Chapter Text
Five years before the main story
Michigan - Night
Indoors, fairly dingy local backstage
The screen is completely dark, as a voice speaks.
Felix (Threatening, intense)
“Tell me…what are you?"
A loud THUD is heard, as the camera cuts on, to reveal the scene: a close up of Ember, who looks terrified.
Felix, a fairly tall boy with gray eyes and black hair, is holding a knife up to Ember, a transgender girl with long ginger hair, green eyes, and freckles, while he pins her firmly against the wall of a fairly dingy local backstage area.
Ember is wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, and brown shoes. Felix is wearing a black sweater, black sweatpants, and black shoes.
The knife inches slowly towards her throat as she responds.
Ember (Spitefully, intense)
"A girl.”
The camera cuts to a close up of Felix.
Felix (Threatening, intense, insistant)
“A liar and a sinner, that's what you are."
The camera cuts to behind Tanner, inches from fully walking into the room, watching the confrontation.
Tanner is a tall boy with black messy hair, blue eyes, is slim and fit, and wears a black unzipped leather jacket, white tank top, black jeans, black belt, and black boots.
Felix (Background audio)
“If your next words aren't an admission of your sins, I'll start slicing into that ugly, filthy, pathetic little mouth of yours.”
Felix continues to threaten Ember as his words fade away, due to Tanner rushing towards the direction of the wall we saw him watching from behind, as the camera follows Tanner. He runs forward, and quickly looks to his left, then his right, rushing to his right as he spots an officer. The camera quickly trails him, and he eventually stops in front of the officer.
The officer is a male, taller than Tanner, somewhere between his 30s and 40s. He is in uniform.
Tanner (Intense)
“OFFICER! There's a girl being threatened with a knife, right down the hall!”
The officer glares at him, unphased.
Officer
“A girl?”
Tanner (Intense, a bit panicked)
“YES, just down the hall!"
Officer
"How do you know they don't deserve it?”
The two stare at each other for a moment, the annoyance and confusion visible on Tanner's face, as he dismissively turns back around, rushing back to the scene, as the camera continues to follow him. Tanner quickly walks behind Felix, and firmly grabs Felix's wrist before Felix can turn around to see him, and twists it, causing Felix to drop his pocket knife. Tanner quickly spins Felix's body around to face him, as Ember quickly runs off to the side, before Tanner aggressively pins Felix to the wall. Ember rushes to pick up Felix's pocket knife from the floor, holding it towards Felix's face.
Tanner (Aggressively)
“Why don't you tell me what YOU are?"
Felix looks shaken. A brief moment passes, where Felix doesn't respond.
Tanner (Firmly)
"An asshole, that's what you are.”
Tanner punctuates his sentence with a firm shove type push towards Felix, before letting him go. Tanner and Ember begin to walk back around the corner, down the hall, both of them still keeping Felix in their sight. The camera follows them for a few steps, showing Tanner and Ember's general direction, but eventually stops, focusing on Felix.
The camera cuts to a close up of Felix, as a voiceover of Ember speaking plays. Felix still looks fairly shaken, but he looks more jaded and vengeful than before.
Ember (Voiceover)
"Thank you.”
We cut to Ember, whose gaze lingers on the hallway for a moment, still gripping the pocket knife firmly, as Tanner speaks. The two of them continue to walk further away as they talk.
Tanner (Frustrated)
"You shouldn't have to thank me. You shouldn't have to deal with that.”
Ember
“It's just this town."
Ember's gaze finally turns away from the hallway, towards Tanner.
Ember (Somewhat dismissively)
"You try to turn to anyone, even the police, and they all look at you like you're disgusting, like you're worthless. I'm used to it.”
Tanner (Frustrated, firmly)
“Screw this town. Screw the police. You're not worthless. You're beautiful, and so was your performance. I saw it right before mine."
Ember
“Thank you. I wish I could've seen yours. From what I heard, you absolutely shredded that thing."
Tanner pauses speaking for a very brief moment.
Tanner
“You know, I could use a new drummer. One that isn't full of himself."
Ember
“Really? I mean, I could use literally ANYONE."
Tanner
"Well, now you've got me. I'm Tanner.”
Tanner offers his hand for Ember to shake. Ember shakes his hand as she replies, smiling. Tanner smiles as well.
Ember
"I'm Ember, nice to meet you.”
Tanner
“Nice to meet you too, Ember."
We keep a close up shot held on Ember's face, in the middle of the frame.