SEBBA SEBBA SEBBA :))

MY NAME IS JOSHUA SECOND DRAFT

SCENE ONE

INT: SPA SCHOOL – DAY

POV OF JOSHUA WALKING TOWARDS OFFICE WITH LORRAINE, HIS MUM

CHILDREN are running around as the school bell rings. Old Victorian building with stone floor. Red and blue lockers on either side with a continuous noise echoing through the halls.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Ok, so this is where it all begins…walking towards Siobhan’s office

INT: OFFICE – SAME DAY

Siobhan is sitting at her desk with papers and folders scattered on the table. She looks up to greet Joshua and his mum.

SIOBHAN

Joshua! Oh and Lorraine! How nice to see the both of you. Sit down! Today’s the day eh?

Joshua sheepishly dawdles in wearing a pristine RED RAINCOAT, slumps on the chair. Lorraine follows him, slightly jittery.

LORRAINE

Hello Siobhan, well yes it certainly is…little apprehensive to say the least!

SIOBHAN

Well of course you would be! And…how about you Joshua? How are you feeling today? Any questions about ‘Vecks’ or the procedure?

JOSHUA

I am the first human to be diagnosed with the condition so called ‘Vecks’ names so because of my last name; Joshua Vecks. It’s symptoms mirror those of Autism and Asperger’s, founded by Kenner and Asperger themselves. It is a unique condition where the main Cranial nerve has mutated developing a social impairment, however due to the difference in hormones in males and females, Vecks can only develop in males. This mutation has been discovered to be able to be removed; this is where it differes from others diagnoses. The surgical removal of my condition will take exactly fourteen hours and thirty-nine minutes and will tke place at exactly 5:07pm today. It is an extremely complex and experimental operation that involves the world’s leading surgeon Dr Sebastian.

SIOBHAN

Well, everything seems to be in order! Hey maybe one day, Joshua, you won’t have to wear that raincoat everywhere!

JOSHUA

This is my raincoat. I don’t want anyone else wearing it.

Short pause. Siobhan glances at Lorraine in an exasperated fashion.

SIOBHAN

Yeh Joshua, of course not, silly me! Well it’s been a pleasure getting to work with you young man, good luck with everything!

Siobhan holds up her hand towards Joshua and smiles. Joshua holds up his hand in similar motion without touching one another. Joshua and his mum get up to leave, Joshua walks on ahead as Lorraine lingers for a while, mouths thank you and follows Joshua out.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Spa school had always been a safe haven for me. Siobhan had mentioned that she took particular interest in me because of my Vecks. I was the only person in the world to have been founded with this syndrome; I was the first. It was like I was somewhat famous for something I couldn’t control.

EXT: SPA SCHOOL PLAYGROUND – SAME DAY

There are less children around the school, TOYS scattered on the floor. Joshua and Lorraine are walking towards the school gate when a small adorable girl runs up to Joshua, her blonde hair swinging wildly. On her coat is a BADGE with ‘I heart Anatomy’. The girl steps closer to Joshua.

DORA

(timidly)

Good luck…I’m going to miss you Josh

JOSHUA

Joshua…my name is Joshua

DORA

Oh, sorry Joshua. I’m going to miss you

Dora goes to hug Joshua as a symbol of compassion and places a YELLOW BRACELET in Joshua’s hand. Joshua starts to yell as he hates physical contact, simultaneously he looks down at the yellow bracelet in his hand and starts to scream more. The bracelet breaks and falls to the floor, beads scatter everywhere. Dora releases Joshua with tears welling in her eyes.

DORA

J…J…Joshua I’m sorry

Lorraine tries to calm Joshua and momentarily forgets his condition; she grabs his hand. Joshua screams and wriggles away, he paces off in a tantrum. Joshua WALKS OFF SCREEN

LORRAINE

I’m sorry Dora; you know he doesn’t like the colour yellow….or being called Josh

Lorraine PACES OFF SCREEN. Dora is seen to be lovingly gazing after Joshua in a sad disappointed manner.

