A desolate supermarket parking lot sitting atop a hill is scarcely filled with cars. BRANDON is walking from the supermarket with four full grocery bags. The bags contain various snacks and soda cans. BRANDON approaches his cars and fumbles around his pockets for his keys. He awkwardly finds his keys and presses the button to open the trunk of his car within his pocket. He puts two of the grocery bags in the back freeing up his left hand. Suddenly an elderly woman who is engaging in the same post-shopping activities, MARIANNE, a few spaces down speaks out to BRANDON.

BRANDON is caught off guard and takes a moment to realize MARIANNE is talking to him.

BRANDON looks around not sure if MARIANNE is talking to him.

BRANDON shuffles around inside the grocery bags looking for a carrot. There is no carrot inside the grocery bags.

MARIANNE tilts her head looking past BRANDON curiously.

BRANDON gives a confused look and then reaches inside the bag in his right hand. Reaching to the very bottom he pulls out a stick of Burt’s Bees lip balm.

BRANDON absentmindedly checks his lips with his free hand and stops immediately. BRANDON puts the Burt’s Bees lip balm in his pocket.

MARIANNE pulls several sticks of Burt’s Been lip balm, and sorts through.

MARIANNE gives BRANDON a disappointed look and puts the sticks back her bag.

A beat of silence as MARIANNE and BRANDON sort of look at each other.

BRANDON frees his right hand of one of the two grocery bags that have been living there for what feels like weeks at this point.

BRANDON drops the final bag and soda spills on the ground.

BRANDON simply sighs at this at picks up the bag and the broken soda can.

BRANDON closes the trunk of his car and gives no response.

BRANDON gets in his car.

MARIANNE tuts her finger.

BRANDON scoffs and starts up his car.

MARIANNE begins to hum the Gayatri Mantra and dances softly applying lip balm to her lips.

BRANDON confusedly watches, looks around, then drives off.

MARIANNE continues to dance.

BRANDON ascends the stairs with his hands full of groceries.

As he reaches the top of the steps he fumbles around with his keys and manages to open the door with the grace of an elephant in a pumpkin patch.

BRANDON’s mother, MIRANDA, stands in the kitchen chopping some vegetables.

MIRANDA points at BRANDON with her knife.

BRANDON puts his bags on the counter.

MIRANDA resumes chopping.

BRANDON unloads case of Mr.Pibb and some other cheap off brand sodas.

BRANDON digs around the bag and cannot find the lip balm.

MIRANDA ceases her chopping again.

BRANDON searches with increased haste and h=in his fervor spills a can of Mr. Pibb.

BRANDON realizes he put the stick in his pocket earlier and pulls it out.

He gives the stick to his mother. She takes it from him and gives him a look that dart player gives a bullseye. She resumes chopping.

BRANDON grabs a MR. PIBB and begins to walk towards his room.

BRANDON goes to his room and plops down on his chair with soda and begins to play Civilization VI.

MIRANDA applies the Burt’s Bees to her lips and begins to hum the Gayatri Mantra. She finishes chopping the vegetables and puts them in the pot.

BRANDON does not notice as his gaming headphones are now placed squarely on his head.

Tent - Int Night

We find ourselves in a decent-sized quiet candle-lit tent. Two chairs are placed across from each other at a table. The table is adorned with a single candle. There is no sound, no movement, not a whisper. Just the soft song of a subtle wind.

MARIANNE and MIRANDA enter from opposite exits.

They startle each other with their simultaneous entrances.

MARIANNE chuckles a bit. MIRANDA joins.

They sit at either side of the table

They join hands and close their eyes to begin.

MARIANNE opens here eye and laughs. MIRANDA’s eyes follow.

MIRANDA joins in the laughter.

They close their eyes once more.

MIRANNE and MIRANDA

We humbly direct the tides to our subtle discretion, have Brandon quit his *soda* habit.

Their eyes open.

MARIANNE laughs and MIRANDA follows suit.

They continue to laugh boisterously.

This sends them into a frantic fit of laughter.

MIRANDA falls out of her chair triumphantly as she laughs. But with her tumble the candle on the table gets knocked off balance and falls over onto the table.

MIRANDA quickly gets up to assess.

MIRANDA sees the flame and they both begin to scream franticly.

MARIANNE gives MIRANDA a towel from her purse and MIRANDA beats down the flame. The flame is smothered and they both breathe heavily. They look at each other and both give a small chuckle that turns into a sigh.

Apartment - Int DAY

BRANDON is playing Civilization IV and drinking Mr.Pibb as usual.

He gets a call and answers it not pausing his game.

BRANDON receives a piece of news.

BRANDON pauses Civilization IV.

BRANDON goes to get up but moves to quickly and spills his soda.

BRANDON picks up some napkins from nearby and wipes the table. He cranes his neck to his door to peek down the hallway from his terrible vantage point. He responds to the caller.

The unseen caller gives a response.

BRANDON hangs up and takes a moment to think. He looks towards the door again. He decides to resume playing Civilization IV. He goes to take another mindless sip of his soda. After which he stops for a beat. He looks at his soda and decides, for some odd reason, to throw it in the trash. He looks back to his monitor and pauses Civilization VI. He does a large upward stretch and gets up from his seat. BRANDON walks over to the window and looks up at the sky thinking about life and death.