TITLE “In the Water”
EXT - A SWIMMING POOL AT A HIGH SCHOOL - DAYTIME
White hands scoops up the water in the pool. The water flows out of the hands as if it is sand. A girl sitting besides the pool, MIHO SAKURAGI who is eighteen and a high school student, stands up. Her looks are rather simple as a recent teenager. A girl’s voice comes behind MIHO.
A GIRL
(Voice Over)
Hey, Miho!
MIHO turns around.
INT - MIHO’S CLASS ROOM - DAYTIME
Students in the class room are being enjoyed their lunch time. MIHO and her friend, EIKO OHTA, are facing each other and eating breads.
EIKO
What did you do there?
MIHO
What?
EIKO
At the pool.
MIHO
Ah, I enjoyed the cool air. ‘Cause it’s hot today,
you know.
EIKO
Oh, really.
MIHO and EIKO continue eating lunch without words for a while.
MIHO
It was just last year.
EIKO
What? Oh, yeah.
MIHO
I have no idea where she went.
MIHO looks at out of the window.
EXT - AT THE POOL (RECOLLECTION) - DAYTIME
MIHO is looking at a girl, YUKA KIKUCHI who was eighteen at that time. YUKA is naked, stands at the poolside showing her back to the pool and looks down at MIHO with smile.
MIHO
What are you doing?
YUKA
I’ll go home.
MIHO
What?
Right after MIHO said, YUKA falls down to the pool from her back. MIHO can do nothing but stares at the event. YUKA opens her arms wide and are falling down to the water slowly. A huge splash occurs in front of MIHO. MIHO runs toward the poolside and looks down at the water. The waves are vanishing and there is nothing in the pool. YUKA disappeared.
INT - THE CLASS ROOM - DAYTIME
EIKO
It’s unbelievable. The police couldn’t find her, right?
Nobody knows if she lives or not.
MIHO
I don’t understand her last words. “I feel ardent when
I touch the water.”
EIKO
Maybe she went mad because of studying hard.
MIHO and EIKO make small laugh each other and then start eating their lunch again. EIKO looks at the other classmates.
EIKO
It’s cute.
MIHO
What?
EIKO
Her pierced earring.
EIKO points at a girl with a pierced earring on her nose. MIHO follows EIKO’s indication.
EIKO
Cute, isn’t it?
MIHO
I don’t think so. And I think it doesn’t fit you.
MIHO replies in little bad mood.
EIKO
You think so?
MIHO
Yeah. It is ridiculous that you follow the fashion.
I wanna be a higher level being...
MIHO stops talking suddenly. EIKO in bad mood finds MIHO’s mood has changed and stares at MIHO.
EIKO
What happened?
MIHO
Those words I said.
EIKO
What are you talking about?
MIHO
I heard the same thing from Yuka before.
EIKO
So, you copied it.
MIHO
I...don’t know.
MIHO looks serious.
EIKO
But the words may be right.
MIHO
She said that’s why she went back.
EIKO
Back to where?
MIHO and EIKO look at each other. MIHO shake her head to indicate she doesn’t know the answer.
INT - A BATH ROOM AT MIHO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
MIHO is immersed in the bathtub. She puts her head on the edge of the bathtub, looks up at ceiling, and makes a big sigh. And then, she closes her eyes and sinks to the bottom. Suddenly MIHO feels that an electric current runs through her brain.
MIHO
Au!
MIHO’s body is sinking in the bottomless bathtub. The surface of water is getting far away slowly. MIHO’s fear changes to pleasant, and her face shows her sensation. Suddenly, YUKA’s voice can be heard.
YUKA
Going down. ... Left...
MIHO
What? What do you mean?
MIHO opens her eyes and looks at bottom. In the bottom, there are some old buildings like ruins. MIHO looks at her right side and finds YUKA smiling at MIHO. MIHO feels sensation again and smiles at YUKA. Suddenly, somebody calls MIHO’s name.
MIHO’S MOTHER
(V.O.)
Miho! Phone calls!
MIHO’s face appears from the bathtub. MIHO still remembers the feeling in the bottom.
