FADE IN:
BREAKTHROUGH SCENE 1
ERIK is having a breakthrough is realizing that he does not want drugs in his life anymore and is ready to stop.
Int. ERIK’S ROOM - NIGHT
(ERIK rummaging through the drawers in his room)
GRANDPA
Erik! What’s going on, it’s one o’clock in the morning.
(Grabs ERIK by his shoulders)
ERIK
(ERIK, not looking up, begins to cry softly)
GRANDPA
(Gives ERIK a hug)
(WHISPERS)You’re okay. You’re fine.
Scene pauses then present ERIK begins to talk
ERIK (O.S.) (V.O.)
Now, let me start from the beginning before I had my break through, before things started to shape up.
FADE OUT:
TITLE CARD:

“Mentally Ill”

FADE IN:
PARK SCENE 1
At Massey Park with Erik sitting on a swing drinking and using tobacco. This scene showing that Erik uses such substances.
Ext. PARK – DAY

(ERIK takes out a bottle of alcohol from his jacket and takes three gulps)
(ERIK takes out his phone then calls GRANDPA)
ERIK
Hey, yeah, uh I just wanted to let you know I’m heading home. Love you, n’bye.
(Puts pack of cigarettes in boot)
HIDING AND DECEPTION
ERIK is hiding his pack of cigarettes and his bottle of alcohol. GRANDPA, with a displeased demeanor, sits in his computer room.
Int. ERIK’S LIVING ROOM – AFTERNOON
(walks to office/computer room where GRANDPA is)
Ext. COMPUTER ROOM – CONTINUOUS
GRANDPA
You should’ve gotten back sooner.
ERIK
Yeah, uh I know, I was walking slow.

GRANDPA
Well,
(LAUGHS)
walk faster.
ERIK
Well, I’m going to meditate now.
GRANDPA
Good, keep it up!
(SMILES with double thumbs up)
Int. ERIK’S ROOM – CONTINUOUS
ERIK
(Hides cigarettes and alcohol)
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
HALLUCINATIONS AND DELIRIUM
ERIK is alone in his room and begins having hallucinations and starts lashing out.
Int. ERIK’S ROOM – NIGHT
ERIK
(Shown defending himself from something while lying in bed)
Cassidy, get out of my head!
“CASSIDY”
(high inflection in voice)
(RASPY, MANIC)
No! ERIK, just let me in, let me control your vessel.
ERIK
(Jumps off bed, still in a defensive position)
No! I don’t want to be evil. Wait, do I?
(Looks in mirror and SMILES a SINSISTER smile)
“CASSIDY”
Yes, you need me. I will help you reach your full potential.
ERIK is talking to himself, but to him he is talking to another being that lives in his head.
ERIK
(Slams fists on table)
“CASSIDY” (V.O.)
Fill yourself with rage and indulge in the darkness.
Kill the light!
ERIK
(SCREAMING, pulling on hair while on floor)
“CASSIDY”
(LAUGHING, pacing around room)

GRANDPA
(opens door)
Hey, what’s going on?
(standing at doorway)
“CASSIDY”
Nothing, just go back to sleep
GRANDPA
I don’t think I can now. Do you need help right now? Is this another visit to the mental hospital?
ERIK
No, I’m fine. I just can’t sleep.
GRANDPA
That doesn’t explain why you are on the floor. Are you on drugs? What’s really going on, ERIK?
“CASSIDY” (V.O.)
Don’t let him know about me! Don’t talk about our plans.
ERIK
I’m not on drugs, I was just having a bad dream and fell off my bed.
ERIK is too far away from his bed to have “fallen” off of it.
GRANDPA
Well, get back to bed now.
ERIK
Alright. Love you.
GRANDPA
Love you too, goodnight.
ERIK
Goodnight.
MORNING CONVERSATION W/ GRANDPA
Int. ERIK’S HOUSE - ERIK’S ROOM – LATE MORNING NEXT DAY
Quiet morning, GRANDPA and GRANDMA have already gotten up and are at the dinner table eating breakfast.
ERIK begins to wake up then gets out of his bed and heads to the kitchen area. ERIK then starts making himself some cereal.
GRANDPA
(Goes to the kitchen sink and washes out his dish which is near ERIK)
So, did you eventually fall back to sleep?
ERIK
Yeah, I’m not sure what came over me last night.
(Pours milk into bowl filled with cereal)
Anyways, I was wondering if I could go to the store and buy me something to drink after I eat. Would that be alright?
GRANDPA
Yeah, that’d be fine. Where else are you planning on going today?
ERIK
Probably to the park again.

GRANDPA
I want you to start heading home at 5:30
(Finishes washing his dish)
(Heads to the dinner table again)
ERIK
Alrighty.
(walk to the table then sits down with bowl of cereal)
EXHALES
So, how’s your morning so far?
GRANDPA
SMILES
Oh, I suppose it’s going good so far
ERIK
(Takes a bite of his cereal)
GRANDPA
How about you? How’s your morning going?
ERIK
ERIK periodically takes bites of his cereal throughout the conversation.
Well, so far, it’s going well.
PAUSE
Once I get home after the park, I’ll probably write some more poetry.