SCENE TWO

INT: DOCTORS SUGERY ROOM – LATER THAT DAY

Joshua is sitting confidently on a hospital bed swinging his legs in his RED RAINCOAT. The room is grey and dull, Joshua’s mum stands near looking more worried than before, biting her nails. Joshua looks around at the equipment, amazed. Dr Sebastian has a clipboard jotting down notes.

OLDER JOSHUA

They always say that people with Asperger’s, Autism or Vecks have one specialised subject that they are committed to. Mine happen to be anatomy and everything concerning hospitals. This was then very lucky considering I was getting a life-threatening surgery to not be in the slightest bit…

JOSHUA (INT’D)

Dr Sebastian, did you know that the Cranial nerves are part of the peripheral system apart from cranial nerve II, which is not a true peripheral nerve but a neural tract of the diencephalon connecting the retina with the lateral geniculate nucleus?

DR SEBASTIAN

…I did indeed

OLDER JOSHUA (CONT’D)

(Voice over) (laughing)

…worried about the procedure. I was more excited than I would have been at Christmas, to know I was the first to get this experimental procedure was intriguing

DR SEBASTIAN

What is your birth date please Joshua?

JOSHUA

My birthday is the third of March 2022, which makes me exactly fourteen years, twenty-three days, three hours, fourteen minutes and (checks watch) five seconds.

DR SEBASTIAN

Hm, yes, well, your procedure should begin in thirty-five minutes…you’re quite a switched on chap aren’t you?

JOSHUA

There is a 66% chance of me living after this procedure, if you don’t damage my Cranial nerve, the percentage increases by 5.8% and therefore it gives me exactly 71.8% chance of living. Furthermore, the left side of my brain will become more advanced in social interaction whilst still remaining my intelligence regarding medicine and anatomy. After the procedure I will be given 30mg of Morphine immediately to assist with the pain. I then will be given 400mg of Ibuprofen to reduce the swelling on my brain. If the Ibuprofen is ineffective it will cause my brain to shut down. If this is not discovered beforehand my chance of living goes down to 11.7%. I am only given this procedure today because I am considered a medical marvel being the only boy to have been discovered with this condition.

Dr Sebastian gives a glance to Lorraine and waits for Joshua to stop talking

DR SEBASTIAN

This is correct Josh apart…

(INTR’D) JOSHUA

Joshua, my name is Joshua

DR SEBASTIAN

Ah, Joshua, yup. Apart from we were going to provide you with 500mg of Ibuprofen as it is a very large and lengthy procedure for you at such a young age

JOSHUA

I am fourteen years, twenty-three days, three hours, fifteen minutes and (checks watch) forty-four seconds old. I weigh seven stone and two pounds. I have calculated to the exact decimal point that I should be having 400mg of Ibuprofen…and this is what I shall have

DR SEBASTIAN

Well, you’re the doctor!

JOSHUA

No, that’s you, I’m Joshua.

SCENE THREE

INT: PRIVATE HOSPITAL WARD – WEEKS AFTER SURGERY

Joshua is lying down asleep in his hospital ward bed with his mum pacing by his side. He has BANDAGES around his head and is wrapped in a HOSPITAL GOWN. He is connected to many different machines monitoring his health. There are many ‘Get well soon’ CARDS and GIFTS. The walls are YELLOW. Joshua’s RED RAINCOAT is thrust upon a chair. There are 500MG of IBUPROFEN BAGS scattered around. There is a CALENDAR hanging on the wall showing it’s been weeks since the operation. There is a CU of Joshua’s face as he blinks and regains focus. The camera zooms out.

LORRAINE

(cautious)

How are you champ?

Lorraine reaches her hand forward as if to do the handshake that Joshua did with Siobhan. Instead she is immobilised with shock as Joshua leans in to hug her. Lorraine’s hand is pushed into Joshua’s chest as they are hugging. There are tears in Loraine’s eyes, falling down her cheeks. There is silence as they hug. Joshua quickly drops the hug, looks at Lorraine in slight confusion then slowly smiles. Te camera slowly PANS out of the door as they are looking at each other.