MIHO’S MOTHER
(V.O.)
Miho! Did you hear me!
MIHO comes back to herself.
MIHO
Oh, yes!
MIHO gets out of the bathtub.
INT - THE ENTRANCE OF MIHO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
MIHO wearing bath towel takes a phone besides the entrance.
MIHO
Hello?
BOY’S VOICE
(V.O.)
Um, Hello?
MIHO
Who’s calling?
BOY
(V.O.)
Um...this is Kenji.
MIHO
Oh, hi. How you doing? It’s unusual that you call me.
KENJI
Well, I have to give back your history’s note to you.
MIHO
Oh, yeah. You’re right. You must give it to me soon.
KENJI
Yeah. I’ll give it back to you tomorrow.
MIHO
Oh, really.
KENJI
I’ll wait for you at the library tomorrow afternoon.
MIHO
Library?
KENJI
Yeah. So, see you tomorrow.
MIHO
OK, see you.
MIHO puts the phone.
MIHO
You can bring the note to my classroom. And why did
you call me for such a thing.
MIHO’s face shows she doesn’t understand KENJI’s call. MIHO starts going back to the bathroom shaking her head unpleasantly.
EXT - THE SWIMMING POOL AT THE SCHOOL - DAYTIME
A swimming class is taken place. Since the students of this class are 12th grade, the content of the class is free. Most students are playing ball games or other entertainment. MIHO and EIKO wearing swimming suits are sitting together at the poolside and talking.
MIHO
I have had little dizziness since then.
EIKO
You must be tired. Having bath is little hard for tired
Body. Yeah, my grand father passed out in the
bath room by sudden hypertension.
MIHO
I don’t have high blood pressure. I am too young.
EIKO
I have some good stuff for you. You better try.
MIHO
What is good stuff?
EIKO
I’ll show you later. Let’s go into the pool. It may
work for your dizziness.
MIHO
Yeah, maybe you’re right.
MIHO smiles at EIKO and stands up. Then, MIHO and EIKO jump down to the pool from the poolside. EIKO walks toward the group, which are playing ball games. MIHO is left alone. She closes her eyes and floats being on her back. When she opens her eyes, the bluest sky spreads above her. The sound that EMIKO and the other make is getting far away. And then, the electric current strikes MIHO’s brain again.
MIHO
Oh...
MIHO’s eyes are filled with water and her body starts sinking. MIHO closes her eyes and devotes herself to water. She opens her arms a little wide and sinks down in the pool slowly. Some unknown languages and terrified scream attack her ears. EIKO playing the ball game finds MIHO disappeared.
EIKO
Miho?
EIKO walks toward the poolside where MIHO was floating, and then finds MIHO is drawn at EIKO’s foot.
EIKO
Oh my god, Miho!
EIKO rushes to the bottom of water.
INT - MEDICAL ROOM AT THE SCHOOL - DAYTIME
MIHO is laid the bed. EIKO is looking down at MIHO worryingly. MIHO opens her eyes.
EIKO
Miho, are you OK?
MIHO
Oh, Eiko.
EIKO
What happened to you?
MIHO
I don’t know... Suddenly my body started sinking.
MIHO wakes up slowly.
EIKO
Don’t make me being surprised.
EIKO says as if she is astonished.
MIHO
Sorry. But I’m OK now. My head still spins though.
EIKO
Oh, yeah. I got good stuff for you.
EIKO takes out a small bag filled with white powder, and gives it to MIHO. MIHO stares at the powder dubiously.
MIHO
What’s this?
EIKO whispers to MIHO.
EIKO
It’s a kind of drug.
MIHO
What!?
MIHO is surprised and stares at EIKO.
EIKO
I got it from my friend. She said it works so much
for nervousness and diet. I wanna try it for diet.
MIHO
Eiko.
EIKO
What?
MIHO
What the hell are you thinking?
EIKO
What do you mean?
MIHO
This is illegal stuff. We shouldn’t use it.
EIKO
No, it’s OK. Everybody does it and nobody is arrested.