GRANDPA
Hopefully, you can refrain from writing such morbid stuff this time.
ERIK
I only write how I feel, GRANDPA.
GRANDPA
And that’s the problem. I wish you didn’t have to feel that way.
ERIK
I don’t think I can control how I feel though.
GRANDPA
DISAPPOINTEDLY
I’m of the opinion that you can control it. You just aren’t trying hard enough.

SILENCE as ERIK finishes his cereal. Afterwards he washes his bowl and gets dressed then puts on his shoes. Finally, before he heads out the door to go to the store, ERIK tells GRANDPA “I love you”.

ON THE WAY TO TROUBLE
EXT. ERIK’S FRONT PORCH – CONTINIOUS
ERIK is on his way to the store to buy some energy drinks and to steal some cough syrup to get high.
ERIK (V.O.)
WHILE WALKING TO STORE
Man, I can’t wait to get messed up
Okay, okay, so I’m just going to mix the energy drinks with the cough syrup!

CUT SCENE TO INSIDE STORE
BUYING AND STEALING
Int. STORE – NOON
ERIK walks over to where the cough syrup is and steals three bottles. Two of the bottles in his boots; one in his right boot and another in his left. The other bottle is in his pants. He is wearing a long enough shirt to cover the bottles. Then, ERIK grabs one Monster Energy Drink.
AT THE SELF CHECK-OUT
Employee walks up to ERIK.
ERIK (V.O.)
Oh, s***!
ERIK
NERVOUSLY
Hello,
STORE EMPLOYEE (MALE)
Hey, I just thought I’d let you know that if you buy another Monster, it’ll only be four dollars.
ERIK (V.O)
Whew
ERIK
Uh, thanks.
(Grabs another Monster)
STORE EMPLOYEE (MALE)
Yea, no problem.
ERIK walks out of the store and heads towards the park with intent to drink the mixture of energy drinks and cough syrup.
FADE OUT:

FADE IN:
PARK SCENE 2
Ext. PARK – AFTERNOON
Summer day at Massey Park and there is about five people there not including ERIK.
ERIK goes into the parks restroom and starts mixing the energy drinks with the cough syrup. He then begins chugging the bottles of cough syrup and Monster. Afterwards, he throws the bottles and the cans in the trash he walks out of the bathroom and sits on a bench by the basketball court in Massey.
(People stare at ERIK, pointing and laughing then whispering to each other)
ERIK DOES NOT NOTICE THE PEOPLE
Time-lapse of ERIK goes by, showing him starting to trip out; the cough syrup is beginning to kick in. ERIK’s laughter fills the air.
ERIK (V.O.)
Whoa… I’m soo high right now.
(Clutches stomach)
Ugh. I feel like I’m going to puke.
(Disgusted expression)

ERIK
WHOOO!
(falls off the bench on to the floor and begins crawling around)
GROGGILY
GRANDPA!
(Pulls out phone)

ERIK tries to call GRANDPA, but his vision is too blurry. He starts having twitchy movements and squirms on the floor. After about 30 minutes of this, his phone starts ringing. It’s GRANDPA, but he can’t see that, he is too out of it. It eventually stops ringing then it starts back up again. This happens multiple times.
CUT SCENE
Ext. OUTSIDE ERIK’S HOUSE – SAME TIME
GRANDPA starts walking toward the park.
Montage of him walking to the park.
Ext. PARK – SAME TIME
GRANDPA sits on the bench where ERIK was previously sitting and looks down at ERIK who now has a pile of puke by him and is still squirming and twitching while moaning.
GRANDPA
DISAPPOINTED
What have you done?
(Put face into right hand then shakes his head)
ERIK
DOESN’T RESPOND
(Makes gargling noise then dry heaves)
GRANDPA
What are you on?
(Lifts head back up and looks back down at ERIK)
ERIK
BARELY UNDERSTANDABLE
I’m sorry… help! help!
One of the other people that were in the park had called the ambulance. In the distance, there is the sound of sirens.
FADE OUT:
BLACK SCREEN:
LOSS FOR WORDS
Int. GRANDPA’S CAR – EARLY MORNING
MORNING after the incident where ERIK had overdosed on cough syrup. GRANDPA is driving ERIK, who is still out of it, from the hospital.
ERIK is laying on the back seats of the car, just waking up.
GRANDPA
You should know that you are grounded.
FADE IN:
ERIK
STRUGGLING TO SPEAK
Yea, I understand.
GRANDPA
You could have died, ERIK!
GRANDMA and your mother were worried sick. Your actions cause harm to other people too, not just you.
ERIK
SILENCE
(Lays back down and closes eyes)
GRANDPA
Don’t bother trying to go to sleep now, we’re home.

GRANDPA pulls into the garage of ERIK’S HOUSE.

Int. ERIK’S HOUSE – GARAGE – CONTINIOUS
GRANDPA and ERIK walk to ERIK’S room.