SCENE FOUR

EXT: STREET – DAY

Joshua is walking down the street thinking to himself. He is walking past shops down the street with flashbacks of what he is saying.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

It took a while to understand social conventions. Sarcasm was a very hard concept to understand. Why would people say something…that isn’t?

FLASHBACK in silence of Joshua amongst other adults in the laboratory. One adult says a sarcastic joke. Joshua looks confused then laughs.

It didn’t make sense before my operation and still didn’t make much sense after. I began to use it myself however; it was like having to train my brain into understanding things. Emotions, furthermore, is a concept I am still learning. I understand…

Joshua is looking at himself in a mirror; he copies the emotions he speaks

Happy, sad, angry, scared and confused. I still have a lot to learn…it’s been years since the operation and yet I’m still recovering. It’s a very long-winded process that can’t just be returned to my brain…because it was never there in the first place! It’s exercising the muscle in my brain that improves my social interactions, and with the continued help of medical investigation it should improve with age. Partly this is why I am working in a medical investigation laboratory researching the possible correlation between environments and brain unbalance in autistic children.

Shot of Joshua working in the laboratory in a WHITE COAT with a YELLOW DAISY pinned on

I’m considered a medical marvel, having survived a life threatening brain surgery… more so to have been able to develop my cerebral cortex to what it is today.

SCENE FIVE

INT: JOSH’S HOUSE – EVENING

The scene opens with a phone call from Lorraine. Joshua is wearing a YELLOW DAISY on his jacket. The RADIO is on in the background.

LORRAINE

How ya feeling today Josh?

JOSHUA

It still sounds weird for you to call me Josh

LORRAINE

(Worried)

Do you not like it?

JOSHUA

No, no mum, it’s been X years since the operation, I’m just saying…its different, a good different

LORRAINE

Oh, good. Well Josh it’s almost nine o’clock

JOSHUA

Eight forty-nine to be precise

LORRAINE

That’s my Josh, now go to work!...Oh no wait Josh, wait! Do you remember when little Dora gave you a bracelet a long time ago? Before your operation? You screamed and broke it, the beads went everywhere. Her little face welled up with tears, she only wanted to give you something to remember her by as we had no idea if you would have a memory of your life before the operation…

JOSHUA

Vaguely, it’s quite a blur of what I remember…I remember Dora, but only for her big blue eyes…they always starred at me

Joshua stops mid sentence, walks closer to the radio and turns it up

LORRAINE

Yeh Dora was a cute little...

(INTR’D) JOSHUA

Mum, shh, I’ve just heard something on the radio

Both Josh and Lorraine fall silent

RADIO PRESENTER

Breaking news, it has just been discovered that another young boy has been diagnosed with ‘Vecks’ syndrome, only the second person in the world to be diagnosed. Experts suggest that it is soon to be discovered as a missed diagnosis of the more common Asperger’s syndrome or Autism. Joshua Vecks, the first to be diagnosed, was recently relinquished from this burden of ‘Vecks’ syndrome and can now live a normal life…

The radio trails off, Joshua slams the radio across the room, it shatters. He begins angrily shouting with the phone still in his hand

JOSHUA

Stupid fucking journalists saying it’s a burden. They know fuck all about it. It’s hardly a burden being more intelligent than all your fucking crew put together!

He sits down with the phone still in his hand, panting furiously

LORRAINE (FROM PHONE)

Josh? Josh what’s happened?!

Joshua picks up his phone again and calms slightly

JOSHUA

Oh, it’s fucking journalists thinking they know everything regarding Vecks, Autism and Asperger’s, when of course they know exactly how we feel! And of course we are at a disadvantage to the world because we’re clearly so fucking different to everyone!

LORRAINE

Josh, you know people don’t understand what you…or we, have been through, they’re just in it for the money. The yellow daisy you’re wearing is a start…

Joshua adjusts his daisy that had become aloof in his anger

LORRAINE

At least the daisy is making people more aware to a condition that you support, hopefully your laboratory work into the developmental research can be a big help as well. Josh you’re a medical marvel; you’ve acquired fame by both having Vecks and getting it removed. It’s never going to be simple but we just have to continue to help people

JOSHUA

Yeh, yeh I know. I hope this kid who has Vecks doesn’t get as much hassle as me, feel sorry for the bombardment he’s gonna get from the journalists

Joshua sighs heavily

LORRAINE

Oh josh, this is what I was going to say, Dora…

JOSHUA

Oh yeh Dora?

