the classroom, gently shutting the door behind him.

INT. HALLWAY - NOON JEREMY walks gloomily through the desolate hallway as classes are in session.

EXT. NURSES OFFICE - NOON JEREMY peeks into the nurse’s office. NURSE (MID 50’s, KIND, UNDERSTANDING) turns around and smiles at him.

NURSE What can I help with you hun?

JEREMY (somberly) Um... Ms. Anderson sent me here.

NURSE Why is that?

JEREMY She said I had a bad cough.

NURSE Well, you sound unsure. Do you?

JEREMY Not really, I just swallowed water and it went down the wrong pipe.

But...

JEREMY’s voice trails off as NURSE sighs.

5.

INT. CLASSROOM - NOON When JEREMY enters the classroom, all the students turn around to stare at him with disfavor but morbid fascination.

KID #1 (14-15, TAUNTING) whispers at him, while leaning back to create a noticeable distance between them.

KID #1 Don’t come near me. You’ve got the Coronavirus.

Other KIDS stare at him with furrowed brows.

JEREMY quietly sits back down in his seat and stares at his desk, disheartened.

The bell rings in the background and students hastily get up, piling out of the room. A line passes JEREMY but stays to one side, away from him. He remains in his seat.

INT. FIELD - NOON JEREMY is sitting by himself in the isolated bleachers, staring off into the distance. He slowly eats his sandwich.

INT. CAR - PARKING LOT - AFTERNOON MOM (MID 40’S, LOVING, CARING) is parked, waiting in the front of the valet line. JEREMY briskly opens the door, shuts it, and places his backpack on the floor.

MOM Hey sweetie, how was your day?

Silence.

MOM glares at him with concern.

MOM What’s wrong?

Silence.

6.

MOM Jeremy, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?

JEREMY Some kids thought I had the Coronavirus?

MOM (disbelief) What?!f JEREMY My friends wouldn’t let me hang out with them this morning because they said I might have it.

MOM Oh baby...

JEREMY And I was in class, drinking water when it went down the wrong pipe, and Ms. Anderson forced me to go to the nurse’s office. I mean, there were other kids coughing too, but she didn’t say anything to them.

MOM looks visibly upset.

MOM Well, we’re not gonna stand for that. I’ll file a complaint to the school. She had no right to single you out like that.

JEREMY sits in silence, shaken by the entire incident. MOM sighs and leans over to hug JEREMY, who buries his face in her shoulder.

MOM It’s okay, baby. It’s okay.

JEREMY begins crying.

7.

CREDITS ROLL, WHILE JEREMY’S QUIET SOBS ARE HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND.