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EXT - TRAIN STATION, STAIRS - DAY Hurried footsteps going down the stairs. Heavy breathing.
EXT - TRAIN STATION, PLATFORM - DAY EAMON, a young black man, is running to the doors of a train about to leave. The doors have started closing when he leaps into the train. INT - TRAIN - DAY Eamon looks for free seat. He finds one and sits down. Only then he notices a woman sitting opposite by the window, one compartment away, at the other side of the aisle. CHRISTINA is a young white woman in her mid twenties. She's busy typing on a laptop. The three seats around her are all free. Eamon can't take his eyes off her. Christina looks up and meets Eamon's eyes. They both sustain it for a moment but then Christina breaks away and goes back to her laptop. Eamon keeps looking at her though. If Christina was initially typing quickly, this time she's doing it a bit more slowly. She looks up again and meets Eamon's eyes who is still watching her. Eamon immediately looks away, pretending he wasn't looking at her. Christina carries on working on her laptop. Eamon stares at the roof, drown in deep thoughts. Minutes pass by. He closes his eyes, listens to the sounds around him... the train noises... the regular quick tick of fingers on a laptop... The tick fades away... all he can hear now are the train noises...
INT - TRAIN - DAY Eamon is sitting facing Christina, their eyes locked. They hold each other's hand. They slowly lean forward, their lips about to meet. At that precise moment, the train enters a tunnel and it becomes pitch black inside the train. INT - TRAIN - DAY As the train comes out of the tunnel, Eamon opens his eyes. He looks through the window - trees and houses pass by. He looks at the other side - Christina is staring at him. Her laptop's shut. The seats next to and facing her are still free. Eamon looks indecisive. And nervous. On the other hand Christina is totally composed, just staring (and waiting?). Eamon finally breaks away. He's staring in front of him, a bag of nerves and excitement. Christina looks away, through the window, slightly amused. After a moment of re-focusing and composing himself, Eamon turns back to Christina, full of determination. Christina, who's sensed his look, turns back to him. They look at each other. Christina smiles. Eamon smiles back. Christina adjusts herself on the seat. Eamon gets the hint this time and stands up. At that precise moment a passenger enters the wagon. Eamon hurriedly sits back. The new passenger sits right opposite Christina. He opens his newspaper, blocking the view between Eamon and Christina. Eamon can't stay still on his seat, eaten as he is by frustration and regrets of a lost opportunity. Discreetly he peeps from all angles under, beyond and next to the newspaper but nothing helps. Christina's out of sight. Eamon has given up his quest and started sinking in desolation when suddenly Christina appears back in sight. She has moved and is now sitting at the edge of the seat nearest to the aisle.
The seat opposite is still occupied by the new passenger so all Eamon can do is look at her. The new passenger folds his newspaper and leaves. The seat facing Christina is again free. Eamon is still looking at Christina, who looks and smiles at him. The train stops. He stands up. She's still looking at him with an even more engaging smile. He walks towards her... and past her as he heads for the exit. EXT - TRAIN STATION, PLATFORM - DAY Eamon stands on the platform as he watches the train departing. |