LORRAINE

I was rearranging some things yesterday…is that alright?

JOSHUA

(Confused and taken aback)

…Mum…

LORRAINE

Sorry, I’m just checking hunny. Anyway, was moving some things around and I found something. When you broke Dora’s bracelet she was so upset that after you ran off I bent down beside her and said I would give you the yellow beads of the bracelet after your operation, when hopefully you would have had time to recover and be able to have yellow things again. She looked appreciative and nodded in her shy little Dora way. I quickly picked some of them up and rand after you. I found you with your red raincoat hood on because you said you felt safest when you were wearing it. Anyway, I’ve just found those beads…I know they’re only beads but they mean a lot of Dora, want me to send them your way?

JOSHUA

Ur, yeh alright…I’ve got to go mum, got work

LORRAINE

Well, break a leg!

JOSHUA

You want me to break my leg?!

LORRAINE

…Joshua?!

JOSHUA

I’m only joking mum, love you, see ya

LORRAINE

Love you too Josh

Phone call ends

SCENE SIX

INT: LABORATORY – DAY

Joshua is in the laboratory walking around looking and comparing scans of the brain, making notes.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

My job was extremely long winded; I would have stacks of brain scans to look through and then make notes on their differences. These brain scans would differ in size and development and it would be my judgment to decipher whether the environment this child was in had effected their brain development. You could simply tell this by the progress of the cerebral cortex. If there was an environmental factor that affected the brain the cortex would sometimes become a lot less powerful; evident in scans.

The door creeks loudly open as Joshua looks towards it. A small hunched man with a long beard teeters in with a slender tall women, her blonde hair in a neat bob. Her bright blue eyes beaming she looks around the room missing Joshua. Joshua over hears the conversation.

PROFESSOR REEDING

This is one of our specialized labs regarding Autism, I take it you would be quite interested in this particular area

Joshua perks up and looks over at the both of them

PROFESSOR REEDING

Ah yes and of course, we have one of the world’s medical marvels working here for us, I take it you’ve heard of Joshua Vecks?

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

I preferred the name Josh, Professor Reeding never got used to it…

DORA

Yes, I’ve heard of him, wouldn’t describe him as a medical marvel myself however…

Joshua looks over surprised; Joshua squints trying to make out the figure of Dora, Joshua and Dora lock eyes, Dora looks away quickly

PROFESSOR REEDING

…well that’s down to opinion of course yes, well why don’t we wonder into the X-ray laboratories next shall we? You know one of our most boasted about qualities happens to be…

Professor Reeding continues talking, his dialogue fades as he walks away with Dora. Joshua’s gaze follows Dora. A doctor walks over to Dora in the meantime.

DOCTOR

Josh…Josh? Is there any brain malfunctions that could be recorded on scan #211?

Joshua snaps out of his long gaze towards the door

JOSHUA

Sorry, nah, there’s nothing abnormal just one functioning cerebral cortex!

SCENE SEVEN

INT: LABORATORY – 10 DAYS LATER

Joshua is still working on viewing brain scans at his desk in the laboratory.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

By this time I was observing scan #477 which meant it had been exactly a week, three days and seventeen hours since I had seen that women. I was observing the differences in brain scans when I heard the door creak open again. I looked up and it was her, wearing the experimentation-al Autistic discovery laboratory coat

Joshua drops the scans and rushes over to help Dora with the door, Dora is ungrateful and walks through. Joshua looks confused and follows Dora

JOSHUA

Hi…excuse me…

Joshua touches Dora’s shoulder. Dora gives a small yell and wriggles away child-like. Joshua take a pace backwards.