MIHO
You don’t understand!
MIHO gets anger.
EIKO
Don’t be serious.
MIHO
Eiko!
EIKO
OK, OK. That’s enough. I don’t give you.
EIKO gets bad mood and takes the drug from MIHO, and walks out of the medical room. MIHO stares at the door that EIKO left with excitement. YUKA’s voice echoes in MIHO’s head.
YUKA
(V.O.)
Going down. ... Left...
MIHO finds something.
MIHO
Everybody is going down and I am left.
INT - LIBRARY AT THE SCHOOL - AFTERNOON
There are few people in the library because of after school. KENJI TAKESITA, who is eighteen and looks serious boy, is sitting in a large table alone. MIHO appears in front of KENJI and sits down. Her face is serious.
KENJI
You’re little late.
MIHO
...
KENJI
What’s the matter?
MIHO
My notebook.
KENJI
...Well, oh yeah. Here you are.
KENJI takes out the notebook from his school bag, and gives it to MIHO. MIHO receives it without any words and stands up.
KENJI
Thanks. It was useful.
MIHO smiles awkwardly and tries to leave, and then turns to KENJI again.
MIHO
Kenji?
KENJI is surprised and stands up.
KENJI
Yeah?
MIHO
Did you try any drugs?
KENJI
What?
MIHO
Drugs. Illegal one.
KENJI
...NO. I haven’t seen it.
MIHO
Really... See you.
MIHO smiles at KENJI and leaves.
EXT - MIHO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
INT - LIVING ROOM AT MIHO’S HOUSE - NIGHT
A news program is shown in the TV monitor. The news shows that some politicians are arrested for their bribe, and then the news shows other coverage that is about kids’ crimes. And then a war in the other country is shown.
INT - A BATHROOM - NIGHT
MIHO wearing nightclothes stands in front of a sink and is washing her face. When she finishes washing lifts her face up, the electric current strikes in her brain. In the mirror, YUKA stands behind MIHO.
MIHO
Ah...
YUKA
They are left. Not you.
MIHO stares at the mirror vacantly. The sink is filled with water.
YUKA
Water is the origin for everything, and it is our goal.
MIHO
What are you talking about?
YUKA
Everything starts now.
MIHO falls down as if she is flipped by somebody.
EXT - THE SWIMMING POOL AT THE SCHOOL - NIGHT
MIHO wearing a school uniform stands in the poolside. KENJI is running toward her from behind.
KENJI
Miho!
KENJI stops behind MIHO. MIHO turns around.
KENJI
What are you doing here? It is night.
MIHO
I’ll go home.
KENJI
What?
MIHO
And everything is started.
KENJI
What are you talking about?
MIHO
You know, our culture died as it has matured.
KENJI
Well...You’re right. Most cultures died by natural
disasters in ancient. I had just studied world history
when you called me.
MIHO
Nature has its own will. And water is the origin of
our lives.
KENJI
I...Don’t understand what you are saying.
MIHO
I’m going back to water. And I’ll be back here
someday.
KENJI
Hey, tell me what you’re gonna do!
MIHO
Good bye.
MIHO falls down to the pool from her back slowly. KENJI can do nothing but looks at what is going on. MIHO’s body sinks and going down in the bottomless water.
KENJI
MIHO!
KENJI stares at the pool, which MIHO disappeared. KENJI becomes far away from MIHO. MIHO wears nothing and disappears as if she becomes a part of water.
EXT - ABOVE TOKYO CITY - NIGHT
Heavy rain holds the big city. A huge wave is coming from the bay and covers the whole city.
EXT - NEW YORK CITY - DYATIME
A lot of people are escaping and the huge flood wipes out the people from the ground.
EXT - THE SAHARA DESERT - NIGHT
A huge flood covers the vast desert.
EXT - THE EARTH
Most ground on the earth disappears.
EXT - THE GROUND LEFT ON THE EARTH - DAYTIME
Something climbs up the ground from the sea and starts crawling toward the inland. The other things come after it. Beyond the woods, ruined high-raise buildings are towering as if they are graves of human beings.
THE END