Failed suicide

EXT: CLIFFTOP – NIGHT

Fade in. Dramatic music plays as a man, dressed in his pyjamas, struggles to climb a steep hill with the wind and rain beating against him. He wears a backpack and shines a torch ahead of him.

Cut to: Five minutes later. The man is hammering a thick wooden peg into the earth overlooking a steep cliff face. He grimaces with every strike as the wind blows his hair wildly.

Cut to: A noose falling around the man’s neck. A revolver being loaded. A clear bottle of sodium pentothal, pavulon and potassium chloride.

Cut to: The view from behind the man, who is standing on the edge of the clifftop, looking down at the waves crashing beneath him. The length of rope around his neck is connected to the peg a few feet behind him, while he holds the poison in one hand, the revolver in the other.

Cut to: A close-up of the man’s face. Hair blowing wildly in the wind. Determined eyes. He takes a mouthful from the bottle, and jumps. While he disappears out of the picture, we hear a gunshot and a splash.

The music stops.

Cut to: The man emerging on the surface of the water, instinctively spitting out the poison. Stunned, he inspects the length of rope, now significantly reduced, and frazzled at the end, and his revolver. The penny drops. After a few moments of shock, he lowers his head beneath the surface and, after a few moments, emerges coughing and spluttering.

A light shines upon him.

VOICE: (off camera) Hello?!

Man looks puzzled

VOICE: Are you okay!?

MAN: (Sighs) Yes.

VOICE: I’m calling for help!

MAN: I’m fine…!

He swims past the camera, muttering expletives.

Fade out.