JOSHUA

Oh, I’m sorry I just wanted to introduce myself I’m…

DORA (INTR’D)

Joshua Vecks. The medical marvel boy that took the world by a storm. I understand. Discovered when he was eleven years old and removed when he was fourteen and a half. Considered to be one of Britain’s biggest scientific discoveries since the recognition and diagnosis of Autism in 1943 by Kenner.

JOSHUA

(under his breath)

Well you seem like a barrel of laughs…

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

That was sarcasm. It is impossible to be a barrel of laughs and furthermore she seemed extremely on edge

JOSHUA (CONT’D)

Oh, well it’s nice to meet you…

Joshua implies he wants to know her name; Dora gives a deadpan angry stare

DORA

…and I see you’re wearing yellow

Joshua looks confused. He eventually looks down at his YELLOW DAISY PIN and nods

JOSHUA

Ah yes, it’s a new charity for the awareness of Autism. Well, I hope this laboratory can harvest your intelligence as it does mine

DORA

You cannot harvest intelligence; intelligence is not a physical substance than can be collected by machine

Joshua looks confused as the camera follows him as he walks away.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Since recovering from having Vecks removed, it became abundantly clear that I had no idea how to communicate to people with Autism. Was this what it was like with me? I’m studying the cause and effects of Autism and yet I had no prior experience beforehand. It was clear from her literal interpretation of ‘harvest’ that this woman had Autism and therefore probably specifically specialised in medicine or anatomy, like me. However, as to why she appeared to be opposed to me was a mystery. The most striking feature was her large blue eyes that seemed to stare right through me, as if I was ghostly. Anyway, I had more interesting things to concern myself with, for example the cerebral cortex on each scan had seen to be more complex in development as I continued through them.

Joshua continues to observes scans as VO is happening

SCENE EIGHT

INT: LABORATORY – DAY, LATER THAT WEEK

Joshua is sitting at the same desk with scans surrounding him; he occasionally makes notes on his findings

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Scan #503 had been an anomaly in the collection, it took me over thirty minutes to observe its qualities and make detailed observations on its appearance. Scan #503 also meant that is was exactly two days, four hours and seventeen minutes since my last encounter with the mysterious woman who now worked at the same laboratory as me

Dora walks in from the right carrying brain scans. She quickly glances at Joshua then adverts her stare elsewhere

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Two days and she still hasn’t said a word to me, we may working in the same field so I had to off made an effot

Joshua walks over to Dora

JOSHUA

Excuse me…

Dora ignores Joshua

JOSHUA (CONT’D)

Have you found any discoveries regarding the environmental factors influencing the specific brain cell for Autism?

DORA

If I had, you would of known about it. It would have been recorded in the journal and Professor Reeding would have been looking into the finding

JOSHUA

I understand

Joshua begins to walk away

DORA

You don’t recognize me do you Joshua?

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

This was one of the first times anyone, excluding Professor Reed and mum, had called me Joshua. The name triggered my long term memory concerning Vecks, it made me reminice about Spa School, Siobhan and…

Joshua turns around and looks deep into Dora’s deep blue eyes

JOSHUA

Dora?!

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)
There was only one girl with her deep blue eyes, I should of made the connection long before. However, my cerebral cortex had blanked most of what I had thought of my time before the operation. Furthermore, her long blonde curls had been cut into an asymmetrical bob that swayed across her shoulders as she walked. She had matured a lot from ‘little Dora’

Dora picks up her things as if to leave

JOSHUA

Please Dora, stay

Joshua goes to keep Dora down with an arm gesture, Dora looks worried. Joshua remembers her Autism and retracts his hand, Dora looks slightly relieved

DORA

(aggravated, she wrinkles her nose whilst talking)

What Joshua? Why do you want me to stay?

