[INT. HOSPITAL, JOHN’S ROOM]
[TAPE CLICKS ON.]
[A clock ticks steadily in the background.]
[The door opens, and we get a brief few seconds of hallway noise before it is closed again.]
[We hear a few breaths, and a footstep or to as whoever entered makes their way to the bed.]
MARTIN
Hi, John. (shaky breath)
(pause)
Uh-hh… How are you? (short pause) (short laugh) Yeah. Yeah, same here. It’s – (inhale) It’s bad all over, (sigh) y’know? [Hold I’m –] getting by, I suppose. Um… Basira’s keeping things, taking over, and Melanie is – (sigh) Well, well,
[The “well” turns into a rueful laugh.]
MARTIN
Melanie is Melanie. (laugh) Anyway, yeah, just – thought I’d stop by. Check in and uh, y’know. See how you’re, um –
(pause) (sigh) (pause)
We really need you, John. Everything’s – It’s bad. I-I don’t know how much longer we can do this. We – I need you. And I-I know that you’re not – I know there’s no way to –
(soft, shaky breath) But we need you, John. John, please, just – (wet) Please. (trying not to cry) If-If there’s anything left in you that can still see us, or, or some power that you’ve still got, or, or, or, something, anything, please!
(pause, more put together) Please. (inhale, definitely about to cry) I-I can’t –
[His phone buzzes three times – it’s on vibrate – he gasps softly in surprise. We hear him get up from what, presumably, is a chair, and answer the phone. When he speaks, he’s much more business-like, gives no sign that he was seconds away from crying not even a minute before.]
MARTIN (PHONE)
Yeah. Yeah, I know.
(waits for response)
I’m – I’m actually with him now.
[He sniffs as he says this, the way you might try to get rid of a cold.]
MARTIN (PHONE)
You were right.
[He moves about.]
MARTIN (PHONE)
(waits) (shaky breath) I –
(big sigh)
Will they be safe?
(waits)
Okay. (more confident) Okay. I’ll do it.
(response)
Yeah. Sure thing.
[Small sigh from Martin.]
MARTIN
(to John) I’m sorry. Goodbye, John.