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

 I could tell she was angry, her nose always winkled. The way she said ‘Joshua’ made me remember every little thing about her

JOSHUA

Well…why did you look disgusted at the mention of my name? Why haven’t you even tried to…

Dora gets up and leaves, leaving her possessions behind her

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

This was classic Dora. Whenever she didn’t want to answer a question she would get up and leave, this would happen numerous amounts of times during class, especially if she could not get her way

Exasperated, Joshua raises his hands, smacks his thighs and sighs. Joshua’s eyebrows raise in shock, he fumbles in his pockets. The camera is following Dora

JOSHUA

Dora, Dora…look

Joshua pulls out his wallet and rolls out THREE YELLOW BEADS, he holds them in his palm

JOSHUA

The day I was having my operation I bumped into you, you were trying your best to say goodbye to me. We both didn’t know when we would see each other again; you gave me that yellow bracelet. I didn’t mean to break it, but the colour startled me…I never looked goo in yellow anyway (quietly chuckles)

Dora looks into camera but not at Joshua, her eyes fill with tears

JOSHUA

Mum kept these and gave them to me, they meant a lot to me. It may not of seemed it but you were always one of my only friends in a per prosperous world were they thought I was famous for something I couldn’t control

Dora turns around and looks at the BEADS lying in Joshua’s hand

DORA

(through muffled tears)

What’s the emotion you feel when you cry?

JOSHUA

Upset Dora, you’re upset

DORA

Yeh…yeh I’m that. Thank you for keeping the wooden beads

Dora looks at Joshua and starts pulling her hair and yelling rapidly

JOSHUA

Dora, Dora what’s wrong?

DORA

I’m upset…I’m crying

JOSHUA

I know Dora, what is making you upset?

Dora turns away, grabs a piece of paper and scribbles down her address

DORA

This is my address Joshua, please come over on Wednesday the twelve of March at 5.45pm, we will have dinner and I will cook dinner for you and Jacob

Joshua looks down at the paper and nods

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

I looked down at her handwriting; it was pristine like it was a painting. I thought about telling her to call me Josh, however this may of upset her more

JOSHUA

Um, sorry Jacob?

DORA

He’s my son. He is nine years and thirty-three days old

JOSHUA

Oh, brilliant!

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

To find out Dora had a son delighted me, her natural caring behavior always seemed motherly to me

JOSHUA

You’ve become a lot more confident these past years Dora

DORA

My Autism developed a social defect. However through therapy I have enhanced my social impairment to enable myself to come to the laboratory and work, furthermore I can now engage in long conversation

JOSHUA

Well I’m glad it’s going well for you, so 5.45pm on Wednesday, on the dot!

Joshua picks up a scan and holds to camera to view it, the screen goes black.

SCENE NINE

INT: DORA’S HOUSE – 5.50pm WEDNESDAY

Screen is still black. TRANSITION from end of scene eight to start of scene nine. Dora walks from right to left ina  long flowing back skirt. The skirt drapes past the camera and then reveals the scene has changed. Joshua is sitting on the sofa with a CUP OF TEA. The room is extremely organized, everything is colour coordinated into oranges and red.

JOSHUA

Thanks!

Joshua holds up the tea as a gesture of thanks, Dora smiles

JOSHUA

So, how old is Jacob again?

DORA

Nine years and thirty-nine days old

JOSHUA

Ah yeh…where is he?

DORA

(Nervously fidgeting)

He’ll be down in two minutes; he’s always on time

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

I looked around Dora’s house and everything was how my room used to appear to be, in order, to precision. I still like things to be precise; everything should have a space and a specific area, but I wouldn’t get angry if something were to be misplaced, it would just have to be moved back. Dora’s life is just very much more organised…it’s odd…she never used to be so compulsory to have everything in order. I guess her Autism has changed over the years

The creak of the stairs can be heard. A young boy appears with short brown hair, Dora’s big blue eyes and wearing a super hero t-shirt

DORA

Joshua…this is my son, Jacob. Jacob say hello to Joshua

JACOB

(Eyes big and very shy)

Hello

JOSHUA

Nice to meet you Jacob

Jacob paces off into the kitchen and sits at the table

JACOB (FROM KITCHEN)

It is 6pm exactly

DORA

It’s ready Jacob. If you would like to follow me into the kitchen Joshua

Camera follows Joshua into kitchen. Jacob is sitting in perfect posture. Joshua sits down adjacent to Jacob, looks at his t-shirt

JOSHUA

I like your top Jacob, is that…

JACOB

Actually it’s

JOSHUA

Oh yeh, my mistake, I can see that now

Dora places a plate of food in front of Joshua, herself and lastly Jacob. Jacob immediately starts screaming flips the plate over, pushes his chair from the table, hitting it as he goes

DORA

Jacob, Jacob please…

Jacob continues in his tantrum until he calms slightly. Joshua goes over to him to try and calm him

JOSHUA

Hey, hey Jake it’s ok man

JACOB

(bluntly)

Jacob, my name is Jacob.

Joshua stand in shock, looks over at Dora who is leaning against a wall, tears bubbling in her eyes

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

I had just made the connection. The reason why Dora had been so distant, Jacob’s tantrum, his insistent on name calling, the reason why the house had to be in a specific order

JOSHUA

Dora…?

Dora nods. Joshua leans down to Jacob who is progressively getting calmer

JOSHUA

Jacob…do you know something called ‘Vecks’ syndrome?

JACOB

Yes, I have it. I’m only the second person to have this condition in the world; the first has been successfully removed due to medical funding as it was considered a great interest. However, with no medical interest in me personally, the procedure would cost exactly £45,867 which would cover

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Dora’s son had been the child who had been discovered to have the condition, the second person in the world. The boy that was announced on the radio. I was absolutely dumbstruck, I empathised for how the boy must of felt

Joshua waits for Jacob to stop talking           

JOSHUA

Why did you flip the plate of food Jacob?

JACOB

It had yellow on it. I don’t like the colour yellow. Red is my favourite colour.

Joshua shakes his head in disbelief. The actions in the voice over are being shown on screen.

OLDER JOSHUA

(Voice over)

Dora explained to me later that night that she felt resentful towards me after not seeing me for so many years and only having heard about me on the news. The only other person she could vent her mixed emotions on for Jacob’s Vecks was the person it was discovered in first; me. She explained that the yellow beads reminded her of what friendship we once held onto in Spa School. That helped her realize that there was nothing anyone could of done to prevent or determine whether Jacob would of developed this condition. Jacob can’t have the same operation as me for many reasons. The funding is a major problem as without medical interest they would have to pay for it themselves, and £45,867 is extortionate. Secondly, his cerebral cortex is not fully developed at the age of nine, meaning it would cause him severe brain damage if they were going to operate

SCENE TEN

INT: JACOB’S BEDROOM – DAY

Everything is tidy and in order. Most objects are red or orange. There are superhero comics, poster and souvenirs everywhere. Jacob is wearing a Superman top. Joshua and Jacob are sat on Jacob’s bed. It is now revealed that the voice over throughout the film of older Joshua has actually been Joshua talking to Jacob about his life with Vecks.

JOSHUA

…and that’s exactly what happened up until this point and I’m talking to you

JACOB

...so you knew my mum a long time ago, exactly…

JOSHUA

Seventeen years ago, yes

Jacob smiles and looks down saddened

JOSHUA

What’s wrong Jacob?

JACOB

It’s just…(looks down at top) I’m an alien. Like Superman, he got sent to the Earth as the last son of Krypton because everyone else from his planet, even though it turn out that he isn’t. He feel isolated because he was the only one on the Earth with powers like him. I feel like him because I’m the only person on the Earth with Vecks now. He also has all these powers like super breath, flight, strength, hear vision…but most other super hero’s only have one certain strength. There’s no one else in the world like me. You used to have the syndrome but I can’t get it removed. I’m different. I have these weird things about me.

JOSHUA

Jacob, look. Everyone has these ‘weird things’. I have this pocket for my phone and this pocket for my wallet. (Points to individual pockets). All superheros have weird powers, you just have a few more of them. I’m like one of those X-Men who go to Xavier, they get a cure for their condition but not everyone wants the cure, we’re just different types of super hero’s.

Jacob looks up and beams at Joshua

JOSHUA

…So, if you’re nine that means next year you’ll be starting Spa School, I remember one Thursday…

Joshua’s voice trails off as the camera PANS onto the wardrobe, Joshua’s RED RAINCOAT is hanging up neatly with a label on it that says ‘Jacob’.

END